-Golem Ein-
It was silent in the Maho-Dou. Pop, in tears, had just revealed the presence of startling news to her fellows and was very clearly distressed about it. The Ojamajos, on the other hand, had learned a lot regarding the main crisis at hand and had meant to tell Hana and Pop about it and make a plan of attack.
Hazuki was the first to break the silence.
"What…what happened to Hana-chan?" Hazuki asked with concern.
"Shadow Hana…they took her when they won…" Pop replied, "And left me to be the messenger."
"So that's their game, ain't it?" Aiko half-asked defiantly, "Well then, let's take it to 'em!"
"No Ai-chan!" Onpu replied, "We can't! If we try to save them, then we'll just get in a worse position!" Everyone looked at the purple Ojamajo intently. "If we go ourselves, then we'll have to deal with Black Queen…and its suicide with Jou-sama ill like this. And there's nothing stopping them from using Hana-chan as a hostage."
"Then what are we supposed to do?" Momoko asked.
"We wait," Pop answered, "Shadow Hana has made a challenge." Everyone turned toward the rose-haired girl. "In three days, she claimed she will let us duel for her freedom…if her opponent loses, then she gets all of us."
"That's insane!" Majo Rika shouted, "Do you really think she's going to keep her word?!"
"I have every reason not to believe her…but we have little choice."
The girls paused to absorb the statement. Finally, Aiko spoke up.
"I'll duel to save Hana-chan," Aiko said defiantly.
Pop shook her head. "That's…the problem. Shadow Hana said she would only duel Onee-chan."
"EHHH?!" Onpu, Aiko, Momoko, and Hazuki gasped. Doremi took a step back in shock.
"But…Doremi-chan can't!" Hazuki cried, "She's still battered from her duel with Shadow Hazuki!"
"I think that's the point," Onpu replied, "Shadow Hana knows Doremi-chan is still in shock about that game." She looked at the pink Ojamajo. "But if you have to duel, then we'll help you improve." She turned back to Pop. "What can you tell us of Shadow Hana's deck?"
Pop looked down. "Hieratic…uses Galaxy-Eyes…relies on rank 8 Xyz monsters…"
"That's enough to know."
Doremi had withdrawn from the group and was sitting by herself at a table. Her hands were shaking and her breathing was heavy. The others looked at her, concerned; the thought of having to duel another Shadow after what happened last time was clearly not on her list of things to do.
"Onee-chan…?" Pop began.
Doremi turned to Pop. "G…Gomennasai…Pop-chan…Minna-san…" She shook her head. "I…I want Hana-chan back…But…But…"
"We know, you're scared to duel her," Aiko replied, "But you can't let that fear rule your life! Even if you did lose horribly to Shadow Hazuki, it doesn't mean you're at all bad!"
"Ai-chan's right!" Momoko added, "Hana-chan is our daughter! We have to fight to save her by any means necessary!"
"And the means she's chosen is the card game," Onpu reminded, "Maybe…Maybe if we could help you spar until then?"
"Did any of you hear me?!" Majo Rika yelled.
Everyone else turned to face Majo Rika. "Yes…Yes we did, Majo Rika-san," Doremi replied, "But we have no choice at all…"
Hazuki frowned. "But if Shadow Hana is going to hold Hana-cha for three days, then doesn't that mean-?"
"Oh no!" Onpu groaned, "Hana-chan's going to miss school!"
"That's a minor concern, you Ojamajos!" Majo Rika reminded.
"But we have to make sure we can excuse her absence," Onpu replied. She then turned toward Aiko and Hazuki. "You two have identified yourselves as Hana-chan's parents at one point."
Aiko and Hazuki sighed. "We understand," Aiko replied, "We'll tell the principal and vice principal…something…and, uh, excuse her for a few days?"
Onpu, Momoko, Pop, Doremi, and Majo Rika frowned. This really and truly was the only thing they could do at this point. But for now, they will need rest. They only had a few days to practice and restore Doremi to her old self; but memories like those can last for a long time…
"So, Shadow Hana-chan?" Black Queen inquired, "You let the other Light Ojamajo go as a messenger just so you could have a challenge?"
"Uh…Wh-what c-c-can I say?" Shadow Hana replied. She was more than a little scared out of her mind, given that her superior could potentially see her actions as foolish. "I, uh, let her go to make the other Light Beings feel insecure! And-and I addressed the challenge to Light Doremi…and she's still down ever since Shadow Hazuki-chan crushed her the other day…!"
Black Queen pondered about this. "I see." If she wasn't wearing a veil, one could have seen her lips curl into a devious smile. "How interesting. Very well. I would like to see this development when that day comes. You are dismissed."
Shadow Hana breathed a huge sigh of relief. "Arigatou, Black Queen-sama."
"But since this is your idea, your Light Half will be your responsibility. Other than that, you may do as you wish to her."
Shadow Hana grinned mischievously at the order. And with that, the white Shadow left her superior's presence and bounded for the dungeons. Once there, she met up with her prisoner, Hana. She was in her Witch Uniform but was still in the shackles Shadow Hana put on her earlier. She looked at her new warden with eyes that were metaphorically asking for mercy.
"Shadow Hana…?" Hana began, "I…"
"Save it," Shadow Hana ordered, "You're under my watch now." She extended her magic into the cell and tore off her Light Half's compact. Moments later, Hana reverted to her regular clothes. "And now-!"
"Hey! Shadow Hana-chan!" Shadow Doremi called, running up to the white Shadow, "So…what're you gonna do to her now?"
"I was getting to that." Shadow Hana smirked at her Light Half. Then, she gathered her magic and cast a spell, enveloping the young girl in a cloud of dark smoke. When it cleared, the two Shadows couldn't help but smirk. "Boy do you look…well, let's just say I wouldn't go out in public dressed like that!"
Hana looked at her Shadow in confusion. She then examined what she had done to her.
Her clothes had changed dramatically. From her point of view, she could see black arm-length fingerless gloves and a similarly colored plaid skirt that slightly exposed her inner thighs. She stood up, revealing dark-colored robot-like boots; metal anklets were present and they lacked a means of getting them off.
Shadow Hana and Shadow Doremi could barely stifle their snickering.
"Uh, can Hana-chan see herself in a mirror?" Hana asked innocently.
The two Shadows exchanged looks before turning back to their captive. "Pffft! Fine," Shadow Hana replied in a deadpan tone.
The white Shadow gathered her magic again and conjured a full sized mirror. Hana looked at her reflection and stood there in surprise at what stared back.
