A/N: This chapter took a very long time to get right. Recently, I've had to re-watch some Yu-Gi-Oh and re-read a good amount of Surviving Through Changes to get a feel for how we got to this place, as thanks to my ever changing schedule and real life struggles, I had been unable to write on a regular basis for a good long time. I hope that this update marks a return for me in terms of this story, as this one is one I feel the desire to finish most. Therefore, I'm going to do my best to update more regularly. Thank you all for your patience with me and I hope that you guys enjoy this chapter.
Special note: Thank you SuperNova 23 for writing the framework of Joey and D.D.'s duel and for all the past story advice you have given me. Your work is appreciated and this chapter would not have been possible without you.
Disclaimer: Yu-Gi-Oh, Sailor Moon, and Code Geass are franchises that do not belong to me. This is just a really crazy Fanfiction.
Warnings: This chapter is actually pretty tame compared to past chapters. Not much blood or gore in this, only drama. A flashback is included and there is also a nod to Here We Go Again, that sister story that is...a mess as of now. I'll work on fixing it and updating it soon. For now, let's move on to the actual chapter.
Chapter 48
Monster Part 5
Picture it. Azabu Park, December 23rd, 1999. In less than ten days a new century would begin for the inhabitants of Earth. For some, the turn of the century marked the end of the world, but most were excited to see a new century come to pass. It was a neat thing to know you lived in two separate centuries. Not a very important thing of course, but neat nevertheless.
Of course to understand the particular importance of this date and the scene that will take place, we must travel exactly one year earlier.
On December 23rd, 1998, Tokyo was warmer than usual for that time of year, though a week earlier there had been a small dusting of snow.
Regardless, a white Christmas wasn't likely to happen.
Even so, no one seemed too bothered by the lack of snow. At the park, a couple of bikers whizzed along the paved walkways winding around the lake. A few couples sat along the grassy areas for a cool picnic, gazing into each others eyes nervously over their cups of hot chocolate. There was a definite chill in the air, but it was the type of chill that carried a sense of wonder and a taste of magic unique to the holiday season.
On a day like today, one can see all kinds of people moving along peacefully, enjoying nature or contemplating deep sorrows.
Joggers hurried along in a rush. Mothers pushed their young children in strollers. A young artist stakes his easel in the dirt and sits on a fold out chair, then withdraws the tools he needs to start a painting.
Up on the nearby hill, a young woman sits gazing at this scene, writing poetry.
And on a bench with the best view of the lake, two colleagues, one male and one female, sit side by side drinking their respective coffees.
The man likes his coffee black. The woman enjoys hazelnut creamer and sugar in hers.
"You're marrying him, huh?"
"I am."
The man rises to his feet, still carrying his steaming cup. "That part is against E.E.'s orders, isn't it."
"Yes. It is."
She takes a sip of her coffee, then adds, "This place is very peaceful."
"Thought you'd like it," the man answers, chuckling softly to himself. "It's a lovely spot."
A peaceful silence envelops the two as a bitter breeze rushes past. The woman gasps a bit at the sudden cold and the man laughs heartily.
Toshido Aino and Cecelia Ashford often worked together on missions. Despite a rocky start, they formed a solid friendship over the years.
For Toshido, those feelings of friendship had transformed into those of love. Cecelia was only slightly aware of this, for her heart belonged to another...Maximillion Pegasus.
"You really love him, don't you?"
"With everything I am. So...for now...I want to give him the happiness he truly deserves."
Toshido smiled, though his heart ached. "You have my support...in spirit at least."
"I know. Going against E.E...could cost me."
The Japanese man closes his eyes, his thoughts traveling to dark places. "Yes...none who have done so before have lived to talk about it."
Another silence envelops the two, but this silence is not as comfortable. The wind blows more fiercely.
Opening his eyes, Toshido glances down at the woman next to him. He notices how her eyes remain fixed on the water of the lake...almost as if seeing into the dark depths of her own future.
Toshido Aino knows all too well what's to come a ways down the road.
