It's so crowded in here

Kadlin: *studies him a long moment* Sit. *will change the bed to chairs again*

Atemu: *catches up his cape before she does so, putting it back on before sitting down - everything about him is regal and graceful, it's not even conscious, it's how he was raised from birth*

*Yugi sits too, Kuriboh hovering next to his shoulder opposite Atemu and Mahaad standing on Atemu's other side.*

Kadlin: Darkness, a power much like the Shadows, seeks to overpower all.  You have been a powerful agent of the Shadows since you were young.  Darkness did not want you to find peace, it wants you destroyed, and so its agent set a trap.  Had you completed the Duel, instead of entering the afterlife as should have been, you would have been taken into Darkness and slowly destroyed.

Atemu: ..............why? What is its argument with me?

Kadlin: It is what the Powers are about.  Light is a Power of Order, Darkness a Power of Chaos, and Shadow a Power of Balance.  You have kept the balance between Light and Dark and Darkness never likes to be thwarted.

Atemu: *nods, frowning* Who is its agent?

Kadlin: You will have to learn that on your own.

Atemu: All right. What exactly was the nature of the trap? How would it have been triggered, and what would the effects have been?

Kadlin: The trigger was set as the completion of your Duel, win or lose your souls would have been captured by Darkness.  You would have existed in torment until your soul was torn apart.

Yugi: */shudders/, hugging himself* That's . . . not how I was expecting to spend the rest of my life. *sardonic...but that also scares him, though more for his other heart than for himself*

Kuriboh: *shifts up into his lap, pressing into him to try to comfort him* Kuri...

Yugi: *indulges his creature - and himself - enough for a quick but tight HUG, then gently pushes him back down* All right, so . . . we should get back to the ceremonial chamber, see if we can find any traces of the trap and who might have left it. Maybe Malik or Ishizu will know something.

Atemu: *nods* The Tombkeepers may have clues in their secrets they don't even know they hold. Mahaad, find any others you can who might know anything, find out what you can.

Mahaad: *bows* Of course, my pharaoh.

Kadlin: ...Sending you back is not so easy.  I must act carefully or your will be lost here forever.

Atemu: *considers that - to Mahaad* Go. Find out what you can. Kuriboh will stay here with us. He'll be your directly link. What he knows, you'll know.

Mahaad: *bows again and vanishes*

Atemu: Can - and will - you suggest a course of action for us? *to Kadlin*

Kadlin: ...For now I need you to come with me and do as I say. I have...something I need to...address, and then I will be able to return you to your world.

Atemu: What should we know going into this?

Yugi: You have to answer to someone for helping us...don't you?

Kadlin: ...Yes.  No matter what happens you must not interfere.  That is all you need to know for now.

General: Everything okay? *to Yugi as he clearly doesn't have a catch.*

Yugi: *soft blush, nods* Yup. I, ah, I lost my catch. *sheepish*

General: *looks between Yugi and Ralin (who looks amused and sheepish)* Mm-hmm. Eat up then.

Yugi: *small bow* Thank you. *murmurs to himself over his fish as he always does* I humbly partake. *will eat with the others*

*They'll stay here to rest for now, and while they're just hanging out and settling down for a bit...*

Kairi: *to the general* Do you have a name too?

General: ...........I was once called Fenrik.

Kairi: Once...?

Fenrik: A human I met a long time ago gave me that name.

Yugi: …..I’m sorry. I should have asked.  I didn’t want to presume, though. *offers him a grin* I’m really glad to have you along, Fenrik-san. Thank you for everything you’ve done so far.

Fenrik: *little smile.* I'm glad to be here. How's Yami feeling?

Yugi: Fine. Just resting. That Shadow Game took a lot out of him. He’ll be okay soon, though.

Fenrik: *nods* You should get some rest as well.  All of you.  I’ll keep watch for a bit.  *looks at Yugi* And don’t bother him, I know he’ll come out when he’s rested.

Yugi: We should go see her father. The Red mentioned that he’s been abusing her.

General: *frowns* And you believe it? *looks at the girl...and grunts* All right. Let's go see him.

Yugi: There’s no falsehood in the Shadows. *and besides, just look at how she’s been behaving! . . . nods and will shift to follow*

Child: *doesn't want to go...but will when even Ralin and Azure shift to follow.*

General: *leads the way in...they'll have to search, and they'll find the mer hiding*

*For this, Yami will re-emerge, next to Yugi, his earlier exhaustion gone (or buried). He folds his arms and regards the mer.*

Yami: [The Red is gone.]

Mer: ...Gone? *he's sure?*

Yami: *nods* [I defeated and dispersed it myself. All of the people have been recovered. They are alive.] *he’s not about to say they’re “all right”, unless by some miracle they have no memories of what they’ve been put through – he can only pray for that*

Mer: G-good. Good. *he doesn't really sound like he thinks that's good. He spots his daughter* What are you doing out here? Come here.

