Vile: Hey, readers! Vile here again with my newest Numbershot! These things take way less time to do than my other stories, I noticed.

Yuma: Makes us wonder why you write anything else.

Vile: Hey, I gotta branch out! Regardless, ZEXAL stories are still my forte. This story involves an alliance that many wouldn't expect.

Astral: Temporary, I assume.

Vile: You'd assume correct, Astral. Anyhoo, no need for a disclaimer, as I've done this before. Enjoy, folks!

Numbershot 69: Chaos Among Friends

Chapter 1

Within the rooms of Heartland Tower, still undergoing repairs, the Number Distributor poured over the blank Number cards he held. The moon shone down on him from the window. "Down to 21 Numbers… Tsukumo, Mizuki, Tenjo, and all of them are collecting them at an admirable yet frustrating rate… If they collect them too fast, our plan may never come to fruition!"

"Oh, you're worried about absolutely nothing!" Vector said, emerging in front of him. "I've seen this through from start to finish. No matter what, we'll defeat Tsukumo and all of his friends, hahahahahahahaha! And I have the perfect plan to really hit Tsukumo where it hurts!"

"You have acquired my interest, Vector. Explain your plan." The Distributor said.

Laughing, Vector started typing on the keyboard. "Yuma's power comes from one certain thing: Them." Images of Yuma's friends appeared on the screens. "To really hit him, we need to sever his connections with his friends.

The Distributor was confused. "I fail to see how this works. Tsukumo's power comes from Astral, the original Number. How does separating him from his friends weaken him."

"His spirit, you fool." Vector said. "Not even his wretched kattobingu can stand up to the power of losing everyone he cares about… especially Mizuki." Kotori's face appeared on-screen. "By dissolving his bonds, even his supposedly unbreakable love for that girl will fade… and he will be left with no support! No support, no will… and no will, no power! Hahahahahahaha!"

The Distributor grinned. "Impressive, Vector! Shall we employ one of the Numbers in this scheme?"

"That was all part of the plan!" Vector said. The Distributor picked a blank Number as Vector retreated into his body, and Vector's Barian powers were conducted into the Number card, shrouding it with darkness and causing it to gain an image. "The power within this card will unknowingly start a small squabble, but the squabble will merely grow and grow… until it tears everyone into two sides, then tears those sides, until they've all been severed!" Taking the card, Vector floated to just outside the window. "Go, and find your target!" With a laugh, the new Number was tossed to the nighttime wind, floating throughout the city.

*The Next Day*

Her hair swinging back and forth with each step, Sachi felt like today would be an amazing day. "Ohayo, Sachi!" Sei's voice called out. Sachi turned and saw Sei rush up to her.

"Ohayo, Sei-chan. It's a really nice day out today." Sachi said, looking up at the clouds.

"Speak for yourself. I slept horribly last night." Sei said, yawning while rubbing her eye. "Was something supposed to happen today?"

"I don't know." Sachi said honestly.

Then, something caught Sei's eye. "Huh?" She looked down and saw a card face-down on the ground. She smiled. "Cool! Free card!" She reached down and picked it up.

"Lemme see." Sachi said, grabbing hold of the card as Sei got back up. However, when the two of them touched the card, white and black auras emanated from it. The black aura crept up Sei's arm while the white aura went up Sachi's arm, washing across both their eyes within the frame of two seconds, neither of them noticing. Black lining appeared along the top-outward corners of Sei's eyes, and white lining appeared along the top-outward corners of Sachi's eyes.

Out of nowhere, Sei glared at Sachi and pulled the card roughly. "Hey, get your own!"

Sachi took on a very confused face. "B-But I just wanted to see it!"

"I said, let GO!" Sei's voice became angrier. Sachi immediately felt scared, but her body kept telling her to pull. The two girls ended up in a slight tug-of-war over this mysterious card when something flashed on the back: One black figure, one white figure. Then…

RRRRRIP!

