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[Ryou has come to the realization that he really likes Atem's hair-snakes quite a lot. They're sweet! Not just in a "hey that's cool" way, but also in a "precious little danger noodles" way too. He holds a hand up, looking for all intents and purposes as if he's going to stroke a hand through Atem's hair.

In fact...he's actually greeting the snakes. They're adorable okay?

...But not quite as interesting as Atem's idea. If there was any doubt that Ryou's power troubles were mostly in his mind, then the way he pops back up by a foot is a hell of an indicator.]

A graveyard?!

I...I mean, what business...do you have there?

[Normal people aren't excited about graveyards, he has to dial it back.]

[The cobras lean forward to sniff Ryou's hand, the ones who can reach him catching him with their forked little tongues. Atem puts up with this. He notices that Ryou's improved mood improves his floating -- interesting -- but then Ryou asks why he wants to go, and Atem sobers. The snakes pull back, their little heads sinking into s-shaped curves of their necks, upset.]

That graveyard...as far as I can tell, no one's buried there. The names on the headstones are of people who are no longer here, who've gone back to the sea of souls, or whatever happens to you when you vanish from the peninsula. They appear on their own...so, it can tell you valuable information!

[As he goes on, the snake agitation increases. Atem's voice is calm and even, but the snakes give him away: he's mad, and he's worried.]

Someone's killed Steve Harrington. He'll probably be okay by the middle of the month, but...I want to make sure. I want to see if his name's appeared.

[Then, a couple dozen beady cobra eyes turn back to Ryou.]

And, if you haven't been there...that graveyard isn't a bad place to visit. It's peaceful there. Surprisingly calming, for a place that's like that...I think you'd like it.

[The snakes are like an incredibly accurate read for Atem's actual mood, which is something Ryou hadn't known he would be so grateful for (in very specific situations), so when Atem starts explaining about the graveyard, he can tell that there's something more to it. It's not just looking for basic info.

And he's right. The answer is...very upsetting.]

Steve...is dead?! But he...he never struck me the sort to get into trouble with another monster!

[It had to have been another monster, because humans didn't seem to be strong enough to stand up to them unless they were empowered by something happening during the middle of the month.]

I'll go with you. I like graveyards anyway but...are you going to be okay, Atem?

[He's very concerned now.]

I'm lost for a motive, too. It's too early to say! But, as long as I don't find his name....it'll be okay.

[It might not be. He knows this. Atem knows firsthand what horrors monsters can inflict on one another, in the name of whatever goal they have in mind...Steve might have been through something that will take a long, long time to heal.

The idea of someone hurting Steve that way makes some of his hair rear up, makes some hoods flare for a moment or two. But Atem brings himself back down to calm, and the snakes settle, too.

It'll be better, easier, with Ryou along. Atem doesn't say so, but the snakes are leaning out, pointing their heads in Ryou's direction again.]

[Ryou doesn't think he's seen the snakes hood before, but then again...he's usually pretty fatigued. Either way, while cute, it doesn't seem like a good sign.

Ryou completely drops his corporeal form, the edges of his shadows now rippling, and he floats away from his bed. He'll put all his strength into this, if it means supporting Atem. Not that he knows how long he'll be able to hold it.]

When do you want to leave? I can go whenever, but I don't know if you wanted to take a break first.

...And also I might...need to lean on you if I lose control. If that's okay.

[He only hopes, because he's not bound to leave Atem to deal with this kind of thing on his own. And hey, the snakes want him to come too! He can tell.]

[The snakes do want him to come, because Atem wants him to come. He wants Ryou to see the graveyard, wants to see if the weird calming effect helps him...and wants someone he can talk to, who can help keep Atem from getting lost in speculation about what exactly Steve suffered before he died, and comparing it to his own experiences.]

The fog's still thin, but the sun's already almost down...if you can leave, then we should get going!

And, if you need to lean on me, or rest on the way -- of course that's all right.

[He asked Ryou knowing as well as anyone what Ryou's mobility right now is like. He's prepared!

It's almost a shame Atem's both still burned about being possessed and in a body with a steep learning curve...otherwise, they could just walk it together. But it took Atem time to learn to slither, and he doubts Ryou would pick it up much faster. It's not an intuitive way to walk!

He'd say all this out loud if he were any less uncomfortable with someone else taking over his body.]

[Ryou would absolutely eat it at least a handful of times before he figured out slithering. Atem's right not to give him that kind of control, besides which...with how infrequently he sleeps well, Ryou's been generally depriving himself of energy which contributes to his terrible control of his powers.

