Chapter 25: Things Forgotten
Chiro opened his golden eyes. His ears hearing the familiar sound of cheering and clapping. 'What's going on!"' he thought to himself. He took a moment to remember that he was in a duel with Kamishiro when his opponent had played a card deemed "Memories Released".
Now he was stuck in a kind of ornate gym. The area had several stands that people watched from. There was an arena area with marked off out of bounds areas. Like a basketball game's markings. Then there was the two men in the arena itself, battling harshly with blades of great sizes. One of them was tall and trollish looking with a sword the size of Chiro's hold body, and flaming red hair that was falling off. He also wore a kind of ancient Loincloth But the other competitor held a slightly larger than normal sized blade, silver hair, and was wearing a very old style martial arts suit. He was much smaller than his opponent, but smirked as he batted the attacks aside.
'Hmph, I could beat that guy in swordfight any day of the weak!"' Chiro thought, watching the match. He decided to show he could. "JURANAMO!" he lunged at the trollish one, who now wore a look of complete shock. Just as he pulled back his fist to throw a punch (he didn't want to surprise attack him with a blade, that might make him seem weak) the troll's opponent was slashing at speeds Chiro alone could follow. Chiro stopped his assault, but suddenly realized his leap had carried him to far. He was going to crash straight into the troll's opponent. "MOVE!" he shrieked when the man stayed in his stance, his blade held out parrallel to his face. CRASH! Chiro fell straight through the boy and hit the ground on his but.
"Nice try, but you shouldn't put so much importance in strength, it's the will to win, that matters." a young, but experienced voice told the troll man, who glowered at his opponent.
"CHIRO, CHIRO, CHIRO!" the crowd roared. Chiro suddenly realized what the effect of Memories Released must have been. 'No way, he trapped me in my memories!"' he suddenly thought, dread the only feeling in his body.
Shisei peeked open an eye and saw Namia sleeping across from him, near some shrubbery. 'Well, can't stay asleep forever."' he thought. He rose, slowly, but surely, and looked at his watch. 3:45. 'Well, we have another day about before admission to the castle is prohibited.'" he thought. Then another thought struck him. 'Those guys that challenged us, they were probably trying to pave the way for one team. Like Eliminator."' he thought, gulping. "Namia, wake up!" he rushed over and shook Namia awake.
Several confused minutes later, Namia had risen and was ready to go. "I don't think they'd go to such extremes to eliminate everyone but three people Sei." she said skeptically, after Shisei told her his theory.
"Think about, the last three will have a special session with Yugi, Joey, and Kaiba…. So why wouldn't there be anything on where the finals are held. There are only supposed to be three surviving duelists!" he exclaimed.
Namia swallowed hard. "Let's get going, before more come!" she and Shisei then rushed away, unknowingly being followed.
Chiro looked at himself leaving the arena. 'Guess I should follow, if this is anything like Thalius's spells, then they wear out after a while."' he thought. Following himself out and down to the winding forests of his old village. 'Why did I ever leave this place again?"' he thought, looking at the beautiful Azaleas, Daises, and some other flowers he didn't know.
"You there, boy, Chiro, was it!" suddenly another male voice emanated from the room. The voice, one that Chiro wouldn't likely forget, belonged to a tall and thing man with long brown hair and a black, velvety cloak on.
Chiro twisted around to see him, to make sure. He hoped he was wrong, he hoped it was just another useless fan that wanted to see his past self fight again. No such luck. Chiro turned and saw, walking toward them, none other than Thalius, the Omega. "RUN, DON'T TALK, RUN!" he roared at his past self, to no avail.
"Yeah, that's me, who're you?" the past Chiro asked in his young voice.
"My name is of no importance. My cause, however, is a different matter," Thalius began. He moved toward Chiro with a sick smile on his face. "I wish for you, with your great talent in swordsmanship," he clasped his hands together and then pulled them apart swiftly, a long, thin blade appeared, which he grasped and held out to the shocked younger Chiro. "to help me acquire an item of great value." Thalius smiled and let Chiro hold the blade he had created.
"How did you do this!" he asked, in utter delight as though a child at a magic show.
Thalius waved the question away. "We'll have plenty of time to discuss me if you would join my cause, oh Great Chiro." he smiled and bowed at this last part. Chiro looked down, how sick he was, yet he had done what Thalius said, he had betrayed his entire village.
