*~*DISCLAIMER!!!!*~* Well, here it is: the finale to my Yugioh! story. I thought I'd never get to here, to be honest. But I have, and it's been a wild ride!!!! Like always, I don't own any of the characters except the ones I've created, and Dawnie owns her character (and Kaiba, but that's a different story ^-^;;;;;;; ) LOL!!!! I'll try and make this chapter clear, so no body is confused, or lost or otherwise have NO idea what's going on (Ok pruningshears???) Anyway, here I go! Hope you all enjoy!!!
The magics were too strong to resist, too powerful to deny, as the four friends sped on through corridor after corridor. The thought of Marita's safety kept them going, kept their feet moving the entire time through the twists and turns of the labyrinth. Closer and closer they went to their goal, and every step of the way, Yamara's gauntlet let off a soft, pale, metallic golden glow, that suddenly shifted to ruby red in warning.
*I hope Marita's ok...* She thought, as she audibly gasped as the hallway suddenly stopped in front of them. A brilliant, white light cast its hypnotic gaze outward, beckoning the foursome to it; the doorway beckoned, and was never denied for an instant.
*~~~~~*~~~~~*
The man standing before their eyes had his gaze cast downward, his shaggy blonde hair masking what little was seen of his face. His skin was deeply tanned; golden bracelets were the only adornments to his wrists and arms. He wore an azure blue cape and tan gypsy pants, and had woven sandals with sparkling jewels such as rubies, sapphires, and emeralds strewn between the fibers. At the sound of their approach, he slowly turned his head upwards in a grotesque leer, his sneering, cocky smile spreading across his face little by little.
"It's about time, Pharaoh. It's about time you've come to meet your doom..."
In the middle of the doorway, Yami stepped forward, his violet eyes narrowing as he thrust an arm out to block his comrades from moving. "Where's Marita, Merrick!? WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO HER?!?!"
Merrick grinned wider, making his eyes look darker around their rims. "Oh nothing... nothing besides bringing her inner half out. Her BETTER half I should say..." He spat out, glancing at Yamara in distain. "Not like Queenie here."
"QUEENIE??? WHAAAAT HOW DARE YOU!!!" Shrieked the black-haired woman, her fists curling into balls. "I'll show YOU QUEENIE!!!!"
"NOOOOOOO DON'T HURT MY LOVIEKINS!!!!!!!" Cried out a light, drifty voice that was slightly familiar. Slinking out of the shadows, a woman with blood red eyes and long, black, red and gold streaked hair wrapped her arms around the blonde haired Merrick, cackling with insane giggling. "Don't hurt my lover!!!"
Yamara stared. 'M-M-M-MARITA???"
"Yes... and no," Grinned Merrick, clutching his concubine's petite hand in his as he tickled under her chin with the other hand. "Marita is dead, and only Evangela lives now."
His lady cooed with pleasure at the attention, whispering sweet nothings into Merrick's ear as she grinned from ear to ear. Pausing a moment, she frowned, smoothed her leather, red and black flamed skirt from top to bottom, then curled her lip back in childish wonderment. "Who are these people Lovie? I don't like them..."
*~~~~~*~~~~~*
Seeing her now... like she was... it was enough to make a grown man cry, and was more than enough to send the Yugi portion of Yami's brain into a dizzying spin.
~MARITA!!!~ He cried out, hoping she could reach him. ~MARITA! What happened to you???~
Through Yami's eyes, the young duelist drank in the need to see the one he had loved from the moment he set eyes on her. In the process, he saw Yamara flinch, a sign that she felt and heard him. But she wasn't the one who was the receiver of his message: Marita was.
A slight, shift of concentration told Yugi that his older spirit friend was growing more and more concerned with him. ~Yugi, we'll get her back. Whatever it takes, we'll get her back!!!~
~I hope you're right Yami. I hope to God you're right... I can't... can't... lose... her...~ He was growing more and more depressed, drawing closer and closer to despair as he tried to continue, and found that he couldn't.
*~~~~~*~~~~~*
Midnight was frozen in place, unable to move. "M-marita? What... happened... to you?"
Her eyes grew wide as a strangely familiar voice answered instead of Marita. "Oh, she's just changed... for the better, just like all of us." A sharp, CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! of heels diverted the attentions of everyone in the room, and created an uproar of confusion from Midnight, Yami, Seto and Yamara. A startlingly beautiful young woman stood amongst the shadows, as her set of ruby red eyes focused on Dawn's blue ones intently. Her long black dress was past her ankles, and her scarlet red hair only came up to the middle of her back, but there was no mistaking her. Shocked, Dawn could only stare, as she came face to face with a ghost of her past that she wished was still dead.
