Spoiler Alert!
It goes without saying that I don't own rights to either YuGiOh! or the animated series "Gargoyles".
Halloween 2021 FanFic Yu-Gi-Oh! X Gargoyles
When a Gargoyle Falls
Chapter 2:
Little Dark Ages
Her boss had pulled her aside the second she had returned from the Kaiba Corporation's festivities earlier than a few of the other girls who had also gone along, those poor souls were nursing the monarch's of all hangovers currently, and had assured her that the costume would be repaired by that night's performance time. Why was she so relieved by that information?
Dancing lessons had gone off without a hitch, no surprise there, and yet here she was casually walking down the street she would be taking once the sun set. She shook her head after taking a sip from the cup in her hand, the flavors of spicy cinnamon and sweet apple filling her mouth as she hummed. Most girls went for pumpkin whenever fall came around but she was more of an apple kind of girl. The warmth within her stomach slowly spread throughout her body the more she enjoyed the drink until every inch of her was buzzing pleasantly. The bustling traffic and people paid her no mind as she came to a stop in front of the biggest skyscraper in the whole city besides the Empire State Building, the giant "KC" logo several stories above her head. Just the memory of her falling from that height raised the hairs across her body. Not even a full twelve hours have passed since that near death experience and it has been replaying in her mind since waking up this morning.
The warmth of his hand, the confidence and strength he gave off, even the brilliant gemstones that were his eyes… Why couldn't she stop thinking about him? None have treated her with such respect before. Even when he had caught her from plummeting to death his hold upon her body had been conservative; one of his hands upon her mid-back while the other had found the crook of her bent knees. Bridal style had always made her a bit weary since most would view the one being carried as inferior or weak but for some reason she wasn't bothered by the memory of being within his hold. He had come off a bit rough, scary even, but there was a gentleness beneath that spoke of a heartache he may still be healing from.
She resumed walking after tossing her empty cup within a nearby waste basket. It was still at least four hours until sunset, when she had to report for work. Might as well do a little research to pass the time. The New York City Public Library came into view not even twenty minutes after she turned the corner on 125th. The true question she asked herself while climbing the stairs was where should she start: Word History or Folklore?
. . . .
"MrKaiba, last night's festivities were well receiv-"
"Tell me something I don't know." The luxury chair facing the view of the city turned, revealing a young man with short brown hair and wearing a pristine white suit, his cold sapphire eyes locked upon the marketing team assembled before him. "What I do care to know is how one lone dancer girl managed to get by all of my security to enter my private courtyard." They instantly busied themselves examining the surveillance footage he pulled up with a wave of his hand. No matter how hard they searched for an explanation, they couldn't provide him an answer. If truth be told, he was not concerned about her sneaking past his personnel. The part that had his heart pounding was the fact that the gargoyles had shown themselves to her. He would be sure to have a few choice words with them later. "Find me the girl."
"But, sir, it won't be that easy-"
His gaze narrowed farther. "Must I do everything? Simply hire the same girls from the same agencies and private agents that were present last night. One will surely separate herself from tonight's festivities to pay her new 'friend' a visit. Clearly she had yet to understand the danger of knowing something that she shouldn't." Rising from the chair, he fixed each of the caterers and assistants with a relaxed gaze. "You all have your assignments, the rest of you know your duties. Kaiba Corporation is going to go down in history for the memorable celebrations we are holding but they will all pale in comparison to the finale Halloween night. There's plenty of work to be done so it's time to get started."
. . . .
A ringing pierced the air, causing a brunette to raise her head with a start from the open book she had fallen asleep reading. Her fingers fumbled as she hurried to answer with a swipe of a finger. "Ah, shoot, thought I had put it on silent." She mouthed an apology to the librarian who glared in her direction with distaste as she rose from the table she had been using to dash for the nearby restroom for some privacy. "Hello?"
"Anzu, darling, your costume is finished but unfortunately you'll need to come in sooner. The time schedule of the events has changed and things will be starting a bit earlier than last night." The voice that came through was unmistakably that of the infamous Cho-yun. She would rip any unsuspecting person's throat out if they questioned her decisions or alignment; honestly, even the employees couldn't figure it out either. During the daytime he went as the flirty Yuné who turned the heads of several women just with his charming smile but when the sunset Cho would take center stage and capture the hearts of the men who laid eyes on her. "You have caught someone's eye, my dear, I am unsure if you should join the festivities tonight."
The brunette leaned against the stall door, the heart pounding in her chest quickening. "What are you talking about? No one should know who I am thanks to all the makeup."
