victory_road | ANOMALY DETECTED

[Ryou freezes, not expecting the spirit to admit he messed up by doing that.]

You- [He clamps his mouth shut, not wanting to upset him again, but it's clear he kind of viewed the spirit as just that: an evil vengeful spirit who had used Ryou as his host. One who was justifiably upset about the destruction of Kul Elna, yes, but still an evil spirit.

That stunned quiet doesn't last long though, and Ryou is startled into explaining just why he couldn't have gone with his friends to help Atem out when he'd so badly wanted to help.]

Why? I...I didn't want to hold everyone up, and I'm sure they would have argued for me if I'd tried to stay...

[Even as he says this, something in the back of Ryou's mind points out that they hadn't tried to stop him from leaving when he did, no one tried to go after him or insist that he stay or argue for him beyond the initial shock of him being read as 'Evil'.]

I didn't mean that. I want to know why you keep doing that - you keep standing up for everybody but yourself, except if it's against me. Why?

[Even though Bakura should be the one Ryou ought to be fearing facing off against the most. Yet it's only against him that he's willing to show his spine.]

Take your apology to that picture, for example.

What?

[Isn't it obvious?]

I want to help them, that's all. [Except his help is coming at the cost of Ryou's own well being. Isolating himself to stop the comas, giving up on uncovering Atem's name despite wanting to help, apologizing to the painting of a long dead man despite what happened not being his fault, it's all coming out of Ryou's inability to stand up for himself unless the spirit gets involved.]

What am I supposed to do, not apologize for what happened? [Considering Shadi's death wasn't Ryou's fault, he shouldn't have to apologize.]

Helping others shouldn't be on the cost of your own. Are you sure you aren't trying to make up for something? Or trying to bribe them to stay with you?

[It's the most classic motives, and Bakura's trying to find the chinks in Ryou's self-sacrifing armor.]

Do you truly remember what happened when you met him? That man knew what the Items do to those that aren't worthy if somebody tries to wear them. They kill them! But did he try to stop your father? Did he try to stop you?! How old were you when you first put on the Ring, right in front of your very parent?

[Barking a short, derisive laugh, Bakura gives Ryou a look that betrays exactly what HE is thinking about that priest.]

Shadi would have seen you burn, body and soul completely destroyed, that day! And trust me, he wouldn't have felt guilty at all! You're apologizing to the portrait of your would-be murderer!

[Ryou flinches. It seems the spirit hit something there with just why he's so self sacrificing.]

It's not that, I just... [He wants them to know he's not evil, he's not like the spirit, try and counter all the stuff the spirit did in his body.

Then the spirit explains exactly what would have happened had the Ring rejected Ryou, and he stares wide eyed, glancing up at the Shadi painting again before looking back at the spirit.]

He didn't know I was there until I ran in to check on my dad, there wasn't time... [But the spirit's right, of course. Shadi had let his father try on the Ring. He had let a ten year old kid grab the Ring, he had let so many people try the Items knowing full well what would happen. Ryou only remembers what happened because Aigami had forced him to remember, and Aigami had blamed him personally for what happened.]

There wasn't time.... To do what?

[Narrowing his eyes, he lets his narrow. Seems like his host remembers exactly what happened now.]

No time to silence both of you effective- and conveniently, maybe?

To...

[Ryou thinks about what happened. He'd run in and stopped to check on his downed father first. His father had asked him to go get the Ring. Ryou had grabbed it.

Shadi made no effort to collect the Ring before Ryou could grab it.]

...What was wrong with him? [There it is, Ryou finally expressing something besides that self sacrificing misplaced guilt over what happened.] He knew what would probably happen - there were kids there watching!

Exactly!

[This! This is it that he wanted to spark inside his host again! It might be counter-productive, but Bakura doesn't like seeing his host - somebody who is strongly associated with him - roll over and be a stepping stone for anyone else.]

He knew all this, and he still went ahead with it! He never cared! Neither for you, nor for anybody else!!

He just wanted to find someone who could withstand wearing it! He forced items on people!

[Yes, he remembers Pegasus' story of how he got the Eye. Or rather, how the Eye was forced on Pegasus.]

That bastard never cared what happened to the people who were tested!

[Even Banshee looks shocked at Ryou's outburst, head whipping up as her normally polite trainer calls Shadi a bastard.]

That he did~ He knew that the Items would corrupt those who could actually withstand wearing them, too.

[His voice is back to low and smooth, purring poisonous truths into his host's ears. Bakura isn't lying. But Ryou has buttons, and Bakura is there to push them.]

Now, tell me - how many people were there when you were just called 'evil' and turned away? Surely enough that at least one could have stayed behind long enough to explain your circumstances to Bobasa?

Also, we're talking about the Pharaoh they were worried about here: the guy who goes toe-to-toe against me, Marik, Kaiba and the likes and still always comes out looking the better for it! Does it really make sense that they thought he wouldn't be able to hold his own for a few more minutes? That he needed all of them to safe his royal ass?

Or were they just thoughtless of you and your feelings?

