AN: Hey yall! Sorry I've taken so long in updating. I've had work and other matters on my agenda keeping me from the keyboard. So, here is the long anticipated Chapter 8! :)
Ch.8
One Card Short
------The tentacle slithered through the grass…seeking out it's prey. It snaked through, past Joey's pack…then, it silently wrapped around the boy's throat…tightening….ceasing his breath…as well as his friends; Yugi, Tea, Mai, Tristan, none could break their hold. And suddenly, Inu-yasha, Songo, Miroku, and Shippo were also ensnared, and all Kagome could do was watch…-----
Kagome sprang up, covered in sweat from the terror of her dream. It was awful, not being able to move to help her friends…watching them all…No! She wouldn't think about it. But what could have brought on that dream? What?
She started to lay down again in her sleeping bag, but then Kagome got that sensation. That weird feeling that overcame her when ever Jewel shards were near. There was one close by now….No, not one, many. To many to guess at. She realized with her nightmare fear returning what this meant, and what had made her have that dream.
She crawled quietly over to where Inu-yasha slept, and shook his shoulder, whispering, lest she wake the others, "Inu-yasha, please, wake up….Inu-yasha?"
"Huh?" He said groggily, sitting up, "What is it? Better be important."
"I sense shards. Lots of shards."
"What? Where-" but before he could finish his question, he lifted his nose to the air. Kagome knew he must have caught the scent, for now his eyes started to glow with hatred. "Naraku." He snarled. "Wake up Songo and Miroku. We need to catch him now."
"Right." she replied. Then, she went to each of the other fighters and woke them up, not bothering with Joey or his friends. They couldn't come, even if they had the strongest weapons on earth. They were humans with no powers or armor that could stand up to Naraku's evil strength and manipulative powers. They would be killed if they tried to help, and she knew that if they were awake, they would indeed try to help. She wouldn't let that happen. She wouldn't lose them. She wouldn't lose him.
Once Songo and Miroku were up, Kirara also awoke and they started for the woods. But before they were in, Shippo, whom she'd forgotten to wake, woke up and called out, "Kagome! Inu-yasha! Where are you all going?"
Kagome thought with sarcasm, so much for a quiet get away.
"What's going on?" Tea said as she also awoke, rubbing her eyes. Soon everyone was up, and asking why Kagome and the others were leaving them.
"There's no time to explain!" Inu-yasha said. "If we don't go now, Naraku will get away again!"
"But why didn't you get us," Mai said, "We would have gone with you."
"Naraku's not some chump, he's a you-kai who would kill you all and not bat an eye." Inu-yasha replied.
"But-"
"My cards!" Yugi cried. Kagome looked over, and Yugi was rummaging through his back pack. He had become Yami again, but why was he worried about a bunch of cards?
He said once again, "My cards are gone. They've been stolen, I know it! Everyone, check your packs." And they did, and one by one, they all cried out in surprise and dismay that all their Duel Decks had been stolen.
Inu-yasha walked over to Yugi's pack, and took a sniff. He dropped it on the ground, and said, "Naraku's been here. His scent is all over that. I'll bet he took your decks. "
"But why would he take their decks," Songo asked, "He has no need for trading cards."
"I don't know, but whatever reason he has for it, it ain't good," Inu-yasha replied. "So let's stop talking and go, now!" And he took off into the woods.
"Wait for us!" Miroku called out as he helped Songo and Kagome on to the transformed Kirara.
"Wait, Kagome, let me come," Joey said, taking his staff in his hand.
"No, Joey!" Kagome called back as Kirara started to follow Inu-yasha. "Stay here and keep out of danger!"
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Naraku leafed through all the decks slowly, carefully, to take in the images and abilities of the cards. They were quite amazing, really. Dangerous and powerful monsters, marvelous spells, ingenious traps. Such a pity these were part of a child's imaginative game. But he would fix that. He would turn these creatures over to his own uses.
So, he took out the bottle of blood-mixed-ink, and a Jewel shard, and dropped the precious shard into the dark liquid. Then, he took out a brush, and to one card at a time, he applied one, thin layer of the enchanted ink. This took over two hours, but he had the time. Those young fools were asleep, and it would be morning when they awoke, and by then, his task would be done. When he finished he layed the individual decks down on the ground, and focused his mind, energy, and powers on them. He slowly, quietly uttered an incantation, sometimes barely whispering it, sometimes rising to a loud, booming command, and then going back to a soft chant.
