Round 1! [Video Post via Lopmon's Rise Bracer. Backdated to mid-afternoon]

[badass_bunny]

[The camera flicks on to show a black colored Lopmon. She smiles at the camera before speaking.]

Hello. I'm Lopmon. I'm looking for a Ikezawa Kazuma. If anyone knows of a person by this name or if Ikezama Kazuma sees this, can you please contact me? I have a friend of yours here, looking for you.

Comments

Re: [Action]

[badass-bunny.livejournal.com]

You are allowing me to dwell with Player. I will answer your question to the best of my ability.

[Action]

[spirit-kanji.livejournal.com]

Kazuma-kun has been having nightmares. Bad ones. He screams like some one physically hurting him, but whenever we ask... he can't bring himself to talk about it.

He controlled you in a virtual world, so if you don't know anything about it, its entirely reasonable. But if you have some idea...

[Doumeki looks up at him, face as stoic as ever, but obviously concern in his eyes. He wants to help Kazuma, but they just haven't found a way.]

Re: [Action]

[badass-bunny.livejournal.com]

[Kazma is quiet for a moment...his gaze falling to his tea. It takes him a moment before he can speak.]

Love Machine...Love Machine happened...

[Action]

[spirit-kanji.livejournal.com]

Love Machine... ?

Re: [Action]

[badass-bunny.livejournal.com]

Love Machine...and AI. He took over another Player's avatar, a small mouse boy. He was ruining OZ. Player commanded me to stop him...but...I failed. I was defeated. He then began to play with Player's world through OZ.

And...it only worsened.

Love Machine caused Player a deep pain. He...he caused the failure of Player's Grandmother's monitoring system. She...she died.

And I failed Player for a second time. I failed to get Player his revenge.

[Action]

[spirit-kanji.livejournal.com]

[Doumeki is silent, listening closely, but its clear when Kazma mentions Kazuma's grandmother that sympathizes greatly.]

He told Kimihiro... "it wasn't supposed to happen". But he didn't say anything more than that...

[he's quiet for another moment, sighing and sitting back in his chair, propping a leg up on his knee]

I understand how helpless some one that age can feel when an older loved one has passed. I lost my grandfather when I was ten. Not much younger than Kazuma-kun. Even if there was something that could have been done, it's unlikely it could have been done by a child.

Re: [Action]

[badass-bunny.livejournal.com]

I am no child. Had I won...it would not have happened. I failed Player. I failed his Grandmother.

And then I failed again...and I was eaten.

[Action]

[spirit-kanji.livejournal.com]

[That gets a raised eyebrow and a look that's almost shocked. Well, as shocked as Doumeki can get in a situation that isn't life or death.

It fades after a few seconds though.]

You think that now, but wasn't he controlling you? What kind of AI was it?

Re: [Action]

[badass-bunny.livejournal.com]

It wanted information. It gathered it, sought it out...devoured it.

I was still not powerful enough. I failed Player.

Love Machine...devoured me. That is how I know of what happened. I became...part of it.

That is how I know what it did to Player's grandmother.

[Action]

[spirit-kanji.livejournal.com]

... if it gathered information, its safe to say it only got stronger with it. Eventually... you would have been over your head, even with some one as skilled as Kazuma-kun at the keyboard.

Kazma-san... you're both beating yourself up over something that couldn't be helped. If it was as bad as you say it was... its no wonder he was frightened.

[he goes quiet again, looking up the dark hall at the closed bedroom doors]

He wants to protect the people he cares for, same as you.

Re: [Action]

[badass-bunny.livejournal.com]

I will not fail Player again. I will protect him here. I will become strong, strong enough to defeat anything that tries to hurt him.

[Action]

[spirit-kanji.livejournal.com]

Those are dangerous words, in a world like this.

Re: [Action]

[badass-bunny.livejournal.com]

I will do it. Player must be protected.

[His partner was smiling, she likes his style. She can see the two of them getting along famously.]

[Action]

[spirit-kanji.livejournal.com]

And he will be. By all of us. But don't give in to some one just because they say they can give you the power to do that.

Re: [Action]

[badass-bunny.livejournal.com]

[Kazma nods and sips his tea, but he cannot help but reject Doumeki's advice. If it was for Kazuma, if it were to save Player, he would give anything for the power to do so. He would give anything to never fail his Player again.]

[Action]

[spirit-kanji.livejournal.com]

[there's a nagging thought at the back of Doumeki's mind, but he dismisses it. They're all working together to keep one another safe, aren't they? That's what matters. At least he learned what's been causing Kazuma so much stress, even if there's not much more he can do about it than there was before. He's not even going to really bring it up unless he absolutely has to.]

Re: [Action]

[badass-bunny.livejournal.com]

[Kazma continues to drink his tea, his mind lost in thought. There is...so many new things, having thoughts one of them. This entire situation is new to him, he has no idea what he should be doing. So, for now he will drink he tea and not speak unless spoken to.]

[Action]

[spirit-kanji.livejournal.com]

[the silence is a little unnerving, if only because there's usually something going on in their apartment. He tries changing to another subject.]

You might need to look for work. Kimihiro is currently working off a debt and doesn't get paid, and Nadeko-chan and Kazuma-kun are returning to school when the term starts again.

Re: [Action]

[badass-bunny.livejournal.com]

In OZ, I earned credits for fighting in the arena. Perhaps I can find another arena to fight in.

[King's voice is even and certain. Fighting is something he knows well, it isn't strange to him. Lopmon is nodding in agreement, she likes this plan.]

[Action]

[spirit-kanji.livejournal.com]

I wouldn't be surprised if there was a fighting circuit somewhere. That may be something you'll have to ask around about, though. It's not something I know about.

Re: [Action]

[badass-bunny.livejournal.com]

I will search for it. I will help pay off his debt in exchange for my stay here.

[Action]

[spirit-kanji.livejournal.com]

[eyebrow]

It's... not really a debt... we don't mind taking care of him. He's still a child, after all.

Re: [Action]

[badass-bunny.livejournal.com]

You spoke of your mate's debt. I will help him pay it off to repay you for watching over my Player and for allowing me to stay.

[Action]

[spirit-kanji.livejournal.com]

Oh. That debt.

[awkward cough]

You can't.

Re: [Action]

[badass-bunny.livejournal.com]

Why not?