*~*Disclaimer!!*~* I don't own Yugioh! I don't lay claim to any charries, cept my own....and yeah thats just about it. LOL...... Anyway, this chapter switches time and place alot, so be careful lol*~*
*~*Present*~*
They danced on, and on, and on, never taking their eyes off of each other for one minute. Marita felt so comfortable in his arms, holding her gently in the middle of the dance floor. They had long since lost their defensive attitudes, just held onto each other like they've known the other for years. His touch was electric, drawing her attractions like a magnet, and coursing her body with warmth, all from a single, slight touch...
*~*3003 BC*~*
Yamara was so close to him, their arms intertwining like the closest of vines. She could hear his heart beating loudly, THUMP! THUMP! THUMP! in his chest. As the drums kept pounding, the flutes kept playing their melodious cords, and the oboes kept the time, they danced endlessly throughout the night, never letting go, and never showing any sign of severing their bond. Her eyes drifted lazily closed, enjoying the moment of peace and compassion between them. glancing over, she was surprised to see Midnight dancing with the Head Priest, a pair of shackles around her wrists, and two black eyes and what seemed to be a broken rib for her consort. *Hmmmm,* chuckled Yamara silently, amused. *Seems that Seto finally got his wish...*
*~*Present*~*
"OUTTA MY WAY! COMING THROUGH!!!!" Screeched a gravelly voice, A hulking figure appearing in Marita's view. Rough, rude hands shoved her away from her companion, breaking their comforting embrace. The figure wore a dark cloak, his eyes and face hidden in the bends and shadows of his folded hood. A single, gold eye was fixed to his forehead that never budged, even when he moved. "Come now Pharaoh, your power is to become mine!" he snarled, in a detached, ghastly voice.
Wide eyed, Marita stared at this specter, insulted at his audacity to break the bond she shared with this 'pharaoh' person. *Pharaoh, huh?* she thought, turning to her companion. Amazingly, he stood his ground, looking at the hooded figure with amusement. *Why is he just standing there, undaunted?* she pondered, incredulous. *What does this person WANT?*
A long silence filled the air, as time had come to a complete stop. A circle formed around the three, everyone standing back. A woman, dressed to kill in her gold halter top, screamed out, "You can get rid of this guy, Yugi! Show Merrick who's boss!!!!" Marita's 'boyfriend' glanced over at the girl, smiled, and resumed his intentive stare at the figure.
It was Marita herself who broke the silence. "I don't know who you are, but you've ruined a perfectly good evening for everyone in this club."
"My duties do not concern YOU you lil wretch, so back off and get lost." the hooded figure growled, spitting his words out with hatred.
Her eyes flaring, the young duelist scowled, and stepped in front of Yugi. Disgusted, she slapped the figure across his unemotional face, spit in it, and declared, "You want a fight hot shot? LET'S GO!" she activated her Dueling Deck, its lights blinking on. Lowering her eyes in challenge, she raged as she placed her completed Deck in the Deck holder, activating the holographic projecters that shot out of the sides.
The figure smiled evily. "As I said, you idiot, my plans don't concern you, but thrashing you in a duel may be the highlight of my day!"
"Becareful!" warned Yugi, his puzzle glowing gold, powering down. "That guy's a Rare Hunter, ruthless as he is cunning. His puppeteer will make sure you lose at all costs." *Wow, this girl's really going to duel for me,* marveled Yugi, his eyes widening in concern for her. *I should be the one doing this, not her. And yet, she's taking the reins...*
*~~~~~*~~~~~*
Awakening from the Millenium Puzzle, Yami caught the last traces of Yugi's thoughts, and smiled in his mind. ~She must care for you quite a bit to be protecting you like this.~
Surprised, Yugi frowned. ~More like, fell head over heels for YOU Yami. You were the one dancing with her.~
~Ah, that may be true, but it was YOUR name she called out to.~
~I just hope she'll be alright...~
Staring outwards with Yugi's eyes, the Pharaoh of Egypt watched Marita, her black hair framing her face as she dove into a fighter's stance. ~She looks like she could take care of herself quite well...~
~I hope you're right.~
*~~~~~*~~~~~*
The spirit was restless, twisting and turning her thoughts on the duel ahead. It had only been a couple hours since her awakening, already feeling the thoughts and ideas flowing from her hostess, but to that, she was unwaivering. It was not in her nature to yield to a foe, to run away to protect the ones she cared for. Using the woman's eyes, she glanced at the one who the brown-haired girl called, 'Yugi', the one who she had felt... SOMETHING... for...
