Chapter 15: Mediocre Introductions
Disclaimer: See previous chapters.
A/N: This was originally going to be a much longer chapter, but due to my grandfather's recent stay in the hospital, I decided to cut it a bit short in order to make the Christmas deadline I promised. This is the first 2/3 of the original chapter. The remaining portion is being formatted to be a chapter all its own. Either way, hope you all enjoy and sorry for the delay.
The constant swirls of blacks and purples were almost sickening to many members of the group. Anzu, Jou, and Kaiba all felt their stomachs turning slightly at the constant motion. Honda just lost it completely, as he was already off to one side emptying his stomach of its contents. For Solitaire though, it was a mixed reaction. She was glad to see a sight that she had known all her life for the first time in weeks but its sudden presence also meant that trouble had found them.
The appearance of the Shadows meant that Yami had indeed come to Earth and that they were in for it now. Solitaire knew Yami well enough that he would be in a foul mood from her and Yugi's disappearance and then having to track them down. In fact, she was more than certain that he would be downright livid at the whole thing. Nothing overly new there with how he reacted towards her sure, but this was major. Now Yugi's life was hanging in the balance and the only one who had any real hope of finding him was the person that they were soon going to face.
She dropped out of her thoughts as she glanced back at her companions. Despite her worry, Solitaire was a bit curious to an extent of just how the humans would take to this new development. Though they had been told many times about what Shadows were and how they looked, actually seeing something alien was an entirely different matter from mere description. The smell from Honda's vomit already told his reaction to the Shadows. So that was one human down. Now she just to see how the other four were holding up to this situation.
Mokuba, understandably, hid behind his older brother. For a youngster, Solitaire figured that was normal enough. Youngsters always did seem to have a fear of the unknown, no matter how well founded. His older brother just watched the Shadows impassively while still keeping an unconscious protective stance near his brother. Anzu was at Honda's side, trying to coax him back into standing. All the while she watched the shadows just as fearfully as Mokuba, uncertain of what lay ahead of them.
The last of them, Jou, was the problem. Whether it was from natural human curiosity or his own natural lapse in judgment, he seemed brave enough to chance the Shadows' touch. Tentatively, he stood away from the still bleeding and beaten Gil and reached out a hand towards the Shadows.
"Don't touch them," Solitaire barked.
Jou pulled his hand back instantly. He looked back to Solitaire, who was scrambling over to put herself between the human and the Shadows. Her tail briefly brushed a few wispy strands that floated away from the main body but she paid them no mind. She knew that unlike the humans, the Shadows would not harm her. After all, why would they harm a creature that had been born from them? There would be no point.
"You listen and you listen well, Jonouchi Katsuya. I told you before that these Shadows are dangerous. Touch them and your soul's gonna rot for eternity in the darkness. You're nothing but a snack to them. Don't tempt fate unless you wanna be Shadow fodder," Solitaire snarled.
Her words were harsh, but she really didn't care anymore. This day had already gone bad enough and the last thing that she needed to do was keep babysitting a bunch of ignorant humans. From all that she had told them, they should have known by now that there were just certain things that one didn't touch. One of which happened to be when strange substances and objects just appeared out of nowhere. It was just too much of a risk since no one could really tell what might happen with such things.
"Come on, this stuff ain't that dangerous. Is it?" Jou asked.
"She speaks the truth, human. Touching the Shadows is to risk your own soul if you are not of their Realm. So it would be wise to keep your distance unless you wish for an eternity of torment," a voice said coldly from the darkness.
All heads turned towards one area of particularly violent shadows that seemed a bit different from the rest. These shadows split, allowing a passageway to form. From within this, a tall figure appeared. He was dressed in dark armor similar in color to the shadows surrounding him. In his hand, he held a long staff of the same hue. His face was as impassive as stone, though his eyes danced with a deep wariness and seeming annoyance. He was a stranger to all save one, but they each knew who he was immediately.
