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[notsolomon]

This is William Twining. I shall reply to your message at my earliest convenience. Thank you. ***BEEP***

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[notsolomon]

..well when I was prefect, most bullies feared me and how much Latin I could make them write.

[Let's ignore the time before that when Arthur treated him like garbage. William had observed enough of the culture here to suspect that explaining that particular relationship might be a bit... involved.]

It would take a bit to line out all the genealogy. And while I do not know the exact line, I do know of my ancestor in Israel. Unfortunately.

[jyajyaaan]

I see~ Every time one of the student council tries to get Shark-sempai for making trouble he just runs off, though. Was that never a problem for you?

[Did he just call Ryouga a bully? At least he didn't say it directly. And it's nothing personal, except a several lifetimes old grudge that they keep renewing each chance they get.]

Why unfortunately?

[notsolomon]

Shark? Hmm, some of them would try to run, because they know I am not athletic, but well the punishment will just be worse. Something like a cleaning duty or a longer essay. A prefect has a lot of power.

[He's feeling a bit nostalgic and regretful that he cannot do the same thing here.]

...because he gave me an unfortunate inheritance.

[He inhaled deeply.]

Have you heard of King Solomon?

[jyajyaaan]

It's what everybody calls him. His real name is Kamishiro Ryouga. Er, Ryouga Kamishiro. Ryouga is his first name.

[Have a big-eyed look as Vector inhales and takes his best guess-]

That's the one the sprinkled sausage is named after, right?! Did he leave you a huge mountain of debts?!

[-nobody's perfect.]

[notsolomon]

Ryouga becomes shark then?

[Okaaaaaaaaaay.]

Well financially it's my Uncle who left me banktrupt. Solomon left me a bunch of useless Demons and a vote in their 'election.'

[Under different circumstances, William might have been more quiet about the Solomon connection, but well, supposedly they had all died. So why lie? Beyond the small, harmless ones and those typical lies of omission he liked to think he was so good at.]

[jyajyaaan]

Hehe, yeah, he's been using phrases like "I'll chew you up in one bite" and the like so often that somebody started it as a joke and it just kind of stuck!

[He laughs before a mixture of emotions flickers over his face.]

Oh. I'm sorry about that. Your uncle shouldn't have done something like that.

[which is quickly followed by amused disbelief.]

No way, demons? Is that your version of Duel Monsters?

[notsolomon]

...how appropriate.

[That sounded a little demented honestly, but who knew what went on in other countries?]

Uncle Barton isn't a bad person, but he has never been good with money. And we cannot exactly find him, so that makes life more complex than it needs to be.

[His uncle was rather, resilient, for lack of a better term, so William wasn't too worried. But there was only so much he could do as a legal minor.]

...Duel Monsters? Not exactly though. They are like what you hear of in the bible and such. The sell your soul to type. Which I wouldn't recommend because they make it sound like a pain.

[jyajyaaan]

What? He vanished? [Don't mind him sounding alarmed, but people vanishing is serious business!]

Sorry, I'm not very familiar with the bible at all. Is there a reason they'd want your specific soul?

[From what he remembers the gods back home were never that picky.]

[notsolomon]

He's an Archaeologist. He often disappears whenever there is a new expedition to be part of. I normally wouldn't worry so much, but you know, the money problem.

[Honestly, he's at school so much that he seldom had time to worry about Uncle Barton anyways.]

...well like I said, I am allowed to cast a vote.

[He inhaled, preparing for a long explanation. This was so much easier when he had Isaac to do all the supernatural talk.]

Solomon, Son of David, was the Third King of Israel. God loved him and bestowed his wisdom upon him. Solomon chose to instead ally himself with demons, binding 72 of them to his will. They became his pillars and served him against their will. Most of them anyways.

And well anyways, Demons have a unique quirk in their biology. They can live long, immortal lives, but only if they undergo periods of sleep that can last a hundred years or more. Which as you can imagine is a bit of a problem.

Apparently even Lucifer, their ruler, has to abide by this rule. And of course, you cannot leave your throne empty. So they have decided to hold an election to choose the next candidate. And apparently, because Solomon bound 72 of them, they felt that gives him the right to elect the king.

And well, the idiot is long dead, so they decided that should fall to one his descendants, me.

[Who was also Solomon's reincarnation, but details, details.]

A few of them would like to make me very dead though, for various reasons. It's only so different from human politics if you think about it.

[jyajyaaan]

Oh, I see. So it's a hard to get into contact with for obvious reasons vanishing, not a suddenly just gone one. That's good.

[He sounds reassured but quickly falls silent as William keeps explaining. Only one of his feet keeps twitching every once in a while, signaling that he hasn't fallen asleep with open eyes.

The tale is sending down chills Vector's spines - there are a couple of unpleasant parallels to his own existence as Barian that correspondent awkwardly well with some of these facts of these so-called demons, although other parts of William's story just sound harebrained and stupid. If they didn't want a mess, then why demand an uninvolved outsider to make the call for their replacement king?

After a long silence he puts his cup down and sighs.]

That's a mess.

[notsolomon]

It is. A big mess. And the three who are vying for position are all going to my school. Two of them badger me constantly over voting for them. It is quite troublesome..

[Though he missed the trouble right now. His life was peaceful, but at great cost. If they were all really dead...

