Disclaimer: I own nothing.
Ok, last time around was a pretty significant chapter. Yusuke and Zeru kept up their duel, Raphael began his attack plan, and Kachikachi's tactics brought Yami to the edge of defeat. Also, Kaiba proposed to Botan, Kagome finally sought out the Pharaoh, and Dorothy returned to the picture.
This chapter will cover the final turns of Kachikachi vs. Yami, as well as Botan's response. Kagome is hurled into the tournament, Raphael confronts Inuyasha and Tea, Dorothy and Roger "chat", and Joey ends his duel.
Oh, one more thing. For Joey and Yami's duels, the plus and equal signs wouldn't come up, so for unusually high numbers exceeding 5 digits, add the first 4 numbers to the next 3 to come up with the sum, the last 4.
Chapter 34: Groundbreaking
Yami vs. Kachikachi
"At long last, the end has come! After all of these years cursing your name and all that stand beneath it, I shall have finally defeated the Pharaoh and sealed him within the confines of the Orichalcos! And who would have guessed that my ultimate triumph would be in the same realm in which I was trapped for so very long. Now, Yami, this is the end of our battle; I know for a fact that you have no cards capable of stopping the damage inflicted by my Crucifix, and once my turn begins it shall activate, sending you into oblivion! And don't think I have forgotten Kagome; once this is over, she will be the next to suffer my wrath! So, do you have any last requests, you bastard son of Ra?"
"No. Let's just end this."
"As you wish! I shall draw one card, and let the Orichalcos Crucifix activate! Say goodbye, Atem!"
Just as predicted, the massive cross started to shift, allowing the light of Orichalcos to shine upon Yami's side of the field, while the spikes which had impaled Kachikachi's monster began to extend out of the body. These points then began to grow a razor-like barbing as they converged into a solid lance that hummed with the almost infinite might of Atlantis. Once this component was completed, it began to thrust further out of the body, drawing some trace elements of blood upon it's tip, until such time as this lance hurled itself off of the cross, finally ending the beast's misery.
The barb was following the light of the Orichalcos...right towards Yami.
In that one moment, there was an eerie silence that had sneakily developed on the impromptu arena, breath bated with anticipation, waiting for what would happen as the weapon sped undaunted. No one really wanted to know how it would end, for both parties had too much riding on that one move, but then again had to watch for the exact same reason. No one even paid attention to the hail of spines that had been swatted away by Kachikachi, as per the effect on his life points, for it was the Pharaoh's actions that would define the match.
He took no action, however, and by this notion was impaled by his enemy's ultimate life point burn card. The large spike dug into his chest cavity, just missing his heart, and by the same token pinning him to the Seal's barrier, forcing out massive amounts of blood which pooled at the floor. (0/1400)
Again, there was an unmitigated quiet, as all three of the observers watched Yami slide down, leaving a trail of life fluids; even though it had missed the nucleus of his cardio-vascular system, there was no way he could have survived. "The deed is done, Sesshomaru. I have slain Atem, so you can tell Hiei he can have the Sennen Puzzle if he wants, but keep in mind that I shall go after it. Also bear in thought our original deal; I believed you told me that you would surrender the Tensuaiga to me after the duel was won, along with the Sennen Tauk."
"Very well, Kachikachi. You may expect these items soon enough, but in the meanwhile, we shall have to contend with the Pharaoh's little enthusiast, wouldn't you agree?"
For kneeling by the Seal's edge, eyes gleaming with soon to be shed tears, was the Priestess Kikyo.
"No. Y...Yami, say something, anything. Just don't leave me here..."
That bastard, the artificial woman thought. How could he leave me like this? After all the two had endured at the hands of their greatest enemies, after all the suffering Kachikachi alone had put them through, would this be how it came to a close? Slain in some rat hovel?!
"YOU CAN'T LEAVE ME LIKE THIS, YOU BASTARD!!!" And in the throes of wild hatred and depression, she began to beat upon the Seal yet again, sliding down it's ancient barrier as her tears now flowed like an inexorable waterfall.
But as Kachikachi watched the surprisingly attractive priestess lay bare her emotions, a nagging thought began to crawl out from the back of his mind into the forefront. If he had won the match, which he knew he had to have done, why wasn't the Seal of Orichalcos receding? More importantly, he now could detect a strong shadow magic, the likes of which he had never seen, and no one save the Pharaoh could possibly have control of such a force.
It was now all too clear: this duel was not over, not by a long shot. And to confirm this fact, the Grand Ruler of Egypt began to twitch.
"No! It's not possible; no one could have survived an attack like that!"
But it was fact. Atem had already started to bring himself back into a dueling position, eyes alight with the fires of royal glory. It simply could not be explained by any normal means; even with his vast control of the Shadow Realm, Yami was not exempt from the laws of this form of reality, unless...
As for Sesshomaru, who had little or no experience with the Heart of Darkness before, the very idea that Yami could have escaped such a devastating blow with his soul intact was beyond his comprehension. "Kachikachi, I was under the blatantly inaccurate perception that you could handle the Pharaoh, so perhaps you would care to explain to me why he is still alive?"
"I have no idea how he accomplished such a feat! It has never happened to me before. But rest assured, it shall not happen again. This time I'll make sure he dies!"
"For your sake, I hope you can back that promise."
"But the question still remains," sneered the ancient samurai, oblivious to the dog demon's threat, "how did you survive that attack, Yami? I am certain we are all dying to know."
With a bleak sneer that none of the present duelists had beheld before, the Pharaoh held up the card he had placed face down earlier, resulting in a searing pain that spread all over his nerves like an uncontrollable firestorm
"It's because I activated my face down card, a trap known as Relay of the Soul. It could only be activated when my life points reached 0, allowing me to continue in this duel and special summon one monster from my hand, so come forward, Silent Magician Level 0!" The monster that now emerged from the chasm of spirit energy caused by Yami's trap was unlike most of the monsters he had played thus far. Whereas his original beasts had been creatures of a high magic sort, what was called upon seemed to be...
...A pixie.
What now stood to be contended with was an infantile sorcerer that could not have been older than five years old, with a miniature staff that lay at it's feet. Upon the face of this childish mage was a look of pure innocence, and even a slight giggle burst out. (1000/1000)
No one could believe it; had the Pharaoh become completely delusional? Even with his Swords of Revealing Light still active, the activation of Relay of the Soul could not have been used to summon such a pathetic creature. Kikyo herself was stunned by the seemingly imbecilic ploy he had used.
"Oh, Yami. What have you done?"
Even Sesshomaru was surprised by this tactic, until he remembered a duel he himself had undergone about five years ago, when he kept his skills in hiding. His enemy, an upstart little brat with too much sugar in him, had summoned this exact same beast. Although it had done nothing to stop him in that match, in the hands of a duelist like the Pharaoh it could prove to be the stratagem that brought this duel to a close. And if Timaeus was drawn...