"Damn," Honda breathed.
"The Dark Magician," Seto breathed," One of the strongest spellcasters in Duel Monsters."
"He's also Yami-sama's personal bodyguard and one of the biggest pains in the ass this side of the Shadow Realm," Solitaire snorted.
Her words drew the newcomer's gaze downward. The moment his eyes locked onto Solitaire, Dark Magician's entire demeanor changed. He went from being completely stoic and seemingly cold to just plain annoyed and almost relaxed. Not to the point where he would drop his guard completely of course, that was just out of the question. But he seemed to be more at ease now that there was someone he knew present among the group of strange humans.
"I never thought it would be possible, but I suppose that I was wrong. Being in the Human Realm has made you more impudent than ever, underling," Dark Magician said coolly.
"Or maybe your wit's just getting duller, wand boy," Solitaire countered.
From that the pair started to argue with a familiar sense of disgust and ease that was watched by a group of very stunned humans. They honestly couldn't believe what was happening. Here was a smart-mouthed runt bickering with one of the strongest Duel Monsters possible like they were both little children. It was inconceivable that this scene could be going on right in front of them. Yet there they were, acting as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
For some though, that was still just pressing the matter too far. Having played Duel Monsters for a good part of his life, Seto knew how strong the card was. The real thing, if the description that Solitaire had often given of her fellow Monsters was true, had to be more than powerful enough to wipe out a few measly humans. So it probably wasn't the best idea to get on his bad side, given the circumstances. That was bound to happen if Solitaire kept up like she was doing.
"Will you just shut up for once?! I swear you're trying to get us all killed," Kaiba demanded.
"What is it now, Kaiba?" Solitaire snorted, glancing back at him almost carelessly.
"Are you out of your mind? You're arguing with someone who could turn you into a pile of ash," Seto hissed.
"Shows you how much you know, Kaiba Seto. This guy and I fight like this all the time. It's how we get through the day. But even if did he hate my guts, he couldn't lay a hand on me anyhow," she replied.
The human looked at the dragon skeptically. With Solitaire, he could never really tell just what he should believe when she told him something. Sometimes, she had a way of messing with his head just for the fun of it. She had certainly done so on more than one occasion during her stay in his home. Given the current situation, he didn't think that even she would sink so low as to pull a prank now. Even Solitaire had to be above that sort of thing. Still, one had to wonder with her sometimes.
"And how can you be so sure of that? He's the Dark Magician, you're just an annoying oversized battery charger," Kaiba retorted.
"I told you before that I belong to Yugi. He's the only one who can decide if I need to be punished or something. Same thing goes with wand boy here and Yami-sama," Solitaire replied.
"That is true, but the same cannot be said for this lot. I spared you from the Shadows' touch before because I have no reason to shed innocent blood, even that of minor beings such as yourselves. So I suggest that you tread lightly in how you address me, humans. I do not appreciate those that say my name out of turn," Dark Magician warned, raising his now glowing staff in emphasis.
"Don't even think about it, wand boy. They're Yugi's friends. Hurt them and you're signing your own death warrant," Solitaire hissed.
The instant she said those words, the Dark Magician lowered his staff, though somewhat reluctantly. He had truly looked as if he had wished to teach the insolent humans a lesson in respect. There was nothing that he despised more than those that didn't under the necessity of order and status. To him it was just a sign of how crude and uncivilized some species were when it came to dealing with their peers or superiors.
"Uh, not that I'm complaining, but why can't he hurt us?" Honda asked.
"Since you guys are friends with Yugi, that means you're like me. You're his property, to an extent, which means that no matter how much he might want to, wand boy here can't lay a finger on you, physical, mental or magical. He does, it means Yugi gets upset and a certain someone's gonna get fried by Yami-sama," she sneered.
