Disclaimer: How many times must we go down this route?
Ok, in our last venture to the fic world, we discovered that Kikyo is not as icy-hearted as once was believed, and in the same line we opened the long-awaited duel between Yami and Kachikachi. Also, Kaiba was reduced to 200 of his former life points, but in the process managed to activate his Legendary Dragon, Critias. Joey also ran into serious trouble in his opening moves against Chu, as Tea and Inuyasha began a rather bizarre relationship, while Roger Smith collected his prize. And most importantly, the dark spirit that has been struggling to control Hiei made significant headway in that regard.
This chapter will finally start the duel between samurai and Pharaoh, while an ancient god of Egypt is revealed to Inuyasha and Tea that will open a new line of problems. The rescuer of the negotiator will be revealed, Naraku begins his plan of attack, the duel between Kaiba and Sango ends, and Kagome calms down and considers her situation.
Let's start the show!
Chapter 31: A Gateway between Eras: Enter Anubis
Yami's Hotel Room
To say that the exit of Kikyo's reincarnation was a dignified event is, in the most simple of terms, an outright lie.
Her heart having been ripped to pieces for a second time at the hands of Kikyo, and her own self-confidence torn asunder with it, Kagome was in no position to expect any form of grace from her own person at this time. Yet it was an uphill struggle she was more than willing to endure. After all, had she not undergone this exact same torture with Inuyasha a number of times a year back? As if that was not enough incentive to control her cascading tears, she still had Hiei and possibly Naraku to contend with, and both showed no mercy in times of battle.
But in relation to the past between her and the hanyou, there was one major difference; while Kagome had been in love with the dog demon, something had been missing from that relationship. It had been impossible to pin down exactly, but what she did know was that the emotion she was feeling was not true love, not the love that drives the bittersweet recipients to near madness in an attempt to find that one person meant to be with him or her for all of eternity.
Yami no Yuugi, despite his half-mortal existence, had been that person for her.
Kagome was mere seconds from running back, back to that hospital ward, and back into the arms of the one who had given her all the kindness and happiness she could ever have desired. And despite this inclination she could not bring herself to do that. Call it stubbornness, misplaced pride, or whatever you so choose, but Kikyo's single kiss had broken her faith in the Pharaoh.
But was all of this really required? She had heard many stories in the past, on account of her parent's messy divorce, that basically iterated the same idea; if even a single kiss passes the lips of your boyfriend and it did not land on your own, he should be discarded. Yet all the while, Kagome had believed in trust and love, constantly stating her conviction that in the end, if two people really loved each other, then that affection would conquer all.
And now what was she doing? Over one single kiss she had tossed aside her soul mate. There was no doubt in her mind, not anymore, and even as she stood the miko had started to regret her harsh accusations. Yami had been in pain, was close to a mental breakdown when she left him, and it was not an emotion she was unfamiliar with.
No. What have I done?
Something had triggered within her on that emotionally turbulent day, some previously untapped sense of regret and self-hatred that had been festering within the bowels of her heart since this entire conflict had begun. It was almost as though an overpowering truth that should have been obvious from the very beginning was just now coming down upon her head, and only upon seeing this fact could she truly forgive him.It was in that moment, the final seconds of her unbridled hatred of the spirit of the Sennen Puzzle, that Kagome recalled the horrible things she had said to him. The Pharaoh himself had knelt before her, begged her forgiveness, and like a child she had cast him aside.
And a new problem had arisen due to this sudden epiphany of the heart; had she been so unjust, so totally wicked that the most wonderful man she had ever met would not so readily accept her as she was about to? After the terrible words that had been smashed across his face as though he was an infidel dog, could he even consider forgiving her?
"No. It...it can't be over. Not now, not after all the two of us have gone through. I...I just won't accept it. He'll take me back, he just has to..."
Time, much like her rapidly crumbling heart, was beginning to collapse around her. Kagome simply could not handle even the slightest possibility that Dark Yugi would reject her like she did. The odds against reconciliation were vast, much larger than any other probability she had to consider in this tournament, but perhaps in some infinitesimal way Yami could take her back, and with their combined dueling skills they could demolish Hiei. Then it was back to the normalcy of the present day, and once there she could finally have the one thing she'd desired from the beginning.
"Maybe it's time I swallow my pride for once and go back to him, if he'll accept my apologies. After all, he was the first guy I've ever met who actually tried to understand me and my problems. He's kind, just, intelligent, tough, everything I've always wanted, and I know he feels the same way about me."
Presuming, of course, that he survives his next duel...
The sudden appearance of a dark and vaguely familiar voice had begun to resound in her head, and although she could not actually hear the words, she could kind of sense them and their meanings. The voice itself was cold, colder than anything she had ever felt in either of her lives, and yet hidden beneath that nonchalant veneer was a shrieking chord of insanity, roaring out to every moral fiber within the person that heard it. That first sentence alone was enough to make Kagome nauseous.
Once again my presence frightens you, Kagome, and frankly I tire of your involvement in this tournament, or should I say, MY tournament. The only reason you are even alive is the simple purpose of finding the final jewel shard. Beyond that, I might find a few other uses for you, but after that I will discard you like the reeking slab of meat you are.
"Hiei. I should've guessed you'd be here."Who said I was in this hotel? I'm not stupid enough to tell you where my exact location is, but take comfort in the fact that I am in the city and not in my unassailable fortress in Spirit World. But I digress; I am merely sending you this message to negotiate a deal of sorts. And I know that your loyalties to the Pharaoh and Inuyasha are far more important to you than any money on Earth, but what I had in mind was slightly more...personal.
