Disclaimer: What's there to say?
Ok, Chapter 37 began the epic duel between Inuyasha and Raphael, along with the first abstract duel of the fic (but not the last). Also, Kagome and Yami no Marik did battle, Kachikachi and Kikyo were slain as Yami returned to find his love, the sadist Alan Gabriel made his reemergence, Hiei revealed that he has captured Rin, the demon ninja Akuren made his first appearance, and Kuwabara and Yusuke confronted each other.
Chapter 38 will finally unveil the long-awaited duel between the dog demon and the right hand of Dartz, while Alan Gabriel makes clear his intent. Also, Yami and Kagome find each other again, but in the worst possible position: doing battle with the dark spirit of Marik. Also, Joey must face a wind demon of his own, but one that's a lot different from Kagura. Kaiba and Botan begin their battle against Tsubaki and the masked duelist, and Sensui and Dartz reflect on their first encounter.
Chapter 37: Guardian Nightmare and the Union's Intent
Inuyasha vs. Raphael
"Since you challenged me, I'll start this duel!"
At this point, there was only one strategy that Inuyasha had in mind, one that was engraved into his head by his desires to butcher Hiei and cleanse the world of his darkness. If I'm going to win this duel, I have to take away the most powerful card in his entire deck and use it against him. And there's only one card that could be.
"I'll start by placing four cards face down, and then I'll place a monster in defense mode. Hope you can handle it.""Not bad, half-blood, but it'll take a lot more than some half-assed strategy you threw together when you were rummaging through the trash to stop me! It's my move."
Raphael's fingers fell upon the deck, subconsciously traced a cross upon it, and added another card into his hand.
Not bad at all.
"Now I activate the Magic card, Treasure of the Guardian Goddess, which allows me to discard five cards from my hand and draw two more, and at the beginning of each turn I may draw two cards instead of just one, meaning I now have the upper hand."
"We'll see about that, Raphael. After all, we've only just begun to play." But in his mind, Inuyasha was feeling an unsettling amount of anxiety at what he was sure would be a difficult match
Something doesn't feel right here. This is the exact same opening move that Sesshomaru used on me in our last duel, and if history is any judge, he'll be dumping a few monsters next. But it doesn't seem that simple. I can't figure out why, but something tells me he won't go down easily.
Still, mulled the half-breed, if he was dealing with Sesshomaru's deck again, he would know exactly what cards he had to work with. "I'm not quite finished here. I'll place one monster in defense mode, along with one card face down, and end my turn.""Fine, then it's my turn again." Knowing this guy's deck strategy, he'll be expecting me to destroy his monster, an attack which he'll use to his advantage with the Michizure trap card, like Sesshomaru did. "As Inuyasha saw his next monster, though, he gained a brilliant idea.
"I'm sorry, Raph, but it looks like your little plan just failed. First, I'll place one more card face down, and then I'll flip my face down monster face up, Pitch-Black Warwolf, and as long as it remains face up on the field you can't activate Trap cards during your battle phase." The face down monster was now a black wolf-like warrior with a dark blade and heavy armor. (1600/600) "Next, I'll sacrifice my wolf in order to summon my Strike Basilisk in attack mode, followed by the activation of my face down Call of the Haunted to resurrect the Warwolf." The mighty beast soldier was soon replaced with a towering serpent whose scales were alternating hues of black, dark blue, and a venomous green. (2400/2000) At the same instant, the soldier of the hounds was returned to the field in a dark mausoleum. "Finally, I'll activate my second face down card, Destroyer Gauntlet, which I'll equip onto my Warwolf to increase it's attack by 2000 points!" As he activated his final card, the wolf soldier now gained a heavy piece of machinery, a complex cybernetic attachment that hummed with barely withheld nuclear energy, thus giving it massive destructive potential. (3600/600) "Now, Basilisk, destroy his face down monster with Serpent's Damnation!"
Eyes of ruby now flared in hate as the grandiose serpent rose to it's full and overbearing height, and with speed unparalleled the monster fell upon Raphael's face down monster, which soon revealed itself to be a heavily muscled blue ogre that appeared to be a sort of guardian. (0/2200) Once the monster was revealed, it was instantly pinned by the snake and could do nothing as it's sharp fangs dug deep into it's flesh and rendered it immobile. After that, it was not hard for the basilisk to swallow his enemy.
"Looks like your last line of defense just went out the window, Raphael. And now, Pitch-Black Warwolf, attack his life points directly!"
But something happened, just before the attack could be called.
"I'm not done here yet, demon! I activate the card I had face down, Self Tribute, to pay 1000 life points and resurrect my Backup Gardna!"
And it was here that Inuyasha realized what he was getting himself into.
A dark presence had brought itself upon the field, and that presence was draining spirit energy from Raphael's very body, causing him new levels of pain thanks in part to the accuracy of holographic perception in Hiei's technology. Of course, being a man that had known pain since his youth, it was not exactly a far stretch to say that it barely crossed his mind. And given the fact that his life essence was being used to resurrect his defense monster, it made little difference to him anyway. (4000/3000)
"Not bad, but your plan has one fatal flaw. Your monster is still at the mercy of my Warwolf! Destroy his monster, and this time, make sure it stays dead!"
As soon as the attack was called, the hefty gauntlet began triggering it's chief function, and heavy matter from the core of the machine now flowed into the fist of its user, thus creating something of a nuclear bomb effect that would incinerate both monsters and deal some harsh life point damage to both monsters. This is gonna be sweet.The energy now took on a harsh pitch, and soon the entirety of Inuyasha's monster was humming with radioactivity that would kill a normal human, and with this power to back it up the wolf swung at it's adversary.
But the Backup Gardna was not finished yet."I activate the Magic card, Bury God's Relief, which allows me to negate your attack and protect my monster!"
"What! You don't even have any other cards on the field or in your hand! How can you activate a Magic card when you don't even have one?"
"There's more than one place to play a card from. You see, dog demon, I'm activating this card from the Graveyard!"
And he had done so, and for this reason he now was able to block the attack and save his monster again.To say the least, Inuyasha was frustrated. It had never been this hard to destroy one enemy monster, and he didn't doubt that other cards that would allow Raphael to continue to save his creatures existed in his deck. But that means he'll dump at least two or three cards per monster. If I can survive long enough to exhaust his protection cards, I'll be able to crush this son of a bitch once and for all."Raphael, I hope you realize exactly how much this little strategy of yours is costing you. I don't doubt that you have stronger cards than that Backup Gardna in your deck, so why have you wasted two powerful Magic cards in an attempt to save it? Do you have some kind of love for the card, or are you just stupid?"
His eyes flashed slightly, but Inuyasha, being somewhat oblivious to the world around him, did not notice.
"You ignorant moron. I see you have no comprehension of the bond I have with these monsters. But then, perhaps I should give you a more personal demonstration of that."
In his mind, Raphael called out to his deck, beseeched it to aid him, and drew out his cards.
"For this move, I'll activate my Card of Sanctity, allowing us both to draw until we have six cards on hand. Next, I shall activate the Magic card, Rod of Silence-Kay'est, which I'll equip onto my Backup Gardna, increasing its overall defensive power by 500 points. But there's another reason I've played this card." Even as the duelists watched, a lengthy staff emerged from a divine light in the sky above that appeared to be hewn of coral and set at the top with a clear pearl, and the Gardna took on the stave. (0/2700)
"Don't tell me. You're going to summon the Guardian Kay'est. I've dealt with Guardian decks, and I happen to know a lot about how they work."
"Very perceptive." And as Inuyasha had stated, Raphael summoned his first Guardian, the first of many.
The creature that now stood before the duelists was, in the basest of terms, a mermaid. She, or it, rather, stood about the same height as Inuyasha, with hair of a similar color to seaweed and an azure tail. (1000/1800) "Of course, now my monster is just about invincible, but I'm afraid it will only get worse for you. For my next move, I'll activate the Magic Card known as Purity of the Cemetery!"
What? This guy's deck is insane!