And he knows he cannot stop it. Try as he might to prevent the flow of time.
He wants to hang on to this quiet moment. He wants to live the rest of his days in this singular moment of peace...
"Cecelia..."
"Hmmm?"
He starts to speak...but the words leave him before he can utter them. Instead he sighs and mutters, "Never mind."
Even so, Cecelia catches the hidden meaning to his tone of voice. "Toshido...I know what I'm doing. You don't have to worry about E.E. killing me. But..."
Toshido raises a brow at this. "But what?"
"Promise me something?"
"Anything."
Cecelia stayed quiet for a moment to take a long sip of her coffee. Toshido almost laughed at her furrowed brows and intense expression. Those serious looks didn't suit her soft features very well. It made her look cute rather than thoughtful or intimidating.
However, her voice made up for it. Whenever she spoke it was with authority and with a maturity that...once again...didn't match her looks.
The contrast was beautiful to him.
"A year from today," she began once she was through drinking, "Promise me we'll meet here for another cup of coffee."
Perplexed, Toshido responded with a tilt of his head.
"I know it sounds strange but..." she trailed off for a few seconds, closing her eyes. "Just...no matter what happens between now and then...regardless of what orders we're given or...anything...let's promise to meet here for coffee next year."
Toshido thought on it for a short moment, then nodded. "I can do that."
"You promise, Toshido?"
"Yeah, I promise. You know me. I never break a promise to a friend."
ERROR!
ERROR!
ERROR!
"Crap. Lousy machine!"
As more error messages appeared on the three massive screens in front of her, Detective Kara Fennette groaned and rebooted the system for the second time. And, as if to add to her troubles, once the reboot process was over, the system flung out a series of error messages. She rebooted the system for a third time and fared better for a bit, but the instant she made an attempt to retrieve the data she'd been reading through, the crashes started all over again.
"Your King is getting impatient. How much longer is this going to take?"
Kara groaned at that. She was in a bit of a predicament. Reaching this research lab within E.E.'s main base of operations had come at a cost, though the story of that misadventure is chronicled elsewhere.
"Well?"
"To be honest, I'm not sure," Kara answered, rebooting the system for the fourth time. The screens went black for a few seconds then booted back up to reveal the home screen. Once more, Kara began searching through the archives for the information she had been reading through only to get the same error message.
"Perhaps you should try looking through some other file," another voice suggested. Kara groaned again in response, then muttered, "The data I was looking at was written in code. The fact that it's suddenly corrupted data is suspect. I'm going to run a scan and a data overhaul. The processing power of this baby is pretty massive, so we shouldn't have to wait much longer. Though just as a safety precaution, I'll save everything else onto this USB stick." For emphasis, the red-headed woman held up a small black device."
"Just make it quick, mongrel. Your king grows tired of this place."
"And I'm growing tired of your constant complaining," Kara thought irritably while initiating the scan and data overhaul. "Still, there are other issues too. From the look of things, nearly all the files are written to look like normal, everyday recipes. However...that one file..."
With a few more keystrokes, the computer made a small ding sound, alerting her that the initial scan was complete.
"That poem is the key I think. There's nothing else like it in the whole database, and it's the only file giving me major trouble when it comes to the decoding process. There's definitely something there E.E. doesn't want found out. Even so, there's no code out there I can't crack...let's just hope his highness will be patient enough to let me."
DATA OVERHAUL PROCESSING...
DATA OVERHAUL COMPLETE.
REBOOT SYSTEM?
Kara smirked. "This time it'll work."
Without a second thought, she clicked YES.
"YES!"
Joey Wheeler gritted his teeth, partly because of the cold but more because of the devious grin D.D. had on his face thanks to whatever card he'd just drawn.
"That guy looking happy equals bad news for me," he thought, already bracing himself for the worst. D.D.'s easygoing approach to this duel wasn't helping to calm the frazzled nerves threatening to drive the blonde mad.
D.D. noticed the anxious state of his opponent but opted not to comment on it. After all, this was part of the game.
