Disclaimer: My power is the word, not the law.
Ok, previously, we began two of the most highly anticipated duels of the story, Raphael vs. Inuyasha and Kaiba and Botan vs. Tsubaki and Pegasus, as well as imply Sensui's lack of respect for Dartz. Also, Kagome kept up her conquest, Yami came to realize the danger his beloved was in, Roger was attacked, and Joey began his duel with Jin.
In chapter 39, Hiei and his supreme lieutenants must confront the rulers of New Paradigm, as Yami and Kagome finally kiss and make up, Kaiba and Botan continue to battle the priestess of shade and the genius with a Peter Pan complex, Roger stands against the Union's next soldier, the gripping duel of Inuyasha vs. Raphael reaches a new plateau, and Kachikachi's parallel, the ninja Akuren, reveals more of himself and his dark knowledge.
Chapter 38: The Reunion of Lost Lovers and the Demonic Upheaval, Part 1
New Paradigm HQ
Hiei could not tell what was worse: the stench of rotting corpses, or the vile reek of ionized air. To make the decision even more strenuous, both happened to be with him at the same time.
"I'm assuming that our barter has been properly set up; am I correct, or was I mistaken in trusting this assignment to your operatives?"
"Everything has been set up as you requested, but with all due respect, I do not think the opposite party will entertain your latest endeavor."
In all honesty, Schwarzvald was correct in that belief and Hiei knew it. So far he'd been able to get away with just about everything he had done in this tournament, but it would not be enough to obtain the power he and his organization sought. What had been happening so far was petty compared to what was about to commence…if he could get the clearance he needed.
It was for this reason that Hiei, Michael Seebach, Yoko Kurama, scarred brutally, yet still alive, Yami no Bakura, and Genkai were in the massive elevator on the way to the top floor of Rosewater Tower, the official hub of New Paradigm's government. Akuren was currently on assignment at that time, and Sesshomaru was managing his own business.
Schwarzvald pulled out one of his cigarettes and lit it, allowing the heady smoke of burning tobacco to course down his throat.
"Must you smoke those things in here? The odor's bad enough as is."
Genkai, although she had a good point, fell silent when Hiei flashed a wicked glare. Insubordination from his inner circle to a higher ranking officer was expressly forbidden in times of business, especially when that officer was Hiei's second in command.
Besides, there was no time for internal strife when dealing with the senate of this unholy city.
It was unclear to the Black Shadow, and everyone else for that matter, exactly how the government of Paradigm City functioned prior to 47 years ago, a fact that was true in correlation with everything else about the Forgotten City. The only thing known for certain was that the entire metropolis had somehow been contained within an underground structure that existed somewhere in this world. Hiei had estimated that this structure was established somewhere close to Japan, seeing as his right hand had spent up to a year playing Duel Monsters in Osaka, but could never totally confirm whether this was true. More to the point, the city had been able to transport materials to and from the outside, which implied that somehow Alex Rosewater had known of it before the Revelation.
And judging from documentation of the Paradigm Corp board meetings from as far back as 4 years prior, the Union knew it too.
Leaning against the glass elevator gave Hiei a perfect vantage point of the expansive skies and the inferno of power that was the sun that stood in the background, which was already starting to dim, and it occurred to him that he had never tried to appreciate the sun alone in late afternoon, let alone an actual sunset. But then, mine was once a life without the rising and setting of the sun; rather, it was one of an infinite twilight interrupted by a fleeting aurora that was swift to float away. As time had gone by the twilight itself had begun to darken, until the night became me and dementia became the stars. Everything that had, for one brief and glorious moonrise, been in my grasp, it was all snatched away. It was a gap I had filled easily enough, though, with power, alcohol, sex, and Duel Monsters.
But he did not dare look at what had once been there, for fear of what awaited him in the abyss.
The elevator continued to climb."I almost forgot to ask. Did the transfer that we spoke of earlier go as planned?"
Yami no Bakura got a look in his eye that spoke volumes, and the question was answered. Granted, it was just a formality, since Hiei could have easily determined the truth with his Eye, but it was important to ensure the respect of his comrades. And within the next few days he would need the respect of all that stood with him, especially his latest employee.
Seeing that they were nearing the top floor, the demon of fire and ice began to prepare himself for what was about to happen. Everything had to go perfectly if this was going to work, and with the situation as it stood that would prove challenging.
A few moments more, he thought to himself. The second those doors opened, the next plateau would be reached, bringing him one step closer to his ascension to the seat of the gods.
The clock was ticking, and everyone could hear it.
"Welcome to Floor 195. Board of Directors offices, Treasury, and Official City Business Committee members offices." There was an inconsequential screech of metal, and the doors opened.
"It's time. I assume everyone remembers the process we studied?"
Their nods were slightly reassuring, but not in a grand way.
Hiei was the first to step onto the purple rug of the main office center's floor, noting that since his last visit to the main office of Paradigm the faint odor of gunpowder and blood had been extracted, and the self-serving full-size portrait of Rosewater hanging behind the receptionist's desk had long since been burned away. Even the flowers and color of the walls were indicative that times had changed.
For an organization made up of phantoms, they seem to have become rather successful.
"Ah, good afternoon, Mister Jagenshi. The board of directors has been expecting you."
The receptionist, a stout old woman who seemed not to know disdain, directed Hiei towards the twin hardwood doors at the end of the hallway, ironically the same doors that had once been used in the earliest offices of Paradigm Corp about 39 years previously. Schwarzvald had referred to it as a recycling complex, claiming that the corrupt city pacified the demands for memories by replacing them with familiar items and edifices. It was supposedly the same reason, he had said, that the Speakeasy and the Paradigm Hotel were still around.
He was never too sure of whether this was accurate, but it made some sense.
"Alright. Now, the three of you shall remain out here while Seebach and I handle the opening negotiations. I'll give you the indication to enter, and please try to keep that straight."
Hiei's feet made little sound as he walked towards the boardroom, and Schwarzvald soon followed in his wake, leaving the three that had accompanied them with the secretary. As the two strode undaunted towards their destination, the younger, more powerful one turned towards his confidante, who had motioned slightly with his bandaged hand to garner his attention.
"Tell me, what exactly do you intend to do with this latest project of yours? Security alone nearly held it back four months."
"She is not a project. I'm simply hoping to reinforce my armies, and if I can gain data on Naraku in the process, then I am not complaining. Either way, it works in our favor."
"I suppose you're correct. But can we trust her?"
"You're a man of some kind of deluded brilliance, Schwarzvald. You tell me."
At this point, the doors ahead burst open.
"Soon, master. Soon this corrupt city shall burn to the ground, and in its place will emerge a grand empire where the Event shall be revealed to all."
"Don't get excited yet. We still have a few things to do…such as deal with Ronstadt."
Both colleagues were prepared for this, and had been since coming to New Paradigm.
With little stopping them save the fact that a great difficulty lay ahead, the two entered the boardroom of the New Paradigm City Council. In other words, the front for the Union.
Hiei knew very little about the underground organization save for their basic motive, which had become outdated quite recently. No one actually had any idea where it had started, who initiated the motion, or even what countries were involved politically. All that was known was that the members were foreigners from all sorts of nationalities. And all of them loathed Rosewater.
The key people were never seen very much by the rest of the anarchists, but Hiei and Schwarzvald stood before them now, four of the seven leaders of the Union. The demon instantly recognized the pale white crew cut and half burgundy, half lime eyes of Luther Kerzenlicht, a famed mobster who was also an extraordinarily skilled duelist, which was unveiled by the hue of his Duel Gauntlet, as well as the bloated visage of Damien Yarlozta, the Czech commandant of the Union's artillery unit who had been on assignment from Tarukane a few years back. He did not recognize the blanched face of the third, but with a quick scan he understood he was a disgraced nationalist named Nikolai Uktavanof who managed economics in the Union's outside accounts. Finally, there was the man Schwarzvald alone recognized, Richard Jacobs, an investigative journalist from America who had been studying Rosewater's tyrannical regime and found it horrific.