In addition to what she discerned earlier, Hana noticed she was wearing a black midriff-revealing top that seemed more than a little snug and a pair of dark-red ribbons with notched ends. She also wore a circlet with a more stylized "H" on it. All in all, it reminded her of her old "Commander Hana" outfit she wore a while back after getting into "the Battle Rangers", albeit darker, more evil, and something else she couldn't figure out.
"I know it's a little…eh…but…" Shadow Hana began in a faux affable tone. Shadow Doremi snickered. "But…I do say, you look positively-!"
"I love it…" Hana replied.
Shadow Hana's eye twitched while Shadow Doremi's smirk vanished. "Nani yo!?"
"Hana-chan loves it!"
Shadow Doremi jaw-dropped, speechless. Shadow Hana felt a vein appear on her forehead. "You…WHAT?! AGGHHH!" The white Shadow groaned and pulled at her hair in frustration. She quickly composed herself, but her eye still twitched. "W-Well I'm glad you like 'cause you're going to be WEARING it as long as you're down here!" Shadow Hana forcefully pocketed Hana's compact and then produced a small loaf of bread. "By the way. Dinner."
Shadow Hana threw the bread down to the floor of the cell. Hana looked at it in discontent. She looked back at her Shadow, but she had already stormed off.
"Let's see you trying going to bed in that thing," Shadow Doremi said venomously.
Hana looked around. "Um…How can Hana-chan go to bed when there isn't one?"
"Exactly." And with that, Shadow Doremi waltzed off and out of the dungeon, a mischievous grin plastered on her face.
Hana frowned. She was certain the floor was filthy and didn't want to get sick from eating off the floor. She had already started to think this was a bad idea…and this act cemented it. Hana collapsed to her knees, crying.
"I gotta say, little one," came the voice of "Majo Ruka", "But you did a pretty swell job of messing with your Shadow!"
"Eh? Oh, you again…" Hana said sadly, "Maybe Hana-chan shouldn't have tried to make friends with Shadow Hana…"
"Eh, that depends," the voice of "Majo Isabelle" replied, "But I applaud the effort nonetheless."
"Who are you two anyway?"
"Do our voices sound familiar? If so, then I'm sure you're met our Light Halves by now…"
Hana's eyes went wide. She knew the voices, but now she was certain who these people were called.
"You…over there!" Hana pointed to the cell across the centerline, "You're…Shadow Ruka?"
"Yep!" Shadow Ruka replied.
"And you…in the cell right next to mine…You're Shadow Isabelle?"
"Si!" Shadow Isabelle replied.
Hana couldn't believe it. Here she was, speaking to the Shadows of two of Jou-sama's enemies. But another thought crossed her mind: Were these two good…or just as evil as their Light Halves?
"Um…Shadow Isabelle-chan…?" Hana asked cautiously, "Your Light Half…Do you-?"
"Like her? Hah! Damn b***h wants to take over the world, and does a bad job at it." Hana heard Shadow Isabelle chuckle. "But…I do remember you from when she kidnapped you and Light Doremi…"
Hana was all ears by this point. However, she was getting tired and would thus have to wait until tomorrow to hear it. She guessed that Shadow Isabelle and Shadow Ruka heard her yawning and therefore decided against continuing.
Hana went over to a corner and attempted to remove the outfit. To her dismay, she was unable to stretch the top enough to get her arms through the holes and the skirt apparently had a metal ring inside that was too small to fit past her hips. Her gloves and boots were held there by the shackles and anklets, respectively, so removing them was out of the question too. Finally, she tried the circlet; it came off without a problem.
"Shadow Hana wasn't kidding," Hana muttered.
And with that, the white Ojamajo curled up and went to sleep on the hard floor. She was uncomfortable, both from the lack of a soft bed and from the costume she was wearing pinching her in certain places. She groaned.
It was going to be a long stay…
Morning came at a breakneck pace. Doremi was very nearly late for school…again. She thanked Pop for getting her up earlier than usual, but it was still a pain. Hopefully, Hazuki and Aiko would have told to principal and vice principal something to excuse Hana's absence, but she couldn't think of that right now.
By the time she got there, her friends were already inside, but it didn't matter. She rushed in, got to class, and seated herself. She looked sadly at Hana's empty seat as Seki came in.
Seki explained that Hana was going to be out sick for a few days and tasked everyone with making get-well cards. Yet, only Doremi and Momoko knew of what really happened, although a certain blue-haired boy was beginning to have his suspicions…
The day went by quickly enough. During lunch break, Doremi had half-heartedly tried to duel Kotake again, but he was already involved in one. And by the time he finished, there simply wasn't enough time to get a game in…much to Doremi's surprising relief. He asked later after school, but Doremi, still more than a little bummed about her bout with Shadow Hazuki, turned him down. She noticed that he felt more…distant.
Regardless, the red-haired girl walked past him. She noticed Takao and Masaru in a tag duel against Tamaki and Kaori. She had no idea who was winning, but she couldn't be bothered to investigate further.
The third day was slow to arrive, but it came by regardless. It was a school day, so Doremi knew she was going to take a while to get to the spot. Her anxiety weighed heavily on her psyche, ruining her focus and making her get even worse grades than usual.
Seki noticed the change and, after speaking to the red-haired girl about it, determined that it was because she was worried about Hana's "condition" potentially getting worse. Doremi was cheered up slightly, but at the same time saddened due to the truth of the matter. On the other hand, Seki was still worried about Yuki…and Doremi silently berated herself for being unable to tell Seki the truth there too.
The end of class came quickly enough. The girls were to meet at the Maho-Dou as usual. This time, it was for the mission to save Hana…and they were going to get her back no matter what it took.
"Pop-chan?" Onpu asked, "Did shadow Hana say anything about where Doremi-chan was to duel her at?"
Pop gave a worried look to everyone present. "She said to look for a clearing with a skull and crossbones burned into the ground," she explained, "But that's assuming she wasn't lying."
"If she did that…then it'll be all six of us against her," Aiko said, slightly angry.
"Seven, actually," Majo Rika added, "I'm coming with you too."
The girls chose not to argue with their mentor on this one. An extra Witch was good enough in case things went south. And without any further delay, the Ojamajos transformed and took off with Majo Rika. However, the sun was already moving toward the horizon, forcing the girls to search as fast as possible.
It didn't pay off as well as they hoped.
In their haste, everyone had completely missed the actual area twice each. By the time one of them -Pop- did, the sun had already begun to sink past the horizon. Still, they were relieved to find the target area. But the giant skull and crossbones burn mark was more than a little unsettling.