"I can tell by the look on your face that the last duelist you faced with a Guardian deck did not have this card, so allow me to explain how it works. At the end of every turn you take you'll lose 100 life points for each monster in your Graveyard, but this effect can only be maintained so long as my Graveyard has no monsters in it."
"Heh. So all I have to do to get rid of your Magic card is kill one of your monsters. Seems easy enough."
"Oh really? Well, maybe you don't get my dueling strategy. You see, I make a very special point of keeping my monsters out of the Graveyard, even if it costs me almost all my life points. These monsters mean that much to me."
"That is such a load of bullshit. You don't care squat about those cards, or at least not as much as I do."
And now Raphael could not control his wrath.
"If you really think that, then why don't you look at these, you pathetic vermin!"
His hands shaking with barely confined fury, he lifted up his Guardian Kay'est monster card so that Inuyasha could see it for himself, and in the process see how devoted Raphael was to these cards.
Even from that distance, it was easy to see that the card was worn, so much so that the text and picture were barely legible. And Inuyasha also noticed that his Backup Gardna was in the same condition as the other Guardian.
"You say I don't respect my cards, Inuyasha. Well, there's something you should know about them before you cast judgment: I've had this deck for over 13 years!"
13 years! So this guy IS nuts!"Well, it doesn't look like you took very good care of them."
"Time wears away all things, no matter how well they are maintained. But I see that my trust in these cards is over your head. At any rate, I'll continue the duel by placing two more cards face down to end my turn."
"Ok, it's my move again." Inuyasha looked over the cards in his hand, a droplet of sweat dangling from his brow. He had the materials, but could he actually pull it off?
"Alright, it's time we end this once and for all!"
"I have to disagree! I activate the face down card I had, Mystical Space Typhoon, to wipe out your Destroyer Gauntlet!" His eyes flared in triumph as the heavy weaponry was destroyed, thus returning the Warwolf to his original power.
"It doesn't matter. I still have the cards I need to take you apart! Now I'll place two cards face down, and sacrifice my Warwolf and Basilisk, along with Call of the Haunted, in order to summon the monster known as Andros Sphinx in attack mode!" With an almost maniacal grin, Inuyasha discarded his two monsters and slammed one of his most powerful creatures onto the Duel Gauntlet.
Once both creatures were in a crouched position, they began to have racking muscle spasms that soon consumed their entire bodies, at the same time eliciting painful howls that were characteristic of fathers who had lost their sons, until both were finally absorbed into a single point of light that incinerated any evidence that they had ever existed. And it was from this pinprick of illumination that a portal between dimensions was opened, enough so for a new monster to emerge onto the mortal plane.
This titanic beast was unlike anything that had been played in the duel thus far. It was, for all intensive purposes, a bipedal lion-like monstrosity with heavy muscle definition and blazing red eyes, along with cobalt armor that pulsed with unfathomable spirit energy. (3000/2500)
"Luckily for you, my latest monster can't attack during the turn it is summoned, so I'll just pump up it's strength with the United We Stand Equip card, and that'll do it for now." Upon the wrists of the Sphinx materialized the gauntlets representative of the powerful card. (3800/3300)
"Not bad, dog demon. But remember that I still have the upper hand." Two more cards were drawn, and they were perfect for the situation. "For my next move, I'll activate the first card I set last turn, Guardian's Creed! This Magic card can only be activated if no damage was done to my monsters by an enemy monster in your last turn, and I have at least one Guardian monster on my field. If this is the case, I can discard one Magic card from my hand and Special Summon one Guardian monster from my deck with it's Equip card attached, so long as it has the same attribute as one monster on the field. So in this case, I think Guardian Kain would be an appropriate monster!"
From the Magic card now leapt yet another Guardian, this time a wiry sorcerer with a burgundy robe that hung loosely upon his shoulders, unable to conceal his waif-like attire beneath. His face was gaunt with sunken eyes, yet he seemed to have a certain trait of purity. In his hands was a thick black iron staff, barbed at one end, and crowned with a perfectly cut channeling crystal. (2600/2000)
Inuyasha's face suddenly became blanch as he recalled the infamous Kain, a monster that, according to Sesshomaru, had been responsible for controlling the balance of light and darkness, a responsibility that had cost him his soul. His effect was no less renowned, and the Staff of Chaos only made the situation worse.
"Next, I shall activate another Equip card, Chain of Mortality-Tyrol, which I'll use to increase the attack strength of Kain by 400 more points. And since I have the Chain and two Guardians on the field, I can Special Summon my Guardian Tyrol to the field in Attack mode." Two more cards appeared on the field, a thick chain with jagged links that played host to several jets of flame (3000/2000), and the original monster for whom it was intended, a burly mountain soldier with a loose pair of pants, thick leather boots, and a heavy sleeveless jacket. (2400/1200). "Finally, I'll activate the last Magic card I have on hand, Pot of Greed, in order to draw two more cards, after which I'll invoke the divine power of the Staff of Chaos to reuse the effect and draw two more." The stave, responding to the use of magic, began to hum with a chaotic aura that doubled the effect.
"HA! Do you really think you'll win with that pathetic lineup? Not one of your monsters is capable of defeating my Andros Sphinx, and even if they were, I still have two cards for you to contend with. After all, when you Special Summoned Tyrol you activated the effect of my Celebration of Creation Trap card, which ends your turn automatically and lets me draw one card. Granted, you still get your four cards, but it doesn't matter. After all, I want you to draw every card you can until you get that Magic card of yours."
And now something really was wrong. Raphael now had a strange look of divine justice in his eye, as if this had been his plan all along.
"It seems one part of your plan has been accomplished." With that he extracted one of the cards from his hand, and flipped it over to reveal what it was.
The second he saw this card, Inuyasha could not believe it. His plan had finally paid off, and soon Raphael would be devastated.
For the card Raphael had drawn…was the Seal of Orichalcos.
Roger's Penthouse
Negotiations with the dead were assignments in which the negotiator was paid a handsome sum in order to settle any one of a vast multitude of legal disputes over the meaning of a deceased family member's will, and generally fell into the category of one relative claiming senority of the estate over another one.
But as Roger Smith stared down the barrel of a gold-plated handgun, it occurred to him that in his case, negotiations with the dead often meant exactly what it was worded as.
"I guess you never do know when it's time to die, Alan Gabriel."
The warped grin that was the cyborg's trademark stretched out, a nervous fit of giggling emerging with it. Roger could almost hear the trigger finger squirming, practically begging to pull backwards and drill a hole in the negotiator's head.
"Well, what a cold thing to say from such an old friend! Come now, can't you act just a little bit civil? Besides, your foot's deeper in the grave then mine!"
Alan, in a fit of his usual dementia, pointed his gun into the air and allowed it's load to pierce the ceiling, at the same time skipping like a little boy all over the floor, and Roger was inadvertently reminded of Schwarzvald's masquerade party that was used as a catalyst to introduce the Big Duo. Watching the abomination sashay about, the heavy magnum always pointed towards his temple, brought back memories of Paradigm's elite slowly drowning themselves in indulgence…just before they were put to the torch.
And this time, Roger could not depend on the reporter to do the same here.
"Come now, my tight-laced chum, why are you so sad? If anything, you should be dancing with glee, for soon you'll be in a place where there is nothing but sadness! And it won't be long now before I carve your tombstone out of your little microcosm!"
He could see through Alan's little charade, and behind his mask of harmless insanity Roger knew this man was a cold-blooded murderer. It would not be long before he decided to turn the gun on his adversary, and finish the job he and the Inferno had started.
"Sorry, Alan, but I'll have to remove you before you can do that. You see, I'm very adamant about my code of conduct around here, so I make a special point of only letting women into my house unannounced, and I'm pretty sure you don't fit that category!"
And in an unseen turn of events, the fast-thinking negotiator flung his bottle of gin at Alan Gabriel's head.
"HA! All you've done is waste a good bottle of Yardmouth!"
