Chapter 3
Tori pondered what Astral had said to her about Yumi and couldn't believe that the shy girl who barely associated with anyone besides that cat-themed cat girl would be the same lady who held a grudge of sorts against their teacher. This meant that the one she was looking for was definitely in her classroom.
'If Yumi really is Carmilla, then maybe I should approach her. What do I say to her when I hardly even know her?' Tori asked herself before Astral appeared beside her.
[I do believe that you should ask this Yumi or the other girl to duel them since I do sense a Number monster from one of them.] Astral said. Tori pondered who to challenge first since her Deck had improved, and Astral had been helping her build up to a good XYZ deck that supported Number 39: Utopia.
Astral was an odd fellow, but Tori didn't mind. She enjoyed his company and was more than happy to help Astral with his quest to regain his memories by collecting the Number cards.
'But still, I think it's better if I challenge Yumi. I have to make sure that the other girl she hangs out with isn't at her side,' Tori said in her mind, confident in her plan while unaware of a certain feline spying on her, smiling to herself.
"Well, well. It looks like someone is being naughty. Such a rude little puppy needs to be punished." Cathy said as her eyes glowed and a set of numbers appeared on her hands.
"Isn't that right? Numbers 29 and 54?" Cathy asked as she looked at the two special Numbers that Yumi had given her. She believed they suited her Deck well.
But for now, she had a responsibility: to inform Yumi of the annoying dog's interest in her girlfriend.
Tori's decision was made. She was going to challenge Yumi. After all, if Yumi really did have a Number card, there was no better way to confirm it than a duel. The only question left was timing—Yumi was almost always with that cat-obsessed friend of hers, and Tori wanted a chance to talk to her one-on-one.
After waiting for the right moment, Tori's luck finally came. She spotted Yumi alone in a quiet corner of the school courtyard, a rare sight. Tori took a deep breath and walked over, reminding herself of the strategy she and Astral had crafted. She was ready for this, but the nerves still buzzed under her skin.
"Yumi," Tori called her voice firm but friendly.
Yumi looked up, surprised to see someone approaching her. She offered a small, polite smile but said nothing, her quiet demeanor as present as ever.
"Hi. I was wondering if you'd be interested in a duel," Tori continued, trying to sound casual. "I've been working on my deck lately, and I thought it'd be fun to test it out against someone new."
To Tori's surprise, a flicker of interest sparked in Yumi's eyes. The quiet girl seemed to weigh the offer carefully before finally nodding.
"Alright," Yumi replied softly. "I accept your challenge."
They moved to an open space, ready to begin. Tori's heart raced. Astral appeared at her side, watching silently, but his presence reassured her. This was it—her chance to uncover the truth.
Tori shuffled her Deck, eyes fixed on Yumi, trying to read her as they prepared for the duel. She wasn't sure what to expect, but she was ready.
"Now then, shall we get started?" Yumi asked while putting on her Duel Gazer and getting her Duel Disk ready, as did Tori.
"Alright! I'll go first!" Tori said as she drew her sixth card and smiled at her hand. "First, I'll start by activating Valhalla, Hall of the Fallen! And this spell allows me to special summon a fairy from my hand, ignoring their summoning conditions, but I need an empty field, so I'm going to summon Athena from my hand!"
The Greek Goddess then appeared in front of Tori as she summoned her spear and shield.
"But I'm not done since I have yet to normal summon, so come out, Little Fairy!" Tori said as, to Yumi's surprise, a tiny fairy appeared next to Tori. "And thanks to her ability, twice per turn, I can change her level by one, so she's now a level four."
Tori smiled as she activated her spell. "Next, I activate XYZ Light, and this lets me turn this spell into a Light monster on my field, but without their stats or effects, so now I have two Level 4 Little Fairies."
Tori explained that the spell had become a small fairy before Astral nodded.
[Well done, Tori. Now you can summon Utopia.]
"Sorry, Astral, but I have to make sure she has a number. Don't worry, I have a plan." Toru muttered under her breath before continuing her turn. "And now I overlay my two Level 4 Little Fairies in order to build the overlay network, and XYZ summons Little Fairy Cheer Girl!"
