DISCLAIMER
You hate me for this, don't you? lol. Sorry, but gotta keep this up.
Chapter XVI: Spirit of the Millinium Pendent, Rine
Rose's P.O.V.
" So, what's at the end of the tunnel?" I asked as we traveled down the stairs for about 2 minutes.
" Some paintings I think you would be interested in."
" Paintings?"
" That and some other things," Isizu answered.
" ... At the pyramid, was it really necessery to be there in order to unlock my powers?"
" According to what Laxirin said."
" Laxirin? Is that the guy that teleported you and others back here from my planet?"
" Yes, that is one of his names."
" Great..."
As we reached the door, at last, Isizu stopped and motioned me to continue.
" You must see the paintings yourself without me. I must tend to something else."
" Sure, go on and leave me confused..." I mumbled as I passed her and came to the door. Turning the knob, it creaked open. It may be pitch-black, but I could see well as though there was a dim light. Looking to the side and flicking the light switch, I see a bunch of paintings, and even book pages covering the walls and in some glass containers. One painting caught my interest. It showed what looked like a older me meeting a lighten being that suddenly appeared out of nowhere. The inscriptions read, ' Laxirin, the Keeper of Life, meeting Rose L.M. 1st for the first time. From him, he said, " The Chaos Warriors is coming, to claim what is your planet. You, and many others, are to fight him and end their reign of terror." And thus, the Mages of Life, and other groups like the Ultima Mages, have their powers unleashed from within and then were formed to fight the Black Lion and the other Chaos Warriors, which was once thought to have been destroyed by God himself...'
' Weird...' I thought. Continuing to move to one painting to another, the story goes as that Rose L.M. 1st and the other Mages of Life were to take care of the Black Lion, as the Ultima Mages were to take on the Black Dragon. The Black Phoenix and Black Cheetah were to taken care of later. Rose was the leader of the Mages of Life, and leaded them with victory after another. And now it's going on to how she sealed Malshano away... So I continued reading.
3rd person P.O.V, at Voldermort's new hide out...
" M-my Lord! Please stop!" Zikomo yelled as the Dark Lord continued to torture him with one of his feared spells - Crucio
" Yes, beg for mercy. You have brought this upon yourself for losing that girl and not doing what I have ordered you! CRUCIO!"
" AHHHHHH!" Pain again intruded his body, and already on my knees. By the time the curse was lifted off of him again, his body was numb from the intense pain. " Lord Voldermort... please forgive me of my blundering, stop this pain... I will serve you better than never before!" he pleaded. Zikomo wanted nothing better to do but die, then and there... to end his suffering...
Voldermort smirked. " Fine, so be it that you live, my servent. But if you make another mistake, I shall not be as merciful as I am now."
" T-thank you, my Lord..." Zikomo said quietly. He promently turns around and leaves the room. ' Look at how I, Zikomo, one of the Four Chaos Warriors, has become... nothing but a servent, with all my powers sealed away... Is this truely how my life is to be...?' Zikomo growls. ' NO! This pityful serventud shall end very soon... but I must find a way to escape Lord Voldermort's control... I must somehow regain my powers...'
Unknownest to Zikomo, Cosmos was watching him with his Nightmare Cloud. Cosmos laughed as he watches Zikomo slowly stand and was able to get out of the mansion.
" That fool, Zikomo. I know he shall once again become one of us, but he must show that he is worthy to be one of the Four Chaos Warriors again. How he did, indeed, fallen into this pityful existence of Lord Voldermort, I shall never know. But, it has been rather useful, would you not say Ryu?"
Ryu smirked as he stepped out of the shadows. " I shall say so, Cosmos. You using that Voldermort fellow image to disguise yourself to kill the girl's family. She shall be too occupied to hunt the wrong person down as we work our plan into motion."
" It does indeed give us more time. Let us hope that Zikomo find a way to revive his powers from its seal and rejoin us. He is needed to the grand finale." Cosmos laughs, as Ryu joins in.
Switching to Yugi's P.O.V. about an hour since Rose has been in the room...
" Hey Yugi! Wait for us!" Tea yelled for me as I crossed the street. School has just ended and I was heading home, hoping to meet up with Rose and give her the picture she left behind.
