Episode 11: The Rumored Capumon's Obsessor
It had already been a week since the events of when Chouno had been kicked out of the school. The rules were still being revised, but for the most part most students could have personal items so long as they are put away during class time. As for the part time jobs, for now only certain classes could allow their students jobs, provided they could keep their grades up. Luckily, Anzu was one of those students from said classes, so that meant that she could manage to get employed. She was planning on looking for part time work this weekend and filling out some resumes. Yugi was glad to see his childhood friend so happy, especially after what had occurred recently.
That morning, Yugi came to school a bit earlier than usual as he wanted to check on something. He got his school shoes on and hurried over to the classroom that Cosmo was in. Along the way, he met up with the said girl who was with Anzu and Miho. "Yeah, we have some summer flowers coming in within the next week." Cosmo told the two girls. "But the coloring may be a bit hard, since certain colored flowers are hard to breed."
"Do you have any common flowers?" Miho asked.
"I would say buttercups and roses are the ones we usually sell during the summer. We also have some chrysanthemum and-" Cosmo stopped talking as she noticed Yugi approaching. "Oh, good morning Yugi!"
"Yugi-kun! Good morning!" Miho greeted. Anzu waved to the young boy as he approached.
"Sorry, was I interrupting something?" He asked.
Anzu smiled. "No, we were just discussing the recent flowers that Cosmo has gotten."
Cosmo nodded. "I wanted to ask them if they would like to have a flower crown. I've been practicing making them and wanted to hand them out to customers to help out with the store. I asked if Anzu and Miho wanted one, and was telling them what flowers we had at the shop."
Yugi nodded, now understanding what the conversion was about. Yugi noticed how much peppier Cosmo seemed to have been ever since that Chouno incident as well. He wasn't sure why, but he was glad to see that she was coming out of her shell a bit. "Anyways, you said you needed some notes, Yugi?" Cosmo asked as she turned his attention to him.
Yugi nodded. "Yeah, we're about to learn the class systems in the ancient kingdoms. Your class just got done and I want to see if you have any notes I could look over for references."
"Yeah, mine are based around Greek though, just to give you a heads up." She warned as they began to approach her classroom, with Anzu and Miho following.
"Don't worry, anything to help out the assignment is fine." Yugi assured as they soon came into the room, joined by Jounouchi and Honda. Once they were inside, Cosmo began to head to her desk to get the notes.
"Hey, do we have to do some sort of diorama for this project?" Jounouchi asked.
"That's what we did," Cosmo explained. "But you could also do reports, presentations or bring in props. Just as long as it's based around that civilization." Cosmo turned back to her desk, ready to get what he and Yugi needed. She was stopped though as she looked at the top of her table, seeing a large box covered in blue wrapping paper with purple stars. A coral colored bow resting on top. Everyone gathered around the desk, staring at the box as Cosmo was the one to closely examine it.
"What… is this?" Anzu asked, scanning the box.
"It looks like a present!" Miho noted.
"It must have just gotten here." Cosmo added. "But… I don't know who gave it to me." Yugi watched her ponder the box, he knew who it was from but he didn't want to say anything or it would ruin the surprise.
"W-wait a minute, Cosmo! This could very well be a bomb!" Honda warned, looking slightly intimidated.
Jounouchi rolled his eyes. "Idiot. Why would they make a bomb and put it here on a desk looking nice?" The blond pointed out.
"Open it! Open it!" Miho begged as she jumped up and down, giddy as she wanted to see what was inside.
Cosmo did as she was told. Untying the bow first, making sure to save the ribbon. Then she peeled the paper off, having it spread across the small surface. As soon as the gift was revealed, everyone including Cosmo, had a surprised look on their faces. The gift was a red box that had a turn handle and a coin slot to insert cash. There was some glass to show off white egg shaped capsules.
"Is this a Gachapon machine?" Anzu asked.
Yugi nodded, confirming her question. "It's a Capsule Monster one."
Everyone turned towards Yugi, wondering what he was talking about. "Capsule Monster?" Jounouchi repeated.
"Yeah, it's also known as Capumon though. They've become increasingly popular with elementary school kids right now. See, inside each capsule, there's some sort of monster with a different design, level and ability. Each opponent has five on either side, and you set them on a board with a chess like pattern. Whoever can defeat all of the monsters on one side wins. The most interesting thing about the game is until it starts, all you know is the level of the monsters." Yugi smiled widely as he explained the concept to everyone. "To be honest, right now I'm really into it too!"
Anzu hummed, she wasn't astonished by that fact. Yugi was a gaming fanatic, so even if it was a game for children, he would no doubt be involved in it anyway he could.
Jounouchi however had some doubts. "But there's no way that Cosmo would be into this." He declared. The green haired girl was turning the crank, watching the small capsules coming out since it seemed it didn't need any coins. Once she did, she took the tops off to see what was inside. The moment she did, Cosmo gushed in delight. Everyone looked to see what she was so excited about, and that was when they saw pieces of jewelry such as necklaces and earrings with flower like patterns.
"Rose earrings, a lily pendant and a lavender hair pin! It's the accessories I've been looking for at the stores!" She held up some of the pieces as she was happy. She clearly enjoyed the gift, and there were many more capsules to open up.
"No way…" Jounouchi looked at the accessories, amazed by how many were already out.
Anzu however was skeptical about this. "Hold on, Cosmo. Just who did this?" She had to ask.
The green haired girl looked around, noticing a card that was on the ribbon. She picked it up and read it over. A smile graced her face as she sighed. "Oh, it's just Warashibe…"
"Warashibe?" Anzu repeated.
"Yeah, he's a college student that ran into me a while ago." Cosmo admitted. "He told me that he was Yugi's Capumon friend and wanted to see if the three of us could challenge each other sometime."
"You trusted a complete stranger that just bumped into you?" Honda raised a brow, even he had to admit it was slightly suspicious and creepy.
"Don't worry," Yugi tried to reassure everyone. "I confirmed it with Cosmo, he was the one that introduced me to Capumon actually. He's kind of a fanatic with this game, but he's really good!"
"Hard to believe a college student would end up liking a game for young kids." Jounouchi noted.
"Well, Duel Monsters was originally for kids, but it became popular among all age demographics. And it also became a global widespread instead of staying in America." Yugi pointed out.
"I still can't believe he would send you all of this." Miho stated as she looked over the accessories.
"I'll have to open the rest later. I should go and store this in my locker." Cosmo suggested as she got up, gathering the small capsules and the machine.
"We'll help you out as well." Anzu offered as her and Miho took the rest of the capsules and the gachapon box. The three boys watched the girls go off to take care of the gift Cosmo had received.
Honda only scoffed. "I can't believe how easily she was persuaded by pieces of jewelry. This guy is clearly older than her and he wants to impress her to gain her affection! It's unforgivable!"
"But yet when you try to do that with Miho, it's perfectly fine?" The blond of the three raised a brow.
"That is different!" Honda argued. "I help out Miho because we have known each other for so long. Besides, it is the job of a Beautification member to help those in need. So when Miho asks for a request, I can not refuse!"
Jounouchi only shook his head and shrugged. "I hear no difference." He then turned his attention to the shortest of the bunch. "Hey Yugi, when should we start on the project for our history class?"
Yugi looked up at his friend, replying to his question. "I was gonna head by the shopping district to see if I could get some Capumon. I wanted to start building my collection, and I heard there were some stores with those gachapon machines outside the shops."
"Ah, I see. Well, that project won't be due for another week, so we will have plenty of time." Jounouchi assured. "Plus we may as well figure out what kind of civilization we should study. I was thinking about Rome! I have so much to say about the gladiators." Jounouchi smirked as he flexed his muscles. He clearly was interested in wanting to talk about a class system involving soldiers. Though Yugi wasn't completely against it, he just gave a nod as there was so much they still had to do, but he was looking forward to it.