Before he was done, he heard a sound in the trees. The sound of feet running. Running at a great speed….No! It could not be! Inu-yasha was coming. He could sense the han-you's blood as he came closer. Then he also sensed the boy's companions, as well, they were not far behind him. But how could they have awakened early, how? That miko must have sensed his movements. The girl was so much like Kikyo that even in her sleep she could feel the danger Naraku emitted. He would deal with that later, for his enemies were almost upon him. He made a quick halt to his spell, and disappeared into the darkness just as Inu-yasha burst through the trees, screaming, "NARAKU!!!!!"
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Kagome and the others heard that first cry, and they found their friend there, in the clearing, screaming into the night air, at the top of his lungs, "NARAKU! D$#& YOU NARAKU! STOP RUNNING AND FACE ME, COWARD!!!!!"
"Inu-yasha," Kagome said softly as she got off Kirara. "He's gone again, isn't he?"
"We almost had him." Inu-yasha said. "We would have caught him if it we hadn't wasted so much time…If I….If they…" Then in his frustraition, he kicked at a pile of leaves on the ground. Kagome hated to see him this way. She hated seeing Inu-yasha in so much anguish.
"There's no need for that," Miroku said, masking his own anger, "We'll get him next time, Inu-yasha."
"I'm sick of next times," they heard Inu-yasha mutter. Then, his nose sniffed, and his face twisted up, and he covered his face, saying, "What is that smell? It smells like blood and ink!"
"There's Yugi and his friends' cards," Shippo said, pointing at the decks on the ground. They had been arranged in a line. Shippo was about to get one, but Kagome stopped him as her eyes made out the strange sight. "Shippo, stop. Don't touch anything."
"What? Why?" the kitsune asked her.
"They don't feel right," Kagome said, getting on her knees to look at the decks. The were covered in a strange purple-black glow, similar to Naraku's miasma. And she didn't want to touch these cards. The felt wrong. Different…..Evil. "Songo," Kagome said.
"Yes," Songo answered.
"Take Kirara and go get Yugi and the others."
"Why?" they all asked her.
"There's a spell on these decks. I don't think I can break it; it would be dangerous if I even tried. But I think, maybe, Yugi can. "
"Then what makes you think that?" Inu-yasha asked. "He's more human than you."
"Not in his form as Yami," she replied. "Besides, one of these decks is his, and if he can find a way to free his deck, he might be able to figure out a way to free the other ones." Soon, Songo was gone, and Kagome sat, pondering this puzzle of why Naraku would take these cards, and why he left them here, when he had taken the time to steal them in the first place, and since the smell that bothered Inu-yasha was coming from the cards, why would Naraku cover them with bloody ink?
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Soon, they were all gathered in the glade, looking at the line of decks on the ground. Yugi/Yami listened to Kagome's theory concerning the enchantment on the cards. She explained that since he was connected to his deck, he might be able to break the spell, and find a way to do the same to the other decks.
"It sounds risky," he said, "But I will try."
"But Yugi," Tea said, full of concern, "What if something goes wrong?"
"We will worry about that if it happens," he said. Then, He got down on his knees, and reached out his hand. It wavered over the cards, then he picked up the deck on the farthest right. "This deck is mine," he declared. "I can still feel the Heart of The Cards, even over this small miasma." He held on tight to the cards, and brought them close to his chest.
As Kagome watched, she saw Yugi/Yami's hands begin to glow with a bright yellow light , and something appeared on his forehead. An Eye. From what she remembered of her world history, it was the Eye of Ra; the same symbol that was on his Puzzle. Then, she saw the black-purple glow diminish, until it was very feint, almost unnoticeable. But still there.
Yugi/Yami looked up, and Kagome saw the small disappointment in his eyes. Then, he said, "I cannot break the spell entirely. I can get rid of the dark power that has bewitched them, but the main spell, whatever it may be, is still in place."
"What about our cards," Mai asked.
"I can't dilute the spell on them by myself. I need each deck's owner to hold the deck while I concentrate."
"What the heck's that got to do with diluting the spell," Inu-yasha said impatiently.
"I don not have a connection with these other decks, as I do with my own," Yugi/Yami explained. "Therefore I myself cannot diminish the evil in them. I will simply direct their energy, so they may dilute the power themselves."
