Descent of the Angels

Chapter I: The Competition

"So… you're telling us that you challenged an all-girl band to a duel? A 'Battle of the Bands' sort of thing?" Yusei asked.

The manager nodded. "I feel it will boost both bands' reputations. Also, you need some kind of competition. Seeing as you knocked all of the rest of the bands out of the area, I figured I could bring in a new kind of competition." Manager Godwin smiled. There was obviously something he wasn't telling them. "The competition will be in a few months. We need to put out posters and advertise as there will be a few other bands in this competition. The date is the 16th of September. I suggest you do some research on them as they will bring a whole new kind of game to the field."

"The all-girl band?" Jack asked. "What's their name?"

"They call themselves 'Descent of the Angels' and they come from the city Solitaire."

"Solitaire? Really?" Kiryu asked, his eyes widening.

"Yes," Manager Goodwin said.

"Where's Solitaire?" asked Crow.

"Its south of Satellite," Kiryu said, his eyebrows furrowing. "It's hard to believe a band formed in that dump."

"RYTER will be here in a month, giving them some time to go out and explore Neo Domino City," Manager Goodwin explained. "Oh and RYTER is their code name," he said as the boys looked at him with curiosity. "We have no idea what the names are that make up the code, but we do know they refer to themselves as Angels. There's the Angel of Light, Fire, Water, Wind and Earth."

"Who plays what?" Crow asked.

"The Angel of Light is the lead vocalist. The Angel of Fire is the lead guitarist and second vocalist. The Angel of Wind is the bass guitarist. The Angel of Earth the drummer and the Angel of Water is the keyboardist. That's all we've been able to find out." Manager Goodwin turned and began to walk out of the spot light. The bands' eyes followed him. "I suggest you practice… just in case," he said as he reached the stairs. And with that, he was gone.

Team Satisfaction looked at each other then shrugged and began to play. They were in the stadium when the manager walked into talk with them. Yusei Fudo, the lead vocalist couldn't seem to get his mind on the task and hit a few sour notes. His mind kept wandering to Descent of the Angels and RYTER. Who were they? And that Angel of Light… the lead vocalist… what kind of game would she bring?

"Yusei!" Crow called the lead vocalist back from his thoughts. "Concentrate!"

"Sorry guys, but I can't. The news the manager just gave is a bit unsettling. I suggest we get some sleep and think over how we want to handle this."

"I agree," Jack Atlus, the lead guitarist, said.

"Okay." Kosuke Kiryu, the bass guitarist pulled the strap from around his neck and gave his guitar to the stage hand who took it away.

Crow Hogan stood from his drum set and all four moved from the stage and to their hotel that wasn't even five blocks from the stage. The stage was a natural amphitheatre, outdoors and seated a lot of people.

They keyed into Crow's room and flopped on the couches and chairs. Each band member had their own room, but they wanted to just sit in company for a moment.

"What do you think of this turn of events?" Kiryu asked the group as a whole.

Jack shook his head, leaning back in his chair. "Not much. Just another way for Manager Godwin to make money."

"However, the manager is assuming we'll win," Yusei said from the couch. The group looked at him with surprise. "What happens if someone else wins this 'Battle of the Bands' thing?"

Kiryu scoffed. "I doubt they'll be able to do that. First, 'Descent of the Angels' is from Solitaire after all. What good can possibly come from that place?"

The band stayed silent, each lost in thought. Before they knew it, a month had passed and the helicopter that carried Descent of the Angels and RYTER came into sight of the hotel window.

Yusei ran to get dressed and then rapped on his fellow band members' doors. "They're here!" he said and then rushed to the front desk, hoping for a glimpse of the group. He had been up late most nights over the month they had to prepare researching Descent of the Angels and RYTER. He had found that not much information was known about them but what Manager Goodwin had explained. No pictures of concerts or of the members.

The doors slid open and in came a group of people. Five of the seven were girls and all five were gorgeous. The two men were pretty to look at, but Yusei's sight was stolen by the girl that had black hair to her mid-back and sunglasses. She was dressed in boys' clothing – a t-shirt under a button-up flannel with the sleeves rolled up and rather loose-looking pants tucked into old-English riding boots - but her chest was clearly visible.

"RYTER," the tallest man said to the hotel check-in staff. He appeared to be the manager.

"Of course," the woman said and her fingers clacked on the keyboard.

The five girls looked around in wonder. Four had taken their sunglasses off, the girl that had caught Yusei's eyes had not yet.

There was a girl with hazel brown hair flecked with copper to her shoulders and what appeared to be deep blue eyes kept whispering to the girl with her sunglasses still on.

The other three appeared to be closer; they stood a bit away from the other two conversing with each other. There was a girl with blond hair and green eyes. The second had rather light brown hair and blue eyes and the final girl had brown eyes and sandy hair.

The manager finished checking in and turned to the girls. "Ready?" he asked. The girls nodded and picked up the suitcases and bags the staff had brought in for them. When the staff tried to protest, the manager smiled and said that they could take care of themselves.

Walking to the elevator, only four of the seven could fit in with all the luggage each girl had. So, the girl with sunglasses, the girl with hazel hair and the second man stayed behind, waiting for the next elevator.

