Play God @baneofelysium - Tumblr Blog

I’LL BEAT THEM ALL AT THEIR OWN GAME

indie canon divergent reiji akaba. played by bus. ♡?

oceansphoenix-deactivated202004

Hey there! This is an Independent Ryoga Kamishiro from Yu-Gi-Oh! Zexal! After several relatively unsuccessful attempts to get myself to be active once more, I’m finally on holiday, and decided that a promo is the best way to get myself writing on here again. So with that in mind, if you’re interested in interacting, could you give this post a like and/or reblog? Thank you so much! ;w;

#t; promos

the-evolving-falcon‌:

“We can exercise at a different time of the day too.” he said, both, expression and voice softening by a minuscule amount, so it was barely noticeable. “You don’t have to sacrifice time you’d otherwise spend with your brother.”

He hadn’t expected Akaba Reiji to care about his younger brother, not with how detached he always seemed. Then again, the same could be said about him, about how his abrasiveness didn’t usually make people think of him as someone close with his younger sibling, who was a girl on top of it.

As he gazed at the night sky, he couldn’t help but think that it had been prettier in his own dimension- not because of the lack of light pollution in the ruins of his home, but because of the company, because of Ruri’s warm form being pressed against him.

“Do you know any constellations, Nii-san?”

“When would I have had the time to study them?”

“How barbaric!”

It was then that for the briefest moment, the breeze wafting from the ocean sounded just like Ruri’s laughter.

“Kurosaki?” Reiji glanced back at him from the view. The other seemed quite distracted somehow. “Would early in the morning suit you? I rise early, but I can rise earlier.” He knew about Shun’s sleep patterns and doubted he would be significantly disturbed.

“As well, you’ll have to begin setting up a proper schedule soon. I suspect you’ll quickly become very busy with what we’ll have to do. You can speak to my secretary.” Reiji was in a way looking forward to the war effort becoming public news so that he could focus 100% of his efforts on it instead of also running Leo Corporation. And renaming Leo Corporation to something more tolerable.

“We have long days ahead of us, Kurosaki.”

#t; ic #c; shun #m; the-evolving-falcon

discipleofpuck

#m; the evolving falcon #c; shun #c; reiji

the-evolving-falcon‌:

He didn’t bother mentioning that the Resistance had always been morally superior to the Academia bastards; that none of them killed or injured for fun, but he still gave Akaba a curt nod.

“Fine. But in return, your doctors won’t be using anything on me that’ll knock me out or otherwise impair my functionality. I can’t train anyone if I can’t move around freely and as long as they’re not up to par, Standard’ll need me in fighting shape at all time.” For a moment, he paused as well, his gaze becoming more intense as his eyes bore into Akaba Reiji’s.

“And I want you to meet me for some exercising in the evening. It’s common knowledge to go after the leader first. Now, obviously, I’m going to shield you to the best of my ability. But you’ve to toughen up for the worst-case scenario of one of those bastard catching you by surprise.”

“Acceptable,” Reiji replied. At least until he could convince Kurosaki to undergo any necessary surgeries. He couldn’t imagine the last time Kurosaki had had dental care or a bone properly set.

As for training... he would have to add it to his schedule, unfortunately. He could see Kurosaki’s point, but that didn’t make it any less unpleasant. Reiji had never been physically strong, and he had struggled with activities like that even as a child. Reira was naturally more able than he was.

“I’ll clear a time slot for training,” he replied finally. “Usually Reira’s hour is in the evening, but I’m sure we can make arrangements so I can see both you and him.”

#c; shun #m; the-evolving-falcon

the-evolving-falcon‌:

As someone who’d pried every sliver of information about Standard, Akaba Leo, and Ruri out of the enemy- and still not ended up with enough, Shun obviously didn’t know about the affairs of Synchro, making him even more attentive as Akaba began to elaborate, telling him about possibilities he hadn’t known existed. The power of intel of knowledge… for the first time in a while, he had the pleasure of being exhilarated by it.

“I like your way of thinking, Akaba,” he decided after a moment of taking in his words completely. “Those rebels could be useful indeed and they should buy us the time to drill the proper standards in our general army too. I still stand by my words about a small unit of cannon fodder, though. At least until the rest of our future army’s strong enough to handle them. You never know when they decide to do some recon work here- and if those soldiers return unharmed, Akaba Leo’ll be sure to strike immediately.”