*He reminds me of someone... someone I have ached to see in quite some time, but I can not place who...*
She briefly flickered away from the mind she possessed, making sure that her hostess had no recollection of what was happening to her. If she had, there was no telling what might have happened. As for now, it was as it should be. 'Marita', yes...that was her name, the hostess anyway. Yes... she had to be unaware until it was enevitable for the spirit to reveal herself, until the spirit herself could become the woman she was... if she could remember.
The spirit felt the presence of Marita's resiliant mind, as she drew her first hand carefully. Always at her side, the spirit added her knowledge of this game with Marita's own, doubling her chance for success. *Marita must not question, must not know of this... or else I am truely done for, and truely dead, no help to my people at all...*
*~~~~~*~~~~~*
Scanning over her cards, Marita paired the best cards in a chain of effects, trying to find the best suited hand for the battle ahead. *Now let's see... Gaia the Fierce Knight, Karibo with the Multiply card... the Fissure card... Trap hole and the Giant Soldier of Stone... a reasonable hand, and it could get me pretty far. But so far, I can only play Karibo and the Soldier because of their low attack points...* She strategized, *Alright, here goes...*
"You're looking sick already you wretch, are you sure that you 'little girls' can stand the heat?"
Marita fumed, "That's Marita you hard headed braggart, and I'm going to be the one who walks away with a locator card, and one of your best monsters!"
"Hmmm, we'll see about that." said the figure, curling his upper lip in distain. He studied the cards in his hand, then slightly grinned. "I play Ryu-Kishin in attack mode!" Placing the card on his Dueling Deck, the Rare Hunter's eyes gleamed under the strobe lights, wicked and focused on his feminine opponant. The monster card he had selected, Ryu-Kishin, materialized onto the field, its reddish scaly skin frozen as a gargoyle statue. Waiting with its claws bared, wings outspread, it was frozen in mid-step, watching, and waiting for Marita's turn to start and end.
*I can't beat a Ryu-Kishin with the monster cards in my hand, so I'll just have to play a combination of cards in order to beat this guy at his own game... Now let me think...* Drawing a card she quickly glanced at it, revealing the face of a card most helpful in rough spots. *Hmmmm, I'll play this later...* Aloud, she stared the Hunter in the eye, challenging and amused. "I play Giant Soldier of Stone in Defense mode!" Marita slapped the card face up on her deck, taking care to place it sideways instead of straight up and down. "I also play this card face down." The card slid easily into the far left slot of the young duelist's Dueling Deck, fortifying her hand.
"Pfft, a pathetic little Soldier of Stone... suits you just perfectly doesn't it? Hiding behind a hunk of rock like a little school girl with the class bully after you. PATHETIC. RYU-KISHIN! Attack her Soldier of Stone! Slashing Claw Attack!"
"Reveal face down card: Fissure Strike!"
Suddenly, the ground began to quake, The earth shaking lose at its ends. The sound of breaking, crushing and upearthing stone filled the cafe', a cacaphony of clatters and rumbles. From the crack and crevice in the center of the room, two giant hands sprouted from the crack, consuming Ryu-Kishin in its deathly clutches. Squeezing hard, the giant appendages began to pull the mosnter towards the crack on the battle field. In no time at all, the hands and Ryu-Kishin were sucked back into the chasm, the walls of the deep dark hole sealing as if it never happened.
"WHAT!? WHAT WAS THAT!?" screamed the Hunter, as his life points decreased to 3800.
"It's called, 'Fissure' and it automatically eliminates a monster on the field," his adversary explained, slightly smug at her brilliant play. "Now who's the idiot?"
"Heh...heheheh...hehehe, hahahahaha....HAHAHAHAHAH!!!!!" the Hunter grinned wide, his howling laughter sending chills up Marita's spine. "You think you're all hot stuff don't you, you pathetic little misfit? I've barely begun to work up a sweat, and your little Fissure trick is only a minor set back..."
*Is this guy a schitzo???? He's freakin' me out...*
"It's my turn, Hunter." She returned to her deck hand, and drew another card. *ALRIGHT! One of my favorites!!!! YES!* "I sacrifice my Giant Soldier of Stone to summon... THE RED EYES BLACK DRAGON!!!!"
