Chapter 5: Dripping With Venom
Summary: Be cautious when prodding a sleeping cobra lest it's venomous fangs strike.
"Who am I speaking to and do you have a job for me?" Standing with his phone over the corpse of a recently defeated enemy is an assassin duelist named Titan, a self-proclaimed master of the Shadow Games for hire.
"Who I am is of little importance. I have a problem that needs taken care of and I've heard you're a man who takes care of problems."
"I do, for a price. I charge three months' worth of your salary." The caller chuckles on the other end.
"Check your email." Titan pulls his phone away to check his email seeing an email from his bank. His eyes widen as he sees that 200 million yen have been deposited into his account. "I do apologize I don't really make a "salary," but I believe 200 million will suffice for a first payment."
"First payment?"
"Of course, this is an important job I have for you, and someone of your reputation deserves only the best. So, it's 200 now, and upon completion another 200 will be deposited in your account." Titan smirks at this.
"You have my attention. What's the job?"
"You will go to the Central Duel Academy island and covertly take out a student there."
"All of this money for a single student, who is this kid?"
"You will receive another email with details on the student including a way to contact him, as well as details on all of his friends. He won't duel you without proper motivation, so lure him to the school's abandoned dorm by taking one of his friends and he'll accept any challenge."
"Make sure you have the other 200 ready; this won't take long."
"I'm looking forward to hearing your report."
/RFSXPL/
"I'm looking forward to hearing your report." The shadowed figure hangs up the phone and lets out a chuckle. "Now "Takashi" it's time to make sure you haven't gone too soft on us."
/RFSXPL/
Takashi is in his room cleaning and performing maintenance on one of his prosthetic arms. Normally at this time Takashi would be hanging out with Jaden, Syrus, and Chumley, who has been warming up to them, but they had decided to tell horror stories which he wanted no part in. So not wanting to ruin their fun, he made an excuse and returned to his room. He's finishing when someone knocks on his door, setting down his tools he gets up and opens the door to see Jaden grinning ear to ear.
Takashi raises an eyebrow. "Hey Jaden. Why do you look like you want to try and drag me into one of your, against the rules, adventures?" Jaden chuckles.
"Oh, come on Takashi when have I ever broken the rules?" Takashi sighs and shakes his head with a small smile.
"What's up Jaden?"
"Me and the other guys are going to check out the abandoned dorm, you want to come?" Takashi's smile shifts to a small frown.
"Really Jaden. No, I don't want to go, and I can't stop you from going, but can you promise me one thing?" Jaden blinks curiously.
"Sure man, what's up?"
"You can check it out from the outside but do not go in please." Jaden looks away scratching his head nervously.
"I mean I wasn't planning on going in or anything."
"Jaden please, I like you guys a lot and don't want to see you guys get expelled over this, and going into that dorm is a way to guarantee you will." Jaden holds is hands in front of him in surrender.
"Alright, alright I promise we won't go in. Man, you're such a worrywart it's going to be fine."
"Just be careful." Jaden turns around to leave laughing.
"When am I ever not careful? We'll be fine!" Takashi sighs again before closing his door.
"I hope so."
/RFSXPL/
Later that night, hidden among the trees outside the abandoned dorm, Titan watches four of his target's friends talk amongst themselves. Alexis Rhodes, Chumley Huffington, Jaden Yuki, and Syrus Truesdale. He smirks thinking to himself.
"They certainly made this easier for me." He decides to wait to see if one will break off from the group to be easier to grab. After a minute the three boys wander off from Alexis to explore the outside of the dorm. As they turn around the corner of the dorm Titan makes his move, silently approaching her from behind with a chloroform covered rag.
Once he gets behind, he covers her mouth with the rag, she struggles for a second before passing out in his arms. Titan chuckles darkly throwing her over his shoulder while making his way to the dorm.
/RFSXPL/
Jaden, Syrus, and Chumley are walking around the grounds of the abandoned dorm when Syrus speaks up.
"I'm a little surprised bro, I really thought you'd be having us explore the inside of the dorm." Jaden scratches his cheek in embarrassment.
"Well, I was planning too but Takashi was really upset and made me promise not to go in." Chumley nods in understanding.
"Yeah, that sounds like him, he's a bit of a stickler for the rules. He's always trying to get me to attend classes again." Jaden chuckles.
"Yeah, but at least it comes from a place of care. He just doesn't want anyone to get in trouble and try to better themselves." Syrus agrees with a nod, while Chumley sighs. Chumley is about to say something when the trio hears a scream from within the dorm. All their eyes widen when Jaden snaps back into reality.
