Took me longer than expected, but the next part is here! For those asking about my AO3 account, I can't type the link here. Just go to the AO3 website, click on "Search", then "Works", type in "The Power of Four" in the "Title" bar, then type in my user name in the "Author/Artist" bar, click the "Search" icon the top right hand corner of the grey area and you should my fic. For that one guest reviewer that asked why I paired Kiryu and Sherry, it was because I thought they would fit together since they were both tragic figures that shared a connection with Yusei.
Now then, this one should be quite enjoyable, I believe! Please enjoy!
Yu-Gi-Oh!: The Hope of Six
Chapter 64: Demon Arc – Part 2
It was a bright sunny day in Heartland City. It's citizens were moving everywhere, going about their peaceful busy lives. The students and staff at Heartland Academy were also having a busy time, both in and out of the classroom. Today, it was the start of the weekend. After finishing classes for the week, certain clubs were going at it…
"Yeowch! Dammit, not again!" A dark skinned, green eyed male student with tentacle-like brown hair complained after being knocked down on his butt. He looked up at the guy he just sparred with. "Seriously dude, where did you learn moves like that?" Yuto chuckled as he helped his companion up.
"My lessons were kind of intense back home." He said. "You're not hurt are you, Alito?"
Yuto, Ruri, and Shun had been attending Heartland Academy for about a month now. Kazuma and Mirai didn't have too much difficulty in getting them enrolled. Shortly afterward, Yuto and Ruri each joined different clubs for the school.
Yuto joined the Boxing Club and quickly gained a reputation of being one of the best, despite being considered only a 2nd year student indicated by his green school uniform.
Alito, a 1st year student with a more red focused uniform, chuckled back. "Are ya kidding, Yuto? I hardly ever get hit like that! Don't worry about me." He then regained his fighting posture, his gloved hands up while bouncing up and down on his feet. "I can do this all day! Feeling like going another round yourself?" He challenged.
Yuto smiled as he too prepared to duke it out again. "Bring it!"
On the sidelines, Yuma, Shark, and several others were watching the sparing match.
"Yeah Yuto! Alito! Show everyone what you got!" Yuma, in his red school uniform, cheered for his two friends.
"Man, that Yuto is no pushover. I wouldn't want to mess with him." Said a teen boy with purple eyes and orange hair that spiked straight up. The boy, who wore a red uniform like Alito's, seemed amused from watching his pal's sparing.
"I could take him, Vector." A boy much larger than the other students said somewhat arrogantly. He had orange eyes, his hair in a green mohawk, and had a green thunderbolt marking on the top left-side of his head. Despite how old he appeared, he was only a 2nd year student like Yuto. "I'm a lot bigger and stronger than he is. One punch and he'll be out." Vector chuckled.
"Whatever you say, Girag." He said in a carefree tone.
"Those two seemed to be more interested in enjoying themselves rather than actually trying to prove who is superior." Said a blue-eyed boy wearing a 3rd year blue uniform with long blond hair, red marks on his face, and a long gold earring hanging on his left ear. "Though, I must admit Yuto may have a slight advantage over Alito."
"Both of them are not to be underestimated, Mizael." Said a glasses wearing, grey eyed boy with matching colored hair. Like Mizael, he also wore a blue uniform.
"No kidding, Durbe. They are strong, both at dueling and boxing." Shark commented, wearing his green school uniform.
Nobody noticed, but Shark had his D-Pad positioned so that a blue eyeball within it could see the boxing match. As much as he tried to protest how much of a bad idea it was, Earth insisted on accompanying Shark to school to learn the students' social interactions. Shark still advised him strongly that he should not be seen while in public, for which the Earth Ignis promised he would not reveal himself in front of others unless he was absolutely needed (which Shark prayed wouldn't happen). Hence, his keeping an "eye" on the bout between the two students.
During the match, Yuma took a quick look around, but he saw no sign of a certain individual. 'Where is Tetsuo at? He usually stops by to watch Yuto's boxing matches, but he hasn't been around lately.' Actually, he had started to notice a change in his friend's behavior recently. For the past couple of weeks, Tetsuo Takeda stopped hanging out with Yuma and the others after school. Every time Yuma tried to talk to him in between classes and lunch breaks, Tetsuo acted very distant and refused to speak to anyone. He just kept saying things like "Gotta go, can't chat." or "Don't want to be late for the next class." Yuma couldn't understand what had gotten into him. He asked Astral once on what to do about him, but the latter just said to give him his space and let him come to talk when or if he wants to. Yuma didn't like it, but he left Tetsuo alone to work out whatever his personal issues were.
At the very least, Kotori told Yuma she would keep an eye on Tetsuo… discreetly. He appreciated her for that. However, so far she had nothing big to tell him.
"Still looking for the other big guy?" Girag asked the worried and dejected looking younger boy. Yuma sighed.
"I'm worried about Tetsuo. Why doesn't he want to hang out with us anymore?"
"Yuma, there's nothing you can do about him." Durbe said to him. "We must not push him to consult us with his problems."
"Yeah, what he said." Vector added.
Yuma sighed again, knowing they were right. He tried to push Tetsuo's absence out of his mind as he returned his attention to Yuto and Alito's sparing match.
They all watched as Yuto and Alito exchanged punches and jabs while also blocking and dodging when necessary. Neither of them seem to want to beat the other; they were simply enjoying the sport. As if by pure instinct, both combatants launched a lightning fast punch at each other, hitting one another right in the face. Most of the other club members gasped by the double strike. After a moment, the two of them fell at the same time, and then laughed. Everyone clapped at them.
"Well, that one was a tie!" Girag stated while clapping.
"I'm sure next time won't be the case!" Yuma said.
"Hard to believe that a decent guy like Yuto used to be part of an evil guy that tried to wipe out everyone. I never would've guessed." Vector stated.
"You are one to talk, Vector." Durbe said, his voice heavy with irony.
"No kidding. After all the crap you put us through." Shark jabbed. Vector shrugged.
"That's ancient history, right? Yuto said the same thing after he learned about us." It was true. Shortly after Yuto, Ruri, and Shun started at Heartland Academy, Yuma introduced them to five of the seven former Barian Emperors, of whom Shark and Rio were originally a part of. In turn, the transferred Xyz trio told their story to them. While shocked about their respective pasts, they agreed that they shouldn't let it influence how they were here and now. Yuma was pleased they all got along afterward.
After a bit, Yuto and Alito got back up. "I think I've had enough for today." Yuto said as he took his gloves and safety helmet off.
"Yeah, same here. Great as always." Alito complimented while giving his worthy opponent a thumbs up, which Yuto happily returned. He thought he imagined it, but for a split second, Alito thought Yuto had a sad look in his eyes before his sparring partner turned and walked away to a nearby bench to sit and cool off. Shaking his head, Alito grabbed a towel and used it while walking up to where his group of friends stood. "Hey guys. Enjoyed the show?" He asked with a smirk. They all nodded.
"Sure did, buddy." Girag said.
