Stardust Shimmer
Fifteen: Deal of Phantom
A voice was whispering next to her. "Nee Chan, Nee Chan..."
Desperately controlling her breathing, Seika glanced at the crying little girl beside herself, both of them tied to some contraption. The little girl had her red hair in pigtails, and her face was dotted in freckles, but she was definitely carrying Asian features. "Do you understand me?"
The red-haired girl nodded, tears still running down her face. "Y- Yes! Who are you?"
"Kannazuki Seika," she responded, desperately tugging at her bonds discreetly. In her mind, Setsu-chan was speaking, in the calm, commanding tone that meant that Martha was about to lose an argument with the icy girl. If you are caught, do not open your eyes yet. Listen, and try to peek. Make the bad people think you are unconscious for as long as possible. "What is your name? Is that red hair natural? Is anyone there?"
"I'm Himemiya Uzuki," the red-haired girl quickly answered, giggling despite her tears. "Yes, the hair is natural. No one is here, not even the scary lady. Have you seen Nee Chan? I haven't seen Nee Chan... the bad lady is going to make Nee Chan hurt people again-"
"Setsu-chan will find us," Seika firmly answered, struggling more firmly against her bonds. "She will."
"But... Nee Chan is with those horrible people because of me, and I can't do anything!" Uzuki shook her head. "How do you know that this Setsu will?"
"Setsuka Chan is strong!" Seika insisted, still struggling. If you're really stuck, a bit of lubrication will help. If you're bleeding, use some of that.
Seika suddenly giggled to herself, think that it would be a very Setsuka thought.
"Good morning, little nexus," a feminine voice that sounded all wrong, all empty, whispered. "Time for a rude awakening."
Uzuki's fearful whimpers could be heard as Seika opened her eyes fully to meet blue ones. The lady's expression was like O Jii-chan when he never slept for three days, sunken and bloodshot, and the blonde hair was slightly messed but otherwise fine. The lady also held some device in her hand that had many buttons, and as Seika looked at the wire trailing from the box to the ground and to somewhere around her person, the little girl had a sinking feeling that, somehow, something was very not right here.
"T- That's the scary lady..." Uzuki whimpered, rattling the bonds that held them.
"Be quiet," the lady snarled, no longer beautiful but definitely cruel. "You're only here because your sister needs some incentive. Once she's done the both of you will be sacrifices to Sephylon."
"Don't touch her!" Seika defended, despite that she was ten years old, a child, and facing a definitely deranged adult.
"Still so brave, little nexus?" the lady now smirked, holding up the box. "Do you know what you're attached to?" A quick press of a button, and Seika heard whirring and rotations and... and...
In the faint darkness by the edges of the light around them, something roared.
As glass shattered around her, and as the walls shook, Seika began to scream.
"Flash to Bats," the Scarlet Speedster muttered into a comm-piece. "Hello?"
"Flash," the Batman's gravelly voice cut in. "I'm heading towards the scene of a disturbance. Keep watch over the stadium."
The Flash masked a yawn. "Look, GL is over here, and so am I, and much as I appreciate getting to watch a tournament on League time, it kinda feels wrong for Gotham. No offence, Bats, but your city's supposed to be where the lunatics are."
"Eatos has told me that the most likely scenario would be a hostage taking," the Batman hissed in reply. "Keep your eyes peeled."
"We now enter the consolation match of the Junior-Singles WRGP!" the announcer was calling. "This match will be between these two brave lads here! Presenting, Reginald Mackenzie!"
"Oh, chill, Bats," the speedster laughed as the announcer called for Glen Powers. "What could happen?"
"Joker attacks," the vigilante listed. "All manner of attacks. And that's only from inside."
"Attack!" Reginald's voice echoed in the wake of the white blast.
"That's our cue," John Stewart stood, clearly apprehensive. "Flash! Evacuate!"
"What?" Flash yelped as he switched his attention to the smoking stadium. At the same time, the rollers over the entrances rolled shut, effectively trapping the entire stadium within the open building.
"No one move!" lightning truly lashed out from the grinning visage of Glen Powers. "This is a stick-up!"
"Come on, kids?" Flash whined as he appeared before the stadium. "And here I was thinking that villains couldn't get any younger. I think Bats wouldn't mind if I talked to you guys for a while."
"Flash!" Glen's eyes lit up before they turned downcast. "Oh, Flash."
"I summon Victoria!" the blond boy reacted faster, and Flash found himself facing a staff wielded by a blonde woman in stately golden robes. "Get him!"
Light shone and green clashed with gold as the Lantern conjured a shield between the Flash and the boy, Reginald. "Next time, shut up!" Lantern bellowed as he held up the shield.
"You've still got me to handle!" Glen pulled his own hand. "Watthydra, summon!"
"Crap!" the speedster was running as electricity hit him, or nearly did. "Hey, Bats, I take that back!"
