His eyes were closed, taking in the softly lit rays of a barely seeable sun, hidden behind the sickly clouds from beyond the horizon. His elbows leaned against the metal railings, with what little flesh he had left taking in the cold surface. Eventually, the cold grew duller and duller, to the point where not even he could notice a single difference. He breathed in the scent of fresh iron, and sighed, unable and unwilling to shove himself away against the reality before him. Slowly, he gripped the railing with both hands, and leaned forward, the silence enveloping him completely. A forlorn smile danced on his lips, as he relayed the precious moments he's spent down on the ground, forgetting the witch's game, if only for a brief moment

He could see Neo Domino in all its tainted glory. There was a restaurant here, a cafe there, with a few hundred boutiques in-between. Hey, the game store; Outlast 2 was coming out soon, wasn't it? And hey, there's the new bakery, the one that opened up around five years ago; people keep saying that it's been around for a while, but to Salem, that was almost never the case. The girls working there were always new, always cute. If he stuck around long enough, they'd usually think he was homeless, and give him some bread so that he'd leave them alone. It was through that simplistic fact that he'd make it a point to go there at least once a week, if only to see some new faces, some pretty, others he'd rather not even touch. He was actually supposed to go there now, to get some muffins, or bagels, whichever was available today.

Salem sighed. But alas, he could not; one of the candidates was going to make a move today, and he'd be absolutely heartbroken if he didn't get to see this. What makes it even more exciting was the fact that this candidate was aiming for that duelist first. Unlike everyone else, they've managed to set apart their own pride, and get the target when they're alone. It was a simple plan, sure enough, though of course, Salem still didn't know how they were going to do it. From the looks of things, a lot of people were going to be here today, so it'd be nearly impossible to find the girl in a crowd like this.

He ran his hand through his hair. Well, either way this was going to be fun.

He saw something in the crowds. He bit the inside of his cheek, and squinted his eyes. It wasn't long before he started chuckling.

The Queens.

And then he laughed.

He laughed and laughed and laughed and laughed, until his sides began hurting.

Seems the Black Rose hadn't lost his thorns after all.

Dark purple balloons lightly floated around the oversized ballroom. Bright, gleaming lights were covered with skull coverings and silk, with fake cobwebs descending down the columns. The light, brown tiles were covered with minuscule eyeballs, and along with it, streams of black and red paper that were thrust playfully into the air by a group children. Though the stalls were still being erected, already the empty silence vibrated excitedly with people who chattered on and on about Dracula, or Frankenstein, or the Wolfman whatever else came into their minds. Gothic art stalls were settled against the tall, nostalgic windows, the sunlight casting a dark, foreboding shade onto the crafts, while monster masks covered the tables with their unsettling smiles. If she stood there, she could practically see the subtly of happiness permeate from those scornful scowls she'd usually see on a daily basis.

Akiza looked around her, arms to her side, as she took in the atmosphere. She hadn't seen either Jaden or Alexis yet, and from the looks of things, everyone was still setting up. From the corner of her eyes, she could see the dark clouds gathering near the horizon, a testament of the loud thunderstorms subtly gathering near. It wasn't long before she looked down at her itinerary, before nodding. Apparently, a horror movie was supposed to show by the time the storm arrives, approximately at around eight or nine. It'd give the fans what they were asking for, and even if it didn't, it was a good way to pull some kind of prank.

"Akiza?" she heard a familiar voice ask.

She froze then, before turning around. Yusei. "Hey," she said, surprised that Yusei, of all people, were here. "What're you doing here?"

He blinked, before a small, friendly smile came on his face. "Alexis invited me. Said I needed a break."

Slowly, she nodded. "Y-yeah, I agree. What about the others?"

Yusei shrugged. "Jack's sleeping, and Crow said he had somewhere he needed to be, so I decided to come alone. The prototype for the engine is almost finished anyways."

"That's a shame," she replied. "You know, Jaden's volunteering here, and Alexis said she was coming. I was planning on meeting up with them."

"I'll go with you then."

She returned his smile, as they began walking around the stalls, some of which have already finished setting up.

