lightyourpyre

[lightyourpyre]

".. Yeah unfortunately best not to do that." Judai admits quietly, a frown on his face. "If only the future were more clear.. But I guess life would be boring if it was."

"Holy shit that looks amazing-" He looks down at her PDA. "I'm going to be surprised if you're not in a museum. Or creating cards with Pegasus." He could see why this reminded her of her mother. the soft warm tones of the horizon.

It was almost as if he could sit down on those beaches inside the canvas himself.

╚»★ "Maybe, maybe not. I try not to get my hopes up with the future when it's clouded by uncertainty."

Nevertheless, this helped clear her mind.. even if only for the time being. It was appreciated, considering how hard she struggled to come out of these kinds of moments on her own.

It wasn't too bad to be grateful.

"Everything I make does. We're both landscape artists.. the land, the sky, the sea, all of it is the muse that guides our brushes to weave the melody of life into an immortal frame."

She didn't have her sketchbook on her, but she did regularly take photos of them to email back home. Thus, dug out her pda to show off one of the ones she had done recently.

A warm sunset on the horizon.

[lightyourpyre]

Judai has only a split second to realize that Sylvia's there before he's bolting after Ruby, the carnage around them taking him a moment to really process. While it was good to see her again, he had a little... worse things to deal with at the moment. And he could really use her help.

Amber mammoth startles him, but he's of no use to help the crystal beast at the moment. "Hang in there!" he shouts after him, wings bursting out of his back for an extra ascent, the pressure to release them lessening. He keeps close to Sylvia's D-wheel just in case some of the lights advances sneak past the mammoth... and it takes him a moment longer to realize- they're real.

He follows Sylvia and Ruby to the clifflike structure, and pouring on the speed to ascend, he grabs Ruby in his arms and holds her close to his chest. The winds of Norway should bother him more than it does, but Johan was in pain- he was in danger- and he has to dodge a few crystals himself, one cutting into his leg before he flies higher.

Wings flap strongly as he glances down at Sylvia, "Be careful!" he hollers over the winds. he can feel the warm blood running down his leg, but he shelves that for later.

The night sky was clear of any clouds. The moon was nowhere to be seen, allowing the stars scattered through the heavens to shine through. Not that she could see most of them, thanks to the pollution in the city.

The view on Duel Academy Island was full of shining stars. Sylvia wished she'd had more chances to go out and just stare up at the night sky back then. She could see the stars in the Spirit World, but they had a different pattern to them. One she didn't recognize. If she had just taken some more time back then...

If she'd only been closer. If she'd only been strong enough to help Judai and Johan more. If only. If only. Such regrets were what she'd left behind upon leaving Duel Academy. Judai had yet to return, and Johan had been hospitalized. There was nothing she could do. Both were out of her reach, even after all the effort she expended in trying to save them. A part of her wondered if this was how their fate was meant to go, or if her interference had been what caused them to get hurt.

Her Mark throbbed, still scarred from her encounter with Yubel and Pandora. She'd traveled back in time for the course of six months, come back aged just a little more. She still wasn't used to it having been only a week since she disappeared. Her birthday was still nine months away somehow.

Tonight was a repair night. A night of preparation, for the tournament that would come the following morning. She hadn't picked up her sketchbooks in about a month. Crunch time was here. She couldn't afford to waste her time doing nothing when her Runner wasn't nearly fast enough.

Luna sat on the couch, chatting with her spirits while Sylvia tinkered on the Sky Dancer. The air between them was quiet and comfortable. Toru and Misaki had already left to retire for the night. Luna seemed to have appointed herself as Sylvia's anchor tonight, refusing to budge until she went to bed, regardless of tomorrow being a school night for her.

Perhaps her presence was a blessing in disguise. Or perhaps Sylvia was cursed, doomed to endanger her friends until the very end. She barely registered the sensation of dimensions ripping through, when she heard a familiar voice echoing far, far in the distance.

.....lp ...e...

...elp me...!

Help me!