The redhead snickered, revealing white, glittering fangs in her mouth as she showed her teeth. "Everyone has changed Midnight, even you. Even me." Her eyes began to glow, full of hatred and malice. "Of course, look who is now the better of the two of us... ME."
*~~~~~*~~~~~*
"Ok, this is ENOUGH." Yamara said sharply, her eyes narrowing in rage as she stepped past Yami's arm and in front of him. "YOU WANT A FIGHT? LET'S GO!"
"Temper, temper, Yamara." Quipped another voice in the shadows, as Bakura stepped forward to sling an arm around Demona's hips. "You've always had that nasty temperament of yours, haven't you? Too bad I couldn't stop that when I cut off your head all those years ago..."
Yamara scowled, and advanced further towards Merrick and his company. "SHUT UP BAKURA. Now, give us back Marita, and you may all leave before I get down and dirty with kicking your butts!"
Surprisingly, Merrick never flinched. "Sorry, but the only way you'll even come CLOSE to getting my Schnookums back is to fight us for her, a fight you will not win!"
She snarled back, her lip curled back into a feral gesture. "She isn't yours Merrick!"
"That's right!" Chimed in Yami, standing at Marita's side. "But if it's a fight you want, then let's get on with it. The sooner we start, the sooner we finish."
"Excellent!" Crowed the blonde-haired man, and clapped his hands.
Instantly, a force of wind whirled around the feet of Yamara, Yami, Seto and Midnight as a mixture of cries, yelps of surprise, and screams littered the air. Spinning wildly, they kept turning faster and faster into the air, caught in a vortex of moving wind. The tornado flung them around and around in its grasp, causing even Yami and Seto to lose their bearings, confuse their minds, and shake them into unconsciousness. When all was said and done, the tornado slowly but surely dissipated, leaving four unconscious people on the floor.
Bakura grinned, his canine teeth showing like fangs. "Now the fun begins."
"Indeed," Replied Merrick, approaching the unconscious form of Yamara. "Now it's time to play by our rules."
*~~~~~*~~~~~*
"UUUUUUUHHHHHHNNNNNNN..." Indigo eyes groggily opened, and Yamara let out a staggering groan. "What... happened...?" Pushing herself up with her hands and knees she stood erect, and wiped the sleep from her eyes.
"Wake up sleepy HEAD!!!!!" A feminine, singsong voice came from behind her, and Yamara forced herself to turn around, even though she knew who it was already.
Gasping, she stared at the black-haired woman across from her: Marita, or, whoever she was now. "Marita, what...?"
"Rise and SHIIIIIINE lil star flower!!!!" Came the melodious reply, as the other spread her arms above her head and stretched.
"WHAT?"
Evangela grinned. "Rise and shine you nit!"
Yamara growled, deep in her throat. "Marita, you've gotta come to your senses..."
"My name's not Marita."
"YES IT IS!"
"No it's not."
"YES." Now Yamara was losing her patience, and stared down at the floor. Shocked at her appearance, she cried out, "Wha... wha... what's this?" Her beautiful emerald green and azure blue dress was long gone, replaced by ancient Egyptian fighting garments; the top only came down to the middle of her stomach, held in place by thin straps across her shoulders. Her skirt was a combination of pants and a half skirt, with the very short pants ending above her thighs and the skirt portion tying at the side. Glancing over, she saw that her outfit and Evangela's were one and the same, except her opponent wore the same look in midnight black, while Yamara wore it in snow white.
Evangela smirked wholeheartedly and gave a little giggle as she placed her hand over her mouth. "Hehehehe silly! That's your fighting outfit, you goosy! He, he, he!"
"Remind me to kick your butt sooner than later to knock some sense into that brain of yours." Snapped the Queen of Egypt, annoyed. "Maybe I can shake loose those cobwebs hidden in there. Who knows what got into your head and died."
Her adversary grinned insanely. "Cobwebs? What cobwebs?" She strolled back and forth from left to right, as she tapped her chin with an outstretched hand. "I don't know of any cobwebs. Does a person have cobwebs in their brain?"
The raven-haired queen just stared.
Laughing, Evangela bounced in place, pulling two long, sharpened Sais from the insides of her boots. Instantly, she twirled them in her fingers, masterfully handling them as if she had been for years. "Heheheheheh, what's wrong, Yamara? Nervous?" She threw her head back and laughed. "Hehehhehehe you're exactly what my Hunny Bunny said you were!"
