Imeeji: IC Continuations

[bluescreenwhitedragon]

Previous:
Speed Dating [Day 32]
Mistletoe Game [Day 71]
Social Bingo [Day 101]

Includes:
B's Fancy Dance [Day 102]
Kissing Game [Day 124]
Mistletoe 2 [Day 187]
Objective Game [Day 223]
Tokyo-F Stamp Rally (Age Up and Age Down Event) [Day 245]

Comments

[bluescreenwhitedragon]

Yeah, sure.

Don't claim victory before we've even started, King.

[puzzlekeeper]

Let's just say I'm overly confident.

But you're going to watch your defeat from all the way over there?

[bluescreenwhitedragon]

. . .

[He pushes off from the altar and goes to sit next to King, pausing for just a moment before he unceremoniously attempts to pull him into his lap]

[puzzlekeeper]

[ He laughs, going along with this without complaint ]

Much improved.

[bluescreenwhitedragon]

Feel free to get started whenever you're comfortable.

[Said as he lazily traces his fingertips up and down the arm currently not holding the phone]

[puzzlekeeper]

[ Shifts in Intensity's lap. POINTEDLY. And then hitting the purchase memory button on his phone.

...

When it's done playing, he just has a shit-eating grin on his face. ]

1/3

[bluescreenwhitedragon]

[Okay, normally (and even probably now), he'd be furious to see King with Kuriboh of all monsters.

But also he's humiliating Seto. So it's fine.]

You arrogant little pain in the---

[bluescreenwhitedragon]

[But then the reality of what he just saw starts to slowly sink in.

Duel Monsters.

Actually summoned to flesh and blood. Not holograms. Not tech. Not a card game.

Which also means----]

[bluescreenwhitedragon]

Where is she? If he's there, using some other creature.

[puzzlekeeper]

[ That gives him pause for a long moment.

True. Where is she?

But then he recalls her form in Intensity's heart. The young woman. ]

. . . Maybe he hadn't found her yet . . .

I could ask him.

[bluescreenwhitedragon]

Pass.

I already know she died for his useless life. And I don't want it to give him ideas that he's anything more to me than a failure.

[puzzlekeeper]

[ ???? ]

What?

It sounds like you know more about this than I do...

[bluescreenwhitedragon]

He apparently also trespassed in my soul. Found her there.

When I woke up after the game, he was prattling on about how I should know more about her. How special she was to him because he died saving her.

That's two for two precious people he's failed to protect despite his holier than thou attitude.

Not worth my time.

[puzzlekeeper]

Ah... I'm surprised he mentioned that to you at all.

[ . . . ]

If you don't want to know more about it, that's fair enough. But Seto is no more a failure than I am. Actually less of one, most likely.

[bluescreenwhitedragon]

I fail to see how that's even possible.

[puzzlekeeper]

[ Smiling a little darkly, a little self-deprecatingly ]

He was a successful pharaoh, for starters. And I'm very grateful for that.

[bluescreenwhitedragon]

Are you saying you weren't?

[puzzlekeeper]

I was a dead and forgotten pharaoh. That certainly limits my effectiveness, in terms of ruling a country.

But with Seto succeeding me -- he brought Egypt back to peace and stability.

[bluescreenwhitedragon]

[Tensing beneath him]

You don't get to have it both ways, you know.

You don't get to say that you're an awful ruler because you died to save everyone.

While in the same breadth, knowing that you'd do it all over again in the blink of an eye.

Your life isn't always the least valuable.

[puzzlekeeper]

[ There's a long pause ]

... I don't know what I would or wouldn't do, given another chance.

I don't remember dying.

[bluescreenwhitedragon]

[. . .]

And you're okay with gambling with that possibility right now?

[puzzlekeeper]

[ ... Shrugs, carefully neutral. ]

It's all in the past. I'm here right now, aren't I?

[bluescreenwhitedragon]

You don't get to use that line on me.

[And he reaches between them to grip the base of King's skull, tilting King's face to look at him.]

You're not a failure.

Not now. And certainly not then.

I wouldn't have bothered with you if you were.

1/2

[puzzlekeeper]

[ . . . ]

[puzzlekeeper]

. . .

[ He slides his arm around Intensity's waist, placatingly(?) ]

Of course.

I should have realized that was an indirect insult.