Note: Wahoo! That chapter got done really fast! Maybe it's because I had it all thought up beforehand. Either way, I'm glad I got this done! Note that there's some Spanish spoken in this chapter... And believe me, that book about Spanish slang, "Dirty Spanish", really came in handy for me! Anyway, on to the story! In this chapter, Yugi is reunited with the ghost of his mother, who reveals the shocking truth of what happened after his conception-and of her death! And later they go head to head with Louis Rodriguez in a high speed chase that is bound to entertain you! Also, Kaiba gets a rather disturbing dream... (Remember, this fic is rated M for a reason!) The adventure in Fort Frolic ends here! Enjoy!
Chapter 37: How the Exotic Flowers Wilted
With Yugi leading the way, the team was able to navigate the halls quite easily. In record time, they were standing before their destination. The entrance to the strip club, Izanami's Underworld, had all the glitz and glamor of a glorified brothel, with a sign depicting a scantily-clad pin-up version of the Shinto goddess Izanami, holding a platter filled with the food of Yomi as if offering it to all who seek to enter. "Well, this is the place." Yugi announced. "It's been eleven years since the last time I set foot in this place. I know I've said this before, but after my mother's death, Father has forbidden me to go in here. He never said why."
"Well, Cohen did us a favor by blocking your father's transmissions." Honda noted, "He can't stop us now." Yugi nodded in agreement. Anzu turned toward Atem and found him staring at the entrance intensely.
"Hm? Something on your mind, Atem?" she asked.
It took a moment before the Bolt wielder answered. "… I've seen a glimpse of this strip club's interior through my telepathic bond with Yugi; apparently, we are able to see each other's memories. I didn't catch all the details, but I was certain Izanami's Underworld was a breathtaking place, and a little risqué. It kind of pains me to think of what has become of it now."
"Hey guys, check it out!" Otogi stated, pointing to an object lying by the side of the door. He stepped over to pick it up.
"Oooh lookie!" Blossom squeaked, "A movie!"
"Yeah, it does look like a video diary." Mai agreed, "Let's play it. It might be some kind of clue." The other huddled around the dice player as he pushed the play button. On the screen was what seemed to be a splicer dressed up in a mockery of a tattered mariachi suit, and he was sitting at what was revealed to be some kind of bar. By the looks of that place, there was no doubt that it was a recent entry. True to his appearance, the splicer spoke gruffly with a strong Mexican accent. "C'mon! I need more tequila! ¡Tengo la garganta seca!" The splicer threw the empty glass toward the inside of the bar, which shattered on impact.
"I take it this must be Louis Rodriguez." Honda noted.
"Shh, Quiet! Let's listen in!" Otogi hissed. Soon the splicer known as Rodriguez lifted the camera toward his ugly mug, let out a huff, and began his rant. "You know what? Art… music… poetry… Esto es una timo. It's all a scam! Cohen has got Señor Mutou wrapped around his pinky! And why? 'Cause he tells him what he wants to hear! 'Rise up, Kyoki!' ¡Carajo! That stuff sucks even before it came out of Cohen's brain! I've had it with this whole enchilada! Let's see that vampire try and KEEP me here!" And with that, the entry was over.
"That's one bitter individual if I've ever heard one." Otogi noted.
"Still, I can't help but agree with him on certain parts." Mai added.
"Wait a second!" Atem suddenly interrupted, "Do you hear that?"
"Hear what?" Honda asked.
"It sounds like… music. And it's coming from within Izanami's Underworld!"
"But how is that possible?" Anzu stated, "People in the Safehouses said that it's been empty since the 2006 New Years Attack."
Yugi frowned. "I don't know about you guys, but I have a feeling that it's not as empty as we thought. Remember what Cohen said? If he's right, then the ghost of my mother is right behind this door performing her pole dance!"
"Let's go in then." Atem suggested, "We may be in time for the show." Gamma dolphin whistled in agreement, eager to see some action. No sooner than the Mermaid Agents swung open the doors than they were taken aback by the scene before them. The strip club was a rather pitiful shadow of its former self, but the beat of a hard core techno song filled the air as if the joint was still in business. It couldn't be any closer to the truth, in fact. There were huge crowds of ghosts cheering and howling like playboy wolves. And up on what used to be an elaborate stage, two alluring female ghosts were climbing, spinning and posing on silver poles. Both were scantily clad, with their bikinis exposing a lot of flesh, and both were wearing net stockings that reached the middle of their thighs. They were each giving out flirtatious gestures and lusty come-ons, sending the ghosts within the audience in a frenzy. For most of the team, the scene was more bewildering than scary. But they were clearly focused on the two ghosts on stage. "Ohhh, Master Pegasus sure likes those two!" Blossom squeaked cheerfully.
"Is that…?" Otogi gasped.
"Yep. Those are the ghosts of the Exotic Flowers out there." Mai answered. "I've seen their pictures on the covers of magazines, but I've never met them in person. You see the one with the short blonde hair? That's Jasmine Jolene. They say she committed suicide for some reason."
"And that woman dancing with her…!" Yugi gasped in recognition, pointing to a stunningly beautiful ghost woman with long red hair and small golden-blonde bangs—shaped like lightning just like that of Yugi and Atem! "That's my mother, Orchid Otome!" Right at this moment, the two performing ghosts performed a finishing move, then struck a final pose at the end of the song. The show was over, and the ghosts applauded wildly! The dead Exotic Flowers rose up and took a sultry bow. Soon the otherworldly crowd began to disperse and move on to other activities. The two performers were about to leave to their dressing rooms when Yugi ran forward toward the stage. "Mother! Mother!"
Right at that moment, Atem was struck by an all too familiar pain in his head. Again, as he clutched it in agony, visions of his memories appeared in his head in rapid succession. This time, they were all of the times he spent with Kuni, his adoptive mother: her smiling face, the time she helped him get ready for school, the times he helped her do the cooking, the nights she read stories to him. And just as quickly, the images faded. "Mother…!" Atem gasped quietly, all while hearing Yugi's voice calling Orchid a third time.
