Is anyone on summer holidays yet? No? Well, neither am I. And that totally SUCKS! I wanna catch some rays, ya know? Not be cooped up in a school with no air conditioning! Ah, just read this new chapter already! I'm gonna go get myself a magnum! Mmm…
Chapter 25
Missing
"AH-CHOO!" Aster sneezed loudly.
"They say that if you sneeze somebody is talking about you." Daisy said playfully. Aster collapsed on the sofa.
"I've been out all night looking for Meno. In the rain too. I think I've got a cold now."
"No sign of Meno then, huh?" Aster shook his head. Daisy kneeled down beside the sofa
"Don't worry, Aster. We'll definitely find Meno. I promise."
"Is Meno missing?"
"WAAAAH!" Aster and Daisy yelled at the same time. Unfortunately, Aster sat up so suddenly, the two of them collided heads. Zane stood behind the sofa, staring at Aster and Daisy while they clutched their heads.
"Zane, what did you do that for?" Daisy yelled.
"It was your own fault for being that close to each other."
"Oh, so now all of a sudden, a boyfriend and a girlfriend can't get close to each other?" Daisy exclaimed.
"You two are a couple?" Zane repeated, surprised. Daisy and Aster both turned red with embarrassment. "Anyway, what's this about Meno?"
"She went missing last night. I tried looking for her, but there's no sign of her." Aster turned away sadly. "I said some… unkind things. I want to apologise to her."
"What's your relationship with her?" Zane asked.
"My sister." Aster answered. "Well, my adopted sister at least. I took her in and, even though she's not related to me, she still fells like a real sister. But still…" Aster looked at his right hand.
"Aster…" Daisy started.
"I want to do all I can to help you. Even though I can't remember her properly, she's still my friend." Aster stood up.
"I'm going to go look for her again."
"We'll go with you." Daisy said.
"BIRD ON THE LOOSE!"
"Huh?" Aster turned around, just as a pigeon flew over his head. Hiruko climbed onto the sofa and jumped on it, trying to grab the bird. "Hiruko? What the hell?"
"I don't know where it came from either! Just help me out here!"
"Hiruko! You've got such a nose for trouble!" Daisy yelled, jumping up to catch the pigeon, but missing.
So Zane really doesn't remember, huh? Aster thought, watching as Daisy and Hiruko attempted to grab the bird. Is something psychological preventing him from remembering?
"Don't kill it, Hiruko!" Jaden yelled, running into the living room along with Syrus. "Dead birds are a bad omen."
"You're so superstitious, bro!"
"It's true! Pharaoh brought in a dead bird in my dorm room, and I got an F in my test the next day!"
"Could that possibly be because you're an idiot?" Daisy teased.
"Shut up! Syrus gets worse grades then me"
"Hey! I'm still in Ra Yellow!" During the chaos, Aster and Zane were rooted to the spot, sweat-dropping.
"I'll open the window." Aster tried to open a latch on the window, but it was too stiff. "Stupid thing. Come on. Open already."
"?" Zane's eyes widened.
"Zane? What's wrong?" Aster asked, just as the window opened and the pigeon flew out of it.
"I remember now." Zane muttered, shaking. "I was trying to open the window, and then she came."
Flashback
"Are you a spell card?" Zane asked a younger Syrus whilst the three of them were on the train.
"Yes."
"Do you destroy cards?"
"Yes"
"Are you Dark Hole?"
"Yes." Syrus sighed.
"You really need to think of better cards for twenty questions."
"I'm sorry, big brother. I'm not as good as you."
"Alright boys, settle down." Rob said, sensing another argument brewing. Zane stood up and went to a window on the other side of the carriage, fiddling with the latch.
"What're you doing Zane?" Syrus asked.
"It's hot in here. I'm trying to open the window. Stupid thing. Come on. Open already." The door to the carriage suddenly opened, and Meno stepped inside with her hair hiding her eyes. Zane turned to the door, and smiled after seeing Meno.
"Oh hi. I didn't see you at the station. Why are you on the train?" Zane asked, moving away from the window.
"You're a liar." Meno said coldly.
"Huh? What're you…oh, right. My cousin."
"Who's that, big brother?" Syrus asked, standing up and walking up to him. "Is that your friend?" Syrus looked behind Meno because of his short height and gasped.
"What's wrong?" Zane asked. He looked into the other carriage, and was horrified. The entire second carriage was covered with cut up corpses and blood, with their faces filled with surprise, pain or shock.
"AAAAHHHHHHHH!" Syrus screamed, running off down the carriage past Rob and crouched underneath a table with his eyes shut tightly and his hands over his ears.
"Gah!" Zane gasped, stepping backwards away from Meno. "Did you…did you do this?"
"What's wrong, Zane?" Rob asked, walking towards Zane. "Is everything oka-" Suddenly, Meno shot a pink blade from her hand and sliced Rob's head off. Blood spurted out from his neck, and Zane stared at his headless father in horror, whose blood stained his t-shirt in great splats. Eventually, after some staggering, Rob's body landed on the ground, with his head rolling to Zane's feet. Zane stared at the head, trembling all over. Syrus crawled out from the table, and gasped at what he saw.
"Why did you do this?" Zane asked, turning back round to Meno. "I thought we were friends."
"We are. That's why I didn't kill you." Meno looked over to Syrus. "Now I'll kill that squirt over there." Meno walked past Zane slowly and went towards Syrus.
"Stay away from me." Syrus whimpered, as Meno began to get closer and closer to him, her right hand glowing pink.
"NO!" Zane screamed, grabbing Meno by her waist and forcing her to the ground.
"STOP IT! PLEASE STOP IT NO MORE! JUST STOP IT!" Zane screamed at Meno, banging her on the floor with tears falling down his face.
"Zane, stop it." Syrus yelled. "You're hurting her."
"STOP IT! DON'T DO IT ANYMORE! STOP IT! PLEASE!" The train zoomed by with Zane's screams heard in muffles.
