dropping out of the blue is his hobby

[nolongerunwise.livejournal.com]

Characters: post-Fusion AU!Judai [nolongerunwise], anyone else in the vicinity
Location: the Satellite section of the island
Time: midnight
Summary: He's been forcibly pulled into a bizarre world yet again.... and he can't help but wonder what lessons will be imparted upon him this time around.
Warnings: none off the top of my head. Probably just some cursing.


There are moments when he believes that everyone should feel the carpet being yanked right from underneath their own feet at least once in their lives. It's a very humbling thing to go through -- even though it might not seem that way at first, especially when one is all too inclined to exert excessive control over one's surroundings. No, there's something good to be had even when confusion and anger are the only apparent things in sight, clouding the horizon and obscuring it behind a veil of stormy darkness.

The only regrettable thing is that it often takes one far too long in order to accept an imparted lesson -- and even longer to truly understand its deepest meanings.

Normally, he wouldn't really preoccupy himself with such brooding thoughts about the past... but this is hardly a normal circumstance, as he finds himself in the confines of a decayed city, inspecting the smoldering remains of what had once been a relatively well-kept red motorcycle -- now dented and scorched almost beyond recognition, after it had slammed right into a wall at full-speed.

It happened as all such things usually happen -- there was only the barren, wide expanse of the Mojave desert extending around him, cut through by the darkened line of a highway.... and then everything had disappeared in a flash of white light, only to be replaced with the narrow street through which he had raced at great speed, before losing control of the steering.

Letting out a list of foul invectives underneath his breath, Judai removes his dented, battered helmet -- probably what had kept him from crushing his skull into a million pieces when he had jumped off at the last moment. However, the knowledge of his continued existence brings him little joy at the moment, dark eyes taking in the still burning wreckage, the grimy street and the creature bundled up in his arms -- a large, fat, orange cat, making low, reverberating sounds of pain.

"Easy there, Pharaoh. Easy..."

Kneeling on the cracked asphalt, he continues to hold the cat close with one arm, while using the other in order to unceremoniously tear black strips of material out of his shirt, using them to bind Pharaoh's two shattered hind legs -- aligning the broken bones for the healing that will follow. Very little matters now, with the exception of the wailing, shivering creature in his arms -- as the the Dark Herald allows his power to slowly flow into the twisted appendages. There are bruises, cuts and scrapes all over him as well, but he firmly ignores them, scratching Pharaoh's ears in order to get the cat to bear the pain a bit better.

Still, some part of him is well-aware that he's just been unceremoniously yanked into another world.... and can't help bitterly wondering just what hard-to-swallow lessons must be imparted upon him this time around.

Comments

[1andnotthesame.livejournal.com]

[And some distance away is the roaring of, not one, but two motorbikes that mirror each other in design-one red with white markings, the other black with silver markings. The occupants seem to mirror each other as well, although with them both wearing helmets, it becomes difficult to tell.

However, someone with eyes like this character probably would be able to tell that something isn't quite right with those two just by their presence alone. They seem like exact polar opposites, one with a dark presence reeking of lies and slander, while the other seems pure by comparison.

Perhaps you could hail them for help or information. At least one of them is probably willing to give it.]

[nolongerunwise.livejournal.com]

Judai vaguely feels their presences just as soon as he hears the roaring engines of their motorcycles, quietly extending his senses in order to gain as much insight as possible, from a relatively safe distance. Some might consider his approach overly fastidious and detail-oriented, but if there has been any lesson that was repeatedly drilled into this particular Judai's head, such was the merit of caution for one's continued existence -- even when caution would have seemed an unwarranted thing.

Frowning lightly, he continues to gently caress Pharaoh's head with one gloved hand, raising himself to his full height once more -- removing the cracked helmet and tossing it to the ground in an apparently haphazard manner.

His first sight of the welcoming committee is just as disconcerting as he had expected -- as Judai's dark eyes land on two individuals whose appearances would have seemingly made them identical to one another... if it hadn't been for the jarring details that he can notice just underneath the surface. There's something definitely not right here -- and despite this, he raises one hand, waving in their general direction. Counter-intuitive perhaps, to draw the attention of such odd individuals -- but the simple truth of the matter is that they appear to be knowledgeable in regards to this place, while the same cannot be said about him -- a simple reality that Judai admits to himself with a small grimace.

If he can gain some answers from them, it won't be a needless thing. And if they have less than pleasant intents.... well, it's not as if he's a defenseless individual, after all.

"Oi! You two there!"

[1andnotthesame.livejournal.com]

[The rider of the darker bike seems to decide to drive on and ignore you, considering that the speed of the bike hasn't slowed down (and might have accelerated a small bit). However, the driver of the red bike slows to a stop, leading the driver of the black bike to stop with a screeching sound.