Suspicious, Yamara questioned, "Oh yeah? And what is that?"
"SLOW in the head but not in the.... hehehehehehe!!!!!"
Yamara narrowed her eyes. "And just WHAT are you implying?"
A flash of seriousness passed over Evangela's face, deadpanning her laughter. "Nothing you need to know, and besides..." She continued with her obnoxious chuckling, "If you knew the joke, it wouldn't be as funny because the joke's at your expense!!!"
"Are you INSANE!??!?!!?"
"YES AND LOVING IT!!!!!" Quick as lightning, the crazed Evangela launched herself in Yamara's direction, using her sais as a pair of daggers as she jabbed and punched. Gasping, her opponent twisted and turned, contorting her body to avoid the blows. Back hand springing, she looked around the Egyptian battle arena, looking for a weapon she could use as Evangela kept coming.
"What's the matter Yamara? Scared stiff?"
Yamara growled from the back of her throat. "I never back down, or RUN. You're going to be FINISHED in a second, once I take your toys away from you!"
Evangela could only laugh as she again twirled her sais. "Take away my toys? You gotta be kidding right?"
The queen gave her a half smile. "Not on your life."
Backing off slightly, the two circled each other, as Evangela cocked her head slightly to the right and looked quizzical. "Why don't you fight me back?"
""How can I fight you back if I'm the only one unarmed?"
"Don't you have sais too? In your boots?"
Yamara glanced downward, giving a moment to pause. That moment was long enough, as Evangela stretched across the distance between them and slashed at Yamara's slim figure. Howling from the bloody gash ripped in her stomach, the queen toppled to her knees, clasping her hand over her wound. Crowing with delight, the black haired slasher shrieked with laughter, insane and pure, maniacal laughter. "MADE YOU LOOK!!!!!"
To top off her victory, she tilted Yamara's head upwards, and placed the points of one of her sais into the hollow of Yamara's neck, right below the chin. Grinning, Evangela's teeth showed with feral pride, as she prepared to thrust the blade home, severing Yamara's blood flow to her neck. Her voice dropping low, her eyes lowered to look wild and vicious, she sneered, "It ends here, Yamara. Your death is near, and it'll be by me so you no longer have to torture my dear, beloved Merrick. Then, he'll be done with you just as I was done with Yugi Motou." Grasping her victim's neck in a choke hold, Evangela pulled her arm back, prepared to do what she had to do, and to strike a death blow to the former queen.
The magics were too strong to resist, too powerful to deny, as the four friends sped on through corridor after corridor. The thought of Marita's safety kept them going, kept their feet moving the entire time through the twists and turns of the labyrinth. Closer and closer they went to their goal, and every step of the way, Yamara's gauntlet let off a soft, pale, metallic golden glow, that suddenly shifted to ruby red in warning.
*I hope Marita's ok...* She thought, as she audibly gasped as the hallway suddenly stopped in front of them. A brilliant, white light cast its hypnotic gaze outward, beckoning the foursome to it; the doorway beckoned, and was never denied for an instant.
*~~~~~*~~~~~*
The man standing before their eyes had his gaze cast downward, his shaggy blonde hair masking what little was seen of his face. His skin was deeply tanned; golden bracelets were the only adornments to his wrists and arms. He wore an azure blue cape and tan gypsy pants, and had woven sandals with sparkling jewels such as rubies, sapphires, and emeralds strewn between the fibers. At the sound of their approach, he slowly turned his head upwards in a grotesque leer, his sneering, cocky smile spreading across his face little by little.
"It's about time, Pharaoh. It's about time you've come to meet your doom..."
In the middle of the doorway, Yami stepped forward, his violet eyes narrowing as he thrust an arm out to block his comrades from moving. "Where's Marita, Merrick!? WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO HER?!?!"
Merrick grinned wider, making his eyes look darker around their rims. "Oh nothing... nothing besides bringing her inner half out. Her BETTER half I should say..." He spat out, glancing at Yamara in distain. "Not like Queenie here."
"QUEENIE??? WHAAAAT HOW DARE YOU!!!" Shrieked the black-haired woman, her fists curling into balls. "I'll show YOU QUEENIE!!!!"
"NOOOOOOO DON'T HURT MY LOVIEKINS!!!!!!!" Cried out a light, drifty voice that was slightly familiar. Slinking out of the shadows, a woman with blood red eyes and long, black, red and gold streaked hair wrapped her arms around the blonde haired Merrick, cackling with insane giggling. "Don't hurt my lover!!!"