"You know, Yuto mentioned a while ago that his best friend, Shun Kurosaki, is also quite a fighter. I'd like to see that for myself. How come he hasn't joined the club yet?" Alito wondered.
"Shun's part time job after school doesn't really leave him room for clubs." Shark told him.
"Too bad." Alito said. He then turned to Yuto's direction, still wondering if what he saw was for real or not.
While sitting and drinking from his water bottle, Yuto indeed felt sad, even though he tried to appear only tired. Actually, he was sad and concerned. He felt sad because his time in Heartland Academy reminded him so much of Heartland Duel School back on his world. His life there was bright and peaceful, with everyone smiling and enjoying their time dueling and learning. All that was taken away when Academia invaded their home, leaving everything in ruins and most of the citizens carded. After being enrolled in Yuma's school with him and his friends, it felt like he stepped back into his old life before darkness and despair. He was enjoying his time here, but remembered that it was only temporary. Eventually, he, Ruri, and Shun would have to leave and return home.
'I wonder how much of my old home has been rebuilt by now. Maybe the school is all fixed up, at least? I like to think that.' Yuto thought with hope. He couldn't believe it had been a month already since he and his loved ones came to be here. It felt like such a lifetime ago.
But other than the status of his own Heartland, he had a much more recent concern. That concern was directed at a certain card of his that just went missing. Earlier that morning, before leaving for school, Yuto checked his cards to see if any them had been damaged or torn, as per his routine. To his shock, one of his cards was gone. And it wasn't just any card. It was none other than his Ace Monster. Somehow, Dark Rebellion Xyz Dragon had vanished from his Extra Deck. He was unable to find it before heading out to school, not wanting to be late. He had not mentioned it to anyone yet, not even to Ruri or Shun. He didn't want to concern them with it, not right away at least. He planned to conduct a proper search once he was back at the Tsukumo house. He prayed no one had actually stolen it, though he couldn't see how it was possible. 'Dark Rebellion… Where are you?'
"Hey Yuto. You doing okay?" Yuto was shaken out of his depressing thoughts when he saw Yuma and the others met up with him. He turned to Yuma and gave a reassuring smile.
"I'm okay, Yuma. Just tired."
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\
"Your flower arrangement looks great, Ruri." Ruri, now wearing the green 2nd year school uniform, looked up at the young woman standing over her. She had blue eyes, long black hair, and wore a red kimono with a hair veil. Ruri smiled back.
"Thank you, Miss Aika." She replied, pleased with the results of her work. Ruri had joined the Ikebana Club after Rio had shown her what it involved. The younger dark haired girl was instantly hooked. It didn't take her long to adjust to working with the other club members, who admired her care and passion for their projects. "I try to make the flowers look good where they are and everything."
Aika Hanazoe, the club president, saw how much her club's newest member was investing in the numerous flower arrangements. Ruri's flowers were done in the Seika (pure flowers) style, which she was apparently suited for. She nodded. "I can see that." To the surprise of both girls, a little hummingbird flew in to feed on one of Ruri's flowers. They watched as the bird flapped it's wings rapidly while sucking on the nectar it needed. When it was done, it actually came up to Ruri and rested on her shoulder. Rio and the other girls in the club watched in awe. Ruri herself smiled, but tried not to move so that the bird would not be scared off. A moment later, the hummingbird took off into the blue sky.
"Now that was something you don't see everyday." Rio said, sounding impressed. Ruri nodded.
"Yeah. I'm not sure why, but I've always felt a natural affinity toward birds. They just seem… at ease around me." She explained.
"Maybe it was saying to you that it also approved of your flower arrangements." Aika surmised.
"Perhaps." Ruri said with a friendly chuckle.
After the club's activities were done for the day and the other girls had left, Ruri and Rio stayed behind to admire each other's works. Rio's preference was the jiyūka (free flowers) style. "Aika wasn't exaggerating. You're a natural." The blue haired girl said.
"Thanks." Ruri said. "Honestly, this has been really good for me. I really miss stuff like this."
"How so?" Rio asked. Ruri sighed deeply.
"Before my Heartland was attacked, I used to plant nice flowers in my backyard that would attract pretty birds of different kinds for me to watch. Swallows, robins, and so on. I always loved to see the many birds fly down and see the brightly colored flowers I put there. It was my favorite past time when not in school or dueling. It really helped me connect to nature."
"That's great." Rio admired.
"It was Rio." Ruri then frowned. "But after the Invasion, all that color and life was gone. My time then was spent on surviving against Academia by bringing food, water, and medical supplies to the sick and wounded. It was incredibly depressing." The girl then looked around at the many flowers around the area, smiling once more. "Being in this club, after enduring that nightmare, has brought back that joy of my favorite hobby. It is truly a blessing."
"Ruri…" Rio said, feeling close to tears from her friend's words. 'It was so wrong, how she and those around her lost everything that meat so much to them. Coming here has been a really good thing for her, her brother, and Yuto.' Rio then smiled at Ruri. "I am glad Yuma managed to help you and Yuto escape and bring you guys here. I can't imagine what would've happened if he hadn't been there to… EEK!" Without warning, Rio shrieked and jumped behind Ruri, hands tight on her shoulders. "Get it away! Get that thing away from me!"
Ruri was so startled she nearly screamed herself. "Rio! What's gotten into you!?"
"Look!" Her friend pointed in front of them. Before the girls was a small black cat, it's yellow eyes staring up at Rio with a menacing glare. "Make it go away Ruri! Please!" She begged, sounding like she found a cockroach in her bathroom vanity.
Ruri tilted her head, not quite seeing what the problem was. "Rio… it's just a cat." Rio rapidly shook her head in defiance.
"No! Get rid of it! I'm begging you!" She shouted fiercely.
"But why? There's nothing scary about it." Ruri questioned.
Another voice chimed in before Rio could repeat herself. "But Ruri, don't you know? A black cat crossing your path means bad luck. Meow." Popping up from behind some bushes to the duo's left was a bespectacled green eyed teen girl wearing clawed gloves and a black dress with a black tail attached in the rear. She also had long grey hair, with two pieces being held up by clips to make them look like cat ears. She wore a mischievous Cheshire Cat grin while crossing her arms. "Fortunately for you, Salem here wasn't crossing your path. It's the unlucky, kitty phobic ice girl behind you, screaming like a feline that had it's tail stepped on." She snickered.
Ruri gave the cat girl an admonishing look. "Cathy, that is so mean. You and Rio got along so well before. Why are you doing this to her? She hasn't done anything to you."
Cathy narrowed her eyes at Rio and gave a low hiss. "Wrong. She stole Yuma from me." She growled.
"Stole Yuma?!" Rio said, now sounding offended instead of scared. "That's not true Cathy! Yuma and I chose to be together on our own!"
"She's right. You and Yuma are just friends. You two were never a thing." Ruri added.
Cathy bared her teeth, looking like she was about to strike with her claws. "Stay out of this Ruri! She's the one that needs to back off!" She snapped back while pointing at Rio. Beside her, Salem arched his back and gave a deep growl himself. His yellow eyes became slits as he continued to stare at the blue haired girl.