But Kachikachi had never seen this card before, and that was what concerned him.
"I suppose that your Relay tactic was the most impressive move that you have made thus far, but then again, you must have been desperate to summon such a pathetic card. Or perhaps you have forgotten the other effect of your Relay of the Soul card, in that if I destroy your monster it shall cost you the duel? And besides, you kept me alive for one turn too many, for now I shall place one card face down, and summon my Orichalcos Mage to the field in Attack mode!" From the monster card zone arose a new enchanter, a sylphlike Greek with thick robes made of black sheep wool, and upon his head was a crown of blazing skeletal fingers that formed the ancient seal, whereupon the real magic implanted itself onto his forehead. (19005002400/16005002100) "Unfortunately, as per the effect of my Level Limit Type B, it will be switched into defense position. But that does not matter, for what I have just drawn will ensure I do not lose. Prepare to experience the second component of my strategy, for I now activate Orichalcos Deuterosu, the Second Seal!"
Just as claimed, the field magic zone reactivated, whereupon Kachikachi placed the second of his legendary Seals onto the field over the first. But unlike most such cards, the second seal did not replace the original, as Yami knew all too well.
Around the original Seal of Orichalcos was curling a second ring, also glowing with the necromancy of Atlantis, but this form of the legendary Stone of Orichalcos was much different from that of the first. It seemed to have something of a defensive aura about it, quite similar to it's effect.
"Well, Pharaoh, now that I have activated the second of my Oracle's Curse cards, it's time I refresh your memory on how it works by ending my turn. Since with this declaration I have ended my Main Phase 1, I am allowed to increase my life points by 500 for every monster I have on the field. And since I have three monsters, I am allowed to return to 2900 life points." The Second Seal, responding to the turn ending, sent three wavelengths of Atlantean Magic into the three creatures, drawing upon their presence to reinforce the Seal upon Kachikachi's head. (0/2900) "And do not forget that your Swords of Revealing Light have endured their final turn on the playing field, meaning that once I destroy the Level Limit Type B I activated, this duel shall be over. So go ahead, make your move. There is nothing that can save you now." The Swords, having served their purpose, flickered slightly until they simply faded away.
"Very well." This is it. If I don't draw the right card now, I'll have no way of defeating his Orichalcos Seal, so come on, Heart of the Cards, guide me... And as the decisive card was drawn, his eyes went wide in shock.
He had done it. But the question was, could he actually use such a card to his advantage?
"I'll start by activating my Pot of Greed magic card, to replenish my non-existent hand by two extra cards. Next, I shall activate the first of my Magic cards called by the Pot, Spell Economics!"
Damn it! This will allow him to use Magic cards without any life point payment!
"Now that I have gained a way for life point-free magic use, I think it would be an opportune time to activate my King's Ransom Magic card. Normally, I would have to pay 1000 life points to draw 3 cards, but thanks to Spell Economics that is no longer a problem." But I might not be able to draw the cards I so desperately need.Kachikachi, however poor his current position was, could not help but grin. Whatever plan that Yami has in mind cannot possibly work. For even if his beasts could attack me, the magic of the Second Seal of Orichalcos has another use...
"Alright, Kachikachi. It seems we have entered the final turns of this duel, so now I will play Premature Burial on my Dark Magician, which will return him to the field free of charge!" As stated, the ground beneath one of the card zones erupted, to reveal the Pharaoh's chief conjurer, yet crouched in defense position. (2500/2100) "But that will not last for long. Now I shall activate this Magic card, Black Magic Attack, which allows my Dark Magician to wipe out every magic and trap card you have on the field, including that Orichalcos Crucifix you thought could vanquish me!" Unlike the normal Dark Magic attack, this Magic now consumed all of the Dark Magician's body, and from this was sent a cannon blast of power that burned away every card in the Magic and Trap zone. "Of course, this prevents my mage from attacking during this turn, but it shall allow my Silent Magician to wipe you out! Next, I shall activate this Magic card, Weakening of Floor from Death! It allows me to add one card from my graveyard to my hand, at the cost of giving you two cards from your deck. But in this case, it shall only benefit me!"Just as Yami predicted, a chasm in the floor beneath him spawned another card from his graveyard, and so he justly picked it up. But Kachikachi was as confused as ever; why would the Pharaoh, a normally reasonable man, give him two cards from his deck? It was practically suicide. Sesshomaru, on the other hand, knew exactly what was going on, and if his vassal did not realize it in time they were finished.
"Well, I must thank you, Atem. In one move you have sealed your defeat, no pun intended. And yet, I see some spark of determination, which means that you must have somehow gotten what you wanted."
"Oh, I did. Thanks to your blind hatred you failed to see that I was leading you through this move like a dog on a leash. Since I allowed you to draw two cards, my Magician gained 1000 extra attack points, defense points and two levels, and will continue to increase in increments of 500 points and one level!" What once had been a squawking little brat was now a calm and slightly more malicious caster. (2000/2000) "Next, I shall activate the Magic card I received from Weakening of Floor, my Card of Sanctity, meaning I gain six cards, and you gain four, thus granting my Silent Magician an extra 2000 attack points, along with four extra levels. " Another alteration occurred, and the once infantile trickster was now an extremely intimidating warlock, eyes gripped with sheer brutality and his staff now humming with shadow energy. (4000/4000)
"Not too bad, Yami. But it appears you have underestimated me and my creatures; remember, I still have my Orichalcos Paladin on the field, meaning that your pathetic attack bonus is all for naught." Once again, the Paladin sent a jolt of magic that reverted the mage back to his pathetic toddler form. (1000/1000)
"Hm. I realize your monster's ability, but sadly it will be of no use to you, for now I will activate one of the cards that the Card of Sanctity allowed me to draw out. I activate the Magic card, Diffusion Wave Motion!!!"
From the sidelines, both Kikyo and Sesshomaru were astounded by what was being played out before their very eyes. Although Kikyo had little knowledge of the game itself, she had a premonition that whatever card Yami was about to play would cinch the duel in his favor. And Sesshomaru knew that it would result in just that.
"Most impressive, Yami, but I am afraid that however potent the Diffusion Wave Motion tactic is, it shall not end this duel by any stretch. I know all the weaknesses of your deck, and I also know quite well that the Diffusion Wave Motion will force your Sorcerer of Dark Magic to be the only monster allowed to attack this turn."
"True. But if that is the case, then you also know that my scientific spell allows the Sorcerer to attack all of your monsters on the field, and at the same time any effects that the destroyed monsters may have are negated. Sorcerer, attack all of Kachikachi's monsters with Diffusion Shadow!"
