"Leah…" the Number said, and she was surprised to hear it use her real name. Usually it just called her 'human'. "Allow me to pose you a question. What do you know of the Numbers?"
As quick as she could, Leah ran through a list of what she knew. "You possess people, you latch onto their souls, you amplify their emotions, and you can inflict real damage in duels. Also, if you can't possess someone the normal way, or if they're too weak for you, you just take them over completely." Her mind flashed back to Haydra, the man Matt had dueled. He had become so thoroughly possessed, that his Number was literally talking to them through his body.
"For the most part, that is correct," Number 17 said. "But why do you think we do it? Why do we possess people?"
"Because it's just the way you are?" Leah guessed.
"Partly yes, partly no," Number 17 replied. "To be more accurate, we do it because that is what we exist for. Do you recall how, when I first appeared before you, I was naught but a blank card?"
"Mhmm..." Leah nodded.
"That was me in stasis form," Number 17 explained. "In short, we place ourselves in a blank state because we have no emotions to feed off. Once we latch onto a human, we awaken and change our form to match that person's personality. After that, we retain that form forever. We don't strictly need human emotion or desire to survive, but it is our nature to want it."
"So you don't actually need emotions to live on, but you seek them anyway because of your nature?" Leah asked. "So it's pretty much what I said before: it's just the way you are."
The Number nodded. "In a manner of speaking, yes. And now that you know a little more about us, I would like to make you a proposition."
Leah eyed the Number wearily. What was it planning now? "What proposition?" she asked.
Number 17 looked around at her other three Numbers before replying. "In short, I would like to create a partnership with you. You will be able to use my card and my powers whenever and however you wish, and I shall never attempt to possess you, nor shall my powers amplify your emotions."
"Then what do you hope to gain from this?" Leah asked suspiciously. Vaguely, she was aware of her other Numbers shifting uncomfortably.
"I wish to experience your emotions-" Number 17 held up a hand as Leah started to argue. "Let me finish. I wish to live alongside you and experience the same positive emotions you experience. They are more fulfilling than any of the negative emotions I've experienced within you."
"I thought negative emotions were basically the only thing Numbers ever amplify," Leah said, confused.
"Not as such," Number 17 explained. "Numbers tend to amplify negative emotion because it is the easiest form of emotion to deal with, and humans are all the more likely to succumb to it, and build upon it of their own accord. Some humans are naturally predisposed to be unhappy, which makes it easier for the Number. But you… you are different…"
"Different how?" Leah asked. At all times, she was aware of the other three Numbers, who were muttering amongst themselves, apparently plotting something independently of Passion Aurora.
"You are different because, although you started out with great doubts about you and your friends, you were able to overcome them," her Number replied. "And despite everything that has happened, you are still happy. You are a naturally happy person. I want to be a part of that."
"Wait, hold on," Leah said. "I'd love to be able to live alongside you rather than having this constant battle with you, but how do I know I can trust you? How do I know you won't simply try and possess me when I let my guard down?"
"Two reasons," the Number replied immediately. "Firstly, because you are more powerful than me. That isn't easy for me to admit, but it is the truth – you know how to counter my powers, so you could overpower my possession attempts every time, just as you did today. Secondly, because of what you saw."
"What I saw?" Leah repeated. "What do you mean?"
"Do not kid yourself, young one," the Number said in an amused voice. "You felt the touch of my mind, you know what I am saying is the truth." She still looked doubtful, so the Number took a few steps forward to stand directly in front of her. She didn't flinch, but watched its movements carefully. Number 17 spread its arms. "Go ahead, young one. Enter my mind, just as I did with you. Let that be your proof that I am not trying to deceive you."
Leah wanted nothing better than to refuse. To enter the mind of a Number seemed like a good way to be possessed by it. She shook her head and backed away, wanting nothing to do with it.
The Number lowered its hands and nodded. "I understand. This is a monumental shift in dynamic for you, so you need time to reconcile yourself. Very well. I shall let my offer stand. For now you should return to the current duel, and feel safe in the knowledge that I shall not attempt to possess you."
"Okay, I suppose I'll have to trust you that far," Leah said. "But what about the other Numbers? Will they possess me?"
Passion Aurora looked at the surrounding Numbers and sighed. "Yes, I believe they will try. But you can fight them off easily now. Watch this-" One of the Numbers – Number 52: Blast Android – suddenly threw itself at her and thrust a hand through her stomach before she could react.
She gasped, then realised she had to do something before it got into her mind. Number 17 was simply watching with mild interest - although it was hard to distinguish human emotions from such an inhuman face. Acting purely on instinct, she summoned up her happy memories again, condensing them into a barrier of emotion that held back the Numbers influence, then pushed out with it, hard. The wall of thought smashed into the Number's conscience, and the Number itself was flung across the room in a flash of light.