He didn’t know when it was that he’d started speaking in first rather than secondperson, when he’d decided to get personally get involved in Akaba’s plans. But now that it’d happened, there was no backtracking from Shun’s end – not as long as Akaba didn’t betray the hint of trust he was now extending to him.

“Will you leave them to me, then? Standard’s soldiers and their training, I mean.”

"On several conditions,” he replied. “I want you to adhere at least in the general sense to ethics- reality may be harsh but we’re meant to be in the moral upper hand. As well, you’ll need to provide me with accountability. I want to know what you’re doing and how you’re training them so I can make sure that we’re not wasting time or materials.”

A pause. “My third condition is that you take my doctors’ advice and tend to your body well enough to begin healing. Before you protest, know that if our chief training officer suddenly dies or requires hospitalization, then the war effort will be severely impaired.”

“If you can provide me with my conditions, then I’ll put you in charge of the Youth division, which is our oldest and most experienced 8 soldiers. Once they’re trained, they can serve as aide de camps to both you and myself.”

#c; shun #m; the-evolving-falcon

the-evolving-falcon‌:

“I’m not,” He stated calmly, though his expression darkened again. “But as well-conceived as those plans of yours may be, they’re worth nothing if the enemy doesn’t give you the time to act on them. Why do you think our numbers were decimated so fast- because we were stupid? You know how easy it was for me to decimate your best people. So think again.”

He paused, looking down on a city he would never come to care about.

“We’re obviously not going to toss away lives unless we have to. But if we focus our best teachers and resources on everyone, then we won’t end up with a single decent soldier ready to stand up to Akaba Leo when the time comes. What we need the most right now is time. Time to act on a plan that’s actually foolproof. Time to train soldier no resources and instructions are wasted on. If you have a better idea to make that happen, then tell me.”

Another pause as he thought how best to convey this information to Kurosaki. This was sensitive information, but it would solve the root of their issue for now.

“We are not totally at the mercy of Academia on the time of their arrival.” His scarf blew in the wind, looking out over the city he loved. Every single person an individual, going about a unique life. Perhaps it wouldn’t last much longer. He had seen photographs and videos of Heartland both before and after the decimation.

“How much do you know about the Synchro Dimension?” he asked, before continuing, “It was invaded long before Heartland in a mostly bloodless manner. They use Synchro as a base of manufacturing and warm bodies- this was most likely how they triumphed over the militaries of Xyz so soundly. But there are members of an organization similar to your Xyz Resistance that I had written off before your arrival. I had thought that they would be unable to fight off the Fusion soldiers, but your arrival has somewhat changed my mind on what can be achieved.”

“Currently, the plan is to funnel money, food, and weapons to the Synchro Uprising so that they continue to hold the Academia’s attention. I believe that this is a win-win scenario; if they are lost, we have more time with which to prepare, if they hold their own, we have more allies.”

#c; shun #m; the-evolving-falcon

the-evolving-falcon‌:

“I haven’t seen it, no,” he said, surprised at Akaba’s abrupt change of attitude. Perhaps, the man could be decent after all when he was trying to. As he followed him to the through the hallways and into the elevator, he began to talk, “First of all, I’d have them work on the basics; improve their stamina, strength, teach them proper combat stances and get rid of any excessive movements that may cost them their lives. Your duelists are wasting way too much time and energy the way they duel right now, and I’d be stomping that out of them.”

The cool night air was pleasant on his face, so clear and untainted by the dust that’d been forcing him to always cover his nose and mouth back in Heartland.

“After that,” he continued, “I’d split them into two groups – the first’d be taught to throw themselves at the enemy for as long as possible until they inevitably die, the second, more capable ones’d be turned into specialized units and trained on a field modeled after their own hometown. Of course, that plan’s just for the case Akaba Leo attacks in the next few months. Should we have more time than that, then I’d of course gradually raise the standards of the general army and make them amount to more than mere cannon fodder. This is just for the worst-case-scenario, something we should always be prepared for.”

He considered what Kurosaki said, naive as it was. Kurosaki was a child playing soldier after all, he had no official training in tactics. “Where do you suggest we get enough soldiers to use as ‘cannon fodder’, Kurosaki Shun? As we are now, we are horribly undermanned. Every soldier counts when there is such a deficit. In Standard’s first world war, 12% of the soldiers died- we simply cannot afford to toss away lives.”