The emissary pivoted his firing arm and pulled the trigger again, instantly shattering the bottle and spilling liquor everywhere; it was fortunate for Alan that his wide-brimmed hat prevented the gin and glass from spraying in his eyes.
What it did not prevent was a swift uppercut from crashing into his jaw.
The element of surprise was a fleeting thing, but Roger had taken advantage of it perfectly, and in the momentary shock he swiveled and slammed his leg into the assassin's gut with a sweeping spin kick, one that forced him to relax his grip on the magnum and drop it.
But as Roger pulled back his fist to attempt a third unhindered strike, the cyborg leapt out of the path and sprinted forward. Unable to dodge, the Tomato was sliced across the chest with Alan's blade-like hand. The injury was minor, but forced Roger to act with greater caution.
"What makes you think that man can conquer machine!"
Alan acted again almost immediately after his first strike, flipping himself backwards with a gymnast's grace to crush the tip of his foot into Roger's chest. After that, he bolted forward again…
…only to have his arm clamped in the crook of Roger's.
"If you can't behave like a gentleman, Mr. Gabriel, I'm afraid I'll have to ask you to leave!"
Shifting his weight slightly, Roger spun around and hurled Alan out of the broken window, and watched him plummet for a few stories before his grappling arm punched through the air and clamped onto the sill again, instantly returning Alan back to the room.
"Nice try, you aging gigolo. But I didn't think you could kill the boogeyman."
Alan had obviously decided it was time to take the kid gloves out of the match, for now his robotic hand had been converted into a rapidly-spinning drill. And without any warning he bolted towards his old adversary.
At long last, I'll finally be able to end this battle once and for all, and put that outdated Rosewater in his place.
He was about ten feet from Roger, victory so close he could smell and taste it, when a severe flaw was represented in his attack plan; chiefly, his inability to dodge sneak attacks, as the gunshot from behind indicated.
"DAMN IT!"
Unable to maintain his balance as the bullet buried itself in the small of his back, Alan Gabriel veered off course and slammed into the wall, his drill hand getting stuck.
With another heavy sigh, the negotiating duelist relaxed and poured a glass of wine for his own benefit, watching with some amusement as Alan lay prone on the ground, knocked unconscious by the impact.
Humor is the best medicine, I suppose.
But as the person who pulled the trigger stepped into the room, alcohol came in as a close second.
"Ok, I've asked you once, I've asked you many times, so at least answer me now. Why the hell won't you carry a gun!"
Roger was tempted to respond with a snide remark, but in his experience with Angel, he'd learned it was best to keep his mouth shut.
"It's not that hard to put a five pound chunk of metal in your pocket, if it's the effort that bothers you! I've seen you carry a fricken' android to your car, for the love of God! Do you not like the way it looks? Is it your goddamn pride? DAMNIT, ANSWER ME WHEN I'M TALKING TO YOU!"
"I think you should have figured it out by now. I don't carry a gun because I happen to be a gentleman." He had not expected a positive response to that, but he hoped for one anyway.
It was indeed an ill-founded hope.
"WHAT THE FUCK IS WRONG WITH YOU! DO YOU HAVE SOME KIND OF GOD COMPLEX OR SOMETHING! ARE YOU INSANE, OR JUST PLAIN STUPID!"
Angel continued to yell at him in this vein, eyes bulging in wrath as she gesticulated fervently in all manners, but Roger zoned it out. These ravings were not completely new to him, but it was nice to know that she cared.
And speaking of caring…
"I hope you like this, Roger Smith."
All eyes now turned on the android, the unparalleled Nightingale of Paradigm City, dressed in the red dress which she had worn to the nightclub that also bore the title of Nightingale.
That Wayneright sure is a craftsman.
She was about ten feet away from him when Angel noticed exactly what was going on, and in realization became aware of what Roger had become.
"You do realize, and I reiterate, that you are hitting on a robot?"
"Really? It didn't cross my mind."
"Seriously, Roger, you should get out more." Noting the look on his face, she leveled the gun so that it was point blank next to his temple. "And if you say that I should put out more, you'll have yourself a nice nine millimeter headache."
Roger only flashed her one of his disarming smirks, and poured himself a glass of wine. "Well, since the corporate jester decided to kill the mood, we may as well figure out what he's doing here." But before the domineus could get up, Angel strode over to the limp form and placed a heavy copper mechanism ontothe cyborg'sneck.
"This will hold him down until we can figure out what to do with the bastard. Normally, I'd kill him, but we're in no position to do that right now."
It was a rather unusual statement, considering that Alan Gabriel was probably working on his own at this point. If he was to actually escape, then there would be no end of torment, so it was likely best to finish him off.
"The way I see it, he has become a freelancer without any connections. It would be best if we remove him from the picture without causing any serious media action."
"I have to agree with Dorothy. I don't see any way that Alan could be of use to us alive."
Angel's eyes shifted from Roger, to Alan, and to her handbag, and it was immediately obvious that she wasn't telling something.
"Listen, we're in over our head this time. I say we just pull out of here before anyone catches on to us."
Angel looked extraordinarily nervous, seeming to watch the walls to ascertain whether any eyes were spying on them. "Roger, you have no idea of what we're up against. You see, Hiei isn't the only superpower we're dealing with."
And it was then that Roger remembered the other organization Alan Gabriel was associated with.
"Wait. Are you saying what I think you're saying?"
Her face became one of melancholy regret, as the oldest of her memories came flooding back to her, as did the tears of unbridled terror.
"I'm afraid so. The Union…is in control of New Paradigm City…"
Corridor outside of the ballroom
Yami did not have any idea what to think at that very moment.
On the one hand, Kachikachi had, after over five thousand years of unchecked brutality and malice, been finally put to rest, and if luck was with him it would remain that way. As if that wasn't enough, he was now only two duels away from the Hellfire Tournament Finals, and he could, in an indescribable manner, sense that Kagome had forgiven him.
But there was also a dark spot on his glorious triumph, a sort of heaviness that prevented him from being fully jubilant in his victory.
Kikyo…
Her blood was still thick on his hands, albeit cold and lacking of life force, and looking at it blend and fuse with the blood he had lost in his Shadow Game made him think of her sacrifice; more importantly, it made him think of exactly why she had taken the sword in his place. Her claim had been simplistic, but profound.Because…I love you too.
His stride began to decrease, and was soon replaced with a melancholy sort of trudge as the exhaustion and guilt combined to weigh heavily upon his shoulders and mind.
Not for the first time, the grim reality of what kind of a tournament he had been catapulted into occurred to him.
How many people would have to suffer before Hiei was satisfied?
Still, thought the Pharaoh, at least some good came out of this duel. And he had seen Kikyo's suffering, buried deep in her heart, so perhaps it was better this way. But he knew that after this, life and the world would never be the same. Her loss would resonate for years to come, and in later years, when the history books of this tournament were written, whole chapters would be devoted to her life, death, and rebirth, only to die again.
May you find peace in oblivion.
Philosophical ponderings aside, Yami now saw fit to continue moving forward, and as he did so he entertained idea of finding a more stable asylum, as concealed as possible from Hiei and everyone else. So far two emissaries had been sent to dispatch the two of them, and from the way things had been going there would be other soldiers following in their wake…soldiers that weren't interested in a duel. Also, he had had an unsettling premonition ever since the tournament began, one that led him to believe the worst was ahead.
Ever since Hiei had started the Hellfire Tournament, there had been an inexplicable tension in the air, one that the people of New Paradigm were oblivious to. The resurrection of the Seal of Orichalcos was only one of the harbingers of things to come. There was also Schwarzvald's involvement, for which Yami had no real explanation, and Naraku bringing himself into the world.
New Paradigm was not the Paradise it was made out to be, and he was not just thinking about the obvious flaws in that perception.
Perhaps this was destiny's plan for him, to combat the darkness that plagued this floating metropolis, or maybe Hiei's plans had a greater depth than simple brute force and domination. It had been apparent from the start that Hiei knew too much about the power of the Sennen Items, and his knowledge of the Shikon no Tama was disconcerting in itself.
