Disclaimer: If I owned any of this, would I be here today?
Alright, last time was the climactic end to Kaiba's duel with Miroku, which ended with the brutal kidnapping of Botan. Yami, Roger, and Inuyasha also started their duels.
In Chapter 26, a new general of Sesshomaru, Kachikachi, is introduced, while Yami, Yusuke, and Inuyasha proceed with duels of their own. In the meantime, Kaiba tries to recapture his lost love, as Hiei reflects on his rise to power and the only one who stood against him. Also, one of Kaiba's first enemies returns with vengeance on his mind...
Here is the Zodiac set from Time Mage, used by R.D. and Inuyasha:
Pisces: (Water/Fish/3/1400/1800)- When this monster is summoned, special summon one Star Token' (Light/Angel/2/500/500). Summon one Star Token' during each of your Standby Phases as long as this monster remains on the field.
Leo: (Earth/Beast/7/2700/2000)- Whenever this monster is destroyed by an opposing monster, if you have a Pool of Reflecting Stars' in play, you may special summon this monster to your field during your next Standby Phase at the cost of 700. This card cannot have Equipment Magic cards placed on it.
Libra: (Light/Angel/3/900/2100)- When this monster is summoned, select one of the fallowing effects:
-Draw one extra card each turn.
-During your Standby Phase, the player with few cards draws until he/she has the same number in their hand as their opponent.
-During each of your Standby Phases, the player with the most cards in their hand discards until both players hold the same number.
This effect carries on so long as this card is on the field or Graveyard.
Aires: (Earth/Beast/4/1900/1600)- When this card is destroyed, roll a six-sided dies and lower the level of one Zodiac-Class monster in your hand by that amount.
Taurus: (Earth/Beast/6/2500/1000)- When this monster attacks a defense mode monster that has fewer defense points than this cards attack, deal damage. If this monster fails to destroy an opposing monster in battle, return that monster to its owners hand. When this monster is destroyed, special summon one Star Token' (Earth/Beast/1/200/100) in defense mode. That token cannot be sacrificed for summoning.
Cancer: (Water/Aqua/4/1100/2200)- If your opponent discards this card from your hand, special summon it during your next Main Phase One. This monster takes battle damage, even while in defense mode. Monsters that battle this defense monster with fewer attack points than this cards defense points, destroy that monster.
Virgo: (Light/Angel/3/1000/700)- Flip this monster outside of battle to take control of one enemy monster. At the end of the turn, that monster is destroyed.
Gemini: (Dark/Spellcaster/4/1200/1500)- This monster counts as two separate monsters. During Main Phase One, Union them together to combine their attack points. If destroyed by any means of your opponent, you take seven hundred points of direct damage.
Scorpio: (Fire/Insect/6/2300/500)- If this monster is forced into defense mode via a monster, magic, or trap effect, switch its stats so that it has the maximum points of the two in that mode. This effect only lasts one turn.
Sagittarius: (Wind/Angel/4/1600/1900)- While this monster is in play, its opponent cannot play magic cards. This cards controller takes 700 points of damage each turn.
Capricorn: (Fire/Angel/4/1500/200)- As long as this monster is face up on the field, your opponent cannot target your other Zodiac monsters on the field. So long as this card is face up, all Zodiac-Class monsters receive a 300 attack increase.
Aquarius: (Water/Spellcaster/3/400/600)- Each turn that this monster is face up on the field, raise your Life Points by 500. If this monster is destroyed in battle, all battle damage becomes zero and that attack points of the monster that destroyed this card are added to your Life Points.
Reflecting Pool of Stars: (Field Magic)- While this card is face up on the field, all Zodiac-Class monsters receive 300 extra attack points. Each player receives 200 Life Points each standby phase. Whenever a Zodiac-Class monster is destroyed, its opponent will lose one quarter of that monsters attack points.
Planetary Alignment: (Normal Magic)- Pay 1000 Life points to sacrifice a Zodiac-Class monster on your field to add their attack points to another Zodiac monster you control.
I don't know who created this set.
On to the fic!
Chapter 25: King of Darkness, Prince of Light
Kaiba Corp. New Paradigm Branch
Complete silence, unerring and undisturbed. Complete darkness engulfing the room as flash upon flash of information passed through his ice blue eyes and became recorded by the various components of his mind. Every duelist, every demon, and every mercenary became recorded perfectly in his mind as his well-trained fingers sailed across a freshly opened keyboard, as an occasional sweep of the palm brushed away offensive packaging materials. And although lost in the dark background, one could easily hear the buzz of the miniature computer terminals that had just been activated.
Kaiba had no idea why his deranged stepfather had placed a branch office of his multi-billion dollar company in such a desolate place as Paradigm City, nor did he have any idea why such a place had been taken with the rest of the populace into New Paradigm. All he knew was that the Kaiba Corp. New Paradigm Branch was easily his greatest asset in this tournament. But even as every detail of Hiei's bureaucracy sped into him, as every duelist became instantly memorized, three horrible words were spinning around, running on the power of his own id.
I failed her.
Again and again like some demonic merry-go-round these words soared, in a single, monotonous voice that could drive any other man right off the Brooklyn Bridge in mere seconds. It was like watching a loop on the Internet, constantly repeating the same data to him until he went mad. But Kaiba could not be driven to insanity...and so he had to live with his constant guilt.
She's going to die. That bastard Hiei will stop at nothing to get what he wants; why else would he torch a whole city for some bits of cursed crystal? And if he follows the route he has taken...
Once resolute hands began to tremble as the full truth was realized, and, if but for a lengthy, tormented moment, what might be perceived as tears collected on the threshold of his eyes. It was always like this, for as long as he could remember. He would find something, or in some cases someone, that made his crumbling life actually worth living, and just as quickly they would be snatched away in one swift motion.
But, for some inexplicable reason, this loss smarted in a much sharper tone; what had once felt like a torch being smashed against his face now felt like he was being melted alive. It wasn't that hope hadn't ran from him before, but this time, it appeared that there was absolutely nothing left. It was similar to the feeling that had consumed him upon his brother's unforeseen sentence to purgatory at Duelist Kingdom so long ago, except amplified a hundred times.
