(Chapter 7 – Kurisutaru and Saratu's Past Revealed! Yami no Game!)
Saratu sighed as she sat on the end of Kurisutaru's bed, casting a worried glance over to her sister as she tossed around in her sleep. She jumped a little when her sister suddenly shot awake, panting heavily and sweating.
"O-oneechan?" Kurisutaru stammered a little, still panting.
"Another nightmare?" Saratu questioned, floating over to her sister's side.
Kurisutaru nodded, calming herself down a little. "Everyone was blaming me for you and Rianu-niichan's disappearances... Then there was..." She cut herself off as she glanced over to the doll sat on the other side of the room.
(Flashback, 8 Years Ago)
"Leave Kuri-chan out of this, Ayra!" Saratu demanded. (Saratu's LP: 1700).
Her opponent looked to be Kurisutaru, except with the smirking expression on her face, Saratu knew otherwise. (Ayra's LP: 600) A dark mist surrounded the two of them. She shrugged. "Your sister is my host in this duel. If you want to settle this, you have no choice but to go through her." She replied. She had the Phoenix God of Nephthys on her field, being controlled by her Dark Necrophia.
'Oneechan's in a mess here... She wants to stop Kimura, but this spirit knows she won't sacrifice me to do it...' Kurisutaru thought as she looked on. 'I was scared of becoming a doll before, but... but I have to convince her to move on...'
A faint red aura began to appear around Kurisutaru's body, confusing Ayra as she dropped to her knees and lost control of the girl's body. Tears formed in her eyes. "Saratu-neechan..."
Saratu's head snapped up as she heard her little sister's voice. "Kuri-chan... I'm sorry I got you into this..." She told her.
Kurisutaru shook her head. "Oniichan and me decided to look for you, what happened isn't your fault..." She replied. "Please, defeat her and move on!" She pleaded. The red glow died down as she finished speaking, and she got back onto her feet.
"I... have to protect you Kuri-chan. Now that Rianu-niichan is dead, I have to protect you..." Saratu said, before turning to Yuugi and Jyonouchi. "I guess... I was only meant to bring this challenge to you, Yuugi." She added to him before turning back to her opponent. "Finish it!"
"Rethink this, Saratu!" Jyonouchi called to her, but Yuugi shook his head, causing him to turn his attention to him. "You know we can't just let her throw herself away like this, Yuugi!"
"This is Saratu's decision." Yuugi simply replied.
Ayra thrust her arm forward, pointing to Saratu. "Phoenix God of Nephthys, attack your Guiding Hand! Prominent Sky Flare!" She ordered. Nephthys took to the air, spreading her wings out widely, before forcibly flapping them with a loud cry and shooting flames down at Saratu. The force of the attack knocked her off her feet, and brought her Life Points down to 0.
The stiffness Saratu had been feeling throughout the duel that only got worse as her Life Points decreased began to spread throughout the rest of her body. Kurisutaru's normal eye's returned as she forced herself back into control again, and rushed over to her older sister, Yuugi and Jyonouchi quickly following. "Oneechan..." She sobbed as tears began to form and fall from her eyes.
Saratu's transformation spread through her body quickly, and she was completely pale now. She was only able to pat Kurisutaru's head and mouth "It's not your fault..." then give her a small smile to reassure her before she stiffened up completely and started to shrink. Everyone lost sight of her as she shrunk into her clothes.
After all that she had seen, Kurisutaru couldn't believe her eyes as she reached into the discarded pile of clothes and found the newly made doll, that was clad in a bright yellow dress that looked exactly like Saratu. She hugged her sister to her chest and let herself cry out.
Shortly after Kurisutaru began though, she stopped. Yuugi noticed the younger girl's eyes had turned dull again. She reached for Saratu's deck and pulled out one of her Phoenix God of Nephthys cards. In a low voice Ayra said something neither Yuugi nor Jyonouchi could understand. As she did, a white glow appeared around Saratu that then transferred over to the card. Right after she did though, the red aura returned, more intense than before.
(Present Day...)
"Then I wake up, like when I blacked out back then." Kurisutaru finished.
"Yuugi told me you summoned your Ka and she forced Ayra out of your body." Saratu said, before putting a hand on her sister's shoulder. "Just don't let it get you down Kuri-chan. I know... it was a lot to take in back then, but we pulled through it." She assured her.
"I tried to put it behind me back then, but I couldn't shake that fear of dueling I developed during that whole incident. If I hadn't met Naiga-kun, I probably wouldn't be dueling now." Kurisutaru replied.
Saratu nodded. "Yuugi and I tried to get you to overcome your fear, but it only began to work after you met him. What got you to change your mind?" She asked.