The fairy cheerleader smiled as she did a small cheer while flying next to Tori until she activated her monster's ability and drew a new card in exchange for an overlay unit.
"And lastly, I'll be activating the Field Spell, the Sanctuary of the Sky!" Tori declared as Yumi was impressed by the one turn before seeing the scenery change.
[Excellent work, Tori, since Sancutary of the Sky will prevent us from taking any damage since you have two fairies out on the field.]
"Thanks, and then, I'll end my turn with two facedowns. Your move, Yumi." Tori said while putting her last two cards facedown before Yumi started her turn.
"I draw," Yumi said as she looked at her hand and nodded. "Final Turn," Yumi said, which shocked Tori and Astral before Yumi began her turn.
"First, I'll activate my Spell Card, Mass Burial! And this card allows me to select one monster in my Deck and send all copies of said monster to the Graveyard." Yumi looked at her Deck and then pulled out three copies of a monster and sent them to the Graveyard.
"So I'll send all copies of Baby Skeleton Dragon to the Graveyard and activate the second effect of Mass Burial, which lets one of them come to my field without its abilities."
A skeleton version of Baby Dragon then emerged in Defense Mode as it chirped in joy until Yumi continued.
Skeleton Baby Dragon
Attribute: DARK
Type: Dragon / Effect
Level: 2
ATK: 600
DEF: 400
Card Effect:
If this card is Normal or Special Summoned: You can Special Summon all "Skeleton Baby Dragon" from your Graveyard, except "Skeleton Baby Dragon."
If you control three or more "Skeleton Baby Dragon" monsters, you can Special Summon 1 "Skeleton Token" (DARK/Dragon-Type/Level 2/ATK 0/DEF 0).
"And since I have exactly three Dark Monsters in my Graveyard, I can then special Summon one of my favorite monsters from my hand," Yumi said as the wind began to howl, which made Tori afraid until Yumi pulled out the card from her hand and summoned it.
"So give a big warm welcome to Dark Armed Dragon!" Yumi shouted as the massive dark dragon appeared and roared, which made Tori falter a bit. However, she stood her ground until Yumi continued.
"Oh, but I'm not done since I played the Spell: Rank Up Dark Betrayal from my hand. This isn't going to be pleasant for you since by sacrificing a monster on my field, I can steal one of yours, so I'll take your Fairy Cheer Girl." Yumi said as the spell sent chains toward the fairy and pulled her to Yumi's side.
Rank-Up Dark Betrayal
Type: Spell Card
Category: Quick-Play / Equip
Card Effect:
Sacrifice 1 monster you control, then target one monster your opponent controls with a Rank or Level equal to or higher than the sacrificed monster's original Rank/Level. Take control of that target monster until the end of this turn. If it is an Xyz Monster, you can use it as material to Xyz Summon 1 DARK Xyz Monster from your Extra Deck that is 1 Rank higher than the targeted monster (this Special Summon is treated as a Rank-Up Xyz Summon)
"Sure, I can't attack with her, but that won't matter since I overlay Fairy Cheer Girl, and this lets me bring out a real Fairy, so say hello to Dark Fairy Cheer Girl!" Yumi declared as the darker version of the fairy appeared and smiled as she twirled her baton before smiling at Tori, who was afraid of this since she couldn't use her Traps.
'My traps only work when my fairies are attacked, so if Yumi attacks, then I'll be fine.' Tori said in her mind before Yumi continued.
"I'm not done since I activated my Dark-Armed Dragons ability, so by banishing one of my Skeleton Baby Dragons from the Graveyard, I can destroy one monster on your field. So say goodbye to Athena!" Yumi shouted as the Dark-Armed Dragon roared and grabbed Athena before biting into her shoulder, which made Athena yell as she was destroyed, shocking Tori.
"And before you even think you're safe with your traps, then I've got something else in store for you," Yumi said, activating her third-to-last card.
"I'm activating my Continuous Spell: Dark Veil, which allows my Dark Monsters to be safe from spells, traps, and monster effects permanently. And now I'll have my monsters attack you directly!" Yumi shouted as Dark Armed Dragon and Dark Fairy Cheer Girl attacked Tori, who was scared since she had no cards to defend herself until the two bombarded her Life Points.