"That's not what I'm referring to. Someone is going to great lengths to have the same girls appear tonight that did lasts. That means you, honey, and they are willing to pay triple."
Confusion furrowed Anzu's brows. Why would someone pay so much? A rock settled in her stomach. Maybe she had been found out and they were looking to persecute her for trespassing? Her head shook. Even if that were the case, money aside, she was still going to go. "I'll be alright, Yuné, you know me: I never let someone touch me and I know how to defend myself."
"Just," a sigh came through the line, "just be careful. You've been one of my best dancers since I introduced you to the theatre and, sue me, but I see you as a little sister that I must look out for."
"You sound like Duke." She giggled when they chuckled roughly. "If anything comes up, you know I'll let you know. I'll see you in a few hours." The line went dead as they exchanged a quick goodbye, filling her ear with the series of beeps that was the dial tone. Her hand slipped the phone into her pocket as she exited the stall and hurried to clean up the mess she had left. There hadn't been anything interesting since most lore about gargoyles were based in thirteenth century architecture from France or England. There was no mention anywhere of them ever being incorporated in Egypt.
A hand appearing upon the book she was about to pick up caused her to jump slightly. "Interesting topic of choice, Anzu-chan."
Cerulean rose to find the owner of the hand, a tall burly man she recognized as one of the rival agencies to be standing over her. The Japanese man had come to America, as if following her, and underwent nearly every surgery under the sun to make him appear as he did now with no hint of fat or grotesque jiggle. Kokurano had to be one of New York City's biggest cancers but not even the cops had the power to stand up to him. "Out of the way, jerk, I'm busy."
"Is that anyway to talk to an old friend?"
"You were nothing but the high school's false prophet." She growled, trembling not from fear but of anger. "You stalked and terrorized over fifty female students, but then you ran away never to be seen or heard from again after graduation!"
One of his hands rose, grasping her chin as she made to turn away, his brown eyes darkening. "Now, now, where do you think you're going? Let's not be too hasty now."
The air rang with a resounding smack as her hand knocked his away, the onlookers who had been attempting to go about their day freezing in shock at the display beginning to unfold in front of them. She hated this land's people for that reason: they were nothing more than grazing cattle keeping their heads down but raised them if it meant they could witness drama though none of them never lended a helping hand. "If you ever touch me again, I swear it'll be the last thing you ever do." Her arms collected the remaining books and dropped them off at the librarian's desk, each step she took away from the now glowering man caused her knees to quake and beads of sweat to break out across her skin. "I really must be going-"
"Leave them there and I shall deal with them later." The elderly librarian glanced over her spectacles at the young girl. "Something tells me you will have plenty to deal with for the time being."
Anzu hurried through the crowded streets until she managed to slip through the door of her flat, fingers shaking almost too much for her to flip the multitude of locks as she slowly slid to the floor. The room blurred as a familiar scent tickled her nose, one that caused panic to fill her. "N-no way," she groaned, struggling to pull out her phone. "He only touched me for a second…how could he have…" Her vision faded to black as ringing filled her ears, the floor rushing to greet her as the sunlight coming in through the window above her tinted red.
. . . .
The golden sun disappeared over the horizon, taking with it the warmth day that gave way to the slight chill of night. Faintly, if one would only listen, the awakening roars of a small clan of nocturnal creatures could be heard over the hustle and bustle of the city streets. Shards of stone rained as each of the gargoyles stretched the various parts of their beings from head to tail tip. The moon slowly took the place of the sun, signaling that the festivities would be underway, but no longer how long they waited the human girl known as Anzu never showed herself.
The youngest of the clan, a pale lilac gargoyle, approached the spot their leader had been rooted to since their awakening. "Is it possible that we scared her away?"
Atem's amethyst widened as he looked out across the city. Instinct was screaming at him, warning him, but of what? The rest of the clan was here, safely tucked within the palace walls. It was only one sundown after their meet so it was time for them to rendezvous. "I shall go."
"Can you bring us some food while you're down there?" The sandy colored gargoyle flinched slightly when he received a growl. "Okay, okay, I can wait until their done.
Atem did not know the answer himself of why he was so on edge as he carefully made his way through the mansion. The unease and tension within his gut twisted tighter with each passing second the closer he came to the room with the festivities. His muscles had moved before he'd even realized it as the scent of sweet fruit almost too faint for his nose to pick up as a man howling with laughter passed under him as the gargoyle took refuge within the dome ceiling's center. It also carried the sour hint of fear.
This man had something with her absence.
A growl rumbled within his chest as he watched the man like a hawk, carefully following him throughout the room while clawing across the ceiling too high for anyone to see, and waited like the patient hunter he was until the man separated himself to enter one of the side rooms that were labeled "Private". He wasted no time in placing himself between the human and the only exit of the room the second their back had been turned. "Where is she?"
