FanFic Thead UPDATE: Chapter One Up
((And that's all there is so far, but I'll update this thread with new chapters as they very sporadically come!~ Entire First Chapter is up! Look for the bolded line if you already read the first bit!
It's all under the cut..!~
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This story I tell today is of old and new.
It is old in that the morals have been lost to time. It is new in that what occurs now repeats today. Since the dawn of time there have been things unexplained by our world. Gods walking the earth in the form of man, demons terrorizing the innocents of the land, and great creatures of unexplained identity and unfortold wisdom.
It was once assumed by those who knew of their existence that these creatures came from a realm of darkness. A world created by evil, whose power was then harnessed by the ancients of the world. By the Egyptians, who sealed them in tablets of stone to be worshiped as gods... By the Nazca peoples of South America, who locked their power within the ground itself, great lines of power appearing in their place. To those of the modern day who knew this much, they assumed that this was the first and even the only time that contact was made.
But these people could not be farther from the truth...
For shadows had mingled with light for as long as time itself. They had formed a pact with those of the light, a pact that had been woefully forgotten over the thousands of years. As time passed however, what was forgotten...
Would return. Many thousands of years after the time of ancients, and after the time of monsters of myth, shadows would begin to appear. Shadows given entry through the imaginations of light and through the minds of the dreaming. Through the power of nothing more than a card...
As time came to pass, more and more could see the spirits of those in the shadows, the images of the soul in physical form. Some would learn to control them in battle... Others would find them as powerful companions, with only the desire to protect. But as the world came to meet these creatures, the need for a card or a contract began to fade...
Replaced by the need to form more rules and regulations in their place.
A glove was created, cloth-like and easily seen. To those who had a shadow, no more would they be unable to show their true potential in battle. What damages would ordinarily occur would occur only in a separate realm, a realm that came to collectively be called the 'Dream'.
The land of the dream was the land of shadows, a land accessed only from the mind. During the hours of deep sleep, it was the realm that the mind would come to, a realm where the imagination grew and flourished. No dream was the same as the other... For no human was truly identical to another. And in the world of the dream nothing could harm the shadow and its partner.
Until, ironically, the Glove. Not everyone had a shadow by their side after all. Those who could not unlock them on their own offered great amounts of money to all who could find a solution, to anyone who could gift to them a guardian of their own. So those who had gloves on hand researched and scoured the mind for a way to attain this prize for their own... And they found something interesting.
One with a glove could, with some changes to the program, force a battle between anyone with a shadow. One could, by succeeding in a battle such as this, claim the defeated shadow as their own, provided they had a vessel on hand. The first successful theft of a shadow was sealed into a small vial, and gifted to a king for his daughter's guard.
However, simpler, and more elegant ways of inducing contract were formed. Gems inlaid with beautiful carvings of what lay beneath, items of cloth and even artificial limbs could hold the power of the shadows. And all through the streets chaos reigned as those with weaker partners were left in endless comas...
For to be separated from a shadow was to be defenseless in the Dream. To have an open door which only one could fit through while others tried to escape. As shadows fought and clawed at defenseless minds for a way out, the mind itself could not awaken. The world was falling into ruin...
And so Doctors were created. Those with gloves to enter the minds of the afflicted, sent with the task of repairing the bond by merging it with a shadow that resonated with the soul. A Doctor could not be weak of heart, or of mind, for a Doctor could not lose. They were required to be prepared for all that came after them, be it shadow or calamity in the realm of the mind. They could not lose...
For to lose in the mind would spell the death of both humans involved.
As time would come, others would gain access to these special gloves, fitting themselves with the power to gain still more profit by selling the shadows of the unbound. The act of selling outside those with government permission was illegal of course- but this did nothing to change the trade, and it became nigh impossible to tell whether the soul was taken from a 'Donor', one who regularly allowed entry to their mind to harvest unbound shadows at the outskirts of the dream, or if it had been taken from a comatose victim... Or even a conscious one, shocked out of their own shadow as well.
For this task, a new branch of Doctors were created. Officers. Known as the elite they existed for only one purpose, and that was the punishment of those who had trespassed on the crimes of the very soul. They were given the power to create barriers between mind and body, between shadow and light... The shadow would remain to protect the mind from the dream, where it was trapped, but the body would be unable to die.
And the punishment would last however long their sentence had been. This has never stopped the act however. Even in the current days of this world, children themselves are sent falling into an eternal sleep.
And so we enter the dream of one such child... Ending one story to begin another.
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She slid through the shadows like a snake in the water, never pausing in her race toward the center of the city. None could watch as the shadow moved. She was hidden in the darkness completely, and though a few of the monsters loitering in the streets thought they'd seen a flicker of shadow in their eyes a single blink left them with nothing but whatever had been there all along.
The shadow had a purpose. A single purpose that kept it moving, onward and upward toward a single light in the distance.
It was a warm light that shined there. A light that came from a single white marble pillar, within which a hole sat. The pillar stood in stark contrast to the rest of the realm however. Surrounding that structure was nothing but ruin, a cluster of aged concrete covered in barely living vine on an apocalyptic scene. Perhaps that was why so many crowded near the light. It was a beacon of hope in this realm, a sign that there would be another way out of the hell that the world was.
But the shadow traveled for none of these reasons, and in fact stopped the moment she came within a few feet of the pillar. She stood at the top of a ruined skyscraper, bathed in shadows. A white mask sat over her face, the lack of features giving the appearance of an unfinished doll. Atop a head of short brown-black hair was a fedora of contrasting colour, jet black and identical in shade to the tunic and cape the woman wore. There was a large sword at her side- but she would not need it, not now she told herself, and as she looked to the pillar she sighed.
“So this,” she spoke clearly, “Is the key hole.” The circular indentation stared obviously from the pillars form, and the woman crossed her arms. “Quite a problem,” she murmured. “I haven't seen a soul like this before-”
-click-
“Don't move.”
The woman did as told, but not for the one speaking. Stiffening, she turned her head only slightly in an attempt to see the source of the sound. The clicking sound was obvious- though she had never heard the gun's click in a more conventional sense, she'd heard a number of monsters operating similar weapons before.
None of these monsters had that kind of voice though. The slow thud of footsteps meets her ears, and as she brings her head around what sounded like a young man continued to speak. “I want you to turn around,” he said carefully, “And put your hands on your head...” Hands on her head..?
She almost snorted at that. “And why should I do that,” the woman asked, faceless mask soon coming to greet her 'captor's eyes. A dark, black brown pair of eyes beneath a mop of blond hair... The man is obviously human she noted, but what is a human doing in a place like this...
Wearing the garb of a National Security agent..? Her thoughts did nothing to alter the man's resolve, and if anything he is more poised to strike than even before. “You know why,” he said plainly. “I know who you are- the shadow of the night, the thief... We've already got our best men looking for the diamond, but I never thought you'd come back for the pedestal..!”
“Diamond?” she repeated, before looking back to the tower. “Ah... I see. You think that the key to this stone is a diamond. Far from it... But before I can go into that, I wonder... How did you even know I was here?”
As the woman looked back the blond tensed, momentarily freezing behind his weapon. “It was obvious wasn't it,” he responded. “The 'Shadow', stalking through the night... As a criminal, you would have to return to the scene of the crime!”
“Ahh... But what if the criminal was already finished here,” she countered softly, the two beginning to pace about the other with slow footsteps. “What if I was simply an investigator?”
“Investigator? HAH!” The man snorted, renewing his aim and stopping his footsteps. “I won't let you steal the pedestal,” he snarled, narrowing his eyes. “In fact...”
As the gun was turned toward the blinding glow of the pillar the woman froze, cape furling behind her almost in shock. “You...”
“You're after something that can't easily be damaged or even moved an inch,” the man growled. “Yet you've put enough time into trying to take it...”
“Don't pull that trigger... Don't...”
“What happens,” he continued, finger slowly closing back. “If I do this..?”
“DON'T-”
-BRM!-
All at once the already dark sky darkened, and an explosion of light tore through the air. Blown against the ground the woman launches herself at the fool who caused it, covering him with her cape for safety before looking back to the pillar in horror. Great stone wings have broken free from the device, with claws of silver and a ridged spine resembling blades. Where there was a hole for a key is now a hole for a head, revealing an empty void within...
And the man can do nothing but stare. “You fool,” the woman hisses, slowly backing away as the enormous beast stands before them. “FOOL! You've damned us all..!”
“What... What is...”
“GRRRREEEAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!!!”
Leaving the man behind the shadowed woman hurriedly dove off the side of the building, narrowly avoiding a strike from the blinded beast. This is a soul with no shadow she realized quickly, not daring to look back as the monster howled in rage. The thing without a key, left to do nothing but blindly strike at all around it. She wasn't stupid enough to challenge such a thing... Oh no..! She would have to leave, double back and try again. She would have to-
“GRAAAA-AAAEEEEEEE!!” Great silver claws tore her from the shadows, and with a pained shout she rolled to the side.
“Ngh..!!” Weakened arms were all she had, and it was not enough for this fight. “Ghnn...” With slow and clumsy movements she attempted to stand, hand reaching for the blade at her side. “Ngh...” The monster stood before her now, twice the size of the tallest building she'd ever seen. With her strength at a bare minimum she could only look to the beast with failure in her eyes. This... Was not how it was supposed to end. This was not how it was meant to be... She needed only find the key. That had been her task. She wasn't supposed to die.
She was never supposed to lose.
“RRAAAAAA-AAAEEAAAAA!!”
And she would not lose..! As the beast's claws hurtled toward her she pushed off from the ground, sword gripped tightly in her hand. The monster's paw became burrowed beneath the ground, but even without eyes it turned its neck toward the building beside it. And as the woman above landed on the edge of the roof she just as quickly fled to yet another, the great white demon taking aim once again. This time however, she did not try and jump away. Instead, with incredible speed she leaped directly between the monster's claws, blade pulled far back behind her. “HHHHRRAAAAAAAHHH...” She took aim... She swung the blade and- “MNG-”
Blood now fell from beneath her mask, her teeth locking down on her tongue as her opponent slammed its now freed fist upon her form. Her body thudded to the ground unceremoniously, and with dull eyes she watched as the monster again reared back, mighty roar nothing but an echo of white noise in her ears. She wasn't supposed to lose, she found herself repeating in her mind. She was supposed to find the key, and lock it back into place on the pillar. The 'key hole' wasn't supposed to strike at something that wasn't a shadow in nature.
But ahh... She supposed that with how she did things she was just as much shadow as anything else here. Still, she thought bitterly, closing her eyes and choking on her blood. Still... “Gh...” She wasn't supposed... “Ngh...” Supposed to die...
“RRRHHHHAAAA- GGH-”
A thundering clash echoed through the air, and the shock was just enough to awaken her from her stupor. The shadow's eyes looked upward in surprise, and in the resulting silence it seemed that even time had stopped.
Before her now was a creature of gold, with fur as bright as the sun itself. It held the monster back with naught but a glistening shield, formed of a light similar to the one it gave off. “What are you waiting for,” it growled to her, the woman merely staring in fear and wonder both as her eyes met the 'fox's own. “I can't hold this forever, 'human'..! SO RUN!”