Tori's Life Points: 4000-2500-2800=0000
Yumi's Life Points: 4000=Winner!
Yumi smiled as she looked at the Dark Fairy Cheer Girl on her Duel Disk before taking the Dark Fairy and Light Fairy and putting them in her Deck.
"That was a...fun duel. I hope we can duel again sometime. Bye-bye!" Yumi said before walking away until Tori asked her a question.
"Your name is Carmilla, yes? Or at least your alter ego?" Tori asked, with Yumi shocked but glad to face away before looking back with a confused expression.
"Who? Look, I don't know who you're talking about, nor do I have any interest in whatever crazy talk you're doing, so I'm just going to go hang out with Cathy. See you, crazy girl." Yumi said while muttering the last part to herself, while Astral seemed to look at Tori, who was picking herself up.
"Well, it wasn't Yumi, which only leaves the cat girl, but I don't know where to find her," Tori said while Astral looked at her.
[I believe we should follow Yumi since she seems to be close to this girl we are looking for; perhaps it would be better to befriend or follow her.] Astral suggested. Tori nodded in agreement and began to follow Yumi after school, who was with that cat-themed girl.
"Finally! I thought the school day would never end," Yumi said while stifling a yawn. She had been bored during classes and had taken a small cat nap, which made Cathy giggle in amusement before speaking to Yumi.
"Well, you looked adorable when taking your catnap-nya~!" Cathy said with her cat pose, which made Yumi blush. She loved it when her girlfriend was her usual catty self.
Tori followed Yumi and Cathy from a distance, keeping herself hidden among the crowd of students leaving the school. Her defeat in the duel had stung, but it also deepened her suspicions. Yumi had claimed not to know anything about Carmilla, but something about her reaction suggested otherwise.
Tori kept close enough to hear snippets of their conversation. Yumi seemed more relaxed, even playful around Cathy, a side Tori hadn't seen before at school.
Watching them, she realized just how strong their bond seemed to be—more than just friends, there was real affection between them. This only reinforced her belief that if Yumi wasn't Carmilla, Cathy likely knew her well enough to give her answers.
Astral floated beside Tori, watching the two girls with his usual analytical gaze. [If they are truly connected to the Numbers, then this Cathy may indeed be our best lead.]
Tori nodded. "I think you're right, Astral. But we'll need to be careful. Cathy seems to be… protective of Yumi."
Just then, Tori caught Cathy glancing in her direction, her catlike eyes narrowing. Cathy had a knack for noticing things others missed, and it seemed she had sensed Tori's presence. Without hesitation, Cathy pulled Yumi a little closer, and a mischievous grin spread across her face.
"Well, well, Yumi," Cathy said in a calm voice, though loud enough for Tori to catch. "Looks like we've got a little puppy following us. Should we give her a scare?"
Yumi raised an eyebrow, glancing over her shoulder briefly to see Tori watching from the distance. "She's harmless," Yumi replied with a hint of boredom. "But… maybe it's time she learns that some places are off-limits while also learning that spying on others is wrong."
Tori tensed. She could see Cathy's expression darken slightly as her Duel Disk lit up, and she realized Cathy was more than ready to make her point.
Cathy smirked, holding up her Duel Disk as her Number cards began to glow ominously. "Alright, little puppy," she called out, "if you want answers, come and get them. I'll be more than happy to show you my claws."
Tori felt a surge of determination. She had been searching for answers for Astral's sake, and this was her chance to learn the truth. Even if Cathy was strong, Tori was ready to face her head-on.
"Alright, Cathy!" Tori called back, activating her own Duel Disk. "If it's a duel you want, then let's settle this right here!"
Tori took a deep breath as she placed her Duel Gazer over her eye. The world around her shifted, filling with a digital, electrifying glow as the augmented reality of the duel arena took shape. Cathy adjusted her own Duel Gazer with a smirk, the challenge in her eyes unmistakable.
"Prepare yourself, puppy," Cathy taunted, her Duel Disk humming to life as she drew her first hand. "I'll go first and set the stage for your defeat. Draw!"
Cathy examined her hand with a catlike grin, clearly satisfied. "I'll start by summoning Cat's Eye Magician in Attack Position!" She slapped the card onto her Duel Disk, and a sleek, feline-inspired magician appeared, twirling a wand with a mischievous glint in its eye.