The man spun on his heel, brown eyes widening as his face paled the second he caught sight of the monster in front of him. "Well, look at you, that's quite the costume!"
Atem's claws grasped the man's clothing, easily lifting him though he was taller than the gargoyle, to press the now struggling human against the wall. "I smell her on you. What have you done to Anzu?"
Brown eyes attempted to look away from amethyst that were steadily growing crimson but no matter how the man tried he was trapped. "W-what's it to you? Anzu-chan and I are old acquaintances, so what?"
"Then why do I smell her fear on you?" The gargoyles snarl was so resonating that it caused the man's heart to momentarily forget its natural rhythm then take on a new one that was much too fast as adrenaline coursed through his veins. Atem raised him higher off the ground, eyes narrowing. "I will not ask again."
"Is this some sort of prank or somethin'?! All I did was lace my hand with narcotics that can be absorbed through the skin and then grabbed her so that they would seep into her system by the time I got to her! I made her pay for the humiliation she dished me back in high school-" The rest of his sentence was lost as it disappeared into a howl of fear as the beast unfurled his wings with an anger filled roar that could almost be heard over the heavy bass music coming from just next door.
Slicing through the air, Atem quickly made his way through the stairwells and to the rooftop. "You all stay here."
Their exclamations were lost as he disappeared over the palace wall.
His wings were not the largest of their clan but they were more than enough for him to glide and maneuver through the air currents as he took a deep breath. Hundreds upon thousands of new scents attacked his nose but he pushed through the flood as the image of her somewhere, helpless, possibly injured filled his mind. Where was he supposed to look though? He and the other gargoyles had yet to learn of this city, let alone where she herself dwelled, so how was he supposed to find her in this seemingly endless ocean of humans?
"She smelled of peaches, right?"
Atem's head snapped upward as a voice came from his right, finding the pale lilac gargoyle. "What are you doing here?"
"It'll be easier if you had someone else looking too." He offered an apologetic smile. "She seemed nice considering she gave you a new name, and her dancing was incredible. Besides, everyone knows that my sense of smell is the best in the clan."
Amethyst locked on lavender, as if gauging the younger gargoyle's motives or actions, then his head bobbed in a nod. "You have my gratitude, but don't go making a habit of disobeying anytime soon."
"Heard loud and clear-"
The writhing emotions within Atem's chest intensified as a strange look crossed over his companion's face, the blood in his veins rising to a boil when a snarl raised the gargoyle's lip to reveal fangs. "I found a man who said he had been her acquaintance, he is the one you probably smell on my claws. What else can you make out?" Crimson overthrew amethyst as the younger glider couldn't meet his gaze. "Take me to her."
Towering buildings flashed by as they sliced through the air, gazes locked upon the invisible trail that held the scent that would belong to the person they were searching for, and both slid to a stop upon the rooftop where it was coming through one of the partially opened windows. It was much stronger now, almost making their heads swim with how potent and sweet it was, but the haze vanished when they peered through the glass and spotted a slumped figure splayed across the floor.
The thin barrier shattered into microscopic pieces as Atem hurried to her side, carefully lifting her unconscious form and paying close attention so that his claws would not harm her farther. He called her name softly, as if his voice alone could cause her more harm. She was as limp as one of the old husk dolls that a child back in their original era once shown him, his anger rising higher when he found her visible skin peppered with brightly colored bruises that looked to match the man from earlier's fingers. What must have been her clothing was completely torn to shreds, leaving her almost bare if not for the blanket he swiped from the nearby bed which he tucked around her carefully. The urge to find and make the human pay for harming the girl rose to choke him when she whimpered softly, cerulean eyes slowly opening until her glazed gaze met his own. "Anzu!"
Now she knew she must be dreaming. There's no way Atem would be in her teeny tiny studio, not that he was overly large in size but it was barely enough space for just one person. Her lips twitched as they rose into what she hoped was a smile. "Fancy meeting you here." Tears burned the backs of her eyes as pain erupted across her body but she fought to keep her face neutral. "Wish you'd called first, I would have cleaned up."
He quickly grasped her hand when it shakily rose, fighting to keep his tone and voice level so as to not give away just how furious he was. "Save your strength."
"What is this, some sappy death scene out of a play?" She chuckled, swallowing the lump of pain that nearly choked her. "These are nothing. Just need a day and I'll be..fit as a fiddle."
