a live.

[puzzlers]

Who: everybody's who's anybody.
Where: the hallway.
When: day 66 - night.

[ incoming live. ]

[ corona is in his pep!pep! uniform standing between a desk he pushed out there and an obnoxiously large white board. the desk is a mess with a bunch of pens and papers and the whiteboard has a poll on it, something short, sweet, and to the point. ]

Poll #20829

Open to: Registered Users, detailed results viewable to: All, participants: 13

View Respondents

How are you feeling?

View Answers

I'm fine.
5 (38.5%)

I'm not fine.
3 (23.1%)

Other- explain below.
5 (38.5%)

With everything that's been happening lately I was just wondering how everybody was doing. It's a simple question, so if you have some time, then please answer. Feel free to elaborate and, who knows, maybe those feeling fine can help those feeling not fine.

[ sure seems like a random ass thing to make a poll about, but he hopes he can gain some insight into those afflicted- possessed- out of their fucken minds??? no on said it was going to be perfect, but be=de and hss have him unsettled to the max. gotta keep on keeping on though. ]

Comments

[puzzlers]

[ he can't tell if he regrets this purchase or not. if his head didn't hurt before, then it does now. dropping the phone he screws his eyes shut and doubles over. ]

That...

[ that indeed. ]

[artisticliberty]

... it seems you are quite fortunate.

[puzzlers]

[ he looks up at fox. ]

[artisticliberty]

You had some truly good friends by your side, willing to support you and fight for you, did you not? And from what it looks like... they are just as fortunate to have you.

[by "they" he probably means king]

[puzzlers]

[ ...jounouchi. even the others. he doesn't know their names, but a bunch of them stuck around as the building started to burn. he swallows and smushes his palms into his eyes to stay the budding tears. a slow nod. ]

I do... and... and I hope so. [ king... ] We had been curious about our relationship. It's... it's different. We're not brothers or anything like that, and this... my- my other self.

[artisticliberty]

Your other self... I cannot say I understand very well, but the crux of it is--he's someone important to you. Someone irreplaceable.

[puzzlers]

I don't have all the information, b- but... King, he is, er, was a spirit that lived trapped in the Millennium Puzzle. We shared a body. [ and so much more than that. his other heart. his other soul. god, he feels sick knowing he's possessed or whatever right now. ] He had amnesia then too, so... he doesn't have a name. We're both- We're both Yugi.

[artisticliberty]

A connection like that... I'm truly impressed.

[puzzlers]

It seems like it's something special. I... later, I'll have to show King. [ now's not the time. ] When all this blows over.

[artisticliberty]

Yes, that sounds like a good idea.

[puzzlers]

I feel like it'd be a waste of time otherwise. [ sad to say. ]

[artisticliberty]

Do you feel satisfied by your first memory experience?

[puzzlers]

I feel... sad. It's a tease. I want to believe that's the kind of relationship I could achieve here, but- but look at what's going on around us. BE and HSS have lost it and the world is, I don't know, ending or something... I just... [ he shakes his head and drops his gaze. ] ...the hole in my heart has only grown larger...

[artisticliberty]

If it is... then consider that the reason is because your heart is filling up with love.

[puzzlers]

[ that gets a meager smile. ] Love. It's a... possibility, I suppose.

[artisticliberty]

To feel sad is natural, too, but it sounds as though you are sad because you care.

What I mean to say is that you are not empty. There are good things inside you, and I hope they give you solace. To try to tell you not to give up hope when we are faced with the world ending, and losing our loved ones feels trite... but even so, there are still things worth fighting for.

[puzzlers]

Like... my unit and my new friends? [ they have both come to mean a lot to him in the short stay he's had here and, no, he doesn't want to lose them to a bunch of demons. ]

[artisticliberty]

Yes. If your memory is anything to go by, it looks like that is what you draw strength from. So rest assured... you are not alone.

[...]

Forgive me, I am being presumptuous, I think. You have only just woken up.

[puzzlers]

Nonono! It's ok. Really. I... my unit does means a lot to me. As do a lot of the other people I've met here... l- like you, for instance. [ lopsided smile. ]

I need to push the doubt in my heart out and, instead, focus on what will help me stay strong. I'm not alone and I'll never be alone.

[artisticliberty]

[that gets a smile in return]

Thank you, Corona.

[puzzlers]

I really think I should be thanking you, Fox.

[ a laugh. ]

But you're welcome.