Author's Introduction:
Bad day. Bad, bad day…
So I thought I'd visit with Shadi a bit. If you're feeling cursed, it's good to talk shop with somebody who knows a lot about curses. If there's one guardian you don't want to get mad, it's Shadi. He knows all about games, too, and how in chess all of the other pieces are expendable, as long as the king is the target…
**
Chapter Ten, Fifteenth Duel: The Man With The Hex
You remind me of the man (what man?)
The man with the power (what power?)
The power of voodoo (who do?)
Oh you do, you do (do what?)
We can take them out of this wreck
Save us from the man with the hex
Save us from his evil curse
It's gonna get bad, it's gonna get worse.
Save us, save us
Save us from the man with the hex
(The Man With The Hex)
(The Atomic Fireballs)
**
Yami was lying on her bed, wearing her favorite black velvet dress. She was unsuccessfully trying to nap, her Inuyasha plushie tucked under one long-sleeved arm. She usually only slept with him when she was nervous, but lately Inuyasha had been sharing her bed a lot.
The reason Inuyasha was snuggling with Yami tonight was due to Shadi's words. He said something about "another me inside of me" and "the secret of the Millennium Puzzle"...I wonder what he meant?
She rolled onto one side, tucking her chin over Inuyasha. Shadi...who are you?
His final words rang through her head. "I must place on trial one more man who defiled the Valley of the Kings..."
Yami shut her eyes tight, trying to get some sleep. Unfortunately, Sugoroku's voice jolted her awake again.
"Yami! This is terrible! Come look at the news!"
Yami slipped on her sheer black stockings as she padded down the stairs, just in time to recognize a bloated corpse on the television screen, eyes bulging, tongue protruding limply from jaws frozen by death. She gasped, hands flying to cover her mouth. "Mr. Kanekura!"
"The cause of death is apparently a heart attack, induced by shock. However, the coroner seems to have reason to believe this was not a natural death!" the plastic-haired newscaster announced almost excitedly. The next phrase echoed in Yami's ears.
"IS THIS THE CURSE OF THE PHARAOH'S TOMB?"
Yami sank down into a kitchen chair, smoothing her short velvet skirt over her thighs. "..."
"It's depressing to think someone we just met is dead," Sugoroku sighed, pulling out another chair and sitting beside Yami.
Yami was still speechless. I didn't like Kanekura, but no one deserves to die like that...
"Grandpa?" she heard herself asking in a tiny voice. "Do...do curses really exist?"
One of Yami's favorite things about her grandfather was that he was always honest as he knew how to be with her. "Well, Yami, no one knows for sure. When Tutankhamen's tomb was opened in 1923, there were the same kind of rumors...some of the discoverers died mysterious deaths. But it's now thought that the "mummy's curse" was just a sensation stirred up by the media of the time." Sugoroku shrugged. "Still, no one knows the truth."
The old man's mauve eyes darkened. "That isn't what I'm worried about, though. I'm worried because there was one more man involved in the excavation—Professor Yoshimori!"
Yami started violently in her chair. One more man?!
"I must place on trial ONE MORE MAN who has defiled the Valley of the Kings..."
Sugoroku was still talking. "So, Yami, I'm going to his lab at the university to try and cheer him up."
Yami pushed her chair back and stood up. "May I come too?"
Sugoroku's eyes rested kindly on Yami. "Oh, of course you can! I'm sure he'd like that."
Yami nodded, looking down at the table. The "one more man" Shadi mentioned probably isn't Professor Yoshimori, but I'll never forgive myself if I don't check it out. I don't know what I'll do if something happens, but who knows? I may be able to help.
Yami slipped her kung-fu flats on and looped her Millennium Puzzle around her neck. Sugoroku got his jacket, and they locked up the store, the twilight breeze ruffling Yami's short skirt around her thighs. Pounding footsteps turned both their heads towards the sidewalk. Joey was running towards them, his letter jacket flapping around him. "Yami! Hey, Yami!"
