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"What about yourself? Who is protecting you?" the woman asked.
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"I can protect myself," Yugi replied. He held up his arm; the bronze bands around his arm were the same as the ones Atem, Mahado, Bakura, and Melhana had. "I'm not exactly defenseless."
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"I see. You know there is a chance that Ashleigh will return with her shard right?" she asked.
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"I know," Yugi replied. "But...it doesn't seem very likely, even if there is a chance."
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"You better hurry along now, you have to prepare for tonight" the woman said. Yugi nodded, but when he lifted his head, the woman was gone.
Kaimiri entered one of the training rooms, where Ashleigh was training. "She's progressing quite well" her dark half said. The prince nodded. |
Yugi shook his head. "The weird never ends..." he muttered.
"It seems that we won't need to worry about their little raid," Kaimiri said. "Heh...and those fools thought they could keep it a secret." |
"And on top of that, they're coming tonight" Dark Ashleigh said as she put up a sheild to protect them for the debris of a target Ashleigh just destroied.
That night, the signers, Yugi, Kaiba, Atem (to see them off) and Selena met in Max's office. As per usual Aki wasn't herself. "What happens if we can't get Yusei back?" she asked. "You will get him back. And Ruby will meet you there" Atem replied. |
"He's right, Aki." Yugi added. "We'll get Yusei back, one way or another. I can promise you that."
Aoi slid her hand along the handle of her katana. She'd gotten it in the alternate universe in high school, when one of the Six Samurai had died defending her and her friends...and everyone else. Nisashi...fight with me, this day. She thought in her pre-battle mantra. "I agree with Yugi," She said. "We'll get Yusei back...I promise." |
Max clapped her hands.
"Ok, it's time to move out. Atem will stay here and keep contact with you. I want one, both if possible back" she said. "Good luck" Atem said. "Kaimiri! I made a duplical of the necklace as you requested!" Dark Ashleigh said, running up to Kaimiri. He was doing a last check on the angel. |
"Wait!" Someone called from the doorway. The group turned to see a rather winded Kyosuke Kiryu leaning on the doorframe, catching his breath. "I'm going with. I don't care what you guys say."
Jack shook his head. "Kiryu, you've lost it. Again." He said. "You don't understand how dangerous this is, do you? You don't even have any--" Kiryu snapped his fingers and a ball of dark blue and violet fire burned above his palm. "I've been doing a little training myself." He said. "Turns out being a Dark Signer ingited a bit of a spark in me." He let the flame disperse and dropped his hand. "I'm a mage too. And I'm going." |
Max sighed.
"Alright" she said, "but stay out of any trouble, ok?" |
"Fat chance of that," Kiryu replied under his breath. He looked up at Sakura smirking.
"Us? Stay out of trouble? Easier said than done; trouble finds us." Sakura said. "So, I guess right about now would be when we open the portal to Kaimiri's realm." "Excellent," Kaimiri said, studying the necklace. "Heh, I have to admit, your power is remarkable." |
"Go ahead and be careful" Max said.
"Thank you. Now, should we do the switch of the necklaces?" Dark Ashleigh asked. |
The group nodded. "All right guys, pool your power." Yugi said, placing his hand in the center. "I'll open the portal."
The rest of the group going into the raid placed their hands on top of Yugi's, and their respective auras ignited; Selena's violet aura, Yugi's emerald, Kaiba's gold, Jack's orange, Crow's dark purple, Aoi's sea green, Kiryu's ice blue, and Aki's dark red. Once the power was pooled, Yugi spoke the spell that would open the portal to Kaimiri's fortress realm. "Guys, you go through first. I'll follow once you're all through," he said. "And hurry, I can't keep it open for long." "Yes," Kaimiri replied. "Do it." |
Everyone nodded and ran through the opening. Aka stopped and turned around.
"Go on. You can do it Aki" Atem said. The girl nodded and entered the portal, Yugi not close behind. "Max, I'm still worried about Aki. You sure she's in the right state of mind to go through with it?" he asked Max. Dark Ashleigh unclasped the real necklace and handed it over to Kaimiri and took the face necklace and fastened it around the angel's neck. "There" she said, "all you need to do is to put this on." She handed a face wristband to Kaimiri. "Now it looks realistic. While you have the real mccoy, the fake ones will take their place and tricking them that they have destroyed the set" Dark Ashleigh said. |
"Honestly, I'm still wondering that myself." Max replied.
"Good," Kaimiri replied. Once they were all through, Yugi dispelled the portal. "Right, we're not going back until this is done." He said. He turned to the group. "Jack, you and the rest of the Signers go find Yusei. Bring Kiryu with you." Jack nodded his agreement. "Kaiba, Sakura, and I are going to take on Kaimiri." |
"I can only hope that Aki will survive" Atem said.
"And just in time too. They have arrived" Dark Ashleigh said. "And I presume that I have to go with them too?" Ruby asked as she approached the group. |
"You and me both, Atem" Max replied. "You and me both."
