Twilight Rising
Chapter 16
0
Another day, another Wu revealed that they were on the path for. Dojo was going as quick as he could, though the snarky comment from Raimundo was met with one of his own. Clearly this one has yet to realize how much "fun" it is flying the group to each Wu and just barely getting there before their current arch-nemesis to make a mess of things. "Chill Dojo. Raimundo meant no harm, right?" Yugi spoke, looking back to the Brazilian who nodded quickly. "Besides, we just don't want to miss out on the Wings of Tinabi." he added, looking into the scroll at the image of the Wu. It was an interesting little Wu that harnessed the ability to fly like an eagle. The pathing was a bit out there but still, a nice little traveling piece if your stomach can handle it. Omi was much too excited about it, wanting to be able to fly like an eagle as well but his enthusiasm was a little too on the nose, Yugi screaming in fear as the small monk's footing slipped. "Dojo!"
"I got him!" The dragon dove quick after the boy, Clay drawing out a line to catch him and dragged him back before the dragon pulled up and they were back on course. "Let's commit to that after we get the Wu, shall we?" Dojo commented and Omi blushed in embarrassment but nodded. At the sight itself, the Wu was tucked in an old well, a well that was easily compromised by a new minion Wuya pulled the time to locate. It was hard to find decent help but the land still held its surprises. One of them gave her quite a beast, a Cyclops found hidden deep in the mountains. It was rather dull and lacked depth perception [a fact Jack made note of] but where it lacked in brains it carried in strength and strength is what she desired before her next step. She knew what she was after but knew well that with the form she took now, she would be of little challenge to combat the darkness. As such, she needed something equal in the force she expected after a thousand years of stagnation. Prove herself and her strength and she was sure to gain that power onto her side.
"C'mon, Wuya! Why waste your time with these lame old school monsters?!" Jack whined as he watched Cyclops continue the work in digging out stones to get deeper into the well. "I just so happen to appreciate old fashioned. There is much to be said about tradition. Something that I will teach you to respect in due time, boy." she replied, Jack screeching as he was nearly hit. Sure, old fashioned was truly the way to go. He hated it as he had his own set of problems to dealing with Cyclops. But considering Wuya kept needling him about this great dark power and to respect the old, Jack expected something big for his troubles once he gets this dumb device to work. Tweaking phases were always a hassle. From afar, Dojo spotted the location of the Wu but warned they were in for a bit of company as he went to drop them off. After some time, the wings were drawn out from the depths of the well and the Cyclops was all too happy to show off his bounty to Wuya and she was pleased. He did well and deserved a treat for his efforts before seeing Jack try to snatch the Wu from him.
Yellow eyes watched in mirth as the boy was slapped aside like a harmless little fly, landing in the dirt before the monks and Yugi glanced between the genius and the monster. "I didn't think that a cyclops would still be a thing in the modern age. But we also have ghosts with wicked powers and magical items so I suppose it isn't too out there." Yugi murmured as Wuya commanded for Cyclops to take them out. They leapt in for the fight but saw they were easily overpowered by the creature. His size made him a rather sturdy thing and in comparison to them, it was like mosquitoes striking at the flesh. He flicked Clay and Kimiko away with ease and nearly crushed Raimundo under his foot, Yugi stepping back as he tried to think of a possible way to slow down the creature. "Think we should give our new move a try." he suggested and Omi was quick to agree. They began to channel their elements in the formation they were taught to use but a strike was never made except to them.
Cyclops was quicker and just a little smarter to know to allow them no chance to do much of anything, a dark energy gathering within the single iris before launching the beam of dark magic at the five. Yugi was dragged out of harm's way with a pull to his shadow as the shade would never allow such weak darkness to taint him but the resulting aftermath made him cough as dust and debris settled around them. "Perfect. Now, use the Wing of Tinabi and let's go. We have evil to spread." Wuya commanded and Cyclops, after a bit of garbled talk, activated the Wu and was off with Jack pitifully following after the duo. Standing slowly, Yugi moved over to where the others were, waving a hand to get the dust out of his face. They were still alive, thank Ra, but it was clear with this new character with Jack and Wuya, they had to prepare themselves a little better. If they can't take him down with brute strength, they would have to strategize another method before collecting Wu would become a futile effort under Cyclops' strength.