The attack that occurred because of Yami's Wave Motion was, to put it mildly, sharply diverse from what was used in basic circumstances. Instead of one solid blast of abyssal enchantment, the Sorcerer instead formed it's brand of power into an array of crescent blades that hailed like lightning upon Kachikachi's side of the field. The end result was that each of his monsters was severed in half or in quarters, and instantly shattered in a flash of light immediately thereafter. "And since your Orichalcos Paladin is no longer on the field, my Silent Magician gets back the attack power you stripped from it." (4000/4000)
And yet something had, in that one moment, gone terribly wrong, as the massive intensification of demonic energy signified. The source was fairly was easy enough to detect, for exuding that unmatched aura was Lord Sesshomaru, and even from his facial expressions it was obvious that something had ignited his wrathful characteristic. Both eyes were squinted in a full-on glare, and what could little be seen of those eyes was a glowing red, like that of illuminated blood. But what stood as a rather large surprise was that he was...smiling.
"Pharaoh. You have no comprehension of the danger you are in, and from what I can see of the situation your blood may be let much sooner than you think, even if I have to break in there and snap your neck in half."
"Really. If you are so passionate about what I have just done, then I guess you would not mind telling me why?"
Kachikachi, seeing the fresh new conflict, let fly another aggravating smirk even as his monsters were wiped away. He knew exactly what was going on, and if Sesshomaru was incensed further it would be that much easier to kill him off and take the Puzzle.
"That is a fairly obvious statement, Yami. The technique you have just used bears a certain resemblance to the Dance of Blades that Kagura was prone to use, am I not correct? So when you activated the card, my lord was reminded of her, and I can imagine seeing the technique in your incompetent hands has angered him all the more. I guess that is to be expected; when a move is given from one useless wench to another, people tend to become angry because of it, especially when one of those whores inspires such meaningless emotion in another demon or human." It was with a small level of indignation that the samurai watched his fiendish daimyo slowly lose control of his hand, involuntarily curling it around the hilt of the Tokijin. Even from behind the Seal Kachikachi could hear the robotic whir of his master's prosthetic arm, but it was of little significance as he turned back to Atem. "I must say that I am growing tired of continuing this duel any longer than has to be done, so if you do not mind I would appreciate it if you continued with your turn. In that way I can settle this feud between us once and for all, and perhaps put to rest another pressing grudge."
"Fine. I will place two cards face down to end my turn."
"Brilliant. Now I draw my next card, and as per the effect of your Magician it shall gain 500 more attack points." Yami's power amplifying monster now continued to grow in might, but in it's eyes was a reading of depression; it was slowly beginning to understand it had no loyalties or family. (4500/4500) "Now I shall activate the Magic card, Book of Moon, which shall switch your Sorcerer of Dark Magic into face down defense mode." As stated, the card upon which the mage stood flipped back down, taking him with it. "Next, I shall play this Magic card, Necromancy, and this is where the duel gets interesting. You see, the card I have just played would normally grant you 4 monsters from your graveyard in defense position, but in this case it shall grant me that power, for I shall activate the Mystical Ref Panel that I played face down!"
No! By activating the Ref Panel, Kachikachi is allowed to switch the target of any magic or trap that targets a player, including cards that involve the field of that player, meaning that his Necromancy card will affect HIS graveyard!
"AHAHAHAHA!!! The time of judgment has come! Return to the field, Orichalcos Mage, Orichalcos Paladin, Orichalcos Titan, and Orichalcos Golem!" From the depths of oblivion were resurrected the 4 most powerful monsters that Kachikachi had lost during the duel. (2400/2100) (3200/3000) (2800/1500) (2900/1800) At the same time, the Silent Magician once again reverted to his infant mode because of the Paladin's return. (1000/1000) "Next, I shall activate the Magic card, Call to Honor, which allows me to remove one Warrior monster in my graveyard from play, a position that my Orichalcos Swordsman fulfills perfectly! This, in turn, allows me to switch all defense position monsters on my field into attack position. And if I am willing, I can pay life points in equivalent to the attack strength of a level 7 monster in my deck, whereupon that monster will be special summoned to the field. So for that cost, I will select the Orichalcos Archangel!" (0/400) While the 4 monsters Kachikachi had summoned now stood to battle, a new creature was emerging from the ethereal realm, a lofty seraph with skin that was as blue as the skies that hovered within it's own world of glory. But this was by no means a peaceful angel, for covering its robes of finest silk was a crystal armor that was light as the air that surrounds mankind, and yet far stronger than the hardest diamond. In it's hands was held a mighty broadsword cast in gold, and upon all of these articles was the Seal of Orichalcos. (25005003000/19005002400) "For my next act, I will summon the Orichalcos Summoner in attack mode! But rest assured, this pathetic excuse for a mage will not be bastardizing the Seal for too much longer, for I intend to sacrifice him to summon a monster of level 6 or lower from my hand; in this case, it is my Orichalcos God Soldier!"Kachikachi's summoner indeed lived up to his master's derogatory comments, for it was, essentially, an obese elf with twenty novice magic tomes at his disposal. (10005001500/10005001500) However, he did seem to have some kind of skill, for at that moment he began to enchant an ancient and powerful text that consumed him entirely, until a new, more powerful warrior took his place.
What now stood before the Pharaoh was an overbearing Hercules of a warrior that looked almost exactly like Dartz. Standing at about the King's height, he was built like Toguro at one hundred percent power, and as such was armed with nothing except for his hands. This is not to say he was not protected, for his armor was hewn out of the Stone of Orichalcos, and was fashioned like to the Black Luster Soldier armor. (-2000500 -1500/-2000500 -1500)
"WHAT?! Why did you summon that monster? It has negative attack power!"
"Correct. Therefore, it must have an astounding special ability. In exchange for my current battle phase and twenty cards from the top of my deck, I am allowed to increase the attack power of this monster by the total attack points of every other monster on the field, including those that are face down, and the same applies for it's defense. But that is not the only effect. From this point onward, my God Soldier cannot be destroyed by Magic, Trap, or Monster effects, and if I have the Seal of Orichalcos in play, it cannot be destroyed in battle." At this point, the armor that the God Soldier was wearing began to glow at a level of luminosity capable of blinding Ra himself, while his eyes went into a vibrant shade of blue like to the ocean. (13900/12800) "With that, I shall end my turn, and thanks to the Second Seal of Orichalcos, I now gain 3000 life points." (0/3400)
"Right. Now, Kachikachi, it is time we end this once and for all!" But the question is, can I do it? That bastard samurai already has six monsters on the field, and he now controls one of the deadliest creatures that Duel Monsters has to offer. There is one strategy I could use, but this will be my last turn before he destroys me.