Joey volunteered to go first. He did as Yugi had done and waved his hand over the decks to get a sense of which was his. He then took his own cards and held them close, while Yugi/Yami covered his hands, and helped him break the spell down. Soon, everyone had their cards back, and they headed back to their camp just as the first rays of sunlight grazed the topmost boughs of the trees…
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Naraku had underestimated this boy's strength. His blood boiled with anger that his efforts had been thwarted, even in a small way. But he could still use this to his advantage. He needed to test this final result, and the time for that was coming. Maybe even that afternoon. But first, he needed to recover his strength. Bewitching the cards had drained him, for their power, though hidden by the clever disguise, was strong …
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AN: Stay alert for Chapter 9: Reveal
Ch.8
One Card Short
------The tentacle slithered through the grass…seeking out it's prey. It snaked through, past Joey's pack…then, it silently wrapped around the boy's throat…tightening….ceasing his breath…as well as his friends; Yugi, Tea, Mai, Tristan, none could break their hold. And suddenly, Inu-yasha, Songo, Miroku, and Shippo were also ensnared, and all Kagome could do was watch…-----
Kagome sprang up, covered in sweat from the terror of her dream. It was awful, not being able to move to help her friends…watching them all…No! She wouldn't think about it. But what could have brought on that dream? What?
She started to lay down again in her sleeping bag, but then Kagome got that sensation. That weird feeling that overcame her when ever Jewel shards were near. There was one close by now….No, not one, many. To many to guess at. She realized with her nightmare fear returning what this meant, and what had made her have that dream.
She crawled quietly over to where Inu-yasha slept, and shook his shoulder, whispering, lest she wake the others, "Inu-yasha, please, wake up….Inu-yasha?"
"Huh?" He said groggily, sitting up, "What is it? Better be important."
"I sense shards. Lots of shards."
"What? Where-" but before he could finish his question, he lifted his nose to the air. Kagome knew he must have caught the scent, for now his eyes started to glow with hatred. "Naraku." He snarled. "Wake up Songo and Miroku. We need to catch him now."
"Right." she replied. Then, she went to each of the other fighters and woke them up, not bothering with Joey or his friends. They couldn't come, even if they had the strongest weapons on earth. They were humans with no powers or armor that could stand up to Naraku's evil strength and manipulative powers. They would be killed if they tried to help, and she knew that if they were awake, they would indeed try to help. She wouldn't let that happen. She wouldn't lose them. She wouldn't lose him.
Once Songo and Miroku were up, Kirara also awoke and they started for the woods. But before they were in, Shippo, whom she'd forgotten to wake, woke up and called out, "Kagome! Inu-yasha! Where are you all going?"
Kagome thought with sarcasm, so much for a quiet get away.
"What's going on?" Tea said as she also awoke, rubbing her eyes. Soon everyone was up, and asking why Kagome and the others were leaving them.
"There's no time to explain!" Inu-yasha said. "If we don't go now, Naraku will get away again!"
"But why didn't you get us," Mai said, "We would have gone with you."
"Naraku's not some chump, he's a you-kai who would kill you all and not bat an eye." Inu-yasha replied.
"But-"
"My cards!" Yugi cried. Kagome looked over, and Yugi was rummaging through his back pack. He had become Yami again, but why was he worried about a bunch of cards?
He said once again, "My cards are gone. They've been stolen, I know it! Everyone, check your packs." And they did, and one by one, they all cried out in surprise and dismay that all their Duel Decks had been stolen.
Inu-yasha walked over to Yugi's pack, and took a sniff. He dropped it on the ground, and said, "Naraku's been here. His scent is all over that. I'll bet he took your decks. "
"But why would he take their decks," Songo asked, "He has no need for trading cards."
"I don't know, but whatever reason he has for it, it ain't good," Inu-yasha replied. "So let's stop talking and go, now!" And he took off into the woods.
"Wait for us!" Miroku called out as he helped Songo and Kagome on to the transformed Kirara.
"Wait, Kagome, let me come," Joey said, taking his staff in his hand.
"No, Joey!" Kagome called back as Kirara started to follow Inu-yasha. "Stay here and keep out of danger!"
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Naraku leafed through all the decks slowly, carefully, to take in the images and abilities of the cards. They were quite amazing, really. Dangerous and powerful monsters, marvelous spells, ingenious traps. Such a pity these were part of a child's imaginative game. But he would fix that. He would turn these creatures over to his own uses.
So, he took out the bottle of blood-mixed-ink, and a Jewel shard, and dropped the precious shard into the dark liquid. Then, he took out a brush, and to one card at a time, he applied one, thin layer of the enchanted ink. This took over two hours, but he had the time. Those young fools were asleep, and it would be morning when they awoke, and by then, his task would be done. When he finished he layed the individual decks down on the ground, and focused his mind, energy, and powers on them. He slowly, quietly uttered an incantation, sometimes barely whispering it, sometimes rising to a loud, booming command, and then going back to a soft chant.
Before he was done, he heard a sound in the trees. The sound of feet running. Running at a great speed….No! It could not be! Inu-yasha was coming. He could sense the han-you's blood as he came closer. Then he also sensed the boy's companions, as well, they were not far behind him. But how could they have awakened early, how? That miko must have sensed his movements. The girl was so much like Kikyo that even in her sleep she could feel the danger Naraku emitted. He would deal with that later, for his enemies were almost upon him. He made a quick halt to his spell, and disappeared into the darkness just as Inu-yasha burst through the trees, screaming, "NARAKU!!!!!"