Not another word was exchanged as she pulled herself from the ground, sword sheathed and body sinking into the shadows. In a flash she 'ran', slithering in and around all in her path as an explosion rumbled in the distance behind her and as the great white creature resumed its chase. Far in the distance there was another light. A light that was nowhere near as blinding as that of the former pillar behind her but more than certainly the next goal in her escape. Faster, she cried in her mind, the snarls of the blind monster echoing behind her. Faster, she cried as the light began to blind her, faster she pleaded as her body leaped out into the glare,
FASTER!
“Nnn-AAAHHHHHhhh...!!”
With a jolt a woman in a white lab coat awoke, the gasp of air she took as deep and thundering as a person who had fled for their lives or completed a marathon. Her heart was pounding against her chest... But as she stood, clutching it with a gloved hand it was not her that the others in the room were worried about.
“Well,” asked the first, watching as the tall young woman walked toward the door. “What happened?”
The woman appeared to ignore her, only to have another grab her shoulder. “Gh...”
“My wife asked you a question,” he growled, before pointing to the bed in the room. “When will our son wake up..!?”
“I need to do a follow up procedure,” she bit out in response. “Forgive me but your son's mind is well guarded.”
“Well guarded,” he thundered. “His mind's security is what got him in this mess, now get him OUT!”
“I just told you- I need to better prepare for the situation. I will return shortly...”
“What do you mean 'better prepare',” the second woman cried. “What's happening to Shou?”
As she looked to the woman in silence, the taller of the pair, the 'Doctor', forced herself to hold a look of impassivity in the face of her fear. “The same as before Jonouchi-san. As I said- I will be back when proper preparations have been made. Good bye,” she finished, turning from the room without heeding any other protests. She had done her job for now. She had entered Jonouchi Shou's mind and tried to find a soul but it was all in vain.
And as she collapsed in her apartment room later that evening, she could only think of one thing in her still shell-shocked mind. Despite her life telling her otherwise, she had lost. Something that never happened. Something that could not happen. Something that she, as the 'Shadow', could never let happen again. She could never go back to that couple, she told herself. Never... Never...
With those final thoughts on her mind she popped a single prescription pill down her throat and closed her eyes, waiting for the endless dark of sleep to come over her...
Not once aware of the eyes that watched as she did so.
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Screams were echoing through the air of the cathedral, and blood splattered over the ground. Benches were crunched into pieces, and in a corner a young girl sat trembling. The sounds that escaped her were nothing but whimpers, her legs shaking and her entire body curled up as far back from the monster as possible. “Hnn... N-Nnn...”
“HHHAAAAAHHHHH!!!”
“RRAAAAHHHHH!!!”
“Run... RUN, GET OUT, RUN!!”
“What is this... WHAT IS THIS THING..!?!”
The girl continued to tremble in the corner, eyes wide and filled with tears as she watched the enormous black beast before her terrorize those in the room. As it opened a great and ugly 'beak' filled with teeth, pulling people off from the ground and into its maw, tearing them to shreds, crushing them in it's mouth...
“Help me,” one of those on the ground cried, legs a bleeding mess and rendered unrecognizable. The dying girl reached out with a hand, wide eyes shaking and filled with tears... “HELP ME, YUUME!”
“NN-HAAAH! Hah... Hah... hah...”
The pills weren't working again. Yume collapsed back on her cheap futon bed, arms falling up and to the sides as she closed her eyes in exhaustion. The prescription was for a dreamless sleep... For those who couldn't stop the world known as 'dream' from affecting them, and for those who couldn't sleep without their shadows preventing rest.
And she was one of the lucky few who continuously developed anti-bodies against the damn medicine. “Tch... Such nonsense,” she muttered, rolling over with a sigh. “Non-”
“Ssssssnnn...”
“N... Naaa... HHHAAAHHH!!” Yume fell back off the bed, shuffling on her feet as far from it as possible. “W-What the hell..!?”
From the other side of the bed there was a low groan, followed by a blond head of hair rising from beneath the covers. “Ngn... Oh... Is it morning already,” the apparent teen mumbled, a pearly white festival mask covering his face. “I must of lost track of the time...”
“Ngh...” WHAT. “Who the hell are you..!?”
The blond turned. “Mn? Oh! And you woke up too... Well that's no good,” he laughed, waving a hand. “You weren't supposed to do that until I had the time to find a marker!”
“Ah-” ...Eh..? “A marker..?”
“Yea! To draw a face on your face!”
. . .
WhaaaaaaaAAAT!?! “GET... OUT OF MY HOUSE!!”
“Don't you mean apartment?”
“NOW!”
He sighed, crossing his arms. “Really, is that any way to treat your savior?”
Savior..!? “You must have an incredible ego to be calling yourself that... When you're sitting in my bed..!!” Actually...
What the hell was this guy wearing..!? Did that mean-
Again the man sighed, leaning back against the wall. “Hmm... I guess right now I just look like a creepy old stalker huh. In that case...” Golden mist blew around the teen's form, and in its place sat a gleaming fox. “Ta-daaaah!” That...
She narrowed her eyes, fingers scratching at the cheap wood floor. “And what,” she snarled, scarcely keeping her voice down, “Is a shadow doing in my apartment..!?”
The fox sighed, again taking the form of a man as he shook his head. There were notable differences with this one however; for one thing, he was wearing what looked to be a loose if not quite ornate kimono now. He leaned against the wall, grinning fox mask taunting her in silence. “Really... Why don't you look down and see for yourself?”
“Why don't you use common sense when speaking with a 'Doctor',” she retorted. “How am I to know that you aren't here to kill me the moment I look away? Sff-!” As she spoke the 'fox' pulled on the blinds to the side, instantly letting in the bright morning sun through the windows. She turned her head away with a grimace the moment it met her eyes, but as she caught sight of the floor she froze. “...Impossible,” she murmured, staring at the floor. Most of the shadows stretched back into the apartment, reaching far from the windows as the sun commanded. Hers however, stretched to the side...
As did the fox's.
“How,” Yume managed to ask, slowly looking back up to the blond as she stood. “EXPLAIN this!”
“Explain?” the fox responded with a chuckle. “Just what is there to explain my dear? I'm obviously 'your' shadow..!”
“Bullshit,” she retorted, “I know my shadow and you are not it! Particularly not with that colouration,” she added almost bitterly.
At this the fox's grinning mask seemed to gain a serious expression, and with crossed arms he allowed silence to meet the air. “Indeed... Your shadow is blacker than the pits of hell isn't it,” he murmured, the woman across him tensing at the words. “Darker than the furthest reaches of the night sky, than the hidden face of the moon... To give your shadow light would be to give the ground flight! Hmhmhmhmhm!” Yume continued to stiffen, fists clenching while he went on. “Perhaps you recognize me,” he asked. “I believe we met in a dream...”
“In the dream of a boy whose mind was trapped there,” the woman continued with a growl. “A dream from which he has yet to awaken. Shadows cannot leave the realm of the dream without a partner,” she added darkly. “So how is it that you've managed to do so, and bind yourself to my own? Unless all of this is an illusion,” Yume hissed, “And I am still within that mind.”
Her 'guest' instantly shook his head. “Oh no no no my dear,” he chuckled, “You are indeed in the world of the living..! This situation is more a matter of opportunity,” he continued on. “I was a shadow looking for escape... And you provided it.”
“And how?”
“How indeed. How does a woman as yourself live through life by sealing half of their soul away by sheer will alone,” he countered, watching as Yume's face grew white. “Oh yes... There's the spot,” he hissed, slowly walking around the room toward her. “A 'Doctor', able to only pull at the base abilities of her shadow without letting it out along side her... Most would spit at the thought, but not you... In fact you seem almost repulsed by the idea of using even that minimum,” he whispered, slowly bringing a hand toward the woman's face. “Now why is that..?”
A loud smack rang through the air, followed by a sudden shout and yelp as the 'fox' found himself pinned to the ground by his throat. “I don't think you heard me fox,” Yume sneered. “I asked you how you got in my shadow... Not about what you think of the thing inside it already.”
“To right, to right,” the fox wheezed, waiting for his captor to relieve some pressure from his throat. In an instant he melted to the ground, reappearing to the other side of the room in a shimmer and wave of golden 'shadows'. “But it's always better with backstory you know- you've almost completely detatched yourself from a shadow, something that can very rarely, if ever, be filled in... And that... Well that's just begging for something to come in,” he chuckled, clawed fingers cracking as they flexed from behind Yume's cautious form. As the woman slowly turned back with a dangerous look the fox continued still on. “How about,” he decided, “I make a deal with you..?”
“A deal,” she asked incredulously. “You force your way into my shadow, make a game out of my questioning, and now you want me to bargain with you..?”
“You're my way out,” he chuckled in defense. “It's only natural.”
“You filthy, mangey-”
“You can't control that shadow can you, 'Yume'?” The woman instantly clammed up and he went on. “I sit within your mind while within that shadow, and am thereby privy to your dreams... The shadow you have is dark, no doubt about that... But your will cannot hold it back forever,” he warned, watching the woman stare back in stubborn and defiant 'ignorance'. “I offer you a deal,” the fox told her. “I give you my name and power, acting as a barrier and filter to this 'shadow' of yours... And you allow me to stay within it and within this world.”
“And if I refuse,” she asked, eying the fox with caution. “Just what does your 'power' entail to begin with, fox?”
Chuckling was her immediate response, and the fox grinned beneath his mask. “My dear... I am light. I am the very anti-thesis of darkness. I will allow you to manipulate your shadow with more freedom than you could ever dream... All I ask is that I get a bit of light of my own in return. That's all I could ever ask for after all,” he added, shaking his head and shrugging. “To walk in the realm of mortals again..! The lands of shadows have nothing on reality you know, and it pays to have some protection..!”
“Is that so,” Yume growled. “Just how would I use this 'power' of yours to begin with? You haven't finished explaining yourself, and I want to know why...”
The cheerful nature of the fox vanished. “Why,” he asked, the shadows from his possible partner rising around him with the glow from his own light. “Because as the one who saved your life, you owe me a deal, woman. A deal I intend to make. Do not think that you can hold your darkness off forever,” he warned, “Because when that dam breaks it'll be messy... Far more than the last time,” he hissed, the blood draining still more from Yume's face. “So I'll ask again... Have we a deal, or not..?”
Yume grit her teeth, fists clenched tightly. “We do,” she managed to force herself to say, “But not because I prefer it. Mark my words, as soon as I can I'll be rid of you... But you were able to defend against that boy's 'door',” the woman went on. “Which means you can do it again.” As the fox stared she turned to face him completely, steeling her resolve and expression completely. “You will do as I say,” Yume decided. “And you will help me do one thing to prove your power- we're going to recover a shadow for Jonouchi Shou. ...And we're doing it tonight. Understand?”
“Crystal,” the fox responded. “Now then... If that's the case, I'd best find myself a better face,” he chuckled, gesturing to his mask. “As friendly as this is, it's hardly revealing. Perhaps I could be someone close,” he began, shadows wrapping around him only to halt.
“No,” Yume spat solidly. “If there is one thing you will not do it is that.”
“Oooh... Touchy touchy,” her 'shadow' muttered. “Very well then.” With a single movement the kimono shifted into standard, modern day clothing, the mask pulled off and literally crushed in his hands before it rejoined the shadows. “How's this then,” he asked, a single gold-brown eye peering from behind the curtain of blond. “More 'mortal' for you?”
