Boss Rush

XXXIII: Memory Snatcher

Hark, hark, the dogs do bark,
The beggars are coming to town.
Some in rags, some in tags,
And one in a red velvet gown...

Natashi Kiyomi was running. Why it was through a secluded area of Neo Domino, why it was from oddly canine-looking dragons flying in hot pursuit, why it was for his life, those facts were hardly important at the moment. The main fact to focus on was that he was running from Hunter Dragons, and it was for a damned good reason.

Behind him, a basso horn sounded. The sound reached straight to the hind-brain, prompting him to run ever faster. This was totally not worth Fumizuki's promises, he noted. Being chased by ravenous monsters, that is.

"Why do you run, Kiyomi?" the voice laughed, like silk across steel. "Give up. You know you cannot win..."

"Get away from the Winter Queen," he growled as he spied the main road, and freedom.

A black car trundled down the road. Inside it, Ishihara Kaname drove, or made a game attempt to drive well after a few years of being out of the House of Clubs. In the back-seat, Takeshi and Alexianna sat in stoic silence, both of them quiet and Takeshi especially pale.

"Poor Erika-san," Kaname commented. "How did his body end up like that, anyway...?"

"Lose your legs in the forest of confusion," Takeshi muttered.

Alexianna shot him a look. "Have you been reading too much Black Butler again?"

"It has some very appropriate phrases, doesn't it?" Takeshi rebutted. "Erika-san was entranced by the eyes of the dead."

Kaname shivered, nearly driving the car off the road. "Takeshi, that's just creepy. Next you know we'll be running down some helpless bugger in the middle of these woods. I almost want to call Harald-san already."

Takeshi stopped to stare at her. "Harald-san? When did Harald-shishou and you get so chummy?"

"When he came over the last time at our house, remember?" Kaname absently answered. "Now shut it, I haven't touched the steering wheel in a long- Eek!"

A flash of white hair came across the screen before the man collapsed in front of the car, which braked, slamming quite a few people forward. The entire car sat stunned, hardly daring to believe what they just saw.

Takeshi closed a palm over his left eye. "Lose your legs in the forest of confusion."

"T- T- Takeshi! Come on!" Kaname snapped as she unbuckled her seatbelt and swiftly exited the car. "Poor bugger... hey, he's actually pretty hot... and familiar."

Takeshi immediately followed her out, pausing to stoop and check the downed man. "He's breathing, he's got a pulse, and no visible injuries. That's the length and breadth of my medical knowledge."

Both siblings paused as something shifted amongst the trees, yet no breeze blew, the air uncomfortably chilly yet still all of a sudden. "W- W- What was that?" Kaname shivered.

"Come on," Takeshi instructed as one sibling took one arm and hobbled back. "Lexy, take shotgun, will you? We've got someone to send to the hospital."

"I think I recognise him," Kaname commented. "One of those guys who broke into City Hall, Natashi Kiyomi. He helped me when I got out of the home."

Takeshi nodded. "Do we call the Movement?"

The man suddenly started, struggling. "No, not the Movement, oh god not the Movement. No hospitals, please, I need to get away, no hospitals, not the Movement..."

Kaname blinked as she helped to lever the clearly delirious man into the back-seat. "For his sake, better not. We can settle things back home."

"Takeshi?" Alexianna blinked from the shotgun, already extracting an air pillow from the dashboard. "Mon Dieu,is he alright?"

"Maybe, Nee-chan says that she recognises him," Takeshi shook his head as he accepted the air pillow to stuff it under the man's head. "Say, do you remember that last bit? Black Butler? After the eyes and the forest?"

"'The body is burned in the crimson flames?'" Alexianna answered, her face scrunched in concentration.

Takeshi shook his head. "Of course. I hate Gothic stuff," he added, as if to no one in particular.

"My Lady, we have not caught him," the murmurs echo as the car drives off, the winds whip, afraid and very close. "He is with the champion of the Aesir and the Caislean..."

Far above, on the rooftop of the Arcadia Movement building, the thud of hooves echo despite the general terrain of the city-scape being wholly inappropriate for any sort of proper equestrian activity. The dark horse paws, and astride it side-saddle, the rider's black hair whips into the winds at high altitude as she dismounts. Her face shone with a cold and terrible beauty.

"Oh my," the other girl eagerly dismounts. She wore a light brown cardigan over a white buttoned shirt, navy blue skirt with a belt that held her deck box, along with white socks and blue sneakers. "And we only just came back from a party."

