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.
--
Katsuki - 2400 LP
Mark - 2000 LP
Katsuki stared down her American opponent as she pulled her next card out of her deck for her turn. Mark had out a heavy-hitting card, "Oceanus, the Guardian of Atlantis" with 4000 attack points, and the "Legendary City Atlantis" field, which Oceanus protected.
Katsuki, on the other hand, had nothing save an Allure Queen in her hand which wouldn't help her at all.
Watching the duel were her long time friends, Naomi Aino and the legend Hinata Toragami, along with Mark's friends, Isabel Suárez, Katsurou Chiba. Also watching were Kagome Mizuno, awaiting her opportunity to duel Toragami in front of everyone, and the mysterious child Almaz Wright.
Nobody else cared much to watch this duel other than in passing. They felt the conclusion was obvious.
"It's my turn!" Katsuki shouted. "Draw!"
I won't let this clown beat me... Naomi-chan, Hinata-chan... I'll prove that I am a duelist, too!
-------------
YU-GI-OH! Negative Zero: Genex Midterms
Turn 31: "Questions without Answers, The Truth of the Illuminati"
-------------
Asuka Tenjouin was supposed to be monitoring the duels, but after her duel with Judai, her thoughts had been weighing heavy on her mind. She kept thinking of Heinrich, and how close Shougo had come to death.
She also remembered the "Illuminati" that Heinrich had claimed to be a part of, and how he'd suggested that Kiyotaki was from that organization too. So she was headed to the Chancellor's office to question him about that.
And, to her shock if not surprise, Kiyotaki was standing at the doorway, expecting her.
"I've been waiting for you, Tenjouin-san," Kiyotaki replied. "In fact, I thought you'd be here sooner."
"Well," Tenjouin blushed and rubbed the back of her head. "I had this and that to do..."
"Well, none of that matters now." Kiyotaki smiled faintly. "You have many questions, and I feel I'm ready to answer all of them. Come into my office."
As Tenjouin hesitantly did as she was told, Kiyotaki turned to his executive assistant. "Hold all my calls," he said, and then followed her in, closing the door behind them.
--
Katsuki looked at the card she drew. 'Lightning Vortex'?
She looked at Mark's field, with the powerhouse "Oceanus". Lightning Vortex is the only way I can defeat him now. Katsuki looked at the other cards in her hand. "Magic Shard Excavation", "Regulus" and "Allure Queen LV3". My original plan was to use "Excavation" to get "Court" back, but even without Oceanus' protection effect, that won't do anything for me!
I have to use "Lightning Vortex"...
Katsuki thought back on the card that she had her family create for her, "Court of the Allure Queen"...
--
"Mother, father, look at these cards! Aren't they great?"
"I know you really like those cards, Shiho-chan, but if you want to be a duelist, you can't use them! They're just too weak."
"Oh, come on. I know if I try really hard, I can do it! Look, she's so pretty..."
Shiho's parents sighed at each other. "What will we do with this girl?" her mother asked.
--
"What's with Katsuki-san's hesitation?" Isabel said as Katsuki puzzled over her hand. "It's not like she has a lot of options."
"She wants to get that field magic back in her hand, even though she knows it's pointless," Toragami said with a sigh. "That card is everything to her."
"Well, of course it is," Mizuno replied with a roll of her eyes. "Without that card, those small fry Allure Queens can't do a damned thing!"
"Katsuki-san is a child," Toragami said simply. "She doesn't want to win unless she can win her way. And that boy, Mark... she can't tolerate his existence."
"But this isn't a rivalry," Chiba remarked. "It's not like what I have with Shougo-kun. This just looks like hatred to me!"
Chiba Katsurou, surely you with your insight can understand what's really going on, Toragami thought to herself. There's no need for words with you, is there?
"Sometime this century, if you please?" Mark said.
"Don't rush me!" Katsuki shouted. Her mind was still on the past.
--
"Happy birthday, Shiho-chan..."
"Wow, you had a card made just for me. 'Court of the Allure Queen'... great! This will make me able to win!"
"Well, we saw you lose to those other girls and you looked so sad... we pulled some strings with people we know at Industrial Illusions and had that made. Take good care of it, Shiho-chan."
"I will, mother... father... thank you..."
--
Tenjouin and Kiyotaki stood in the Chancellor's office, the lights lowered and the shades drawn.
"Since you've been expecting me, I assume you know about what happened to Shougo-kun," Tenjouin said, crossing her arms. "That would mean my suspicions are correct."
