Description: Four illusionists known only as HIKARI have proclaimed that they are the best the world has ever seen, and to prove it, they have robbed the world's largest bank! Will Interpol be able to stop them, or is there another reason behind the ruse?
Rated: T for cursing, some violence, and law breaking.
Couples mentioned: Puzzleshipping (YamixYugi), Tendershipping (BakuraxRyou), Puppyshipping (SetoxJounouchi), and Bronzeshipping (MarikuxMalik)
Beta'd: NO ONE
Setting: Alternate universe
A/N: Welcome…to The End All and to Nanowrimo November 2015! This story was inspired by Now You See Me… An excellent movie that has not yet been exploited to its fullest capacity by me. Since it is the start of November, two chapters will be posted for the first week instead of one and then just one chapter will be uploaded next Sunday like normal. That is, unless…this story is the most reviewed of the week? If you want an additional chapter next Sunday as well, review, review, review before Saturday at 11:59 EST. After then, no more reviews will be accepted for that week.
So, on that note, on with the story!
Disclaimer: Credit for Yu-Gi-Oh! belongs with Kazuki Takahashi and Now You See Me… belongs to Director Louis Leterrier and writers Ed Solomon, Boaz Yakin, and Edward Ricourt
Magic exists. In multiple forms, in fact. Depending on who you would ask, you would receive multiple answers. In regards to those who practice magic that you would see on TV or on the street, they practice a type of magic with the intention to mystify and intrigue. So when someone tells you to look closer, you should do so. The real trick is what is done to draw your attention away from the source.
For example, the lovely assistant the illusionist hires to assist him in performances is not just to gather a crowd in her pretty dress. She plays a vital role in drawing the eye away from the magician and his real trick. Not to mention for her to grow in her skills as a magician as well.
So when it comes to magic, illusionists are the most skilled in deception. Not to mention, excellent at keeping secrets.
Yugi knew this, of course, but it didn't stop him from being curious as to what this particular trickster had in store for him. Looking down to his hands, he looked over the card that he had been looking at for the past 72 hours, running his thumb over the thin plastic covering its front.
ANKH. Yugi had tried doing some private research of his own regarding the icon and title decorated on the front of the large card but it did him no good. Trying to figure out what ANKH could possibly mean was as strange as the address and time and date stamped on its back.
Yugi had been in the midst of a minor performance when the card had been slipped into his jacket. As soon as it had landed into his pocket, Yugi had ignored it, writing it off as a note by one of the fellow performers in the area. Instead, Yugi finished his set and quietly retired to his dressing room to read the note. It was quite a shock to find the oversized playing card laying innocently in his pocket, adorned only with the image and title of ANKH and an Egyptian eye along with the date and time, today, and the address that the tiny cab was now pulling up to.
"$27.64," Was the rough call from Yugi's cab driver, making him snap to attention. The magician chanced a glance outside, finding only a slightly worn apartment building sitting innocently on the corner. It went up only about ten floors but most of the windows were cracked and brown with a thin layer of caked dust and dirt. Yugi clicked his tongue briefly before silently paying the cabbie and stepping out from the vehicle. The magician made sure to grab his messenger bag before shutting the passenger side door and letting the driver move away from the corner.
Yugi huffed, looking over the card again. There wasn't anything about which door or even which floor Yugi was supposed to go to. He even began to think that he was being played. Now that he had actually took the time to think about it, Jounouchi Katsuya could actually be one to pull this sort of thing off.
Yugi felt eyes on his back, and he sighed internally. Most if the time, the magician did not mind meeting fans. With his extremely distinctive purple, star-shaped locks and short stature, most people could recognize him a mile away without even needing to see his violet purple eyes. Most of the time, even if he was disguised, Yugi would be approached by fans of all genders, ages, and ethnicities. But right now, on the cusp of being tricked by a bully like his rival Yankee illusionist, Yugi did not really feel like meeting anyone new.
The magician sighed, turning around to give some explanation, but brightened upon recognizing his observer. "Ryou!" He cried out, waving wildly to the white haired watcher across the street.
The one called Ryou waved briefly back, before shutting the door on his cab. It drove off and the man took the time to cross the street to Yugi. He beamed as they got closer and the two immediately went in for a hug with Ryou actually having to bend over just slightly.
