homeless; voice testing; BE GENTLE

[unaffiliated]

Much as I admire your ambition, mundane, there ought to be reasonable limits to one's enthusiasm— and that goes for both the upper and the lower ranges. Surely asking that you, what's the expression, roll a rogue in order to more fully explore my storyline isn't asking much, is it? You need to find something to keep you occupied until Tuesday.

Oh, have I hit a sore spot? But frothing at the mouth won't increase your chances of finding one last runestone, much as you may wish otherwise. There's no need to become bitter about it; it was your decision to delay fulfilling my requests, not mine.

Come now, there's work to be done. Even if you and I both know the outcome, procrastination is, as ever, the thief of time. And haven't you had enough of that already?

Comments

[unaffiliated]

[Sane and moderately trustworthy, then. Or reasonably trustworthy.

... Somewhat trustworthy? But let's move on.]

Why the sudden curiosity?

[ex_bewd509]

You look like a Duel Monster.

[That was actually a compliment. Kind of. Sort of. Well, it was close to a compliment. Give him some credit here, he's trying.]

[unaffiliated]

[The unfamiliar phrase has him pausing and eyeing Kaiba for a moment, but eventually, he smiles again.]

I am Wrathion, the last black dragon on my world. And you?

[ex_bewd509]

[























Wait back up hold the phone did someone mention dragons.]

Really? Looking pretty small, for a dragon.

[unaffiliated]

[Ah, and here he'd been thinking the other might have actually grown civil. He doesn't do more than raise an eyebrow, though, doing his best to be patient.]

Dragons frequently assume humanoid forms when dealing with the mortal races. It helps to put them at ease.

[ex_bewd509]

[Actually, this is about as civil as it gets for Kaiba. He certainly sounds more interested than before, and not as antagonistic. It's a start, anyway.]

They're definitely a lot smarter than the mortal races, that's for damn sure. Can't say I blame them.

[unaffiliated]

[He's noticing this, yes, and while it isn't entirely effective at erasing his earlier irritation, it is soothing it somewhat.]

Have you met many of us?

[ex_bewd509]

[Well, since he asked...

Kaiba reaches into his pocket, and pulls out a trio of these, flicking them around to show him.]

To say the least.

[unaffiliated]

[The appearance of the three small objects makes Wrathion blink in surprise, but while he leans closer to examine them, the amused expression he'd been wearing moments earlier is quick to drop into pure skepticism.]

These are playing cards.

[ex_bewd509]

[He's used to it. Keep huffing, he's not offended.]

They're more than that, actually.

[unaffiliated]

Do explain.

[ex_bewd509]

I could... or I could just show you. [Somebody's looking sly, all of a sudden.] Take your pick.

[unaffiliated]

[His eyes narrow.]

Explain, then show me.

[ex_bewd509]

[Scary.]

Oh? Don't trust me?

[unaffiliated]

Don't take it personally.

[ex_bewd509]

And if I did?

[unaffiliated]

Then you have wasted a great deal of precious time behaving as though yours is the only opinion that matters to you.

[ex_bewd509]

I'm the CEO of a major company.

I never waste time.

[unaffiliated]

[A... what? Well, thank goodness for context clues, at least.]

Then I admire your diligence. The explanation, if you please.

[ex_bewd509]

[You're such a bitch.

Still a dragon, though, so explanation it is.]

They're printed on paper, sure, but they can also be called forth. Summoned into a duel, as monsters that live and breathe like the real thing. Basically a proxy battle between two people, in place of actual fighting.

Interested now?

[unaffiliated]

[A summoning? Then yes, this has definitely caught his interest, and he's eyeing the cards with newfound appreciation as a result, peering closely at them in a way that is rapidly becoming covetous. To think of what he might be able to do with a deck of these to call his own— but what of this "duel?" A proxy battle between two people? Is it like the pet battles on his world, then?]

You have my attention. How does this summoning take place? What are the conditions of this duel? I would be glad to learn more of it.

[ex_bewd509]

Using technology I perfected, of course.

[Smuggest of grins ensues after mentioning that.]

The conditions are simple: eliminate all of your opponent's life points to win. You attack and protect yourself with monsters, and power them up with magic. Simple, right?

[unaffiliated]

[Had his eyes not already been blazing, they would have gleamed at this point. Monsters and magic, definitely similar to pet battles, but what's this about life points? Eliminating all of them—]

And the losers, do they die?

[ex_bewd509]

Sometimes.

[Yeah, his game's awesome. He knows.]

[unaffiliated]

[... Why doesn't Azeroth have this game? Jihui doesn't compare.]

Show me.

[An order, a childish demand, does it really matter what it is? Kaiba has effectively won this battle, so play the damn card.]