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Kagome and the others heard that first cry, and they found their friend there, in the clearing, screaming into the night air, at the top of his lungs, "NARAKU! D$#& YOU NARAKU! STOP RUNNING AND FACE ME, COWARD!!!!!"
"Inu-yasha," Kagome said softly as she got off Kirara. "He's gone again, isn't he?"
"We almost had him." Inu-yasha said. "We would have caught him if it we hadn't wasted so much time…If I….If they…" Then in his frustraition, he kicked at a pile of leaves on the ground. Kagome hated to see him this way. She hated seeing Inu-yasha in so much anguish.
"There's no need for that," Miroku said, masking his own anger, "We'll get him next time, Inu-yasha."
"I'm sick of next times," they heard Inu-yasha mutter. Then, his nose sniffed, and his face twisted up, and he covered his face, saying, "What is that smell? It smells like blood and ink!"
"There's Yugi and his friends' cards," Shippo said, pointing at the decks on the ground. They had been arranged in a line. Shippo was about to get one, but Kagome stopped him as her eyes made out the strange sight. "Shippo, stop. Don't touch anything."
"What? Why?" the kitsune asked her.
"They don't feel right," Kagome said, getting on her knees to look at the decks. The were covered in a strange purple-black glow, similar to Naraku's miasma. And she didn't want to touch these cards. The felt wrong. Different…..Evil. "Songo," Kagome said.
"Yes," Songo answered.
"Take Kirara and go get Yugi and the others."
"Why?" they all asked her.
"There's a spell on these decks. I don't think I can break it; it would be dangerous if I even tried. But I think, maybe, Yugi can. "
"Then what makes you think that?" Inu-yasha asked. "He's more human than you."
"Not in his form as Yami," she replied. "Besides, one of these decks is his, and if he can find a way to free his deck, he might be able to figure out a way to free the other ones." Soon, Songo was gone, and Kagome sat, pondering this puzzle of why Naraku would take these cards, and why he left them here, when he had taken the time to steal them in the first place, and since the smell that bothered Inu-yasha was coming from the cards, why would Naraku cover them with bloody ink?
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Soon, they were all gathered in the glade, looking at the line of decks on the ground. Yugi/Yami listened to Kagome's theory concerning the enchantment on the cards. She explained that since he was connected to his deck, he might be able to break the spell, and find a way to do the same to the other decks.
"It sounds risky," he said, "But I will try."
"But Yugi," Tea said, full of concern, "What if something goes wrong?"
"We will worry about that if it happens," he said. Then, He got down on his knees, and reached out his hand. It wavered over the cards, then he picked up the deck on the farthest right. "This deck is mine," he declared. "I can still feel the Heart of The Cards, even over this small miasma." He held on tight to the cards, and brought them close to his chest.
As Kagome watched, she saw Yugi/Yami's hands begin to glow with a bright yellow light , and something appeared on his forehead. An Eye. From what she remembered of her world history, it was the Eye of Ra; the same symbol that was on his Puzzle. Then, she saw the black-purple glow diminish, until it was very feint, almost unnoticeable. But still there.
Yugi/Yami looked up, and Kagome saw the small disappointment in his eyes. Then, he said, "I cannot break the spell entirely. I can get rid of the dark power that has bewitched them, but the main spell, whatever it may be, is still in place."
"What about our cards," Mai asked.
"I can't dilute the spell on them by myself. I need each deck's owner to hold the deck while I concentrate."
"What the heck's that got to do with diluting the spell," Inu-yasha said impatiently.
"I don not have a connection with these other decks, as I do with my own," Yugi/Yami explained. "Therefore I myself cannot diminish the evil in them. I will simply direct their energy, so they may dilute the power themselves."
Joey volunteered to go first. He did as Yugi had done and waved his hand over the decks to get a sense of which was his. He then took his own cards and held them close, while Yugi/Yami covered his hands, and helped him break the spell down. Soon, everyone had their cards back, and they headed back to their camp just as the first rays of sunlight grazed the topmost boughs of the trees…
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Naraku had underestimated this boy's strength. His blood boiled with anger that his efforts had been thwarted, even in a small way. But he could still use this to his advantage. He needed to test this final result, and the time for that was coming. Maybe even that afternoon. But first, he needed to recover his strength. Bewitching the cards had drained him, for their power, though hidden by the clever disguise, was strong …
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
AN: Stay alert for Chapter 9: Reveal