Yusei seized his chance and walked up to stand behind them, waiting for the elevator. Listening to their conversation, he confirmed that they were indeed Descent of the Angels. However, he couldn't tell who was who, yet. The girl with the sunglasses was referred to as Yên. And the other girl was Mira. The man was Hayden and he ushered them into the elevator when it arrived. Yusei hurried to follow. He was able to get in before the doors closed.

However, he was squeezed between the wall and "Yên". A blush appeared on her cheeks, but her sunglasses still hid her eyes.

"Sorry," Yusei apologized. "I just really need to get back to my room."

"What floor?" the man Hayden asked.

"Ten," answered Yusei.

"Really? How interesting. That's our floor too," Hayden said, rubbing his chin.

"Huh. Must be a coincidence." The doors opened and Yusei jumped out. "Would you like some help with that?" he asked Yên who was struggling to get her luggage out of the elevator.

Yên looked up at him and smiled. "Thanks, but I can manage."

Not taking no for an answer, Yusei seized bag that was about to fall off Yên's shoulder. "I can take this."

Sighing, Yên shook her head, giving in.

"Your room number is 1075. Here's your key," Hayden said and passed a pamphlet to Yên who nodded and took the key. Then, she turned to Yusei. "Ready?" she asked.

Yusei nodded. He was going to find out if this girl was the "Angel of Light". He had a gut feeling that she was.

As they walked down the hall, Yusei heard Yên begin to hum to herself. It wasn't a song he'd heard before. "What are you humming?" he asked.

Yên jumped. "Sorry, is it bothering you?" she asked.

Shaking his head, Yusei smiled. "Not at all. What song is it?"

"It's called SOLDIER Holocaust. It's a song… I heard on the radio on the way here," she said.

"Which band?"

Yên shrugged. "No idea."

They reached room 1075 and Yên placed her luggage down and keyed into the room. There was a single queen and a window that faced south. There was a bathroom and a small kitchen with a mini-fridge, a microwave and a toaster. It looked more like an apartment than a hotel room.

"I do my own cooking," Yên explained as Yusei walked over to the kitchen in awe. "I have a very strict diet and can only find food that I can eat at certain places. I don't know if Neo Domino City has places that serve what food I CAN eat, so I figured I'd bring stuff I can use to make my own food." She smiled at Yusei. "You're welcome to try some when I make a dish."

Yusei's stomach did a flip. Her smile was so kind.

"Oh! I completely forgot to introduce myself. My name is Yên."

"Yusei Fudo," the boy said, forgetting who he might be talking to for a moment.

"Yusei… Fudo…?" Yên asked. "You mean the lead singer in the band Team Satisfaction?"

Clearing his throat, Yusei nodded. He hadn't meant to say that. "Yeah. We're in town for a bit."

"Oh, really? And what about Descent of the Angels?" When Yusei looked at her shocked, Yên continued. "I've seen the posters about a Battle of the Bands sort of contest between Team Satisfaction and another band named Descent of the Angels. Those were the two highlighted bands; but there were others that were going to appear like the Crooked Lightpost and Three Noble Truths."

"Right. Well, I haven't heard if they've come into town yet," Yusei said, eyes shifting to the floor. He jumped as a knock came at the door. Yên had set her luggage down on the couch and walked to open the door. Outside stood the four other girls.

"Yên!" the girl with sandy hair called and threw herself into Yên's arms. Stumbling to keep balance, Yên steadied herself and hugged the girl back.

"Who is this?" Mira asked, pointing to Yusei.

"This is Yusei Fudo. He was just helping me with my luggage," Yên explained, letting go of the girl she was hugging. Except the girl wouldn't let go of her. "Okay, Etsuko. You can let go now." Yên sighed and pushed at the girl's arms.

"No!" Etsuko said, shaking her head into Yên. She was a good several centimeters shorter than Yên; her head reached Yên's shoulders. "That man's scary. He belongs to Team Satisfaction; our sworn enemies."

"Etsuko!" Yên said, scorn in her voice. "That's not a very nice way to talk about him while he's here." She finally pushed Etsuko off and turned to Yusei. "You are welcome to knock at any time. However, I ask that you leave for the time being."

Nodding, Yusei walked past the girl with blonde hair who shot him a dirty look. The door closed behind him.

Deep in thought, Yusei walked back to his room (number 1078), used the swipe key and entered. In his room sat Jack, Kiryu and Crow.

"So…?" Kiryu asked. "What do you think?"

"Did you find out who was who?" Crow asked.

"I figured out that they ARE Descent of the Angels. However, I couldn't tell which girl went with each instrument." Yusei took the seat next to Jack, stroking his chin. "I think the girl, Yên, is the Angel of Light. That's all I'm really almost sure of."

"Is she good?" asked Crow.

"She was humming fairly well in-tune."

"Which song?" Jack asked.

"Something called SOLDIER Holocaust."

Kiryu raised an eyebrow. "Did you get words?"

Shaking his head, Yusei looked to the window. The bands' interactions were interesting. He'd have to keep his ears open for any new developments on the web. That girl Yên had grabbed his attention.