Help me!

Both girls' heads swiveled to face one another at the sound of the voice.

"D-did you hear that...?" Sylvia asked. Luna merely nodded.

The Signers' Marks flared to life, burning with desperate passion. Someone was calling Sylvia's name.

Not just anyone. Sylvia recognized that light. The opulent radiance, present on the corners of her vision as memories flashed through her mind, the towering figure of light, that light. Something about that image in particular burned Rainbow Dragon with ceaseless rage. And then--

Johan. Unconscious, surrounded in a halo of his own blood, screaming in pain, writhing with crystals jutting out at every attempted inhale.

The images were gone as quickly as they came. Whether by her own sensitivity, or by proximity to Sylvia, Luna looked just as horrified as Sylvia, as if she'd seen the flashes too.

"W-what was that? Those flashing images... They were almost like memories," Luna whimpered. She clutched her arm.

"...they were," Sylvia confirmed. "And I think I know who from, too."

"They... felt very angry," Luna hesitated. "Who was that in the vision? That boy..."

Her heart hammered in her chest. Johan. He had survived. He'd survived the ordeal with Yubel, and now something else was happening. Rainbow Dragon was calling for her help.

She shoved a helmet onto her head and unhooked her Runner from the wires and plugs it was attached to, mounting it.

"Luna, I have to go. I need to save an old friend."

Luna jumped up from the couch, Regulus and Kuribon at her heels, but she couldn't bring herself to say anything. Just from touching the thread binding her to Sylvia as a fellow Signer, she could understand. That person in those visions was someone she had met when she disappeared into that rift through time.

She couldn't stop Sylvia from going.

"...be careful. Come back safe, okay?"

Sylvia gave Luna what she hoped was a reassuring smile.

"Of course. I still have you to protect, too."

Her mark yanked at her. She needed to hurry. Now. Luna stepped aside as Sylvia's engines roared, and she all but skidded out of that garage as fast as her wheels could take her. Just at the end of the alleyway was a glimmering rainbow portal, where Ruby Carbuncle stood waiting for her.

Sylvia drove faster, right into the portal, and vanished in a flash of light. The portal closed as soon as she made it in.

"Ruby! Take me to Johan!"

[lightyourpyre]

"... Yeah...." Judai sighs, "Suffocating. ... But at least you've had a light pull you out of it each time." That was the silver lining of it all, he supposed.

That much he couldn't comment on, but nevertheless he holds her as though he can protect her from those thoughts. He's well aware that he couldn't. "... He might one day. But unfortunately, that day might be one day too late"

That was the unfortunate thing about these situations. ".... Hey uh... You're an art student right..? Would you.. Mind showing me some of your works? The ones that remind you of her..?"

╚»★ "I know that.. especially now more than ever. I spent years being so shaken by it all I couldn't even speak, this isn't the first time I was given a ray of light to pull me out. It's just.. so ensnaring, like a storm that comes back with a vengeance anytime it occupies my mind."

She knew her mother loved her, that was a fact that stood the test of time when she was told how by merely existing she embodied her in every way. All the days and nights she'd look at her old work, she wanted to be just like her.

Grief was a storm all on it's own, harder to run from the worse you were hurting. And in the end, it resulted in a regret that couldn't be undone.

"...I just wish he'd thought I was worth more than just giving up on.."

[lightyourpyre]

Judai frowned, his grip tightening on her. "Even so, he shouldn't have told you that." he wasn't miffed at all with her defending the man behind it. He understood completely considering..........

"I'm sure she would a million times over... But that doesn't mean you're a disgrace to her legacy." He frowned. He's more miffed about the fact that her father had buckled down in his grief.... But grief did..... Horrible things to people. He'd know that better than anyone. He didnt think that she could replace her even if she tried... Lena was Lena- and her mother was her mother-

╚»★ "...It..wasn't a projection..he was hurting too."

As vile as it was for her internally to defend the one who caused her so much harm, even after everything. She knew it was because he was hurting and wasn't dealing with it in a healthy manner.