Rio was becoming more confused as well as angrier. Cathy had been a shy and quirky but friendly person. They had been friends in the past and never had any issues. Plus, last she checked, Cathy never tried to pursue Yuma for herself. Why was she being so hostile now? What had changed? "Cathy, what has gotten into you?" Rio demanded.
Cathy crouched, preparing to make a pounce on Rio. Before making another move, something large and fast had smashed into the ground between the three girls and the black cat, blowing them all of their feet (though Salem managed to land on his feet several yards back). As they got back up, they saw a slender figure emerge from the impact zone. "Hey! Both of you should get lost! If anyone's got the right to have dibs on Yuma, it should be me!"
The girls looked to see another girl now standing over the giant hole she made. She had gold eyes with fiery red and brown hair with two bangs over each side of her face and two clips on each end. She also wore a 1st year girl's uniform. At her side was a huge hot pink cannon about twice as big as her. All three other girls recognized her.
"Anna!" They all shouted in surprise.
Anna Kozuki, the newcomer, eyed both Rio and Cathy with clear animosity. "Listen, and listen good ladies. Yuma Tsukumo is mine! No ice queen or stray cat is gonna get in my way!"
Rio started to groan even more while holding a hand over her face. "Not you too Anna." She complained as she shook her head.
"Anna, please! You and Cathy need to stop this!" Ruri implored. Both hostile girls glared at Ruri.
"Shut it!" Shouted both of them, saddening Ruri further. Cathy and Anna then stared at one another fiercely, a spark of electricity passing between their eyes.
"I've liked Yuma longer than anyone, aside from Kotori! For a while, I thought she was my competition for Yuma's affections, but I never imagined it would actually be Shark's sister of all people! I will be the one that wins him!" Kathy stated vehemently.
Anna smirked. "What makes you think he'll go out with a shy feline wannabe like you? No, Yuma should be with someone who has some fire in her blood and soul, just like yours truly!" She said while pointing at herself. "I will be the one that melt's Rio's icy grip on him and make him mine!"
"I don't have ANY kind of grip on him! Yuma and I are together because we love each other! We're happy!" Rio firmly stated.
Cathy and Anna looked like they both wanted to strangle the blue haired girl, who clearly felt their anger toward her.
"I don't know what's happened, but both of you are not acting like yourselves! Just try to calm down and…!"
"Shut up Ruri!" The two hostile teen girls shouted (making Ruri jump back a little) before eyeing one another.
"I really don't like competition. Rio is my primary target, but since you're being so freaking annoying, Cathy, I've decided to blow you away first… with a Duel!" Anna declared before she got our her D-Pad and D-Gazer.
Cathy did the same while regaining her cat like smile. "I'm fine settling this with a Duel, Anna, as long as you're the one I'll be using as a scratching post!"
"Oh boy." Rio muttered under her breath, not believing this was happening.
As she and Rio put on their own D-Gazers to observe the Duel, Ruri hoped that the two would cool down and get along better when it was over.
"Duel Disk Set! D-Gazer Set!" Both girls shouted in unison as they strapped on and activated their respective devices.
"AT Vision, Link Established." Came the computer voice from the girls' Disks before a digital field formed around them.
"DUEL!"
(Cathy: 4000) (Anna: 4000)
"I'm going first! My turn! Draw!" Cathy declared as she immediately took the first turn. "I play a Continuous Magic card, Cat Rally! Then, from my hand, I Summon Stray Cat!" (EARTH; Level 1; ATK: 100; DEF: 300) A small white cat with black spots materialized on the Field. "Due to the Effect of Cat Rally, when I Normal Summon a "Neko" or "Cat" Monster, I can Special Summon a Level 3 or lower "Neko" or "Cat" Monster from my hand! I Special Summon Level Cat!" (EARTH; Level 2; ATK: 200; DEF: 200) A little orange tabby with a star on it's chest appeared next to Cathy's first Monster. "I activate Level Cat's Effect! Once per turn, I can increase the Level of a "Neko" or "Cat" Monster I control by 1! My Stray Cat is now Level 2!"
"She's gearing up for an Xyz Summon." Rio said. Although, she couldn't recall Cathy having an Xyz Monster that needed Level 2 Monsters. Ruri cam to the same conclusion.
"But, I thought she had only Rank 4 Xyz Monsters?" Ruri asked, having seen Cathy duel a couple of times during the past month. What the cat girl was about to bring out would shock everyone.
"I Overlay my Level 2 Level Cat and Stray Cat! With these 2 Monsters, I build the Overlay Network! Xyz Summon! Appear! Number 29! The artificial feline that calls real ones to come to it's aid! Mannequin Cat!" (LIGHT; Rank 2; ATK: 2000; DEF: 900) In place of both Monsters was a humanoid black and white cat doll with movable body parts. A pale "29" was shown on it's upper left leg. That same number also appeared on Cathy's left cheek with a dark glow.
"What?! Is that a… Number?!" Rio exclaimed in total disbelief.
"A Number? Like those Monsters I saw Yuma duel with?" Ruri asked aloud, remembering Yuma's Number 39 and both versions of his Number 0. She had not noticed but, at that moment, her bracelet had started to blink golden yellow.
"Yes, but I don't see how! I was under the impression Astral had all of them!" Rio said, not believing what her eyes were seeing.
Anna shared Rio's surprise. "What the?! How the hell do you have a Number?!" She demanded heatedly. Cathy gave a sinister smile.
"This cat has got nothing to tell you, cannon girl, except that I'll claw you when this is over! I Set 2 cards facedown and end my turn."
It was then that Yuma and the other guys ran toward the girls.
"Rio! Ruri! We heard an explosion and came running!" Yuma shouted as he came to a halt.
"Are you two okay?" Yuto asked, sounding very concerned.
"We're fine Yuto." Ruri told her boyfriend. "Anna came blasting in on her cannon and now she and Cathy are having a Duel."
"Why are they dueling?" Durbe asked. Rio sweat dropped.
"Apparently, they're both fighting over Yuma and want me out of the picture." Yuma seemed to not get the issue.
"Buy why would they do that?" He asked. His girlfriend sighed with frustration.
"It's complicated, but we got a bigger problem. Look!" Rio shouted, pointing at Cathy's Xyz Monster. As soon as everyone saw it, their jaws dropped.
"A NUMBER?!" They all shouted in unison.
"No way!" Shark shouted.
"So that is a Number Monster?" Earth inquired from Shark's D-Pad.
"Quiet Earth!" Shark warned with a whisper. Fortunately, everyone else was too preoccupied by Cathy's Number to notice. Outside of everyone who went on the camping trip and Yuma's parents and grandmother, nobody else knew of the Earth Ignis. Even the other former Barian Emperors were not aware of his existence. Shark, along with the rest of the gang, wanted to keep it that way for now.
"It can't be!" Durbe said with disbelieving eyes.
"How is this possible?" Yuto questioned.