"Guess we return back to the temple and recollect ourselves." he whispered, helping Omi up. Once the others were back on their feet, Dojo was heading off back with the defeated monks to plan another strategy against their new foe.
0
As Dojo landed, they went to hop off from his back though each shared their thoughts on just how they would be able to handle their new adversary. Omi was ever amiable that they would find a way but even so, each made their point. Cyclops was clearly out of their weight class, he was huge and stocky and combine that with strength, future showdowns may never be won again. "At that size he does seem unstoppable." Yugi murmured, glancing to Omi who once again made mention that if he was at the same size as Cyclops, he too would be unstoppable. Fung stepped out as they talked, giving his wise words that size never equates to strength but instead strength was equated to the size put behind it. A demonstration was made out of to prove such a fact, Yugi startled as the small monk was flung back with such force from just a mere flick of the finger. "Sugoi..." he whispered. "I'd have to agree with you there, Yugi." Kimiko added.
Another lesson tucked under their belt, they were free to continue their training and they nodded, each going about their own though while any lesson was still an important one, Omi was still bent to the idea of size is better. After all, to match Cyclops in stature meant someone can hold him off for others to collect the Wu before him. Later in the day as the overcast clouds gave way to the sun, Omi was hard at work. He wanted to grow bigger faster and thought the best way was to stretch himself to be the size he wanted to be. Clay was a little concerned about the method but offered his assistance with a protein drink. "Perhaps this will help ya." Taking the offer, Yugi could only watch as he set food down on the table, seeing Omi down the drink like it was life giving water. "Wonder if he knows those things are supposed to be taken at proper intervals in between training." he mumbled, Kimiko uttering something incomprehensible in another language, one that Yugi knew well and made a soft sound to cover his laughter while Raimundo glanced to the two. He wasn't even going to ask about needing a translation for whatever she said as her expression said enough.
When the results didn't pan out as he hoped, Omi sighed in despondence. One method failed but there was another he could surely try. Moving into the dining hall with the others, he sat down to the spread that awaited them. "If I can't stretch to become bigger, I will eat my way there!" he claimed, taking the plate of food before him and started to shovel every little morsel he could. "Um, Omi...sure that isn't how things work either." Yugi commented, ducking a wayward piece of egg roll with a huff before focusing on his bowl of noodles. Jounouchi had at least a little more class than him. That's to say when really good food wasn't dangled in his face. Kimiko growled a little herself, flicking a piece of food from her cheek while Raimundo got an idea of his own. At least before Omi made a mess of the table. "I got a better idea! Changing Chopsticks!" Pulling out the Wu, he touched it to the remaining food on the table, shrinking everything down to the size of rice as Yugi held up his bowl to avoid his meal being turned bite sized. He wanted filling, not a diet. But Omi wasn't interested in the shrunken food, instead he was more interested in the chopsticks that Raimundo held. That was the answer to combat his growing desires!
If he couldn't bulk up with food, then he'll use magical means to do so. The cogs turned in Yugi's head around a mouthful of noodles before it dawned on him. "H-hold on, Omi! Are you sure that's a good idea?!" he asked, horrified. "I am as sure as can be." Omi replied, taking the chopsticks from the boy. "Clay, may I please borrow the Reversing Mirror?" Clay handed it over without question, curious as to what the little monk had going in his mind this time. Omi didn't take long to show exactly what he had planned, combining the power of the Changing Chopsticks and the Reversing Mirror to reverse the effect. The others could only watch as the small monk grew and grew, high above them and bigger than a house. So much so that the monk couldn't help but wince as his head crashed through the roof of the dining hall.
Such is another day at the Xiaolin Temple.
After lunch was concluded, and a brief explanation to Omi's new size, things tried to return to normal, at least that is the hope everyone wished for. But that proved to be harder than usual thanks to Omi. His footfalls shook the ground and his sweat was like a rainstorm. Yugi couldn't even make to meditate with all the noise going on around him. Even with all these disruptions, Omi was still confident that he would be of better use to them all at the size he were now. Yugi sighed as he stepped over to the others and they looked to him, feeling the same as he did. This was indeed going to be a long day of this. "Guys! Hot off the press! A new Shen Gong Wu has revealed itself!" Dojo called as he made his way over to them. And the day just kept getting better. Yugi took the scroll from the dragon, opening it to see what they had in store to get. "The Glove of Jisaku. With it, you would attract other objects. So like a magnet." Yugi mused as he rolled the scroll back as Dojo transformed. The dragon however wasn't fully prepared for what was to come next. Though the others tried to warn him, Omi didn't heed their warning and went to sit upon the dragon who screeched a sound inhuman as the full weight of the bigger monk rested on him.