Ryou and Yugi had graduated from the same high school some years back and had bonded over their shared love of magic halfway through their second year. They remained close friends regardless of rivalries as they went to work for different mentors; Yugi learned and studied close-up magic while Ryou became an expert in escapology. When they graduated to developing their own sets, they had grown apart but the distance was nonexistent as Yugi happily squeezed his friend on the corner.
Ryou continued to beam when they finally separated, clasping Yugi's hands. "I can't believe you're here! I thought your tour had you in America this week!"
"Aw, well, I got this weird card, so I thought I'd cut it short and see what it is all about, I guess," Yugi murmured, pulling it out from his pocket. "How did you know when my tour was?"
"Jounouchi told me. Oh, and do you mean this card?" Ryou asked, separating their clasped hands to reach into his pocket. He pulled out a card of same size and shape as Yugi's, but emblazoned with a fierce-looking bird and FALCON in the same place as Yugi's ANKH.
"So you got this card, too..." Yugi murmured. "That's so strange..."
"You don't think-"
"What?"
"That... that this could really be about..." Ryou trailed off, looking around nervously.
"... What, you mean Hekau? You really think?" Yugi questioned.
"Well, I mean, I know it's kind of a rumor..." Ryou shuffled his feet. "But my last mentor kind of disappeared suddenly, one day. I thought maybe he might have been invited by Hekau. He was kind of just excited and secretive when I saw him last so I just assumed he—"
"Well, well!"
Yugi immediately scowled, the roughened Japanese accented with American making him cringe. Only one person in the world could make Yugi feel that way and his suspicions were only further proven by the muscled arm slung around his neck and cutting off his windpipe. He immediately began to choke, small fingers scrambling to pull the arm away from his throat. Tears prickled at the corners of his eyes as the force tightened as Yugi scrambled to get free. Finally, the pressure left his throat and Yugi scrambled away, sputtering for breath to reach his lungs.
"Jounouchi, I think that was uncalled for!" Yugi heard Ryou say.
"Oh, come on! Yug's done more scary stuff than that. He used to fit into the smallest spaces for Dentro's acts, he can handle it!"
"No he can't!" Yugi gasped, coughing in between breaths. He glowered at the other smug magician that had appeared and now had shuffled into Yugi's sightline.
Jounouchi Katsuya had also attended the same high school as Ryou and Yugi, but instead of befriending the magic-loving duo, he and some of his other buddies made a point to poke fun at their hobby. Jounouchi had taken every opportunity to torment Yugi, even after graduation when Yugi went to work for an illusionist called Dentro the Demon. Jounouchi followed along some months after, intending to assist in building his equipment. Within months, he and Yugi were in competition for solo acts. In the end, Jounouchi had won the honor of becoming Dentro's official apprentice, leaving Yugi to make a name for himself, by himself.
The blond illusionist smirked at Yugi, crouched over, still trying to catch his breath as he continued to chat with Ryou. "Dentro was pissed as hell that your mentor was called to audition and he didn't. What happened to Dartz anyway?"
Ryou sighed. "I don't think it worked out actually. He didn't make contact with me again, but I do know he started a career debunking other magicians instead. He's got his own show and everything now on cable."
Jounouchi whistled. "Good for him, he always wanted to go primetime."
"No, it's not good!" Yugi gasped, finally able to speak normally. "How could he just abandon magic like that? That's—"
"He catch your show yet, Yug?" Jounouchi smirked.
Yugi scowled. "I don't know what you're talking about."
"Come on, bro, even I could see through your Coke bottle trick," Jounouchi taunted. "Putting the cap on a Fanta doesn't change anything about real magic. That's why," Jounouchi flicked his fingers, another card emblazoned with DJET appearing between his thumb and forefinger. "Hekau thought to call me here."
"You're not the only one Jou," Ryou chided, lifting up his and Yugi's cards.
"Well, look at that."
Ryou chuckled, handing Yugi back his card. "Maybe it's time we all go figure out what this is all about now?"
"We don't know where to find this now," Yugi said back.
"Now we do," Jounouchi answered. "I took an opportunity to scope out the place before somebody decided to pull something over. Check out the building here." He ordered, moving toward the front entrance. The escapist and illusionist turned around to see Jounouchi gesturing toward the buzzers for the building next to the front doors. Ryou and Yugi sidled up next to him, scoping out the name Jounouchi's finger had tapped. Most of the names were either foreign or had been scratched out or worn too well for either man to see. However, one buzzer on floor seven jumped out at them both with only a symbol resembling an Egyptian eye in place of a last name.