But the person Hiei wanted to see was missing.
"I'll assume that one of you dunderheads has taken his head out of his own ass long enough to have some semblance of what has happened over the past few days, so perhaps you can tell me why three of your board are missing in action."
His patience, stretched thin already because of Sesshomaru, was rapidly beginning to drain into oblivion, and he was tempted to unleash his full power, but decided against it based on recent information he had collected. "Well, do you idiots know where your own people are, or is such an idea simply too much for your miniscule brains to handle?"
And then he sensed it.
"I must insist that you do not insult my operatives, Hiei. It is not good for business."
The speaker's heavy French accent was a dead giveaway, and Hiei turned in a violent rage towards her.
"You're late, Vera."
His eyes flashed with hatred as he beheld the woman he had been looking for, and as always he was struck by her extreme masculinity. With a protruding forehead, augmented by her rapidly receding hairline, and pointed nose, one might even go so far as to say that she was a male with a Goldilocks wig and lipstick. However, that is not to say that she held no authority over the rest of the Union.
"Alright, let us get down to business." The woman unveiled as Vera Ronstadt sat down at her appointed seat on the end of the desk closest to the bay windows that allowed them to look over the panoramic metropolis. "Messieurs Jagenshi and Seebach have, of late, been responsible for several infractions of ze law that, according to them, have been in our own best interests. So far we have been able to look ze other way for most of them; all of ze kidnappings were of enemies of ze state, as you call them, invaders bent on ze defeat of ze Union. However, ze recent assassination attempts against one Seto Kaiba have raised questions amongst ze media moguls. There is also ze cost of maintaining your tournament, there have been at least three deaths related to ze duels so far, and there is ze matter of whatever debauchery goes on within your fortress…"
Hiei was prepared with a rebuttal, as always. "Need I remind you that were it not for these actions I would be unable to defeat those bastards? Bear in mind that my planning has just begun to go into effect."
"Well, we'd like to zee some results. So far you and your street gang have done nothing for ze wellbeing of zis city, and by introducing these outsiders you have brought a plague upon our heads."
"Vera, perhaps you would see fit to remember that you yourselves were outsiders at one point, or have you forgotten because of your internal corruptions? Already Rosewater's hand is becoming evident within your utopian society, and by this you are unable to see what is real in this world."
"That's enough, Seebach. However, I must admit that my second is correct in his accusations, so here is my proposition." With a fluid motion, he tossed a thin sheaf of papers bound in a manila folder towards the Union's leader. "I am afraid that, as the conditions stand, my organization can only divulge this information to the leader of the New Paradigm City Council for approval, but once she has completed the overview she can pass the data onto her fellows and decide on it."
"And your current actions?"
"They will be disregarded, as per our previous agreement. And as usual, my accountants will handle the necessary monetary transactions. Your answer to my proposal will be expected within the normal timeframes."
"Agreed."
Vera looked at the documents, fully aware that his Eye was upon her. "You realize, of course, that there is a chance that ze Union may not approve your plan."
"I doubt that."
Hiei and Schwarzvald seemed rather confident as they calmly walked away, the demon cold as always and the reporter grinning from ear to ear. And once they were out of earshot he whispered to his superior.
"I assume that you have some kind of backup plan in mind, milord."
Hiei, in turn, shifted his position to face the lunatic.
"Yes, but you'll have to wait and witness it for yourself. Now, about that matter we discussed earlier."
He was, of course, referring to the recent string of disappearances that had been happening lately in the Black Shadow, chiefly small-time mercenaries and the occasional lawyer. At first the inner circle had disregarded it as simple kidnappings from rival gangs, or covert strikes from DOOM or Naraku, and that was considered the worst case scenario; however, when a truckload containing contraband weapons and gold bullion was accosted and the manager of the transport slain, several eyebrows were raised in query.
"Ah, yes. We did manage to determine who is responsible, as you requested, but I am afraid that he works neither for Naraku, Dartz, or even the Pharaoh…"
The ranking officer waited for a moment or so, as the Eye showed him everything.
"Shall I intitiate an attack, master? Maybe this could be the baptism of fire for your latest recruit."
"No need. I know how to handle this, and I think it would be unwise to pit her against the man we're up against, at least not until her assimilation of the new power is complete."
Besides, if he is indeed one of the Citadel Guardians, then it will take a power far greater than that of a simple demon to stop him.
Hiei returned to the elevator, with Schwarzvald in tow, and he could not help but notice that the sun had set just a little more.
Inuyasha vs. Raphael
His plan had already taken effect, even before the Seal had been activated.
Raphael could easily see that there was a darkness within Inuyasha, one that was struggling to escape the flimsy shell in which it had been imprisoned, and would consume him completely if allowed freedom. But thanks to the homage to humanity that the dog wielded as a sword, that was not possible…at least without a catalyst. And as it happened, the same device he needed was in his hand.
"Alright, Raphael, I'll start this turn by summoning Goblin Attack Force in attack mode!" Inuyasha's monster was, in actuality, a team of monsters, about ten or twenty revolting green imps armed with thick maces and protected by brass helmets and chest plates. (2300/0) "And because of United We Stand the attack of my Andros Sphinx is increased by 800 more points!" The power of the gauntlets was once again released, pumping a magic not dissimilar to steroids into the bloodstream. (4600/4100) "Next I activate this Magic card, Genetic Revolution, which allows me to sacrifice one monster on my side of the field and discard one monster from my deck. Then things get interesting, because I am then allowed to increase the attack of another monster on my side of the field by half of that of the sacrificed monster, as well as add the effect of the discarded monster to that of the same monster selected. So I'll offer up my Goblin and the Twin-Headed Beast in my deck, and although the Sphinx I targeted loses 800 attack and defense points because of the monster loss," (3800/3300), "it gains 1150 attack points and the ability to attack twice per turn!" (4950/3300) "Now, Andros Sphinx, destroy his Guardian Tyrol with your first attack!" Uttering a grand and melodious bellow of wrath, the Sphinx focused over five thousand years worth of demonic energy into its claws, which ignited in flames. After obtaining an attack advantage, the lion of Egypt leapt high into the sky, overshadowing every one of Raphael's monsters as it prepared to cleave the soldier of the hills in a gory ascension to power.
The Guardian, however, had other ideas, for from the back of its head it drew a short hand ax, sharp from lack of use, and jumped to meet its adversary, artfully escaping the deadly attack.
"You bastard! What did you do!"
"It's simple. I activated my face down card, Guardian Counter-Attack, which lets me discard a card from my hand, and in exchange negate and destroy any card that targets my Guardian." And as the card was explained, Tyrol allowed himself to dive onto the back of the Sphinx and slit its throat using the axe in question before returning to his original position on the field, soaked in what seemed to be white blood.
"Feh. I end my turn."
"Not quite. Remember, you have four monsters in your graveyard, so you lose 400 life points thanks to the effect of my Purity of the Cemetery." (3600/3000)
Damn it! It's only been the first few turns, but this guy already has me on the ropes. I just hope I can last long enough to get the Orichalcos from him.
"I'll take over from there!" Raphael's face belied his true appreciation of the next cards he had drawn. "I think its time we bring this game to the next level, dog demon. Now I activate…""NOT SO FAST! I ACTIVATE THE TRAP CARD, SHIFT OF ALLEGIANCE, WHICH ALLOWS ME TO ADD ONE MAGIC CARD FROM YOUR HAND TO MY DECK THREE CARDS AWAY FROM THE TOP, SO LONG AS I HAVE LESS MONSTERS ON THE FIELD THAN YOU DO! AND THE CARD I HAVE SELECTED IS THE SEAL OF ORICHALCOS!"
Inuyasha's hand quivered as he slipped the used Trap into his graveyard and walked forward towards Raphael to claim his prize, blissfully unaware that the Guardian duelist had no intention of using the Seal to begin with. He could hear nothing, see nothing, save for his enemy and the power which was soon to be his.
