Hello, everyone! It's that time again: Halloween!
For those who are new, during the month of October I challenge myself to what I like to call a "Speed-Fic". This just means that I will be writing as quickly as possible with whatever comes to mind without any planning and upload something either everyday or every other day.
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If you haven't read it yet, 2020s Halloween Speed-Fic was "The Mummy Groom", a YuGiOh! X The Corpse Bride. Be sure to stop by and check it out!
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Spoiler Alert!
It goes without saying that I don't own rights to either YuGiOh! or the animated series "Gargoyles".
If you don't already have a Halloween playlist, you could use the chapter names to help ya out!
Halloween 2021 FanFic Yu-Gi-Oh! X Gargoyles
Chapter 1:
Somebody's Watching Me
Stepping out of the elevator, the other girls from various other groups or agencies hurried to follow the butler who ushered them to one of the rooms where they could get ready, she cast a curious gaze about the elaborate hallway. Seemed like the tycoon was into various strange things; knights, ancient England, folk lore, things that she never would have guess. And there was a lot more sandstone than she's seen at one of those construction yards. The mansion, or should she say palace, had been built on top of one of the tallest skyscrapers in New York. Even she should have known better that just because the stonework, artifacts, and art were beautiful it didn't mean that something lurked beneath its façade.
The sun had barely set when they were told to take their places, each girl now dressed within the costumes they had been advised to don and heavy makeup that properly concealed their face's natural shape so they could not be recognized per their contracts, and the festivities had begun. Loud thunderous music worthy of inflicting momentary deafness if one were to stand too close to one of the sound system speakers? Check. Multicolored lights that nearly blinded anyone on the platforms scattered about the large entertainment space? Check. Endless buffet tables lining the room with various snacks, drinks, entrees, and deserts to satisfy anyone's craving? Check. One thing concerned her though the other girls didn't seem to mind the lack of security that would be present to protect them if any of the guests decided watching them dance wasn't enough. Hopefully her hunch was wrong.
Hours later, she was storming through and slamming the door of the loaned makeshift dressing room closed. "I don't even know why I took this job in the first place! And I still have to last until the finale event on Halloween night!" The brunette girl huffed, stuffing various clothing items into her duffle bag. Her gut had told her to not accept the boss's call to be one of the entertainment dancers for the prestigious Kaiba Corp Halloween Extravaganza that started at the beginning of the month of October. It was completely full of the exact snooty people she's come to hate but had hoped against all odds that they wouldn't be so pompous as to try anything sine they were under the infamous Seto Kaiba's roof.
She paused in passing of one of the many suits of armor, her finger appearing inches from its hollow chest. "That's the last time I let that sleazy boss of mine talk me into coming to anymore parties like this." A sigh slipped through her pink lips as she realized that her words wouldn't be any help when spoken to a relic well over a few hundred years old. One of her hands rested upon her shapely hip as she slung the bag's strap over her shoulder. The loud music and incoherent conversations were coming from behind her but she had been so caught up in her anger that she had barely paid attention to where she was going. "Ah, crap…where's that elevator?" A shiver passed down her spine, earning a shake of her toned being and the rise of the fine hairs across her body. "If I didn't know any better, I'd say someone was watching me."
Behind the dancer, far above her pivoting head, a shadow moved high near the dome ceiling archways that lead in various directions. From the darkness hidden within the aged stone's crevices, several pairs of eyes watched her closely as she picked a direction and disappeared down one of the passageways. A muted yelp was heard as one of the owners to the pairs of eyes was yanked backwards.
The hallways varied little as she walked. Same old ancient looking carpet, same old stone walls, same old paintings of strange people wearing outfits that she recalled from the dusty textbooks back in school. Decorations ranged from armor pieces to weapons or well known historical artifacts and photos. The farther she walked, the more the scheme drifted from Europe to mysterious Egypt; suites of armor were replaced by statues of ancient gods, weapons of war became cases of golden jewelry that sparkled brilliantly even in the dimmed lighting, paintings and photographs were now tapestries and slabs of etched stone. For some reason, she preferred this new theme.
"This is not a museum!" She shook her head, pausing just before stepping into another passageway. "Stop staring at all the pretty and interesting stuff! You gotta get out of here before someone catches you!" Disappointment filled her as she paused to cast one last glance up at one of the stone slabs. It was unlike any of the others; what looked to be a pharaoh was standing on the left while a being with wings was facing him from the right. Probably another one of those ancient fairy tales.