She didn't break away, but the look in her eye of having to remember it all was sharp, hand balling up and trembling.

"Death should have been the one to claim you instead, that was the last part of his insult. Because I replaced her.. and he can never have her back."

"...It was me, or my mother. And she chose me."

[lightyourpyre]

"I mean it." Judai insists, his grip is loose on her. If she wanted to break away she could, he could feel her tense. But for now, "I don't always say shit just to say shit. Whoever told you that you weren't a good legacy for her, was full of fucking bullshit."

"I want to say they were projecting and blaming you for something, but I dont know who you're talking about and I wont claim to know. But I do know that assholes like that project their own insecurities onto people who are innocent in the entire matter."

╚»★ "...Judai?"

Although full of surprise, her voice was weak yet quiet. That if she spoke any louder, she'd probably break. He was the last person she'd expect to go out of his way for something like this, for someone he knew so little.

Yet all the same, the hug made her tense, it was a needed one.. yet all the same fought internally to not flee from it. She was at a loss, to constantly fight with a negativity of the mind while the praise from others always came so swift.

[lightyourpyre]

Judai looked up on her approach, he'd gotten strange looks when he'd tried to go back to stand by the door.. So the table it was. He'd been talking to Yubel and they both ceased conversation, Yubel disappearing within an instant.

"Its alright." he reached out, grabbing the ball of clothes from her hands and pushing it into the bag to throw into the wash later. He gestures toward the tea, "I got you your favorite, figured it'd warm you up."

"The jacket, it'll be fine. The poor thing's been through worse. You don't know how many times I've had Johan patch it up." He chuckled softly. "I'm thinking about giving the poor thing a break soon."

Though that always left the question of what other jacket he'd be able to wear if not the duel academy one. He eventually would have to retire this one, considering just how tattered it had gotten in his trip to Venice... But alas.

He shot Sylvia a look that said we can talk about what happened later. Before he hummed. "Are you hungry? I can get you something to eat"

Being surrounded by people suddenly made her hyper-aware of her soaked, light-colored shirt, and the fact her bra was perfectly visible for all to see. Shame burned her cheeks, and she gripped the jacket tighter around her shoulders, hurriedly ducking into the bathroom to change.

The towel Judai offered her wasn't big enough to cover her entire body, but she made do with it anyway, and manually dried herself off. The sky felt different today than it had before. If she could only go flying, if she could use her Power of Creation to summon Clear Sky Dragon and investigate...

Such a thing would take an immense amount of energy, though, and right now, the soul housed within her needed her alive. Her life force was protecting this being of unbridled emotion. She couldn't afford to be reckless with it.

As expected, Judai's clothes were long and loose on her. His T-shirt may as well have been a short dress for her, and his jeans were way too long for her to walk around in without tripping. Even rolling them up four times, they draped down to her ankles. Thankfully, Judai's shirt was dark. If it got soaked too, at least she wouldn't unintentionally flash everyone.

Though, now that she thought about it, she really shouldn't get soaked a second time.

She took a look at herself in the mirror. Her hair was matted and flat, still dripping from the rain and her half-hearted attempt at drying it. Her expression was dour, she noted. She probably looked like someone just died.

...had they? She'd just stolen some being's soul.

Gods. This was all messing with her head. She wasn't sure what to think. Judai was probably still waiting for her. She should leave.

Sylvia collected her dripping-wet clothes and the towel Judai brought, then wrapped them in his jacket. She'd apologize to him later and offer to wash the jacket herself-- it was just easier to carry the clothes like this without getting wet a second time.

After taking a deep breath, she pushed the door of the bathroom open and scanned the tables for Judai. She found him with two orders of tea, waiting for her at one of the smaller tables, and approached him.

"...sorry I took so long. And... sorry about your jacket," she mumbled, gesturing to the bundle of clothes in her hands, wrapped in red.