"Well, then we'd better go greet them." Kaimiri said with a smirk. "Be sure to give them a warm welcome. A very warm one." Yugi shook his head. "No, you're coming with Selena, Kaiba and myself." He replied. "Okay guys, split up and meet back here once we're done with this raid." |
"Do you want me to send Yusei to you?" Dark Ashleigh asked as her light half flew off to hunt Kaiba down.
"Right" Ruby said. |
Once the group was split up, Aoi made sure her sword was clear in its sheath. "You expecting a fight?" Crow asked.
Aoi nodded. "You bet I am." She replied. "I just hope it doesn't come to what I think it will..." That vision I had from my Tauk right before we came...I don't like it. "No; send him after the Signers." Kaimiri replied. "And a few of our Orechalcos users. Let's make sure they don't leave here alive. Or at least, with their souls." He strode off. "As for the others with Kaiba, I'll take care of them." "Wait." Selena said. "What now?" Kaiba asked. "Don't tell me that stupid eye of yours is acting up." Selena shot him a glare. "One of these days that attitude is going to get you a punch in the face---oh, right, I already did that." She said. "And yes, it is. I can sense Ashleigh's aura...but it's different." Yugi nodded. "It's her all right," he said. "And Kaimiri's done something to her...." |
Dark Ashleigh nodded and walked to Yusei's quarters. She found him lying on the bed.
"You are needed to hunt down the signers! I will send some guys to join you shortly" she said. Suddenly Kaiba was blasted to one of the walls. The girl in question was standing there. "Miss me?" she asked before she laughed. |
Yusei smirked and deactivated the data plate he was reading from. "So, they've finally come into the hornet's nest, have they?" He asked. "Heh. Time to show them what they're up against." With that he snapped his fingers, and dissapeared in a dark blue mist.
Kaiba picked himself up off the ground, slightly dazed but otherwise all right. Judging by the warm and wet on his face, he'd gotten a cut on the head from the blast. "...The hell?" He asked when he saw what Ashleigh had been turned into. "I was afraid of this; she's a dark angel." Selena said, cocking one of her pistols and taking it off safety. Ashleigh's aura was blazing. "Damn." Then someone not far away laughed. "My my, already worked up." He said. It was Kaimiri. He summoned a ball of energy in his palm. "Let's start the fun, shall we?" "Gladly," Yugi said, activating his aura. Kaiba threw his arm in front of him. "Kaiba, what--" "I'll handle Kaimiri." Kaiba said. "You and Sakura concentrate on Ashleigh." he faced Kaimiri. "I've got a score to settle with you." "Is this still about me killing the brat?" Kaimiri asked. He laughed when he saw the scowl on Kaiba's face deepen. "Ooops, sorry, I meant your baby brother. I wonder how many nightmares you've had since that day...." "SHUT UP!!!" Kaiba shouted, releasing his power. His aura flared gold and the scent of sandalwood inundated the air. He launched a lance of power at Kaimiri, who blocked it. "Temper temper, Seto." Kaimiri said. He sent the lance back at Kaiba, the power doubled. Kaiba gritted his teeth and threw up his hands to form a shield. The lance of power dispersed along the shield harmlessly. "I'm going to make you pay, you bastard. For real this time." |
((nabbing Yugi))
"And off I go on my break" Dark Ashleigh sighed, "I hate it when Kaimiri doesn't tell me what to do next." While Kaiba was occupied, Yugi and Selena turned their attention to Ashleigh. "What happened to you" Yugi asked. "Just a makeover and a new form to boost" Ashleigh replied. "Be careful" Ruby said. Ashleigh used her powers which turned into a power wave. Yugi threw up an emerald shield. "You don't want to do this. Please stop this. I don't want to fight you" Yugi pleaded. "Why should I? You never listen to me" Ashleigh resorted. That's when Ruby clicked. "She still have that loneliness that dwells inside of herself" Ruby exclaimed. |
"Of course!" Yugi said. Next question is, how do I get her out of it? He was working on the solution when the ceiling between the two groups collapsed.
"Kaiba!" Kaiba let the shield fall. He'd thrown it up so that he wouldn't get crushed by the rubble falling from the ceiling. "You're willing to do anything, aren't you?" He asked. Kaimiri shook his head. "No. I just thought it would be more fitting for this to be one-on-one." He replied. "I want to see your full power, Seto Kaiba. Let me see your rage." |
"Leave them alone. They are doing one-on-one. You are my oppontent" Ashleigh said and blasted Yugi towards the rubble but was saved by Ruby.
"You ok?" she asked. "Kaimiri, I almost forgot. The fake set isn't magical like the real thing. If something's gone wrong, act like it's broken" Dark Ashleigh mind linked. While the signers and Aoi was searching the corridors, Aki sensed something coming. Before she did anything else, an arm went around her waist. That's when she clicked and screamed. |
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