"Joey?" Yami asked. "What's up?"
Panting, Joey skidded to a stop in front of them. "I just saw the news about Kanekura! And we only just met him! I was gonna come find you and go visit Professor Yoshimori! I bet he knows the details of the case!"
Sugoroku chuckled. "Shall we all go together then?"
Yami started forward suddenly and grabbed Joey's forearm. "Joey...maybe it would be better if you didn't go?" I just have this bad feeling...but she didn't tell him that.
Joey's wood-brown eyes grew concerned. "Yami? You okay?" Then his features softened and he laughed, placing gentle hands on his friend's small shoulders. "You're not really worried that I'm afraid of the curse, are you, Yami? I'm not really scared!"
Yami chuckled nervously.
"Professor Yoshimori showed us around the museum," Joey said. "He's a good guy! I'm worried about him just like you are!"
Yami felt silly. She didn't have any right to deny Joey a trip to the university. He just wanted to cheer up the professor. "You're right, Joey. I'm sorry for acting so weird..."
Sugoroku chuckled and clapped both teens on the shoulder. "Let's be off, then, shall we?"
**
Professor Yoshimori's office was just as dark as a pharaoh's tomb as he buried his head in his hands. There's no such thing as a curse...
Flashbacks colored his vision—memories of the discovery of the tomb, the elation at the reward for all the hard work—only to be replaced by the sight of Kanekura's bloated corpse, every hour, on the hour, on the news.
Motou will be bringing his granddaughter soon...that is good. I've never needed a friend as much as I do today...
But it was not a friend who was about to come calling on Yoshimori...a dark figure was rising through the very tiles of the floor to confront him.
Criminal who defiled the territory of the valley of the gods, who profaned the Valley of the Kings... Shadi thought. By Anubis' will, I now put you on trial...gods willing, I will find a shred of guilt...
Before Yoshimori even had time to react, Shadi had used his Millennium Key to unlock the room of the professor's soul. The darkness of the room was replaced by a new kind of darkness...the tomb in Yoshimori's soul. Shelves full of books lined the walls; artifacts cluttered the floor.
His heart is cluttered with his obsession with the past, Shadi thought.
The only object that was of any interest to Shadi was a small picture frame, caked with dust. Inside the frame was a picture of the professor's family—a beautiful woman, a smiling little boy. He has neglected them because of his obsession. He regrets it, but it is too late now.
The room was so dark—fear and anxiety over the museum owner's death. Yet even as Shadi watched, a small ray of light pierced the thick dark. That is the light of hope, he realized. He is waiting for his friends, and that thought calms his heart and gives him hope. Who does he await?
The vision was pressed into his mind—an older man, a tall blond boy, and—
Yami! Shadi thought with a jarring shock. One of his friends is the girl who solved the Millennium Puzzle!
Shadi's day was looking up. I may be able to use this man to draw out Yami's hidden power! I will need the dear professor's help, of course...
Murmuring a chant, he used the Millennium Key to dispel all personality in the professor's soul, turning the man into a living puppet.
Shadi smirked. Come to me, Yami within Yami! The second stage of our game begins!
**
Come all ye who seek knowledge, a plaque at the door of Domino University read.
"It's bad enough to be in school during the day," Joey grumbled. "But these places are so spooky at night..."
"Joey, please don't talk like that!" Yami pleaded. "The professor must be worried about what happened to Mr. Kanekura!"
Joey thought about it. "The let's put a big smile on, huh? We won't mention the museum at all."
"Okay!" Yami said cheerfully, knocking on the door. "Professor Yoshmori?"
"Sorry we're late," Sugoroku chuckled. The professor was standing at his desk, his back to them. He turned slowly, his head seeming to follow his body a second too slow.
"Thank you for coming..." he slurred with a leer.
"Professor?" Yami asked in surprise.
"We just thought we'd come by to cheer ya up," Joey said. "Y'know, cause you showed us around the museum at all..."
