Yamada, Mamoru (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
thestudyof) wrote2018-01-12 12:38 pm
thestudyof) wrote2018-01-12 12:38 pm
[Trio of Stories - Hitoshi, Slate, and Mamoru with Akira]
[Hitoshi]
He felt awful.
Hitoshi had not had a good time at recent-- ever since that incident where Euphie was being kidnapped... kidnapped by something, some strange person, he hadn't been able to think clearly. Focus.
But that dark game or whatever... that poisoned blood... even if it was poison, and that was bad enough as it is... it was still blood.
He'd never had "blood", before, even with his vampiric heritage-- least not anything that could be close to sentient blood. He was a... "Dhampir", or something? Whatever was the case, he had never needed to indulge in it. Better to not start, since it was like inheriting alcoholism.
But something had happened during that duel. His body had tried to process the poisonous blood being introduced to him... and then after that, that bear-like man had given him some blood too. Probably because he thought it'd help... he didn't know about his circumstances. Just that he was a vampire. How did he know? Just association with Euphie, or...?
But ever since then, he just had more headaches. More problems. Being outside seemed to sting a little more during the day. Tolerable, but at the same time something he wanted to avoid. The shadow familiar he had was restless and seemed harder to control. He felt like... he was losing control himself, just bit by bit, moment by moment.
He didn't know what to do about it. He couldn't trust himself to go off and help with what Euphie was going to involve herself in. He didn't even trust himself to duel, right now.
And he felt like if he went home now, there'd be no avoiding that he'd be made to stay there for his own sake, and the safety of others.
And he hated that part the most. He wanted to stay. He wished he could help Yuma and Yuya. He wished he could do something about this without feeling like a risk.
But what could he do when he didn't even have confidence in himself and what he might do when the final straw was broken, for him?
He had to figure out some way to get help... but with the recent problems people were having, were his problems even important enough to help?
He just didn't know.
--
[Slate]
Slate nervously picked up their phone, considering it for a moment, before putting it back down. A few minutes later, they picked it back up again, bringing up a contact.
... and then putting it back down.
They had long-since considered the idea of contacting the person who was their father. Mother had given them the space to decide this on their own-- if they had wanted to know the person he was or not.
Mother had described him as... kinda cagey, snippy and cold, but ultimately a more helpful person than he wanted to let on. He was secretive, but he always stuck his neck out to help with things when she was working. Always took the invites she gave. Went along with her conversations. And surprisingly fluent in Russian despite being Japanese, showing his intelligence, though she had started to suspect after Slate's powers manifested that there might've been more there...
But also that he looked younger than she had expected. It was so strange. It was like seeing him again all those years ago and him not having changed a bit. His entire existence seemed surreal.
But Slate had lived this whole time without knowing their father. Even when problems arose-- like suddenly turning into a girl. Having to deal with the new experiences and suspicions. Having to leave the country to avoid trouble...
They didn't feel bad about being in Japan now. They got to know Trena, and they got to the best Dueling School around. They loved to duel, and they felt more comfortable being in such a strange city like this than they ever did back home.
But they felt so nervous about the idea of contacting him. Not just for bringing him into their life, but also at the fear of rejection for who they were. Mother said that he was informed of what happened to them, but it still scared her. He hadn't even tried to take the first try at contacting them... What if he didn't want to talk to her? Meet her at all?
But they had decided it. They wanted to at least try, even if it went poorly. They wanted to do something after waiting so, so long on this. The longer they waited, the worse it'd get.
... ...
But maybe it'd be best to send a text message, first. Just something simple. A hello. That's it.
They grasped the moment to finally do that, and sent it before they could regret it.
A minute passed. Two minutes. Three. Once it reached ten, Slate figured he must be busy-- or maybe he really didn't want to talk to her. Just like they figured.
... But then they realized they should probably say who this is, too. And sent that along as well.
This time, a response came almost immediately, as though hastily responded to after the realization had set in. Asking if they wanted to meet up with him at the store mother owned. The apprehension gripped Slate again... but they figured they should take the plunge. Now or never.
They responded "yes."