"Remembered what?" Hiruko asked, confused.
"He's remembered Meno." Jaden answered. Zane looked down, his fists clenched.
"Syrus…did you know about this?" He asked slowly.
"Um…" Syrus hesitated. "Yes." He nodded. "I know that Meno killed him. But I-"
"Are you an idiot?" Zane yelled. Syrus flinched.
"Zane, calm down." Aster said nervously, making his way to the brothers.
"Stay out of this!" Zane pushed Aster away from him so forcefully that Aster fell onto the floor. Daisy immediately went to his side.
"How can you let a murderer like her into this house? She killed our father! I'll bet she killed her own too! I can't forgive her!"
"That doesn't matter right now, Zane." Syrus turned away and began to leave. "So if you don't mind I-"
"You're not going anywhere." Zane grabbed Syrus' arm. "As you're older brother, I forbid you to look for her." Syrus' eyes widened.
"Zane…" Syrus shook Zane's grip off his arm. "I'm sorry."
"Sorry for what?" Zane asked, confused.
"This!"
WHAM!
CRASH!
"EEEEEHH?" Daisy, Jaden, Aster and Hiruko all stared, open mouthed. Zane sat up among the broken pieces of a coffee table, the left side of his face red. Syrus looked at his fist, looking just as stunned as Zane and everyone else.
"Did Syrus just do what I just think he did?" Jaden asked.
"That depends what you saw, bro." Hiruko replied. Syrus clutched his fist.
"Ow…that kinda hurt." He muttered.
"Syrus…" Zane started.
"Listen, Zane. I can't have you talk about Meno like that. She's my friend. I know that she killed our dad, and I know that she killed her parents. In fact, I can't say that I'm not angry about it, so I can understand why you feel this way. But…she has a split personality that does all the killing. Not Meno. The Meno we know is a kind person who would never hurt anyone. The other Meno is someone completely different. I'm angry with that Meno, not the other one. That's why I want to look for her. No matter how evil her other self is, the Meno I know is Meno, and she is the one I'll look for." Syrus turned away from Zane. "I'm going now. But remember this…even though what "Meno" did was unforgivable, in my heart…I have already forgiven Meno." Syrus walked to the front door. "If any of you want to help, I'll be looking in the northern part." Syrus closed the front door behind him.
"Well…" Aster started. "I can't say I was expecting that. Wouldn't ya say so, Zaney?" Zane said nothing. "Oh...kay. Jaden. Hiruko. You look in the south. Daisy and I will search in the west. I'll get Haru and Hassleberry. They can do the east. If anyone else is available, then they can help too. Move out!" Aster clapped his hands once, and everyone was on their feet. Jaden and Hiruko ran out the front door, while Daisy waited.
"What are you waiting for?" Aster asked. Daisy discreetly pointed at Zane, then at the bookcase. "Oh, right. You just er...wait for me outside." Daisy nodded and left the room.
"You know, Zane." Aster turned back to Zane. "Syrus can't do all that searching by himself. Maybe you should help him out?" Zane said nothing, and turned away. "Or you can just sit on the remains of a table that you're going to pay for. Just..." Aster glanced at the bookcase. "Just don't stay there too long." Aster left the room, leaving Zane alone.
"Even though what "Meno" did was unforgivable, in my heart...I have already forgiven Meno."
Another side, huh? Zane thought. He stood up and moved away from the pile that was a table. He placed a hand on the side of his face. You've changed, bro. He smiled to himself. You've taught me something once again. I'm going to help as much as I can.
...
"If I was going to look for Meno..." Syrus started, sweat-dropping. He looked around at the crowd of people he was standing in the middle of. "Then I'd have thought about how!" Syrus pushed his way out of the crowd, and he eventually reached the edge and sat on an empty park bench. He placed a hand in his pocket and felt his fingers touch cold metal. Surprised, Syrus pulled it out. It was a communication medallion.
How could I forget about this? Man, I'm such an idiot! Syrus thought.
"Er...Hassleberry, Haru." There was a pause, until the red orb flashed and Hassleberry's face appeared.
"Yeah? What do you want?"
"Go to the east of Domino City and look for Meno."
"What? You can't tell us what to do!"
"This er... this came from Aster, not me."
"But Meno-" Haru shoved Hassleberry out the way.
"We'll get right on it." Haru said.
"Alright. But make sure that Zane doesn't see you come out of the bookcase, otherwise our cover is blown."
"Syrus!"
"Huh?" Syrus looked up, and was surprised to see Zane running towards him. "Uh...never mind. Gotta go." Syrus quickly stuffed the medallion back into his pocket. "Zane, what are you doing here?" Syrus asked, just as Zane reached him.
"What do you think? I'm going to look for Meno." Syrus' eyes widened.
"You are? But...earlier you..."
"Yeah...I know. I only just remembered what happened, so I guess I panicked a little. Sorry. But still..." Zane flicked Syrus' forehead.
"Ow!"
"Don't punch me like that again. It hurt." Syrus smirked.
"It hurt me more than you, bro."
"So...question." Zane cocked his head to the side. "Have you thought about how you're going to look for Meno?"
"Gack!" Syrus flinched. "Uh...sort of." Syrus muttered, turning away. Silence. He hung his head. "No. I haven't." He looked back up again. "But we can't exactly say to a stranger "Hi, I'm looking for a girl who is a serial killer. Have you seen her?" can we?"
"Hmmm... this is a tough one."
"It doesn't matter." Syrus clenched his fist. "I will do whatever it takes to find Meno!"
"Syrus..." Zane started. "What do you see in Meno?"
"Well I guess you'd see a lot of guts in Meno." Syrus answered, an innocent look on his face.
"That's not what I meant. I meant...why is she your friend?"
"Huh?" Syrus blinked. "I thought I already explained it. She's a nice girl, and if anything ever happened to her, I'd never forgive myself. She means everything to me."