[Them abandoning Ryou like that had played fabulously into Bakura's hands, but he's a greedy bastard. He'll be vengeful on his host's behalf just because he can be, because any reason to hate the Pharaoh and his cheerleaders any more is good enough to him.]

They- [Ryou's anger finally overrides his need to excuse his friends for letting him be left behind, the spirit's words hammering home just how thoughtless the group was to let him be declared evil and let him go.]

They knew I wasn't evil like Bobasa said, why didn't they defend me? I'm sure they would have been all insisting the Scales were wrong if it was Honda or Anzu or Yugi, so why not me?

[Why did they just stand back and watch him run off, then go on without him? Did they think they could go help Atem without him? Did they think he would just get possessed again since he was wearing the Ring at the time?

Then another, harsher thought hits.]

They didn't even bring Otogi! [Granted, Ryou hadn't thought to include Otogi either, but he's upset and realizing a lot of things really fast.]

Of course they didn't! And why? Because it served them, that's why!

[He spreads his arms, not even trying to hide how much fun tearing his host's walls down is for him.]

You having the Ring and getting possessed again was a risk, wasn't it? So why not just remove you as a whole from the equation and problem solved? You're friends after all, I'm sure they trusted that they can just apologize to you later and you'll ~understand~

Didn't Otogi stand against the Pharaoh once, too? Seems like only the chosen inner circle of 'trusted friends' got to go in the end! Oh, and Bobasa. Can't leave out the random stranger claiming he came to help while looking extra-suspicious about it, right?

[Ryou knows he shouldn't trust the spirit, shouldn't let him get under his skin like this, but he's hurt, and enraged, and letting a lot of things come to the surface all at once, making it easy for the spirit to prod his buttons and push him further into that anger.]

They couldn't even try asking me to just take the Ring off if they were concerned about that! No Ring, no possession, right?! But no, they let me be excluded and completely left out Otogi, even though we were friends!

[Certainly they'd known that the Ring had to be worn for him to be possessed, they'd tried to keep it away from him after Battle City. Ryou had just claimed it back, but they had to know how it worked.]

They just took Bobasa at his word! We didn't know who he was, but they just chose to trust the guy who walked in with two Millennium Items and said he was there to help! Even after all we've been though because of Millennium Item holders like Pegasus and Marik!

[There's a lot of yelling about a guy Bakura doesn't care about that leaves him wondering what that person is to his host, but besides that this is going swimmingly. Bakura is absolutely delighted to have brought that side of Ryou out, because it has been about damn time that his landlord started standing up for himself. At least towards the Pharaoh!]

Right. They know what it means to you and tried to just take it away and keep it from you too, didn't they? That on the blimp wasn't the first time they tried!

[Not that it was any use against the cursed Item, all their attempts did was to cradle them in a false sense of safety until Bakura decided to let them know about his presence again. But this is about the principle, and by friends' laws they'd stolen from his host!

Now, for the killing strike~ ]

Did they ever tell you who Bobasa actually was?

[Ryou remembers how his friends had looked at him every time he pulled the Ring out throughout Duelist Kingdom, how they'd tried to keep it away from him when they could. And granted, Ryou can hardly blame them for it even in his anger, considering how often he got possessed. What he takes more issue with is that moment after Battle City, when Honda tried to whisper to Yugi when Ryou asked where the Ring was. You know how he gets, he'd said, thinking Ryou wouldn't hear that whisper.]

Did they ever trust me? I know I kept that Ring when I shouldn't have, but did they never think to just tell me what the problem was instead of just taking the Ring and leaving me to wonder where it went?

[Ryou's head whips up at the mention of Bobasa, wondering what the spirit means.]

No, who was he? [They'd told him about the important bits, but not who Bobasa was.] Who was he?

[Bakura's lips pull back in what could be a smirk or just a cruel baring of his teeth. He isn't going to answer that question. It's like a barb, and like a barb it will dig and stab deeper the longer his host is going to deal with it on his own.

The second question, though....

He nearly licks his lips as he leaves his place once more and saunters up to Ryou. Slowly, deliberate, making sure the other knows that he's coming. No signs of aggression from the thief this time, either.

Bakura holds up his hands to show that he isn't having anything in them before he places them on Ryou's shoulders and almost gently turns him around. Towards the painting. Leaning in close, Bakura whispers into his ear.]

Yes, who? You could ask them, but I don't think they'll tell you, so I will. The man who declared you evil and sent you away was the "pharaoh's master key", Bobasa.

....alias Hassan, allias ...

....Shadi.

[Ryou steps back as the spirit approaches him, still wary of him, with Banshee growling beside him -

- but all the spirit does is spin Ryou around to face the Shadi painting and tell him exactly who he was.]

He- [He stares wide eyed at the painting, his initial shock giving way to rage.] -He had the nerve to let me get the Ring, then just walk back in years later and call me evil?! That ass knew I had the Ring!

[One hand clenches a Pokéball, but he doesn't do anything. Not yet. But Ryou is enraged, not thinking clearly, and wants some sort of vent.]