Frustration built slowly with each dead end she came across, a twitch appearing within one of her slender eyebrows when she found herself back at the entrance to the main gathering room where the party was occurring on the other side of the giant double doors staring down at her. "Seriously?!" She spun on her heel with a huff, the grip she had on the innocent bag tightening even farther as she marched down one of the hallways she had yet to explore. "I just want to go home, get out of this ridiculous getup, and completely forget about this whole holiday. Is that too much to ask?!" Her eyes drifted down her body as she passed by one of the large windows, striking a pose for a split second. The lightning honestly in here was horrible but there was enough to see her own silhouette. "Okay, fine, I guess this outfit isn't completely horrible. At least the wings make me look kind of cool and the body piece isn't too skimpy. I'm just glad they didn't give me one of those succubus or latex bodysuit costumes. This one actually doesn't hinder my movements and the wings are close enough to my body that I don't have to worry about knocking into anything-" Her words immediately ceased when a breeze tickled the back of her neck, spine becoming a stiff board. It was normally protected by chocolate hair but tonight it had been pulled up to be fashioned into a teased hairdo that honestly reminded her of some old music videos from the '80s.
That was no normal wind. It carried the scents of midnight mist and chalky stone, along with the subtle warmth from whoever the breath had come from. The urge to scream was beginning to slowly build within her throat as the same breath came again, this one a bit lower and bringing with it similar scents to what she herself had found along the endless buffet tables. Every cell in her body was encouraging her to run as fast as she could but against it her head snapped to the side and blinked. No one was there.
"Hello?" She tilted her head when her own call echoed back to her. "Could have sworn…" A high pitched "eep" slipped between her lips as a drawn out creak sounded, followed by the familiar whoosh of nighttime New York air that drew her attention to ahead where one of the doors now sat open with moonlight pooling through awaited. Was that what she thought it was: an exit?! The stress plaguing her body ebbed away as she hesitantly stepped through, her arms rising to the sparkling night sky as her eyes widened with wonder. There wasn't a single cloud in the sky and it allowed her to behold the endless twinkling stars that shone brightly from above. "Oh, wow! They're so pretty!" The bag slipped from off her shoulder as she took a step, expecting to find a platform or balcony of some sort, but found only empty air.
Instinct kicked in as she fell, the natural drive to scream as loudly as she could quickly being snuffed as she arched through the air when the wings on her back slowed her descent enough with the help of a breeze that whipped up at the last second and dropped into a crouching position as the ground rose to meet her. A glance upwards caused her to mentally slap herself. It hadn't been an entrance to an outside balcony: it had been a window. The glare from the nearly completed moon above was just bright enough that the angle of the glass hid a shadow that moved away from the sill as the window was slammed closed. They hadn't meant for her to go through the window like that but had been left awestruck by her maneuver.
One of her hands rose to her hair. "That could have been worse, I guess," she sighed, examining the bag that had fallen and grimaced when she found several tears. It must have knocking against the side of the building on its way down. "Just great. Looks like I'll be buying a new one." Her gaze traveled to the wings on her back. For being flimsy and cheap, they had actually saved her a broken leg or worse. Maybe she would keep the outfit after-all.
The area she now found herself in was kind of like those old courtyards you'd see at those super rich people's mansion. Oh, yeah, this was one of them. Not a lot of vegetation, once against everything was mostly the grayscale stone, but at least there was a fountain that filled the otherwise eerie silent Halloween night air. Her eyes drifted closed as the sounds of the water slowly eased the knots from her tired muscles, the gentle wind causing her body to sway at first from left to right as it teased her expose skin. Every care or worry that she held about being caught faded as from her bag came the soft notes of one of the songs she adored. Looks like the media player that had been stashed within it had been affected by the fall. No matter, she'll just have to work an extra double shift to replace that too, but right now she had an uncontrollable urge to dance.
The music coming from within the mansion-palace was vastly different than any those who watched from the shadows had ever heard, quickly earning their displeasure with its head throbbing bass and unbearable volume. Shadows high upon the nearby towers shifted closer to the edges, heads tilting in every direction as the strange new music slowly built in volume until they too found themselves swaying to the gentle notes. It was when the main instrument was accompanied by flutes and a harp that their interest was truly peaked as the figure below elegantly moved with the song's rise and fall of the scales. Yes, this was more suitable.
A bend of her knees launched her upwards enough to perch upon the fountain's lips, the discarded heels clattering across the stone as her splayed toes found a stable grip upon the stone as she moved with the music. People had always thought it strange that she would insist on performing with such foreign style costumes or tracks but honestly she never felt more herself than when the exotic notes danced across her skin. The moon above her bathed everything in a pale glow, causing her fair skin to appear as though it was glowing as her arms gracefully rose to the sky where slender fingers traced patterns amongst the glittering stars above while her feet expertly found level foundations as she danced around the fountain.