So in order to defeat Hiei once and for all, he would need to delve deeper into his plotting, and by doing so, delve deeper into the pits of his own existence. To fight the Devil, the Pharaoh would need to enter his consciousness, and discover what else fueled his insanity, for there was indeed a higher power at work here.
But what was that power? Schwarzvald's purported Truth of Paradigm? Or did it run farther back, back to the days of ancient Egypt, from whence much of the Pharaoh's torment and blessing had originated?
In a sense, he was asking of himself whether there were powers behind the powers, a central control that was invariably present within every event that had befallen them all, from the powers of the Seal to even Schwarzvald's god-like Big Duo. If this was the case, then there was only one possible explanation for everything that had happened.If these forces are indeed connected, then it must mean that Hiei is the ultimate evil, that destiny's entire purpose for me was to arrive in New Paradigm City.
The blood on his hands warmed slightly.He continued walking in the general direction of his room, praying while he contemplated. Lately he had not been so much focused on the darkness of the world and how to purify it, but rather his attention had been entirely on Kagome, and he was distracted in his duels with Kachikachi and Kagura because of this. All he had been able to think about on the way to his Shadow Game was Kagome, her fragrant sable hair, her mesmerizing eyes, her sweet smile, and how he would win her back. She consumed his every thought; every card he played was in her name; every second she was not with him, he died a little, and every second she was with him a thousand of those parts were resurrected.
So then why did I kiss Kikyo?
A question that was concealed from him since the start of his duel now jumped to the forefront. Yami had never exactly been able to pinpoint why he had defiled his relationship that meant so much to him, with a woman that Kagome obviously resented. The first idea that came to mind was physical attraction, but despite Kikyo's beauty he was not so lowly that he would practice infidelity for that purpose. No, there was another reason, some kind of hidden purpose for kissing her that he could not discern.
Until he remembered the tale of the monstrosity that had possessed Yugi, about how a priestess by the exact same name had helped him seal off the powers of shadow 5000 years prior.
Of course! It all makes sense now! Kagome and I did not meet by chance, but rather because history is repeating itself again, so at first I fell for Kagome. But when Kikyo appeared, the powers of the Puzzle recognized that love, and it almost overrode the love for her incarnation that I had originally. But if that is the case, then why did my feelings for Kagome take precedence?
He could not puzzle it out, and try as he might his efforts bore no fruit. So he decided that it was not best to tempt fate. After all, did it really matter how he was in love with this angel, so long as he was?
It was then that he sensed it, a pulse of Shadow magic from a point not too far off, a force that, to him, was all too familiar.
No! How could he have returned!
If there was any doubt in Yami's mind that Kagome was connected to the past, it was now dispelled.With panic in his eyes and mind, Atem bolted forward, feet barely brushing the hardwood.
You won't escape again…Yami no Marik.
DOOM Fortress
A giant robot. That was all a megadeus was, in essence; nothing more than an oversized mechanical being. So then why was the man known as Michael Seebach, the highest lieutenant of the Black Shadow hierarchy, preaching that these machines were the power of God in the hands of Man? What drove him to these wildly inaccurate and oftentimes ludicrous beliefs?
Dartz had seen a megadeus before, and he could tell for certain that it was not a god from the machine. Granted, this had been a fairly weak version, useful only as basic infantry, but the people around him at that time acted as if the world was about to end when they saw it.
It had crumbled like soil at the wrath of Atlantis.
Sitting in his private office, sipping a glass of sherry and watching the events of a modern city in the sky through an arrangement of flat-panel LCD television monitors, Dartz had already begun to appreciate the ignorance of New Paradigm's residents; even he could recall the memories of his people and what led to the calling of Orichalcos. But there were at least several that knew the truth of their origin, as Rosewater's version of Frankenstein's monster. Watching them, mortals and Tomatoes alike, Dartz could not help but wonder about the memories of Paradigm City, memories that even Spirit World could not discern.
He was always curious as to what the Event was, and even more interested in where Paradigm itself existed. For such a massive stage, from whence originated this gargantuan metropolis, his operatives had been unable to locate it, and even black market satellite imagery had been useless in tracking the superstructure. And when he attempted to utilize his own unique brand of location, nothing was ever found.
How can such a behemoth of a construction be concealed from my eyes?
Dartz placed the empty glass on the table, and wandered over to the bay windows from where he could view all of the City of Amnesia, a city created by Alex Rosewater in his quest for a deific power, constantly oblivious to the true power of God that Atlantis played host to. But what force could he have hoped to find in such a desolate wasteland?His hand fell upon the Magic card that he held in his pocket, long since cold from having the souls it bore extracted. What did Alex, or Gordon rather, know that DOOM did not?
But he had no reason to think of Paradigm and it's fascist demigod; whatever souls it had that were of any real power were dissolved 47 years prior. And in all seriousness, he did not have any real requirement for a megadeus…for the moment.
Around his neck, the Pendant of Orichalcos gave off a sharp pulse of energy, responding to the arrival of a piece of the Orichalcos Stone. And judging from the strength of this pulse, he could almost instantly tell who it was.
The door shuddered with a heavy rap, with three others in quick succession.
"Enter, Shinobu."
The twin oaken doors swung open, and the twisted ex-Spirit Detective burst in.
"Is there something you need? As you can understand, I do not have time to deal with your many personal problems, so unless this is business-related I don't want to hear it."
"You know why I'm here, Atlantean."
Of course, thought Dartz.
"I've told you once, and I'll tell you again. If I gave you free rein in this project, I don't doubt that every human being in this city shall be dead by sundown. Instead, I want you to focus on the purpose for which I hired you in the first place."
Dartz reached over to pick up his glass, likely to refill it again. Sensui, on the other hand, flopped onto one of the sofas nearby as he scoped out a lager from the open bar next to him, grabbed it, and twisted off the bottle cap.
"Again, I don't have time for socializations."
"An understandable sentiment, but I do indeed have something of importance. As it happens, your little plan to lead us to Kagome has failed miserably. That irresolute fox was captured by an unnamed entity before he could actually find the bitch."
"Once again you are unaware of the big picture, Shinobu. You see, the unknown entity is in fact an old nemesis of the Pharaoh's, so either way the plan succeeded. But I can only assume you have come here for more important reasons then jumping to half-assed conclusions."
There was a snicker over the sound of slurped beer, and the lunatic placed his bottle down.
"Strangely enough, there is one matter that requires your attention." His hand reached into a hidden pocket in his shirt, and from this tossed a red index card about the same size of a Duel Monsters card. Dartz, in turn, caught the card, and gave it a passing glance before discarding it. "This means nothing. In all fairness, the Paradigm City Council is little more than a puppet regime. Their word means as much as Naraku's."
"And the Union?"
The Atlantean gave a cold smirk as he refilled his glass for the third time, and probably the last time. "The Union does not exist. It's not unlike the boogeyman in that the people choose to believe it exists, and as such are frightened of it. Only when they see that it is an apparition will they learn to stand against it." And in the process see the truth of my kingdom.
Sensui had heard all of these theories before, and was always amused by how closely they corresponded to his own beliefs about Paradigm City. Like Dartz, the detective gone mad had never taken the powers of megadeii seriously, but for a different reason altogether: the fact that he was in the possession of deific might, and had seen such power in action by way of the Seal."I think that's enough for now, Shinobu. You may leave."
"Alright. But before I forget, there was a message from one of our contacts in the New Paradigm Hotel. That woman you were monitoring is dead."
"She has been dead for many years, so it was not a far stretch. But at least one of our enemies is in the grave to stay."
Sensui, having developed no real malice against Kikyo or Kagome, or at least no more than any other human, stepped up and turned towards the hallway.
"Oh, and one more thing, Dartz. I have not yet forgotten what you did, so be mindful when all is said and done."
"Interesting sentiment, coming from a man whose life I saved; had it not been for my hand, that detective would have annihilated you with one shot. And even if he wasn't possessed by Raizen…"
"That does not matter, not anymore. Were it not for your involvement that brat would not have found me in the first place. I told the same thing to your henchmen, and I'll tell it to you: this is my battle, not yours." And with a sneer of disdain he strode out.
