Chaos! The Next Generation Book Two: Madhouse
Chapter One: Alliances and Returns
From his floating sanctuary in Earth's orbit, Ra watched a life on earth through Souta's eyes.
"Well, this is quite dull," Ra said as watched his slave play yet another duel in his dueling academy.
"I'm bored. What else is on?" Bast asked, yawning. She grabbed the frequency controls form Ra and changed the channel.
"YOU IDIOT! I must never lose sight of the Avatar! Change it back at once!" Ra commanded.
"But I'm booooooored." Bast whined. Suddenly, the staticy screen went clear as a transmission form the earth penetrated the system, and the face of an older man, his face cast in shadow, appeared on the screen.
"What extraordinary luck," said the older man. "After days of trying to decode your wavelength transmitter, I've finally gotten through."
"Who dares?" Ra demanded.
"Who's that guy?" Bast asked, pointing to the screen.
"My name's not an issue right now. Suffice to say, we have a common enemy. Take a look at this video clip." The screen suddenly displayed the image f the Pharaoh winning a duel on top of the Tower of London, and as soon as his unlucky opponent fell to his death, an odd glimmer shot out of him and went into the Pharaoh's hands. This same glimmer was then shot into the half demon Inu-yasha, making him transform into a full demon dog. And then yet another beam was cast into a boy with white hair. His eyes suddenly filled with malice as he took his place next to the Pharaoh and the Inu-yasha.
"What could make Pharaoh Yami turn from a man devoted to honor and peace into such an incredible destructive power?"
"Whatever it was it made that yucky Dog even yuckier!" Bast said, sticking out her tongue.
"My informants tell those are pieces of a gem called the Shikon no Tama, or Jewel of Four Souls. Japanese legends say that when the souls of Friendship, Wisdom, Love, and Courage all come together, and are bound in the pure heart of a human who is in battle with a demon of sheer evil, then the will be born of the merger of those souls."
"I see. Go on," Ra said, interested.
"Thousands of years ago, The Shikon no Tama was created when a priestess named Midoriko was fighting a power demon. The Jewel changed hands countless times until it disappeared 500 years ago. No one knows where or why or how. Legends tell of a unnamed samurai who used mystic powers to seal the Jewel in secret hiding place. Others say that a priestess who arose form the dead found it, and died a second time, taking the Jewel ith the to the spirit world. I however am a man of reality. And the reality is that the Jewel of Four Souls contains incredible power, whatever it's origins. It's my belief that the half demon Inu-yasha, seen here under the disguise as the Masked Duelist, knows where it is."
"So does this mean I can or can't kill him?" Bast asked.
The man on the screen laughed. "You I like. Seriously kid, if you want to get to Inu-yasha, try to do it through this girl," he showed a still of Kagome as she opened arms wide to the gigantic full demon in the video. "Her name's Kagome. She won my tournament, but she went through Hell to do it. She may look innocent enough, but if you listen to what she says, Ra, you might get an idea of she's capable of."
The sound returned to the video, and Kagome yelled, "Eat me, Inu-yasha! I am the embodyment of both Kagome AND Kikyo! Try and kill us if that is your real desire!"
"Incredible," Ra said, "Even through this image of the past I can see the strength of her Shadow powers."
"That's what we call spiritual energy, oh great Ra," he said.
"Master Ra," Souta said numbly as he entered the bridge, his face down. "I've ocme for my daily report."
"Not now, Set," Ra said, not even bothering to look. "Bast, do something with him."
"Wait!" said the man on the screen, "Is that Kagome Higurashi's younger brother?"
"In a manner of speaking," Ra said. "He is truly our former god of Chaos. Now he is my puppet and spy."
"Ah, you found a rival already," said the man, "Who is it? A Greek Olympian? A Norse Barbarian? Perhaps one of Raiden's many children?"
"If you are referring to my father, Osiris, then yes, it one of his illegitimate offspring." Ra pressed a button and showed his 'guest' an image of Ren.
The man suddenly started laughing his head off. "You're afraid of a little kid?"
"She is no mere child," Ra said angrily, "She is the Avatar for Amaterasu, whom Japanese Legend calls the Sun Goddess. But I, Ra, am the true God Of the Sun!"
"I get it now," said the older man. "You want to get rid of this kid because of what she could grow up to be. With the Shikon no Tama, that wouldn't be a problem."
"Exactly what I was formulating," Ra said, "Perhaps an arrangement can be made?"
"Absolutely. You get the Jewel and supreme power. As long as you deliver two things to me."
"And those are?"
"That Pharaoh, and Higurashi. Those two nearly blew up the planet in my tournament. I'd like to harness they're powers for my own uses."
"Agreed!" Ra said.
"Uh, Ra, what about our walking microphone?" Bast said as she held Souta by the arm.
"He still has his uses." Ra said.
"So, we understand each other?" asked the man in shadow.
"Indeed."
"Fantastic. I like a celestial being who knows how to make a great deal. You'll go far in this time, Ra. You'll go real far."
Transition
"Man, why does Souta go home so early?" Shippo complained. "I don't have back in down the well till sundown."
"It's his loss," Rebecca said, "More cards for us at the shop."
"It feels weird not having him hang out at the shop with us," Mokuba said.
