Anima growled at him. Her voice had lost all pretences and niceties. It was vicious and angry, vastly different from her normal, feminine tone. She sounded like a wild animal.
"You think you can stand up to me, Leon?"
He nodded, convinced that he had to do this. She scowled at him.
"As you wish. But what shall the stakes be?"
He blinked.
What do you think?
You're asking me?
Do you see anybody else in here?
Heh.
"If I win, you let me walk away. What do you want?"
She smiled emptily. "You know what I want. Should I win, I will kill you. What I do with you before then…well, I'll leave it up to your imagination."
He could imagine all too well. His gaze flickered to the bodies adorning the wall.
Anima tapped the imp clutching the deck. Immediately, the horned demon stretched, coming to life. It cackled and pointed at Leon, like he amused it. Anima took the deck and petted it softly, crooning. The sound was eerie and disturbing. As she stroked it, the bronze demon began to liquefy. It melted into a puddle of black ooze. Anima caressed it, letting it run up the sleeve of her dress. It coiled around her, like a snake. Finally, it dropped onto her left arm, thickening and congealing into a solid form. It took on the shape of a jet-black duel disk, matching her hair, eyes, and clothes. The body of the demon formed the centre of it, its wings stretching out to either side. She slotted in her deck and armed it.
Leon took his deck out of his pocket. He shuffled it slowly, carefully, keeping an eye on Anima at all times.
Don't let her distract you.
She won't.
No, she will. That's a given- what matters is how you react to it.
I'll remember that.
Anima snickered.
"You seem to missing something, love. Or are you going to use the floor to duel?"
Leon merely smiled at the taunt. He extended his left arm slowly and concentrated. A small ball of light descended from the ceiling, glowing softly in the dim light. As it dropped into his palm, there was a flash of white light.
Anima shielded her eyes, unable to see though the brightness.
"Satisfied?"
Anima blinked. Leon armed a silver duel disk, created out of thin air. It was in the old style, like that used in Battle City. She snarled and tore five cards from her deck.
"Say hello to the boatman for me, Leon."
He smiled darkly. "I'll save you a seat."
She hissed, showing all her teeth, trying to intimidate him.
"As you wish. And now…"
"DUEL!"
(Leon: 4000/Anima: 4000).
She drew a sixth card.
"I will make the first move."
Don't take any risks- I want you in one piece.
No argument here.
"Come forth in attack position, Giant Rat (1400)!"
It reared up, out of its card. It stared at him hungrily, rabid eyes gleaming, clutching a broken skull in its clawed hands.
"And I'll add a facedown card."
She bowed mockingly.
"Your move, love."
Leon drew.
"I summon Chiron the Mage (1800). Attack the Rat!"
The rat screeched as Chiron slammed into it. Leon flinched at the sound, but Anima purred softly.
(Leon: 4000/Anima: 3600).
"When Giant Rat is destroyed, I am allowed to search my deck for an EARTH attribute monster with fifteen hundred or fewer attack points and summon it to the field. So come forth, Pyramid Turtle (1200)!"
True to its name, the monster was a turtle. It had a dimmed look in its eyes, and its skin was a pale brown. It carried a large, golden pyramid on its back.
"I place one card facedown. Your-"
"Hold on!" Anima cackled. "I activate Solemn Wishes!"
"No!"
That Trap will let her gain 500 Life Points at the start of each turn. I have to get rid of it somehow…
"Your turn."
She drew.
"And now my Trap activates."
(Leon: 4000/Anima: 4100).
"Grr…"
"Pyramid Turtle, attack Chiron!"
"What?"
Chiron smashed the monster's pyramid with one blow. It screamed and dropped to the ground.
(Leon: 4000/Anima: 3500).
Leon was confused. "Now we're back where we started."
She raised an eyebrow. "Are we?"
The corpse of Pyramid Turtle began to glow. Bones flew out from the broken load it carried. They formed into a massive beast. Made solely of bones, its eyes gleamed red. It let out an ear-splitting roar.
"Meet Ryu Kokki! (2400)"
"How did you do that?"
She grinned sadistically. "When Pyramid Turtle is destroyed, I can search my deck for a Zombie monster with two thousand defence points or less and call it to the field. Now attack Chiron!"
