Chapter Four
When They Heard of Shadow Games…
With exams over, school was out for a full week to let those who wanted to retake the test study. As for those who didn't…they made the most of their week hanging out with friends, powering up their decks while creating new strategies, and, at the current moment, staying up late and telling scary stories.
A/N Once again, I'm guessing on the date.
As the week came to an end, Asuka Tenjoin stood in front of an old building as nighttime came. In her hand was a red rose, which she placed near the front of a statue. Looking at the building with a somber expression, she whispered.
"Be at peace…wherever you are," she said.
~meanwhile~
As the moon was full and a pearly-white color in the dark blue sky, within the Osiris Red Dorms, our favorite roomies were making the most of their last day of no classes telling scary stories (as said before).
"On a cliff on the north part of this island, there's…a cave," said Shou.
Jaden and Hayato listened eagerly as they and Shou sat by a table within the dining room, the only source of light coming from a lit candle settled on said table. Lain around the candle, were cards.
"Yeah, go on," said Jaden.
"Mm-hm," agreed Hayato.
Shou made his face look even more serious as he continued on.
"Deep in the cave is a small inlet…" continued Shou, "…and when night falls, moonlight will shine from the ceiling."
"Yeah?" said Hayato. "Yeah?"
"Then, when you look in at the bottom of the inlet…a card you want shows up at the bottom of the water," said Shou.
Jaden had her elbow propped onto the table with her cheek leaning on her fist. She smirked.
"I'd know what card you want," she said in a teasing tone. "Dark Magician Girl~!"
Shou's expression went from serious to nervous as his face burned red. Jaden and Hayato snickered before letting Shou continue on.
"As I was saying…they say, when you reach for it…you'll suddenly get yourself pulled into the ocean!" Shou shouted as he pulled on a terrified face.
At that moment, something pulled on Jaden's pant leg. Her eyes widened as she screamed. Hayato yelled along with her.
"YAAHHH!" screamed Jaden and Hayato.
Hayato then realized what had caused Jaden to scream after Shou caught his attention and pointed down under the table. After seeing what was under, both Shou and Hayato laughed as Jaden freaked out. When Shou dived down to see what was going on, he came up with Pharaoh in his arms. He was snickering as he held up a small plant that Pharaoh seemed to be pawing at it while purring.
"Sorry, Aniki," said Shou. "But I couldn't resist!"
Jaden crossed her arms and turned her head away as Shou and Hayato laughed. Shou had placed catnip on Jaden's pant leg, as a result, attracted Pharaoh to Jaden's leg and getting the results that had just happened. Jaden sighed and rubbed the back of her head.
Jaden had to hand it Shou, it was pure genius. However, it didn't last long as she placed both hands on the table to support herself as she leaned over the table.
"I wanna go see that inlet!" said Jaden.
Shou looked at Jaden surprised.
"Aniki, aren't you mixed up?" he asked.
Shou propped his elbow on the table, his hand under his cheek for support as he sighed, a bead of sweat rolling down the side of his face.
"I just told you a scary story," said Shou.
Jaden blinked and picked up the card Shou drew.
"Well, I guess that's the best a Level-4 story can offer, huh?" said Jaden.
Jaden placed her hand on the deck as she drew a card.
"Right, it's my turn," she said, turning the card over. "Oh, Killer Snake, huh?"
Shou closed his eyes.
"Tch, a Level-1?" said Shou. "Must be nice making up an easy story…"
Jaden smiled and laughed.
"Heh, heh…let's see…" she said. "My Level-1 story…Hmm…come to think of it, back when I was a tyke…"
Jaden propped both of her elbows on the table, both hands under her cheeks for support as she began to reminisce.
"When night came around, I could hear my monster's voice…" said Jaden.
Shou and Hayato listened as Jaden continued on.
"Just like the fairies you'd seen in fairytales," said Jaden.
~Jaden's flashback/story~
In a somewhat big bed, sleeping inside it was a small little kid with dual-colored hair wearing red flannel pajamas. It was Jaden back when she was a tyke.
A/N Feel free to squeal at the sight of a younger Jaden. I know some of you want to.
Some strange voices woke Jaden up. She sat up in bed and rubbed her eyes as a glowing light caught her attention. She was now wide-eyed and awake, curious as to what the glow and voices were. Getting out of bed, she stopped right in front of her closet as it was the source of the strange voices and light. Reaching for the doorknob, the present day Jaden continued explaining.
"I thought the monsters would come out of their cards to have parties and stuff while I was sleeping," explained Jaden.
Tyke-Jaden grabbed the doorknob, the light waning and disappearing as she turned the knob. She opened the door and peered inside her closet. The only things inside were a couple of chests, a drawer, a pair of huge dice toys, and a small slide…and her deck. Entering the room, she walked towards her deck within its card case.
"When I woke up in the dead of night, I would open up my card case," said Jaden.
Tyke-Jaden knelt down and picked up her card case, which she had to do with both hands seeing as it was too big for her to hold with one hand without difficulties. Opening the top of the case, she stared into it curiously.
~back outside the story/flashback vision~
Shou leaned onto the table in 'I'm on the edge of my seat' way as he eagerly listened like Hayato.
"And?" asked Shou.
Jaden, still in the same position, smiled with her eyes closed.
"Absolutely nada," she said.
Shou lowered his forehead onto the table in slight irritation and disappointment. Hayato sighed.
"Oh, come on…" they both said.
Jaden opened her eyes and looked up in wonder.
"But, you know, lately…" she said, remembering Winged Kuriboh's 'kuri kuri' sounds. "I'm able to hear 'em again…"
Jaden scratched the side her head idly as someone behind her laughed. Eyes widening, she froze still and stayed silent.
"What are you all doing-nya?" asked the person behind her.
THUD!
Shou stared wide-eyed at Daitokuji, his arm on the table for support having fallen out of his seat from the startle. Hayato, his chair on the floor, was in the corner staring wide-eyed in fear at Daitokuji. Jaden, a blush tainting her cheeks, glared at the professor with wide-eyes as she tried to calm her pounding heart.
"You scared us!" exclaimed Shou.
"Please don't scare us like that…" said Jaden.
Shou agreed.
"Daitokuji-sensei!" said Shou.
Daitokuji laughed awkwardly, Pharaoh meowing in his arms.
"Sorry, I just came to pick up Pharaoh," explained Daitokuji.
Jaden glared at Shou, who held up his hands to defend himself. Daitokuji laughed. Regaining composure a bit, Shou adjusted his glasses and smiled awkwardly.
"Professor, we're playing a card game where you tell a story equal to the Level of the card you draw," explained Shou.
"That sounds like fun-nya!" Daitokuji said, reaching out for the deck. "Now, let's see here…I'll do it too…"
Daitokuji picked up the card and flipped it over. Jaden looked at it.
"T-There it is!" said Jaden. "A Level-12!"
Shou smiled at Daitokuji.
"Please give us the best you've got, sir!" said Shou.
Daitokuji chuckled.
"Come to think of it, are you aware that there is an abandoned dorm deep within this island-nya?" he asked.
Jaden tilted her head to the side.
"Abandoned dorm?" Jaden asked, perplexed.
Daitokuji nodded.
"Yes," he said. "Apparently, it was a dorm for the academy's honor students long ago, but…every single student in that dorm went missing-nya."
Shou gulped and looked questioningly at the professor.
"Really?" asked Shou.
Daitokuji leaned down a bit to be at his students eye-level.
"I heard they were doing all sorts of research concerning the Shadow Games in that dorm-nya," said Daitokuji.
Hayato supported himself up by grabbing onto a chair after hearing 'Shadow Games'.
"S-Shadow Games?" said Hayato.
Daitokuji, now sitting in a chair by Shou and Jaden, looked at Hayato.
"I'm referring to horrible games that were activated by legendary items-nya," explained Daitokuji.
Jaden, hand under cheek, closed her eyes as she rummaged around her memories as she found the legendary items familiar.
"Millennium Items, right?" asked Jaden.
Opening her eyes and smiling, Jaden looked at Daitokuji.
"I've heard about this," said Jaden. "But it's all just superstition, isn't it?"
Daitokuji laughed.
"I don't know if it's true, either-nya," Daitokuji said, adjusting his glasses. "By the time I came to this Academy, that dorm had been made off-limits-nya."
Pharaoh meowed loudly and Daitokuji stood up from his seat.
"It's about time we get back to our rooms-nya," said Daitokuji. "Well then, good night. Remember, we have classes tomorrow."