Which it's...easier for everyone to think that he's just bad at being a shade, than to tell them the truth of the matter--that he had only been experiencing issues with controlling how his powers manifest since losing his arm and foot.

It's so much easier to let everyone assume he can't levitate that well all the time, or be intangible on command...because he doesn't want to admit that he's weaker now than he'd ever been before, injuries included. Ryou dislikes being pitied almost as much as being overlooked.

...That said, he doesn't mind it when Atem offers him courtesies, so he simply gives a half-smile before hovering towards the doorway. He doesn't even have to let Atem out first--he can go through walls! Once he's phased into the hallway, he pokes his head back through the door, and his bangs ripple in a very weightless movement at the quick motion.]

If you think it's safe for me, then we can go now. I don't want to hold you up, and...maybe we can talk more about, um. How you found out about...Steve. Unless you don't want to. That's okay too.

[Does he? He and Giorno are going to tell everyone everything soon...does Atem want to explain it twice?

He's not certain. Perhaps he'll be ready to talk about it once they get going, but it feels too dark to talk about here. The snakes sink down; they say no.

As they head for the door...]

Maybe. Giorno Giovanna and I are going to get everyone we know who knows him together, to let everybody know at once...so, even if we don't talk about it now, you'll hear everything soon.

I'd like to make a stop on the way, though. There's a mechanic who lives in Insert Coin -- Souda, you might've seen him around. He's one of Komaeda and Celeste's classmates.

[...........wait does ryou know about the murder game? The Ultimates? Atem realizes he doesn't know, since they've never really talked about it.]

Edited 2021-08-10 22:47 (UTC)

[The snakes--and therefore Atem--are understood.]

Of course...it's better to hear about it then. Steve was, um. He's a popular guy isn't he? I spoke with him at prom, and he reminds me of...of Jounouchi a little bit.

[Because he's bratty, cocky, and a little bit jocky. In a good way though!

...But should he even be saying this?]

Uhm, sorry, anyway...sure, yes. I'm okay with a quick stop, and I don't think I've met Souda before, but if he's one of their classmates, he must be alright, yes?

[Ryou knows absolutely jack and shit about the murder game. Good or bad? Who's to say! But he does like Celeste, and Komaeda...is nice...but also kind of phrases things in an unsettling way, which is odd for Ryou to think about someone, but...y'know. That's where he is.]

[He can't quite bring himself to respond the first bit, beyond a nod. Yes, he's popular...and has the kind of attitude of a guy who's been bad, but who's come around, and is best, happiest, when his friends are good influences, instead of...

No, he doesn't want to get lost in memories. If he's one of their classmates, he must be alright -- if anything could give away with more clarity that Ryou doesn't know what happened at Hope's Peak Academy, Atem can't think of it. Hoo boy.

Maybe now is not the time to tell him the whole thing, but...]

Yeah, he's all right! You should know, though, that anyone from Hope's Peak has probably been through a lot...some terrible things happened at that school.

[Doop doop doop, they are taking the elevator, thank you, Atem can slither up stairs but it's much harder to navigate going down them. He piles all his coils into the little box. Please float around him, Ryou.]

More to the point, Souda was known there as the Ultimate Mechanic...he's the one who made Nagito's arm!

[Ryou is just cruising along, and happy to float in the elevator above Atem's long snake body. They can fit, he won't even contribute to the weight, and he can control his descent enough to accommodate the elevator movement, he's sure.]

...Ultimate Mechanic? I...I see.

[He doesn't know why, but something about what Atem had just told him kind of...makes him feel bad. Not the part about Hope's Peak, he'll file that away to ask about afterwards, but that he was taking Ryou to see someone who might possibly be able to outfit him with a prosthesis.]

S-so you're asking him to help me? That's very kind.

[Ryou smiles, but there's something odd behind it. Even he doesn't know why...but he feels very strange at the idea that Atem had gone through the trouble of finding someone who could fix him.

The elevator dings, and Ryou snaps out of his stupid--because it was really, really stupid to feel this way--thought process. Once the doors open, he's the first one out.]

You've always got good connections! And you're always helping me--

[His height above the floor begins to falter, so Ryou switches his full concentration to the task at hand, correcting his altitude.]

...do I? I just pay attention to who's good at what...if Nagito didn't have a prosthetic, I'd have no idea who to ask!