" Hi guys," I said as they caught up with me. It was everyone but Kaiba and Mokuba. " What's up?"
" We wanted to know if you found Rose and gave her that picture to her," Triston said.
" No, not yet. I haven't seen her yet."
" Oh... you guys know that there's a new exhibit at the musuem? It's ancient Rome."
" Rome? Hey Triston, we'd get enough of World History at da school. Let's not talk about da subjects."
" Hey, cool your jets, buddy. I was just sayin'."
" Any homework Yugi?" Tea asked.
" Nope, I'm free of it for the weekend," I said as we neared the musuem. We usually pass the musuem now, since we tend to head for the arcade and play some games.
" Hey Yuge, is that Rose that just exited the museum and turned into the alleyway?" Joey suddenly said. I looked just in time to see a whip of long brown hair and a purple sleeve.
" It's gotta be her. Hey Rose!" I yelled, though she must have not heard me. With a shrug to the others, I ran to catch up with Rose, the others following.
" Rose?" Joey said when we did caught up about two alleyways later. He touched her shoulder, with a reaction of her throwing her arms over her head, covering it.
" It wasn't me!" she said.
" ... say what?"
" ... oh, it's you guys. Yeah, sorry," Rose said when she looked up.
" What was that about?" Triston asked.
" Uh... too many scary movies?" Rose said. " Sorry, I'm a bit jumpy right now."
" So we see. But if you go down this alleyway, you'll be jumped by some gangsters," Triston said.
" ...So?"
" 'So'? Boy, you either lost your mind or you got nerves of steel. But seriously, there is some nasty guys that lurks in here. It's not safe to wander in here alone."
" Triston's right Rose. Why don't you come with us to Yugi's house, the safe way?" Tea said.
" But Ebony and them are waiting on me. I ditched them for about an whole hour, being at the musuem and meeting with Isizu again... alrigh', I am shutting up and going now..." Rose said, now trying to get around us. I helped to stop her with Triston and Tea.
" Isizu? You know her?" I asked.
" I don't want to tell you guys anymore than-"
" When did you meet her, and why are trying to avoid our questions?" Tea intrupted.
" Because I don't want to talk and it is really none-"
" Rose, don't tell us it's none of our business. Isizu is our friend also."
" Oh bloody hell, who died and made you the investigators of my life? I don't want to talk! Can I please pass by and get back to the others?"
" Alrigh', alrigh', we'll stop asking questions, but please, at least, walk with us and not through this alleyway?" Joey said as he stopped Rose from walking around us again.
" ... fine, sure," Rose finally agreed.
We walked in silence as we went back the way we entered. Rose fell behind us, walking as she looks down at her feet. With all the girls I met, Rose is definitly different. She's acts pretty much tempermental, though she doesn't at the same time. She just really looks troubled and sad about something...
Yugi, don't forget to give Rose that picture back to her, Yami said.
Oh yeah, I said back as I pulled the photo out from my coat. I headed towards the back and walked next to Rose. " Here Rose, I found this on the floor yesterday," I said as I handed it to her.
Rose looked surprised. " Thank you so much. I thought Dranzer lost it..." She took it and held on to it as though she'll lose it again.
" I noticed that there was a message on the back. What does it mean?" I asked after awhile.
" I-it means nothing. I just wrote that there for nothing..." I knew it was a lie, but I didn't press further about it.
" Alright Rose. I just wanted to give it to you before I forgot today." I went back to the front and walked next to Joey.
" Well Yuge? Anything about that weird message?" he asked.
" Nope, nothing at all."
" Oh well," Joey said, shrugging as we neared the street. But we didn't even get to it without having a sudden muffle of a cry and the sound of a metal trashcan hitting the ground behind us. We turned just in time to see Rose's picture falling on the ground.
" Rose!" Serinity yelled as we tried to head to the alleyway.
" We're comin' Rose! Hang on!"
Rose's P.O.V.
" Hurry and tie her hands toegther man! We gotta get her to da Boss!" one bozo yelled at the other, dragging me to the motorcycle.