"It was... I guess seeing him and his friends dueling without a care, enjoying themselves so much." Kurisutaru answered with a smile, as she looked back on it. She glanced at the clock sat on the table beside her bed, with it reading 6:20 AM. Deciding she wouldn't get back to sleep now, Kurisutaru chose to get up and head
down to the dorm's cafeteria for breakfast. As she got herself dressed into her uniform, she noticed something. Michirure wasn't in her bed. 'She's never gone down for breakfast this early, I wonder what's up.' She thought as she finished putting her uniform on.
(Ra Girl's Dorm Cafeteria)
Looking around, it was the emptiest that Kurisutaru had seen the cafeteria since starting at the Academia. Few of the girls were around. She got her breakfast then quickly spotted her roommate, and took a seat next to her. "This is the first time I've seen you down here so early Michirure-san."
Michirure glared at her. "This is the first time I've had you wake me up. And I hope it's the last." She said before going back to eating.
Kurisutaru sweatdropped. "Um... Sorry about that. I got talking to a friend from home." She lied. She didn't expect Michirure to believe who she was really talking to.
"What kind of friend calls you at 6 AM?" Michirure snapped as she finished eating, got up then left.
"Someone's crabby this morning." Saratu remarked as she appeared.
"I just guess she's not much of an early morning person." Kurisutaru replied.
"Anyway Kuri-chan, I'm going to leave you to eat and go explore the island some more. See you later." Saratu said to her before vanishing from sight.
'Will she do that all year?' Kurisutaru asked herself as she started to eat. As she ate, she noticed more of the dorm enter the cafeteria. Eventually she saw Denierure enter. 'I was surprised when Neechan told me how Shinoko-sensei knew her. Another of Ayra's victims 8 years ago.' She thought to herself.
(Obelisk Boy's Dorms)
"No Father, things are going well here. Some of the new students seem to have some potential to push the rest of the students. It's still early days of the year, but depending on how things go you might be making an appearance at the Academy by the end of the year." Rianu said over a video call.
"Just keep an eye on anyone you think might be worth our time in the Pro League. I don't want to make a wasted journey." His father replied before hanging up.
Rianu sighed. 'Same old father, all business' He thought. Taking a walk onto his room's balcony, he looked up at the Academia.
(Ra Girl's Dorm)
Michirure threw herself onto her bed, considering setting her alarm clock and getting some sleep before class. 'I've not had enough sleep; another hour should do me
some good.' She thought as she grabbed the alarm clock beside her bed, set it, then placed it back on the table before attempting to get back to sleep.
Moments later, Kurisutaru's doll blinked, then floated up to its feet. From the table beside Kurisutaru's bed, it could see Michirure. Floating itself over to the dark haired girl, it set itself down right beside her, then placed a porcelain hand on her forehead. 'Hmm... You're her roommate... You'll do I guess..." The doll thought, then whispered something out loud while keeping its hand on the girl's forehead. After a moment of doing this, the doll dropped all life and Michirure seemed to wake up.
Michirure smiled evilly and picked up the doll, moving her other hand over the doll's head. A faint glow appeared around it, and then died down. She rose up from the bed and returned the doll to the table beside her roommate's bed. 'Don't want this one waking up yet, now do we?" She thought, before leaving the dorm.
(Main Academia Building, later...)
"Okay students, you're dismissed. Have a good evening." Denierure told the class, before remembering something. "Oh, Kurisutaru-chan, I need to speak with you. Would you mind staying behind?" She requested.
Kurisutaru shook her head, while everyone else was getting up and leaving. After they'd gone, she got up and walked down to the front of the class. "What's up Shinoko-sensei?"
"It's about your roommate, Osaka Michirure. I take some of her classes. She hasn't been in classes today. I checked the sign in records earlier, and she hasn't even stepped into the main Academy today. Do you happen to know why?" Denierure asked.
Kurisutaru shook her head. "She didn't say anything to me and the last time I saw her was this morning." She answered. "I accidently woke her up early, and she was cranky at breakfast but after she left the cafeteria I don't know where she went." She answered.
"Okay, thanks Kurisutaru-chan. When you next see her, tell her I want to see her." Denierure said.
"I'll make sure to remember." Kurisutaru replied as she bowed, then left the room. 'Michirure-san's not been in class? Something has to be up.' She thought.
(Outside the Academy...)
Naiga noticed Kurisutaru exit the Academy through the main doors, knowing she'd expect him to wait for her. He then noticed the worried look on her face. "Huh? What did Shinoko-sensei want to see you about?" He questioned.
"It's Michirure-san; she's not been in class today." Kurisutaru replied, getting a blank look from Naiga. "Oh! I haven't introduced you yet. She's my roommate." She added.