"Recall the Hunter Dragons," Setsuka orders to nothing and everything, the winds seemingly rushing to obey. Today she wore a shift that melts away into a white shirt with sleeves rolled up, a black skirt with white lace hem that rides up her knees, along with calf-high socks and graceful square-toed shoes. "There is no point in hunting one so close to the Ishihara family. Keep an eye, strike when he finally leaves."

"Understood, Great Queen..."

Michiru snuggled the horse, which neighed back. "I've never actually went dancing before. I think it's fun."

"You insisted," Setsuka countered, dismissing the horse with a wave of her hand as it galloped away. "Fortunately, not enough to be persuasive where it matters, but otherwise very persuasive. It was either let you offend every monster with some social faux pas, or teach you proper etiquette. I note that you get along well with the Fiends, even though you may have called Reign-Beaux a singularly grotesque statue."

Michiru flushed bright red. "I just said that hey, look, the art's really ugly! I didn't know that it was the Overlord, honest!"

Setsuka still remained bemused. "He likes you."

"I- Wait, he does?" Michiru paused.

"Hmm..." Setsuka seized the other's face, peering for a moment. "I believe he mentioned a resemblance to Eldeen for a moment. Perhaps you could be a changeling, a half-spirit child. Such cases have happened."

Michiru blinked as her head was let go of. "Mum was named Eldeen. Dad... I don't know who's Mum, I've only ever had Dad. She left when I was a baby."

"A few painful, barbed questions to Tenjouin-sensei would solve that rather quickly, I suppose," Setsuka remarked as the two girls watched the Hunter Dragons fly away. "Come along. We should sleep well tonight if we don't want to be caught out."

Michiru giggled. "I didn't peg you to be the type to sneak out for clubbing or Duel marathons. You're so proper, you know, even if we sneak into another world."

"Having hidden depths can only be an advantage," Setsuka answered. "Imagine what Nakamura-san would say."

"I think he'd be pleased," Michiru shook her head. "I hate humans, but I love the Duel Spirits. I want them to like me. Setsuka... thanks."

"Don't be ridiculous, most of them think you're my lady-in-waiting," Setsuka dismissed as they descended the staircase leading into the Movement building. "Well, it was the only way to smuggle an ostensibly human girl into a gathering of Duel Spirits in the heart of Winter. I regret that."

"You can't do anything about it, right?" Michiru defended.

"Perhaps," Setsuka replied. "But it is a reminder. We are not equals. I consider you a friend, yet there is a divide that cannot be crossed, because neither of us are the type to make friends easily."

"Friends?" Michiru scoffed. "Nothing so naïve. We're partners, Setsuka. Say, when is Jimmy coming over? It's fun to rile him."

"Hands off the fiancé now," Setsuka advised. "We should target the possible girlfriend instead."

"I really don't think Cook's the type to cheat."

"I don't think so either, but my estimates have been wrong before. Needless to say, I will still have to ask pointed, perhaps barbed questions."

"Save me a front-row seat, I want to see that," Michiru grinned, showing small, even teeth. "And Dunames-sensei?"

Setsuka shook her head, no longer smiling. "I have taken the time at length to explain to him the error of his ways."

"Somehow, I don't pity him."

By dint of long experimentation, Adrian had figured out that there were points which, while very close on the spirit plane, were very far apart on the mortal plane, and provided he was careful about it, he could probably walk from Illinois to Florida in ten minutes flat. Of course, there were drawbacks such as getting lost, exemplified by that one time he walked straight into Hero City when he was meaning to get back to Japan.

Aside from that, the jewel seemed to be fairly functional in getting him from a world that seemed to be eighty percent forest to the human world, and vice versa. This also had the benefit of saving a fortune in air-plane fees but a greater chance of getting deported. Win some, lose some, he decided.

Right now, Adrian was regretting that maybe, he should have asked for a directional system with it.

We're lost.

"I know, Naga," Adrian sighed as he trudged through snow-covered barren forest, having just barely evaded a few hunting parties that were fairly too vicious for his own tastes. "I wish-"

Adrian had barely finished his words when he tripped over a body.

It groaned. It, no, he, lay face-down on the ground, his wounded leg a mass of wet scarlet. How he'd managed to survive given his injury, Adrian had no idea. As the Hispanic Duellist scrambled to look at him and the bleeding, too-bright crimson that slowly turned darker dripped further. Even with painkillers, it must have hurt like hell.

He stared at Adrian with hard eyes. Then his hand started to shake, and it stopped. He followed it with a groan.