The owner of the red bike removes his helmet, revealing a shock of black hair striped with yellow, and piercing cobalt eyes that reflect pure curiosity and concern. However, the rest of the face is stoic, showing a lack of emotion.]

Aaa?

[nolongerunwise.livejournal.com]

He tries not to smirk at the subtle cues. These two are obviously the kind of individuals who don't enjoy being separated from each other, if the dark rider's reaction is to be taken at face-value. Well, at least it appears that he can speak with the one sitting on the red motorcycle... or perhaps something else entirely, Judai thinks, as dark eyes quickly wonder over the unusually-shaped fuselage.

And to think that if this would have taken place only several short years ago, he would have probably been seething with rage, far too blinded by his own fear and anger in order to notice any of the subtle details around him.

"This will probably sound like a very strange question.... but just what is this place, exactly?"

Judai's own tone is calm and collected, features betraying nothing of his inner confusion. First thing's first -- find out if his suspicions are right, in regards to this place not being merely a more decrepit part of his own world.

[1andnotthesame.livejournal.com]

[And Yuusei is as blunt as ever when he responds.]

A crossing point between worlds of sorts. People are brought here from other worlds and timelines and collect here. It's not uncommon to meet multiples of the same person. We've seen another one of you. You are...Juudai, correct?

[nolongerunwise.livejournal.com]

So this is what it is, then.

It takes considerable willpower on Judai's part not to burst out into dry laughter at the absolutely ridiculous irony of it all. He might not believe in Fate, but even Judai has to admit that something out there seems to have a very warped sense of humor when it comes to his own path in life, at times. How else is he to explain the fact that he has apparently been brought into a place that seems rather similar to that white-walled prison of year earlier?

"I had thought as much" he answers earnestly, a small smile playing at the corners of his lips. Ironic indeed. "And yes, you are right. I take it that another double of mine has been trapped in this place for a while, then?"

[1andnotthesame.livejournal.com]

Aaa.

[The darker of the two riders-who hasn't seemed to shown any sign of getting off his bike (he hasn't even removed his helmet yet), only leans forward in a posture that conveys irritation. If this newcomer was used to alternate dimensions, then so much the better-it meant they could leave quicker.]

[stardustg2ma288]

[And another possible aid, though perhaps a bit high in the air... at least until he spots the wreckage. Despite his wild nature and the almost paranoid sense of caution he's regained since his injuries, he still possesses a kind heart. So he lands lightly at a careful distance, folding his wings close and watching youth and cat with wary golden eyes.]

What happened here...?

[nolongerunwise.livejournal.com]

'What does it look like? We had a rough introduction to this wall over here.'

Normally, he would have offered a very sarcastic reply to a question with such a self-evident answer.... but Judai's sharp words get lost somewhere in the back of his throat once he sees exactly who asked. Part of him supposes that he shouldn't be very surprised, given how many odd things he has seen during his travels. After all, there are Duel Monsters who make the fellow before him appear absolutely mundane by simple comparison.

However, what he finds truly bizarre in this situation is the fact that this golden-eyed being feels much less like a Duel Spirit... and more like a human, even if one quite marred by conflicting influences, alien to Judai's own senses.

Well, one thing is certain, at least -- Judai's obviously not in a world that is in any way familiar to him... and the knowledge unsettles him, to a degree, even as he fully maintains his composure.

"We were brought into this place" he answers simply, continuing to pet a hissing Pharaoh and jerking his chin in the general direction of the wreckage. "It wasn't the the most stable transfer."

But, then again, when had such things ever been stable or safe?

[stardustg2ma288]

Yusei cocks his head slightly, his eyes fixing on the agitated cat. He didn't mean to startle the animal-- usually, they like him better than people do-- but he can tell it's in pain. He trills a soft note, a sound that usually soothes frightened creatures, before turning his attention back to Judai.

"Are you hurt? If you are... I can help."

[nolongerunwise.livejournal.com]

Pharaoh settles down a bit, but his small, beady eyes still continue to follow the odd creature, coiled muscles relaxing both at that soothing sound and at Judai's gentle touch over his back.

As for Judai himself, he can't help but wonder if there are any ulterior motivations behind this being's offer. It's not exactly a negative judgment in regards to his would-be helper, but more a natural reaction that arises within him whenever any stranger seemingly wishes to aid him merely out of the kindness of his or her heart. After all, only fools trust easily.... and fools generally don't live very long either.

"It's nothing" he answers -- and he's being honest. Most of his ailings are only minor scrapes and bruises, since superhuman reflexes had allowed him to jump off of the spinning motorcycle just in time. The rough landing had injured Pharaoh, though -- and Judai solely blames himself for that, as he continues to pour dark, healing energy into the cat's broken legs.