"Open the rollers and evacuate the civilians," the Batman growled in return. "I'm going to handle the other side. Call for League intervention if necessary." A click sounded.
"Did Bats just give us an invite to flood the League into Gotham?" the Flash yelped in clear disbelief. "He must be really desperate, or this... is serious."
"Watch out, you idiot!" the green light formed a barrier around the electric sparks before dying out once the current abated.
"Wattgiraffe, go!" the blue and yellow giraffe hit the Lantern behind the head.
"What gives-" he was unable to respond as the electric hydra wrapped a neck around him and fairly crackled with electricity. "AAAAHHHHH!"
"GL!" the Flash yelped, vaulting over the giraffe.
"Athena!" Reginald fairly commanded. A white blast of light impacted on the speedster as the Lantern was flung away by the hydra.
"Calling Watchtower!" John lifted a hand weakly. "Come to Gotham, now!"
"Lantern," J'onn's voice broke in. "Gotham is-"
"We got the okay from Batman!" Lantern ran away as another animal crackled with electricity around Glen. "Hurry! And get Superman, we're dealing with rogue Duel Monsters!"
"Understood."
"They... Watt monsters!" Flash yelped as he ran from a electric pheasant. "Careful not to get hit!"
"What happens if we do?" the Lantern vaulted away from the crowd and the hydra towards the field.
"Depends!" the Flash retorted as he dodged a spear from the monster called Athena.
"Ride of the Valkyries!" Wagner began to play out as female warriors astride white horses charged down with swords blazing. The Greek goddess blazed like a flare, cracks appearing in the cement from her sheer power.
"What?" Lantern was felled by a Valkyrie with bubblegum-pink hair. "Flash!"
"Crap!" Flash dodged the blue-haired Valkyrie. "I don't know these guys!"
"My beautiful maidens of Valhalla, it is time to leave them no escape," Reginald smirked as he placed a card down. "Mischief of the Time Goddess!"
As Superman and a horde of heroes shimmered into the Gotham Stadium, they found themselves facing a horde of charging Valkyries.
Black boots lightly thudded on the floor of the ruined restaurant as the Batman shifted in the shadows unseen, his lip curling at the ruins.
Fire Princess, Eatos murmured as he examined a huge burn in the wall.
"You're late," Setsuka Shimotsuki carried herself high despite her young age. "Professor, we need to get to where the Mini Momentum is stored."
Beside her, Yusei Fudo shoo his head. "It's assembled at the Wayne Enterprises building... I wasn't due to show it until tomorrow..."
"Excellent, you're coming along," Setsuka indicated to the manservant. "Izayoi Sensei, I'll have to borrow your son for a while. Nakamura San, has the arrangements been made?"
"They're Duel Monsters holding an entire stadium hostage," Batman growled. "Doubtless, you have a way of getting rid of them."
"Knock out Reginald and Glen, that would solve the problem," Setsuka airily replied, clicking open a phone. "Winter here. Wednesday, Thursday, Laufeyson. Savage Colosseum hostage, target is Reginald Mackenzie and Glen Powers. Expect Hero's Guild, keep low cover." She hung up immediately after, dialling a new series of numbers.
"Tyranno, Cyber Dark. Yes, the agenda's been pulled up. Hero's on his way here? Tell him to step on it. No, I don't care that he's in an air-plane, that hasn't quite stopped him, has it?"
She hung up again, before breaking her phone into two halves. "Is our ride here?"
"The roads to the Wayne Enterprises are surprisingly held up," Nakamura diplomatically answered. "The best course would be running, Missy."
"What are you doing?" the Batman growled. "I don't need you help in my city."
"I wouldn't come to your city if they didn't come here," Setsuka shot back, walking out of the restaurant to eye the two D-Wheels parked. "Hmph."
"You're a child," the Bat growled.
"I'm an exceptional one," Setsuka answered, scanning the skies before shaking her head. "Seika is kidnapped. I promised to watch her. I'm keeping that promise. You can either help me get to Wayne Enterprises in the shortest time possible, or you can just stay here and I figure out a way to contact Raiho."
"I'm coming as well," Ryuusei grimly said, as Yusei headed to the parked D-Wheel nearby.
Setsuka glanced for a few moments. "Fine."
"Setsuka," the Bat's voice was soft despite its rough tone. "You don't need to carry out this revenge."
Nakamura nodded towards his own D-Wheel, outfitted with side-car. "Perhaps..."
Setsuka eyed the side-car doubtfully as she leapt into it. "Very well."
"Be safe!" Aki called with a worried expression as the D-Wheels' engines roared.
"Why am I escorting two minors to a potentially dangerous place and so exposing myself to child endangerment lawsuits?" Yusei asked Setsuka.
"Because you know that I will do this regardless of your opinion," Setsuka replied. "So you might as well follow anyway."