"I see..." Zane narrowed his eyes. "You love her, don't you?" Syrus' eyes widened.
"Well I..." Syrus turned away. "I..." Syrus was silent for a while. "Y...yes." He turned back to Zane. "Yes I am. I am in love with Meno." Syrus saw Zane's expression. "GAH! But if you don't like it, I can fall in love with someone else! I don't know how it happened! Stuff like this just comes when you least expect it!" Syrus gabbled quickly.
"Don't worry about it." Zane sighed.
"Eh?"
"I thought about what you said and I...I guess I feel the same way. I forgive Meno, not the other one. In a way, I'm glad that you've fallen in love." Syrus turned away, shocked. "What's wrong?"
"Meno is that way." Syrus said, pointing to his left.
"How can you be so sure?" Zane asked. Syrus stared at where he was pointing, dumb-founded.
"I have no idea." Syrus answered. "I can just...tell. NAH!" He grinned. "I'm sure it's nothing! Let's get searching, 'kay?"
...
"Um..." Haru stared up at a signpost pointing in multiple directions. "Let's see...er..." Haru scratched his head. "Uh..."
"Just admit it, you're lost." Hassleberry muttered.
"I'm not lost!" Haru yelled. "I'm just..."
"Yeah...lost."
"I am not!" Hassleberry folded his arms.
"Either that, or you have a crappy sense of direction."
"Okay." Haru hung his head. "You caught me." Haru looked up, smirking. "So...mind pointing us in the right direction?"
"Um...yeah. Gladly." Hassleberry said nervously. He looked up at the sign post. "Well, this is easy. We'll go that way." Hassleberry pointed to his right.
"Is it that simple?" Haru asked.
"Yeah." Hassleberry said cheerfully. He suddenly remembered what Bandit said.
"Tell him that the gargoyle state is inside him."
"Say...Haru?"
"Hm? What is it?" Haru asked.
"Um...have you...have you heard of the gargoyle state?"
"The...the gargoyle state?" Haru shook his head. "No. Never heard of it."
"What? But the guy said that you would know!"
"Hold on, let me think. Gargoyle state...was it mentioned at school? AH!" Haru's eyes widened. "The gargoyle state! Yes! I know what it is!"
"Really? You've heard of it?" Hassleberry beamed.
"Of course. It's an extremely rare power that only a handful of stone wielders possess. Those who have it are believed to be the greatest stone wilders alive. It grants them enhanced senses, stronger stone wielding skills, enhanced speed and strength and they gain transformation ability." Haru's eyes widened. "Wait a sec..."
"There's this rare ability in some stone wielders. It's undetectable until it awakens inside them when they're in a state of emotional turmoil. It really dangerous, and that's why Miranda ordered all her followers to find and kill the stone wielders. And since you're the last one, they're not taking any chances to wait and see if you have this ability or not."
"Could it be...?" Haru looked at his hand. "That I have the gargoyle state?" Haru's hand clenched into a fist. "It all makes sense now. After hearing about Sekio's mission, that must have awoken it. That's why I don't remember what happened. Hassleberry, what did I look like?"
"Um...you had clammy skin, claws, pointy ears, yellow eyes and these huge wings on your back that didn't tear your clothes." Hassleberry listed them on his fingers.
"That matches the description of the transformation exactly!" Haru slammed the fist into his palm. "That's why I have the power of telekinesis! That's why I could hear you from so far away!"
"You have telekinesis?" Hassleberry asked.
"Long story."
"But wait a minute. Aren't you afraid of heights?" Hassleberry inquired. Haru flinched.
"Yeah?" He said nervously.
"You have vertigo too, don't you?"
"Uh huh." Haru nodded. Silence.
"WAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" Hassleberry burst out laughing, clutching his sides.
"H-hey! It's not funny!"
"You've got wings and you're afraid of heights!" Hassleberry laughed.
"That's not even...okay, maybe it is a little funny, but that's not the point! We're supposed to be looking for Meno!"
"Guys!"
"Eh? Jaden?" Hassleberry stopped laughing, and was met with the panicked face of Jaden when he and Hiruko ran up to them.
"Did you find her?"
"No. Well, sort of. Just read this." Hiruko shoved a newspaper into Hassleberry's face.
"Let me see." Haru peered over Hassleberry shoulder as he scanned through the front page.
"What?" Hassleberry's eyes went wide.
"No way!" Haru pulled the newspaper out of Hassleberry's hands. "This is horrible!"
"We have to get Aster right away!" Jaden decided.
"Hold on, I've got a medallion." Hassleberry pulled out a medallion from his pocket. "Aster, listen up! We've found something you're not going to believe."
"What is it?"
"See for yourself." Hassleberry pointed the face of the orb at the newspaper, which Haru held up.
"W...what?" Aster gasped. The front page had printed in large letters "KISHIDO MURDERER CAPTURED AND TAKEN TO RESEARCH FACILITY!" Underneath was a picture of Meno being led into a building by men in white coats, showing no signs of resisting.
"She was kidnapped?" Daisy exclaimed, staring at the front page.
"No. Something tells me she wasn't. I mean look at her. She's so...resigned."
"Yeah, you're right." Hiruko said.
"Maybe she's been there before." Haru said. "Yesterday, she said that we'd end up dead just like "those people". Maybe she was referring to those guys in white coats?"
"That's not important right now. We have to find this research facility." Aster decided. "Where are you?"
"We're outside the Kaiba Dome." Hassleberry answered.
"'Kay. We'll be there in a second." In exactly a second, Aster teleported next to Jaden with Daisy holding onto his arm.
"AH!" Jaden jumped back in surprise. "Don't do that!"
"You've seriously got to show me how to do that."
"Right, where's Syrus?" Aster asked, ignoring Jaden and Hassleberry.