Adrian went to him, breathing hard. "Oi!" He turned the man over and looked at his wound. It was soaked in blood, but it wasn't bleeding much anymore. His face was white. His lips looked grey.

Doma has a firm hold on this one, chico.

He opened his eyes calmly. "You're human."

Adrian glanced down at the white and blue blazer, distinctively only of Duel Academia. "Yeah," he said. "Adrian Rodriguez. I'm going to help you, okay?"

The man smiled a little. "Kevin Dunames. Don't bother. They left me here to die and feed the forest. Broke both my legs too."

"Come off it," Adrian snarled as a howl sounded in the distance and a cold wind blew.

"Don't," he said quietly. "Don't fight it. I want it."

Adrian stared down at him. "Why? Come on, someone tried to kill you. They left you here to die."

He shook his head, smiling wearily. "The wages of sin," he said quietly.

"Yeah? I think there's a village around here. They may be able to help."

"I caused an innocent man's death and a girl's childhood to be ruined. Just because I thought his wife was cursed."

Adrian stared at him, unable to speak.

His eyes became cloudy. "Shimotsuki Setsuka. Do you know her? Yes, you do, only those who know can make such a face."

"What about her?"

"I created a monster," he sobbed. "If I didn't tell them, maybe she'd have had a proper childhood. I'm as guilty as them, I told them about Shimotsuki Setsuka. They killed Shimotsuki Rafael and Seiran. I created the Winter Queen."

Adrian shook his head. "You still need help, Shimotsuki Setsuka or not. Come on."

"I'm going to die," he whispered. He lifted his right hand, and Adrian gripped it hard. "Please... tell Setsuka... I hope my death appeases her."

He died less than a minute later.

Leave it, Vennominaga hissed as Adrian considered.

"I can't, Naga," Adrian whispered as it dissolved into gold dust. "He deserves a burial, right?"

And what will you do? His body is breaking down. Even if the process is delayed, if you bring it back there will be inquiries from mortal authorities. You will become the prime suspect.

"She'll pay," Adrian hotly swore. "She killed him... Shimotsuki Setsuka..."

No. These wounds were inflicted by Fiend weapons. This was a natural death by exsanguination. And, his words... they were truly regretful. He had wished for it to come, Doma's embrace.

"Yes, well, he still mentioned the Shimotsuki when he died," Adrian scowled. "Madre de Dios, I'm going to have a few questions when we get to Shinamori."

Seeing Duel spirits was hardly a problem. Even though the very sight of them were few and far between, there were still enough of such problems that Koichi could make a rather decent living off solving such problems. Where religions had tried and failed, the judicious application of a DuelDisk in the right place solved them.

Still, years of experience told him that a spirit hanging around Tsugare was a bad idea.

She was dressed in ragged robes of ochre over a dress of dark blue-black, her long covered shoes laced up her calves in a distracting fashion. She held the blue staff in both hands, secure and ready, her long loose blue locks flyaway and distracting. Her face was sweetly angelic, girl-next-door pretty. Around her feet was a small familiar, a Gigobyte.

Most importantly, she kept her gaze on Tsugare and the man Youkai had identified as Kaenboshi Kasai as they slowly meandered through the Daimon Area. Although the situation had mostly improved to something like a middle-class shopping area, it was still risky to appear lost. People had been fleeced for less, and thankfully no crime happened when the Movement did one of its few crackdowns.

Still hiding from their view, Koichi slipped until he was standing within earshot of the Eria. "Pretty brave of you, standing in public."

"Few can see me," the translucent spirit answered quietly. "You are a Water user as well. What is the point of coming to my presence, knowing that I may turn your retinue against you?"

"Whoa, whoa," he muttered. "So, why are you spying on them?"

"Does it matter so much to you?"

Koichi twitched as the brown-haired man, Kasai, leaned over to hug Tsugare. "It is if there's a link to him."

"I have no intention of answering. You have neither incentive nor deterrence to persuade me otherwise."

"I'm just curious," Koichi commented. "Why him?"

"Meddlesome human."

"Yeah, I'm kinda paid to do that," Koichi interjected. "Hmm, let's see... oi, Tsugare!" He yelled as he began to walk over to Tsugare.

The eldest Misawa winced at the sight of him. "I told you to go!"

Kasai looked vaguely threatened. "I'm going to have to ask you to-"

"Yamamoto Koichi, Arcadia Movement," Koichi quickly answered. "I was told by Setsuka to keep an eye on him."

