Twilight Rising

Chapter 24

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Violet hues opened to a room of gold and sandstone. He blinked for a moment before moving to sit up but as he did so, something felt very off. A glance down made him squeak as he found that his sleepwear had been adjusted to light flowing silk and polished golden bangles over his arms and ankles. "What...where am I?" he questioned softly as he got himself out the silk, downy pillows but before he could take a step towards the large doors, they opened on their own. A shadowed form stepped into the room, solid scarlet looking upon him before moving towards him, causing him to back away quickly until he fell right back into the pillows he just got himself out of. "Please...I don't want any trouble...I just want to know where I am...and why I look like some sort of concubine." Yugi whispered, the snaking body of the shadow advancing ever closer before it was practically on top of him, scarlet boring into frightened violet. "You are hardly in any position to be called a concubine, dear light..." The voice whispered and Yugi swallowed at that buttery smooth and rich voice breezed through him like a gentle wind.

The primal darkness...or at least one of them.

He still didn't know the reason behind where he was or why he was there but he knew well that so many unanswered questions could be solved with this very moment. Or so he thought. "I see much question in your eyes...but I can't answer them. Not now. The time isn't here yet. But what I can permit in this dreamscape...is my appearance." The shadow purred, a hand stretching out to caress lightly at a goldenrod bang. "But...what reason do you need me? Tell me that much at least." Yugi whispered, watching the inky darkness flake away like molting skin on a reptile. "You already know but I will tell you myself to show you truth in our plight. It's for balance, my sweet light...a lesson taught by the far reaches of time but always forgotten as unimportant. We have suffered because we lacked balance...but now we have it with you, dear light." As tawny skin revealed itself, Yugi followed the trail of it through the darkness that once covered it, violet eyes running along the arm and up to the strong shoulders. There, the trail led him across the slender neck and over sharp cheekbones before finally, his gaze stopped on plush lips that were pulled into a light smirk. "Nfr mry. Ntk nt wi…" Was the whisper that came from the other but Yugi had no time to ask what it meant as firm lips pressed to his own, making porcelain cheeks light up in red. His first kiss...his first kiss was in a dream. The male didn't know what to think of it, really, he had nothing to think in general, taken in by the lips that held him. A fire coursed through him, a mixture of warm and cool through his veins as their lips meshed together perfectly.

A soft whimper left Yugi as the other pulled away and upon doing so did Yugi open his eyes to see the other's face in full. Chiseled features free of the darkness met his gaze, the solid scarlet glow that was his eyes gone to reveal the same shade of color in the iris, shining with familiarity. There was still so much covered but for what he did see stirred something in Yugi's heart. This...was a feeling he never expected to feel. He never even considered a romantic relationship before, perhaps once but Yugi knew well his appearance and personality would never gain him a second glance. But here, in this very instance, somehow...someway...he had gained approval by something unnatural. Powerful. But gentle. A calm settled over him and felt his body drift closer, resting to a strong chest still coated in darkness. His eyes closed as the soothing presence surrounded him, a sense of calm and harmony filling his element. Was this...what Valtyrion spoke about? Was this...the purpose he sought for? Then...was the primal darkness...good? There was still uncertainty but if there was one thing that Yugi could take from this...

"sDr, akhu, sDr n nqdd...biAw..."

Feeling loved romantically was simply divine.

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A gasp left Yugi as his eyes shot open, sitting up before violet eyes darted around the room. The dream felt all too real and his heart was still beating a rhythm that stirred Valtyrion from its own slumber and asked if he had a nightmare. "No...what I had was far beyond some nightmare..." Yugi whispered, a soft flush crossing his face as his brain registered a specific function that would be wisely hard to hide unless he got to the bathroom quick before the others woke. By the time Yugi was out of the bathroom, freshened up so he wasn't a rumpled mess of someone that just had that kind of dream, he was off to the kitchen to help prepare breakfast with the others. Raimundo was just finishing the last bite of his eggs when Dojo came barging in like a dragon possessed to tell them another Wu just revealed itself. Taking the scroll from the dragon, Yugi opened it to see the revealed Wu was the Gills of Hamachi, a Wu that gave the user the ability to breathe underwater, transforming their body to fit the part while doing so. He was indeed curious about such but hardly little time to think on it as he was ushered with the others, getting what they needed in case of Jack appearing, which was without a doubt, and were off towards the icy regions where the Wu had been situated. Why they flew, Yugi's thoughts went back to the dream. His dreams were ever changing and now he got to see the real face of the primal darkness. He learned what his purpose was to them...and even got a small reward out of it though he didn't know whether to call it a reward or just an eagerness to the other that he found Yugi. /This will be one confusing time./ he murmured, making Valtyrion stir.

/What will, little oneee?/ It questioned and Yugi explained the dream to the shade, the shade chuckling mirthfully as it spoke. Since the utterance of his name in the distant past, the primal darkness both were indeed much too eager to meet him. To see the face that held such a name to it, how would one not be eager to finally meet after such a long and painful wait. /I would not put it past the mastersss to be overly affectionate to you as you are the one they have been waiting for. Thisss emotion...ah what is the proper term...love. That's it, they would indeed ssshower you with all the knowledge of love that they know as you sssee, no such concept was ever truly in their mindsss once their element began to fall apart./ Yugi hummed thoughtfully, a small blush appearing across his cheeks. If what the shade spoke of is true and the primal darkness really had a sense of love in their mind upon his arrival into the world then perhaps he can get used to it. He was certainly out of touch with being in love himself, never experiencing it himself so it will be a definite trial by fire for them both in terms of expression. Of course, Yugi hoped that their love was genuine and not a matter of obsession to claim what they did not have in the past. When they reached the glacier, the glow of the Wu caught their eye trapped in ice and they moved to leap down on stable ground to make the crawl for it.