Even Kaiba looked stunned at that information. They had known from all the descriptions they had heard that Yami was overprotective of Yugi and that he never allowed insult to his hikari. None of had thought that such behavior might extend to harming someone as close to him as the Dark Magician, who was his own personal bodyguard. That sort of behavior was extreme in all their books' but Kaiba's, though he would never say as much.
"I thought you said that Yugi wasn't speaking to Yami," Anzu said.
"I did. Just because they had a spat doesn't mean Yami-sama will let anyone upset his lover," she shrugged.
"For once," Dark Magician sighed," Solitaire is speaking the truth. Anything that displeases Yugi-sama will also displease Yami-sama and only a fool would wish for that to happen."
"Hmm. Couldn't have said it better myself," Solitaire snorted.
"No one asked you to, pest. Now tell me where is Yugi-sama? Yami-sama is anxious to meet with him as soon as possible," Dark Magician said.
At that, Solitaire fell strangely silent. This was part of the reason why she had feared being found by Yami and the others. Not only because of the trouble it was sure to cause, but just having to break the news to them. She was not afraid to admit that she had failed in her duties to protect her Master. That was something she would never shirk away from. No, what scared her was just breaking the news that the beloved Hikari had been stolen away in the first place.
"Well out with it. Where is Yugi-sama?" Dark Magician demanded.
"I don't know," Solitaire said weakly.
"Don't know? What do you mean you don't know?" Dark Magician echoed," You are Yugi-sama's personal attendant. You are to know where your Master is at all times."
"I don't know where he is because he was taken," Solitaire answered.
"TAKEN?!" Dark Magician screamed.
Everyone winced at the sound, though no one more than Solitaire. Her ears flattened against her skull in both shame and pain as the sound reverberated around them. She had known that this was coming but that didn't make it any easier to handle. She knew how much the other Monsters cared for the little hikari, even if they were not always around him. He was a pure soul that provided balance in their lives in more ways than one, the gentle spirit that always seemed to have a kind word for even the clumsiest of servants. Yugi was Yami's greatest love, but for the Monsters that served them both, he was the greatest treasure possible.
When the others besides Dark Magician learned of what had happened, she was prepared to face their anger. It was the least that she deserved for failing her Master. The pain from that and losing her dearest friend were still gnawing at her even now. Hearing the Dark Magician react like this only helped to reaffirm what she already felt.
"Yes. He was taken," Solitaire repeated.
"You IDIOT! Your first and only duty is to protect your Master at any cost, including giving your own life!" Dark Magician snarled.
"Don't you think that I know that?" Solitaire growled back, finally getting some of her courage back," And don't you think I would do more than just sit around and let him be taken without a fight?"
"Then why didn't you?" Dark Magician demanded.
"That stupid witch used some kind of freezing spell. It totally froze me. I couldn't move, let alone use my magic or my claws to defend him. All I could do was watch as they took him away," Solitaire explained.
Her head dropped in shame as she spoke. To her friends, seeing her look so defeated was heartbreaking. She seemed to lose that vital spark that made her who she was when she acted like this. It looked as if she had let the entire world down through one happenstance that wasn't truly her fault. At least, that was the way Anzu saw things at this point.
Unlike Dark Magician, Anzu wasn't about ready to play the 'blame game' with anyone right now. Knowing Solitaire as she did, the teenage girl knew that the dragon would never have allowed Yugi into harm's way if it could be helped. Solitaire cared far too much for Yugi to voluntarily let that happened. It had to take something major to get in the dragon's way for anyone to even get close to Yugi, let alone actually take him. And in Anzu's book, being outnumbered four to one and then being frozen by some kind of magic spell fell into that category.
Screwing up her own courage, she stepped away from the others and marched right up the two Monsters. Placing herself between a surprised Solitaire and a bemused Dark Magician, Anzu took on a stance that her friends knew all too well. Left hand planted firmly on her hip and her right hand pointing an enraged index finger at the victim. Yep, she was definitely about to head into lecture mode again. It was how she often scolded Jou and Honda whenever they did something stupid or when she was preparing to defend someone from others.