"Now I activate the card known as Reload!"
"And what does that do?" Joey asked, apprehensive.
"The card allows me a quick shuffle," D.D. began cheerily as he shuffled through his cards. "And then I get to draw two cards."
"Oh, well that isn't nearly as intimidating of a move as I thought he was gonna make..."
"Next, I summon Shinobird Crane in attack mode!"
In a flash of glittering lights and snow, a black bird-like creature appeared on the field adorned in robes of white. On its head was a white crown adorned with gold and a giant ruby in the center. In its hands was a large metal bow decorated with gold and turquoise accents. Its face was that of a crane with haunting red eyes Joey refused to look at directly due to the general "creep" factor and its wings were a brilliant white that matched the robes the creature was wearing. Combined with the snow gathering about them, the appearance of the creature was a grim and haunting image for the young duelist, although its attack power wasn't nearly as intimidating.
Shinobird Crane ATK: 1500
Shinobird Crane DEF: 1200
D.D. chuckled, a wide smile on his face. "And as you already know, thanks to Rising Air Current, my Shinobird Crane gains an additional five hundred attack points."
Shinobird Crane ATK: 2000
Shinobird Crane DEF: 800
"Gearfried's toast," Joey muttered, glaring D.D.'s monster. So much for that monster not having an intimidating attack power.
"How right you are," the immortal replied. "Now! Shinobird Crane, destroy Gearfried the Iron Knight!"
With one swift motion, the Shinobird Crane swiftly reached for an arrow and prepared its bow. After taking aim, the bird fired the arrow to strike the very heart of Joey's only monster.
"Grrr." The blonde bit down on his tongue as Gearfried disappeared from the field. "Well that wasn't pleasant."
Joey: 3200
D.D.: 2400
"To end my turn I will equip Shinobird Crane with Mirror of Yata."
"What's that do?" Joey questioned, irritated.
"You don't know?" D.D. let out a sharp laugh then rolled his eyes. "You must not know much about Spirit Monsters."
"Spirit Monsters?"
"Precisely," he answered. "Spirit Monsters are a very special series of cards with wondrous and even deadly abilities. I'll show you some of them later, but for now I'm playing Mirror of Yata to cancel out the requirement of spirit monsters returning to the player's hand." D.D. paused for a moment to stare at the lake nearby. Joey found himself tempted to follow the immortal's gaze, but ultimately decided against it for fear he'd see the corpse of Mina's mother floating there.
Just knowing the guy threatening to kill him in the exact location he'd last had his brush with death was enough to call the memory to mind. He didn't need the hallucination too.
"Is he planning on throwing me in the lake after this?"
"At any rate," D.D. continued after another few seconds, "Shinobird Crane stays on the field as long as Mirror of Yata is in play. Your move."
Joey nodded, reaching for the top of his deck so he could draw a card. "About time you said that. You sure do know how to ramble."
"Hmmm. Odd. E.E. says the same thing all the time. I suppose you two have that in common."
Joey stopped mid-draw. "What did you just say?"
D.D. tilted his head in mock confusion. "Hmmm? Something wrong?"
The blonde could feel his blood beginning to coil in his veins from rage. "Don't...ever compare me to her! We're nothin' alike! You got that!"
D.D. shook his head. "What? It was a compliment. E.E. is the most radiant, beautiful..."
"And the most evil," Joey cut in, practically snarling as his thoughts flickered through the events that had led to this moment. He thought of the battered streets in the Juban District, the area Mina once called home. He thought about the fight between Mina and Rei, how Mina nearly snapped then. He thought about the festival and the accidental kiss they'd shared. He thought briefly on the happy moments he spent throwing snowballs at her or dancing with her at the ball after practicing for hours.
He remembered how scared he was when he left Tokyo General Hospital to search for Mina alone. The adrenaline began to pump through him as it had that night. The gunfire from outside his car...the screams...
Bullets through the windshield...
Diving out of the car...
And then...he met Mina's mother.