Jaden and Shou frowned and watched as Daitokuji walked out.
"Yes, sir…" they said reluctantly.
Shou looked at Jaden.
"Man, I wonder if there's really a place like that on this island," said Shou.
Jaden grinned and looked at Shou.
"Sounds fun!" said Jaden. "Let's go take a look tomorrow night!"
Shou was astonished.
"Huh?" said Shou.
Hayato immediately slid into view after hearing Jaden's proposal.
"I'm a bit scared, but I'd like to go, too," said Hayato.
Shou's eyes widened. It was two against one and Jaden made that official.
"All right!" Jaden said, pumping her fist into the air. "It's settled!"
"It's settled…!" said Hayato.
"Yeah…" Shou said reluctantly.
Outside eavesdropping on the trio's conversation, was Professor Chronos. Laughing to himself, he got a plan in mind.
"Bravo!" he said. "The Shadow Games! I almost forgot about that approach!"
Professor Chronos grinned.
"If I use those rumors to make that dropout disappear, no one will suspect a thing!" said Professor Chronos.
~the next day~
In class,
Daitokuji stared at the sleeping Osiris Red duo, grinning. The students, the ones who arrived to class early, sitting around Shou and Jaden, both sitting in the same seat with their backs against each other, glared at them as they had fallen asleep before classes had even started.
Peering at them from afar was Professor Chronos. Grinning at the plan that he thought up and would initiate tonight, he stared at Jaden, who was peacefully asleep.
"Sleep well, now," said Professor Chronos. "It will be the last dream you'll ever have, anyway. Totocalcio…"
A/N Soccer gambling pools.
Later that day,
Professor Chronos waited by the lighthouse for someone. He turned around and smiled when he saw a tall man with a mask on and a trench coat walk towards him.
"Oh, you must be the self-proclaimed Shadow Duelist," said Professor Chronos.
Smoke began to stream down around the tall man, the Shadow Duelist. Yesterday, Professor Chronos had called the Shadow Duelist to come over to the Academy and do something for him.
"Let's get right to discussing my appearance fee," said the Shadow Duelist. "My appearance fee is a flat rate. It has nothing to do with whatever circumstances my client might have. It's always three months of my client's salary."
Professor Chronos ceased his grin.
"I think that's very related to your client's circumstances…" said Professor Chronos. "Whatever… More importantly, will you get the job done?"
"I'm a pro," said the Shadow Duelist. "I never turn my back on my enemies."
Professor Chronos dashed by the Shadow Duelist's side, the duelist turning quickly to face Professor Chronos. Professor Chronos continued trying to see if the Shadow Duelist was telling the truth. Each time he tried, the Shadow Duelist made sure to keep turning to face Professor Chronos.
"Just leave it to me…" the Shadow Duelist said, moving back rather quickly. "You just come when the duel is over…"
Professor Chronos stared as the Shadow Duelist left, the man not once turning his back.
"He isn't turning his back…" said Professor Chronos. "My, he is a professional."
~meanwhile in the forest~
Jaden carried a flashlight to light the way as she, Shou, and Hayato walked down the forest. Like Jaden, they both also had flashlights turned on.
"Still, I wasn't expecting that Hayato would show up with us," said Jaden. "You even think showing up in class is a hassle."
Hayato looked at Jaden.
"It's not that I don't like staying home or studying, it's just…" said Hayato.
Jaden looked at the koala-like boy, who just so happened to be older than her.
"Just what?" asked Jaden.
"I don't like classes that only teach you how to win duels…" said Hayato.
"Is there any other way to study dueling, besides how to win?" asked Shou.
Hayato stuttered a bit.
"Um…I'm sure there are!" he said. "Take the Shadow Games, for example."
Jaden diverted her eyes at Hayato.
"The Shadow Games, huh?" she said.
~few moments later~
Jaden shined her flashlight around, stopping at a red rose lain out right in front of a sign.
"That flower…" said Jaden.
Shou whined.
"This looks scary!" said Shou.
Looking ahead at the old building, which was without a doubt the abandoned dorm the group was looking for. Shou tried to back up, but Hayato prevented him. The blue-haired boy looked at Jaden as she kept her gaze on the building.
"Aniki, I think we should just give up!" said Shou.
Jaden looked at Shou sternly, her eyes giving a serious expression.
"What are you talking about?" snapped Jaden. "How can we give up after coming this far? I took a fricken' risk coming here! If my dad ever finds out…"
Suddenly, the sound of a branch snapping scared the crap out of Hayato and Shou, causing them to both yell.
"I-It's here!" yelled Hayato and Shou.
Jaden gasped and shined her flashlight to the source of the noise.
"Asuka!" said Jaden.
Jaden clenched her teeth as Hayato gripped the top of her head in fright whilst Shou clung onto her arm, the both of them having the same intentions of hiding behind their female roommate. Asuka stared at them wide-eyed, surprised to see them here.
"A-Asuka-san!" said Shou.
Jaden growled.
"Let go of me!" snapped Jaden.
Hayato and Shou let go of Jaden and backed away from her a bit. Jaden glared at them and sighed, looking over at Asuka.
"Why are you here, Asuka?" asked Jaden.
Asuka walked over to the group.
"That's my line," said Asuka. "What are all of you doing here?"
Jaden shrugged and rubbed the back of her head.
"We're doing a little night exploration," answered Jaden.
"None of you know about how many students have gone missing here?" asked Asuka.
Jaden looked away.
"I don't believe in that superstition," she stated.
Asuka stared at the dorm.
"The stories of this dorm are true," said Asuka. "It isn't a place to come to half in sport. Besides, it's supposed to be off-limits."
Asuka looked at Jaden.
"If the Academy knows about this, it'll raise some noise," explained Asuka.
Jaden, being too stubborn for her own good (which she instantly resented), smiled and had no intention of backing down whatsoever.
"We wouldn't be exploring if we were afraid of that," said Jaden.
Asuka looked at Jaden sternly.
"Listen to me, seriously!" snapped Asuka.
Jaden was taken aback with Asuka's remark. A bead of sweat rolled down the side of her face.
"What?" said Jaden. "Stop giving us such a hard time."
Jaden looked at Asuka with an equally stern face.
"And you never answered our question!" said Jaden. "What are you doing here?"
Silence was all that came out of Asuka. Jaden resisted the urge to grin in victory, but the same could not apply to what her thoughts did.
"Ha!" thought Jaden. "One point for the gender-mistaken Yuki-kun! Well…I'm out of ideas, now."
A/N Yeah, even Jaden refers to herself with a –kun.
Jaden blinked as Asuka looked down, somewhat hurt.
"Do what you want…" said Asuka.
Asuka began to walk away, making Jaden feel bad as she realized she just came upon a sensitive subject.
"Aw, crap…I walk right into that one, didn't I?" thought Jaden. "Man, I always miss those hints!"
"Asuka-san…" said Shou.
Asuka stopped walking.
"My brother was one of the students that disappeared here," said Asuka.
Shou, Hayato, and Jaden looked perplexed at what Asuka had just said.
"Huh?" they said.
Jaden blinked and looked over at the rose by the sign. Putting two and two together, Jaden realized something that would've been the understatement of the century…had she not been serious…hey! She can be serious when she wanted to be, just…yeah.
"So that's it," thought Jaden. "Asuka set that rose over there…"
Jaden looked back at Asuka as she walked away. Looking clueless as usual, she blinked.
"Aniki, about what Asuka-san just said…" Shou said, looking over at the dorm. "I thought the stuff about this place was made up…"
The trio looked at the dorm. Jaden, remembering about Asuka's brother, got an idea that, along with her stubborness, made her decide to stick with her plan of looking around the dorm.
"Well, we'll know once we go in," said Jaden. "Let's go."
"R-Right," said Hayato.
Jaden and Hayato began to walk towards the dorm, Shou left behind.
"You waiting there?" asked Jaden.
"Huh?" exclaimed Shou.
Shou looked around as his roommates left without him. Looking around, he found out very easily how much he did NOT want to be left alone outside. He trailed after Jaden and Hayato after jumping over the 'KEEP OUT' sign.
"Wait up!" shouted Shou. "I'm coming, too!"
Somewhere behind a tree close by the dorm, Asuka watched the trio venture into the dorm. Sighing, she turned around to leave…only to find herself facing a tall man with a mask on and a trench coat. The man smiled as Asuka cursed mentally.
"Aw, crap…I walked into that one, didn't I?" thought Asuka. "I mean the hints were obviously there…wait! I should be screaming!"