The school day finally came to an end. Everyone was gathering their belongings, even Cosmo who was trying to gather all of the capsules to take home. Yugi managed to get everything into his backpack and hurried out of the building. He decided to go on his own since he didn't want to wait long for anyone to come with him. He figured they wouldn't want to be interested in Capumon anyways, and he didn't want to waste their time. Besides, he had to hurry because he didn't know how many Capumon's would be left. He hurried to the downtown of Domino, going through a few alleyways to get to some short cuts. He panted as he ran off, turning down a corner to a certain pathway. When he did, he was surprised to find a bunch of elementary kids in a line. They were clearly impatient, as they stood there. Some with arms across the chests, others with hands on their hips.
"Hurry up already!"
"Quit holding up the line!"
Yugi could hear the complaints coming from the kids. He decided to check it out for himself, approaching the front of the line but was not going to cut. That was when he saw the back of a man that was much older than the kids, in what looked like a navy blue suit. He was crouching down, inserting his yen change into a Capumon Gachapon box. He already had a collection of ones he bought on the ground, but he was still trying to buy the other half of the capsules that were inside still.
"Come out, come out, come out…" He said as he turned the knob and got another small egg out, looking over the number. "Another level 1? Alright, this time for sure!" He declared to himself. He inserted his last yen coin, turning the knob as he waited in anticipation. "Come out, come out, come out!" He reached his hand out, grabbing the shell and looking to see a blue five on a cobalt star. "Finally!" He praised happily as he managed to get the highest level of Capumon.
Yugi approached the man, knowing who it was that would be spending so much of his cash on the game pieces. "Warashibe?"
The man turned around, wondering who was talking to him. He had short light brown hair, parted to a side of his face. Small green eyes with square rimmed glasses and a lollipop in his mouth. When he saw the high schooler, his scowl turned into a smile. "Oh! Yugi!" Warashibe stood up, gathering his high level Capumon and placing them in his briefcase. "I didn't expect to see you today."
"I came here to buy some Capumon… but uh…" His eyes drifted towards the ground where a pile was formed.
Warashibe noticed the pile and laughed. "Sorry, I heard that they installed a Capumon box here and since I got paid today, I had to get some more high leveled monsters…" He bowed as he held his briefcase to the side. "I spent all I could though, if you want you can have the ones left behind?"
Even though Yugi was slightly tempted to take some of the ones that Warashibe didn't want and were laying on the ground, he figured it would be best to let the ones that were already standing in line go. "I'm alright… oh! I wanted to tell you that the gift you gave to Cosmo was delivered today!"
The moment that Yugi said that, Warashibe's face flushed. "Eh?! Really? Tell me all the details!" He begged.
Yugi agreed he would, but only after they left the small shop. He and the college student headed out, leaving the kids to pick up the other Capumon that were on the ground. They ended up heading to the park that was nearby, along the way Yugi filled Warashibe in on the details about this morning when Cosmo had gotten the gift. He listened carefully, his eyes lighting up with each positive feedback. "So, she really liked the gift?" He asked. Yugi nodded, as Warashibe continued. "I really thought giving her actual Capumon would have been better, but it seems your advice was right." He told Yugi. The college man stopped, raising a fist in the air as his voice grew in volume. "However… This is only the beginning of my quest to gain the love of Cosmo Seedrian!" The moment Yugi heard that, he slightly cringed a bit. "I will never forget the shock of that meeting!"
Yugi heard this story before, but he could clearly picture it. He visualized Warashibe outside a market place, on his knees as he sat at a gachapon box and inserting coin after coin. "Yes… I was by the Hanasaku convenience store, gathering the new Capumon that arrived that morning." Warasibe narrated, having the capsule pile deplete little by little until there were hardly any left. He only looked up for a moment, noticing a figure reflecting off the glass from the inside. "The moment I looked up and saw her, I couldn't take my eyes off of her. Her sapphire eyes, her luscious green hair and when she smiled at the cashier, she reminded me so much like a Capumon fairy. No… the goddess of Capumon!" His whole face flushed as he relieved that memory, how perfect Cosmo seemed to have appeared to him.
Afterwards, she left the store carrying a few bags. As much as Warashibe wanted to talk to her, he was too shy to approach her. So, he only followed her behind, keeping his distance for a few blocks as she walked alone without noticing him. "When I heard that Cosmo Seedrian was a friend of yours, my Capumon buddy, I thought how small the world truly was. Looking at her made me feel so happy." He declared.
Warashibe snapped out of that memory, now in the present as his eyes hardened. "Even still… That's proof that her and I are connected by the thread of fate! My new goal now is to get Cosmo Seedrian before the next Capumon and make her the goddess she is!" Warashibe declared, his fist in the air as he looked up to the sky. Yugi only allowed him to speak out his thoughts, as weird as they sounded. "And right now, I am not too far from my goal. I am certain her love for me will only grow from here on out." He then turned to the young high schooler which made him jump back a bit. "Don't you agree, Yugi?"
"Well…. Uh…." He wasn't sure how to answer that. He only smiled sheepishly at him, before sighing and looking at the ground with some concern on his face. 'I can't say anything or it might ruin his spirits. Warashibe sure is an extremist, and that can be both a good and bad quality.' Yugi thought to himself. As much as he cared about both Cosmo and Warashibe, he highly doubted that it would come to the two of them becoming very close. Plus, Cosmo was still in high school and as far as he knew, she was not interested in dating.
Yugi had to get back to his house since he needed to help out at the store. He said his goodbyes to Warashibe and headed back to his game shop. They had gotten some Capumon and even boards for the pieces, which were flying off the shelves with elementary students. Sugaroku had managed to save a few for his grandson, since he knew how much he was getting into the game. Though they were all level 1 and 2 monsters for the most part. The sun was setting once again over Domino, and it was practically time for the store to close.
"It sure was a good thing I signed off on those Capumon pieces and boards." Sugaroku sighed in bliss. "We made quite a fortune today."
"I still can't believe how many people are enjoying Capumon." Yugi had to state.
"Such as yourself, I'm sure." Sugaroku laughed, causing his grandson to blush. He wasn't wrong. "Well, it doesn't look like we will get anymore of those shipments for a while, but at least we sold a lot."
Yugi nodded, he was just glad that he could help out and give some games to the younger generation. It made him smile every time he gave someone a game, wondering how they would enjoy it. The two of them were talking as the man of the store was behind the counter. As they were discussing more about the recent craze that was Capumon, the bell to the shop dinged. The door swung open, revealing a familiar face. Yugi had to look up to see who it really was, and was somewhat baffled by her sudden appearance.
"Good evening." Cosmo smiled as she entered the Kame Game Shop.
"Huh? Cosmo, you're here…"
"Ah, welcome young lady. It has been a while since you were here." Sugaroku noted.
She approached the counter, giving a smile and a small wave. "Greetings, Mr. Mutou. Hey Yugi. I was wondering if there were any Capumon here."
"Capumon?" Yugi repeated. He would have found it slightly odd for Cosmo to ask for those monsters, but after the events of today, he should have known better. "Yeah, we have a few left over." He reached into a small crate, pulling out a random white egg capsule with a dark blue star having a red 1 over it. He handed it to Cosmo, who opened it to take a look at the creature inside. It was a humanoid monster, with a bug eyed face being surrounded by flower petals around his head and his nose was that of anthers. He had a green body and though he had no arms, he had four vine-like tendrils, two on either side. As well as mud brown knee high boots and a green leaf between his legs.
"Thanks, it looks cute!" She smiled, probably pleased due to the flower themed design it had.
"So, are you already building up your monster army?" Yugi asked, wondering if she was starting to really get into Capumon.
"Well… not exactly…" She admitted a bit sheepishly. "I am still kind of new to being a Capumon collector, so I don't know what kind of rules are set for this game." Cosmo clearly looked like she had no idea what she was doing.
Sugaroku laughed, hearing Cosmo talk about her inexperience. "Cosmo, dear, Capumon aren't for a collection." Both the high schoolers turned towards the older man, for his explanation. "Capumon is a battle royal game."
"Battle?" Cosmo repeated.
The old man reached over, grabbing a board with a smile. "Want to give it a try?"
Yugi's eyes began to sparkle as he thought about playing the game with Cosmo. He looked over at the green haired girl and smiled. "Come on, Cosmo! I'll show you the basics!" He was all for this idea.