"Mister Atem Boy? What's the matter?" Blossom piped up as if out of concern. "You don't look so good." Right at that moment, both Orchid and Jasmine turned around to look at who was chasing after them. The former of the two stared in amazement.
"Yugi?" Orchid gasped, "I-is that really you?"
"That's Yugi?" Jasmine mused, "Wow… it's been a while."
Yugi climbed up onto the stage. "Yes Mother! It's me!"
It wasn't long before the dead pole dancer's eyes filled with joyful tears. "Oh, Yugi!" She walked toward the son she hasn't seen since her death. "I would hug you if I could! You've grown so much since I last saw you! I missed you so much!"
"I missed you too Mother!" Yugi replied with tears in his own eyes, knowing that the reunion was rather bittersweet. Then he remembered his companions. "Oh! Let me introduce you to a couple of my friends! We're all here to set up an ambush against Louis Rodriguez. This is Honda Hiroto."
"Hi there." Honda greeted.
"Ryuji Otogi."
"What's up?" the dice play stated.
"Mai Kujaku. You might have encountered her at work in the casinos."
"Nice to finally meet you and Jasmine." Mai replied.
"Likewise." Orchid greeted.
Yugi chuckled before continuing his introductions. "And here's Anzu Mazaki."
"Hello." Anzu stated. Right at that moment, Atem rose up, trying to recover from the funk that he had been in. When Orchid's eyes laid on the Bolt wielder, her eyes widened in a mix of shock and amazement.
"And last but not least, I would like for you to meet my newest friend…" But before Yugi could finish, Orchid surprised everyone.
"Atem?"
The others looked upon the dead pole dancer in shock, especially Atem. "Y-yes." Atem stuttered, "H-how did you know my name?"
Orchid stepped forward and stared at the Bolt wielder intensely, as if studying his appearance. "You don't recognize me, do you?"
"No… not really." Atem admitted.
Her eyes were downcast, her expression full of sorrow. "Oh… of course you wouldn't. You were just…" She shook her head. "I-I can't say it right now! It's just too painful! Oh… forgive me…!"
"What is she talking about?" Honda asked.
Otogi shrugged and replied, "Who knows?"
"Anyway, Yugi…" Orchid stated, "I haven't seen you in eleven years. Why didn't you come back?"
"Well Mother," Yugi admitted, "It's not that I don't want to… It's just that my father…"
Once again there was a distraught look on Orchid's face. "He kept you out, didn't he?"
"Yes." Yugi admitted.
There was an uncomfortable silence, before finally the dead pole dancer stated. "Yugi, come with me. And bring Atem with you. There is something I need to show you." Atem and his doppelganger looked upon one another in confusion, before they began to follow her to the back room. The rest followed close behind, eager to hear what she had to say. It was a small hallway that cut two corners, one heading to the left and one veering to the right. Orchid led the others to the right side, where they found a wooden door at the close end of the hall. There was light shining from the slit underneath. "Here it is." Orchid stated, "Come inside… But I warn you: you are not going to like what you see." And with that, she passed through the door.
"Should we?" Yugi asked in hesitation.
"I'm afraid we have no choice." Atem answered. So the Prince of Kyoki reached out, taking hold of the doorknob. Slowly but surely, he pushed it open.
What met their eyes was a truly horrible sight! In the middle of a plush-looking bed lay the preserved remains of a corpse, positioned in such a way that it gave the appearance of a peaceful slumber. But it was clear that a struggle had taken place—the bed sheets were in disarray, and it held the old stains of blood. A video diary was resting on the small table nearby. The others were horrified by the sight. Most of all, Yugi.
"Mother…!" he gasped, "Is that… you on that bed?"
"Yes." His mother confirmed, "This is the place where I died."
"…This is terrible! And to think that the splicers have managed to sneak their way in and-"
"NO!" Orchid suddenly yelled, bursting into tears. "You got it all wrong! The splicers didn't kill me… your father did!"
Everyone was taken aback by the dead pole dancer's statement. "What?!" Yugi gasped in shock. "M-my father?!"
"Let me explain my story." Orchid stated in a serious tone. "It all started long before you were born. Jasmine and I were celebrities in our day, but even celebrities have bills and debts to pay. Most of the profits we made together were given to our employer, the owner of Izanami's Underworld. Around the time I discovered I was pregnant, I was in a deep hole."—she pointed to the video diary resting on the small table—"Here, play this. This will help to explain what happened that day." Yugi picked up the machine and after some hesitation, he found the courage to press play. The worried face of Orchid appeared, at the time when she was still alive.
"Well, it's official. I'm going to have a baby. Right now, it's in the first trimester. I only have six more months to go." She sighed worriedly in the camera. "Who would have thought? I mean, I've always wanted to be a mother. But I don't know how Ryu would take the news. W-what if he rejects this baby? Would he hate me because of it? Oh Kami-Sama, I can't bear the thought of it!" It was clear that the mother-to-be was getting scared. She paused for a moment to calm herself. "To top that off, my boss just came by with another deadline last night. He's giving me until the 6th of June this year… He said that, if I don't pay him the 1,000,000 yen before then, he'll fire me and kick me out into the streets! I don't have enough money to pay the boss, let alone care for a baby! With me being pregnant… I don't know what to do! I don't think I could make it!"
Suddenly a voice piped out from behind her… a voice that everyone else recognized. "Then perhaps I could be of some assistance." Orchid gasped and spun around, and the camera caught the image of a middle aged woman. A very familiar woman.
"Tenenbaum!" Atem gasped.
"Grandma!" Anzu exclaimed likewise.
"W-who are…" Orchid asked, trailing off.