"Majo Rika, Majo Rika, Majo Rika…." Hazuki chanted.
"Hmm?" Majo Rika replied, "Why are you saying my name over and over, Hazuki-chan?"
Aiko gave a guilty cough. But by the time Majo Rika could turn to confront the blue Ojamajo, an annoyed groan came from the bushes.
"Y'know, I really thought you weren't going to show up," began the voice. Its source, Shadow Hana, emerged from the bushes. She looked frustrated. "And here I thought I was going to get to keep Light Hana all to myself."
"Can it, Shadow Hana!" Aiko ordered, "Where's Hana-chan?!"
"You'll see her soon enough." Shadow Hana sighed and shook her head. "As for you, Light Doremi." She turned toward the pink Ojamajo. "Get ready."
Shadow Hana conjured her Duel Disk once again. Doremi…did not.
"Doremi-chan!" Hazuki called, "Please!"
"If any of us duels her, it won't count!" Onpu warned.
"Do you or do you not want Hana-chan back?" Shadow Hana demanded. Her eyes went wide wt what she said. "Ahem! Light Hana?"
There was a silence. Everyone had heard what Shadow Hana had just said and weren't sure what to make of it all.
"Uhhh…okay?" Pop said, confused.
Shadow Hana groaned. "Ineedaminute!" The white Shadow didn't give any time for the girls to reply. By the time they could, she had already dived back into the bushes.
"What…the hell…was that?" Majo Rika asked incredulously.
"I have no idea," Momoko replied, "but we have some extra time now." She turned toward Doremi. "Doremi-chan? Are you sure your deck is ready?"
Doremi shook her head. She then took out her deck, and in the process, a wrapped-up card fell out of her pocket and onto the floor. Surprised, she picked up the card.
"It's the card Kotake-kun gave me," Doremi surmised. Her depressed frown quickly turned into a determined look as she unwrapped the card and, without even looking at it, inserted it into her deck. "Something tells me I should use it in the duel."
"Without even looking at it?" Pop inquired.
Doremi nodded.
It was around that time that Shadow Hana had re-emerged from the bushes. She was breathing heavily, likely from frustration.
"Okay, now that I'm composed," Shadow Hana began, "Are you ready, Light Doremi?"
"Hai!" Doremi replied. Se inserted her poron into her bracelet so as to change it into her Duel Disk. She inserted her deck into the deck slot, which then quickly shuffled itself. "Get ready, Shadow Hana. Because I won't hold back!"
Shadow Hana smirked as the two Duel Disks resonated and transferred them all to the Realm between Light and Shadow. "Wouldn't have it any other way, Light Doremi! But first…" Shadow Hana turned toward the bushes. "You can come out now, Light Hana!"
A rustling in the bushes told everyone that another person approached. When that person emerged, the others were shocked.
It was Hana alright, and she seemed normal. As she walked over to Shadow Hana's side and knelt, the girls saw what she was wearing. Their expressions ranged from surprised to disgust to abject confusion.
"Wh…What is Hana-chan wearing?!" Doremi asked.
"It looks kinda like her 'Commander Hana' costume, except its, uh…" Momoko began.
"More evil looking?" Pop finished. Momoko nodded.
"But why would you make Hana-chan wear that?" Hazuki asked.
"Uh, so, I, uh, could…you know, humiliate her in front of you, I guess?" Shadow Hana stammered. Her face was going red with flush. "I really don't know!"
Doremi grit her teeth in anger. "You made Hana-chan wear that because you could?!" she seethed, "Now I know I'll-!"
Before she could finish, Doremi was interrupted by three other Shadows appearing. They were Shadow Aiko, Shadow Hazuki, and shadow Doremi. And none of them looked too happy, and Shadow Hana knew it.
"Uh, guys!" Shadow Hana stuttered, "What brings you here? Come to see the-?"
"Change of plans, Shadow Hana-chan," Shadow Aiko spoke out.
"Black Queen-sama has deemed you unworthy of dueling to keep Light Hana locked up," Shadow Hazuki explained.
"So she's ordered one of us to take her down instead," Shadow Doremi finished, "Oh, why do I have to be last here?!"
"Stop complaining, Shadow Doremi-chan," Shadow Aiko ordered. She then turned to Shadow Hana. "I'll be Light Doremi's opponent here. Unless you want Black Queen-sama to come in and beat you senseless?"
Shadow Hana grit her teeth and backed down from the blue Shadow. Hana got up and followed the white Shadow to the sidelines. Neither seemed to glad to see these happen.
The Ojamajos, however, were confused even more. First, Shadow Hana addressed Hana as "Hana-chan", something she never did. And now her fellow Shadow Ojamajos were claiming that Black Queen didn't want her continuing the duel? They would have to take more time to absorb and digest these events before they could make any sense from them.
"What's going on here?" Onpu inquired.
Shadow Hazuki and Shadow Doremi turned to the purple Ojamajo. "That's none of your business!" they both replied.
"It has to do with Hana-chan," Pop retorted, "It is our business!"
"No it doesn't," Shadow Aiko retorted back, "See now, Shadow Hana-chan was normal on the day she dragged your brat to the dungeons. First day of her imprisonment, she's still normal. Second day…I have no idea what the f**k just happened! One moment, she's wanting to make Light Hana's life hell, and then the next she's practically friends with her Light Half!" She groaned angrily. "And don't think we didn't catch her calling her -'chan' either!"
"So there you have it," Shadow Hazuki said, "Why Black Queen-sama doesn't trust Shadow Hana-chan with this."
"But why is Shadow Aiko the one dueling?" Momoko asked.
Shadow Aiko gave a malicious smirk. "Just wanted to have my turn, that's all." The blue Shadow punctuated her sentence by cracking her knuckles. "And if Shadow Hazuki-chan can wipe the floor with you that thoroughly, then so can I!"
Shadow Aiko whipped out her poron and inserted it into her bracelet, causing it to form into her own Duel Disk. She then launched the Duel Anchor at Doremi, catching her and wrapping it around her arm. With a smirk, the blue Shadow inserted her deck into its slot and shuffled it.
"Good luck, Mama!" Hana called.
"Who said you could talk?!" Shadow Doremi yelled.
"I did," Shadow Hana replied. Shadow Doremi glared daggers at the white Shadow.
Both of Doremi and Shadow Aiko drew their opening hands and their LP meters raced to 8000.
"Duel!" They both shouted.
