Author's notes: Long… chapter… must… keep… typing…
Toshiro: Hashira! Take a break will you?!
FireWing Pegasus: You're the one who keeps edging me on about finishing my stories!
Atemu: Hello. I heard that you needed rest, so I came to help you.
FireWing Pegasus: Hello pharaoh. Yeah, Toshiro keeps on pushing me to my limit and then telling me that I should take breaks, if he keeps this up -turns to Toshiro- it's the couch for you.
Toshiro: I'll shut up now, after I do the disclaimer. Hashira doesn't own anything but her OC and her ideas.
Atemu: Enjoy.
"According to the map, it's around here." Joey says as we walk down an ally in the dangerous part of town. "Joey, where is it?" Tristan asks as we look around the ally. "Don't worry. Anyway, there's no need to rush...Oh, it's at the end of this ally." Joey says while checking his map, where he got it, I have no clue, why we are in the dangerous part of town following Joey who is going off a map and we have no clue as to what we are looking for, I have no idea at all. "Not the best part of town." Yugi comments while looking around. "I know little brother, I'll protect you from the bad guys, so long as they don't sneak up on us while something is distracting me, we will be okay." I comfort Yugi while thinking back to when Tea distracted me, allowing Ushio, Rex, and Weevil to launch a surprise attack on me. "It's alright you two, as long as you don't come during the bad times. Though, they say the shop owner of this shop is pretty rough." Joey says while looking back at us.
After a while, we come upon a shop called, 'The Junky Scorpion'. Just the name gets my stomach growling as, there was something else that I loved to eat, besides Scarab Beetles, that I had to rely on while I was in the tomb. I love to eat scorpions. In fact, I know all week points of the scorpion, that way it would be easier to eat them. "Here we are!" Joey shouts with a grin while I wonder if there are any scorpions in there. "What a dump!" Tristan shouts looking unpleased with Yugi and Joey says, "Here it is...They got what I've been looking for."
"Air Muscle! This is d-definitely it! I waaant them so much." Joey says while fawning over a pair of shoes, which is kinda creeping me out, after all, I don't care about shoes like most human girls, the only shoes I fawn over, are horse shoes, and I can only wear them in horse and shadow creature forms. "What the? This is what you were looking for? You brought me here to shoe-shop?" Tristan asks in boredom. "But these days, having high-tech sneakers gets you a lot of street cred." I say as a fact, I had to survive through thievery, do not judge me based off how I know what gets street cred. "Hey, don't act like you own the place." A voice comes out of no where and we see the shop owner. He is wearing a beanie, sunglasses, a jacket, and a scorpion tied to a string around his neck like a necklace, causing me to look at his scorpion hungrily, for it is a live scorpion. I use my third eye and can automatically tell that he has an evil heart, and about as greedy as Ushio. "That item is not for sale. It's very rare, and impossible to get elsewhere." He says with a face of boredom. "Ah, you're the shop owner? You've got to sell me these shoes. I came along way, on just a rumor." Joey pleads while holding the shoes like they were sacred.
"There are more people who want those sneakers than there are stars in the sky, but I don't sell to any punk who just walks in. In order to get these sneakers, then you must meet the requirements. Even if you're willing to spare no expense to get what you want, I wonder if you'd give your life. Even my own sneakers, in the United States, there was a murder over this very pair." He says with a smug attitude. I use my nose to smell, and indeed, I smell blood and weapons all over his shoes, which begs the question, how in the name of Ra did he get a hold of those shoes. Joey laughs and says, "That's crazy, you're quite right, good show. Are you going to sell them to me or not?" The shop owner chuckles and says, "To see if you're worthy, how about a little game?"
My instincts flare up with warning signs of danger at the word 'game'. 'Oh no, please not have have shadow powers, please no shadow games, how dare you use Atemu's opening catchphrase, I should just rip the scorpion away from your neck, and plunge it down your throat while it's still alive, but not before I use the shadows to make it's venom deadly, after all, it's venom is not dangerous to humans, it only makes you sick, it's main purpose is just to kill insects by turning it's insides to goop.' "A game?" Joey asks, just like shadow game victims when we tell them that they are going to play a game. "With this scorpion. It's my little 'accessory', still venomous, too. The genuine article. I'll put it inside the sneaker. Now, do you have the courage to thrust your foot inside?" He asks while I notice that he doesn't put the scorpion inside, meaning that this is a test of courage alright. "W-What?!" Joey asks with a look of fear.