However, there was no time for Asuka to scream as everything happened in a quick blur, rendering whatever had happened next unknown to the blonde.
~meanwhile inside the abandoned dorm~
Jaden flashed her flashlight around, taking in the scenery and surroundings as her roommates did likewise.
"It may be all dusty, but it's a major difference from Osiris Red, huh?" said Jaden.
Looking at her friends, Jaden grinned widely.
"Wanna move here instead?" she suggested.
Shou immediately turned to Jaden with wide-eyes.
"Cut that out, Aniki!" said Shou. "I absolutely won't!"
Hayato agreed.
"Same here," he said.
Hayato and Shou walked around and looked around, both stopping in front of a wall covered with strange writings.
"D-Did they really play Shadow Games here?" asked Hayato.
Shou gasped and reacted nervously to Hayato's question.
"T-That's just superstition!" stammered Shou.
Jaden, feeling like she was the only one who wasn't at all scared, looked around curiously, stopping when her flashlight shined right on a wall with drawings of strange items. Looking at them, she found them somewhat familiar.
"Huh…there were seven of those Millennium Items…" said Jaden. "The only time I find things I learned at a museum useful is when I happen to be doing things Dad won't approve of. Heh…"
Jaden grinned inwardly and shined her flashlight on something else, gasping when she found something rather surprising. It was a somewhat small frame holding a photo of a brown-haired boy who resembled Asuka. On the photo, was a signature written as 'Fubuki 10 Join'. Jaden blinked.
"Is this…?" Jade said, looking closer at the signature. "Fubuki…10 Join…10 Join…? Tenjoin! Fubuki Tenjoin!"
Shou shined his flashlight on Jaden.
"What's going on, Aniki?" asked Shou.
Jaden waved it off.
"Oh nothing, just a little self-discovery," said Jaden. "That should've been easier for me to read! Damn, I really miss stuff…"
Shou walked up to Jaden and looked at the picture.
"This guy looks like Asuka-san," said Shou.
Jaden nodded.
~meanwhile~
Asuka lied back against something, her eyes shut and beginning to flutter as she woke up. She woke up, eyes wide open as she did the first thing that would seem reasonably for a girl in her situation…see what was on her wrists. She lifted her wrist as she gasped, finding that they had been bound together with a rope.
"What's this?" asked Asuka.
A laugh roused Asuka's attention as she looked around, finding herself in a coffin.
"You're going to be the bait that will lure out Jaden Yuki," said the voice.
Asuka looked around, memories coming back as to what had happened.
"Who's there?" she asked.
A golden, eye-like object shined brightly on Asuka as she remembered what she was going to do before she lost consciousness…and it was a very reasonable thing seeing as she was scared beyond her wits. She screamed loudly.
~back with the trio~
Shou, Hayato, and Jaden all gasped as they heard Asuka's scream. Shou looked at Jaden.
"Aniki!" said Shou. "That voice just now…!"
Jaden nodded and turned, breaking into a run.
"I know!" said Jaden. "Let's go!"
Shou and Hayato followed after Jaden as she furiously looked around for any sign of where that scream came from. Stopping at the top of the stairs in the entrance room, she shined her flashlight around, gasping when she found something. Breaking into another run, she made her way downstairs with Shou and Hayato trailing after her.
Jaden, being very impatient in this type of situation (I mean, who wouldn't?), decided to jump the rest of the way down the stairs to speed up her search. She landed on her feet and looked around, running towards a small card she spotted a few moments earlier. She knelt down and picked up the card, turning it over as Shou and Hayato ran up to her.
Jaden gasped as she recognized the card as one of Asuka's. Both girls, even though friends, dueled each other time to time, with Jaden winning all of them…though, just barely sometimes.
"Étoile Cyber!" said Jaden. "It's Asuka's!"
Hayato looked around and spotted something very peculiar on the ground.
"There are marks of something being dragged away going that way," Hayato said, directing the group up ahead.
Shou and Jaden gasped. Jaden was the first to react and immediately stood up, breaking into a run right after.
"Asuka!" yelled Jaden.
Shou and Hayato trailed after Jaden.
"Asuka-san!" yelled Shou.
The trio kept running, not once ever slowing down as they ran down the hall. They soon came to an end into a room and stopped when they spotted the person they were looking for…Asuka.
"Asuka!" yelled Jaden.
Jaden's eyes widened as she realized Asuka was in a coffin. A menacing laugh caught her attention, followed by a voice soon after as smoke began to flood the bottom of the room.
"This one's soul has already sunk into a thick darkness," said the voice.
Jaden looked around.
"Who's there!" she asked.
Jaden looked around, gasping when she saw a tall man emerge from the smoke.
"Welcome, Jaden Yuki…" he said.
Jaden growled.
"Who the hell are you and how do you know my name?" yelled Jaden. "You better have not been stalking me!"
The man ignored the second question and the last comment. He looked up and only answered Jaden's first question.
"My name is Titan, the Shadow Duelist," the man said.
Shou looked nervously at the man who called himself Titan.
"Aniki," said Shou.
Jaden clenched her teeth.
"Who the hell are you?" yelled Jaden. "What did you do to Asuka?"
Titan kept his composure, unlike Jaden.
"I am a Shadow Duelist, a controller of the Shadow Games," said Titan.
Hayato looked perplexed.
"Shadow Games?" said Hayato.
Jaden stepped up, her expression obviously not amused.
"Stop messing with me!" snapped Jaden. "There's no such thing as Shadow Games!"
Titan laughed.
"Once you get a taste of it, you'll understand, kid," said Titan. "This is a forbidden domain wherein none are allowed to step foot. I will deal punishment on those who break that vow."
Jaden tightened her fists as Hayato rummaged through the backpack he brought.
"So it's your fault that the people here have gone missing!" said Jaden. "You're going to give us Asuka back!"
Titan grinned at Jaden's remark.
"If you can beat me in a Shadow Game, that is, Jaden Yuki…" said Titan.
Jaden growled and blinked when her duel disk was held up in front of her face. She turned and saw that Hayato had brought her duel disk along with them.
"Why did you bring it?" asked Jaden.
Hayato shrugged.
"Just a precaution," said Hayato.
Jaden nodded and handed Hayato her flashlight as she took her duel disk. After placing it on her left arm, she looked at Titan with determination.
"It'd be my pleasure!" she said.
Titan held out his left arm as his duel disk, one resembling a bat wing, extended from the object on his arm.
A/N Yes, I am very descriptive…note the sarcasm. Damn, stupid thesaurus-like lacking skills! It doesn't help when you don't know what word to use the thesaurus on!
"You'd better not regret this, kid," said Titan.
Jaden snorted as she placed her deck in her duel disk.
"Like I'm going to regret kicking your ass?" scoffed Jaden.
Jaden nodded in approval at the sight of Titan's scowl. She looked over at Asuka.
"Asuka, you saved me once," said Jaden. "Now it's my turn to save you."
Jaden turned and looked at Titan.
"Duel!" they both said.
Jaden:
LP
4000
Titan:
LP
4000
~few moments later~
"Well, I wasn't expecting this," said Jaden.
Apparently, Titan had a demon deck, which should've meant that he would have to pay up life points every standby turn to keep his monsters in play, which was Inferno-Queen Demon…that is if it wasn't for the field spell he activated, Pandemonium-Demon's Den. And if that hadn't been enough, then there was still Inferno-Queen Demon's special ability, which let her gain 1000 ATK and the fact that any monster with 'Demon' in their names have the ability to be reborn when destroyed outside of battle.
Inferno-Queen Demon: ATK 1900
Yeah…now it was Jaden's turn and Titan found her staring at Asuka.
"Whoa, now," said Titan. "If you're so concerned about the girl, then allow me to put her out of your sight."
The coffin Asuka was inside of closed and took her down with it as it submerged into the ground. Jaden's eyes widened.
"Asuka!" yelled Jaden.
Hayato and Shou scowled at Titan's action.
"That's low!" said Hayato.
"You coward!" said Shou.
Titan laughed.
"Say what you will," said Titan. "This is a Shadow Game. If you prefer, I'll make you disappear, as well!"
Shou and Hayato whimpered. Jaden scowled at Titan.
"All I have to do is win…Draw!" Jaden said, drawing out a card from her deck.
Jaden looked at the cards in her hand.
"I don't have a monster that could beat an ATK of 1900 in my hand, but…" thought Jaden. "I summon Elemental Hero Avian in attack mode!"