His heartbeat quickened as he remembered the barrel of the gun and the vacant expression he saw in those blue eyes that matched Mina's far too well.
All this trauma...because of E.E.
For a few fleeting seconds, Joey understood what Mina was feeling at that exact moment...far away from Azabu Park and the duel he was taking part in.
"She's nothing but a monster," Joey stated firmly as a means to calm himself down.
"I don't know," D.D. said with a shrug, watching as the blonde completed his draw. "From what I hear, little Mina has become quite the monster herself."
A groan slipped past Joey's lips, but beyond that he couldn't say anything to argue with the immortal. He knew. Mina had told him in the letter she'd left behind. He knew she planned on making a path of corpses, but...
"Now isn't the time to think about it," he thought, his chocolate irises scanning the card he'd just drawn. "I'll cross that bridge once it's right in front of me. Gotta take care of this duel first. I just drew Flame Swordsman and I have my Salamandra card too. That combo should be enough to destroy his Shinobird Crane and shut this guy up, especially since he doesn't have any face down cards. Still...what if his monster has a crazy special ability I don't know about...?"
"You're starting to bore me, Wheeler," D.D. called out, crossing his arms and tapping his foot in the snow. "Do hurry up with your move."
A vein threatened to pop out of Joey's skull. "You know, rushing me isn't in your best interest. It's just pissing me off."
"Oh?" With renewed interest, D.D. uncrossed his arms. "I thought it was my comment about Miss Mina that was vexing you so. My mistake."
"Okay! That does it!" With a growl, Joey flipped his Flame Swordsman around in his hand. "Come forth Flame Swordsman!"
In a burst of flames the swordsman appeared, bringing a small bit of warmth to the chilly atmosphere.
Flame Swordsman ATK: 1800
Flame Swordsman DEF: 1600
"But that's not all I got for ya!" the blonde shouted, flipping over his next card. "I got equip spells too, and my Salamandra card increases my swordsman's attack points by a whopping seven hundred points."
Flame Swordsman ATK: 2500
"Now Flame Swordsman attack!"
D.D. flung out his hand. "You've activated the effect of my Mirror of Yata."
Joey growled. "Crap! It's probably something devastating."
"When you attack a spirit monster equipped with this card, I can save it by sending Mirror of Yata to the graveyard, though unfortunately I have to pay a few lifepoints.."
"That all?"
"That's all," D.D. replied, smirking. "I'm impressed with your move, Wheeler. I should have guessed you would know elemental attacks are the key to destroying Spirit Monsters. Forgive me for underestimating you."
Joey paused for a moment, then shouted out, "That's right! Underestimating me is a huge mistake, pal! Ha! Hahahahahaha!"
Inwardly though...
"I honestly had no idea. Talk about the luck of the draw."
D.D. chuckled, shaking his bangs away from his eyes as the Shinobird Crane returned to his hand in a show of purple light. "Duly noted. Rest assured...I won't make that mistake again."
Joey: 3200
D.D.: 1900
The immortal drew a card and stared at it for half a second before shouting, "I activate Pot of Greed. And in case you didn't know, it lets me draw two cards."
"I know how it works," Joey muttered, rolling his eyes. "What a joke. First this guy is saying he's not going to underestimate me again then immediately follows by explaining one of the most basic cards in Duel Monsters."
D.D.'s thoughts were on a completely different train as he drew his two cards.
"Excellent. Shinobird Raven and Polymerization. All I need is one more card and I'll have everything I need to defeat him. A shame the game will be ending so soon. I'm enjoying myself."
"Now to finish my turn I'll set my Shinobird Crane face down. Your move, Wheeler."
"Good," Joey answered, drawing from his deck. He checked the card with a quick glance, barely registering that he'd drawn Baby Dragon before making an elaborate gesture toward D.D.'s face down monster.
"Now Flame Swordsman attack!"
Using the power of the Salamandra card, the Flame Swordsman lifted its sword high in the air. Once more the flames danced in the wind, creating heat amidst the frigid atmosphere.
The face down card shattered. Shinobird Crane was no more.
