Me: …I'm so sorry guys. I got major writer's block, and then got busy during my free time…
Lucy: Playing Bravely Default.
Sky: Wait, you played a video game rather than write this even after the writer's block went away?
Me: Um, yeah… Mostly because that one boss rush battle in chapter 8 is so freaking hard! I HATE QADA, OMINAS, YULYANA, AND MEPHILIA SO MUCH! GYAH!
Sky: …Just get to the chapter.
Me: Right. Well, I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh 5Ds… Enjoy…
***This chapter is brought to you by The Witches' Theme ~ Assault, from Professor Layton vs. Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney***
Chapter 8
"The Spirit World's in trouble?!" Luna gasps.
I watch as the confusion on pretty much everyone else's' face go away, replaced by some level of worry. I don't blame them. With my memories back, I can remember the time Luna and I helped save it…
"How is it in danger?" I ask.
"We aren't sure what is causing it, but a darkness appeared out of the eastern forest," Star explains. "It laid waste to our homes. Every Spirit has been evacuated to the castle, but as we speak its forces are being overrun."
So, the Spirit World is under attack? "We have to help!" But then reality sinks in. Only Luna and I… and maybe Shoshan have the ability to go there to help. Not only that, but the Crimson Dragon's power is already weakened by Yusei and Akiza missing… "The only thing is… how…"
"I'm afraid your friends that can't see us cannot help," Star says. "However, you underestimate how much help only three of you provide. Your own abilities make us stronger, and it should—no, it will—allow us to overpower this darkness."
XXX
After we quickly explain what's going on to everyone else, and Leo grudgingly accepts the fact that Luna has to do this without his help, Luna, Shoshan, and I all travel to the Spirit World.
In the process, I learn that Shoshan had been here once, when he was younger.
We appear in a clearing, just south of the castle. It's a lot different than I had seen last time, but then again, last time it was at least sunny. Now it isn't… because some sort of black fog has surrounded it, with all the Spellcaster and Psychic monsters trying to create a barrier to keep it out. All of the other ones are trying to get into the castle.
"This is what you're trying to stop?" I ask.
"It is," Star says. "That fog… it is, and yet it isn't, like the kind the Earthbound Immortals unleashed on Satellite nearly nine years ago."
"What does that mean?" Shoshan asks.
Right. He doesn't know much about the Signer-Dark Signer war.
"It looks a lot like that fog, but instead of absorbing everyone it touches… this fog kills everyone it touches."
My eyes nearly bulge out of my head. "Then… that means…"
"Those who did not make it within the barrier in time… are no longer with us." A pained look crosses my knight's face.
I wonder if she knew the ones who were too slow… She probably did.
"What… um… what can we do to help?" Luna asks.
"Using Spells to increase our power would help…" Star replies. "Though, be sure not to use too much of your energy. That would be… dangerous."
All three of us get out our Duel Disks. I look through my Deck. Most of my cards are specifically geared towards my monsters. I sigh. "Luna, Shoshan, do either of you have cards I can borrow? I have Mage Power, but all of my other cards are geared towards my monsters only."
XXX
It looks like the tides have turned in our favor. The fog seems to be dispersing, and none of it gets through the barrier. The Duel Spirits inside are no longer panicking. It looks like the barrier will be able to be let down soon. Good, because my strength is failing. Luna's did about five minutes ago, and Shoshan looks pretty wobbly to me.
Of course, nothing ever goes my way. Whatever the worst possible outcome is, it always happens when I'm involved. And this time, the worst possible outcome… means coming face-to-face with the two monsters out for my blood.
The first, a dragon with pitch-black scales and red eyes. His wings seem small, but look very durable. He has a generator-like tail, just like Reshiram does. His cold, blood-red eyes seem to stare into my soul. No, he seems to glare into my soul.
The second, some sort of bird. Her front is red, with black lines, almost like veins, crossing over it. Her back is black, with white diamonds creating a pattern along her wings. Her eyes, a light blue, look a lot like Reshiram's… but these aren't compassionate at all.
"Sky Fudo, vessel of Reshiram, and Envoy of the legendary Crimson Dragon," Zekrom says, his voice the same as in my dreams. Full of hate and rage. "How… nice to finally meet you in person."
I move into a defensive stance—I feel like I might need it in a short time—and growl, "I don't wish I could say the same about you."
Although I want to fight right now, I have to stop myself. These two have my brother and one of my best friends hostage, along with so many innocent people. Not to mention the fact that I know nothing about their strength, other than probably rivaling Reshiram's. They have the upper hand here…
He chuckles. "Do you think that you intimidate me?"
"I will if you laid so much of a finger on Yusei or Akiza!"
"Pff, we haven't," Yveltal interrupts. "Yet." She lets out a laugh; one much more insane than Zekrom's. "Ah… I can't wait until your choice comes to pass."
I stare at her, trying not to make my face look like I'm completely confused. "My… choice?"
"Don't listen to her Sky," Shoshan says. "She's only trying to distract you."
Right. Trying to distract me. Still… I can't help but wonder what she means when she said my choice…
"What do you want?" I demand.
The black dragon locks eyes with me. It's all I can do not to cower in fear; those red eyes of his portray hate that seems too intense. "You chose a path to follow. So, we're here to make that path a reality."
Again with me making some sort of choice… Is that just a piece of my memory that has yet to return? I think, miserably. It seems that this is very, very important.
Some sort of unspoken communication occurs between my two mortal enemies, and Yveltal suddenly shouts, "Oblivion Wing!"
A dark burst of energy flies at me faster than I can react. I scream, but Star jumps in front of me, crying out, "Mistress! I'll protect you!"