Kiyotaki looked out the window, not facing Tenjouin yet.
"I cannot believe you would hide this from me!" Tenjouin shouted. "Have you been waiting for this kind of thing to happen? Forcing Shougo-kun to enter this Academy to test his limits and his strength, even at the risk of his life? I know what you said before about Samejima-kouchou is correct but... that doesn't make this right."
Kiyotaki exhaled. "Tenjouin-san... there are different levels of knowledge."
Tenjouin paused, confused by his statement.
"There is an organization dedicated to unifying the world and identifying the supernatural," he went on. "It is not a secret organization. We merely do not call attention to ourselves. The man you encountered... yes, he's from the Illuminati, as am I. But an attempt on Aoyama-kun's life was not what I had in mind."
Tenjouin suppressed her impulse to ask if it was true. It was obvious, at this point, that there was much more going on here, more than the most meager amount of information she had could satisfy.
"The Illuminati have existed for about as long as man has been able to speak," Kiyotaki went on. "He recorded his own findings of his observations, and called this 'science'. However, through the millennia, many happenings have occurred that were even beyond the realm of observations, and so men, fearing for their survival, decided to do their best to prevent such occurrences."
Tenjouin took a seat, figuring she would be here for awhile.
Kiyotaki turned to face the Obelisk proessor at last. "Tenjouin-san, the battle between Darkness and Light is older than you or I know. That Light has lent a hand to the Darkness, I have to admit, is a cause for a great deal of concern. However, I never suspected that the Illuminati would go this far to stop the war."
"The war...?"
Kiyotaki nodded. "The war that Darkness — chaos, fear, life— initiated long ago against the Light — order, faith, death — it may be coming to an end soon. And the future of humanity is in doubt. I fear that is why our organization is making such bold moves."
"Darkness... started it?" Tenjouin looked confused as she struggled to understand Kiyotaki's words.
--
"Shiho, quit your lagging!" Mark shouted. "I'm getting tired of waiting."
Katsuki frowned deeply. I want to get that card in my hand, but I know it won't help me win! I have to discard two of my cards, and one of them has to be a monster... either Regulus or my Allure Queen.
I could summon Regulus and get "Court" back in my deck... but then... who knows when I'd draw it?
Katsuki felt herself fume inside. Don't let this guy get to you! Keep your childish desires in check and try to win for once, girl!
"Alright, loser," Katsuki said. "You want to force my hand? Fine. I'll make you regret this! You don't have any hand at all, and only 2000 life points."
Toragami's eyes widened. "Could she be..."
"Toragami-sama?" Aino asked.
"I'm going to be a duelist to match you today, Walker-kun," Katsuki said. "I activate from my hand... 'Lightning Vortex'!"
Mark blinked. "'Walker-kun'?"
"I'll discard one card from my hand, and destroy all monsters on your side of the field," Katsuki said, putting "Magic Shard Excavation" into her cemetery slot. "That means Oceanus is..."
"...Destroyed," Mark completed her thought.
Lightning bolts criss-crossed on Mark's field. Oceanus roared as one struck him and he was destroyed.
"So what?" Isabel moaned. "That's another card that only the elite have access to."
"But not Katsuki-san herself," Toragami reminded her. "She could have gotten 'Court of the Allure Queen', that treasure from her parents, back in her hand. Instead, she's decided to play to win. You've changed, Katsuki-san. You're starting to mature."
"And now, I'll summon the monster 'Regulus' in attack mode," Katsuki said, putting the card on her Duel Disk. A white lion with shimmering armor jumped out from the card image and roared.
Regulus - LV4 Light Beast (1700 ATK)
"Regulus, direct attack on the player!" Katsuki ordered as Regulus pounced Mark with a scratch across the chest. Mark staggered backward, his face showing surprise.
Mark - 2000 LP - 1700 = 300 LP
A few students paused as Katsuki appeared to make a turnaround.
"Turn end," Katsuki said flatly.
"Wow," Chiba said. "She's not using Regulus' effect? Maybe she is trying to play like a real duelist."
That card, "Court of the Allure Queen" won't help you now, Katsuki-san, Toragami thought as she closed her eyes. It was a smart move to not use "Regulus"' effect, but you still cannot win. You're taking destiny into your own hands, but will your belief in yourself serve you?
--
"I don't understand," Tenjouin admitted. "Darkness against light? I thought it was light fighting against the darkness."