Elemental Hero Avian appeared on Jaden's side of the field.
ATK 1000
Somewhat satisfied, Jaden set two face-down cards.
"I end my turn," said Jaden.
Titan kept his stoic demeanor.
"It's my turn…draw," Titan said, drawing out a card from his deck. "I'll summon Genocide-King Demon this time in attack mode."
Genocide-King Demon appeared on the field with a whopping 2000 ATK.
"Genocide-King Demon cannot be summoned unless a 'Demon' monster is on my field," Titan said, gesturing at Inferno-Queen Demon. "However, I have Inferno-Queen Demon on my field. And Inferno-Queen Demon's special effect will increase Genocide-King Demon's ATK!"
Genocide-King Demon:
ATK: Previously, 2000
Now…3000!
Jaden gasped.
"A-An ATK of 3000?" said Jaden.
"Feel the anger of my Demons!" said Titan. "Genocide-King Demon, attack Elemental Hero Avian! Sakuretsu! Gozo-roppu!"
A/N Bursting! Internal Organs!
Genocide-King Demon's ribcage parted open, releasing a swarm of insects at Avian. Jaden grinned.
"Too easy!" said Jaden. "I activate a trap card! Mirror Gate!"
With Mirror Gate activated, Jaden held up her fist as she smiled.
"The card's effect will swap the positions of both monsters during battle, and then resume the battle!" explained Jaden.
Jaden looked at Genocide-King Demon and smiled ecstatically.
"And that means the 3000-ATK Genocide-King Demon will be my monster!" she said.
Shou and Hayato were impressed with Jaden's move.
"Aniki!" said Shou.
"Nice move!" said Hayato.
Titan chuckled darkly, smirking as he already guessed this would happen.
"I knew that you were using your smallfry monster as bait to ambush me with a trap at the very start," said Titan.
Jaden's eyes widened as a bead of sweat rolled down the side of her face.
"What?" she said. "Am I really that easy to figure out?"
"Your petty tricks won't work on my Demon deck," said Titan. "To chain your Mirror Gate trap, I'll activate Genocide-King Demon's special ability!"
Out of the fiery-liquid-like pit that resided within the room Pandemonium-Demon's Den created were six multi-colored small spheres with a number on each of them. The spheres shot out of the pit and soared over to Titan's side. Jaden looked perplexed.
"W-What's that?" asked Jaden.
"Genocide-King Demon's special ability is…" Titan said, beginning his explanation. "When targeted by an opponent's effect, it lets me roll a die. And if it lands on a 2 or 5, it'll negate and destroy that effect!"
Titan held his hand out under the six spheres, lined up in a clockwise position with the numbers in their consecutive order.
"For this duel, I'll be using this roulette instead of a die," explained Titan. "Now, my Roulette of Hell, carry his destiny and begin to turn!"
The spheres were enflamed with a red fire that waned until it was only on the sphere with the number 1. It began to move to the next sphere in a clockwise motion. Jaden watched the roulette with anticipation, as did Hayato and Shou.
Jaden diverted her eyes at her roommates.
"Don't…say…a word," said Jaden. "I don't need to be reminded off what could—"
The flame stopped on 2 as Jaden was cut off by Titan.
"The Roulette landed on 2," said Titan. "Therefore, Genocide-King Demon's special ability activates! Mirror Gate is destroyed!"
Jaden clenched her teeth.
"Aw, dammit!" said Jaden.
"Sakuretsu!" said Titan. "Gozo-roppu!"
The insects swarmed Avian and exploded, destroying the Elemental Hero. Jaden shielded herself from the blast as her life points took a toll.
Jaden:
LP
2000
"Avian!" said Jaden.
Jaden tightened her fist and glared at Titan.
"But now, I activate my trap card!" she said. "Hero Signal!"
A light shined from the card Jaden activated, leaving a signal in the ceiling.
"When a monster's destroyed in battle, this card will special summon…an 'Elemental Hero' monster from my hand or deck!" said Jaden. "Come on out, Elemental Hero Clayman! Defense mode!"
The golem-like Elemental Hero took his defensive position on Jaden's side of the field.
DEF 2000
Shou tightened his fist.
"Awright!" said Shou.
"Jaden managed to pull through with that follow-up attack!" said Hayato.
Titan laughed.
"We'll see about that…" said Titan.
Jaden blinked as Titan held up a strange golden, puzzle-like object. A golden light flashed brightly from the item.
"Begin to vanish," said Titan. "Your body will gradually disappear in accordance to your life points."
The light waned and Hayato looked at Jaden, gasping. Shou did too, his eyes widening.
"Jaden!" said Hayato.
"Aniki!" exclaimed Shou.
Jaden blinked and looked down at herself. Her eyes widened as she realized part of her body had disappeared.
"My body…" she said.
Titan laughed.
"Kid, didn't I tell you?" he asked. "That this Shadow Game has already begun?"
Jaden clenched her teeth.
"Is this really a Shadow Game?" Jaden asked as she found it hard to breathe with the black fog's presence.
"The enshrouding black fog…" said Titan. "The heavy, black fog is engulfing you all. Hard to breathe now, isn't it?"
Shou and Hayato placed their hands on their throats as they found it difficult to breathe.
"What's this choking us up?" asked Hayato.
"It's the pressure of the Shadow Game," explained Titan. "Your legs will no longer move, so no one will be able to run away from this game."
Shou tried to move his legs, gasping when he found that Titan was right.
"He's right!" exclaimed Shou. "I can't budge my legs!"
Titan laughed.
"Squirm…suffer…" said Titan. "But the moment when you'll find yourselves longing for the suffering is approaching. For what awaits the loser of a Shadow Game is eternal darkness."
Jaden stomped her foot as she glared at Titan, a defiant look in her eyes.
"No!" yelled Jaden. "I don't believe in that! I heard that to play a Shadow Game, you need to have a Millennium Item! Do you have one?"
Titan sneered and held up the item he had in his hand.
"Behold," he said. "This is the legendary item, the Millennium Puzzle."
The Millennium Puzzle began to glow.
"It proves this is a Shadow Game," said Titan.
Jaden's eyes widened.
"What?" she said.
Shou and Hayato stared at the item Titan held up, astonished.
"That's a…Millennium Item!" said Hayato.
"My turn is finished," said Titan. "Come on, kid. It's your turn."
Jaden clenched her teeth as she looked at herself.
"Shit," thought Jaden. "This really is a Shadow Game. I'm not too sure, but I have a horribly bad feeling about this. But…!"
Jaden looked up at Titan and smiled, this action taking him aback.
"He's smiling…why?" thought Titan.
Jaden stared at Titan with a look of determination.
"I've never had a duel as exciting as this one!" Jaden said, tightening her fist. "I'm absolutely on fire! Here I go! My turn!"
Jaden, feeling pumped up now that she'd said that, drew out a card and held it out.
"I activate the spell card, Pot of Greed!" Jaden said, drawing out two cards and looking at them quickly. "I'll use Polymerization to fuse Elemental Hero Sparkman in my hand with Clayman on the field!"
Elemental Hero Sparkman appeared on the field and jumped up into the air with Clayman as Polymerization worked its affect. Thunder and lightning flashed as the new Elemental Hero formed by the fusion appeared in the previous two Heroes' places.
"I summon Elemental Hero Thunder Giant in attack mode!" said Jaden.
Charged electricity crackled on Elemental Hero Thunder Giant right where the sphere resided on his chest.
ATK 2400
"Thunder Giant's special ability activates!" said Jaden. "He can destroy a monster with an original ATK that's lower than his own! Go, Thunder Giant! Vapor Spark!"
Thunder Giant crackled with electricity and held out his right hand, an electrical beam shooting out the palm of his hand at Genocide-King Demon. Titan laughed, catching Jaden by surprise as she realized Thunder Giant's attack was stopped in midair.
"What?" said Jaden.
"Once again, Genocide-King Demon's special ability activates," said Titan. "Turn, Roulette of Destiny!"
The Roulette's flame began to move again in the same clockwise motion. Jaden narrowed her eyes.
"Nobody…say…a word," said Jaden.
The flame on the Roulette stopped on 5. Jaden's eyes widened.
"What the—?" exclaimed Jaden.
Titan laughed, earning a scowl from Jaden.
"Once again, the Roulette of Destiny has sided with me," said Titan. "That means that monster getting destroyed, kid…is going to be yours!"
Titan pointed at Thunder Giant. The electrical beam the Elemental Hero sent out was now sent right back at him, destroying Thunder Giant. Jaden shielded herself and looked at her empty field.