It's strange, seeing him like this; the more she looked at him, the more out of place he seemed, especially in a festival this big. Then of course, a lot has happened over the past few days; she felt like this too, after the war with the Dark Signers.

"So," she began awkwardly, as they strolled around the various stalls, "how's the air conditioner…never mind."

He laughed frustratedly. "Fine. I finally got him to go to someone else. If he doesn't come back to me by the end of the month, I'm the luckiest guy in the world."

She chuckled at the memory. "Sorry to hear that."

"You don't sound sorry."

"And you're right," she admitted happily. "What about the guys? Every time I stop by, they're never there."

"Jack and Crow are doing just fine. They still argue a lot."

Her gaze fell. Honestly, the very fact that Jack can't even hold a simple job was just…astonishing. She had no words for his stubbornness; both Crow and Yusei had to work twice as hard just to make ends meet, and what with the WRGP coming up, they've been busier than ever. Though he was a great duelist, in the end, it was his personality that might just cost them. "You know, I hear the bookstore was hiring."

Yusei snickered. "The Master of faster in a bookstore…no."

Akiza pouted. "I'm just trying to help."

"But I've got to admit. It'd be nice to see him slow down once in a while. We can't keep blowing up engines all the time."

She raised an amused eyebrow. "I know I'm not supposed to laugh, but…"

He grinned playfully. "You really are cruel."

Akiza smirked, all the while staring out at the crowds around her. The more time that'd passed, the more people arrived, some in costumes, others in plain clothes, much to the disappointment of the fans. There were characters she recognized, based on every single horror movie Alexis made her sit through, some she didn't, a result of Jaden probably taking away Alexis's precious movies. Akiza couldn't help but manage a small smile, gazing at the artificial darkness shrouding her.

Funny, how innocent they all seemed. No matter what they described themselves as, or how experienced they all were, everyone here bore the same, curious lights in their eyes. Childish lights, lights that were ingrained into her brain, never once bothering to let go of their tempting appearances. Cliques were already starting to form, friends gravitating toward friends, strangers eagerly calling out to other strangers, fans coming together to celebrate what seemed to be the darkest times in their lives. They all looked so at home with one another, never minding what the normals were saying about them; in this world of theirs, within the depths of their own delusional pride, this was the society they all looked toward, the very phase of quiet now swimmingly passing them with ecstasy. Akiza couldn't help but stare at them, as she regarded them all with even eyes.

A world that was theirs and theirs alone, endeavoring to tempt both sweet nightmares and dreams, all the while entwining truth and lies together. Memories upon memories being forsaken, brushing aside the pleasures of the real world, while drowning themselves in their sinful lusts. No one here ever bothered paying any attention to the stares they kept receiving, knowing full well the ridicule they'd receive in doing so, the disgusted glares that enticed the creation of their worlds to begin with. Who else could they drag down with them? Who else was willing to descend to their own, personal hells? Who were they? Friends? Family? Lovers from another time? Who could possibly have fit into their own, personal delusions, the endings abounding within subtle desolation? How long could they keep their beloveds there, as they pretended that there was nothing out of the ordinary here?

Her lips parted slightly, as her eyes traced down to their throats.

A black rose here.

A black rose there.

What was it again? A symbol of vampires? Everything mysterious and horrifying? Beautiful and ugly? Death? Mourning? Anarchy? Courage? Resistance?

Was it the only thing blooming, within a field of bodies?

Just then, she saw one, particular table, a few feet behind Yusei.

Slowly, she reached out, and grabbed his elbow. He turned back, a puzzled frown grazing his lips. "What is it?"

She forced out a tiny giggle, the facade easily coming back to her face. "A fortune telling booth," she explained.

Yusei stole a glance toward it. "What about it?"

"It'd be fun, to get our fortunes told."

He blinked, before shaking his head. "I don't believe in stuff like that."

"I might."

He smirked. "Really?"

She nodded playfully, as she tugged him along with her. She fumbled on with the conversation, all the while turning her attention to the table waiting for them.