"But how?! Are you seeing this Astral?!" Yuma said incredulously.
At this point, Astral emerged from the Emperor's Key. When his eyes fell upon Cathy's Number Monster, his eyes nearly bulged out of his celestial skull. "A Number?! That's… impossible! I know for a fact that Number 29 is in my possession! How can Cathy have it?!" This made no sense at all. He at first thought someone made a fake, but the glowing number on Cathy's face dashed away that possibility. There had to be an explanation for what he was seeing, but what?
Cathy looked over at Yuma with undisguised desire in her now slit eyes, still smiling. "Yuma, today I will prove that you belong to me and no one else."
Yuma looked from stunned to totally dumbstruck. "Uh… what does that mean?"
"Ignore the talking hairball! I'm your girl Yuma!" Anna shouted.
Yuma then turned to Anna, even more stumped. "Excuse me?!"
"I'll prove it right here and now! My turn! Draw!" She smiled confidently, not answering Yuma. If she was going to prove herself to Yuma, she had go on the offensive big time, and she had the cards to do just that. "I'll start by Summoning Ruffian Limited Express Battrain!" (EARTH; Level 4; ATK: 1800; DEF: 1000) A red spiky train car appeared before Anna. (I activate Express Battrain's Monster Effect! Once per turn, I can inflict 500 points of damage to my opponent! Aka, you!" Anna declared while pointing at Cathy. The train Monster fired a small blast from it's top cannons and hit it's target.
(Cathy: 4000 - 500 = 3500)
"Hey!" Cathy complained, a little blackened by the blast.
"Oh you haven't felt anything yet!" Anna stated before moving on. "I play Train Wreck! This Magic card sends 5 "Railway" cards from my Deck to the Graveyard and then draw a card! If it is a "Railway" Monster, I can Special Summon it! I draw again!" She was definitely pleased by what she drew. "Yes! I Special Summon Strong-Arm Express Train - Troco Roco!" (EARTH; Level 4; ATK: 1800; DEF: 1000) A brown locomotive engine appeared next to its counterpart.
"Two can play that game!" Cathy declared, surprising her opponent. "I activate Mannequin Cat's Monster Effect! Once per turn, when my opponent Special Summons one or more Monsters, I can Special Summon a Monster from my hand, Deck, or Graveyard that has the same Type or Attribute as the Summoned Monster! Your Troco Roco is an EARTH Monster, so I can Special Summon a second Stray Cat, another EARTH Monster, from my Deck!" Right then, another copy of Cathy's first Monster appeared.
Anna scoffed. "Like that little furball will do you any good. Not like what I'm unleashing! I Overlay my Level 4 Troco Loco and Express Battrain! With these 2 Monsters, I also build the Overlay Network! Xyz Summon! Appear! Number 27! The weapon of the high seas! Aim for your target and blow it out of the water! Dreadnought Battleship - Dreadnoid!" (WATER; Rank 4; ATK: 2200; DEF: 1000) Before Anna now was a huge dark red and grey warship with multiple cannons. It had a bright red "27" visible on the left side of it's hull. A dark version of that number also appeared on Anna's right shoulder.
Once more, everyone stood aghast.
"No way! Anna's also got a Number?!" Yuma shouted, shocked even more.
"One Number was unbelievable, but two?!" Astral added, his astonishment growing. Like Cathy's Monster, Number 27 was also with him at that moment. He couldn't understand how this was happening.
"How did they both get one?!" Alito said, wide eyed.
"This is getting crazier by the second!" Vector commented, not knowing how right he was.
That was when Rio had noticed it. "Ruri, why is your bracelet glowing?"
"What?" Ruri looked at her bracelet, it's yellow stone pulsing even more noticeably after Anna Summoned her own Number Monster. "It is glowing, but why?" As she pondered on that mystery, the grudge match between Cathy and Anna raged on.
"No fair! I should be the one with the unexpected advantage, not the cannon head!" Cathy complained with a catlike hiss. Anna looked so pissed that one could imagine steam blowing out of her ears.
"What did you call me?!" She yelled.
"You heard!" Cathy retorted. Anna snarled, her teeth grinding together.
"You'll pay for that, and my new Xyz Monster is the perfect weapon to do it! But first, it gains 800 Attack Points from having Troco Loco as an Overlay Unit!"
(Dreadnought Battleship - Dreadnoid's ATK: 2200 + 800 = 3000)
"Not looking so good for cat girl." Girag said.
"I agree." Mizael said in agreement.
"Now comes the pain!" Anna told her hated opponent. "Battle! Dreadnought Battleship - Dreadnoid, attack Mannequin Cat! Hydro Assault!" Cathy gave a toothy grin.
"Can't do that! Since it's in Attack Mode, my Stray Cat is the only Monster you can attack thanks to it's Effect!"
"Whatever! Means more damage to you anyway! Dreadnoid, blast her puny kitty to pieces!" Anna commanded. Once the cannons were aimed, they all fired on the much smaller target.
"This is going to hurt." Shark commented. However, Cathy was prepared.
"Not as much as you think! Trap card open, Gold Coins for Cats! When a "Beast" Monster I control is being targeted for an attack by an opposing Monster, the targeted Monster gains Attack Points equal to half of the Attack Points of the attacking Monster during the Damage Step!"
(3000 / 2 = 1500) (Stray Cat's ATK: 100 + 1500 = 1600)
"That will cut down the damage to Cathy's Life Points significantly." Earth noted to himself softly.
"Shut up or you'll be noticed." Shark whispered harshly again.
"Are you telling your D-Pad to shut up?" Vector questioned with a deadpan expression. Shark grimaced.
"N-No! I was just…" He tried but couldn't come up with a good explanation.
"Ryoga was only talking to himself." Rio said, coming to her brother's rescue, albeit in an embarrassing way. Shark glared at his sister.
"Weird for someone like you." Vector merely said before returning his attention to Anna's attack, which resulted Stray Cat being blasted away by powerful bursts of water from the cannons.
(3000 - 1600 = 1400)
(Cathy: 3500 - 1400 = 2100)
"Cathy nearly lost half her Life Points!" Ruri said.
"Anna could be the one that ends up winning this." Mizael guessed.
"It doesn't matter which of them wins. They both need to understand that Yuma is not available." Rio said defiantly.
"Good luck with that. Those two seem pretty feisty right now." Alito said to her. He was right. Both girls appeared as though nothing would stop them from getting what they wanted.
"Nice try, but my Number is still ready to play some more!" Cathy said cockily. Anna grinned.
"I don't expect it would be for much longer." The hot tempered girl countered. "I think it's time for a little upgrade! I activate Dreadnoid's Monster Effect! Once per turn, at the end of the Battle Phase, when Dreadnoid destroys a Monster by battle, I can Xyz Summon a Rank 10 or higher "Machine" Xyz Monster from my Extra Deck using just Dreadnoid as Material!"
"Uh oh! She must be bringing out her Ace Monster!" Yuma assumed. He knew how dangerous that particular Monster was, and that Cathy would have a hard time with it. But, he was wrong.