[lightyourpyre]

"He was wrong to tell you that." Judai hisses, stepping forward to hug her. "You're upholding her legacy the best way you know how, being yourself, through what you do." He didn't know her very well, nor did they interact much... But he couldn't stand by again and watch her hurt. .. Suffer.

"You're not a disgrace to her legacy." he's firm in this. "not at all."

╚»★ "You're like her in every way, yet you are a disgrace to her name and her legacy. It's an embarrassment to have to ever refer to you as my child, you can't even show half as much skill and grace as she had.."

There was more, but she can't bring herself to say it. It was a constant mantra in her head she'd never forget, for it was always accompanied with the fires.

[lightyourpyre]

It had taken a lot of convincing on Johan's part for them to split up, Judai to America and Johan to Norway. He'd been working on finding the remnants of the Light of Destruction, working closely with someone who he never thought he would again, Saio.

And yet, something faint cracks across the air in the midst of the other's speech, drawing his attention. Making Yubel's scales itch underneath his skin. Their wings flex against his rib cage, wanting to be free to fly to whatever that noise was. its desperate sound curdling to his ears.

i-

His eyes weren't trained on Saio anymore, instead the wall. His leg bounces with the unreleased energy claws attempting to escape his toes and fingers. Crackling.

ai-

Flashes of places in his mind, Rainbow dragon.....? Did something happen to....

dai-

Jo ..........han....

udai-

J...ohan....

Johan-

"Judai!" Saio's voice finally reaches him, images still flashed behind his mind as his ears popped back into the present.... "Whats going on?" ... and yet he looked as though he already knew the answer. He was a tarot card duelist after all, could see the future better than any of them.

"I think I have to go." Judai gets up from his seat, rapidly gathering his things. He could feel Rainbow dragon's desperation, he could feel her horror- terror... anger. "No I need to go." he grabbed it almost violently before heading toward the door.

"Judai-" Saio tries to stop him but flinches back when golden eyes turn to stare him down.

He relaxes slightly when the other makes calming gestures toward him, before pointing at a portal. "I believe its here for you."

"... Ruby-" he breathed, moving past Saio "I'll get in contact with you later!" and with that.....

Saio was left alone.

@lightyourpyre @sylviareviar Dimensional Cry

..h..p .e..

The fabric of reality tears with a hauntingly familiar roar, yet it seems only those of spiritual gifts can truly hear it, the crimson dragon responds to this call in full, the temporal balance that's caused by the frantic cries. Reaching out to the one who had vanished without proper goodbye, left a crack behind that never truly sealed. It reaches far across their own time, to one so dear to her chosen, her panic palpable, the goddess is afraid to loose the one who clings to life, wounded, his frame is one she cannot bring further aid to, she cannot spare him of the agony she had fended off. The Vile Light is something she cannot purify down to the core, a twisted, corrupted echo of its once radiant brilliance. Now it only brings disorder, destruction and death. Drawn in to absorb strength from the freshly awakened soul, left without the gentle darkness veil to hide behind. It's a flood of images, of ruins of white marble adorned with crystal, a space teetering dimensions, a place so finely in-tuned with reality yet it is a place of creation hidden deep within the earth. Where a glorious kingdom once reigned, where hopes and dreams flourished, a shrine taken from it's formed grounds and moved within the depths of Norway, hiding amongst the mountains and fjord's. The entrance is hidden, veiled thickly to keep away those that would give into greed.

Images flash, of the crystal beasts, of destruction that spreads across the land, fire that still burn in place, of pain, ambush, momentary death, resurrection. One thing flashes repeatedly, of a towering force of light, outstretched with claws and fangs aimed for them all. The way a limping amethyst panther stalks near the entrance, concern and fear etched into determined eyes. Help me.

A hysterical call, choked upon as if the call was too weak, a barely registering pulse. Of being surrounded by golden gates, awaiting to be awoken from slumber once more, to be within the ether until the golden gates shatter all at once, for a blood vision to come. The light has consumed most of his body, old duel disk sparking and barely peeking out from where the light wraps itself around him, paralyzing him in place and choking him, curled so tightly around his throat as blood drips from his lips. Wrath.

