Shadow
Chapter Eleven: The Jackal's Warning
That evening, Jounouchi and Yugi walked quietly back to the game shop. Their encounter with the Shadow Jackal was an odd one, and Yami wasted no time in appearing before them as they spoke about it.
"Marik seems nice enough," Jounouchi said, scowling at the sky as though it were the cause of all his problems, "But that Kaiba guy gives me the creeps."
Yugi nodded in agreement. "He's not exactly friendly but I don't think he's entirely bad. Anzu told me that he has a little brother."
"That creep has a brother?!" Jounouchi cried.
"Yeah," Yugi replied, smiling. "Anzu met him after the tornado. His name's Mokuba; he's in middle school right now. He sounded like a nice enough person, and Kaiba only seems to save his kinder side for him."
"That just might be his saving grace," Yami muttered a bit loudly. "People that are entirely unfriendly attract shadow beasts like moths to the flame."
The blonde next to Yugi leaned forward a bit to see the shadow. "What's that mean?"
"People that regularly go through negative emotions like anger, hate, sadness or rejection tend to be a primary target for Shadow Beasts because of that weakness," Yami replied sternly. "Fear is normally the top priority for this since the sight of a monster will easily instill it into someone's heart."
"Just having Kaiba around is enough to make me mad," Jounouchi grumbled.
Yugi looked thoughtful for a moment. Yami, remember how Marik wasn't casting a shadow?
Yes. He must have a physical shadow as well.
But we didn't see it anywhere, and I know it wasn't Kaiba.
His shadow might have been elsewhere, but I didn't sense it. It was too far away from him…and that isn't natural.
I heard from your Shadow Jackal that you ssspoke with the boy. Is thisss true?
The cloaked figure nodded. "Yes, master. I did. I assure you he did not suspect anything."
The voice sneered. Normally, I would punish you for sssuch a reckless deed, but perhapsss it will prove useful to us. Playing as a double agent can be dangerousss, but it just might prove useful…
The cloaked figure nodded in agreement, but inside he sulked in depression. He didn't want to hurt Yugi…he really didn't. But as long as his master was in control, he had to play the part. Perhaps, however, he could pull something off. "Master, I have an idea."
Is that ssso?
"Another of the Destined has awoken…He has the power of flames. That's three down and three to go before all six powers are awakened."
Wind, Flame, and Darkness are already known to us…but that other boy that was there, surely he has a Destined power as well?
"I believe he might," the cloaked figure said. "I felt a strong force coming from him, but I'm not sure which it is."
Tell me your plan.
"We already possess one of the destined powers, master," the stranger began, a strange choke in his voice as though he resented the fact. "We know that. What's missing is the other powers. If we can drive these two and perhaps other citizens into a whirlwind of negative emotion, we might be able to uncover the other three so that we know where to look for them."
It sssounds plausible…but where do you intend to start?
The stranger's eyes remained strictly blank as he clenched a fist. "The Destined that we already know of had a visitor today, as I stated. I believe I'll start with him…"
Yugi stared at his skylight window while Yami observed the stars in the sky through it. The day had been riddled with surprises, and he had a feeling that it was only beginning. "Yami…"
"Yes, Yugi?"
"Did you feel anything…odd yesterday?"
Yami turned his gaze back to Yugi. "Like a foreboding sort of feeling?"
Yugi nodded. "Yeah, that."
"Yes, I felt it."
"That feeling," Yugi began. "Do you think it came from Kaiba?"
"The unfriendly little punk that labeled you and Jounouchi as delinquents?" Yami asked. When his counterpart nodded, he looked back out the window. "I'm not sure. It is a possibility, but not a very big one. We felt it either way. Where it came from is still a mystery for me…"
Yugi sighed and leaned back in bed. "I wonder if Marik felt it, too…"
Almost as though his words made it happen, screams erupted from outside Yugi's window. In a flash, he leapt up from his bed and raced over to see what was wrong. Several Shadow Panthers and a Shadow Jackal stood in battle position, snarling and attacking any that got too close. Without hesitation, Yugi threw open his door and raced down the stairs, exiting and running into the middle of the crowd where the jackal turned to face him.