Yami and Sugoroku tensed and Joey immediately realized his mistake. All eyes turned to the professor, hoping he didn't notice, but he spoke immediately.
"Oh, yes, oh yes...the museum...some...body...killllllled him..." The professor chuckled. "Somebody killed Mr. Kanekura!"
Too late, Yami realized something was very wrong. She wasn't the only one.
"Professor Yoshimori, what's wrong?" Sugoroku barked.
"There is nothing wrong...I was just waiting..." was the answer. "Waiting for YAMI..." Another wild giggle.
Yami's eyes shot wide. "What?"
The gleam in the professor's glazed-over eyes got sicker, and he staggered towards Joey. Yami's nerves all stood on end as she recalled every bad horror movie she had ever seen—zombies almost always attacked just by reaching out.
"Joey! The professor's a monster!" she cried, but it was too late—the professor had locked his hands around Joey's neck.
"Urk--!" Joey gasped, scratching at the professor's hands.
Yami leaped onto the professor's back, but the man—monster, whatever—gave no notice. She tried to lock her slim arms around the professor's throat. "Let go of Joey! Don't make me hurt you!" she shrilled.
To her surprise, the professor spoke again. "I want to see the other Yami..."
"Please excuse my puppet's rudeness..." A smooth voice flowed from the corner of the room.
"You!" Yami said, dropping off the professor's back in surprise. "Shadi!" Whirling, she confronted the tall man as he seemed to melt from the shadows in the far corner of the room. "What have you done to Professor Yoshimori?"
Shadi seemed to ignore her. "If my theory is correct, this will bring out the other Yami! So show yourself!"
"Sorry," Yami spat. "Whoever this other me you keep talking about is, she's not here right now. All you've got is me. So what did you do to the professor?"
"Know this, Yami," Shadi said, as calmly as if the professor wasn't in the middle of killing Joey. "I have redecorated the room of that man's soul. He moves only at my will."
As he spoke, Shadi watched the young woman before him grow angrier and angrier. I had planned to leave this country as soon as I punished the men who defiled the territory of the gods and opened the pharaoh's tomb...but then I met that young woman. Since that time, the feeling of defeat smolders in my heart. I can't leave this country with those embers still burning...I want to see that other Yami with my own eyes!
But the Yami who was growling at the zombie professor was not the dark presence Shadi had met in the soul room. I have placed but one thought in that puppet--"Make the girl's friends suffer..." That will push Yami's heart to the limit, and if my theory is correct, when she has no other options, her heart will run out of hope, and her OTHER self will awaken...
Yami darted forward, and for a minute Shadi was thinking she might hit him. But instead she was reaching for something on the floor beyond him—a globe. "I'll deal with you in a minute," she growled, then whirled back to face the professor.
"Forgive me!" she cried, swinging the globe and striking the professor across the back of the head. He dropped to the floor like a broken puppet. Free, Joey gasped for air.
Yami panted, shouldering the globe in case she needed to attack again. "You okay, Joey?"
"Yeah," Joey wheezed. "Thanks, Yami. I almost bought it there!"
Sugoroku knelt by the fallen professor. "What a shot, Yami!"
The girl looked embarrassed. "I hope I didn't hit him too hard..."
Shadi watched them all scatter as the professor jumped back up to his feet like a cartoon monster. "Eek!"
"Split up!" was Sugoroku's immediate plan. Unfortunately, he never had a chance to follow his own advice—Shadi walked up calmly behind him and used his Millennium Key. Apparently the professor is not enough. I must redecorate another person's soul.
Shadi couldn't help smiling at Sugoroku's soul room. He was an easy man to like. The room resembled a small shop, and it was full of games. Dice and cards were scattered everywhere, but Shadi was most interested in the object that held pride of place on the counter. A big picture frame, containing a smiling picture of the old man and his granddaughter. Next to it lay a golden box, the Eye of Horus engraved on the sides. Shadi knew that it had once contained the pieces of the Millennium Puzzle, but the smiling girl in the photograph had put those pieces together. Now he would figure out how.