However, as all things go when you know well you have a clumsy adversary coming for the same item, they were graced with Jack's presence and got ready for the fight at hand. Weak shrapnel flew as bots were dealt with in kind, the monks doing their damndest to get to the Wu before Jack did and Omi was left to be the one to break free of the assault to leap up the slippery surface to get to the Wu, breaking through the ice to catch it as Jack did and the two issued the challenge. It was a race to climb the icy mountain to the Wu with Omi wagering the Orb of Tornami and Jack the Jetbootsu. Bet made, they called for the showdown to begin and the terrain shifted, the Wu nestled on the highest point of a mountain that was twice the size of where it began and the two were off. Hopping over towering ice platforms from where they started, the two were gunning it for the base of the mountain. But Jack, in a surprising twist of dexterity, used the slippery ice to his advantage and skated over it like a professional skater while Omi unfortunately was left to slip and slide over the surface that was of his element. As such, it resulted in the smaller monk slipping and knocking his head hard on the ice while Jack himself taunted the boy as he glided around him in perfect form. "I asked for knife throwing lessons, mom sends me figure skating. "You'll never know when it will come in handy" she tells me. Now I feel bad for making a robot out of her juicer." Jack hummed before he was off.

Dojo had commented that for all the things they witnessed of the evil genius when it came to physical abilities, he sure did have good form which was even complemented by Clay of all people. The three looked to the cowboy in wonder before the other petulantly asked the harm in a cowboy liking figure skating. "Nothing! Just amazed really." Yugi said while Raimundo barked for the smaller monk to get on the ball with chasing Jack down. No amount of fancy spins to impress was worth losing the Wu to him for it. Omi nodded, hurrying to stand even though his foot nearly fell out from underneath him before following after the redhead. Jack reached the mountain first with ease, grinning back to the slow monk as he activated the boots to begin walking up the side of the mountain and towards the Wu at his leisure. Omi almost had his face meet the ice when he reached the base of the mountain and glanced up, seeing that Jack had considerable distance and with the terrain's surface, there would be no way, even for his martial arts, to get up and past the other before he got to the gills. A sigh left him collapsing at the base of the mountain before slamming a fist into the wall, ready to admit defeat when the ice cracked just a sliver. Yugi saw this as well, pulling the cloth from over his mouth. "Omi! It isn't over yet! You still have one piece on the board to use to your advantage!" Yugi called, Jack mock nagging the boy as he continued, knowing he had this in the bag no matter what Omi could attempt to do.

He was so close he could feel it. Omi blinked before looking at the crack made in the ice and grinned under the mask. Yugi was indeed right but he had to hurry if he wanted to win this. Standing on steady feet, the monk pressed the orb against the crack in the wall, glancing up to Jack as he got closer and closer before the smirk widened across his lips. "Orb of Tornami: Water!" At his call, water surged from the Wu and into the crack, quickly shooting up the face of the mountain and breaking the ice as it coursed through. Jack grinned proudly as he was at the top, ready to claim the Wu and win the showdown until he felt the ice under his feet shake. It was all too sudden for the other to react and the ice shattered underfoot, sending Jack falling while Omi used the crumbling ice to his advantage. "Damn you, Omi! Damn you!" Jack cursed as he fell, unable to really save himself as ice clung to the Jetbootsu while Omi reached the gills and nabbed them from their spot, ending the showdown with the victory in his hands. The others cheered as they returned back onto the berg floating in the chilling sea, Omi floating their way with his bounty of three Wu while Wuya patronized the genius for losing three Wu when the victory was literally right under his nose. "I-I'm an artiste, I c-c-communicate with my f-f-feet." Jack chattered to the witch as he was carted off by the bot that held him. "If I had feet, I would communicate all over you." she bit back. Their job done, they were ready to leave when Omi's eye caught something in the water floating towards them. His attention piqued, he motioned to the others to the block of ice coming for them, seeing that within it, there was a woman sealed inside.

"It's a girl." Raimundo whispered before urging that someone should go save her. He voted for Clay to do so, knowing someone with a little more body mass would handle the cold water better than him. Yugi rolled his eyes, Valtyrion matching his motion before grinning. A claw reached from Yugi's shadow and towards Raimundo's, gripping it and jerked it like a carpet from under Raimundo's feet, making the boy yelp as he landed in the water, teeth chattering as the chill ran through him. Someone who was used to warmth was certainly not built for the cold but there was a woman that needed his assistance. He'd bear it for a few seconds if it meant rescuing and perhaps getting a little kiss as a thank you. Reaching the trapped woman, Raimundo was quick to break apart the ice but to his surprise and that of the others, instead of legs, a long aquamarine tail met their gaze instead. "Is that seriously...a mermaid?" Yugi gasped, the mermaid waking before looking to Raimundo with a soft smile as she introduced herself. Dojo commented that there was no lie, mermaids existing long before their time but it was interesting to see one here as it has been a while since the dragon seen one. While they were curious about Dyris and her appearance, another hunk of ice collapsed not far from them, revealing another. Covered in furs and holding a gleam in his eyes, the figure moved to sit up, glancing to the sight of the group surrounding the mermaid and growled. "Dyris!" he hissed, making her gasp. Of all the people she hoped to not see, he was one. Raising his arm, the figure shot out four orbs that were aimed for Dyris but Clay was quick to counter, pulling on the Glove of Jisaku to bring the orbs towards him though Dyris hurried to warn him that the projectiles were actually explosives.

