Draw 5 :: Despair from the Dark
[Manjoume sleeps with earplugs. That's just how he does things - it lets the various spirits that take up residence in his room at any given time do what they want to do, even at some ungodly hour like five in the morning, while still allowing him to get some rest. There are occasionally some minor problems with that, like the inability for other people to easily wake him up in an emergency without actually coming in the room, but it's usually more of a convenience than an inconvenience.
When he wakes up today, he immediately notices that it's too dark. Even at night, it doesn't get this dark in his room, but it's pitch black. Did the power go out or something? A power blip like that could have affected just the lights, after all, leaving life support and everything else of importance still up. (Despite how there has to be something wrong with that, even - the air still smells thickly like chocolate, and it has for days. Not the worst smell ever in small doses, but this thick for this long really starts to get a bit annoying.)
This is, of course, ignoring that places usually have little tiny emergency lights in case of that situation which will light up if the main power goes out so people can see where they're going. But maybe something got to them too.
He blinks once or twice and turns his head to either side of his bed, attempting to notice anything he can see at all. Now it begins to concern him, because everything is just pitch black, and he doesn't see anything. Not even the Ojamas, who usually at least glow slightly in the dark and who normally stay outside their cards at night.
He takes out his earplugs without trouble, and then decides to voice his concerns aloud, thinking that maybe the Ojamas are in their cards for some reason or another.]
Why's everything so dark?
["What are you talking about, Aniki?" ...Huh. That was Ojama Yellow's voice. And Ojama Black's voice follows it up: "All the lights are on and everything." And Ojama Green finishes: "Actually, you're waking up late, Aniki. Are you okay?"]
What are you talking about? It's pitch black. I can't see a --
[He stops, and his eyes widen. Oliver and several other people seem to have gone deaf, after all, so it's not that much of a stretch...
In a panic, he cries out and pushes himself quickly to a sitting position in his bed. He brings up his hands to attempt to stare at them for a moment, but they quiver a little bit. The Ojamas all ask what's wrong.]
...I think I've gone blind.
[(Why no, he didn't get the chance after he'd escaped the cell to help anyone else. Of course, there may or may not be only a few people who he would have thought to attempt to help had he had the chance, but... yeah.)
The Ojamas are, for obvious reasons, horrified by this, and have no idea how this could have happened. Manjoume, as he tends to when under a lot of stress like this (or frustrated, which is admittedly often), snaps a little at them. (This could also be to hide the fact that he himself is also terrified - if you can't see your cards, you can't exactly duel very well, after all. At least he can still hear the Ojamas, which is at least something, but...)]
It's probably temporary, and had better be temporary! Probably just another stupid anomaly we've run into. And as long as it is, then I've had worse. I'll just deal with it until things go back to how they're supposed to be.
[Timidly, but trusting their Aniki's word for it, the Ojamas accept that answer and say that they hope it's over soon. Yellow continues, "And until things do go back to normal, I'll be your eyes if you want, Aniki."]
I'd appreciate that. [And it goes unsaid, but he trusts Ojama Yellow enough for that.]
[Several hours after the above, Manjoume is having lunch. Blindness will not stop him from doing that, because he is stubborn and hungry. Specifically, he's having fried prawn today, because he doesn't feel like having something too messy. He may not care about getting his coat dirty, but he doesn't want to spill something on the table and then not notice.
He has a hand-written sign next to him on the table - the handwriting is messier than his usually would be, and it certainly has a curve to it, but you try writing perfectly when you can't see what you're doing. He's written in both Japanese and English (the English is messier): "I can't see, but I can hear. If you want my attention, make a sound."
(Of course, Ojama Yellow would probably notice any mutes and point them out if they want to communicate with Manjoume, but that doesn't need to be stated on paper.)
He's probably not aware that his Sphere is watching him eat lunch. But he eats one prawn, chews thoughtfully for a moment, and the swallows before commenting.] You're sure this is right?
[It won't look to most people like he's talking to anyone other than thin air. But Ojama Yellow replies to him that yes, that is the right fried prawn. Manjoume frowns, annoyed.]