[The Hope's Peak people are extra specialized, which helps....but he spots Ryou feeling weird about it. Nope! No, none of that! The snakes follow Ryou falling and catching himself with their heads, but Atem doesn't comment. Instead:]

And we help each other, remember? You're coming to the disappearances graveyard with me, even though it's hard, because someone out there targeted a friend, and it's a bad idea to go alone until we know more! I asked you to do this...so, the least I can do is make moving around easier.

But, if you'd prefer not to go to Souda, and to wait for your leg to come back in another fog...I understand.

No! No, it's okay!

[Ryou huffs as the response makes him lose more height, then he extends two shadow tendrils from his back, using them to hold his left side up like a crutch as he gets back to his feet--foot. Whatever.]

It's alright, we can go. Don't mind me being stupid, I'm glad you pay attention to everyone's skills. In a place like this, it's invaluable. And of course it'll help in the long run, because I can't very well tolerate this whole month or longer without walking, can I?

[Can he? He doesn't want people to see him, having been perceived by Marik, Five, and the child...Chara? That was embarrassing enough. He's not sure if a prosthetic will make that better or worse. Alas...]

S-so thank you for the help. Even if you didn't have a friend who could help me though...I would have gone to the graveyard with you though.

[sdfjsht if Ryou's in that much danger of falling, Atem's going to reach a hand out for Ryou to grab onto, to help pull him up! Go on, take his hand, he promised he'd be there to be leaned on!

And, when Ryou's done speaking, Atem replies--]

I know.

[Hey, those snakes? Their pupils are big. Like, really big. The ones who can make it into line of sight of Ryou are all looking at Ryou with round, dark eyes, and they're bumping each other out of the way a little with their heads. So, that's happening.]

[Ryou does take Atem's hand, though there's a distinct pout on his face. He shouldn't be this weak this fast, they haven't even left the building! If anything though, the snakes provide a distraction.

They are super interested in Ryou, and he thinks it's adorable. Atem's mood ring hairsnakes really like him, and as far as he's concerned, that's nice. They're nice. He might actually miss having Atem's hair emote at him when he reverts.]

Your hair is...very excited.

[Shit did he say that out loud? Ryou, no.]

I mean! Uhh. Thank you for the hand up.

[He is just gonna...look at them a moment longer.

...Are they supposed to be walking? Yes. YES, let's walk. Or rather, Ryou's doing a little awkward shuffle hop while using his tendrils and Atem to steady himself.]

[Atem runs a hand through the snakes, trying to redirect them. There's a chorus of upset hissing.]

Ugh, I know they are...I can't do anything to stop them from staring. Not for long, anyway. They aren't very smart...or very polite!

[They are absolutely NOT walking to Insert Coin. They're hailing a cab. The ones that hang out by the casino are pretty brave...so Atem's able to wave one down.]

They're living things too, they can have feelings!

[Your feelings, sir. Which is charming, even if Atem's feelings, while clearly of attachment, are very much not the feelings Ryou wishes they were. He's...still trying to deal with that okay.

He gets it. Atem doesn't have time for this. Ryou also isn't going to let it sour his mood, not today. He can be lonely later. For now, he just follows Atem's lead, and when the cab shows up...he looks at it...then at Atem.

Then back.

And then to Atem again.

He's curious. HE'S VERY CURIOUS...how all this noodle is going to work out.]

Go on, get in!

[He'll help, even! Ryou's gonna get settled first...and then...

And then Atem shrinks. His arms pull back into their sockets. The scales at his waist grow up his belly and back, sprouting like a wave, until they crest over his head--

--and a very big asp, but a very small naga, is looking at Ryou.

Delicately, he slithers into the backseat of the taxi, over Ryou's knees, into the seat on the far side. Most of him manages to curl up on the seat itself, but a little bit ends up on the cab floor. Being able to rear up to make space helps! The snake speaks.]

Insert Coin Arcade, please!

[He's being polite, since he knows this is weird, but any time Atem takes a cab from the arcade, he tips stupid well...so...the driver up front just pulls his cap down over his face and deals with it.]

[It takes some doing, but eventually Ryou's comfortably settled in the cab, and he's thankful enough to be seated on the right because then he can open the door with no problems--

...

...????

If Ryou was staring before, when the snakes were vying for his attention, then what he's affixed Atem with now is basically BOGGLING. 100% of that does not creep him out and in fact he's so, so super amazed at Atem shifting into a travel-sized but still pretty huge snake.

He says nothing the entire time Atem slithers over his knees. He continues to stare at the huge cobra that he's now sharing space with. And finally, after Atem gives the location, Ryou pulls the door closed and

...yeah. Yeah he's staring. He's STILL staring. It's not until they finally start rolling away that he finally finds the words.]