"He's-" Haru started, but was interrupted when Syrus ran past him. "Just run past us." Haru finished. Syrus skidded to a stop and spun around.
"Guys?"
"I thought you were looking in the north. What are you doing here?" Daisy asked.
"That's what I've been asking him the whole time." Zane gasped, finally catching up to his younger brother. He stopped beside Aster to catch his breath. "He says he can sense Meno or something."
"Is that true?" Hiruko asked. Syrus nodded.
"I'm not sure why, but I can just tell." Jaden and Aster looked at each other, smiling mischievously.
"It must be the power of love." Aster teased.
"No it's not!" Syrus yelled, turning red in the face.
"Syrus and Meno, sittin' in the tree. K-I-S-S-I-N-G!" Hiruko and Jaden sang.
"Stop it!"
"Where is she?" Haru asked.
"You actually believe him?" Hassleberry asked.
"I'm not sure. Let's just see where he leads us."
"It's that way." Syrus pointed across the city at the ocean.
"She's in the water?" Jaden asked.
"No. It must be an island. I mean look at this place." Aster waved the newspaper in the air. "A place filled with murderers? They have to have it on some place far away from everyone else."
"Question." Hiruko raised an arm in the air. "How do we get there?"
"Simple: we'll take my boat."
…
"Step in here." A man in a white coat ordered. "This will be where your experiments will be." Meno looked up from the floor, dressed in new attire. She was no longer wearing her usual outfit, but was instead kitted out in tight black knee length leggings and a black top that was similar to a sports bra, and she was bare footed.
"Yes." She said silently. She stepped through the double doors, and the man gave her a push from behind to make her go further. Meno staggered, but didn't fall over.
"Go to that wall." Meno obeyed, and stood with her back to it. The room she was in was completely white, with only one metal wall that had a large narrow glass window stretching all the way across the wall. Behind the glass were more people wearing white coats. Meno looked up at them.
How funny. Meno thought. I recognise some of those people. The man from before appeared behind the glass and picked up a microphone.
"Meno." He started. "You have lived for years under the belief that you are the last Kishido. However, in this very building, we have two hundred Kishido girls, who I am sure you can sense. You are the oldest of all of them, and the only one possessing the maternal power of reproducing Kishido's. Therefore, you are their queen."
"…" Meno said nothing, and remained expressionless.
"You have posed as a threat to mankind, so it is necessary for you to have returned here…experiment number thirty seven." Another man entered the room Meno was standing in. He attached a metal band around Meno's neck. As soon as the lock was in place, a red light lit up briefly before dimming down.
"The collar around your neck is programmed to shock you whenever we feel the need to do so, and to prevent you from using your powers." The scientist continued as the other man left. "This room is where we shall perform experiments on you daily. The room may change in size on certain occasions, or you may find furniture and even people, but these are all part of the experiments. At the end of each experiment, you will go to your cell, where you will be placed in restraints until you are needed again. Your cell is away from any other Kishido's, as we have discovered that Kishido's have the ability to communicate telepathically. As their queen, we are not taking any chances with you. I trust you know when you will be fed and given water. Are there any questions?" Meno gripped her bare arms, her hands shaking, before she shook her head. "Good. Then we shall proceed with the first experiment."
What? Meno thought, surprised. Already? The wall behind Meno rose up into the ceiling. She turned around, and she saw a gap in a lower wall directly in front of her, which led to many twists and turns. A labyrinth. Another part of the wall slid away, revealing another doorway.
"There is an exit to your right. You are to enter the one in front of you. We are going to time how long it takes for you to reach it."
Oh…this experiment. Meno thought. I never was very good at it.
"GO!"
"R-right." Meno was brought back to her senses after the man yelled, prompting her to run through the doorway. "This maze doesn't look too complex. But without something to show where I've gone, I'll get lost easily. I shouldn't underestimate it." Meno nearly ran into a dead end. She immediately turned around and went another way.
"Number thirty seven looks like she's done this before." One scientist said.
"That's because she has. Number thirty seven has been here since she was eleven, but after only a year, she vanished."
"She vanished? But how? This building has high-tech security and is Kishido-proof. Not even a mouse can escape."
"I don't know either. But reports claim that the cameras in her cell were blinded in a white light, and when the light disappeared, so did she."
"That's impossible." A scientist turned back to the window, seeing Meno in the middle of the labyrinth, and already looking tired. "How did she escape?" Meno stumbled and almost lost her footing, but she clung to the wall to prevent herself from falling. She stopped running, gasping for breath and her legs trembling. As soon as she stopped, the collar around her neck flashed twice, and an electric shock went through Meno's body, causing her to scream in pain.
"Run faster, number thirty seven!"
Why isn't this over yet? Meno forced herself away from the wall and carried on running. Within minutes, she saw the exit and ran straight through it. She collapsed on her back, exhausted.
"Amazing. She was ten minutes faster than the last time she did this experiment."
"She must have improved with age."
"And these brain readings from the collar are fantastic. In fact, it's better than we expected."
"In that case, let's move on to the next experiment." The wall covered up the labyrinth, and another scientist entered the room. Meno sat up after finally getting her breath back. The scientist got down on one knee beside Meno, who lifted a hand up beside him.
"Number thirty seven…" The man started, surprised.
"You're here to take a sample of my blood, aren't you?" Meno said without looking at him. "Go ahead. Do it. And there's no need to try and be gentle. I have already got used to the conditions here, and that includes needles."
"I…" Meno looked over at him.
"And set the cannon to three hundred joules for the next experiment. That's how far I got last time."
"…" The scientist stared at Meno, surprised. He quickly shook his head and pulled an empty syringe out of his jacket. He placed the tip into Meno's hand, who didn't even flinch. As soon as the blood was in the syringe, he stood up and hurried out of the room.
"She didn't even try to attack me." He said as soon as he entered the small room. "And she told me the settings of the cannon as if it were nothing. She used to be terrified of it, but she's acting so calm."