"What the heck do you want from me? You've already ruined my family, and rumor has it that you've got Sango and Miroku working for you, so give me one good reason why I should even consider helping you."
On the other end of this telepathic conversation emerged a vicious laugh, high-pitched yet brutal, the kind that would make you vomit bile.
As if you had a choice in the matter. Once again, you naively ignore the rather important factor that in this tournament, I'm holding all of the cards, no pun intended. What you saw in Tokyo was nothing compared to what I am capable of. If I so chose I could wipe away this pathetic city, and with it remove all evidence that you even existed. But every one of you has been granted some divine protection from my ultimate fury; make no mistake, my servants will carve you all apart like a game bird, yet my hands cannot be sullied until the time is right. My strength is vast, yet largely unrefined, and that is where you come in.
As the three-eyed devil continued to rave about his ultimate strength, Kagome in her turn strode over to the windowpane, very tempted to leap out of it. Hiei was having an adverse effect on her, and it was all she could do not to kill herself. "What do you want?"Very little, in comparison to what you will receive. You not only have the skill to detect hidden shards of the Shikon no Tama, but you are also closest to King Yami himself, and all his friends on account of that. I need you to murder every one of them, and bring their rotting corpses to my doorstep.
"HOW DARE YOU?!!!"Please do not raise your voice to me, young Kagome. Again you forget my influence in this city; on my command the entire military police could find these people and cut them down. And as for Yami, I will crush his soul in the palm of my hand and quench my ever-growing thirst with his and Inuyasha's blood. Their heads will become public displays on my wall, and their bodies will be tossed into the Ogre's dens for them to feast upon like the savages they are...
"STOP IT!!! SHUT UP, YOU MONSTROUS PIECE OF SHIT!!!"Now incensed to the point of outright wrath, the once calm miko went into a berserk rage, tossing anything she could find at the wall in an attempt to silence the beast talking to her. Yet if anything it only made the situation worse, for soon enough her larynx felt constricted in an abnormal way, like it was being slowly crushed by an iron vise.
Mind what you say around me, Kagome, or about me for that matter, and never forget that I can read every thought of yours. And also keep this in mind; I am operating this tournament, this city, and this world, so you are nothing more than a puppet. And just so we are on the same page, I highly doubt that the Pharaoh will survive this final match.
"What?"Quite correct. He is, as we speak, about to enter a duel with the swordsman Kachikachi, and his skills are unlike anything Yami has seen before. He will be shattered from this world forever, but don't think you'll miss him too much; you'll get to lick his blood off of the floor, and you'll get a complimentary cut of his flesh to dine upon. And then, nothing will stop me from attaining ultimate might; soon, you shall all be buried in oblivion WHILE I RULE THE WORLD AS GOD!!!
And with a booming laugh that could make the strongest man weep, Hiei vanished from her mind. But his removal was by no means comforting, and soon enough Kagome was sobbing uncontrollably in her bed, heart bleeding and torn."Yami..."
Yami vs. Kachikachi
"I shall start this duel, Pharaoh." The first card was drawn, the beginning of this final battle between the titans of a past time. "I'll start by placing two cards face down, and summoning Orichalcos Shadow in attack mode." The first monster was what could only be described as a swirling fog of deepest black, and what could have been a devilish entity crouching deep within it. (1000/1000) "And just to make sure that I gain an early lead, I'll activate my Quick Attack Magic card, that will allow my monster to attack you directly even though it is your first turn!" As the Magic resolved, the dark wraith seeped into the floor, and within a second it loomed up behind the ancient ruler and swiped at his back with a jagged claw. Even with such a weak attack as this, it was enough to draw blood from the wound. (3000/4000) "That will end my turn."
"Alright, it's my turn!" Damn it! I was hoping to get through the first without losing any life points, and from this perspective it's going exactly as he wants. Well, he made one huge error; his Orichalcos Shadow is almost powerless, and once I remove those face down cards he'll be wide open for an attack!
I will start my turn by placing two cards face down as well, and summoning Beta the Magnet Warrior in attack mode!" The second of the three lettered magnetic soldiers was a thin, metallic creature with a hefty magnetic set of shield and broadsword. "And just to make sure that your face down cards aren't traps, I'll activate this Magic card, Mystical Space Typhoon, on your face down card to the right." Just as the king of antiquity had designated, Kachikachi's second face down card was lanced by a bolt of lightning, and just as swiftly it was dissolved. "Now, Beta the Magnet Warrior, destroy his Orichalcos Shadow with Sweeping Electron Sword!" The cold technological mind of the magnet warrior responded, and charged up the sword it held with negative electrical energy, and was about to swipe away at the shadows when it was bound by thirty black chains that found root in the depths of Hell. Yet the chains were not simply there to bind, for a small volt of the blackest magic curled from these shackles into the warrior and aged it. (700/1700)"It looks like you've made a very large mistake, Pharaoh, and quite possibly the most crucial! When you tried that pathetic attempt on my life points I activated the Shadow Spell trap card, which stopped your monster's attack and dropped it by 700 points, meaning my life points remain untouched while yours are about to take a very steep drop."
He seems a lot tougher this time around; normally he wouldn't have anything like that set up for at least a few more turns. "Fine. I will end my turn there."