Y...you can just DO THAT?? H-haha, holy shit that's amazing.

[Wait. NO!]

A-ah, sorry, pardon my language!

[The snake face is only so emotive, but there's a very distinct suggestion of a :> expression.]

It's the same as becoming an ordinary bat, when I was a vampire...didn't I ever show you that?

[Come to think of it, he's not sure he did!]

No, you didn't! I thought you'd just...poof into another animal, that is so much neater than I thought!

[See, this is the kind of content Ryou needs to deal with his problems; his friend transmogrifying from a naga to an actual cobra, travel-sized for your convenience.

Atem's lucky most of him is on Ryou's bad side, or else he'd have a shade smoothing his fingers down his scales.]

This whole naga thing is so interesting...not that you being a vampire wasn't, but to be quite frank with you, the whole second mouth thing was more jarring than some of your vampire traits.

[Oh good. Great. Now Ryou's been activated and Atem's trapped in a cab with him. Never mind the poor cabbie...seriously what's wrong with this guy?]

You really do like weird stuff...

[A talking snake is looking Ryou in the eye and saying this. Atem just turned himself into a snake and is teasing Ryou, very fondly, about being interested in the weird non-human-eating stuff that happens in Ryslig.]

...but I shouldn't be surprised. It makes sense, after the eye pillows you brought home, that you'd be fascinated by an extra mouth!

[His tongue flicks out to taste the air. He's comfortable and curious -- even though he's reared up, it's for space and ease-of-conversation reasons, not any kind of threat. Not being able to wear a sneatbelt, though, does mean he's got to actively work to keep his balance when they turn a corner, and not slide off the seat--he doesn't want to go on that floor--!]

[Ryou actually laughs at that, genuinely, though it does sound a bit stilted. He hopes laughing doesn't hurt forever...]

Heh, the pillows were your indication? Not the skulls, or the goblets? And anyway, it's your fault! You...you don't tell me not to do that, you just accept it! Maybe don't accept what I like, then I'll quit being weird!

[Ryou is clearly joking back, he doesn't mean it to be negative at all. Actually, that Atem accepts him as who he is has made it very easy for Ryou to come out of his shell about his interests in the weird and occult. It's...comfortable and good. He's never felt like he could be so earnest in his life. Monster World is easier to admit to.

Speaking of comfortable though...]

You know, you don't have to stay all bunched up and awkward over there. If you need support, you can use me.

[Seriously. Wind around him, he doesn't mind.

~~fellas is it gay to have your snakepal wrap around you for stability~~]

That's all right, I--

[He's about to say he's got it, but then the cab brakes hard at a stoplight and he can feel himself start to slip and he doesn't have arms like this shit shit shit--!

It almost looks like he's going to strike. He's so quick to try to catch himself that he has to launch his top half over Ryou's lap to get to the arm. Once he gets his head and neck hooked around Ryou's remaining elbow, then he can hold the rest of himself up, and he does not slide onto the floor.

Whew. A little muffled, he says:]

...I'm not used to not having arms at all...

[Much more slowly, Atem's going to reposition himself, slithering up so more of his body crosses Ryou's legs and slips around his elbow and his head can hover around eye level, reared a foot or two back from Ryou's face.]

As long as you don't mind, I think I'll hold on like this the rest of the way!

[Although he had offered himself as a support beam, Ryou is still pretty surprised when a big ol' cobra launches at him. The general instinct of knowing that a snake that big and venomous could cause a lot of damage makes him stiffen at first, until he reminds himself properly that Atem is the snake, and that he's in no danger of being bit.

The sensation of Atem's scales wrapping around his arm and slowly passing across his lap is definitely...something. He even shudders a little. Look, Atem's a little cool to the touch at this point, it's not Ryou's fault! But other than that, it's fine, it's cool.

He's just looking a big-ass cobra in the eye. And the cobra is his friend.]

N-no problem, I offered. [He smiles, of course.] I think you need a bit of a bask, you're pretty cool. Should we get you a heat rock?

[Again, very much joking. Ryou's been leaning heavily on humor to deal with his problems, sorry.]

WELCOME TO YOUR PRIVATE CHANNEL, PLAYER1. FOR SECURE COMMUNICATION, USE 10.11.0.0.01 * PLAYER1 has joined 10.11.0.0.01 <PLAYER1>** If you're looking for someone you knew as Yugi before June, you've found him! It's Atem, leave a message.

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im making the eyeball throw pillows canon

they were gonna be a thing eventually lol

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