While the young girl seemed not-so accepting, part of her did want to know how to operate this game. And, who better to teach her than the expert of games himself. She gave a nod. "A-Alright…" She reluctantly agreed. Yugi was pretty excited, he helped his grandfather set up the board and got a few Capumon that were laying around. They went to the living room, sitting down at the table as they stood on opposite ends. "The board looks like chess mixed with a grassy hill setting."
"This is one of the beginners fields. It's called Crisis Hills, not many different formations to get in the way. So, how much do you know about Capumon?" Yugi asked.
"Well… I know it's set up like chess…" That was all Cosmo could remember.
"Guess you still have a lot to learn. Alright, let's go over the basics." Yugi started setting up the monsters on the board. "So, each player has a total of five monsters on their board. They get lined up on your side. The level of monster ranges from one to five being the highest. You can tell what level the monster is by looking at the number on the capsule. The one to remove all of their opponents' monsters wins. Higher level monsters can remove the lower leveled ones, but in a situation where they are the same level, both monsters go down."
Cosmo nodded, following along the rules. "So, it's mostly about who has the stronger leveled monsters?"
Yugi shook his head. "While having strong monsters do help, that won't always be the case. Some capsule monsters have hidden abilities, such as they can be able to move certain directions that others can't, or they have moves that can take down higher level monsters. Some can even set traps, switch monsters positions, or even use type advantages. But it mostly depends on the board, certain Capumon's powers don't work unless they are on the right field. Like for example, you have a monster that has a special ability to summon fire and burn an enemy. But that power can not be activated unless they are on a field that has fire or magma because they need the surroundings in order to give them that ability."
Cosmo rubbed her forehead, trying to keep up with these rules. "This is a lot tougher than I thought."
"Don't worry, once you get the basics, you should be able to hold your own. Look at the field and figure out what kind of monsters you think would be best suited there based on abilities and levels. Their abilities can be seen under the stand they are on once the capsule is removed. Oh, and each monster can only move a certain number of spots based on their level. For example, a level one monster can only move one square at a time, while a level two can move up to two spaces at a time. But you can move all your monsters in one turn, and there's no set direction they are set to go, so long as they move the number of spaces per their level."
"Okay, that sounds easy enough. Is there anything else I should know?" Cosmo asked.
"Oh yeah, there's also these small squares in every corner of the board. They're called evolution squares. When a monster is on it, you can get them to the max level. Though it only works for certain Capumon. It might be easier if I just hand you the manual." Yugi suggested. Cosmo nodded, wanting to take the offer and hoping it would help clear up more questions she had. Sugaroku went to get it, meanwhile Yugi decided to have a round or two with Cosmo in Capumon, just to show her how battles usually worked. Cosmo agreed, though doubted she would win. She was right, Yugi beat her every time, but she seemed to be getting the hang of it. She even took three of his monsters the second round they played, and she seemed happy.
"You're really getting better at this!" Yugi commented as they finished their third round of Capumon. "You only got me to one monster this time!"
"Yeah, but I still lost." She sighed in defeat. "But, I think I can say I know the basics of the game." She gained a smile. "Thanks Yugi."
The short boy nodded, glad he could help. And he enjoyed his time with her. The green haired girl looked up at the clock, realizing how late it was. "Ah! Is that the right time! I can't believe how long I've been here." She picked herself up and gathered her belongings. "Sorry, Yugi. But I need to head home. I'm sure my sister must be worried about me."
"Ah, it's okay Cosmo. Sorry for keeping you late. Do you want me to bring you back?" He offered.
"No, it's alright. Thanks for showing me Capumon. And hopefully, once I get more monsters, I'll be able to play you again and hopefully defeat you." She said with a determined smile. Yugi had to admire her passion, she seemed more into this than he originally thought. Maybe Warashibe was right, maybe Cosmo could really enjoy Capumon. It would be nice to have another person to play a game with. Yugi agreed that he would clean up everything since he set it all up, while the green haired girl hurried back home. Overall, it seemed like a pretty good night.
It was early morning, much earlier than Yugi was used to. It was Sunday, so Yugi didn't have any school. But he had to get up at the same time since his grandfather had to run out to do some shopping for the store. Which meant that his grandson would have to look over the store until he came back. Yugi didn't mind, he was used to working early on his days off. Though he was admittedly tired, he kept looking after the store until his grandfather would come back. He usually takes an hour or two for his shopping, so it wouldn't be long. At the moment, he was behind the counter, checking over the cash that was in the register. It was a slow morning, so he just allowed himself to do tedious chores to keep himself busy.
"Yugi!" He heard a shouting coming from outside the shop. It caused him to jump, making him turn to the door and looked out to see a silhouette behind the glass. Who could be yelling his name at this hour? He went over and opened the front entrance, seeing the man who had been calling out to him.
"Warashibe?" Yugi was surprised to see him so early, and at his place. Was he here to ask about the new Capumon? The Kame Game Shop was supporting the game, and he was doing all he could to get the most powerful monsters.
"I need your help! Please come with me right away!" Warashibe begged. Yugi wasn't sure how to respond to that at first. Warashibe looked pretty pale, and his eyes were bugged out, as if he had seen something terrifying. As much as he didn't want to just up and leave the shop, it sounded pretty serious. So, he left a note in case he wouldn't be back before Sugaroku, and agreed to go with Warashibe. The college student didn't inform Yugi about where they were going or why, but he followed regardless. Luckily, it didn't seem they were going far. Just to some warehouses nearby.
"What is this place?" Yugi asked as they turned around and headed towards the front entrance of a warehouse.
"This is my secret base." Warashibe explained.
"Secret base?" Yugi repeated as he looked around.
"Yeah, this warehouse is owned by my uncle. He doesn't use it anymore so he gave it to me." The college student stated. He went to the door and slid it open, revealing a dark room that Yugi couldn't see. "Hang on, let me get the lights." He walked over to the switch that was on the right, flipping it on to make the ceiling illuminate the large building. Once Yugi could see, he gasped at the sight before him. On many crates across the area, were white capsules of the Capumon resting on the surfaces. There must have been hundreds, no thousands of them that had taken up most of the storage facility. Yugi advanced closer, seeing that many of them were all high level Capumon. But it was strange that they were still in their capsules rather than exposed.
"This is amazing…" Yugi commented, Warashibe really was a Capumon fanatic.
The college student approached Yugi, standing by his side as he was pleased to see how interested he was in the display. "They're all level 4 and 5 Capumon." He clenched his fist as he looked up to the ceiling. "There is not a Capumon that I haven't obtained at this point." He declared confidently. His eyes drifted back to Yugi as he still bore a smile. "Once I add the goddess of Capumon, Cosmo Seedrian, to this room… it will be perfect, don't you think?"
Yugi merely laughed at his comment. "Yeah but… Cosmo isn't a Capumon though." He pointed out. Yugi believed he meant that he wanted Cosmo to come and have a few rounds of Capumon with him. He thought it was just an innocent joke.
"Yes, that may be true. But even she realizes she's fated to be a Capumon goddess." As Warashibe said this, he took something out of his briefcase. A letter of green, which he handed to Yugi. "Take a look at this."
Yugi grabbed the envelope letter and read over the contents. He recognized this handwriting, it belonged to Cosmo! 'Thank you again for the present. It was really sweet and thoughtful. Right now, I'm studying more about the Capumon game and the characters. I want to share your interest so one day, we can play the game together. I'm really looking forward to it, Warashibe.' It seemed like a simple and innocent letter, but Yugi, who knew Warashibe, could see how the college student would believe it meant more. It wasn't that Yugi blamed Cosmo for the wording of her letter, she clearly just wanted to be friends. But to the Capumon fanatic, he would interpret it differently.
After finishing the letter, Warashibe pulled out his lollipop, raising it in the air and twirling it around. His voice sounded much more demanding now. "The time is upon us! Now is the window of opportunity to claim the goddess!" Yugi blinked, hearing him say that. Warashibe really seemed to live in a fantasy world. "However… If this meeting is to go well, we have to set up the stage. Like a prince coming on a white horse to save the damsel in distress… That's why I called you for help." He leaned closer to Yugi, who was still confused about this whole plan. So, Warashibe had to explain everything to him, telling him his idea. Needless to say, the young highschooler was not prepared for what he would have to do.