"Another turn wasted on your part, and gained on mine! My next move will incorporate my Orichalcos Shadow's special effect, which allows me to sacrifice it and then control every monster of one archetype I choose. And in this case, I'll pick your Magnet Warrior." The once vile-looking fiend was reconstructing itself, into a crude, smoky imitation of the Orichalcos Seal, and was absorbed by Beta, who gained a mist-like aura and went to Kachikachi's side of the field. Next, I will sacrifice your Warrior to summon my Orichalcos Titan in attack mode." As stated, the Warrior was soaked into the faux marble ground, and was in it's turn replaced by a lumbering giant whose arms hung like sacks of rocks, yet were weighted with steel and lined with chains. It seemed to be hewn of a smooth malachite, while it's eyes were cobalt in nature. In both of it's hands was an ancient spiked mace, and embossed on it's chest was a glowing Seal of Orichalcos. (2300/1000) "Now, Orichalcos Titan, mount a direct attack on his life points!" Even if this attack doesn't win the duel, Yami will be severely injured, enough so for the darkness to overtake him completely.
"I'm afraid that your titan won't be doing a lot of damage to me! Activate the Trap card, Reduction Barrier! When triggered, any damage done to me from an attack is cut down to one tenth of the attack strength." Although the Titan did strike the Nameless One, a glowing silver barrier stopped the brunt of the assault, and it was as if he had simply been struck with an eraser shaving. (2770/4000)
"Impressive, Pharaoh, but remember that I still control this duel. So I shall place one more card face down to end my turn."
"And I draw yet again. Now I shall activate this Magic card, Graceful Charity, to draw three cards at the price of any others from my hand. Next, I will summon..."
"Not so fast, Pharaoh! I activate the Trap card I played at the end of my last turn, Non-Aggression Area! When activated, I am allowed to discard one card from my hand, after which you cannot normal summon anything during this turn!"
"Who said I was going to normal summon anything? I activate the Magic card, Black Luster Ritual, which will allow me to sacrifice any number of monsters whose level is 8 or more, and luckily for me, I have Valkyrion the Magna Warrior to fulfill that role! And thanks to the effect of Black Luster Ritual, I can special summon the Black Luster Soldier from my hand!"
As he had stated, Valkyrion, a massive form of magnetic warlord that seemed constructed of the various components of the three individual magnet warriors, was absorbed into the twin torches that surrounded what appeared to be a gateway held together by an ancient crest, but this passage into another realm was about to be torn asunder. For as soon as the Magna Warrior's life force was absorbed by the ritual, the path to the realms of fused light and darkness began to creak and shimmer, until the twin doors burst open and sent a beam of an ancient and powerful witchery high into the darkness, and from this portal emerged what could only be described as the ultimate warrior. The mighty soldier that emerged was about eight feet tall, yet built like the strongest of gladiators, his armor was gilt black steel, as was his shield, and the sword which he clasped was a wickedly curved fusion of claymore and cutlass elements. (3000/2500) "Now, Black Luster Soldier, demolish his Orichalcos Titan with Chaos Blade!" The titan, however frightened of the warlord that was dominating the field, charged recklessly forward with clubs twisting in it's hands, and brought both of it's weapons down hard on the Soldier. But try as it might, the goliath could not break down the shield his nemesis had set up. Now ready to end the battle, the Black Luster Soldier forced the Titan off of him, and in one solid sweep sliced the beast diagonally in half. (2770/3300) Satisfied, he now turned to Kachikachi...and bit his thumb in that general direction. "I'll then place one card face down to end my turn."
"Again, my hats off to you, Atem, but sadly your Black Luster Soldier will not be around to entertain us for very much longer. So I will start this next move by activating a Magic card, Pot of Greed, which will allow me to draw two new cards. Next, I shall place one monster on the field in defense mode, followed by one card face down, to end my turn."
Another face down card? What is he planning this time?
"Well, it's my turn yet again. But explain something to me first, Kachikachi. Who is this "Sesshomaru" that you are so desperate to annihilate, and more importantly, how did you figure out that Kagome and I were together? I would have sensed you watching me, so you must have gotten help from an outside source.""So you finally figured it out, Yami. Well, Sesshomaru is a matter of my own personal life, but as for my "outside source", he is much more powerful than you can imagine. Let's leave it at that."
"Fine. Now, just to make sure that the face down card you just played isn't another Trap card, I'll summon my Breaker the Magical Warrior to the field in attack position, and I'll discard the counter attached to him to destroy that face down card of yours." The mighty, crimson-armored warrior mage, (1600/1000), placed one of the magical orbs from his armor onto his sword, and using the magical energies that came from this action he charged and carved apart the face down card. "Now, Breaker the Magical Warrior, destroy his defense monster!" But as the magical swordsman was about to end the life of yet another monster, the card itself flipped up, and a figure completely sealed in darkness, save for its two claws humming with demon energy, leapt out and began to stalk the field.
"The monster you just attacked is a very interesting monster called Night Assailant, and when flipped face up, even by an attack, it can automatically destroy one monster on your side of the field, and the monster I've selected is your damnable soldier. Night Assailant, destroy that eyesore of a warrior for me." Not heeding the other swordsman, the stealthy assassin moved with unexpected speed, about the same as that of Hiei, towards the towering Black Luster Soldier, and sent about fifty darts into his neck. These darts, tipped with a special hallucinogen, were enough to put the soldier into a stupor, upon which the assailant leapt into the air and slashed open his enemy's throat, and the jugular in the process, spilling pints of blood all about the arena. Yet just as the Night Assailant was about to turn back to his side of the field when the mighty blade of Breaker sliced him in half. The two halves, in turn, slithered away into oblivion.
"Very well, then. I end my turn."