"Just stop it. Solitaire tried her best to help Yugi. That should be enough for you. She would never do anything to put Yugi in danger, but you're acting like she did this on purpose," Anzu scolded.
Dark Magician eyed this human female carefully. She certainly had courage, he was willing to give her that much. There were few in her position that would be willing to stand up to him like this. Most would be doing as the first human male had and tried to keep their distance. At the same time however, he had neither the time nor the patience to listen whatever she was jabbering on about. If Yugi had been taken, then they needed to start searching and quickly. Time was steadily running out for them all and things would only get worse the longer the hikari was missing.
"Stay out of this, human. It does not concern you," Dark Magician warned.
"Yes it does, y-you hotheaded jerk," Anzu snapped.
Now that certainly took everyone by surprise, especially Dark Magician. He was used to Solitaire insulting him. That was something that she had done since the first day that they had met so many centuries before. A few of his enemies resorted to that behavior too, but only when they were trying to break his concentration. To have a human call him something that though, that was something of a novelty for the Monster. It had him wondering if members of this species were truly brave or just incredibly stupid.
Anzu's friends seemed to go along with the latter. Kaiba just smacked his forehead while Honda groaned about how they were all gonna die now. Jou rushed forward, barely managing to avoid tripping over a stunned Solitaire. He pulled Anzu back, knocking her off guard for a moment. It was all he needed to get her attention solely on him for a moment.
"Anzu, do you realize what he can do to you if you piss him off enough? It's not gonna matter if Yug' gets upset. You're gonna be a grease smear," Jou hissed.
"I don't care who he is. If he keeps treating Solitaire like this, I'm going to clock him one," Anzu snorted.
Dark Magician again looked at the girl in surprise. It was the first time in many centuries that someone of weaker strength had even dared to glance his way in anger. Most in his world had long since learned that it was not wise to tangle with the Dark Magician if they lacked the power to do so. But this creature, who was obviously aware of the kind of power that he had, did not care in the least. She was still willing to challenge him over Solitaire's honor. Not something he saw everyday, considering both how the dragon never made any good impressions and that someone was actually standing up for her.
Glancing at the dragon, Dark Magician said," You seemed to have picked up some worthwhile companions for a change, pest. They actually seem willing to risk themselves for you, though I'm not sure if it's true bravery or just ignorance."
"You never can tell with humans, but at least they're loyal," Solitaire shrugged.
"Perhaps, but that does not change the situation. Yugi-sama is gone and from what you have said, it will prove difficult to locate him," Dark Magician said.
"Maybe not," Solitaire replied," I just said I didn't know where he was taken. That doesn't mean we don't have a lead."
"She's right. We don't know where Yugi is, but this creep does. His boss is the one that took the twerp and put that spell on Solitaire," Kaiba agreed as he kicked Gil into full view.
"He was gonna do Solitaire in but we stopped'em before he could," Jou added.
Until now, the little brute had remained largely unforgotten. If not for the Shadows, he might have used this as a chance to escape. After all, a sharp rock or an uninterrupted chance to use his teeth would be enough to sever his bonds. Then he could be on his way back to his Mistress. Yet even Gil wasn't stupid enough to try and bypass the Shadows surrounding them. One touch and he knew his soul would be swallowed up for sure.
His situation wasn't improved with all the attention suddenly back on him again. If anything, it was about to make his life a whole lot worse. The wounds that he had received from Solitaire earlier were nothing compared to the magic blast that Dark Magician suddenly aimed at him. Wounds of flesh were one thing, but having magical energy pulse through him as it was now was a different story.
"Damn! Watch where you're aiming," Kaiba snapped, pushing Mokuba out of the way when the magical sparks flew too close for comfort.
"Yeah, we're on your side," Honda protested.