"Allow me to introduce myself. I am Dr. Brigitte Tenenbaum." The younger Tenenbaum stated, "As you can see, I am a scientist of Orichalcos Futuristics. I saw how worried you look, so I followed you over here and overheard your dilemma. If you so desire, I can provide you with the money you need in order to pay the bills. All I ask for is one thing in exchange for this money."
The camera went back and forth as the exchange between the two women went on. "One thing?" Orchid asked, "Well, um… I don't know… it depends on what you want."
"What I want… is your child."
"What?!"
"Think about it." Tenenbaum reasoned, "There is a chance that the father, Ryu Mutou, would not want anything to do with this child. Plus, it would be a burden for you to continue the job you have while you are carrying it. Think of this offer as doing you a favor. We will be the ones caring for your baby, and you can go on with your life as if the pregnancy never happened. Mutou wouldn't even know."
"But… but I want this baby…!"
"You have to make a decision. It's either the money or the child. You can't have both."
Visibly shaken by the offer, Orchid panted for a while before she gave her answer. "L-let me think about it… at least until the baby is born! Please?"
The young Tenenbaum didn't respond at first. But then she replied, "Very well. I will give you some time. I hope to get your decision by then." After that, the scientist departed, leaving Orchid to weep. The screen turned snowy, signaling that the entry was over.
"I don't believe this!" Mai gasped, "Tenenbaum actually tried to get you to sell Yugi to Dartz?!"
"It wasn't just Orchid." Jasmine stated, "A year before that, I was in a load of debt and she came to me with a similar proposal. Dr. Tenenbaum was very creepy back then; she wasn't the angel she is now. Well, anyway, I was still a virgin when she approached me and offered me money in exchange for a simple… task. I had to get my employer drunk and then… She promised me that it wasn't going to be a real pregnancy, she said that they'd just take the egg out once my employer and I had…"
"You agreed to Tenenbaum's bargain had sex with your boss?" Otogi asked.
"Yes. I needed the money so bad… I was worried that he was gonna suss it out… If he knew that I wasn't being careful… if he knew that I sold the… I knew that my employer would be so mad at me. So I didn't tell him, acted like nothing had ever happened. When that day came when Tenenbaum paid Orchid a visit… I had this awful sense of déjà vu. It was too much for me to bear!"
"And that's why you committed suicide?" Honda asked.
"Yes." Jasmine confirmed.
"And I never found out why she did what she did until after I died. Orchid added, "To think that we had similar experiences, both with a tragic end to our lives."
"But Mother," Yugi stated, "Even though you were offered a bargain with Orichalcos Fururistics as well, you decided to keep me in the end. And Father welcomed me with open arms. He even married you. It should have been all right."
"Yes it should." Orchid answered, "But I never told your father about the financial debt I owed my boss, nor did I tell him of my dealing with Orichalcos Futuristics. I even went as far as to hide the evidence of our meetings from him. He was quick to anger, and he didn't understand that I was reluctant in those dealings. That's why I was afraid that if he knew, his love for me would turn to hate and he would brand me as a traitor." She bowed her head in shame. "Unfortunately, that secrecy proved to be my undoing. Somehow he got his hands on the video diary you just watched, and…"
"And what happened?" Atem asked.
"…I think it's best if you see this for yourself." And with that, she reached out and touched the foreheads of Atem and Yugi. Soon the two of them were engulfed in a flash of light and when it fade, they found themselves in…
"Yugi… is that?" Atem asked.
"Yeah! It's Izanami's Underworld from when I was five years old!" Yugi answered.
"Ohhh it's all shiny and new!" Blossom squeaked, impressed by the surroundings. The boys looked over to see the past Orchid practicing her pole dancing moves. Then suddenly a figure burst through the door.
"It's my father!" Yugi gasped, "And he looks mad!"
"Orchid!" Ryu barked. Orchid looked up and smiled. Apparently she was oblivious to her husband's anger.
"Well, if it isn't my long lost hubby, Ryu Mutou!" she purred, jumping off the pole and walking toward the backstage hall. "Come here, tiger."
"Orchid, this is not the time for games!" Ryu snapped, following his wife in a rush. Atem and Yugi followed close behind.
"Why do I have a bad feeling about this?" Atem asked as the vision continued.
"I have something to discuss with you." Ryu stated. Orchid opened the door to her dressing room and leaned upon the chest of Kyoki's King, wrapping her arms around him lovingly.
"Good to see you have something to talk about, honey." Orchid cooed, "I was worried that you would forget about me today, but I'm glad you didn't. Tell me about it. What brought out all that stress?" In reply, Ryu grabbed her harshly by the arm and shoved her into the bed, something that she did not expect from the man she loved. She stared in shock as she now saw the rage directed toward her. "Ryu!"
"Why Orchid?!" Ryu roared, "Have you really sided with the enemy?!"
"Wh-wh-what are you talking about?!" Orchid stuttered.
"You know very well what I'm talking about!" Ryu retorted, "It's right here in this video diary!" He thrust the video diary toward Orchid's face, replaying the scene where Tenenbaum made the offer to the pole dancer some money in exchange for her child. Orchid covered her mouth, staring in horror at the video and realizing he knows what she had done.
"Oh! Oh Ryu…" she whimpered, "I can explain!"
"Oh you have some explaining to do, all right!" Ryu barked, leaning dangerously close to her. "You were offered to sell our son to Orichalcos Futuristics… and for what?! For money to pay a massive debt?! You could have told me! I could have helped you, I could have provided you with the money you needed!"
"I'm sorry Ryu!" pleaded the terrified Orchid, "I was so scared and so desperate! I didn't know what to do or who to turn to…!"
"Say it isn't so, Orchid!" Ryu bellowed, "SAY YOU DIDN'T JOIN FORCES WITH DARTZ!" With that he lunged at his wife, taking out a knife and pinning her down.
"FATHER, STOP!" Yugi screamed, even though he knew he wouldn't hear him.
Orchid struggled as much as he could to loosen her husband's death grip, struggled to push him off of her. "R-Ryu! No! Don't do this to me, please! I kept Yugi in the end! I love you! Don't! Don't, please!"