Joey: 3200
D.D.: 1900
"My draw!" With a dramatic flourish, D.D. plucked a card forcefully from his deck and felt a spark of electricity within himself. "This is it. This is the card."
Though he didn't need to, the blue-haired immortal glanced at the card with a calculating gaze. "Wheeler?"
Joey, stunned by the intensity of D.D.'s stare, took a step backward. "I'm not liking the look in your eye."
"You shouldn't," D.D. answered, the easygoing facade coming to an abrupt halt as a grim smirk overtook his features. "These are the eyes of one who's gone absolutely mad. It's too bad really. I was hoping to drag this out for a little longer...maybe even let you win so I could see your face when you saw your darling little Mina all bloodstained and maniacal. But...a deal is a deal. I win. You die."
Joey narrowed his gaze with grim determination. "You haven't won anything yet..."
"No," D.D. interrupted, his voice and stance eerily calm. "However, in my hand I hold everything I need to defeat you, Joseph Wheeler. Allow me to show you."
"Fine," the blonde whispered, almost too softly for D.D. to hear over the roaring of the wind. "Give me your best shot."
"With pleasure."
Smiling vindictively, E.E.'s most loyal servant and lover held out three cards. "I activate polymerization in order to fuse my Shinobird Raven and Shinobird Crow in order to summon the monster I just drew."
A massive spark of lightning shot through the sky as the wind howled and increased in intensity. The wild gusts of air were quickly accompanied by soft peals of thunder that steadily grew in volume until they shook the Earth.
Joey knew it wasn't a natural occurrence. He knew it had something to do with D.D. and the duel, but the poor boy could hardly think straight from how frightened he was becoming. Try as he might, he couldn't stop himself from trembling a bit as the snow fell heavier and the winds grew harsher.
"Stay strong."
He repeated the words in his head as he stared directly at D.D. His black eyes were almost completely vacant of anything resembling life.
"Within the Geass Order, I am known as the Grim Reaper," the immortal stated roughly, without emotion. "You see...I'm quite familiar with Shadow Games, or Duel Monsters as you modern day mortals call it. In fact, I was around when those dark games first began five thousand years ago."
Joey blinked in confusion."Shadow games? What are you gettin' at?"
"Don't fret over it," D.D. answered, his hair whipping about in a fashion that made it impossible for Joey to see his eyes anymore. "It's not information you need to know. After all, you'll be as good as dead in a few minutes."
"I don't think so," Joey answered, doing his best not to show how scared he really was. "I have a promise to keep."
D.D. closed his eyes, shaking his head solemnly as he lifted a single card above his head. "Fusing together Shinobird Crow and Shinobird Raven allows me to summon my ultimate monster, Shino-Sorceress Raven!"
In a wild burst of cobalt feathers and snow, a new monster appeared on the field. Joey had to blink twice just to be sure he was seeing it right. The lower half of the monster was all bird, with giant talons and feathers galore while the upper half resembled a cute teenage girl with long blue hair. Her skin was pale, and her eyes, like D.D.'s, were vacant and black as coal. In her hand she held a long staff with a giant cobalt crystal at the end. For a moment she merely stared blankly at Joey, but as the seconds passed the blank stare became a vindictive and cold snarl of mirth. Joey swallowed the lump of nervousness that had worked its way up his throat after noting that the monster's malevolent smile revealed a set of sharp teeth that could easily tear through his flesh.
Shino-Sorceress Raven ATK: 3000
Shino-Sorceress Raven DEF: 1900
"Three thousand attack points!"
D.D. let out a soft sigh. "Don't give into despair just yet, Wheeler. The power boost is due to my Field Spell, which I'll be taking out of play for the moment by activating Shino-Sorceress Raven's effect."
"Which is..."
"Her effect forces both players to return all spells and traps to our hands."
Joey groaned. "That means my Salamandra card..."
"That's right," D.D. cut in, smirking. "It's out of play for now, which means your Swordsman is vulnerable."