Dartz, as usual, was not impressed. He knew what had happened in Makai, and he knew that Sensui would not yet turn upon his cause, for as of that moment DOOM was the only path left for the fanatic to take to accomplish his goals.
You won't get the chance to turn upon me, Shinobu.
The last of the sherry was gone, and the wineglass was unceremoniously set on the table. There were a few things left to do before the next attack plan couldbe set into place, and he needed to be sober for all of them.Kaiba and Botan vs. Tsubaki and the Masked Duelist
"What…what did you just say?"
"You heard my words, Seto. Why do you seem so glum? Put a smile on that stone face of yours." The voice was boisterous, witty, something you expect to find with an eccentric dandy. "After all, it's the last chance you'll get in a very long time." And now the voice hardened; beneath the flowers and sunshine was a blade of wickedness.
"Seto, do you know this man?"
"All too well. What I want to know is how the Priestess found him."
Somehow Kaiba had gotten himself into the worst possible position in a matter of minutes. Now not only did he have to face one of the champions of Duel Monsters…
…but now he had to face its creator.
"I think we've heard just about enough here, so why don't you reveal yourself, Pegasus?"
"Very well, Kaiba. If it will help you come to terms with the reality of the situation, then look out world, here I come!"
With an exaggerated flourish the hood was tossed skyward, to reveal the face of one of the world's most flamboyant geniuses. The face itself was pale, but unlike Tsubaki, it was a pallor of affluence that seemed to coincide perfectly with his shoulder length platinum hair, which happened to cover one half of his face. Perfectly trimmed eyebrows and dark red irises completed the ensemble.
"I think we've seen enough. Now, here is how the duel is going to work. I shall begin the match, followed by the reaper, then Pegasus, and finally Kaiba. No one may attack until it is my turn again. Both duelists must be defeated in order to win, and mass-effect cards affect both fields when used. And since this was my idea in the first place, I'll start things off." All cards were drawn, the stage was set, and Tsubaki was ready to show the world her power and beauty.
"I'll begin by placing a card face down, followed immediately thereafter by the summoning of my Gagagigo in attack mode." The monster first summoned appeared to be a creature from an old English folktale, a humanoid lizard with thick claws and razor sharp fangs. (1850/1000) "Granted, my monster will not remain on the field for very long; I plan to sacrifice it using the Magic card, Ultra Evolution Pill!" The brute of a reptile was immediately presented with a massive capsule that it could barely fit into it's mouth, whereupon it's genetic structure began to rapidly alter itself. The entirety of Darwinian theory was accelerated, or decelerated rather, millions of years, until a new, even deadlier monster was called forth, a massive tyrannosaurus rex with armored black skin and eyes that blazed with a dark, primordial strength unseen by man in over 65 million years. (2600/1800) "And that's not all I have in store for you. Next I think I'll activate this, a Magic card known as In And Out, to discard any number of cards from my hand, and in exchange draw that many from my deck. Now that I've dealt with that, it's time I activate the card known as Premature Burial, to Special Summon the monster I sent to the Graveyard, Gagagigo, which I'll sacrifice again to use the power of Tribute Doll!" (4000/4000) (3200/4000) Once more the lizard was offered, and in it's place emerged another titanic creature, this time a hovering orb of green that seemed ready to send a gust of wind at whoever stood against it. "Behold my Kazejin, a gift from one of Naraku's subservient puppets!" (2400/2200) "Next I shall play the Megamorph Equip Magic, which shall double the attack strength of my Tyranno!" As stated, the overall muscle definition of the beast now increased two-fold. (5200/1800) "Finally, I'll place one more card face down and end my turn. Your move, reaper."
And the time had finally come for Kaiba and everyone else. It was time to see what Botan could really do.
"As you wish." The starting card was drawn, and Botan realized that in spite of Tsubaki's massive field advantage, she was still in a position to take them all apart. "Ok, I'll start by summoning one of my favorite monsters to the field, Valkyrie Mist, in attack mode!" Her first monster was indeed a Valkyrie, a beautiful and yet overbearing monster with golden armor and hair of a tone akin to a deep forest. (1700/1200) "Next, I'll play the card Reginleif, to draw one card for each Valkyrie I have on the field, followed immediately thereafter by the activation of Valkyrie's Embrace, which I'll use to switch my monster into defense mode and remove your Tyranno from play." Without any thought for her own safety, the handmaiden of Odin strode over to the gargantuan beast that was Tsubaki's monster and opened it's arms wide, as if in brotherhood, and for a moment the dinosaur was unsure of what to do. However, after a moment it allowed itself to be held, unaware that the Valkyrie had drawn out a long, glowing dagger that was positioned at the base of it's skull. Of course, the second the dinosaur felt the cool metal pressing against its skin did it realize exactly what was going on, and gave out a massive bellow of anger and fear. But it was too late, for once the monster understood the significance of what was happening, Mist shoved the blade deep into its head, thus causing it to explode in a horrific mess. After this, the Valkyrie went into a defensive stance.
"Well, I guess we all have to go sometime."
"Heh, not bad."
"That was just a lucky shot, Kaiba. Let's see if your girlfriend can pull it off again."
"Ok, but don't say I didn't warn you. For my next move, I'll place one card face down, and then I'll play Maiden of Swan, so that I can Special Summon the monster known as Valkyrie Sovite!" The second Valkyrie of Botan's was an apparently stronger creature than the last, a pink-haired warrior mounted upon a horse. (1600/1600) "And by the special ability of my monster, I am allowed to destroy any monster on your side of the field when this monster is summoned, so say bye-bye to your Kazejin!" Sovite, as per this effect, leapt into the sky and brought its sword crashing through the Wind God's torso, slicing it in half diagonally.
"HA! I activate the card I had face down known as Rope of Life, in order to resurrect my Kazejin with an extra 800 attack points, so long as I discard my entire hand." A rope now appeared from the chasms of Hell, and upon it hung the disgraced god. (3200/2200) "Care to try again?"
"Sure, why not? I'll place two cards face down to end the turn."
"Well, then, it looks like it's my move! Just like old times, huh Kaiba?"
Pegasus now drew his card, and almost died laughing.
"Well, Kaiba, I think it's time I begin the match, and I think you'll appreciate this monster. Come on out, Toon Alligator!"
Kaiba's eyes went black as he remembered in vivid detail the dueling strategy of this monster, the sadistic madman who had kidnapped his brother and ripped out his soul, as well as attempted to take control of his corporation. And now, in some pathetic attempt to attack him psychologically, the bastard was playing the exact same strategy.
Well, it's working.
Now, Pegasus was one of the most respected businessmen in all the world; his Duel Monsters game alone had amassed billions of dollars in profit, and his other ventures had been no less profitable. It was for this reason that he was considered to be one of the greatest minds that existed, and in spite of his eccentric proclivities he was still viewed as such.
But watching him summon the cartoonish lizard to the field made Kaiba wonder whether Pegasus was just a brilliant child. (800/1600)
"Of course, this critter isn't what I want, so instead I'll use it as tribute! But how will I do that if I already summoned a monster? Whatever shall I do? Oh, I know, I'll activate Toon World!"
Toon World. That one card had forced Kaiba to endure over three weeks of hardcore therapy simply to forget the affect it had had on his life. By the hand of this card he had almost lost what he defined as his reasons for life, and now it seemed like it was about to perform an encore. And even as the hideous green hardback popup book was unveiled in all of its disgusting glory, Pegasus's eyes took on a new definition of insane. (4000/4000) (3200/3000)
"But that's not the end. Next, I'll sacrifice my Toon Alligator so that I can summon Toon Vampire Lord in attack mode!" In a manner similar to how Beck summoned his Vampire Lord, the Toon Alligator had its soul absorbed into the ground, from whence a stone coffin emerged yet again. However, the monster that leapt forth from the casket was nothing like his counterpart.
