The non-original characters in this fanfiction are copyrighted to Kazuki Takahashi, Studio Gallup and Toei where applicable. All other characters are considered public domain by the author and may be used freely, but he does request that you ask permission as a courtesy.
The card names used are translations of the Official Card Game (OCG) names. For the TCG names, see the "Cards used" at the end of the story. And don't forget to e-mail me your thoughts (vm_postitnotes@yahoo.com). Thank you very much for reading.
Special thanks to Eliteslayer and Nightmare Dreams who contributed a lot to this story.
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YU-GI-OH! -0
Turn Eighteen: "A Desperate Search! Countdown to a Battle of Destiny."
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Professor Asuka Tenjouin was helping school nurse Emi Ayukawa with the task of treating students that had been coming in since the morning. There were 12 students that had been brought in, mostly Obelisk Blue students, found unconscious in the dormitory grounds by other students. Reports of two more were coming in as well.
Tenjouin looked at the card Shougo left behind and gave a heavy-hearted sigh. The card was "Super Hot-Blooded Baseball Kid".
"Do we know anything about what caused these students to end up like this?" Tenjouin asked Ayukawa.
"There doesn't seem to be any witnesses," Ayukawa said. "They were all found with their Duel Disks active, though. Some people are saying there's a virus going around that is somehow triggered by the holograms. But most people don't know that Aoyama-kun left here last night." She kept her voice down for the last part.
'It's Shougo without a doubt,' Tenjouin thought to herself. 'I want to help the students here, but I have to find him too!'
"Tenjouin-sensei?" Ayukawa asked. "Should we cancel classes?"
"Oh... I'm sorry, Ayukawa-sensei," Tenjouin said, snapping to attention. "Classes should go on as usual. There's no need to send the students into a panic. Ayukawa-sensei, leave me a text message if other students come into the office."
"Yes, sensei," Ayukawa replied.
"And until we have concrete evidence otherwise, we should tell students to avoid dueling," Tenjouin said. "Perhaps there's something wrong with the Duel Disks that's causing this."
'...although I know in my heart it's not true,' Tenjouin sighed to herself. 'But, I can't allow a panic that would turn into a witchhunt. I have to find him somehow.'
Ayukawa nodded. "Understood."
--
Toragami had just gotten out of her room when she found the Obelisk Blue dormitories in pandemonium, people running about telling other people to watch out.
Katsuki and Aino approached her, Katsuki looking quite frazzled.
"It's terrible, it's an emergency!" Katsuki shouted. "People have been finding students on the ground, twitching, unconscious, totally out of it! There's like fifty people in the infirmary now!"
"What do you think, Toragami-sama?" Katsuki asked.
"It's him," Toragami said. "It's Shougo."
"You think... Aoyama-kun did this?" Aino said. "But how? He's unconscious."
"Well, I went by the medical office between classes," Katsuki said. "It's a mess there, but one thing I did notice... the bed Shougo was in. He's not there."
"Is that so?" Toragami said.
"B-but... what could one thing have to do with the other?" Katsuki said with a laugh. "Toragami-sama, are you sure you're not overestimating the kid?"
Toragami gave Katsuki a deadly glare.
"O... of course, I'm probably wrong!" Katsuki laughed uncomfortably. "Forget I said anything!"
"Toragami-sama, I think what Katsuki-chan means is... we just don't understand your interest in the boy," Aino said. "It would help us a little bit if we knew why you were so curious about his whereabouts."
"Our battle has been fated," Toragami said, crossing her arms. "Ever since that day..."
Katsuki opened her mouth to say something, but Aino nudged her hard, and they both nodded quietly.
"Come on," Toragami told Aino and Katsuki. "We're going to the medical office."
--
The school day proceeded. There were a few other incidents, but as Ayukawa said, the idea that there was a sickness going around had been established in the school's mind. As such, people were encouraged to keep their duel disks in their dorm room.
After Tenjouin's class, she asked Chiba and Isabel to stay behind; they were the ones that had found that Shougo had disappeared the night before. They were silent about the situation, although it troubled them, and Tenjouin wanted to tell them what was going on.
"Tenjouin-sensei," Isabel asked, holding her arm nervously. "I heard that people were turning into the medical office unconscious without explanation. Is that true?"
Chiba's eyes circled unsteadily as he spoke. "I don't know why, but I feel as though Shougo is involved. I might be jumping to conlcusions, but..."