"That sounds like Alexis!" Jaden starts running towards the entrance to the dorm. "I'll have to apologize to Takashi later we gotta get see if she needs help!" The other two follow behind, after running through the dorm they come across what looks like a ritual chamber where they see Alexis tied up and unconscious in a demonic-looking coffin. "Alexis!"
"Quiet now, she's sleeping." Stepping out of a dark corner is Titan. "But I do need to thank you for coming to find her, I now have all the leverage a man in my position could want." Jaden glares at Titan.
"I don't know who you are but let Alexis go!" Titan chuckles.
"I don't think I will. I plan to use you and your friends to lure out my true target." Syrus gasps.
"Target?!"
"Yes, "target," I need you all to lure Takashi Mirai here to accept my Shadow Game." All the boy's eyes widen at this. Chumley shouts.
"Shadow Duel?!" While Jaden and Syrus latch onto another part of the statement.
"Takashi?!"
"Speaking of Takashi." Titan pulls out a phone and starts a video call with his phone facing the trio. "Let's send a message."
/RFSXPL/
Takashi is finishing reassembling a deck when his phone rings, he sees it's a video call from an unknown number. He raises an eyebrow and answers. Upon answering his face morphs into shock seeing Jaden, Syrus, and Chumley looking angry in some weird room.
"Wha-" Takashi is cut off by someone laughing.
"Not just them boy." The camera pans to an unconscious Alexis in the coffin. Takashi is gritting his teeth with his free hand clenched and trembling by his side.
"Who are you, what do you want?!"
"I am Titan, and what I want is to duel you, a shadow duel where our lives will be on the line. But I knew you would never accept the duel of your own volition, so I'm taking it out of your hands. Come to the abandoned dorm in 30 minutes and face me!"
"I'll be there!"
"Good and if you don't show up in time or you bring help, I'll start killing off your friends." As Titan cuts the connection Takashi hears Jaden.
"Don't listen to hi-"
Silently Takashi grabs the deck he reassembled, sliding it into his deck box, doesn't put his shoes on, and makes his way outside. Once on the walkway he gives a command.
"Remove leg limiters!" As he says that the circuit lights of his legs glow intensely and two ports open up on the sides of his ankles, letting out a little steam. He jumps off the balcony landing and begins sprinting at 30 miles an hour. As he's running, he gives another command.
"Call Pegasus!" He holds the now open video communicator near his face as after a few rings Pegasus' face appears on the screen looking tired. However, seeing Takashi and knowing he wouldn't call this late on a whim instantly wakes up.
"Takashi boy? What's wrong?" Takashi starts weaving through the forest's trees taking a second to answer.
"I'm going to need you to talk to Mr. Kaiba and get him to give me permission to enter the abandoned dorm on campus!"
"Where those students disappeared? Did you find something?" Takashi narrows his eyes as the green flecks in his hazel eyes begin to expand.
"No, but someone is there holding my friends hostage, he's demanding I have a shadow duel with him there!" Pegasus' one eye widens.
"What?!"
"He calls himself Titan!"
"Titan? I've heard about him, he's an assassin duelist for hire that kills his opponents in shadow games. While I don't believe he actually shadow duels them, he does kill his opponents. If he's after you someone paid him to be."
"Do you think it could be them?"
"I suppose it's possible not everyone was there during the blast." The green almost consumes his irises as Takashi quietly snarls but shrinks back to normal as he sighs to calm down. Eyes becoming cold, he says.
"Well, whoever sent him, I'm going to stop him and get my friends back, just get me that permission please Mr. Pegasus." Pegasus gives Takashi a concerned look.
"I'll get you the permission, just be careful my boy."
"I will, thank you." With that Takashi ends the call arriving at the dorm a few minutes later. Takashi runs into the dorm running through the halls until he enters the chamber. Seeing Jaden, Syrus, and Chumley standing at the entrance glaring at something he jumps over them skidding to a stop his prosthetics spew more steam from the ankles before the vents close and the circuits dim.
Taking stock of the situation he sees Titan standing there with a gun to Alexis's head smirking. "Good you decided to show up, your friends were starting to get restless." He pulls the gun away from her head walking to the edge of the circle farthest from Takashi. "Now I believe I'm owed a duel."
Takashi growls with the green starting to grow in his eyes again before he closes them, opening them with a calm, but hard, expression they are back to normal. Jaden, Syrus, and Chumley snapping out of their shock gasp at his arrival all shouting.
"Takashi!" Takashi looks back towards the trio with softer eyes.