" They're tied, go GO!" the one said as he threw me onto one of the motorcycles.
" OUCH! You dumb-asses let me go now!" I yelled at them. They didn't pay me any heed as they reeved the cycles to life and speeded down the alleyway. ' I should have listened to Yugi and them...' I thought as I tried to somehow untie the ropes on my wrists. Hard to do when you worrying about falling off and personally meeting the pavement with your face... Tears were trying to cover my eyes, since from the speed we were going it dried them up. I looked ahead as I tried to sit up, hoping for some way off of this unwanted ride of my life. Up ahead were two blurry figures that looked familiar.
" Yo! Move oughtta the way, for we are stoppin' for nobody!" the leading guy yelled at them They moved out of the way as we passed them. It was Kaiba and Mokuba!
" Rose!" Mokuba yelled when he reconized me.
" Rose?" Kaiba said, not believing what he was seein'.
" Yeah, some help you are Kaiba!" I yelled at him, though I doubted that he heard me, since they were now out of my sight.
" Crap, we are running behind on time! The Boss will be furious!"
" Shut-up, idiot, we're almost there!"
They pulled up to a warehouse after another few minutes and practically slid the bikes into the building. If my throat wasn't dry from yelling at them earlier, I probably would have yelled at them some more about that stunt.
" Hey Boss! We got us one of Joey's friends!" the guy I'm stuck with said as he pulled me off the bike and roughly pulled me to my feet.
" That's good to hear from you. Now we go on to Part Two," someone said as he walked towards. When he was standing directly in front of us, I thought I reconized him. Then it struck me - Hirutani! The same guy that tried to get Joey to rejoin his gang by means of cruelty. The first time was beating Joey up really bad, the second time forcing him between joining him or watch Yugi be hung to death. Both times, he was able to escape with Yugi. Now Hirutani is trying again - with me the victim this time! " Take her to the hook, and you dig into her bag and see if anything in there could go around her neck," Hirutani ordered two other guys. As one of them grabbed me and pushed me towards the grappling hook that hangs from the ceiling, the other opened my bag and looked in it.
" Found somethin'!" that guy said as he pulled out what-ever it is.
" Don't just stand there, put it on her neck! We don't got all day you know," Hirutani said firmly.
" Y-yes, right away Boss!" The minion slipped something around my head as quickly as he could. It turned out to be...
The Millinium Pendent.
" Keep her there and be ready when I give the order," Hirutani said as he laughs. " Joey and his friends shall be quite surprised once they find out what we planned for them." I was turned around at that presise moment, and I could see what the trap was. A giant cage is hanging above the entrance, too high that it couldn't be seen from the outside. And there were thugs hanging around at the sides, ready to push everybody that comes in through the entrance into the cage area.
Rose! Rose, please come back! Dranzer! Ebony, Melody, everyone are really worried about you since you haven't come back for two straight hours!
Dranzer, I would if I could, but I'm tied up. Literally! It's those damn thugs! They're trying to lead Joey and them into a trap! And, as I REALLY hate to tell you, I am the bait...
WTF! Why didn't you try to contact us earlier?
When you're thrown onto a motorcycle and going at an extreme speed that it was possible for you to fall off and meet Mr. Pavement with your face, it's kinda easy to forget everything... Now will you PLEASE shut-up, get your scrawny asses into gear, and stop Joey, Yugi, and everybody else from walking into a trap?
We're going, we're going!
And that was the last time he contacted me.
" Hey Boss! They're comin'!"
" Get ready to drop the cage!" Hirutani commanded to the thugs at the controls as I see Joey and everyone else coming around the corner.
" Don't come in here! It's a-" and my mouth was covered before I could get the rest of the sentence out.
3rd person PO.V.
" The track leads into that warhouse," Yugi said as they followed the skid marks.
" Then let's get in there and get Rose out of dis place," Joey respnded as he ran into the warhouse. Yugi, Tea, Mai, Tristion, Serinity, Kaiba, Mokuba, and Duke followed him in. They all spotted Rose in one of the corners of the building, held hostage by one of the thugs with her mouth covered. Rose struggled a bit as she tried to yell out something.