"First off, I will activate this Trap card I played face down, Jar of Greed, to draw one card from my deck." As stated, he drew his card, but it was not what he needed. "Next, I will activate the Altar of Resurrection Magic card, which shall place my Card of Sanctity back into my deck, and it shall allow me to draw two more cards." The cards he then drew proved futile as well. "Now, I shall activate my Reckless Greed trap card, allowing me to draw two more cards from my deck." This is my last chance; if this does not work, Kikyo, Kagome, Yugi, and all of humanity will fall before the Black Shadow. Come on, Heart of the Cards... It all came down to this. Yami had drawn his first card, the Riryoku card, but that was not what he was looking for. But as he was about to draw his final card he felt a pulse from the top of his deck, like something was calling out to him, and he knew that his prayers had been answered. This feeling was only confirmed, for the Pharaoh had drawn......The Legendary Dragon, Eye of Timaeus.
Kaiba's Hotel Suite"Well? Do you accept?"
Astonishment could not begin to encompass the wide range of emotions that Botan was enduring at that very moment. She could not be too guaranteed in any of her feelings at that point, and just as soon as they arrived to make some sense of the current situation they branched into a thousand other various reactions. Every facet of her life was now slowly returning to haunt her, and in that one moment, the reaper knew what it must be like for a man to go insane.
Or perhaps she was just a little intoxicated by the champagne and Kaiba's passion.
"Seto, I...I don't know what to say to this, I really don't..."
"Just say yes. I've been waiting for someone I can spend the rest of my life with for as long as I could understand that emotion. And although I will admit it's been dormant, I need somebody upon whom I can rest my head, someone who will stand by me until the end."
His lover's eyes seemed to grow frightened, for whatever reason, and it occurred to the chief executive officer that perhaps he was laying the poetics on to her too thick. But then again, he was telling the truth when he said that he was waiting for somebody like her.
"But Seto, you've only known me for two days, and now you're asking me to marry you? I just think we're moving way too fast."
"Listen, I can take care of you. Even if we do get married at this age, after this amount of time, I have the money and the skills to support all three of us, and maybe even a child, if that's what you want."
Just great, he thought to himself. The one woman I care about more than anything else in the world, and I'm acting like a complete jackass right to her face. "I'm sorry about that. It's just that I've never...well, I've never been in love before, and maybe my emotions just got in the way of my better judgment. And besides, I was kind of afraid that if I didn't secure you quickly you'd slip out of my fingers, and I didn't want to go through that again."He was barely able to control himself as he drew Botan closer to him, hand inadvertently snaking around her stomach and tracing nonexistent circles on the supple flesh. It was at that moment, it seems, that the mighty Seto Kaiba knew true happiness, holding the one girl that could, in theory, make every one of his fantasies come to life.
And Botan? She didn't want to admit it, but Kaiba had inspired that exact same level of contentment.
"Seto, I shall never leave you, and once I'm ready, I'll happily become your wife. It's just that I still have scars from Koenma, and I have to contend with those first."
"Pay it no mind, my sweet. Your love is all I ever needed, now more than ever." And with that, Kaiba drew his new lover into his arms, and gazed deep into the vibrant fuchsia chasms that were her eyes as he pressed her lips onto his own, devouring her, and allowing her to do the same.
It was quite a magical moment; neither of the two had ever felt such infatuation for another person before, and with each warm, pleasurable second the bonds their spirits shared grew ever stronger. All that they had undergone, every moment of suffering, the entirety of their grief, it was all worth the pain for that one kiss.
"All the world, all the wealth, for a single moment with you."
It was all he could do to pull away, but he knew it had to be done. And besides, her glowing countenance was enough to give him strength, along with the gorgeous locks of sky blue hair framing it. Yet there was one thing amiss.
"Wait. Are you...crying?"
A little embarrassed, the reaper brought her sleeve across her face, and when it was yet again visible it was plastered with her same cheerful expression.
"Sorry. It's just that you've made me the happiest woman in the world."
"We'll see if I can't augment that feeling before the night is out," Kaiba murmured with his trademark smirk, and decided to get up to his feet.
"Oh yeah, I almost forgot. We have a tournament to win and some demon ass to kick! So I'd get dressed, Seto; odds are we won't intimidate anybody with nothing but some bathrobes on."
"Now that's what I like to hear. I think you've got some clothes in that closet."
Kaiba, in the meantime, began to gather his own articles off of the floor, and accordingly redressed himself, fully ready to demolish that bastard demon Hiei once and for all. This time, however, he would keep a closer eye on Botan, and the men he had hired would keep guard over them at all times. There would be no mistakes this time around, and before all was said and done he would be at the Hellfire Tournament finals. But that would need some time to orchestrate, and this was time that he could not yet procure.
At the same time, though, Botan's delicious taste was still thick upon his tongue, and to him, that tang of sweetness was more than enough incentive to keep his operatives on watch at all times. In fact, at every chance he got Kaiba would stick by her for as long as could be done. And with any luck he would get to caress her at least once more before the end of the day, and even hear her excited yelps as she surrendered herself to him...
He became so lost in his daydream that Kaiba almost failed to notice the blinking image of a simple postcard that appeared on his computer. He apparently had gotten some mail in those two hours in which he had been occupied. It was probably nothing, likely some fan letter from a self-deluded groupie, either that or one of the jackasses from Kaiba Corp were having trouble selling their own products.
But as he opened it, the familiar KC logo that was required on all his official electronic mail was noticeably absent, nor were there any freakish animated figures of him that had become a continuing trend in his fanatic cult following. The only thing present was a video attachment, something that had never once come up on his mail before. But the virus scan would likely have detected anything malicious, so he was not particularly worried. Still...
Curiosity has gotten hold of brilliant men beforehand, and Kaiba was not about to become an exception to this rule. And so he opened the video.
It was a pretty simplistic scenario. The entire room was shrouded in darkness save for a candle that burned to one side of the frame, and in that light was a dueling deck and about three keys.
Strange. Maybe it's from one of those cults that Hiei set up...
Nothing changed in the scene for at least two minutes, until at long last somebody saw fit to enter the web cam. Even with the poor candle light, Kaiba could vaguely discern her features: a young-looking woman dressed in ancient Japanese priestess robes...which, incidentally, were completely black. Despite this unorthodox manner of dress her face was as pale as though someone had drained the blood from her face, and her lengthy hair was a similar color."Hello, Seto Kaiba. I can almost see the look of shock on your face right now, seeing as I know just about everything concerning you and your life. Of course, I am no ordinary stalker...". With a perverted grin, she picked up a snake from the ground that was almost as pale as herself. "It is simply that Naraku has made it very worth my while to track you down."
Naraku again? Seems like Jagenshi isn't my only problem here...
"Don't worry, I have no intention of harming your brother or your lover, although I must admit that you have some strange taste in women. But if you're interested in those kind of perverse activities, then it is really none of my business. "If this had been a real conversation, there was a very high chance that Kaiba would have to add murder 1 to his list of offenses. It occurred then to him that she might be trying to psyche him out; otherwise she would not be trying to piss him off so desperately.