So you are the one that the master spoke of…
Yami quickly appeared. "Master?" He echoed.
The Dark Master sends me with a warning. He does not wish to harm you, but The Darkest is after your power and he has no choice but to fight…and neither do I.
"Dark Master?" Yugi echoed. "And…The Darkest…?"
I must leave before The Darkest find me. Protect the Destined power, for one has already fallen to his control! With that, the Jackal fled.
Yugi gave a quick look around. The panthers were attacking and scaring everyone else off, so Yugi was thankfully unnoticed. It wasn't long before they turned to him and the citizens fled. Yugi took a few steps back while Yami positioned himself in front for a puppet-master stance. "Remember, Yugi," Yami began. "This is the best way to get rid of them. Focus!"
He did. As he concentrated his mind, Yugi's power mixed with Yami's, and the slashes and blades of wind they sent out were unstoppable. The panthers quickly found that Yugi and Yami were working together, and it was not long before the two were surrounded.
"I don't like the looks of this," Yugi said. "We need a plan, and fast."
"But we don't have enough time to separate," Yami protested. "And even when we do they'll be a lot tougher to handle…"
"Need some help, Yugi?"
Yugi spun around after slashing again to see a familiar blonde-haired boy standing nearby. "Jounouchi!" He cried. "Perfect timing! Can you help me out with these things?"
"Wait," Yami said. "You don't have a weapon, Jounouchi…"
"I set the stove on fire again," Jounouchi said, smirking for some odd reason, "And I didn't even turn it on!"
Yugi felt a grin creep up his face. "You mean you learned how to use fire?"
To confirm his friend's statement, Jounouchi pointed a finger in the air. A small flame lit above it like a lighter. "You bet. Now let's take care of these kitties!" With that, he summoned a sphere of flame and hurled it into the fray. Several panthers were hit, and though it did not entirely faze them.
The battle commenced swiftly. Panthers leapt left and right, and they weren't going down quickly even with Yugi and Yami's combined power. "These are shadow panthers, aren't they?" Yugi cried.
"Yes," Yami replied, "But there are so many of them…I doubt we'll be able to hold off for much longer, even with Jounouchi helping!"
Promptly, a panther tackled Yugi, causing Yami to stumble. At the same time, Jounouchi winced and clutched his ribs. Yami cried out in panic and pain as the panthers began to circle around them. The beast standing over Yugi snarled, its fangs bared. Its blood-red eyes gazed into Yugi's as its claws pressed against his throat…
"That's enough."
The panther's gaze whipped upward to a silhouette of a person nearby. It was a slim young man standing defiantly in the middle of the street. Jade eyes were all that Yugi could make out, and with their gaze came a loud, rushing noise. As they watched, a gigantic wave of water rose from behind the boy.
"A tsunami…?!"
The wave crashed onto the street, flooding and passing around the figure and slamming into each of the shadow panthers. Yami raced into Yugi's shadow for protection as he and Jounouchi shielded themselves from the rushing water, only to have it pass over and around them. The cries of the shadow panthers could be heard just before they vanished forever, and Yugi stared in wonder as the water flowed around him, calm yet powerful.
As the wave calmed and began to recede, the figure stepped forward, shoving a black strand of hair from in front of his face, his jade eyes narrowed in an indiscernible emotion. His visage gave off a strong expression of cool anger. As he came closer, he snapped his fingers and the water vanished, evaporating into thin air.
Yugi blinked in confusion as the figure stepped under a streetlight. It was none other than Otogi Ryuji.
What's this? OTOGI?! WHAT THE CRAP?! Yes, an explanation is in order...right after these words from our sponsor.
Or you could just wait for the next chapter. That works just as well. n.n