Cat's Eye Magician
Attribute: DARK
Level: 3
Type: Spellcaster / Effect
ATK: 1200
DEF: 700
Card Effect: Twice per turn, you can draw 1 card and reveal it. If it's a Beast or Beast-Warrior, you can Special Summon it immediately.
"And now, I'll activate Cat's Eye Magician's effect!" Cathy declared. "I can draw one card and reveal it!"
She drew a card and held it up with a smirk. "And look at that, it's Stray Cat's Claws, a Beast monster. That means I can Special Summon it!" A small, clawed creature appeared beside Cat's Eye Magician, eyes gleaming with feral energy.
Stray Cat's Claws
Attribute: EARTH
Level: 2
Type: Beast / Effect
ATK: 500
DEF: 300
Card Effect: "When this card is summoned, you can Special Summon 1 Level 2 or lower Beast monster from your hand or Deck."
Cathy's confidence grew as she continued. "And when Stray Cat's Claws is summoned, I can Special Summon another Beast from my Deck. So come on out, Alley Cat Guardian!"
A sleek, armor-clad cat with piercing green eyes leaped onto the field, joining the growing line of feline monsters on Cathy's side.
Alley Cat Guardian
Attribute: EARTH
Level: 2
Type: Beast / Effect
ATK: 800
DEF: 400
Card Effect: "If you control another Beast monster, this card cannot be destroyed by battle."
"And now I activate my magician's ability once more!" Cathy said as she drew her new card and smiled. "And what do you know? It's another Stray Cat's Claws, and her ability lets me bring out another Beast from my Deck, so say hello to Stray Cat!"
A small white kitten emerged from the hand and looked away while its tail wagged.
With five monsters on the field, Cathy looked pleased. "But I'm not done yet, Tori. I overlay my Level 2 Stray Cat's Claws and Alley Cat Guardian to build the overlay network! And with these two, I XYZ summon Number 29: Mannequin Cat!"
Cathy's monster appeared as it purred while playing with the bell around its neck.
"But no kitty likes to be alone, so I activate my Spell Cards: Kitties Playhouse! This lets all my monsters with Cat in their name become the same level as any other kitty, so I choose my level one Strat Cat, which makes everyone else a level 1. This allows me to build the overlay network and XYZ summon Twin Tail Cat Lady!" Cathy said as the cat warrior appeared and purred while licking its paws.
"And now I activate the Field Spell: Cat Paradise! This spells more trouble for you since all Cat monsters gain attack points equal to their original attack points," Cathy said with joy as her kitties grew stronger.
Number 29: Mannequin Cat: 2000-2000=4000
Twin Tail Cat Lady: 1000-1000=2000
"But I'm not done since I activated Twin Tail Cat Lady's effect, which grants her another 800 attack points," Cathy said as her catty friend's power grew even higher.
Twin Tail Cat Lady: 2000-800=2800
"And so I'll end my turn with two facedown cards," Cathy said before Tori began her turn.
"Alright, Cathy, it's my turn!" Tori drew her card, determined to turn the tide of the duel despite Cathy's powerful setup. She glanced down at her hand, her mind racing through her options.
"I'll start by activating Pot of Duality! This spell lets me reveal the top three cards of my Deck and add one of them to my hand." Tori flipped over the top three cards and scanned them. She chose Light of Judgement and added it to her hand, then shuffled the other two cards back into her Deck.
"But that's just the beginning!" Tori declared. "Now I activate Valhalla, Hall of the Fallen! Since I have no other monsters on my field, I can Special Summon a Fairy from my hand—so I summon Zeradias, Herald of Heaven!"
A radiant figure descended from above, standing proudly beside the Herald of Orange Light.
Zeradias, Herald of Heaven
Attribute: LIGHT
Level: 4
Type: Fairy / Effect
ATK: 2100
DEF: 800
"Next, I summon Herald of Orange Light in Attack Position!" Tori's fairy monster materialized its serene glow, which is a stark contrast to Cathy's dark feline forces.