"But more to the point, I am interested in dueling you today, after which I might be able to strike a deal with you. Anyway, meet me outside of the Rosewater Tower in about half an hour, and bring your so-called girlfriend if you like, but no one else."
The next thing that Kaiba saw was a glaring Duel Gauntlet, national champion level at the very least.
"Oh, before I forget, you may call me Tsubaki, the Dark Priestess." And with that the screen shut down, leaving Kaiba with his thoughts alone...
Roger's Penthouse
Neither Dorothy nor Roger spoke in the following seconds, for even after seven years of separation, no words could describe what both were feeling. All they did was stare at one another, Roger not being able to believe she had returned, and Dorothy astounded that he could not figure that much out.
"B...but how is this possible? I spent two years seeking you out, and we couldn't find anything to prove that you were even still alive."
"To tell you the truth, I myself believed the exact same about you, and this is from the better of the two mindsets. Seeing as I had no real home around Paradigm anymore, I decided to simply walk to the nearest transit. And if you keep staring at me I will be forced to hurt you in kind."
But the negotiator did not care; at long last, his shattered life was finally starting to piece itself back together. Maybe, just maybe, the real Event just didn't matter so much anymore. He was home, and at the moment, that was all that mattered. Yet Roger also kept in mind that Dorothy's brute strength was nothing to be trifled with; the last time he messed with that, she literally almost hugged him to death.
Turning towards his old liquor cabinet and opening it up, Roger now had another event to be happy about: in seven years no one had touched the contents, and hopefully some of the drinks had aged well enough. Looking carefully over his selection, it became quite clear that some of his once useless beverages were now just right for tasting, and from this group he selected a smoky-tasting gin that took 20 years to produce.
"Master Roger, I have prepared the apartment to the exact arrangement as the one we left behind, excluding the extensive property damage incurred. Also, there have been several gift baskets sent here..."
"I'll take care of those. And please show Dorothy to her quarters in about ten minutes. "
"Yes, sir." But before Norman could deal with his master's request, the playboy millionaire had to do one more thing.
"Why the delay, Roger Smith?
Much to Dorothy's artificial surprise, the glass windows began to tint until it seemed to look like the sunset. Thousands of pencil tip LED's built into the ceiling, seeming to form an arrow leading to the extensive living room on the second floor of the penthouse. From the head of the staircase could be heard some easy listening music; Roger was obviously a man of refinement, if a bit of a womanizer.
"Just go up the steps, and everything should clear itself up."
The android complied, albeit a little confused, and walked up into the old lounge, unaware that her host was at that moment spraying a couple shots of binaca into his mouth. Angel, however, was quite aware of what he intended to do.
"Roger, I hope you realize that she's essentially a robot, and therefore your normal charms won't work on her."
The man was oblivious to her cautions, giving new meaning to the phrase "ignorance is bliss" in the process. Right now, all Roger was worrying about was putting the old engines back in gear, and he certainly had his work cut out for him. Regular ladies he could woo in about an hour, and that was on a bad day. But now he was dealing with an android. The rules were different in this arena; he didn't need smooth talk, he needed programming knowledge.
Then again, Roger thought as he ascended the stairs, she had shown some extra-programming intelligence and action before, along with the question of whether he would have loved her as a human. It would certainly be an interesting experiment, to say the very least.
From the top of the flight of stairs could be heard the resonation of the trumpet, slow and calming, the high-pitched clink of piano keys gingerly tapping the wires, the occasional riff on the bass, and in that moment he knew he'd picked the right tape. And as he entered the room itself it occurred to him that perhaps there was hope for the situation after all.
The lights were dimmed perfectly; enough light to see in front of you, but not enough to interfere with the blazing flame that was set up in the fireplace. On the table nearest the twin sofa was a tempting medley of fruits, cheeses, and chardonnay, and illuminating the scene was a pair of scented candles. Set up on one of the end tables was a massive array of roses, carnations, and tulips, which was encircled with a halo of pleasant aroma that drove his dates wild when they inhaled it.
Norman, you magnificent bastard.
It was with an ever-widening grin that Roger poured out some of the gin he'd brought up and knocked it back. Everything was going according to plan, and only one thing was missing.The door to this part of the house slamming shut, however, was not one of them.
Turning with a level of surprise to see who had sealed them off, the negotiator was expecting a number of things to pop up: Angel, with her gun pointed at his head, Schwarzvald, with his lighter and manuscript, and even Beck Gold laughing at him because he believed him to be dead, which was true. What he had not counted on was R. Dorothy Wayneright leaning against the threshold with a seductive smile plastered all over her face.
"Dorothy? What's gotten into...?"
He did not have time to finish his sentence, for in about the time it would have taken to complete this thought the android sped up and kissed him.
"Surprise, surprise."
Somehow, R. Dorothy Wayneright, the constantly aloof robotic girl who insisted that Roger Smith was a chauvinistic louse with impaired fashion sense, had gained raw human emotion, and a large quantity of it, from what he saw.
"What the hell is going on here?"
"Huh? Isn't this what you wanted? I mean, if you went to all of the trouble to seduce me, I figured I could meet you half-way." She was starting to get more intense, permitting her hands to run through her ward's slicked-back hair. "Emotion's a funny thing, Roger Smith; you can never really understand how good it feels until you experience it yourself."
"But...but how? How did you develop these feelings?"
With a slight chuckle, Dorothy stood to her feet and flopped onto the couch, with Roger following suit. "Norman helped me with that, in the form of a mood interface that replicates human emotion. The best part is that I can control the levels of it, so I turned up my raw passion just for you." With another sexy grin, she reached for his necktie and began to loosen it, while doing the same for her own collar.
Well, it looks like I won't have to pour the ol' charm on her after all. She's done that part for me.
"So, what do you want to do first, you louse? I've got plenty of time for just about anything," she purred into his ear as she started to lick the side of his face."I'll let you know in a second, but first..."
With a slight skip in his step, Roger strode his way to the center of the room, at the same time placing a single rose blossom in Dorothy's hair.
"Ms. Wayneright, may I have this dance?"
Outside the Paradigm Museum
It was truly a sight that most would not expect to behold, at least not in their lifetime.
For the few patrons of the New Paradigm Museum, chance had offered them a display that the curator had by no means contrived: a beautiful young brunette with the body form that the most skilled of dancers would have murdered for, in the arms of a freakish half-demon with hair as white as mountain caps and two dog ears jutting out of his skull. Even from about twenty feet any simpleton could see the passion flaring up like the first lick of fire rising from the Yule log on a Christmas morning, as the demon forcefully pressed his sudden girlfriend against the plate glass, allowing her to glide along the window as one would a cleaning brush, along with the heated confrontation of orifices that allowed trace elements of saliva to dribble and blend with the perspiration. Of course, this was not the only indication of ardor between the two, seeing as the dog was fumbling desperately at the dancer's bra strap...