The professor sighed. "In the interest of many people, I will overlook this disrespect. You'll account to Martha when we're finished."
"Suit yourself," Setsuka shrugged as the motorcycles peeled out of the driveway, leaving the Caped Crusader with the ruins of a Gotham diner.
"They're always like that," Aki murmured as she watched the Go disappear. "Even Setsuka." When she turned around, the Dark Knight was gone.
Barely three days meeting with Setsuka, the Batman had already formed a few conclusions concerning his distant niece. She was precocious. Headstrong. And, if Diana Hunter was any indication, going to be beautiful.
A dangerous combination.
"Batman to the Cave," the Dark Knight muttered as he flitted over the roofs of Gotham approaching twilight. "Nightwing, Robin, Batgirl. Meet me at Wayne Enterprises."
"B?" Barbara's voice broke in. "What's going-?"
"Now!" the Bat-mobile parked itself below him as he dropped into it. "They're breaking into the building!"
"Who?" Dick broke in as the Bat-mobile tore asphalt up on its road rage.
"The Elysium Circle," the Batman growled. "You know."
"You mean-?"
"They're here," Wayne Enterprises loomed before the Bat-mobile, and two different motorcycles, each bearing a glowing plate that Batman would bet was a Solid Vision plate. Better known, as the DuelDisk. True enough, claws and fangs descended upon the Bat-mobile as the dark car swerved and tried to continue before it got stuck, somehow incapable of movement.
Not to be deterred, the Bat unleashed a coded command on the dashboard computer, the overhead hatch opening to launch him out and towards the Wayne Enterprises building. At the same time, the distinctive red D-Wheel and the other one with the side-car screeched to the same stretch of road, the red D-Wheel making a fantastic leap over the horde of monsters swarming the Bat-mobile as the other opted for a more practical approach of running over one of the enemy D-Wheels. Both parallel-parked before Wayne Enterprises as the Bat executed a flip to land before the stately building.
Ryuusei and Yusei clapped perfunctorily. "Excellent leap." Yusei nodded, still stone-faced. "We should hurry."
"There is no we," Batman growled.
The professor remained unflappable. "I am the only man who can safely deactivate the Mini Momentum. Setsuka and Ryuusei are Psychic Duellists, and Nakamura San is..."
"I will defend the way," the stoic butler nodded at the two who were menacingly wandering over.
"There's no choice," Yusei shrugged. "I can't stop her."
"My lady," Despite his long hair, there was not a hair out of place as the General Raiho landed perfectly, bowing before Setsuka. "I have followed the Lady Seika into that building, but I fear that I was unable to further continue. The security behind its facade is extremely tight."
"They'd have taken over the cameras," Setsuka rolled her eyes. "And a basic layout?"
"The Research and Development is at the foundations," Yusei pointed. "I remember setting up the Mini Momentum there. It is extremely deep down."
"In that case, all that remains is to walk in," Setsuka pointed. "Nakamura San, guard the way."
"Shall we?" Ryuusei grimaced. "Papa..."
"I'm more worried about you," Yusei shook his head. "And... I get the feeling I've forgotten someone."
Batman was about to open his mouth to argue when the glass before the building shattered all at once.
A high, piercing scream, of some voice that sounded so inhuman yet awakened every instinct rattled at steel and glass and concrete as cracks formed in the cement below their feet. Sparks from camera fixtures danced from where, for one single, inexorable moment...
the world held its breath as everything...
levitated-
and, like as fast as it came, it was gone.
"Seika!" True panic overcame the little girl's expression. "Raiho, come!"
"Yes, my lady," the general bowed towards the shattered entrance. "Shall we? I daresay that they are expecting us already."
"Very well."
The group walked in, a motley assortment bent on retrieving who they came for.
"Where... do... they... get so many?" Wildcat yelled as he pummelled a electric pheasant to the ground.
Behind him, a group of Valkyries led a charge against Hawkgirl and Stargirl. Supergirl herself was struggling to get to Reginald, who was shielded by the Athena monster as the Greek goddess defended its charge with a sharp spear, that, judging from the long scratch, managed to cut her skin and had the potential to hurt even a Super.
"Scratch that, the fact that we're in Gotham for League business means that this is serious," Supergirl wasn't even smiling as her heat vision bounced off the Aegis shield borne by the Athena there. Steel had managed to crack open an entrance and now the spectators was being evacuated.
"No!" Reginald spotted, slapping a card down on his DuelDisk.
Plain grey concrete shimmered to white marble, the hole was gone, and Reginald strained as the Valkyries assembled by him. "Take them! Hurry!"
"Wattchimera, summon!" Glen cackled, before blinking. "Wait, what's that... sound...?"
The other heroes froze momentarily. Supergirl blinked. "A... harmonica?"