Leah looked on, amazed at what she'd just accomplished. "Now do you see," Passion Aurora said, and she thought she could hear a trace of amusement in its voice. "You have nothing to fear from us anymore. Now go on back to the duel, and know that I will be waiting here for when you wish to talk further." Darkness folded in around her eyes as she left her soul room and returned to the world of the waking...
*MEANWHILE*
Drayan LP: 1850
Number 93: Soul of Draconis: Dragon-Type/Xyz/DARK/Rank 8/ATK 3800/DEF 0 – 0 OLU
Leah LP: 1100
Drayan hadn't abandoned the duel, but he had gotten bored of waiting for his opponent to wake up after she'd collapsed, and was chatting to one of his financiers on the phone.
"Well why can't all the t-shirts be extra-large?" he bellowed to the unfortunate man on the other end. There was a brief pause, then he shouted, "I don't care if everyone in the world isn't my size! If it makes my life easier, you damn sure better get it done! Or I'll-" Just then, he noticed his opponent stir, and her eyes open slowly. He grinned. "I'll call you back later!" He snapped his phone shut and pocketed it. "So, you're awake, are you?"
Leah was lying face-down on the ground, the grass tickling the inside of her nose. With an effort, she shifted her weight onto her arms and pushed herself mostly upright. Rubbing her eyes, she took in her surroundings, including the shards of metal surrounding her. She looked at them with a detached indifference. Now that it was gone she could feel the Numbers in her soul much more vividly.
She stood up slowly, her arms still aching from the attack she'd received, and shook her head to clear it. She held up her duel disk. "I'm fine. Shall we continue?"
Drayan nodded and raised his own duel disk to the ready. "You'd better not collapse again! Because if you do, I'll consider that a forfeit and I'll be out of here! Got that?" She nodded in response. "Good! I end my turn!" The Number behind him shifted restlessly, itching to attack her again.
Leah went to draw a card, but was distracted by something invading her mind. By now she knew the feeling off by heart – it was one of her Numbers attacking her again. She watched the glowing number ten etched itself onto the back of her hand, and felt as the Number assailed her with its hatred towards humanity.
Remembering how she had dealt with the first two, she responded with a solid wall of how much she cared for people – her innate desire to help people, to keep them safe – and the Number's influence was swept from her mind, like a leaf caught in a gust of wind. The glowing symbol on her hand went out like a light. She grinned uncontrollably – she couldn't believe she was actually combating the Number's power. Wait until the others heard about this!
"My turn, draw!" She began her turn with excitement. "Nice! I Normal Summon Borealis Leger!" In a flare of rainbow lights, a white-garbed angel appeared, carrying a longbow in its right hand.
Borealis Leger: Fairy-Type/Spirit/WATER/Level 4/ATK 1400/DEF 600
"Leger's effect activates," Leah said. "When it's Normal Summoned, I can target one Spirit monster I control, and increase its Level by one. I'll have it target itself."
Borealis Leger: Level 4 → 5
"And then I'll-" she began, but she was interrupted by the sound of running footsteps. She turned to look at the new arrival. It was Dan, making his way over to her as fast as possible. She started to tell him to keep back, but had crossed the distance and bundled her into his arms before she got a chance. Despite herself, she returned the hug, glad to have her closest friend back.
After almost a minute, he pulled away and examined her for injuries, talking to her all the while. "I was watching everything on my D-Gazer. I saw you get attacked, and I saw you collapse and I thought the worst. But you-" He suddenly stopped as he noticed that she wasn't wearing her band.
Leah smiled and gestured behind her. "Are you looking for that?"
Dan took one look at the broken shards of metal, then back at her. "But... I... you... just..."
She laughed. "Don't worry, I'm not possessed." She showed him her hands to prove it – there were no glowing symbols on them. "I'll explain everything after I've finished the duel. Also, I need you to extract this guy's Number for me once I win, because my band's not exactly in working condition at the moment."
Still a little stunned, Dan nodded and stepped back, out of harm's way. Leah turned back to her opponent, who practically had steam venting out of his ears with outrage from being kept waiting. "Sorry about that, now where was I?"
"Just get a move on, girl!" Drayan shouted. "First the nap attack and now this! You're the slowest duelist I've ever met!"
Leah grinned guiltily. "Yeah, sorry. But don't worry, I'm getting straight back into it. I activate the Quick-Play Spell Card, Celestial Transformation!" The Spell Card appeared on her field. "With this, I can Special Summon any Fairy-type monster from my hand, but its ATK will be halved, and it will be destroyed during the End Phase. I Special Summon Airknight Parshath!" A centaur-like creature took to the field, with shining blue and gold armour, and a halo wrapped around its helmet.