"Too big! Can't fly!...or breathe!" Dojo gasped and Omi was quick to get off the dragon who inhaled deeply. "Guess you're gonna haveta hoof it, Omi. Just be sure to not step on anyone." Clay spoke as he and the others climbed on. "Sorry Omi, but this was to be expected with this little decision of yours." Yugi added as Kimiko handed Omi her GPS. There was a reason she decided to get the dragon micro-chipped, who knew it would come in handy. Dojo looked to her, offended, but made to fly off with Omi trailing from behind. The monk could see the distance spreading between them and frowned. They would be at the location long before he could arrive there and could only hope that they could handle Cyclops without him.
0
"Xiaolin Showdown!" Clay called and Cyclops reciprocated. When they arrived in the valley, Jack, Cyclops and Wuya were there. Jack tried to hold them off while the hulking behemoth went to get the Wu but Clay slipped past the attacking bots as they were once more disoriented to Yugi's element, leaving the two to grab the glove at the same time and the challenge was issued. The challenge was to stay on the pillar with Clay wagering the Reversing Mirror and Cyclops the Wings of Tinabi. The land changed as rocky pillars emerged from the ground, each combatant standing upon one while the others as observers were situated off to the side. "Gong Yi Tan Pai!" Clay snarled, another line of garbled nonsense coming from Cyclops before Clay made the first move. A mighty kick fueled by his element sent Cyclops careening into a few pillars, Clay landing on another as he watched to see if he succeeded with an easy win. Alas, it wasn't easy as Cyclops came back unscathed using the wings and soared towards where Clay stood, kicking out with his feet to knock the pillar out from underneath Clay's. They watched with bated breath as Clay made to salvage the fall, bringing himself back up and towards Cyclops once more, pulling out the mirror to send the beast into another pillar himself as the flight path of the Wu was altered.
Panting, Clay landed on another pillar, watching as Cyclops slid down the rock face with nothing to grab onto. "And that should be the end of this rodeo." he murmured. Even if Omi wasn't there, things were handled just fine, or so he thought. Clay jumped as the pillar shook underneath him, Cyclops giving it a harsh kick that caused the weakened structure to crumble. "No!" Yugi cried as the cowboy fell to his defeat, one that was seen from afar as Omi himself was running towards them. Both Wu lost, Omi could only regret that he wasn't there sooner to stop Cyclops, watching the beast coast away on the wings with the glove and mirror in his possession. It was clear to him now, that at the size he was he would do more harm than good. If he can't even make a presence to take on Cyclops as he so desired, then to be this size was of no help to his friends. With that thought in mind, Omi made to use the chopsticks he carried on him to shrink back down to size but Yugi blinked as he found the monk much smaller than he would be normally.
"Uh...Omi. I don't think that worked as it should have." he murmured as Omi looked up to them. Clay suggested with giving it another go but with each cast of the magic, he only got smaller and smaller. Yugi begged him to stop, kneeling down to pick up the minuscule monk before standing again. "This looks like this is going to be a problem. If he used the chopsticks with the Reversing Mirror to grow gigantic, he would need them both to return back to normal size." Raimundo muttered as he looked to the rest. Clay sighed as he tipped his hat in front of his eyes to shadow them. "Thanks ta me, we're short one mirror." With nothing else for them to do in the valley, they began their return back to the temple. At Omi's size, they would need to think of how to accommodate him without getting crushed.
0
While Omi was left to the mercy of the night life to no one's knowledge, the shade had departed Yugi's shadow while he meditated alone. Back and forth, it thought, back and forth. These fools were slippery with such an important piece of the darkness revival and it was beginning to annoy it. It didn't help either that it was pulled from Yugi for a very mandatory conversation. It didn't expect to be called so soon for a progress report. Deep in the vault's stairwell, the shade crawled, speaking towards the darkness as it descended down. "I am truly sorry of this, massster. If I had the power to, I would keep the mirror upon me." It whimpered, the darkness undulating around it as a red eye glanced up to another, more menacing set of glowing cerise. The eyes changed to an infuriating maroon, becoming narrowed to its excuses and the shade bowed pitifully.