Edited 2022-12-08 22:24 (UTC)

Of course he did!

[Backing off, Bakura snickers joylessly.]

Welcome to the world of the Pharaoh and his servants, landlord! Where good is always them and 'evil' whoever suits them to be! Oh, I don't doubt that our precious little Pharaoh had no clue about the game Shadi played with you! But.... Did any of them feel the need to tell you, later on? Or was that another 'unimportant' little 'detail' that they left out from their summary of things?!

[Ryou doesn't respond, too busy staring up at the painting of Shadi with that enraged look in his eyes. Eventually he takes the Pokéball he's been clenching and raises it in a sudden jerk, calling out a Staravia.]

Roc, use Aerial Ace on that painting. [His voice is cold as he points up at the painting of Shadi, but Roc doesn't hesitate to launch up and attack the painting, cutting a slash into its surface.

Banshee, for her part, looks shocked that Ryou would use a different Pokémon to take out his grudge, and calls out in frustration. Isn't she the vengeful spirit of the team?]

Don't worry Banshee, it's your turn. Use Swift. [She doesn't hesitate to do so, the attack cutting more gouges into the painting. Ryou watches with some satisfaction, though still angered at how Shadi had ruined his life.]

A bit overly dramatic, but I'll take it. That second attack after he was already down was a nice touch.

[Zoroark is sticking close to him again, touching his master by the back of his legs in a silent sign that the ghost type is there and ready to fight for him, should it be desired. Bakura tolerates the pokemon's touchiness with a patience that he usually reserved for his lost ka beast, Diabound.]

Feeling better?

[Ryou doesn't want to admit it did feel good to take out his frustrations, but...]

...I guess. I just...how could he do that, come back and do the whole test with the Scales and say only I couldn't go because I was 'evil'?

[Was he still upset about being killed by the spirit? Was Shadi taking it out on Ryou, like how Aigami did?

Meanwhile, Roc lands beside Ryou and presses against his side, watching the spirit. Ryou barely gets a moment to pat the bird's head before he abruptly bursts into the light associated with evolution.]

Whoa! [Roc grows, becoming noticeably larger, before the light dies down to reveal a somewhat surprised Staraptor.]

Is it supposed to be doing that?

[Bakura has been taking half a step back, but his Zoroark doesn't look worried so he decides to stay as well.

He gives the new monster a curious look.]

Whose soul is that? Anyway, Shadi is about as passionate as a deep-frozen dead fish. Whatever his purpose was for singling you out, it mustn't have been personal. To him, destroying you was most likely just the next logical move to further the agenda of the Pharaoh.

[Besides, it was Bakura he ought to be mad at, not his host. But Shadi wouldn't pick a fight with him directly. They both know that the thief is stronger than him. If the whole thing stood no chance against a newly awakened Bakura, then a mere shadow would be useless. The really strange thing is that he really played into Bakura's hands by making sure that Ryou couldn't cause a repeat of the first Dark RPG they played.

.....

Huh. Was there another thread that Bakura had missed and just unintentionally snuffed in the bud during the Memory Game?]

Yeah, they're supposed to do that when they get stronger. Banshee could evolve into a Zoroark like yours when she gets strong enough. [Ryou has managed a bit of a smile for Roc, though he's still very noticeably upset and can't hold the smile for long.]

...So he was just protecting Atem and decided I was a threat because the Scales said so. And no one else fought it.

[Somehow, that just makes it worse, that it probably wasn't personal on Shadi's side.]

[Did he just say "destroy you"? That was a slip of the tongue out of habit, but fortunately his host doesn't seem to have caught on to it. Still, now that Bakura has reached his goal of riling his host up against the Pharaoh and his companions, he is a bit at a loss of what to do next (besides being damn pleased with himself.)

Which is why he is finding himself giving Ryou's words some serious consideration against his better knowledge. His tone is very much that of a GM puzzling over how to overcome a flaw in an already started campaign when he finally speaks.]

He might have wanted to get rid of you, period, since you are one of the very rare people who can use the Ring. You also knew about the tomb keepers and where they kept the rest of the Items, or at least that's what he must have assumed. [He hums thoughtfully while he absentmindedly compares the differences between Banshee and Zoroark. Banshee is definitely less clingy.] .....Do you have any real proof that that's really what the Scales said?

[Ryou recognizes that tone, being familiar with DMing himself. He doesn't like hearing it come out of the spirit, considering his track record with tabletop gaming, but he recognizes it.]

Maybe. I didn't remember what happened when I got the Ring at the time, but he probably didn't know that.

[Wait. Did the Scales actually say that?]

Shadi - uh, Bobasa said they would only tilt if you had evil or deception in your heart. They stayed still for everyone else, but tilted when he held them to me.

[Hold on a second.]

Maybe it wasn't truly evil, but deception. I wasn't exactly telling anyone I was wearing the Ring again, but I think they probably knew anyways.

[Or it could have just been picking up on the spirit's presence in the Ring. That too.]

ANOMALY DETECTED

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