"What kind of requirement is that?! We're not Masochists!" Joey exclaims. (A/N: I have no clue what that is, it is just what it says in the manga. Mokuba: I think that it's someone who obtains pleasure from receiving punishment. Seto and Authoress: Shut up Mokuba!) "Joey.. That game is no good. It's too risky." Yugi pleads while I think, 'I guess he didn't notice that the shop owner only pretended to place the scorpion in, guess he still has a lot to learn before he can once again, beat Atemu in a game.' and when Tristan says, "You can have my shoes! They smell, though." I think, 'Why in the name of Ra would he want your smelly shoes?' "Guys, let him do it, I believe in him, and I doubt that scorpion would attack him, if anything, it would just pinch him, but I doubt that he will get hurt." I say while keeping Yugi and Tristan back, causing them to look at me in shock. "Yaaaaaargh! I'll show you a true man!" Joey yells as he thrusts his foot into the shoe and closes his eyes expecting the pain, which doesn't come as there is no scorpion inside. The shop owner claps and says, "You pass. Anyway, I didn't really put the scorpion in there, just pretended to. It would've stained the sneaker."
"Okay. I'll sell it to you. And even though I should charge 100,000 yen, I'll halve the price just for you." The shop owner says with a smirk. Joey and Yugi cheer while having Tristan in a headlock and Yugi has a peace sign. "But lemme warn you… If you wear those on the street, you might meet with some trouble. I've heard a rumor about some 'Muscle Hunters' who might try to steal those shoes. Don't wear them on your bare feet, and they'll last longer." He says with a small chuckle on the end while we're leaving. Now I know that we have to be careful.
"Man, that shop owner…. what a rough guy." I scoff as Joey starts giggling. Who cares, as long as the 'Air Muscles' are mine!" He shouts while skipping like a total idiot, "I threw away my old holey shoes." "Risking his life for some shoes… It'll go down in history." Tristan mumbles. "That's great Joey!" Yugi cheers with his usual smile on his face. "The mid-sole is a cushion! These are the best shoes ever!" Joey shouts while still skipping like an idiot. "He's acting like such a moron." I say with a snort. "I'm embarrassed to be seen with him." Tristan groans. "Skipping around like a little kid.." Yugi comments. "Hey, so where are we going?" I ask. "Let's get a burger." Joey suggests.
All of a sudden, all of my instincts that tell me that danger is near, flare up, my ears and nose start twitching, and I quickly say, "Guys, it's an ambush!" We all turn around and see three thugs with a nail studded tire running toward us. The next thing we know, is that the tire is around Joey. "Got him!" They shout. "What the hell are you doing!?" Joey asks/yells in annoyance. They then proceed to beat him up. "Joey!" Tristan shouts and we begin to make our attack on the thugs.
Then, the thugs begin to beat Tristan and Yugi up. 'They have the nerve to beat up Yugi?! Atemu won't be happy with me if I let this slide.' I think as I punch a guy in the face. They look at me and I feel a searing pain in my side, right on the scar that I got 5,000 years ago, and yes it hasn't faded away since Tea plunged the knife in my side creating it. I look and see that there is wrench at my side, and blood is coming out of my shirt. I collapse while holding my side right there, with painful memories of that day swirling around in my head. "Yugi! Tristan! Hashira!" Joey yells as I look at him, apparently the only reason they hit me is because I hit them, and they probably don't want to end up hurting a girl...men. "Get down!" One of them orders as they have their foot connect to the back of Joey's neck. "I like these shoes you're wearing." He laughs as he takes off Joey's shoes off. 'I knew it.. These are the Muscle Hunters, but they didn't put on a good act, I can tell that these guys were paid off, and judging from the heart of the shop owner, it must've been him. Ra Dammit.' "Stay down." They order as they kick the guys and as I try to get up, they kick my side again, causing me to curl up in pain. "I'll just take these. Go home barefoot!" They laugh as they walk away.