"Pleassse, master! I implore you to not be angry with me! The young light, his heart is torn about me...he still doesss not know what to think of me. Whether I am to be good or evil. The visions your power sendsss to him makes him worry. His heart is big as it is strong. He still caresss for these simple mortals and does not wish ill to befall them..." Balling a claw into a weak fist, the shade looked to the receptacle where the mirror would usually be and slammed a fist into the stone. "I have the young light's trussst...but not all of it. To grow stronger, I must be within his sssoul. Master...do grant me the permissssion to ask. To be drawn into his sssoul and continue to provide him protection til you are whole once more. For their pathetic friend, they will get the mirror by any meansss. And when they do, I'll be sure to hide it, save it for the right time. The stupid witch is nothing but I can sense a greater ssstench of Heylin to rise. I will guide him to you, massster...I promise you that." The eyes closed silently, the silhouette receding as the cloying darkness left the temple. The shade was quiet, a silent whisper that only it heard granting the permission it sought for and smiled.
"Thank you, Master Atemu...or Yami as you prefer it now. Soon, the light will be in your armsss as you have dreamed for one thousand yearsss since the utterance of his name in your presence..."
Outside, Omi was a flurry of inconveniences. With his small stature, the garden path he would normally take was of a different perspective that had him dealing with a variety of night life, most being insects much too huge and could very well eat him if he wasn't careful. And eaten is what nearly met him as he was stuck onto a spider's webbing until Clay found him. To ensure such an incident wouldn't happen again under their watch, he brought Omi to a birdhouse they snagged so he would have a safer place to rest...barring the worm that Raimundo forgot to remove. It was a nice gesture, the monk thought, but the master's words echoed through him as he was reminded of the fate to await him should he not be changed back within a day as he saw what had occurred upon their return. To be this size forever was indeed a fate worse than death. He would be unable to fight and help his friends. With Cyclops a constant threat, they would lose more and more Wu until the world crippled under the evil forces. The three looked to each other as Omi headed into his temporary home and knew they had to do something. That being to get the mirror back from Jack.
0
"All we have to do is sneak in, grab the Wu without taking on a creature a thousand times our size. Same ol', same ol'." Kimiko mumbled as the four snuck out early in the morning to get to Jack's home the next day. They had little time to dally if they want Omi back to his regular self so if they wanted things done, they had to hit him when he was unaware. But for Jack, he wasn't a happy camper as he was tasked to wash Cyclops as a thank you for all he has done thus far. A great evil genius like him reduce to a chore boy. He hated that fact almost as much as Cyclops taking most of his thunder and as always, Wuya was of no help in making the mood any lighter. Jack groaned as he went about the grooming but paused as Cyclops began to catch a scent on the air. "Something's wrong...go check it out!" Wuya demanded and Jack huffed, flicking on the helipack to follow Cyclops as he left his bath and started for the direction that he caught the scent. "At least we have the element of surprise." Kimiko uttered before the heavy footfalls had them looking up to see the single gaze land on them with a glare. "...we DID have the element of surprise..." Yugi whispered before they all scattered to avoid the first stomp of the large foot before making their retaliation.
Drawing the Sword of the Storm, Raimundo looked to the beast with a glare as he stirred up a gust of wind and dust in hope to blind the creature but the winds proved futile in stopping Cyclops, taking a heavy hit into the branches of a nearby tree. "Ugh...that smarts..." he groused as Kimiko stepped out next with the Tangle Web Comb. She tried her best to bound the beast from movement but once more, his show of strength proved they were of no match to him, repelling her away and she cried out as she hit the stony surface of a decorative boulder in the redhead's garden. "Let's see you handle this! Fist of Tebigong!" Clay roared, charging forward and the solid force to meet his shin made the beast wail in pain. "Knew ya wouldn't like that one." he spoke before he yelped as a foot stomped near him and could've been a catastrophe of its own if he didn't dodge it in time. He landed hard on the ground only to see Cyclops coming for another round until dots of light began to dance before his eyes. Distracted, Cyclops went to touch one of the floating lights until a snap made them explode in his vision, causing him to roar in agony as he stumbled back.
