Author's notes:
It's the next chapter! Looks like this one might be a belated gift. . .
I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh!, the song "Caldera" (that belongs to CALF, a.k.a. Slake) or anything that isn't me.
'Nuff said.
---
Dartz glared at the picture behind the altar. He had company, and he hadn't bothered to clean up properly!
Several high school brats stood at the entrance to his abode. Mai stood between them and the door. He wasn't sure how long she'd keep them out. A very angry pharoah challenged her. The reception flickered out again.
Dartz kicked the base of the altar. The image returned. Footsteps echoed through the hall. The previous scene had happened well over half an hour ago.
"Hey. . .where IS everyone," the annoying blond asked. Dartz silently wondered if all blondes were annoying.
"They're right here," Dartz said happily, as the transmission flickered to his Doom bikers. The little date stamp on the bottom indicated that these images were a bit old.
Varon sat in an arena, watching a basketball game. A women's basketball game. Everyone, including Dartz, sweatdropped. The image flickered again.
Amelda waited patiently in line at a store. His fingers twitched every now and then. The sweatdrops became bigger.
Raphael stood in front of a slip of a girl. Black was definitely not her color. He looked at her, then looked down, then looked back at her, then turned away and blushed. Everyone hit the floor hard.
"Your henchmen are. . .on vacation?!" the pharoah exclaimed, shock making his voice rise higher than it should have.
"Yes, and it seems that one of them has taken a liking to skinny young girls." Dartz turned and grinned at the one female in the group. She shuddered.
"Not in a million years," she said bravely.
"We found this on your doorstep," the boy with the brown hair said, and held up a postcard. The back was blank, save for the address, which looked like it was in Varon's handwriting. Dartz turned the card around.
A muscular man of Polynesian descent grinned back at him. Words broke the disturbing view. It stated simply, "I thought you'd like it." Dartz set the postcard aflame. As soon as Varon stepped off of the plane. . .
The screen shifted to an airport. Seto Kaiba's distinct plane circled around a landing strip. This time, the voice transmissions worked.
"Sir, we are NOT allowing you to land that thing at our airport. It does not comply with FAA regulations!" the air traffic controller insisted.
"I need to refuel. Do your stupid FAA regulations allow for that?!" Kaiba yelled. In back, Mokuba cringed.
"Your vehicle does not comly with FAA regulations, so the regulations concerning refuelling do NOT apply!" another voice stated firmly.
"I am Seto Kaiba of Kaiba Corporation, and if you do NOT comply, I am buying this entire state!" Everyone looked around, puzzled.
"Well, Mr. Kaiba, if you really are Mr. Kaiba, THEN WHY AREN'T YOU SHIPPINIG YOUR DUEL DISKS TO HAWAII?" another voice insisted. It sounded like the voice of a frantic mother.
"Because morons like you inhabit the island," he responded coldly.
"We'll let you refuel if and only if you ship a thousand of your duel disks to Hawaii!" That mother must be looking for Christmas gifts for her children.
"Very well. Mokuba, radio HQ and tell them to send a shipment to Hawaii," Kaiba growled. The Blue Eyes White Jet landed gracefully. The scene fizzled out.
Dartz was silently impressed. It took guts to negotiate with the president of a large company. And despite his previous assessment, the people in Hawaii had found it in their hearts to let that freaky jet land on their territory.
The image behind the altar slowly came to life. In moments, a woman with flowing black hair appeared on the screen.
"I've had enough of your meddling!" she said through gritted teeth. She looked at everyone in the room with eyes akin to a smoldering caldera.
"MY meddling? You're the one on MY altar," Dartz growled. He did NOT like unannounced guests.
"You tried to take the souls of the residents of Hawaii. They may be foreigners, but THEY are the ones that help to keep my people alive. I do not like the foreigners, but I cannot change history. Your haole buddies can't tell who is what. They will continue to take until nothing is left. That is the way of the haole, and I've had enough of it!" The woman's eyes narrowed. Dartz wore a small smile.
"Pele, is it not? Aren't YOU a foreigner to the islands, too? The islands you've grown so fond of were a part of my kingdom first," he taunted. The four from Domino City looked completely lost. Some things never changed.
"YOU destroyed your kingdom! I am here to see that these islands live on. Get your haole boys off my land, or you will never, ever see them again." Dartz's grin widened. His men were to leave Hawaii the next day.
"I see. The power you wield shall no longer work in these islands. Leave us in peace." The image slowly fizzled out. Dartz could no longer feel the minds of his Doom Warriors. Thank goodness they were leaving tomorrow morning.
"Did. . .anyone understand that?" the irritating blond kid piped up. Dartz sighed. It would be a small matter for him to scoop up their souls, but he didn't feel like wasting the effort.
"Since you were all so nice to come out here, I think I'll tell you a little story before you leave." The pharoah's brow darkened.
"We're not interested in that. We want the souls you've stolen back," he said flatly. Dartz chuckled.
"I don't feel like giving them back. Why don't you return. . .say, never?" Dartz narrowed his eyes. In moments, he stood alone in the great hall.
Peace and quiet at last.
---
Author's notes:
I'd best put one in here, or bad things might start happening!
First, the events that Dartz saw were rather old, indeed. Don't mind his comment to Tea.
Second, Pele is the goddess of volcanoes. She originally came from Tahiti. She is known for her temper, her love of handsome men, and her habit of hitchhiking around the islands. She also has a younger sister, and probably several other siblings I forgot to mention. On the bright side, she is also very strong, powerful, assertive, adventurous, and beautiful. Never anger Pele.
The title, "Caldera", shouldn't be too hard to figure out.
And yes, I'm pretty certain that Pele could block Dartz's power.
The next chapter is also a potpourri. . .back in Hawaii.