Shino-Sorceress Raven ATK: 2500
Shino-Sorceress Raven DEF: 2300
Flame Swordsman ATK: 1800
Flame Swordsman DEF: 1600
"And more importantly," the immortal continued. "Since the battle phase has yet to occur, I can play Rising Air Current once more."
"But that means..."
"Exactly." With a chuckle, D.D. activated Rising Air Current again to raise Shino-Sorceress Raven's attack power. "You're about to lose a hefty chunk of life-points, Wheeler."
Shino-Sorceress Raven ATK: 3000
Shino-Sorceress Raven DEF: 1900
Joey took a small step back, bracing himself for the incoming attack.
"Shino-Sorceress Raven, attack with Garula Tempest Slash!"
With a bird-like wail, the half-bird lady spun her staff in the air above her head as the crystal began to glow a bright green. Then with another fearsome wail, she pointed the staff directly at the Flame Swordsman. The crystal glowed brighter and brighter until a flurry of slashing wind attacks pierced through the monster, destroying it and creating several gusts of frigid wind that nearly sent Joey flying.
Crashing to his knees,the blonde let out a harsh breath. Not only was the bird's attack ferocious, but the actual weather around them was growing increasingly violent. The snowstorm had finally arrived, and Joey was in the thick of it, dueling against an immortal lackey toying with him for sport and nothing more.
"I don't know...I don't know if I can do this..."
Joey: 2000
D.D.: 1900
"The playing field is about even now," D.D. commented, completely at ease with the elements around him. "Not that it matters. It seems you've already lost your fighting spirit."
The blonde didn't respond, he wasn't sure if he could just yet. The wind had literally been knocked out of him with that attack in combination with how long he'd already been exposed to the elements. He couldn't be sure if he was shaking because of the cold or because of how frightened he was anymore. It all felt the same now.
Even so...
"Allow me to break your spirit further then," D.D. announced suddenly, chuckling again. "I never intended on letting you live, even if you managed to defeat me. My darling E.E. commanded me to execute you and that command is absolute. Participating in this duel is for my entertainment, Wheeler. You're going to die tonight one way or the other. That fate cannot be reversed, no matter the outcome of this duel."
And there it was, the admission of the treachery Joey suspected all along.
For anyone else, that would have been enough to make them quit. It would have been the crippling blow to make them stop trying and let the inevitable happen.
But Joey wasn't just anyone. He was stubborn. He was a complete idiot sometimes and was well aware of that fact even if he played it off as nothing to everyone else.
However, what compelled him now wasn't stubbornness, idiocy, or even pride.
It wasn't something Joey couldn't easily identify himself.
All he knew was that his friend still needed him.
"When I win...will you agree to let me see her one last time?"
D.D. studied the blonde and watched him carefully as the boy began to rise to his feet. The question had startled him a bit.
"Come again?"
"You heard me, D.D.," Joey answered, stumbling back into a standing position. It was taking a lot more effort for him to breathe, yet each breath felt like a small spark of hope. Even if he was doomed to die tonight, he wasn't dead yet. "Didn't you say that were tempted to let me win just so I could see what Mina has become? You're gonna cheat yourself of the last bit of ya entertainment, pal?"
The immortal blinked in confusion for a few seconds then let out a harsh laugh as he placed a hand on his hip. "You want to see her that badly?" He paused to shake his head. "You know, desperation is not a trait women like in men."
Joey sighed, his gaze falling to the ground. "You wouldn't understand, D.D. I'm not sure if I even understand why I'm putting myself on the line for Mina like this. All I really know is that she's headin' down a dark path and...it may be too late to stop her but...it isn't too late to bring her back to the light. And...I made a promise to her." Pausing for a moment, the blonde squared his shoulders and looked at D.D. directly in the eye. "So Grim Reaper, I'll ask you again. If I win this duel, will you let me see her before you kill me? That is what we agreed to originally anyway right? I win, you take me to Mina. "
D.D. tilted his head to the side, genuinely perplexed by Joey's sudden spark of optimism. "You still believe you can defeat me? I've played this game for centuries and have studied your dueling strategies from your time at Duelist Kingdom extensively. I know every card in your deck and have a countermeasure prepared."