"With my single Monster, I build the Overlay Network again! Xyz Summon! Appear! Number 81! The super weapon that can provide defense as well as offense! Take aim and strike true! Superdreadnought Gun Turret Train Superior Dora!" (EARTH; Rank 10; ATK: 3200; DEF: 4000) A far bigger and more land based heavily armed vehicle emerged onto the Field. It was black and grey with one cannon being much longer than the rest and had a red "81" on it's upper left hand side. The 81 also formed on Anna's other shoulder.
"Oh come on! Not another Number!" Shark shouted, incredulous at the sight.
"Anna has two of them?! That's nuts!" Yuma shouted in alarm. Astral was too speechless to comment on that one. So was everyone else.
"You've got to be pulling my tail!" Cathy complained. Anna snickered.
"No pulling here! And don't forget! All of Dreadnoid's Overlay Units became Dora's, which includes Troco Loco! So now my new big gun gets a power boost!" She said as the newest member of her arsenal grew in power.
(Superdreadnought Gun Turret Train Superior Dora's ATK: 3200 + 800 = 4000)
"Now it definitely looks like Anna will win." Mizael said with more certainty.
"It's not over yet!" Cathy told him.
"It will be for you soon!" Anna said. "I Set a card facedown and end my turn."
Right then, Ruri saw that her bracelet's glow had gotten even more intense after Anna Summoned her second Number. "It's gotten stronger. Why is my bracelet reacting to those Number cards?" She looked at them again and noticed a powerful dark aura around them. The dark haired girl also saw the same aura surrounding Cathy and Anna. 'Those auras. It's covering Cathy, Anna, and their Numbers. They're a lot like the darkness Zarc had when he was harming Yuto. Could this be something similar? If so, maybe I could…' A possibility was forming in her mind. There might be a way to stop this before it got too far.
"I'm not letting Yuma be with the likes of you after Rio is gone! No chance! My turn! Draw!" Cathy shouted angrily as she started her next turn. "I Summon Cat Girl!" (EARTH; Level 4; ATK: 1200; DEF: 1600) A girl wearing a brown cat costume with a few bells attached materialized before it's master. "I next play a Magic card, Cat Toy, to draw 2 more cards since I control at least 2 "Cat" Monsters!" The cards she drew would come in handy later. "After that is Mannequin Cat's first Monster Effect! Once per turn, by detaching an Overlay Unit, I can Special Summon one of your Monsters from your Graveyard to your Field! I'm reviving your Construction Train Signal Red!" (EARTH; Level 3; ATK: 1000; DEF: 1300) An orange train car with two red lights on top emerged onto Anna's Field. She recognized it as one of the cards Anna discarded earlier.
"Wait! You're bringing back one of my Monsters for me?! I know you can't have gotten soft!" Cathy meowed mischievously.
"I haven't. Did you forget my Number Monster's other Effect?"
Anna cursed again, remembering Mannequin Cat's Special Summoning Effect. "Crap."
"Bingo! A Monster was Special Summoned to your Field, which means now I can do the same! This time I'm Special Summoning Stray Cat Girl from my Deck!" (EARTH; Level 4; ATK: 600; DEF: 1500) A small child wearing a cat hoodie and holding a big red umbrella appeared between Cathy's other Monsters.
"Cathy has a couple of Level 4s now." Vector said, knowing what was coming.
"I Overlay my Level 4 Cat Girl and Stray Cat Girl! I build the Overlay Network again with these 2 Monsters! Xyz Summon! Come on out, Cat Girl Magician!" (LIGHT; Rank 4; ATK: 2000; DEF: 1800) A beautiful woman with long purple hair, wearing a black dress and big red hat, and wielding a staff emerged for battle.
"Neither of your wimpy felines can put a dent in my Superior Dora!" Anna taunted.
"I'm not planning to!" Cathy retorted, to her enemy's confusion. "You'll see what I mean in a little bit, but first I play my Field Magic card, Cat World! Now all "Neko" and "Cat" Monsters on the Field gain Attack Points equal to their original Attack Points!" Once the Field took the image of an open grass plain with many tall pillars and a giant cat statue in the center, both of Cathy's Monsters got much stronger.
(Mannequin Cat's ATK: 2000 + 2000 = 4000)
(Cat Girl Magician's ATK: 2000 + 2000 = 4000)
"Now all their Monsters have the same Attack Power." Girag said.
"Not for long!" Anna said boldly. "Continuous Trap open, Fiery Fervor! When one of my opponent's Monsters gains Attack Points, I can Equip this to one of my Monsters and it's own Attack Points double! My Dora is now truly superior now!"
(Superdreadnought Gun Turret Train Superior Dora's ATK: 4000 x 2 = 8000)
"Copy cat!" Cathy yelled accusingly, making Anna stick her tongue out while giving her the finger. This turned Cathy's face as red as Anna's hair and made her scream in anger. "I WILL RIP YOU APART AND USE YOU FOR KITTY LITTER!" She threatened as the claws in her gloves actually extended.
Ruri saw as Cathy was screaming, her dark aura grew stronger and more volatile. Plus, the former's bracelet blinked faster. This was getting worse. She should act, but when?
"Tough talk, pussy cat!" Anna mocked, not affected one bit.
Cathy bared her fangs before she made good on her threat. "I'LL DO MORE THAN TALK, ANNA! I ACTIVATE CAT GIRL MAGICIAN'S MONSTER EFFECT! BY DETACHING AN OVERLAY UNIT, MY MAGICIAN'S ATTACK POINTS ARE CUT IN HALF UNTIL THE END PHASE! BY DOING THAT, MY MONSTER CAN ATTACK YOU DIRECTLY THIS TURN!"
(Cat Girl Magician's ATK: 4000 / 2 = 2000)
"Wait WHAT now?!" Anna sputtered, not prepared for that.
"TAKE THIS! BATTLE! CAT GIRL MAGICIAN, DIRECT ATTACK! CAT MAGIC BURST!" With a powerful blast from the Monster's staff, Anna got knocked off her feet and hit the ground on her stomach.
(Anna: 4000 - 2000 = 2000)
"Now both their Life Points are almost even." Durbe said.
"I don't think Anna is happy about that." Shark guessed.
"Whose's the one in trouble now? Definitely not me! Hehe!" Cathy said with glee. "I wish I could do more, but that will have to wait for next time. I Set 1 card facedown and end my turn. With my turn ending, Cat Girl Magician's Effect wears off." She said as her second Xyz Monster's Attack Points went back up to 4000.
At that point, Anna was livid. She screamed as loud as she ever had and, as she did, the dark aura surrounding her intensified just like with Cathy's. "YOU WON'T GET AWAY WITH THAT, CAT BRAIN!"
Ruri saw this and knew that somehow, their Numbers were the cause of their out of control behaviors. She turned to Astral. "Astral, you once told me that in the past, humans other than Yuma used Number Monsters before you got them back. Did they make people behave as badly as them?" She asked while pointing at the two dueling girls. Astral turned to her and nodded.