We gasp as we get up, well, I attempt to get up while clutching my side in agony. "Joey…" Tristan asks. "Yeah, Yugi, Hashira, are you two alright?" Joey asks. "Owww." Yugi says as he rubs his face. I remove my hand from my side and see that the scar opened up, though the only way I can tell with my black shirt, is the searing pain and there is blood on my hand, causing everyone's eyes to widen at the fact that I am injured to the point of blood and they aren't. I glare at them with a look that says, 'Do not ask.' "Tch… I didn't even get to wear them for 300 meters." Joey says, obviously changing the subject from my look. "Those must've been the hunters." Tristan comments. "Yugi, Hashira… That was bad… Sorry you got dragged into this…" Joey says. "No… It's okay…" Yugi says and I nod weakly from the pain. If there is one weakness that I have, that is not mental, then it is my side. "Yugi, can you and Hashira head home alone alright?" Joey asks and I am not surprised, after all, Yugi can't handle fights and they think that with injury, that I can't put up a fight. "Eh? What about you two?" Yugi asks surprised. "Well, duh… Revenge!" Tristan and Joey say together, well, Tristan with a scowl, and Joey with a smug smirk.
"I've decided, I can't go home without those sneakers. Let's pick a fight with them!" Joey exclaims. "I'll come, too. I won't be a burden." Yugi speaks up. "I'll come with him. I may be injured, but it is an old injury, it doesn't hurt much. Besides, while you two are fighting, someone needs to be watching my little brother. Also, I may not look it, but I am a great tracker, you wouldn't be able to find them without me." I say with a little struggle, but I can tell that the pain is very slowly starting to go away, if not a little. "Yugi… Hashira…" Joey stutters. "Okay, Let's go."
We start running, and I use my nose and ears to find our targets, while giving the impression that I'm tracking like a human. I catch a whiff and say, "To the right!" "Yugi, Hashira, you two don't have to get involved, watch how we fight!" Joey tells us. "Okay!" Yugi says while I nod.
I hear the voices of our targets and motion for us to hide in an alley. They nod and while they hide, I look and see them heading into an arcade, before listening to them. They are all laughing before one of them says, "Easy job, right? Got our paycheck, so now it's arcade time." 'So I was right. They were getting paid, well, now we get to follow them.' I think with a growl. I motion to the guys and whisper, "They are going into the arcade. Follow me." They all nod and we make our way into the arcade.
We creep up behind them in time to hear one of them say, "What a bunch of chickens!" and another cheers, "We won, we won." I hold back with Yugi as Joey and Tristan come right up behind them. They all turn around to see Joey's unhappy face. "Unlike you, we won't sneak up from behind. Now that we're facing each other… it's on!" Joey says as he punches one of their faces, with a face of indifference, making the guy's face, have a broken nose. "Ah… s-stop… stop… really… you broke my nose." The guys gasps out. "Because of you… I WORE HOLES IN MY SOCKS!" Joey yells as he kicks the guy in the face, revealing the holes in his socks, blood spraying everywhere causing me to cover Yugi's face with my hand, no need for Yugi to become messed up in the head. "WHY YOUUUU!" Tristan yells shaking this one guy back forth, also giving him a bloody nose. "No more." The guy Joey is shaking, gasps out.
"YOU PICKED A FIGHT WITH US TEN YEARS TOO EARLY!" Tristan and Joey both shout as they beat up the three thugs. '5,000 years too early for me. Come back when you are at my level, which you will never be at.' I think angrily at the thugs while Yugi mumbles, "Wow." "Now… Where are my shoes?" Joey asks with stern eyes. "W… We don't have them…" They guy Joey is holding by the collar, says hesitantly, "We were paid… the whole time… We each got paid 3,000 yen… quick money to spend at the arcade… That guy… The shop owner…" "Wha…" Joey asks in shock. 'I knew it, he was the one. Now all I have to do is get Yami and myself over there and we have ourselves a shadow game.' I think as I look at Yugi, who looks also in pure shock.
I see Yami's spirit about to take over Yugi, so I mouthe, 'wait' to him and take Yugi out of the arcade, causing and eyebrow to be rosen at me by an unhappy spirit. I lead Yugi to an all and let out a nod at Yami's spirit, and Yami makes his own body instead of taking over Yugi. Yugi collapses in my arms as Yami walks over. I put a sleep spell on Yugi so that he won't wake up unless Yami or myself wake him up.
