Catch-22: The Deck
By: M14Mouse
Summary: Ever wonder where Yu got his cards…well…the story goes like this.
Disclaimer: Don't own them.
There is nothing better than a friend, unless it is a friend with chocolate.
-Linda Grayson
You are going down there…again!
Of course. I did promise.
Shadows!
They aren't that bad. Wait until you meet Teddie.
This Teddie must have left quite the impression for you to be such an idiot child.
Leanan Sidhe choked with laughter inside of his head.
We found that strange one to be interesting. Our Master cared deeply for the strange one. So, we tolerate the strange one.
He raised his eyebrow slightly. Genbu rarely talked…much less called him Master. That was interesting.
You are crazy, kid.
If it made you feel better, I brought my sword.
And snacks…
They like snacks.
In the corner of his eye, he could see the impression of something. Something…purple? He could barely tell that it was before it was gone.
Nice cloak.
The persona snorted.
Oh, don't forget the games! I love games.
He grinned at High Pixie's voice as he jumped down to the rails.
Games?
Just some cards…it is easier to carry than Monopoly or Scrabble.
Yosuke is very good at Monopoly. He brought all of the railroads the last time that we played.
Naoto and Yu are very good at Scrabble.
What in the hell is this Monopoly and Scrabble?
He chuckled softly at his personas explaining the rules of both games to the new persona. About half of the rules were wrong but still…it was funny to listen to everyone. He took a flashlight out of his pocket and turned it on. He flashed the light around.
Hmmm….
You know…it kind of reminded him of a haunted house with its endless hallways and sounds.
Kind of creepy.
It reminded me of home.
It does have that feel, doesn't it, Mot?
Now, if he turned right here…then turned left. He stopped when he saw a door instead of a path.
Hmm…he forgot that this place constantly changed. Going to hard to map this place if it does. But if this place is like the tv world or Dark Hour, there are still probably landmarks or markers.
If we can find them.
He nodded his head.
"Hold, human!" A voice said behind him.
He turned around to see Yaskini behind him. Her swords were drawn as her body moved from side to side.
The girl is hot.
You have terrible taste in women. That one could eat you.
Also hot.
He chuckled softly and shook his head.
"Oh, hello. Have you seen Lilum or Black Frost around?"
"Why do you seek such creatures?"
"I promised that I would come back and bring snacks."
Yaskini made a face.
"You aren't trying to form a contract, are you? The other ones who came down here have tried and failed. They are terrible."
Several of his personas started to laugh.
"They are young and still learning. You have to forgive them."
"Young indeed…but so are you."
"I am," He said as he looked behind her in hopes to see what direction to go.
"I have a use for such young blood here. Not theirs. Perhaps, you can keep me company"
"No, I am a little busy at the moment. Thank you for the offer."
"Who said you won't?"
"Me."
See? Told you that this was going to happen.
He sighed. This had to turn into a fight. He watched as Yaskini drew her blades. He reached to draw his own blade.
"SENSEI!"
"HE HO!"
He turned around at the familiar voices and smiled.
"Hello, you two," He said when he saw Lilam and Black Frost running toward him.
"You came!" Lilam said as she stopped in front of him.
"Of course."
Black Frost hugged him. He grinned as he looked down then patted its head.
"Did you bring snacks?" Lilim said hopefully.
"Like I promised."
Lilim clapped her hands then she turned to Yaskini, who looked confused.
"You aren't messing with Sensei, are you?" Lilim asked.
"No?"
"I was just going to invite her to our game," He said.
"Really? I was about to…" Yaskini said in confusion.
"Of course. Why don't you find a spot, Lilim?"
He had to cut her off quickly because he wasn't sure how Lilim and Black Frost would react to her trying to eat him.
Lilim hummed for a moment then her eyes lightened up. She grabbed his hand and pulled him deeper into this place. Black Frost was holding his hand and Yaskini was following behind closely. Finally, they reached what looked like the end of this place. Well…kind of since it looked like there were stairs leading down.
He wondered how big this place was and how far it goes down.
"Ta-DA! If the bad shadow comes, you can always run down the stairs."
"Sounds like a plan. So, what should we do first?"
"He Ho!"
"Snacks."
He laughed as he let go of Black Frost's hand. He set his bookbag up on the platform before pulling himself up. He offered his hand to Black Frost and the Black Frost grabbed it. He pulled him right onto the platform with him. Black Frost clapped once he got to the top.
"Yaskini?
The shadow looked confused.
"Both?" She said.
He smiled as he opened his bookbag. He grabbed his deck of cards, pocky box, potato chips, and pretz box out of his bag.
"What are we going to play, Sensei?" Lilam asked.
"Go Fish."
He thought of playing Menko with them but he wasn't sure if the throwing and shouting was such a good idea. So Go Fish was simple enough and less violence.
"Ooo…how do you play?"
He took out the deck of cards from its pack.