"Hold on! Enemy Controller!"
A game control appeared in front of the monstrosity. Leon worked out a cheat code on it, the buttons moving as he pointed to them.
Knew this would come in handy one day.
Amen, brother.
I'm not your brother.
Not yet. But you're close.
"Let's see…Up, Right, A, B, C!"
The controller began to glow. A cable shot out, attaching itself to both Chiron and Kokki. Chiron roared and exploded, while Kokki stomped over to Leon's side of the field.
"For this turn only, your monster is mine."
"Is that all? To say you destroyed your own monster, I was expecting more."
Leon shrugged. "It was necessary."
You won't win this way!
Shut up!
Anima toyed with her hair. "If you say so. I place one card facedown, and that's all."
The controller vanished, and Kokki stomped back over to Anima's side. Leon drew slowly, considering the field.
"I place two cards facedown, and summon Newdoria in attack mode (1200)!"
He stabbed a finger at Anima's monster.
"Attack Ryu Kokki!"
The great zombie crushed the hunchbacked creature, but it cleaved away one of its target's legs in the process. It toppled to the ground in agony, vanishing.
Seeing Anima's expression, Leon grinned.
"When Newdoria is destroyed, I can destroy another monster. Your Kokki is no more."
You sent another monster to its death. Is this duel worth so much to you?
You know that already.
Maybe you haven't changed as much as you think.
Stop the backseat duelling!
Anima's Life Points increased as she drew.
(Leon: 2800/Anima: 4000)
"I summon Mystic Tomato (1400)! And now it attacks you directly!"
"Sakuretsu Armour! Bye bye, you ugly vegetable!"
It shattered. Anima frowned.
"I play my other facedown- Call of the Haunted! Ryu Kokki, return!"
Leon swore as the ugly skeletal beast rose up.
"Attack him directly!"
"Déjà vu!"
Anima looked surprised. "Never heard of that card, love."
"Funny, I already used it this round. Sakuretsu Armour again!"
"Agh!"
Ryu Kokki was felled, screaming in pain as it was dragged back into the Graveyard.
"I place two cards facedown. Back to you, love."
Leon drew.
"I play Mystical Space Typhoon! Solemn Wishes is gone!"
A typhoon blew up, blasting the trap away into oblivion.
"Next I summon Gazelle, the King of Mythical Beasts (1500). Attack her directly!"
His great animal leapt for Anima, but she merely laughed.
"Rise, Embodiments of Apophis!"
Two large, purple, snake-like creatures rose out of Anima's facedown cards. Each was armed with a sword and shield, and a snake grew out of the top of each monster's head. They bared their teeth, snarling at him. Gazelle skidded to a stop comically, bouncing back to Leon's side.
(1600 x2)
Damn.
"I…end my turn."
She grinned evilly as she drew. "I thought you might. Embodiments!"
Her monsters stiffened to attention, ready to strike. Leon tensed himself.
"Attack!"
Oh shi-
"AHHHHHH!!!!!"
The reptilian warriors tore his chest open with their swords, spraying blood onto the floor. He dropped to one knee, panting for breath. His world turned red with pain. Through the scarlet haze, he could just make out Anima's smirk.
(Leon: 1100/Anima: 4000).
He staggered to his feet, bleeding freely. It dripped from his injuries, creating a puddle on the floor. Anima wrinkled her nose in distaste.
"Are you…finished?"
She nodded. He drew, slowly.
"I play Graceful Charity. Now I draw three cards, and send two to my Graveyard."
It took more time then normal, but he managed to draw them. He spent some time thinking, then dropped two monsters in his Graveyard. He picked out a card from his hand, thinking. Anima hissed at his slowness.
"Hurry up, love. I'm getting thirsty."
For my neck, no doubt.
"I play Pot of Avarice!"
Five monster cards ejected from Leon's Graveyard. He shuffled them back into his deck and drew two. His cards were Enemy Controller and Nimble Momonga.
Those rats really like you, don't they?
"I place one monster facedown in defence mode, and I end my turn."
Anima drew, gesturing towards her serpents.
"Cut him to pieces!"