Kasai's expression grew more open. "Ah, the Cold Queen herself sent you. Kaenboshi Kasai. Haven't seen you around. New?"

"Former member," Koichi easily answered. "European Movement. My work's mainly in the UK, but I got called. Flown down and given the job on landing."

"Yeah, that's the Queen," Kasai chuckled as a cold-faced man came up. That, or the man was emulating Setsuka. "Oi, Yukio, what took you?"

"Captain Kaname Yuuko, First Investigative Brigade of the NDPD," the man answered.

Koichi took a quick look at him. Slightly shorter than the detective himself, cold, sapphire blue eyes that seem to gleam, icy blue hair a bit longer than most with snow-white bangs completely covering the right side of his face. Clothing included dark blue sleeveless shirt with a small v-neck, long black bands covering up to the upper arms, black jeans, knee-high boots with a silver chain that hangs from his left pants pocket. Accessories include an earring with a blue sapphire set in, choker with dark blue crystal, plus a tattoo of a blue sea-serpent dragon visible on the shoulder.

Koichi should really stop abusing those detective skills. For one thing, neither man was about to be picked out of a line-up. For another, neither was – on the surface – guilty of anything more than a rather more-than-friendly association to one Misawa Tsugare whom he still had uncertain feelings about. Which was hardly a crime in and of itself.

"Who are you?" the other man, Yukio, took a look at him.

"Yamamoto Koichi," Koichi held out a hand. Yukio stared at it, bowed, and then straightened, staring at him with those chilling eyes.

Koichi let his hand drop. "I'm with the Movement. Relax."

It was imperceptible, but Yukio seemed to loosen a fraction. "What does the Cold Queen have for us, the Knights of Arcadia?"

Koichi briefly considered. "Huh?"

"Oh, for the love of-" Tsugare pulled him aside. "Sorry. Yukio's put on his work-face again. You're with the Movement and you don't know them?"

"I'm attached to the European Movement," Koichi defended. "This is my first time with the Central Movement."

"Okay," Tsugare relented. "Their group, the Knights of Arcadia, aids the Arcadia Movement in criminal cases as well as helping to curtail the propaganda used against psychics by anti-psychic groups. It also organises ways to make it easier for people with psychic abilities to get equal opportunities in finding jobs and in advanced education, along with hunting down any rogue psychics who cause mayhem in the streets of Neo Domino and tarnish the name of the Arcadia Movement."

Koichi considered. "So, very trusted."

"Very," Yukio's eyes softened. Koichi recognised that look; one of complete and utter adoration of the one who had rescued many a psychic and given them an out in life. "Shimotsuki-san helped me when I was thrown to the streets."

There it was again, the sheer fact that the Movement had its claws in them far deeper than could be imagined. "Are you close with them, Tsugare?"

"Yeah," Tsugare animatedly replied. "Kasai and Yukio are practically my own age. I can't believe that Boss actually told me to update on them- oi, hang on, why are you here?"

The Winter Queen is Shimotsuki Setsuka.

Boss is up to something, and it involves Tsu-nii...

But Tsu-nii trusts her...

"Hello?"

"Oh, nothing," Koichi faked a smile. "Where are you going?"

Tsugare shot a dirty look at him. "I'm joining their team for the Stygian Dirge. There's only three more months, so we have to get in shape."

"Ah, I'm staying for the tournament as well," Koichi nodded. "But, Setsuka is participating as well, right?"

"This is the first tournament where so many psychics are entering," Tsugare answered. "We have to do it right, by which it means no accidentally injuring people. Boss has been pushing this through for a while already."

Tsugare was edging closer to Kasai as the three left for a nearby garage.

Koichi's smile stuck on his face as he nodded, giving his thanks and farewells before disappearing down an alley. The Raging Eria was there, awaiting him. She was not alone. Beside her was a large, vaguely bipedal green reptile-alligator creature clothed in brown rags and light armour as well. The Gigobyte was nowhere to be found.

Koichi vaguely debated his choices. "This is where you kill me, right?"

"Meddler," the Spellcaster snarled, her form wavering between phantasmal and solid. "You should never have involved yourself in these affairs. You have no concept of what is at stake. Pay for your arrogance."

Koichi dodged and rolled as the Gagagigo dived for him, coming up with a card. "Go, Ghost Fog!"

Eria snarled as fogs swarmed her and her monster, waving her staff. Koichi could feel his body stiffen under her bind.

"W- What?"