The day seemed to drag on as Yugi was forced to comply with this plan of Warashibe's. Even though he was against it, he had to go along. Warashibe begged him to help him, even being reduced to tears. It was troublesome, but he just couldn't refuse. Plus, it wouldn't be his fault if this plan failed, it was only up to the damsel as Warashibe called her, if she wanted to believe in him or not. For now, he had to wait. Warashibe said that Cosmo should be walking down this shortcut to get to her house today. It seemed a bit off that he knew what pathways the young girl took just to get home, but he was more concerned about the fact that he was going to embrasse himself.
As the sky turned orange and dark blue, the young boy could see the green haired girl walking down the small pathway. She carried two bags of plastic with her, each one filled with food of some kind. A smile was on her face as she just walked, without a care in the world. This was Yugi's cue. Putting on a red sheet over his head, he covered up his face. Though his eyes and mouth could be seen thanks to the holes that were cut in the cloth. As Cosmo was halfway down the alley, Yugi jumped out in front of her with his arms spread out. "Stop right there! Don't move!" He warned her in a gruffer voice than he usually has, as he was trying, but failed, to hide his identity. Cosmo stopped in her tracks, baffled as she blinked while seeing her friend under a red blanket. He seemed to be acting menacing but clearly he lacked the posture for it… and the height. "Do as I say, or else!" He threatened, trying to play the role of the criminal.
Cosmo placed a finger on her cheek, tilting her head to the side. "Huh?" She seemed more weirded out than scared. "Yugi? What are you doing?" She asked.
Yugi gasped, then again he should have realized Cosmo would have guessed it was really him. Probably didn't help that he only covered his face, but not his regular clothing and his Puzzle. "Uh…. well… I…" He wasn't sure how to answer her question. He was told not to reveal the plan, since Warashibe had to be the one to show himself. Yugi tried to come up with an excuse, one that didn't sound absurd. He didn't need time to think of one though, as a familiar lollipop flew across the air. It hit Yugi in the head, causing him to step back. Of course it didn't hurt, but he was too far into this role to go back, so he faked it.
Cosmo's eyes went wide, as she saw the small attack on Yugi. She wondered where that sucker came from, so she turned to look behind her, seeing a man with glasses and a business-like uniform on him. He had his fist up, as if he was ready to throw a punch at someone. "You bastard! What are you doing to her?!" He gritted his teeth, rushing past Cosmo as he grabbed Yugi by the shoulders, tackling him into a nearby garbage pile. Cosmo could only watch, lost in whatever it was that was happening. Yugi stayed down, as it was all up to Warashibe now.
The college student stood back up on his feet, having his back to Cosmo. "It's alright, you're safe now." Cosmo only looked at the man, was he some sort of actor? This had to have been staged, otherwise Yugi wouldn't have been involved. He turned around, holding his glasses and adjusting them. "What a fated coincidence. It is I, Kiwami Warashibe." He introduced himself to her.
The green haired girl blinked, as she had a stunned look upon her features. She now realized who this man was, the guy that had ran into her who loved Capumon. "A-Ahhh… W-Warshibe… I didn't expect… I mean… this is all so sudden…" She wasn't sure what to say or how to react. If anything, she was kind of flustered. Did he put on this whole performance for her? Why? It seemed unnecessary and frankly, didn't leave a good impression on her.
"I came for you. Come with me to our world of love."
"Eh?" Cosmo was now even more confused by what he said. World of love? Was he just uttering nonsense at this point? She became even more uncomfortable as he reached over, grabbing her arm and trying to pull her close.
"Hurry, the Capumon are waiting for us." Cosmo began to panic, he was clearly serious. Instantly, she could only try pulling away. Wherever this guy was going to take her, she didn't want to go.
"H-hey! What is this?!" Cosmo kept struggling, but his grip was stronger than she thought.
"There's no reason to be embarrassed about it." Warashibe tried to assure her. "Now let's-"
"No!" Cosmo screamed, using one of the bags in her free hand to hit the Capumon fanatics head. Warashibe felt the impact, covering his face with his other arm, as he still tried to reason with her.
"Wait! Please… my goddess…" Warashibe tried to form a sentence, but Cosmo was not having it. She kept screaming 'No' at him, while swinging her bags of groceries on his head. She clearly did not want to go anywhere with this lunatic. "You also…. You also love Capumon, don't you?" He managed to ask as he was still being beaten.
"I barely know anything about Capumon!" Cosmo yelled at him, getting a faced smack at him. Warashibe was able to let her go, falling to the ground from the hit. She took that opportunity to run, crying as she fled the scene. Warashibe watched her run off, unable to understand the reasoning behind her actions.
"Why are you like this, my baby!?" He cried out, reaching his hand towards her figure that was gone at this point. Tears streamed down his eyes as he watched his goddess leave him, crying out why she would do this to him.
Yugi watched, getting out of the trash piles and taking off the mask. He could only see the show as it went down. Part of him actually pitted Warashibe, though he knew this plan wouldn't work out the way he hoped. Even though Yugi tried to persuade him, he wouldn't listen. 'As sorry as I am for him, maybe he will see his mistakes and either give up or try to fix them.' Yugi thought.
The young high schooler wanted to talk with Cosmo about what had happened, but figured he would leave her be until school. After the events that occurred yesterday evening, she may end up blaming him for what happened. He wouldn't blame her though, he was an accessory to Warashibe's blizzard declaration of love. So he doubted that she would want to see him after that. Yugi left the Capumon buddy in the alley, crying as he was heart broken. He didn't want to leave him alone, but Yugi didn't know what to say or how else to help. Morning rolled around and even though Yugi wasn't comfortable with the idea of going to school, he had to if it meant facing Cosmo and clearing up the mess.
He wasn't able to see her during the morning classes, so that meant he would have to wait until lunch time. It would be the perfect opportunity to talk over everything. Once the last morning class was over, Yugi hurried with his money to the cafeteria, hoping to meet up with her there. He didn't even wait for his other friends to walk with him, to Yugi this was more important. Once he had gotten near the doors, he looked around for the green haired girl. Thankfully, he didn't have to look far. He saw her, talking with Anzu and Miho.
"Cosmo!" Yugi called after her. The three girls turned around, seeing him approach.
"Ah, Yugi…" Cosmo's voice sounded softer than usual, especially as she looked at him. He rubbed the back of his neck, seeing the other two girls.
"Um… is it okay if we could talk for a moment? Just the two of us?" He asked, trying not to sound demanding.
"Is it by any chance related to that Capumon guy?" Anzu asked, raising a brow at Yugi. The moment he heard that, the short boy looked up at Miho and Anzu, who were glaring at him harshly.
"Y-you two… it's alright, really." Cosmo tried to calm them down. "I think it's only fair for Yugi to explain himself."
"Explain what?" A familiar voice called out, making everyone turn to see Jounouchi and Honda approached, ready to head in to get some lunch. So much for trying to talk about this alone. Now Yugi had no choice but to come clean about what happened. He explained the situation as they got their trays, and waited in line for their turn to get some food. After the situation was explained, Jounouchi busted out laughing as he was the first one to comment on it. "I can't believe someone would actually pull an old trick like pretending to save a girl to get with her! Talk about lame!" He sneered as he moved up in the line. Anzu was right behind him, as she looked back at Yugi who was next in line.
"I can't believe you had to go through that, Yugi. It must have been terrible." Anzu stated, as Yugi moved up, shaking his head.
"I didn't want to be part of it, but he guilted me…" Yugi admitted. He then turned back to see Cosmo who was behind him. "More importantly, I'm really sorry, Cosmo."
The green haired girl held her tray, looking at him as she listened to everything. "It's alright, Yugi. It's not you that I blame. Though, I don't think it's a good idea to see Warashibe any time soon." She admitted.
"Well, he's not really a bad guy." Yugi defended, wanting to try and make Warashibe sounds misunderstood. Though he had a feeling Cosmo wouldn't be changing her mind anytime soon.
"No, he definitely is!" Honda protested. "He shouldn't have even written letters to a high school student! Especially when he is in college!"
