vroomkeeper | ic ☥ ryslig inbox

Marik I'm not here to have a conversation with you.

I don't even want to know what you did or didn't do to find out something private and personal between me and someone else.

What I am here for is to advise you strongly to mind your own business.

I put up with a lot. I will not put up with you trying to tell me or my spirit how to deal with each other. Do you understand?

This isn't nullifying our prior agreement because I'm not that kind of person. But I'm telling you to stop poking around and trying to assume what I think.

[ Ah, so there's another line Ryou Bakura won't let people cross. It's amazing, how he has developed these, and the only way for Marik to discover them is obviously to polevault across every single one. Seems to be working so far.

Besides, he's got all the proof he needs of his assessment of this situation from Ryou still saying "my" spirit. Marik gets possessed for taking over Ryou's body but the Ring-Spirit gets a sobbing mental breakdown when Ryou's told to hate him? DOUBLE STANDARD MUCH. ]

Was I wrong?

Does it matter to you more to know that than to think about why I said this at all? Seriously? Fine.

Yes. You are wrong. You don't know anything about me.

But I'm always learning more.

[ It's kind of nostalgic, someone in Ryou Bakura's body telling him to get lost after he tries to help them resolve a conflict. How many times had the Ring done so in the span of a single day...? ]

No, you aren't. You are incapable of learning a single thing, Marik.

You just think you learn things, and that you're smarter than you actually are, when really all you do is impose yourself on others and put your opinion where it doesn't belong.

You think you're learning things about me, but what it really boils down to is you thinking I'm an idiot, right? Just some vapor in the wind that only matters when he has a purpose solely revolving around your schemes.

Like I said. I'll do Noa's party. But after that, stay out of my affairs.

[Maybe Ryou will regret this later. It's pretty likely he will! But for right now, all he feels is anger...and maybe if Marik likes interfering so much, he might consider trying to have someone interfere on his behalf.]

[ ....Now here's some irony. Ryou's accusing Marik of knowing nothing about him, when Ryou doesn't realize that every new thing Marik learns about him makes him respect the boy more.

Take this, for instance. This is great. This is phenomenal. This is Ryou putting his foot down, but he's doing it under false assumptions again, which is incredible irony. ]

I think you'd be pleasantly surprised.

[ But, fine. If he pushes Ryou more right now, he might get Atem yelling at him, and he enjoys being on good terms with Atem. So Marik will excuse himself, on that cryptic note.

Leave the boy curious. That'll get him coming back, sooner or later.

Marik's so good at this. ]

[She would say this in person but her Vocaloiditis is still pretty bad.]

this is niina. my changes have started and i don't think i'm a shade.

i'm pretty sure i'm a robot

[ Things Niina will not know are happening before Marik is able to reply:

"The button with the MICROPHONE ON IT! TOUCH - THE BUTTON - WITH THE MICROPHONE - "
"Master Marik, I mustn't! The false god's pulses disturbed you and Master Richard so, I dare not approach the - "
"I BOUGHT YOU A STICK FOR THIS!"
"....Oh."

Shortly after, Marik gets the laptop's dictation function up and running and can communicate. No typy with giant fogdemon claws. ]

Simulacrum. Not bad.

[ AWESOME AS FUCCCCK ]

What changed?

[She agrees, to a degree. The future seems bright but her voice? Not cool right now.]

my vocal chords, as well as a reaction to those pulses. i was thinking simulacrum based on my reaction to those pulses.

[She's not going to explain that. That would be admitted weakness but she thinks it's obvious that robots would have bad reactions to stuff that messes up electricity.]

but mostly my voice currently sounds like a really badly tuned radio. i'm pretty sure that's the only monster that fits.

Edited 2021-11-08 04:36 (UTC)

[ ....That is SO MUCH LESS than Marik got for his first changes and he wants to file a report. He's not sure whether it should be a grievance or a thank-you note, because now that he has monster powers he thinks they're pretty sweet! Getting all the body mods at once, though? UGH. ]

I draw the same conclusion. Stay away from water and anything magnetized.

[ People like people who look out for them. It has seemed to work quite well on her so far. ]

Simulacrum's better than shade, all told. We'll eat different things. When you get the hunger, hunt with me.