This man seems to be very important to the girl. Pushing her to her limit will take more than simply threat of violence to her person. I must put in danger someone that she cares about, and that will force the other Yami to come out. She will break when she sees her beloved grandfather without memories of her, or a voice to call her...
Joey and Yami were busy. Yami was swinging the globe in a wide arc, trying to keep the professor away from Joey. "Keep back!" she said. "I don't want to hit you again. Keep away!"
Joey had a plan. It wasn't a good one, but it was all he could come up with. It's only a matter of time before that zombie gets Yami and Gramps. I can't let that happen!
"Hey, ya old bookworm!" he yelled, making a goofy face at the zombie professor. "Ya wanna piece of me?"
Yami watched in comical horror as Joey began to do the chicken dance in front of the open doorway. "Joey!"
"Come and get me, zombie man!" Joey taunted, quitting his dance to run out the door into the hallway. Groaning, the zombie followed, lumbering out the doorway.
"Joey!" Yami shrieked, but before she could follow, a voice interrupted.
"You have a good friend, Yami," Shadi said. "He would save you by sacrificing himself..."
"Shadi!" Yami growled.
"You are loved by many, Yami Motou," Shadi said, "most of all this man." He had a hand on Sugoroku's shoulder like some obscene family portrait. Yami's eyes widened as she saw her grandfather standing motionless before the tall robed man, his eyes dead and dark.
"Grandpa!" Yami shrieked, leaping for the old man and clasping hands on his shoulders. "Grandpa, it's me, it's Yami!" But the old man's eyes remained blank and empty.
"Call all you like," Shadi said mildly. "He'll never hear you."
"Jii-san," Yami whispered tearfully. It broke her heart to see the old man's eyes, which had always rested kindly on her, look so dead and empty. She remembered the day she'd realized how much he loved her, the day she'd gotten kicked out of Rintama High School...
**
Sugoroku hadn't yelled. He hadn't scolded. He'd simply driven her home the same way he did every time he'd been called to meet with her principal. Despite his asking how her day had been without calling attention to her torn blouse, she sat in stone silence most of the way home, curling up as much as the car seat would allow. The light blinked to yellow at the intersection and Sugoroku braked, sending Yami forward almost into the dashboard.
A minute more of silence passed as the light turned red.
"He said I led him on. I didn't lead him on. He was just mad that I hit him."
Sugoroku didn't say anything. The light turned green, and he suddenly put the car in park.
"Grandpa?" Yami asked, eyes widening in alarm.
"I'm going to let you drive," was the old man's response, his eyes twinkling as he smiled at his granddaughter. "You want to drive?"
The car behind them blasted its horn. Yami quickly opened the passenger's-side door, switched sides, and took over driving—badly. Sugoroku smiled and relaxed in the passenger's seat, not criticizing, not giving corrections, simply letting Yami try to maneuver the metal beast home, lurching and jagging down the Domino streets.
**
"What have you done to my grandfather?" Yami whirled on Shadi, tears beading brightly at the corners of her eyes. "Shadi! What have you done?"
"I have redesigned the room of his soul," Shadi announced. "He is now a puppet who cannot move without my will!"
To Shadi's immense surprise, Yami let go of her grandfather and stretched her arms out, looking remarkably like the zombie professor. Locking her small hands as much as she was able around Shadi's throat, she began to shake him.
"Son of a bitch! You son of a bitch!"
Shadi couldn't help but chuckle as he easily broke the girl's hold on his throat. "That is it, little one! Let your blood burn with anger! Let your body shake with sorrow! And call her forth! The other Yami!"
**
Joey sprinted down the corridor, huffing and puffing. "Damn, he's fast!" Taking a wide turn round a corner, he decided that he'd led the zombie far enough away from Yami and Grandpa. Skidding to a stop, he turned and let the professor run right into his fist. The professor went flying backwards, sliding on the tiled floor.