Child: *sh-shakes her head*

Yami: *frowns, shifting in front of the child* [What was your relationship with that entity?]

Mer: *frowns, starting to shift to see his daughter, but then Yami's question hits him and he flinches.* Wh-what? *angry* What kind of question is that?!

Yami: *steadfast, his gaze /hard/* [A warranted one. Now…] *lets Shadows slip from his hands* [-answer me voluntarily, or I will draw the truth from you /my/ way.]

Mer: *pulls back from him* Stay away from me! You have no authority here! Get out!

General: */frowns/*

Guard2: We can't just let you go.

Yami: *emerges, his expression dangerous* [Yes, you can . . .] *dark grin* [. . . or do you wish to play a game with me?] *is /not/ initiating a Shadow Game…yet…but he will if he has to*

Guards: *they all startle to some degree or other when Yami appears.*

Guard1: It's not so simple as that. *glances at the general, his ready pose relaxing /just/ a little.* You're right, this place is rotting. Something has infested the city and is slowly killing it. We can't leave, though, all we can do is follow orders and do what we can when we are free to do anything other than what we're told.

Guard2: Which isn't much at all. We're kept under close watch, we make a wrong move and it costs a life.

Guard3: One of our own kin!

Guard1: Our current orders are to recapture you and arrest whoever freed you. Until we can find and free our kin, until we can flee here ourselves, we can't let you go.

Yami: *arms crossed, frowning as he listens* [Who is in charge, and what is this “something” that has invested your city?]

Yugi: *also looking grim, ready to back Yami up or just let him take over, whichever he needs*

Guard1: ........The council member who had you imprisoned is the one giving orders. He either serves the Red by choice or is its puppet.

*The others shudder at mention of this "Red". And they do stand down a bit, though are still ready to try to restrain the two.*

Guard1: *kind of shakes himself.* It doesn't matter. We have no choice but to arrest you for now.

Guard4: Wait, sir. This water man isn't normal...what could it really hurt to tell him?

Guard1: It wastes time and risks our kin is what it could hurt! Do you want to see your youngling given to the Red next? Or your mate?

Guard4: *flinches* No....but one of them clearly knows the vortex spell...maybe they can help...

General: */scowls/, is /that/ the dangerous spell that was tossed to the current?! He holds his peace for now.*

Yami: *gives the general a look at the scowl but as the general doesn’t say anything, neither will he – to the guards* [That spell protects something of great importance to me and my partner - ] *nods at Yugi…and unfolds his arms, letting Shadows play across his hands and around his fingers* - [and what I wield is far more powerful.] *lets go of the Shadows, arms folding again, nods to indicate he means the general* [Let him go. I will take on this “Red” that has you all trapped.]

Yugi: *grim nod*

Guards: *glancing at each other.*

General: I've known these two all of six tides now, so I don't know them well, but I know what I've observed and I know the power this water man wields. They are good people, and if anyone can deal with this threat, he can.

Child: I'll try to come back and let you out, or bring you your things.

Yugi: Thank you very much. We appreciate any help you can offer.

Child: *she reaches through the bars to softly touch Yugi's chin, then pulls back and takes off before she's caught.*

General: She's just gave you a very strong oath. She will do all she can to help.

Yugi: ….? By touching me? *not doubting, just…explain?*

Ralin: Touching is a very ah...complicated language. You can convey a lot with how you touch someone and where. A light touch to the face after giving a promise is a gesture that make it clear that the promise is a very serious one. *Yugi may or may not recall Ralin making some noises at him and touching his face before the mer tried to get Yugi to come with him (and then tackled him) into the water.*

General: *grunts.* I'm not going to kill him, youngling. *does look at Yugi again, studying him a moment...and finally releasing him*

Yami: *TENSE until the general lets go…but doesn’t act until he sees what the general will do*

Yugi: *also /tense/ but offers no resistance, watching the general . . . /relief/ when he’s released* I won’t betray you or your people, I promise. Generally, your people /are/ right to avoid mine. Most would . . . well, we can be really unpredictable, but my people tend to fear and react to anyone who’s different. Not everyone’s like that, but until you meet someone, it’s hard to tell. So I fully understand your people’s laws about not contacting mine. That said . . . I’m indebted to Ralin for helping me.  I was dying. I knew I’d die out there - *glances at Yami* - and we didn’t know /what/ that would do to my other heart. Ralin saved my life and said he’d help me get home if he could.

Yami: [We were on an airplane – a device for transporting people through the air high above the ocean. There was an accident and the plane went down. Between the initial crash into the water and then exposure to the elements with no food or drinkable water, Aibou’s the only survivor of over 200 people.]

Yugi: *looking away, his gaze /haunted/* …………… *voice /soft/* I just want to go home to my family and friends, and live for everyone who died.