"It's almost as if she's accepted her fate." A female scientist whispered.
"This is no time for pity." A male scientist snapped. "Place the restraints on her arms and set the cannon to three hundred joules." After hearing the commands, Meno sat up on her knees and raised her arms against the wall, where the restraints clamped over her upper arms and lower arms.
I thought they would do this experiment. Meno looked up at the glass window. Underneath it, part of the wall moved away, revealing the point of a cannon sticking out of a glass window. A red light shone from the tip, revealing a red dot on Meno's chest. I used to be afraid of this experiment, but now, for some reason…I'm not afraid anymore.
"FIRE!"
Boom!
A metal shot-put fired at Meno, and it quickly flashed pink, and it crashed next to Meno's head, denting the tiled wall and falling to the floor.
"She deflected it. As expected. Set the cannon for three hundred and ten joules." The red light once again appeared on Meno's chest.
Maybe it's because of Aster. Because of his words, I understood something. I understood that there is no place for me anymore. It was inevitable that I would end up here.
"FIRE!"
BOOM!
The shot-put fired again, glowed pink and crashed into the wall. Meno had by then completely shut herself away from the activities going on, her powers acting on instinct.
Eventually, I will die here. I've accepted that now. But, I don't feel sad. How strange…
BOOM!
CRASH!
Maybe it's all the happy times I've spent with everyone. It's because of all the times I've spent with them that I'm happy. I have no regrets. Meno closed her eyes and smiled to herself.
BOOM!
CRASH!
"No regrets…" Meno whispered.
BOOM!
Meno looked up at the shot-put whistling towards her. It glowed pink, but didn't slow down. Meno's eyes widened.
It's not stopping! She thought.
Crack!
The shot-put hit her directly in the chest. Meno gasped as she felt some of her ribs crack.
"Hmph. Guess three hundred and thirty is the limit right now."
Aster…Syrus…Papa…Zane…everyone…thank you. Meno thought, and she lost consciousness.
"Are you serious?"
"!" Meno's eyes snapped open, and she was in darkness with only a hint of purple light. Voice appeared behind her, glowing white and covered in bandages with her only uncovered eye staring down at her. Meno stood up and backed away from voice, afraid.
"After everything you've done, you're just going to give up?"
"It's not what I've done; it's what you've done!" Meno yelled. She placed a hand on her chest. "I didn't kill all those innocent people, you did!"
"Oh, please. You sound just like that girly boy." Voice folded her arms. "Are you seriously going to leave them behind?"
"I don't understand." Meno said.
"You idiot. I'm talking about your friends." Meno's eyes widened. She turned her back to Voice, clutching her arms.
"I have no place to return to. Aster said so himself. He never saw me as his sister."
"You've gotta be kidding me!" Voice peered over Meno's shoulder. "Aster was talking to me, not you. Well...he would be if he didn't slap me like that." Meno gasped.
"So...he really does care about me." Meno smiled, and tears filled her eyes. "I'm glad." Meno clutched her hands as the tears fell down her face. "I'm so glad."
Meanwhile, back in the real world, a scientist was by Meno's side, unfastening the restraints around her arms. His eyes widened. He saw a smile appear on Meno's face and a tear fall down her cheek.
"There, you see? People do care about you." Voice said. "The last thing they want is for you to be in a hell hole like this. So what are you waiting for? Get out of here!" Meno wiped her tears away with her arm. She looked up, determination in her eyes.
"Yes." Meno said.
"I'd better help you out later on. After all, security is tough."
"O...Okay." Meno nodded. "But give me my body back after this is over."
"Whatever." Voice disappeared, and in the real world, Meno's eyes opened.
"Number thirty seven..." Meno stood up and walked forward several paces without looking at the scientist. "Number thirty seven!" Meno turned around and glared at the scientist.
"Now we'll see how you can deflect the cannon balls." She said acidly. The scientist's eyes widened. A cannon ball on the ground glowed pink and hovered in the air, before shooting straight into the scientist's chest, knocking him out cold.
"Oh, dear. I didn't hurt him, did I?" Meno whispered. She sighed with relief when she heard the scientist groan. An alarm went off, and a pair of doors opened up in front of Meno. Several guards wearing a black uniform and equipped with black machine guns ran in. They all aimed their guns at Meno.
"Number thirty seven. Turn yourself in, or we'll shoot." Meno disappeared from the spot, and teleported inside the control room where the scientists were. They all screamed and ran away from her. Meno calmly picked up a black rubbish bag lying in the corner on the room and opened it up. Inside were her clothes. Another group of guards ran in at that moment, and they too pointed their guns at her.
"Number thirty seven. Turn yourself in now, or we'll be forced to kill you." Meno looked out the window, and saw the other group of guards aiming their guns at her.
"My name is not number thirty seven." Meno said. "My name is Meno Phoenix."
"Number thirty seven. I am asking you one final time." Meno gritted her teeth and clenched her fists. "Turn yourself in now, or we'll-"
"MY NAME IS MENO!" Meno screamed, and a huge column of pink light burst throught he ceiling, turning the sky dark. Meno walked out of the control room, the light never leaving that spot and still clutching her bag.
"Let me take control for a while. You won't get out alive without me."
"Yes." Meno looked up, and her eyes became blank.
…
"Okay, Syrus. Which way?" Jaden asked, jumping up to the boat, and clambering onto it as soon as he had a proper grip on it.
"There is a ladder you know." Aster pointed out.
"Damn I forgot."
"I'm trying to concentrate!" Syrus snapped. "That's weird. I can't sense her anymore."
"What do you mean?" Daisy asked.
"It's like...it's like she disappeared. But...she was that way." Syrus pointed across the ocean.
"Well then, let's go." Aster stepped on the first rung of the ladder and jumped up onto the boat the rest of the way.
"Er...we're going across water?" Haru asked nervously.
