softspokenlandlord | IC Inbox

Well on one hand it might help you stay neutral? I mean. It's obvious that it's not something that requires it. I'm also a bit shaky on how to open up about this kind of stuff even if I *have* in the past. I grew up kind of isolated? So when I did start making friends I bonded super tight with the ones I called my besties. Last-- no about two years ago now? They started going missing. There were only three of them, but you can imagine how rough that was. I don't have siblings so like, now I'm seeing they might as well have been.

[Look if she's okay with it, Ryou will absolutely listen. And listen he does, because even if Annie's not sure how to open up, she's doing a pretty good job.]

i can sympathize with your situation. having friends that accept you and hang around with you is comforting.

[Even with zero emotions, Ryou still remembers his friendships, and he still wants them. So Annie's in good company here.]

did you find out what happened to your friends? did no one investigate?

I got brushed off by the cops when I reported the first of my friends to go missing. I got treated like I was just some dramatic teenage girl. Like. They seriously told me to calm down and obviously nothing was wrong. Well. They got proven wrong. Unfortunately. I also did find out what happened. They were being hunted by as serial killer.

[Ryou frowns, even though Annie can't see it.]

that's extremely negligent. they should never have had to be proven wrong, they should have took you at your word and investigated.

but

how did you find out that it was a serial killer?

[ Right??? Why are so-called responsible adults dumb. ]

I was his last target and he told me everything. He thought I was going to just be "easy to kill". Like my friends. Turns out I knew him.

[ Annie stares at her screen. ]

He was my first serious boyfriend.

[Whoa. Oh no. That's...not good.

Actually, it's upsetting. How is it upsetting? Ryou actually...feels upset?!]

Bastard.

[He had to say it. He's not sure how else to react, because emotions are extremely fleeting for him, and he has to get to the point quickly before suddenly he's in Nothingsville again.

Which is where he answers from after about a minute of silence.]

i would ask why he thought any of this was a good idea, but serial killers are unconscionable life-enders. whatever reason there could be would never make any sense.

That's exactly how I feel.

[ Only it is hotter. More rage-fueled because the three girls she loved like sisters are still dead.

If only. If only she had been better at seeing the little shit for who he had truly been. ]

There was this creature. Bound to the bay of my hometown. Apparently he found out there was some kind of magical ritual that would grant him what he wanted. You can guess what 'it' wanted.

Edited (icon!!!!) 2021-06-03 08:11 (UTC)

Why is it always sacrifices and dark rituals? And monsters?

So then, your boyfriend must have failed, if you are alive after he attempted to sacrifice you.

[Ryou isn't sure if that's true, actually. But he would like to think that.]

I have no idea. Classic horror trope? Um. Well. I did bash his head in with a boat oar. I think I lived. I know I heard something right before I got here. Maybe I didn't survive as the Final Girl.

I don't know about it being a trope, but it is certainly something I'm familiar with.

[Ask him about the ~~Richard~~ Ring-Spirit sometime. Not now, of course. Or maybe now.

It's vague. It's not important. Ryou doesn't care.]

I don't know much about the rules of that creature, but unless it's only looking for female corpses, then you probably paid its toll with the body of your boyfriend.

Whatever that might entail.

[ Annie dislikes that gift and would like to exchange it. ]

Can I return the gift to sender? Seriously! Do not want.

[The humor of her terminology is absolutely lost on him. Oops.]

I'm not sure if you can reverse it. But who knows if a pact was sealed anyway? You won't know until you go back home. Maybe it didn't take at all. In which case, you can consider trying to deal with the entity itself.

I wonder if there's a way to find out? I don't want any surprises. I mean in theory until we can figure out how to deal with the Sea of Stars we're stuck here. In any case if I get home I might kill that thing. It seduced my terrible ex with promises of power. That means my best friends died for no reason. That means others may have died too.

All of that brings up a lot of questions.