" Rose!" Tea said as they all fully stepped into the warhouse. Rose was finally able to bite the guy's hand. The guy screamed as he pulled his hand away.
" It's a trap, get out of here!" she yelled out before having her mouth covered again.
" A trap?" Yugi and them said, but before they could even move, more thugs jumped out of the shadows and encircled them, waving clubs, crowbars, and metal pipes at them. They continued to push them back until they were bunched up together in one spot. Then a steel cage dropped ontop of them!
" Let us out of here!" Joey yelled as he gripped the bars. " Who's behind all of dis!"
" I was, Joey," Hirutani said as he laughs. " It's good to see you again. And even better to see you once you agree to join my gang again. It'll be like old times."
" Hirutani, you snake! Why don't ya just give up on tryin' to make me join? You know I'll never join yur gang!"
" Oh, you wanna bet?" Hirutani said with a smirk. " I'm sure you'll change your mind once you see what I have plan for your little friend here." He turned to Rose. " I'm sure you remember what I did last time to that friend of yours that's standin' next to you, Yugi."
" What is he talking about Yugi?" Kaiba said. " What is he going to do to Rose?"
" He's going to hang her!" Yugi said, remembering how much he felt completly helpless as he was hung by his own necklace, not able to breathe or even move a move.
" Ding ding ding ding! Bingo!" Hirutani said as he gives the signal to one of his henchmen. The hook came sliding down next to Rose and the thug, who grabbed it and slipped the chain of the necklace on it. With a nod from him, the operator of the mechanism pulled the lever than brings the hook up. In a matter of seconds, Rose's feet were now dangling in the air!
" Rose!" Mokuba yelled.
" Now Joey, it's going to be the same choices - join my gang and your friend will live. Refuse, and continue to watch her struggle for even a tiny breath. And this time," Hirutani said with a smirk, " you won't be able to save her by your heroic efforts."
Even Kaiba was horrified at what extremes this guy was doing in order to get Wheeler to join his gang. He was now willing to help Wheeler out of this situation and get Rose out of danger.
" So Joey, what will it be? You best choose quickly. I doubt she'll survive if she continues to hang there," Hirutani taunted.
" J-Joey, d-d-don't you dare to e-even t-think of j-j-joining him," Rose struggled to say, tightening her muscles in her neck so she could grab some air to her burning lungs. Things were starting to fade as the blood was cut off from her head, though she continued to stay consious. Joey didn't know what to do, thinking of Rose's words, and the situation she is in. If he doesn't join, Rose would be hung to death!
" Just give in and she will live to see another day," Hirutani said a bit impatiantly.
But no one was paying attention to him when Rose suddenly found the strength to pull the ropes binding her hands together like a piece of yarn. Throwing her arms upward, she was able to grasp the metal hook to hoist herself up enough to gulp air into her deflated lungs.
" What the -! How did she do that!" one of the thugs yelled out in surprise. Hirutani turned in time to see Rose slip the chain of her necklace off the hook before suddenly letting go, landing on the hard floor with her feet and collasping to her knees, gasping at the air to fill her lungs.
" Shit! That was some of the best quality rope we got! How the hell did she tear them apart?" Hirutani said. As Rose began to rise off her knees, Hirutani went over to her and kicked her as hard as he could into her ribs! Rose saw stars as she held her ribs with her arms.
" Leave her alone!" Triston yelled at Hirutani.
" Or you'll what? You can't do a damn thing!" Hirutani yelled at him as he kicked Rose again, this time in the stomach. Rose remained silent as she tried to move away.
" What's the matter? You mad because I broke that rope like it was made of yarn? Or is it because I ruined your plan?" Rose dared to say to the enraged Hirutani. She didn't get far enough of a distance though. Hirutani and two other thugs began kicking her even more!
" Knock it off, you cowards!" Kaiba yelled at them.
Rose's P.O.V.
' Who was it that just yelled at them...?' I thought when the guys finally stopped kicking me. I looked up and noticed that it was Kaiba. ' Kaiba? Why is he stopping them? I thought he didn't care about anyone else, other than his brother...'