"What's the big deal?" Jounouchi asked. "If it's only a few years, worst case they can just wait."
"That's not the point!" Honda told the blond.
"To be fair, the one that is also at fault here is Cosmo." Anzu changed the subject, looking at the green haired girl. "Anyone would have misunderstood that emotional letter."
"Eh?" Cosmo blinked. "What do you mean? I only wanted us to be pen friends and to play the game, nothing more."
"Exactly. I wouldn't have misterperted that letter." Yugi agreed. "Besides, he has been admiring her for much longer anyways."
"You're kind of lucky, Cosmo!" Miho gushed. "You're able to make the older boys fall head over heels for you, and make up elaborate plans just to get your attention."
"That's not romantic, that's creepy." Anzu corrected.
"I didn't even want to be boyfriend and girlfriend with him." Cosmo admitted, sounding more embarrassed. "He's too old and while I do admire his love for the game… it seems to really take over his life."
"Yeah, even I know when I need a break from games." Yugi admitted.
"I don't want to hurt his feelings, but I also don't want to have any relationship outside of being friends." Cosmo added.
"Don't worry, if that Capumon man comes anywhere near you, you have my word as a Beautification member that I shall defend you." Honda promised.
Jounouchi raised a brow in Honda's direction, while he was getting his lunch. "As if that will be enough to scare him off."
"Still, if you do have any problems, let us know." Anzu offered.
Cosmo looked at everyone, smiling as she was happy that they were willing to help her out during this time of need. She did feel guilty for getting them involved, but at least talking about it helped put her mind at ease. "Thank you everyone, I'm sorry to ask this of you guys."
"Don't worry about it," Jounouchi assured, finally getting his meal and heading to a table. "That guy won't be showing up anytime soon." Yugi watched the blond find a table for them, while Anzu was next in line to get her meal.
"I'm sorry about the accusations, Yugi." Cosmo bowed to him. "I will admit, I didn't believe you could have been involved willingly. But I was so scared yesterday that I lost all common sense."
Yugi could see how guilty she was for accusing him. Even though she had every right, he felt just as bad for agreeing to go along with it. "It's okay, Cosmo. Really. I am sorry for having you go through that. So how about we call it even?" He asked her. The green haired girl nodded, a smile as small as a line spread on her face. Yugi was glad that such a weight was lifted from his shoulders. Although, he had to ask… "What are you going to do about Warashibe?"
Upon hearing that question, the young girl looked away, repositioning her body to turn from Yugi. "I'm not sure… I don't think it would be a good idea to confront him now. I want to give it a few days, just so he can have some time to think over what he did and for me to come up with a solution. I'm hoping we can write this off as a misunderstanding." Yugi nodded in agreement. He didn't object to her plan, if anything it seemed the most logical and sensible. Though it also depended on how the Capumon fanatic would react. Yugi would have to make a mental note to see Warashibe after school to find out how he was fairing. He managed to get his lunch and began to head towards the table that Jounouchi and Anzu were sitting at, hearing their conversation.
"Even so, I wish I could have seen that whole act he put on." Jounouchi laughed, holding his chopsticks as he was talking to the brunette.
"I mean, who says 'Baby' to someone they just met?" Anzu asked, laughing along with Jounouchi for a small change. While they were discussing, Yugi noticed a man approaching them. One in a white body apron with a white cloth covering his hair and a mask that took up most of his face. By the time Yugi managed to get to the table, the guy was gone. He noticed him carrying a tray of water glasses though, only four on the plate. Anzu and Jouncouhi had gotten one, while the guy went over and placed a glass on Miho and Honda's tray. The burnet of the two still in line thanked the guy, not knowing why they got glasses.
"That was… kind of odd." Anzu noted, watching the guy take his tray and leave.
"Must have been a cafeteria worker giving out free water to the students." Jounouchi shrugged. "I haven't had my glass of water for a while, and could definitely use it."
"I guess…" Anzu reached for her glass and took a sip. She sat it back down, sighing. "It's not even cold…"
"Hey, water is water." Jounouchi gulped half of the glass down already. Yugi only watched, eating his lunch without any comments. Though for some reason, he felt a bit uneasy with the water that his friends were given.
After lunch, they only had three more classes left. Thankfully, they had Literature and Language, which Yugi was pretty comfortable with. He sat through the class with everyone else, aside from Cosmo since she was in a different room. At first, everything seemed fine. Yugi was taking notes, answering a few questions, and preparing for what the homework would be.
"Now, can anyone tell me the difference in Kanji and meaning between Senpai and Sensei?" The teacher asked, looking around the room for someone to answer. Yugi was about to raise his hand, only for someone else to beat him to the punch. He looked over to see Anzu raising her hand, but noticed how shaky her arm was being. The closer he looked at her though, he also realized that her face looked really pale, and it wasn't just her.
"Yes Masaki?" The teacher looked over in her direction.
"S-sorry S-sensei… but could I g-go to the nurse? My stomach really hurts?" She whined, holding her abdomen.
"Oh? Very well then." The teacher allowed it, watching as Anzu struggled to head to the door. Honda, Jounouchi and Miho raised their hands.
"May we be excused as well?" All three of them had the same expressions of discomfort as Anzu did. The teacher looked at the other three, confused by their sudden urgency to leave. But everyone else could see how sickly they looked, so he had no choice but to allow them to leave. They also rushed out of the classroom, the students watched them run as if there was fire chasing after them.
"Right… anyways, back to the question…" He tried getting someone else to answer, wanting to get everyone else back on track. Yugi wasn't sure what was going on with his friends, but he only hoped it was nothing serious. They seemed fine during Lunch, but did notice after they got into the class they began to act a bit strange.
After the class, Yugi decided to go check up on everyone in the nurse's office. They didn't come back in time for the rest of the period, and since he didn't see them in the halls, he made the conclusion that they were still being examined. Yugi wanted to check up on them before the next lecture to see if they were doing any better. As he walked towards his destination, he ran into Cosmo. The green haired girl was confused as to why her friend was heading to the infirmary. Yugi had to explain what happened with Anzu, Jounouchi, Honda and Miho. Cosmo's blue eyes went wide as she heard about her friends. She went with him, the two hurrying to the infirmary to check if they were still there and doing better.
Once they went in, they were met face to face with the violet haired nurse. "Ah, are you two sick as well?" She asked in her kind voice.
"Sorry for the intrusion, Sensei." Cosmo bowed in an apologetic manner. "We wanted to see how our friends were doing."
"The four students?" She asked, looking over to a part of the room that was blocked off by a white curtain. Yugi and Cosmo looked at it, knowing full well that the four were behind there. Due to how quiet it was, they guessed their friends were probably resting. The Nurse advised the two to take a seat, making sure they were calm before she would explain further. "Your friends are alright. They had some upset bowel movements, however they should be able to recover."
"Do you know what the cause of it was?" Cosmo asked.
The Nurse hummed as she tried to think. "They must have eaten or drank something that was contaminated with bacteria. Did they eat or drink anything at lunch?"
Yugi and Cosmo looked at one another, trying to answer the question. "They ordered the stuff that was on the menu…"
"They also got water from a cafeteria guy who was passing out glasses on a tray." Yugi added.
"Hmm… there hasn't been any complaints about the food… my guess is it was probably the water. Must not have been filtered. But, why only those four? All the other students are fine." The Nurse noted suspiciously. Yugi looked over to the curtain, worried about Anzu. He had a feeling there was something wrong with that water, but why though? "Anyways, they will recover. But they will have to stay here for the rest of the day." The Nurse told the two. "You kids better head to your next classes. No point in staying here and worrying."
As much as Yugi wanted to stay, he knew he still had two more classes to get through. And staying in the infirmary wouldn't help everyone get better, so he got up and thanked the Nurse. He and Cosmo then headed out, hurrying to their second to last class of the day. "At least she says they will be okay." Cosmo's soft voice tried to cheer him up. Yugi only looked at the ground, still upset about what had happened to his friends. The female noticed how depressed he was, which made her feel the same. They still wondered why it happened to only those four.