"Stand back!" Yugi called, the glow of the lantern at his hip calling upon the firelights which he sent to encircle the orbs, a single touch making both items explode. Yugi coughed as the other man used the diversion to his advantage to leap over the group, the wicked looking spear he held ready to stab at Dyris. Raimundo growled, bringing out the Sword of the Storm and sent the man flying with a mighty gust. Unable to prepare himself for the gust, the man could only make to land but instead felt the furs wrapped around his form caught in the grasp of another and looked up to see a bot carrying him. "What be this...?" he muttered as Jack came to fly beside him with the other bot. "It be Jack, Jack the impressed. Let's chat." Jack answered with a grin. It was a good thing he didn't leave quite yet, hoping to catch the monks off guard but instead gained himself quite a powerful ally. As Jack and the man left, Yugi gave a sigh as Dojo moved to transform so they could start making their way back before they decided to regroup and return. "Who was that rather unattractive fellow?" Omi commented as Raimundo was helped from the water then onto Dojo's back as Dyris began to tell her tale. The man was a hunter who went by the name of Klofang and he had been hunting her for as long as she could remember. Looking to them with sympathetic eyes, she told them of their last meeting, of how the evil hunter had cornered her in an ice cavern. Before he could deliver the final blow that would've ended her life, the cavern had collapsed and entrapped them in the ice that had been floating amongst the sea until they had freed them from the iceberg in the showdown.

It was indeed a tragic story to hear and Yugi felt bad for the mermaid, even questioning why her and not another mermaid though they came to learn that Dyris was the last of her kind. "A mass genocide, huh...that is terrible." Yugi whispered, looking down silently while Clay commented that Klofang's actions to harming such a kind and gentle mermaid like her nearly made Jack and his actions, as dumb as they were sometimes, look decent. Dyris chuckled warmly, praising Clay that it wasn't often she met such a true gentleman which made the cowboy flush, Kimiko giving a slight sneer. It was obvious what the game was here and she was lucky she wasn't buying into it easy. How easy boys are charmed by a pretty face irked her. In the end, though, they all knew they couldn't leave Dyris alone to swim the seas with Klofang after her, Dojo offering her a ride to take her back to the temple. She smiled at the offer, patting Dojo's snout as she spoke that she couldn't leave the water so easily. This left the dragon rather disappointed but Omi got an idea of his own, discussing it with everyone before getting to work. Arrangements settled, Dojo was off into the skies, flying back to the temple with his jaw opened and filled with water to accommodate the mermaid back. Omi offered the Orb of Tornami to Dyris to help keep her moist through the trip and she smiled in kind, praising the monk for his ingenious thinking in keeping her comfortable for the trip. Kimiko rolled her eyes and almost wished she stayed up top with Yugi who had decided to stay on the dragon's back then in his mouth though no one couldn't blame him for it.

After the events of Dojo's phase, the teen wouldn't trust his entire body within the dragon's mouth at any given time, even if Dojo was aware of what was actually in there this time compared to before.

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At the lair, Jack watched with a childlike glee as Klofang was taking out weapon after weapon that was on his person, laying it out on the table before him. Wuya even tried to get some insight on a few but the irate hunter told her that she would find out quick if she didn't leave him alone. That was a threat clear in his tone and she certainly didn't want to risk such a seasoned hunter to have a way to combat ghosts and spirits like herself. Jack grinned at his solid demeanor, perfect for a team up that would gain them a sizable amount of Wu. But Klofang didn't share the same sentiments, grasping the redhead in the barrel end of his spear, bringing him close.

The hunter reminded him that he cared not for these items that he desired, just the mermaid that had escaped him more than once during the hunt. He was finally free to pursue the vile creature and he wasn't about to allow some pale weakling distract him from his true end goal. Dyris had to be destroyed before she got away. Jack was trying to reclaim breath from the grip of the weapon, told him that if he knew the goody goody monks well enough, he knew exactly where to locate the mermaid. That held Klofang's attention and once Jack was released, he demanded for the evil genius to take him to her.

Finally...his lifelong quest would be done and the last mermaid will be gone from the world of the living.

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Once Dyris was situated in a pool for her comfort, she was left alone to mind her own except Kimiko wanted to get her word in. If there was one thing she wasn't going to stand for as long as Dyris planned to stay, was to see lovestruck males tripping over their own feet to cater to her every whim. Whether it was spitefulness of the attention or just the fact it was another girl in the temple, that was for her to know and no one else to figure out. Stepping over to the pool, Dyris glanced at her and sighed in disappointment. She wasn't in the mood to deal with Kimiko right now and neither was she as she commented to the mermaid that she wasn't planning to fawn over her just because she had a pretty face. "Well there's a word for people like that...boys." Dyris teased which gained a short laugh. "Ok, you got me there but it isn't all of them. Yugi had been pretty standoffish towards your advances." Dyris hummed in thought at the statement. Kimiko was right and Yugi didn't fall for her charm as easily and for someone like her, it had set off a rather petty sting that the small male didn't find her appealing like the others.

But she pushed that to the back of her mind. It wouldn't be long before she had him wrapped around her fingers like the others and speaking of such...