Yes, it was a fortune telling table, and a very popular one, from the looks of things. There were already a few people lined up, just for the sheer curiosity of getting their fortune told by a complete phony. Still, they all liked to believe that the person was actually had the power to influence their future, no matter how false their predictions was. In Akiza's opinion, it was a fun little pastime that shouldn't be taken too seriously. If the person receiving their fortunes treated it any differently, they were either desperate, or extremely bored. It wasn't because of this speculation that she came over to the table; at first, she really did think about getting her fortune told.

What interested Akiza, however, was the chessboard resting next to the fortune teller.

The pieces were familiar to her, a testament to the rigorous hours she'd spent playing chess, either with her classmates, or with Sayer, or even with her father. It was a way she'd distract herself from the stresses of life, though of course, she'd sometimes use it to plan strategies in regards to dueling. Sometimes, she'd play by herself, imagining all sorts of fun, dangerous moves her imaginary opponent made against her, while other times, she'd just stare at the king piece for the longest time, pondering on the significance of such a weak piece. Even if the king was captured or killed, wouldn't the monarchy go on without him? If he ceased being competent, then someone else could as easily just replace him, right? It didn't matter what the subordinates thought; that was life, however harsh it may seem.

As she drew closer, she saw both sides, both black. She stopped in front of it, as Yusei strayed behind her, watching the others getting their fortunes told. Her finger hovered over the king piece, when she caught sight of a young girl sitting behind the table.

She had raven hair spilling from her shoulders, with endless black eyes, eyes that wallowed in a pitiful dark. She had incredibly pale skin, so much so that the black, Victorian dress she wore made it shimmer. There was an air of graceless elegance shrouding her. Her hands were neatly placed on her lap, as she returned Akiza's gaze. It took a few moments for the girl to respond. "Can I help you?" she finally asked.

Akiza immediately withdrew her hand, a slight blush splattered across her cheek. "Y-yeah," she managed. Her eyes flickered back down at the chessboard. "Is this yours?"

The girl followed her gaze back to the board, before smiling. "You play?"

"A little."

The girl stretched her arms, as she leaned against the table, a now competitive expression dancing on her once delicate features. "Just so you know, I'm really good at this."

Akiza felt Yusei's eyes boring her back just then. Before long, she heard his footsteps behind her. "I thought you wanted to get your fortune told."

"Something…else," she said. It wasn't long when she looked back up to the girl. She had a black rose too, it seems. Slowly, Akiza fingered her own throat, and asked about the rose.

The girl seemed surprised, before she relaxed. A forced smile came upon her lips, a smile Akiza could easily see past. "It's a new trend," the girl explained. "There's a lot of talk about that hostage crisis. Everyone thought the red roses looked really cute, so they decided to get the collars themselves. People thought black roses would look better, and I guess… it became kind of like a morbid fashion statement?"

"Huh," was all Akiza could say.

"Anyways, you gonna play or what?"

"How?"

"Hmm?"

"Both sides are black, aren't they? How will we know which ones are ours?"

"That's the fun of it," the girl replied happily. "You've got to keep track of your own pieces."

"So if I steal one of your pieces, you'd know?"

The girl's eye twitched. "Of course."

Akiza looked back down at the pieces. From the tiny reflections, she could make out Yusei's curious stare, as he came up to her side. The edges seemed sharper than usual, so much so Akiza couldn't help but dig through her own past, trying to find a place where she'd seen those sharp edges before. She saw everything within the tiny chess piece, and when she stared down at the board, she saw the tiniest traces of residue sitting there, ready and waiting for someone, anyone, to come, and take the poison. And from that same poison, she could make out the young girl sitting in front of her, smiling in anxious determination, as she impatiently waited for Akiza to make the first move.

It was then Akiza smiled.

"Akiza?" she heard Yusei ask.

Akiza shook off Yusei's question, as her eyes settled onto the girl. A world in which delusions would reign, where lies and truth entwined, sounding endlessly within a sinful symphony. A delicate balance between fiction and nonfiction, a place where only her own thoughts would reign, without anyone else's input on the matter. A clique where everyone gravitated towards, and with a common enemy they were all fighting against. Predictable but unforgettable, unpredictable, all the while vanishing within the midst of time.

She wouldn't know what to do, should she find a deviant.