"Tell me, Inuyasha, do you honestly think that you can utilize the ancient seal properly? You have no idea of the power you are about to unleash; it's a power far beyond anything you have ever experienced, and unless you know how to use it, the Seal will destroy you."
"That is the biggest load I've ever heard. Just give me the damn card."
With a strange smile upon his face, Raphael did so, and once the Magic card had been placed appropriately, the half-demon returned to his original position.
"As I was saying, I activate the Magic card known as Gravity Axe-Grarl, which I'll use on my Tyrol to boost his attack strength by 500 extra points!" The warlord who had slain one of Inuyasha's most destructive monsters now wielded a hefty axe that pulsed with gravitational force. (2900/1200) "Next, I'll place one card face down, and since he is the only monster in my hand and I have the Gravity Axe on the field, I can now Special Summon my Guardian Grarl from my hand to the field." As he said this, the final slot on his monster zone was filled by a bipedal dinosaur clothed in thick Gaelic garb. (2500/1000) "And now, it's time for you to experience ultimate defeat! Guardian Grarl, Guardian Kain, Guardian Tyrol, and Guardian Kay'est, attack the half-breed's life points directly and end this duel now!"
The final blitzkrieg was about to be laid, for now Grarl and Tyrol charged forward synonymously, the reptilian Guardian curling his fist whilst Tyrol attached the axe to a second chain and began to swing it about. Kain, in the meantime, had created a chaotic orb which now sent bolts of lightning upon the demon, and Kay'est called forth a torrent of heavy water.
"Not this time! I activate the Quick-Play Magic card, Scapegoat, which allows me to special summon 4 Goat Tokens to the field to protect my life points!" All four of the attacks were now intercepted by the famed, if rather abstract, Scapegoats that Joey Wheeler had become known for. However, the attacks proved to be so overwhelming that the goats were instantaneously slaughtered.
"Fine. That ought to be enough punishment for now."
"Will you just shut up! You haven't won this yet, and it'll only be a few turns until I draw the most powerful card known to man. In the meantime, I'll take over." Another card, and it seemed to be the one that would turn the duel around. "Alright, its time to put you in your place! I activate the Magic card, Evening the Odds, which reduces the attack strength of all of your monsters by an amount equal to that of the monster with the highest attack strength in my graveyard until such time as you only have one monster on the field. And because my Andros Sphinx fits that description, all of your monsters lose 3000 attack points!"
Raphael could only watch in outright horror as each one of his monsters, the monsters that had served as his only family for many years, began to sicken and deteriorate before his very eyes. At this point, they would not stand a chance against any of Inuyasha's monsters. Luckily, his Guardna was in defense mode and his Kay'est was essentially invincible, (0/2700) (1000/1800). But what of Kain, Tyrol, Grarl? They would not be as fortunate, and soon enough they were reduced to shadows of their former selves: Kain now was an ancient mage, unable to stand even with his staff, Grarl now knelt before his opposition, his former roar now a faint whimper, and Tyrol staggered about, unable to hold his weapons for fear of his heart giving out. (0/1000) (0/1200) (0/2000)
"No…NO!"
"I'm afraid your victory streak is done, Raphael. And remember, because of the Gravity Axe you can't switch the positions of your monsters, so now its time to wipe out your attack advantage! And I know the perfect monster to do so: my Berserk Gorilla!" Inuyasha's eyes flared with the light of victory as he summoned his next monster, the gruesome simian who appeared to have gone insane. (2000/1000) "And now, Berserk Gorilla, destroy his Guardian Grarl with Fist of Natural Order!"
The deluded ape stomped forward, every bulging muscle twitching with murderous ire as it prepared to slaughter the now defenseless Grarl, who tried desperately to stand and fight but was unable to do so. At the same time, the Guardian turned towards is fellows, pleading for assistance, but they could do nothing as he was lifted bodily into the sky. Now ready, the gorilla reared back its fist and aimed directly for the head of his long time enemy.
Yet the fight was not yet over.
"I activate the card I had face down, Seal of Ice, which prevents your monster from attacking or switching position so long as my Trap remains in effect!" Just as the beast was about to butcher the guard, it was instantaneously frozen solid within a block of ice, allowing the Guardian to escape unscathed. "Of course, if there is a change in overall attack power, then your monster is freed. But that won't happen for a few turns more."
And as Inuyasha's monster became incased in the ice, it finally struck him how poorly he had been doing. Raphael had not once lost control of the duel, and even with his attack advantage all but wiped out he somehow managed to pull through. To make matters worse, the Purity of the Cemetery card was slowly burning away at his life points.
There has got to be a way to take this guy down, but thanks to his plays he's got me backed into a corner! The only thing I can think of that would save me is the Seal of Orichalcos, and I haven't drawn it yet!
"Alright, my turn's done." (3100/3000)Raphael, acknowledging this, drew his next two cards. "I'll place one card face down to end my turn."
"Pssh. I guess that's the best you could do. My move!" Another card, and luckily for Inuyasha it was another monster. "I summon Blazing Gryphon in attack mode!" And as the name implied, the monster was indeed a massive beast with a lion's body and the head, wings, and beak of a black eagle, all of which was wreathed in ghostly fire. (1900/500) "And since it would be pointless to attack you because of that face down card, I'll end my turn." (2600/3000)"It's about time you caught on. I draw."
Despite the fact that his idiot of an enemy had his darkest card at his disposal, Raphael was not at all worried. Like the Pharaoh, his enemy would succumb to the card's darkness. However, unlike the Pharaoh, the demon was not only been willing to use the Seal, he had willingly gone out of his way to get it, so it was probably unnecessary to implant a piece of the Stone within him in that attack.
"I now shall activate the card I played face down, Guardian Regrouping, which allows me to shuffle three Guardians and all cards equipped into my deck. In exchange, I am allowed to draw three more cards. Next, I'll place a monster in defense mode, as well as one card face down." Eatotsu, Dartz, it will not be long now before this bastard yields to the darkness of his heart.
"One more turn, Raphael, before I activate the card that will seal your demolition." Another drawn. Shit! I need a magic removal card right now! Well, at least it'll help get one. "I activate the Magic card, Demonic Torment! This card can only be activated if you and I both have at least two monsters on the field, and it allows me to draw two cards extra during my next standby phase. That's all for now. But remember, you only have one turn left before I play the clinching card." (2100/3000)It was as he said these words that a sudden, acute pain coursed across his chest. It was fleeting, but sharp, and he could not determine the source from whence it came. His vision became blurry, and for about five seconds he could have sworn he saw the Tetsuaiga call out to him, in Tea's voice, strangely enough, begging him not to play the card he had stolen.
No!
Raphael sensed the energy as well, and he discerned the source all too clearly.
You have yet to even play the card, and already you have been judged."It's my move, and I know exactly what to do with it. I'll flip up the monster I had in defense mode, Ryoko Guardian." The face down monster was flipped, to reveal a second Gardna class monster, only this one had ram's horns and midnight blue skin, with much thicker armor and two medium-sized shields. (700/2400) "I shall then equip my monster with Armor of Hell-Iras, to boost the defense of my monster by 700 points!" The Magic card did not appear to be armor at first, manifesting itself as silver wisps that slowly curled around the flesh of the Gardna, until such time as the wisps solidified into plate upon plate of dark armor. (700/3100) "I shall then place two cards face down, and end my turn."
The time had come. After all of this, the torture of his life, the pointlessness of his childhood, and the loss of his first love, everything was about to fall into place. Inuyasha, knowing full well what it meant to do so, drew his next card.
Again, the pain called to him, and this time he was sure that Tea alone was calling, crying, beseeching him not to activate the Seal. Her warmth was stroking him, struggling to distract him.
But he would not listen. He was so deep in thought that he did not sense the real Tea stir.
"It's my move, and thanks to Demonic Torment I can draw two more cards. But that should be the least of your worries right now."
The DOOM Soldier showed no signs of fear. He was ready for this, and had expected it to happen.
"Your time's up, Raphael! I activate the Seal of Orichalcos!"