The stone soldier began to flicker in and out, degrading and phasing out as the card was stacked in the black-haired woman's Graveyard Pile. The giant warrior of stone gave way, relinquishing its spot for its successor. At long last, a giant, ebony scaled dragon, its scarlet, blood red eyes luminescent in the darkened room, roared a mighty roar, shaking the waterglasses and sending shockwaves of sound across the entire cafe'. Wings spread wide, it bared to attacking position, as its mistress switched it from defense to attack mode.
Feeling the raw power of this beast, the sheer ecstasy of dueling with one of her favorite cards, Marita commanded, "Red Eyes Black Dragon! Use you Fireball Blast against his unprotected life points!!!!!"
The dragon obeyed its mistress, its eyes glowing fading ember as it gathered power for a mighty blast. A ball of superheated flame and fire began to form, gathering power the longer Red Eyes withheld it. Then, in a flash of inferno heat, the fireball was released, striking the Rare hunter in the stomach and spreading outwards like the bursts of the sun. The point decrease of the Rare hunter was significant, dealing 2400 points damage in a single blow.
*I'm... I'm winning!* Marita grinned, her eyes lighting up like stars. *I'm going to win this game! YES!*
Although beaten down, the Rare Hunter managed to stand, his hood thrown back fom his face. He could not see the reaction of his recognizable face to his adversary, could not feel her shock and outrage, her angst and her worry. He was merely a shell; a prisoner in his own mind. It had only been hours since he was taken from his condo building, captured by the others of his 'kind'. The process of stripping his mind from him was rough, but he had not felt the pain. His mind was gone, obeying only the voice of his master, obeying the will of Merrick.
*~~~~~*~~~~~*
Yugi could see the shock registering on Marita's lovely face, alarming both him and Yami. *What's going on here?*
*~~~~~*~~~~~*
"No........no..........no no no no!!!! You can't be! You can't!" Confusion masked Marita's face, her azure eyes widening. "You....YOU CAN'T! I can't! I can't duel..... a friend... espeically you... Ian." She lowered her eyes, dropping her hand to the floor, all the cards facing down, and fell to her knees. *God, it can't be...I can't face my friend... Not Ian... Christopher...*
But there he was, jeering at her, taunting at her weakness, at her confusion and shock. It wasn't her enemy that she was facing. It was her dearest friend.
*~*Present*~*
They danced on, and on, and on, never taking their eyes off of each other for one minute. Marita felt so comfortable in his arms, holding her gently in the middle of the dance floor. They had long since lost their defensive attitudes, just held onto each other like they've known the other for years. His touch was electric, drawing her attractions like a magnet, and coursing her body with warmth, all from a single, slight touch...
*~*3003 BC*~*
Yamara was so close to him, their arms intertwining like the closest of vines. She could hear his heart beating loudly, THUMP! THUMP! THUMP! in his chest. As the drums kept pounding, the flutes kept playing their melodious cords, and the oboes kept the time, they danced endlessly throughout the night, never letting go, and never showing any sign of severing their bond. Her eyes drifted lazily closed, enjoying the moment of peace and compassion between them. glancing over, she was surprised to see Midnight dancing with the Head Priest, a pair of shackles around her wrists, and two black eyes and what seemed to be a broken rib for her consort. *Hmmmm,* chuckled Yamara silently, amused. *Seems that Seto finally got his wish...*
*~*Present*~*
"OUTTA MY WAY! COMING THROUGH!!!!" Screeched a gravelly voice, A hulking figure appearing in Marita's view. Rough, rude hands shoved her away from her companion, breaking their comforting embrace. The figure wore a dark cloak, his eyes and face hidden in the bends and shadows of his folded hood. A single, gold eye was fixed to his forehead that never budged, even when he moved. "Come now Pharaoh, your power is to become mine!" he snarled, in a detached, ghastly voice.
Wide eyed, Marita stared at this specter, insulted at his audacity to break the bond she shared with this 'pharaoh' person. *Pharaoh, huh?* she thought, turning to her companion. Amazingly, he stood his ground, looking at the hooded figure with amusement. *Why is he just standing there, undaunted?* she pondered, incredulous. *What does this person WANT?*
A long silence filled the air, as time had come to a complete stop. A circle formed around the three, everyone standing back. A woman, dressed to kill in her gold halter top, screamed out, "You can get rid of this guy, Yugi! Show Merrick who's boss!!!!" Marita's 'boyfriend' glanced over at the girl, smiled, and resumed his intentive stare at the figure.