Burning, flooding wrath alongside agonizing pain and fear. The crackle of light, the familiar roar of rage from the goddess as she tears the light asunder, forcing it to relinquish its grasp from her chosen that now lays writhing in agony, lips parted in a silent scream with blood coating the ground around him in a messy splatter. Now laid upon the old shrine, where old furs lay beneath him, slowly staining with blood as agony still lances through him, for the wicked light still waits, still tracks him down. Help Me...!

The gateway opens to the ruined lands, to the remnants of the battlefield where a single small figure stands before it, four ears perked up and a ruby red glow surrounds it. A beacon. A guide.

[lightyourpyre]

He frowned even further, whatever just happened had spooked her. Whatever it was, was probably something he'd need to look into later with Yubel's vision. Of whom was staring at Sylvia with narrowed questioning eyes. They could both tell it was a spirit of sorts, not a duel one. Yet....

Judai said nothing more, taking off his jacket and pulling it over Sylvia's shoulders and chest to onlookers before he gently lead her into the store and to the bathrooms.

"You go on ahead, I'll stand guard infront of the door." He coaxed softly.

That spirit....

Judai furrowed his eyebrows at Yubel, moving to lean against the doorframe once Sylvia was inside. What about it?

Feels like this is only the beginning of something greater.

....... Wow. Thanks Yubel.. Such a help.

They snorted within his head and went silent, forcing his gaze outward toward the cafe. It was quiet, he had the few odd looks, but otherwise nobody questioned their presence. He noticed that the barista kept shooting him looks, but he assumed that was because they had to buy something to use the bathroom- of which he had ignored.

Sighing, he wandered over and bought two teas for them. Something to warm Sylvia up further while they decide what to do with this... New spirit that Yubel had sensed, it had been faint... But it had been there.

Her gaze drifted down to the clothes that were handed to her, staring at them as if it wasn't clear what she was meant to do with them. The awning overhead trickled with rain, streaming down from the sky as if she was sobbing, wounded from the fracture of the previous day. Sylvia wondered if it really was wounded. Something about the air felt different.

Her drenched fingers dug into the fabric of the clothes and towel Judai had given her. Staying out here wasn't helping the towel any, and the numbness of her body spread down from her face and phalanges to her neck, shoulders, and the rest of her joints. She suddenly became aware of the pale blouse clinging to her chest, the fabric becoming near-transparent, revealing her dark bra underneath. She couldn't bring herself to really care-- Judai didn't seem to, either-- not when there were more important concerns in her mind, swirling like the storm raging overhead.

...no, that wasn't true, or else Judai wouldn't have given her the clothes. He was concerned about her being soaked. She was worrying him now, standing in a daze, not saying anything. The warmth in her chest never faded. She didn't forget how her nerves burned like hot acid the moment she rescued that lost soul.

Lightning flashed. But this time, Sylvia's flinch was more visceral, more startled, and her hands flew to her ears in a poor attempt to muffle the loud crash of thunder that followed, causing the earth itself to tremble. Judai's hands flew to her sides, stabilizing her before she could fall, and with that, her daze was completely broken.

Whatever this spirit inside her was, she knew it didn't mean any harm. It wasn't Yubel. It wasn't the overwhelming force that rended the skies asunder, nor the brief second in which all wind, leaves, and people hung suspended in the air, brief though it was. This being was scared. It wasn't a Duel Spirit-- its soul felt different to one. But it was still very much alive, barely.

Her hands lowered from her ears. You're safe with me. I'll protect you. She wanted to convey those feelings. In her heart, she knew she was doing the right thing.

"...I'll change," she finally spoke, her voice hardly above a whisper. She made no move to walk on her own accord, though. Not yet. A part of her still hesitated. She wanted her brother to lead her inside.

[lightyourpyre]

... Holy fuck he's actually reading for once.