"Of course." Hassleberry said, getting on the boat followed by Zane, Syrus, Daisy and Hiruko. "Is something wrong?"
"What if I fall in?" Haru asked.
"You can swim back on." Aster answered.
"That's the problem." Haru rubbed the back of his head nervously. "I can't swim." Everyone stared at Haru with blank looks.
"Don't be silly!" Aster and Jaden exclaimed at the same time, grinning.
"I'm serious. I can't swim."
"Come on, Haru. There's lifejackets on the boat. And if you're so worried about falling in, just stay inside the boat. Now come one!" Hassleberry grabbed Haru's arm.
"Hassle-whoa!" Hassleberry pulled Haru off the ground and onto the boat. "Don't do that!"
"Let's get going! Meno needs us!" Hassleberry yelled. Aster looked out the window of the controls and gave Hassleberry a thumbs up.
"On it! Straight ahead, right Syrus?" Syrus nodded. "Alright then!" The engine started, and the boat charged forward.
"WHOA!" Everyone fell over on the deck, with the exception of Zane and Hiruko, who clung to the railing to prevent themselves from falling over.
"Easy, Aster!" Hiruko yelled, clinging onto the railing.
"Sorry. It's been a while since I've used this thing. Just gimme a sec." Several seconds later, the boat slowed down.
"That's better." Hassleberry sat up.
"I think I'm going to be sick." Syrus moaned, lying on his back.
"Let me get out the way first!" Daisy exclaimed, scrambling away from Syrus.
"Right. I should have warned you that Sy doesn't have a strong stomach on the water." Aster left the controls and walked onto the deck. He blinked as he realised everyone was staring at him. "What?" Aster looked up at the controls, then back at his friends. "Oh, don't worry. It's on auto-pilot."
"Auto-pilot? What's that?" Haru asked.
"If you don't know, never mind." Zane sighed. "Jaden, how come your fox is back?"
"What?" Aster spun around, and Coco landed on his shoulder and rubbed himself against Aster's face. "Jaden? Did you leave your duel disk on again?" Aster grumbled angrily?
"Aster, that's-" Haru started, but Hassleberry quickly clamped his hand over Haru's mouth.
"That's his neighbour's, er, cat!" Hassleberry said quickly. "He's always following Aster!"
Damn. That's right. Haru thought. Zane's here.
"Yeah, he's pretty annoying. I'll take care of him until we get back to Domino City. Jaden. Hiruko. Get below deck and make sure Syrus doesn't make a mess on my boat."
"Got it!" Jaden and Hiruko saluted and dragged Syrus into the lounge.
"If he senses Meno again, let me know!" Aster yelled through the doorway.
"Whatever." Hiruko yelled back.
"Haru. Hassleberry. Keep on the lookout for any islands. Daisy, you're coming with me."
"Okay." Daisy nodded.
"What about me?" Zane asked.
"You can...um...gee, I don't know. Hey, don't give me that look! Fine, Haru and Hassleberry can keep lookout on that end, and you can take the other end okay?" Aster turned around to the door that leads back to the controls. "And for god's sake, don't do anything I wouldn't do."
"I have no idea what you wouldn't do."
"You know what I mean. Come on, Daisy." Aster and Daisy disappeared from Zane's sight.
"Moron." Zane hissed. "What are you looking at?" He glared at Haru and Hassleberry.
"Nothing!" The both yelped at the same time, and dashed off to the other end of the boat. Zane walked towards the edge of the boat, just in time to see Domino City disappear into the horizon.
...
"See anything yet?" Hassleberry asked in a bored tone, his chin resting on the metal railing.
"Nothing. You?" Haru asked in an equally bored tone.
"Nope." Hassleberry answered.
"How about now?"
"Again, no." Silence
"This sucks!" Hassleberry pushed himself away from the railing. "We've been at it for half an hour, and we still don't know where Meno is! This would be done a lot faster if Zane wasn't here. Like, Aster could fly around the ocean for a while, or something."
"I know, but like it or not, it's happening."
"Hmmm... but what if we used powers discreetly?" Hassleberry said thoughtfully, a mischievous glint in his eyes. "Haru, you have enhanced senses right?"
"Hm? Oh...yeah I do. I have a little control over them, so it doesn't get too unbearable."
"Sooooo...can you use them to hear Meno from far away?" Silence.
"Why didn't I think of that?" Haru said, smacking his forehead. "Okay. Here I go." Haru cupped a hand around his ear and closed his eyes. After several seconds, Haru opened his eyes.
"Well? Did you get anything, Radio Haru?"
"Does a flock of seagulls twenty miles away count?" Haru asked. Hassleberry and Haru hung their heads with exasperated sighs.
"This is hopeless." Hassleberry groaned.
"Did you have to call me Radio Haru? It makes me feel like a robot."
Rumble!
"What was that?" Haru asked, looking up.
"What was what?"
Rumble!
"That."
"I don't know. It sounds like...thunder."
"Thunder? But the weather said we would have clear skies today."
"Haru, don't trust what the weather forecast says, because fifty per cent of the time, they're wrong." In the distance, black clouds began to appear in the sky, and they slowly went towards the boat.
"I don't like the look of these clouds." Hassleberry said nervously, as the clouds reached the boat and darkened the sunlight. Suddenly, the boat began rocking back and forth violently, and the two of them were drenched in rain in a matter of seconds.
"Whoa!" Haru clung to the railing to prevent himself from falling over. "Where did this storm come from?"
"It's not a storm!"
"What are you talking about?" Haru yelled. "The sky is dark, there's thunder and lightning, the wind is powerful enough to be a typhoon and it's pouring with rain! Of course it's a storm!"
"I know but...it's not a real storm."
"Wha...what makes you say that?"
"Over there? You see that?" Hassleberry pointed ahead, and there was a narrow beam of light in the distance.
"I see it."
"That's the eye of the storm. But look even closer at it. What do you see?"
"Well...I see an island, and the light is..." Haru's eyes widened. "It's pink."