It was Marita herself who broke the silence. "I don't know who you are, but you've ruined a perfectly good evening for everyone in this club."
"My duties do not concern YOU you lil wretch, so back off and get lost." the hooded figure growled, spitting his words out with hatred.
Her eyes flaring, the young duelist scowled, and stepped in front of Yugi. Disgusted, she slapped the figure across his unemotional face, spit in it, and declared, "You want a fight hot shot? LET'S GO!" she activated her Dueling Deck, its lights blinking on. Lowering her eyes in challenge, she raged as she placed her completed Deck in the Deck holder, activating the holographic projecters that shot out of the sides.
The figure smiled evily. "As I said, you idiot, my plans don't concern you, but thrashing you in a duel may be the highlight of my day!"
"Becareful!" warned Yugi, his puzzle glowing gold, powering down. "That guy's a Rare Hunter, ruthless as he is cunning. His puppeteer will make sure you lose at all costs." *Wow, this girl's really going to duel for me,* marveled Yugi, his eyes widening in concern for her. *I should be the one doing this, not her. And yet, she's taking the reins...*
*~~~~~*~~~~~*
Awakening from the Millenium Puzzle, Yami caught the last traces of Yugi's thoughts, and smiled in his mind. ~She must care for you quite a bit to be protecting you like this.~
Surprised, Yugi frowned. ~More like, fell head over heels for YOU Yami. You were the one dancing with her.~
~Ah, that may be true, but it was YOUR name she called out to.~
~I just hope she'll be alright...~
Staring outwards with Yugi's eyes, the Pharaoh of Egypt watched Marita, her black hair framing her face as she dove into a fighter's stance. ~She looks like she could take care of herself quite well...~
~I hope you're right.~
*~~~~~*~~~~~*
The spirit was restless, twisting and turning her thoughts on the duel ahead. It had only been a couple hours since her awakening, already feeling the thoughts and ideas flowing from her hostess, but to that, she was unwaivering. It was not in her nature to yield to a foe, to run away to protect the ones she cared for. Using the woman's eyes, she glanced at the one who the brown-haired girl called, 'Yugi', the one who she had felt... SOMETHING... for...
*He reminds me of someone... someone I have ached to see in quite some time, but I can not place who...*
She briefly flickered away from the mind she possessed, making sure that her hostess had no recollection of what was happening to her. If she had, there was no telling what might have happened. As for now, it was as it should be. 'Marita', yes...that was her name, the hostess anyway. Yes... she had to be unaware until it was enevitable for the spirit to reveal herself, until the spirit herself could become the woman she was... if she could remember.
The spirit felt the presence of Marita's resiliant mind, as she drew her first hand carefully. Always at her side, the spirit added her knowledge of this game with Marita's own, doubling her chance for success. *Marita must not question, must not know of this... or else I am truely done for, and truely dead, no help to my people at all...*
*~~~~~*~~~~~*
Scanning over her cards, Marita paired the best cards in a chain of effects, trying to find the best suited hand for the battle ahead. *Now let's see... Gaia the Fierce Knight, Karibo with the Multiply card... the Fissure card... Trap hole and the Giant Soldier of Stone... a reasonable hand, and it could get me pretty far. But so far, I can only play Karibo and the Soldier because of their low attack points...* She strategized, *Alright, here goes...*
"You're looking sick already you wretch, are you sure that you 'little girls' can stand the heat?"
Marita fumed, "That's Marita you hard headed braggart, and I'm going to be the one who walks away with a locator card, and one of your best monsters!"
"Hmmm, we'll see about that." said the figure, curling his upper lip in distain. He studied the cards in his hand, then slightly grinned. "I play Ryu-Kishin in attack mode!" Placing the card on his Dueling Deck, the Rare Hunter's eyes gleamed under the strobe lights, wicked and focused on his feminine opponant. The monster card he had selected, Ryu-Kishin, materialized onto the field, its reddish scaly skin frozen as a gargoyle statue. Waiting with its claws bared, wings outspread, it was frozen in mid-step, watching, and waiting for Marita's turn to start and end.