Chiro studied the sword. Then looked up and smiled at Thalius. "You've got a deal!" he said, just as the world began to blur and warp again. The normal Chiro was all that was left now, the only one, soon the entire village and all its inhabitants were replaced by a large crystal with seven glowing symbols. Each one Egyptian and meaning something different.
'No, the seals!"' the true Chiro shivered and looked around for himself. 'If I'm still in my memories, then this is where…"' he didn't finish thinking, as he saw his younger self walking towards the glowing crystal. Behind him stood two large men, wearing clothing of new times than Chiro.
"This is it boys, if this works, then Thalius will never forget us!" young Chiro said, this time in a gruffer voice. He walked forward a bit, ready for his task to be done. "If these things don't agree with me… Kill me!" he commanded from the "grunts" that followed him. They looked shocked, but nodded anyways. The young Chiro stepped forward and touched the Crystal. A brilliant glowing white light shot out of the crystal and hit the young Chiro in the stomach. "AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" the young Chiro screamed as though he was being murdered in a very gruesome way. But then again, he had good reason as he was being completely connected to the Seven Seals. Fire, Earth, Water, Wind, Light, Darkness, and finally, Divine, all made their mark.
"Ch-Chiro, are you alright man!" asked on of the grunts from behind a fallen Chiro. Each seal was glowing somewhere on his body. One on his head, one on each hand, one on each knee, one on his neck, and the divine seal made its home on his heart. Soon the glow from the Egyptian Symbols faded. And so did the world around them.
'Damn it, when will this stop!"' Chiro thought, as he suddenly appeared in a castle, where Thalius was munching on an apple and talking to his younger self, who seemed very angry.
"I DON'T CARE WHAT THEY DID!" young Chiro spat, though he sounded almost exactly the same as his older version. "They needed that food to feed themselves, if you didn't try and control everything, then maybe the Militia would have saved the food imports in the first place!" he roared. Thalius continued to eat his apple as though nothing was happening. "Your just going to destroy an entire village then, just because they stole some freaking cabbages from you!" he glared at Thalius.
"No, I'm not." he finished. Chiro looked taken aback by such a change in opinion. "I'm going to massacre an entire village because they are pathetic, worthless worms that deserve to die." Thalius finished his apple and it disappeared.
"Fine, then you can find another Seal holder!" Chiro spat, and with that, the world changed for the final, most dreadful time.
"NOOOOOOOOO!" both Chiros screamed, seeing their beloved village being burned to a crisp. "THALIUSSSS!" they finished.
Thalius stood, smiling maliciously at Chiro. He licked the blood on his magically created sword. "What now, you can't win, I have the power to bring an end to this earth, this charade, I am, after all, an Omega!" he smiled as Chiro beat the ground with his fists.
"I can't let you win. I'LL KILL YOU!" he rushed at Thalius, who litterally blew him away. It looked as though he was trying to blow a bubble, but instead, Chiro was sent sailing backwards into his own little wooden house. But this didn't do to discourage him, Chiro rushed once more, this time using the power of the wind seal, which began to glow green on his left knee, to counteract Thalius's wind. Thalius cursed an jumped out of the way just as the blade hit where he was.
"You are anxious, aren't you?" Thalius asked. He began to glow, preparing to use some of his best magic. Chiro kept his eyes closed, desperately wanting to forget all that he had done. 'WHY DID I DO THIS!"' he asked over and over again. Suddenly the world began to flip and shudder once more. Just as with his first time trip, he felt nauseous, but he heard Kou, calling to him.
"Chiro, CHIRO!" it seemed like it was hopeless to Kou, until he heard his counterpart answer.
"Leave me be." Chiro said. Kou smiled in relief, just happy to hear his counterpart answer.
"Come on, what happened?" Kou asked in an amused voice.
"Leave me to die here." Chiro responded. He was speaking out loud, now fallen to the ground. Kamishiro stood over him triumphantly.
"Chiro, CHIRO! HE'S GOING TO KILL YOU IF YOU DON'T DUEL!" Kou shouted. Kamishiro continued to walk forward.
"Have you seen, its all your fault, you shall die for your sins. It ends now." Kamishiro unsheathed a blade, and brought it down on Chiro.
To be Continued
Next time: Chiro and Kou have always worked as a team, in life, death, and duel. But Chiro can't get ahold of himself enough to duel properly, will Kou be able to stand the 10 turn countdown and win against Kamishiro, alone? Find out next time on Duel Monsters: Maximum!
A/N: Sorry, rushing this chapter to get it done before my bus comes, just for ya'll. Peace out!