" What was that, pretty boy? You calling us cowards? Do you want your face rearranged?" Hirutani said. I was finally able to get onto my knees, then my feet. As they continued having a stare-down contest, I moved away from the thugs. As much as it really hurt to breathe and move, I just wanted to get away from them.
" You couldn't hit me even if I gave you the chance that lasted 'til Saint Patricks day," Kaiba said.
" What was that?" one of the thugs yelled at him.
They continued arguing as I finally leaned against a wall, my bruises forcing me to rest. My ribs and stomach were aching with pain, and my head pounding with a headache. I actually wanted nothing more than to sleep...
Then allow me to take over for now, I suddenly heared from out of nowhere.
" Wh-who is talking to me...?" I whispered.
I shall explain it to you once we are out of danger. For now, just rest.
" ...alright..." I said as I suddenly seen a burst of light that seemed to be surrounding me. I felt no more pain...
Yugi's P.O.V.
" Kaiba, what exactly are you doin'?" Joey said to Kaiba. " As much as I hate you, I don't want you getting killed by these guys."
" Shut it Wheeler. It's either distract them or let them continue beating Rose until she's dead. Now if any of you have ideas of how to get us out of here, I'm willing to hear them."
" Oh, now you're whispering to one another? What is it that you are -"
" AHHHH!" one of the thugs yelled out when he was attacked from behind. He fell forward, unconsious, with Rose standing there behind him.
" Rose?" we said, not believing that she was standing, much less taking on Hirutani and his gang. She merely glanced at us, then she turned her attention to the thugs that were surrounding her. She looks different though... she looks a bit older.
" Get her!" Hirutani commanded as they lunged at her. She jumps straight up into the air, flipped over them, then knocked about 3 of them out. I suddenly heared Yami gasp out of surprise.
What is it Yami? I asked.
Now I remember her. The way she fights, the pose she did before she knocked them out, I reconize her. She was the general of the army and the keeper of the Millinium Pendent, General Rine! :Pronounced like 'shrine' or ' wine':
General?
Yes. Feared by all of our enemies, she leads the army with no question asked by any of the soldiers. Her ability to get the soldiers to work together, and the loyalty and trust she shows to the soldiers and citizens, she was truely amazing. She was the second-in-command of Egypt.
Wow... I watched as Rose knocks out another guy out cold.
" ...do any of you guys hear the sound of flapping wings?" Tea suddenly asked as she turns around. We all turned to see Rose's animals coming at high speed towards here. And all of them has...
" Wings? The cats and dog has wings!" Triston pointed out when they came into view.
" And Ebony's right behind them, look."
Ebony and them entered the building and before any of the thugs knew it, 5 were knocked out by them.
" Rose, we would've came sooner, but we didn't know where to find you," Ebony said.
" Ebony!" Serinity said. Ebony looked and sees us in the cage.
" Opps, we didn't come early enough to stop you from walking into that trap..."
" Say what? You knew?"
" Hey, all Dranzer told me was that Rose was in trouble and you guys were going to walk into a trap!"
" Ebony, this isn't the time to chat," Rose/Rine said as she suddenly popped up and knocked out a guy that was sneaking behind her.
" Oh yeah. Well, let's beat these guys then!" Ebony said. She charged right in, doing what seemed impossible kick attacks that knocked one unconsious and another unable to get up. Dranzer, Phoenix, Kate, and Trila were also taking guys out, using their teeth and claws most of the time, other times making the opponent so confused or dizzy that they don't see Rose coming at them until he was unconsious. Melody, however, came over to us, though slowly since her leg was still broken.
" Don't worry guys, I'll get you out of there!" she said.
" WHAT? A talking cat? Now it's offical! The world has gone insane!" Duke said.
" Oh shut-up, before I change my mind about helping you," Melody said as she quickly heads to the controls. After awhile of looking at the buttons and levers, she pushed one up, which caused the hook to move down. " Opps, wrong one," Melody said as she pushed another. That time it raised the cage.
" Thanks Melody!" Mokuba said as he rushed out of there to get out of the fighting that enclosed the area around them. Mai, Joey, and Duke joined the fighting with Ebony, and Triston, Tea, Kaiba, Serinity, and me helped Rose's animals. Rose was at the thugs that were hanging around at the top, who were dropping crates and other things they could find as ammunation on us.