Airknight Parshath: Fairy-Type/LIGHT/Level 5/ATK 1900/DEF 1400
Airknight Parshath: ATK 1900 → 950
"Now, Level five Airknight Parshath and Borealis Leger, Overlay!" Both of her angels turned fully yellow and blue respectively, and spiralled into the air. Beneath them, a red spiral portal opened up. "I use these two monsters to construct the Overlay Network! Xyz Summon!" The two Xyz Material Monsters sailed in. Particles of light erupted from the portal. "Arise! Tiras, Keeper of Genesis!" From within the curtain of light an angelic warrior emerged. Its skin, clothes and hair were pure white, it carried a sword and shield, and it was supported in the air by two lustrous golden wings. Two yellow Overlay Units orbited it.
Tiras, Keeper of Genesis: Fairy-Type/Xyz/LIGHT/Rank 5/ATK 2600/DEF 1700 – 2 OLU
"Next I'll activate another Spell Card, Overlay Bestow! With this card, I can take one Overlay Unit attached to a monster on the field, and attach it to a different monster. So, I'll take one Overlay Unit from Tiras, and attach it to Number 93: Soul of Draconis!" One of the orbs of light around Tiras broke orbit and flew across the field towards the dragon. The moment it was close enough, the Number's tentacles snatched it out of the air and thrust it into orbit around Number 93. A shadowy aura covered the glowing orb, changing its colour from yellow to purple.
Tiras, Keeper of Genesis: 2 → 1 OLU
Number 93: Soul of Draconis: 0 → 1 OLU
"What's the point?" Drayan bellowed. "You've just given my monster a new Overlay Unit, and any Overlay Unit attached to Number 93 can attack as though it was still a monster! What were you thinking?"
"I was thinking mostly about Number 93's other effect," Leah replied, smiling sweetly. "As long as it has no Overlay Units attached to it, its ATK is 3800. But if it has even one Overlay Unit left, it loses all that power." A curtain of darkness rose up and shrouded Number 93, obscuring the details of its form from view.
Number 93: Soul of Draconis: ATK 3800 → 0
"What?" Drayan cried. "How dare you! How dare you take such a cheap shot at my Number! At me! The great Drayan!"
"He's a very noisy fellow, isn't he?" Dan grinned.
Leah laughed. "He sure is. Here, let me fix that for you. Tiras, attack Number 93: Soul of Draconis!" The length of the paladin's blade lit up, and it soared across the field, passed Drayan, and onto the enemy Number. The moment it was in range, the angelic warrior lashed out with its sword, cutting the shadowy Number across the neck. It couldn't be destroyed by the battle, but the shockwaves still made their way back to Drayan, sweeping him off his feet.
Drayan LP: 1850 → 0
Borealis Leger
Fairy-Type/Spirit/WATER/Level 4/ATK 1400/DEF 600
Cannot be Special Summoned. During the End Phase of the turn this card was Normal Summoned or flipped face-up: return it to the hand. When this card is Normal Summoned: You can target 1 face-up Spirit monster you control; that target gains 1 Level.
Number 93: Soul of Draconis
Dragon-Type/Xyz/DARK/Rank 8/ATK 3800/DEF 0
2 Level 8 monsters
Must be Xyz Summoned, and cannot be Special Summoned by other ways. This card cannot be destroyed by battle, except by a "Number" monster. While this card has an Overlay Unit(s) attached to it, its ATK is always 0. Face-up monsters you control inflict Piercing Damage. While this card is in face-up Attack Position, Overlay Units attached to this card can declare an attack as if they were face-up monsters you control (apply their original ATK and DEF for these attacks). If this face-up card would be destroyed, you can detach 1 Overlay Unit from this card instead.
Overlay Bestow
Spell Card
Target 1 face-up Xyz Monster; take 1 Overlay Unit from that target and attach it to another face-up Xyz Monster.
Fun Fact #10: No, Leah doesn't have any special powers. She's just an ordinary kid. Only difference is that she's now learnt how to fight off the Number's influence on her own. That alone makes her stronger than most of the ZEXAL characters - Yuma, Kaito, Tron, III, IV, V, Alit, Gilag, Misael, all of them have some sort of special power/feature that protects them from the Number's influence. Really, the only character who was truly able to fight off the Number's influence is Shark, and even he only managed it for a few episodes before Shark Drake got him.
Fun Fact #11: I really wanted my character to use Tiras at some point, seeing how much I abuse that card in real life!
Fun Fact #12: Just so you know, we've edited our profile page to include a chronological list of our stories, which will make it easier to know which events came after what, why and when.