Roger's Penthouse
The Union. A name he had not heard in over seven years, and one that he had hoped never to hear for the rest of his life.
From what he understood the Union had been one of Gordon Rosewater's failed experiments with the Tomato project, in which he had created artificial children to serve as memory databanks. Granted, according to Rosewater the elder those memories had never existed anyway, but the fact remained that he had designed them…and discarded them.
Eventually one of the discarded Tomatoes got it into their head that Rosewater and Paradigm had cheated them, so that person decided to create the Union, an organization that would serve as a weapon to topple Rosewater and his blasphemous domes.
But now they were obsolete. Even if Rosewater was somehow resurrected, he had been murdered by Hiei long ago; so the question was, why were they in power again, and more importantly, why would they take control of New Paradigm?
"What do you know about it?"
Angel walked over to the table, taking a quaff from the wine bottle itself.
"Not a hell of a lot. In the power vacuum that happened when Rosewater got out of town, Vera returned after the regeneration and bought out the company. But when he came back she sold all of the Union's stock and went back into hiding so that he could take control."
It didn't make a lot of sense, seeing as Vera had loathed Rosewater enough to send a Frankenstein megadeus after his head. "Why would she do that? She got what she wanted, didn't she?"
"Again, I don't know much. What I do know is that once Hiei came into the picture she bought all of it back. I checked for some kind of connection, but it was negligible at best. The only thing that was weird about it at the time was that the two exchanged some minor funds, but that turned out to be the standard pay off for city officials."
Roger, of course, knew Vera, and understood the kind of person Hiei was, and he doubted it was anything that simple.
"Anyway, if Hiei and Vera are indeed bedfellows, then I don't think that they have a lot to do with each other to begin with. The two have high-powered establishments that can easily function of themselves, so there's no real explanation why they're working together, aside for political reasons."
"Alright, so we now have two lunatics to watch out for."
The negotiator had no idea that in actuality, there were four vying for power in New Paradigm, not including the independent psychotics, but he didn't want to hear about it.
With nothing better to do he looked out the shattered glass window, staring at the bustling, intact city and how different it was from the place he had called home for all his life. 7 years can be a long time; it can change your perspective on the world, and now he realized, in a strange way, just how ugly Paradigm had become.
A place of corruption, greed, self-indulgence, and lies. What he had once thought beautiful was now a grotesque ogre, ravenous for powers that stretched to times that far outranked the events of 47 years ago. So then why had things worked out as they had? Why was Schwarzvald, who had lambasted the original Paradigm for those selfsame qualities, unaware of them now? How had Vera, whose chief desire had been the dethroning of Rosewater and his reign of totalitarianism, suddenly the very leader of that regime? And most importantly, why had Hiei, a demon of prominent standing and influence, selected an isolated and remote hovering city to be his place of operations? There were no megadeii to speak of that had not been found already; Big Fau was crumbling away in wherever Venus had stored it. Why, then? That was the ultimate question: why?
For a brief moment, he felt his watch give off an unusual signal, but disregarded it.
Roger became aware of getting up, vaguely conscious of the world around him as he called Norman to clean up the gin, glass, and blood.
Sipping on my wine, staring blankly into space as the world makes increasingly less sense, I feel like I'm in some kind of art movie where the protagonist falls in love with his life, only to find it a giant play for some anonymous audience. Is that who I am, some kind of oblivious actor hired by the gods to entertain them? Was Gordon right when he said there were no memories in our heads?
He would love to believe that he was who he was by his actions. He would really love to believe that. But watching the paradoxes of a caricature of his life had shaken that belief.
Yes, he was Roger Smith. But the real question was, if that was the case, then who was Roger Smith? Was his idea that he was he, and not an actor, was that wrong? Had he been right from the start, and became wrong? Or was it the other way around? Maybe Schwarzvald was right, maybe Angel, maybe Yugi, or even Hiei. Maybe they were all right; maybe they were all wrong. Maybe Gordon was playing some massive game with a Creator in which they were all pawns, and all the people he had ever faced were tests in the grand scheme of things. Was this place another superstructure? Were there demons, and cursed jewels, and golden artifacts with Pharaohs in them? Was Inuyasha a demon, or some freak wearing pretend dog ears? Did the other Bigs get destroyed, or were they still around in the city above the world? Did Yugi Mouto and his reputation exist? Did Beck? Did Hiei? Was the game of Duel Monsters a strange sort of idea that he had devised subconsciously to while away the hours? Did the Union exist? Was Gordon Rosewater a hallucination? Was Gordon a Tomato himself and unaware of it? Was he just a senile old man who had no idea what he was doing with the world? Was Dorothy a memory, and Angel an android? Was he himself real, or an invention that was the only constant throughout all of this?
In other words, he knew that he was Roger Smith. What he did not know was what that meant.
"Roger…Roger…WAKE UP, YOU HORSE'S ASS!"
Shaken out of his catatonic state by the screech of a fallen angel, he turned to that disgraced being and gave her a winning smile, not so much to mask his emotions as it was to shut her up. However, he would be sure to return to that later on.
"Finally, it's like you were dreaming or something."
"Oh? Did I have the same look on your face every time you dream of me?"
"Shut up. Anyway, it seems we have a bigger problem than an attack by Alan on our hands. It turns out that…well, I think you'd better see for yourself."
The traversal to Alan was not a particularly strenuous one, but when Roger walked up to him it seemed that even that journey had been a monumental waste of time. After all, the body was just the same as when it had been left behind; he could see no evidence of foul play or outside involvement. He looked relatively normal, for a cyborg at least.
Until he saw what Angel was referring to: an exposed and empty memory drive that was usually reserved for androids, casually hidden beneath his black hat.
Norman filtered through the room for a moment or so, said something indistinct, and walked out. No one noticed, or cared, for that matter.
Roger's eyes had widened in astonishment by that point, as he realized that the man he had been fighting was not the real Alan Gabriel, but some kind of puppet.
"Was there anything to indicate exactly what we're dealing with?"
"Just some random memory fragments that my device picked up, probably from the original's artificial brain. It seems it was just some kind of random attack, but there's no doubt in my mind that whoever built this thing had some kind of recollection to do it."
Memories? So could Gordon have been wrong?"So is it a Union thing, or what?"
"Probably. And if that's the case, then she will be involved in this too."
Another dejected sigh emerged from his lips. Five thirty in the afternoon, two Alan Gabriels running around Paradigm, a three-eyed demon working with a deranged burn patient of a reporter and a mannish fanatic, memories in human form, and in the middle of everything a multicolored-hair high school student with a magic necklace. He'd had better days.
And soon the day would get worse for him.
"Master Roger? It seems that you have a visitor."
The two had been so engrossed in their reflections on memories, the Union, and androids that they had not perceived the entrance of two others: Norman, and a peculiar kid of about sixteen. His hair was unique in that it was a bright seafoam sort of color, with muddy blue eyes. Dressed in a salmon dress shirt with a black zigzag pattern running horizontally across the chest and blanched loafers, his only true mark of competence was a gleaming white Duel Gauntlet.
And Dorothy says I have no fashion sense.
"Don't worry, negotiator. I've gone through all the proper channels to get here, and I have no intentions of harming you."
"Can this wait?"
"Not really. You see, I've recently come into acqusition of some memories in which you'd be interested, and all you have to do to get them is to beat me in a duel."
"Why should I have to duel you for…memories?"
He did not believe it. An outsider, untouched by Paradigm…
"I've heard you're one of the best in the tournament, and besides, I might have another reason."
He didn't want to waste his time, but what choice did he have?
"Ok, let's get this over with. By the way, who the hell are you?"
The duelist gave Roger a warped little grin. "Why, you can call me Espa Roba." (4000/4000)
Kagome vs. Yami no Marik
The electricity in the room was enough to make the hair of the dead stand up.