It is better to have loved and lost, than to never have loved at all. An old saying indeed, but not completely fallacious. Still, the pain of losing a loved one, particularly your first, is generally a feeling of great anguish and nearly infinite despair.
As the first layers of the super-encrypted New Paradigm HQ Databank were hacked, processed and downloaded, Seto Kaiba began to spread his deck in a structured manner, staring at each individual card with a keen and critical eye. At the top of this polygon was a set of three cards that were of the most significance to him, each of varying degrees of power and meaning, and ordered because of such. At the bottom of this arrangement was his prized Egyptian God Card, Obelisk the Tormentor, followed by his precious first Blue Eyes White Dragon.
But at the very top of this setup was a relatively weak card, an effect monster known as Spirit Reaper. The monster seemed to be a hovering ghoul that ran screaming at whatever was unfortunate to get in it's way, and it's effect, while useful, was not as powerful as that of his other monsters. So why did he place it above his God Card and dragon?
It was the only card that Botan had ever given him.
It was a very rare time, if at any point, that Seto Kaiba admitted he was wrong, usually because his ego or accuracy stood in the way. But this was a very rare exception, for he was not only wrong in his original conception of the circumstances, he felt that he could proclaim it on every television set on Earth: he was, rather literally, in love with Death. But the question here was would he ever see her again? Kaiba knew enough that when anyone decided to gain physical reincarnation, he or she inherited the weaknesses of humans with the strengths. Even so, Kaiba had the utmost confidence in her; if she could have survived with Hiei for this long, it was highly unlikely that she would die now...
"Mr. Kaiba? There is somebody here to see you."
As the main intercom in his cramped office went off with no end of distortion, the adolescent CEO and CFO shuffled up his deck back into the Duel Gauntlet.
"Send them in at once."
Yet there was something else that bothered him, completely unrelated to the circumstance at hand. How could a lowlife monk from feudal Japan come within inches of defeating him? A more immediate problem was the fact that he seemed to know not only that Kaiba had an Egyptian God Card, but also knew exactly when it was in his hand. Once again the problems associated with this new information came into play to derail his train of thought, and almost seemed to blend themselves into one improbable yet seemingly reasonable solution. Hiei was indeed behind it all, but even if Kaiba could prove this, the very fact that the profligate demon was involved in the whole tournament, as his extensive research had led him to believe, then gave him an unsettling feeling that he had more power in this damnable city than could have ever been grasped.
Yet as the well-practiced fingers of the world's greatest technological mastermind skimmed with unequaled proficiency, a new, rather perturbing document assimilated itself before him.
It can't be! Is this...New Paradigm City?
But before he could even spare a partial glance at this massive blueprint a hard, mechanical rap came down upon his door.
Well, the Inquisition has arrived.
Kaiba had dealt with powerful opponents over the time he had gained control of his stepfather's blood-soaked domain, from the mob boss of the Japanese Yakuza to diplomats in the former Soviet Union, to understand how to deal with such delicate circumstances as these. But at the same time, he also knew that the character before him could be practically anyone...including a fully armed assault unit waiting to demolish him on the slightest sign of trouble.
"Open up, Kaiba! I know you're in there!"
A woman's voice? Rather surprising indeed, but even more bizarre was the accent with which this woman spoke; she was obviously a mountainous character from the southern area. But only one group of people had ever had the audacity to live in such climates, and their civilization had been extinct for over 700 years...
"Enter. The door is unlocked."
Well, it won't matter anyway. As the doorknob began to shift, his hand wrapped around the Sennen Rod he kept close. If she is after me, I'll be ready.
Out of the corner of his eye Kaiba continued to watch the various building plans, technological schematics, and street layouts played out before him. Construction sites were present on nearly every section, huge radio towers were linked up to the main HQ, and on occasion a new building was virtually penciled in. In fact, smaller, less meticulous layouts were present, indicating that the Western ideal of Manifest Destiny had come into Rosewater's bumbling hands. But there were a few areas, actually one in each quadrant, marked in bright green in large quantities. Their title made Kaiba's blood run chill: detonators.
It was at this very moment that the oaken door burst open, and standing in the threshold was one of the most outlandish-looking women he had ever seen.
Much like Kaiba she was dressed nearly all in black, in the form of dark leather armor engraved with a decorative pink motif. Upon her feet were lacquered straw sandals the likes of which Kaiba had not seen since his trip to the Feudal Japan exhibit two years beforehand, and sealed onto her left arm was a pale Duel Gauntlet. Her right arm had a slight bulge beneath the sleeve, seeming to imply this person was not as defenseless as she seemed. Yet the face was the most attractive to the eye; hers was a rather pale complexion, laced on the occasion with a spray of pink, and her eyes seemed to play a perfect match for the neatly propped black hair that chromosomes had created. In fact, she would have been quite desirable had the lower half of her face not been concealed with a gray leather mask.
"Good afternoon. My name is Sango Minamoto."
Seto observed her outstretched hand with a slight degree of cautiousness; if you didn't trust a Roman general in ancient times, you were extremely careful not to shake his hand. In this case, Kaiba was completely undecided as to whether or not this Sango character, insanely dressed as she was, had another agenda waiting to be sprung.
Well, he figured as he gave the offered palm a much-welcome jerk, she can't be as bad as Hiei.
"Please, be seated. I have a large number of things to do, and I would appreciate it if you made your business quick."
"Right to the point, aren't you, Mr. Kaiba? Well, I have to admire that in one of your status. At any rate, I may have some information you might be interested in."
"Ms. Minamoto, I think you have the wrong address if you're offering me data that would appease me. Do you have any idea how powerful my company is, or the resources that are at my disposal alone? Well, if not, then please give me one piece, even one, that I could actually use; if not, then this meeting has been a monumental waste of both our schedules."
"If you must be so blunt, Mr. Kaiba, I happen to have exclusive information on one Hiei Jagenshi. As far as I am concerned, you and I may have differing standpoints, but I am absolutely certain that we have found a mutual enemy in this demon."
Even as Kaiba typed a new command into his personal computer, his heart and hand skipped a note, jolting his breath and his program contemporaneously. If what Minamoto told him was an actual truth she could actually be of some use to him.
"Interesting. Well, if this is the case, then I would be more than happy to clear my schedule for you. So what exactly do you know about his organization; where does he chiefly operate from?" As this question was raised Kaiba did the exact same, staring out onto the city as Sango began to lay out her knowledge.