[stardustg2ma288]

Yusei can sense the distrust, and who can blame the other youth for it? He's a stranger, but more than that he's clearly not human... then again, he can also feel the dark power flowing from the newcomer. It makes him cringe internally, his darker natures perking up in interest, but it's the phoenix in control at the moment. Yusei sings quietly, adding his healing to the other boy's own efforts, as well as soothing those scrapes and bruises. It's not even enough to cause him too much distress, but it makes him feel a bit better to think he's helping.

If Judai can sense anything from the chimera, it would be gentle concern and a deep sadness, not malice. The Mara's not in control enough for that, not with that singing.

[nolongerunwise.livejournal.com]

He tenses up a bit at the feel of that healing, but gradually relaxes -- mostly since he can sense that there are no malign side-effects to what the other is doing. For the most part, Judai trusts his perceptions -- and at the moment, they're telling him that there is no ill-intent to be felt within this being. It causes him to lower his guard somewhat, yet not completely -- that is something which only takes place in the company of the dismally few individuals whom he still completely trusts.

"...What are you?" he asks quietly, intense eyes carefully studying the other. It's not a question asked with any undertone of mocking -- as one might be inclined to expect in such cases. No, there's just weariness and some amount of wonder or surprise in his voice, given that none of his experiences so far can offer an adequate response to this particular question.

Yay! I've been going through Jyuudai withdrawal <3

[m-for-mischief.livejournal.com]

[And, well, we'll just assume he's not all creepy and not really talking to anybody anymore. So he's probably out trying to clear his head and figure out what to do next. Which means you might want to watch it, Jyuudai, because an big black and yellow bike is coming around that corner at speeds that are probably way too fast to be safe.]

[nolongerunwise.livejournal.com]

The highly-developed senses and impossibly-fast reflexes which had been granted by his fusion with Yubel allow Judai to jump aside just in time -- so as to avoid being struck in full by the speeding bike and its owner. The sudden movement shakes Pharaoh and causes the cat to release another sharp wail of pain, as Judai's grip instinctively tightens around him.

"What do you think you are doing?" he snaps sharply -- swinging a vaguely glowing, hetero-chromatic gaze in the direction of this fool of a driver, power crackling dangerously close to the surface and instincts standing on edge. Had this thing taken place a few years earlier, when he had been less controlled, it would have quite likely resulted in the driver personally learning the more brutal applications of the Gentle Darkness.

[m-for-mischief.livejournal.com]

[The driver, meanwhile, just skidded like *hell* - clearly he was not expecting to see anyone down this particular sidestreet, which is probably why he picked it in the first place - when one is deliberately driving recklessly, it is best to try to not involve other people. He yanks his helmet off with a loud, rather distressed "FUCK!" and stares back down the street. Nope, not a ghost, and not a stray piece of clothing, either.] Aww, shit - you okay? [He swings his leg over the bike, clearly intending to make good if he has, in fact, caused harm.]

[nolongerunwise.livejournal.com]

"Take a wild guess" he answers, on a low, harsh tone, eyes narrowing at the other, as Pharaoh shifts uncomfortably in his arms. It's becoming apparent that this fool didn't have any malign intentions -- he merely raced at break-neck speed, thinking that no one would be idiotic enough as to waltz around this decrepit place. And in a sense, Judai doesn't fully blame him for that particular impression, since he's certainly not in this corner of the universe by any willing choice -- but he has no intention of saying that out-loud. The recent happening have frayed his nerves to a significant degree, so he doesn't see any reason as to why he shouldn't make this fellow squirm a bit.

[m-for-mischief.livejournal.com]

[Aaaaaaaaaand that's when he sees the bike. But nobody was *on* it when he came through, or this kid wouldn't just be standing here now . . . . right?] I - [And god those eyes are creepy. It's not that they're different colours from each other - he's seen that before - it's that they're such *different* colours, like he took one of each from somebody else - or two somebody elses, as it happened.] Look, I'm sorry, I - nobody's ever down here. I was trying to stick to the edges of the city so nobody'd get hurt, but -

- you're not, are you? Seriously? [Come on, Jyuudai, give the kid a break. He's younger than you and he's pretty obviously scared. The last thing he needs to do is hurt somebody else.]

[nolongerunwise.livejournal.com]

It's painfully obvious that the other is babbling at this point -- clearly unsettled by the more inhuman traits which reveal themselves when he allows the power gained through his fusion with Yubel to rise up at the surface. Judai can't help but smirk at that -- if this kid finds it difficult to keep his cool when Judai himself displays only a fraction of his anger, it certainly means that he wouldn't stand much of a chance in a place such as the Dark World or the even more savage dimensions through which he had treaded.

