ᴏᴏ1 : ᴠɪᴅᴇᴏ/ᴛᴇxᴛ

[ineffaceable]

[ kaiba seto is not a happy camper. he usually isn't a happy camper, but after spending the last few years of his life scrambling around trying to accomplish his destiny or whatever, he had been looking forward to finally going home, to japan. to domino city. to his manor, and his company, and his brother, and to finally have some modicum of peace. but no. apparently, the fates that be decided to drop him in wherever the hell this place was, and seto is forced to adapt. again. great.

he's here for a few days before he actually says anything -- combing through the network, collecting information and figuring out where his place in this world can be. he's furious that he can't go home, furious that his brother is not here, but it seems time at home stops while he's here. at least mokuba and isono won't be freaking out that he's missing. and in combing through genessia's archives, he sees a familiar name -- yuugi.

that, alone, is enough to put seto in a slightly better mood. not by much. but slightly.

so after a few days of thought collecting, buying new clothes, figuring out where everything else, and preparing himself to make his grand debut (you always have to play the game, even as a reformed villain, and appearance is everything, and appearing like you know what you're doing is everything, because you only get one shot at a first impression), the video feeds turns on to show one (1) kaiba seto, looking for all the world as if he lives here, fingers steepled and settled into a chair.

it seems he's wasted absolutely no time in figuring out what to do in this world. ]

There is an emphasis on security, guest liaisons, combat training, and the like within this city, but there is a significant lack in recreation outside of the common arcade, or game shops. [ the way he says game shop is slightly less unimpressed than the common arcade. he sees you over there, yuugi. at least seto has learned to be .005% more respectful than he was when they first met. ] As far as I can tell, the holographic technology here has been utilized for combat purposes -- [ and there is definitely a slight undertone of distaste, there ] -- or instructional guides to arriving to this world, when it could be used for more.

[ seto pauses, here. ]

I am the CEO of Kaiba Corporation, a company that utilizes holographic technology for game development. I am the inventor of the duel disk system, and the holographic image projection system that is used in a game called duel monsters. However, I have also created several other projects that are far more ambitious. Specifically, virtual reality -- I crafted a system that allows for the total immersion into a simulated environment. Video games that allow you to craft your own character and immerse yourself into a world of your own creation. I intend to form my own company here, to continue where I left off, for however long I am trapped here. However, as I understand not everyone within the city has been introduced to such technology, I'll spare the technological talk -- but I can provide a scaled down demonstration of what can be anticipated once I launch my company.

[ after taking apart his duel disk and spending three days with no sleep adjusting the holographic imager, settled on the desk before him appears to be a disk. with the press of a button, there is a soft whirring sound, and a scaled down picture-perfect hologram of a blue eyes white dragon comes into existence. it looks solid -- freakishly real, all things considered, and the small dragon folds her wings against her sides, looking all the world as if seto has just magically conjured a tiny pet to sit before him and be adored by the public.

seto watches the dragon for a moment before refocusing his attention on the camera. creating buzz is important, but -- ]

I'll end this announcement with an inquiry. Should anyone recognize me, and believe that I would want to speak with them, [ read: not katsuya jounouchi or pegasus j. crawford ] I can be reached at this feed number. Seek me out as soon as possible. And if you have any questions concerning my company, or would like to utilize my services for your own company should I deem your motivations similar to mine, [ read: not for weaponry or the like ] I am available. The latter, for a price. The previous, I am available for the next hour. Be quick.

[ and he cuts the feed, but he soon sends out a text message. ]

[ filtered to mutou yuugi ; private/unhackable ]

We need to talk. Now.

Comments

[dives_through_rock]

Hey, don't diss on the arcades! We have to do a lot of work to keep as many people interested as possible!

[ineffaceable]

[ oh, good. exactly what he wants to deal with today. ]

Do you own one?

[ he at least sounds interested. it's a start. ]

[Video]

[trenchturncoat]

[welp you've impressed alvin. but he noticed his disdain about combat so...time to pry.]

That's some advanced technology. How immersive are we talking? Would touching the holograms ruin the whole reality factor, or are they real for as long as they last?

[Video]

[ineffaceable]

[ seto is quietly a pacifist at heart even though he has literally no problem removing your arm if you try to hurt him js ]

Immersive to the point where you wouldn't notice whether or not you are in a virtual simulation. It feels real, smells real, tastes real -- even these holograms, used for duel monsters, generate an image strong enough to take up space. Though --

[ seto reaches out and touches the blue eyes white dragon in front of him, and the image breaks. when seto moves his fingers, the image instantly becomes whole again ]

-- this projector is weaker than what I use for my virtual reality RPGs, designed to be portable, rather than stationary.