Emotions had been running high ever since the tournament's commencement; tempers raged, passions boiled, addictions rose and fell like tides, and throughout there was woven a strange sense that when all was said and done the ultimate love would burst forth through the blackened forests. How it would happen, where it would happen, why it would happen, or even what it would overcome was never fully understood. However, what was known was that eventually, this love would overcome any obstacle and traverse any expanse to become whole, and with the haste to jump into bed or without, it would stay pure and absolute for all of eternity.
And the second Yami and Kagome locked eyes, they knew that such a love had arisen.
It was impossible to deny any longer. There were no words to describe the feeling the two shared, for none could do it justice; even the sweethearts themselves could not describe the awe-inspiring sensation burning within their souls. To them, the feelings spoke for themselves, and without breathing a word they knew what love truly was.
"Yami." Her whisper barely floated across the distance that stood between the two.
One utterance said all the words Kagome had been afraid to say herself, and the Pharaoh recognized this when his heart skipped five beats consecutively. He was entranced, once again able only to see her, but this time her eyes were not full of hate. Rather, her eyes brimmed with tears of regret, sorrow, and a shade of happiness. And with that one glance all thoughts of Kikyo, Kachikachi, and Hiei were dispelled from his mind. In fact, he did not even care if Yami no Marik was present to witness the momentous occasion.
It was as he said before. At this point, all he cared about was Kagome.
She stepped forward slightly, uncertain of what action to take or whether the crime against nature the spirit had called upon would devour her. Yami mimicked.
Her upper lip trembled as some stray tears traced their way down her cheek and onto her once clean shirt, while her fingers twitched enough so that her current hand slipped downwards. Every emotion Kagome had had correlating to Yami was so close to the surface that it could not be held back for too much longer, but for fear of rejection she did not dare open the lock on her heart.
"Kagome."
The word, once said, became a word no longer, and with one look in his eyes she knew that the word was now truth, a truth higher than anything that scorched journalists and crazed Atlanteans could comprehend. What had once been "poetic crap" had become a beautiful message of heart and light, and she knew now what she should have known from the start. The lock cracked instantly, and seventeen years worth of pent-up ardor were released in one grand gesture.
Uncaring of the hellish beast hovering above, uncaring of Yami no Marik or the duel, Kagome hurled herself forward, and into the arms of the Pharaoh, sobbing with wild abandon in his chest as her heart and soul became one with his. Everything that had happened, from her falling into the well up to her violent capture by the Black Shadow, it was all being vented through her tears. And Yami accepted every drop.
Her knees buckled enough so that she and him were staring directly into each other's eyes, and years later they would describe it as the single most amorous moment in their lives.
"Oh, Yami, I'm so sorry. I should never have said those things; I should have known…"
"It's alright. I promise you I'll never touch another woman ever again. You're the only one I need."
Kagome giggled, for whatever reason.
"You know what? You talk too much."
Atem knew what she meant, and had to agree.
Darkness and light became a single entity as the two leaned inwards, unable to look anywhere else. Kagome licked her lips ever so slightly, tempting the Pharaoh, drawing him all the closer. Yami, in response, allowed his hands to curl about Kagome's hips, pulling her in as well.
And then it happened. Soon enough they were upon each other, Kagome practically screaming in Yami's mouth as he gently slid his tongue around with her own, while tenderly massaging her hips using the hands that were already there. Every nerve and muscle came alive as her body's warmth steadily increased, and with no inhibitions she ran her own hands through his hair. Tears mixed with saliva and ran down their necks, a path which Yami then followed as he kissed and licked her neck. This also gave him a vantage point to smell her fragrant hair, but unlike Kagome his hands were busy working their way up her waist. And then his eyes began to take her in, every curve, every perfection.
And that was when he noticed how her hair had been done.
"I see you noticed my hairdo. What do you think?"
In response, the Pharaoh continued to move upwards, but slowly, each finger now rhythmically drumming upon her. And once he neared her chest, her eyes went wide, her skin became a bright pink, and she let loose a sharp gasp whilst her mouth opened wide. Seeing how much this affected her, he decided to…linger there, for a moment or so, brushing slightly in the area. Now her face became red, her eyes watered in pleasure, and she would have collapsed to her very knees had she not known that pleasure would stop if she did. But she did not want him unsatisfied, so she then wrapped her arms tightly, pressing the two ever closer together, and the hands closer to her aching body as well. She gave out an excited yelp; obviously she was satisfied.
And that was when he undid her hair, allowing the silky black locks to tumble down around her. Now she looked pure, and ironically enough, sensual at the same time.
"Yami, have you ever taken a girl's virginity? Because if you want to, you can have mine."
"I want to. But not yet; I want to wait until you're ready." She was like a delicious strawberry; if she was not plucked at exactly the right time, it would not be as luscious.
Suddenly her face was one of relief. "Oh thank God. I wasn't sure if you'd be one of those pigs that just want to get a girl into bed. However," and at this point she separated from him and let the back of her hand stroke his face, "that doesn't mean I'll be off-limits forever. If I become a woman, you'll be the one to do it." Her face now became almost seductive, and her eyes glistened in happiness.
"Whatever happens, know that I'll be there for you through everything. We all will, and if you ever need a crying shoulder, you can count on me to be there."
"Thanks."
Kagome had been so deep in her wild passions that she failed to notice the fact that blood was all over the Pharaoh's clothes, most of it coming from a massive wound near his stomach. She blanched, and stepped back. "Yami, what happened to you!"
"It's alright. I just got injured in a Shadow Game, that's all."
"No, it's not alright! You could've gotten killed if that's what the Shadow Game was like! Come on, we need to get you patched up!"
"Kagome, don't worry about it. This hasn't been the first time that something like this has happened. Besides, the Puzzle affords me certain regenerative powers as far as Shadow Games are concerned."
"It's not that. It's just… Whenever Inuyasha got injured he'd always just get up and fight again without any medical attention, and I was always afraid it would kill him. I just don't want to see something like that happen to you." Her arms now clamped onto him as she stared deep into his eyes. "Yami, I love you too much to see you get hurt. So you have to promise me that you'll take it easy for a little while, ok? The tournament can wait a little bit."
Now that he thought about, the duel he had just undergone and the subsequent emotional damage had worn him out, so he decided to comply with her request. "If it makes you feel better, then I'll do it. I'm probably going to need the strength to face whoever else Hiei has in store for me."
But it was as Yami decided to lean against the floor and witness the remainder of the duel that he remembered-and saw-who Kagome was to do battle with.
"Well, if it isn't the Pharaoh."
Yami now stood to his full height, and stared into the darkened eyes of the spirit that had been created from the rage and blood of one of his own servants. He had prayed constantly that the demon would not resurrect itself in some manner, but the Shadow Realm, like death, was not as binding to beings of some great power.
"I might have known that you would return, spirit; after all, a darkness like yours does not rest easily until its destruction is absolute. Or maybe you're just not taking the hint."
"What could you possibly do to me, Yami? Kagome is right; the battle has weakened you, and it would serve your frail little mind to rest. Of course, once everything falls into place you'll have an eternity to rest, though I doubt you'll be left alone long enough to get it."
The bastard, thought Yami.
"However, in the meantime I'll just have to crush your girlfriend in a duel, and trap her soul in the darkness forever." And now Yami was enraged beyond belief, and stood to call forth what remained of his Shadow Magic. There was a certain line that was never crossed, and that was to attack his friends and loved ones.
However, that chance was not to be utilized on this day.
"Yami, don't. This battle is mine to fight, not yours."
"Listen, you don't know what you're getting yourself into! This guy is absolutely insane, and his deck is almost invincible!"
"Hey, you trained me, so I can't lose."
Yami, seeing the confidence, and heart, which he saw in Yugi, decided to silence his attack. "Very well. Just believe in the cards and you should be fine."
"Already done, baby." Turning back to the spirit, she took a stronger grip on her hand. "Ok, it's your move, psycho."
