gozaburokaiba:

lostkaiba:

gozaburokaiba:

Claim not to need me all that you like, if it comforts you. I know what lies within your heart and I do not need to argue for its proof, son.

But this is not about me. This is not about us. This is about Mokuba.

I am deeply concerned for his safety.

Noah wants to scream. But he doesn’t - Gozaburo is right, the bastard is right, it’s too hard to get rid of him. No matter how he tries.

“I know he’s not … completely safe. I guess. But I can’t get to the mansion right now. Nothing I can do about it.

“Nothing I can do about it”? That’s your response to your little brother’s safety quietly dissolving? Perhaps I was mistaken in thinking that this would be a matter of interest to you.

“What? No! I—”

Damn him. Why isn’t he dead?! Why aren’t they both dead? At least then Noah would have peace. But Mokuba …

“I-it’s true, though. I can’t get in, not if the power is still out as it is.”

gozaburokaiba:

Claim not to need me all that you like, if it comforts you. I know what lies within your heart and I do not need to argue for its proof, son.

But this is not about me. This is not about us. This is about Mokuba.

I am deeply concerned for his safety.

Noah wants to scream. But he doesn’t - Gozaburo is right, the bastard is right, it’s too hard to get rid of him. No matter how he tries.

“I know he’s not … completely safe. I guess. But I can’t get to the mansion right now. Nothing I can do about it.

Father.

I thought I blocked the source of your messages. We don’t need you.

Why won’t he switch on the power?

Noah is in a frenzy. He’s supposed to be checking important messages coming in and out, just to keep his mind on something, but he is getting more and more sure that something important is happening.

Mokuba could be in real danger, since it is clear to him that Seto is a danger to him, and to himself.

He sends another message to Ryuji Otogi, in desperation. Ishizu probably doesn’t know who it was who took her whole hard drive, after all, so he can’t send any more to her.

fourandfifteen-archive:

Well, Noah knows about settling scores with one’s father. So now he is, of course, even more interested. And possibly a little more willing to help IV.

Maybe. He hasn’t quite decided yet.

“It just so happens that I know about … family problems, so to speak. Fathers in particular. I understand why you wouldn’t want to bring harm to other people for his sake.” Noah hadn’t quite understood that until near the end, but he’d gotten it eventually. That was why he was here and not at his father’s side in a virtual wasteland.

“I have a score to settle with my father as well. I guess we’re more alike than I first thought, IV.”

“Fathers can be a rather difficult matter to deal with, it would seem.”

Hmm. So this stranger on the other end was much more like him than he first thought. Interesting. He was becoming curious and that was a rather rare event. For all his fanfare and ability to be a good duelist, not much really interested him. Maybe it was the poor schooling. The lack of stimulation when he’d been with Tron. Either way., he was captivated by this person who was no more than lines of text to him so far.

Curious, indeed.

“My family name is Arclight. My father was working toward the goal of unlocking a hidden world. There was some complications, so to speak, and not he’s out for revenge. It’s escalated far beyond his control yet he doesn’t realize it.”

Noah is very interested himself. Despite his best efforts, a connecting thread is forming between him and IV.

Fathers are a powerful thread.

“My father also unlocked a hidden world,” he types, before changing his mind. “Well, more accurately, he built a hidden world for me, his son. We were going to rule it together. Things got in the way.”

His brothers, specifically. One which he couldn’t even speak to, the other in dire straits. “Fortunately for me, the man called my father is long dead. It seems you are not so lucky.”

This is horribly boring.

The power is off, and of course Seto’s not answering his phone. Neither are Otogi or Ishizu, but of course he’s proud he figured out where they went to begin with.

Noah languishes in the company system, which of course is still running. What’s he planning?

((Due to me hitting my bandwidth limit for the month, activity on this account will be extremely limited if happening at all. Hopefully when August rolls around I can come back!))

fourandfifteen:

Noah returns the favour with timestamps of his own. Speaking through time, into the near future? He can deal with that. He’s a human boy trapped in the systems of a computer now after all, isn’t he?

“Thank you for the offer, but I’m going to have to decline. I’m already employed at such work.” ‘Employed’ being a relative term to what state he’s in, but that doesn’t matter here. “Of course, why you would need me is still interesting, and open for discussion! I just already do that sort of thing for my brother.”