By the end of the day, the four were still resting in the nurse's office. Though Anzu and Honda were getting better, as it seemed their stomachs were finally settling. However, Miho and Jounouchi still had that bug in their systems. It seemed they would have to be in the school for a bit until it fully passed. The Nurse would have to inform their guardians, but Yugi had to go. He was walking down the streets, taking the long way home since he wanted to clear his mind. He was debating about checking in with Warashibe, but after todays' events, he didn't feel like it. For now, Yugi planned on going home and would wait on his friends. Hopefully they will feel better tomorrow, since it didn't seem too serious.
As Yugi was heading down a street, only a few blocks from his game shop, he was called upon from someone behind. "Yugi!" The young boy looked around, wondering who's demanding voice that belonged to. That was when he saw her, the familiar female who was standing there. Her shoulders high up, her posture was very stiff. He looked at her face, seeing anger in her eyes. This was the first time he saw such hatred in her features. Yugi didn't even think she was capable of displaying such negative emotions.
"C-Cosmo?" Yugi gasped, caught off guard by her appearance and her raw feelings she was displaying.
"Do you know where Warashibe is?" She demanded to know, not asking. Yugi blinked, where did this version of Cosmo come from? He did nod though, confirming and answering her question. "Take me to him!" She declared.
"W-what's going on? Cosmo, why are you-" He didn't have time to finish his sentence as the young girl reached into her pocket, taking out a piece of teal paper with kanji written on it. Yugi looked at it for a moment, reading what it said.
'Heavenly punishment has been dealt to those who meddle with fate. You can now relax on my chest.' Yugi had to re-read it again just so he didn't miss anything. He then looked up at Cosmo, who had a glaring tone in her eyes.
"I found this in my locker before I headed out. It can only be him…" She crumpled up the piece of paper, putting it in her skirt pocket. Now it all made sense to Yugi. He didn't want to believe that it was Warashibe, but based on the evidence and his behavior yesterday, there was no denying it. He knew that in order to stop this, they had to confront the man behind it all. Yugi agreed to lead Cosmo to where Warashibe's hideout was, since he was shown it only yesterday, the path was still fresh in his mind. By the time they got there, the sun was already setting. Cosmo didn't care about the time, she only wanted to put an end to this madness.
As they stood outside the warehouse, the green haired girl looked up at the building. Her hands were that of fists as she knew a confrontation was about to happen. Yugi escorted her to the front, opening the door as they watched the shutter go up. Inside the warehouse was the man they were looking for, who was positioning some Capumon figures on a board. He stopped in his preparations as he saw Cosmo and Yugi in the doorway, staring at him. Warashibe stood up, holding out his arms as he smiled with his sucker in his mouth. "My sweetheart! So you've finally come to jump into my arms?"
"Not a chance!" Cosmo shouted into the warehouse as she pointed directly at him. "Here I was, thinking of giving you a second chance, but then you go and do a terrible thing to Anzu, Miho and everyone else?!" Her tone of voice became even more harsh as she was infuriated by what he had done to her friends.
Yugi stepped up, he was on Cosmo's side. "I learned what happened from Cosmo." He added in. "That was too mean, Warashibe! I can't believe you would do that!" The smile on the Capumon's fan's face faded, as he stared blankly at the two that were talking down on him.
He wasn't even trying to defend his actions as he confessed. "It couldn't be helped. They were getting in the way between my fate with you." His tone of voice sounded colder, more distant. As if he truly believed in what he did.
"There is no fate between you and me!" Cosmo declared. "And there never will be ever! Leave me and everyone else alone unless you want to go to jail!" She warned. The young girl was not messing around now. She would not allow him another chance.
Warashive gave a shrug, unphased by her threat. "You aren't being very honest, my honey. But if you are serious about your words, why not prove it with a game?" He suggested.
"A game?" Cosmo blinked, hearing his proposal. Yugi was slightly surprised by the offer as well. But he had a feeling he knew which game Warashibe meant.
"A game of Capumon." He declared, picking up two of the pieces and holding one in each hand. "I certainly hope you have some practice. If you win, you have my word that I will leave you alone. However, if I win, you will follow what fate has created for you." Warashibe said with a sly grin. So he wanted to try and beat her in Capumon in order to claim her as his goddess. Yugi and Cosmo both knew that Warashibe was a pro at the game, while she was just a beginner. She would have a disadvantage if she accepted this, and if she lost, it would be a very disturbing penalty. However, there was no way that Warashibe would leave them alone if they just walked away. Either she accepted this game and risked losing, or she would have him keep stalking her and hurting everyone she cares about.
"I accept." She told him, in a very serious tone.
Yugi looked over at her, worried for her. "Cosmo, you can't mean it."
The green haired girl looked at him. "Don't worry, I have some knowledge of the game. I have to try."
Warashibe smiled still, pleased that she had fallen into his trap. Now it was only a matter of setting it up. It didn't take too long, as he used an old crate and set a field down. A green board with some orange and yellow hill like obstacles surrounding the edges. The two sat on opposite sides of the board, with Yugi being by Cosmo's side. "This field is called Crisis Hills. A fairly simple field with no added bonuses and a good one for beginners such as yourself." Warashibe explained.
"Don't think I'm going to hold back!" Cosmo warned, still showing off her anger.
"Such pep you have. Truly a trait of a goddess." Warashibe commented, showing no fear or worry. "Now then, we may take turns pulling our capsules from the Gachapon." He gestured towards the small box that was on the side of the crate, containing different leveled Capumon inside. "Ladies first, go ahead." Warashibe allowed Cosmo to take the first turn. She walked over, turning the small crank and hoping for something good. She needed all the help she could get if she stood even a slight chance against her opponent. The white capsule landed in the pan. Her fingers reached for it and held it up, seeing the red number on the star.
"A level one…" Yugi said, seeing the weakest level.
Warashibe soon approached, still bearing his creepy smile. "Too bad. Now, it's my turn." He went ahead, cranking the turning knob and got his first of the five Capumon. Cosmo gasped, seeing that he had managed to get the highest level of the Capumon. After a few more turns, they got their army ready. Sadly, luck was not on Cosmo's side as she had the disadvantage level wise. She had three level ones, a level two and one level four. While Warashibe had three level fives and the rest level fours. Cosmo looked down at her capsules, nervous about the results of the levels. Even Yugi noticed how fearful she looked.
'This is really bad. Cosmo has mostly level one's while Warashibe has the highest levels of the game.' Yugi mentally noted.
"I'm terribly sorry." Warashibe mocked as he still had that smile. "I can already see the outcome of this game before it even starts."
Cosmo glared at him more angrily. "Don't think just because you have the higher levels, means that you will be victorious!"
"You certainly have some spirit. Then, let's start the game." Warashibe declared, the two taking off the tops of their capsules to reveal their monsters inside. Warashibe had mostly scary monsters, starting with a level five Headzacker, level five Gumbo, level four Serpentine, level five Dinosaur Wing, and a level four Horned Ghoul. Cosmo on the other hand had a level one Living Castle, level one Planter, level one Globbor, level four Great Par, and a level two Torido. They set up their monsters in a large line, where they would start, and could only move a certain space depending on their levels.
Cosmo was at the edge of her seat, looking at the board and her monsters. 'Calm down, Cosmo. You got this. Just because you have some weak monsters, doesn't mean you can lose. Think carefully.' She told herself mentally.
"Well then, you may make the first move." Warashibe declared as he looked at her with his witty smile.
"You got this, Cosmo! I believe in you!" Yugi cheered for her, wanting her to succeed.
The young girl gulped, looking over each monster carefully. 'Yugi mentioned that some Capumon have special abilities, but there are some circumstances that you have to meet to use them… let's see…' Cosmo was thinking deeply about what she had to do, rushing in was not gonna help her and she was not gonna win with brute force alone.
Yugi was also wondering what her move was. 'Why is she taking so long to make a move? Is she that hesitant to battle because of her state? Or…' Yugi noticed how intently she was staring at her monsters. 'She must be trying to figure out what each monster has for their special abilities.' Yugi remembered that was the first lesson he taught her when they had their first experience with Capumon. Usually, they had a special manual for the monsters and their moves, but you can find out what abilities they have on the bottom of their stands. That explains why Cosmo was looking over each one after she revealed them. From what Yugi could see, most of them did have some special attack, but the problem was they had to be on a certain field for it to activate. However, there was one. The level two Capumon that Cosmo had. Yugi looked at the bird, Torido, then back at Cosmo.