"Hello Yami, as you can tell, we have a shop owner who needs a shadow game." I say with a smirk on my face before saying, "This criminal even has a little snack for me hanging around his neck." Yami looks at me with a raised eyebrow and says, "Yeah, so why did you want me to create my own body this time?" "This way, after the shadow game, you and Yugi can really meet each other, 'get to know each other', maybe go on a date." I suggest with a smirk, causing a certain ex-pharaoh to blush through his tan, making my smirk grow bigger. "Let's go do that shadow game." He says removing the blush and putting on his 'I'm angry, it's time for a shadow game' face, as I go to shadow creature form, so that I can carry him and Yugi over to the shop.
When we get to the shop, Yami jumps down as I use my flaming wings to completely cover Yugi who is still asleep on my back. We walk in while being undetected, in time to here the shop owner say to the shoes, which is creepier than talking to mummies, "You made me some money, my little friend… When you say you have something rare, people will give you all the money they have. These sneakers…" Apparently that is enough for Yami as he says, "I see… so you use sneakers to steal money from others…" "You… little brat! Can't you read?! We're closed!" The shop owner yells, obviously not even hearing what Yami had said. /Return those sneakers to our friend. We know that you hired the 'Hunters' to steal the sneakers./ I order at him, slightly scaring him that I am a talking alicorn on fire, though he shakes it off, probably thinking it was Yami speaking, typical humans nowadays, no one believes in magic anymore.
"Eh…?! What do you mean… Your friend's sneakers...hmmm...Ah...Whaat? What's this?! I didn't know these were in my hand! Interesting…" The shop owner excuses before turning around, and past him, I see him place the scorpion in the shoe. /Yami, he put the scorpion in the shoe for real this time. Be careful./ Yami nods as the shop owner turns around, scorpion no longer around his neck, and says, "Sorry… Here, take them. Here." He holds out the sneakers and I can clearly hear the scorpion scurrying around in the shoe. Yami puts his fist over the opening of the shoe and drops coins into the shoe, much to the shop owner's surprise.
"This is a game. Let's test your own qualifications! But this time, there really is a scorpion inside the sneaker. The rules are simple. There are ten coins in the sneaker. Each of us, excluding Hashira as she is in horse form right now and she says that she is immune to scorpion venom, gets to try pulling some out without getting stung. The one with the most coins wins." Yami explains while I sigh because I don't get to play this game. /Yami, when you win, can I please eat the scorpion, I haven't had any traditional Egyptian foods since I left Egypt, all I want is a pile of dates surrounded by Scarab beetles and topped with scorpions. It is amazing./ I look at Yami with the biggest and most convincing big wide filly eyes I can give, and he nods weakly at me, before turning back to the shop owner with his psycho face. "I'll accept your challenge on one condition… Each coin is worth 100,000 yen. That's how I do business." "Okay. Each coin is worth 100,000 yen. However, if I win, all I want is the return of this pair of sneakers." Yami accepts.
Game Start: 'The mouth of the sneaker seems like the mouth of a man-eating Nile Crocodile.' I think to myself as I look at the sneakers.
"I'll start." Yami declares as he reaches into the sneaker and pulls out a coin, before sighing and says, "One coin."
"I have nothing to worry about. I am the scorpion's master. My turn…," The shop owner says as he sticks his hand, shakily, into the shoe mumbling, "Come on, you wouldn't bite your owner's hand…"
He sighs as he gets a coin, 'Ahh, come on. I wanted that scorpion to sting him on first try. Then I could eat it, though it is like that scorpion knows that I want to eat it, and is purposefully playing the waiting game.' I think as the shop owner says, "Good girl."
Yami takes his turn and gets a coin, but then I notice that the shop owner gets a smirk on his face. What is he planning?
"Say…" He says, drawing our attention. "Before I take my turn, I have a question. In this game, you can do anything, as long as you reach into the sneaker and pull out some coins… right?"
"Yes." Yami answers with a raised eyebrow.
"Then…" He says and I notice him reaching behind him, so I make some horse noises to the scorpion, warning it of the danger and to prepare to run, and yes, I can do that as long as I make small horse noises.
"In that case… I'LL DO IT THIS WAY!" He shouts as he stabs the shoe and reaches in. "And now I've all the coins! Sorry, scorpion, but I've got to kill you!"
/Yami, I was able to warn the scorpion when he grabbed his knife. You can still win this./ I say to him and he nods.
The shop owner starts laughing like a maniac, while I use the shadows to keep his hand from moving, "I'm the winner! Hand over your money!"