To this, Joey just smirked. "Every card? Are you sure?"
"Huh?"
"It's been a while since Duelist Kingdom, buddy," Joey continued, his chocolate irises brightening with each passing second. "A lot's changed since then, but instead of talking about it, how about I show you. I'll win this. I guarantee it."
D.D. couldn't do anything but stare at the teen before him for a while, contemplating. Then with a shake of his head, he called out, "Is that so? I highly doubt that, but I'll compliment you on this one thing, Wheeler. You're no coward. Courageous humans are a rare species these days." Stopping to laugh vindictively he added, "I look forward to seeing that spirit of yours broken, whether by the agony of defeat before death or by seeing the monster your dear friend has become. So, if you're that confident in your abilities, Wheeler, then you best come at me with all your strength. After all, regardless of the outcome, this will be the last duel you ever fight. Ahahahahahahaha!"
Joey clenched his trembling fists by his sides. "I don't want to die here. I don't want to die at all, but I'd be worse off living without giving this everything I've got. Mina...I made a promise to ya, and I never break a promise to a friend. I'm gonna be there for you till the end. "
With that resolve etched in his heart, Joey Wheeler stared down at his deck and reached towards it with his right hand to pluck a single card.
"Alright heart of the cards. Let's make some magic happen."
Unbeknownst to the two duelists battling in Azabu Park, another showdown was about to take place...
Minako Aino...
I almost pity you.
E.E. thought this as she stared across the long hall of her sanctuary to the adversary before her.
Here you stand before me, consumed by rage and the magic of the Millennium Ring to the point that you've lost yourself completely. You snarl and screech obscenities and berate me for ruining your life, but your logic on this matter has a fundamental flaw. Regardless of what I've done, you are ultimately responsible for your own choices.
Everything in life comes down to choice. Absolutely everything.
Across the room, Mina's body was radiating with negative energy. Her hands twitched involuntarily as the Millennium Ring pulsed with a dark, ominous aura. A moment ago, the blonde had been screaming at the top of her lungs, wailing, cursing, and screeching out her pain until her voice began to give out from vocal strain.
However, as the crimson aura from the ring began to surround her body, Mina slowly fell silent.
E.E. raised an eyebrow at this as the girl's posture changed. Though her hands continued to shake involuntarily, Mina's arms and shoulders relaxed while her head began to bow towards the floor. The immortal demon couldn't see the young woman's eyes past her bloodstained bangs, but she didn't need to in order to know what was going on in the depths of her soul. There was another presence within taking over now, but it wasn't the Spirit of the Ring. Something else was clawing its way out of Mina's heart, a demon far more threatening than E.E. could adequately anticipate. Had she been able to smirk in response to the dark transformation happening before her eyes, she would have. Unfortunately for her, a skeletal mask can only emote so much.
"Oh? You done with the tantrum now?" she taunted.
Mina's hands continued to twitch involuntarily as the glowing from the ring began to dim. Then, with a jagged movement, the former scout of love and beauty raised her right hand in front of her, lifting her gaze in the same instant to meet E.E.'s. Her stare was a blank void of crimson rather than the vengeful cerulean the immortal had grown accustomed to.
I remember those eyes.
In a flash of golden light, a long golden katana appeared before Mina's palm. Engraved on the blade near the hilt was a single eye, the tell-tale sign of a Millennium Item. Without a word, Mina gripped the hilt of the sword and sliced through air with it as a means of testing its strength and accuracy.
Yes, E.E. could see that Mina wasn't here anymore.
It's what she'd been counting on the entire time.
The real point of torturing Mina was to draw out the weapon she now held in her hands.
E.E. chuckled inwardly as she withdrew her rapier, which she was quick to transform into a weapon more suited for this battle. Within seconds the charcoal colored metal of the rapier expanded slightly and gained an extra bit of weight as it morphed into a broadsword.