"All Charmers have a Spiritual Art," Eria explained as the circle of power around her winked blue. "Mine is the hollyhock, Aoi. Using this, I cut off your options and leave you with no escape. I have set up the Spellbinding Circle around you."

Koichi breathed hard. "You're seriously going to kill me."

"Kurenai!"

Eria jumped back as fire raged across, the fig parting and leaving only damp as the circle broke. Her monster followed, the Water summoner obviously displeased as a red-haired entity appeared, a large flame-red fox by her side. "Hiita," one Charmer acknowledged the other.

"Eria," Hiita countered, taking a protective stance in front of Koichi. "The Winter Queen sent you?"

Eria remained silent.

"Eria!" Hiita repeated, with more force. "What happened? We were friends, weren't we? Isn't the war over?"

"The war is over," Eria distantly replied. "The Lady waits. The season passes. Time is short."

"What does the-" Hiita broke off, considering. "Eria, you've become as weird as the rest of them. What happened? Why are we all fighting? What happened to the words of Doriado-shishou?"

"War," Eria replied. "Fighting. Suffering. Ending. Reparations. Games. You lost your tribe to the Verz. I lost mine to the Vylon. Perhaps it is fated."

"Your Queen said it," Hiita defended, her fox growling. "Summer and Winter, constantly chasing each other, wounding what the other heals and healing what the other wounds. Our senseless contest, waged for no reason other than that it has always been so, mortals and spirits alike trapped between us, crushed by the struggle. Why?"

Eria cocked her head. "Summer has not always been radiant and bright either. But, we are not fighting. This is a mere game in the design of my Queen."

"So, Shimotsuki is behind this?" Ryuusei swerved to a halt on the Meteor Stream behind Koichi, taking off his helmet to stare at Eria. Beside him, Rex braked, just missing Hiita as he dismounted the Throne.

"I can see them," Rex mouthed, as if he had been blind and his eyes had opened.

"What game? Why Tsugare-san?" Ryuusei demanded.

Eria considered him for a long moment. "There is something the Queen would like. That one holds it, and the truth-seeker is a meddling mortal of no import."

Fairies were fluttering about the alley now, no longer childish and baby-faced, some hidden malevolence in the air barely held in check as Eria stood with her partner.

Ryuusei held up a hand to stop the creatures. "So, Shimotsuki is acting all manipulative to control Tsugare?"

"Perhaps," Eria answered.

"Why?"

"Such things are beyond the comprehension of this one who serves the Queen of Air and Darkness."

"Meaning you don't know, and can't guess, or you have an idea, and you're not telling us," Ryuusei patiently guessed.

"Consult your witch, King Summer," Eria lightly replied. "That is all I have been told to tell you."

"Marguerite," Ryuusei murmured as the Witch of the Time Flower herself appeared, her staff brandished and flower blooming in her wake.

"Companion of the Ivory Throne," Eria greeted, stepping back. "It looks like I am outnumbered."

"And surrounded," Chase appeared from the other end of the alley. Behind him loomed a large green eyed purple dragon composed of ice. "We're taking you in."

Eria slowly blinked. "Nothingness King Dragon, companion of the Silver Throne of Winter."

"Handmaiden of the Winter Queen, she who is of raging waters," the dragon rumbled. "Do you require aid?"

"Oi, Rei!" Chase raged. It ignored him.

"That I do," Eria glanced to the Duellists on one side, and then to the lone Infernity Duellist on the other. "Will you aid me this day?"

"Bastard, we had a deal!" Chase complained as the dragon loomed.

"You use my power. I gain a bond to the living world. That was our deal," the dragon snickered. "No one said that you had to be the one to control me."

That was before ice-fire raged green and blue across the cobbled floor, Eria and her Gagagigo making a break to escape past Chase, who dived to avoid stray flames. For an immaterial spirit, she moved surely quickly, unimpeded.

Eria turned back slightly once the two spirits were on safe ground with Dreigoon between them and the group. "King Summer, time races against you. Come Midwinter, unless you are strong and brave enough, we will come. The Queen of Air and Darkness and her creatures will come, and they will destroy you and those of Summer."

Dark flames charged, the Night Rose Dragon brandishing dark wings as it and Dreigoon clashed fires, neither giving until the Nothingness Dragon itself was weakening, the dark dragon of night protecting the Duellists.

"I think I know already," Ryuusei murmured as the Eria faded into so much mist.