"I feel like you need a couple lessons in manners." Yugi whispered, hand settled on the Sun Chi Lantern as he watched the beast recover and glare down to him. He stood his ground before glancing to Jack as he came over. "Give it up! You're no match for Cyclops!" Wuya spoke as she watched them slowly recollect themselves. "We won't stop. We will continue to fight until we get the mirror back." Yugi whispered raising a hand to bring more firelights into play but was quick to be caught in Cyclops' grip. "Yugi!" They cried as Wuya tutted softly. "We all would love to help you with your little friend Omi." Wuya teased and the three were skeptical before Clay questioned if they would really help Omi with his situation. The laugh to meet his inquiry was nothing short of mocking, a deal on the air that would make or break the pull of power between the two sides. Yugi struggled but the grip around him was like iron and he truly didn't trust Cyclops to crush him should anyone retaliate to get him free.
"It's clear you won't do this for free..." Yugi muttered as he looked over to Jack. "Well obviously not...but I'm willing to make a trade. The Reversing Mirror for all your Shen Gong Wu!" he demanded, a brilliant moment for himself that Wuya could appreciate. Clay swallowed thickly as he looked to the other two. His hands were tied and so were theirs. Not to mention Yugi was caught as well and they hadn't been told of a deal to free him. "We'll think about it...but that deal better not hold just to Omi." Kimiko whispered as she looked to Yugi. "Go and figure out something. I'll be fine." he spoke as Wuya floated down to his line of sight. "Oh you'll be most comfortable indeed~ You and I have a little talk coming." she purred as the others left to regroup and think of something that would get the mirror back without the sacrifice of their Wu.
0
Omi found himself in yet another predicament as he woke that day. Stepping out he found himself face to face with a horde of ants. To a normal figure of small stature, they would be outmatched but for him, this was but a training session to him. The ants were no match for his Leopard Strike and other menagerie of skillful moves, their bodies left prone on the table by the time the others returned. "Whew, sorry about the ants. I knew I left that bar somewhere." Clay commented as he picked up the chocolate bar he had the day before. He'd been looking for it but didn't think to check back in the room. Omi waved off the apology, telling him that it made for good practice to carry upon when he returned back to normal size.
The look to cross their face was met with concern from the small monk, especially once he noted that Yugi was not with them. Raimundo began to explain what had happened, how Jack still had the mirror and the only way to get it off him was to trade all their Wu for it and Yugi, who had been captured in the midst of the battle. For such a heinous deal, he would certainly not allow them to make such a sacrifice for his mistake but he was assured they wouldn't take the offer. The only thing they had to think of a way to get Yugi from them.
Even if they don't get the mirror, they can at least save him from their hands. Dojo had the presence of mind to appear before them, to warn them of a new Shen Gong Wu becoming active, and Omi knew it was their chance. With another activating, that meant all the pieces would be in place. The mirror, Cyclops and Yugi. Omi still had fight in him even for his size and he would do everything it takes to fix what he had wrought. And if he couldn't he would rescind his fate if, at the very least, Yugi was safe back in the temple.
0
Yugi sighed in morbid fascination as he was set up inside a iron cage carried by Cyclops. The moment the others departed, Jack was quick to get him shut inside one before Wuya began to speak with him. The witch told him how she knew about what he was trying to hide from the others and questioned if he knew exactly what he was getting himself into. He didn't speak a single word to her inquiries, a fact that had peeved the witch but she was determined to get something out of him. "Come now, child. Surely there are no hard feelings from before but you are something important, very important indeed. Perhaps you would like to team up. If your friends don't wish to trade their Wu then we could easily make a compromise with you." she told him. "I wouldn't dare to think of changing sides to help you in any way." Yugi spat, fiddling with the lantern in hand. He desperately wanted to use it but considering that he didn't know where to go once he did, he would just be caught again. Wuya growled, a fire lighting in her eyes that eventually was mistaken as it was the reveal of another Wu and sighed.