"Shit…to think Thunder Giant would get killed off so easily…" said Jaden.
Shou looked concerned at Jaden.
"Aniki!" said Shou.
Hayato stood silent as he watched the duel, his thoughts on Titan's deck.
"A Demon deck…its true terror is its ability to counter," thought Hayato. "The power to not only negate the effects that befall them, but destroy cards that activated their special effects…If the roulette lands on the right one, then his deck will be an absolute horror! What are you going to do, Jaden?"
Jaden glared at Titan as she panted.
"Well, all of your monsters on the field have been wiped out," said Titan.
A vein popped out on Jaden's forehead.
"Tell me something I don't know!" snapped Jaden.
Titan laughed at Jaden's reaction, earning death glare from her.
"Oh, now you're just enjoying this!" said Jaden.
"Maybe I am, kid," said Titan. "But face it, I'm right."
Jaden clenched her teeth. Titan was right…but he didn't have to point it out. It was already getting difficult for her to breathe as she panted heavily. Titan laughed again and held up the Millennium Puzzle.
"Now, all of your monsters on the field have been wiped out," said Titan.
Jaden glared defiantly at Titan for a few seconds before looking at her cards.
"Tch…" Jaden said as she picked out a card from her hand. "It's like I can't do a thing against him… I activate the spell card, Mirage of Nightmares! Next, I set two cards face-down to finish my turn."
"Aniki…" said Shou.
Hayato, with a look of determination, looked at Jaden.
"You can do it, Jaden Yuki," said Hayato.
Titan grinned.
"You haven't dealt any damage to me in the last two turns," said Titan.
Jaden scowled.
"That's because you countered my attacks!" said Jaden.
Titan sneered.
"It appears that the score is about to be settled," said Titan.
Titan placed his hand by his deck in the duel disk attached to his coat. A card ejected from his disk automatically into his hand.
"It's my turn," said Titan.
Jaden's scowl ceased as that was her cue.
"Mirage of Nightmare's effect activates!" said Jaden. "I'll draw until I have four cards in my hand!"
"I don't care," remarked Titan. "Even if your hand grows now, this attack of mine will deplete your life points, anyway! Genocide-King Demon will attack directly!"
Genocide-King Demon's chest began to bulge before opening as it let out a swarm of insects.
"Bursting!" yelled Titan. "Internal Organs!"
Jaden was about to grimaced at the name of the attack, but stopped herself.
"I'm not letting that happen!" said Jaden. "Trap, activate! Mirror Force!"
One of the face-down cards on Jaden's side of the field turned over.
"This wipes out all enemy attack-mode monsters!" Jaden explained, grinning afterwards. "And guess whose monsters are in attack-mode?"
Titan scowled whilst Shou and Hayato smiled ecstatically at Jaden.
"Nice move, Jaden!" said Hayato. "That won't activate Genocide-King Demon's effect!"
A mirror-like barrier appeared in front of Jaden, shielding her from Genocide-King Demon's attack. And the barrier, just like a mirror, reflected the attack back at Genocide-King Demon himself and Inferno-Queen Demon, both of them destroyed. Titan shielded himself from the aftermath of the attack, glaring at Jaden.
"Tch…" said Titan. "You're a stubborn one…"
"I've noticed," Jaden said as she looked at her nails in a relaxed fashion before her chocolate brown eyes darted to Titan's form. "That was a careless attack!"
Shou covered his mouth as he tried to prevent himself from laughing. Hayato looked at him questioningly. Shou noticed and explained to the koala-resembling Osiris Red.
"Coming from the person who gets told that, I find it ironic," said Shou.
Hayato nodded, smirking a bit.
Jaden glared at Titan as he drew a card.
"Even if it was, my victory is still assured," said Titan. "From my hand, I activate Death-Rook Demon's special ability! When Genocide-King Demon is destroyed and sent to the graveyard…"
Titan discarded the card in his hand.
"By discarding this card from my hand…Genocide-King Demon is revived!" said Titan.
Genocide-King Demon appeared back on the field.
ATK 2000
Jaden's eyes widened.
"What?" said Jaden.
Titan grinned.
"Next, the effect of the field magic, Pandemonium, activates!" said Titan. "While this Demons' Den is in play, when a 'Demon' monster is destroyed outside of battle…"
Jaden, her patience wearing thin, snapped.
"Just get to the point, dammit!" snapped Jaden. "I don't have the patience to put up with explanations!"
Silence…
Jaden sighed as she sweat dropped. Titan, not wanting to make the Osiris Red snap again, just decided to just show the effect of the field magic by adding a 'Demon' monster with a Level lower than Genocide-King Demon's to his hand.
"I'm still in the middle of my Battle Phase," said Titan. "And that means my resurrected Genocide-Demon King is allowed to attack! Go, Genocide-King Demon!"
Jaden's breath hitched as Genocide-King Demon attack. Hayato and Shou gasped.
"Not good!" said Hayato. "Is this the end?"
Jaden growled.
"Shut it, Koala-man!" Jaden said, Hayato clamping up as she activated her face-down. "I activate the spell card, Emergency Provisions! By destroying one magic (screw it! I'm going with magic instead of spell) or trap on my field, I'll recover 1000 life points!"
Mirage of Nightmares was destroyed, earning Jaden 1000 life points.
Jaden:
LP
3000
During that same time, Jaden shielded herself from Genocide-King Demon's attack, which involved its swarm of insects. Jaden's life points took a toll, leaving her with only 1000. The gender-mistaken girl unshielded herself and glared at Titan, her breathing beginning to grow heavy.
"What's that?" said Titan.
Jaden grinned, wincing as she resisted the urge to collapse from the stress dealt to her. She looked at Titan triumphantly, having survived the attack.
"Managed to hang in there…" said Jaden.
Shou and Hayato mushroom sighed in relief, glad that their roommate had made it through.
"I thought she was a goner!" said Shou.
Hayato stared at Jaden.
"Jaden Yuki…you're something else!" he said.
Jaden stared at Titan, panting heavily as her thoughts focused on her crisis.
"Shit…I'm slipping more and more into a disadvantage…" thought Jaden. "This guy isn't just talk…he's outrageously strong!"
Titan laughed and took out the Millennium Puzzle from his pocket.
"Well, kid, since your life points have decreased, your body will fade away even further," said Titan.
The Millennium Puzzle glowed and Jaden's right arm disappeared, leaving only her hand. Jaden looked at her arm and gasped. Shou's eyes widened.
"Ah!" said Shou. "Aniki's right arm…!"
Hayato blinked.
"Huh?" said Hayato. "Isn't it her left leg?"
Shou and Hayato blinked, turning their heads to look at each other. Jaden, having overheard them, clenched her teeth.
"Shit…it doesn't matter which one it is!" Jaden thought as she drew a card. "My turn!"
Jaden looked at the cards in her hand and switched one of them out with the one in her hand. Looking at Titan, she held out the card in her hand.
"I activate the spell card, Warrior's Return!" said Jaden.
A card popped out from Jaden's duel disk. Taking the card, she looked at her hand and picked out two.
"I activate the spell card, Polymerization to fuse Elemental Heroes Avian and Burstinatrix to form…" said Jaden.
Elemental Heroes Avian and Burstinatrix appeared on Jaden's field, Polymerization fusing the monsters together.
"Elemental Hero Flame Wingman!" said Jaden.
Elemental Hero Flame Wingman appeared on the field in attack mode.
ATK 2100
"If effects are no good, I'll take you on in a direct battle!" said Jaden. "Go, Flame Wingman! Flame Shoot!"
Flame Wingman aimed his right arm at Titan's monster and shot out a fiery blast. This blast destroyed Genocide-King Demon, creating an explosion. Jaden tightened her fist.
"And now, Flame Wingman's effect activates!" said Jaden. "Go ahead and chew on some damage equal to the ATK of the monster destroyed by battle!"
Electricity shocked Titan in result to losing life points equal to Genocide-King Demon's ATK.
Titan:
LP
1900
Titan's left arm and right leg disappeared in correspondence to his life points. Shou stared at Titan and adjusted his glasses.
"His left arm disappeared, right?" asked Shou.
"It's his left, isn't it?" said Hayato.
Shou turned to Hayato.
"So, we've been seeing different things?" asked Shou.
Hayato looked at Shou.
"What do you mean?" he asked.
Titan stared at Jaden.