Yugi glanced at his card briefly. "Well, I think you're right. Whoever's doing this, it's probably meant for us."
"So, let's check it out. I'm dying to see what this is all about." Jounouchi remarked, heading for the door. It pulled open after a brief buzz and noisily closed behind him.
Yugi turned back to Ryou. "You can't be seriously falling for this stuff, can you Ryou?"
The white haired man sighed. "I mean, I think it seems highly improbable but not necessarily impossible. I mean, can you imagine? It would be an amazing honor to be recognized by the Hekau as someone they consider…" Ryou trailed off, growing unusually insecure.
Yugi hadn't considered the possibility. "…I guess…" He finally mumbled. "I just…do I really want to blindly hope for something again?"
The question hung heavily in the air before a car horn blew, waking them both from their spiraling thoughts. Ryou hesitated only for another moment before determinedly reaching for the door. He swung it open, leaving it propped open for Yugi to follow.
The two shared a long look before Yugi sighed and followed the escapist inside.
TEA
Malik briefly checked his phone for probably the four millionth time today. His sister had a tendency to be overbearing when it came to his well-being, but he tolerated it if only to keep her at arm's length. For all she knew, he was hard at work, probably at the local college in one of the classes or at the library working on a project for a class that would do nothing for him in regards to his future. How could he possibly tell her that he had withdrawn from school only days after enrolling, trolling the streets looking for people to read?
Malik awkwardly shrugged deeper into his coat as he continued to trudge down the path to his destination. It wasn't difficult to make the decision to come to this unknown meeting. After he had successfully read this cheating man and his wife last week, the card had turned up unexpectedly in his pocket.
It suddenly felt heavy in his pocket, making him draw it out and look at it with suspicion. It still looked innocently enough, emblazoned with SCARAB and the grotesquely beetle it was named for decorating the front. The back was stenciled with a date and time, here and now, and an address leading him just around the corner.
Malik sighed. Truth be told, he had wanted to be a part of Hekau for as long as he could talk. His sister and brother had told him stories about what all being part of the Hekau meant. Their origins were from Egypt after all, where Malik and his family had lived for years before moving to Domino. Ishizu had told him all about all the perilous jobs that members of the order had taken, mostly in leverage for someone else who could not alleviate their problems on their own. Malik was fascinated by the Hekau as well as mentalism, a trick that actually came as easily to him as…well, breathing.
It started when he was younger, as sort of an empathetic gesture to an elderly neighbor who couldn't even smile or frown in order to convey her emotions. When Malik was able to decipher exactly what she had meant to say, he saw the briefest glimpse of a smile cross her face.
He later learned they were due to over a thousand micro expressions that could reveal just about everything about a person and their thoughts within a matter of moments. Malik expanded that knowledge in the matter of a few online courses as well as teaching himself hypnotism. He loved using hypnotism the most, because it always was useful in some form or another. He allowed himself a brief chuckle when he thought back to the horrified look that would appear on the cheating husband's face when he saw his girlfriend again.
He sighed, his thoughts turning somber once again as the phone continued to vibrate in his pocket. No doubt, his sister thought he had been at the library long enough and deserved to be home, but Malik just couldn't miss this opportunity and everything this chance possessed.
Malik examined the doors to the apartment building. It was unimpressive looking, although slightly beaten down over the years and obviously deteriorated in regards to standards. He huffed when the doors refused to budge for him, but he refused to let it stop him.
After all, sometimes also being a thief had certain advantages.
After making quick work of the stubborn door—meaning he kicked it in when it still refused to budge—Malik stepped inside the lobby. The ground floor was carpeted in thick red velvet rugs and tacky carpeting. The walls were so dark and grungy that Malik could barely see the hand in front of his eyes. However, there was a hanging pendant light just above his head that illuminated over the wooden (no doubt fire-hazard worthy) staircase leading to the upper levels.
The floor creaked with every step Malik took, but he grew more determined instead, climbing the decrepit staircase with little ease. Every step made him more anxious but made his heart throb in excitement regardless. By the time he had reached the fourth landing and was making his way to the fifth, sounds of frustration and strangled conversations were filtering down enough that Malik could discern about three different voices arguing at once.