Dyris smiled at Kimiko as she began to string another set of praises of Kimiko's beauty, that she was much prettier than she could ever be and it would take very little for her to get boys to do what she wanted. Kimiko, charmed by the praise even when she had her contradictions to Dyris, listened on as Dyris spun her words. The mermaid could tell Kimiko didn't realize the power she had, much less used it on the boys for as long as she worked with them. With a grin, she told her to give it a try and show just how much power she had with her femininity. She nodded, hearing the light humming of Omi walking through the temple courtyard and grinned. Calling out to him, he was quick to respond to her plea and met with her. Kimiko gave the smallest pout as she told Omi about her chore in cleaning out Dojo's litter box and wished that she could have someone to take on the task for her. Omi was skeptical, telling her that she should be doing her own chores but she whined pitifully, speaking of her tired arms and circumventing the fact onto Omi that his arms were nice and strong. He could handle the task so easily compared to her. Having his ego brushed on his strengths made Omi come to a quick decision and he agreed to go clean the box for her, heading off to do just that and Kimiko made to laugh. Dyris was right, that was easy. The two girls chuckled, finding a camaraderie with each other now but were unaware of who watched from the mountainside. Klofang looked through a spyglass to the temple, gauging his options to get in through what seemed to be a rather weak guard. He did give Jack praise for leading him right to the mermaid and promised to be rid of the mermaid once and for all once he confronted her for a final time.

Yugi was walking past them, glancing at them briefly and Dyris caught his eye as she went to wave to him. "Oh Yugi~ Yugi dear, why don't you never come and talk to me?" Dyris asked. "I don't have much to talk about right now. And I have some things that need to be done." he replied as he turned his gaze from her, missing the dark look to cross the mermaid's face before she settled on the edge of the pond. "Well don't ignore me forever. I think we share some common things, you see~ But we won't know it unless we take some time to talk." Yugi nodded, rounding the corner and sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Man, this would be a dream come true for me to have someone pining for my attention...but Dyris...just isn't right for me." he mumbled, Valtyrion peeking from over his shoulder.

"Ssshe was never right for you from the beginning. She has the looksss, sure, but you've been witnessss to better. You sssurely won't put her above master, would you? It would break hisss heart." Yugi blushed as his mind flashed back to that face from his dreams, remembering the soft mesh of their lips together and touched his own before covering his mouth as he ran along, Valtyrion laughing in amusement to the little one's embarrassment. Later in the evening, Yugi meditated in the chamber while the others were lost to their own tasks, such that revolved around a certain mermaid. Omi held a bucket and Raimundo a pair of sponges. Clay had a couple fish under his arm from the kitchen and Kimiko was twirling her hair around her finger, curious to getting another lesson to get the boys to do as she wished. Omi was easy fare but Raimundo and Clay would prove a little harder to charm often. Too focused on their tasks in catering to Dyris, they didn't know they were all about to converge in such a way that only sounded as the ran into each other, the clatter of the bucket making Yugi look up. "Huh...what's going on..." he mumbled before moving to stand. As they all looked to each other in confusion, Kimiko sensing the weird instance of them all heading for the same location, they were made alert as a large beam swept over the tops of the buildings, taking out one of the towers before Jack and his bots made an appearance. A head on attack from Jack was certainly not his style but he was destroying the temple and they couldn't allow him to get away with it. Too eager to impress Klofang left the genius mildly distracted until Wuya snapped for him to get going so he could steal the Wu while Klofang took on the mermaid. This would split their attention as their care for life would have them wanting to help the mermaid over guarding the vault.

Yugi ran over to them before looking up as the bots made to attack the others. "Jeez, can he make any more of a racket..." Yugi mumbled before his eye caught sight of the hunter and saw the direction he was heading for. "The hunter! He's going for Dyris!" Yugi called and hearing that the mermaid was in danger, Omi, Clay and Raimundo nearly fought on who was going to save her first. Yugi looked to them in exasperation before clapping a hand over his face. "Will you all just...go...please!" At his word, the boys were free to run off for the pond where Dyris resided before Klofang got to her. Kimiko glanced to Yugi, keeping her lips sealed as the boy cracked his knuckles. "Boys and their hormones. I didn't think I'd be the one to say I'm highly disappointed of what head they're using to think."

"Yeah...that would be me but I can't say I had my small part in falling for Dyris' charm in a different matter." Kimiko spoke with a little embarrassment as Yugi got ready. He watched as the bots came for them and Kimiko was ready to defend when she saw the light forming around Yugi and was curious. This was something new as she was so used to seeing the teen channel his element through the lantern, such which wasn't on him at the moment so what could he be planning. He caught her eye and grinned. "Let's just say I didn't spend all my time in the Meditation Chamber meditating~" Valtyrion was curious as well, watching as the bots got closer to him and feared it would have to appear to deal with them but was stunned into silence as a spear of light landed into his hands at a mere snap. "Solar Crash!" he called before he threw it like a javelin, impaling through the bot. /You.../ It whispered as Yugi pivoted on his heel and did the same, a snap that produced another spear-like bolt from the light around him to throw through another bot. "Whoa..." Kimiko uttered in awe as the boy single-handedly took out every bot coming for them, metal hissing and bubbling to the intensity of the element that far surpassed Kimiko's fire. Jack gulped as he watched the scene before him. Perhaps he took out that fire policy on his bots too soon, making a sound as a spear nearly landed at his hiding spot. Wuya was impressed for her own reasons. The boy was getting stronger and clearly it meant that he was near ripened for the primal darkness to be revived. Time was running short but there hadn't been a free moment to claim the boy. If she didn't think of a way to add that onto the list of reclaiming Wu to bring the world to its knees even if she was without her body, she would never gain the true darkness on her side to make things so much easier in her state.