“...That will do,” she decided, turning away. “Fox. Now if you'll excuse me, I prefer showering without the shadows watching,” she added, walking toward her bathroom as her shadow laughed.
“Noted!” he chuckled, eye closing into a half-moon of 'glee'. “But from now on, I believe I would prefer Reynard...”
The woman paused at the washroom door, running the name in her mind before nodding. “...Noted,” she decided, before locking the door behind her. The European trickster spirit, the 'Fox'.
How incredibly appropriate for him.
***********************************
The finger tapped against the table with steady rhythm, 'one two three'. Her foot moved with it, and the glove sat in her bag beside her. Her laptop was on the table before her. Her coffee beside it, yet untouched.
And beside her 'Reynard' was already beginning to prove himself a pain. “Ancient Egyptians and the Origin of Shadow Battling',” the fox read aloud, before chuckling under his breath. “Mnhnhnhnhn..!! Hshshshshs..!!”
“Just what is it about this paper that you find so amusing,” she hissed, brows furrowing as she shut her eyes in attempt to focus on the paper for her classes. “My major is in Ancient History- I have been working on this paper a number of days. But if you feel there's something 'out of place',” she added with a growl, “Then by all means... Say so.”
“Hshshshs... Oh no,” Reynard laughed, shaking his head. “That would be far too easy my dear..! I'll just let you find the mistakes in history yourself I think!” As his partner growled he continued, gesturing to the laptop. “After all... If you think this is where it all began, you're sorely mistaken!”
“This paper does not cite the period of the Pharaoh Atem as the origin of shadows,” Yume grit, “It cites the period as the origin of the use of sealers and the true creation of a 'battle',” she growled. “Until that time, shadows were as they typically are now, joined with souls. The reign of Atem brought in stone tablets with which to seal the souls of others within, before being used in combat against the other.”
Her partner raised his eyebrows, blowing out a long gust of air. “Hohhhhhh... Clever missy ain'tcha..? And where did you get all that information?”
“I have contacts,” she said flatly, before closing the laptop over with a click. “And this paper is due in a week's time. I have class in another half hour, and if you plan on distracting me any longer...”
The fox saw fit to merely chuckle at this, leaning over her shoulder as obnoxiously as possible within human form. “Hohhhh... You've got quite a lot of things in here... But what's a student doing in the Doctoring business,” he sniggered, pulling back when the woman turned to leer at him.
“It pays for the classes,” she said almost flatly. “Now, if you'll excuse me while I type this-”
“New friend there Souryuu-san?” Both turned, one with a dry look, the other with innocent curiosity as a young server from the cafe came over. Other than his hair, he seemed rather 'standard' in regard to appearance. He was tall, and somewhat pale if anything, but if there was one thing about him..
Reynard grinned. “...Your hair is green.”
The waiter blinked. “...I suppose so,” he said after a few moments. “...You are?”
“A pest,” Yume said rather bluntly. “And I thought you had work Hatsu.”
Hatsu, as he was called, merely smiled. “I do- but I was told to come outside to greet customers for now. As the street is clear, I see no problem in talking..!” The teen then looked to Reynard, frowning. “Exactly how are you being a 'pest'-”
“Not that sort of pest,” his friend cut in, before looking up to again glare at her disguised 'partner'. “He's shadow-kind.”
“Shadow kind?” For a moment Reynard was interestingly silent, allowing the bespectacled waiter to stare. “Well now... I've always wanted to see your shadow Yume-san, but-”
“Not mine,” she responded quickly, folding her laptop over with a snap. “Now-”
-bzzzzzzz-
The men both turned, watching as the side of Yume's bag began vibrating. “...Ah... Yume-san,” Hatsu began. “Is that...”
-bzzzzzz. Bzzzzzzz.- The others watched as Yume slipped her hand into the bag, pulling out a large glove-like device before frowning. “It's nothing,” she said flatly, putting it back in the bag.
“Nothing?”
-bzzzzzzzzzzz...-
“It certainly doesn't sound like nothing, hnhnhn... -Nh-!” An attempt to snatch the bag out from Yume's arm was quickly buffeted by the woman smacking Reynard with it, Reynard in question pulling back with an audible yelp. “Nh! My nose!”
“Um... Shall I leave you be?” Hatsu asked nervously, pushing his glasses back on his face as he laughed.
Yume nodded. “It's quite fine; I have to leave anyway... My class begins soon, and I need to be there early.”
“Oh? Whah eaa-ry?” A cough, before Reynard brought his hands down to reveal a repaired nose. “Sorry... Why so early, my dear Yume..?”
While Hatsu sputtered slightly at the close terms, Yume merely fixed her 'partner' with an unimpressed frown. “Because I have important things to do in the classroom. Things that don't concern you. Things that-”
-bzzzzzzzzzz.-
The woman sighed, reaching into her bag again. “Mmmmm..? Another call?” Reynard asked with a chuckle, receiving nothing more than an agitated sigh for his efforts. The shadow looked over, still grinning. “Ohhhh... And the same one too! Just what is 'T-K-I-”
The glove was this time used as a weapon itself, Reynard ducking somewhat. “I believe I said these things didn't concern you,” she said bluntly, before turning to the attentively listening Hatsu. “Forgive me; we should really be leaving,” she told the man, the waiter slowly nodding in response.
“Understandable... I'll see you at the usual hour then..?”
“Most likely,” she responded with a flat tone. “Later.”
“Ah- Later...” As the woman took off the odd-haired waiter continued to stare, blinking a few times at the shadow behind her. “Strange,” he murmured, narrowing his eyes. “Seems almost familiar...” With a shaking head he turned to go back to his work however, paying his thoughts no mind- tables wouldn't clean themselves after all.
--------------------------------------------------------
“Now, observe this next image, taken from the Mortuary Temple of King Seth of the 18th dynasty. Does anyone notice anything interesting about this particular image?”
Across from her a student- one of her classmates really, raised her hand. “The images look similar to the cards on the last slide,” she noted, what few others there were in the hall staring in apparent interest. “Perhaps they were inspired by the tablets..?”
Yume nodded. “Perhaps,” she answered. “However it is interesting to note that the carvings within the tablets bear similarities not only to the Duel Monster's cards of the late 20th and early 21st century, but also to the shadows-” the slide switched, and in the place of a stone wall carving of a monster made of a snake, man, and vulture came a life-sized version. “-That we have with us today.”
There was murmuring in the crowd, and from the back Yume could see the fox-shadow that had come with was now watching with an eerie amount of interest. She looked back over the crowd- her instructor seemed to be telling her to continue on with her eyes, and there was only a short bit more to go... Her bag was vibrating, the calls still piling, but for now she would ignore it. “Another image,” she said quickly enough, the slide switching to another set of apparent tomb carvings. “Can anyone tell me who these are?” More murmuring.
“It looks like a griffin,” a man in the back eventually said, adjusting the glasses that sat on his aged face. “But I believe my mother told me about that one...” More interest from the crowd. “That's the inspiration for the God Card 'Ra', is it not? Along with Osiris, and Obelisk?”
“Partially correct,” Yume responded, the comment she'd received gaining a small smile in response. “Though they inspired the cards, these are in fact not the same carvings. Observe-” A click, and the room around the tablet was revealed, the seemingly rigid forms all at once graced by an endless circle and a sphere of light as opposed to the croppings they had been in. “This is in fact a low relief taken from the ruined sacrificial chambers of Kul Elna,” she began, “A cavernous room that spelled the deaths of the peoples who made these carvings. It is proof,” she continued confidently, “That the 'shadows' and 'duel monsters' were in fact from before the age of Egyptian civilization, or even Nazca,” she continued, the slide switching to a series of well known geoglyphs, “The Norse,” Yume went on, the famed 'Yggdrasil' tree, with its stone steles also appearing, “And even those that came before,” she went on, a brief slide from a set of coastal ruins coming into view. “It is important to realize that shadows are not a recent discovery, so much as a re-discovered one... Something to consider when studying the history behind them.” The slide switched again and this time there was nothing but black, the woman bowing her head somewhat. “That's all I have for you today. I would like to thank you for listening... And I now give the floor to you, Temna-san.”
With his own nod the instructor stood, walking over to take Yume's place as she herself sat down. “Well now,” the man began, “I believe we owe Souryuu-san a round of applause for that fairly interesting lecture...”
“Hnnn... Interesting indeed,” Reynard chuckled, his low voice easily overpowering the instructor's own as it hissed into her ear. “Seeing how most of this knowledge was sealed from mankind's ears...”
Yume scowled, narrowed eyes flitting toward the fox as her instructor continued to close the class. “I told you- I have contacts,” she sneered. “And if you can't find anything better to do than annoy me then I suggest you get back into the shadows now.”
As the fox grinned and opened his mouth to speak another cut through the air. “That will be all for today- be sure to give Souryuu-san your thanks, and I'll see you again next week.”
There was a resounding echo of shuffling people moving to leave the room, each one already knowing that regardless of any questions they had, Yume would not be in the mood to speak. “Class is over,” the woman muttered almost obviously. “Time for you to hold your end of the bargain.”
“Oh-ho ho..! Quick to the task now, aren't you my dear? You don't have anything else to do,” he asked in continued amusement, following Yume out of the hall as he floated in mid-air.
“No,” she responded flatly. “And either put your mask on or get a new face- you look too similar to my client.”
The fox chuckled in response to that, but nonetheless his trademark mask appeared over his face. “Better?” he asked, the mask's grin more than compensating for the inability to see his emotions.
Yume eyed the shadow with a narrowed gaze, eventually pushing her way through the campus exit and nodding. “Better. Now-”
-bzzzzzz. Bzzzzzzzz...-
“Hmmm...?” Reynard blinked, crossing his arms and floating into a seated position as his new partner sighed.
-bzzzzzzz...- It was the glove again. The woman frowned, holding it up as a few letters gleamed up from the semi-holographic fabric. -bzzzzzzz....-
“I don't suppose you're going to answer that,” the fox chuckled from the side. “It looks like it's from that company again- 'T K I-”
“Souryuu.” There was a slight click as Yume brought her two fingers to her ears, 'answering' the call as Reynard sighed. “What is it? You've barely given me a minute to think, and I've told you about calling during my classes.”
Muttering from the other end. Reynard continued to hover as he followed a still walking Yume, curiously attempting to listen in on whatever was coming through the line.'late,' he caught, expression unseen behind the grinning mask. 'quota... assignment...'
“I ran into some difficulties,” the woman responded coolly, somehow able to completely ignore the curious fox at her side. “I'm returning to the client now.”
More muttering. This time however, he couldn't hear anything- a strange device then, this glove...
Yume's turn to respond had evidently come however. “You'll have your 'quota' by the evening,” she growled, pausing in her steps for a moment. “Now listen to me next time I give you my class schedule!” A loud click snapped through the air, Yume flexing her hand and shaking it out from the position she'd held it in for the phone. “...Wipe that look off your face,” she growled almost immediately after, sending Reynard a withering glare before continuing off in their current direction. “We have work to do.”
The fox nodded- however, somehow it seemed his 'grin' had faded. “Indeed we do,” he murmured, sinking into Yume's shadow for a time. “Indeed we do...”