"I'm glad you all are safe. I'm sorry he dragged you into whatever this is, but I promise I'll get you out!" Jaden gives a determined nod.
"I know you can beat this guy Takashi, show him how to play!" Syrus and Chumley nod in agreement. Titan chuckles.
"Such confidence your friends have in you Takashi, too bad you can never live up to it. Now, prepare for the ultimate form of dueling, a shadow duel, where are very souls are on the line!" Titan activates his duel jacket, slotting his deck in. Takashi's eyes shift back to Titan as he coldly says.
"I'll make you pay for what you did to my friends." Takashi removes his jacket, throwing it off to the side, and activates his duel disk slotting his deck in.
"Duel!"
Titan's Hand- Vilepawn Archfiend, Skull Archfiend of Lightning, Two Desrook Archfiend, Life Absorbing Machine
Takashi's Hand- Predaplant Darlingtonia Cobra, Predaplant Spinodionaea, Predaplant Sarraceniant, Predaponics, Predaplant Pterapenthes
"Considering the position you're in I'm sure you won't argue letting me go first!" Titan draws Infernalqueen Archfiend. "Hmm not my favorite starting hand, but it should be more than enough to hold off the brat to get my combos set up." He sets Desrook Archfiend in defense position.
Desrook Archfiend Atk / Def: 1100 / 1800
He also sets Life Absorbing Machine facedown. "I'll set a monster facedown and one card facedown and end my turn. The shadows are beginning to coalesce, your soul will soon be mine!" Takashi stays silent and draws Mirror Force and then in a cold voice declares.
"First I'll play Predaponics and then I'll summon Predaplant Spinodionaea in attack mode."
Predaplant Spinodionaea Atk / Def: 1800 / 0
"Then I'll activate Predaponics, which lets me special summon one level four or lower Predaplant monster from my hand, but its effect is negated. And I'll special summon Predaplant Pterapenthes in defense mode."
Predaplant Pterapenthes Atk / Def: 300 / 2100
"I'll attack your facedown with Spinodionaea." The dinosaur plant combo bits down on the now revealed Desrook.
Desrook Archfiend Atk / Def: 1100 / 1800
This makes Titan chuckle. "My Desrook stands strong!"
"It's a good thing destroying it wasn't my main goal for the attack. I'll now activate one of my Spinodionaea effects, if they battle a monster with an equal or lower level; I can Special Summon one Predaplant monster from my deck, except a copy of itself. With it I'll summon Predaplant Darlingtonia Cobra in defense mode." Darlingtonia rises out of the flytrap on Spinodionaea's back.
Predaplant Darlingtonia Cobra Atk / Def: 1000 / 1500
"And when they are Special Summoned by the effect of a Predaplant monster I can add a "Polymerization" or "Fusion" spell card from my deck to my hand."
Jaden, Syrus, and Chumley's eyes widen behind him, with Jaden shouting.
"Fusion, not Synchro!" Takashi nods.
"Synchro summoning isn't the only trick I have up my sleeve. Now I'll add Predaprime Fusion and since it's a Quick-Play Spell I'll activate it right away! I'll fuse my Darlingtonia and Pterapenthes." The green begins to take over Takashi's irises once more as a vortex of wind forms under him blowing his hair every which way as his hair tie desperately holds together.
"Two beautiful flowers with an insect-alluring fragrance! Now become one, and from the hell beneath your petals, give birth to a new terror! Fusion Summon! Appear! Poisonous dragon with hungry fangs. Starving Venom Fusion Dragon!" The two Predaplants rise to the sky and are both sucked onto a swirling vortex that Starving Venom Fusion Dragon then flies out of with a roar.
Starving Venom Fusion Dragon Atk / Def: 2800 / 2000
The vortex disperses creating a gentle breeze that causes everyone's hair to sway. This makes Titan's eyes widen slightly behind his mask, so small the three behind him didn't notice, but Takashi did. "There it is. The confirmation I needed to know he's a fake. Now I just need to see how he makes his illusions that trick people." With that thought Takashi continues his turn.
"Now since my fusion card was a Quick-Play my battle phase never ended." Titan grunts.
"Which means-"
"That I can continue my assault. Go, Starving Venom Fusion Dragon attack his Desrook!" The dragon lashes out with a barbed tail that pierces Desrook destroying it. Takashi then sets Mirror Force. "I'll set one card facedown and end my turn." Titan grits his teeth.
"I don't know how that brat did the trick with the wind, but I'm the one in control here, one good draw and I'll wipe out his field." Titan draws Darkbishop Archfiend and tsks. "Damn, I'll have to keep playing defensively for now, I wasn't expecting the kid to pull a combo like that off turn one!" He then sets Desrook Archfiend. "I'll set one monster and end my turn." Takashi gives Titan a small look of condescension.