"Very well." His eyes glistened with madness as he looked at the card he had drawn. "I happen to think I have been rather merciful with you, miko, but that time is over. For now I shall activate the card known as Infernal Logistics, which allows me to draw cards equal to the number of Demon-type monsters I have in my Graveyard, so long as I decline any of my Demon monsters an attack this turn. Next, I'll play one of the four cards I drew, Grave Sacrifice! This is an interesting card in that it allows me to remove one monster from both of our Graveyards and use it as tribute for an even stronger beast!"
No! Could he possibly mean…
"Relax, Pharaoh. I haven't drawn the card you're thinking of. I had something a little more interesting in mind, for now I sacrifice from our respective Graveyards the Masked Beast Death Guardius and Yutai to summon the Composite Beast Gazetto to the field!"
The monsters slated for blood offering appeared only briefly, for soon their bodies were ripped to pieces by a second demonic curse. And once the skulls and chests of the monsters had been split open, they fused together to create another crime against nature. The next monster, like Naraku, seemed to be a demon made up of the rejected components of the Great Beast Gazetto and some unknown wolf demon. (5200/0) "And because I drew it using a card-drawing card, I can activate the Lucifer's Steroid Equip Magic card, which shall increase the attack of a Level 7 Demon monster by the attack strength of one monster on my side of the field, plus an extra 500 points." The next card played was a peculiar machine, what appeared to be a large black iron mechanism pumping violet chemicals into the monster's blood. (7600/0) "That ought to be enough. Your move, Higurashi."
"Ok by me." Yami, you gave me these cards out of love and redemption, calling me an angel. Well, I can't promise to be that perfect, but if you'll be my guardian angel, then I'll be yours. "I'll start by sacrificing my Yunay to summon the monster known as Yudrae-Judge of Mind, in attack mode!" The next angel that appeared in Yunay's place seemed to have a more scholarly air to him, seeing as he was a frail and bookish auburn haired angel with a thick grey robe and parchment colored wings. In one hand was held a book of theology, and in his other was a short pearl staff with a blue cross atop it. (2400/1500) "And by his effect, I'll remove a Magic card from my deck from the game until my next Standby Phase, when it'll return to my hand." Taking a quick skim through the text, Yudrae whispered something in Latin to the cross, thus allowing it to transfer the Magic card. "I'll then place one card face down to end the turn. And thanks to Yudrae I can shuffle my hand into my deck and draw three new cards." Another Latin incantation was spoken, and Kagome drew as stated.
"Very good, my dear." Yami no Marik drew his next card. "But tell me, what shall you do when my next attack rends your life points? Now I summon Drillago in attack mode, followed by one card face down. That will be enough for now." The peculiar drill mech and the card appeared on the field. (1600/1100)
Strange. He could've attacked me and ended the duel if he'd wanted to, so why didn't he? Was he afraid to attack with a face down card on my field…or is he waiting for something?
Yami was unsure as well; this was not the Yami no Marik he had last dueled. No, he seemed less prone to attack in later stages, so something else must have been waiting in the wings."You'll regret not attacking. It's my move, and now I can use the Magic card I removed from play last turn. I activate The Sanctuary in the Sky!"
An ironic sort of Field Magic card, given the circumstances, but by no means a weak one. For behind the priestess was steadily emerging from the depths of the Shadow Realm a titanic hovering asylum, hewn from white marble and seemingly of Greek origin. And despite the state of disrepair it was in, the sanctuary appeared to be of some divine importance, for once it had ascended to a certain point it shined as would the sun, and the two angels leapt up to it. "Because of the effect of my Sky Sanctuary, any battle damage done to me when an Angel is destroyed is negated, so as long as I have a monster on the field you'll have no way of winning this duel. But that's not the end of it. Next, I'll place a monster in defense mode, and one card face down. Now, Yudrae, destroy his Gemini Elf with Holy Knowledge!" Upon the command, Yudrae lifted his staff unto the sky and sent a rain of white sparks upon the field, screaming something in Latin as he did so.
"I'm afraid you will not get the chance! I activate Dark Wall of Air, which prevents my monsters from being attacked this turn!" Just as Yudrae's attack was about to strike, a blast of dark air roared up to defend his monster.
Man, this guy is good. I can see why Yami was frightened. "Ok, I end my turn."
"Excellent. And now, the time has come to end this duel once and for all." Yami no Marik now drew his next card.
For some reason, Yami and Kagome felt a sharp pain in their hearts once the card was drawn. It was as though a dark and yet sacred presence had been called forth. The miko did not recognize it…
…but the Pharaoh did. And for this he leapt to his feet again.
"KAGOME, YOU HAVE TO GET OUT OF THERE! YOU HAVE NO IDEA WHAT YOU'RE UP AGAINST!"
"What? Yami, I told you I can handle him! Whatever he plays, you'll have to believe I can stop him. Just trust me on this."
"But…"
"Don't worry about me. As long as I have my Sanctuary I can't be beaten, and besides, you're here to cheer me on. You're all I need to win this, and with that support, it would take an act of God to defeat me."
But it was then that she noticed the dark, twisted look on the enemy's face, and the fact that all three of his monsters were slowly being absorbed into a ray of light, one that was rather unusual for the Shadow Realm.
"You're correct, actually. Only an act of the gods shall topple your little strategy, and I hold such a power in my very hand." Soon the monsters were absorbed completely, and the light grew enough so that it almost was an affront to the sun. "When you saw Yami defeat the wind witch Kagura, you bore witness to the power of one of three celestial beasts known as the Egyptian God Monsters, each with powers so great that the three combined almost inflicted Armageddon onto this world. The wyrm you saw was Slifer the Sky Dragon, embodiment of good and evil. The second, Obelisk the Tormentor, is held by Seto Kaiba, and is the embodiment of light and darkness." Quietly he slipped a monster onto the field. "But there is a third, a grandiose dragon of such power and ascendancy that it controls the powers of Heaven and Earth. It is the deadliest monster in the entire game, with powers to conquer the gods…and I am about to call it forth."
In the place of Yami no Marik's three monsters now was summoned a golden orb, which seemed to have some kind of feather design upon it. And Kagome could feel an primordial force emanating from its depths. Every second that passed the energy grew stronger, and the light was directly proportional to that strength. Already she was quaking in fear; what great beast of damnation could erupt from such a prison?
Yami knew. And he hoped that his beloved could conquer it.
"Unlike Slifer and Obelisk, the monster I have summoned requires some sort of proof that the summoner is worthy of controlling it, a mark of nobility that very few possess. That mark is the capability to read Hieratic, the ancient text of Egyptian royalty, a skill which I believe several in this tournament possess; however, it is I that shall use that skill to reawaken the greatest monster that ever existed."
Staring directly at the golden orb, Yami no Marik crossed his arms across his chest, and looked directly at the orb. His eyes were cold, business-like, as if he knew exactly what he was doing.
"Great beast of the sky, please hear my cry. Unlock thyself from orb of light and bring me victory in this fight."
The ancient chamber reacted by emitting a far greater luminosity. Kagome shielded her eyes, and Yami looked on in terror, waiting to see what would befall his most cherished.
"Envelop the desert with your glow and cast your rage upon my foe."
At this point, the containment began to shift itself; slowly but surely the panels separated themselves, to unveil a light matched only by God himself.
And now the earth quaked, stars fell from the sky, children screamed, and whole civilizations trembled as an ultimate beast arose from its confinement.
"Unlock your powers from deep within so that together we may win. Appear in this Shadow Game as I call your name…WINGED DRAGON OF RA!"
Slums of New Paradigm
"So how much ya gonna pay for it? Normally, I'd sell for 500 large, but seeing as ya mean business, I'll give it to ya for 250. Insider deal."
There was much to be found-and lost, for that matter-in the Glasseye district of New Paradigm. If there was a sin, indulgence, or illegitimacy, one could safely bet that the ramshackle concrete and brick houses and unsanitary sidewalks of the area would have it in stock. There were illegal drugs, propaganda, prostitution, and, very rarely, history textbooks.
But the real money was made on the top floor of 82, Rosco Avenue, an old grocery store that had gone bankrupt when its owner was shot in a pseudo-Mafia raid. It was here that the hard controlled substances were sold, and even this was a cover-up; in reality, top-of-the-line military surplus, strictly controlled government secrets, and some very rare Duel Monsters cards were sold in these markets.