-------------------------------------------------------
The 'Glove', when it came to it, was a simple device. Tap the screen, the menu would appear on its surface. Tap one option and the menu became a hologram, hovering above it for a clearer view. One option led to a clock. Another led to the phone. Another led to a calendar, a messenger program, the network...
The main purpose of the glove however, was activated with a touch.
Yume took her seat beside the semi-familiar face of the boy she had failed to restore the day before, bag sitting at the side and glove pulsing slightly as the clients looked on. The room was silent for the moment- and Reynard, though watching, was buried within her shadow. And for a moment, the looming fear of what occurred the incident prior came to mind... But with a deep breath she held her hand over the boy's brow, steeling her resolve.
“Okaeri.”
In seconds, the world went black. She could feel the shadows wrapping around her as her body collapsed, despite it appearing as though nothing happened. She could feel the pull on her mind as it entered the realm of another's own, and as she closed her eyes she could feel the shadows at her feet moving up to form for her an armor. She opened her eyes...
And again, the wastes of 'Jonouchi Shou's mind came into view. “Strange isn't it,” Reynard commented, Yume's attention briefly drawn to the fox that had just risen at her side. “How quickly the mind can succumb to destruction?”
The woman turned back to the realm, snorting. “There's nothing strange about it,” she muttered, drawing her blade and preparing to make haste for the still glimmering pillar that stood far in the distance. “The mind is a battle ground- it's not surprising that an undefended one would be overtaken this quickly.”
“Oh..? Is it now?” her partner asked, only to watch as the woman dove into the shadows to rush forward. “Hnhnhnhnhn...” The fox followed, expertly skimming across the ground in a bolt of light. “It almost makes me wonder what kind of soul this is, to attract such high numbers...”
“The number hardly matters,” she growled, a slight rumble entering the air. “And if you're going to help, then prove yourself useful! HN-N!” Before the fox could respond she jumped from the shadows, blade cleaving a magician-like monster clean in two as it faded into mist. Again, she entered the darkness with a run, not bothering to look back as her 'partner' followed. “I don't have time for idle conversation,” she continued on, glare hidden by the porcelain mask. “Let's move..!”
“Move...?” The fox's voice echoed around her as she 'swam' through the darkness, flying past whatever monsters lurked within. “And just how well my dear, did that work last time..?”
-SLSSHT-
There was no response for the moment, the woman merely leaping out from the darkness to cut a nearby 'tiger' to the side before continuing her charge. “I have no other options, wouldn't you say? To wake up the mind I need to replace the key, and without enough knowledge on the 'hole' I can't put it in.”
Another swish of the blade, and a high pitched screech as the slaughtered monster crumbled into ash. “So you run in despite knowing full well that this path has an ending!” Reynard laughed, chuckling darkly as he appeared at his 'partner's side “Well now... That's all rather depressing, now isn't it?”
-SLSHTT- 'KKREEEEEEEEE!-
“I could care less what you consider depressing... In fact, I could hardly care what your opinion on all this is at all,” she went on, moving her gait to run across the sides of the buildings as nearby monsters began to catch on to her harmful presence. “All I care is that you do your job, shut your mouth, and-”
-clck-
She skidded to a halt as she came to the end of the skyscraper, tilting her head in confusion. “You,” she murmured in shock, watching as the familiar 'National Security' guard aimed his gun toward her. “Since when did the mind's security have this sort of persistence..?”
The guard merely narrowed his eyes, holding his aim as he began to pace around the two. “I had a feeling you'd be back,” he said stonily, Yume and Reynard both following his movements as the man came to stand between them and the glowing pedestal. “A criminal always returns to the scene of the crime after all.”
“Hnn... I'm pretty sure we've been through that,” Yume responded. “And besides that, the term you want is 'murderer'. The 'murderer' always returns to the scene of the crime... A horribly inaccurate statement too, if you want my opinion on the matter.”
A careless snort was given in response, and as the pair stared it seemed the man before them began to glow. “Murderer- Thief. In this place it's all the same,” he snarled, receiving a little more than a bored response this time.
“'This place'...?” But the defense of a soul wasn't supposed to be aware of their surroundings..! Not like this- so then how-
“If I were you my dear,” Reynard whispered calmly, “I would prepare to run...” Run? What?
“A wise decision,” the guard sneered, light cracking from the pillar behind him. “But one that will do you no good!” The cracks continued to sound, and as Yume backed away the familiar form of the silver 'monster' began to rise. “I will not tolerate intruders on this soul... And I don't intend to let another slip through my fingers!" he roared, the woman before him readying her stance immediately. "This will be the last time we meet, SHADOW!”
“Reynard...”
The fox nodded. “Right with you, my dear...”
“RGGRRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!”
“NOW!” As the 'man' scattered into light to merge with the 'griffin' they bolted, Reynard into her shadow and Yume into the ground. Diving, sliding, twirling off the side of the building, pushing the limits of their speed as the monster charged and flexed its claws-
“RRREEAAAAAAAEEEEEEEEEEE!” Almost mechanical screams pierced the air, and all other monsters in the realm trembled in their place. The claws slashed at the shadows as they both fled- pulling scraps of fabric off her cloak, and rending the earth apart with ease. “RAAAAAAAEEEEEEEEEEE!!”
The screams were endless. The onslaught was endless. And as Reynard appeared beside her, she was beginning to find herself fatigued. “A little peaky there my dear?”
“Gh... Shut up!” she barked in response, cutting her way through an unsuspecting 'tree' monster lest the silver claws behind her catch her form. “I've enough to deal with without your mouth!”
Another building, another monster, and another set of claws as the pair momentarily divided. “Perhaps so, but this all seems a little familiar,” the fox replied, running just as 'raggedly' beside her as they slowly came to the same path yet again. “Don't you think we should perhaps try something else?”
A thundering crash came from behind before she could answer, forcing the pair to kick off and back from the ground before doubling back across a series of the realm's skyscrapers. “Like WHAT,” she spat, ducking through a series of windows as the glass flew behind her and to the ground. “Do you have any other brilliant ideas, FOX?”
Reynard turned to look behind the woman, stiffening for only a split second before responding. “Yes, plenty!”
“Like what?”
“Like GET DOWN!”
Before Yume could even ask 'why' she found her self blown back to the side, the fox before her creating a shield not unlike what she'd seen during their first encounter. Rather than blocking the strike from the crazed silver shadow however it merely softened the blow- and with a pained cry both were tossed down and into the earth. Ruin crumbled all around them... And the further down the rubble formed slope they fell the more tossed about Yume became, her back cracking against the pipes and filth that littered the ground before she came to a stop.
From meters above it seemed, they had fallen. The steel rebar and wire seemed to create a twisted structure to hold the mountains of destroyed and rotted wood and dirt above them, closing them into a strange, synthetic cave. From above, scarcely any light could be seen- and as the 'griffin' sniffed at the entrance she found herself freezing, pulling herself behind the nearest block of concrete and waiting for the monster to leave. Five seconds passed.
Ten. Twenty.
A few minutes following and the footsteps of the beast thundered through the air, slowly but surely fading into obscurity. The few bits of light that remained bathed the entire dropping tunnel and nothing more... Creeping out of the shadows, Yume sighed in relief. “Hahh... ...Gnh...” She brought a hand to her side, grimacing from under the mask. That fall did more than she thought... Far far more, but...
“Well isn't this a sight...”
The woman jumped, turning toward where Reynard now stood. Again in his human guise he stroked the chin of his mask as though in thought, and though it took a moment for her vision to clear she could soon see what it was that had him so entranced.
An enormous, and slowly rotting head sat before them, beaked, and yet coated with almost hair thin gold feathers. The colour, of course, was faded in the darkness... In fact, so was the thick metal armor that sat over top it. But it was somehow clear just what sort of creature this had once been. “...Such an enormous shadow, to once have this head,” she murmured, sheathing her blade and coming to stand beside Reynard. “But who...”
“Behold,” the fox started coolly, voice devoid of humor and cheer both. “The results of your people's advancements in 'shadow control'... One of the greatest gods to walk the face of the earth!” he announced, slowly pacing around the mammoth head, “Taken down in a single fell swoop! A creature that some would see as the sun itself... The final resting place of the Sun God Ra...” The sun-
“Ra..?” For a moment she tensed, head snapping to look to Reynard and then back to the decaying head. A creature that inspired the creator gods..? Something whose influence lasted hundred, thousands of years..? No...
The thing that had been depicted in her very slides..!? “This was Ra,” she hissed in shock, looking back to her partner. “But how..? Of all the shadows documented, I would think for certain that-”
“That it would be unstoppable? Hah!” The fox gave a harsh, barking laugh at the thought, shaking his head. “I'm not surprised. Of all the shadows he was among both the most powerful and the most likely to jump at being the 'hero'..."
“You speak as though you knew him,” Yume commented, eyes narrowing from behind her mask.
The fox merely nodded at that. ".In a way," he whispered. "In a way... The greatest of the Gods of Light, choosing to bind himself to the weak and the small when he could... But in the end look where it got him,” he taunted with a kick, a reverberating clang ringing through the armor as he struck it. “Great stupid bird! Almost KILLED me!" he roared, snarling expression hidden behind an almost haunting mask of 'cheer'. "You almost KILLED..!”
Without warning the fox's snarls quieted, hair and fur that had risen on end slowly sinking down into place. With a hanging head he stood before the corpse, and as Yume stared the room fell silent. This wasn't the time to voice any curiosities though, she decided- the longer they stayed the more they put at risk. “...Reynard."
-tpfft-
The two tensed, turning as a small rustling sound came over the air. Neither needed to speak of course- neither knew what it was that was there, just that there WAS something there. And for a moment, the rustling paused... Only to begin again. “...” Hn...
With a hand raised for silence Yume slowly drew her blade, Reynard following soundlessly behind her. The rustling was from within the head. On the other side, near the beak that they'd walked around... Slowly but carefully they approached, stopping just before the enormous maw and trading a glance. Well.
Now or never then... The blade tapped the beak-
-Mrph- “Mwwwllll..-!”
And a lion cub tumbled out. “What..?” Yume blinked, pulling the sword back as the cub stumbled across its front. “A cub..?”
“So it seems...” Reynard stooped down, examining the little thing before jumping back as a pair of wings sprung up. “Hohhh! Winged too! How interesting...” The fox continued to stare at the little shadow, reaching out with a hand to scratch its ears while his partner tapped her glove.
The screen across it flickered just briefly- Giving a single look to the cub, the woman knelt down to examine it herself. “...It's the key to this one's soul,” she said after a moment, voice dripping with incredulity.
“Ah- This one?” he asked, turning from it almost 'blankly'.
Yume nodded, picking up the cub in her arms and swallowing. “Yes- it is. I know it looks nothing like the keyhole,” she added, turning back to Reynard. “But if I'm right, this is our only option.”
As Reynard moved to speak the cub squirmed slightly, pawing at its captor's tunic and giving a loud mewl. It was a tiny thing really- golden furred, with red eyes... The fox sighed. “Hnnn... An interesting predicament...”
“So it is,” she acknowledged. “But when did you become so serious,” the woman asked, narrowing her eyes. “From your actions this morning, I'd have thought this would amuse you.”
“Hnhnhnhnhn...” At that the fox grinned, expression seemingly transferring to the mask. “Do not think that one day means you know what I'm thinking my dear... What does and doesn't amuse me could well surprise you... And the fact is, this is hardly the moment for such things...”