"Figured it out?"
"You don't think...You think Meno is causing this?"
...
"What in the hell's happening here?" Daisy yelled, clinging to the steering wheel to prevent her from falling over.
"Is it a hurricane?" Aster asked.
"This stupid storm...is stopping me from...steering!" Daisy struggled with the wheel, but the boat didn't stay on a straight path. Quickly, Aster pulled a lever and pulled the steering wheel to the left, and the boat was back on the correct path.
"I've never seen anything like it. It's so-" A thunderbolt suddenly crashed in front of the boat, and Aster immediately stopped talking, wide eyed.
"It's so what?" Daisy asked, taking over the wheel.
"Er...I'm sorry. I can't remember what we were talking about."
"Seriously?" Daisy dead panned. "That's so unlike you."
"Well it doesn't matter right now. Get everyone inside. I'll take over things here."
"Alright." Daisy opened a window. "Hassleberry! Haru! Zane! Get below deck now!" Haru and Hassleberry dashed inside the room just a second later, completely drenched. "I said below deck!"
"Zane's there now." Hassleberry shook the water off his head.
"We think we know what's causing the storm." Haru said, squeezing some water out of his blonde hair.
"Really? So it's not natural?" Daisy asked, handing the two of them towels, which they immediately grabbed to rub their heads dry.
"No. There's an island ahead, and a weird light." Hassleberry mumbled behind his towel.
"Meno." Daisy said.
"Meno's responsible for this?" Aster turned around from the controls. "That doesn't make any sense at all." A bolt of lightning flashed, followed by an extremely loud thunder clap. Aster gasped, and he let go of the steering wheel, causing the boat to steer out of control.
"What're you doing, Aster?" Haru quickly took hold of the wheel. "This isn't the time to daydream. Hassleberry, how do you use this thing?"
"It's called a boat, Haru." Hassleberry grabbed the other end of the wheel. "A luxury yacht to be exact."
"I know, but I've never seen one like this."
"Really?"
"Does it matter right now?"
"It does if you don't know how to use it!"
"Okay, okay! Straight ahead, right?"
"Right."
"This way?" Haru tugged the steering wheel to the right.
"No! Not that way!"
"Yes it is! See? There's the island!"
"Oh. So it is."
"Daisy, can you help us out here?"
"Oh, give it here!" Daisy shoved Haru and Hassleberry out of the way and got the boat heading towards the island again. "Honestly, you two. You're so alike, you'll be the death of me someday!"
"What're you talking about? We're not alike at all." Haru and Hassleberry said at the same time.
"You're exactly alike!" Daisy yelled. "Aster! Stop spacing out and help me out already!"
"Huh? Oh...right." Aster pulled two more levers, but still looked rather dazed.
"Alright, you two. Thanks for that information. Go to the others now. We can handle things down here. If we need you again, I'll call you, okay?" Daisy said. Haru and Hassleberry nodded, and went outside again to get below deck. "Honestly. Those two really are alike, don't you think?"
"Yeah I...I guess." Aster muttered.
"What's wrong with you?" Daisy asked, hands on her hips. "You don't space out like this unless you're tired." Daisy placed a hand on Aster's forehead, and felt her own forehead with her other hand. "It doesn't feel like you have a fever."
"Daisy, I'm fine." Aster shrugged off Daisy's hand.
"I'm not convinced. I'm gonna go get the first aid kit downstairs. You keep control of the boat here." Daisy turned around and began to walk away. There was another crash of thunder, making Aster flinch.
"Wait!" Aster spun around and grabbed the bottom of Daisy's collar. She stopped walking and turned around, surprised.
"Aster?" Aster let go of Daisy's shirt, looking just as dumb founded as her.
"Er...I...I'm sorry." Aster apologised, bringing his hands up apologetically. "I don't know what-"
Krash!
"AH!" Aster clutched his head, his body shaking.
"Aster!" Quickly, Daisy set the boat to auto-pilot and placed her hands on Aster's shoulders. "Aster, what's wrong?"
"I have no idea." Aster answered. "All of a sudden, I'm really scared." There was another flash of lightning, causing Aster to fall onto his knees with a yelp.
"Aster... Are you afraid of thunderstorms?" Daisy asked, dropping onto her knees in front of Aster.
"No." Aster shook his head. "I wasn't afraid of them before, so why I'm afraid now doesn't make any sense." Aster slammed a fist on the floor. "Damn. I shouldn't be afraid of anything. Not at a time like this."
"It's alright."
"Wha..." Aster looked up, and Daisy pulled Aster into a hug.
"It's okay if you're afraid of something. It's perfectly natural, especially if you developed it just now. I don't mind one little bit." Daisy smiled softly. "Do you remember when we talked about our worst fears back at Dual Academy?"
"Yeah." Aster smiled. "You admitted you were scared of spiders."
"Ha-ha! Yep, guilty as charged. But you were stubborn as usual. You refused to say what you were afraid of."
"Jaden heard about it, and you, Hassleberry, Jesse and Syrus made it your quest to discover my worst fear." Aster grumbled, narrowing his eyes
"Eheheheh" Daisy laughed nervously. "It was Jaden's idea. Besides, they were bored. Honestly! We tried everything! Spiders, snakes, the dark, closed spaces, sharp objects, did I miss any out?"
"Don't forget that time you dragged me to the roof of the academy." Aster said.
"Yeah, and that. Jaden even took you to the Slifer Red dorm's abandoned room."
"I'd never seen so many rats in my whole life until that day."
"We just couldn't figure it out. You were utterly fearless, so I gave up and we never mentioned it again...until now."
"Eh?" Aster looked up at Daisy, pulling himself out of Daisy's hold slightly.
"You can now answer my question." Daisy said, smiling cheerfully. "Let's try it again. Are you afraid of anything? I'm afraid of spiders. What's your fear?" Aster blinked in surprise. "Well?"