Herald of Orange Light
Attribute: LIGHT
Level: 2
Type: Fairy / Tuner
ATK: 300
DEF: 500
Cathy narrowed her eyes. "Cute, but those weaklings are no match for my cats."
"Oh, I'm just getting started!" Tori replied. "I tune my Level 2 Herald of Orange Light with my Level 4 Zeradias, Herald of Heaven! With these two, I Synchro Summon Avenging Angel of Light!"
The two fairies combined in a dazzling display, and a new, powerful angel emerged, wings unfurled and glowing with fierce light.
Avenging Angel of Light
Attribute: LIGHT
Level: 6
Type: Fairy / Synchro
ATK: 2500
DEF: 2000
Astral's voice resonated beside her. [Good choice, Tori. Now you can test Cathy's field and defenses.]
"With Avenging Angel of Light on my field, I'll activate its special effect. Once per turn, I can destroy one Spell or Trap card you control!" Tori pointed at Cathy's Cat Paradise. "Say goodbye to your Field Spell!"
A beam of light shot from Tori's angel, shattering Cathy's Cat Paradise and reducing her cats' Attack Points.
Number 29: Mannequin Cat: 4000 2000
Twin Tail Cat Lady: 2800 1800
Cathy winced but recovered quickly. "You think you can stop my cats with just one angel?"
Tori smirked. "Let's find out. Avenging Angel of Light, attack Number 29: Mannequin Cat!"
The angel charged forward, striking Cathy's Number monster with a powerful blast. Cathy braced herself as she activated her trap.
"Not going to happen! I activate my trap card: Impenetrable Attack! I'll use the effect that prevents me from taking any battle damage this turn!" Cathy explained that a force field appeared around Cathy to do what the trap card mentioned, and since Mannequin Cat was a Number card, it wasn't destroyed.
"And with that, I'll set one card facedown and end my turn," Tori declared, confident in her setup.
Cathy drew her next card with a smirk, her eyes gleaming with a mixture of mischief and determination. "Nice moves, Tori, but you'll soon learn that nothing escapes the claws of a cat."
Cathy held up her newly drawn card with a sly grin. "I'll start by activating my Spell Card, Catnip Call! This card lets me target one cat monster in my Graveyard and summon it to the field, so welcome back, Stray Cat. Now I play Golden Cat!"
The cats appeared on the field, and the Golden coughed a bit until another Golden Cat appeared.
"And when Golden Cat is called to the field, she covers the remaining monster slots with another copy of herself, and now I overlay my two Level 1 Golden Cats, along with Stray Cat. I rebuild the Overlay Network to Xyz Summon Number 54: Lion Heart!"
With a flash of light, a new monster appeared—a fierce lion warrior clad in armor, its eyes filled with unbreakable resolve.
Number 54: Lion Heart
Rank: 1
ATK: 100 / DEF: 100
This card cannot be destroyed by battle. If you take battle damage from battles involving this card, your opponent takes the damage instead. Should this card be destroyed by a monster effect, spell, or trap cards, discard an overlay unit and negate its activation before destroying it.
"Lion Heart may seem small, but he's got a bite that'll leave you reeling," Cathy taunted. "And I'm not done yet! I activate Catnip Call's second effect from the Graveyard! By banishing it, I can add one 'Cat' monster from my Deck to my hand." She searched her Deck and revealed her chosen card with a grin. "I'll add Cat's Claw Alchemist!"
With a fluid motion, she placed the new card on her Duel Disk. "And I'll, thanks to her ability, I can special summon Cat's Claw Alchemist in defense mode!"
A sleek, mystical cat with a shimmering tail appeared on Cathy's field, its eyes glinting with alchemical knowledge.
Cat's Claw Alchemist
Level 3
ATK: 800 / DEF: 700
Effect: Once per turn, you can target 1 Spell or Trap card in your Graveyard; add it to your hand.
"And now I'll activate Cat's Claw Alchemist's effect, targeting my Cat World in the Graveyard and adding it back to my hand!" Cathy announced.
Tori gritted her teeth, sensing Cathy's field becoming dangerously stacked. But she held her ground, prepared for what might come next.
"Now, Lion Heart, attack the Avenging Angel of Light!" Cathy commanded.
