Vile: Since this fic was in my head for quite some time, I got the second chapter done rather quickly!
Yuma: Getting as many chapters as you can done before the move, huh?
Vile: Yep. I hope I'll be able to keep updating you guys while I'm at college.
Kaito: You figured it out last year, so I don't think you'll have that many problems.
Vile: Well, that helps. ^_^ Disclaimer's on the first page, folks. Enjoy!
Numbershot 15: Unwilling Puppets
Chapter 2
Shark's glare didn't falter as he stared at the dark red and yellow-haired face, the iconic star staring back along with the identically red eyes, no malice within those eyes. "IV…" Shark growled.
Marcus cringed and turned his head away. "Don't call me that!" This shocked Shark. "Don't… EVER… call me by that name... again!"
Shark's eyes widened. "Huh?"
Marcus looked at him, again with no malice. He actually seemed guilty. "Times have changed, Shark. The man you knew as IV was no more than an illusion…"
"What the hell are you talking about?" Shark asked. "I still see the same asshole who tricked me into losing the finals!"
"You think I don't regret that?!" Marcus suddenly shouted, making Shark flinch. The man sighed and ripped the cloak off of his body. "You think I WANTED to trick you like that, to make you become so angry… to injure Rio-chan that way?"
"Rio-nee…?" Shark glared again. "…It was YOU! You put my sister in the hospital!"
"And I regretted it every single day I've lived since then!" Marcus replied. "Shark… The only reason I ever caused those problems… was to save my father."
"Your father…?" Ariel wondered.
"He once went by the name Tron." Shark recognized that name: Yuma and Kaito had both mentioned it at times. "We thought we had lost him to his vengeance… but then we found out the cause." He held up Number 15: Gimmick Puppet – Giant Killer. "A Number was filling his heart with hatred, turning him into a monster." Shark pulled out and gazed at Number 32. "He was freed from the darkness by our brother… freed of his hate, giving us back our father." Marcus then turned around. "My brutality… my sickening definition of 'fan service'… It was all in hopes of getting our father back. Even when he ordered me to go after someone completely innocent…"
Shark realized what he meant. "R-Rio-nee…" Marcus looked back sadly and nodded.
*Flashback* *Bold Text Is Marcus Narrating*
"Magic Card, Flaming Hell Blessing, hatsudo!" The moment Marcus activated the card, the building around them burst into flames. "My father gave me that card to use… I don't know what Rio-chan thought, but it killed me to do so." Marcus saw Rio lying on the ground. "There was no way I was going to leave her there." He picked the young woman up and tried to get out. Along the way, he was sliced by something across the face, but he refused to give up and drug her out of the building.
*End Flashback*
"I chose this scar over letting Rio-chan die." Marcus said, pointing to the cross on his face.
"But… why Rio-nee? Why my sister?" Shark demanded to know.
"Because my father wanted you as a soldier for his cause." Shark and Ariel gasped. "He wanted you full of hate so you would give in to the temptations of the Numbers… But fate had different plans for you. As fate would have it, you handled two Numbers before you were given the one you hold now." Flashbacks of Shark wielding Number 17: Revise Dragon and Number 30: Acid Golem of Destruction formed in his head. "Wielding them increased your resistance to the Numbers' power. Combined with your own powerful will, your Number was unable to possess you, even with the fragment it left within you." Shark recalled when the piece of Shark Drake's claw was left in him.
Shark was surprised to hear these lines from someone that was supposed to be his enemy. "But now for my original question: Why are you visiting Rio-nee, even after what you did to her?"
Marcus sighed. "With our father back… we decided it was time to undo our damage."
*Flashback* *Three Weeks Ago*
"Marcus." Byron's voice called to the young man, who turned around. Byron walked over and took Marcus's hand, forming both Crests on their hands. "This power will aid you in your quest…" Marcus felt power enter him. "This is the power to heal. Use it when you see anyone suffering."
Marcus nodded. "And I already know who to use it on first." Byron completed the transfer, and Marcus smiled at his Crest. "Arigatou, Tou-chan."
Byron smiled. "Go, Marcus. Go heal that soul." Marcus nodded and walked out.
*End Flashback*
"Ever since I received this power, I visited Rio-chan every day, using small doses of my new power to heal her of the wounds she received in the fire. Small doses were needed so no one became suspicious, as healing her too quickly could have been disastrous. But this…" He pointed to his scar. "I will never heal this scar. It is a symbol of my redemption."
Shark was awed. The man he had claimed to hate was gone, revealing the person he really was: Honorable, kind, and just. Shark lowered his head. 'I feel like a total idiot…'
"Shark-kun…" Ariel breathed.
"Shark." Marcus said, making Shark look at him. "I can understand if you still don't forgive me." He turned around. "If you don't want me to visit Rio-chan again, I won't." He began to walk away.
"Hold it." Shark said, making Marcus turn around. Shark smirked. "If you're going this far as a way to say 'I'm sorry', then you really regret what you've done."
"Every day I do." Marcus replied.
"Well then, I'm not going to stop you from visiting my sister. She actually enjoys your visits." Marcus smiled at that. "I guess I was wrong about you. Dead wrong." He held out a hand to Marcus.
The young man was stunned at Shark's offer. He wasn't sure if he deserved this, but if Shark, the person who hated him, was willing to do this, then Marcus was willing as well. He walked over and shook Shark's hand with an easy smile. "Arigatou, Shark."
Shark nodded. "Since I shouldn't call you IV anymore, what's your real name?"
Marcus turned to leave. "Marcus. My name is Marcus Arclight." He bid Shark farewell and left.
Ariel hugged Shark with a giggle, making him wrap an arm around her. 'Marcus… I'm glad our fighting has ended.' Shark thought.
Marcus began to return home with a smile on his face. However, he was being watched through an odd card held by the Number Distributor. 'So… you think your troubles are over, do you?' The evil man thought. 'You could not be more wrong. As long as I'm around, your troubles… will NEVER be over. Until this war is over, I've still got you under my strings...'
Vile: In case you people forgot, IV's real name is Marcus, as revealed back in Numbershot 38.
Shark: Yet again, you make the Number Distributor even more hateable.
Vile: Yeah, that's his main purpose: The hateable villain.
Marcus: And your main purpose is torturing us.
Vile: It's a talent. ^_^ If you guys liked this chapter, leave a review for me! Next chapter shouldn't take long! Ja ne!
Computer Voice: Vile, logging out.