Do you expect to go back as you are now, or do you have an edge over a monster that presumably holds untold power?

Also what is the Sea of Stars?

[Ryou would like some context. And he's going to ask Annie better questions when his emotions--and proper curiosity--get reinstated.]

And? If we're not seeking out answers then we're letting ourselves lose. I plan to win. Honestly in the best case scenario? I get to be human again. Then I get to plot out how to win. I don't have an edge yet. The Sea of Stars from what I understand is like where we end up if we die here. I've visited it before. Consider it nightmare fuel. I saw friends I made and lost here. They weren't like I remember.

I guess you're right.

[Plan to win, huh? Sounds like someone they both know. But it would probably be cathartic for her, so he can't begrudge her the objective she has in mind.

Literally he can't anyway, either. He's still too empty to be absolutely invested. All the same, she's made him feel something at least once, and he's baffled by that. Maybe this really wasn't permanent. Maybe he should keep...trying to feel?

Be yourself, Ryou.]

Oh. Did you

um.

Visit it when you died? It seems as if a lot of people die here frequently. Also I wouldn't wish such a thing on my worst enemy, so I regret that you had to see your friends in any way but the way you know them.

[ Annie thinks Other Yugi is fantastic. Richard, known to most who know him as the Ring Spirit, is a dick but that hasn't stopped their weird friendship.

One day Annie will crush him. Muwahaha? Yeah, Annie is as sinister as a mysterious cupcake. ]

I haven't died here. There was a weird cosmic storm and a bunch of us ended up riding the back of a ***massive** bird. It was a surreal trip through the Sea of Stars. Wasn't sure if it was real or not.

Oh, I see. That sounds about right for what happens around here.

I'm glad you didn't die.

[He is desperately trying ok. She at least made him feel something earlier, so he's definitely got reasons to continue their conversation he's just...bad at it.]

I imagine the big bird thing was temporary then? Also I will need to put the sea of stars on my list of information.

[He has a list of things. Yes. He's a curious guy and he will stop at nothing to figure Ryslig out EVENTUALLY!

...When he's better.]

I know, right? I have a wall I'm building in my house. Trying to map out information. I live on my own so I need something to do when I can't exactly sleep. I know it's weird, but I just want to understand things.

It's not weird.

I do the same thing. I'm sure Yugi does as well, he's always trying to minmax his existence here. I like collecting pamphlets and working on figuring out the lore. Honestly by now I expected to know more about the gods.

[Ryou's a fucking gamer geek. Even with no emotions he's still unable to turn his nerdery off.]

lmao He is such a gamer. Does he play MTG? Feels like he would. Honestly. I only know a bit. The Fourth God made me go N O P E. Especially since his "world" feels very Clockwork Orange. Who the hell gives godlike powers to a kid? A goddamn idiot.

I'm not sure what MTG is. But Yugi plays all sorts of games.

Wait so. The fourth god is a child?

Who would give godlike powers to a child? That seems as if it's just asking for trouble. So we have a child god and a fog-based deity that turns us into abominations and expects worship for it.

This place is terrible.

It's a card game. You play matches against each other. I only know about it because of one of my friends. She liked making counter decks. Apparently his Dad. Who is dumb. Giving a 13-year-old unlimited power is a bad idea. This place is insane. 0/10 do not recommend.

IC Inbox | ryslig

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<a.dyer> cw: sexism

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<a.dyer> cw: human sacrfice

<WhiteWizard> cw; continuing sacrifice convo

<a.dyer>cw: murder

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WELCOME TO YOUR PRIVATE CHANNEL, WhiteWizard. FOR SECURE COMMUNICATION, USE 007.80.751.19 * WhiteWizard has joined 007.80.751.19 <WhiteWizard> Hello, this is Ryou Bakura! <WhiteWizard> Feel free to reach out to me if you need anything. :) <WhiteWizard>** I will get back to you as soon as possible.