But the King of Kyoki was past his breaking point. "SAY IT ISN'T SO!" And with a mighty swing, he slashed her hard across the chest. The room was filled with her reverberating scream. In horror, Yugi shifted quickly out of the vision. But Atem lingered behind, watching as Ryu Mutou rose up and stared long and hard at the scene in horror.
"O… Orchid…" Ryu finally gasped after a moment, slowly approaching the body of his dying wife. "I… I'm sorry… I didn't mean to get angry at you! Please explain. I'm willing to listen." But there was no reply. Only a pool of blood, slowing flowing from his beloved's body like a river, staining the sheets of the cushioned bed. "Orchid?" He knelt down, and found that she was starting to fade. He was really beginning to panic now. "Orchid?! Oh no! Orchid! I didn't mean to…" The tears of sorrow and regret flowed down his cheek as he lifted his wife in his arms. "Please! I love you! Please don't die!" It was to no avail. Her breathing stopped, as did her pulse, and her body grew cold. She was gone.
Ryu's heart broke in an instant. His beloved wife was dead… and it was all his fault.
"NOOOOOO!" He leaned his head on her still heart, weeping and wailing, overwhelmed with guilt and sorrow. "ORCHID! What have I done?! WHAT HAVE I DONE?!" Only then did the light fill the Bolt wielder's vision and soon he was back in the present time. There was a moment of silence among everyone.
"Oh… Poor Orchid!" Blossom whispered sadly.
"What happened?" Anzu asked in a hushed tone. Slowly Yugi lifted his head, breathing in and out in a quick pace.
"Father… He… It all made sense!" He opened his eyes, fueling his rage even as the tears flowed down his eyes. "Why else did that bastard give in and agree with Suchong to create an army of splicers?! He did it! He killed my mother, all because she was tempted by Orichalcos Futuristics to sell me! And he lied to me about it the whole time!"
"Yugi…" Atem stated, before the League Leader faced him, full of fury and hatred.
"Screw Raiden!" he bellowed, "I WANT MY FATHER DEAD!"
Suddenly, Gamma let out a dolphin screech, and Blossom grew terrified!
"EEEE! Warning, warning! Splicer approaching!" she squeaked, hiding behind Atem's shoulder. It wasn't long before a familiar voice started yelling, coming straight from the bar at the front of Izanami's Underworld.
"Looks like Rodriguez has finally arrived." Otogi noted, "Who else is out there cursing in Spanish?"
"Well then, there's no time like the present." Mai announced, "Let's get over here and take him down!"
"Right." Honda and Yugi agreed.
"Good luck everyone!" Jasmine stated, and the other Agents moved out to the hallway. But Atem lingered behind. He stared at the dead pole dancer, whose head was bowed down low.
"So that's how it really started." Atem mused, "Mutou's gradual fall from grace."
Orchid nodded. "But that has never stopped me from loving him. I know the good Ryu Mutou is still out there, somewhere."
"Atem!" Yugi shouted, "Hurry up!"
"Oh right! I'm coming!" Atem replied hastily, and he ran for the door. "Orchid, thank you for your insight." And soon he left. The ghostly Orchid clutched her hands together as though in prayer.
"Yugi… Please… forgive your father while you still have the chance." She raised her head, revealing that she was crying. "Because, very soon… you will lose him… the same way you lost me!"
"Yo! ¡La camarera! How about some fucking SERVICE around here?!" the voice of Rodriguez barked impatiently, his fist slamming in the counter, unaware that a group of assassin-for hire were approaching him from behind. "If I don't get my tequila with thirty seconds, well… Maybe I'll just, I dunno, do something!"
"He seems to be a rather dim bulb." Mai whispered.
"Clearly." Honda agreed quietly.
"Ugh… I was supposed to be a star! I was meant for the lead role in the big screen!" Rodriguez continued in his rant to no one. "The things that man has made me do… now I'm nothing but a cheesy mariachi number… ¡Chíngate!"
Otogi inched out, a die in his hand. "Let's get this over with." Quickly he tossed the die, which rolled underneath the splicer, spinning and spinning. Otogi watched his little weapon of chance as it began to slow down. He held his breath. Finally, it stopped on a number: a five. After a flash of light, it emitted a noise similar to the alarm made by the security cameras.
"Huh?!" Rodriguez slurred, dropping his drink. "What was that…? I thought I hacked all those things!" The alarm changed to the summoning signal, and soon a swarm of Security Bots came flying in. The Bots didn't hesitate to open fire on the seemingly hapless enemy. He broke to a run, surprising the hidden Agents with his astonishing speed. That didn't stop the armed Security Bots from hitting their mark. "Oy! Aye carumba! OW! Has Cohen really gone loco?!" With him bouncing up and down, holding his butt in pain, it was a rather comical sight. "Who does he think he is, James fucking Bond?!"
"Security Target." Honda mused, turning to the dice player, "Was that what you have in mind?"
"Not exactly," Otogi admitted, "But at least it's getting the job done."
"Don't let your guard down just yet." Atem warned, "Splicer or no splicer, he may have some kind of trick up his sleeve." And unfortunately, Atem was right. The washed-up mariachi has-been quickly took out a crate, lifted it up to carry it in his right arm, and took out a thick stick of dynamite.
"There's one way to exterminate a pest!" he stated, and spat on the fuse, which lit up instantly! "Take this!" He tossed the dynamite right at an approaching Security Bot, blasting the machine to bits! The blast caused a small chain reaction on the other Security Bots near it.
"Great!" Honda barked in frustration, "He's a dynamite splicer! I hate dynamite splicers!"
"Mai!" Yugi stated to the violet-eyed shutterbug, "Does your digital research camera have an entry to a common dynamite splicer?"