Malik peered over the edge, looking up to see anything to give him a sign.
All Malik could see were three shadowy figures against the back wall of the seventh floor, an intense argument brewing amongst them. He quickly jumped up the last few steps to catch the argument.
Instead, he found three men all huddled together around one door, furiously fiddling with the lock. Malik held back a snort and stepped closer.
"…Urgh, this isn't working!" One snapped with a whine.
"Well, maybe we have the wrong door, did we think about that?" Another one asked.
"It has to be, it's the only one on the floor! And it has the thing on the door!" The third one snapped, jabbing something towards the top of the doorframe.
Malik blinked at the statement, glancing above their bent heads. Sure enough, there was a hieroglyph of an eye of Horus etched in marker just under the black doorjamb.
"Urgh, why won't this stupid thing open?!"
"Maybe you should try twisting it the other way?" Malik offered.
The group took a good ten seconds before they finally whirled around to face Malik. He gasped, finally able to see the three strangers. "Oh my Ra, you guys are Bakura Ryou, Mutou Yugi, and Jounouchi Katsuya!" He hollered. Each of them gave a sheepish little half-wave. He could have jumped up and down if his common sense didn't immediately remind him that that would not have been a good idea. "Oh man, you guys, I am your biggest fan! Wh-wh-what are you guys doing here?!"
"Same reason I guess you are," Bakura, the well-known escapist, replied. He motioned to the card sticking out of the waistband of Malik's jeans. "Were you called to come here as well, Mister…?"
"Please, just call me Malik," He immediately replied, coming up to grasp the white-haired man's hand, shaking it up and down furiously. "Oh man, I am so freaking out here, I never would have thought you guys would be here too! Not that I don't think you guys would be awesome enough to be invited by Hekau but, I mean—"
"We get it," Mutou interjected. "But, we're being stymied by a door right now, so I wouldn't exactly call us amazing yet."
Malik blinked. "W-would you like me to help instead?" He offered.
Jounouchi shrugged, handing over a sharp pocketknife. "Knock yourself out."
Malik beamed, stepping forward and kneeling down to the lock. "Before I became a mentalist, I had a brief stint as a pickpocket. Before that was escapology, and, let's face it, I'm nowhere near as good as others," Malik rolled his gaze to Bakura, shooting his best smolder. The white-haired man blinked and flushed at the implied compliment.
"Yeah, yeah, he's a gem, now can you get on with it?" Jounouchi huffed, crossing his arms.
Malik rolled his eyes and went back to work. Within moments, the gears had shifted enough for him to fully turn the lock back into place. He stood up instantly, grasping the knob and turning it fully with no issues and pulling it out. "Voila!"
Immediately, the stench reached them all. Malik croaked, reaching for his jacket and pressing it to his nose. "What the hell—?!"
"What did you do?!" Jounouchi crowed, his nose covered too.
"I didn't do anything—!"
"Oh, so it just came out like this?!"
"Yes!"
"Alright," Mutou tiredly interrupted, stepping between them. He was the only one not holding his nose, but it did look like he was moments away from being sick himself. "Let's investigate further before we start blaming people, alright?"
There was a rumble of agreement before Mutou stepped into the threshold. The hall was unspectacular, leading into a wide living space that would be an envy for any tenant, but only served to show every flaw currently present in the room. Draped over curtains with a tacky print highlighted the dirty windows and the cracked walls and ceiling. The room was sparsely furnished with only a few caked over dishes in the tiny kitchenette, a flower pot by the window sill, and a long-blade knife with a large stack of money sitting in the middle of the room.
Mutou went straight for the knife, picking it up curiously.
"…What is going on here?" Bakura asked, his hand running over the walls. The moment his palm touched it, he cringed and rubbed it on his pants instead.
"Not sure…" Jounouchi muttered, inspecting the kitchen. "Nothing in the cupboards either."
Malik inspected the other rooms and bathrooms, only finding dust and mold. "Nothing here either."
Bakura knelt next to Mutou, who hadn't moved since he entered the room. "…What are you thinking Yugi?" He asked, inspecting the solemn look on the other's face.
Yugi blinked, seemingly waking up from his trance. He twirled the large knife in his fingers. "…You know, when Dentro took me on as his apprentice, he had me do something similar to this," He murmured finally. "He had me stick my hand under his gun and swear to him that I would trust him no matter what."