One of the shadows separated from the tower's, silently and stealthily moving across the tan hued stone until it had come up behind the unaware girl. "What are you doing here?"
Time itself seemed to freeze as a deep baritone voice shattered the pleasant dream she had found herself in. Cerulean eyes shot open as her balance faltered, causing her to nearly stumble off the lip of the stone barrier, and felt the veins in her blood run cold as she found herself locked in a staring contest with a pair of amethyst eyes that held a ring of crimson growing with each passing second. They came closer, causing her to take steps backward until her back met the banister that overlooked the bustling and glittering city below. She was trapped but by what?! Whoever it was, despite them just being short of her own height, was exhuming a pressure that made her wand to submit and retreat like a dog with its tail between its legs. One thing that living in New York had earned her was a backbone and further strengthened self confidence that she was always ridiculed for, many saying that no one would want to be with such a strong willed woman like her, "Stay back!" Panic seeped into her bones when the self defense taser she always had on her was snatched from her hand, eyes widening when it was crushed within their grasp.
"I shall ask once more," the figure before her came another step, "what is your business here?"
All of those old stories that her father once filled her head with about ancient creatures who could glide through the night came rushing back to her as giant wings unfurled from their shoulders that looked as though they could blanket the night sky itself. Her breath abandoned her as the stone supporting her back suddenly disappeared, the pair of eyes staring down at her in warning filling with concern as gravity pulled her over the wall.
That was no costume or cosplay attire, that much she was sure of as she blindly fell. The texture of those ginormous wings was unlike anything she's ever seen. Those that were apart of her attire gave telltale snaps as the whistling wind that threatened to deafen her caused them to shatter into tiny pieces then disappear from sight. How had things gotten to this point? "I'm just a simple dancer who left home when my parents had passed away in a car crash, coming to New York after high school graduation to pursue a dancing career. No one had told me that living here would be lonely and difficult!" She hadn't expected it to be easy, honestly she's prefer working hard to earn what was given, but it was nearly heart breaking for her when she discovered that the splendor of the famous Big Apple held the darkest secrets she'd only heard about in movies. "I don't want to die!" Tears gathered along her eyelashes as she blinked when a hazy figure rushed to face her.
Through the shrill whistles of the chilly wind and flashing lights coming from the street below, her vision grew clear as the same baritone voice from before filled her ears. "Grab my hand!" Every brain cell she had nearly combusted when a hand reached for her. Instead of fingernails, they had claws that looked as though they could shred her to pieces if they chose to. The paralyzing fear almost prevented from the girl from moving but her elbow straightened just enough that her fingers brushed against their palm in a silent plea for help. They instantly took hold, giving her a tug so that her being came into contact with their chest as the wings on their back extended, her arms attaching themselves around their neck as she hurried her face within the crook of their neck.
They landed with a heavy impact upon one of the building's lips, still several stories from the bustling street below, and she desperately clung to the nearby beam once slipping from the stranger's grasp the second their hold had lessened enough. "Whatever you do, don't look down," she whispered to herself while inching away from them as they seemed to regard the people farther down with disgust. A gasp slipped up her throat when she slipped, a lump forming in her throat when it caused her gaze to drift downward. "I looked down…"
"You needn't be afraid." Amethyst that had been steadily growing crimson lost the hardness, only a little, when they helped her find a better stance upon the ledge barely big enough for them to be standing on. "I do not wish to harm you."
Wide cerulean eyes locked upon them as they took a step in her direction. "Of course you can talk, why wouldn't you?" She drug a hand down her face once she had a firmer hold on the stone beam. "I didn't mean that the way it sounded." Did her ears just deceive her or did the being across from her just chuckle? Against her will, the lips that had been quivering with suppressed fear lifted in the corners. "Can't very well spend all night here, so what do you suggest?"
"I am unsure of what you mean."
Her finger pointed first down then up. "Either way, we're going to have to go in one direction and an Uber can't reach this high." Their head bobbed in a nod in understanding, moving to face the wall and burying their claws within the stone. Terrifying strength that she had suspected was definitely confirmed as the stone beneath his claws caved. "W-wait a minute! What am I supposed to do?! You can't just-"
They were already ahead of her. One of their arms lashed out, the clawed hand carefully picking her up and placing her upon its back. "Hold on." Amethyst locked upon the wall of clouds above them and began the trek upwards. Each impact of claws piercing stone earned a flinch from the girl upon its back, her being quivering as she desperately clung to them as if her life depended on it. A part of it wanted to just be done with the weak human, the betrayal that had occurred nearly over a millennial ago causing his blood to boil, but the fragile being whose life had been put into jeopardy because of his actions weighed heavily upon their conscience. Once she was safely back within the courtyard grounds, she would most likely run away screaming for Kaiba to deal with.