"Right. Then it is my move yet again." As Kachikachi drew his next card, the Pharaoh and his counterpart felt a dark and overwhelming presence over the field, pressing down on them and their hearts. Even Kikyo was slightly unnerved by the sudden change in mood, as was made obvious by her motion of clasping her heart.
"I can see you are reacting adversely to the card I now hold in my hand, and I have yet to even play it. But you both have very good reason to be afraid."
From above, an unsettling green light had begun to descend upon the field, as Kachikachi slipped his latest card into the Field Magic Slot.
"And now, the time has come to activate the most powerful magic card in my entire deck, a force so overwhelming and ancient that not even Kikyo's Sacred Arrow could pierce it's barrier. So come forth, Seal of Orichalcos!"
And as Kachikachi stated this, the clouded heights of the Shadow Realm gave way to a massive, iridescent green circle that slowly, in an almost sinister fashion, came down onto the arena. Even Kikyo knew what this meant.
"Yami! Get out of there!"
"I'm afraid it's too late, Priestess. The might of the Atlantean seal has been called, and there is no way any of us can flee it's all-encompassing force!"
The circle, now fully descended, soon developed it's own personal force field, which the undead shrine priestess began to beat upon, screaming.
"YAMI!!!"
But neither duelist responded; the rest of the world was locked away from them, and now the time had come. As every line of the complex seal crossed their paths, as every Greek and Latin symbol set itself up, and as a much smaller version of this crest assimilated on Kachikachi's forehead, they both knew what was about to happen: one would live, the other would die.
"Playtime is over, Pharaoh. Now, the duel begins..."
Warehouse where we left Roger
For the duration of a moment, for that exact second, there was no sound at all.
It never became clear to Roger whether this tomb-like silence had been a psychosomatic creation, spawned from the high tension beneath which his already strained mind, but what was absolutely certain is that all sound waves ceased to activate the nerves in his ear drums for that one unit of time. This duel, the immense stress he had undergone in only a matter of a half hour or so, and the sudden reappearance of a creature he was sure had been laid to rest seven years ago, it was all enough to drive him to the brink of insanity. But for that brief period, for the first time in over a decade, Roger Smith, Paradigm City's top negotiator, and the self-proclaimed master of the Machine deck, was at peace.
Yet this serenity was not to last for very long.
"It has indeed been a long time...Master Roger."
The voice has changed a lot in seven years time. It seems more grizzled, with a tang of bitterness at the world, but in it's very core it is still sadly loyal and submissive. Looks like the old bastard survived.
He did not need to turn to recognize that voice, to know who it belonged to. But Roger faced his old friend anyway. He was an old man, slightly taller than most, with absolutely no hairline to speak of and a gray handlebar mustache that spiked out near the chin. His left eye was of a deep brown color, and the right eye...well, it didn't exist, but the socket was covered by a black medical eye patch. To this day he was still dressed in the old-fashioned black butler's uniform, coattails included."You have no idea how great it is to see you, Norman." And in the old manner, sentimental and yet still professional, the two colleagues gave the other a firm handshake.
"The same sentiments, Master Roger. As you requested in your final communication to me, the Griffon has been brought around to the front of the warehouse, and I managed to find the closest apartment possible to your original one. Unfortunately, we could not get one on Tanzanite Avenue, given the recent massacres there."
"Very well, then. I have some time to prepare for my next duel anyways."
"I watched the entire match, sir. Your father would have been proud."
Roger afforded himself a smirk as he walked out, thinking fondly of his father and his renown in the game of Duel Monsters. He had a lot of things going for him, back in the old days, when these complications had yet to arise and when the events of 47 years ago were lost to oblivion.
As the negotiator stepped out into the light, he looked with a fatherly pride at his father's second gift to him, a large, black Mercedes Benz he had nicknamed the Griffon, as the decorative hood ornament suggested. He was, for the most part, almost home; it may have been miles away and above his original hometown, but it was the thought that counted.
"Take us to the apartment, Norman."
"Yes sir."
Even though it was not Roger that turned the ignition for almost a decade, the V12 engine roared into life as though it had been brought home fresh from the dealership, or in his case the custom car shop he controlled. It was a welcome sound, one that he had dreamed about hearing all these years. But this resonation was soon lost amid the shuffle of the city, gleaming in the afternoon sun; he had never seen such a pristine example of a metropolis in all of his life.
Yet beneath this veneer of grandeur was a familiar tone, some spark of recognition that seemed not to be significant at first, but would later be understood as the most important sensation he had ever felt. Even as his head lay on the plate glass like a soft pillow he watched the streets go speeding past him, the people happier than any he had met in Paradigm City. As his eyes followed, as best as they could, the examples of street life and the fools who had no idea of the ambrosia they were feasting upon, he was slowly drawn into the heart of this phoenix-like world. His tormented psyche was uplifted, as he watched fleeting images of the Hellfire Tournament, the paunchy vendor announcing his wares all about the sidewalks, a toddler gurgling with pleasure as his mother handed him a balloon, a red one, in fact.
The fact that it looked a lot like a tomato only bothered him for a second or so.
This city of amnesia, this once decrepit old man in a planet of giants, what happened to it since I fled like a coward seven years ago? How did we rebuild ourselves from the Armageddon I once saw, and have we truly uncovered the secrets of the times before The Event, or are we still puppets on a string, as Schwarzvald called us?
Hiei, with all of his knowledge and his near infinite might, has no idea of what it must have been like for these people to endure over forty years without knowing what or who they were. We lived for decades, barely able to survive, unaware of the world around us all, and vice versa. My city, the City of Forgetfulness, was the one place that Time forgot, and yet, we were content. Sure, our material possessions were almost nonexistent near the end, but it sure beats the Hell I'm going through...