"No," Tenjouin replied. "I feel it, too. I think we need to find him, before anybody else makes the connection."
"Is it that serious?" Chiba asked.
Isabel leaned forward and inquired, "Tenjouin-sensei, do you know something about what happened to Shougo-san?"
Tenjouin sighed and remembered her conversation with Chancellor Kiyotaki...
≥≥
Kiyotaki turned towards the window. "What I'm going to tell you... does not leave this room. Once you exit my office, you officially have no knowledge of any of it. Are we clear?"
"I don't know if I can make that promise," Tenjouin said. "If any of your information can help Aoyama-kun, I have to share it."
"I wouldn't ask you to make this promise if I had that kind of information," Kiyotaki said. "All I can do is shed some light on what is happening."
Tenjouin sighed. "You're my superior, so I really have no choice in the matter, do I?"
2800 LP
"Tenjouin-sensei!" Chiba shouted. "Are you okay?"
"This is what I was afraid of," Toragami said. "This isn't an ordinary duel anymore. Now no one can stop it."
"What are you talking about, Toragami-sama?" Katsuki asked.
"When the power of darkness is released, reality and imagination become one and the doors to chaos open," Toragami replied. "And Tenjouin-sama is feeling the real pain of that monster's attack. But the reason he tried to call off the attack is not because he would hurt Tenjouin-sama."
"When I activate 'Doble Passe', I'm not the only one that takes damage," Tenjouin said after a deep exhale. "The monster you attacked gets to hit you directly in exchange. Gemini Elves... go!"
The blonde Elf turned to the brunette, who nodded. Then the blonde leaped and launched a flying chop attack to Shougo's body. Shougo winced and reached for his shoulder as his life points took a hit - more damage than he had dealt to his teacher.
Shougo: 4000 LP -1900 -≥ 2100 LP
"I'll set one card facedown," Shougo said. "Turn end." His voice reverted to normal for a moment. "Tenjouin-sensei, please... my battle is not with you."
"And this school isn't a playground for you to have your battle with someone you imagine to be your rival," Tenjouin replied as she reached for her deck. "I must stop you no matter what the cost. No... I must stop Darkness!"
"You can't!" Shougo said. "Nobody can!"
"It's my turn," Tenjouin shouted. "Draw!"
She looked at her hand. "Great," she said. "Maybe you'll hear me with this. I summon Cyber Tutu in attack mode!"
The ballerina girl appeared on the field, looking as though she were ready for a dance.
Cyber Tutu - LV3 Earth Warrior (1000 ATK)
"You remember Cyber Tutu's effect from our last duel?" Tenjouin asked. "Newdoria's 1200 attack points are higher than hers, so she can attack you directly. Go, Cyber Tutu... Nouvelle Point!"
Cyber Tutu spun past Newdoria and launched a spinning kick on Shougo's body, but just then a furred creaure flew out of Shougo's Duel Disk and took the hit head on. "Kuri!" it groaned as it was destroyed.
"Then you must remember this move as well," Shougo said. "I discard Kuriboh from my hand to negate the damage from your attack."
Tenjouin eyed her opponent pensively. 'As I thought. He's trying to get that monster out again... the Dark Armed Dragon. It must be in his hand. If I destroy Newdoria with my Gemini Elves, he will be that much closer to being able to summon it. Not only that... he'll no doubt destroy my Elves with Newdoria's effect. I can't count on destroying Dark Armed Dragon with Cyber Blader like I did last time.'
"I end my turn," Tenjouin finally said.
Shougo appeared unsteady as he reached for his deck. "My turn... draw." He narrowed his eyes. "Tenjouin-sensei... why did you come? Why did you make me do this...?"
"Shougo-kun... *you* called *me*," Tenjouin said. "Don't you remember? When you left the medical clinic... you called me using the nurse's cell phone. You wanted me to find you, so I could help you."
"Don't joke around!" Shougo said sharply, clenching his fists and tensing his body. "You got yourself into this! Don't try to make this my fault!" He pointed at Tenjouin's side of the field. "Now, Newdoria... your attack target..."
His finger moved toward Cyber Tutu, who cowered in fear. But then he smirked and moved it to the elves.
"...are the Gemini Elves!"
The demon leaped forward and was prepared to claw at Tenjouin's twin elves.
"Still at that?" Katsuki spat. "What a kid."