He hadn't wanted this.]

But needless to say, it is not a problem here. Even if one of them came here, it would be useless to make me decide.

[jyajyaaan]

They go to your school? How-? [He wrinkles his nose and quickly shakes his head because William is right.]

You're right. Our current situation is a lot more reason for worrying.

[Dropping his gaze, he fidgets for a moment before he looks up again.]

...and I'm sorry for my reaction, or lack thereof. I understand that what you are telling me is really important. Usually I'd be excited and pester you with questions, but right now-.... [He trails off. Drawing his legs close and pressing them against the cushion of the furniture he presses his lips into a thin white line.]

....my best friend owns the Emperor's Key.

[notsolomon]

[Pausing, William raised an eyebrow at that.]

Emperor's Key? What is that?

[It must be serious for Rei to become so somber when he was normally so animated. It was a bit concerning.]

[jyajyaaan]

It's... [He smiled ruefully.] ....something.

It's the reason why my friend sometimes talks to thin air or reacts to things that aren't there, and I suspect it's also the reason why sometimes random people seem to get ...I don't know, they seem like they're possessed! [He made a brief jerky gesture with his arms as if to explain it better just to give up on it and hang his shoulders the next second.] They suddenly show up and attack again and again. It's as if something goes and twists them for their ways.

[notsolomon]

...is it a spirit possessing him or something like that?

[A demon perhaps? But well, the one time he had seen that happen, the body had already been dead and he didn't want to worry Rei.]

What does your friend think of it? This key?

[jyajyaaan]

[He made an unhappy noise in reply.]

...I don't know. I only met Yuma and the others late into whatever is happening because I transferred schools in the middle of the year due to ..family issues.

[A beat as he realized that that wasn't a very helpful explanation, but giving a good picture of the whole situation was difficult.]

I first wanted to befriend Yuma after having seen his performance during the WDC championships and being deeply touched by it. When we really did become friends... I got a feeling he didn't want me to know. Like he's happy about it. I know that I was being stupid in hindsight, but back then I really wanted to support him by not asking until he decided he wanted to tell me.

[notsolomon]

...it might be that he has a good reason for you not to know. Perhaps he thinks it is unsafe and wishes for you to not be targeted?

[But he knows from experience that hiding the truth seldom works out as planned. Isaac had met Sitri without William even knowing it and summoned yet another demon. And Mycroft Swallow's father had used a body suit by a monster.

Reality cared little for what one wanted to share sometimes.]

I know you wish to respect his privacy, but perhaps it wouldn't hurt to confront him about it directly. Or at least to tell him you will support him.

[jyajyaaan]

Maybe.

[Again a hard to read look crossed his face before he seemed to dismiss whatever occupied his thoughts. Tilting his head to the side, he chuckled around a rueful smile.]

Oh well, it doesn't matter anymore now anyway. I mean, whether I know the full story or not.

[notsolomon]

[It's hard to say what's going through Rei's head and William is surprised by the wealth of emotions he's seen the boy express today. He had, perhaps unfairly, not thought his companion was capable of such depth.]

...did something happen?

I mean, if you do not wish to say, that is alright. You have told me a lot already.

[jyajyaaan]

...Yeah. [Lowering his head, he smiles sadly, looking down at is hands.] Something did.


[If you want to call possession, having your personality twisted at full consciousness and eventual death in the most painful manner something. At this point Vector is just mostly bitter over it all. 'Bonds of friendship', his ass.]

Maybe I'll tell you at some point. But right now it's not important anymore, besides maybe for being the reason why I keep being all over the place with how I act. I haven't figured out how to deal with it yet.

[Tilting his head, he gives William a curious look.]

I guess having your friend here makes it easier for you, huh?

[notsolomon]

You do seem a bit a high strung, especially compared to when I first met you.

[He folded his hands, smiling at the mention of his friend.]

Kevin has been by my side for a long time. It has not always been easy, but I made a promise to believe in him and he has chosen to stay by my side despite it all. He is, well special to me. More so than anyone else.

[There was possibly one other person who came close to that level, but well, that wasn't something William was ready to contemplate.]

[jyajyaaan]

Well that's because I'm a coward...

[He smiles sheepishly before nodding along more eager.]

So a real friend, then! Having him with you is real lucky for both of you, I'm sure! How long do you know each other so far?

[notsolomon]

Well that is blunt and unusually honest.

[He sighed, both a bit embarrassed and happy.]

Friend, servant and brother even. We have known each other since I was...

[Oh that's right, not quite since childhood anymore.]

...well about five years I believe it is. I met him on the day we buried Mother and Father. He has been with me ever since.

[jyajyaaan]

Eh, it's not like I can really hide it. Just being upfront about it is for the best in these circumstances.

[That way his running away will be the norm and any deviations from it are going to be him being brave, rather than the other way around.]

Five years? That a lot! [He makes an impressed noise, laughter peeling from his lips. The servant part is as bit .... though.] I only know Yuma since a couple of weeks and it feels like two lifetimes already. Five years - you must be like family!

[notsolomon]

Well running away from danger is the logical solution most of the time. Fighting is not always the most desirable outcome.

[It wasn't something he was proud of, but it was a legitimate strategy.]

Some relationships are like that though. It's not the length of time, but the moments that make up that period that matter.