"I'll start things off," Shadow Aiko half-shouted, "Watashi no Turn! Draw!" The blue Shadow raised an eyebrow at her new card. "First, I'll summon Death Guide Departing the Demon World Bound for the Living World!"
At once, a fiendish looking bus appeared from the darkness. When it stopped, out stepped its driver: A roughly teenaged girl with small horns and a tiny fang (1000/600).
"Death Guide no kouka hatsudou! When she's normal summoned, Death Guide brings with her any Lv3 Fiend-type monster from my deck so long as its effects are negated and cannot be used a Synchro Material. I'll choose Death Bus Departing the demon World Bound for the Living World!"
And just like that, another bus followed in the first one's path. This time, no one got out, though the driver could still be discerned…and it was either the same girl who got out of the first one or her twin sister (1000/1000). Then, both the Guide and the Bus turned into purple orbs of energy and spiraled upwards.
"And with these two Lv3 monsters, I build the Overlay Network!" The two monsters spiraled into a galaxy-like vortex, which then erupted into an explosion of rainbow-colored energy. A core with several thick cylinders sticking out emerged from the vortex. At once, its pieces began moving across its surface, sinking in when necessary and expanding outward until it resembled a corroded giant dripping with some strange fluid (3000/3000). "Meet Number 30: Acid Golem of Destruction!"
"3000 ATK for only two Lv3 monsters?!" Doremi gasped.
"Seriously? This is the first time you've seen it?" Shadow Doremi mocked.
"Not like this, I haven't!"
"Well, whatever. I'm activating the spell Trade-In! By discarding one Lv8 monster, I can draw two cards!" Shadow Aiko inserted her cards into the graveyard slot and took her two cards from her deck. "I'll set one card. Turn end!" shadow Aiko smirked as she inserted her card. Seconds later, a reversed card appeared behind Acid Golem.
"So, what is Acid Golem good for?" Majo Rika asked.
"It's good as an easy-to-summon beatstick," Onpu replied, "But it has many horrible drawbacks to balance it out."
"Such as?"
"Atashi no Turn!" Doremi shouted, interrupting Majo Rika in the process, "Draw!" Doremi looked at the card she drew and smiled. "First, I'll summon Goblindbergh!"
Right then and there, three planes flew onto the scene. All three of them were carrying a six-sided metal crate (1400/0).
"And whenever I normal summon Goblindbergh, I can normal summon any Lv4 or below monster from my hand. So come on, Gagaga Magician!"
The crate landed on the ground and split open. Gagaga Magician emerged from it and nodded at Doremi (1500/1000).
Shadow Aiko chuckled. "And then you go for a Rank 4 Xyz, right?" She waved her finger in a "Tsk Tsk" manner. "Reverse card, open! Book of Moon hatsudou!" Suddenly, a blue light shined down on Gagaga Magician. He felt calmed down and relaxed until he finally withdrew into a reversed card. "Book of Moon targets any monster on the field and forces it face-down. And everyone knows you can't Xyz summon with face-down monsters…"
Doremi bit her lip. Her goal was to bring out a Rank 4 that could have taken on Acid Golem or at least stalled until then, but that plan was out the window. She looked at her others cards and found something that she was sure could help.
"Card set. Turn end." A reversed card appeared behind Goblindbergh. At least Goblindbergh switches to Defense Position when he use his ability…"
"That's all you can do, huh?" Shadow Aiko said venomously, "Watashi noTurn! Draw!" She looked at the card she drew…and then at Acid Golem as it leered at her. "I detach one Overlay from Acid Golem!" one of the blue lights orbiting Acid Golem vanished into the creature's seemingly open wound. Its expression softened and turned its attention back to Doremi. "Next, I'll activate Cyclone! With this, your set card is going bye bye!"
Right after Shadow Aiko inserted the card into its slot, a whirlwind kicked up and headed straight for Doremi's set card. It impacted it harshly, driving it into the ground and destroying it outright and revealing it as Holy Barrier -Mirror Force-.
"That trap is hardly useful nowadays," Shadow Aiko said nonchalantly, "Next, I'll use Magic Box of Death! Watch closely…"
A three layer box appeared around Acid Golem while an identical copy did the same with Doremi's set Gagaga Magician. Suddenly, many swords appeared and entered through slots on either side of the box on Shadow Aiko's field. But when that box opened…Doremi gasped in horror.
"Gagaga Magician…" Doremi said tearfully.
The box vanished from her opponent's field. "Oh, don't be sad, Light Doremi. You've got a new buddy on your field!"
The box on Doremi's field opened up, revealing an unharmed Acid Golem. It emerged and walked to Doremi's side.
"But why give me your most powerful monster?" Doremi asked.
"You'll see, Light Doremi…You'll see…" Shadow Aiko chuckled and smirked. "Turn end."
Doremi looked up at the massive Golem and gulped. "A-Atashi no turn! Draw!" She drew her card and frowned at it. She then noticed Acid Golem leering at her. And it seemed much more malevolent agasint her. "Uh…?"
"Acid Golem wants to know if you're going to detach his last Overlay right now," Shadow Aiko explained, "Of course, you could always take his punishment…"
"N-No way! I'll detach!" Doremi said. The last of Acid Golem's materials vanished into its open wound as it turned its attention back to Shadow Aiko. "There."
"And the card you detached was Death Bus, so its effect now activates!" A phantasmal bus appeared. It seemed to be ferrying another monster. "When sent to the graveyard, Death bus allows me to take any other monster from my graveyard and return it to my deck. I choose Death Guide!"
Shadow Aiko took the monster from her graveyard and added it back to her deck.
"This monster you gave me has 3000 ATK…and I plan to make use of them!" Doremi said defiantly, "Acid Golem! Attack Shadow Aiko directly!" Doremi breathed heavily. She had ordered her attack, but Acid Golem wasn't budging. When she turned to see why, she couldn't help herself. "Acid…Golem-?!"
Acid Golem was lounging around, tapping its acid-laced finger to a tune that was going through its head.
"What…the hell…is it doing?!" Majo Rika shouted in disbelief.
The other Ojamajos were at a loss for words.
"Yeah…" Shadow Doremi replied, "We were just as surprised as you when we first saw it!"
"Nothing like the show, now is it?" Shadow Hazuki deadpanned.
"Can someone tell me why it's not attacking?!" Doremi shouted.
"Simple," Shadow Aiko replied, "Acid Golem can't attack unless he has an Overlay attached. And isnce you detached his last one, well, guess."