[Video]

[aurabble]

That's so cool! [stars in his eyes. but then.]

If you have trouble starting your company I think Schnee Co. is still hiring.

[Video]

[ineffaceable]

[ ah, yes. the girl who created the instructional hologram, the kisara look-a-like.

and, yes, thank you, IT IS COOL, seto will quietly file away that praise for later. you are in his good graces, for now. ]

What does the Schnee Company do, exactly?

[Video] Not sure if I should apologize or not.

[enchantressofore]

[ Some of what he's saying, honestly makes her feel quite stupid. Mostly because she literally has no idea what all of the stuff on holograms and duel disks is about. Or 'video games'. Someone could play games with things like the video function on the communicators?

But what eats all of her other questions and curiosities (for the moment) is the dragon, and the instant it appears the girl is captivated. She had only ever heard of dragons, never having actually seen one with her own eyes. Perhaps it should have been fearsome to look at, but its size aside... She can't help thinking that it's beautiful.

It's with almost child-like wonder that she turns on the feed to ask, having deliberated over how to ask any questions she might have for him. ]

You have said that one can create a character and immerse themselves in a new world, but just what does that mean? Can your technology really create new worlds to explore as you say? And create things such as dragons? Just how is such a thing possible?

[ Clearly this is one of aforementioned people who hasn't been introduced to this technology before. ]

[Video] look seto needs to be told he's amazing at least 10 times a day this is great

[ineffaceable]

[ luckily, seto is self-aware that he is freakishly intelligent and that his brain works at 1,000 mph whereas other people's do not. so he doesn't seem to mind the questions, even if they are a bit rapid-fire. he lets her finish, if only because she seems to be properly enchanted by the dragon.

as she should. blue eyes is the best. sincerely, kaiba seto. ]

The technology that I've invented interacts with your mind, and projects your reality and creation into a series of images in front of you, creating a new world. The games that I've created allow you to enter this new world and explore it at will -- with a plot to follow, and a storyline to explore, but it is mostly an open-world exploration of what you have created with your own mind.

[ which is... sort of not really how it works, but it's the easiest way to explain it ]

The technology behind the holographic projectors is more complicated, but I can create projections of anything you can think of, so long as I can design it. Including, but not limited to, my dragons.

[ his dragons. he is very possessive over those. ]

Video

[greenmagick]

[Terra is happy to see someone using things for games over wars and meaningless bloodshed As he explains the duel disk system her eyes brighten curiously and then seeing monster cements the thought in her mind. She knows that card game, it's the one that Yugi had been teaching her though her 'deck' is just borrowed cards of his. She hadn't gotten very good but it's a fun game.

When she replies her expression is soft and her manner kind.]

Do you know Yugi? That looked like the card game...

[She pauses trying to remember it's name.]

Duel monsters? [Terra's pretty sure that's it.] Do you play too?

Video

[ineffaceable]

[ aha. yuugi. does seto know him? absolutely. but what is he? a friend? his rival? his acquaintance is too informal... ]

I was the reigning champion, of the game.

[ so. yes. seto plays. and he's ridiculously good at it. ]

Yugi is the current champion. We know each other well.

[ an understatement, and a gross undercut of their relationship, but seto isn't ready to use the word 'friend' yet. ]

private text;

[sizedoesntmatter]

[Yugi was enjoying his day, dealing with stock for the most part and making sure he had all the games both old and new. However when he finally got about taking a break and sitting at the counter, he had taken out the phone, only to spot a very familiar face.

Even more so that he wanted to talk. As to what he was very unsure and quite nervous. So switching his phone to text he started to type his message back.]

This is Yugi speaking, what did you want to talk about? Or is this a case of we need to talk in person?

private text;

[ineffaceable]

[ if seto can't be happy you can't be happy yugi haven't you seen the show ]

I would rather talk in person.

[ and because seto seems to realize he came off as a little severe: ]

I have a lot to learn about this world, and you are the only person in the city I trust to give me the answers that I need.

Are you at your game shop?

[ #stalkeralert ]

[ video ]

[aceparagon]

[ The holographic image brings a smile to Hikaru's face when she sees it, as if it alone was a comfort of home. How wonderful it must be to have something like this at his disposal. ]

You must be quite the prodigy, sir.