"Well, even after tracking his operations for the better part of five years, my...ahem...agents have been able to procure very little on him or his people. What we know for certain is that New Paradigm was not his first conquered territory. Over the past six months he has become something of a puppet master, operating through the candidates of many powerful nations."
"Through the Esperanto political party, correct?"
"Surprisingly enough, yes. Out of sheer curiosity, do you by any chance have an inside connection to the Spirit World?"
Once again, Kaiba's eyes trailed down to his dueling deck, the events of today returned to light.
"Depends on what you call an inside connection," spoke Kaiba in a broken voice. "However, I have been monitoring the so-called "party of unity" with something of a close eye; from the very start of the only international conglomeration for political gain, it seemed that something was amiss. It doesn't really surprise me that Hiei had his bloody hands involved here."
"Well, even before the Esperanto party got involved I'd been hunting the bastard demon and his half sister. And I found something that seemed very unusual about Hiei; he was nearly arrested for high treason against the Crown of Demons. And guess who he betrayed to escape?"
"I'm certain I do not know."
"The demon lord Naraku."
Naraku? If what this lunatic is saying actually is true, than this tournament will have more at stake then I could have ever imagined.
"I think I'm beginning to understand your point, Sango. If Naraku, one of the most powerful demons in Japanese myth, is actually in this event, then all we have to do is follow him directly to Hiei. And as it happens, I think I'll be able to trace him right to the source."
Yet even as Kaiba turned back towards his client, his eye fell onto a small hand mirror.
Damn, the full length is askew again.
Yet the angled mirror gave him a strange perspective, and at the back of his head was a targeting laser.
Oh shit.
Iron Smelting Factory, Industrial New Paradigm
Fires seemed to belch from thousands of chasms every second, their all-devouring tongues instantly melting away the living flesh of whoever was unfortunate enough to stand next to the jets of flame. Hot, molten steel and iron flowed down artificial rivers into the massive cooling chambers, in which was contained an array of casting molds; some would produce solid pieces to be used on their own, while others held the responsibility of producing the various interchangeable parts used in the rest of the industrial world. And constantly near these massive vessels were teams of technicians ready to activate or deactivate the whole system so that the other workers were safe. However, the occasional crack would appear in the system, and whosoever stood between these fissures and the lower pressure that drew out their contents would be killed instantaneously...if they were lucky.
But high up in the rafter office of this capacious "sweat shop" was the most influential member of this operation...and he didn't even work there.
Hiei Jagenshi remained seated in his swivel chair, observing the masses despite the roar of machinery and the screams of protesters as they were engulfed in fire. Unlike the hellish conditions that seemed universal in all of New Paradigm's industries, his office was completely thermostatically controlled using the most powerful air conditioner his earthly funds could gain. Even so, a small wavelength of the harsh temperatures could be detected by placing one's hand onto the glass that divided it from the work, and it was with this information in mind that he held the expensive bottle of dark liqueur as close to it as possible.
"So, what is the status of our prisoner, Sesshomaru?"
Deep in the shadows of his office stood the cold dog demon that Hiei had employed. Upon this command he extracted a thin paper scroll from the printer nearest him.
"Not too much from the main field; I can only assume that her recapture was recent enough for a low level of communication traffic. However, what we do know is that she is en route to one of our holding chambers on the edge of town. Once we have dealt with Yami and the others, you can finish her off."
Tearing open a few new card packs, Hiei looked at Sesshomaru with an expression of surprise, as well as a small level of rage. "Do not insult my intelligence, Sesshomaru. I know all of the variables in this situation, and I am also very well aware of Seto Kaiba's role in this. I will deal with that ningen bastard when the time is right. In the meantime, there is something else that bothers me, something of much more importance. Several of my operatives have noticed a duel in New Paradigm Hotel between Yami and some unknown murderer. Although none of this information can be totally confirmed, I have a sneaking suspicion that this demon is in fact a reincarnation of that idiotic Naraku I sent into purgatory five years back. So if this is the case, then I now have two priorities to deal with; destroying the Pharaoh and gaining his Sennen Puzzle, and making sure Naraku doesn't stand in my way again. Bearing this in mind, I need you to send one of your generals to defeat the Pharaoh before Naraku can reach him first."
"Shall I send Kachikachi, milord?"
"An exemplary idea; his is the perfect dueling deck to destroy that monarchial disgrace once and for all. And as for the bitch, I will personally see to it that she is dealt with properly. After all, she and I have some unsettled business to attend to."
"Very well, I will alert him. But I do have one favor to ask."
"What, pray tell, is that?"
"I ask only to be he that captures Inuyasha."
"Agreed. Now, if you will excuse me..."
As Sesshomaru strode off into the city, Hiei began to trace his gnarled fingers about his face, or rather, one portion of it: the long scar that he had born for some time now...
Flashback, 5 months earlier
To say that the insanity that had become Spirit World was catastrophic would be similar to complimenting it, now that Hiei had taken over.
In a matter of days, the bastard demon had devastated several thousand of Koenma's ancient and bumbling army, reworked the entire bureaucracy that had operated it for over five thousand years, and accomplished the nearly impossible by subjecting a massive portion of Demon World to his very knees. This was likely because they had both feared and respected the impromptu ruler for many a year, and eventually they became his own personal army.
However, this is not to say that all was content within the great machine; a small unit of deputies that remained loyal to the old regime, known as the Archaic Unit, would often lead gargantuan rallies to rouse up the rabble. On the very rare occasion that this worked, riots would take over business as usual as Hiei's military quashed all rebellious outbreaks; after all, in order for a government to operate efficiently, he said, all opposition must be defeated first.
What Hiei did not expect was for the greatest threat to come from one of his own. And it was for this reason that he now sat in his Spartan office, a look of cold malice plastered unto his face.
As he listened to the screams of the loyalists as they were dragged to the various labor camps he had devised, the cast iron door leading into his inner sanctum creaked open, and his new enemy sat down, barely able to stand as the crowds had weakened her.
"What's wrong, my dear? Hard day at the brothel?"
Had the circumstances been altered to any other situation, Botan would likely have thrown one of her rather aggravating temper tantrums upon this comment. But, as Hiei took note, of, she remained silent.