"Tch!" Doremi grit her teeth. "I set one monster. Turn end."
A reversed card appeared by Acid Golem's side.
"Watashi no Turn! Draw!" Shadow Aiko took a look at her newly drawn card and smiled with malevolence. "I activate Trade-In! You know the drill with this right?" Doremi nodded as the blue Shadow discarded her Lv8 monster and took two more cards from her deck. "Next, I think I'll use your monsters a fodder for another huge monster!"
And just like that, Doremi's set monster –Penguin Soldier- and Goblindbergh vanished. And in their pace rose a massive behemoth made of molten rock. Doremi looked up at it just in time to find herself trapped inside a cage hanging from its neck. Already, she could feel the burning heat from its body and began fearing that she may die from the monster before the duel ends (3000/2500).
"Like it, Light Doremi?" Shadow Aiko mocked, "It's called Lava Devil – Lava Golem. And he's yours to command!"
"Eh?" Doremi looked up at the beast's head. It was staring down at her with clear malice in its eyes. She wiped the sweat from her forehead. "What…is this…thing…doing?"
"Oh, you'll see on your next turn…" The blue Shadow chuckled. "But first, I'll special summon two Torch tokens to my field so I can bring Torch Golem to your field!" At once, two small creatures with buzzsaws coming out of their heads appeared on Shadow Aiko's field (0/0). Then, a much bigger version of them appeared by Lava Golem's side (3000/300). "Once again, you have dominion of two really powerful monsters, Light Doremi…"
"What's she thinking?" Momoko asked, "Doremi-chan has two Lv8 3000 ATK monsters on her field!"
"Not to mention two Tokens that'll never really defend her," Aiko added.
"Not so fast," Onpu warned, "Lava Golem is useful getting rid of dangerous monsters your opponent controls. And most decks actually revolve around stopping it from attacking."
"But why?" Hazuki asked.
Onpu bit her lip. "Doremi-chan isn't kidding. I can feel the heat from all the way over here. If this keeps up, Doremi-chan won't last long!"
"And now I'll follow up by activating Zerozerock!" A barrier appeared around each of Shadow Aiko's Tokens. "Turn end."
By now, Doremi was panting from the heat. The Lava Golem trapping her wasn't letting up its torture, despite its power. She couldn't use Acid Golem, but she could easily use both the Torch Golem and Lava Golem in her possession.
"A…A…Atashi…no…Turn! Draw!" Doremi shouted. She was very tired form the heat. Suddenly, part of the Lava Golem dripped off and fell into the cage. Some of it even hit Doremi. AAIIIIEEEEEE!" she screamed…and her Life Points fell to 7000 as she clutched the seared area. "N-nani yo…?!"
"He's not all…" Shadow Aiko warned, smirking.
Doremi turned to Acid Golem, who was leering malevolently at her again. It saw that it had no more Overlays orbiting it and outstretched its hand toward the pink Ojamajo. Suddenly, Doremi found herself getting blasted by a thick stream of caustic liquid, which knocked the cage she was in into Lava Golem. She quickly found herself against the undrenched-in-lava side of the cage while recovering from Acid golem's attack. The lava dripped off the cage, but Doremi felt herself burning all over as her Life Points fell to 5000.
"Doremi-chan!" The Ojamajos called.
"Onee-chan!" Pop called.
"Mama!" Hana called.
Doremi collapsed to her knees. The heat from her prison was bad enough, but now things were worse than ever. But she felt it was about to change.
"This is torture," Hazuki cried, "Please be okay, Doremi-chan!"
"Of all the things to pull, Shadow Aiko," Aiko growled, "This is unforgivable!"
"You're the worst!" Momoko added.
"Hmph! A**holes…" Shadow Aiko muttered. She then saw Doremi getting back up. "Oh, still alive, huh?"
"Urusai, Shadow Aiko!" Doremi spat, "Its…still my turn. And I have two Lv8 monsters on my field!"
"Yeah, and? You can't special summon while Acid Golem is on your field"
"Eh?!"
"Oh, didn't you know? Oh, nevermind. Just try to Xyz summon. Go on. Go on!"
Doremi looked at both of her monsters in worry. "With these two Lv8 monsters, I build the Overlay Network!" Torch Golem and Lava Golem attempted to turn into a purple and red orb of energy, respectively. However, Acid Golem exuded a cloud that seemed to stop the process. "What's going on?"
"Like I said: Acid Golem bars your special summons…including your Xyz summons!"
Doremi bit her lip. "Then…I'll attack your Torch Token with Torch Golem!"
Torch Golem lumbered forward and began spinning its massive buzzsaw. But then it ceased moving, making Doremi clench her fist. She noticed that something was stopping the Golem from moving.
"Like my Zerozerock?" Shadow Aiko mockingly asked, "It stops you from attacking anything with 0 ATK!"
And with those words, Doremi felt her heart sink. She once again collapsed to her knees, this time out of depression than injury.
"Mama! You have to get up!" Hana called, "You're the only one who can set me free from them!"
Gomennasai…Hana-chan, Doremi thought, But I've failed you…I've failed everyone…
"Onee-chan!" Pop angrily called, "You can't give up like this! You must have a card that can turn this around!"
Doremi got up, but her expression did not change. "I'll switch all of my monsters to Defense Position," she said. Torch Golem, Lava golem, and Acid Golem knelt down. "Then…I'll set one card. Turn end."
Shadow Aiko shook her head, chuckling and smirking. "I've really got you beat, don't I? Watashi no Turn! Draw!" The blue Shadow sighed at the card she drew but smirked at another card in her hand. "This is the second-to-last turn in the duel, Light Doremi! I'm activating the spell Dark Calling!"
Shadow Aiko inserted the card into the slot. At once, purple smoke erupted from the ground.
"What…does that do?" Doremi asked.
"It banishes monsters from my hand or graveyard and uses it to Fusion Summon any monster that normally needs Dark Fusion to bring out!" Two images, one of another Torch Golem and the other of Magnet Warrior, Magnet Valkyrion, appeared within the smoke. "And the monster I choose is…Evil HERO Dark Gaia!"
The purple smoke thickened as Shadow Aiko pocketed the two monsters. It thinned slightly as a shape took form. What emerged was a demonic monstrosity that seemed to be made of rock (?/0).
"Dark Gaia's ATK is equal to the combined original ATK of the monsters used to summon it. You already know the ATK of Torch Golem, so that should give an idea." Dark Gaia grinned maliciously at Doremi (?-6500/0). "And…Valkyrion had 3500 ATK."