[ A pause. ]

How long have you been at this, if you don't mind my asking?

[ video ]

[ineffaceable]

I am considered a prodigy, yes.

[ it isn't said in a boastful manner; it's simply a fact. kaiba seto is a genius, and the entire world knows it, and seto has accepted that his brain works in weird ways that others do not. ]

I invented my first holographic imager prototype when I was ten. I am currently eighteen.

[ but seto has been demolishing through information far before that; he simply managed to invent what he had when gozaburo gave him the tools to do it. ]

video

[ringed_fate]

Kaiba-kun?!

[He's surprised to see the CEO of Kaiba Corp. and also a bit relieved. He's not the friendliest of his classmates. But he is smart. He might know what's happened to them.]

I thought I was alone here.

video ; private

[ineffaceable]

[ there's a silence, at the voice, and seto quickly installs a filter on the conversation, his eyes narrowed.

the spirit within the ring is dead, and the sennen items are gone, but there's still the initial gut reaction of this person cannot be trusted when he sees bakura. he kidnapped mokuba, and forced them all into a hellish shadow game more than once. but this seems to be normal bakura.

also, the spirit is long gone. this is just baseless paranoia.

get it together, seto. ]

You are not.

[ somewhat stiffly. THIS IS HIS FRIENDLY VOICE. ]

Yuugi is here, as well, but I haven't talked to him yet.

Video

[rulerofme]

Holodeck'd can be used for whatever purpose someone wants it for from combat training, to rock climbing to sitting in a field of daisy.

Video

[ineffaceable]

[ ah, holodeck'd. ]

How frequently do people utilize it for that purpose, and it is the cornerstone of your market?

[ he's legitimately curious. also, he wants to take apart your shit. ]

And are you the inventor of this technology, or do you simply utilize it for your business?

video;

[whiteas]

Well that's one way to use holographic technology...

[ A beat. She's not sure what he seems to have against combat, but since he didn't actually bring it up and just seemed to be pissier than everything else about it, she won't say anything. She'll just move onto something that's confusing her: Namely why you would need holograms of dragons if Fayren exists. ]

There are actual dragons here, you know.

video; 1/2 i'm so sorry for this mental garbage omg

[ineffaceable]

[ ... augh.

for as much as seto steadily ignores his ancient past (or, well, he tries to), he can't deny it any longer. and now that he knows about kisara, about the blue eyes white dragon, and what sacrifice she committed to save him (or his past self, whatever), the image is ... uncomfortable, to say the least. kisara, the first portion of his ancient memories to awaken, and the one that's constantly been haunting him since isis ishtar's duel with him during battle city. how many times does he need to hear a woman screaming his name in pain and terror before he can forget it? not enough, apparently.

so initially, when he saw the hologram upon arrival, he had panicked. did he go back. but after the initial gut-wrenching reaction, it's obvious that while the resemblance is... frightening, they could not be more different. but it's hard to ignore, and it's unsettling, and it just makes this entire place feel like one giant practical joke.

sure, the ceremonial duel wasn't painful enough, let's lock seto in a city with someone who looks exactly like the biggest painful reminder of his ancient past. good story. excellent.

what a joke. ]

video;

[ineffaceable]

[ -- and then weiss has to go and say that. ]

Weiss Schnee.

[ it's not a question, or asking to confirm her name. just a greeting. ]

Do they look like this one?

[ and he gestures at the blue eyes white dragon hologram, which seems to turn her head toward the camera, to watch weiss in return. ]

[Video]

[redsnowangel]

So... I can't tell whether you're just annoyingly obnoxious, or whether I like the way you think.

Seriously, though, there's way too many stuffy sorts who don't know how to have fun around here. The security and combat lot are just the start of it.

[Video]

[ineffaceable]

[ you

sound like the type of person seto hates but YOU KNOW WHAT ]

Care to explain?

[ mildly; screw you, zelos, he can be annoyingly obnoxious all he wants ]

[Video]

[goddessinthefog]

[This was certainly a topic that both concerned and intrigued her.]

Virtual reality, hm? With technology like that, people could accuse you of trying to mimic the role of a God.

[Video]

[ineffaceable]

Fools could accuse me of trying to mimic the role of a God.

[ a mild correction ]

None of it is actually real.

[ he is not noa thank you ]