Needless to say, Tea did not take this well.
"OUCH!!! WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT ABOUT?!!"
"I might ask you the same question. We've known each other for an hour and already you're trying to get to second! Whatever happened to being a gentleman?"
Raw flesh. It had been about a year and a half since Inuyasha had felt that sensation on his cheek, but given the fact that he'd only been in the Modern Era a couple of times he could not understand why. After all, he'd figured he and Tea were close enough by now to try a couple of new ideas out, and yet she still insisted that he behave himself.
Then again, he supposed the last thing he needed was some slut who yanks off her shirt every time somebody winks at her. One of the things that had attracted him to Tea in the first place was her strong sense of values, even if she was gorgeous.
"Alright, I guess I should apologize."
"There, now was that so hard?" Tea now crouched next to Inuyasha, and as a form of forgiveness pecked him on the side of his face, leaving just enough time for him to sniff her hair. To his keen nose it was exhilarating, and for the next few seconds his head was spinning in pleasure.
"Anyway, I was thinking we could check out that new club they opened at the center of town later tonight; you know, if you're into that sort of thing. They'll have dancing, some decent food, an awesome DJ, the works."
The demon ascended to his full height, looking intrigued. "Why not? I've got nothing better to do. But slap me in there and you're meat, Gardener."
"Is that a threat? I wouldn't do that; if you don't behave, I won't take you out at all." The tango continued, as she pushed her hair back and sent him a coy little smirk that screamed "you know you want to."
Inuyasha knew the dance of courting as well as Tea did, and with one arm drew her warmth to him, allowing the other to cradle her head next to it. "I'll be good, for as long as you need me to be..."
And in this position the two remained, standing motionlessly like statues hewn of flesh and blood, gazing off into the cloudless expanse. Sure, the two acted and talked like they would be jumping into bed before the night was out, but they had something deeper than mere physical desire. Neither could put that feeling into words, and yet like a guardian angel it stood over their hearts, omnipresent, magical. Brought together by the greed of a devil, bonded together through the new love of both of their former companions in the journey for the heart, and seemingly destined to stay together by some strange twist of fate.
Beneath all of the innuendo, beneath all of the previous suffering...was the hint of true love.
"Tea?"
"Yes, Inuyasha?"
"Would it bother you to stay with me, for just a little while longer?"
"I'll stay for as long as you want, baby."
And there they were, eyes locked again. No wild animal passion, no dirty talk, just...tenderness. Apparently, Cupid's bolt had struck true.
But the spell, while potent, was not indestructible, and in that moment of adoration, the demonic nose picked up a wicked reek.
The smell of a great darkness bearing down upon them.
"Alright, love birds, break it up!!!"
Inuyasha now knew that whatever force he was about to contend with was not about to be defeated easily. Apparently whatever the source of the necromancy was, it had some kind of physical incarnation, if it could manifest itself in an actual odor."Don't play dumb with me, Lord Inuyasha, or I swear you will regret it! I've been watching you and Gardener for quite some time now, so I would not try anything tricky!"
Tea, in the few seconds that she heard the roar of Inuyasha's challenger, recalled the voice, but she could not believe he had returned after almost a year. Did she dare face the one man who had been able to conquer the Pharaoh Atem, or would she simply deny that which she had feared for so very long?
And as the two separated, all the nightmares that had plagued her for two months after the incident came back in a flood of horrific memories, for the enemy that had challenged Inuyasha...was Raphael.
"Well, you are the famous Inuyasha that I have heard so much about; I guess the random talk of demons is not to be trusted after all. Considering that the only weapon you have to work with is a cane with an incisor jutting out of it, I'm not particularly frightened."
"If only you knew what this thing is capable of, you'd be pissing yourself right on the spot. And from my perspective, you don't even have a weapon, so I'd shut up if I were you."
This was a grossly inaccurate statement, and only Tea and Raphael knew exactly how much so.
"Inuyasha, this is not a guy you want to mess with. His name's Raphael, and unless something changed in him..."
"Nothing has become warped in me yet, you filthy whore. Why don't you go back to ignoring the reality of the world as you service the pigs of New Paradigm, while the half-breed and I settle this like men?"
"WHAT DID YOU SAY?!!"
"Don't lose your head. I need it for you to be fully ready to duel me. But do not worry, I have no intention of completely wiping you out right now."
"Why, are you too afraid to face me 'like a man'?"
"Nope. I just want to make sure that you are dueling at your very best when the end comes. So I'm going to give you something to get angry about." With a cold grin, Raphael extracted something from around his neck, a skull necklace with a perfectly carved emerald-like substance attached to it.
What is this jackass thinking? There is no way some piece of jewelry is going to stand against the Windscar, despite that black magic that surrounds it...
"Oh, and one more thing; I know all about the Red Tetsuaiga technique, so if you're going to attack me with that, it shall not work. And now, Stone of Orichalcos... SHOW THE HALF-BREED SOME REAL POWER!!!"Joey vs. Chu
"Alright, Wheeler, I'll place my one card face down, and end my turn."
"Good, then it is back to me." Knowing Chu, he probably has a trap card that'll stop my attack, and maybe even destroy Gilford before it can strike, so I'd better watch my ass this time around. "First off, I'm gonna summon the Swordsman of Landstar to the field in attack mode, and place one card face down." Joey's next monster looked like it was from the warrior class in a fairy tale, with pink, bloated cheeks and brown armor that bore the Landstar crest upon it. (500/1200)
"Hold it! I activate the Trap card, Curse of Anubis, which'll switch all effect monsters on the field into defense mode, and for the turn their defense stats become 0, makin' your Gilford the Lightning all but useless to you!" Just as stated, the once omnipotent storm soldier was crushed to the ground by a mask of Anubis that clamped onto it's face. (2800/0)
"Please; if that's the best you can do, then you may as well just cough up those beautiful keys. I activate the face down card, Graceful Dice, which will multiply my Landstar's attack depending on what I get for a roll." On the magic field zone emerged a cherubic fairy wielding a bright blue die, which was in turn rolled onto the field to unveil a 3. "Damn it! Oh well, at least it triples my Swordsman attack to 1500. Now, Swordsman of Landstar, attack Chu's life points directly!" With a mighty swing, or as mighty as such a pathetic creature could call upon, the pixie knight brought his blade down onto Chu's forehead, with the added effect of escalating his already throbbing headache. (3900/1800) "I'll place one more card face down, and that'll end my turn."