"6500 ATK?!" Pop gasped, "Ohhh, this is not gonna end well…"
"But Doremi-chan's monsters are in Defense Position, right?"
"And now, Dark Gaia!" Shadow Aiko shouted, "Attack Torch Golem! Dark Catastrophe!" Dark Gaia flew up into the air and gathered a ball of red energy. "Dark Gaia no kouka hatsudou! When he attacks, I can force all of your monsters to Attack Position!" An earthquake generated by Dark Gaia's impending attack disoriented all of the monsters on Doremi's field. Their defenses fell apart immediately. "Now finish her off!"
Time seemed to slow for Doremi. She could only stare in horror as she found herself on the receiving end of that monster's attack. She had failed, she was sure of it. She remembered her set card, but she wasn't sure if it would really matter in the end. Lava Golem and Acid Golem were inflicting heavy damage each turn after she draws, and she was sure that her set card would only delay her defeat. Even if she did use it, Shadow Aiko would only have to end her next turn and she would be done for. But another thought struck her: She still had her dignity…and she could at least retain some of it if she did some damage.
"Reverse…card…open!" Doremi shouted, "Magic Cylinder…hatsudou!"
"What?!" Shadow Aiko yelled, surprised. At once, two cylinders appeared before Torch Golem, one of which pointed at Shadow Aiko. Dark Gaia's attack went inside one of them and then emerged out the other…and immediately headed for Shadow Aiko. She screamed as the attack slammed into her, reducing her Life Points to 1500. "Goddammit…Should've seen that one…coming…" She grit her teeth in anger. "I'll set one card. Turn end!"
"This is it, minna-san," Onpu said gravely, "Doremi-chan only has this turn left…and then Shadow Aiko wins."
"And to make things worse," Momoko grimly added, "Doremi-chan can't use DESTINY DRAW because her Life Points are too high!"
Doremi stared at the blue Shadow from the cage. Her vision was starting to blur from exhaustion. The heat was getting to her, and she knew that good and well. If she didn't do something soon…get lucky with this draw…then it was going to be over regardless.
"Atashi…no…Turn. Draw…" Doremi said slowly. She touched the top of her deck…and immediately felt a strange sensation. Kotake-kun's…card…? Doremi drew her card and saw what it was. Her vision was still blurry, preventing her from discerning everything. This is…it? It has no ATK or DEF. But…I can use it right now. At least…Kotake-kun will be by my side here…
Doremi didn't even try to protect herself when Lava Golem dripped a little more of itself onto her. She screamed in pain again as more of her body was seared and as her Life Points fell to 4000. And then Acid Golem blasted her once again with even more of its caustic liquid, reducing her to 2000 Life Points. At this point, she could barely stand, leaning on the cage for balance.
"Tuckered out, aren't you?" Shadow Aiko taunted, "Anyone here think this loser can't continue anymore?"
"Mama…" Hana muttered.
"I…I release Lava Devil - Lava Golem and Number 30: Acid Golem of Destruction!" Doremi shouted tiredly. Both dangerous Golems vanished, freeing Doremi from Lava Golem's cage and letting her drift down to the ground. She landed, but not softly. Still, she managed to at least get to her knees and continue her play. "I…tribute summon…Temporal Machine God – Metaion!"
From the remnants of the Lava and Acid Golems rose what seemed to be some kind of machine. Its appearance gave the implication of some kind of angel, but a screen adorned its chest. Suddenly, a face appeared on that screen, gazing at the battle field (0/0).
"I change Torch golem…back to Defense Position…" Doremi muttered. Torch Golem knelt down again. "Turn…end…"
"You released those two golems…for a monster with 0 ATK?" Shadow Aiko half shouted. She then burst into laughter. "Damn, Light Doremi! You really are desperate!"
"Shadow Ai-chan!" Shadow Hazuki called, "Listen to me! Whatever you do, do not attack that thing! Please!"
"Why not? Watashi no Turn! Draw!" Shadow Aiko took the card and looked at it. "You remember this girl, right?" Death Guide once again appeared on the field. This time, her passenger was another Death Guide. "How about I toy with you a bit?" Both Death guides turned into orbs of purple energy and spiraled upward. "With these two Lv3 monsters, I build the Overlay Network!"
Both monsters spiraled into a galaxy-like vortex, which then erupted in an explosion of rainbow-colored energy. A structure shaped like a massive wrapping with six wings and a glowing purple core emerged. It quickly unwrapped itself, taking the form of a giant, six-winged dragon (2000/0)
"Meet Number 17: Leviath Dragon! And I'm going to activates its ability: By detaching one Overlay, It gains 500 ATK!" Leviath Dragon devoured one of the lights orbiting it, causing it to glow blue (200-2500/0). "And now, attack that Torch Golem! Vice Stream!"
Leviath Dragon seemed all too eager to attack its target. The creature was defending itself, but it was incapable of standing up to the attack. It fell to the blast and was disintegrated.
"And now Dark Gaia…Wipe out that Time machine…angel…thing! Dark Catastrophe!"
"Shadow Ai-chan! NOOO!" Shadow Hazuki screamed.
"What's the big wuff about that card?" Shadow Doremi half-demanded, "It's only got 0 ATK!"
"Ohh, she's going to regret attacking that thing…"
Dark Gaia gave one final roar as he threw his sphere of energy at the Angel. It impacted hard, leaving a massive cloud in its wake.
"Metaion!" Doremi cried.
Right then and there, the shockwave from the blast struck Doremi knocking her down and enveloping her in the cloud of dust.
Everyone feared the worst had happened.
"D-Doremi-chan…" Onpu cried.
"U-usou…" Hazuki said sadly.
"This can't be…" Aiko muttered.
"Onee-chan? Onee-chan! Onee-chan!" Pop called.
"Mama…Please…Mama!" Hana cried.
"It's really too bad," Shadow Aiko said, smirking, "It's her fault for leaving that-!"
"Idiot!" Shadow Hazuki shouted, "Look again!"
Shadow Aiko turned back to the duel…and her smirk quickly changed into an expression of shock and horror. The other Ojamajos noticed what she was looking at and were also surprised…and their hopes were renewed. Doremi, who had been shielding herself, opened her eyes and saw it for herself.
Metaion was still floating there, completely unharmed. His arms were outstretched, using himself as a shield. Metaion himself was glaring at Shadow Aiko and Dark Gaia, invoking fear in her.
"Uh…turn end?" Shadow Aiko asked.