The blade of the reptilian warrior flicked out, slashing Nimble Momonga in half. Leon frowned.
"I gain 1000 Life Points, and summon two more Momongas from my deck in facedown defence position."
(Leon: 2100/Anima: 4000)
His monster spirits peaked out at the serpents. One of them shot a glance at Leon.
"Real funny, Boss. Why can't you have us fight Thousand- Eyes Idols? Hmm? Can't you play us against something-"
"Kill that rat!"
Leon closed his eyes. "Sorry."
Two sword slashes made quick work of his monster.
(Leon: 3100/Anima: 4000)
Anima was amused. "You're quite attached to your monsters, aren't you? They sacrifice themselves for you so easily."
He nodded.
"Not like my deck at all. Monsters don't want friendship They hunger for battle. Hunger to be used as tools of war- it's all they're good for. My creatures fear me. You should learn something, Leon- Monsters want somebody to frighten them."
She continued ranting, but Leon wasn't listening. He'd already figured out how to beat Anima's reptiles. He drew.
"I ready my Nimble for attack (1000). And then I summon D.D. Assailant in attack mode as well (1700)."
Anima looked wary. What could he be planning?
"I guess it's true…Life is a game sometimes."
"What are you babbling about?"
"I play Enemy Controller!"
The game pad appeared before Leon again.
"Here we go again…Up, Right, A, B, C!"
Nimble Momonga vanished as one of the Embodiments glided over to Leon's side.
"Embodiment of Apophis, attack Anima's last monster!"
The two reptiles were evenly matched, destroying each other. Anima's field was left bare.
"D.D. Assailant, attack her directly!"
SLASH!
Anima made no sound, but staggered back as the blade ripped across her face. Black blood dropped from the wound, sizzling as it dripped onto the carpet. She shot him a black glance, her hair messy, tangled, and torn.
"Now you've made me angry, love!"
"The gods themselves do tremble." Leon muttered wryly. "It's your move."
She drew.
"First I place one card facedown, and then I summon Vampire Lady in attack mode (1550). "
Hmm…
"Then I play the Spell card, Dark Door!"
A black hole opened up behind Anima. The darkness swept out from it, blacking out Anima's room. Light began to pulsate from the opening, beating softly like a heart, a candle in the eternal dark.
Thump.
Thump.
Thump.
"Interesting. Who's your interior decorator?" Leon remarked.
She smiled at the jibe. "My Dark Door limits both players to one attack per round."
Stall tactics…I wonder what she's planning…
"It's your move."
Leon drew, but pain shot through him. His hands were soaked in his own blood, from trying to staunch his injuries. Breathing was becoming painful, and it was hard to see Anima with the bright light from her Spell behind her. His palms were caked in dirt and sweat. He acutely realised, in the midst of everything else, that his coat was ripped. Under such circumstances, he did the only thing he could.
He burst out laughing. Arms clutched at the hole in his chest, he giggled like a schoolboy. Anima raised her eyebrows.
"Are you mad? What do you have to laugh about?!"
Leon continue to chuckle.
"Of course I'm mad! How could I not be? I'm duelling a vampire who wants to suck my blood and rape me, inside my own head. Have you any idea how illogical this all is? Witnessing my own memories over and over again, trying to find something while I don't even know what it is?! Travelling inside my own head by some magic means that's not even given a reason? Of course I'm bloody mad!!!!!"
He was screaming by the end in anger and fear. Part of him wanted to die, another to cry, and the last to laugh. Anima merely looked at him icily, the stare complimented by the ugly sword wound.
Feel better now?
Much, thank you.
"My apologises. I just needed to get that off my chest."
She nodded sagely. "I understand."
His eyes had cleared, getting used to the gloom. He examined his hand.
"D.D. Assailant, attack Vampire Lady!"
It sprang, sword drawn to destroy the rotting monster. It leered horribly at Leon's monster. She swung…
And Anima laughed.
"So very predictable…blundering ahead like a troll. Trap card activate- Unlawful Binding!"
A purple smog billowed out of Anima's Dark Door. Anima's Life Points began to drop.
(Leon: 3100/Anima: 2850).
"What's going on? Answer me!"
She giggled.