Interesting. It seems that the immature ex-reaper has become strangely morose, and I'm beginning to understand why. But my pity is not wasted on people of HER kind.
Hiei walked around the desk towards his own armchair behind it, his eyes constantly focused on this unforeseen enemy, while at the same time tightening his grip around the mahogany hilt of his most powerful edged weapon, before sitting down and shuffling through his deck of cards. Satisfied he placed his prized dueling deck into the strongbox nearest him; it would be coming in very handy soon enough. In fact, had he not been so busy and in such a poor disposition, the odds are he would have challenged Botan to a match, simply to humiliate her.
"But in all seriousness, I am afraid I have business to run elsewhere, so if you have something to discuss with me, I am going to have to ask you to be quick about it. For, after all, I am now the all-powerful king of the go-between point in this universe."
Again she remained silent, although now the occasional tear went along the contour of her cheek.
"DAMN IT, YOU WHORE! ANSWER ME WHEN I SPEAK TO YOU!"
Hiei had never lost his temperament like this before that very point, so the minimum wage lackey he had kept on for cost efficiency looked up at her new master. Her eyes were almost completely blank, and they were completely bloodshot as well. Around these organs hung dark bags, as though she had not slept in days.
"I'm sorry, Hiei. It's just that I've been having some trouble for the past few days..."
"Well, if that is the case, then shut the hell up and deal with it on your own time! I have an empire to run, and in case you didn't figure this out, I don't have the time or strength to deal with lowlifes like you! Now, if you would be so kind as to exit my presence, I think it's time to discuss your...retirement."
Completely hidden from view, Hiei had already started laughing in the depths of his mind at her "punishment game" that he had personally devised.
"Now, under normal circumstances, an agent of your, shall we say, "track record", is usually dealt with by a harsh penalty. However, I am more than willing to overlook your rather shady record and give you what I like to refer to as an honorable layoff. But in order for me to do this, I am afraid I will have to ask for a small test of your devotion to the job..."
For only an instant Hiei could see a flash of anger in her eyes, but that quickly subsided.
"What kind of job?", she asked in a dull monotone.
Hiei gave her a furtive grin before extracting a gold-plated folder from his nearest archive; it was very rare that he used such folders, for they were reserved for either hated enemies or close friends. Having removed the seal keeping it in place, the demon slapped his latest project before her.
"Regularly I would have had the other reapers deal with a job like this, but I figured you'd get a kick out of this assignment. Besides, this person seems just up your alley."
"Ok. What exactly do I have to do?"
Another sadistic grin called upon the meeting before it was quickly shut out. "I've got the soul of this one locked away in my other office, seeing as I dealt with the matter personally. What I want you to do is deliver this character to Purgatory; they'll figure out what to do with her. And I think you'll get a laugh or two out of it."
It was like the ningen Christmas for Hiei as he watched the folder fall open, the various papers sliding out, as well as photographs, statistics, and the family relations. But what tickled his perverse fancy was that at the bottom of the paper was what had been responsible for her death...or rather, who.
"Surprising, isn't it? Even I have to admit that it was rather tiresome."
It took a second or two for the name of this victim to register in Botan's mind, simply because she had known this one for so long; four years, to be exact. But what was even more unnerving was the cause of death.
Name, Keiko Yukimura. Cause of Death, decapitation.
Murderer, Hiei Jagenshi.
"Of course, it did take a while, even for me, to get the data I wanted on the bitch. After all, she was involved in so many damn activities that she was hardly ever home. But then again, taking the city itself made the search so much easier. Oh, you should have seen it; blood splattered every which way, the wall cracked where I had tossed the cadaver, and the head so crudely dismembered from the flesh. It truly was an art form, and the best part is, she didn't even think I killed her! She's probably just standing there, waiting for her so-called friends to save her pathetic hide! And I cannot wait until the others see what I did to their damnable maiden! Ah, what a look upon their cow-like faces as I laugh uncontrollably!"
But even as he had ranted vociferously to whoever would listen, his now incensed enemy stood up out of her chair, cold murder shrieking within the once emotionless eyes.
"Why, you ask? Aha, what a moronic question! I wanted to break Urameshi clean and simply so he wouldn't stand against me when I go after my true targets!"
"HIEI, YOU BASTARD! HOW IN THE NAME OF GOD COULD YOU DO THIS?!"
"Because I can, you filthy slut. What are you going to do now, slap me with those paltry bags of bone you call hands, like in some goddamn soap opera? Ha! Do your worst!"
And so she did. And since Hiei had not bothered to scan her mind, he did not expect a blazing sea of unbridled pain clawing at his face from a flash of fluorescent blue steel.
For only a moment the world had become a still picture, as the greatest assault mounted on a tyrant took place. The splash of demon blood spraying unchecked upon the jet black walls, the shockwave from the mere speed of the attack cracking the windows, even the monster's shocked stagger, they all had slowed down to minutes at a time. But, as is the lot of man, the world returned to it's general state of affairs soon enough.
And contained in Botan's hands was a long, glowing katana, extracted from what seemed like thin air.
"Ah, so you have been holding onto a concealed weapon this whole time, and last I checked, such acts are punishable by death. But I have, however, one question for you: how dare you strike me, you bitch?!"
It was the final act, the very last catalyst that would commence the greatest rebellion ever spawned, and even as the Demon Lord stared with matchless hatred at the final link to the old ways, blood oozing into his eye as he did so, even he realized that this was an entirely new enemy...that could be broken in the exact same way. It was due to his knowledge of such, therefore, that he sent Botan hurling not into, but right through the reinforced concrete wall with a single punch, and a rather reserved one by his standards.
Within an instant the ordinarily structured office of the Spirit Monarchy was now in a state of complete chaos. Important documents were scattered about everywhere, chunks of load-bearing wall had punctured several computer modems, and twenty desks were overturned completely by the vacuum of the projectile launched.
"GET BACK TO WORK AT ONCE, UNLESS ANYONE FANCIES A TRIP TO THE SPIT!" Even amidst the chaotic bedlam of the office the operatives could hear the roar of their psychotic ruler, and rushed back to their positions even as he lifted the Grim Reaper herself bodily into the air.