"Except for a few exceptions, yes Ruri. A normal human possessed by a Number has the need for their heart's desire to increase dramatically. I have witnessed it many times. But the level of darkness I sense from Cathy and Anna is stronger and more dangerous than I remember. It is not the same as any of the Numbers I have." This worried Ruri even further for the sake of her friends. Anna's rage boiled on.
"I SWEAR I WILL BLAST YOUR FUR OFF THIS TURN, CATHY! MY TURN! DRAW!" Anna smiled devilishly. Her next move would definitely put that bad cat down. "I play my Southern Cross Magic card, allowing me to make a face-up Monster on the Field with a Level to Level 10! I'm choosing the Train Signal Red you revived for me!" Anna's weakest Monster then went from a Level 3 to a Level 10. "After that, I play Special Schedule! This Magic card will let me Special Summon a "Machine" Monster with 3000 or more Attack Points from my Graveyard in Defense Mode! I'm Special Summoning Midnight-Express Knight - Night Express Knight!" (EARTH; Level 10; ATK: 3000; DEF: 3000) A white speed train with half of a white armored knight built on top materialized on Anna's Field holding a spear and a shield.
"2 Level 10s. She's gotta be bringing it out now." Yuma guessed again, and this time he was right.
"I Overlay my Level 10 Train Signal Red and Night Express Knight! I build the Overlay Network again with these 2 Monsters! Xyz Summon! From beyond the railway, arriving here and now, alongside the tremors of the earth! Appear! Superdreadnought Cannon Train, Gustav Max!" (EARTH; Rank 10; ATK: 3000; DEF: 3000) Anna's true Ace Monster was a huge mobile tank like Superior Dora, only it has one single extremely big cannon.
"One big ass tank was troubling enough, but now the hot head's got two of them." Girag said, a little worryingly.
"But unlike Superior Dora, Gustav Max can't take down either one of Cathy's Monsters." Yuto said.
"I don't believe she's aiming for that." Shark warned.
"If you think neither of my tanks can touch you, think again!" Anna taunted. "I activate Gustav Max's Monster Effect! Once per turn, by detaching an Overlay Unit, I can inflict 2000 points of damage to you!" The tank's cannon took aim at Cathy and fired a round that struck Cathy and covered her in a great cloud of smoke. She was later shown getting up, coughing.
(Cathy: 2100 - 2000 = 100)
Anna laughed at her opponent's predicament. "Not so nice on the losing end, isn't it? Well, it's about to get even worse for you! I recently gotten my hands on the most powerful weapon you've ever seen! And the best part is, I can Special Summon it using only one Rank 10 "Machine" Xyz Monster I control as Material!"
"Uh oh." Vector muttered nervously. Cathy actually started to show her own deep concern.
"I Overlay my Rank 10 Superdreadnought Cannon Train, Gustav Max! Once more I build the Overlay Network with this single Monster! XYZ SUMMON! APPEAR! TANK ABOVE ALL TANKS! AIM AND FIRE TO DESTROY ALL IN YOUR CROSSHAIRS! SUPERDREADNOUGHT GUN TURRET TRAIN JUGGERNAUT LIEBE!" (EARTH; Rank 11; ATK: 4000; DEF: 4000) Everyone stood agape at the the biggest, most advanced mobile tank they ever saw. It was sleek, black and red colored with multiple mini turrets covering it and one massive main cannon right in the center.
"A Rank 11?! When the heck did Anna get that?!" Yuma exclaimed in surprise.
"You like the newest addition to my arsenal?" Anna inquired. Cathy growled as she got to her feet again.
"So what if it's bigger and badder looking? It's only tied with my Monsters in terms of Attack Power!"
"Wrong again!" Anna retorted. "I activate Juggernaut Liebe's Monster Effect! Once per turn, by detaching an Overlay Unit, I can raise it's Attack and Defense Points by 2000, but in exchange for the increased firepower it is the only Monster I can attack with the rest of this turn!"
(Superdreadnought Gun Turret Train Juggernaut Liebe's ATK and DEF: 4000 + 2000 = 6000)
"Now both of Anna's Monsters can overcome Cathy's!" Rio said in worry.
"There's more! During each Battle Phase, Juggernaut Liebe can make attacks on Monsters up to the number of Overlay Units it has plus 1! Since it still has 2 Units, my mother of all tanks can attack up to 3 Monsters!" Anna revealed, shocking everyone. "And you know what? Because of how much I despise you, I'm targeting your one and only Number!"
Cathy gasped. "You can't! Did you forget? Number Monsters can only be destroyed in battle by other Numbers!"
"I know that! I never said I'd destroy your fake cat figurine! The damage from the attack alone will be enough to finish you!" Anna sneered. "I originally planned to end this with my own Number, but your actions last turn seriously pissed me off! So now you just got the privilege of being blasted to pieces by this bad boy!" She declared, pointing at her newest Ace Monster. "You'll cough up more than a hairball after this! BATTLE! SUPERDREADNOUGHT GUN TURRET TRAIN JUGGERNAUT LIEBE, ATTACK MANNEQUIN CAT! ULTRA CANNON ANNIHILATION!" The big main cannon rotated and pointed right at Cathy's Number and began charging up.
'Cathy and Anna have a strong dislike for each other. Could that be before or after acquiring their Numbers?' Earth wondered to himself, remembering to not speak aloud.
"Cathy's not going to come out good after this." Vector predicted. However…
"I'm not done yet! Continuous Trap open, Cat Warning! Once per turn, when a "Neko" or "Cat" Monster I control is targeted for an attack, I can automatically end the Battle Phase!" With that, Juggernaut Liebe's cannons powered down. Anna furiously stomped her foot on the ground.
"Damn! Damn! Damn! This was the part where you were supposed to lose! Fine, if I can't obliterate you with either of my Monsters, then I'll finish you off by playing…"
"STOP!" Ruri couldn't handle seeing how badly her friends were acting anymore, especially if those friends were not behaving like themselves. Without thinking, she ran toward Anna and grabbed her wrist with her right hand, which held her still glowing bracelet. "Anna, Cathy, please! You both need to listen to me!" She said to both Duelists. "You two are being controlled! It has to be your Numbers! Try to calm yourselves and think what you're doing!"
Anna and Cathy stared at Ruri like she was insane.
"I told you to stay out of this Ruri!" Cathy reminded her angrily. Anna's response was just as angry.
"Hey! You better let go of me or I'll…" Suddenly, Anna's expression unexpectedly softened. Plus, Ruri noticed that her aura had diminished a little. Anna then looked at the cards in her hand, then at Cathy. "You know what, I think I'll just Set this card facedown and end my turn."
Ruri thought she was starting to get through to Anna, but without warning, she felt a strong push and was sent flying backward. Yuto caught her before she could hit the ground.
"Ruri, are you alright?" He asked, worried that she might have been hurt.