Kiyotaki shook his head. "Darkness initiated this conflict. You see, light does in fact have destructive capacities, but this was part of the natural life cycle. Once man became aware of his own life, he naturally wanted to hang on to it. As you recall, I characterized darkness as 'life' and light as 'death'."
"You did, but that makes even less sense."
Kiyotaki crossed his hands in front of his face. "What if I told you that a human being has the potential within it for immortality? Eternal life?"
"That's not possible," Tenjouin replied. "Every being with life dies one day. The resources in this planet are limited; if a being with eternal life appeared, it would one day find itself on a planet inhospitable for it to exist, and would die nevertheless."
"So it's less a matter of the human being not being capable of living forever, but for the environment in which he lives in?"
"Well, even that hypothetical aside, we've been medically unable to preserve a human in youth and health forever," Tenjouin replied. "It may not be possible. Even someone who lives his or her life in the most medically sound way possible will still grow old and die. But you're not helping me understand!"
"It is true that the light is called the 'Light of Ruin'... it brings ruin to the past and to the old ways of life, and opens up the way to the future," Kiyotaki ruminated. "However, as you are well aware, it cuts a path of ruin and regret in its wake. That is why darkness is necessary. However, 'Darkness' in and of itself is cold and logical, and sees only future death in present life."
Tenjouin gasped as she put two and two together. "You mean...?"
"Very sharp, as expected of Tenjouin Asuka. The man you fought claimed to come from the Illuminati, but he was in fact an agent of darkness."
Tenjouin got up, indignant. "Are you saying that Shougo-kun is trying to kill himself?"
"No, he's not trying to kill himself," Kiyotaki replied. "Darkness has more facets than you know. It does not merely exist as the enemy that your friend fought fifteen years ago. It lives in the doubt of mankind. 'Your ideals are fine, but how will they help me make a living?' 'I can believe in love, but that won't bring me victory.' 'I know what I do is wrong, but it's the only way I can support my family.' These and other thoughts are what support the darkness. Light, on the other hand, has no thoughts. It merely pushes forward to the future."
"'Illuminati'... do you mean...?"
"Yes, Tenjouin-san?"
Tenjouin narrowed her eyes. "Do you mean you serve that Light...?"
"No, we do not," Kiyotaki said. "We are merely humans who are aware of the Light. Tenjouin-san, I am 39 years old and I have a good thirty years of life ahead of me. I wish to use the time I have left to help the next generation find a more peaceful way of life. To do this, we must find a path that allows both sides to live in harmony. Both the darkness and the light can exist in the same world together. In fact, they must — or the end result will be the same."
"But what about Heinrich Wright? Whether or not he serves the true motivations of Illuminati, the fact remains that there are people who are trying to kill Shougo-kun!"
"Yes, it would appear that the ideals I'd dreamt of serving for as long as I have were in fact illusions... but I never thought they'd stoop so low as to try to kill a child."
Tenjouin blinked. "That reminds me... Kiyotaki-kouchou... Toragami-san is the one who knew where Shougo-kun was. That means..."
"Because of Toragami-san's duel with Judai-kun, her connection to the Light is public knowledge now," Kiyotaki said. "But the degree of control she has over it is remarkable. For her to assist the Light's sworn enemy..."
"Shougo-kun," Tenjouin murmured, suddenly remembering. "I need to be protecting him! I've been wasting my time here seeking the truth when he needs me..."
"I have Ayukawa-san in charge of watching him," Kiyotaki replied. "He'll be fine. Tenjouin-san, you cannot watch over the boy at all times every day. Someday he'll have to fight his own battles."
"He's not even well enough to stand up right now!" Tenjouin shot back. "I can't believe you! Run this school however you like, Kiyotaki-san, but I have my own duties!" She stalked off, hurrying to the medical center.
I knew you wouldn't take the truth well, Tenjouin-san, Kiyotaki said as he opened his shades and sat back down. But I thought you'd at least be ready to hear it. I'm disappointed...
--
Mark frowned. "I'm not gonna lose to you," he said. "My turn, draw! 'Pot of Greed', activate!"
He drew two cards and smirked. "Sorry, princess, but I'm going to finish this now," he said. "'Raise Dead', activate! I'll revive 'Warrior of Atlantis' from the cemetery."
Warrior of Atlantis (1900 ATK + 200 = 2100 ATK)
"Why not revive Oceanus?" Chiba wondered. "He summoned him successfully, so he should be able to..."
"Because the other card in his hand..." Isabel said.