"I could simply kill you right now, tear out every vital organ in your body and make a martini set from the bones. After all, you did attack the king of Spirit World, which is, as I recall, worthy of capital punishment. But I won't, at least not now; the way I see it, death is too good for you. I will instead make you regret this moment every day for all of eternity, as I slowly torment and torture you in my own prolific ways, and better yet, I will make you watch as all you have known and loved is stripped from you. You will observe as I commit atrocities that none before me can equal. I will force you to note my actions, great or terrible, that will grip you even in your waking hours, and eventually, I myself will send you into the depths of Hell, but by that time you will hardly have a soul to be damned.
"GUARDS!!!", he shouted to the nearest security unit, "Take this one to the prison, and hold her there until I command otherwise. I have some old skills to practice, and a new plan to devise..."
End Flashback
Yami vs. Kagura
As Yami stared at his all-powerful Egyptian God Card that now stood on the threshold of entering this game, his plans took a decidedly new turn. When he had once counted on defense was over last turn, and now it became very clear to him that if this duel was to be finished quickly, Slifer the Sky Dragon had to bring itself onto the playing field. But his wall of Kuribos prevented him from summoning any other monsters because they took up the entire playing field. In fact, he had the perfect monster to hold off any monster she summoned already in hand, but in order for this idea to work, he needed to clear the field of his furry wall...and he had the perfect card to do it.
"Alright, Kagura, I never thought I'd have to play this card, but it seems that it is my best option, so here it goes! I activate the Magic card, Thunder Crash!" Without any warning at all, a slew of lightning bolts screeched down from the sky, puncturing the barricade of Kuribos before tearing them apart. At the same time, several volts of the same lightning streaked along the ground, and right into Kagura's life points. (2000/2500)
"You seem rather surprised by my new strategy, and even now I can hear you asking why would I destroy my own monsters. Well, Thunder Crash allows me to wipe out all monsters on my side of the field, and at the same time deal you 300 points of direct damage for each one destroyed. Since the Kuribo wall takes up all of my field, they count as 5 monsters, dealing you 1500 life points loss."
Still completely aghast by this deluded move, Kagura began to look over her available cards, and seemed not to understand why he would do this to himself. Even if the wall was taking up much-needed field space, it still gave him the perfect defense, so why ruin that?
Perhaps his next card is only capable of being used effectively when he has no monsters on his field; it's the only possible explanation. Either that, or something has become jammed in his mind...
"My turn's not quite complete. I will place one cardface down, and summon Big Shield Gardna in defense mode!" Where once was an unassailable fortress now stood a solitary mud wall, for despite the fact that the burly warrior concealed by the 8 foot radius, butterfly-decorated shield was a powerful defense, it was still not strong enough to make up for the move Yami had played earlier. (100/2600) "That will end my turn."
Has he gone completely insane?! There is no possible move on Earth that is worthy of such a bone-headed play! Maybe this one has been spending too much time with that Kagome girl; it can be like a mental vacuum!
Perfect; she was not only befuddled by my move, she has absolutely no idea what's coming next. But if she does have a powerful monster waiting, I'll be ready for it...
"Well, Yami, this idiotic strategy of yours may be unclear to me now, but let me assure you it will not work! I will begin my move by playing the Magic card, Rising Air Current, which will increase the attack of all Wind-archetype monsters on the field by 500 points. Next, I will summon Slate Warrior to the field in Attack Mode!" From the monster card space emerged the same azure demon Yami had faced in his first duel with Hiei, and at the same time it absorbed the rapidly growing wind current to increase it's strength. (2400/100) "Finally, I will switch my Byakko on the field into attack mode, and since he is a Wind monster, his attack is increased to an unstoppable 2700! Byakko, demolish his Big Shield Gardna with another Razor Claw Strike!"
Now charging full speed at the towering shield wall, the mighty tiger was about to tear it into shreds when something else happened: the tiger was instantly engulfed in an explosion of fire that burned away the flesh until it was nothing but a ragged corpse.
"WHAT!?"
"You forgot about the face down card I played last turn, Kagura." As he said this, Yami slipped the now discarded trap into his graveyard. "When you attacked my warrior you also attacked a land mine, which slew your unassailable beast instantly. Not even a Saint Beast could have stood against Widespread Ruin, and since your Slate Warrior has only 2400 attack points, it would be absolutely useless to attack now. So I would end your turn, as there is little you can now do now."
"Very well then, I choose to cease."
As Yami drew his next card, something seemed to trigger within him, a strange curiosity. "Before I begin this turn, allow me to ask you something. Why exactly did you come here to challenge me to a duel if you're not working for Hiei? I know you can't be a regular duelist; no one would actually go to this trouble to face me. So tell me, who exactly are you working for?"
"A rather interesting question, Yami, and not one that can be too easily answered. My employer, ironically enough, is my own brother."
"What? Your brother put you up to this?"
"Do not act so surprised, Pharaoh. After all, he has a few scores to settle with some friends of yours. In fact, I even think he has a grudge against Hiei himself. But it doesn't matter because before the end of this tournament it shall be he that rules over the land of spirits and humans as god!"
"Fine, then so who is your brother?"
"You will find out in due time, Atem. Until then, I suggest you make a move now, for soon this duel will end in my victory!"
"Alright. I will play the Magic card, Card of Sanctity, allowing us both to draw until we have six cards in our hand." Yami drew 5 cards, while Kagura drew three. "Next, I will place a monster on the field in face down defense position, followed by the activation of a second Magic card, Book of Taiyou. This powerful enchantment allows me to flip one face down monster on the field face up, and the monster I have chosen is Vindictive Old Magician!" From beneath the brown-backed card emerged a haggard old mage, seeming almost to foam at the mouth as she held a staff glowing in a black light. (450/600) "The effect text of my Vindictive Old Magician allows me to destroy any monster on the field, regardless of position. So I choose to remove the Slate Warrior!" Now completely deranged, the sage tossed the stave she held like a throwing knife, causing it to tear apart the fiend's armor and the ribcage therein, until it burned itself into the ground. "Now, Vindictive Old Magician, mount a direct attack on her life points!" Upon hearing this command the spell caster tossed a piece of burning rock at the demon, reducing her life points negligibly. (2000/2050) "Finally, I will place two cards face down, and end my turn." Well, I'm now only behind by a minimal amount, but that still isn't too comforting of a thought. This "Kagura" is probably not all she appears to be, and this brother of hers seems to have a strange aura about him, despite the fact I have never even met him. It is almost that I can figure out his very identity, but I'm not sure why. And more importantly, how does this bitch know Kagome, and why does she insist on insulting her?