The card was evenly torn into two separate halves, causing Sei and Sachi to fall backwards onto their rear ends. Neither of them saw that the brown on the card backs had changed color: Black on Sei's half, white on Sachi's half. Sachi was rubbing her head when Sei got to her feet and took two heavy steps toward her. "You ripped my card, you little dojikko…"

The low tone of Sei's voice startled Sachi. Fear she couldn't explain began to well up inside her, and her eyes began to tear. Gripping the half of the card she held in one hand, Sachi immediately took off running toward the school, tears flying from her eyes the whole time. Staring coldly after her, Sei's glare hardened as she followed her to school, unaware of the glow on her shoulder.

*Meanwhile* *Inside the Emperor's Key*

Within the Number pillars, the ominous pillar of Number 96 began to pulse wildly, startling Astral and Mia. "Nani…?" Astral breathed. All of a sudden, he felt pain go through him, causing him to clench his stomach. "Gaaah!"

"Astral!" Mia cried in worry.

Then, from the pillar, black smoke began to billow until it converged into the black copy of Astral that was Number 96. However, he himself was clutching his stomach, and he was panting. The sight of Astral didn't even bring a smile to his face. "So… you feel it as well!"

"What… What are you talking about?" Astral groaned as he stood up straight.

Number 96 groaned. "There's a Number… out there… that's been ripped in two!" Astral gasped. "This is no time for me to try and attack you… The pieces of that Number must be rejoined at once!"

"Why should Astral believe you?" Mia asked with a glare. "You're Black Mist, the most evil of all Numbers! This could easily be a trick!"

"Ngh… this is no trick, Mia." Astral breathed. "I've felt this pain before. Once, one of the Number cards was being damaged by fire, but Yuma managed to rescue it. During the fire, I felt such awful pain…"

"Pain that I also felt, even from the confines of that pillar!" Black Mist said. "Damage to the Numbers causes damage to us, as if any of the Numbers are destroyed, we will be incomplete and become damaged ourselves. You'll need all the help you can get to locate those pieces."

"Are you honestly suggesting that you team up with him?" A voice that sounded like Yuma's spoke. From Number 88's portal, the Number emerged in his copy body of Yuma. "What makes you think we need his help to locate the Number pieces?"

"We're still bound to the pillars, you fool!" Black Mist snapped. "This is no time to act like nothing is wrong!"

"To me, nothing IS wrong." Mirror said coolly. "A ripped Number is no skin off my reflected bones." He was suddenly snared by one of Black Mist's tentacles. "Hey, let go of me!" The tentacles wrapped over his mouth, silencing him.

"Now that he's done running his mouth…" Black Mist mused, turning back to Astral. "Mirror made a good point. The only possible way to get us out of this is to call a temporary truce. Release me, Astral, if only for a short time. If you do, I will aid you in finding the pieces of the Number."

"…And if you should decide to backstab me…?" Astral breathed.

"I will not. I want this pain to stop at any costs." Black Mist stated. 'Besides, I need you alive in the future.' The dark Astral shakily held out a hand. "Do we… have a deal?"

Astral looked skeptical. "I will be keeping a close watch on you, Black Mist… but for now, I agree to your terms." Nervously, Astral held out his hand and grasped Black Mist's hand, shaking it. At the same time, energy chains appeared around Black Mist's pillar before shattering, indicating the end of the seal.

True to word, even after the chains shattered, Black Mist tried no funny stuff, releasing Mirror from his tentacle, who fell to the ground. Mirror facepalmed as he got to his feet. "Great. He's gone soft." He mused, retreating back into his portal.

"Brief the child on this." Black Mist stated. "He's not going to like this… but we have to do what must be done." Astral nodded, the two spirits staring at each other with scrutiny, Black Mist not even bothering to crack a smirk.

Mia, however, still looked worried. 'I hope you know what you're doing, Astral…'

Vile: An alliance between the good Astral and evil Number 96? What could the evil Number be planning... or is he planning anything at all?

Fuya: Cut! Okay, good take!

Vile: Whoo, it takes a lot of practice to get a suspenseful voice down.

Fuya: All right, let's get the ending done before break. Action!

Vile: If you guys liked this chapter, leave a review for me! I should have the next chapter out soon! Ja ne for now! *"Cut!" is heard* All right, that's lunch, we're on a half!

Computer Voice: Vile, logging out.