[ They can probably get....three meals, if he finds a flesh-eater to complete a trio of Marik and Monsters Who Listen To Marik? Marik extracts the soul, puppets the body to perform any necessary tasks, then Niina kills the body for the energy and whoever the third person is has a nice microwaved dinner.

And Marik doesn't have to figure out body disposal because the whole thing gets consumed! SCORE. ]

[In a couple days, Niina's going to be crying in an alleyway about her changes. The EMPs are a mixed blessing.]

thanks. i'm trying to.

[She's impressed already.]

hunting together? isn't that dangerous?

[But she doesn't want to share!]

Not if we aren't competing. You want the energy. I want the soul.

Doesn't efficiency spare [ marik from figuring out disposal ] human lives?

it does save lives, that's true.

[It's a good thing he can't see her sulking.]

for now i guess i'll go with it.

Glad to hear it.

I'm looking forward to working with you, Niina.

i suppose i look forward to it, too.

[And then she went and killed a prom queen by herself. ...She'll feel bad about it in a week or two.]

[Sometime in the evening of the 8th, after the pulses end.]

yo this is beat we talked at the party

uh you know what type of monster turns into a squirrel?

[ Squirrel? Oh, that's....that's deeply unfortunate, in his (prospective) bruiser. Marik checks with his group of ~~larping cultists~~ monster enthusiasts for confirmation, then replies. ]

Pooka. Did you get shorter?

[ Beat got a trickster-like monster? Beat?

....this could work out. After all, if Marik's sources are correct about the pooka's traits and abilities, he'll OBVIOUSLY need someone like Marik around to help him use his monster type to its full advantage! ]

[You're telling him! What's he gonna do, fuzz someone to death?!]

im gonna get smaller??? yo what the hell

no tho i just turned into a weresquirrel an can turn into an actual squirrel tho i got stuck it in for a few hours an that was weird

i aint hungry fer human yet tho so maybe i aint done?

Definitely pooka.

Changes happen every other fog. Sooner or later you'll want to dig, so pick a spot for a burrow.

[ Pooka. How is he going to use pooka. He's going to have to teach Beat stealth, or something. WHY ARE ALL HIS MINIONS SO HIGH-MAINTENANCE.

Well, start with what he's good at. ]

Your legs will get stronger too. Kick if you're cornered.

[A squirrel that digs. Fabulous. Wonderful. The hell type of monster is Pooka!? It's lame, that's what!]

great yo great i jus got the most lame change in the history of monsters

hm lest stronger legs should bring back somma my speed was feelin slow how strong we talkin

[ Got him. It's a start.

Come to think of it, people would probably underestimate a pooka, combat-wise. Marik may be onto something. Let's....prime the pump. ]

Wall-smashing.

[ "Are you, blmmbl, done asking about pookas now, Master Marik? May I, er, add some slime trivia as well? Some slimes can see with, eheh, their entire--" ]

aight i can dig that aint what im used to butchu gotta adapt

[Fighting with his legs instead of his hands, or board. He's writing all of this down, so he doesn't forget it and get startled later on.]

anythin else? we got any weaknesses? other than i guess the need to dig a hole and sit in it.

[ Well, they're honor-bound to promises they make, but for some reason Marik doesn't feel like revealing that one! ]

Your teeth might keep growing. Senses will improve, too, which is double-edged. Depends how you do with stimulation.

[ HE, for example, loves having his inputs overloaded, and would be fine! Gods, he needs to think of useful ways to augment "demon". Even the best monster type can be made better with him on the case. ]

Really, the size disadvantage COUJLD be the biggest drawback. I say "could" because it depends how you use it.

Want to hear more?

oh ye the teeth already got a doc on that they jus sprouted durin the change feels weird

all senses yo?

[His sense of balance, for example, has already been affected but hey the tail helps which is neat.]

how small we talkin i aint gonna be 3 feet or somethin am i

hell ye lay it on me i wanna know smuch as i can

Height seems to vary. As for the rest...

[ He gives Beat a rundown on pooka possibilities, all except for the part where pookas can't break promises, because again, some cards are best played face-down. ]

Tell me when you get hungry.

[Every last thing, Beat writes down, feeling like he might be quizzed later and then stuck to the corkboard in his room. A laundry list of things he can tick off if they happen.]

is this all gonna happen yo or might some stuff not happen

so far so good on that front only thing i been cravin is chili dogs

[Marik can guess what Beat doesn't want to happen. He likes being 5'11 thanks.]