"Not too bad at all, Yami, but keep in mind that your Vindictive Old Magician is still in attack mode, meaning that with one attack I will take a hefty chunk out of your life points. So if this is another so-called plan, I cannot wait to see it in action. So I will start my turn by summoning the monster known as Hayabusa Knight to the field in attack mode!" From the second monster space emerged a rather short warrior, suited in old English armor and a green cloak that would have looked freakish enough without the fact that the creature had a falcon's head. (1000/700) "Next, I will activate the Magic card, Axe of Despair, which will raise my Knight's strength to 2000 points. Now, Hayabusa Knight, destroy his pathetic mage with Double Axe Slam attack!" The falcon soldier leapt forth and brought both of the sacrilegious axe heads into the necromancer, tearing out every vital organ as it did so. (450/2050) "Well, it seems like your plan failed, Pharaoh. The only thing standing between me and your life points is that Big Shield Gardna, and once I puncture that defense you will be at my complete mercy. Tell me, did you really think that by removing your own trademark defense maneuver you could prevent me from demolishing your life points? Well, if that be the case then you are nearly as moronic as that pig you refer to as the love of your life..."
However, what neither Kagura or Yami expected was for the hotel door behind them to be open.
"Kagura. It's been a while." Certainly enough, Kagome was standing on the outskirts of the dueling ring, with a strange mixture of emotions on her face: sheer anger and unequaled ecstasy.
With eyes that literally screamed hatred, the wind conjuror looked upon her old enemy. "Not long enough, in my opinion. If you would excuse me, I have a duel to win."
Even as he was about to set the machinations of victory into motion, Yami's hand began to shake even more than usual in tough spots like this. "So, how much did you hear?"
"Every word. Turns out I was listening from behind the door for most of the match, so I heard everything you said. And all I can say in kind is..." And without warning she collapsed into the king's arms, sobbing with happiness. "Thank you", she whispered in his ear.
"If anything, I have you to thank, Kagome. For all of this duel you gave me the strength I needed to match this idiot move for move. But I am afraid I'll need you to explain what's going on..."
"It's too long a tale for right now. In the meantime, finish the job. For both of us."
At the other side of the arena, Kagura was getting annoyed. "Come on, could we please move this little moment along?! I've got a true victory to claim, and all of this garbage you're tossing at me is not helping at all! And believe me, Yami, when all is said and done, you will all pay for what you did to Naraku!"
So, the plot continues to thicken. Now that I know the enemy's name, it will probably be easier for me to destroy him. But in the meantime, I'll just have to deal with the situation at hand, and I know exactly how to do it.
"I activate the Trap Card, Soul Crosswire, and I will chain it to the Quick-Play Magic Card, Poison of the Old Man!" Before Yami appeared two vials, containing a red and green potion. "This Magic card allows me to either give you 800 life points direct damage, or allows me to gain 1200 life points, so in this case, I will gain the 1200 points." Yami reached for the green chemical and swilled it, boosting his own strength as he did so." (1650/2050) "And remember, my Soul Crosswire was resolved after the Magic card, allowing me to use it's effect of summoning a level 4 star monster from my graveyard and deck at the cost of 1000 life points. So from my deck I will summon Mystical Elf in defense mode, and the Des Volstgulph whose level I reduced a few turns ago in attack mode!" From the remnants of the Vindictive Old Magician emerged two purple lines which leapt into the deck and graveyard, and upon these lines were two monsters, the earthy dragon sent to the graveyard, and a green-robed, ethereal faerie with flowing blonde hair and bizarre sapphire flesh. Upon coming onto the field the mystic began to chant in a mysterious language unlike any heard before in this plane, commencing in a golden aura about her. (800/2000) At the same time, the cords of energy latched into Yami's life points to maintain their strength. (650/2050)
"YES! This duel is over! Come on, Yami, finish the job!"
The wind enchantress, however, was not as impressed, likely because she had no idea what was going on.
"Impressive as this arsenal is, Atem, I am afraid that it will not save you from destruction! I choose to enter my Main Phase 2, and in this I will equip my creature with the last two card I have, my Black Pendant and Fairy Meteor Crush!" Around the Hayabusa Knight emerged a shimmering blue afterglow, while a small, black charm appeared around it's neck. (2500/700) "On my next turn, my Knight will be able to destroy your dragon and elf, thanks to it's special ability of being able to attack twice in one turn, and due to the Meteor Crush I equipped to it, you will lose life points even if your elf is in defense mode! So go ahead and make your final move, Pharaoh! There is nothing you can do to stop me!"
As he placed his well-trained fingers onto the top card of his deck, he began to reflect on the situation at hand. Alright, in order for me to win this duel in one move, I'll need at least six cards in my hand, and so far I only have two. My face down card will help, but I'll need at least one more card for this to work. If not, her Black Pendant will bring me down to 150 life points if I destroy it, and knowing her, she'll have some kind of plan ready to take the rest. Come on, I need to draw this last card...
Perhaps her spirit had become manifested within him, or perhaps it was a hallucination in his thoughts, but even as he stood ready to draw the final card he could see Kagome, placing her own soft hand on his own, ready to tap into the Heart of the Cards with him. Symbolic, yes, and certainly effective. And it was with this boost of confidence that Yami drew his needed card.
"I activate the Magic card, Pot of Greed, allowing me to draw two cards from my deck. Next, I will activate the face down trap I played, Reckless Greed, which will allow me to draw two more cards at the price of my next two draw phases. And now, I have all the cards I needed in order for this to work. Kagome, you might want to stand back." And she complied.
"Kagura, I am afraid that this duel is finished, and so are you. Now, prepare to experience a power like none that you have ever seen before, as I offer up my Des Volstgulph, Mystical Elf, and Big Shield Gardna, in order to summon my Egyptian God Card, Slifer the Sky Dragon!"