Ignoring the protesting humans, Dark Magician demanded," I will only ask you this once. Where has your mistress taken Yugi-sama?"
At first, the only answer he received was an insane shriek from Gil. The toad creature twisted and writhed against the magic that now coursed through his body. His earlier wounds, which had finally stopped bleeding, started to bleed anew from all the moving around he was doing. Yet all this did was make it worse, as Dark Magician merely lowered his staff to Gil and allowed another magic blast to fire into the captive.
"Answer me!" Dark Magician ordered.
Again, only another shriek. Sighing in frustration, Dark Magician waved his staff a third time and dispersed the magic. Gil lay trembling on the ground, chattering almost incoherently from the pain he was now in. It was a sight that Dark Magician looked at with utter disgust.
"Nice going. You just fried our only lead," Jou snorted.
"As long as he lives, then we will have a source. If he will not talk, then Yami-sama can deal with him directly. He can get the information that we seek without any trouble," Dark Magician said.
"You know we're not gonna have anything left after that," Solitaire warned.
"After what this creature has helped to do, would it really matter?" Dark Magician asked.
"Not really," the dragon shrugged.
"Then I believe it's time we go. We've wasted enough time as it is and Yami-sama must be informed immediately," Dark Magician said.
"Let's go then!" Anzu said.
"And what makes you think that you're going anywhere?" Dark Magician replied.
"Yugi's our pal. If he's in trouble, then we're gonna help," Jou said firmly.
Almost biting back a laugh, Dark Magician said," You can't be serious?"
"Oh believe me, they are. Normally I'd agree with you on this one, but we're gonna need all the help we can get. These guys are better than you think," Solitaire insisted.
"Very well, you may come but I suggest that you hold your tongues. Yami-sama is not in a pleasant mood and may react other than he normally would," the Dark Magician warned.
"He's never in a pleasant mood," Solitaire pointed out.
The Dark Magician glared at her, but said nothing. For once, though silently, a part of him was agreeing with at least part of what the little Monster had said. Since he had first started to feel the link strain and then discovered his hikari's absence, Yami-sama had grown increasingly difficult to deal with. He was no longer the rational person that he had been and was now becoming more feral by the moment. It seemed like a miracle to the Dark Magician that Yami had managed to last this long without losing his mind.
How long it would remain so was a mystery though. Dark Magician knew that they were walking a fine line right now. Each passing moment without Yugi brought Yami closer to permanent insanity. Once that happened, there was no way of telling if there would ever be a way to bring him back. All that was certain was there only destruction would reign in this realm and the Shadow Realm once Yami lost control of himself. On Earth at least, such a thing would end all for sure.
Though he had no concern for this realm or any beyond his own home, Dark Magician had no desire to see his master sink to such a level. So he would do whatever it took to ensure that Yugi was found quickly and reunited with the dark one. That was why he had been hopeful when they had sensed Solitaire's dark energy. Surely she would be with the hikari or at least have some idea where he was. Which was why he enveloped her within the shadows so quickly, it was the fastest way to transport her back to where he was. Bringing the humans here had been something of an afterthought, for like he had already told them, he had no desire to harm them.
Now though, he was going to have to deal with them whether he wanted to or not. He was unsure if that was a wise decision, but maybe they could prove of use. After all, they had managed to care for a hikari for this long and until his capture, had supposedly proven to be effective guardians. As he cast the spell that would take them back to where Yami-sama and the others waited, Dark Magician just hoped that this group would have enough wits to keep themselves alive in the presence of a dark spirit that was slowly but surely losing his mind.
A/N: I'll admit that I'm not overly satisfied with this chapter. It came out rushed in some areas, but I'll probably go back and fix those later. For now, I hope that you enjoyed this mish-mash and that you'll bear with me a bit longer. Next chapter, which will hopefully be out before the New Year, we finally get down to the confrontation between Yami and Solitaire. Oy vey. ~