The boys continued to run for the pond, pushing and shoving each other to be the first there. Klofang leapt over them from the rooftops before landing hard on the cobblestone path, glaring towards the path that would take him to the pond. "Dyris..." he growled before charging forward, target set. Omi huffed as he fell in step beside the hunter but was quickly taken care of, trapped within a net which Raimundo leapt over as he continued the chase after the hunter. Glaring at the man beside him, he was ready to make his move and have the right in protecting the mermaid when Klofang raised an arm. Without a single thought or look to the teen beside him, he sent out a line that wrapped around the Brazilian, causing him to trip over his own feet and hit the ground hard as Clay made to leap over him next. Klofang finally reached the in-ground pool and made a step for it. So close was he to finally ridding the world of Dyris. All it would take is one vital stab through the heart...

Clay landed before him, blue eyes narrowed as he stared down the hunter before him who growled his annoyance at yet another obstacle in his way. Before Clay could remotely get a word in edgewise, the barrel end of the spear grabbed him, clenching hard around his form before the hunter swung around, taking the cowboy with him before releasing him on the apex of his swing, sending him colliding with one of the monk statues that were situated around the garden. He grunted, gasping onto the broken base where the state broke in half from his collision and took the upper half between his legs. "Seismic Kick: Earth!" Sending the half with a mighty and well-placed kick, Clay would've imagined he would catch the hunter off guard but trained well in combat left little room for error when the prey was so close. Stretching an arm out had him catch the statue in hand before he flung the piece right back to Clay, catching him off guard with his quick reflexes and the male groaned as he slid across the grass before hitting the wall. Last obstacle out of his way, Klofang turned to the pool and looked into the water's depths only to see no one there.

"The mermaid be gone!" he hissed in anger as the others finally arrived and Yugi blinked. "She's gone...but how?! She needs water to live as far as my mythological knowledge pertains to mermaids!" Klofang huffed as he stepped forward, examining the edges of the pool before seeing just as he feared would happen. Even Jack decided to show himself, curious of what the hunter had to say. "Here be your precious lady..." he murmured and they all walked towards him, glancing from behind the larger body to see that Dyris had indeed escaped by the puddles of water left behind but what alarmed them more was that the puddles came to a stop and instead, her path was met with clawed abrasions in the cobblestone. "A monster...perhaps the most dangerous to walk this earth." Klofang continued, revealing to all present that he wasn't actually a bad guy but instead good. He didn't hunt Dyris for sport...he hunted her for the safety of the world. Jack shook his head, utterly confused and partially hurt. Klofang was the good guy?! With all the weapons and gadgets and stuff, he expected him to be a badass bad guy wanting to take out a helpless little mermaid! "But I...he...need alone time..." he whimpered as he flew off, Wuya rolling her eyes but went to follow after the distraught redhead. Someone had to remind him the reason they came there in the first place despite the betrayal. Knowing what horrors awaited them thanks to their careless mistake to thinking the mermaid was helpless, they offered Klofang a space in which to tell his side of the tale with himself and Dyris.

"She is right to say I hunts her...but it's to keep her from destroying the lot of us!" he spoke, slamming a hand onto the table which made Yugi jump a little. Klofang delve further, telling the monks before him that Dyris aimed to flood the lands and bring them under, turning her into the ultimate queen of the oceans to rule over the human race. Or what's left of it to say. Her beauty had fooled many before them but what many never see from her is the form she takes out of the water. Such a monstrous sight that one should never have to witness such more than once. They all looked at each other worriedly, knowing this was indeed a matter worth concern and it was made worse as Dojo came skidding into the hall to tell them they were robbed. "Robbed?! By who?!" Yugi questioned as they all ran for the vault at Dojo's behest, the dragon quickly explaining that the Tunnel Armadillo, Golden Tiger Claws and Fist of Tebigong were taken by Dyris.

Yugi blinked before asking question after question which was met with an answer from one of the others. Clay had told her about the vault with the excuse that she never seen one before. Kimiko was next who explained she was to guard the vault but she was turned around into using her wiles to ask one of the boys to hand scrub all the bathrooms in the temple. Even Raimundo, who thought that filling the Armadillo with sea water was for a good laugh for a prank for the first person to use the Wu. "And this all happened before you collided with each other...guys..." Yugi bemoaned as they apologized though Omi had the worst of the excuses, realizing that Dyris planned to melt the polar ice caps with the use of volcanoes using the gathered Wu she took, all which was told to her by the small monk. Yugi gave him the hardest stare he could muster and Omi swallowed in fear before covering his head expecting a slap to the back of the head from him. "I thought it was idle chat-chit!" he squeaked as Klofang questioned their validity as the good guys.

"We are normally but this...I question it myself." Yugi mumbled, rubbing his temples, before Kimiko made to point out that for the mermaid monster to even remotely make this plan a success, she would have to drill close enough to the earth's core and as far as they knew, there was no such Wu revealed yet to obtain that goal. That is, until Dojo coughed and mentioned that a Wu had appeared before all the confusion, bringing out the scroll to show to them the Black Beetle. They all looked to the scroll as it was explained that the Wu coated the user in heat-resistant armor akin to a beetle's shell, protecting them from all manners of flames and heat. "And I may...have kinda sorta told her where to find it~" Dojo simpered and Yugi clocked his head to the nearest wall while Klofang was of similar irritation. All of them, aside from Yugi, had a hand in giving the mermaid the materials to realize her dream. He needed to work fast if he is going to stop her. "Tell me where the beast has gone. I will deal with her."

"Please, allow us to make up for our foolishness. We will hunt the mer-monster together." Omi begged. They all agreed and gathered what they needed before they hurried on their way.