"Hm. Not too shabby. Now it's my turn, and all I need to do to end this match is draw one card." And as he drew the next card, the alcoholic duelist realized that victory was within his grasp. "I'll start by activating the Pot of Greed magic card, which lets me draw two cards, followed by the summoning of my M-Warrior #1 in attack mode!" The next monster that was played appeared to be a slim humanoid with crimson flesh and sparse armor that was crackling with barely contained electromagnetic charges, which seemed to stem from the warrior's twin scythes. (500200700/10002001200)
For the few seconds it took Joey to fully take in the monster he was silent, along with the millisecond it took for him to start crying in sheer amusement.
"Don't be so confident, Mr. Runner-Up! Now I activate the Magic card, Creature Swap, which shall allow both of us to select one monster from our enemy's field, and for the remainder of the duel, the monsters shall switch control. Since I only have my M-Warrior on the field, you get that pathetic little bugger, while I can hook that bloke Gilford and use 'em against ya! And since the M-Warrior ain't on my side of the field, it loses it's power boost. " Gilford, having recovered from the Curse of Anubis, strode over to Joey's side of the field, replacing the M-Warrior that now stood with Joey. "And since I can't change the position of Gilford because of Creature Swap by m'self during this turn, I'll activate the Stop Defense Magic card on it!" With a mighty roar, Gilford stood to his full and overwhelming height, and gained Chu's power boost. (3000/1200) "For my final attack, I will remove the two Marauding Captains and the Mataza in my graveyard to summon the second rarest card in my deck, Daisho Tzu, which gains 200 extra attack points for every Warrior on the field, and an additional 200 per Warrior on my field thanks to A. Forces!" From the depths of Chu's hand now strode a powerful daimyo that was clad in black samurai armor that was laced in gold. The face mask of the warrior was a black lacquered human skull, while the weapons strapped to him included a platinum huang-dao and a double-bladed katana. (24006004003400/2100) "Now, Gilford the Lightning, destroy his M-Warrior #1 with the Blade of Odin!" (3200/1200)
It can be said that fortune goes hand in hand with a sort of universal satire; the very monster that had just saved Joey from devastation would now take a huge chunk away from his life points. Of course, Joey was not to interested in the ironic humor of that moment, for he was watching the illegitimate son of Thor shoving his mighty broadsword into the magnetic warrior's head, splitting it in half in the process and splashing ichors all over the field. (1200/1800) Also, the attack power of Daisho Tzu dropped as one warrior was destroyed. (3200/2100) "Now, Daisho Tzu, destroy the Swordsman of Landstar and end this duel!"
But Chu had made one massive error: he had expected Joey to play his face down card during the last attack.
"You just triggered my trap card, called Silver Dollar! When activated, it defends any monster with 1000 attack points or lower from an attack, meaning that your Daisho Tzu's attack is invalid!" Just as the ruler of samurai was about to strike, the Swordsman of Landstar leapt away from the assault.
"Most impressive, Joey, but keep in mind that your Silver Dollar is a one-turn trap, meaning it can't save you next turn. So go ahead and make your last move, cuz the way I see it, the only thing you have on your side is some dumbass luck, kinda like Urameshi."
"Well, let's just see if that "dumbass luck" will stop you again." Alright, there's only one card in my hand right now, and unless I can draw the right card, this duel will be over. C'mon, Heart of the Cards, show me some love...
The card slipped off of Joey's deck, and passed the threshold into his hand. And in that moment, he realized that victory was his."Alright, Chu, I'll play the Snatch Steal Equip Magic, which will control one of your monsters so long as you get 1000 life points each turn, and I'm going after my Gilford!" As mighty as Gilford was, he could not escape the clutching grasp of three brutal kidnappers as they accosted the warrior and drew him to Joey's side of the field, thus returning him to his original power.
"HA!!! You must be pullin' me chain, Wheeler; alone your Gilford can't beat my daimyo!"
"Oh really? Well, times change, my drunk buddy, and that is exactly what I intend to use to win! I summon the Time Wizard in attack mode!"
Joey's second rarest card, one that had been a gift from Yugi Mouto, had been one of his most powerful, if not the best, saving grace in his times of hardship; when the chips had been down, like in his duels with Mai and Rex, this card had come through for him in a blaze of centuries and had crumbled some of the best monsters in the game. Granted, the move was not without its dangers, but Joey Wheeler had never been one for risk management. So he would spin the old roulette one more time, and see if he couldn't cheat defeat with a little time magic.Who could have thought that such an influential card would be a red pocket watch with eyes, a cape, arms and legs, and a staff with another clock on it? (500/400)
The Time Wizard? This isn't possible; there's no way a bloke like Wheeler could get a card that rare in his deck! Well, even if he does know how to use it, the effect might backfire on him. If it doesn't...
"Alright, this is how it's gonna work. The Time Wizard will spin it's roulette, and if it lands on a time machine, a thousand years'll pass on your field, rendering everything you have on the field all but useless. If it hits a skull, I lose every monster on my side of the field, and half their attack points are subtracted from my life points. So now, let's see what ol' Father Time has in store for us! Go, Time Wizard; use the Time Roulette!"In the entirety of his deck, only the Roulette Spider had as much danger in usage as the Time Wizard manipulated, and Joey knew all about these risks the second he summoned his time-twisting ally. If this spin failed, then he would be out of the tournament, meaning that Hiei and Sesshomaru would get off scot-free without him being able to stop them. Ok, Time Wizard, it's all up to you...
The roulette spinner now began to speed along at an incalculable tempo, jetting past the skulls and machines as though it was an aristocrat in a bad neighborhood. It all came down to this, and even with the mechanical roar of the death clock, both duelists became ensconced in their own little world.The spinner came to it's first stop of five. Skull, as could be figured out by Joey's sharp intake of breath.
It shifted to the point between the skull and machine. One could not find tension any higher than at this moment.
The third rotation occurred. Skull.
It shifted for the fourth time. Skull.
And there it was, the final shift, and both Chu and Joey held their breath in anticipation, as the arrow-headed point slid over......the Time Machine.
Joey just stood there, eyes wide open, fully taking in the idea that he had won the duel, until he reacted in an unusual level of quiet dignity.
Dignity being relative, obviously.
"OH HELL YEAH!!! TIME WIZARD, DO YOUR THING!!!"
Expressionless as the master of time was, anyone watching the match could see the cartoonish watch was jubilant as it sent a blast of magic into the sky. From this pinpoint of sorcery was spawned something of a black hole, save that it's effect was reversed, and from the portal was sent a wavelength of time energy that began to consume all that was not protected by its suzerain. The rise and fall of civilizations took seconds instead of centuries; blood was poured, enemies were butchered, people lived and died, and the world itself spun madly into a chaotic whirlpool of eras and epochs, all contained in the course of one minute of real time.
And when the dust cleared...all that was left of Chu's Daisho Tzu was a feeble old man, armor lying heavy upon him. Unlike the spell caster race, warriors only became weaker with age. (100/100)
"Hm. I've gotta say, I'm impressed, Wheeler. Maybe that title really does have some credibility behind it after all."