--
[Mamoru and Akira]
"So, this is where you work?"
Mamoru couldn't shake Akira off. He tried to multiple days to convince the younger boy to return home-- that it was dangerous here, and he had important things to do. But his nephew refused adamantly to budge.
So, Mamoru finally relented, bringing him to LDS and to the test room he used for fine-tuning the Real Solid Vision system.
"Yes. I'm aware it's not very impressive."
"Oh, no, no, it's fine, uncle! This is where you've been developing that AI system, right? I've been really excited to see how it turned out!"
Mamoru looked away a little. No, I can't show him that yet. "There's still a lot of testing I need to do with it. A lot of bugs kept showing up in the process."
Akira frowned a bit, but then cheered right back up. "Well, that's why I wanted to come and help. We can figure out how to handle this together. I've been studying how computers like this work, and even how the Duel Disk system and holographic systems were originally built, so I can help out here."
Mamoru almost felt a bit flattered, but his morose personality quashed that. A kid like him shouldn't be wasting time like that... "... Listen, why don't I test you against one of the simpler AIs, and we can work from there?" Akira's eyes lit up at the prospect, as he immediately got his deck ready.
Well, least that seemed to distract him enough from seeing the fuller AI...
...
...
...
When Akira dealt the final blow with Herald of Ultimateness, the opposing Harpie monster screamed out and vanished. The breeze that flowed through the valley that was created lingered even as the surroundings reverted, while Akira landed on his feet from being airborn on a large falcon.
When Mamoru went down, Akira's expression seemed indescribable. He was almost worried, before he finally spoke--
"That was awesome."
... Okay, Mamoru couldn't help but feel some pride at the approval. Especially when Akira went into detail; how it felt to seemingly fly above the ground like that. The realism from the falcon's feathers. The harpie's mannerisms and sheer personality. The feeling of the wind, the simulated warmth of the sun.
Real Solid Vision was truly incredible. And to Mamoru's relief, there were no standing issues during the duel. It seemed like... the limiter was working as intended.
Mamoru really didn't like that he had to use a limiter now. But if it meant that he could indulge his nephew like this without further problems... he'll just have to deal with it, then.
He felt awful.
Hitoshi had not had a good time at recent-- ever since that incident where Euphie was being kidnapped... kidnapped by something, some strange person, he hadn't been able to think clearly. Focus.
But that dark game or whatever... that poisoned blood... even if it was poison, and that was bad enough as it is... it was still blood.
He'd never had "blood", before, even with his vampiric heritage-- least not anything that could be close to sentient blood. He was a... "Dhampir", or something? Whatever was the case, he had never needed to indulge in it. Better to not start, since it was like inheriting alcoholism.
But something had happened during that duel. His body had tried to process the poisonous blood being introduced to him... and then after that, that bear-like man had given him some blood too. Probably because he thought it'd help... he didn't know about his circumstances. Just that he was a vampire. How did he know? Just association with Euphie, or...?
But ever since then, he just had more headaches. More problems. Being outside seemed to sting a little more during the day. Tolerable, but at the same time something he wanted to avoid. The shadow familiar he had was restless and seemed harder to control. He felt like... he was losing control himself, just bit by bit, moment by moment.
He didn't know what to do about it. He couldn't trust himself to go off and help with what Euphie was going to involve herself in. He didn't even trust himself to duel, right now.
And he felt like if he went home now, there'd be no avoiding that he'd be made to stay there for his own sake, and the safety of others.
And he hated that part the most. He wanted to stay. He wished he could help Yuma and Yuya. He wished he could do something about this without feeling like a risk.
But what could he do when he didn't even have confidence in himself and what he might do when the final straw was broken, for him?
He had to figure out some way to get help... but with the recent problems people were having, were his problems even important enough to help?
He just didn't know.
--
[Slate]
Slate nervously picked up their phone, considering it for a moment, before putting it back down. A few minutes later, they picked it back up again, bringing up a contact.
... and then putting it back down.
They had long-since considered the idea of contacting the person who was their father. Mother had given them the space to decide this on their own-- if they had wanted to know the person he was or not.
