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Tap.

The rain beat softly against the church windows, rolling slowly down the glass. Candles flickered in the dim light, hissing softly now and again. Portraits of saints and icons lined the walls, their images forever entombed in stained glass. A diminutive altar was set against the back wall. It was unremarkable, built of dark, strong oak. A small receptacle for holy water was built into it. Pews stretched the length of the church, seats for the so-called "believers". They were dusty, as was the rest of the church. It seemed the Almighty was short of followers.

One of the nuns was kneeling before the altar. Even though it was technically closed for the night, she was dressed in full regalia. A crucifix was hung around her neck, and she wore the hood over her head. She was old, her wrinkled hands clasped together as her lips moved silently.

Leon was sitting in one of the church pews, watching the nun in silence. His body was covered in burns and scars from his last duel. His skin was roasted and burnt black, from where the fire from Remalis the Gold had almost burnt all feeling from him. The great claw wound in his chest still wept blood and other fluids, staining what remained of his outfit. He tried to stem the flow, but it was obvious it was hopeless.

I don't remember this place…

Of course not. You haven't been here yet.

Yet?

I'm not just showing you the past here. Haven't you got that yet?

He found his mind wandering back to his last duel. He'd somehow gone back in time, to where his mother was buried. He'd faced versions of himself and his father, and won. But…

"DEATH!!! DEATH TO YOU!!!"

"KILL HIM!!!"

"REMALIS! KILL HIM!!!"

Leon shuddered. His younger self had been driven by pain, rage, and grief. He'd behaved inhumanly, delighting in his torture. It had shocked him, how crazed he had been back then.

It was born…back then. The blackness within me. How could I do such things?

Are you surprised? Grief breaks people. I would have thought you'd know that by now.

He didn't have an answer for that. He stood up gingerly; trying not to anger his injuries any more then was necessary. He limped towards the church doors, wrapping a stolen coat tighter around him.

Why are you putting up with those wounds?

Putting up with them? What do you mean?

Why are they still there?

What kind of idiotic question is that?

Oh, I see. You don't know.

Know what?!

Remember when Remalis nearly killed you?

Yes…

That works both ways.

Hang on. Does that mean I can-

Yes. Try it out on that chest wound.

How?

Belief is a powerful thing.

Leon shook his head, but pain tore through him again. He sighed and focused on the tears in his chest.

Heal…

The pain started receding. The wound still looked as ugly as ever, but he felt slightly better.

Better?

Much.

Good. Wouldn't want you dying before the final curtain. My apologies about the lack of cosmetics- belief can't do everything.

Leon left the church. The street was unfamiliar and empty, devoid of all life. A deep fog had rolled in, cloaking the world in illusion. He let the rain wash over him, cleansing the blood and filth from him. Streetlights tried to light the world, the sun having gone to bless another world with its light. But the shadows refused to be illuminated. A stream of water ran down the street, running into the gutters. He knelt down on the pavement, looking at his reflection. A blurred face stared back at him.

"Why did I even come in here…?" Leon muttered quietly.

"Poor, poor, little boy. All alone in the darkness, feeling weak and powerless. Don't worry- I can fix that."

Déjà vu much?

What?

Something shoved Leon hard in the back. He fell forward, headfirst into the water- and into the street.

"OW!"

He looked around angrily, but there was no one in sight. The voice had been female- it wasn't familiar to him.

"Might want to grab your cards before they go down the drain." The voice continued playfully.

"Huh?"

As if on cue, cards spilled out of his pockets, beginning to float away downstream. He scooped them up frantically, stuffing them back into his deck box. He caught the last one right before it went down the gutter. His eyes widened as he looked at it closely.

Where did this one come from?

Really? Hmm. Does it matter?

I've never even heard of it…

Again, does it matter? It's new, and it looks like it could help. What more do you want?

Leon sighed. His deck box started squeaking loudly.

"Outta the way!"

"Certainly not!"

"But I wanna tell the Boss!"

"I said no!"

"Enough! I'm the damn leader, so I'm gonna tell- ARGH!"

"My, my. Excellent technique!"

"Oh, quit your yammering Smith. I'm gonna tell him!"

"Why, you ungrateful blaggard!"

"DUUUUUUUUKE!! Smith said a bad word!"

"I most certainly did not!"

"Oh, stop being so British!"

"Nick, I swear I'm gonna-"

"ENOUGH!!!!" Leon bellowed.

The scuffling stopped. The three Momongas hopped out of his deck box. They looked down shamefully.

"Now, what the hell are you three?"

Isn't that obvious?

Evidently not.

The Momongas exchanged glances. The lead one chuckled nervously.

"Well Boss, we're…we're spirits."

"That's what we wanted to tell ya." Another of them chimed in.

"What kind of spirits?"

Monster spirits, you idiot.

Oh.

"Monster spirits, Boss."

"Oh, right. But what are you doing here? You spoke to me before…why?"

Why indeed.

The third Momonga cleared his throat.

"We came to assist you because of your generosity in letting us participate in your battles. Simply put, it is mutually beneficial for us to combat your abyss as one."