[lightyourpyre]

you must never despair over the future! we haven’t even accomplished anything yet!!

31.8 happy birthday judai!!

[lightyourpyre]

[lightyourpyre]

What if Judai’s hair did the Ghibli thing

[lightyourpyre]

Continued from x @sylviareviar

Judai frowned, looking her over for anything wrong. She'd looked as though she'd been almost in a trance when he'd found her. Usually he wouldn't have used that tone with her... But she'd been standing in the rain.... Alone. Anything could have-

He sighed softly, taking off his backpack and letting her hand go to crouch down and rummage through his bag. He handed her some of his spare- but clean thanks to Yusei's laundry room- clothes. "They should be fine for now, so you can change into them." He hands her a towel to boot, a lovely couple from Venice had given them to him and he'd forgotten to take them out of his bag. A fact he was thankful for now.

"You can go into the cafe bathroom to change. Please don't argue with me I don't want you getting sick." A frown plasters to his face, "I can get you a belt if the pants are too loose, you can roll them up into cuffs if you really need to."

He's fully aware he's blabbering at this point, but he's trying to get the almost haunted look on Sylvia's face out of his mind. He can get the details later... But for now.... This is all he can do.

[lightyourpyre]

Indie Canon divergent The Master from Doctor Who. Adored and loved by Phoenix

Mun is 22+

crossover and oc friendly

Read rules and muse bio before interacting!

[lightyourpyre]

"Its a shame you're hiding all of those sounds" He purrs, before he's pulled down their lips moving together once more. The nip to his bottom lip causes his breath to hitch.

Judai's eyes flick from his brown to pure golden at the unspoken challenge. "Who said we were going that far that fast?" He hums. "I don't want to chase that end just yet. .. I just wanted a taste." he licks his lips. "However if you'd rather spend more time on foreplay, I don't mind.. I have the stamina." He captures Johan's lips again into a kiss before once again, his lips trail away, down his cheek down his jaw, down his neck.

"My love. I might be impatient, but I'm not that impatient. I know we have all night for us to take turns thoroughly wrecking each other." He hums. "You're allowed to touch me, you know." he purrs. "I actively encourage it, we're not in a museum." He pauses here, "But I'm sure you'd fit right in."

Golden eyes glow in the fading light outside, "Its a good thing we're the only ones here in the Slifer dorm." He pauses again, getting up and moving to lock the door for good measure before he once again takes his place over Johan's form. "We don't want to traumatize them... now do we?" he chuckles darkly. "As fun as that sounds"

His throat feels dry, the way the other takes charge has left him blindsided and he's silently writhing in invisible shackles that refuse to let him escape, trapped beneath autumn's gaze and his might. The muscles in his body tighten, ripple with each touch as he breathes into the air, as if his breathe would be warm enough to be visible. Oh so carefully does he shift just slightly, gaze focused on the other as he nods, its all he can manage with his mind taking a backseat.

A shiver runs down his spine, the way fingers slowly trace down his stomach before fidgeting with his belt. Taking a moment to press hard enough that it clicks free, joining the discarded jacket upon the floor as hands guide his shirt up, exposing flesh to the other's merciless lips, lips part as a silent groan begs to escape from them, he forces that shameless noise back down as he brights a hand to his face, fangs lightly biting at it to try and keep himself silent.

"Hmm..?" Gaze flickering back to the other, a single raised brow before his hand reaches out, gently cupping the side of his face before pulling the other back down, muscles flex before he sits up just slightly to capture the other's lips once more. He was in no rush, he wanted to explore every trace, every inch of the other if he would so let him. The low rumble in the back of his throat as he nips at the other's bottom lip before speaking. "We have the entire night. You sure you want to tire yourself so quickly?" An unspoken challenge.

[lightyourpyre]

What kind of haunted are you?

The Haunting of Someone Who Left Too Quietly

People disappear from your life like sand in the wind. You pretend you're fine, but every new connection is a doorway you hesitate to open, just in case it closes like the last.