"Glad to hear you say that, Chu, and it was an honor dueling you. NOW, GILFORD THE LIGHTNING, ATTACK HIS DAISHO TZU WITH YOUR BLADE OF ODIN!!!"
This was the end, and Joey didn't even bother to watch as his thunder warlord hacked the once grand samurai to bloody pieces. He'd won, and this was only the beginning. Soon enough, he'd be at the finals, and maybe, just maybe, he'd have another shot at Kaiba. (1200/0)
"Well, it's over, and seeing as I'm a man of my word, here are my two keys and two rarest cards." And with a grin, the drunk handed over his keys, Daisho Tzu and Marauding Captain. "But don't think this is the end, Wheeler. I'll be back, for you and Urameshi."
"And I'll be ready." With that, the two went their different paths, both bound by a rematch...and a love for the fight.
Yami's Hotel Room
Well, here it goes.
With an overly dramatic flourish, Kagome flung the ratty and malodorous school uniform into the garbage; the way she figured it, her old place of education would not be rebuilt for the next decade or so. This was fortunate, seeing as her less-than-exemplary attendance and corresponding poor grades would now be lost thanks in part to Hiei's ransack. But at that moment, old grades, old lifestyles, and even old enemies, they were all forgotten in the midst of that moment.
Now, for the most part, Kagome had not been too concerned with the outcome of Yami's duel. She knew quite well that since Yugi was there, the Pharaoh could easily emerge victorious; it was amazing how different one's viewpoint can be when it is not overridden with grief and despair. But that was not her problem at that moment.
Right now, she had to make amends, which was why she decided to play a little...dress-up.
Even from her own perspective, Kagome had to admit she looked beautiful. She was now clothed in a silk blouse whose hue was akin to that of the Caribbean Sea, with ivory-colored buttons that ran down the front in almost perfect alignment. What had once been a green skirt was now replaced with a lengthier version made of a blood red terrycloth. Of course, this is not to say that it was without it's sensuality; the lengthy slit that ran up the skirt's length made sure of that.
And as for her face? Well, with a few swift brushes of makeup, a layer of burgundy lipstick, and her new hairstyle, a monumentally classy bun with a few strands making themselves known, she looked gorgeous enough to be a model. But that was not her intent at all in this case.
Right now, all she wanted was for Yami to forgive her, and from her experience, the best way to procure amnesty from a lover was to make him desire you.
But the question was, now that Kagome was about to make everything in her life fall back into place, what could she do to pass the time?
With little else to do, she began to rifle through the deck that she had made, on occasion noting some kind of poor idea and removing it accordingly. But after a while she noticed some unusual cards appearing; angels that had not been there previously, the Sanctuary in the Sky, and even one card called The Creator. Even without looking at the rarity indicators she could tell that these cards were not something easily found, so how did they arrive in her deck?
It was then that she noticed a small cardboard box near one end of the table. Unsure if what to think, she lifted it, and was soon shocked to see a receipt within it; upon this voucher was listed every one of the new cards in her deck. Also attached to the package was a small note. The title made her sick to the stomach: To my dearest love.
"Oh Yami, what have I done?"Did she dare open the memorandum, see what Yami no Yuugi truly thought of her, or would it be so heartfelt and caring that she hated herself all the more?
It was with saddened heart and churning conscience that Kagome unfolded the paper...and realized that she might have killed one part of the only man she ever really cared about.
Kagome,
These cards are not merely for enhancing the power of your dueling deck, although they will play a key role in doing so. I can only pray that each time you summon one of these new creatures or activate one of these new magic cards, you remember that you are indeed an angel, and perhaps, you could become...my angel. As long as I shall exist on this plane, there will be none more beautiful, more courageous, more affectionate, and deep within my heart I know I do not deserve your love. But I am asking for that love anyway...
Yours forever,
The Pharaoh Atemu.
He should have seen it from the very beginning. He should have known that I am no angel. All I am is a possessive bitch who goes insane each time somebody I love talks to Kikyo, and yet he still loves me. He was wrong; I don't deserve his care, his tender passion, and yet I am asking for that anyway.
I have to see him. It's the only way I can make things right.
With this thought in mind, Kagome leapt to her feet and ran for the door, subconsciously grabbing her new dueling deck as she did so. Whether this was another premonition of things to come is anyone's guess, but at that point the attainment of her cards was not high on Kagome's list of worries.Now, Kachikachi mentioned something about a duel in a ballroom, and seeing as this rathole has only one, then it won't be too hard to find it.
With little else than these directions concerning her, she screamed out of the hotel room, on occasion slipping on the puddles of blood that Naraku's disloyal incarnation had spilled. All the world was a blur to her, and for exactly ten seconds more it would remain that way.As she leapt over the dead and the rubble of Slifer's attack, Kagome did notice one other thing. Kagura's discarded Duel Gauntlet was now glowing white, and this was enough, if but barely, to stop her in her tracks. A mistake she would live to regret.
Fascinated by the hum of the super-technological advancement, Kagome was rooted to the spot as a hologram of a man of refined composure in a white suit was generated, a man similar to the golden statue on top of the New Paradigm Center Building. He looked emotionless, as though his soul had been stripped away.
"Unauthorized deactivation of Duel Gauntlet host, identification number 0346426. Requesting reroute for system. Tapping into New Paradigm Tournament Records, password 4TF49#GY678. Activating new tournament entry. Host Selected. Reactivation in 5, 4, 3, 2, 1..."
And when the countdown finally came to a close, the gauntlet transformed itself into it's plasma connection mode, and accordingly latched onto Kagome's wrist...taking with it all the pain of this fusion.
Her screams could be heard all throughout the building, a screech of such horrific intensity and anguish that every window within the floor upon which she lay vibrated. And when all was said and done, the gauntlet, now as white as Yami's own, had fully repaired.
For better or for worse, Kagome was now part of Hiei's twisted competition.
To Be Continued
Sorry this took so long, but I had a bigass paper due.
Ok, next chapter will end the duel of Yami and continue Yusuke's, the latter of which revealing an old nemesis who knows a bit too much about Spirit World policy. Kaiba must now confront the Dark Priestess Tsubaki, and in the process of tracking her discovers the truth about Michael Seebach. Raphael reveals the true might of Orichalcos, a new challenger attacks Roger, and Kagome must confront Yami no Marik in what will no doubt be an epic struggle, but will the shadow of Marik unveil his deadliest weapon once again? Tune in to find out!
Remember, READ, REVIEW, AND DO NOT PUT ME TO THE TORCH!!!
Oh, by the way, here are the original cards used:
King's Ransom: Property of Time Mage
Orichalcos God Soldier and Call to Honor: Property of yours truly.