As his most powerful beast was played onto the Duel Gauntlet, the very card glowing with the mystical energies of the gods themselves, the shield carrier, mountain dragon, and white enchantress walked forward into the gleaming incandescence, and were soon absorbed by it. The very hotel had begun to glow with an ominous aura, as bolts of holy light crashed onto the field and laid bare the purity of the universe. The souls of man and beast fused in an ever-chaotic whirl, whilst the winds from all of the world spun madly off kilter, dragging the fertile earth from the banks of the Nile into it's screaming vortex. And from this card emerged a shaft of fiery energy, which in it's turn seared away the confines of reality and tore open the wide world before them. The skies were endless and beautiful, if but for a moment.
And then, the peace broke asunder.
Black clouds had begun to gather overhead, pulsing with the omnipotent power of the gods. Far off in the distance the cry of thunder resounded, and lightning streaked across the heavens as though to deliver a message to Olympus. The winds of one of the most powerful storms began to beat against both duelists, but they were about to find out that these winds were not from a mortal storm.
They were the winds of wings beating. And the sound's provider was emerging from the largest of the thunderheads.
The monster could easily have stretched out to be three miles in total length, with mighty claws reared out before it. The mighty pinions of the dragon came out to darken the playing field, while at the same time it's two golden eyes scanned the arena, wise yet brutal in combat. From both of it's double maws there was a constant rumbling, like the onset of contained thunder, ready and willing to strike out at any moment. It's great coils throbbed and undulated with every spasm of it's sinewy muscles, while it's long claws dug deep into the earth as it let fly it's mighty roar, as though to challenge all that stood against it. (5000/5000)
"Impossible! How could such a creature exist?!"
"You said you wanted to take my Egyptian God Card from me at the beginning of this duel, and now you are about to witness it's full strength. You see, the God Card I possess gains 1000 attack points for every card I hold in my hand, giving it an attack strength of 5000. Now, my dragon, end this duel by destroying her Hayabusa Knight with Thunder Force Attack!"
Upon heeding the final command, Osiris unsealed the first of it's two mouths, and within this collected an orb of thunderous energy that could be felt even from the sidelines. As this ultimate weapon of damnation grew ever wider, the skies and the earth grew brighter with the immense luminosity that had become Slifer, for the dragon itself was glowing with the same strength as Ra itself. As for it's accursed target, the Knight was so fixated on the approaching doom that it could not even try to avoid the assault. And for a moment, and only to the well-trained eye, the green visage and grand ceremonial robes of Osiris himself could be witnessed, staring down at it's incarnate and the victim it was about to take. But this view was fleeting at best, and within a moment, all was engulfed in a flash of brilliant white, in which stood the two duelists. (450/0)
It was with utter shock that Kagome bore witness to this amazing victory, and the mighty warrior that had brought it forth.
"Kagura! You can tell your master that when all is said and done, it shall be I, King Atem, that will emerge from this tournament as victor! I may not know all that he has done, but let me assure you, he will not survive long enough to see his plans come into fruition! Now, go back to the pit that spawned you! OBLITERATE!"
And with one summoning of his great powers, the demon incarnation was destroyed, accursed to an eternity of darkness.
The field dissipated, rolling plains now replaced by poorly built hardwood floors scorched by the volley of assaults played on both sides. Where the demon had once been was instead a cracked Duel Gauntlet, Yami's fourth tournament key, and her rarest card, Byakko. Staggering forward, the exhausted spirit took his two prizes, and collapsed onto the floor.
"Yami, are you alright?"
Under much different circumstances, and much less worry, Yami would likely have been as happy as a young child on his birthday knowing that he was cradled in Kagome's lap while she ran her fingers across his face. But, alas, a new problem had come to light, as well as a new enemy. In this light, he reluctantly removed himself from his position and sat back to the wall.
"I'm fine. But I have to ask you to come straight forward with me. If this Naraku has selected me as his next target, I need to know about what I'm up against."
His new girlfriend sighed within herself. This was going to get complicated...
Yusuke vs. Weevil
Just brilliant. Not only has Weevil paralyzed my only monster that I have face-up on the field, but he also has his Cocoon of Evolution ready to hatch four turns from now. However, if I can hold his creatures off for long enough, I think I'll be able to take him down using an all-powerful combo of my own...
Even so, Yusuke had to admit that Weevil had placed him in a rather poor position, for not only was his Kotodama serving as a host body for some insect hive, Weevil's most powerful monster was still there to keep him in check.
"Well, Urameshi, it's still my turn, so I will place the finishing touches on my plan by placing two cards face down, and activating the Magic card, Array of Revealing Light!" What once had been a standard playing field had now become a single pentagram of an elaborate design. "This Field Magic allows me to name one sub-type of creature. As long as this card is face-up on the field, the selected sub-type cannot attack on the turn it is summoned! As for the sub-type I had in mind, I will select Insects!"
On the sidelines, however, Joey was not impressed.
"Brilliant move, ya little worm! Except for one small detail...how da hell do you know when Yusuke's gonna use a damn Insect card?!"
"Pay that no heed, Wheeler. I have already settled that with my face down cards."
Back in the ring, however, Yusuke had just drawn his starting card...and it was just the one he needed.
"Okay, Weevil, I may not be able to destroy your plan for my Kotodama, but what I can do is remove that damn Cocoon from the field once and for all. I summon Kamikaze in attack mode!" From within the summoned card emerged a seven-foot tall shogun, clad in flamboyant armor of the purest silver with a sweeping black silk cloak. In both of his hands he wielded golden short swords that crackled with electricity. (2100/1050) "Kamikaze, attack his Cocoon of Evolution with Double Suicide Slash!"
"Not so fast, detective! Reveal face-down card, DNA Surgery!" The Trap card burst open with the same technological strands that morphed Yami's monsters into mages. "As you no doubt have determined, DNA Surgery can alter all face-up monsters on the field into any sub-type I choose, so I select Insects once again!" Yusuke's Kamikaze was now grossly disfigured, as it's silver armor became a golden exoskeleton, and the old flesh was stripped away in favor of a chattering, mantis-like creature. "And recall my Array of Revealing Light, Yusuke. Since I selected Insects for that as well, your monsters cannot attack on the turn they are summoned. Remember, Urameshi, all of your most powerful monsters are Spirits of some kind, which means..."