"Uh… I don't know! I think it does…" Mai replied hastily. "Let me look it up!" She peered into the screen on her camera, searching the database, and finally… "A-HA! There we go! Check this out!" The others quickly gathered to see
Dynamite Splicer
These splicers are best known for their exclusive use of explosives. Because of this, they are the most cautious grouping in matters of battle tactics: they keep themselves at a good distance from foes. The common dynamite splicer, the weakest of its kind, gets its name from its preference for simple explosives, like dynamite. Wielders of the Telekinesis plasmid would do well against these enemies. They are also vulnerable to antipersonnel rounds and melee attacks.
"With all that in mind, Rodriguez should be easy to take down." Mai explained pointing . Another explosion went off, signaling that the mariachi splicer had tossed another stick of dynamite and destroyed some more Security Bots. And apparently, he's ready to throw the next one.
"Then let's put him out of his misery!" Honda exclaimed, jumping out of his hiding place. Rodriguez threw the dynamite, not expecting someone to come out of nowhere and catch it with his Telekinesis plasmid. "Back at you!" Honda taunted, sending the dynamite flying toward his opponent. But to everyone's shock and dismay, the explosive missed its target entirely; Rodriguez had dodged the blast in record speed. "What?!" Honda gasped.
"Ah! So Cohen's hired you as his hit-men!" Rodriguez growled, then broke into a sprint with the speed of a cheetah, tossing another stick of dynamite to deter would-be pursuers. "YOU'LL NEED TO DO BETTER THAN THAT!"
Gamma whistled in confusion. "I don't get it!" Honda stated, "He should have been taken out by his own blast!"
"Yeah," Otogi added, "How was he able to avoid it?!"
"Hey," Anzu stated, "Now that I think about it, isn't it kind of odd that our target can run so quickly?"
"You're right!" Mai replied, her eyes widening in realization. "Dynamite splicers can be very fast, but certainly not that fast! Unless…"
Yugi gasped, figuring out the missing piece of that puzzle. "Of course! Rodriguez has the Speed Demon gene tonic equipped! Anyone who has that tonic is granted enough speed to outrun a cheetah!"
"So you're saying that if we try to pursue our enemy, we'll never catch up to him?" Atem asked.
"Not by ourselves." Yugi replied, "We need backup!"
Anzu stepped forward, with Gamma close behind. "Leave that to me!" Reactivating her Hunter Friendship plasmid, she squeezed hard on the green glob and unleashed the scream of her Hunter War Cry. The globs popped out, covering Gamma and powering her up. The lights in her helmet turned blue, and the Bouncer let out a loud screech as if calling soldiers to arms. It wasn't long before the team heard loud whale calls and dolphin whistles in response, followed by heavy footsteps. Soon, five elite Hunters charged into view in a record speed of their own, consisting of three Bouncers and two Rosies, three male and two female, all with blue lights shining in their helmets. Anzu immediately hopped onto Gamma's large shoulders. "C'mon you guys! There's one for each of you!"
"All right!" Mai shouted enthusiastically, jumping onto a Bouncer. Atem helped his doppelganger climb onto his Big Bertha, before the Bolt wielder mounted a Big Daddy. Honda and Otogi were more than happy to ride on the backs of the Rosies.
"Time to start the chase!" Anzu announced, "Rodriguez can't be that far!"
"Let's do this!" Atem stated, "Ready?"—he pointed his finger ahead of him—"CHARGE!" The Hunters bellowed out their battle cry and began charging ahead.
"Hold on guys!" Anzu stated, "Under the Hunter War Cry, these Hunters are gonna be very fast!"
"We can see that, Anzu! WHOA!" Honda cried, clinging on to his Big Daddy for dear life, "These guys can easily win the 100 meter dash!" And in an instant, they were off. Even Atem had to admit, riding a Hunter was a surprisingly thrilling experience. He couldn't help but think that maybe the Scavengers were feeling the same way when they were on the backs of these huge guardians, racing after splicers. Speaking of which, Rodriguez had just come into view. The look of horror in his eyes when he saw that army of Hunters… oh it was priceless!
"GYAAAAA! ¡PAPÁS GRANDES!" And like the coward he was, he bolted in a flash, tossing stick after stick of dynamite in an attempt to deter his pursuers.
"Good thing we got Rosies on our side!" Otogi shouted with a confident smirk. "Right Honda?"
"Right!" Honda answered with a wink before commanding his Big Bertha. "ROSIES! DEFENSE CIRCLE FORMATION!" Each of the two Rosies rushed up to guard the others from left and right. "AND FIRE!" The Rosie he was riding on didn't hesitate one bit, firing at the explosive and detonating out of harm's way. Otogi's Big Daddy joined the barrage, protecting the Bouncers from the rain of dynamite in their high speed chase.
"Good shot you guys!" Yugi praised his friends.
"Now all that's left is a counterattack!" Atem noted, "But how can we pull it off? If this keeps up, he'll literally lead us in circles, picking up explosives as he goes, until we let down our guard trying to reload on ammo and expose ourselves to his barrage!"
"Guys!" Anzu suddenly shouted, "I think I have an idea! Yugi, there's a huge neon signpost barely hanging on wires where Rodriguez is heading!"
"Oh! I get what you're talking about!" Yugi answered, taking out his shurikens. Adjusting himself so that he was stable standing up, Yugi took aim and tossed his star-shaped blades as hard as he could. It was a direct hit! The shurikens sliced right through the thin wires, causing the old signpost to topple to the ground. For a moment, the mariachi splicer was stopped in his tracks, obviously surprised by the sudden block. But then he took a sharp turn to the right.
"Good! He's taking the detour!" Anzu noted.
"Yeah, but where?!" Mai asked.
Atem gasped as it dawned on him. "Blossom! Bring up the map! Where's our target heading?!"
"He's—heading—toward—the—casino—area—Mister—Atem—B oy!" Blossom squeaked, hanging on for dear life on this bumpy ride on the Bolt wielder's shoulder.