"I'm okay. Thanks Yuto." Ruri replied as she straightened herself up. When she saw Anna again, she was stunned to see the dark aura around her becoming stronger again while Anna herself regained her extreme anger. 'A moment ago, I thought I had gotten through to her. But that darkness flared up again and forced me away.' She looked at her bracelet again. 'Maybe my bracelet did do something. But it wasn't enough…' Ruri then realized something as she looked back at the now darker aura surrounding Number 81. 'That's it! I know what to do!' As Ruri thought when to make her move, Cathy decided to make her own move… one that would finish Anna.
"I don't know about you, but it's high time I beat you and prove I'm more worthy of Yuma than you or Rio!" Rio sighed deeply from that declaration. "Get ready to lose, Anna! My turn! Draw!" Cathy smiled with certainty that victory would at last be hers. Before she could do anything else…
"I activate Superior Dora's Monster Effect! By detaching an Overlay Unit once per turn during either of our turns, I can make a Monster on the Field unaffected by card effects until the End Phase! My Juggernaut Liebe is now safe from anything you might try besides attacking it!" Anna said with a smirk, a red glow now covering her Rank 11 Monster.
"I'm not worried about that! Now, back to me! During my Standby Phase, I have to pay 500 Life Points or Cat Warning will be destroyed! Thanks to you damaging me so much last turn, I can't pay that price! So now, my Trap is gone… and now so will yours!"
"What do you mean?" Anna demanded to know.
"This! Quick-Play Magic open, Counter Nyaunter! When a Trap card I control is destroyed, I can destroy a Magic or Trap on your Field! I'll scratch out your Fiery Fervor!"
Anna cursed again. "Dammit! When Fiery Fervor leaves the Field, the Monster Equipped with it gets destroyed too!" The hot tempered girl could only watch as her Number 81 was burned away into nothing. "I didn't expect that!" Cathy continued to grin.
"Then you're probably not expecting this either! After destroying your card, Counter Nyaunter also doubles the Attack Points of a face-up "Neko" or "Cat" Monster I control until the End Phase! I'm doubling the power of my Mannequin Cat!"
(Mannequin Cat's ATK: 4000 x 2 = 8000)
"Cathy's Number can now not only rip Anna's tank apart, but also erase her remaining Life Points." Mizael said.
"Either that or she plans to have her other Monster attack directly again for the win." Durbe said calmly.
"Cathy can win this with either plan." Shark told them both.
'I believe she will try both.' Earth hypothesized mentally.
Cathy herself thought the same thing. "Hm, I could kick your behind either way, so I'll try the easier one first! I activate Cat Girl Magician's Effect again! I'm detaching its last Overlay Unit to have it attack you directly one more time! Eat this! Batt…!"
"Not so fast! It's payback time for me losing my Number! Trap card open, Railway Bomb! When I have one or more EARTH "Machine" Xyz Monsters in my Graveyard, I can destroy 1 Monster of yours! I'm blowing up your Cat Girl Magician!" Cathy seethed with fury as her targeted Monster exploded.
"Why you! Fine! Guess I'll do it the more fun way! BATTLE! MANNEQUIN CAT, ATTACK SUPERDREADNOUGHT GUN TURRET TRAIN JUGGERNAUT LIEBE! DOLL CLAWS!" It's artificial claws extended, Cathy's Number leapt forward to tear down Anna's remaining Monster. "IT'S ALL OVER FOR YOU, ANNA KOZUKI!"
"Looks like the win will go to Cathy." Yuto said, thinking there was nothing else Anna could do. Except…
"Not exactly! I banish my Railway Bomb from my Graveyard to destroy both our Monsters and we take damage equal to the original Attack Points of an EARTH "Machine" Xyz Monster I control!"
"WHAT?!" Cathy cried out in disbelief.
"So what if I couldn't beat you? At least you didn't win either!" Anna taunted before both Monsters blew up. The following explosion sent both female Duelists flying back.
"It's a Draw!" Yuma exclaimed in surprise.
(Cathy: 0)
(Anna: 0)
As both girls were knocked down from the explosion, their respective Number cards fell to the ground. Without hesitating, Ruri ran over and touched the cards with her right hand. Instantly, her bracelet glowed brighter and erased the dark influence on the cards. After that, the fallen Numbers vanished from sight. "It's done." She confirmed.
"That's good. Thank you Ruri." Astral told her gratefully. Ruri nodded in return.
"Man, that was intense." Alito said, not quite believing the ferocity the two female Duelists showed in their match.
As for the pair themselves, Cathy and Anna sat up and held their heads. They both seemed to be themselves again. After a moment, Anna got on their feet again and turned to her friend with regret, unable to say anything.
"Anna. Are you… okay?" Cathy asked timidly. Anna nodded.
"Yeah, I think so. My head hurts like hell, though. You?" The red haired girl asked.
"I guess I'm fine." She looked away, feeling ashamed of herself.
After an awkward moment, Anna decided to be the first to break the ice. "Listen Cathy, I'm… sorry. I know I'm a hothead, but I took it way too far today. I really didn't mean to hurt you."
Cathy looked back at her, looking guilty as well. "I'm sorry too, Anna. I wasn't feeling like myself at all either." She then turned to Rio. "Rio, I'm very VERY sorry for what I did to you. That was just mean and terrible. I really hope you can forgive me." Salem, still keeping his distance, also meowed an apology of his own.
Rio smiled as she helped the cat obsessed girl on her feet. "It's okay, Cathy. You weren't really in control of yourself. You're free now." Cathy slowly shook her head.
"I may have been controlled by that Number, but the anger and jealousy I felt toward you… that was definitely me. I hated that Yuma chose to be with you instead of me. Instead of just accepting it, I…" Cathy looked down in shame.
"Don't worry about it. We are still friends." Rio assured her.
"Thanks." Cathy said before turning to the other girl she was mean. "I'm sorry to you as well, Ruri."
"I forgive you Cathy." Ruri said kindly.
Cathy thanked her too. She wouldn't admit it, but the cat girl also felt jealous about Kotori. In the past, Cathy would pull some pranks in order to keep her away from Yuma and try to replace her. Ultimately that never worked, but they all eventually became friends. When Rio came into the picture, Cathy saw no issues with Shark's sister. However, after Cathy learned of Yuma and Rio becoming a couple, she was heartbroken and devastated.
Anna also turned to the blue haired girl. "I'm also sorry for how I was to you, Rio. You too Ruri." She said softly.
"I'm not really upset at both of you." Rio told the girls.
"Neither am I." Ruri added.
"None of us are." Yuma interjected, indicating himself and his friends. "But seriously, where did you two get those Numbers?" Yuma asked.
"Astral told us he still has them all. None of the Numbers have vanished or anything. How did both of you get those cards?" Durbe questioned further. Cathy and Anna both thought about it for a moment. Anna answered first.
"Well, I was actually in my room last night cleaning my cannon when I saw a strange dark glow right outside my bedroom window. When I opened it, I saw that they were two Number cards. I was really shocked. I thought Astral still had those and asked myself why he would give two of them to me. I picked up the Numbers, and that's when I suddenly forgot about finding them. I somehow believed I always had them and got a very strong desire to kick Rio's ass for being with Yuma. I didn't remember what really happened until now."