It's all under the cut..!~
----------------------------
This story I tell today is of old and new.
It is old in that the morals have been lost to time. It is new in that what occurs now repeats today. Since the dawn of time there have been things unexplained by our world. Gods walking the earth in the form of man, demons terrorizing the innocents of the land, and great creatures of unexplained identity and unfortold wisdom.
It was once assumed by those who knew of their existence that these creatures came from a realm of darkness. A world created by evil, whose power was then harnessed by the ancients of the world. By the Egyptians, who sealed them in tablets of stone to be worshiped as gods... By the Nazca peoples of South America, who locked their power within the ground itself, great lines of power appearing in their place. To those of the modern day who knew this much, they assumed that this was the first and even the only time that contact was made.
But these people could not be farther from the truth...
For shadows had mingled with light for as long as time itself. They had formed a pact with those of the light, a pact that had been woefully forgotten over the thousands of years. As time passed however, what was forgotten...
Would return. Many thousands of years after the time of ancients, and after the time of monsters of myth, shadows would begin to appear. Shadows given entry through the imaginations of light and through the minds of the dreaming. Through the power of nothing more than a card...
As time came to pass, more and more could see the spirits of those in the shadows, the images of the soul in physical form. Some would learn to control them in battle... Others would find them as powerful companions, with only the desire to protect. But as the world came to meet these creatures, the need for a card or a contract began to fade...
Replaced by the need to form more rules and regulations in their place.
A glove was created, cloth-like and easily seen. To those who had a shadow, no more would they be unable to show their true potential in battle. What damages would ordinarily occur would occur only in a separate realm, a realm that came to collectively be called the 'Dream'.
The land of the dream was the land of shadows, a land accessed only from the mind. During the hours of deep sleep, it was the realm that the mind would come to, a realm where the imagination grew and flourished. No dream was the same as the other... For no human was truly identical to another. And in the world of the dream nothing could harm the shadow and its partner.
Until, ironically, the Glove. Not everyone had a shadow by their side after all. Those who could not unlock them on their own offered great amounts of money to all who could find a solution, to anyone who could gift to them a guardian of their own. So those who had gloves on hand researched and scoured the mind for a way to attain this prize for their own... And they found something interesting.
One with a glove could, with some changes to the program, force a battle between anyone with a shadow. One could, by succeeding in a battle such as this, claim the defeated shadow as their own, provided they had a vessel on hand. The first successful theft of a shadow was sealed into a small vial, and gifted to a king for his daughter's guard.
However, simpler, and more elegant ways of inducing contract were formed. Gems inlaid with beautiful carvings of what lay beneath, items of cloth and even artificial limbs could hold the power of the shadows. And all through the streets chaos reigned as those with weaker partners were left in endless comas...
For to be separated from a shadow was to be defenseless in the Dream. To have an open door which only one could fit through while others tried to escape. As shadows fought and clawed at defenseless minds for a way out, the mind itself could not awaken. The world was falling into ruin...
And so Doctors were created. Those with gloves to enter the minds of the afflicted, sent with the task of repairing the bond by merging it with a shadow that resonated with the soul. A Doctor could not be weak of heart, or of mind, for a Doctor could not lose. They were required to be prepared for all that came after them, be it shadow or calamity in the realm of the mind. They could not lose...
For to lose in the mind would spell the death of both humans involved.
As time would come, others would gain access to these special gloves, fitting themselves with the power to gain still more profit by selling the shadows of the unbound. The act of selling outside those with government permission was illegal of course- but this did nothing to change the trade, and it became nigh impossible to tell whether the soul was taken from a 'Donor', one who regularly allowed entry to their mind to harvest unbound shadows at the outskirts of the dream, or if it had been taken from a comatose victim... Or even a conscious one, shocked out of their own shadow as well.
For this task, a new branch of Doctors were created. Officers. Known as the elite they existed for only one purpose, and that was the punishment of those who had trespassed on the crimes of the very soul. They were given the power to create barriers between mind and body, between shadow and light... The shadow would remain to protect the mind from the dream, where it was trapped, but the body would be unable to die.
And the punishment would last however long their sentence had been. This has never stopped the act however. Even in the current days of this world, children themselves are sent falling into an eternal sleep.
And so we enter the dream of one such child... Ending one story to begin another.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
She slid through the shadows like a snake in the water, never pausing in her race toward the center of the city. None could watch as the shadow moved. She was hidden in the darkness completely, and though a few of the monsters loitering in the streets thought they'd seen a flicker of shadow in their eyes a single blink left them with nothing but whatever had been there all along.
The shadow had a purpose. A single purpose that kept it moving, onward and upward toward a single light in the distance.
It was a warm light that shined there. A light that came from a single white marble pillar, within which a hole sat. The pillar stood in stark contrast to the rest of the realm however. Surrounding that structure was nothing but ruin, a cluster of aged concrete covered in barely living vine on an apocalyptic scene. Perhaps that was why so many crowded near the light. It was a beacon of hope in this realm, a sign that there would be another way out of the hell that the world was.
But the shadow traveled for none of these reasons, and in fact stopped the moment she came within a few feet of the pillar. She stood at the top of a ruined skyscraper, bathed in shadows. A white mask sat over her face, the lack of features giving the appearance of an unfinished doll. Atop a head of short brown-black hair was a fedora of contrasting colour, jet black and identical in shade to the tunic and cape the woman wore. There was a large sword at her side- but she would not need it, not now she told herself, and as she looked to the pillar she sighed.
“So this,” she spoke clearly, “Is the key hole.” The circular indentation stared obviously from the pillars form, and the woman crossed her arms. “Quite a problem,” she murmured. “I haven't seen a soul like this before-”
-click-
“Don't move.”
The woman did as told, but not for the one speaking. Stiffening, she turned her head only slightly in an attempt to see the source of the sound. The clicking sound was obvious- though she had never heard the gun's click in a more conventional sense, she'd heard a number of monsters operating similar weapons before.
None of these monsters had that kind of voice though. The slow thud of footsteps meets her ears, and as she brings her head around what sounded like a young man continued to speak. “I want you to turn around,” he said carefully, “And put your hands on your head...” Hands on her head..?
She almost snorted at that. “And why should I do that,” the woman asked, faceless mask soon coming to greet her 'captor's eyes. A dark, black brown pair of eyes beneath a mop of blond hair... The man is obviously human she noted, but what is a human doing in a place like this...
Wearing the garb of a National Security agent..? Her thoughts did nothing to alter the man's resolve, and if anything he is more poised to strike than even before. “You know why,” he said plainly. “I know who you are- the shadow of the night, the thief... We've already got our best men looking for the diamond, but I never thought you'd come back for the pedestal..!”
“Diamond?” she repeated, before looking back to the tower. “Ah... I see. You think that the key to this stone is a diamond. Far from it... But before I can go into that, I wonder... How did you even know I was here?”
As the woman looked back the blond tensed, momentarily freezing behind his weapon. “It was obvious wasn't it,” he responded. “The 'Shadow', stalking through the night... As a criminal, you would have to return to the scene of the crime!”
“Ahh... But what if the criminal was already finished here,” she countered softly, the two beginning to pace about the other with slow footsteps. “What if I was simply an investigator?”
“Investigator? HAH!” The man snorted, renewing his aim and stopping his footsteps. “I won't let you steal the pedestal,” he snarled, narrowing his eyes. “In fact...”
As the gun was turned toward the blinding glow of the pillar the woman froze, cape furling behind her almost in shock. “You...”
“You're after something that can't easily be damaged or even moved an inch,” the man growled. “Yet you've put enough time into trying to take it...”
“Don't pull that trigger... Don't...”
“What happens,” he continued, finger slowly closing back. “If I do this..?”
“DON'T-”
-BRM!-
All at once the already dark sky darkened, and an explosion of light tore through the air. Blown against the ground the woman launches herself at the fool who caused it, covering him with her cape for safety before looking back to the pillar in horror. Great stone wings have broken free from the device, with claws of silver and a ridged spine resembling blades. Where there was a hole for a key is now a hole for a head, revealing an empty void within...
And the man can do nothing but stare. “You fool,” the woman hisses, slowly backing away as the enormous beast stands before them. “FOOL! You've damned us all..!”
“What... What is...”
“GRRRREEEAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!!!”
Leaving the man behind the shadowed woman hurriedly dove off the side of the building, narrowly avoiding a strike from the blinded beast. This is a soul with no shadow she realized quickly, not daring to look back as the monster howled in rage. The thing without a key, left to do nothing but blindly strike at all around it. She wasn't stupid enough to challenge such a thing... Oh no..! She would have to leave, double back and try again. She would have to-
“GRAAAA-AAAEEEEEEE!!” Great silver claws tore her from the shadows, and with a pained shout she rolled to the side.
“Ngh..!!” Weakened arms were all she had, and it was not enough for this fight. “Ghnn...” With slow and clumsy movements she attempted to stand, hand reaching for the blade at her side. “Ngh...” The monster stood before her now, twice the size of the tallest building she'd ever seen. With her strength at a bare minimum she could only look to the beast with failure in her eyes. This... Was not how it was supposed to end. This was not how it was meant to be... She needed only find the key. That had been her task. She wasn't supposed to die.
She was never supposed to lose.
“RRAAAAAA-AAAEEAAAAA!!”
And she would not lose..! As the beast's claws hurtled toward her she pushed off from the ground, sword gripped tightly in her hand. The monster's paw became burrowed beneath the ground, but even without eyes it turned its neck toward the building beside it. And as the woman above landed on the edge of the roof she just as quickly fled to yet another, the great white demon taking aim once again. This time however, she did not try and jump away. Instead, with incredible speed she leaped directly between the monster's claws, blade pulled far back behind her. “HHHHRRAAAAAAAHHH...” She took aim... She swung the blade and- “MNG-”
Blood now fell from beneath her mask, her teeth locking down on her tongue as her opponent slammed its now freed fist upon her form. Her body thudded to the ground unceremoniously, and with dull eyes she watched as the monster again reared back, mighty roar nothing but an echo of white noise in her ears. She wasn't supposed to lose, she found herself repeating in her mind. She was supposed to find the key, and lock it back into place on the pillar. The 'key hole' wasn't supposed to strike at something that wasn't a shadow in nature.
But ahh... She supposed that with how she did things she was just as much shadow as anything else here. Still, she thought bitterly, closing her eyes and choking on her blood. Still... “Gh...” She wasn't supposed... “Ngh...” Supposed to die...
“RRRHHHHAAAA- GGH-”
A thundering clash echoed through the air, and the shock was just enough to awaken her from her stupor. The shadow's eyes looked upward in surprise, and in the resulting silence it seemed that even time had stopped.
Before her now was a creature of gold, with fur as bright as the sun itself. It held the monster back with naught but a glistening shield, formed of a light similar to the one it gave off. “What are you waiting for,” it growled to her, the woman merely staring in fear and wonder both as her eyes met the 'fox's own. “I can't hold this forever, 'human'..! SO RUN!”