General: ......I came to get you to shore, so I'll get you to shore.

Ralin: *kind of gapes* E-even though you know?

General: You're not the only one who's encountered humans before, youngling. *motions at the alcove.* Get some rest. I'll hunt for us.

Yugi: *looks up, still grieving now that he’s…thought about it again, but his grin is genuine if small, nods* Thank you very much.

Yami: *nods – to Ralin and Azure* [I’ll guard until he gets back.]

Azure: *gathers Yugi to herself, hugging him tight*

Ralin: *rests a hand on Yugi's back, just there for him.*

Yugi: *HUGS BACK!, shaking softly*

Yami: *small frown* [Why would I be welcome over Aibou?]

Yugi: *following the conversation, not sure what to make of it*

Ralin: Men are feared, but the People know the water men can't hurt them. They will be curious of you, but not afraid.

Azure: *nodding* We are told to stay away from men. If they come into the water, they have to get themselves out or become part of the cycle like the rest of us.

Ralin: I couldn't leave you. You didn't choose to come into the water, and you didn’t have a chance to try to get out without help. It was right to help you.

Azure: *nods* Which is why I help as well.

Yugi: *nods* Most men, yup, you /should/ stay away from, honestly. But . . . thank you. I can’t thank you enough, both of you.

Yami: [Nor I. Thank you both.]

Ralin: *nodnod* Let's get your item ready to go.

Yugi: *nods and . . . w-wow, awkward, pulls himself up onto the ledge and starts gathering up the cards*

*Ralin and Azure will both pull themselves out to help.*

Ralin: *once all the cards are gathered and back in the deck box he’ll have Yugi start to /slowly/ lower them  into the water.  Ralin is concentrating as Yugi does this, wrapping the deck and belt in a small vortex of air that forms from the bottom up around the cards as he lowers it into the water.  Once under water it’s safe in a bubble.  Ralin nods and will swim away towards the bottom of the glowing cave to retrieve an old should bag.  He’ll offer it to Yugi to put his Deck into to carry that way.*

Azure: *watching, with a pinched expression.  She wants to smack Ralin for knowing this spell, but at the same time it’s...helping someone...so she’s not getting on him more than she already has.*

Yami: *small frown* These water men – do they live on the ships down at the bottom of the water? *just…making sure he’s understanding what Ralin’s asking*

Ralin: *nods, happy that Yami seems to understand*

Yami: ……………… *studying him, finally ventures* How many people do you see here? *gestures up and down himself – is it possible this creature can perceive /him/ separate from Yugi?*

Ralin: *holds up two webbed finders.* One wears other like men wear cloth.

Yami: *that…/shame/ crosses his face and he looks away for a moment . . . finally nods* Most people can’t see me. I’m sorry – I didn’t realize that you could. Yugi’s the only one who’s ever seen me before. He allows me to use his body to interact with others and to help deal with problems and situations. Call me Yami.

Ralin: *head tilts back and forth like a puppy's, confused at Yami's apparent shame.* Yami. Yugi. Ralin. *beam*

Yami: *Ralin’s happiness draws a weary but sincere grin from him* Thank you, Ralin. *finishes eating, then-* Yugi’s soul is resting. I’m going to lay his body down to do the same. *and he’ll find a place to lay down, curling up…and then manifesting beside Yugi to sit watch*

Ralin: *watches in fascination when Yami manifests by the body. He'll push himself out enough to put his fingers in Yami's ankle, jerking his hand back with a startled twitter like clicking as he looks between Yami's leg and his hand.*

Yami: *shivers, foot twitching . . . shakes his head* [I’m not physical. That’s why I need to Yugi’s body to do things.] *is…just hoping the boy can hear him*

Ralin: *nodnod* Like water men. You see Ralin though, talk too. Other water men do not seem aware they are in water. The water men who speak, Ralin never see.

*It was a terrible crash.  The plane plummeted into the ocean, and all but a few of the passengers died.  Most died on impact, tossed about the fuselage or crushed between seats at the nose crumpled.  Those in the back had to struggle to get out before the flooding plane sank with them trapped inside.  Only thee had made it out to cling to floating debris in the vast expanse of endless blue.  Yesterday one vanished in the night.  It’s impossible to say if they gave up and let go, or if they slipped off while dozing.  This morning...Yugi wakes alone, the other survivor nowhere to be seen.  And as though to make matters worse...he’ll see what he’ll be pretty sure is a shark fin not far from him...*

Zeran: Sounds like a nice family. *yawns.* I bet you had a nice family too.

Yami: ……………….. [Go back to sleep, Zeran. Tomorrow will probably be a long day.]

Zaren: *nodnods and will snuggle back in to sleep.*

Zuriel: *will come in to wake Yugi a few more hours later* Yugi. *speaking up from across the room so as not to be “looming over him” when he wakes....and he can’t see Yami...*