Leon blinked. The lead Momonga chuckled.

"Don't mind Smith, Boss. He's just a little hard to understand sometimes."

Smith nodded. Leon looked bemused.

"And you two would be?"

The leader smirked. "I'm Duke, boss. Leader of the team and-"

"Oh, poopie Duke! The Boss wants to hear about me!"

Leon sighed. "You're Nick?"

He beamed. "Yup. I'm the real brains of this group."

Then you are truly doomed.

Shut it.

Leon started to speak, but a feminine cackle rang through the air, cutting him off.

"Are your sappy introductions done? The audience is getting bored."

Smith raised his nose and sniffed. "This voice is positively paranormal."

Everyone looked blankly at him. He sighed dejectedly.

"Simply put- that's not right!"

Leon sighed again and held up the deck box. The Momongas leapt in and he snapped it shut.

"Much better. Now, let's have a little chat, shall we?"

The fog began to swirl and thicken. His deck box started squeaking again.

"Watch it Boss. This looks dangerous!"

Real Einstein, isn't he?

A figure began to emerge from the fog. Leon stepped back. His body was tense, and his chest had started hurting badly again. The figure drew nearer.

As it did, it became obvious the person was female. Her silhouette was black against the grey fog.

"Step out so I can see you clearly!" Leon shouted.

The woman giggled softly. She spoke, her voice cheery and layered with humour.

"Of course, darling. Would you like me to put my hands up as well?"

"Don't toy with me." Leon snarled.

The figure giggled again. "But it's so much fun!"

"This is your last warning!"

"Oh, so commanding! I like that in a man. Alright, I'll step out of the dark."

She stepped out of the fog slowly. Leon studied her carefully.

The woman was dressed in a black gown, like some aristocrat from forgotten times. She was extremely pale, her skin as white as a snowstorm. She was tall and thin, her body as lean as a whiplash. She wore several silver bracelets on her wrists. Her hair was of the deepest ebony, falling down around her shoulders. She toyed with a string of it, watching him.

"Who are you?"

She purred softly. Her voice was sweet and light, her crimson lips barely moving as she spoke.

"That's not the question you should be asking. But since you did, my name is Anima."

She put extra emphasis on her name, as if tasting it on her tongue. She gazed at him hungrily, like a cat would gaze at a mouse.

Ring any bells?

Why are you asking me?

Don't play dumb- I know you know more then you're letting on.

Moi?

"Anima…" Leon repeated. "What do you want?"

Her smile widened.

"To seduce you, of course. To possess you- to have you completely and utterly in my power. To lie upon you and feel my body joined to yours- I'm getting aroused just thinking about it!"

She said all this with complete sincerity. Leon was shocked by her frankness and the strangeness of her words.

She's lying…

Is she? You're not as hideous as you'd like to think.

"Flattered though I am, I'm sure you're lying. So why don't you tell me the truth?"

Anima stepped closer to him. He backed off instinctively. She sighed, exaggerating the motion.

"Love…that was the truth."

"I seriously doubt that." Leon spat. "If it was the truth, you wouldn't have told me."

She pouted. "Unless I knew you wouldn't believe the truth even if I did tell you. And you didn't, did you handsome?"

She's got a point there.

She ran a hand down her hip sensually. "Assuming that I am telling the truth, then…how about it? Will you… come with me?"

Something about the way she said it made him almost want to follow her. She smiled at him coyly. He found his gaze almost locked on her body.

Intriguing…seems to be something beyond sexual appeal. I wonder how…

With difficulty, Leon tore his eyes away from her.

"Alas fair lady, I cannot. I am spoken for."

Anima's eyes narrowed sharply. "What?"

Uh-oh. Now you made her mad.

In a flash, she had him by the throat. She lifted him into the air with one hand, as if he were a paper doll. Her strength was astonishing. He choked, his throat being crushed by her vice-like grip. She hissed at him, her voice losing its sweet allure.

"You're spoken for? You mean you found someone more entrancing then I? Now who's lying, love? You make it sound like I'm giving you a choice!"

Leon tried to respond, but all the air had gone from his lungs. Anima snarled at him, baring her teeth. As she did, Leon noticed they were oddly sharp and elongated. Her eyes too were strange, seeming devoid of normal human emotion. Her grip lessened slightly, and with it her feral attitude. Leon breathed, sucking in as much air as possible.

"Not even a whimper…even braver then I thought. I look forward to tasting your power. I'll let you go for now…but think about what I've said, won't you love?"

"I'm…not…interested." Leon choked out.

"Don't be so hasty! I could make it very worth your while if you decided to be with me."

She dropped him. He massaged his throat, trying to ease some feeling back into his windpipe. She chuckled lightly, all the malice gone from her voice.

"I'll let you think about it. I'm sure you'll come around in time. If not…well, let's not think about that now. Trust me- I can make you forget all about your mousy little girlfriend."

She turned to go.

"I'll see you around, love. Enjoy my little present."

Leon nodded. She gave him another coy smile and walked away, into the fog.