Metaion didn't let her say anything else. Instead, he conjured a wave of fire which spread across the entire field, striking Both Evil GERO Dark Gaia and Number 17: Leviath Dragon. Both were enveloped by it and quickly vanished from the field. And before Shadow Aiko could ask what just happened, she was struck hard by the flames, throwing her a good distance back and completely snapping the Duel anchor.
"THIS ISN'T HAPPENING!" Shadow Aiko shouted as her Life Points fell to 900.
Shadow Aiko was slammed hard into a nearby tree. She quickly slid down to the ground, but it was clear she was more than a little hurt. She tried to get back up and even say something, only to fall unconscious.
The other Shadow Ojamajos looked at her with shock.
"I warned her not to attack that thing…" Shadow Hazuki muttered.
"Shadow Ai-chan!" Shadow Doremi called. She rushed over to the blue Shadow's unconscious form. "Shadow Ai-chan!"
"I think Shadow Aiko can't go on!" Aiko said.
"Which means Doremi-chan wins by default!" Momoko said happily.
Shadow Hana looked over at the Ojamajos and then at Hana and finally at her fellows. Shadow Aiko was going to be out for a while and would likely face a stiff punishment from Black Queen when she woke up. She shook her head and went over to the Ojamajos; she gestured for Hana to follow, which she did.
The Ojamajos got defensive when the white Shadow approached Doremi and quickly rushed over to the scene. They surrounded the exhausted pink Ojamajo and prevented Shadow Hana from getting any closer.
"That's as far as you go, Shadow Hana!" Onpu warned.
"You're not going back on your word this time!" Aiko added.
"So you'd rather me keep your friend then, is that right?" Shadow Hana deadpanned, "If that's the case, I'm more than glad to-!"
"Minna-san…" Doremi said weakly, "Let…me see…her." The Ojamajos parted from their tired fellow and even helped her get up. Hazuki gave her support. "Please…give Hana-chan back to us…"
"That was my intention if you ever won…" Hana beamed at her Shadow's comment. "But first." Shadow Hana gathered some magic and then let it wash over the white Ojamajo. Immediately, the shackles and anklets fell off; Hana rubbed her wrists. "That get up I made her wear was the type of costume you needed magic to get out of. That's no longer the case." Shadow Hana turned to her Light Half. "You're free to go."
Hana nodded and smiled. She then rushed over to Doremi and hugged her.
"Mama! Hana-chan missed you so much…!" Hana said, tears streaming down her face, "Arigatou! Arigatou! Arigatou!"
"It's okay, Hana-chan," Doremi replied, "We're here. We're all here for you…"
"Then I guess it's time to head back," Majo Rika said. She looked closely at a seemingly random point and snapped her fingers. Immediately, a hole appeared that led back to Ningen Kai. "Well, what do you know? You girls don't need Magical Stage to into this dimension!"
While that was going on, Shadow Doremi and Shadow Hazuki had already left, carrying Shadow Aiko as the y did so. Shadow Hana was still there, watching the girls from where she last stood. She frowned, but Doremi got the impression that it wasn't real.
"Don't get too comfortable, Light Ojamajos," Shadow Hana warned, "Next time we meet , we're enemies again." She reached into her pocket and pulled something out. "By the way: Light Hana will be needing this."
Shadow Hana tossed the object to the Ojamajos. Aiko caught it…and quickly identified it.
"Hana-chan's compact!" Aiko half-shouted, "Demo ne, why would you-?"
"Like I said: I'm being lenient this time. What? You'd rather me not be lenient?"
"What are ya trying to pull?"
Shadow Hana scoffed. "Oh, nothing. Just giving Hana-chan back to you." She quickly realized what she just said. "Oh! Uh, oh my god! I really must watch my mouth better! You guys head on back! I need to iron my voice!"
The Ojamajos just stood there, dumbfounded, as the white Shadow vanished into the shadows. Her actions raised many questions. What exactly happened while Hana was their prisoner? Why did it seem as though she was forcing herself to be cruel? And why did Hana seem more comfortable in her presence when the duel went on? Ultimately, the girls chose to keep those out in the open.
"Come on, Hana-chan" Doremi said, "Let's get you home and out of that costume."
Hana smiled. "Hai."
And with that, everyone left though the portal and headed back to the Maho-Dou…
It had been two hours since she returned to the shop. Hana had never been so happy to see her room and to see her old bed. Two things she took for granted…minor things, but things she felt comfortable with regardless.
She was still wearing the costume her Shadow forced her to wear. Had hadn't removed it, which caused a level of worry from the other Ojamajos. It was justifiable, but she couldn't tell them the truth. Not yet anyway.
For them, her imprisonment was a three-day torture. But for her, it was far more than that. And far longer in a way they could never imagine. It would be something to tell them, but not now.
But it was getting late. And even though it was more comfortable to wear now, Hana missed her old clothes and proceeded to remove the costume. Thankfully, the top stretched far enough apart for her to fit her arms through the holes. Next came the skirt, which no longer had the metal ring inside. The boots and gloves came off as well now that the shackles and anklets were gone. Finally, the circlet was removed.
One she finished, Hana quickly changed into her pajamas and hid the costume in her closet. Once that was done, she crawled into bed. But before she could fall asleep, a figure appeared in her room. She knew who it was.
"Shadow Hana-chan?" Hana inquired, "What are you doing here?"
Shadow Hana sighed. "I would like to know how you want that costume destroyed…"
"Nani? Does it have to be destroyed?"
Shadow Hana tilted her head. "I…I didn't think really liked it after what you want through while wearing it. I just…well, I didn't want you to have such a reminder of that experience."
Hana shook her head. "Hana-chan doesn't mind, Shadow Hana-chan. Like I said: I love it. It may be a darker version of my 'Commander Hana' costume, but I love it no matter what. It'll be a symbol of our friendship. Please?"
Shadow Hana gulped. "If you say so. But what happens if they find out?"
"I'm sure they'll understand," Hana replied. She then leaned forward and hugged her Shadow. She returned the hug. "Hana-chan knew there was good in you. I'm happy I found it…"
The two released one another from each other's grip. "Well, I gotta go now. Even if we're on opposite sides of the battle, we can still be friends, right?"
"Un!"
And with that, Shadow Hana, smiling sweetly, vanished back into the shadows. Hana turned off her lamp and, yawning, went to sleep.