He was sick of it all, his heart having grown callous and bitter as his exile and just about everything else. To him, the humans were just as good as chimpanzees, hardly capable of communication or intellect. Only one person he'd known was perfect, and she wasn't even a human.
What about the others I've joined, though? Kaiba, Yugi, Yusuke, Joey, and that dog demon, Inuyasha. They didn't seem to mind that I was coming with them from an entirely different perspective of life, that I was from an entirely different generation. So why, why can't I trust anyone?
Because they could have helped. The humans were alive when Dorothy was pinned beneath that scrap metal, so why couldn't they have lifted a finger to get her out. And he could not forget his own nightmare at their hands; he saved their damn lives, and they banished him from the city.Yet there were a few people he dared to put his faith in. And the person he needed to see right now was not one of them.
"Did I get any attempts at communication while I was gone, Norman?"
The butler and confidant showed no change in expression as he continued driving.
"Two, sir. Both were from one Caseey Jenkins."
The negotiator had heard that name at least once, but he couldn't quite pin it down to anybody he knew. Until he remembered that one girl, that nightmare of a woman he'd encountered many times all those years beforehand.
"And as you requested, Master Roger, she was escorted to your place of residence upon your return to the city."
"Excellent." Finally, the pieces of his shattered life were falling back into place. And still he kept in mind that two were still missing.
"Master, in case you are interested, the funeral service for Major Dan Dastun will be next week. I assume you shall attend."
"Of course." The poor bastard. Devoted to the Military Police up to the bitter end, and he was cut down, just like that. No one thought that a bunch of street toughs could take down an ex-officer, but it's to be expected. The times are changing, and the world with them...
"We have arrived, sir."And as Norman had said, the car was resting comfortably in front of the building, and she was too.
"So, the prodigal son returns to his father's home after all these years, only to find the world he knew and loved has drastically altered."
He was ready to let it slide this time, for the sake of seeing a familiar face...and a gorgeous figure while he was at it.
"It's great to see you too, Angel."
Kaiba vs. Sango
"As entertaining as this duel has been, Genkai, I am afraid I must bring it to it's last few turns, and this rare magic that I have activated will do that for me. Actually, "rare" does not begin to encompass this card's scarcity, seeing as it is the only one of it's kind in existence. And you are about to witness the reason for it."
"Oh really. Then by all means, show us exactly what your Legendary Dragon can do to save you from the ultimate defeat, at the hands of my greatest apprentice. So far the only worthy play I've seen is you calling forward a few tribute monsters, and from what I've seen, you have nothing left to hide behind save your pathetic Blue Eyes White Dragon. So bring forth this final attack of yours so that I can return to the task of wiping you off this planet once and for all!"
Kaiba, having taken a quick glance at his situation, realized that even with his new dragon on the verge of entering this duel, he would not be able to mount an attack on Sango's penumbral soldier, seeing as the DNA Transplant card she had played altered every monster on the field into a Light attribute. Since that was the type of monster that the Moon Warrior Lady did best against, he would need Sango's cooperation. But all he needed to do was summon his trump monster.
"Now I shall discard the Mirror Force trap card I held in my hand to fulfill the trap discard requirement of the Fang of Critias, and in exchange, I will be allowed to summon the dreaded Mirror Force Dragon to the field!"
The expert Virus Rush duelist let his infamous trap slide into the graveyard pile, and could not help but smile as the same card showed up on the field. Yet this was not to last for very long, for once Critias had recognized the tribute, the Magic card itself transformed itself into a lengthy, ice-crystal sword that rained forth from the skies above, glistening even in the sub par lighting of this vice-ridden tavern.
"Critias, take the tribute I have offered up to thee, and become that which my will dictates! COME FORTH TO THE PLAYING FIELD AND BRING ME VICTORY, MIRROR FORCE DRAGON!!!"
The sword began to descend, painfully lengthy in that respect.
The time has at long last arrived for my triumph over Hiei's incompetent drones, and it is indeed a triumph that shall remain sweet in my mouth for many years to come. Once I prove to these idiots that there is no duelist on Earth that can defeat me, the bastard child of a tyrant will have to face me himself instead of hiding behind his lieutenants. And when all is said and done with him, I'll go after Yugi Mouto, and I will finally reclaim that glorious position as the number one duelist in the world. With Botan then back at my side, there is no one that will defeat me.
The silence in the room was overpowering. Nobody dared speak, breath, or even blink for fear of missing the greatest duel that they had ever seen, as the Critias incarnation finally reached it's target, and once card and ice had come to unison, a rift in existence shrieked open, and both were drawn into the vortex. Even from Genkai's point of view could be seen a chaotic maelstrom of colors, lights, and sounds that few had ever lived to experience.Yet from this portal into Paradise was to emerge one of the darkest monsters that ever graced this Earth.
The roars that heralded the onset of such a beast were unlike those of Kaiba's other dragons. It was a cacophony of high-pitched yelps and long-drawn out screeches that would make the hair of the dead stand on end. A fitting overture for the dragon that hovered out of the vortex. It was indeed a massive wyrm with skin of deepest black and wings that spread out enough to shade the entire field, while it's claws hung menacingly, ready to carve open the hearts of men and feast upon them. Eyes of cold iron looked at the wire of the DNA Transplant that hooked into him, and he snorted in outright disgust. (2800/2500)
Kaiba had summoned one of the deadliest monsters in the game...and Sango started laughing.