Not another word was exchanged as she pulled herself from the ground, sword sheathed and body sinking into the shadows. In a flash she 'ran', slithering in and around all in her path as an explosion rumbled in the distance behind her and as the great white creature resumed its chase. Far in the distance there was another light. A light that was nowhere near as blinding as that of the former pillar behind her but more than certainly the next goal in her escape. Faster, she cried in her mind, the snarls of the blind monster echoing behind her. Faster, she cried as the light began to blind her, faster she pleaded as her body leaped out into the glare,
FASTER!
“Nnn-AAAHHHHHhhh...!!”
With a jolt a woman in a white lab coat awoke, the gasp of air she took as deep and thundering as a person who had fled for their lives or completed a marathon. Her heart was pounding against her chest... But as she stood, clutching it with a gloved hand it was not her that the others in the room were worried about.
“Well,” asked the first, watching as the tall young woman walked toward the door. “What happened?”
The woman appeared to ignore her, only to have another grab her shoulder. “Gh...”
“My wife asked you a question,” he growled, before pointing to the bed in the room. “When will our son wake up..!?”
“I need to do a follow up procedure,” she bit out in response. “Forgive me but your son's mind is well guarded.”
“Well guarded,” he thundered. “His mind's security is what got him in this mess, now get him OUT!”
“I just told you- I need to better prepare for the situation. I will return shortly...”
“What do you mean 'better prepare',” the second woman cried. “What's happening to Shou?”
As she looked to the woman in silence, the taller of the pair, the 'Doctor', forced herself to hold a look of impassivity in the face of her fear. “The same as before Jonouchi-san. As I said- I will be back when proper preparations have been made. Good bye,” she finished, turning from the room without heeding any other protests. She had done her job for now. She had entered Jonouchi Shou's mind and tried to find a soul but it was all in vain.
And as she collapsed in her apartment room later that evening, she could only think of one thing in her still shell-shocked mind. Despite her life telling her otherwise, she had lost. Something that never happened. Something that could not happen. Something that she, as the 'Shadow', could never let happen again. She could never go back to that couple, she told herself. Never... Never...
With those final thoughts on her mind she popped a single prescription pill down her throat and closed her eyes, waiting for the endless dark of sleep to come over her...
Not once aware of the eyes that watched as she did so.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Screams were echoing through the air of the cathedral, and blood splattered over the ground. Benches were crunched into pieces, and in a corner a young girl sat trembling. The sounds that escaped her were nothing but whimpers, her legs shaking and her entire body curled up as far back from the monster as possible. “Hnn... N-Nnn...”
“HHHAAAAAHHHHH!!!”
“RRAAAAHHHHH!!!”
“Run... RUN, GET OUT, RUN!!”
“What is this... WHAT IS THIS THING..!?!”
The girl continued to tremble in the corner, eyes wide and filled with tears as she watched the enormous black beast before her terrorize those in the room. As it opened a great and ugly 'beak' filled with teeth, pulling people off from the ground and into its maw, tearing them to shreds, crushing them in it's mouth...
“Help me,” one of those on the ground cried, legs a bleeding mess and rendered unrecognizable. The dying girl reached out with a hand, wide eyes shaking and filled with tears... “HELP ME, YUUME!”
“NN-HAAAH! Hah... Hah... hah...”
The pills weren't working again. Yume collapsed back on her cheap futon bed, arms falling up and to the sides as she closed her eyes in exhaustion. The prescription was for a dreamless sleep... For those who couldn't stop the world known as 'dream' from affecting them, and for those who couldn't sleep without their shadows preventing rest.
And she was one of the lucky few who continuously developed anti-bodies against the damn medicine. “Tch... Such nonsense,” she muttered, rolling over with a sigh. “Non-”
“Ssssssnnn...”
“N... Naaa... HHHAAAHHH!!” Yume fell back off the bed, shuffling on her feet as far from it as possible. “W-What the hell..!?”
From the other side of the bed there was a low groan, followed by a blond head of hair rising from beneath the covers. “Ngn... Oh... Is it morning already,” the apparent teen mumbled, a pearly white festival mask covering his face. “I must of lost track of the time...”
“Ngh...” WHAT. “Who the hell are you..!?”
The blond turned. “Mn? Oh! And you woke up too... Well that's no good,” he laughed, waving a hand. “You weren't supposed to do that until I had the time to find a marker!”
“Ah-” ...Eh..? “A marker..?”
“Yea! To draw a face on your face!”
. . .
WhaaaaaaaAAAT!?! “GET... OUT OF MY HOUSE!!”
“Don't you mean apartment?”
“NOW!”
He sighed, crossing his arms. “Really, is that any way to treat your savior?”
Savior..!? “You must have an incredible ego to be calling yourself that... When you're sitting in my bed..!!” Actually...
What the hell was this guy wearing..!? Did that mean-
Again the man sighed, leaning back against the wall. “Hmm... I guess right now I just look like a creepy old stalker huh. In that case...” Golden mist blew around the teen's form, and in its place sat a gleaming fox. “Ta-daaaah!” That...
She narrowed her eyes, fingers scratching at the cheap wood floor. “And what,” she snarled, scarcely keeping her voice down, “Is a shadow doing in my apartment..!?”
The fox sighed, again taking the form of a man as he shook his head. There were notable differences with this one however; for one thing, he was wearing what looked to be a loose if not quite ornate kimono now. He leaned against the wall, grinning fox mask taunting her in silence. “Really... Why don't you look down and see for yourself?”
“Why don't you use common sense when speaking with a 'Doctor',” she retorted. “How am I to know that you aren't here to kill me the moment I look away? Sff-!” As she spoke the 'fox' pulled on the blinds to the side, instantly letting in the bright morning sun through the windows. She turned her head away with a grimace the moment it met her eyes, but as she caught sight of the floor she froze. “...Impossible,” she murmured, staring at the floor. Most of the shadows stretched back into the apartment, reaching far from the windows as the sun commanded. Hers however, stretched to the side...
As did the fox's.
“How,” Yume managed to ask, slowly looking back up to the blond as she stood. “EXPLAIN this!”
“Explain?” the fox responded with a chuckle. “Just what is there to explain my dear? I'm obviously 'your' shadow..!”
“Bullshit,” she retorted, “I know my shadow and you are not it! Particularly not with that colouration,” she added almost bitterly.
At this the fox's grinning mask seemed to gain a serious expression, and with crossed arms he allowed silence to meet the air. “Indeed... Your shadow is blacker than the pits of hell isn't it,” he murmured, the woman across him tensing at the words. “Darker than the furthest reaches of the night sky, than the hidden face of the moon... To give your shadow light would be to give the ground flight! Hmhmhmhmhm!” Yume continued to stiffen, fists clenching while he went on. “Perhaps you recognize me,” he asked. “I believe we met in a dream...”
“In the dream of a boy whose mind was trapped there,” the woman continued with a growl. “A dream from which he has yet to awaken. Shadows cannot leave the realm of the dream without a partner,” she added darkly. “So how is it that you've managed to do so, and bind yourself to my own? Unless all of this is an illusion,” Yume hissed, “And I am still within that mind.”
Her 'guest' instantly shook his head. “Oh no no no my dear,” he chuckled, “You are indeed in the world of the living..! This situation is more a matter of opportunity,” he continued on. “I was a shadow looking for escape... And you provided it.”
“And how?”
“How indeed. How does a woman as yourself live through life by sealing half of their soul away by sheer will alone,” he countered, watching as Yume's face grew white. “Oh yes... There's the spot,” he hissed, slowly walking around the room toward her. “A 'Doctor', able to only pull at the base abilities of her shadow without letting it out along side her... Most would spit at the thought, but not you... In fact you seem almost repulsed by the idea of using even that minimum,” he whispered, slowly bringing a hand toward the woman's face. “Now why is that..?”
A loud smack rang through the air, followed by a sudden shout and yelp as the 'fox' found himself pinned to the ground by his throat. “I don't think you heard me fox,” Yume sneered. “I asked you how you got in my shadow... Not about what you think of the thing inside it already.”
“To right, to right,” the fox wheezed, waiting for his captor to relieve some pressure from his throat. In an instant he melted to the ground, reappearing to the other side of the room in a shimmer and wave of golden 'shadows'. “But it's always better with backstory you know- you've almost completely detatched yourself from a shadow, something that can very rarely, if ever, be filled in... And that... Well that's just begging for something to come in,” he chuckled, clawed fingers cracking as they flexed from behind Yume's cautious form. As the woman slowly turned back with a dangerous look the fox continued still on. “How about,” he decided, “I make a deal with you..?”
“A deal,” she asked incredulously. “You force your way into my shadow, make a game out of my questioning, and now you want me to bargain with you..?”
“You're my way out,” he chuckled in defense. “It's only natural.”
“You filthy, mangey-”
“You can't control that shadow can you, 'Yume'?” The woman instantly clammed up and he went on. “I sit within your mind while within that shadow, and am thereby privy to your dreams... The shadow you have is dark, no doubt about that... But your will cannot hold it back forever,” he warned, watching the woman stare back in stubborn and defiant 'ignorance'. “I offer you a deal,” the fox told her. “I give you my name and power, acting as a barrier and filter to this 'shadow' of yours... And you allow me to stay within it and within this world.”
“And if I refuse,” she asked, eying the fox with caution. “Just what does your 'power' entail to begin with, fox?”
Chuckling was her immediate response, and the fox grinned beneath his mask. “My dear... I am light. I am the very anti-thesis of darkness. I will allow you to manipulate your shadow with more freedom than you could ever dream... All I ask is that I get a bit of light of my own in return. That's all I could ever ask for after all,” he added, shaking his head and shrugging. “To walk in the realm of mortals again..! The lands of shadows have nothing on reality you know, and it pays to have some protection..!”
“Is that so,” Yume growled. “Just how would I use this 'power' of yours to begin with? You haven't finished explaining yourself, and I want to know why...”
The cheerful nature of the fox vanished. “Why,” he asked, the shadows from his possible partner rising around him with the glow from his own light. “Because as the one who saved your life, you owe me a deal, woman. A deal I intend to make. Do not think that you can hold your darkness off forever,” he warned, “Because when that dam breaks it'll be messy... Far more than the last time,” he hissed, the blood draining still more from Yume's face. “So I'll ask again... Have we a deal, or not..?”
Yume grit her teeth, fists clenched tightly. “We do,” she managed to force herself to say, “But not because I prefer it. Mark my words, as soon as I can I'll be rid of you... But you were able to defend against that boy's 'door',” the woman went on. “Which means you can do it again.” As the fox stared she turned to face him completely, steeling her resolve and expression completely. “You will do as I say,” Yume decided. “And you will help me do one thing to prove your power- we're going to recover a shadow for Jonouchi Shou. ...And we're doing it tonight. Understand?”
“Crystal,” the fox responded. “Now then... If that's the case, I'd best find myself a better face,” he chuckled, gesturing to his mask. “As friendly as this is, it's hardly revealing. Perhaps I could be someone close,” he began, shadows wrapping around him only to halt.
“No,” Yume spat solidly. “If there is one thing you will not do it is that.”
“Oooh... Touchy touchy,” her 'shadow' muttered. “Very well then.” With a single movement the kimono shifted into standard, modern day clothing, the mask pulled off and literally crushed in his hands before it rejoined the shadows. “How's this then,” he asked, a single gold-brown eye peering from behind the curtain of blond. “More 'mortal' for you?”