"Bastard!" Chase screamed as he tore the card off the dash with much effort, finally freeing the malicious dragon into so much empty space. "Don't know what happened, I'm so sorry, Ryuusei-"

"How troubling," Marguerite whispered.

"You gave me the damned card!" Chase scowled at her. "Remember?"

"It was payment for a debt," Marguerite carelessly shrugged.

Ryuusei breathed. "Enough. Nearly getting frozen and burnt by a rogue dragon aside, we know that Shimotsuki might be trying to control Tsugare-san."

"I think I have some idea," Koichi dazedly muttered. "But... she called you King Summer. Why?"

"I... may be considered Shimotsuki's only equal in power," Ryuusei looked somewhere else very interestedly.

Koichi stared for a long moment. "Okay," he finally nodded. "I can take that. As long as you're helping me get Tsugare's memories back and possibly away from the Arcadia Movement. God, Duel spirits and kings and queens and games- what was that last bit about fighting?"

"I-" Ryuusei froze as Hiita leaned over and kissed the detective. "Hiita!"

The Fire monster shrugged as she dropped the now comatose detective, the three boys staring at her. "I provided an explanation. The knowledge and understanding he requires is part of his mind now; there is no need to argue or explain. Merely a few minutes is needed to accept this knowledge. Unless..." her smile turned positively lascivious.

Rex backed slightly. "I'd rather not, thanks."

It was night, in one world and another. Lia Fáil was beautiful, in the way that pure white diamonds were: glittering and cold and soulless. Exquisite music echoed off the vast ice walls surrounding the courtyard, like glass bells or the tinkling of crystals of a chandelier. Intricate designs of flora and fauna had been carved out of frosted ice and decorated the large courtyard, where a throng of beings from fairy-tales and nightmares cavorted with abandon.

Nearby, a crystal fountain cascaded shimmering liquid into a reservoir and waiting cups. Tables carved from ice groaned under the weight of food that smelled more delicious than anything imaginable. Beautiful men, women and monsters danced in the centre of the courtyard, their laughter ringing through the air and enticing the unwary watcher to join the dance. In shadowy corners, a more primitive kind of dancing was being performed, wavering lights catching the curve of flesh here and there just visible if only one was patient.

Half a dozen human-looking people, male and female alike, were sprawled on the steps before a silvery ice throne in stupor. All of them were masked, and wearing garb that could not be doing much to protect them from the bitter chill, but they did not appear to notice the cold. Michiru was sitting a bit apart from them, decked in grey ragged flowing clothings artfully ripped here and there, leaning against the legs of the woman on the throne.

Setsuka wore a grey shredded cobweb of a dress, grey shoes lined with silver, her hair was piled into a precarious tangle on top of her head, and her intent eyes peered under a small torc of icy blue, almost like clouded ice. She looked even more beautiful in this setting, and she watched the display with amusement. She did not seem to mind the cold as much as it emanated from her.

The girl glided up through the courtyard, glittering imps in darting attendance around her, gathering her hair back with ornate combs, fastening gleaming jewels to her ears, lacing more about her throat, wrist, ankle, perching the dark broad-brimmed witch's hat upon her head, lacing a simple pendant with the Aquamirror around her neck, placing the more ornate staff topped with the Aquamirror in her hands. She smiled, drawing into a deep curtsey before the throned. "Milady Queen."

Setsuka reached out and took her hand. "Eria, no, Ariel. How are you?"

"Very well, thank you for your precious concern."

Michiru glanced at the Duel spirit, before smiling. "Ariel."

"Lady Michiru," the Duel spirit greeted, before turning to Setsuka. "They have taken the bait, my lady."

"Then we can expect Yamamoto-san to come soon," Setsuka mused. "He is always fond of playing his cards too early."

"And, the Nothingness King Dragon has shown himself. I am sure that the Nothingness Phoenix is close by as well."

"Ah, so he shows his hand. I suppose having a sleeping giant in enemy territory is a good idea," Setsuka commented.

"Say, Ariel, how's Avance?" Michiru demanded.

Eria leaned down, pressing a soft kiss on the hand of the Queen. "Very well. I appreciate everything, Milady Queen. Is Lady Noellia here? She and Avance are supposed to be about."

"Oh, quite," Setsuka gave a merry laugh. "Go, sate yourself. Tonight is a cause for celebration."

Eria curtseyed again before backing away to search, stealing into the night.

"Here the dance comes," Setsuka muttered as the Fiend Musicians assembled once more.

"Great!" Michiru leapt to her feet. "Let's dance!"

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