Yamara stared. 'M-M-M-MARITA???"
"Yes... and no," Grinned Merrick, clutching his concubine's petite hand in his as he tickled under her chin with the other hand. "Marita is dead, and only Evangela lives now."
His lady cooed with pleasure at the attention, whispering sweet nothings into Merrick's ear as she grinned from ear to ear. Pausing a moment, she frowned, smoothed her leather, red and black flamed skirt from top to bottom, then curled her lip back in childish wonderment. "Who are these people Lovie? I don't like them..."
*~~~~~*~~~~~*
Seeing her now... like she was... it was enough to make a grown man cry, and was more than enough to send the Yugi portion of Yami's brain into a dizzying spin.
~MARITA!!!~ He cried out, hoping she could reach him. ~MARITA! What happened to you???~
Through Yami's eyes, the young duelist drank in the need to see the one he had loved from the moment he set eyes on her. In the process, he saw Yamara flinch, a sign that she felt and heard him. But she wasn't the one who was the receiver of his message: Marita was.
A slight, shift of concentration told Yugi that his older spirit friend was growing more and more concerned with him. ~Yugi, we'll get her back. Whatever it takes, we'll get her back!!!~
~I hope you're right Yami. I hope to God you're right... I can't... can't... lose... her...~ He was growing more and more depressed, drawing closer and closer to despair as he tried to continue, and found that he couldn't.
*~~~~~*~~~~~*
Midnight was frozen in place, unable to move. "M-marita? What... happened... to you?"
Her eyes grew wide as a strangely familiar voice answered instead of Marita. "Oh, she's just changed... for the better, just like all of us." A sharp, CLICK! CLICK! CLICK! of heels diverted the attentions of everyone in the room, and created an uproar of confusion from Midnight, Yami, Seto and Yamara. A startlingly beautiful young woman stood amongst the shadows, as her set of ruby red eyes focused on Dawn's blue ones intently. Her long black dress was past her ankles, and her scarlet red hair only came up to the middle of her back, but there was no mistaking her. Shocked, Dawn could only stare, as she came face to face with a ghost of her past that she wished was still dead.
The redhead snickered, revealing white, glittering fangs in her mouth as she showed her teeth. "Everyone has changed Midnight, even you. Even me." Her eyes began to glow, full of hatred and malice. "Of course, look who is now the better of the two of us... ME."
*~~~~~*~~~~~*
"Ok, this is ENOUGH." Yamara said sharply, her eyes narrowing in rage as she stepped past Yami's arm and in front of him. "YOU WANT A FIGHT? LET'S GO!"
"Temper, temper, Yamara." Quipped another voice in the shadows, as Bakura stepped forward to sling an arm around Demona's hips. "You've always had that nasty temperament of yours, haven't you? Too bad I couldn't stop that when I cut off your head all those years ago..."
Yamara scowled, and advanced further towards Merrick and his company. "SHUT UP BAKURA. Now, give us back Marita, and you may all leave before I get down and dirty with kicking your butts!"
Surprisingly, Merrick never flinched. "Sorry, but the only way you'll even come CLOSE to getting my Schnookums back is to fight us for her, a fight you will not win!"
She snarled back, her lip curled back into a feral gesture. "She isn't yours Merrick!"
"That's right!" Chimed in Yami, standing at Marita's side. "But if it's a fight you want, then let's get on with it. The sooner we start, the sooner we finish."
"Excellent!" Crowed the blonde-haired man, and clapped his hands.
Instantly, a force of wind whirled around the feet of Yamara, Yami, Seto and Midnight as a mixture of cries, yelps of surprise, and screams littered the air. Spinning wildly, they kept turning faster and faster into the air, caught in a vortex of moving wind. The tornado flung them around and around in its grasp, causing even Yami and Seto to lose their bearings, confuse their minds, and shake them into unconsciousness. When all was said and done, the tornado slowly but surely dissipated, leaving four unconscious people on the floor.
Bakura grinned, his canine teeth showing like fangs. "Now the fun begins."
"Indeed," Replied Merrick, approaching the unconscious form of Yamara. "Now it's time to play by our rules."
*~~~~~*~~~~~*
"UUUUUUUHHHHHHNNNNNNN..." Indigo eyes groggily opened, and Yamara let out a staggering groan. "What... happened...?" Pushing herself up with her hands and knees she stood erect, and wiped the sleep from her eyes.