I will never claim to be a hero of justice. I am evil incarnate. How could I not be? After all, I was born from the evil that already existed in someone's soul. Even so, there are promises I need to keep as well. Promises you know nothing about.
"E.E..."
The immortal demon moved into a fighting stance. In her current condition, this fight was going to be a brutal one, especially now that Mina had conjured the Millennium Sword from the depths of her soul.
Oh, dear Mina. You think you know who you are? You don't have a clue. Everything you think you know is and has always been a lie. Your memories of the distant past, the person you were before my divine intervention, your destiny, and everything else you have believed about yourself is a falsehood.
You see...there are far greater evils than me in this world. I wasn't always so callous and cold. I had a conscience once too.
In short...I was just like you, hence the fleeting sentiment of sympathy, but things change. Sometimes for the better and sometimes for the worse.
Like you I have my role to play in this world, a role I alone chose. I, E.E., am the villain of your story...for now.
It's taken three tries to set the stage for the main event. I won't lose. Not now. Once I take that sword from you, everything I need to set things right will be in place. I'll destroy the Sailor Scouts and the power of Geass from the face of this Earth. I alone shall wield the powers of chaos.
Mina surged forward in that moment with her new weapon raised. E.E. dodged and put some distance between the two as a means to analyze her opponent before truly engaging in the fight, but Mina wasn't about to relent. She charged forward again, forcing E.E. to block the attack with her sword.
The immortal demon laughed coolly, then headbutted the other blonde. Mina yelped in pain and shook her head a bit before charging toward her again, this time invoking the power of the sword.
Using her array of Geass centered powers, E.E. slowed down Mina's perception of time in order to dodge once more. Yes, she could tell from this display that the girl was merely acting on instinct. She wasn't thinking her attacks through, at least not yet.
"You'll have to do better than that Minako."
"Hehehe," Mina chuckled, her movements still jagged as she locked gazes with E.E. "I suppose I will, won't I?" Her soft laughter began to increase in volume as she lifted the mysterious weapon above her head.
"By all means," E.E. answered. "Give it your best shot."
The Millennium Sword began to glow and along with it came a violent gust of wind and crimson-colored energy. E.E. braced herself. From this point forward, she'd have to go on the offensive.
This would be a battle to the death. From the very beginning, this plan had been a gamble. Drawing out the Millennium Sword was one thing. Taking it was another.
After all, in the Silver Millennium, this was the very weapon that took her down.
She could die in this fight if she wasn't methodical in her every action from this point forward. Thanks to Ophelia's betrayal, there was the added bonus of being at a physical disadvantage. Even so...her Geass abilities were extremely powerful. She hardly ever had to tap into her full strength to defeat her opponents, especially in physical fights, but this would be different. Mina may be acting on instinct for now, but the initial lack of tact and strategy would only last for a little longer.
I have no real grudge against you, Mina. No hatred. You're certainly a pest, but only because you cling to lies so strongly and then expect someone like me to feel sorry for you after you murdered nine people. My dear, sins like that aren't erased or forgotten so easily. Of course, I'm not one to talk really. Over the years I've grown accustomed to the atrocities I commit. At some point I had to find some joy in what I do, which meant casting aside my heart and whatever guilt it could feel.
To keep the promises I've made...I'll do just about anything.
It's the same for you too, isn't it, Mina?
We're not so different you and I. You just think we are.
I'm a monster true.
But so are you.
A/N: And that is the end of this chapter. Next time you're in for some major action and plot progression because the showdown between Mina and E.E. has finally, after all this time, begun. And yes, we have a new Millennium Item. And yes, as it turns out, this is the real reason why E.E. has been targeting Mina in this way all this time. And yes we're finally getting major backstory about Mina's mom and dad both working for E.E. and how they ended up together. You are not going to want to miss what's coming next. See you guys next time! Have a great day and God bless you all!
Also, I hope that the dark nature of this story does not cause anyone to feel down during the Christmas season. My timing is...not always the best when it comes to updates. Muhahaha!