Fine by them.
Something was happening though as they steadily climbed the building. The longer she remained in close contact with them, a warmth was growing within their chest as the scents of peaches and honey filled their senses. However it was her fear that was causing their instincts to react most. "Trust me." Amethyst eyes, just for a moment, shifted to lock upon her as they opened at their low spoken words. "I will not let you fall." It wasn't until she gave a slight nod that they refocused upon the task at hand and hoisted them both over the palace-like wall.
She stumbled slightly when stone met the bottoms of her bare feet, an exhale of relief coming from between her lips as she beheld the one responsible for saving her; clearly masculine, not too built in muscle but clearly just enough, wild hair that stuck up in every direction, sharp eyes the color of precious amethyst stones. The wings slowly folded until it appeared that they created a cape around him but it wasn't enough to hide the elaborate gold jewelry decorating his being that matched the golden bangs that looked as though he was wearing a crown. It was as if she were looking upon an Egyptian king from the ancient era. If they were human- no, even though they weren't- she couldn't deny that he was attractive. "Thank you for the save, Mister Gargoyle.'
He nearly recoiled in shock. Not many of the humans that they have encountered were versed in their species, let alone knew what they were called. "You know of what I am?"
"I wasn't one-hundred percent until now." Her smile fell slightly. "My father, he would tell me bedtime stories about all sorts of beings and creatures. Gargoyles are beings that glide through the air on wings and turn into stone statues during the daytime. Is that about right?"
Suspicion filled him as he regarded the human. "And how does that make you feel," he took a step towards her, angling it so that instead of falling backwards over the banister again that she met the tower to the right, allowing his tone to deepen farther and fill with a coldness he reserved for enemies, "knowing that before you standing a creature with strength that could end your existence? Showcasing and disguising yourself as one of us may have earned you our attention but perhaps it was not wise to do so."
"It was a costume. Sheer coincidence that it was what it was." The shiver down her spine was suppressed, her hand rising to flick his nose. "You would have done so by now and there are shadier people than you lurking down below that I really need to be weary of."
His bluff had been called. Amusing. He backed off slightly, giving her space.
"Do you have a name?"
His exasperated sigh caught her off guard. "What is it with humans naming everything?"
"I want to know what to call you." Her arms crossed. "Unless you want me to constantly refer to you as 'Spikey Hair', I suggest you tell me now."
Now he was thoroughly entertained. No one had ever spoken to him as she was and it was…invigorating. She wasn't afraid or intimidated by him so here she was talking to him as though they were equals. The moon light above combined with his nocturnal eyesight made her appearance known as she took the step so they were closer; fair delicate skin like porcelain, glittering cerulean eyes that reminded him of the Nile, a figure not overly curvy that showcased a physique that moved with grace. What an interesting human indeed. "Those who betrayed myself and my kind once called me 'Yami'. I, we, will never trust humans again."
The hostility within his tone was nearly enough to make her heart hurt. "It's clear that you had trusted them, a lot, and it may not mean much coming from someone who wasn't there but on their behalf I'm sorry that trust was betrayed." Her finger rose. "However, I don't think it's right or fair to write off that all humans are like that. Some of us are actually kind, loyal, even accepting. Not all of us are two-faced liars just itching to backstab the person standing next to us."
His eyes widened for a split second as the passion within her words washed over him but steeled himself against them. To the clan, the betrayal felt like it had occurred just yesterday thanks to the spell that had rendered them all to stone until their ancient palace could rise above the clouds. Just the evening before this they had found themselves faced with the human known as Kaiba who had evidently moved their home to this new place called America. They were all on edge about the man despite the curt words and promises that all he required of them was to protect the establishment from outsiders. "Trust is not something easily given-"
"And I see that I'm going to have to work hard to earn yours while we get to know each other."
Difference between species vanished as he gasped. Truly this human girl was unlike any they had ever encountered. She wanted to earn his trust, to not only prove herself to him and the remainder of his kind but learn about them? Confusion filled his chest as he attempted to find any hint of an inner scheme within her gaze, earning a chuckle. "I don't understand. Why would you do so if you have nothing to gain?"
Her brows furrowed. "You guys must have been really traumatized by that betrayal."
He held perfectly still, like the statue he was fated to become at sunrise, as her hand rose and brushed her fingers against his own that were clenched into a fist. The smoothness of her skin was must softer than the cotton or linen that had once decorated the palace.