Upon hearing this information, the other heroes caught on to the plan as well. "All right!" Mai exclaimed, "Let's put phase two in motion!" The stampede of Big Daddies and Big Berthas veered to the right, following the terrified Rodriguez to the casino area. It wasn't long before they found themselves barging into in the Pharaoh's Casino. The dynamite splicer still refused to let up on his explosives; least of all, his Spanish F-bombs.
"Okay everyone!" Anzu shouted, "Time to spring our trap!"
"Got it!" Mai answered, urging her Bouncer to speed to the side ahead of her team. Once in the shadows, the violet-eyed shutterbug activated her Cyclone plasmid.
"Rodriguez!" Atem shouted, "You won't get away from us that easily!" His Bolt plasmid glowed as he readied his Overdrive Ability. "ELECTRIC WHIP!" He then urged his Bouncer to jump as high as he can before tossing the electric whip upward, wrapping it around a beam on the ceiling. He himself leapt off his Hunter, swinging toward the mariachi splicer in full speed. In his rush to escape the powerful Plasmund, Rodriguez didn't realize that he was running right toward the Cyclone trap. He screamed loudly as the wind sent him flying into the air—and right into Atem's electrically-charged foot via a powerful kick to the stomach. He landed hard a good distance away, crashing into one of the tables. Only then did the whole gang of Hunters finally slowed down. The team dismounted, and approached the splicer cautiously.
"Well guys," Honda noted, "I guess it's safe to say that he's toast." It seemed that way: Rodriguez was twitching, but otherwise unresponsive.
"You might be right." Atem stated, "But just to be sure… Gamma?"
Gamma revved up her drill, and raised it up. Apparently, their enemy wasn't exactly dead yet, but not even his Speed Demon gene tonic could save him now. The drill plunged right into his chest, splattering blood and gore all over the place. And all the while, Rodriguez screamed and screamed… until finally even his screams died down. All the blue lights in the Hunters' helmets turned green… the threat has passed. Merely seconds later, Cohen appeared on the TV screen, pleased with the result. "Mmm-mmm-mmm! He sure was a brainless jackass if I've ever seen one." Cohen mused. "But he was definitely energetic. This is it little butterflies! Get the photo before he dries up completely, then put it in the quadtych as soon as possible! In the meantime, I'm going to get myself ready. Chao!" And with that, he vanished from the screen.
"Guess this is my cue to do my stuff." Mai stated, lifting up her camera. "As strange as it is, a part of me feels sad that it's going to be over soon."
"True," Yugi agreed, "But soon we'll be one step closer to destroying the man who was once my father!" Although he agreed with the League leader, Atem couldn't help but be a bit concerned about his viciousness. Yugi had become even more eager to kill Ryu Mutou after learning what had really happened to his mother, and the Bolt wielder worried that he might accomplish that task too quickly… and if that happened, the keys to his past would be lost forever. He decided against voicing it for the moment though, for Mai was readying her most important shot yet. Gamma's drill was still sticking out of the body, which seemed to add a great effect. Soon the camera flashed, and she got her shot. A perfect scene. "There, that's the last one. Let's head back to the Atrium."
"I guess that means it's time to say goodbye to Gamma, huh?" Yugi stated. Suddenly, the Big Bertha dolphin whistled in a sudden enthusiastic interest, holding her hand up in a victory sign.
"Aw, look Mai!" Anzu cooed, "Gamma wants to have her picture taken too!"
"Uh… she's not quadtych material." Mai noted with a sweatdrop. Gamma whistled again, as if to say, "Please?"
"I know," Anzu insisted, "but I think she wants us to have something to remember her by! We're going to be leaving, you know, and we can't take her with us to Hephaestus. Just this one time before we say goodbye, okay?"
Mai weighed in her options, before she finally sighed. "All right, just this one time. Smile for the camera Gamma!" Suddenly, the other five Hunters joined in, making rather silly poses. The violet-eyed shutterbug sweatdropped for a second time. "Oh, you guys…" Much laughter filled the hall.
At first, there was darkness. Then slowly, an image appeared: rows of cylindrical light bulbs. The lights coming from some of those large narrow bulbs flashed on and off, on and off. The scene shifted to the concrete walls. If one could smell the whole room, the air could be compared to that of a hospital.
But it was no hospital.
In the corner of that lonely room sat a young boy, who had barely turned nine years old. He had spiky tri-colored hair, and was dressed in tattered jeans, old sneakers with holes that exposed all of his toes… and what appeared to be white thermal bandages wrapped around his chest and biceps. The boy was crying, hating the whole scene. Soon footsteps began to echo in the empty room. "Yoo-hoo!" mocked the voice of another child, grabbing the boy's attention. There was a look of pure fear in his crimson eyes.
"Oh no!" the boy gasped, "No! Not you!" Soon a figure slowly stepped out of the shadows. It was another boy, the same age as the first, dressed in a fine quality sweater and vest, brown shorts, and dress shoes with white socks. His brown hair was straight, and neatly combed. The blue eyes of this boy danced with sadistic anticipation, and he smirked cruelly.
"That's right, Robot!" the second boy chuckled, "Ready for another game of 'Simon Says'?"
"NOOOOO!" the first boy screamed, backing away as far as he could, "NO KAIBA! ANYTHING BUT THAT! PLEASE!"
"You don't have a choice!" the boy, now revealed to be a younger Seto Kaiba, taunted with glee. "And I'm sure you know the rules by now. Let's get started!" Kaiba shoved the boy he called Robot to the floor in the center. "Now what should Simon Say this time…?"
"Please stop…" 'Robot' whimpered, "Please stop…!"
"I got it!" Kaiba declared, "This should be fun!" He took out a wooden yard stick and dropped it on the concrete floor by 'Robot's' feet. "All right… Simon Says, 'Beat yourself with this yard stick fifty times!'"
"NO!" 'Robot' cried in protest, "I-I won't do it! You won't make me!"