The green haired highschooler finally began to make her move. Grabbing her purple blob with sharp teeth and placing it on a square closer to Warashibe's monsters. Yugi's eyes widened, as he now understood the strategy that his friend was using. 'So that's what she's planning.' He realized, seeing that she had a plan after all, and hopefully Warashibe would be dumb enough to fall into it.
"Hmmm… Nice move. Then I'll use Gumbo." Warashibe declared as he took his scary level five Capumon, knocking down the monster that Cosmo moved. "Okay, one down."
Cosmo bit her lip, clenching her fists as she glared at him. "Damn it! Alright, I place level four, Great Par here!" She declared, taking her turn to place the monster on another square.
Warashibe still believed highly of himself, grinning at her from across the board. "It seems that this isn't going to be of any challenge. Just hurry and give up, my dear." He advised her.
Despite her trying to keep her cool during this match, the more he kept talking it irritated Cosmo. Eventually, she had enough of his mocking to the point she stood up and waved her arms above her. "Just shut up already! Hurry and take your turn!" Her frantic anger caused Yugi to back away from her. She was really losing it, though he couldn't blame her. As she shouted at him, Yugi stepped back, only to bump into the Gachapon box and knocked it over. When he did, the plastic glass broke apart from the pan, scattering the capsules and even showing off something strange. It took Yugi a moment to register what that thing was, but he knew that it didn't belong inside the box.
He leaned in closer, taking a look at the strange contraption. "Wait a minute… this strange device… it's not supposed to be in here. Don't tell me, Warashibe…" Yugi turned to face the man, glaring at him with just as much hatred as Cosmo. "This is a trick you did!"
Warashibe still smiled, as his glasses were reflecting the light of the bulbs in the warehouse. "That's correct. It's designed to switch between outputting low levels and high levels." He admitted.
"This was your doing?!" Cosmo demanded to know. So that explains why he wasn't worried about which capsules he got, but what order who got them. He planned this from the beginning, no wonder he was so calm about setting this game up.
"I was saving you the trouble of putting you through a long, painful fight." Warashibe tried to argue in his monotone voice.
"Stop it with all of your excuses!" Cosmo stated in pure rage. "Cheating like this is against the rules!" She then turned to her classmate, still having that anger in her eyes. "Come on, Yugi. Let's go! There's no reason for us to stay, we won by default!" Yugi looked at her, hearing her out. He understood her reasoning for wanting to leave, there was no real reason to continue if this was rigged from the beginning. However, she still had the chance to beat him at his own game and show him never to mess with them again.
"You aren't leaving here." Yugi turned back, as Warashibe spoke. Him and Cosmo watched as he took the sheet off of a strange object that had been covered since he set up the field. Warashibe realeved a large white capsule, fit for a human sized figure. "Once you enter this, you will be the best of all Capumon!" Warashibe declared as he waved his sucker in the air. "You're already mine! All mine! All mine! All mine!"
"What is that?" Cosmo could only stare at that strange capsule that was in front of them. Yugi looked over at his friend, seeing how terrified and creeped out she was. He knew that Warashibe was obsessed with Cosmo, but to go this far, it was a whole new level. Without thinking, Yugi grabbed onto her wrist and began to head to the exit.
"Let's go Cosmo, run for it!" He told her, dragging her to get them both out of that mess. There was no reasoning with him now, he was blinded by his desires and knew that nothing he would say would matter at this point. All Yugi could do was get Cosmo out of there before Warashibe did something that he couldn't take back.
"You can't run away, darling." Warashibe whispeared, pulling a red rope to trigger another trap he had set for them. Just as they were about to head out the door frame, they heard the clinking and rustle of metal as something from above began to come down. They looked up, seeing a bar framed wall blocking their path. That was the least of their worries though, for no sooner had that obstacle trapped them, the beam that was holding up the rope began to break, finally caving in from the weight it was forced to put on.
"Yugi, look out!" Cosmo screamed, pushing him out of the way to try and save him from the falling debris. Yugi gasped, falling onto the floor as a dust cloud began to settle. Some of the metallic parts fell around them. Cosmo wasn't hurt, thankfully, but the stress of the falling bean caused her to faint and blacked out.
Warashibe admittedly did not expect his trap to cause this much damage. He only hoped that his goddess was not badly hurt. Then again, it meant he had a better chance of claiming her if she was not able to escape. Still, he was slightly upset that his contraption was destroyed. "Oh man… it broke…" He sighed. He looked at the dust cloud, waiting for it to settle to see what happened with the two of them. As the cloud began to dispan, he saw something glowing in the dust, making him raise a brow.
Once the cloud had finally cleared, Warashibe saw Cosmo, fainted in the arms of 'Yugi' who held her close. He seemed much taller, stronger even and his eyes slanted as he glared over at the Capumon fanatic. "Warashibe… this obsession has gone too far."
Warashibe adjusted his glasses, looking over at him and his sudden new attitude. "Yugi?" He said in a low tone. Where did this strange confidence come from?
"It's game time." 'Yugi' declared, setting Cosmo's body on a larger crate for her to rest. Warashibe had no clue what was going on, but he came this far and he wasn't one to back down. The two men sat down at the Capumon board, ready for the game.
"So, you will be taking over? Does this mean you want to restart?" He asked, though it didn't matter if they had different Capumon, he had his own that he could use.
To his surprise though, 'Yugi' shook his head. "No, we can leave it like this." He assured.
"You're okay with this? Even with the low leveled monsters?" Warashibe was actually baffled that 'Yugi' wouldn't want a new set of monsters to at least give him a fighting chance. Was he worried Warashibe would just cheat again?
"They may appear weak, but you can not say they are at a disadvantage." 'Yugi' retorted. "As of now, I will take over Cosmo's strategy."
Upon hearing that, Warashibe actually let out a cackle before turning back to Yugi. "Strategy? A beginner like her doesn't even understand the basics of this game. There's no way she could have come up with one."
"Don't underestimate her, she may appear a beginner, but she knows enough. At any rate, we will begin. However," 'Yugi' had a sly smile of his own as he looked at Warashibe. "The game that we are about to play, will become a Shadow Game."
While he did not know what that meant, Warashibe didn't pay much attention to it. What matters is he was still at the advantage, so all he had to do was get rid of the other four opposing monsters and he would win. "Well then, let me be the one to start this." He picked up his snake monster, Serpentine, and set it in front of the Great Par. The moment he did, the snake Capumon began to come to life, hissing as it moved its body. Great Par soon followed, raising its sword and clashing it against the opponents' neck. Warashibe watched with interest, seeing the two pieces of monster chess come to life, striking each other and bringing it to an even match. After they struck each other, their forms disappeared, being reduced to smoke. Warashibe saw it all, becoming interested as the scene played out. "Very intriguing!" He admitted, suddenly becoming exciting as he watched the two Capumon go down. "But they ended up destroying each other. Though that makes no difference in my advantage." Warashibe stated.
'Yugi' only smiled, waiting for him to keep up his onslaught. "You may take the next turn, I'm fine where I am." He assured the opponent.
Warashibe chuckled. "Very well. Go on, Dinosaurwing!" Much like the other two Capumon, the gargoyle creature flew across the field, heading over to the Planter on 'Yugi's' side. It breathed fire, setting aflame the plant man which pegged 'Yugi' down another monster. The fire reflected in Warashibe's eyes, despite this amusing game, he knew that he would be the victor. All he really cared about was the prize, but he knew she wasn't going anywhere. Still, he hated for it to be dragged out. Thankfully, it was almost over. "Looks like the levels are too different between us." Warashibe stated in a stoic tone. "Now you only have two monsters left."
'Yugi' had a poker face himself. He just watched his opponent crush his monsters without any concern. "It seems that way." 'Yugi' picked up Living Castle, setting it on a few squares ahead, right into another monster of Warashibe.