"HA!!! Seto, I love you dearly, but this has got to the most idiotic attempt at victory that I have ever seen! What kind of a defense are you setting up? This creature cannot hope to survive against my Moon Warrior Lady!"
"Open your eyes, Sango! My Dragon is in attack mode!"
This new piece of information took a couple minutes to sink in with everyone, and even after that point they were in utter shock of the massive oversight in Kaiba's plan. On every tongue save one, the same words spewed forth: how stupid is this guy?
Only Genkai knew the truth in Kaiba's strategy. It was simply common sense, and unless the demon exterminator saw that obvious fact as well, she would be slaughtered.
"Just to make certain of my victory, I will switch my Blue Eyes into defense mode and end my turn." On his command, the first of the dragons knelt into a fetal position and wrapped it's armored wings around itself.
"Very well. If you really want to lose this duel, I will grant your wish. And speaking of that, I believe it has been my second turn since I activated my Different Dimension Capsule, and now I shall take the card I removed from play, the Axe of Despair!" Upon this new command, the massive entombment spat out her card and placed it into her hand before crumbling away. "Now I shall equip it to my Moon Warrior Lady to boost her attack by 1000 points, and thanks to my DNA Transplant on the field, its power will jump to 4100 when it strikes!" As soon as the equip was activated, the lunar mercenary abandoned her shield in favor of the occult-looking hatchet her mistress had played. (3100/1000) "NOW, MY MOON WARRIOR LADY, DELIVER THE FINAL BLOW AND END THIS DUEL!!! DESTROY SETO'S MIRROR FORCE DRAGON WITH ECLIPSE EVISCERATION!!!"
Damn it! She took Kaiba's bait, and unless she's got something to counter that fact or to summon on her next Main Phase...
Yet it seemed that Genkai's fears were not to be realized, as the mighty warrior bore down on the satanic dragon...until the same golden force that was called upon when Mirror Force is activated surrounded Kaiba and his dragons, and sent the full fury of the Moon Warrior Lady's attack against her, every streak of energy slicing her flesh and rending bone until all that was left was a blazing pile of blood and nerves."WHAT?! HOW COULD YOU HAVE DONE THIS?! YOU SENT YOUR TRAP TO THE GRAVEYARD!!!"
"Oh, did I? As your "mentor", if you could call her that, must know, I did not send my Trap to oblivion. In fact, I reincarnated it in another form, a phenomenon you most certainly are familiar with. Allow me to explain: as it's name implies, the Mirror Force Dragon contains within it the ability to defend itself from any attack, as well as the added effect of destroying all of your face up monsters on the field!"
Now of the impression that Genkai had led her into the attack, Sango turned towards her old ally and mentor. "Why didn't you tell me about the Dragon's abilities?! I have no monsters in my hand, and the only creature I had left was wiped out in one move!"
"I think it seemed fairly obvious what Kaiba intended to do from the start! Only a complete dumbass would try to destroy a creature whose name is, oh I don't know, the same as a deadly trap!"
"You could have told me about it!" Now returning to the field of battle, the heart-stopping butcher tried to reason with her fixation turned arch-rival. "Seto, please, don't do this to me. I've never won anything before, so find it in your heart to..."
"Sango. Perhaps you haven't realized this, so let me make it clear enough for even your feeble mind to understand. You are my enemy, on and off the field, so do not attempt to sweet talk me into sparing you in this match."
"Fine. I will end my turn."
"Perfect. Now, it is time for me to end this duel for good. MIRROR FORCE DRAGON, DESTROY SANGO'S LIFE POINTS WITH BLACK IRIDESCENT LIGHTNING!"
The moment had arrived, the end of the duel, and the Mirror Force Dragon could not have been happier to bring it about. Now full ready to shatter the lives of many, the slight sound of an evil cackle came from it's lips as it powered up an orb of shadow magic that, at the exact same moment, shined as though it were a brilliant star, and for that one instance there was no emotion at all on the field save regret.
I'm sorry, Miroku...
But her apology was unheard as every ounce of black necromancy hurtled forth, and crashed into her chest while hurling her to the other end of the room. (200/0)"The duel is over, Genkai. Now, if you will excuse me..."
But just as he was about to claim what he had earned in blood and sweat in that grueling duel, the fragile psychic strode over towards her fallen protege. Even though she had gone to immense trouble training this ward of the state, Genkai still looked upon her with outright hatred.
Sango, on the other hand, looked up into the eyes of her so-called instructor with deep respect and repentance.
"Genkai, please, have mercy..."
"Why? Why should I spare your life, considering I made perfectly clear that the loser would suffer a horrific end?" Spirit energy had begun to collect at both of her palms. "Now, DIE!!!" And with that, the full power of the Spirit Wave Technique was called upon, as pulse after pulse of this terrible might consumed the slayer, as her skin blackened and cracked, and as the blood that was once pure and wholesome became splattered all over the floor. Satisfied, she tossed Sango's tournament key and rarest card towards Kaiba, and walked towards the end of the bar. "Goodbye, Seto Kaiba. We will encounter each other again; let us hope it is not in the arena."
In his turn, Kaiba strode out as well, feet barely making a sound as he solemnly trudged into the surprisingly harsh light, hand wrapped around his prize and yet feeling strangely empty. Surely this was not the case. He should have been happy; Sango had finally been vanquished, Genkai had seen his powers, so why wasn't he content?