"Like I said, Robot, you don't have a choice!" Kaiba snickered, "I'll repeat it one more time. Beat yourself with this yard stick fifty times, would you kindly?" In an instant, a turquoise circle-star appeared on 'Robot's' forehead, glowing with a light of its own. No matter how hard he tried to resist, his hand inched closer and closer to the yard stick. In an instant, he grabbed the stick and held it like a katana. After one last futile attempt to resist, he struck himself hard on his back. 'Robot' screamed from the resulting pain, but he couldn't stop himself from striking himself again. "Faster!" Kaiba ordered, "Faster, would you kindly?!" And 'Robot' picked up the pace, beating himself faster and faster. His screams increased in volume, and the tears flowed down his cheeks. "Harder, would you kindly?!" His back became redder and redder with every strike. He didn't want to do any more of this! He wanted to stop, but he couldn't! Instead, he just kept on going. He didn't understand why. All the while, Kaiba laughed at him. Before long, the fifty lashes were over, and 'Robot' sank to the ground, wailing. "Nice effort, Robot!" Kaiba mocked, and laughed all the harder.
Then suddenly, the boy that was called 'Robot' lifted up his head and stood up, a glare of hatred in his eyes. The turquoise circle-star shined bright as if to sear through Kaiba's soul. In the tormented boy's hand was a wicked drill, which suddenly began to spin. The smile was wiped right off of the blue-eyed bully's face… Now he was the one who was terrified. 'Robot' let out a scream, this time of forced fury, and lunged the drill forward. Everything turned red.
Kaiba let out a horrified shout as he quickly sat up, his eyes holding deep fear. It took a moment before he realized that he was panting, and sweating like crazy. "Kaiba-Mon!" Nathaniel gasped in relief, "You're finally awake!"
"Yeah, you had us worried for a minute!" Stephen added. "We thought you were a goner!"
The Splicer Killer's breathing slowed to a more steady pace. Of course! He thought. I was poisoned by that tarantula splicer! He soon laid eyes on a Nami anti-venom. It was emptied halfway. "…You saved me."
"Of course we did!" Coral stated, holding him steady. "We couldn't let you die! And besides, you have a little brother who needs you!"
Kaiba's eyes narrowed a bit in annoyance. "If there's one thing I don't like, it's owing people a debt to pay." Nevertheless, he leaned on the cute chef as she helped him stand up.
"By the way," Jonouchi noted, "You looked like you've had a really bad dream over there. What was it about?"
"None of your business, Mutt." Kaiba snapped, earning yet another growl from the sandy blonde. He does have a point though. The only problem is, I can't seem to remember a thing about it. Then a sudden thought came to him. "Where's Atem?! And Yugi?! And for that matter, where's the rest of your little gang?"
"Ask and you shall receive, Kaiba!" Atem's voice called out from the top of the stairs. The other Mermaid Agents looked up to find all of their fellows, triumphant in their return.
"Atem Boy!" Pegasus exclaimed happily, "You and your friends have come back! And I see you've succeeded in our final task!"
"We sure have Pegasus." Atem replied as he and the others walked down the stairs to rejoin the others. Jonouchi and Oscar ran up to meet their friend.
"Aw YEAH!" Oscar cheered, exchanging a high five with both the Bolt wielder and the Prince of Kyoki. "Way to kick that dude's butt!"
"You did a great job Mai!" Jonouchi praised, hugging his girlfriend.
"Just doing my best Hon!" Mai stated with a smile.
"By the way," Atem stated to the Grand Master of the Arts, cradling Blossom in his hands. "Here's Blossom back. She was pretty helpful back there."
"Master!" Blossom squealed happily as she sat on Pegasus' shoulder and gave him a hug "Oh, it was so much fun hanging with Mister Atem Boy!"
Pegasus chuckled. "I'm sure you did Blossom!"
"Anyway," Emily asked, "Have you guys gotten that photo ready yet? We need to get that thing finished so we can head out with the Ace in the Hole!"
"Be patient!" Honda stated, "We're getting to that right now!" As Mai got on the stage to get the photo ready, and Jonouchi went over to pick up the treasure box, Otogi stared at the quadtych forlornly.
"I still can't believe he turned my dad into a statue that's part of that thing," he murmured, "I'll never believe it."
"Hey, if he heard about all the things you did on our behalf, I'm sure he'll be proud of you." Stephen reassured, putting a hand on the dice player's shoulder. "Welcome aboard!"
Otogi smiled, knowing right at that moment he had made more new friends. "Thanks guys." Soon however, the violet eyed shutterbug had finished printing out her latest photo, one depicting the late Louis Rodriguez.
"Okay everyone," she announced, "this is it! The moment of truth!"
"Well, hurry up already!" Jonouchi complained impatiently.
"Yeah! The suspense is killing me!" Oscar added. Either way, all eyes were on Mai and the quadtych. Carefully, she inched the last photo into the final frame, which was not an easy feat after the first three. Everyone was holding their breath… with the notable exception of Kaiba of course. Finally, the photo was fit perfectly in its frame. No sooner than this task was done, than the lights suddenly dimmed. Once more, there was the sound of a drumroll, and once more the two spotlight moved about as if searching. This time, however the spotlights stopped… right at the top of the stairs! The drumroll stopped, and quickly an orchestra played an instrumental of the "Beelzebub" part of Queen's Bohemian Rhapsody. Soon a white cloud traveled upward past the whole team, all the way to where the spotlight was shining, the music booming for a dramatic effect. Then the cloud seemed expand, and a figure stepped out into the spotlight. A figure with long straight black hair, dressed in a Goth style tuxedo. A figure—everyone realized—that was all too familiar.
"IT IS COMPLETE!"