“...That will do,” she decided, turning away. “Fox. Now if you'll excuse me, I prefer showering without the shadows watching,” she added, walking toward her bathroom as her shadow laughed.
“Noted!” he chuckled, eye closing into a half-moon of 'glee'. “But from now on, I believe I would prefer Reynard...”
The woman paused at the washroom door, running the name in her mind before nodding. “...Noted,” she decided, before locking the door behind her. The European trickster spirit, the 'Fox'.
How incredibly appropriate for him.
***********************************
The finger tapped against the table with steady rhythm, 'one two three'. Her foot moved with it, and the glove sat in her bag beside her. Her laptop was on the table before her. Her coffee beside it, yet untouched.
And beside her 'Reynard' was already beginning to prove himself a pain. “Ancient Egyptians and the Origin of Shadow Battling',” the fox read aloud, before chuckling under his breath. “Mnhnhnhnhn..!! Hshshshshs..!!”
“Just what is it about this paper that you find so amusing,” she hissed, brows furrowing as she shut her eyes in attempt to focus on the paper for her classes. “My major is in Ancient History- I have been working on this paper a number of days. But if you feel there's something 'out of place',” she added with a growl, “Then by all means... Say so.”
“Hshshshs... Oh no,” Reynard laughed, shaking his head. “That would be far too easy my dear..! I'll just let you find the mistakes in history yourself I think!” As his partner growled he continued, gesturing to the laptop. “After all... If you think this is where it all began, you're sorely mistaken!”
“This paper does not cite the period of the Pharaoh Atem as the origin of shadows,” Yume grit, “It cites the period as the origin of the use of sealers and the true creation of a 'battle',” she growled. “Until that time, shadows were as they typically are now, joined with souls. The reign of Atem brought in stone tablets with which to seal the souls of others within, before being used in combat against the other.”
Her partner raised his eyebrows, blowing out a long gust of air. “Hohhhhhh... Clever missy ain'tcha..? And where did you get all that information?”
“I have contacts,” she said flatly, before closing the laptop over with a click. “And this paper is due in a week's time. I have class in another half hour, and if you plan on distracting me any longer...”
The fox saw fit to merely chuckle at this, leaning over her shoulder as obnoxiously as possible within human form. “Hohhhh... You've got quite a lot of things in here... But what's a student doing in the Doctoring business,” he sniggered, pulling back when the woman turned to leer at him.
“It pays for the classes,” she said almost flatly. “Now, if you'll excuse me while I type this-”
“New friend there Souryuu-san?” Both turned, one with a dry look, the other with innocent curiosity as a young server from the cafe came over. Other than his hair, he seemed rather 'standard' in regard to appearance. He was tall, and somewhat pale if anything, but if there was one thing about him..
Reynard grinned. “...Your hair is green.”
The waiter blinked. “...I suppose so,” he said after a few moments. “...You are?”
“A pest,” Yume said rather bluntly. “And I thought you had work Hatsu.”
Hatsu, as he was called, merely smiled. “I do- but I was told to come outside to greet customers for now. As the street is clear, I see no problem in talking..!” The teen then looked to Reynard, frowning. “Exactly how are you being a 'pest'-”
“Not that sort of pest,” his friend cut in, before looking up to again glare at her disguised 'partner'. “He's shadow-kind.”
“Shadow kind?” For a moment Reynard was interestingly silent, allowing the bespectacled waiter to stare. “Well now... I've always wanted to see your shadow Yume-san, but-”
“Not mine,” she responded quickly, folding her laptop over with a snap. “Now-”
-bzzzzzzz-
The men both turned, watching as the side of Yume's bag began vibrating. “...Ah... Yume-san,” Hatsu began. “Is that...”
-bzzzzzz. Bzzzzzzz.- The others watched as Yume slipped her hand into the bag, pulling out a large glove-like device before frowning. “It's nothing,” she said flatly, putting it back in the bag.
“Nothing?”
-bzzzzzzzzzzz...-
“It certainly doesn't sound like nothing, hnhnhn... -Nh-!” An attempt to snatch the bag out from Yume's arm was quickly buffeted by the woman smacking Reynard with it, Reynard in question pulling back with an audible yelp. “Nh! My nose!”
“Um... Shall I leave you be?” Hatsu asked nervously, pushing his glasses back on his face as he laughed.
Yume nodded. “It's quite fine; I have to leave anyway... My class begins soon, and I need to be there early.”
“Oh? Whah eaa-ry?” A cough, before Reynard brought his hands down to reveal a repaired nose. “Sorry... Why so early, my dear Yume..?”
While Hatsu sputtered slightly at the close terms, Yume merely fixed her 'partner' with an unimpressed frown. “Because I have important things to do in the classroom. Things that don't concern you. Things that-”
-bzzzzzzzzzz.-
The woman sighed, reaching into her bag again. “Mmmmm..? Another call?” Reynard asked with a chuckle, receiving nothing more than an agitated sigh for his efforts. The shadow looked over, still grinning. “Ohhhh... And the same one too! Just what is 'T-K-I-”
The glove was this time used as a weapon itself, Reynard ducking somewhat. “I believe I said these things didn't concern you,” she said bluntly, before turning to the attentively listening Hatsu. “Forgive me; we should really be leaving,” she told the man, the waiter slowly nodding in response.
“Understandable... I'll see you at the usual hour then..?”
“Most likely,” she responded with a flat tone. “Later.”
“Ah- Later...” As the woman took off the odd-haired waiter continued to stare, blinking a few times at the shadow behind her. “Strange,” he murmured, narrowing his eyes. “Seems almost familiar...” With a shaking head he turned to go back to his work however, paying his thoughts no mind- tables wouldn't clean themselves after all.
--------------------------------------------------------
“Now, observe this next image, taken from the Mortuary Temple of King Seth of the 18th dynasty. Does anyone notice anything interesting about this particular image?”
Across from her a student- one of her classmates really, raised her hand. “The images look similar to the cards on the last slide,” she noted, what few others there were in the hall staring in apparent interest. “Perhaps they were inspired by the tablets..?”
Yume nodded. “Perhaps,” she answered. “However it is interesting to note that the carvings within the tablets bear similarities not only to the Duel Monster's cards of the late 20th and early 21st century, but also to the shadows-” the slide switched, and in the place of a stone wall carving of a monster made of a snake, man, and vulture came a life-sized version. “-That we have with us today.”
There was murmuring in the crowd, and from the back Yume could see the fox-shadow that had come with was now watching with an eerie amount of interest. She looked back over the crowd- her instructor seemed to be telling her to continue on with her eyes, and there was only a short bit more to go... Her bag was vibrating, the calls still piling, but for now she would ignore it. “Another image,” she said quickly enough, the slide switching to another set of apparent tomb carvings. “Can anyone tell me who these are?” More murmuring.
“It looks like a griffin,” a man in the back eventually said, adjusting the glasses that sat on his aged face. “But I believe my mother told me about that one...” More interest from the crowd. “That's the inspiration for the God Card 'Ra', is it not? Along with Osiris, and Obelisk?”
“Partially correct,” Yume responded, the comment she'd received gaining a small smile in response. “Though they inspired the cards, these are in fact not the same carvings. Observe-” A click, and the room around the tablet was revealed, the seemingly rigid forms all at once graced by an endless circle and a sphere of light as opposed to the croppings they had been in. “This is in fact a low relief taken from the ruined sacrificial chambers of Kul Elna,” she began, “A cavernous room that spelled the deaths of the peoples who made these carvings. It is proof,” she continued confidently, “That the 'shadows' and 'duel monsters' were in fact from before the age of Egyptian civilization, or even Nazca,” she continued, the slide switching to a series of well known geoglyphs, “The Norse,” Yume went on, the famed 'Yggdrasil' tree, with its stone steles also appearing, “And even those that came before,” she went on, a brief slide from a set of coastal ruins coming into view. “It is important to realize that shadows are not a recent discovery, so much as a re-discovered one... Something to consider when studying the history behind them.” The slide switched again and this time there was nothing but black, the woman bowing her head somewhat. “That's all I have for you today. I would like to thank you for listening... And I now give the floor to you, Temna-san.”
With his own nod the instructor stood, walking over to take Yume's place as she herself sat down. “Well now,” the man began, “I believe we owe Souryuu-san a round of applause for that fairly interesting lecture...”
“Hnnn... Interesting indeed,” Reynard chuckled, his low voice easily overpowering the instructor's own as it hissed into her ear. “Seeing how most of this knowledge was sealed from mankind's ears...”
Yume scowled, narrowed eyes flitting toward the fox as her instructor continued to close the class. “I told you- I have contacts,” she sneered. “And if you can't find anything better to do than annoy me then I suggest you get back into the shadows now.”
As the fox grinned and opened his mouth to speak another cut through the air. “That will be all for today- be sure to give Souryuu-san your thanks, and I'll see you again next week.”
There was a resounding echo of shuffling people moving to leave the room, each one already knowing that regardless of any questions they had, Yume would not be in the mood to speak. “Class is over,” the woman muttered almost obviously. “Time for you to hold your end of the bargain.”
“Oh-ho ho..! Quick to the task now, aren't you my dear? You don't have anything else to do,” he asked in continued amusement, following Yume out of the hall as he floated in mid-air.
“No,” she responded flatly. “And either put your mask on or get a new face- you look too similar to my client.”
The fox chuckled in response to that, but nonetheless his trademark mask appeared over his face. “Better?” he asked, the mask's grin more than compensating for the inability to see his emotions.
Yume eyed the shadow with a narrowed gaze, eventually pushing her way through the campus exit and nodding. “Better. Now-”
-bzzzzzz. Bzzzzzzzz...-
“Hmmm...?” Reynard blinked, crossing his arms and floating into a seated position as his new partner sighed.
-bzzzzzzz...- It was the glove again. The woman frowned, holding it up as a few letters gleamed up from the semi-holographic fabric. -bzzzzzzz....-
“I don't suppose you're going to answer that,” the fox chuckled from the side. “It looks like it's from that company again- 'T K I-”
“Souryuu.” There was a slight click as Yume brought her two fingers to her ears, 'answering' the call as Reynard sighed. “What is it? You've barely given me a minute to think, and I've told you about calling during my classes.”
Muttering from the other end. Reynard continued to hover as he followed a still walking Yume, curiously attempting to listen in on whatever was coming through the line.'late,' he caught, expression unseen behind the grinning mask. 'quota... assignment...'
“I ran into some difficulties,” the woman responded coolly, somehow able to completely ignore the curious fox at her side. “I'm returning to the client now.”
More muttering. This time however, he couldn't hear anything- a strange device then, this glove...
Yume's turn to respond had evidently come however. “You'll have your 'quota' by the evening,” she growled, pausing in her steps for a moment. “Now listen to me next time I give you my class schedule!” A loud click snapped through the air, Yume flexing her hand and shaking it out from the position she'd held it in for the phone. “...Wipe that look off your face,” she growled almost immediately after, sending Reynard a withering glare before continuing off in their current direction. “We have work to do.”
The fox nodded- however, somehow it seemed his 'grin' had faded. “Indeed we do,” he murmured, sinking into Yume's shadow for a time. “Indeed we do...”
-------------------------------------------------------
The 'Glove', when it came to it, was a simple device. Tap the screen, the menu would appear on its surface. Tap one option and the menu became a hologram, hovering above it for a clearer view. One option led to a clock. Another led to the phone. Another led to a calendar, a messenger program, the network...