The lilac hued gargoyle came up beside his leader. "They completely plundered her dwelling. There's nothing left but scraps." Atem quickly soothed her as she attempted to find the speaker, assuring her that the other gargoyle who appeared from over his shoulder was not one to fear. "Sorry to startle you, I only wanted to help our leader find you is all." His head tilted to the side when her hand reached out to him, glancing at his clan head for permission, then slowly took a light hold of it as his gaze met hers.
"You must be a member of his clan. I promise to make a better…a better impression when you see me next time. T-thank you, for helping him find me." She could have sworn that the young being's eyes swam with ghosts of people recoiling from his hand as she tightened her hold, attempting to prove that she was not like those other humans that had shunned or pointed fingers at their clan. To think that she was the lone human in their whole existence to offer them her friendship with no ulterior motive or asking anything in return. Her head weakly fell to rest against the dark violet hued gargoyle cradling her as the room spun. "I'm so tired…"
"It is alright now, Anzu, we will not allow anyone else to harm you." Atem rested his chin atop of her head as her hand slid from his comrade's hold, amethyst eyes sliding closed and breathing deeply through his nose in an attempt to farther hold off the rage but only succeeded in causing the scent of peaches to penetrate ever pore of his body. The taints of heavy copper and iron that were coming from a few scratches beading with crimson blood caused the thirst for justice to burn in the back of his throat. His hold tightened when she whimpered about being cold, hoping that his warmth would be enough to ease her. It seemed almost immediately that she slipped into unconsciousness, tears trickling down her face that filled their noses with salt as their gazes met. "She cannot remain here. It is not safe."
The younger gargoyle crossed his arms as another snarl caused his lip to curl. "This place reeks of the stench of those who are responsible. It'd be no problem for me to hunt them down, Atem, just say the word and I'll go now."
He shook his head, rising to stand while keeping her close to his chest. "For now, we return to the palace."
"So we're just going to let them off?!"
"I never said that. We do not harm innocent humans but we also do not allow injustice to thrive when one of our allies is done wrong." The darkness within Atem's growl was not missed by the other gargoyle as they moved to step out onto the rooftop. "Our first priority is to ensure that she receives the help she needs." They took to the sky once more, both mindful of their speed as well as their maneuvers so as not to dislodge or waken the slumbering girl nestled within the violet arms of the clan leader. Several times throughout the flight he would cast a glance downward when she stirred or bit bit back a feral growl when the scent of her blood seeped through the blanket's fabric. Atem had caught her in this same position when he had saved her from certain death just the other night. A chuckle rumbled in his chest. "If I did not know better, I would say you are attracted to danger." The only response he received from the young woman was a soft sigh as she snuggled farther into his tunic.
. . . .
"Where do you think those two are? It's almost dawn."
The elder gargoyle sighed. "For surely the hundredth time, I am certain that they will make it back in time. They still have at least two hours."
All eyes turned to the entryway of the tower as a figure appeared, his pristine white suit spotless down to the silver stitching as he bowed his head in greeting to each of the gargoyles. "I apologize but there is an important matter that I need to discuss with you all." Sapphire glanced around, noting that two purple hued nocturnal beasts were missing, but that might play in his favor. "Imagine my surprise when a guest came up to me screaming that he had seen a monster who was strong enough to lift him several feet off the ground yet they were shorter than he himself." His words earned wide eyes from them. "Clearly he was acting without your knowledge. Would anyone have an explanation as to why he would attack my guest?"
The gargoyles were a cautious bunch, quickly picking up on the man's hidden agenda in attempts for them to spill whatever had earned their leader's actions. "Perhaps your guest was in the wrong, Kaiba." It was the sandy colored gargoyle that spoke first, his beige eyes darkening. "There were several of the dancers you had called upon for entertainment that were complaining about one who was not respectful."
Of course this was not news to him. Kaiba was well aware of who was invited within the walls of his empire. "Then I shall investigate, but maybe you could enlighten me as to how that particular guest earned him the prestigious honor of seeing-"
"How do you expect us to answer questions only he would know ?" The elder narrowed his gaze. "I suggest you search for those answers elsewhere. We are in full understanding of the conditions you have set upon our arrival here, Kaiba: we are free to live here so long as we do not interfere with your proceedings and you will respect our way of life by returning the favor." His eyes shone with a wisdom that warned the young man to carefully consider his position. With a huff, the tycoon bid them pleasant dreams and disappeared through the doorway as a figure appeared overhead. "Why are you alone?"
"No time to explain. We have to get a room ready as soon as we can!" The lilac gargoyle shook his head when they began questioning him. "We don't have time for this! I'll explain later but we have to hurry before the sun rises!"
See you next time!