"It was the same with me." Cathy said. "I was feeding Salem his dinner in my backyard last night when I saw a dark glowing card next to his food bowl. I picked it up, and all I could think about was how much I hated Rio and wanted to take Yuma away from her."
"About that." Yuma interjected. "Why was I the reason for your Duel?"
Nearly everyone groaned, not believing he still didn't understand.
"Yuma, don't you get it? Cathy and Anna both wanted you as a boyfriend and couldn't stand that you chose to be with Rio instead of one of them." Shark explained. Yuma stared at the two girls, flabbergasted.
"Seriously?!" He questioned in astonishment. The two girls nodded without a word. An awkward silence followed.
"So, those cards appeared out of nowhere? Just like that?" Yuto eventually asked, bringing them back to their original topic. Both girls nodded again.
"Man, I thought the Number Hunt was a thing of the past. Can't believe we may have to go through all that chaos again." Alito muttered annoyingly.
"I know." Girag agreed, along with everyone else who experienced it before.
Astral looked away at the sky, wary with many questions on his mind. 'What if it wasn't just Cathy and Anna? Could other copies of my Numbers have appeared in this world and infected others? Who could be causing this, and why? Above all that, does this have something to do with the horror taking place on the Astral World?'
With no clear answers, he wondered how much longer they had to wait to act. He hoped it would be soon, for everyone's sake.
Unbeknownst to them all, two certain individuals had watched the whole thing from the other side of the flower gardens. Behind some well placed flowers, Tetsuo and Kotori looked from their friends to one another.
"Looks like may have a broken heart or two to patch up." Kotori suggested, with Tetsuo nodding in agreement.
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\
Later, Cathy was walking home, still feeling sad. Salem trailed behind her, feeling bad for the cat whisperer. Even though she had made up with both Rio and Anna, she still wasn't feeling much better. She didn't think she would ever get over Yuma dating someone other than her. It was depressing her more by the minute. Cathy had no idea what to do. "Yuma…"
"Cathy! Wait up!" Cathy turned around to see Kotori and a muscled young boy, who she knew to be Yuma's friend Tetsuo, running toward her.
"What are you guys doing here?" The cat girl questioned when the pair caught up.
"We heard what happened and wanted to talk." Kotori said convincingly, not letting letting her know that she and Tetsuo actually saw everything. Cathy looked down.
"Oh." She meekly replied.
"Listen Cathy, I know how you feel." Tetsuo said.
"Really?" The cat girl asked, now looking up at him. Tetsuo nodded.
"I had a huge crush on Rio for a while. I really wanted to date her, be a good boyfriend and all that. But when I finally had the guts to ask her out a month ago, Rio told me she had hooked up with Yuma." Tetsuo sighed depressingly. He remembered that one time he thought Rio got together with Yuma, only learning it was a huge misunderstanding due to some gossip talk at school. It even said Shark gave his approval. When Tetsuo learned the truth, he felt relieved. He still had hope that he would become actual boyfriend material for Rio one day. Funnily enough, or not so much, that gossiped situation actually happened for real much later. "That had not been a good day for me. Rio told me that she always cared about me and said I was a good person. However, she said she only ever saw me as a friend." Tetsuo paused before continuing. "My heart was crushed. I know neither Yuma or Rio meant to hurt me, but I still felt awful. During that time, I didn't hang out with Yuma or anyone with him."
"Why?" Cathy asked, bewildered by his confession.
"Because I couldn't handle being with the best friend that somehow won the heart of the girl I liked." Tetsuo replied with a sad tone in his voice.
"I do kind of feel that way." Cathy admitted. In truth, she had also made herself scarce when it came to Yuma. "Are you still avoiding him?"
"I'm not ready to face Yuma again just yet." He said while looking away.
"I've been trying to help him through it." Kotori said, her turn to speak. "I also understand what he's going through. I wanted to be more than Yuma's friend, but I couldn't bring myself to take that step. When I learned Rio kissed him, I wasn't exactly a happy camper. I was ready to explode." Kotori took a deep breath and went on. "She then told me of her true feelings for Yuma and her desire to date him. I saw the sincerity in her voice and how serious she was. In spite of my own feelings, I told Rio to take a chance. Later on, when I learned Yuma actually got together with Rio, I chose to not get in the way and let them be… even though it saddened me a lot."
"Why Kotori?" Cathy asked. "Why don't you want to fight for Yuma's affections?"
"Rio is my best friend and I truly wanted her to find happiness. Even if it meant that… I couldn't be Yuma's girlfriend." Kotori said, having the same sad voice as Tetsuo.
Cathy looked from one depressed teen to the other. Honestly, she was t feeling any better. "If you two are trying to cheer me up, you're doing a lousy job at it." To her surprise, both Kotori and Tetsuo smiled at her.
"Anna pretty much said the same thing when we talked to her earlier." Tetsuo said. "But we managed to convince her that she could find someone one day, and so can you."
"She's right." Kotori agreed. "We both may be in the broken hearts department for now, but that doesn't mean it's all over. There are other fish in the sea. Just keep looking and you're bound to meet a guy who not only notices you, but also treats you the way you deserve to be treated. Just don't give up on finding love one day."
Cathy thought over what the two had said, and slowly she came to realize they were right. She may have struck out with Yuma, but her life hadn't ended. Maybe someday… She smiled at the two.
"Thank you for talking to me. I still need some time, but I think I'll be okay. I hope you both will be okay too. See you guys later." Cathy bid farewell as she parted toward the direction of her house, with Salem following close behind.
"I think she'll be fine." Kotori said.
"So do I." Tetsuo replied.
Once Cathy was out of sight a minute later, Tetsuo and Kotori smiled at one another… before they held hands.
"So… when do you want us to tell everyone?" Tetsuo asked. Kotori looked thoughtful for a moment before answering with one word.
"Soon."
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\
Hiretsuna chuckled to herself. She sat on her throne and observed the Duel those human girls had. She found it quite entertaining.
Devil Kaiser was not present, instead hanging out in one of the many rooms throughout the tower. He thought his presence should not be noticed by the unknown Ignis while he was here.
"Yes, what an event that was. And to think, it was just the opening act. But soon, the main show will begin. Don't you agree?" Hiretsuna asked while turning to her left.
There, hanging by his wrists in chains, was Ai. However, he was no longer whole. The lower half of his body was gone, forcibly taken away. He hung his head, but gave no reply.
Hiretsuna smirked. "No snarky comeback? I didn't think so. You should be grateful. I'd let you see my show in the human world while you await your chosen fate. Of course, I'd be willing to let you go if you simply tell me where you took the Numeron Code."
"Nope. Not… happening." Ai said weakly. The demon woman shrugged.
"No matter. In the end, I will fulfill my mission. No one will stop me, not by some stupid humans and certainly not by some unwilling prisoner. Nobody." She then laughed again, eagerly waiting the next performance.
To be continued.