"I'll go then," the girl said, moving the pawn two spaces in front of her king.

Akiza simply shook her head. "Sorry, but I'm not going to play."

The girl flickered her eyes up toward her, a triumphant sneer embedded on her face. "What's wrong?" she taunted. "You scared of losing to a kid?"

"You just don't seem all that trustworthy is all."

"How so?"

Akiza stared down at the board once again. "I can see everyone's reflections, in the middle of the board."

"And?"

"And you were pretty irritated, when I said I might just steal one of your pieces."

"Who wouldn't be?" The girl stated, a bit too defensively. "I mean, that's not really fair, is it?"

"So then why just one color?" Akiza pointed out. "Why not two?"

The girl huffed haughtily, as she folded her arms against her chest. "It's supposed to test how well you know your own pieces. That's it."

"How could they, when two pieces look exactly the same?"

"The position on the board."

"And what if even that isn't enough?" Akiza pressed, causing the girl to fall silent. "What if, just out of a single mistake, you forget who's who? What if, in a single moment of desperation, you start losing track of every pawn around you? Before you know it, you won't know who's a friend, who's a foe. You'll be surrounded by paranoia, with your own emotions eating you alive, your own strategies turning against you. You'll be helpless in your own filth, while you're struggling to find a way to try and, at the very least, regain some control. Just knowing where your pawns stand isn't enough to assert the fact that you're king."

Just then, toward the back, she heard screaming.

Akiza looked over her shoulder, finding crimson petals blossoming within the once innocent atmosphere.

Jaden stared down at the chaos, as he tracked the progress the newest candidate made with their own pawns. The bright flickering of the computer screen did little to assuage his fears, all the while watching the former members swarm the scene. Many of the people were already racing away, trying to get to safety, while others stood frozen in their place, unable to say or do anything that'd give them away. And yet still, there were a few who thought this was all just apart of the festival, and doing everything they could to calm their counterparts down. He couldn't help but laugh at them, though of course, in the end even they will realize this was anything but a game.

He only need switch to the other security cameras to find Alexis, patiently watching as the scene unfolds. Once again, she was in that same, white dress, carrying around the same weapons as she had for the past few days. He made out a small frown on her face, and when she looked over at a camera, that frown turned into a pout. He could see her pleading eyes, begging that she join in on the action. His eye twitched, annoyed at the idea of disregarding Yusei's orders just for a tiny bit of fun. But then of course, he could still see the appeal in her idea; after all, Jaden did need a break once in a while, and what better than that, then to join the fray?

From the corner of his eyes, he could see Aki and Yusei standing looking out at the would-be hostages. He made out the knight's skinny frame, as she fled from her table, knocking over the confusing chessboard in the process. He narrowed his eyes, as he zoomed in on her face.

Ophelia.

Yusei said she was probably going to use this candidate as a distraction, just so that she could kill Aki. If everything worked out, after Aki died, she'd spring to Yusei's defense and annihilate the candidates. Though it was, Jaden had to admit, clever, Ophelia would be on a very tight time limit. And besides which, if what Yusei said was right, it'd take longer than what Ophelia had allotted herself to finish Aki off. It'd give Yusei enough time to finish off the candidate, then come to her rescue, if he decided to. If not, then Alexis would be waiting, just so she could put Aki to sleep, and finish Ophelia off herself; neither Jaden nor Alexis were willing to let Aki die, at least, not in this game.

Still, how exactly was Yusei going to pull this off? There were already so many people here, many of which had no part in this plan, except to play unwitting lambs to the slaughter. Even then, that'd violate the ethics of the game. And also, why Yusei decided to make that announcement, that everyone wear black roses on their necks to get in for free…

What'd this have to do with anything? What exactly was he trying to show here? Plus, this incident was going to draw Fallen's attention. The fact that the Black Rose coven had, once again, attacked, is going to destroy what little cover they had left. People are going to see both Yusei and Akiza there, and unless someone decides to make the entire city forget what'd happened, it'd be hard not to connect the dots.

"This was your plan Yusei," Jaden muttered finally, as he anxiously watched the chaos unfold. "If anything happens, it'd be on your head."