The force of the blast sends me flying, but at least I didn't take the full force of the attack. But… Star, who was created by some of Reshiram's own power… she did. Is there any chance that she survived…? I haul myself off the ground, staring intently at where the two monsters were just a moment ago. They aren't there—and I can't sense them, so they must have vanished. Star is also nowhere to be seen.
"Sky! Are you alright?!" Shoshan cries, running up to me.
"Yeah, I'm alright," I reply, dusting myself off. "But… Celestial Knight-Star…" My shoulders sag, and I look down. "I think she… sacrificed herself to save me…"
"Oh." He coughs a little. "Um… sorry for your… loss."
"Thanks—"
A white lion with an orange mane appears. He wears armor over his back—pale blue, lined with gold, and with light-blue orbs over his hips and shoulders. He seems anxious, and asks, "Have either of you two seen Luna?"
"You mean you don't know where she is, Regulus?" I ask.
He shakes his head. "No, and it worries me that those two are the reason for her disappearance."
My stomach falls. If they took Luna… that can't… I promised her that I would protect her. How can I keep that promise if I don't know where she is? I look down at my hands; at the Mark of the Crimson Dragon on the back of it. I rub it with my left hand and concentrate. I can't sense any of the other Signers—meaning none of them are in the Spirit World.
Wait, if that's why I can't sense them… then Yusei, Akiza—and Luna, I grudgingly add—are in another world. Then where…? I look at the sky, where wisps of the deadly fog continue to disperse into the atmosphere. I don't know where they are, but… the others need to know what happened.
XXX
Shoshan and I return to Earth, our hearts heavy. In addition to Luna being kidnapped, we'd heard the death toll of the Duel Spirits. So many were lost to that fog…
As soon as we appear back in the garage, the others instantly know something is wrong.
Of course, when three people leave and only two come back, that's automatically going to ring some alarm bells.
"Where's my sister?" Leo demands, practically shouting.
I let out a sad sigh, and look away from him. "When we got there, we helped out the best we could. We… we were able to get rid of the darkness, but…" I stop talking. I just can't form any more words.
"Then Zekrom and Yveltal showed up," Shoshan picks up.
"They took her," I whisper. "The two of them… they took Luna. I-I couldn't do anything to stop them… and Star…! I lost her too!" I plop down on the couch, and bury my face into my hands, trying to stem the tears that are coming out of my eyes. "I… I'm a failure…"
I can't keep my friends safe. I can't keep my Duel Spirits safe. I've let the darkness take them… and haven't fought back at all…
Someone hits me. When I look up, I can see that it was Crow. He stares at me, grey orbs locking with my mismatched ones, and says, "Get your head out of the clouds, Sky. You aren't a failure."
"But… but I let them take Luna…"
"Well, you aren't gonna let them keep her, are you?" he retorts. "We'll find them all, and give… whatever their names are a lesson!"
…He's right. I shouldn't just give up without a fight first. They might have hostages… but no one messes with my friends, and no one messes with the Signers. "Yeah…" I stand up. "We have to go find them! Right n—"
The TV flickers to life without anyone touching it. The only reason I notice is because it creates loud static. "Wh-What the…?"
The static turns into a black screen… and then gains color. The background is some sort of run-down castle, made out of dark blue stone. In the foreground are two support columns, no longer attached to a ceiling. And tied to each is one person. Akiza on the left, and Luna on the right. Neither of them appear too injured… physically, at least. Akiza stares blankly at the ground, her clothes dirty and her hair unkempt and matted with blood on the left side. Luna seems really, really scared as she rubs her right wrist.
And then Zekrom and Yveltal come into view… except they aren't… Wh-What…?
They… they're almost like… well, if I looked more like Reshiram than I did a human, or Shoshan looked more like Xerneas or Kyurem, then that's what they look like. They have human faces and arms, but other than that, they look more like the dragon… or bird-creature.
And I recognize the faces. My blood chills as I look at Zekrom, who looks exactly like Shoshan. Except I know better. It's actually Escolar… which is arguably worse, since he… he died a year ago in a car accident.
Yveltal, though… hers bothers me. I recognize her not because I've actually met her… but because she was one of the people who starred in Z-ONE's memories. Natsumi… the younger sister I could have had, but didn't. There's just no way…
"Hello Signers," Zekrom says—in Escolar's voice, no less, causing Shoshan to flinch. "Oh, and the two who aren't Signers as well… Shoshan and Carly."
"What do you want?" I ask them just like I did in the Spirit World.
The dark dragon rolls his eyes. "We told you in the Spirit World, didn't we? You chose a path, and now it must be lived out."
"What the heck's he talking about?" Crow asks me.
"I don't know…" I say quietly.
Yveltal-Natsumi cackles, "Oh! She really doesn't know!"
"I can tell," Zekrom replies, grinning. "Then that makes this so much more fun!" He stops, and turns his back to… whatever sort of camera is letting us see what's going on there. "So… what was is again…?" Another pause, and he nods. "Ah, your choice on who to keep alive makes sense… After all, you did promise to keep her safe, didn't you?"
To be continued…
Me: *Sigh* So now we're right at one of the death scenes from chapter 5…
Sky: I hate you so much.
Me: …Whatever.
Sky: Is… is something wrong? You usually make some sort of snarky comment when I say that I hate you.
Me: Well, in less than an hour, I'm heading to school… for the last marching band competition this season.
Sky: And this depresses you how…?
Me: For starters, I kinda liked the show (except for that God-awful running set). But other than that, it's the last show for all of the seniors in my band. Our drum major's a senior… and so's my section captain.
Sky: Oh…
Me: Yeah. *Shrugs* Well… I'm sorry for the wait… Please, leave a review?