Desrook Archfiend Atk / Def: 1100 / 1800
"It looks like you're all talk Titan, simply pathetic." Takashi draws another Predaplant Spinodionaea. Titan growls while back with the trio Syrus looks concerned.
"Does Takashi sound different to you all?" Chumley nods.
"Yeah, he's always been so polite and calm, even when he scolds someone it's more like a disappointed parent. He sounds so cold right now." Jaden looks on with a serious expression.
"Now I pay 800 life points to keep my Predaponics on the field."
Takashi's LP: 8000-800=7200
Titan grins, feeling like he can take back control of the situation, and pulls out a Millennium Puzzle that begins shining from the eye. "Now that you've lost life points the shadow game truly starts! Prepare to lose a part of your soul!" Smoke begins filling the room causing Jaden, Syrus, and Chumley to start coughing. As they catch their breath it appears that Takashi's left wrist has disappeared causing the three to gasp.
"How's he doing that?" Jaden wonders causing Titan to chuckle.
"I told you boy, this is a shadow game, the ancient spirits are claiming part of his soul as payment." Takashi ignores Titan.
"I'll now activate the effect of Predaponics to Special Summon Predaplant Darlingtonia Cobra from my hand in defense mode."
Predaplant Darlingtonia Cobra Atk / Def: 1000 / 1500
"And then I'll summon a second Predaplant Spinodionaea, then I'll attack your facedown with my first Spinodionaea." As Spinodionaea attacks the card flips to reveal Desrook Archfiend.
Desrook Archfiend Atk / Def: 1100 / 1800
"Now I'll use the effect of my Spinodionaea to Special Summon Predaplant Banksiogre in attack mode."
Predaplant Banksiogre Atk / Def: 2000 / 100
Syrus and Chumley look at the monster confused.
"A brown carrot with eyes and mouths?"
"I think it's a pinecone."
"And now I'll use him to attack your Desrook." Banksiogre torpedoes through Desrook destroying it. "Now Spinodionaea number two attack Titan directly and Starving Venom Fusion Dragon you attack as well but also get that fake puzzle while you're at it!" Titan steps back in shock before getting bit by Spinodionaea shouting in pain.
"Argh! I actually felt that!" Before he can say more Venom Dragon's spiked tail curves stabbing through Titans puzzle shattering it before stabbing into his side causing him to yell again.
Titan's LP: 8000-1800-2800=3400
With the fake puzzle destroyed the smoke dissipates and Takashi's wrist reappears. Takashi scoffs.
"You're not a shadow duelist, you're just a murderer and a two-bit conman. You use that light from your fake puzzle to hypnotize people into thinking they are actually dying. It's so convincing to the brain it causes your body to actually fail. I can only assume the ones who saw through it you just killed normally." Titan just keeps staring in shock as he reaches to his side where the dragon's tail had pierced him, he feels blood coming from a small wound on his side.
"Y-you actually hurt me. I-I'm bleeding. What are you?" The green has consumed Takashi's irises and starts bleeding into the white of his eyes as he coldly stares at Titan.
"I'm someone who's friends you should have never threatened. Now that you see what I can do, I'm giving you one chance to surrender." Titan takes a step back before deactivating his duel jacket and making a run for it.
"I'll get you for this you brat! You'll regret the day you crossed me!" Takashi just points a finger at his retreating back and Banksiogre flies forward smashing into the back of Titan's head, sending him to the ground unconscious.
Winner- Takashi Mirai
Takashi turns back to look at the guys behind him and they see solid green eyes with a pupil in the center staring at them. Syrus and Chumley recoil, Takashi seeing that closes his eyes for a second, when opens them again they are back to normal, and he sighs.
"I have a lot I need to tell you all, I was hoping to put the past behind me, but it found me. Let's get Alexis out of there and I'll tell all four of you what's going on."
So I changed the reason for Titan being there. I honestly was never a fan of Crowler hiring Titan, especially in the original Japanese where instead of hiring Titan to scare Jaden enough to drop out, like he does in the dub which is still iffy, he straight up was planning to use the history of missing kids in that dorm to keep people from questioning Jaden's disappearance. Which means he was either going to have Jaden murdered, or have Jaden be kidnapped and locked away forever. While I can accept in the show he could warm up to Jaden and be a good guy after that I couldn't accept it in the fic. So I decided to use Titan to get the ball rolling on Takashi's side of things. Also next chapter is backstory time yayyyyy!