The only market here not controlled by the Black Shadow sold the most valuable items of all: memories. Of course, these particular memoirs were not of particular interest to Schwarzvald or Vera, but the very idea of memories generally sent people into a buying frenzy.
It was a craze that Akuren had not yet begun to understand, hence his bewilderment of the relevance of what he was doing.
"It seems a little exorbitant, for memories that is." To Akuren, this was putting it mildly.
The dealer now looked at the ninja as though he had suddenly grown two extra heads. "You haven't been around here much, have you? No one likes to admit it, but a lotta folks still come lookin' for stuff about 47 years ago. We sell 'em some random memories and send 'em on their merry way."
"But you do have several my superiors would be interested in."
"Yes indeedy. We have memories about chemicals, valuables, and some small-scale weapons. Nothing too major, like how to pilot a 'deus."
"No matter. Did you gain the documentation I asked for?"
Akuren could smell the fear in the dealer as he shuffled through his documents, looking for some kind of paper that he hadn't used for inhalation. The day had been a tiring one, and his temper was starting to wear thin.
After about a minute of searching, the man came up with what had been requested, a thin dossier that looked as though it had come from a burnt-out law office. "Here ya go, everything you need on legal precedents before the Event. Now, will that be cash, or check?"
The assassin bodyguard, however, was not an imbecile, and began to leaf through the papers, slowly scanning each piece of information carefully.
"Aw, c'mon man, don't you trust me?"
Akuren paused for a moment, and looked at the man with murder in his eyes.
"I don't even trust my own brother, you dolt. And you have lied to me."
The aura around the demon changed, from a dark green of internal shadow to a blood red one of outright wrath. "These are not legal precedents. This is the ledger of a crack housefrom four years ago."
"What? No way, man! I'm legit when it comes to dealing with the Shadow!"
"Are you? Or are you simply a pathetic con artist who believes every wealthy client is too much of an idiot to look at their product carefully?"
Akuren now walked over to one side of the room, carefully watching the hands of the dealer to make certain he didn't reach for a gun. He had dealt with punks like him on a regular basis, and knew that they were generally well armed.
After a moment, he leaned up against a shaded wall, pulling out one of his longer daggers. "Tell me, mortal, do you know exactly what I am?"
"Well, I'm guessing you're some kinda cracked up looney…"
"Not even close." He leaned closer to the wall, making sure every part of his body was near the shadows in some way. "Officially, I am considered a demon, but that is only half of it. Not only am I a Quest-class demon, I am also what is referred to as kokuei irekaeru, or in your language…"
And without warning he seemed to simply glide into the wall.
"…a shadowshifter."
As Akuren had expected, the charlatan drew out a heavy sub-machine gun and began spraying the walls with reckless abandon, his eyes filled with panic as he struggled to kill his demonic attacker. "Come on, you bastard, show yourself and fight like a man!"
"No need. The way I see it, you're already dead."
"WHAT! I'LL BLOW YOUR BRAINS OUT, YOU PSYCHOBITCH!"
But the ninja was right. So busy was he that he did not notice Akuren sneak up behind him.
"Remember this, my youthful victim. As long as shadows exist in this world, I cannot die."
With a single flick of the wrist, he now held his enemy by the throat. And violent anger was now replaced by pathetic subservience.
"P…p…please spare me. I'll do anything! I'll give you real memories! I'll sell out some crime bossess! I can pick locks! Please just let me…"
His pitiable blubbering was instantly cut short when Akuren drew his blade across the jugular.
Funny how the world of a thief is cut short by that of a true criminal.
He had done what needed to be done, and now that the memory market was officially closed, Hiei's bodyguard looked around the shabby office converted from an old chicken coop. Although it was painful to do so, Akuren cracked a grin at the fresh blood and rotting wood, and while he could maintain that style of emotion he picked up what he had been really looking for: a box of photographs from local security cameras. Behind every lie was another; the man had been illegally trafficking information on attack targets, and the Black Shadow would profit from this.The world had come full circle once again: life, maturity, and death. And 'twas Akuren that would guide a good many more to the last leg of that journey.
Kaiba and Botan vs. Tsubaki and Pegasus
It had been far too long since Kaiba had last summoned his Egyptian God Card in a real duel, and he had thus forgotten the exhilarating sensation of supremacy that often came with using such an omnipotent card. Every time he slammed it onto the field, it was as though he was calling out to the Universe, demanding that it bow to him and recognize his capabilities as a duelist.
But as the three monsters were absorbed into the heavens to become the Dark Collossus, he was also watching Botan, hoping that his game breaking move would impress her. Lately, he seemed to be basing most of his decisions on protecting her, ensuring her safety, making sure she was ok.
And if the titanic god of destruction that had now descended onto the field couldn't protect her, then what could? (4000/4000)
"Hm. Most impressive, Kaiba-boy. But what can your monster do? It is immune to Traps, but not the effects of Magic cards on our monsters, and Tsubaki here has the ultimate defense, a monster that cannot be destroyed by any attack or target effect. So you can see the futility of your efforts here."
"I'm aware of Rukuranba, and that's why I'm going to end my turn by placing one card face down." Alright, as it stands the best chance I have of defeating these clowns is to get two more monsters on the field. Summoning Obelisk bought us some time, but will it be enough?
"Enough talk, Kaiba, and back to the duel! I draw!" Not bad. Summoning such a powerful monster that quickly in the duel is an impressive feat indeed. Unfortunately for you, I have a trick that's slightly more impressive. "Now I summon Vulcan the Cursed in attack mode!" Tsubaki's new monster was a far cry different than the others she had played, as it was a sorcerer clothed in bright red, allowing tiny jets of fire to dance upon his fingertips. (1000/500) "But like all my weaker monsters, he shall transform himself into an even greater beast to the field, for now I shall warp him into Vulcan the Transformed, which I'll also summon in attack mode!" Just as quickly as he was summoned, the mage clamped his head as the flames that he had once controlled so naturally now leapt forward and ignited his clothes. The conflagration quickly spread in such a manner as to consume Vulcan's entire body, and through the blaze one could see the flesh burning away in charred and bloody slabs. But instead of muscle, there was a thick layer of scarlet scales that ignited into fire upon contact. Hands gave way to a lizard's claw, with three razor sharp talons that shined red hot by the temperature. The abdomen, arms, and legs all became those of a reptile, all around coated with the burning scales seen earlier, and a barbed scarlet tail burst out as well. And as for the head of the monstrosity, it was slender, not unlike that of a Komodo dragon's, with black eyes and thin, syringe-like teeth. (2500/1000) "As it happens, Vulcan has a very unusual special ability, which allows me to discard any amount of cards from the top of my deck, and for each one I inflict 100 points of direct damage to your life points. So in this case I'll discard twenty cards to inflict 2000 points of damage!" Tsubaki, in her turn, slid all twenty cards into the graveyard, whereupon, Vulcan shook forty of its scales off the body and systematically hurled them at Botan and Kaiba, each one causing them a great, searing pain. (2000/2000) (50/3000)
But as impressive a move as it was, Kaiba saw instantly that it had forced the priestess into a corner. Losing twenty cards from the deck is a serious drawback, and it might end up costing her the duel.
"But don't think me an idiot, love birds, for now I activate Recovery of Supplies! When this card is activated, any cards I have discarded during this turn are restored to wherever they were discarded from, meaning that I now regain all of my cards. And that's not all I have planned. Next, I shall place one card face down, and attack Botan's Sovite! Vulcan, destroy her monster with Infernal Spark!" Vulcan, in a move quite unlike his previous one, now devoured one of his scales and sent a stream of embers upon the Valkyrie.
And much to Tsubaki's chagrin, the reaper clucked in disapproval.