"Still, if this is your best, my Demons will never die," said Titan. "I'll discard another Death-Rook Demon from my hand… Be reborn a second time, Genocide-King Demon!"
And once again, said monster reappeared on the field with an ATK of 2000. Jaden was not amused and hell if she knew, that Genocide-King Demon returning for the third time wasn't annoying enough…her arm and leg were also missing!
"No matter how much I kill and kill the thing…" Jaden said, playing a card. "I summon Dark Catapulter in defense mode!"
Dark Catapulter appeared on the field, taking its defensive stance.
DEF 1500
"That finishes my turn!" said Jaden.
"It's my turn," said Titan. "You're going to witness a fresh new hell this turn. I sacrifice my Genocide-King Demon…Come forth, Demonic King of the Swift Lightning-Skull Demon!"
A/N Thou shalt be dubbed Skull Demon by thy fellow authoress.
Skull Demon appeared from above with electricity crackling all over its body.
ATK 2500
"Tear that eyesore of a monster apart, limb by limb!" said Titan. "Dohatsu! Ten-shogeki!"
A/N Furious! Imperial Shock!
Skull Demon sent a beam of lightning at Flame Wingman, destroying the Elemental Hero. Jaden shielded herself from the aftershock that dealt a blow on her life points.
Jaden:
LP
600
Shou and Hayato gasped.
"Aniki!" yelled Shou.
"Jaden!" yelled Hayato.
Jaden clenched her teeth as she winced from the attack.
"That last one worked on me…" thought Jaden.
Titan held up the Millennium Puzzle. Jaden stared at it as it glowed.
"How's it feel?" asked Titan. "You've already spent up all of your body's energy, and you can't even stand up straight."
Jaden's vision began to blur as she felt the effects wear her down. She fell down onto one of her knees with the other propped up. She placed her hand on her knee, breathing heavily as she stared up at Titan. Her vision began to blur again as her eyes wavered.
Hayato noticed something was wrong with Jaden. Worried, he called out to her.
"Jaden…Jaden…" Hayato called out.
Hayato's voice sounded faintly to Jaden as she was close to collapsing. It was only a matter of moments until the stress from the Shadow Game overwhelmed Jaden.
"Not good…I'm going down…" Jaden said, completely losing it as Hayato yelled at her.
"Jaden!" yelled Hayato.
Titan stared at Jaden and smirked. Hayato stared at his roommate, hearing a few, weak sounds from her. Growing concerned like Shou, he yelled at her again.
"Jaden, pull yourself together!" yelled Hayato.
"Aniki!" yelled Shou.
No response from their female roommate. Titan laughed.
"So, fallen into the darkness, have you, Jaden Yuki?" thought Titan. "You're going to cease your bodily functions all on your own and be reduced to a corpse!"
As everyone stared at Jaden, no one noticed that her deck was glowing.
Jaden stayed crouched down, motionless and silent within darkness. Suddenly, a 'kuri kuri' broke the silence as a light fluttered out of her deck and in front of her. She opened her eyes, gasping at the light as it flew around, lighting up the darkness. She stared at the light as it flew over towards Titan. She blinked and looked at herself, finding it easier to breathe.
Jaden lifted her head up and opened her eyes slightly.
"What's this?" she thought. "It's like the trouble I had breathing just went away…"
Eyes opening wider and more alert, Jaden looked at Titan.
"He and I have gone back to normal," thought Jaden.
Jaden stood up and looked at Hayato.
"Hayato, that guy's left arm is gone, right?" she asked.
"No, I think it's the opposite," said Hayato.
Shou looked perplexed.
"Eh?" he said.
"I see!" Jaden said, looking at Titan as she grinned. "So, that's it, huh?"
Hayato and Shou looked at each other, both confused. Jaden reached for her deck and drew a card.
"My turn!" said Jaden.
Titan was taken aback with Jaden's sudden recovery.
"Impossible," thought Titan. "He's still willing to duel?"
A light flashed on Dark Catapulter's eye (that's what I call it, so deal with it!).
"I activate Dark Catapulter's special ability!" said Jaden. "By removing cards from the Graveyard for each turn this card's been in defense mode…it can destroy the same number of trap and magic cards on the field!"
Jaden's duel disk glowed.
"I'll remove Elemental Hero Avian from my Graveyard…and destroy the Field Magic, Pandemonium!" said Jaden.
Dark Catapulter got out of its defensive stance and aimed the charging sphere of energy at Titan.
"Volley Shoot!" yelled Jaden.
Dark Catapulter shot at Titan, destroying Pandemonium-Demons' Den. With the Field Magic gone, the area Titan and Jaden were in returned back to its original form. Titan scowled and took out the Millennium Puzzle.
"Shit…" cursed Titan. "Take a look at this!"
The Millennium Puzzle began to glow. Jaden grinned.
"I'm making you check the card I removed!" Jaden said as she held her card in between her middle and index finger. "Card throw of doom!" (1)
Hayato and Shou sweat dropped at Jaden's sudden random outburst as she deftly threw it at Titan's Millennium Puzzle. The card hit the center of the puzzle, or the 'eye' and went right through it. Titan cursed.
"Oh, no!" said Titan.
Jaden glared at Titan as her arm and leg returned. She earned relieved looks from Hayato and Shou.
"Aniki's body is back to normal!" said Shou.
Hayato smirked.
"Though, still lacking assets," said Hayato.
Jaden growled, but stopped herself.
"Not now…later," she thought. "It's just like I thought. This guy's Shadow Game is bogus!"
Shou and Hayato looked at Titan as Jaden explained.
"He's probably a magician or something, and we were all trapped under his hypnosis," explained Jaden. "Our bodies looking like they were vanishing weren't real either. That's why we were all seeing mix-matched."
Jaden grinned and pointed at Titan.
"There's probably a trick in that coat or that roulette of his!" she said.
Titan scowled.
"What utter nonsense!" said Titan. "I really play Shadow Games!"
"Then, you'll know this one for sure!" said Jaden. "The Millennium Item you have… How many of them are there?"
Titan looked at the Millennium Puzzle in his hand.
"You mean, the number of Millennium Items?" asked Titan.
Jaden blinked and sighed.
"Nah, your cards," Jaden said sarcastically. "Of course the number of Millennium Items! Answer me!"
"It's…s-seven," Titan answered, stuttering a bit.
Jaden's grin ceased, Titan's answer was correct. Titan smirked.
"Seven," said Titan.
Hayato looked at Titan.
"He's right," said Hayato.
Titan laughed.
"Well?" said Titan. "Do you get it now? I am a genuine player of the Shadow Games."
Titan held up the Millennium Puzzle.
"I am one of the holders of the seven Millennium Puzzles existing in the world!" said Titan.
Hayato and Shou gasped, looking at each other. Jaden smirked and made a buzzer-like sound.
"That's too bad," said Jaden.
Titan looked perplexed as Jaden grinned.
"You're right in there being seven Millennium Items, but that doesn't mean there's seven Millennium Puzzles!" Jaden said, remembering what she learned at the museum and of course, the drawings she saw on the abandoned dorm's walls. "Once again…the only time I find things I learned at a museum useful is when I'm doing things Dad won't approve of…heh."
Jaden looked at Titan's shocked face and tightened her fist.
"You've dug your own grave!" said Jaden. "You've confessed that you're a cheating scumbag! Someone should've done their research on Millennium Items before going around playing faux Shadow Games!"
Titan scowled.
"Since my trick won't work, it'd be pointless to keep dueling you!" Titan said, throwing the Millennium Puzzle on the ground.
The Millennium Puzzle came in contact with the ground, creating a small explosion as it was destroyed. With smoke coming out of the fake puzzle, Titan decided this was the best time to get away and started walking.
"I knew that Millennium Puzzle was fake!" Jaden said, running towards Titan. "Hold it!"
As Jaden ran towards Titan, she failed to notice the statues surrounding the area light up until their lights were focused together on the same spot in the center of the field. Jaden slid to a stop, wondering what the hell that was.
"W-What's this?" yelled Jaden.
Titan stopped in his tracks and looked back, gasping as he saw a huge eye-shaped insignia light up underneath Jaden. Jaden stared at the light she was standing on, her eyes widening when black smoke began to swirl into the center of the field.
"W-What's this?" said Shou.
The ground began to quake, startling Titan and Jaden as the black smoke enveloped them both. The smoke dragged them into the center as it began to turn into a huge sphere of black darkness with crackling electricity. Shou's eyes widened.
"Aniki!" yelled Shou.