"I will hand out 5 cards to each of you. The rest become our draw pile. We ask a specific person for a specific card like do you have any sevens, Black Frost? If you have any sevens, you give them to me. If the person asked does not have that card, they say 'Go fish!'. The player must then draw the top card of the pile. Then they set the pair down and they get another turn to ask for another. If the person doesn't have it, but the turn now passes to the next player. The game continues until either someone has no cards left in their hand or the pile runs out. The winner is the player who then has the most pairs. Any questions?"
The shadows shook their heads no.
"Okay. If you have any questions, just ask," He said as he dealt out the cards. The shadows gathered in a semi-circle and grabbed their cards…and of course, their snacks.
"Does Sensei have a five?" Lilim said.
"No, go fish," He said.
Lilim pouted and drew a card.
"He Ho?"
"I don't have it. Go Fish."
"Two, Yaskini?"
"Damn it."
Yaskini handed Lilm the card.
"Lilim, you told me that this place always changed. Do you know why?"
"Uh huh…Do you have a king, Sensei?"
"No…go fish."
"No…not really. There are always new shadows coming here except when it makes a lot of noise. The place shook really hard. It was awful," Lilm said.
"It sounded terrible."
"Hee Ho!"
"It is! I don't want you and Black Frost around when the man in the black mask is here. He changed this place every time he came down here. It screamed last time. So much noise and pain but after a while, it changed back. It was quiet again."
"Man in the black mask? Like the phantom thieves?"
"No. The other ones are funny. Sometimes, they calm the other shadows down," Lilim added.
"I sense the man in the black mask is hungry for something. While we hunger for something here, most of the shadows flee from such hunger. His hunger consumed and destroyed all," Yaskini said.
So, there are two groups.
More like a group and an individual…
And now, you.
"Sensei, it is your turn."
"Oh, thank you. How about nine, Black Frost?"
"He ho!"
"Of course. How does this place change?" He said with a grin as he took a card from the pile and added to his cards.
"Lots of noise." Lilim said.
"Sometimes, a piece will break off." Yaskini added.
"HEE! HO!" Black Frost added as he waved his arms about. It was almost enough to throw his cards into the air.
"Break off?" He said.
"Yes, it is like an earthquake and then it pops off." Yaskini added.
"That sounded scary."
"It did!" Lilim added.
"HEE HO!"
"Hey! What is going on!? Can you let an old man sleep?" Another voice said.
He looked over to see an Incubus.
"Oh, hello. You want to play too?" He asked.
"What are you playing?" Incubus asked as he approached them.
"Go Fish."
"Boring….you should play blackjack!"
"You know how to play?"
Incubus frowned for a moment.
"Maybe? I don't remember."
"I haven't played blackjack in a while. Let me look up the rules and we can play next time, okay?"
It was interesting to see what shadows remembered and what they couldn't.
"Really?! Thanks, man! Oo….what are these?"
He grinned.
"Snacks."
Incubus glided over and took a pocky stick out of the box.
"Hmmm…yum," Incubus said as he took a bite of the stick.
"Don't eat all of them!" Lilim said.
"You aren't eating them!"
"I was sharing!"
"Guys…" He said.
"I was planning to share!"
"No, you weren't!"
"Yes, I was."
"No, you weren't!"
"Enough."
The shadows stopped arguing and stared at him.
"Sorry, Sensei."
"Sorry, man."
"That is okay," He said.
"Hee Ho?" Black Frost said.
"Hmm…that is a good idea. Why don't we pause the game and enjoy our snacks?"
"Finally, you have a good idea," Yaskini said as she dived into the snack pile. The other shadows followed suit.
"Ooo…I know what Sensei can bring next time," Lilim said.
"Oh?"
"Cookies!"
"Hee Ho!"
"That is a good idea, Black Frost. Gummies are the best, man," Incubus said.
"I would like veggie sticks."
"Hi-Chews."
"I like that hard candy you brought last time, Sensei."
"Gum!"
He laughed softly.
"I like…SENSEI! Go down the stairs. Bad shadow is coming," Lilim said as she scrambled from the ground.
"Okay," He said as he scrambled to his feet.
"Go…Go…Go!"
"HEE HO!"
Black Frost and Lilim pulled him toward the stairs. In the distance, he could the sound of chains.
"Will you guys be okay?"
"We will be fine, Sensei. He Who Is Death does not approach us." Yaskini said.
"Before you go, Sensei…here. This is for you." Incubus said as he handed him something.
"Go!" Lilim said as she pulled him down the stairs.
He stumbled down the stairs until he reached another level of this place.
It looked…the same. He shouldn't be surprised.
He looked down at what Incubus gave him.
It was a card.
It wasn't like his other cards but he still could sense power from it. He flipped it over.
Garu
His fingers ran along the symbol.
Hmmm…I suggest that you keep it. We might need it for later.
Huh? He wondered what that meant.
End of the Deck
Next Chapter: A Break In Play-The Hunger
A/N: Now, you know how Yu got some of his cards. I like writing Yu and the shadows are fun. I can't wait to write the Sensei Effect…shadows interactions alone. Anyway, thanks for the favorites, reviews, and kudos, etc. Read and Review if you wish.