Soon it was Hirutani that was left standing on the floor, while there were still about 10 at the top, still fighting Rose.
" N-now let's not be too hasty," Hirutani said nervously as he backed away from us. Trila was growling threatenly as she neared him.
" Hasty? Now let's see, you kidnapped Rose and then you beated her when she simply broke the ropes that tied her hands together. So what reason should I not simply beat you to a pulp like you did to Rose?" Trilla said. " Just name one."
" Well, uh, it's that, er..." Hirutani stuttered. He turned his head to look behind him. He then smirked as he turned back to Trila, continuing to back up. " The reason is that I now hold this cat's life in my hands!" he said as he dashed at the controls and grabbed Melody! As soon as she began to struggle, Hirutani pulled a knife from his pocket and held it at her neck, silencing her instantly. " Now, unless you rather have this cat dead, Joey, you better join me. Then, you guys will let me go free."
Trila at first looked worried, but then we all heard a loud growl. Trila then smirked herself. " Opps. Looks like YOU'RE in deep shit now. Rose is not happy." We all looked up at Rose, who was looking at Hirutani with deep hate now. When the guys tried to pin her down, she knocked them for a loop before climbing ontop of the railing and jumped!
" ROSE!" all but Ebony and Rose's companions yelled as she fell.
But it never came to where Rose/Rine became nothing but a bag of broken bones. As we continue to watch her fall, we all thought we went crazy. Suddenly, a pair of white wings appeared on her back, along with a horn on her forehead, and a cheetah tail that was white! She did a sort of barrel roll as she swoop down at Hirutani, who was in shock like the rest of us. She grabbed Melody out of his hands and flew upward.
" A word of advice, since I'm feeling very sorry for you now - run like the wind," Trila said to Hirutani. " Run faster than the speed of light."
" I-I-I think I'll d-do j-just that," Hirutani stuttered as he began running for the exit. As soon as Rine set Melody on a beam, she immediatly went after Hirutani. She grabbed him by the jacket and lifted him into the air. " Please! Please d-don't hurt me! Have mercy!" he pleaded as he tried to escape Rine's hands. " HELP!" Rine set him on the hook by the back of his jacket.
" Be glad that I'll just let the police handle you," Rine growled as she glared at him in the eyes. " Otherwise, I'd toss you into the ocean where the sharks could feed on you." With that said, she landed next to us. All the thugs at the top had came down and tried to head for the exit too. Phoenix and Dranzer, with an end of the rope they got, swooped at them and tied them all together until they couldn't even move. With that done, they sat ontop of Rose's shoulders now.
" What - The - Hell - Is - Going - On around here!" Triston said after a moment of silence. " This isn't possible! At all!"
" Can it Triston," Melody said as she finally reached the ground. " Hey Rose, why do you look different?"
" That is because I am not Rose," Rose/Rine responded as she turns away.
" Say wha?" Phoenix said as she and Dranzer flew off and landed on Ebony's shoulders. " If you're not Rose, what happened to her?"
" Do not worry. I merely took over so that Rose could rest until her strength returns." She turns to the rest of us. " I am sure that you have many questions as of why I have wings and other various ones, but I will let Rose and Ebony explain it to you."
Yugi, allow me to take over so I can speak with Rine, Yami suddenly said.
Yeah, go ahead. With Yami now in control, I just watched.
" Rine," Yami said. " It has been a long time since we last talked to each other."
" 5,000 years since, my Pharoh," Rine said with a bow. " And through all that time, the world has, indeed, change."
" Hmph," Kaiba said. Rine heard him and looks at him.
" Some people has not change at all through the time, apparently," she said.
" Whatever you are talking about, I'm sure that it's complete nonsense. I can't believe you people believe in spirits and all that other stuff."
" Then what is on my back, if it isn't real wings?"
Kaiba couldn't come up with an answer.
" So, er, Rine," Ebony said. " When will Rose be back?"
" That, I don't know. It will probably be soon."
" I'm seeing a doctor as soon as I get down from here!" Hirutani yelled, not believing one moment of this.