"I...I'm afraid of thunderstorms." Aster answered, smiling.
"Yay! You finally answered my question!" Daisy clapped her hands together happily. "Wow. Now we're even closer than ever!"
"Hey, I guess we are. And I don't hear the thunder anymore. I think it's stopped." At that moment, there was a crash of thunder. "Gack!" Aster immediately placed his hands over his ears. "Never mind." At that moment, the boat stopped rocking, and the thunderstorm stopped as well. "Huh?" Aster stood up and looked outside.
"Did it stop?" Daisy asked, also standing up.
"No. We're in the eye of the storm." Aster walked up to the wheel, and saw that the island was only a few miles away. "That beam of light is the source of it all." Aster's fist clenched. "Meno..." Aster dashed out of the door to the deck of the boat.
"Aster!" Daisy ran after him, being careful not to slip on the slippery wood. Aster skidded to a stop, and reached into the pocket of his jacket. "What are you going to do?"
"Daisy...stay here with the others." Aster said, pulling out his manacle and slipping it on his arm. "And don't follow me. I'm going to save Meno."
"What if Zane sees you?" Daisy protested. Aster looked over his shoulder and gave Daisy a reassuring smile.
"Don't worry. He's not gonna see me. I'll be back here with Meno soon. I promise."
"Okay." Daisy nodded. "I have faith in you." With that, Aster turned back around, waved his hand over the manacle to activate the wings, and flew off towards the island. Coco climbed up Daisy's legs and sat on her shoulder. Daisy patted him on the head.
"Don't worry, Coco. Aster is going to be okay. He says he'll come back with Meno, so he will." Daisy looked back at the island. "I know he will."
...
"No! Get away from me!" A scientist burst through a set of double doors and outside the building, just moments before his head was sliced off his body. Meno calmly pushed the doors open and walked outside, holding the bin bag containing her clothes and not a single drop of blood on her. Her eyes regained their shine, and the pillar of light disappeared, along with the storm clouds. Meno sighed.
"I made it." She said. "Now...how do I get back?"
"Geez, there was so much rain!"
"Someone's coming!" Meno quickly ducked behind a bush, just as Aster landed on the ground and deactivated the phoenix wings.
"I thought there wasn't supposed to be rain in the eye." Aster moaned, shaking the water out of his hair. "Oh, well. At least it's stopped." He stared up at the huge building before him. "Well. This looks like the place."
Aster... Meno thought.
"It's kinda...big. And bulky too. I guess I'd better be careful not to be seen." Aster clapped his hands once. "Okay! Here I go!"
"Wait!" Meno cried, jumping out from behind the bushes.
"Huh?" Aster blinked. "Meno?"
"Don't go in there! You...you won't like what's in there."
"I'm sure it's not that bad." Aster pushed the door open slightly and peered inside. He closed it shut quickly and pulled a face. "I stand corrected." Meno turned away.
"I'm sorry. I had to use my other side to escape."
"But why did you let yourself get captured?" Aster demanded. "Do you have any idea how worried you made me?" Meno flinched, and Aster calmed down immediately. "Oh...I get it. It's my fault, right?"
"Wha..." Meno started.
"Did you go because you thought I hated you?" Aster asked. "Or did I say something I shouldn't have?"
"Aster, I-"
"Whatever it is, I'M SORRY!" Aster yelled, giving Meno a low apologetic bow. Meno stared at Aster, taken aback by the apology.
"Um...Aster?" Meno eventually said. "You can sit up now."
"Oh...okay." Aster straightened his back. "So, we're cool right?"
"Uh...yeah?" Meno twirled some blue hair around her finger. "I...guess we are."
"I really had no idea I was talking to you. It was just that I thought it was the evil you, seeing as you, I mean she, had a head with you, I mean her. Ah, my head hurts!" Meno giggled.
"Its okay, Aster. As long as you came here to rescue me, then you don't have to worry about anything."
"But still..." Aster blushed and pointed at Meno's outfit. "What in the world are you wearing?"
"Um...well... it's..." Meno stuttered, her cheeks turning pink. She was interrupted when Aster took the bin bag and thrust it towards Meno.
"Just...just put some clothes on." Aster said, refusing to look at her. "If Daisy finds you like this, she'll kill me." Meno nodded, took the bag and scrambled behind a bush. Aster stared up at the research facility once again.
"So...this is the Kishido Research Facility, right?"
"Y-yes."
"It's a bit big for one girl, don't you think?" Aster asked. "I mean, I know you're dangerous, but come on."
"Well...about that."
"Huh?" Aster stared at the bush Meno was behind. "What is it?"
"I was wrong. When I arrived here, I could sense many Kishido's. More than one hundred."
"One hundred?" Aster exclaimed.
"Perhaps even more. If they're underground, then I can't sense them."
"This is insane." Aster shook his head in disbelief.
"It's called safety." Meno stepped out of the bushes, now fully clothed in her red skirt, white blouse and pink cardigan. "Kishido's are incredibly dangerous." Meno continued, pulling on her socks and fastening her shoes. "They have restraints on them to prevent them from using their powers unless they are deactivated." Meno pulled down the collar of her shirt, revealing a scar across her neck. "See this? I got this when I came here. The restraints are around the neck. Mine broke off when I was escaping."
"But...this scar looks really old. You couldn't have got it recently." Aster said, examining the scar.
"You're right." Meno said. "Before I met your mother...I was an experiment here." Aster's eyes widened.
"You...you were?" Meno nodded.
"I went under the name experiment number thirty seven. And, for two years, this was my home." Meno took Aster's hand.
"..." Aster stared down at his hand.
"Come. I'll show you. It's time you knew about me."
Hey hey hey! Meno's gonna give Aster an official tour of the Kishido Research Facility. Hmmm...not exactly pleasant, I'll give you that. But, does Meno's other side have other ideas? Stay tuned, and you'll find out!