Because she's not here. Without Botan around, it's like my very heart and soul has been extracted. She proved to be the only woman capable of piercing this iron shell, and now it's like she'll never return. I never even got to hold her, to whisper words of compassion where now stands a torrent of longing, and without her warmth I can no longer understand my own. Mokuba should have had a sister, I should have had a wife, and she was the one to fulfill both of those roles, until that murderous son of a bitch stripped her from my arms.
All I needed to be happy was you, Botan. All I needed was you...
His heart constricted, his breath shortened, and Kaiba himself began to beat upon the crumblingstone wall, eyes swelling up with tears of anguish as he realized that his guiding light had been put out forever. Until..."Chin up, Seto. There are a thousand girls out there that are better than me, and you could have any of them."
For only a moment, Kaiba refused to believe what he heard. Could this possibly be true? Has she returned? His heart began to race wildly at the very thought; it was what he'd wanted, but after what happened between Minamoto and himself, how could she possibly be here to see him again?
"Don't worry about her, Sango, I mean. To be honest, I can't really blame her for wanting you..."
Now convinced, he turned around to see his beloved, standing right there in the afternoon sun like a goddess sent from above, bright blue hair flowing about her shoulders and a warm smile across her face, a smile that made his heart ache with desire. And unlike the first time the two had met, her face was absolutely flawless. But then again, hadn't it always been so to him?
"Botan. I..."
But before he could continue, his spirit girlfriend placed one index finger upon his lips and winked.
"No need, love. I'm happy to see you, too."
Penthouse, Tanzanite Avenue
Silence. Nothing but silence, as far as the eye can see. No one in their right minds would be enough of an imbecile to come here after what I did to those buffoons at the party. Few know that I am even here, let alone in a position to watch every single one of those baboons. The Pharaoh knows not where I lie, nor does Hiei, and Dartz has no intention of finding my stronghold anyway, so for the most part I am absolutely indomitable until I decide to call myself forth. By then, however, my force shall have revived to the point when I can conquer all of my foes.
Naraku was by no means a man of alcohol; the occasional cup of sake every now and again was enough to console him, unlike Hiei, who drank enough hard liquor to bring an S-Class demon to it's knees. In fact, the only reason that he was not already dead from liver failure was the fact that he held the Shikon no Tama, most of which was stolen from him.A lot of things had altered drastically since the fiasco in Feudal Japan two years ago. For Naraku, it had been a 600 year incarceration in some pit of unrealities and nightmarish beasts the likes of which he had never seen. The fact of the matter was that Hiei had never intended to let the Hell Demon leave the "Shadow Realm," as he had called it, but by pure accident his more loyal incarnation, Kanna of the Void, had been able to release him and one other soul.
To say the very least, Naraku was furious. No one had ever imprisoned him before, let alone actually demolish him in combat. Usually his enemies put up an impressive fight, but Hiei...he had acted like an animal. His speed and strength gave him an unsurpassed edge in battle, but he had not stopped with Naraku's trouncing. He slaughtered all of his minions, save his incarnations, and burned his castle down to the ground.
But in this arena, there would be no such catastrophic failures.
Hiei claimed to be the ultimate Dark duelist, but he had not endured the 30 years of self-torture and brutal training regimens, not only in hand to hand combat but in Duel Monsters, that Naraku had undergone. He was literally undefeated, and in four-fifths of his duels he had crushed his opposition with ease.
One-fifth of the time, he was simply toying with them.
Everything is going exactly as planned. Dartz and his DOOM Organization have no comprehension of what is going on around them, while Sesshomaru will no doubt have found out about Kagura by now and will have gone after Wheeler. Kaiba, while overbearing, is no challenge. Yusuke has no might that I have not extinguished before. Roger is nothing more than a mortal negotiator. Inuyasha I shall personally hack to pieces with some new tricks of my own. And as for Atem and Hiei...well, I will deal with those sons of whores when the time is right.
Turning away from his birds-eye view of New Paradigm, the demon spawned of many more began to sort through his deck, every card looking up at him like a glistening sword, ready to fell as many opponents as it's wielder so chose.Like every sword, his cards and tactics needed constant sharpening and refinement, so he never ceased to duel with everything he had.But on occasion, situations like the Hellfire Tournament would show up, so it is to be expected that Naraku had more than a few agents beneath his dark shade.
"Master Naraku? The others in our battle plan have arrived on schedule."
The merciless killer did not need to face the speaker behind him to know her identity; to be honest, the voice alone was so quiet and yet psychotic that it was one not soon to be forgotten. But he decided to face her anyway.
Had any other person looked at the situation, they would not have believed that the diminutive quasi-albino girl wielding a horribly ornate mirror in which an infinite number of damned souls swimming about in it was of Naraku's blood. But she was, Kanna of the Void, an occult little creature who was there and yet never had any real substance in this plane.
"Very good. Show them in at once."
"No need. We have already entered this rat trap of a meeting room. Why have you called us here, anyway?"
Before the patchwork chimera stood three figures, with a real body, and yet no real heart. The group, hidden in shadows, was set up in order of size, starting from a petite woman to the far left, a lean man wearing a shoddy cloak, and a goliath of a male with arms not unlike tree trunks.
That was all could be determined from this perspective, yet Naraku knew them all by heart.
"Perfect. I see you have all arrived here as planned, but like any of the masters you had I am not one for pleasantries. One of your group served beneath my thumb once before, so she can tell you exactly what is going on.
"At any rate, my assignment for you is simple: while I deal with Yami and the other heads of our opposition, you three shall remove the slag from the tournament. Focus on Yami's compatriots at first, then deal with the Black Shadow and DOOM. Your decks have been rearranged from the mess you brought before me, and I am almost certain that even you imbeciles can accomplish this. Now, go forth and destroy our mutual enemies."