With Cohen's triumphant announcement, pyrotechnics on the railing burst to life, and the famous guitar solo of Bohemian Rhapsody blared out for everyone to hear. The Goth artist strode halfway down the stairs, as if reveling in the spotlight, before pausing. "Step aside! Let me have a look at it!" With that he grabbed hold of his golden bunny mask and finally ripped it off and tossed it to the side, revealing a darkly handsome face, complete with thick black eye shadow and black lipstick. He continued his way down the stairs, his eyes only on his finished masterpiece. The Mermaid Agents had to part in the middle so that he could approach the stage. "Oh my God… Oh my GOD!" he gasped, raising his hands as if to embrace his greatest work. "It's… MAGNIFICENT!" He let out a happy sigh, before he finally turned around to finally meet his 'collaborators' face to face. "My little butterflies, the final path to Ryu Mutou is now clear for you."–He took a bow—"Tell him Sander Cohen said hi!" He suddenly held a finger up and gave a look of mock surprise. "Oh! Before I forget, you can have a lesser creation of mine as a token of our time together." He clapped his hands together, and a glass dome was lifted of a display pedestal. On it was a glass bottle filled with a blue liquid, the label of which said, "Healing Touch."
"Now here's something I might use!" Anzu stated, taking the bottle and putting it in her pouch.
"Hey! Cohen?!" Jonouchi shouted, lifting the treasure box. "What about this treasure chest? Can we take that too."
"If that's what you desire, then go ahead." Cohen answered.
"If I must ask," Atem stated, "What does that box contain? Where is the key to that lock?"
The Goth artist smirked, stepped forward and lifted the Bolt wielder's chin. "Heh heh heh… Now that, I cannot tell you. If you have become my one and true disciple, Atem, you might have been worthy to see inside the box of my most private muse; its contents are of great use to you and your companions." He chuckled as if enjoying Atem's confusion. "But frankly, I don't know if that person has even been born yet!" He raised his arms, bidding them to depart. "Now GO everyone! The final battle awaits you!"
"Uh, right." Atem answered. Suddenly, his Video Phone made a strange noise, and eventually the snow and white noise cleared away. A familiar face appeared on screen, one they haven't seen since their arrival in Fort Frolic.
"Gah! What the hell happened to you?!"
"Raiden!" Atem gasped, grabbing everyone's attention.
"Yeah, it's me!" Raiden stated in frustration, "I've been trying to call you for hours!"
"Well, it's a long story." Atem explained, "Cohen had us-"
"Oh never mind then!" Raiden interrupted, "Would you kindly hurry over to the 'sphere and get down to Hephaestus? It's time to put an end to Mutou's tyranny." For a brief moment, the turquoise circle-star flashed on Atem's forehead, and he gasped. Then it vanished as soon as it came. But the others noticed the Bolt wielder's strange behavior.
"…Yes Raiden." Atem answered, and the guide ended his call. The Bolt wielder turned toward his companions. "Let's move on out everyone! Next stop is Ryu Mutou himself!"
"Way to say it Atem!" Yugi declared, "To the bathysphere!" The others soon made their leave down the hall. Jonouchi and Honda looked back at Cohen, who was now busy studying his masterpiece.
"Aren't you guys going to take him down?" Jonouchi asked the members of Spliced, "After all, he's the one that killed your heroes."
Stephen gave the sandy blonde a serious look. "Jonouchi, he just turned against Ryu Mutou. And by possibly providing us with the Ace in the Hole, he may have given us the key to defeating that bastard! So we've decided to let him live… for now."
"But how are we going to open our new treasure box?" Honda asked. "We're no disciples of Cohen, and he only gives up the key to someone he deems as his 'one and true disciple.'"
"Don't worry about it." Emily replied with a wink. "We don't need his key to get it open!"
"We don't?!" Jonouchi and Honda asked simultaneously.
"Of course not!" Nathaniel answered, "I'm a certified hacker! I can get the box open for you!"
"Great idea Nathaniel!" Jonouchi stated with a smile, "Let's get it open on the way to Hephaestus!" And with that, the heroes departed. Once he was sure the heroes were gone, Cohen let out a low chuckle.
"Ryu Mutou… I know you can hear me… Come out, come out, wherever you are!"
The TV screen on the wall flickered until finally the face of Kyoki's King appeared. Clearly, he was not impressed. "Ugh, Sander Cohen! What do you want this time?!"
"Heh heh heh heh… I know something you don't know, and I'm not telling!" Cohen mocked.
"What is this nonsense you're talking about?!" Mutou barked.
"First off, let me tell you a little something!" Cohen explained, full of contempt. "I would have been the next best thing in Broadway, the 'it man' of Hollywood—maybe even a nominee for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame! But noooo! I just had to follow you down to this leaky toilet! You needed my star power, and I lit you up! But now… I sit here, wasting away to practically nothing, waiting for an audience that never…EVER… comes!" The Goth artist's lips curled into a smirk. "I'm going to write something for you, Ryu Mutou… It's a requiem! And the best part about it? Well, let just say that it's not without a sense of irony!"
"What irony?!" Mutou snapped, "What does that have to do with anything?!"
"They're coming for you, Mutou! And this time, they've got the one thing that can destroy you once and for all… That weapon of legend…"
Mutou's eyes widened in shock. "No… it can't be!"
"That's right!" Cohen taunted with a sadistic grin. "They've got the Ace in the Hole! Better watch yourself!"
Note: And so the Fort Frolic Chapters end and in the next chapter, the adventure in Hephaestus begins! And that will lead up to the final showdown with Ryu Mutou! Or will it? There will be lots of suspense and unbelieveable twists, one of which includes an action that would cost Kaiba something precious to him.
On a side note, in case you don't know the Spanish words in this chapter, here's a list I've decided to translate for you"
¡Tengo la garganta seca!= "My throat is parched!"
Esto es una timo.= "It's a scam."
¡La camarera!=Waitress!
¡PAPÁS GRANDES!"= BIG DADDIES!
As for the other Spanish words I didn't put on this list, well... to put in more simple terms, these are the curse words. Hence my hesitation on translating them for you. Anyway, as I always say to all readers, Until Next Time!