"So commanding…but so foolish. By paying 1000 Life Points when a monster on my side of the field is destroyed, I may declare a monster type. Then, any monsters you summon thereafter that are of said monster type become my loyal slaves, as long as my binding exists on the field. In addition, they are treated as Zombie monsters."
"Can I have that in English?"
She smirked. "Your monster falls under my control. She is my creature now."
"Argh!"
The purple smog enveloped D.D. Assailant. She stood stiffly upright, choking on the fumes. Her skin turned grey and began to rot away, flesh falling from bone. Her eyes became blank, unfeeling, unheeding. She moved like a puppet, gripping her sword loosely in one hand. Leon was revolted, seeing his monster this way.
That is what you will be if you lose. A rotting slave, the life sucked out of you to feed her sick lust. You cannot fail!
I won't.
You will. You always do. Ever since Taylor came back you've been a failure. Don't you want to change?
Anima laughed.
"We shall soon reach the end. You don't stand a chance of winning. But you already knew that before you challenged me, didn't you?"
Leon grimaced. "What makes you say that?"
"Your deck is nothing but a load of weak cards crammed together. I should know- I've seen it. I know your moves, your strategies. And you aren't going to win against me."
"You're wrong…"
She sneered.
"You don't play Tribute monsters, you don't use strategy. Why do you even bother fighting?"
Her words stung him. He could deny them, but that wouldn't make the question go away. Because he didn't know. Didn't know why he fought. Didn't know why did anything. Not any more.
Why do I fight?
Isn't it for her?
It once was. But now…
You've lost the purpose. The strength. But I can help get it back.
What is strength? What does it take to be strong? What does it take to-
To have power? You know that already. You know what to do.
No. I will not sin again. I will do this myself, with my own power!
You don't know your power. Your power comes from the darkness. Or did you forget what I did for you?
How can I? It's your fault that I'm such a wreck!
My fault? I gave you strength! I am the ONLY reason you are standing here! Don't you see? The darkness lends power to the strong, to those who are willing to accept it. Embrace it!
I won't let you control me!
I already do. Everything you do was caused by our deal, You were kneeling in the gutters, screaming at God about something that didn't even concern you. I gave you strength- I gave you purpose. And with me, you succeeded! Fighting me is pointless- you're a wreck because you don't take what I offer. THAT'S why you came here- not to defeat me, but to ACCEPT me. Accept me, and we will crush her. You will never fail again.
Despair choked him. He stood still, not moving. Inky blackness dulled his senses, clouding all he knew. His emotional walls were breaking down. Doors and gates unlocked, spewing forth torrents of negative emotion. He drowned silently, under the weight of feelings he could not face.
What are you?
What are you? Your deck is confused and chaotic- a bunch of unsynergetic cards held together by your own skill and an unfair amount of luck. Your deck is like you- it lacks purpose. Lacks power. I know you- you're terrified of failing. But it doesn't have to be that way.
Truth is, I'm the real you. A dark individual, loathed and shunned by society. A pariah who embraces what he is and revels in it. A man who does not fail the people he loves. Don't you want to be me?
I…I…
He was silent, unmoving, lids closed.
"Leon?"
His eyes snapped open. They seemed darker. Colder. Black smoke began to rise from him- a dark aura. His face twisted into a cruel, lifeless expression.
"Because there are things in the world worth fighting for. Things that are worth doing anything for. You'll see that soon…"
Darkness from around them seemed to cling to him, washing his skin clean of blood and slime. Smoke built into a heaving fog around him, blocking out the light of the Dark Door. The great rent in his stomach closed itself with a hideous squelch. There was no warmth in him. No emotion. Just an icy coldness.His eyes were black, unfeeling, blazing with hate and anger. His voice was harsh and cruel, words drenched in venom as he spat them.
"You'll pay for what you did to him!"
Anima's expression betrayed her. She was frightened.
"Leon…what's happening to you?"
He grinned cruelly. "He came to a decision. He chose to take the power. He chose wisely. I am what he should have been. No more indecision, no more pain. No more failure."
His eyes were walls. Nothing escaped, nothing entered.
"Leon doesn't live here anymore."
(???: 3100/Anima: 2850).