Tori's eyes widened. "But Avenging Angel of Light has 2500 ATK! Lion Heart only has 100—"
Cathy cut her off with a smirk. "That's where Lion Heart's true power shines. When it battles, any damage I would take goes to you instead!"
As Lion Heart struck, the energy backlash rebounded, blasting Tori with a wave of energy.
Tori's Life Points: 4000-2400=1600
Tori staggered, feeling the impact of the attack. "That's… strong."
[Indeed. We need to be careful when dealing with this Number card.]
Cathy chuckled. "And with that, I end my turn. Let's see if you can claw your way out of this one, Tori."
'I could easily crush you, but I want to see your Number Card. Show me what you can do, Tori.' Cathy said in her mind.
Tori took a deep breath, steadying herself. "Alright, my turn!" She drew her card, glancing at it with renewed determination. "I activate my facedown card, Graceful Charity! This spell allows me to draw three cards and discard two."
She quickly drew three cards and examined her hand, her heart racing as she saw the pieces of her strategy come together.
"I'll start by Normal Summoning Shining Angel in Attack Position!" A brilliant angel appeared beside her, the Avenging Angel of Light, its wings radiating a soft, holy glow.
Shining Angel
Level 4
ATK: 1400 / DEF: 800
Effect: When this card is destroyed by battle and sent to the Graveyard, you can Special Summon 1 LIGHT monster with 1500 or less ATK from your Deck.
"And next, I play Level Dropper, so my Avenging Angel of Light is now Level 4," Tori said with the pieces in place. "Now! I overlay Shining Angel with Avenging Angel of Light! I use them to Xyz Summon Number 39: Utopia!"
Utopia rose onto the field with a burst of golden light, its radiant armor gleaming with strength.
Number 39: Utopia
Rank: 4
ATK: 2500 / DEF: 2000
Effect: When any player's monster declares an attack, you can detach 1 Xyz Material from this card to negate the attack.
Cathy's expression hardened. "So, this is the Number Card you possess, huh?"
Tori nodded. "And I'm not done! Utopia attack Number 29: Mannaqien Cat!"
"Oh no, you don't! I activated my XYZ Shift trap card, and this forces you to attack another XYZ monster on my field, like, say, LION HEART!" Cathy shouted as Lion Heart roared, which made Tori smile.
"And you just lost. Continue the attack, Utopia!"
"What are you crazy?! Lion Heart can easily send all damage back to you!" Cathy said, with Yumi being surprised until Tori continued.
"I activate Utopia's effect; by using one Xyz Material, I can stop his attack!" Toru pointed towards Utopia as Utopia's attack ended, which shocked Cathy.
"Huh?! But why do that?"
"Because I play the Spell Double or Nothing, and since his attack failed before, he can attack once more with double the attack points!" Tori explained that Utopia's power grew to 5000.
"F-Five Thousand attack points?!"
"And since XYZ Shift only affected the first attack, Utopia is free to attack your other Number! So, Utopia! Attack with Rising Sun Slash!" Tori shouted, her voice filled with certainty.
Cathy's eyes widened in shock. "I-I can't lose!" she shouted, but it was too late. Utopia's golden blade came crashing down, and Number 29: Mannequin Cat was obliterated in a brilliant explosion of light.
Cathy was thrown back from the blast, her body jerking with the force of the attack. Her Life Points dropped to zero in an instant.
Cathy: 4000 0
Cathy screamed in defeat as the dust settled around her. She had lost. Tori stood victorious, a quiet sense of triumph on her face.
Tori: Winner!
Astral, hovering beside Tori, reached out to claim the two Number cards that had been in Cathy's possession. But just as his hand was about to touch them, something strange happened.
A dark, ethereal barrier formed between Astral and the cards, a shimmering force field that glowed with an eerie light. Astral stopped in mid-air, his glowing eyes narrowing in confusion.
[What's happening?] Astral murmured, trying to push through the unseen wall. [I can't claim the Numbers…]
Tori's eyes widened while Yumi was helping Cathy up, and her eyes narrowed at Tori. "Wait, really? But why?"
"It seems like you're not the only one who can play with the Number Cards, Tori," Cathy said with a faint, knowing smile as if this was part of a much bigger game until her eyes glowed purple.