"Wake up sleepy HEAD!!!!!" A feminine, singsong voice came from behind her, and Yamara forced herself to turn around, even though she knew who it was already.
Gasping, she stared at the black-haired woman across from her: Marita, or, whoever she was now. "Marita, what...?"
"Rise and SHIIIIIINE lil star flower!!!!" Came the melodious reply, as the other spread her arms above her head and stretched.
"WHAT?"
Evangela grinned. "Rise and shine you nit!"
Yamara growled, deep in her throat. "Marita, you've gotta come to your senses..."
"My name's not Marita."
"YES IT IS!"
"No it's not."
"YES." Now Yamara was losing her patience, and stared down at the floor. Shocked at her appearance, she cried out, "Wha... wha... what's this?" Her beautiful emerald green and azure blue dress was long gone, replaced by ancient Egyptian fighting garments; the top only came down to the middle of her stomach, held in place by thin straps across her shoulders. Her skirt was a combination of pants and a half skirt, with the very short pants ending above her thighs and the skirt portion tying at the side. Glancing over, she saw that her outfit and Evangela's were one and the same, except her opponent wore the same look in midnight black, while Yamara wore it in snow white.
Evangela smirked wholeheartedly and gave a little giggle as she placed her hand over her mouth. "Hehehehe silly! That's your fighting outfit, you goosy! He, he, he!"
"Remind me to kick your butt sooner than later to knock some sense into that brain of yours." Snapped the Queen of Egypt, annoyed. "Maybe I can shake loose those cobwebs hidden in there. Who knows what got into your head and died."
Her adversary grinned insanely. "Cobwebs? What cobwebs?" She strolled back and forth from left to right, as she tapped her chin with an outstretched hand. "I don't know of any cobwebs. Does a person have cobwebs in their brain?"
The raven-haired queen just stared.
Laughing, Evangela bounced in place, pulling two long, sharpened Sais from the insides of her boots. Instantly, she twirled them in her fingers, masterfully handling them as if she had been for years. "Heheheheheh, what's wrong, Yamara? Nervous?" She threw her head back and laughed. "Hehehhehehe you're exactly what my Hunny Bunny said you were!"
Suspicious, Yamara questioned, "Oh yeah? And what is that?"
"SLOW in the head but not in the.... hehehehehehe!!!!!"
Yamara narrowed her eyes. "And just WHAT are you implying?"
A flash of seriousness passed over Evangela's face, deadpanning her laughter. "Nothing you need to know, and besides..." She continued with her obnoxious chuckling, "If you knew the joke, it wouldn't be as funny because the joke's at your expense!!!"
"Are you INSANE!??!?!!?"
"YES AND LOVING IT!!!!!" Quick as lightning, the crazed Evangela launched herself in Yamara's direction, using her sais as a pair of daggers as she jabbed and punched. Gasping, her opponent twisted and turned, contorting her body to avoid the blows. Back hand springing, she looked around the Egyptian battle arena, looking for a weapon she could use as Evangela kept coming.
"What's the matter Yamara? Scared stiff?"
Yamara growled from the back of her throat. "I never back down, or RUN. You're going to be FINISHED in a second, once I take your toys away from you!"
Evangela could only laugh as she again twirled her sais. "Take away my toys? You gotta be kidding right?"
The queen gave her a half smile. "Not on your life."
Backing off slightly, the two circled each other, as Evangela cocked her head slightly to the right and looked quizzical. "Why don't you fight me back?"
""How can I fight you back if I'm the only one unarmed?"
"Don't you have sais too? In your boots?"
Yamara glanced downward, giving a moment to pause. That moment was long enough, as Evangela stretched across the distance between them and slashed at Yamara's slim figure. Howling from the bloody gash ripped in her stomach, the queen toppled to her knees, clasping her hand over her wound. Crowing with delight, the black haired slasher shrieked with laughter, insane and pure, maniacal laughter. "MADE YOU LOOK!!!!!"
To top off her victory, she tilted Yamara's head upwards, and placed the points of one of her sais into the hollow of Yamara's neck, right below the chin. Grinning, Evangela's teeth showed with feral pride, as she prepared to thrust the blade home, severing Yamara's blood flow to her neck. Her voice dropping low, her eyes lowered to look wild and vicious, she sneered, "It ends here, Yamara. Your death is near, and it'll be by me so you no longer have to torture my dear, beloved Merrick. Then, he'll be done with you just as I was done with Yugi Motou." Grasping her victim's neck in a choke hold, Evangela pulled her arm back, prepared to do what she had to do, and to strike a death blow to the former queen.