The elves both kicked Newdoria away, and it shattered into pieces. Shougo grit his teeth as his life points fell. However, the studded ornaments of its costume remained and launched at the elves.
Shougo: 2100 LP -700 -≥ 1400 LP
"Now, I'll activate Newdoria's effect, and destroy your believed bond with me... the Gemini Elves!"
The ornaments crashed against the Elves, who screamed as they exploded against their bodies. They dropped to the ground and their images faded away.
Tenjouin looked in horror at their fading images. 'Could it be they really felt that, like I really felt the damage I took? Please forgive me... I didn't think he'd go this far.'
"I'm going to end my turn, and then I'm going to ask you a question," Shougo said. He stared at his teacher with a steel gaze. "Have you thought this duel through completely yet?"
Tenjouin stopped before she drew her card. "What do you mean?"
"If you happen to defeat me, what do you think will happen to me?"
Tenjouin gasped as the realization sunk in.
Shougo chuckled with mirth. "This is a Dark Duel," he said. "Only the winner can walk out alive. The loser... will die."
Tenjouin grit her teeth. "In other words, if I win..."
"That's right. You'll lose the very person you've been trying to protect."
"In that case, I'll figure out a way to save you through this duel," Tenjouin shouted with determination as she pulled her card. "And convey our feelings to you. You're not alone... Shougo-kun!"
Shougo chuckled again, putting his hand to his head. Then he started to laugh. Slowly at first, then wilder, and uncontrollably.
"What's so funny?!" Tenjouin shouted.
Shougo continued to laugh, his hand on his face covering one eye. Chiba and Isabel looked at the boy they had thought they knew, now cackling like a madman. Eventually, Shougo recovered his wits and, keeping his one eye covered, stared again at his teacher through the other one.
"'You're not alone'... yes, that's right, Tenjouin-sensei. I'm not alone. I have an ally that will never leave me."
Tenjouin smiled. "So you understand..."
Shougo moved his hand off of his face, but his hair covered his eye. "Of course... I've always understood. My ally... is 'Darkness'."
He then brushed his hair aside, and it was clear that his eyes were empty and unfeeling.
"Because... I *am* Darkness."
"No..." Tenjouin gasped.
Aino's eyes widened in horror. "Shougo is..."
"'Darkness'?" Katsuki was confused, which added to her ever-growing sense of fear.
"No way..." Chiba said. 'That means, this aura I felt... could it be? Has Shougo-kun really been... this thing called 'Darkness' all along?'
Toragami just stared at Shougo bitterly.
Shougo cackled again, his laugh being the only one other than the ocean splashing against the island that could be heard.
--
TODAY'S FEATURED CARD: The Normal Monster, "Gemini Elves"
Level 4 Earth Spellcaster, attack power 1900, defense power 900. Among the strongest of the normal monsters available, these creatures can hold the opponent off easily while you get a stronger monster.
--
Tenjouin: "Wake up, Shougo-kun!"
Aino: "Aoyama-kun's soul is a victim to the power called 'Darkness'.
Shougo: "That's right... Darkness and I... we are one..."
Chiba: "It seems the harder Tenjouin-sensei fights, the more Shougo-kun seems to fall into the darkness."
Toragami: "There is only one way to win this battle. Realize this, Tenjouin-sama!"
Aino: "Next time on Yu-Gi-Oh! Negative Zero: 'White Night Heart: Asuka's Compromise'."
Tenjouin: "I was always being saved from despair by others. I'll show that I have learned from them, and fight despair my own way! I'll cut through the cold night... and surely save you, Shougo-kun!"
--
CARDS USED BY ASUKA TENJOUIN:
* GEMINI ELVES (Gemini Elf)
Normal Monster (LV4 Light Spellcaster, 1900/900)
Elf twins that alternate their attacks.
* DOBLE PASSE
Normal Trap
Activate only when a monster your opponent controls attacks a monster you control. The attack becomes a Direct Attack to your Life Points. The attack target then immediately attacks the opponent's Life Points directly.
* CYBER TUTU
Effect Monster (L3 Earth Warrior, 1000/800)
If your opponent only controls monsters with ATK higher than the ATK of this card, you may attack your opponent directly with this Monster.
--
CARDS USED BY SHOUGO AOYAMA:
* NEWDORIA
Effect Monster (L4 Dark Demon, 1200/800)
When this card is destroyed and sent to the cemetery as a result of battle, destroy 1 monster on the field.