"Polar Star Spirit Mara, summon!" a red-haired grinning trickster appeared with a black grinning spectre floating nearby. "It's... them! And... a death god...?"
Abruptly, the harmonica stopped. "What..." the player breathed. "Are you doing...?"
Long wavy white hair whipped in the winds as he stared down at them, a devil-may-care look in his eyes as he gazed down at the stadium. "Tainting the Duel like this... cannot be forgiven."
"Damn Kiryu..." A man with a mop of orange hair stood, a plate-like device attached to his arm. "We could've launched a surprise attack, but noooo, Kiryu had to play the cowboy..."
"As the King... I cannot allow this transgression on the Duel field pass!" a tall blond man in a white racing suit growled, cracking his knuckles. "Both brats... come at us!"
Reginald twitched. "Tag-team Duel, against you?"
"What's that guy doing?" Steel muttered to Supergirl.
"A challenge...?" Flash whispered. "From the King, Jack? This is... awesome!"
"Don't get a swelled head," the man named Kiryu whispered, as both he and the blond leapt down the stands to land on the Duelling track. "But, I won't allow the likes of you to taint the Duel. Two on two battle royale. I bet I'll win first."
"In your dreams," Jack snorted, pulling his own Disk.
"What are you lunatics doing?" John yelled as he floated down to the ground. "Get out of-"
He stopped as Crow tapped his shoulder. As he turned around, the former Marine saw the orange-haired Japanese man wink and discreetly point to the stadium entrances, where a sizeable hole had been breached and the spectators were now trickling out of the stadium, the boys oblivious to the disappearing civilians.
"Oh," was all he said.
"Duel!" the four Duellists yelled together, ignoring the escaping spectators. Distracted by the two opponents before them, the heroes, the three holders of the Rune Eye and Crow worked to evacuate the spectators and attempt to avoid detection.
It was... one unique mission, so to speak.
"Kidnappings?" Batman echoed as the group strode through the hallways of Wayne Enterprises.
"First the children were initially returned unharmed, hence the police thought nothing of it," Setsuka spoke quickly as they meandered through, moving lower below ground towards the reinforced steel elevator. "A while passed before we then realised that one of those children had disappeared permanently. A few days later, her sister followed her. The missing girl was a charge under the Arcadia Movement, hence my further involvement in this matter."
"I've never heard of it..." Yusei whispered, carrying a truly regretful expression.
"She lives in Metropolis, of course you wouldn't," Setsuka answered, as gently as it was possible for the little mistress of ice. "Meta or not, children disappear everyday. If I weren't involved... if I didn't suspect... they would have been another missing statistic."
They turned a corner, the lights flickering on to bathe the area in harsh white light. At the end of the corridor, a single tiny figure the size of a child was slumped, clothings neat if slightly wrinkled and long red hair carelessly piled up upon her head. The figure was slumped on the ground, supported by both knees and an arm, a crimson red DuelDisk on the other arm.
"I found you," Setsuka spoke in Japanese, rapid and curt. "Do you remember me?"
"Y- You..." the figure looked up, brown eyes clear through red locks trailing down. "Ice... princess... don't come near!"
Batman stopped where he had been about to approach.
"T- This floor is booby-trapped!" the red-haired girl shouted. "S- She told me, that... that... the DuelDisk is keyed to the traps. We have to duel... If anyone's life drops to zero, the traps will be deactivated... and the electric feedback will be transferred to the loser."
Batman started as comprehension dawned.
"That could kill either of you!" Yusei protested, switching to Japanese. "I'll duel...!"
"Only one of us need duel, correct?" Setsuka prompted. "Work with me, Himemiya Hazuki. I promise to do everything in my power to get both of you to safety. What other conditions are there?"
"S- She said that no tampering is allowed before and after the duel," Hazuki shook her head with some effort. "She... she's watching us through the security, or what's left of it... I can't surrender... she's got Uzuki! She won't let Uzuki go... Shimotsuki San, save Uzuki! Please!"
"I'm the head of the Arcadia Movement, it's my job," Setsuka curtly answered, unlocking her DuelDisk as she spoke again in English. "Batman, once the duel begins get the professor and Ryuusei down. I'm leaving Seika to you."
"...fine," the Dark Knight growled, opening a compartment on the utility belt to extract a roll of tools as he demonstrated his aptitude with Japanese. "Where's the traps?"
"Erm, right, to your left, and the lift door," Hazuki shivered. "The one on the lift door is keyed to the weight of the surrounding area around, I heard... one of them explain to her."
"Himemiya San, it's time to begin," Setsuka grimly murmured. "Are you ready? I will get you and Himemiya Uzuki out, but you have to contribute as well. Do you understand?"
Hazuki Himemiya struggled to her feet, shaking from the exertion. "D- Duel!"
Please review! Stay tuned for the next turn: Cry Havoc! Duel, Acceleration!