What was that all about?

You're asking me? She's obviously quite taken with you.

She's obviously not normal- did you see those eyes of hers?

Like looking in a mirror, isn't it?

Leon opened his deck box. He took out the card he'd found in the gutter. He studied it closely, as if trying to determine its origins.

Staring at it won't help. But check the back.

Intrigued, Leon flipped the card over. It seemed abnormally thick. He ran a finger down the side, and then pulled. A separate card came loose from the back.

This is…

The first one would have been useless without that, no?

Leon put the two cards away. The fog had cleared, but the rain began thrashing down harder then ever. He started walking back to the church.

Why did you lie?

Lie?

You said you had someone. But you don't.

Taylor-

Doesn't love you. And never will. So why didn't you take Anima's offer?

Because I…

Can't let go?

I suppose so.

It seems you do love her after all, then.

Love requires more then one person's feelings. It's just a fantasy right now.

And yet you can't let go of it? That seems to suggest that it's more then you say.

Look, I…

What exactly is it that you feel for her? You didn't tell me when I asked you before.

That's because I didn't know.

Do you know now?

Leon couldn't answer. He had wandered to the back of the church, to the cemetery. Graves of all shapes and sizes were strewn around randomly, almost as if the dead moved around at night.

The way things had been going thus far, it was certainly plausible.

Several of the graves were damaged or defaced, the tombstones cracked and bleeding. The rain ran through the cracks, but the graves remained dirty.

See? The rain doesn't wash all things clean. Your feelings seem to have influenced the events transpiring here.

I don't understand…

You will. Watch him carefully.

Him?

Sure enough, an individual was standing by the smallest grave. It was clean, and looked relatively new. The figure turned around.

Once again, Leon was looking at himself. This version of himself was older then the last, and seemed to be frighteningly emotionless.

Not again…how do you keep an audience interested by showing the same characters over and over? It must get boring.

How indeed. These characters are all reflections of you.

Reflections of me…?

You've been here before?

The church was new. But this is all too familiar.

He looked directly at Leon and spoke.

"Who are you?"

Leon returned the expressionless look. "I'm the man in the mirror."

His counterpart gave him a curious look. "So it would seem. What can I do for you?"

"Who is in that grave?"

"One of a billion souls resigned to the black abyss of hell. My father."

His face betrayed no expression, but a tear slipped from his eye.

"Someone else who abandoned me. My mother…my father…her…everyone. And he didn't even want to be buried next to her."

He spat on the grave.

"I'm the only one left."

Leon was silent. His other self was speaking with a distinct lack of grief.

"You seem so calm."

"What reason do I have to be upset? Nobody else is left to abandon me. I thought once that I had it all. Friends, family…but they left. Even her…"

Her?

"Enough. Did you bring your cards with you?"

He nodded. Without a word, Leon slipped his duel disk on and readied it. His counterpart did likewise. They each picked up five cards silently.

"I will start with one card facedown." His counterpart said. "And a monster in defence position."

Leon drew.

Not the ideal hand, but it will do.

Why exactly are you doing this?

He's in denial. I remember this- it broke me.

Why?

I have to do what I can for him.

He's not real. You know that, right?

Still…I hate seeing him this way.

Seeing you this way?

"I play Breaker the Magical Warrior in attack mode (1900/1000)."

The magical knight rose up. His sword glowed, and his attack points fell to 1600.

"Destroy his facedown card."

Breaker unleashed his energy, blasting away Widespread Ruin. His counterpart watched on, saying nothing.

"Now, attack his monster."

Breaker slashed downward, cutting the monster in half. A cute little frog screamed and vanished.

"Treeborn Frog returns to the earth. But he won't be gone long."

His counterpart's hands shook. He clenched them tightly.

"If only everyone could return as easily."

"Or that the devil didn't guard those in his charge so tightly?" Leon replied cynically.

"Why do you care?"

"Maybe you should ask why I shouldn't care."

He raised an eyebrow. "Go on."

"You mentioned your mother and father. Who was the third person?"

You already know that.

The shield between Leon and his foe's emotions cracked. Tears rolled down his face.

"It doesn't matter. She's gone…I'll never see her again."

"See who?"

"You wouldn't care- you don't know anything about me."

"I know almost everything about you. Who is "her?"

His counterpart clenched his hands together. He stared up at the black skies, the rain indistinguishable from his tears.

"Her name is Taylor. I loved her…but she's gone. And I can't save her. I can't break the spider's web that's around her. I just…all I can do is remember her."

Leon showed no surprise. He'd known it was coming. But he still felt it like a kick to the gut. He heard a snort inside his head.

Ah…so you did, after all. That's why you did this, isn't it?

His opponent sank to his knees. He raised his head to look at Leon. His gaze betrayed the true level of sorrow in his heart.

"Why her? Hasn't she suffered enough? Why…"

Leon couldn't respond. He couldn't say anything. All he could do was watch this tragic figure of himself be broken by the pain. The pain he had also felt, so long ago.

"Why was I left behind?"