The main purpose of the glove however, was activated with a touch.
Yume took her seat beside the semi-familiar face of the boy she had failed to restore the day before, bag sitting at the side and glove pulsing slightly as the clients looked on. The room was silent for the moment- and Reynard, though watching, was buried within her shadow. And for a moment, the looming fear of what occurred the incident prior came to mind... But with a deep breath she held her hand over the boy's brow, steeling her resolve.
“Okaeri.”
In seconds, the world went black. She could feel the shadows wrapping around her as her body collapsed, despite it appearing as though nothing happened. She could feel the pull on her mind as it entered the realm of another's own, and as she closed her eyes she could feel the shadows at her feet moving up to form for her an armor. She opened her eyes...
And again, the wastes of 'Jonouchi Shou's mind came into view. “Strange isn't it,” Reynard commented, Yume's attention briefly drawn to the fox that had just risen at her side. “How quickly the mind can succumb to destruction?”
The woman turned back to the realm, snorting. “There's nothing strange about it,” she muttered, drawing her blade and preparing to make haste for the still glimmering pillar that stood far in the distance. “The mind is a battle ground- it's not surprising that an undefended one would be overtaken this quickly.”
“Oh..? Is it now?” her partner asked, only to watch as the woman dove into the shadows to rush forward. “Hnhnhnhnhn...” The fox followed, expertly skimming across the ground in a bolt of light. “It almost makes me wonder what kind of soul this is, to attract such high numbers...”
“The number hardly matters,” she growled, a slight rumble entering the air. “And if you're going to help, then prove yourself useful! HN-N!” Before the fox could respond she jumped from the shadows, blade cleaving a magician-like monster clean in two as it faded into mist. Again, she entered the darkness with a run, not bothering to look back as her 'partner' followed. “I don't have time for idle conversation,” she continued on, glare hidden by the porcelain mask. “Let's move..!”
“Move...?” The fox's voice echoed around her as she 'swam' through the darkness, flying past whatever monsters lurked within. “And just how well my dear, did that work last time..?”
-SLSSHT-
There was no response for the moment, the woman merely leaping out from the darkness to cut a nearby 'tiger' to the side before continuing her charge. “I have no other options, wouldn't you say? To wake up the mind I need to replace the key, and without enough knowledge on the 'hole' I can't put it in.”
Another swish of the blade, and a high pitched screech as the slaughtered monster crumbled into ash. “So you run in despite knowing full well that this path has an ending!” Reynard laughed, chuckling darkly as he appeared at his 'partner's side “Well now... That's all rather depressing, now isn't it?”
-SLSHTT- 'KKREEEEEEEEE!-
“I could care less what you consider depressing... In fact, I could hardly care what your opinion on all this is at all,” she went on, moving her gait to run across the sides of the buildings as nearby monsters began to catch on to her harmful presence. “All I care is that you do your job, shut your mouth, and-”
-clck-
She skidded to a halt as she came to the end of the skyscraper, tilting her head in confusion. “You,” she murmured in shock, watching as the familiar 'National Security' guard aimed his gun toward her. “Since when did the mind's security have this sort of persistence..?”
The guard merely narrowed his eyes, holding his aim as he began to pace around the two. “I had a feeling you'd be back,” he said stonily, Yume and Reynard both following his movements as the man came to stand between them and the glowing pedestal. “A criminal always returns to the scene of the crime after all.”
“Hnn... I'm pretty sure we've been through that,” Yume responded. “And besides that, the term you want is 'murderer'. The 'murderer' always returns to the scene of the crime... A horribly inaccurate statement too, if you want my opinion on the matter.”
A careless snort was given in response, and as the pair stared it seemed the man before them began to glow. “Murderer- Thief. In this place it's all the same,” he snarled, receiving a little more than a bored response this time.
“'This place'...?” But the defense of a soul wasn't supposed to be aware of their surroundings..! Not like this- so then how-
“If I were you my dear,” Reynard whispered calmly, “I would prepare to run...” Run? What?
“A wise decision,” the guard sneered, light cracking from the pillar behind him. “But one that will do you no good!” The cracks continued to sound, and as Yume backed away the familiar form of the silver 'monster' began to rise. “I will not tolerate intruders on this soul... And I don't intend to let another slip through my fingers!" he roared, the woman before him readying her stance immediately. "This will be the last time we meet, SHADOW!”
“Reynard...”
The fox nodded. “Right with you, my dear...”
“RGGRRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!”
“NOW!” As the 'man' scattered into light to merge with the 'griffin' they bolted, Reynard into her shadow and Yume into the ground. Diving, sliding, twirling off the side of the building, pushing the limits of their speed as the monster charged and flexed its claws-
“RRREEAAAAAAAEEEEEEEEEEE!” Almost mechanical screams pierced the air, and all other monsters in the realm trembled in their place. The claws slashed at the shadows as they both fled- pulling scraps of fabric off her cloak, and rending the earth apart with ease. “RAAAAAAAEEEEEEEEEEE!!”
The screams were endless. The onslaught was endless. And as Reynard appeared beside her, she was beginning to find herself fatigued. “A little peaky there my dear?”
“Gh... Shut up!” she barked in response, cutting her way through an unsuspecting 'tree' monster lest the silver claws behind her catch her form. “I've enough to deal with without your mouth!”
Another building, another monster, and another set of claws as the pair momentarily divided. “Perhaps so, but this all seems a little familiar,” the fox replied, running just as 'raggedly' beside her as they slowly came to the same path yet again. “Don't you think we should perhaps try something else?”
A thundering crash came from behind before she could answer, forcing the pair to kick off and back from the ground before doubling back across a series of the realm's skyscrapers. “Like WHAT,” she spat, ducking through a series of windows as the glass flew behind her and to the ground. “Do you have any other brilliant ideas, FOX?”
Reynard turned to look behind the woman, stiffening for only a split second before responding. “Yes, plenty!”
“Like what?”
“Like GET DOWN!”
Before Yume could even ask 'why' she found her self blown back to the side, the fox before her creating a shield not unlike what she'd seen during their first encounter. Rather than blocking the strike from the crazed silver shadow however it merely softened the blow- and with a pained cry both were tossed down and into the earth. Ruin crumbled all around them... And the further down the rubble formed slope they fell the more tossed about Yume became, her back cracking against the pipes and filth that littered the ground before she came to a stop.
From meters above it seemed, they had fallen. The steel rebar and wire seemed to create a twisted structure to hold the mountains of destroyed and rotted wood and dirt above them, closing them into a strange, synthetic cave. From above, scarcely any light could be seen- and as the 'griffin' sniffed at the entrance she found herself freezing, pulling herself behind the nearest block of concrete and waiting for the monster to leave. Five seconds passed.
Ten. Twenty.
A few minutes following and the footsteps of the beast thundered through the air, slowly but surely fading into obscurity. The few bits of light that remained bathed the entire dropping tunnel and nothing more... Creeping out of the shadows, Yume sighed in relief. “Hahh... ...Gnh...” She brought a hand to her side, grimacing from under the mask. That fall did more than she thought... Far far more, but...
“Well isn't this a sight...”
The woman jumped, turning toward where Reynard now stood. Again in his human guise he stroked the chin of his mask as though in thought, and though it took a moment for her vision to clear she could soon see what it was that had him so entranced.
An enormous, and slowly rotting head sat before them, beaked, and yet coated with almost hair thin gold feathers. The colour, of course, was faded in the darkness... In fact, so was the thick metal armor that sat over top it. But it was somehow clear just what sort of creature this had once been. “...Such an enormous shadow, to once have this head,” she murmured, sheathing her blade and coming to stand beside Reynard. “But who...”
“Behold,” the fox started coolly, voice devoid of humor and cheer both. “The results of your people's advancements in 'shadow control'... One of the greatest gods to walk the face of the earth!” he announced, slowly pacing around the mammoth head, “Taken down in a single fell swoop! A creature that some would see as the sun itself... The final resting place of the Sun God Ra...” The sun-
“Ra..?” For a moment she tensed, head snapping to look to Reynard and then back to the decaying head. A creature that inspired the creator gods..? Something whose influence lasted hundred, thousands of years..? No...
The thing that had been depicted in her very slides..!? “This was Ra,” she hissed in shock, looking back to her partner. “But how..? Of all the shadows documented, I would think for certain that-”
“That it would be unstoppable? Hah!” The fox gave a harsh, barking laugh at the thought, shaking his head. “I'm not surprised. Of all the shadows he was among both the most powerful and the most likely to jump at being the 'hero'..."
“You speak as though you knew him,” Yume commented, eyes narrowing from behind her mask.
The fox merely nodded at that. ".In a way," he whispered. "In a way... The greatest of the Gods of Light, choosing to bind himself to the weak and the small when he could... But in the end look where it got him,” he taunted with a kick, a reverberating clang ringing through the armor as he struck it. “Great stupid bird! Almost KILLED me!" he roared, snarling expression hidden behind an almost haunting mask of 'cheer'. "You almost KILLED..!”
Without warning the fox's snarls quieted, hair and fur that had risen on end slowly sinking down into place. With a hanging head he stood before the corpse, and as Yume stared the room fell silent. This wasn't the time to voice any curiosities though, she decided- the longer they stayed the more they put at risk. “...Reynard."
-tpfft-
The two tensed, turning as a small rustling sound came over the air. Neither needed to speak of course- neither knew what it was that was there, just that there WAS something there. And for a moment, the rustling paused... Only to begin again. “...” Hn...
With a hand raised for silence Yume slowly drew her blade, Reynard following soundlessly behind her. The rustling was from within the head. On the other side, near the beak that they'd walked around... Slowly but carefully they approached, stopping just before the enormous maw and trading a glance. Well.
Now or never then... The blade tapped the beak-
-Mrph- “Mwwwllll..-!”
And a lion cub tumbled out. “What..?” Yume blinked, pulling the sword back as the cub stumbled across its front. “A cub..?”
“So it seems...” Reynard stooped down, examining the little thing before jumping back as a pair of wings sprung up. “Hohhh! Winged too! How interesting...” The fox continued to stare at the little shadow, reaching out with a hand to scratch its ears while his partner tapped her glove.
The screen across it flickered just briefly- Giving a single look to the cub, the woman knelt down to examine it herself. “...It's the key to this one's soul,” she said after a moment, voice dripping with incredulity.
“Ah- This one?” he asked, turning from it almost 'blankly'.
Yume nodded, picking up the cub in her arms and swallowing. “Yes- it is. I know it looks nothing like the keyhole,” she added, turning back to Reynard. “But if I'm right, this is our only option.”
As Reynard moved to speak the cub squirmed slightly, pawing at its captor's tunic and giving a loud mewl. It was a tiny thing really- golden furred, with red eyes... The fox sighed. “Hnnn... An interesting predicament...”
“So it is,” she acknowledged. “But when did you become so serious,” the woman asked, narrowing her eyes. “From your actions this morning, I'd have thought this would amuse you.”
“Hnhnhnhnhn...” At that the fox grinned, expression seemingly transferring to the mask. “Do not think that one day means you know what I'm thinking my dear... What does and doesn't amuse me could well surprise you... And the fact is, this is hardly the moment for such things...”