To the Black Beetle and Dyris.

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Formed into a Viking styled vessel, Dojo surfed over the frigid waters of the Arctic towards the location of the Black Beetle. Yugi hummed silently, wringing his hands a little to stave off the chilly winds that glided past them. When they got close, Dojo made the announcement of such and they went to stand. "So where is it?" Kimiko asked. "The Wu is less than a mile...thataway." Dojo stated, extending an arm from the boat paneling to point downward into the frigid water under them. Yugi made to stand, holding tight to the Gills of Hamachi, having decided to be the one to go for the Wu despite the others' protest. "We need a clear mind to deal with her. I love you guys...but we got into this mess because you didn't keep it together." They all looked down in shame as Yugi went to sit on the edge of the boat. "Don't worry. I'm not completely mad at you. I'm partially amused as well, especially you, Kimiko~ I expected you to be jealous with another girl around~" Yugi teased, making the girl blush heavily as she swatted his arm and made him laugh. "Alright. Let's get this Wu claimed and this sea witch a taste of her own medicine." Calling upon the power of the gills, Yugi slipped the item around his neck, feeling it attach to his neck and the magic surged through every bone and nerve of his body. He gasped softly, feeling skin turn slowly into pearl colored scales, webbing growing between his fingers and fins emerging over his arms and legs, all colored a light lavender. He blinked round eyes before looking to himself in awe before realizing his shirt went absent in the transformation and squeaked. Clay snickered a bit before patting the teen into the water and he landed with a splash, coming up briefly to assure that he will get things handled before diving into the water. Finned feet propelled him like a knife through the water, eyes glancing around before seeing the wreck of an old ship and guessed that would be the ideal place to search for the Black Beetle.

/You look rather beautiful, little one. Ssso much better than that fish. The mastersss would love you in this form~/ Valtyrion spoke and Yugi blushed. "Oh stop, Valtyrion. We need to focus and I don't need the primal darkness on my mind. At least...not right now." Yugi whispered, leaving the shade to chuckle. Whatever its master accomplished in his domain of dreams, it certainly affected the small male's heart. Soon, they will have what they desire in their arms and the shade can only suspect that a moment alone and away from the stifling temple would be a nice midnight swim under a full moon. Yugi was truly a lucky little soul to have such grand beings of immense power love him so. Peeking through a hole in the hull, Yugi didn't see anything immediately before the soft glow of the Wu caught his peripherals.

"Yugi~"

He raised his head to the sound of his name, growling slightly before slipping into the hull and towards the Black Beetle. "Yugi dear~" Eyes turned back to the hole in the hull, seeing Dyris slip in fluidly and smiled a tender smile. She swam towards him surreptitiously, asking if he really and truly believed in what Klofang told him. He spat back that he did, knowing well enough she was trying to charm him, taking the Black Beetle from where it rested and made to turn only to feel her grip at his fins. She hissed angrily as she went to fight the Wu from his hands but he held on tight to it, baring sharp teeth that were given with the transformation. She gasped before her eyes landed on the gills around his neck and smirked, reaching for it and ripped it from his neck. Yugi felt the magic rush from him, leaving him human once more before the Black Beetle was wrenched from his arms. Holding both Wu, she smirked. "You don't belong in my world..." she whispered, before raising her tail and with a mighty swing, sent Yugi flying through the rotted hull. Following after him, Dyris smirked as she held the Wu in her arms while Yugi was left to flounder in the deep water. He hardly had the breath to swim back to the surface since wearing the gills and the tightening in his lungs was nothing short of worrying. /Little one!/ Valtyrion had called, slipping from its place and took the boy's shirt in its claws to drag him through the water itself. But the shade didn't get too far as the light of a vehicle appeared behind the teen, revealing itself to be the Silver Manta Ray and blessing the monks' timing, the shade hurried to tug Yugi into the hatch before it could be spotted by their eye. Yugi coughed up water as Kimiko knelt down beside him to ask if he had gotten the Black Beetle.

Yugi glanced to her before looking down, shaking his head and Raimundo growled, seeing that the gills were lost as well before Klofang made to point out Dyris to the right of their vessel heading for the waiting Tunnel Armadillo. Raimundo nodded as he went to guide the ray towards her, ready to drag her into the ship despite Klofang's warning of what dry land will do to her. So close were they to getting her until an explosion rattled the back of the ship, making them turn back to see Jack was right behind them, an army of shark robots flanking his side. It took time and some work but now he was fighting for the right side...in which he meant the wrong side. To better clarify, he was fighting for the evil mermaid. Yugi winced as the ship was rattled again before looking into the transmission that was hacked into their ship. "Cut it out, will you?! She will destroy the world if she gets away!" Yugi snapped. "Whatever, Yongi! She's rather quirky~ So I'm putting my effort to see her dream a reality! Shark-bots, attack!" At the call, the bots shot forward, ripping off bits and pieces of the manta ray's fins while Dyris was free to get everything loaded into the Tunnel Armadillo. This clearly had upset and infuriated Klofang, knowing that being trapped in this metal ship was going to allow Dyris to get away and demanded to be freed. Yugi looked to the hunter then glared down at the mermaid about to make her getaway. "Omi, hand me the Serpent's Tail." Omi did as asked and Yugi gripped the Wu in hand before touching Klofang's arm. He glanced at him with angry eyes before seeing the solid conviction in his own violet hues. "She will not get away. Not while she has something of mine." Moving away, he gripped the tail in both hands and called on the Wu's power, diving through the ship and straight for Dyris.