It doesn't taste right. It's like they mixed carrots into the recipe somewhere, or something.
[He continues to eat it anyway, though. He's hungry enough, even if he doesn't like it.]
When he wakes up today, he immediately notices that it's too dark. Even at night, it doesn't get this dark in his room, but it's pitch black. Did the power go out or something? A power blip like that could have affected just the lights, after all, leaving life support and everything else of importance still up. (Despite how there has to be something wrong with that, even - the air still smells thickly like chocolate, and it has for days. Not the worst smell ever in small doses, but this thick for this long really starts to get a bit annoying.)
This is, of course, ignoring that places usually have little tiny emergency lights in case of that situation which will light up if the main power goes out so people can see where they're going. But maybe something got to them too.
He blinks once or twice and turns his head to either side of his bed, attempting to notice anything he can see at all. Now it begins to concern him, because everything is just pitch black, and he doesn't see anything. Not even the Ojamas, who usually at least glow slightly in the dark and who normally stay outside their cards at night.
He takes out his earplugs without trouble, and then decides to voice his concerns aloud, thinking that maybe the Ojamas are in their cards for some reason or another.]
Why's everything so dark?
["What are you talking about, Aniki?" ...Huh. That was Ojama Yellow's voice. And Ojama Black's voice follows it up: "All the lights are on and everything." And Ojama Green finishes: "Actually, you're waking up late, Aniki. Are you okay?"]
What are you talking about? It's pitch black. I can't see a --
[He stops, and his eyes widen. Oliver and several other people seem to have gone deaf, after all, so it's not that much of a stretch...
In a panic, he cries out and pushes himself quickly to a sitting position in his bed. He brings up his hands to attempt to stare at them for a moment, but they quiver a little bit. The Ojamas all ask what's wrong.]
...I think I've gone blind.
[(Why no, he didn't get the chance after he'd escaped the cell to help anyone else. Of course, there may or may not be only a few people who he would have thought to attempt to help had he had the chance, but... yeah.)
The Ojamas are, for obvious reasons, horrified by this, and have no idea how this could have happened. Manjoume, as he tends to when under a lot of stress like this (or frustrated, which is admittedly often), snaps a little at them. (This could also be to hide the fact that he himself is also terrified - if you can't see your cards, you can't exactly duel very well, after all. At least he can still hear the Ojamas, which is at least something, but...)]
It's probably temporary, and had better be temporary! Probably just another stupid anomaly we've run into. And as long as it is, then I've had worse. I'll just deal with it until things go back to how they're supposed to be.
[Timidly, but trusting their Aniki's word for it, the Ojamas accept that answer and say that they hope it's over soon. Yellow continues, "And until things do go back to normal, I'll be your eyes if you want, Aniki."]
I'd appreciate that. [And it goes unsaid, but he trusts Ojama Yellow enough for that.]
[Several hours after the above, Manjoume is having lunch. Blindness will not stop him from doing that, because he is stubborn and hungry. Specifically, he's having fried prawn today, because he doesn't feel like having something too messy. He may not care about getting his coat dirty, but he doesn't want to spill something on the table and then not notice.
He has a hand-written sign next to him on the table - the handwriting is messier than his usually would be, and it certainly has a curve to it, but you try writing perfectly when you can't see what you're doing. He's written in both Japanese and English (the English is messier): "I can't see, but I can hear. If you want my attention, make a sound."
(Of course, Ojama Yellow would probably notice any mutes and point them out if they want to communicate with Manjoume, but that doesn't need to be stated on paper.)
He's probably not aware that his Sphere is watching him eat lunch. But he eats one prawn, chews thoughtfully for a moment, and the swallows before commenting.] You're sure this is right?
[It won't look to most people like he's talking to anyone other than thin air. But Ojama Yellow replies to him that yes, that is the right fried prawn. Manjoume frowns, annoyed.]
It doesn't taste right. It's like they mixed carrots into the recipe somewhere, or something.
[He continues to eat it anyway, though. He's hungry enough, even if he doesn't like it.]