friendship was a mistake [closed]

[blue_ice]

They all needed a vacation, he'd said. They should take it together, he'd said.

After that little bit of uncharacteristic thoughtfulness on Kaiba's part, he regretted it almost immediately. But the plans were now set in motion, too far along to stop without undoing the progress he'd been making these last few weeks.

That was how he found himself on Hano Beach, dressed in his casual beach wear (with cargos. rip.) and sitting on a large trunk full of Stuff. His smaller Pokémon are nearby, playing in a shallow puddle he'd carefully dug for them and stuck an umbrella over.

There's a table with Anela's famous berry smoothies, also with an umbrella over it, and chairs for the humans to sit and relax. Have fun. Try not to kill each other.

Comments

[bloomingdespite]

"It was more like we tried to take a vacation in the middle of the apocalypse and it didn't work out."

[gm_of_my_own_soul]

"Understandable," Ryou says. You gotta have vacations whenever you need them but Ryou understands sometimes life gets in your way.

"You really don't talk much, do you?" Ryou asks. "You give a lot of one sentence answers and don't elaborate. We may have just met but we're hoping to be friends, neh? It's okay to talk if you want."

And satisfy his own curiosity.

[bloomingdespite]

"I. Um." God this is an absolutely horrible topic of conversation Zahra really hates this-

"Here's the thing. I... we... kind. Of. Knew the spirit. For a lot longer than we knew you." Zahra looks away, sighing. "And it feels weird, knowing how much you hate him, and kind of us by extension on my world, and we're just... having a casual conversation."

[gm_of_my_own_soul]

Ryou blinks innocently at the statement and tilts his head.

"Well, I'm not the Ryou, you know. And I can't imagine why I'd hate you by extension. The ring spirit is his own person, so you're not accountable for anything he does." Ryou bites into his food. "And even if you did do something, you didn't do it to me. So maybe think of it like a fresh start."

[bloomingdespite]

Zahra blinks. Wow. They did not think it would be that easy. Normally these kinds of things were an ordeal in of themselves on their world. Emotionally draining duels where both parties screamed at one another before begging for forgiveness and hugging it out. That kind of thing.

They sigh, then give Ryou a genuine smile. "In that case... it's nice to meet you, Ryou." Zahra offers a hand for him to shake.

[gm_of_my_own_soul]

It helped that Ryou was mostly apathetic about duelling himself. And the fact he had a whole dimension degree of separation assisted with that.

The young man smiled at Zahra and shook their hand.

“Nice to meet you too, Zahra. I hope we become great friends.”