"What makes you say that? You've taken a dangerous risk." Yami asks with a smirk and his finger pointing at the shoe. "You're greed caused you to rush in and grip all the coins, but… look."
The shop owner looks at the shoes and obviously finds out his hand is stuck as he says, "W-what!? My… My hand is stuck!"
"And I wonder if the scorpion is really dead…" Yami says as he looks at me out of the corner of his eyes and I let out a neigh to tell the scorpion to attack.
We all hear a rustling creepy-crawly noise come from the shoe and the shop owner looks really worried. All of a sudden, the shop owner looks in pain and screams it out.
"In a shadow game, your heart's weakness is ultimately what causes you to lose." Yami says as I go to human form, "You had no love for your pet, nor for those precious sneakers, but only for money." End Game
"Yami, he will be fine after a while. Scorpion venom can't kill humans. It is only meant to be able to kill insects which they feed on. It will only make him sick for a while. Now… for my lunch." I explain as I walk over to the shoe, empty out the shoe, resulting in a scorpion on my hand. Before the scorpion goes to sting me, I grab the knife and hack off the tail and claws before cutting it in half. I quickly eat the juicy meat, which tastes like afterlife, or as people nowadays would say, heaven. The I save the venomous stinger and use it as a toothpick to get the rest of the scorpion meat out of my teeth, before eating it too.
Yami looks at me like I am insane, but I shrug it off and say, "Well, we might as well wake up Yugi, I'll give these shoes back to Joey, while you 'hang out' with Yugi, I expect him to be back home at 7:00 and right now, it is 3:00." I grab the shoes, wake up Yugi with Yami, and say, "See you at 7:00, little brother." before I run after Joey's scent. Of course I run away, I will not be hanging around on a date, that would ruin the romantic attitude.
I finally find Joey and Tristan and explain that I went to get the shoes and found the shop owner stung by the scorpion. "Whaat?! You went to get the sneakers, and found the owner stung?! Did you send him to the hospital?!" Joey asks in disbelief. "Yeah, well here is the thing about scorpion venom." I say before once again, explaining how scorpion venom works on humans. "I guess we can't go there and beat him up." Tristan says after my explanation like he didn't even hear it. "But… I don't know how, but… one of the sneakers has a hole." I explain to him holding the sneakers for him to see. "Wha?!" Joey asks in… is that sorrow? He then puts the shoes on and says, "Hey… Hashira, these sneakers are great. The hole is like a medal of honor." "I don't get it." Tristan and I say at the same time.
At 7:00, I am waiting outside the game shop and I see Yugi and Yami approach. I use my magic to summon Yugi's puzzle/letter and when they come closer, Yugi sees it, takes it from my hand and gives it to Yami, who solves it in 2 minutes flat, making Yugi's jaw drop open. The letter says, "Yami, I would like to get to know you better. Would you meet up with me sometime? Yugi." "Oh Yugi, of course I would love to meet up with you. Just leave the how, when, and where to me." Yami says after reading with it and I smile. "Really?" Yugi asks sounding hopeful. "Yes. I think there will be a museum exhibit opening in a few weeks. Maybe we could go do that. But,in the meantime, how about I drop by and we can try a spur of the moment walk in the park or ice cream trip?" At the mention of ice cream, I pale for Yugi is someone you want to be careful of when around ice cream, I do not want to seem him bouncing off the walls like a pinball machine. "Sounds great." Yugi smiles, while I sigh. "I'll you later then. Mind if I keep this?" He asks as he holds up the completed puzzle. "Yeah, I guess we'll see you later." Yugi nods and I say, "See ya, Yami." "Yes." He says before turning to Yugi and saying, "Until we meet again, Little One." And even though he may not remember his past, his subconscious obviously remembers the nickname for Yugi. "Bye." Yugi and I say as we watch Yami walk down the street, before Yugi heads inside. I smirk as I see Yami look back at me, before vanishing into thin air. I walk back into the game shop and head into my room, thinking about when Yami will finally be free from his prison of a puzzle.
Author's notes: Finally, this chapter is done.
Toshiro: Yes, now you are privileged with finishing typing your, 'A Dog's life', so long as you finish posting your Bleach story.
FireWing Pegasus: Fine.
Toshiro: Please review if you want a chapter sooner.