"And?" Bakura pressed, the other two illusionists listening in.
Mutou wryly smiled. "I refused. What was the point of ruining my hand on purpose just to learn how to do some magic? Dentro laughed and told me that I was smart, and accepted me as his apprentice."
Bakura snorted. "That's good, Dartz never trusted me or praised me like that. I always envied the way you two got along."
Mutou rolled his eyes. "Please, Jounouchi was his favorite, not me."
"Are you freakin' kidding me?" Jounouchi barked. "Dentro could never shut up about you. He thought you were so amazing. He was so freakin' depressed that you left."
Mutou turned, looking hopeful. "He was?"
"Hugely." Jounouchi rolled his shoulders. If it were any other person, Malik would have considered it a pout. "I was never as good as Yugi. That's why I had to leave too. Dentro always wanted you to stay, and he never trusted me the same as he did you."
Mutou watched him for the longest moment before cracking into the biggest grin Malik had ever seen cross the illusionist's face, even on stage. "Thank you Jou. I really needed to hear that."
Jounouchi snorted, wrapping the shorter man into a rough hug. Apparently the other was waiting for it, though, and laughed as he ended up against the blond's chest, the two cackling like mad.
Bakura bit back laughter of his own, before coughing and pointing to the stack of bills on the floor. "So then, are we going to have to do something similar here?"
Malik looked at the materials for just a moment longer before he gasped. "Oh Ra, it's the aikhtibar aljashei."
"The what now?" Jounouchi barked.
"Aikhtibar aljashei. The test of greed," Malik explained. "It's a test that magicians have been using since ancient Egypt to determine if a person is controlled by their greed or by their mind. You're supposed to place the money on your hand and you're supposed to stab the money with the knife without cutting your hand until all the money is gone. If you can control yourself, then you pass. If you can't, then you fail the game."
"Game?" Bakura repeated, frowning. "It's a game?"
"People use games all the time to judge character," Malik answered. "Why do you think we're here?"
"This is a game?" Mutou glanced at the knife in suspicion. "Funny way of showing it."
"Well, I guess we won't know what else to do unless we…play the game." Bakura announced. All eyes fell on the knife and the money, now looking like dangerous toys rather than a game.
"…I'm gonna grab a stool from the kitchen." Jounouchi announced, stepping away. The spell broken, Yugi leaned down to grab the slips of paper from the floor.
Jounouchi came back moments later, carrying an old yet sturdy-looking stool, placing it in the middle of the room. The other three magicians gathered around, looking hesitant.
Mutou laid the money over the back of his palm. "Like this?" He questioned, looking at Malik. When he nodded, the other illusionist grasped the handle of the knife in his other hand. It quivered in his hand, poised over his flesh like a serpent.
Malik winced when the knife finally dropped, the sound of ripping paper filling the room and making the others jump. He looked anxiously over to Mutou, hoping he wouldn't see blood. He was relieved to see that Mutou was actually uninjured, and triumphantly holding about 2000 yen in bills.
"Well, that wasn't much," The illusionist murmured, a slight grin on his lips. "But, I did it. Here, who's next?" He held out the knife, the others looking anxious.
With a sigh, Jounouchi grasped the handle. "I guess I will."
Malik winced as the knife once again went through the paper, but when he looked again, Jounouchi proudly held over 5000 in yen. "I'm hoping I actually get to keep it this time." Jounouchi joked, holding out the knife to Bakura.
The escapist didn't hesitate as badly, taking the knife, only looking nervous at the small amount left for him to stab. "Man, I really hope I don't nick myself," He muttered. "You would think an escapist wouldn't be afraid of being hurt…" He joked.
Mutou chuckled dryly. "I saw one of your last shows Ryou. Really? Piranhas?"
The escapist grinned cheekily. "Gotta compete somehow." He took a deep breath before stabbing the money.
Malik didn't cringe that time, but a shiver did run down his spine when Bakura held out the knife for him. He took it, the hilt feeling cold in his palm despite the others handling it. The paper felt like bricks on his palm and growing steadily further and further away from his gaze. He wondered, not for the first time, if this was actually going to be all worth it.
Still…Hekau. It was finally in his grasp.
He swung down.
A/N: Read and review.