[ As a fellow 5'11, Marik can both understand that feeling AND be selfishly looking forward to when he's taller than Beat. It's the little things. ]

Some might not. Depends on the monster. If you ever feel lacking, you can purchase powers from a witch named Mana. I'll handle the wording if you do. She plays tricks.

[He will stand on his toes just you wait he'll figure it out.]

the coin witch yeah some dude named atem mentioned her promised him id save up a few coins an see if i cant buy my way outta here cuz if shes powerful nuff to give us powers maybe shes powerful nuff to send us home

oh he didnt mention she played tricks tho shit aight ill ask ya if i contact her

[Just keep winding him around your finger, Marik.]

[ Buy passage home...? Huh. ]

That's a good experiment! I'm glad you met Atem. He and I are friends. I know everything about him.

[ er well

he knows more about atem than atem does

but considering atem's an amnesiac, that bar is in the ground ]

[Friends... Atem... oh wait!]

oh was he the one you was dressed up as at the party i member you sayin you went as your friend

[Which is still fucking cute, sir.]

The very same. Your memory's better than I expected.

[ Speaking of bars that had been in the ground. ]

ey im gettin better yo easy when i aint constantly on the go

plus its only been a bit

[Leave it there, he'll forget soon enough.]

[ ...Marik can't tell if the compliment has been accepted or not. This is ultimately unimportant, however!

(It is very important.) ]

How many coins will you need?

[A compliment? Aimed at Beat? Over his head and gone, sir.]

aint sure

you know what the max someones shoved at the coin witch fore?

Edited 2021-11-19 13:01 (UTC)

Not personally. Ask Noa Kaiba; he's been here for ages.

[ marik you live with noa you could literally holler across the apartment

no?

ok then ]

[Lazy thy name is Marik.]

aight how i get hold of im jus hit the network one day yellin fer a kaiba

His private handle is < noasark >. If you want to see him in person stop by Liewen Labs. He runs it.

[ Some of it. Details. Eh. The only person allowed to be vague is Marik. ]

Edited 2021-11-24 13:27 (UTC)

[I'm sure Marik knows what question is next.]

an wheres that

[Using a map? Please. Easier to just ask.]

...you do live in Bavan, right?

ye 38-8

listen i aint got the city down fully yet im still runnin in shibuya space

Perfect. A shade named Ryou Bakura lives on the 8th floor. He knows where it is.

Just don't tell him your info's from me.

aight got it ryou bakura 8th floor

ill keep it a secret

[He'll write this down so he doesn't forget it.]

[ Marik likes the part where Beat didn't inquire re: the stipulation. ]

He's been here a while too, so he's a useful person to know, as well. Good luck.

got it

hey thanks for all your help yo i really preciate it all an ill keep you on the up an up bout shit aight

See that you do.

[ hopefully using more constructs that resemble words than what marik was just forced to read ]

yo brotha! keep this between us aight but i got atem as my secret santa

yer his best friend right? what would he like best as a gift you think?

[Ryou implicitly trusts Noa to deliver his gift to Marik, of course.

And it is...very obviously from Ryou. Because despite the way they'd left off, Ryou had gone all out in making Marik two Monster World-styled figures of Ishizu and Rishid. He's not completely heartless, and he understands that Marik's family is important to him.

These figures are a bit of a peace offering, though he isn't going to apologize for what he said. That's his one sliver of assertiveness. There is no note with this gift, but again, it's obvious of the origin.]

[Malik gets a few gifts! The reason is pretty quickly clear, or perhaps not. This is Malik after all. The first is a calendar! There are a number of carefully noted dates upon it. Such as birthdays. The second is an actual, painstakingly drawn recreation of the entire carving on his back. Given the note that says so that you don't need to strip every time you show someone this, it might be clear what that's about.

Where's the real gift though!! Don't worry, it's there Malik. Behold; it's a written agreement to have him fitted for some proper bike gear that accommodates his monster additions. It's going to get costly, so don't gripe about it!]

ic ☥ ryslig inbox

<WhiteWizard>, probably a day or so after Annie's 10/22 network post

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Nattensmas! Yes even tho they aren't talking yet...|D

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