Within the darkness,
Jaden's breath hitched as she looked at her surroundings. Titan was shocked.
"W-What's this?" exclaimed Titan.
Jaden turned her head at Titan.
"Y'know, I actually like to know that myself!" said Jaden. "But I ain't getting answers! Why won't you give up?"
Titan looked at Jaden, shocked.
"No!" said Titan. "I haven't done anything!"
Jaden blinked, having heard something. She turned and gasped.
"What the hell is that?" exclaimed Jaden.
Jaden was referring to the ink-like blobs that were falling from above piling onto each other. The blobs went after Titan and started to surround him, freaking the 'supposed' Shadow Duelist out.
"S-S-S-Stay back!" yelled Titan. "Help me!"
Jaden watched as blobs went into Titan's mouth.
"Hey!" said Jaden.
Jaden blinked and looked down, her eyes widening as she noticed the blobs were surrounding her. As they neared her, a 'kuri kuri' caught her attention. Looking at her deck, a brown furball squeezed his way out of Jaden's duel disk until he was out and standing on the cards in her hand. Jaden blinked as the furball stared at her with his big eyes, stretching out his wings a bit.
"Kuri kuri!" he said.
Jaden stared at the furball and resisted the urge to squeal. It was not like her to squeal and like hell would she start doing that at a moment so serious like this.
"Winged Kuriboh?" said Jaden.
Jaden blinked and remembered the light that helped her out earlier. She put two and two together and came to a conclusion what the light was.
"I get it!" said Jaden. "So, you're the one who saved me earlier?"
Wing Kuriboh bounced once as he said, "Kuri kuri!"
Jaden took that as a yes and Winged Kuriboh jumped off her deck, flying down by the blobs. Winged Kuriboh let out an aggressive 'kuri kuri' and the blobs immediately fled. Jaden blinked.
"These things are afraid of Winged Kuriboh?" asked Jaden.
The blobs in Titan's mouth quickly made their way in as the rest of the blobs were sucked in with them. Jaden heard Titan's distressed voice and turned, blinking as she saw Titan standing up.
"H-Hey!" said Jaden. "Are you okay?"
Titan turned his head to Jaden, shocking her with the sight of his red, glowing eyes.
"Well, Jaden Yuki…why don't we carry on with the duel?" asked Titan. "With a real Shadow Game…"
Jaden, still being stubborn and a nonbeliever, tightened her fist. Winged Kuriboh, trying to ignore the fact that his partner was too stubborn for her own good and a nonbeliever when he was trying to protect her, glared at Titan.
"You're still talking about that Shadow Game stuff?" snapped Jaden. "For starters, weren't you just trying to run away?"
"As soon as a Shadow Game is activated, there's no escaping from here until the duel has an outcome," said Titan.
Titan's monsters returned to his side of the field.
"If that's your motivation, I'll follow along!" said Jaden. "It's still my turn…I activate Monster Reincarnation! I'll discard a card in my hand to add a monster card in the Graveyard to my hand!"
After Jaden did was she was explaining, she summoned Sparkman in defense mode and ended her turn.
DEF 1400
A/N Okay, I was just gonna speed this duel up since I'm sure a lot of you are bored! However, for those of you who want this duel to continue…damn you, now I have to type it cuz I don't want complaints!
"It's my turn," said Titan. "Draw."
Jaden, having been dreading the effect of a certain field spell, decided to point this out now that it was gone.
"Pandemonium's effect is gone!" said Jaden. "That means the 500-point cost to keep Skull Demon out occurs!"
Titan:
LP
1400
Titan seemed to growl angrily at Jaden, but she ignored it.
"Skull Demon, attack Dark Catapulter!" said Titan. "Furious! Imperial Shock!"
Skull Demon shot its electrical beam at Dark Catapulter, destroying it. Jaden shielded herself as the aftermath of the attack created a somewhat forceful current of air. This surprised the gender-mistaken girl.
"He's completely different than he was just a little while ago!" said Jaden.
As much as Winged Kuriboh wanted to point out why Titan was different, he just stayed silent.
"Kuri kuri…(2)" he muttered.
Titan placed one face-down and summoned Death-Rook Demon in attack mode, finishing his turn.
ATK 1100
Winged Kuriboh, despite resenting his partner for her stubbornness, he was still loyal to her and turned to her.
"Kuri kuri!" said Winged Kuriboh.
Jaden blinked, completely understanding what her partner just said.
"'You've gotta win'?" repeated Jaden. "Of course: that's the plan! My turn! I switch Sparkman to attack mode!"
Sparkman switched his defensive position to offense.
ATK 1600
"Then, I'll equip him with Spark Gun!" Jaden said, playing the Equip Spell card.
A/N Ha! Take that 4kids and your Spark Blaster—damn, it sounds cooler than gun, but it doesn't have the word gun and it's pink! Ugh…hate your censorship and edits as well as BLOCKING deaths…look what you did to Dark Magician Girl (and the rest of the cards) and the moment between Priest Seto and Kisara…and a lot of other good moments!
A gun appeared in Sparkman's right hand as Jaden explained the use of the card.
"This card changes the battle mode…you know what?" said Jaden. "Screw the explanation! I'll just show you!"
"If you change Skull Demon's battle mode, its DEF is 1200," Titan said as the roulette appeared from the ground. "You could indeed destroy it, but I wonder if your effect will just slip by in the end."
Jaden crossed her arms.
"Who said I was going to attack Skull Demon?" asked Jaden. "My target's Death-Rook Demon! Go, Sparkman! Spark Flash!"
Sparkman aimed his left hand at Death-Rook Demon and shot an electrical beam at it, destroying it.
Titan:
LP
900
"Then, Spark Gun's special ability activates!" said Jaden. "I'll switch Sparkman to defense mode!"
Sparkman aimed his gun down and pulled the trigger, switching from his offensive stance to his defensive one.
DEF 1400
"I see now…you're using it to protect yourself, huh?" said Titan. "During your end face, I activate the trap card, Blood Marks! And now, it's my turn. At this moment, due to the effect of the permanent trap, Blood Marks…"
Jaden mentally cursed at the word 'permanent'.
"Why did it have to be a trap?" thought Jaden.
"The 500-point cost to keep Skull Demon out is pulled from both of our life points!" said Titan.
Titan:
LP
400
Jaden:
LP
100
Jaden clenched her teeth.
"My life's down to just 100…" said Jaden.
Unbeknownst to Jaden, the blobs were nearing the brunette again. Thankfully, Winged Kuriboh spotted this and shooed them away.
"Kuri kuri!" yelled Winged Kuriboh.
Jaden blinked and looked down at her partner, smiling at him.
"Don't worry, Winged Kuriboh!" reassured Jaden. "It doesn't mean I've given up yet!"
"Skull Demon, attack Sparkman!" said Titan. "Furious! Imperial Shock!"
Skull Demon shot out an electrical beam from its mouth aimed at Sparkman. Sparkman was destroyed from the attack as Titan placed a face-down and activated the magic card, Double Magic.
"By discarding a magic card from my hand, I can use one magic card in my opponent's Graveyard," explained Titan. "And the card I'm using from your Graveyard is Emergency Provisions."
One destroyed face-down plus 1000 life points gained later…
Titan:
LP
1400
Titan looked at Jaden and noticed her empty hand.
"You have no cards in your hand," said Titan. "Next turn, unless you defeat Skull Demon, Blood Marks' effect will reduce your life to 0. Your soul will be an offering to these demonic creatures."
By demonic creatures, Titan was referring to the ink-like blobs that were about ready to surround Jaden. Winged Kuriboh lowered himself to ward off the blobs away from Jaden.
"Kuri kuri!" said Winged Kuriboh.
Jaden was nervous and she had a good reason to be.
"Yeah, I know that this match is all riding on this very draw!" Jaden said as she reached for her deck. "My turn! Draw!"
Jaden drew a card and looked at it, relieved after seeing who it was.
"I special-summon Elemental Hero Bubbleman!" said Jaden.
A blue-clad man with a white cape appeared on Jaden's side of the field.
ATK 800
Jaden had her hand on her deck as she explained her reason for special summoning it.
"When this card is the only one in my hand, I can special summon it to the field!" said Jaden. "Then, when it's summoned successfully while there aren't any cards on my field, I can draw two cards from my deck!"
Jaden drew two cards and looked at them, smiling as they were of good use to her (and life-savers as well had she believed in Shadow Games).