Proud to have everything she needed to make the world an underwater paradise, she was about to climb in when Yugi released the power of the tail, becoming solid once more and used the momentum to slam into the mermaid. She cried out as she flew back, hitting the lever of the armadillo and started it up but not without Yugi grabbing the gills from the seat. Slipping the Wu back in place around his neck, the transformation was instant and a glare met Dyris' gaze. "You have some nerve..." he sneered as Dyris went to attack him. As the two sea creatures fought, the others dealt with their own problem, Clay getting an idea in mind and went to use the Glove of Jisaku to call the bots towards them. Of course, such a move raised concern until the cowboy brought out the Reversing Mirror, reflecting the polarizing effect of the Wu and watched as the sharks were rebounded off them and headed straight for Jack. Said redhead screamed in fight before slamming a fist on the eject button long before Wuya could yell at him, ejecting himself from the squid shaped vehicle before the sharks impacted. "Why?! Why are you so stubborn to me?!" Dyris growled. "I'm the prettiest thing you'll ever lay eyes on...so why aren't you the same as your friends!" Yugi smirked before whipping a fin up, slapping her across the face in payback for earlier. "Because I dream of guys that look way better than you. You're nothing in comparison." Raimundo winced as he heard the jab. "Damn, that's a burn that even she can't recover from. Like major ouch..." he murmured as he watched the two hurried after the rising armadillo that lacked a driver so it spiraled out of control.

"You insolent little child! I will not be made a fool of!" Dyris snapped as she grabbed the Wu along with Yugi, neither unable to stop it as it ascended higher and higher before crashing through the ice of another cavern, Yugi groaning softly as he sat up in the seat of the armadillo. Violet hues glanced around, seeing the Black Beetle wasn't where he last saw it and the gills gone from his neck. "Where is it, where is it..." Looking over the side, he saw the beetle floating in the water and sighed in relief as he went to grab it only for it to be pressed into his palm, activating a showdown as Dyris rose from the water with the demand that the Wu was hers to claim. "You wish. You're in a showdown now and you'll have to win against me to get it." he growled. "Fine, I'll wager the Fist of Tebigong for your Gills of Hamachi." Yugi nodded, issuing that the game was steal the Wu and that it was going to be played on dry land which alarmed Klofang as the others emerged from another hole in the glacier cavern. Yugi leapt from the armadillo as Dyris was dragged onto the ice and slowly, her form began to change. Gone was the innocent face and kind eyes that held her distaste of Yugi's inability to find anything attractive about her, slowly growing into a monster that was straight out of a nightmarish sea farer's tale. Splotchy brown and green skin replaced the smooth pallor, golden blond strands falling like old seaweed as teal eyes darkened to a solid black that glared down at Yugi who looked up to her in revulsion. "Yeah...I was definitely in the right that the guys in my dream look better than you. You look like hell." he whispered before calling on the showdown to commence. The terrain hardly made to shift, giving them pillars to work around in the already sizable playing field and Yugi glared at Dyris.

"Gong Yi Tan Pai!"

Yugi observed Dyris' monstrous form. She definitely had size and strength on her side compared to him and going in with brute strength would do more harm than good. He looked to the gills in hand and soon got an idea. Dyris didn't dare to wait much longer, swinging the Fist of Tebigong down at him, making him jump back quick only for her to flick a finger forward to send the teen careening into the nearest pillar with a gasp. /Little one...ssshall I make sushi of this wretched creature?/ Valtyrion asked but Yugi shook his head. He didn't want the shade to waste its energy on an easy fight if all goes as he planned. Pressing his feet against the pillar, seeing that the monster hadn't made a single move to claim the gills in perfect sight, he kicked off from it to grab the Wu but Dyris was ready for him, slamming the first down once again and sent him and the Wu flying. 'Perfect.' he thought, reaching for the gills and slipped them around his neck. "Gills of Hamachi!" Landing before her, Yugi looked into those dead fish eyes before he made to breathe. Like a fish literally out of water, Yugi could feel the gills trying to filter the air around them but couldn't, collapsing onto the ground in pain. "Yugi! Take them off!" Kimiko cried as she watched the male writhe on the ground, leaving Dyris to grin behind crooked fangs as she slithered towards him. She was going to enjoy this and make a nice meal out of him for his insolence towards real beauty. Never had she felt so offended until she met Yugi and she would be sure to make him pay. She reached down, grabbing the male by his fins and watched as he wriggled like a helpless fish. A warty tongue licked over gnarled lips as she reached for the gills, Klofang crying out to Yugi to do something before she took over everything he tried to stop.

One last twitch was all Yugi made before he reached to remove the gills, slipping them between his teeth as he raised his hands. "Corona Clap!" The call was muffled but the response was all the same, the blinding light from his hands once clapped making Dyris reel back with a screech, releasing Yugi who used the momentum of the fall to grab hold of the Fist of Tebigong. "You may be a predator but you fell for the easiest trap." he whispered, jerking the Wu from her claws before landing on the ground, ending the showdown as he held the Wu victoriously over his head. Challenge won and the Wu free from Dyris' hands, they were able to rest easy. Klofang stepped to the smaller male, bowing his head to him. He commented the boy would've made a fine hunter in his time. Yugi smiled and thanked him in return for such wisdom, speaking that he would've been a noble monk if he wished to stay at the temple. But as they spoke, their reprieve was rather short as Dyris rose from where she laid, waiting for the spots to get out her eyes.