This conversation has gone from some mindless fun straight into completely worthwhile. It’s not often that this happens.

Interesting that he’s talking to someone in the past. Even more interesting that they’re holding one another’s attention. There’s an opportunity here to learn and IV plans on taking the chance. It’s far too good to pass up.

“I’m in a bit of a spot right now. My… let’s call him my father for now, has plans that he hasn’t disclosed with us. Plans that could end disrupt things in the city and for many people, end their lives. We don’t exactly see eye to eye and I’d rather not be killed for his gain.”

IV finishes his drink and thinks about what he wants to say next.
“Call it… a score to settle, I suppose.”

Well, Noah knows about settling scores with one’s father. So now he is, of course, even more interested. And possibly a little more willing to help IV.

Maybe. He hasn’t quite decided yet.

“It just so happens that I know about … family problems, so to speak. Fathers in particular. I understand why you wouldn’t want to bring harm to other people for his sake.” Noah hadn’t quite understood that until near the end, but he’d gotten it eventually. That was why he was here and not at his father’s side in a virtual wasteland.

“I have a score to settle with my father as well. I guess we’re more alike than I first thought, IV.”

fourandfifteen:

Noah …

… does not know these things.

He double-checks. And he searches it. And there’s nearly nothing, at least nothing useful.

“I don’t know anything about a Heartland City, anywhere in the world. Nor do I know how to XYZ summon.”

Maybe he’s reaching through another dimension. Hell, maybe Noah’s reached through time.

“Not being in a time or place of mine is the only reason I would fail to get information. But we both know that’s ridiculous, if we both have any sense.”

IV takes a screenshot on his calendar which marks the year. He send it back to Noah and a small smirk crosses over his features. It’s not so far-fetched, is it? Huh… talking to someone through time.
That’s a new one.

“You’d have a field day in these systems, I’m sure. You’re very skilled at getting information… I could use someone like you.”

How is this even possible? This is something right out of a sci-fi movies (those bad ones Fuuya likes so much) yet here they are, two strangers in time and space chatting about duels.

Noah returns the favour with timestamps of his own. Speaking through time, into the near future? He can deal with that. He’s a human boy trapped in the systems of a computer now after all, isn’t he?

“Thank you for the offer, but I’m going to have to decline. I’m already employed at such work.” ‘Employed’ being a relative term to what state he’s in, but that doesn’t matter here. “Of course, why you would need me is still interesting, and open for discussion! I just already do that sort of thing for my brother.”

This conversation has gone from some mindless fun straight into completely worthwhile. It’s not often that this happens.

fourandfifteen:

Noah grins to himself before sending another message. “Oh, but finding things out is my life’s work! I treat it very much as my business.”

He rapidly double-checks his sources. He could be wrong. But Noah likes to avoid admitting he might ever be such.

“It’s very improbable that I’m wrong. Maybe something else is just at work, here, though. Where is the city that this tournament is held in, exactly? It won’t say, and it’s certainly not Domino.”

Domino is the world’s dueling hub. How is it that he’s never heard of any of this?

“Oh, and of course I don’t need to know. I just want to. Curiosity’s a trait that can go either way, don’t you notice?”

IV’s now getting curious. This is someone who doesn’t know of him or Heartland City, yet knows all about these old, old companies that IV only heard ghost mentions of in books talking about the history of dueling. Could it be that… no. No that was impossible.

Right?

“Heartland City. Tell me, Noah, do you know of Xyz’s summoning? Of Numbers?”
It’s a shot in the dark but IV takes the chance. If he doesn’t know any of this than there’s a good chance his bizarre theory may be right.

You’re not from my time, are you?

He nearly asks it but refrains.

Noah …

… does not know these things.

He double-checks. And he searches it. And there’s nearly nothing, at least nothing useful.

“I don’t know anything about a Heartland City, anywhere in the world. Nor do I know how to XYZ summon.”

Maybe he’s reaching through another dimension. Hell, maybe Noah’s reached through time.

“Not being in a time or place of mine is the only reason I would fail to get information. But we both know that’s ridiculous, if we both have any sense.”