"This city is pretty scary and awfully lonely to those who don't know it. I sure could use a friend and I bet you guys could use a guide." She gave him her best smile. "We could help each other out."
There, within her smile and eyes, lay a sadness and longing that he once upon a time had also nursed at when he had discovered that those he cherished had succumbed to the spell. Companionship was something gargoyles cherished, loyal until their very last breath and protective to those who they held affections for. He had been lucky that his close friends had been spared the catastrophe that claimed the lives of the rest of their clan but it was clear that not all were so lucky. "You said earlier while you were falling that your parents passed in a car crash, moving here after your education was complete." He said slowly, carefully so as not to inflict or cause her to remember the pain he had noticed earlier. His fist centimeter-by-centimeter loosened its hold until his fingers carefully grasped her own. "It appears that you have been here long enough to understand the ways and functions of this city. Perhaps it would be wise to familiarize one's self with how this city works if we are to remain here."
Heat bloomed within her fair cheeks as his surprising smooth skin met her own. Here she was thinking it would be rough, calloused, maybe even cold, but it came with the warmth of a living being that shifted when the muscles of his hand did. "It's getting a bit late. Think we could meet up tomorrow-" she shook her head when his lips parted. "Right, sorry, that wouldn't work anyway. I have to work for the next few nights anyway." Her eyes drifted away from his to the nearby rooftops. Thankfully the studio and theatre that she liked to perform at was close enough that she would be capable of getting to the rooftop of would be just within reach of their range. "There, that building to the west, think you can meet me there four sundowns from now?"
Pride welled within his chest, making it puff slightly. "Easily."
"Alright then, show off," she giggled, giving his fingers a brief squeeze before slipping from his grasp. "It's a date then." A few steps away was when she stopped to glance back at him. Maybe this job wouldn't be so bad after all. "I'm going to be working at the parties being held here until the end of the month…"
Was she asking what he thought she was? His head tilted to the side in curiosity. "This is our home. Wherever the palace goes, so do we."
"So that means I can…maybe…"
Understanding filled him with foreign feelings as she struggled for words. "We will not be going anywhere for the time being. If you chose to venture here in the time leading up to the meeting four sunsets from now, I will not object."
Excitement lit up her cerulean eyes at his words. "If you say so!"
His eyes closely watched her as she waved then made her way back to the fountain, snatching up her bag while slipping on the heels she had kicked off earlier, and smirked when she paused in the doorway. "To the left, four doors down you'll find a staircase, take it one level, and you will find the elevator."
She spun around so fast with a face so red he had to cross his arms in hopes that she could see the laughter catch in his chest. "Wha- How did you know?!"
"I have eyes and ears all over this palace." He directed her gaze upwards to the archway of the door where a few members of his clan were watching her with curiosity. One of his hands quickly rose to cover his mouth when she shrieked in surprise then disappeared from sight, closely followed by the pair who had been watching her since her departure of the festivities.
"I'll get you back for that, Atem, just you wait!"
Her shout echoed loudly around him as he wiped a stray tear from the corner of his eyes, seriousness returning to his features as her presence faded away. So she had decided against calling him the former name that the humans had given him, instead choosing him something different. The name felt odd as it rolled off his tongue as he mimicked the pronunciation. "A…tem…" The corners of his mouth twitched, as if they were attempting to form a smile. "I did not think ask her name."
"One of the other humans earlier called her 'Anzu'. I didn't expect you to approach her like you did."
"Ah, I wondered where you had wandered off to." He turned to face the smallest gargoyle of their clan. Bloodlines mattered little to nothing in their clan, though he was sure that their similarities would earn questions whenever the human girl returned. This young gargoyle was his right hand, second in command, the sole being he trusted almost everything to. Perhaps it was the inert suspicion that they were siblings though their parents were unknown. The clan believed that all those in the Rookery were siblings, all family and equals no matter who was the parental gargoyles.
The leader of their clan stiffened when the littler one smirked. "We are charged with protecting the palace, I should not need to remind you of this. She was a possible intruder and we very well couldn't have her parading around masquerading like one of us."
"What's this I hear about a date then?"
"Don't you both have patrolling to perform?" The elder gargoyle that had come up behind the youngest, sensing his leader's growing unease, quickly ushered the youngster away towards the fountain where an updraft was forming. It wasn't until they had both taken to the sky that the newly named gargoyle closed his eyes, taking a deep inhale through his nose that filled his senses with the lingering scents of peaches as he moved to stand by the palace wall they had just climbed up. Even all the way up here, it was if she was still standing next to him. "I will be sure to greet you by name the next time we meet, Anzu."
See you next time!