The Toon Vampire Lord appeared as though it had come from a cheap costume party, with bloated cheeks, an over-exaggerated grin, a flowing cape that completely failed to inspire terror, and a constant tendency to yell out stereotypical vampiric sayings. (2000/1500) "And there's even more cartoon fun! Next off, I'll summon the monster known as Toon Gemini Elf, and while I'm at it, I'll summon Toon Goblin Attack Force as well!" Two more pen and ink blasphemies against nature were summoned, this time a pair of manga-based elf twins and a small unit of hideous goblins. (1900/900) (2300/0) "Ok, I'll end my turn with one card face down."
"Perfect. Now I can finally shut you up." The first card of Kaiba's was drawn. "Alright, Pegasus, if you're going to act the part of an ass, then I'll show you no mercy! Remember, you can't look at my cards like you did last time. I'll start by placing three cards face down, followed by activating Magical Sanctuary! This card allows all players to add one Magic card from their deck to their hand, and as long as this card remains in play we may activate Magic cards during all turns. Of course, that won't be of much help, for now I activate Raigeki Vortex! By discarding one card from my hand, I can wipe out all of your face-up monsters on the field." Much like the original Raigeki, a rain of electric hellfire came down upon the heads of all four monsters, incinerating them and splattering their innards all about. "I've only just begun. Next, I'll activate Pot of Greed, to draw two more cards." Excellent. "I shall then summon Mech Blader in attack mode, whom I'll equip with Excalibur to double his attack power at the cost of my Draw Phase." Kaiba's next monster was a svelte android made of blue metal, with a red view port and razor-thin blades on its hands, arms and heels. (1950/1000) At the same time, a long European sword fell into its hands, boosting the Mech's power tremendously. (3900/1000) "Finally, I'll activate the card I had face down, Spell Economics, which disregards my payment of life points for Magic cards. This is fortunate for me, because now I can activate the Autonomous Action Unit card I hade face down to resurrect Kazejin!" The Wind God returned to the field, this time with a complex mechanism on its back that replicated normal body function. "That's all for now."
"Perfect. Now it's time to annihilate you!"
"Not yet. I activate the last card I played face down, Pyro Clock of Destiny, meaning your turn is skipped."
"Meaning the duel comes back to me. And it'll end right here for one of you! I summon Valkyrie Sigrdrifa by sacrificing my Valkyrie Mist, and by my new maiden's effect half of Mist's attack points will be added to those of Sigrdrifa!" Yet another Valkyrie was summoned, this time a lady with emerald armor and locks of platinum. (2300/2300) And as stated by her effect, the sword she wielded split asunder, and produced a weapon akin to that held by Mist. (3150/2300) "Sigrdrifa, attack Tsubaki's life points directly! Twin Bladed Wrath of the Gods!" With blades extended an equivalent distance apart, the great messenger hurled herself forward, and when she was about three feet from Tsubaki she crashed her blades together at the dark priestess's head. (4000/4000) (50/3000)
What happened next was unexpected: Tsubaki began laughing.
"Thanks, Botan. You did everything exactly as I had hoped. Because you inflicted over 1000 points of damage to me, I am allowed to special summon a monster known as Spirit King Rukuranba to the field in defense mode, and thanks to Kaiba's Sanctuary, I can equip the Heart of Clear Water I drew before he could use his clock, making him utterly invincible to your pathetic attacks." Tsubaki's next monster was indeed the Spirit King, an oversized lizard with greasy black hair and warped, beady eyes. (1000/2000) At the same time, a bubble of sanctified water consumed the monster.
"Fine, I end my turn."
"Alright, I think some overtime in order, so I'll go again!"
"Not on your life, Pegasus! I activate the face down Magic card I had, Blessings of Thor, to force you to skip your turn as well. And because it resolved before your Standby Phase, your Toon Vampire Lord will not be returning until your next turn. Take them down, baby."
"I like the way you think." Maybe Yugi was right about this whole teamwork thing. Well, maybe with someone who has my skill level.
"Alright, I'll destroy my Excalibur by allowing myself to draw, and then I'll activate the drawn card, Card of Sanctity." All four duelists drew their cards. "Next, I'll play the card known as Spell Reproduction, to discard two Magic Cards from my hand to add one to my hand from the grave, in this case Pot of Greed, which allows me to draw two more cards. Finally, I'll activate Monster Reborn to resurrect Pegasus's Alligator!" The golden ankh returned, and with it reemerged the cartoon. "And since I have three monsters on my side of the field, I think I'll make a small sacrifice. You know what's coming, Pegasus. After all, you made this card yourself.""What's he talking about? You didn't actually give him a card that he can use against us, did you?"
"I didn't. He got it from a colleague."
The card ascended in Kaiba's hand, and it didn't take long for Botan to see what it was. I knew you could do it, Seto.
Such confidence in his eyes could only come from one monster. And Tsubaki knew what had to be done to best it.
We have to turn this duel around, and I think I have a way to do it.
"THE END IS HERE! I SACRIFICE KAZEJIN, MECH BLADER, AND TOON ALLIGATOR TO SUMMON MY EGYPTIAN GOD CARD, OBELISK THE TORMENTOR!"
Kagome vs. Yami no Marik
The Revival Jam. A personal trademark of Yami no Marik's, and easily one of his deadliest creatures, if played in the correct way. But Kagome had never heard of this card before, so she had no idea of what she was up against.
The monster that revealed itself did not appear to take on any solid shape or form, but rather looked like an ameba with the vague impression of a skull taking form in it's face. Every so often it undulated, as if changing its shape. (1500/500) "You have no idea of the horrors you are about to experience at the hand of this beast. But just to ensure my victory, I'll place one card face down and end my turn there."
What? If he wanted to defeat me, he could have used a better monster. Eh, he's probably just waiting for something else.
"My move!" Her next card drawn, and she knew very well how to use it. "Alright, demon, I don't know what possessed you to summon that blob of a monster, but now you're gonna pay for it! I summon Yuez, Judge of Light, in attack mode!" The next monster Kagome summoned was yet another angel, but this time was draped in a platinum-cloth robe, had deep blue skin, and wings of a light green hue. (1900/1200) "And then I'll play the Magic card, Return of Tithes, to draw two cards because I have two Light-type monsters on my side of the field. Finally, I'll place one of the cards I drew face down. Now, Yutai, attack his Revival Jam and end this duel!"
The blade was drawn, and with no idea of what he was getting himself into the angel charged forth again. But there was no fear in the demon's eyes, and it didn't take a genius to see that this duel was not over by a long shot. The blade fell, splattering the Jam all about the arena.
"Alright, now, it's your turn, Gemini Elf!"
"I'm afraid not! Or have you forgotten my Revival Jam?"
"Don't be stupid; I just destroyed that monster!"
"Oh, did you?"
And just as in Battle City, the blob slowly began to reconstruct itself, replacing scattered genetic structures and reformatting its base anatomy so that it could endure another attack, until such time as the monster was fully restored to its original form.
"This particular monster is infamous for its capability to survive any attack placed against it, though in reality it is just Special Summoned immediately after being destroyed. Of course, this means that thanks to my face down card, Jam Defender, you can't cause any damage to my life points." The stated Trap card activated, and as Kagome read the text she was horrified to realize that the spirit was right.
"Fine. That will end my turn."
The spirit's eyes now gleamed with barely contained lunacy, his entire face began to contort and warp itself, and his fingers looked slightly talon-like as he drew his next card. "You pathetic miko; what you have just seen is only the tip of the iceberg that is my deck, for within these cardboard boundaries I hold a card unlike anything you have ever seen, a devastating monstrosity of the gods created by the hand of man. But sadly, I have yet to draw that card, so you shall have to wait. In the meantime, I shall summon the monster known as Melchid the Four-Faced Beast in attack mode, and because it is a Fiend-type monster I can use the Magic card, Thoughts from a Darkened Veil!" As Yami no Marik summoned his next monster, a hovering set of masks that seemed to derive from a satanic ritual (1500/1000), a ring of shade settled itself upon the arena. After this bizarre phenomenon had taken place, a strange form of speaking ran its way through the veil, a chant-like English that sounded as though it was being recited backwards. "You see, when there is a Fiend-type monster on my side of the field, I can take control of one of your monsters until my next standby phase, so I think its time I remove those Cherub Wings from your field by controlling Yutai." The veil dissipated as soon as the target was specified, revealing that the once angelic monster had been swayed by the argument of Beelzebub into joining Yami no Marik. "But I doubt that shall matter, for I intend to sacrifice these monsters!"