She tried and tried again, but it didn't work. Majorin had changed into her Super Witch form and had been trying to heal Jou-sama of her infection to no avail. And she had been trying for three days straight. By now, she was barely conscious, and was unable to maintain her powerful state. She reverted to normal as the Seven Seals fell to the floor.
"Naze…yo?" Majorin asked, gasping, "Why…can't I heal her…?"
Majo Heart helped the red-violet Witch up and placed her on a cot. "Please, Majorin," the doctor pleaded, "You've spent too much energy already. If you keep going, then you will die!"
"If…If it means I…can…can save Jou-sama…then I…I…I…" Majorin fell unconscious. Majo Heart shook her head.
"Gomennasai…Majorin-san."
Featured Duel: Doremi vs. Shadow Aiko
Doremi LP (8000) – Shadow Aiko LP (8000)
Shadow Aiko's turn:
Shadow Aiko has Grinder Golem, Book of Moon, Lava Golem, Tour Guide from the Underworld, and Trade-In as her opening hand. She draws Mystic Box.
Shadow Aiko normal summons Tour Guide from the Underworld. She then uses its effect to special summon a Tour Bus from the Underworld from her deck. She then overlays Tour Guide and Tour Bus to Xyz summon Number 30: Acid Golem of Destruction. She then activates Trade-In, discarding Grinder Golem and drawing Dark Calling and Valkyrion the Magna Warrior. She sets Book of Moon and ends.
Doremi's turn:
Doremi has Gagaga Girl, Gagaga Magician, Pot of Duality, Goblindbergh, and Penguin Soldier as her opening hand. She draws Mirror Force.
Doremi normal summons Goblindbergh and uses his effect to special summon Gagaga Magician from her hand; Goblindbergh is switched to Defense Position as a result. Shadow Aiko activates Book of Moon and flips Gagaga Magician face-down. Doremi sets Mirror Force and ends.
Doremi LP (8000) – Shadow Aiko LP (8000)
Shadow Aiko's turn:
Shadow Aiko draws Mystical Space Typhoon.
During her Standby Phase, Shadow Aiko detaches Tour Guide from Acid Golem to avoid taking damage.
She activates Mystical Space Typhoon, targeting and destroying Doremi's set Mirror Force. She then activates Mystic Box, targeting Acid Golem and Doremi's set Magician; the latter is destroyed while Acid Golem goes to Doremi's field. Shadow Aiko ends.
Doremi's turn:
Doremi draws Marshmallon.
During her Standby Phase, Doremi detaches Tour Bus from Acid Golem to avoid taking damage. Since Tour Bus was sent to Shadow Aiko's graveyard, Shadow Aiko can shuffle one monster from her graveyard into her deck; she chooses Tour Guide. Doremi also cannot special summon monsters. She activates Pot of Duality, revealing Thunder King Rai-Oh, Summoner Monk, and Gagagarevenge; she adds Thunder King to her hand and shuffles the rest into her deck. She sets Penguin Soldier and ends.
Doremi LP (8000) – Shadow Aiko LP (8000)
Shadow Aiko's turn:
Shadw Aiko draws Trade-In.
Shadow Aiko activates Trade-In, discarding Valkyrion and drawing Grinder Golem and Zerozerock. She then tributes Doremi's Goblindbergh and set Penguin soldier to special summon Lava Golem to her field. She then special summons two Grinder Tokens to her field to special summon Grinder Golem to Doremi's field. She follows by activating Zerozerock and ending.
Doremi's turn:
Doremi draws Magic Cylinder.
During her Standby Phase, Doremi takes 1000 damage from Lava Golem and then takes another 2000 from Acid Golem since she cannot detach any Xyz materials from it. Since Acid Golem prevents special summons, Doremi is unable to overlay Lava Golem and Grinder Golem for any Xyz summons.
Doremi enters her Battle Phase but cannot attack whatsoever thanks to Zerozerock. She switches her monsters to Defense Position, sets Magic Cylinder, and ends.
Doremi LP (5000) – Shadow Aiko LP (8000)
Shadow Aiko's turn:
Shadow Aiko draws Return from the Different Dimension.
Shadow Aiko activates Dark Calling, banishing the Grinder Golem and Valkyrion from her graveyard and Fusion summoning Evil Hero Dark Gaia; Dark Gaia's ATK is the combined original ATK of the Fusion Material monsters, so its ATK is 6500.
Shadow Aiko attacks Grinder Golem with Dark Gaia; she activates its effect, switching all monsters Doremi controls to Attack Position. Doremi activates Magic Cylinder, negating the attack and inflicting 6500 damage to Shadow Aiko.
Shadow Aiko sets Return from the Different Dimension and ends.
Doremi's turn:
Doremi draws Metaion, the Timelord.
During her Standby Phase, Doremi takes 1000 damage from Lava Golem and 2000 from Acid Golem.
Doremi tributes Lava and Acid Golem to tribute summon Metaion, the Timelord. She switches Grinder Golem back to Defense Position and ends.
Doremi LP (2000) – Shadow Aiko LP (1500)
Shadow Aiko's turn:
Shadow Aiko draws Tour Guide from the Underworld.
Shadow Aiko summons Tour Guide from the Underworld and uses her effect to special summon another Tour Guide from her deck. She then overlays both to Xyz summon Number 17: Leviathan Dragon.
Shadow Aiko attacks Doremi's Defense Position Grinder Golem with Leviathan Dragon, destroying it. She then attacks Metaion with Dark Gaia; Metaion cannot be destroyed by battle and Doremi takes no Battle Damage.
At the end of the Battle Phase, Metaion's effect activates, returning all other monsters to their owner's hands and inflicting 300 damage to Shadow Aiko for each card; cards returned to the Extra Deck also count toward this damage but tokens do not. Three other monsters and two tokens exist on the field, so they're all returned and Shadow Aiko takes 600 damage total.
Shadow Aiko is unable to continue at this point.
Doremi LP (2000) – Shadow Aiko LP (900)
Doremi wins!
Who does this guy think he is?! He marches into the Castle, challenges us to a duel, and then goes around acting like he's won! And now he has the nerve to insult the both of us?! That tears it. I'm going to make him pay!
I can't let this jerk get to us like easily. But she has already accepted his challenge. And he thinks he can take on both of us and "ensure we don't win". So I'm going to aid her…and make it a two-on-one duel.
Fffffft! Amateurs…
Steelswarm has begun its approach…
A/N: There is indeed far more to Hana's imprisonment by the Shadows than has been revealed. However, it will not be detailed in this fic. Instead, I will detail it in a one-shot side story after I finsh this story. Until then.