Panting, Joey knelt by the fallen professor. "Did that do the trick? Y'all right now?"
Unfortunately, the professor shambled to his feet, just like before.
"Oh, holy holy holy holy holy crap," Joey said through gritted teeth as he whirled to begin the chase again.
**
Shadi held Yami at bay as if she were a tiny struggling kitten. "I hate you," she hissed. "I hate you! Son of a bitch—you son of a bitch! I hope you choke and die!"
"Then let these words be the final trigger," Shadi says. "If I ordered this man to die, he would die!"
Shadi had been right—that was it for Yami. She clamped her hands over her ears and screamed, the sound a wail of pain in the dark, echoing room as she fell to the floor and curled up on herself.
Shadi blinked. Had it been too much for her? Had he broken her?
There was only one way to tell. He took a step closer to the fallen girl--
--and jumped back in surprise as a hand grabbed his ankle, a grip like steel. She pulled herself to her feet, murder in her—violet—eyes. Shadi smiled in triumph.
"So we finally meet in this world...Yami within Yami."
"Enjoy meeting me in this world," the velvet-dark voice said. "You will not remain in it long."
Shadi chuckled, as if she hadn't just threatened to kill him. "Now the second stage of our game can begin..."
"Is that why you have done all this?" she asked. "A game?"
"You should understand it better than anyone else," Shadi said. "After so many years, games are...all that matters."
"Not anymore," the dark Yami answered, her eyes begging for blood. "People matter now. Things matter. And I'm going to prove to you just how much..."
"I look forward to it," Shadi said solemnly.
**
Author's Notes:
A chapter full of references!…And here they are:
The Inuyasha plushie: I actually don't have an Inuyasha plushie, but it's become one of my dreams to get one. I keep looking and they're either out of stock or I get outbid on Ebay. I did just buy a Naruto plushie, though, to my extreme delight, and he might make an appearance in a later chapter. But never to rest until I have Inuyasha, too!
The plaque at the Domino University entrance: I went through high school with "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" and was devoted all through the downward spiral of season four, the atrocity that was season six, and remained devoted right up until the series finale. In season two, "Passion", when Angel returns as evil Angelus, Ms. Calendar wonders how he got into the school without an invitation. But the answer comes to her in a burst of clarity--the plaque at the entrance of the school, where a Latin phrase can be translated to, "Come all ye who seek knowledge". I thought I'd throw it in here as homage to one of the greatest shows ever. It is true, anyhow--Shadi is seeking knowledge of the other Yami and the powers of her Puzzle! *shrugs, smiles.* Used without permission of the "Buffy" execs. But I won't tell if you don't.
The chicken dance: There is no reference to the chicken dance in my daily life. I just laughed so hard picturing Joey doing the chicken dance in the hallway of Domino University. *giggles.*
"Holy crap…": When Joey says this, it is a reference to one of me and my friends' lunatic pastimes: www.homestarrunner.com's Strong Bad. Go to the Spin n'Say in the Games section to hear Strong Bad say, "Holy holy holy holy holy, CRAP." And prepare to be wildly amused. *giggles again.* That's used without permission, but hey, I'm giving them a shameless plug, right?
"I hope you choke and die": This is purely a coincidental phrase coming from Yami, but after I'd written it I realized why I say it so much when I'm angry--it's a line from Brand New's affront song to Taking Back Sunday, "Seventy Times Seven". The fact that I know the whole story behind that proves I'm a tad obsessed when it comes to my music. Again, used without permission, if you can call it used.
So many references! Hope it didn't offend anyone, but I hold with Sugoroku Motou's theory on the heart of things: putting a little bit of yourself into anything you care about. *smiles.*
Next chapter: Shadi challenges Dark Yami to his dangerous game, and now she's the one up the creek without a paddle. Hell, without the canoe.