Tori clenched her fists, determined not to let this moment slip by. "What is this? What's stopping Astral from taking the Numbers?"
Cathy let out a soft chuckle, her usual mischievous demeanor returning until Dark Mist appeared in front of Tori, shocking her until Dark Mist smiled and floated above Cathy's body.
[It's me. And if you want to claim that girl's Numbers, then I'm afraid you'll have to defeat me, though you should be silent since you wouldn't want Yumi to think you're going crazy.] Dark Mist said while gesturing to Yumi, who was confused about this until Tori growled but stopped herself from replying as the two then left the area with Tori clenching her fist, thinking Dark Mist was possessing Cathy and playing with Yumi.
[I suggest you keep your mouth closed; otherwise, poor Yumi may get hurt or, worse, fall into confusion. For now, you should let me go.] Dark Mist said before vanishing back to the retreating couple.
Tori's resolve hardened. "I won't let him get away with hurting Yumi or Cathy. Not if I have anything to say about it."
With that, Tori and Astral left the area, still unsure of what they had just witnessed but determined to uncover the truth behind Dark Mist's appearance and the mysterious Carmine, who is definitely Cathy possessed by the Numbers.
At least in their eyes.
Later…
"Hahaha! Okay, that was just hilarious!" Yumi laughed, still clutching Cathy as she wiped tears of joy from her eyes. "Did you see her face when you scared her?"
Cathy giggled, basking in Yumi's attention. "It was priceless. She looked like she saw a ghost," she said, loving the affection and the fun she had just had.
Dark Mist chuckled, amused by the situation. [Indeed. They think I'm your alter ego, so your secret identity is safe for now.]
Yumi smirked, still holding Cathy close. "Damn right. And I was not pleased with the idea of you using Cathy's body for that little trick," she said, shaking her head.
Cathy pouted in mock offense though her eyes glowed with hidden excitement. "Hey, I was just along for the ride," she said. But don't worry; I'm fine since it was necessary to keep your secret."
Yumi, not missing a beat, hugged Cathy again, her concern briefly peeking through before she pulled back to ask, "I know, but I was worried about your well-being since I don't know what would've happened to you if Dark Mist had possessed you. Are you sure you're okay, Cathy?"
Cathy purred playfully, a small smile tugging at her lips. "I'm fine. Just a little… tired." She stretched lazily, looking to Dark Mist, who floated lazily beside her.
[Do not worry. Your lover is unharmed since I knew the envoy of Astral World would be unable to pinpoint who I truly serve.] Dark Mist said, which made Yumi smile at her Dark Knight/Number partner before the duo decided to take a nap together after a long day of school and homework. Dark Mist continued to watch over them until a certain number appeared with an amused smile.
[Yes, Number 29?]
[Really? Will you never call me by my name, Mannequin Cat or Cat-chan?] Cat-Chan or Mannequin Cat asked before appearing next to Dark Mist, who was annoyed by the mischievous feline.
[Buzz off Number 29.]
[Nani?! And here I thought we were so close now, Senpai!] Cat-Chan said while wearing a school uniform, which annoyed Dark Mist since he knew the feline did this to get a rise out of him. She let out an exaggerated sigh, crossing her arms dramatically.
Dark Mist's eye twitched, and a barely contained growl escaped his misty form. [Do not provoke me, Number 29.]
Cat-chan—or Mannequin Cat, as Dark Mist liked to call her—grinned wider, clearly enjoying the irritation she was causing. [Oh, come on, Dark Mist! You're so serious all the time. Don't you ever relax?] She leaned in, her teasing tone making it clear she was doing this on purpose to get a rise out of him
And unfortunately for him, it was working.
[I have to watch over Yumi.]
[Oh, please! She's fine at home and is snuggling with her girlfriend! Come on! Let's snuggle, too! You know you want to!~] Cat-Chan said while wiggling her tail, which made Dark Mist sigh and concede, which made the feline cheer before the catty girl hugged Dark Mist, who blushed a bit and enjoyed being close to the Number that belonged to Cathy.
A nap wouldn't be so bad; at least the Number has a comfortable pillow. Hehehe.
Scene!
And now that Tori and Astral have been introduced, it's time for SHARK HUNT!
So get ready!