And with this one command the three slipped deep into the shadows, while Naraku opened a bottle of "hybrid sake"; basically he laced it with rum. As the burning liquid moved into his throat and grew cold in his body, a burning question was about to come the opposite route, from his smaller companion.
"Master Naraku, why did you let my sister die?"
"A good question, Kanna, and one I shall let Sesshomaru ask as well. You may not have noticed it, but he had started to develop feelings for that insolent wench before Hiei came into the picture, and my plan..."
"Yes?"
"My plan is to let Sesshomaru wreak vengeance on the Pharaoh."
New Paradigm Museum
It's come down to the line, hasn't it?
As Inuyasha began to polish his father's sword with antiquated lacquer oil, he began to think about exactly how accurate his latest idea had been. So far, there had been no attempts on his life save Yoko's pathetic attack, so there was little to have worried about in that respect. His deck, now massively improved thanks to his latest monster, was perfectly functional, and the Tetsuaiga was back where it belonged. So why did he feel...odd, for lack of a better word to describe it?It was a simple solution, much easier to find than the answers to his own self doubt. Tea had been on his mind for quite a while, which is not too surprising considering that the two had gotten very intimate in only a half hour or so. They both knew everything about the other and their past experiences, and they were kindred spirits in the fact that both had, at one time, pined for an ancient spirit long since dead.
But it still felt unusual for the dog demon, falling for a human girl that wasn't connected to Kikyo in any way, shape, or form.
Two years. Two years since Kagome went down that Bone Eater's Well and came out in my era, and I'm still reeling from the outcome of that meeting. The only reason I even let her pal around with me was to find the jewel shards, and yet that turned into something more. So why shouldn't I fall for Tea?
Why not, he figured? She was kind, courageous, seeing as she stood against the wrath of the Windscar, brilliant, and, on a personal note, beautiful. Not in a slutty kind of way, but in the route of classy and refined, although she could easily satisfy the more...primal appetites...But now was not the time to be thinking about that, given what he'd learned about the self-proclaimed "Demon God" and his army of psychotic warmongers. Hiei was not one to let defeat slide off his back; in only an hour or so this place would be completely surrounded with his goons. Sure, Inuyasha could get out, but could she?
He needed to move, and swiftly. And Tea would come with him.
"Anzu? Ready to hit the road?"
And sure enough she was stepping out of another exhibit, pushing that vibrant chestnut hair out of her eyes in a way enough to make Inuyasha choke.
"Yep. I've just gotta get a few things first."
So saying, she strode over to the windowsill where they had entered that engrossing conversation, and picked up her purse and cell phone.
He's looking at me again. I can feel it, and at the same time I like it. He really is an awesome guy, one I'd like to know a little better. Who knows, maybe when this is all over we could get something to eat back in Domino, presuming he sticks around long enough.
The wheels were in motion, love was in every breath that the two partook of, and beneath all of this a darkness was starting to fester."Hey, Inuyasha, ready yet?"
"I've been ready for a while now. What took you so long?"
Playful annoyance. It had been a while since she'd heard that one.
"Just had to see a few exhibits. It's pretty strange how much this tournament is connected to Egypt in some way. But something just doesn't sit right about this entire ordeal; Hiei just seems to know too much about the Sennen Items and that Shikon Jewel for comfort. I mean, what kind of a...huh?"
Tea, while she had been speaking, had noticed another Egyptian tablet, hidden away from the others due to it's lacking size.
"What is it?"
"Weird. It doesn't really say anything about what it means. It's either a new exhibit which they haven't had time to fully set up, or it's something they don't want people seeing."
Upon looking at it, the demon could easily see why it was concealed. The entire thing was crumbling before their eyes, and the hieroglyphs were completely illegible; whoever had made this had certainly not been skilled in that line of work.
"Can you read that crap? I can barely understand the language in general, and with this piece of garbage I can't discern a thing"
"I can kind of read it. It's telling a story of sorts."
Tea, having been connected to the ancient past, could by right comprehend the text before her, and so began to trace down the rows of Hieratic.
"It talks about the coming of a new era, how the beginning of darkness in that time will call forth the darkness in ours. Every 5000 years a new gate master will come to this Earth; that must mean someone who will unlock the darkness they're talking about."
"This is getting just a little out there."
"Let me finish. It keeps referring to a hierarchy of evils, then it trails off for a bit before ending with the text 'the heart of shadow beats within Anubis'."
"The Egyptian god of embalming?"
"Yeah, or that nutcase that Yugi crushed before the KC Grand Prix. But what could he have to do with this?"
"Nothing. I think this is referring to the god form of Anubis. But what could it...WHAT THE FUCK?!!!"
"What is it?"
"T...Tea, look at that picture at the bottom, and please tell me that's not who I think it is."
"Come on, what is the worse that it could...be..."
As she stared at the same portrait that Inuyasha had been so frightened about, the dancer could not help but feel frightened at the terrible sight before her. The picture itself wasn't too clear, but she could vaguely determine who it was.
"Is that...Hiei?"
To Be Continued
Ok, everybody. This chap is closed.
Right, now as for chapter 33, Yami shall continue to do battle with Kachikachi, but can he contend with the Seal of Orichalcos? Also, Joey continues his match, Kaiba and Botan have an emotional awakening, and Yusuke starts looking for a new enemy. Tea and Inuyasha deal with the shock of finding out Hiei's connection to the ancient ways, and Roger considers his new situation.
Remember, READ, REVIEW, AND DO NOT FLAME!!!