*I can't beat a Ryu-Kishin with the monster cards in my hand, so I'll just have to play a combination of cards in order to beat this guy at his own game... Now let me think...* Drawing a card she quickly glanced at it, revealing the face of a card most helpful in rough spots. *Hmmmm, I'll play this later...* Aloud, she stared the Hunter in the eye, challenging and amused. "I play Giant Soldier of Stone in Defense mode!" Marita slapped the card face up on her deck, taking care to place it sideways instead of straight up and down. "I also play this card face down." The card slid easily into the far left slot of the young duelist's Dueling Deck, fortifying her hand.
"Pfft, a pathetic little Soldier of Stone... suits you just perfectly doesn't it? Hiding behind a hunk of rock like a little school girl with the class bully after you. PATHETIC. RYU-KISHIN! Attack her Soldier of Stone! Slashing Claw Attack!"
"Reveal face down card: Fissure Strike!"
Suddenly, the ground began to quake, The earth shaking lose at its ends. The sound of breaking, crushing and upearthing stone filled the cafe', a cacaphony of clatters and rumbles. From the crack and crevice in the center of the room, two giant hands sprouted from the crack, consuming Ryu-Kishin in its deathly clutches. Squeezing hard, the giant appendages began to pull the mosnter towards the crack on the battle field. In no time at all, the hands and Ryu-Kishin were sucked back into the chasm, the walls of the deep dark hole sealing as if it never happened.
"WHAT!? WHAT WAS THAT!?" screamed the Hunter, as his life points decreased to 3800.
"It's called, 'Fissure' and it automatically eliminates a monster on the field," his adversary explained, slightly smug at her brilliant play. "Now who's the idiot?"
"Heh...heheheh...hehehe, hahahahaha....HAHAHAHAHAH!!!!!" the Hunter grinned wide, his howling laughter sending chills up Marita's spine. "You think you're all hot stuff don't you, you pathetic little misfit? I've barely begun to work up a sweat, and your little Fissure trick is only a minor set back..."
*Is this guy a schitzo???? He's freakin' me out...*
"It's my turn, Hunter." She returned to her deck hand, and drew another card. *ALRIGHT! One of my favorites!!!! YES!* "I sacrifice my Giant Soldier of Stone to summon... THE RED EYES BLACK DRAGON!!!!"
The stone soldier began to flicker in and out, degrading and phasing out as the card was stacked in the black-haired woman's Graveyard Pile. The giant warrior of stone gave way, relinquishing its spot for its successor. At long last, a giant, ebony scaled dragon, its scarlet, blood red eyes luminescent in the darkened room, roared a mighty roar, shaking the waterglasses and sending shockwaves of sound across the entire cafe'. Wings spread wide, it bared to attacking position, as its mistress switched it from defense to attack mode.
Feeling the raw power of this beast, the sheer ecstasy of dueling with one of her favorite cards, Marita commanded, "Red Eyes Black Dragon! Use you Fireball Blast against his unprotected life points!!!!!"
The dragon obeyed its mistress, its eyes glowing fading ember as it gathered power for a mighty blast. A ball of superheated flame and fire began to form, gathering power the longer Red Eyes withheld it. Then, in a flash of inferno heat, the fireball was released, striking the Rare hunter in the stomach and spreading outwards like the bursts of the sun. The point decrease of the Rare hunter was significant, dealing 2400 points damage in a single blow.
*I'm... I'm winning!* Marita grinned, her eyes lighting up like stars. *I'm going to win this game! YES!*
Although beaten down, the Rare Hunter managed to stand, his hood thrown back fom his face. He could not see the reaction of his recognizable face to his adversary, could not feel her shock and outrage, her angst and her worry. He was merely a shell; a prisoner in his own mind. It had only been hours since he was taken from his condo building, captured by the others of his 'kind'. The process of stripping his mind from him was rough, but he had not felt the pain. His mind was gone, obeying only the voice of his master, obeying the will of Merrick.
*~~~~~*~~~~~*
Yugi could see the shock registering on Marita's lovely face, alarming both him and Yami. *What's going on here?*
*~~~~~*~~~~~*
"No........no..........no no no no!!!! You can't be! You can't!" Confusion masked Marita's face, her azure eyes widening. "You....YOU CAN'T! I can't! I can't duel..... a friend... espeically you... Ian." She lowered her eyes, dropping her hand to the floor, all the cards facing down, and fell to her knees. *God, it can't be...I can't face my friend... Not Ian... Christopher...*
But there he was, jeering at her, taunting at her weakness, at her confusion and shock. It wasn't her enemy that she was facing. It was her dearest friend.