"Wait! You've already used up your summon this turn!"
"Such a naïve wench; my deck is loaded with overpowering surprises, such as the fact that I can offer up my Melchid and your Yutai to call upon one of the most horrific demons of Hell to ever step upon this plane! I summon the Masked Beast Death Guardius!"
Within an instant, the monsters Yami no Marik had collected were consumed in twin pillars of acrid fumes that acutely bore resemblance to the Destruction Cloud technique occasionally used by Naraku in combat, and much like that miasma the vapors burned away at the flesh of both monsters. As she watched, the rotten flesh seemed to hover, almost wraith-like, as the bones and muscles also took on a stasis in the basic blueprint of a humanoid beast; after forming this crude semblance, the corroding bodies started to connect themselves, creating an appearance of the muscular anatomical study of a demon. Soon thereafter, the dead epidermis and bones created the outer flesh of this monster, and when all was said and done the end result was a crime against nature.
The demonic soldier of the depths of Hell was indeed a sight of unparalleled disgust, with a sort of bony exoskeleton containing its cadaver-like muscle tone, along with a pair of triple claws that could slice through solid rock with the greatest of ease. Three heads sat atop its massive form, each with a different sort of cult mask in which glowed burning crimson eyes. (3300/2500) "As you can see, my devil's minion is one of the most spiteful of the eternal damned, as well as one of the most lethal of my beasts, and it has the attack strength to wipe you out once and for all. It's unfortunate, actually; I would not have minded if this match had posed more of a challenge to me. But I suppose one cannot have everything. Now, my Masked Beast, I command you to decapitate her Yuez, and by this prove that a priestess's light cannot dispel my shadows!"
The ogre showed no signs of mercy as it spread apart the triad of claws, which even now were stained with mortal and immortal blood of all it had devoured, and took a cautionary step forward, as if to test the waters. She could almost hear its unseen nostrils flare up, the soft click of the fangs it hid somewhere.
The Beast dug its talons into the ground and leapt forward, claws open, hands ready to slice apart the innards of the angelic soldier and feast upon them.
Luckily, Kagome still had one more trick up her sleeve.
"I activate the card I had face down, Waboku, which will allow my monsters and I to survive your attack!" Before the claw of the demon could find a home within Yuez's flesh, a set of three high priestesses formed a semi-circle around the angel and his mistress, blocking the attack at the cost of their own lives. "I won't go down that easily, spirit."
"I think it is high time that you call me Yami no Marik, but that is not the issue. For now, I shall end my turn."
Whew. That was almost too close. But now I think its time I show this chump how someone really duels.
"It's my move! And I'll start by activating the Magic card known as White Cross! Because I have a Judge on my side of the field, I can destroy one of your monsters on the field, and I think your Death Guardius is the perfect candidate for my sanctification!"
Yuez, having now found the ultimate weapon of God in a simple crucifix carven of platinum, walked forward with the symbol up on high, preparing to enact the will of the heavens. Death Guardius, in turn, cringed in outright terror as the Judge of Light walked ever closer, and as the cross began to emit an unorthodox tune of harps.
And one of the Judges of the Heavens laid his verdict, roaring out a prayer in an old Latin dialect that caused the cross to erupt in a blaze of the purest magic, a wave of purity and consecration that overtook the darkness of the vile creature, peeling away at the unholy barbs and sending it back to the Pit.
Yami no Marik, unable to handle yet another white magic spell, staggered backwards as his monster was once again laid waste. How could this be happening to him? The Pharaoh he could understand having such an effect upon him, but this woman was only a novice; he should have been able to demolish her within the first few turns! And yet she had inherited something else from the Priestess to whom she was connected, something that was about to come to the light of day, no pun intended.
It seems that the young priestess has forced my hand. I think now would be the appropriate time to commence the onset of the greatest beast my deck can conjure.
"Unfortunately for you, my dear, I shall not yet be vanquished. Remember, I still have my Revival Jam to defend my life points, not to mention your Gemini Elf!""What are you talking about?"
"Remember that you sent my Masked Beast Death Guardius to the graveyard, and by doing so you have allowed it to leave behind a set of masks." And indeed, the three occult faces that had one been those of the demon's now lay prone on the ground. "These masks, in turn, allow me to activate a rather powerful Magic card from my deck, the Bequeathed Mask, which allows me to control one of your monsters as long as it is equipped!" And as he said this, the trio of masks became one, a mask that, like the beast that had created it, was a sin against creation, in that it was a revolting fusion of multiple demon faces that reeked of the grave. "Now, my mask of remnants, attack yourself to the twin faeries!" This hideous death mask split into two and locked soundly onto the heads of both elves, calling them to join the shade. "HA! Now there is nothing you can do!" "I'm not quite finished. Next I'll play Pot of Greed, to draw two more cards, and from those cards I'll summon Yunay, Judge of Life in attack mode!" Unlike the other angels called forth, this seraph was fully armored in blue crystal from which wings of blood red emerged. In his hands was a heavy diamond mace, whilst his arms bore thick blades of frozen light. (2000/1500) "Finally, I shall activate the card called Holy Brith, which shall remove your Revival Jam from play so long as my two monsters give up their attack for this turn." The twin beings of purity, having been given their second divine command from an unseen deity, dutifully crossed weapons to match the emblem for which they did battle. As this ceremony was completed, a holy light erupted from the intersection of the sword and mace, which in its turn formed a second crucifix that absorbed the Revival Jam within a stream of knife-like energy. "And I think that will do for the moment."
But Yami no Marik had already been incensed, and he now saw fit to begin the hunt.
"Well, it seems I have underestimated your capabilities as a duelist, young Kagome, and as such I think it is high time I step up my game. If you thought that dueling me was difficult before, then you are about to experience the penultimate of all my strategies, and from such shall I damn you into the Abyss of Darkness until the end of time! It's my move!"
Yami no Marik was just about to see the next card he drew when he sensed another force breaking into the Shadow Game, a force of a magical signature that could only stem from one basis.
"But before that, I think it is time you said your last goodbyes."
Kagome also sensed this great strength, and her heart almost leapt for joy. If this was the man she suspected it was, then this malevolent spirit was about to experience a rather rude awakening.
The shade parted, to reveal the worn and exhausted visage of the Pharaoh.
New Paradigm Market
Shopping in New Paradigm was a lot like trying to find a reliable price from a jeweler, in that the store owner would often downplay the truth for his own gain. And as Joey scanned the exorbitant costs of even the most frugal of items, he came to understand the parallel.
So far the duelist from the hard streets, as he had come to be called, was not at all impressed with the monstrous eyesore that was called a paradise; not only was the leviathan vessel defending the citadel an unattractive trait, but the entire city was bloated with lies. Promoted as a safe and prosperous haven for all who passed the threshold, it was in reality an extensive façade used to sedate the poor and dejected who would thus be inclined to think that they too lived in Heaven.
It was a despicable lie, one that, had Schwarzvald not been so involved in other activities correlating to a far outdated truth, would likely have gained a harsher attention than that of the Battle City and Duelist Kingdom finalist. Besides, Joey's mind was already sharply focused on his latest acquisitions that would bring him ever closer to his conquest of the Hellfire Tournament, a tournament of incomparable horrors and maniacal plans, the full scope of which had not even been revealed to the Pharaoh himself.