And yet, Judai doesn't much hold this against him -- after all, his own purpose is precisely to make certain that people like this wild-haired kid don't have to go through the harrowing experience of their lives being arbitrarily threatened by malicious forces. In a sense, this serves to also cool down his temper, to a degree.

"It takes more than one reckless driver to endanger me" he snorts quietly, though his tone is less sharp. "Why on earth were you in such a rush to begin with, kid?"

[breaktherainbow.livejournal.com]

Johan leaned against the wall of the building and tried to think about them again. He couldn't even bring up their faces in his mind, no matter how hard he tried. "Am...Ame..." And again his mind scattered to the four winds. Frustrated beyond words, he slammed a fist down on the concrete beneath him.

"Damn you, Juudai." Juudai had done the one thing unforgivable: he had taken his family from him.

Johan didn't even notice that another Judai was in the area.

[nolongerunwise.livejournal.com]

He hears Johan long before he can actually see him -- and the sound of that voice causes a chilly sensation to race though him, from head to toe, as if the blood in his body had suddenly decided to congeal all at once. At first, he's inclined to dismiss it entirely out of hand -- merely a figment of his sometimes over-active imagination, a similar voice belonging to a complete stranger.... or perhaps a hallucination granted by the fact that his head had slammed hard against the pavement. Even a helmet can't protect one against the effects of a particularly nasty concussion.

However, something stirs and writhes wildly in his chest, not giving Judai peace until he quietly submerges into the shadows of the alley, silently moving towards the source of the sound. Unfortunately for him, the sight which meets his eyes is undeniable -- even though Judai would very much wish to think that this is both an acoustic and visual hallucination. For a few moments, all he can do is just stare, rooted to the spot as he is -- gazing at the face of a dead boy, now very much alive. The fact that this could be a Johan from a different world doesn't quite cross his mind yet, due to the shock.

If it had been up to him, Judai would have probably not emerged from his cloak of shadows.... yet Pharaoh ends up taking the choice entirely out of his hands, as he jumps down with a pained sound and scurris towards Johan -- limping on healing hind legs.

[breaktherainbow.livejournal.com]

Johan looked up at the slight sound and blinked when he saw a tubby cat limping towards him. He vaguely recalled seeing a similar cat in his world, but he hadn't really paid much attention to said feline. This one probably wanted food or something. Johan wished that he had something to give him.

But, at heart, Johan was also a very kind person, so as the cat came closer, he held his hand out to be sniffed. "Hi, there."

[nolongerunwise.livejournal.com]

Judai bites his lip with savage force -- enough as to tear straight through it and fill his mouth with the coppery taste of blood. Why this and why now?! It seems as if every force in the known universe desires to punish him by confronting the Herald with things that he doesn't wish to deal with -- or that he doesn't consider himself able to properly face.

Being stuck in some other post-apocalyptic world in order to fight a war that isn't his own? Yes, he can do that, if he focuses sufficiently enough on the end goal and on whatever things must be learned (as bitter as they might be). But this.... he's never imagined that he would ever be placed face-to-face with a Johan Andersen once more -- only to have that force with a cruel sense of humor actually shove him head-first upon a route which lead precisely to such an end. The monstruous irony of it all is simply overwhelming.

Steeling himself, Judai walks out, calling Pharaoh back to him. Come what may -- if this is an illusion (as he so fervently hopes) then it will fade away into nothingness once he will approach it. If it is not.... well, in that case, he will have to face a very unwanted meeting with gut-wrenching guilt that he had buried deeply for the past few years.

[breaktherainbow.livejournal.com]

At that voice, Johan looked up, tensing automatically. Having spent a bit of time around that other Juudai, the one who helped him change and throw away that disgusting outfit, he knew that not all Juudais are like the one in his world. But that didn't mean he would simply trust one right offhand.

He pushed himself to his feet carefully and took a step back from the cat. He wasn't entirely certain of what to say, so when he heard himself speak, he was more than a bit surprised at the words.

"Another Juudai."

[nolongerunwise.livejournal.com]

Judai himself can do very little, other than stand in place, trying to not appear as if he were staring at a ghost -- or at a corpse which had risen from the grave. He isn't all that successful, it has to be said -- and this causes a flash of anger to shoot through him, Just what is it about Johan Andersen that has always shot his emotional control straight to pieces?

"... I saw you die" he murmurs quietly, reaching over for Pharaoh -- who ducks and moves the other way. Dark eyes remains fixed upon Johan, as if Judai himself is still unable to reconcile the truth of reality with his quiet hope that this is merely a demented vision of some kind -- a trick of his beleaguered conscience, in order to remind him of the boy that had broken apart into millions of light-shards before him. And even before that, there had been another Johan, whose eyes had always reflected fear when they gazed upon him.... but he ruthlessly crushes that particular memory, lest it cause his control to falter even further.