"Sorry, but I don't think so! I activate Aurora Veil, which will negate your attack and allow me to add one Valkyrie from my deck to my hand." Once the sparks were almost within range, a delicate wall of multicolored light emerged from Sovite's sword, and deflected the attack. Once this had been accomplished, the aurora converted into a ball of bluish radiance and was absorbed by the deck.
Tsubaki was now growing aggravated. Kaiba and the reaper were besting them at every turn; even with half of their life points they exceeded the total held by her and Pegasus. Hopefully the fruitcake can draw out something useful…
"Very well. I end my turn."
With a peculiar sort of smirk, Botan drew out her next card.
"Well, Tsubaki, I hope you didn't intend to win this match with your so called "ultimate defense", for now I can demolish it using Book of Moon to switch your Rukuranba into face down defense mode!" And as claimed, the spirit king was flipped face down, and as such lost the protection of the Heart of Clear Water. "But if you think that's all I have in mind, you're wrong. Next I'll activate the Magic card, Goddess of Urd's Altar!" Botan's next move appeared to be to summon a young woman to the field, but in reality she was almost as old as time itself. Dressed in an unadorned pink robe, a neckband, and a forehead decoration, she stood about five feet tall, had cold brown eyes, and was in possession of corn blonde hair tied back. "This unique card has an effect which allows me to guess what face down card you have on the field, and if I guess right it is removed from play. So in this case I'll select the Spirit King Rukuranba I just flipped down." Urd, seeing that her selection had been correct, sent a beam of light upon the face down monster, instantly vaporizing it. "For my next move, I'll activate the Magic card, Suspension Bridge of Hero, which I'll use to increase Sovite's attack power by 500 for each monster removed from play." Sovite was now consumed by a massive rainbow, from which emerged the Black Tyranno and Rukuranba to empower her. (2600/1600) "Finally, I shall summon Valkyrie Hildr to the field in attack mode!" Botan's final monster for the turn was a slender Valkyrie with cherry colored armor, a closed-cropped head of turquoise hair, bright pink eyes, and a staff with a slender blade upon it. (1900/1700) "Finally, I shall play the Magic card, Tribute to the Doomed, with which I shall wipe out your last line of defense, Vulcan!" The embalming materials of the Magic card, upon the discard being paid, now swallowed up the fire lizard. "Now, all three Valkyries, attack Tsubaki directly!"
The trio of Norse handmaidens charged ahead, weapons drawn to defeat the narcissistic priestess, and almost reached her. Tsubaki, however, had other plans.
"I activate the Trap card I played face down last turn, Negate Attack, which negates any and all attacks leveled against me in this turn."
"Ok. I'll just end my turn with the activation of the Field Magic card, Valhalla, which boosts the attack power of all Valkyries on the field by 500 points, along with a few other effects I'll go into later." The final card of the turn that appeared directly behind the reaper, as a giant Nordic hall hewn of gilded mahogany and detailed with a number of images correlating to the mythology it embodied, from the slaughter of Ymir to the prophecy of the World Tree. (3650/2300) (3100/1600) (2400/1700) "That'll do, won't it, Seto?"
"Couldn't have done it better myself. And don't worry; I've got your back."
Like always.
"My move again, Kaiba-boy, and because I can finally get a standby phase in edgewise my Toon Vampire Lord returns to the field." As per the Toon's effect, the grotesque undead monster was reborn, except this time he leapt forward in a spray of ridiculously disproportionate skulls and ribcages. "Of course, that's not all I intend to do. I'll continue with the card known as Toon Index, which allows me to add one card with Toon in its name from my deck to my hand." Yes, this duel has been fun, Kaiba, but there is a time for fun…and a time for wrath. "Next, I'll use the power of Toon World to special summon Toon Cannon Soldier, Toon Masked Sorceror, and Toon Dark Elf to the field in attack mode!" In order, a distorted form of the artillery machine, the cloaked mage, and what seemed to be a corrupted Mystical Elf with black robes and dark blue hair appeared. (1400/1300) (900/1400) (2000/800) "Now, I'll offer up the Sorceror and the Cannon Soldier to summon a card you ought to find very familiar, the Blue Eyes Toon Dragon!"
He did recall the thing Pegasus was talking about, and it was not exactly a fond memory. That twisted caricature of the real Blue Eyes White Dragon was not just a crime against nature, it was a blasphemy against God. So often had it stood in his way that he banned it from any tournaments in which his hand was involved.
So it should not come as a surprise that once the grossly inaccurate copy of the dragon of light was called forward, a few not so pleasant flashbacks came to mind. Mokuba, Amelda, even his clash with Anubis.
All brought back by this vile act of devilry. (3000/2500)
Botan noticed it as well, took note of Kaiba's nauseous expression, how it was all he could do not to vomit. And she knew very well why, having been somewhat involved in the lives of the world for so long.
But she also knew he would have to hold it together, a skill he possessed in great quantity under pressure…in most cases.
"Seto, listen to me. Whatever effect that thing has on you, you've got to shake it off, or you'll lose your head."
Funny. Never thought a cute ferrywoman would be giving me advice on how to stay cool."Pay it no mind, Botan. Besides, his toons will be useless once I activate my face down card. Go, Des Counterblow! So long as this card remains face up on the field, any attack mounted directly on our life points will result in that monster being destroyed before it can land the attack. Sorry, Pegasus, it looks like your little plan backfired."
"Not really. I'll place one card face down to end my turn."
"Fine, and now the time has arrived to end this duel! I draw!" But Kaiba knew exactly what had to be done. "I summon X-Head Cannon in attack mode, followed by the activation of my Change of Heart card, which I'll use to control Pegasus's Toon Dragon!" The two monsters, Pegasus's beast and a bulky titanium armored automaton with a hovering sphere on the bottom and two high-powered artillery cannons, (1800/1500) appeared on Kaiba's field. "And now, Obelisk the Tormentor, I offer up to thee my X-Head Cannon and the Blue Eyes Toon Dragon, so that you may assimilate their power within thyself and demolish our opponents!"
And as Obelisk clamped onto the monsters and drew from them their life force, Botan saw a side of Seto that had been hidden from her so far, the brutal, ruthless mercenary that would crush all that stood before him in a single blaze of power. His eyes, alight with the arrogance of certain glory, burned as Obelisk's hands now did. But was she disgusted? No.
In fact she found it very sexy.
"OBELISK, GOD'S HAND CRUSHER!"
The God of Obelisk, battling no longer for a perverted monk but a true soldier of destiny, reared back its great fist, having completely absorbed the power of the tributes. With the powers of the gods behind it, Obelisk charged forward, solely focused on Tsubaki and Pegasus; in one swift blow they would be demolished. But as they were about to be struck down by the fury of the powers that could not even be stopped by the God of Atlantis…
"I activate the card I played face down, Toon Reversal, which allows me to negate any attack or effect levied against us during this turn, so long as Toon World is on the field." As claimed, a sheet of paper now hurled itself from the Toon World bindings to intercept the attack. "But the worst is yet to come. Because the effect was initiated by a monster, I am allowed to special summon the Toon version of the monster in question."
For only a moment, Kaiba, Botan, and Tsubaki stared blankly at Pegasus, wondering exactly what this meant.
Until such time as it came to Kaiba. And so horrified was he by the reality of the situation that he stepped back, watching Pegasus to see if he was joking.
"You heard it here first, folks! I sacrifice my last monsters, by the effect of Toon Reversal, to summon…TOON OBELISK THE TORMENTOR!"
To Be Continued
Another record update.
Anyway, next chap starts the duel between Joey and Jin, as well as continue that of Inuyasha and Raphael, Kagome and Y. Marik, and the tag team. So to balance out the duels we have the intros of two more key players, along with more of Schwarzvald's rants, and Dartz strikes a deal with one of the members of the Council.
Ok, the Valkyries that aren't in the anime belong to Time Mage, the Toon Gods derive from an idea by The White Mage, basically every Judge monster and correlating card is Time Mages, as is Guardian Counterblow, the Vulcans are Helldragons, any other Toons not seen in the anime or previously mentioned are mine. If anyone finds any inaccuracies in this, let me know.