"If you're worried, want me to help you look for her?" Naiga asked.
Kurisutaru shook her head. "It's a big island, but I think I know where she'd be." She answered.
(Ra Girl's Dorm...)
"None of you have seen her?" Kurisutaru asked, two of the three Ra girls she had asked shook their heads.
"Um... She did say she was going back to her room earlier, but that was this morning..." The other girl replied.
"Don't worry, it helps. Thanks." Kurisutaru assured her, before the three of them left. 'She went back to the dorm this morning? I went back after breakfast and she wasn't there... Did something come up?' She wondered. She headed back up to her room, a couple of other girls challenged her to duels on the way, but she declined.
As Kurisutaru reached her dorm room, everything looked as it did when she left that morning for class. Saratu floated into the room, noticing the worried look on her sister's face. "This about Michirure?" She asked. Kurisutaru nodded in response, and then made to ask something, but Saratu put a hand up, signalling for her to stop. "I was about the main Academy earlier, Denierure informed me." She added.
"Well, did you look around since you heard about this?" Kurisutaru questioned.
Saratu nodded. "I saw her leaving the dorm earlier. Last time I saw her she was in the forest, grab your duel disk and I'll show you where." She replied.
(Forest Area, later...)
"It was around here Kuri-chan." Saratu told her as the two walked on.
"So you finally caught up. I was getting bored." A voice said, as Michirure dropped herself down out of one of the trees.
"Michirure-san! Where'd you go? I..." Kurisutaru began, but cut herself off when she saw what the older girl was holding. "...Why do you..." She spoke but Michirure cut her off. It was her doll.
"Just wanted to get your attention, that's all." Michirure replied.
"Michirure-san...?" Kurisutaru asked.
"Hmm? Oh, how good it is to see both of you again." Michirure said as she noticed Saratu, sounding very differently to how she usually spoke.
Kurisutaru knew her sister didn't like Michirure all that much, but she looked confused when she saw the glare her sister gave. "Neechan?" She questioned, confused.
"I know that look anywhere. Why were you hiding in there, Ayra?! What'd you do with Michirure?!" Saratu demanded.
Kurisutaru gasped as she heard the name. 'Why's she here?' She thought to herself.
"Come now Saratu, did you think I would never use your body? With it like it is, it made the perfect hiding place to keep close to little Kuri-chan without either of you knowing." Ayra replied with a laugh.
"But why me?" Kurisutaru asked.
"To put it quite simply, I want you. I want you to join your sister as part of my collection, so I can play with your minds as I please, after all the trouble I've had to get hold of both of you." Ayra answered. "Oh, and about your friend? Don't worry. She's right here..." She added, gesturing to the doll in her hand, Saratu's body. She then moved her free hand over the doll's head and quickly whispered something before some energy formed around the doll.
The energy died down, and the doll's eyes blinked a couple of times. "Wh-where am I...? Why do I feel so stiff...?" Michirure's voice asked from the doll. Seeing her confusion made Ayra laugh.
"That's not funny! Put her back in her body!" Kurisutaru demanded.
Ayra calmed herself down a few moments later, before speaking. "How about this then. We duel. You win and I'll willingly switch back with her. But if I win, you'll become a doll, just like your sister." She offered.
"Kuri-chan, let me possess you. You aren't ready to duel someone like Ayra!" Saratu requested.
Kurisutaru shook her head. "I remember how unpredictable Ayra is during a duel, but I'm not going to back down because of that." She answered, then returned her attention to Ayra and activated her Duel Disk. "I expected to have to duel Michirure to get Saratu's body back, but I never expected this..." She thought.
"So you accept my terms?" Ayra questioned, getting a nod from Kurisutaru. "Very well." She added, and placed Michirure on the ground beside her, before activating Michirure's Duel Disk. Both of them drew their hands.
"DUEL!"
(Kurisutaru's LP: 4000) (Ayra's LP: 4000)
Both Kurisutaru and Saratu took notice of the dark mist that formed around them as the game began. Seeing that Ayra made no move to do so, Kurisutaru took the first draw. "I summon Chosen of Fire – Denieru!" She called as her cloaked chosen appeared in front of her. "I set 2 cards face down, Turn End!" She finished, setting two cards into her Duel Disk.
"My Turn, Draw!" Ayra said as she began her turn.
'I have to win this... For Michirure-san's sake...' Kurisutaru thought as she waited for Ayra to make her move.
(End of Chapter)
Kuri: Don't worry, Michirure-san!
Saratu: Keep calm, Kuri-chan!
Both: Next! Episode 8: "Face Up To The Past!"