Mother had described him as... kinda cagey, snippy and cold, but ultimately a more helpful person than he wanted to let on. He was secretive, but he always stuck his neck out to help with things when she was working. Always took the invites she gave. Went along with her conversations. And surprisingly fluent in Russian despite being Japanese, showing his intelligence, though she had started to suspect after Slate's powers manifested that there might've been more there...
But also that he looked younger than she had expected. It was so strange. It was like seeing him again all those years ago and him not having changed a bit. His entire existence seemed surreal.
But Slate had lived this whole time without knowing their father. Even when problems arose-- like suddenly turning into a girl. Having to deal with the new experiences and suspicions. Having to leave the country to avoid trouble...
They didn't feel bad about being in Japan now. They got to know Trena, and they got to the best Dueling School around. They loved to duel, and they felt more comfortable being in such a strange city like this than they ever did back home.
But they felt so nervous about the idea of contacting him. Not just for bringing him into their life, but also at the fear of rejection for who they were. Mother said that he was informed of what happened to them, but it still scared her. He hadn't even tried to take the first try at contacting them... What if he didn't want to talk to her? Meet her at all?
But they had decided it. They wanted to at least try, even if it went poorly. They wanted to do something after waiting so, so long on this. The longer they waited, the worse it'd get.
... ...
But maybe it'd be best to send a text message, first. Just something simple. A hello. That's it.
They grasped the moment to finally do that, and sent it before they could regret it.
A minute passed. Two minutes. Three. Once it reached ten, Slate figured he must be busy-- or maybe he really didn't want to talk to her. Just like they figured.
... But then they realized they should probably say who this is, too. And sent that along as well.
This time, a response came almost immediately, as though hastily responded to after the realization had set in. Asking if they wanted to meet up with him at the store mother owned. The apprehension gripped Slate again... but they figured they should take the plunge. Now or never.
They responded "yes."
--
[Mamoru and Akira]
"So, this is where you work?"
Mamoru couldn't shake Akira off. He tried to multiple days to convince the younger boy to return home-- that it was dangerous here, and he had important things to do. But his nephew refused adamantly to budge.
So, Mamoru finally relented, bringing him to LDS and to the test room he used for fine-tuning the Real Solid Vision system.
"Yes. I'm aware it's not very impressive."
"Oh, no, no, it's fine, uncle! This is where you've been developing that AI system, right? I've been really excited to see how it turned out!"
Mamoru looked away a little. No, I can't show him that yet. "There's still a lot of testing I need to do with it. A lot of bugs kept showing up in the process."
Akira frowned a bit, but then cheered right back up. "Well, that's why I wanted to come and help. We can figure out how to handle this together. I've been studying how computers like this work, and even how the Duel Disk system and holographic systems were originally built, so I can help out here."
Mamoru almost felt a bit flattered, but his morose personality quashed that. A kid like him shouldn't be wasting time like that... "... Listen, why don't I test you against one of the simpler AIs, and we can work from there?" Akira's eyes lit up at the prospect, as he immediately got his deck ready.
Well, least that seemed to distract him enough from seeing the fuller AI...
...
...
...
When Akira dealt the final blow with Herald of Ultimateness, the opposing Harpie monster screamed out and vanished. The breeze that flowed through the valley that was created lingered even as the surroundings reverted, while Akira landed on his feet from being airborn on a large falcon.
When Mamoru went down, Akira's expression seemed indescribable. He was almost worried, before he finally spoke--
"That was awesome."
... Okay, Mamoru couldn't help but feel some pride at the approval. Especially when Akira went into detail; how it felt to seemingly fly above the ground like that. The realism from the falcon's feathers. The harpie's mannerisms and sheer personality. The feeling of the wind, the simulated warmth of the sun.
Real Solid Vision was truly incredible. And to Mamoru's relief, there were no standing issues during the duel. It seemed like... the limiter was working as intended.
Mamoru really didn't like that he had to use a limiter now. But if it meant that he could indulge his nephew like this without further problems... he'll just have to deal with it, then.