"I see your plan, Weevil. Since my Spirit monsters only remain on the field until the end of my turn, the Array of Revealing Light stops them from attacking on the summoning move. And because they have to be re-summoned with each commencing turn, they can't attack at all. But your plan to disable me has one major weakness: the effect of your Array has no effect on monsters that were flip summoned, meaning that all I have to do is keep a Spirit face down for one of your turns, and I will be able to attack with it on the next move." But upon listening to this, Weevil began to snicker in that grating way of his.
"Really, is that so? Well, I knew about that factor when I started using this ploy, and I have the perfect card to negate it. Activate my second face-down card, Light of Intervention! This Trap card prevents all players from placing monsters in face down position, so your Spirits are now completely useless! And last I checked, they were the very core of your deck!"
"Well, I will place one card face down, and end my turn."
With the draw of his next card, Weevil nearly jumped for joy.
"I activate the Magic card, Painful Choice! This powerful hex allows me to select five cards from my deck, and present them to you. Out of these five cards, you must select one that will be added to my hand, while the rest go directly to my graveyard!"
All five of Weevil's chosen cards appeared before both duelists: Insect Soldiers of the Sky, Cockroach Knight, Carrier, Premature Burial, and an unusual looking creature called Insect Princess. Of all of these creatures, it was the last that gave him the most worry, so he decided to give the grubby monstrosity the Insect Soldiers.
As he discarded the unselected cards, however, Weevil began to snicker vociferously. "You are an even greater imbecile than I thought, Urameshi. You could easily have given my Insect Princess to me and not had to deal with it, but now you shall pay the price. I activate the Magic Card, Monster Reborn, to resurrect my Insect Princess!" A new, bizarre looking insect appeared on the field: what seemed to be a humanoid-looking moth, with a face that slightly resembled a human woman's. (1900/1400) "My creature may not be powerful right now, but let me assure you it will continue to grow in strength. That is because it shall force all of your face up Insect-type monsters into Attack mode, and thanks to the Light of Intervention and DNA Surgery combination I played earlier, you cannot play anything in defense mode! And I probably should mention that my rarest card gains a 500 point power boost for every Insect monster it destroys!" Another annoying cackle made itself known as the creature exuded a powerful pheromone across the playing field, thereby forcing Yusuke's Kotodama into an attack position. "I could attack your fairy right now, Urameshi, but since it will soon become another vital piece of my plan, I will spare it and end my turn. And remember, with this turn you now only have three in which to stop my ultimate monster!"
Another card drawn on Yusuke's part, and while it could not directly help him, it would come in handy soon enough. "I'm sorry to say that this duel is far from over, Weevil. You see, I myself have a trick or two of my own, and once this plan works, your Insect Princess will be nothing but a pile of ashes, so I shall activate the Magic card, Pot of Greed, allowing me to draw two more cards from my deck, and they are just the ones I needed to win this duel. First off, I will summon Raicho in attack mode." The creature that now stood before them was a powerfully built warrior in Bronze Age Chinese armor, the only unusual characteristic being that it had a hound's head. (1900/1400) But before the creature morphed into it's insect form it created an orb of lightning that laced into Yusuke's hand. "The special effect of Raicho states that I can perform another Normal Summon if I summon this creature. For that move, I will summon the second monster I need, Raiju!" This thunder incarnate was a mounted warrior that looked exactly like Attila the Hun, except for the fact that it had three pairs of demon wings behind it. (2400/400) "Powerful as my latest creature is, it requires a tribute of 700 life points to summon it, but such a cost is minimal compared to what I shall accomplish for it. (3300/3200) "For my next move, I will activate the Magic card, Spiritual Settlement Machine! As long as said card remains face up on my side of the field, all of my Spirit monsters can remain on the field after summoning."
"GAH! That means my entire plan is rubbish!"
"Exactly. But I'm afraid it only gets worse from here. In order for me to activate my Machine, I need to discard one card from my hand, and it was just the card I needed to get rid of. In that way, I could resurrect it using the Magic card, Groundbreaking, so say hello to the last of the Thunder Lords, Raijin!" The third and final Spirit was armored in a heavy suit of stone Japanese armor, with a gigantic glass orb set into the center. The creature itself was a cross between a man and a reptile. (2300/700) "And now that I have all 3 of the Thunder Lords on the field, I can sacrifice their energies to call upon the monster known as Raiden, the Thunder God!" As this final command was issued, all three of the spirits leapt into the sky, and were instantly absorbed in a gigantic bolt of lightning, as their various armors swirled and writhed until a second strip crashed unto the world. And from the crater emerged a new beast. Completely encased in Japanese ceremonial robes of the purest white, the human-like creature had a youthful face, like an ageless warrior. In one hand it held the sacred scriptures of it's people, while the other gripped onto a golden staff that sporadically sent out a jolt of electricity. (3300/2500) "However, my creature cannot attack until my next move, so I will end my turn." Upon this declaration, Raiden developed moth wings and multifaceted eyes due to the DNA Surgery.
"Very well, Urameshi, it's my move!" As Weevil drew his final card, his eyes nearly burst free of their sockets. "HA! It's time to place the final component in my plan, Urameshi, for I activate the Magic card, Insect Barrier! As Wheeler certainly can tell you, this powerful web prevents all Insect-type monsters on your side of the field from attacking me, and also keep in mind that my DNA Surgery is still in place, making all monsters you control insects! So even if your monsters are on the field after summoning, they will not be able to attack. Safe in this thought, I end my turn." But as Weevil passed the count onto Yusuke, the Kotodama he had played three turns ago began to grasp it's head in pain while infinite swellings and spasms wracked it's figure. Blood poured out of it's eyes and mouth as it expanded and stretched, until the very skin began to crack.
"Oh, I nearly forgot, Urameshi, it has been three turns since my Parasite Caterpillar infected your monster, and now the time has come! Emerge, my Poison Moth!"
To Be Continued
Ok, due to the great length of this chapter, I have moved some components to next chapter.
Speaking of which, chapter 27 will finally see Roger and Inuyasha duel, Kachikachi and another enemy are introduced, Naraku is explained to Yami, and Kaiba deals with his new problems.
Remember to READ AND REVIEW! I'll update as soon as possible!