The college man laughed, squinting at the move that 'Yugi' just made. "That won't help you. My Headzacker is right there." As if to prove his point, the skull based Capumon approached the castle monster, opening up its jaw and crunching upon the opposing castle, breaking it into bits. "Too bad, Yugi." Warashibe said nonchalantly as he was one move away from winning. "The only monster you have left now is only a mere level 2." He pointed at the bird on 'Yugi's' side of the field. "Which means I win."
"Are you sure about that?" He asked as his arms were crossed over his chest. His face was not breaking that confidence he somehow found himself with.
"Still not giving up?" Warashibe asked, even though he believed that it was in vain.
With his own smug smile, 'Yugi' said, "Take a closer look at the arrangements of your monsters on your side of the field."
"Huh?" Warashibe didn't understand what he was talking about, until his eyes landed on the formation that his monsters took up. That was when he noticed that all four of his remaining monsters were lined up diagonal from where 'Yugi's' last Capumon was. "W-what? When did all of my monsters get lined up like this?!" Warashibe asked, for some unknown reason he felt nervous. Was this part of 'Yugi's' plan all along?
"Now then, my last monster, Torido." 'Yugi' began to explain further. "Though his level is low and he may not be good with upfront combat, he does have a special ability." His smile faded to that of a serious expression, indicating he meant business now. "This ability can only be used under certain arrangements, but he can defeat even a level five monster! His special ability allows him to do a one hit knockout of any monsters on a seven square consecutive space either forward, backwards, left, right or diagonal."
Now Warashibe understood why 'Yugi' wasn't worried about losing all of his monsters or wanting to start the game over with new Capumons. He already knew what he was going to do with his level two. Despite his disadvantage, he sacrificed his monsters in order to turn the tables around. Warashibe's eyes wavered, his body shook as he was dumbfounded by the fact that he fell into the trap. He thought that by having the higher level Capumons, he would ensure his victory, but he forgot that the lower monsters tended to have special abilities.
"Here I go! Flight of the gale!" 'Yugi' shouted, using the Shadow Game to make Torido's body move, flapping the bird's wings as it charged through the line of the opposing monsters. It's power created a wound in their bodies, before the remaining army of Warashibe's disappeared into smoke. With all of his Capumon gone and 'Yugi' having one left, the high schooler was declared the winner.
Warashibe gasped in pure shock, unable to comprehend what transpired. "All of my… monsters…" He reached his hands up to hold his head, trembling like a leaf after his defeat.
All the while, 'Yugi' stood up, walking over to where Cosmo still laid. As he headed away from the board, he gave one piece of advice. "Warashibe… Capumon isn't just about collecting the monsters, and pitting the strongest ones against each other. It's about how you use the monster's strengths and abilities to win."
"I lost… defeated in Capumon…" Warashibe whispered, his voice hoarse as his face twisted into that of a harsh expression. His lips curled back to reveal snarling teeth. The hands that were holding his head grabbed hold of the crate and flipped it, along with the board and remaining pieces. He then fell back against his chair, falling to the ground as he waves his arms and legs in the air, screaming "No" over and over as if he were having a temper tantrum. "Cosmo Seedrian is supposed to be mine!" He declared, still unable to accept the loss.
'Yugi' turned back at Warashibe, watching him struggling with the defeat, though he felt no pity. "The door of darkness has opened." He said those words, indicating that the loser would now face that of a penalty. Upon his orders, Warashibe found himself on the platform of a white base. He didn't have time to figure out what was going on, before a dome appeared around him. He was now inside the very large capsule he had planned on putting Cosmo in. On the white egg shape, was the star that had a red one over it. Warashibe banged on the wall inside, complaining about how dark and cramped it was and begging to be let out. "Let this small punishment be a reminder. Capumon aren't for a collection. It's a battle game, where each monster has their strength and weaknesses." That was all he had to say, before picking up the unconscious Cosmo and taking her out of the warehouse, leaving Warashibe there to cry and reflect upon his actions. Sure, it wasn't a terrible punishment, but now Warashibe would have to leave Cosmo and everyone else alone. If he wouldn't take his word for it, the trauma that would come with the Shadow Game sure would.
Morning soon rolled around Domino, it seemed peaceful as Yugi was heading towards school. No sooner did he turn the first block from his house however, was he greeted by four familiar friends. Anzu, Jounouchi, Honda and Miho walked with him on their way to their classes, looking much better than yesterday. They all managed to head back home a little bit later after the end of school. Their stomachs were still a bit upset, but they were able to manage.
"I'm glad you guys were able to get better." Yugi said, having a smile on his face.
"It wasn't that big of a deal." Anzu tried to assure confidently.
"Miho's mom wanted to keep her home just in case, but I don't feel as bad anymore." The purpled haired girl explained.
"I just can't believe we got sick because of that Capumon guy." Jounouchi grumbled. "Just thinking about that word is enough to make my stomach turn."
"I still can't believe she ended up beating that guy for us!" Honda said. "She sure is a feisty one if given the circumstances."
Yugi laughed, agreeing with the brunet's statement. He wasn't fully sure what had happened after the beam of the warehouse collapsed on them, but Yugi and the green haired girl believed that somehow she had won the game of Capumon and beat Warashibe. She was also doing better, waking up just a few blocks before Yugi helped her get back home. He was glad they were able to make it out of there unharmed. And considering they haven't heard anything from Warashibe, they believed he kept his word and would leave them alone.
"That Capumon guy sure learned his place quickly." Anzu pointed out. "I'm not sure what she did, but it sure worked."
"I said stop saying that word!" Jounouchi said in an irritated tone.
"Yugi! Everyone!" The gang of five turned around, seeing the short female of the bunch hurry over to them. She waved while smiling as she tried catching up with everyone else.
"Cosmo!" Yugi greeted her as he stopped walking so she would be able to meet up with them. Once she did, she tried catching her breath from running. "Are you doing okay?" Yugi asked, wondering how she was fairing from the aftermath.
Cosmo gave a chuckle. "I'm better than okay! Honestly, I haven't felt this good in a long time. I wanted to make sure you were alright after yesterday's incident."
Yugi waved his hands. "Ha, it's nothing I'm not used to."
Jounouchi walked over to the green haired girl, patting her shoulder. "Honestly, you were pretty good to have taken on that guy head on."
"Eh? I honestly don't remember much about what happened though." She admitted, trying to think back to the events of yesterday, but was blanking.
"You ended up leading Warashibe into a trap!" Yugi filled in the blanks. "That Capumon that was the bird, it had a special ability and you sacrificed your weaker monsters just to use that one to take out all of Warashibe's. At least, that was what I figured." Yugi explained.
Cosmo blinked, hearing his explanation. It seemed the most rational and she did remember wanting to use that Torido Capumon in order to beat her opponent. "Oh yeah… I guess in the end I had to face him since he wouldn't let us go…"
"Well, you managed to hold your own. I admire that." Anzu grinned at her. This made Cosmo blush a bit, she wasn't used to being praised often and it felt a bit weird,
"T-Thanks guys… and I'm sorry for what he did to you. I feel kind of responsible since he did that because of me." Cosmo bowed to apologize to everyone.
"Hey, don't worry about it." Jounouchi tried to reassure her. "It's not like you asked him to poison us. You had no control."
"Exactly!" Honda agreed. "We're all better now and we should move on ahead while we can. Now let's hurry and get to school!" He declared, marching off towards their building. The others followed with Cosmo and Yugi in the back.
The shortest of the girls turned to the smaller male, smiling a bit. "Hey Yugi, do you think after today we could have another match of Capumon?" She requested.
"You want to keep playing that game?" Yugi was kind of surprised to hear that she was still interested in Capumon, despite the recent events.
"Well, I don't want to let Warashibe and what had happened discourage me from something I want to try and get better at. Plus, I have to admit, I'm enjoying the game and would like to learn more. I want to be able to play just as well as you!" She gave an encouraging smile, indicating how serious this decision of hers was. Yugi couldn't refuse to teach someone about a game, especially when it was one of his friends. He smiled with her, nodding as he agreed to teach her more. Yugi wondered if Cosmo had the potential to be a Capumon champion? Then again, she had a long way to go before she could reach that. Still, he would help her every step of the way. That's what friends do.