"You! I will kill you, Yugi!" she roared as she went to reach for the teen, causing him to gasp while the shadows stirred under his feet, ready to defend him from the mermaid monster. "Avast ye beast! Now ye have business to settle with Klofang!" The hunter roared, pushing Yugi towards the others as he unleashed a volley of projectiles. "Klofang!" Omi cried as he went to run, seeing Dyris dodged the spiked bombs but roared in anger as the spear Klofang held extended into a chain, catching her jaws and kept hold of her. He had to help! Somehow, he had to help! But Klofang looked at the small monk, his eyes of which one was bloodred and glassy from his last encounter rendering it blind, saying all. He and the others knew well how this had to end for him and the beast. "Omi, we got to go." Yugi whispered, resting a hand on his shoulder before they hurried back to the Silver Manta Ray, hopping in and Raimundo guided the craft out the cave. Yugi watched as ice cracked and spilled into the ocean, Raimundo resurfacing to see the cavern they were once in collapsing before their very eyes, trapping Dyris and Klofang in their eternal struggle once again. "I will remember his story...people deserve to know about the master hunter Klofang and his fight to keep our world safe." Yugi whispered and Omi nodded. "A story like his deserves to be passed on to many." With an agreement among the five, they were off, the frozen forms of Dyris and Klofang sinking into the depths of the ocean, never to be seen again lest some unlucky soul brings them to the surface to continue the battle anew for supremacy. One to save the world and the other to destroy it.

As they went along, Kimiko spotted Jack's pitiful form among the wreckage of his craft and urged Raimundo to stop briefly before opening the hatch to look down to him. "Hey there, Jack~ Need a lift?" she questioned and the redhead was all too eager to climb aboard before he felt the chafing rope circle around him and he looked to Clay. "Whoever said you'd be riding with us?" he commented and left the genius to whimper. This was indeed cruel and unusual punishment even though his greedy black heart knew it was well deserving when it came to him making a mess of things for them. So, they continued on, Jack literally trailing behind as he pathetically tried to keep up with the quick flying craft over the expanse of ocean, even going so far as to waterski once he got some form of footing. He grinned proudly until he tripped over a loose ice fragment and sputtered as he tried to avoid inhaling a bunch of sea water.

Kimiko hummed a little before looking over to Yugi who had his gaze trained out the window, likely lost in thought. After all she had bear witness to with Dyris, she had been curious but she didn't know if it would be in bad taste to ask such a personal question. 'Then again...no one says the boys would have to know...' she thought, scooting closer to Yugi and tapped his shoulder. /"Yugi...I've been wondering...and hopefully it isn't in any way an invasion of your personal life…"/ she began in Japanese, catching Clay's attention once he heard the foreign tongue fall from her lips. Yugi glanced at her in question, a tilt of his head awaiting her question. /"What's up, Kimiko?"/ he asked in return, assuming that whatever she wanted to ask, she didn't want the others to know. And if she didn't want them knowing, he had a bit of an idea of what she wanted to ask. /"Well, I was wondering...and you don't have to answer of course! But...I wanted to ask...what's your preference?"/ she asked meekly. Yugi chuckled, rubbing the back of his head as he began to speak with her about such interests. He knew Kimiko would keep a secret as they spoke in Japanese was enough in saying such, feeling the quizzical gaze of the other three in the craft plus one dragon. "Ya got any idea what they're sayin', Dojo?" Clay questioned. "Not a lick. I never studied Japanese back in my day. Dashi thought I'd never needed to know." he hummed, hearing Kimiko laugh a little before she went to ask something again to Yugi. Since this was going to be a long one, the boys decided to focus back on the trip to the temple though their curiosity was wisely piqued at the conversation but none knew how to approach either on it. Kimiko smiled as they finished, patting Yugi's hand.

/"I can see now why Dyris didn't get to you like the rest of us. I can safely say I'll support you all the way and hopefully after all this Shen Gong Wu mess is over and done with and we actually have a moment's peace, you'll find that guy that makes your heart soar."/ Yugi smiled, returning her gesture. /"Same, I do feel like I may have already...but that's to be a wait and see. As for you, I hope you'll find someone too. Perhaps Raimundo would be a good candidate~"/ he teased, making Kimiko blush and Raimundo looking back as his name fell from his lips. "What you guys chatting about back there? Better not be something bad about me since I can't understand ya!" Yugi waved his hands to say it wasn't, snickering at Kimiko punched his arm before he moved to turn his gaze back out the window.

The conversation was nice and it did make his heart feel a little lighter. He did, however, hope that as he thought with the two on his mind...isn't as bad as he thinks after just one dream. Feeling his eyes droop, Yugi was quick to drift off into a light slumber, his dreams filled with the beautiful blue expanse of ocean and him there with the Gills of Hamachi...swimming together with two shadows in an intricate and loving underwater dance as the full moon shone over the water's surface.

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Zypher: Aha, slow burn finally over! Now we're getting somewhere with this relationship even if the second party isn't alive...yet. That still has much of a build in getting there as i had to find a good spot...and finally did but to get there will require a little hiatus to get back to prepping chapters ahead of time to that very point. but anyways, things are getting heated in more ways than one and frankly...this chapter was a treat to mess with Dyris a little. she can't get away easily in charming little Yugi like she does the others pfft. Now, small translation note...chances are the accuracy of these terms are horribly skewed but it was part of an old OLD list of translations that I procured from Fly Away Home by Ocean. such is still archived here so if you want some inspired writing, Ocean is one of many I remember of the past that wrote delightful puzzleshipping.

Nfr mry. Ntk nt wi...: Beautiful beloved. You belong to me...

sDr, akhu, sDr n nqdd...biAw...: Lie down, light, lie down to sleep...mine...