She will get through to him one way or another and if not well, Yugi's position made it very hard for him to use his elemental power to escape. As long as he was stuck without options, the shade will appear and agree to her demands in order to free him. Thus, there he was as he watched from the back of Cyclops as he scaled the mountainside rather quick. Before him in the rocky face was the Thorn of Thunderbolt and no sign of the monks whatsoever to get in the way. Cyclops had gone to get the Wu but had stubbed his toe in the process, whimpering pitifully as he coddled the sore spot. "Can't count on good help sometimes. Wings of Tinabi!" Jack had called but wasn't prepared for the erratic flight path of the Wu and instead of heading for the Thorn of Thunderbolt, he instead flew into the face of Dojo, nearly hitting him in fact, before diving down and colliding instead into Cyclops' stomach, groaning as he hit the ground after. "Looks like you need a more open mind for this one." Yugi commented from his spot. "Can it, Yongi!" While Jack wept from his place on the ground, Cyclops got himself back up and was ready to take the Wu, leaving Omi in his small size to leap for it the moment Dojo got into range.
"I challenge you to a Xiaolin Showdown! My Orb of Tornami against your Reversing Mirror!" Omi claimed as he landed on the handle of the Wu to look Cyclops dead in his singular eye. "Cyclops accepts." Wuya answered for the creature, he nodding as well to say the same. Omi smirked as he looked down to the fallen Wu on the ground. "I call upon a Shen Yi Bu Dare. I wish to add the Wings of Tinabi for the Jetbootsu." he added, leaping down to touch the wings that Jack made no move to pick up and it landed in Omi's hands much to Jack's surprise. "Hey!" he wailed as Wuya snapped at his carelessness for leaving it open to be snatched from literally under his nose. "Fine! Cyclops accept again." Wuya seethed and Omi nodded. The challenge was a race across the Valley of Death and once the conditions were set, the terrain shifted and the land becoming menacing around them befitting for its location being the Valley of Death. "Man, this showdown should be renamed to Xiaolin Annihilation." Raimundo whispered. A race across the valley sounded simple if it was any of them taking on Cyclops but for the fact it was Omi, there was very little hope that his tiny stature would keep any sort of lead against the clearly long strides of Cyclops.
Yugi looked down to Omi from the cage that was still on Cyclops' back. Looks like he was going to be an unintentional addition and can only hope that the clueless creature didn't fall onto his back. Set to go, the two were off down the valley, Omi taking a meager lead once he put the Wings of Tinabi to use. Cyclops though was still very close behind even with his bad perception of the things around him, Omi included. His long strides put him ahead of the other but only so much as his eye missed the rock jutting from the ground and tripped. Yugi yelped as the beast fell, causing him to hit the back of the cage. "Urgh...I need to get out of here..." he whispered as the shade appeared before him. It was that very moment that Wuya caught sight of the shade finally. "Ah! There it is! Jack...JACK! Pay attention and tell me you can get a reading on that creature!" she snapped to the other boy who looked to the witch then back to the challenge before them, seeing Cyclops get back on his feet and chased after the tiny Omi. "What? That tiny thing? What's the point of it?" Jack questioned before he squeaked as Wuya appeared in his face.
"That thing knows what I'm after. It helps the boy but also preps him for his part in the grand scheme. Like a liaison, it knows where the primal darkness lies but it's obvious it won't tell me or anyone else if legends tell the tale correctly." Jack waved her off for a second, needing a proper play by play of what she exactly knows that pertains to little Yugi. Wuya had been so hellbent in capturing Yugi for this primal darkness but there was still plenty of holes of what exactly he was going to get once the darkness was revived and whether it really would really obey him as long as Yugi was with them. Claw-like tree branches grasped for Omi but he swiftly dodged through them while Cyclops charged through them like they were paper. But alas, the creature ran into yet another obstacle physically while Omi went through a crag in the mountain that stood between them and the goal. Once the shade got the story of how he got into such a predicament, a moment that it was unaware about due to slumbering, it began to work on getting the cage door open while Cyclops went to use the Jetbootsu to get over the mountain but didn't account for the size of the boot to the size of his own foot. But it still did its work, Yugi giving a yelp as he hit the floor of the cage as Cyclops was launched into the air by the single boot he got over his big toe.