"My first 'hang out!'! I'm am so excited!" Ren said as she skipped around. She grabbed Shippo's arm and pulled him ahead with her and said, "Come on Shippo! We'll get the best creatures! No one will stop our unbeatable team!"
"Uh, who said you and me were the unbeatable team? AHHH!" he yelped as Ren dragged him on ahead.
"Hey! Wait up!" Mouba yelled, running to catch up. "Don't leave us behind!"
"Moki! How come WE aren't a team?" Rebecca asked, chasing him. "Mokuba! Why won't you be in a team with me! I'm supposed to be your GIRLFRIEND!"
Transition
Tea Gardner stepped out of the cab and stood in front of the Little Turtle Game Shop. It looked a little run down, but otherwise it was as if she'd ever left for New York. The suitcase she had in hand was packed with playbills and clippings from her various shows on the stage, and she was extremely excited. She couldn't believe it'd been almost two years since she'd left.
"I can't wait to see the guys and see if they've heard from Yugi," she said to herself as she stepped up to the door. "I hope he won't mad be at Joey for the lousy upkeep." she reached
"Look out for flying pottery Grandpa!" Yugi yelled as he and his grandpa rushed for the door.
"Yugi! You're back!" Tea said, star in her eyes as she beheld her high school sweetheart.
"Tea!" Yugi shouted. He couldn't stop, he slid right into her and they both went flying to the sidewalk.
"Yugi! Are alright?" Solomon Mutou asked his grandson. "Oh, never mind, I suppose you would be like that!" he said laughing.
"Huh? Pretzles?" Yugi asked in a daze as he lay on top of Tea, his face stuck in her chest.
"Oh Yugi I missed you!" Tea cheered, giving him a big hug."
"I can't breath! Tea!" Yugi cried, flailing his arms.
"Neither can I hun," Mai said, carrying two huge suit cases out the door. "I'm sick of being stuck in a house packed passed the limit with Testosterone!"
"Yugi… what's Mai doing here?" Tea asked suspiciously.
"Mai! Come on, don't leave me!" Joey cried as he came crawling out on his knees, his hands clasped together. "I'll swim the highest mountain! Climb the deepest sea! Don't leave me!" he begged, grabbing her legs and holding on tight.
"Acting stupid's not gonna work this time, Wheeler!" Mai said, trying to kick him off her.
"Who's actin? I am stupid!" he yelled.
"No one's arguing with you, Wheeler," she said, finally freeing herself.
"Not again," Mokuba complained as he and his friends came walking up.
"What is the unhappiness?" Ren asked, surveying the scene.
"They're arguing again," Shippo said, "Like I don't see enough of this at home!"
"Yugi, we're going to lose business," Grandpa said.
"I can't stop them," Yugi said, finally free of Tea's killer hug. "This is an uncontrollable force of nature."
"Here we see the male and female of the species," Rebecca said, pointing to Joey and Mai. "It seems that the dominant male has tried to exert his power. And now the equally dominant female is ticked."
"Did I miss something?" Tea asked. "Why are they fighting? Who's this kid?" she asked, pointing to Ren, "And when did Shippo hit a growth spurt?"
"Long story short," Yugi said, pointing to the fighting couple, "Domestic dispute," then to Ren, "Sun Goddess reborn," then to Shippo, "In disguise."
"I'm still lost," Tea said.
"You are not alone," Ren said. "I cannot fathom how two people who are in love can be so angry."
"You had your chance," Mai said, getting in her car, "It's too late now. Good bye and good riddance." she slammed the door and floored it, screeching away as Joey ran half a block after her.
"Mai! Mai don't go! Please, Mai! Don't leave me babe! WAHHHHHHHH!" he cried, falling to his knees in the middle of the street.
Yugi sighed, grabbed his friend by the arm and dragged him back to the shop. Tea and Grandpa followed him in. As Mokuba, Shippo, and Rebecca started to follow too, they saw Ren still looking in the direction of the speeding Corvette.
"Ren, it's over. We can go in now," Mokuba said.
"But your friend has just experienced a great sorrow," Ren said, looking serious. "His true love has left him forever!"
"This happens every few months," Shippo reassured her. "They fight, she leaves for a couple of days, then Joey breaks down and apologizes and she breaks down and comes back to him."
"Especially when she sees how much of a wreck he is without her," Rebecca said.
"As Goddess of the Sun and Happiness, I cannot let two people destined by the stars let a disagreement tear them apart!" Ren said, punching her fist to her palm in determination.
"It'll be fine," Shippo, "Don't get involved."
"I vow to bring them back together!" Ren said, putting her hands on her hips. "It is my duty! And you will all help me," she said, pointing to her friends.
"This kid lives in her own world, doesn't she?" Rebecca asked.
"Come my friends! This is no time for playing!" Ren grabbed Mokuba and Shippo's arms and dragged them inside the shop.
"Hey! Don't forget me!" Rebecca called, following them.
As Ren and the boys went into the back room of the shop, where Yugi and Grandpa were cleaning up, Ren said. "Pharaoh! You must tell me everything that happened here. If I am to re-unite the two star crossed lovers, then I must know what tore them apart."
"Say what now?" Yugi asked.
"Don't ask," Mokuba said.
"She's gone batty!" Shippo added.