“As well- would you consign large numbers to the same fate that befell your comrades? Do you not think they have their own lives with their own comrades?”

He let the pause sink in along with the chilly night air. “I know what I am doing, Kurosaki Shun. Perhaps there is large room for adjustment, but do not take me for a fool.”

#c; shun #m; the-evolving-falcon

warriorxprincessxserena

Deeds, not Words

baneofelysium

warriorxprincessxserena‌:

At Reiji’s naivety, she scoffed, a satisfied smile playing along her lips as she explained “Hmph. That’s easy. The loser loses everything, after all - the right to lie and deceive included.”

Giving his scarf another sharp tug, she repeated her demand, “And now, duel me! Don’t tell me you’re dishonorable enough to walk away from a battle twice!”

What an inconvenience. He had an important phone call coming up, so he’d have to make this quick.

“If you wish, Serena, I’ll duel, but you really should understand that others will not be so accommodating when you rush in and demand answers to questions you may not want to hear.”

#c; serena #m; warriorxprincessxserena

warriorxprincessxserena

Deeds, not Words

baneofelysium

warriorxprincessxserena‌:

Oh, how she hated Reiji’s unruffled calm, how he wasn’t even taken her indignation seriously!

“Are you trying to say there’s no point in dueling me? You think I’m that easy to defeat?!” By now, Serena was fuming and she strode across the room, grabbed Reiji by his scarf, yanking him close as she bared her teeth at him.

“Don’t you dare underestimate me! I want answers, yes, but what’s my guarantee that you won’t just lie to me again?!”

“You misunderstand me,” he let Serena grab him without protest, moving with her hands. He didn’t need to fight it at this moment.

“How would dueling guarantee any more truthful of an answer than my words? In fact, I consider you an important asset. Your experience with the inner workings of the Academia are valuable.” The way she spoke, the way she walked, everything was a fascinating insight into the way the Academia worked.

#c; serena #m; warriorxprincessxserena

the-evolving-falcon

@baneofelysium

His stomach churned at how logical Akaba made himself out to be despite his obvious intentions, at how Shun would become the irrational one if he were to disagree with what was obviously the truth out of pettiness and pride. He had already realized how dangerous Akaba’s way with words was during their first encounter – dangerous and useful – an impression that was being further cemented now.

If only it hadn’t been directed at him, and constantly at that. It grated on his nerves, made him want to shove Akaba’s head into the meal in front of him out of spite alone.

Immense eloquence aside, however, Akaba was still naïve. The subtlest shift of his muscles was enough for Shun to be able to guess his train of thoughts, that the main reason he refused to be intimidated were the bodyguards already looking at them intently. They were wearing sunglasses, yes, but Shun’s instincts were screaming at him that they were already harboring an intent to attack.

“Those tin soldiers aren’t going to win you the war, Akaba,” he deadpanned, quietly enough for only Akaba to hear him. “Hell, they won’t even be able to help you. See that silverware in front of you? All I’d have to do is grab your knife or fork and put it against your jugular. Want to see them flail around as they fail to protect you?”

“Tin soldiers?” Perhaps he would indulge Kurosaki for now. Maybe he could even get useful information out of him for once. “Then, Kurosaki Shun, tell me. If you were put in charge of the Lancers- what would you do?”

He gently unhanded himself from Kurosaki and stood up. “Let’s walk and talk. Have you seen the observation deck of the Tower? During the day it’s open for tourists, but it’s empty now. A good place for talking alone.” In this was an implicit deal; if Shun could show Reiji that he could be trusted, Reiji would place more responsibilities on him.

He gestured for the staff to clean up what was left of dinner.

#c; shun #m; the-evolving-falcon

warriorxprincessxserena

Deeds, not Words

baneofelysium

warriorxprincessxserena

Deeds, not Words

@baneofelysium

“Reiji!” Serena demanded his name as she was demanding her future, as usual barging into his office without bothering to knock. “I want answers, so duel me!”

Hmm. Reiji glanced up from his desktop computer, thinking to himself that he would have to rearrange his security if Serena was able to get in without him being alerted first. It wasn’t that he minded the other too terribly much, rather that if she could get in, so could any member of the Academia with enough training. Not a pleasant thought.