"Yugi!" Kimiko and Raimundo called as the shade grumbled, trying to work the lock into its favor. "Stupid modern technology!" It hissed. Luckily the boot coasted them over the worse of matters but as it was not made for someone of Cyclops' weight, it malfunctioned and dropped the creature like a sack of rocks. His rolling was brief before the creature was back on his feet but for Yugi, he was less fortunate, knocking unconscious as his head collided hard with the side of the cage. Omi glanced back to see Yugi's state, too focused on the unconscious male through the bars to miss the shade busying itself with trying to get the cage open before worse could happen. Ah, it did not want to hear it from Master Atemu or Master Nenrion for the teen's bruises from this careless buffoon of a monster. Coming aside the monk, Cyclops swatted him from the air like a fly, sending him off course as the finish line was within sight. Just a few more steps and victory would be his. But Omi wasn't out yet, flying out of the crack in the ground he had fallen into with the wings and brought the orb up.
"Orb of Tornami: Ice!"
Water flowed from the orb and covered the ground, quickly solidifying into ice which Cyclops slipped on from its unexpected appearance. As he slid, he glared at Omi before taking him out with a dark energy beam, sending the monk careening to the icy ground but between the speed of flight from the wings and the ice giving him little traction, the small monk outsped the giant monster, crossing the finish line and gaining the well-deserved victory. The other cheered while Jack pouted. He was never going to hear the end of it from Wuya as the Wu filled Omi's arms. While they were all in their own moments, the shade finally unlocked the cage and slipped back inside, resting a chilling claw to Yugi's cheek. "Little one pleassse...wake." It whispered. It took a moment before he stirred, raising his head to look around. "What...happened?" The shade explained that the big oaf of a monster had fumbled himself, causing him to get quite a nasty welt for his blunder. "But he lost and your friendsss gained the mirror back. Now it's time for them to get you back as well. The door isss open." It spoke and Yugi nodded. He jumped out as Jack's insult caused Cyclops to turn his attention to him, giving Yugi the time to slip away before they noticed he was gone.
"H-hey! Don't get so angry! When we get back, how about a nice sponge bath?" Jack offered, Wuya rolling her eyes. "At least not all is completely lost. We still have the boy-" she began as she went to look to the cage only to see it was open. Her cry of outrage ran loud through the valley as Yugi made it back over to the others just in time for Omi to grow back to his regular size with the Changing Chopsticks and Reversing Mirror. "Omi!" Yugi cried, too relieved after all he went through and brought the boy into his arms. "Yugi!" Omi exclaimed before returning the hug. There was something nice about hugging Yugi that Omi noted, perhaps the warmth of his light element that made him feel that way. "I am most sorry that I could do nothing to save you." Yugi chuckled as he pulled back. "What matters more is that you're back to being yourself. Also you learned a lesson I'm sure that size doesn't matter." Omi laughed softly and nodded as they all climbed onto Dojo's back and they were off back to the temple. Wuya glared as she watched them leave but smirked. The boy was lost to her yet again but the shade's carelessness gave her something she could use.
Her eyes drifted to the cage lock, where a smudge of dark residue was left on the lock from it. If Jack can put his machinery to good use, she'll be one step closer to the primal darkness. But there was more she needed to know to prepare. Perhaps an old archive could provide her answers to the things she was absent on during their rise to power.
0
At the burial site, one stood before the sealed entrance, eyes of wisdom looking upon the seal that kept it closed to all. "Your time is soon at hand, Yami and Aqua. Rather...Atemu and Nenrion. But whichever name you prefer in this modern time, I do hope that your rage will be quelled with the light at your side to keep the balance you both desperately seek." Keara spoke softly, feeling the spike in power to her presence. Closing her eyes, she hummed thoughtfully. "I will not interfere as I strive only to observe but I do hope my lesson is still engraved in the child that visited 1500 years ago. You want the best of your soon to be and I'm sure there will be no mistreatment of him to keep you both at peace. Khial on the other hand...I hope it does not cause problems." she whispered, knowing the shade's desperation to bring its masters back to life could cause some future occurrences that could make or break the balance for the wrong reasons.
Keara hoped it won't come to such but it was truly upon the young light element to soothe the darkness' pain.
0
fun fact: Yugi and Kimiko will have intervals where they will hold a conversation with each other in Japanese much to the bewilderment of the others who understands nothing they say. nice little tidbit i wanted to add and didn't think to apply until i was reminded that Kimiko comes from Japan.