"Then, I activate the Magic card, Bubble Shuffle!" said Jaden. "It switches Bubbleman and one of my opponent's monsters to defense mode…and, by offering Bubbleman as a sacrifice, I can summon an 'Elemental Hero' in my hand!"
"But Skull Demon's special ability, it counter-effect, activates," said Titan. "If the Roulette lands on 1, 3, or 6 (3), it will negate the effect and destroy it!"
The Destiny Roulette began to move its flame in a clockwise motion. Jaden stared at it anxiously.
"The odds are 1-in-2…" said Jaden. "Luck, don't fail me now!"
The flame on the Roulette came to a halt…on 2. Titan gritted his teeth.
"What?" thought Titan.
Bubbleman took his defensive position.
DEF 1200
"Looks like your luck's run out!" said Jaden.
Skull Demon was switched from his attack to defense mode.
DEF 1200
Jaden played the card in her hand.
"Come forth, Elemental Hero Edgeman!" said Jaden.
Bubbleman was replaced with a golden-armored clad Elemental Hero.
ATK 2600
"When Edgeman attacks a defending monster, he can inflict damage to the opposing player…equal to the amount it exceeded over his DEF!" said Jaden. "Go, Edgeman! Power-Edge Attack!"
Edgeman held out his arms, both which had blades extending out of them. He then charged at Skull Demon, destroying it. Titan shielded himself from the explosion the destruction of Skull Demon caused.
Titan:
LP
0
White smoke emanated from Titan as the blobs began to pile on him.
"W-What are you doing?" yelled Titan. "Impossible! Are you telling me Shadow Games really exist?"
Jaden, still believing it to be fake, stared in awe.
"Wow, awesome!" Jaden said, turning to Winged Kuriboh. "What in the world is happening?"
Winged Kuriboh turned around, giving a 'kuri kuri' as Jaden continued to stare at the blobs.
"Awesome…" said Jaden.
Winged Kuriboh turned away from an opening behind him that shone brightly.
"Kuri kuri," said Winged Kuriboh.
Jaden blinked and turned her head as Winged Kuriboh flew over to her side.
"'Go that way'?" asked Jaden.
Winged Kuriboh motioned at the shining opening. Jaden nodded and started running towards it.
"Got it!" said Jaden. "So, that's our exit!"
Few moments later,
Winged Kuriboh crawled out of the opening in the sphere of darkness. He looked at the opening as Jaden tumbled out of it and onto the ground, landing hard on her tailbone. She rubbed her backside as she heard a familiar voice call out to her and turned, seeing Shou and Hayato run towards her.
"Aniki!" Shou yelled.
"Jaden!" yelled Hayato.
Jaden smiled at them.
"Are you guys all right?" she asked.
"Kuri kuri!" said Winged Kuriboh.
Hayato blinked as he heard a sound, but didn't know where it came from.
"That voice just now…" Hayato said as the sphere of darkness began to shrink.
Hayato turned around, feeling ominous, and gasped as he saw the sphere of darkness. It began to crackle violently with energy as it shrunk. Hayato grabbed Shou and threw himself (along with Shou) onto the ground.
"Hit the ground!" said Hayato.
Shou yelped as he came in contact with the ground. Hayato shielded Shou as Jaden hit the ground. Jaden glanced at the shrinking sphere before lowering her head onto the ground as she shielded herself with her arms. Hayato shielded himself with his free arm as he, Jaden, and Shou yelled as the shrinking sphere created a forceful current of air.
Asuka, still unconscious, was still inside the coffin, which was now open. The forceful airstream caused the coffin to tilt and fall down.
THUD!
Jaden looked up carefully and spotted the coffin with Asuka. The airstream pulled the coffin closer to Jaden, Hayato, and Shou.
"Asuka!" exclaimed Jaden.
Jaden knelt up, closing her eyes as the airstream became strong. The sphere soon disappeared as did the airstream. A loud 'POP' followed by a small shower of yellow confetti caught Jaden's attention. She stood up and turned around, clapping as she stared in awe at the sight.
"Ooh!" said Jaden. "I don't even know how he did this trick!"
Hayato stared at where the sphere once was, perplexed.
"I thought I heard a Duel Monster's voice just a second ago…" thought Hayato.
Shou looked around, noticing Titan's absence.
"Aniki, where did that guy go?" asked Shou.
Jaden turned and smiled at Shou.
"When he lost the duel, he high-tailed it out of here," Jaden answered, closing her eye and placing her hand on her head as she thought about the recent events. "Speaking of which, even though his last roulette was off, I really couldn't figure out that other trick, either…"
Jaden scratched her head thoughtfully and sighed.
~later in the dorm~
Professor Chronos walked down a hall, lighting up his path with a flashlight.
"Jaden Yuki should be smashed to bits by now," Professor Chronos said to himself, laughing.
The blonde-haired professor entered a room and looked around, finding it empty.
"There is no one here," he said. "I bet that scoundrel failed me-no ne!"
Shining his flashlight around, Professor Chronos stopped on one spot, finding a card on the floor. He knelt down and picked it up, reading what it said after using his flashlight.
"'Bill of Receipt for Sir Chronos de Medici'," Professor Chronos read, turning around and beginning to walk out. "I haven't paid, but I should take this with me. All'arrabbiata…"
~meanwhile in the forest~
Asuka, leaning against a tree stump, opened her eyes slowly, regaining consciousness as she heard birds twittering about. She lifted her head and came face-to-face with Jaden. Jaden smiled at Asuka.
"Oh, so you've come to?" said Jaden.
Asuka, now alert, looked around, spotting Hayato and Shou.
"What are you guys doing here?" she asked.
Jaden, feeling slightly guilty for what had happened, frowned as she apologized.
"We're sorry that you were given such a hard time, but don't worry about it!" said Jaden. "Oh yeah…sorry about snapping at you earlier…"
Asuka blinked and smiled.
"It's okay," said Asuka.
Jaden sighed and rubbed the back of her head.
"Asuka, the guy who assaulted you already ran away," said Jaden.
Asuka gasped.
"Then, you guys…" said Asuka.
Jaden reached into her pocket, taking out a card as Hayato handed her a frame. Jaden held out the card to Asuka, the Obelisk Blue taking it.
"Here…and here…" Jaden said, holding out a somewhat small rectangular frame.
Asuka took the picture and turned it around, her eyes widening and sparkling a bit in joy. She held the frame with both hands as she stared at the photo.
"Nii-san!" exclaimed Asuka. "It's unmistakable! This is Nii-san's signature!"
Asuka, sensing the perplexed stares from her friends, decided to explain.
"My brother always wrote the 'Ten' in 'Tenjoin' like this as a play on words," she said.
Jaden smiled.
"Sorry, but these were the only clues we could find," Jaden said as she started to rub the back of her head. "After hearing about your brother, I thought, 'I wonder if I could help her out a little bit.'"
Asuka held the photo closely as she stared at Jaden.
"Then, that's why you purposely…?" said Asuka.
The sun began to rise as a rooster began to crow. Jaden stood up quickly, anxious that it was already morning.
"Crap!" said Jaden. "Hey, let's get back before everyone wakes up!"
Hayato and Shou stood up. Both male Osiris Reds looked at Asuka as their roommate turned to do likewise.
"Asuka-san," said Shou.
"Well, then," said Hayato.
Asuka started to get up from the ground as Jaden yawned from lack of sleep. Rubbing her eyes, Jaden looked at Asuka and waved at her.
"See you around," said Jaden.
Asuka watched the Osiris Red trio run off as they rushed towards their dorm.
"Jaden Yuki…" Asuka thought, looking at the photo of her brother as she grinned. "You busybody…"
A/N End of chapter and yeah, like I said! Yesterday or today, and I've kept my word! Well, I'm going to say this now before I forget. I'm going to start skipping duels unless they're either important or of my preferences. Anyways, remember I accept no flames, constructive criticism is always welcomed and I don't expect a lot of reviews, so yeah…
(1) THAT quote is actually a joke owned by Wraith10 on YouTube, who, in my opinion, makes the BEST Yu-Gi-Oh 5D's Abridged Series….yeah, I don't own it. I just couldn't resist it…I would say why, but I'm just going to say just watch Yu-Gi-Oh GX Abridged by, may he rest in peace, Raymscreator and you'll see why in the Shadow Duelist episode.
(2) Translation: "Why did I have to get the stubborn one?"
(3) I actually almost made a mistake, had I not been on the Yu-Gi-Oh wiki and looking up cards used in this episode. I mean, it wasn't me, but it was the subs on the episode I was watching so yeah…
That's about it!