At the moment, Joey just happened to be thinking about exactly how much he had been affected by his confrontations with Yugi in times gone by, and by this couldn't help but wonder how different his life would be had he not been saved by his first real friend. The two had endured so very much as a solid and invincible team, and he knew, as strongly as he had known during Duelist Kingdom, that no one would conquer them.
And they had even more support now, ironically because of the lunatic that was attempting to destroy them. Yusuke and Inuyasha were now at their side, along with that Roger character, and Kaiba, loathsome as he was, would yet prove to be vital to their ultimate triumph. There had never been a challenge set against Yugi and the Pharaoh that hadn't been surmounted, and with this fresh firepower, he doubted that the Devil himself could overcome what had been brought together.
But confidence aside, Joey also knew that the victory would not be one of easy gain.
If Chu was such a hard ass duelist, then I can only imagine how tough Hiei and his bitches will be. With a wallet that full and a major head problem, he'll have no problem assembling a crack team of duelists to fight his battles, and if what Yusuke said is true, the head lunatic will likely have an ultimate deck strategy on hand every time he fights. Throw in the Sennen Eye, and you've got a recipe for disaster.
Joey, regardless of his outward foolhardiness, was not a complete imbecile, and he also knew that the only way he'd actually stand a chance in Hell against Jagenshi and his thugs was to corner them. Like Dartz, they would have to find his place of residence and slaughter him, and having Helmos at hand would make the situation much easier.Besides, the sooner I get rid of Sesshomaru, the better off the world'll be.
He could never understand why or how, but ever since his first encounter with the purebred dog demon, Joey had borne a very strong dislike for him and his hostile mannerisms, and it wasn't just about the way he had dispatched Weevil. His entire persona struck a harsh chord in Joey's mind, one that no matter what could not be shaken, and if anything was true in this world, it was that eventually the two would come to blows.
But he couldn't focus on that now. He needed to find another duel to make up for his previous sloth.
Now, in Joey's experience, duelists were often prone to hang around in groups during tournaments; a large number were zealous enough to want to be close to the action so that they could get closer to the finals. So the solution was simple: find a cluster, and the rest was cakewalk.
The duelists, however, were few in number, and try as he might he could not track down anybody. The few he could locate didn't stick around because of his reputation, meaning that they were likely green in both experience and confidence, and he couldn't be bothered dueling weaklings.
As for the people of New Paradigm? They treated just about everyone as though they were the lowest refuse in existence, despite their own hovel of a metropolis, but in Joey's case they were especially spiteful, whispering slurs behind his back. And one of the terms they happened to use was bankotsu.
He heard this, and turned violently towards the wealthy snob that had uttered it.
"Hey, you talkin' about me, motherfucker!"
The attacker, an extravagantly dressed man who looked as though he had been born with not only a silver spoon in his mouth, but an entire silver kitchen set on hand, looked at Joey as though he was a vagabond.
"I'm sorry, were you talking to me? Why, I never had a clue that they allowed stray dogs in the store."
"WHAT!"
Joey had never taken the term of dog very well in his direction, and since the man before him did not seem to be of much strength, he didn't see why he shouldn't beat him up until the bones in his face were rearranged.
"You wanna go, ya fancy bitch? I'll take you and all yer bodyguards down!"
"You have no right to talk to me in that manner. While you and your vile family stemmed from bastard roots, I was born from one of the old families, those wealthy aristocrats who were around even before the Event. I learned every art, and am in line to inherit billions of American dollars on my eighteenth birthday, so I have little time for fisticuffs with such riffraff as you. Why don't you go home to your shanty and bed with your sister? I'm certain she won't mind…"
His continued rant of superiority was cut short when the curled fist of an enraged duelist smashed into his affluent face, shattering his nose and ruining the plastic surgery he had had on his fourteenth half-birthday. The boy, in turn, gave out an effeminate shriek as he was laid to the ground.
"HELP! HELP! I'M BEING ATTACKED BY THIS MONGREL!"
A swift kick to the mouth silenced him, and splattered blood and teeth all over.
Joey, eyes blazing with fraternal hatred, lifted the spoiled brat by his collar, and began slamming his fist into his face and neck respectively, making sure that the impact was heavy and swift.
"NOBODY TALKS ABOUT MY LITTLE SISTER LIKE THAT! DO YOU HEAR ME, YOU PIECE OF CRAP! NOBODY!"
Without any mercy or remorse, Joey swiveled his position and forced the boy's face into the glass window of a local jewelery store, cutting up his hand and the bastard's face in the process. After performing this brutality, Joey continued by smashing his head onto one of the nearest walls, and a load-bearing one at that.No one was nearby, and thus no one heard the snob's horrified shrieks for help, or rather his pathetic whimpers of terror as he curled into a fetal position and pleaded for mercy. But by then, he was so frightened that he had no idea that his assailant had long since walked off.
Joey wasn't a thug, he wasn't a bully, at least not right then. He'd been defending his little sister's honor from the slurs of the true "riffraff", these pampered idiots who had never seen the horrors of true living; so blinded were they by Paradise that those who were not of the city now thought that outsiders were no better than garbage. He could see the influence of corruption and usury all around him, and he could not help but wonder how far it had spread…
"Why, ya certinly twisted 'is knickers in a bunch, 'aven't ya, bucko?"
Now, Joey knew very little of the city, but he did know one thing for certain: there was not a person of Irish descent in the entire city. So there was no way that anybody could have any accent of that kind here, especially not one that outrageous. So with little else to do, he decided to look around to see if anybody was playing a trick on him.
Let's see, jewelry store, bunch of rich stiffs, some broken glass, a red haired dude floating in midair, a coffee shop…The image didn't register for a moment, whereupon it came crashing upon his consciousness.
"JESUS FRICKIN' CHRIST!"
"Ah, so ya finally noticed me. Where I come from, the youth generally ain't so dense. Ah, but whaddaya gunna do? I figure it's not best at be interferin with ya tomfoolery, so I'll let ya go on wit ya business. Just don' go awhalin' on some random bugga likes he's a fruitin looney."
The obviously eccentric man was dressed in a rather strange ninja outfit, composed of a pair of white hakama pants held up by a pair of straps crossing his chest in a cross pattern. His wild red hair served as a poor method of concealing a set of three horns wreathing his head, and upon his arm was a pale Duel Gauntlet.
"Uh…"
"Ah, don'tcha worry yerself, Wheeler. Talk bout town says ya right thrashed Chu in a duel, and he's considered to be one o' da best 'round these parts. Besides, any friend'a Urameshi's is a friend'a mine."
"So you know Yusuke?"
"Eh, I sorta thought ever'one knew of 'em, and rumor has it he 'n tht Yugi fella are wrapped up in a smelly bit 'a trouble. Hiei turned on us, or so I heard."
The strange demon did a midair backflip, and when he faced Joey again he had a bright look on his face.
"Hey, I just 'ad myself one wigglin' fun idea. Let's have ourselves a duel, stakes at two keys and one card, and see whose best fit fer keepin' on in this tourney?"
"You're not gonna toss us in some shadow game, are ya?"
Judging from the subsequent clueless look on the man's face, Joey decided to agree to it.
"Ok, but don't get upset when I kick your ass!"
"Ah, I'll be doin' the kickin here, boyo!" (4000/4000)
To Be Continued
Ah, it is done. And in record time.
Ok, next chap will continue the first tag team, whilst Yami and Kagome reconcile on the battlefield. Also, Hiei speaks with the head of the Union, Roger faces his next opponent, Inuyasha and Raphael keep on keeping on, and Akuren's role is explored.
Ok, now, here are the Original cards:
Destroyer Gauntlet and Thoughts from a Darkened Veil are Helldragon's.
Valkyrie Mist, Reginleif, Valkyrie Sigrdrifa, Blessings of Thor are all Time Mage's, as are Yuez, Yutai, Yunay, White Cross, Holy Brith, Tyrol, Kain, the appropriate equips for those monsters, Cherub Wings, and anything else I forgot to mention.
As for Toon Vampire Lord, Guardian's Creed, and Mech Blader, those are mine.
If anyone is missing anything in this category, let me know.