"I sacrifice Warrior for 'Levia-Dragon - Daedalus'," Mark said. "Remember this puppy?"
The warrior shimmered away as the large sea-serpent came onto the field.
Levia-Dragon - Daedalus - LV7 Water Sea-Serpent (2600 ATK + 200 = 2800 ATK)
"By sending my field magic to the graveyard, Levia will destroy all other cards on the field," Mark said. "I'm tired of this charade, so I'm simply going to end it now. Levia Destruction!"
The dragon roared as the Atlantis field spell swirled into water in its mouth which it spat at Regulus. Regulus' image shattered.
Levia-Dragon - Daedalus (2800 ATK - 200 = 2600 ATK)
"You think I'll forgive you that easily, Katsuki-san? After all the trouble you put me through?" Mark said. "Forget it. You started this, but I'm gonna finish it. Levia-Dragon, attack the player directly!"
Katsuki just looked down to the ground as Levia-Dragon's attack struck her dead-on.
Katsuki - 2400 LP - 2600 = 0 LP
"So much for an exciting match," Isabel said, walking to Mark. "It was a boring way to finish, but a win is a win. Looks like you're in the finals now."
Mark nodded, and turned away, although as he walked with Isabel, he gave a curious glance to Katsuki. He then went to the technical office with Isabel without saying another word.
"Katsuki-san," Toragami said sternly.
Katsuki looked down and blushed. "I... I'm sorry I..."
"You grew today, Katsuki-san," Toragami said, her voice changing tone. "That boy doesn't yet understand the price of victory. He will eventually. And I know you will achieve your dream."
"Toragami-san..."
Toragami had yet to smile, though. "You will be a duelist one day," she said, and left Katsuki with her own thoughts.
"Wait, where are you going?" Mizuno protested.
"I'll be your opponent," Aino said, raising her Duel Disk. "If you want to follow through on your dream, I will be the one to return you to sleep."
"Fine then, let's go!" Mizuno turned on her own Duel Disk.
But Toragami stopped Aino.
"You have other opponents that you can defeat," she told her friend. "I'll take my final Star point from this girl as a reward for entertaining me."
"Are you sure, Toragami-san?"
Toragami nodded. "You don't have a lot of time. Go."
"You've made me a very happy girl, Toragami-sama," Mizuno said. "I'm already in my dream now!"
"Be sure to remember these moves while you waste in the hell of defeat," Toragami murmured.
"I'm sure I'll always remember the masterful actions of Toragami-sama proving her a perfect seme!" Mizuno cried out.
"Seme?" Mark asked.
Isabel touched Mark's shoulder. "You're 25 years too soon to understand that," she sighed.
As Toragami activated her own Duel Disk, her thoughts were scattered. Katsuki-san didn't take the action I thought she would. The presence of Darkness is coloring my vision... I can't allow this. But this is the only way I know how to clear my mind. Aoyama Shougo... don't die yet.
Chiba glanced at the sun as it sank over the horizon. I better find an opponent before this day is done, he thought to himself. He looked over in Almaz' direction, but his fellow Osiris wasn't there.
"Almaz-san?" Chiba said aloud.
--
Ayukawa was taking time off from watching Shougo to get some much needed rest, and a student nurse was supposed to be supervising Shougo. But she was doing things of her own, chatting with a friend on a cell phone. She had turned the lights off because Shougo said they bothered him, and he had fallen asleep himself.
A young person, concealed by the shadow, walked into the room. Steadfast and without hesitation, he held a short knife over Shougo's sleeping body.
"Zadkiel... Raphael... Azrael... I now release Aoyama Shougo to you. May God have mercy on your soul!"
He raised his dirk to attack Shougo's sleeping body, but his wrist was grabbed hard by someone from behind. "Ow! Who dares?" he shouted, as his weapon clattered to the foor.
It was Osiris headmistress Mayako Matsutani.
"You better start worrying about your own soul, kid," she said. "Before you go worrying about others."
"Shougo-kun?" Tenjouin walked into the medical center and heard the commotion. She ran into Shougo's room and turned on the lights.
Shougo's would-be killer was Almaz Wright.
--
TODAY'S FEATURED CARD: "Regulus"
Level 4 light beast, attack power 1700, defense power 1000. Once per turn, you can add a field magic card in your cemetery back to your deck. The reason Katsuki-san carries this card is obvious, but she used its sheer power to free herself from her childlike mannerisms. I wonder what her future deck will be like?
--
Tenjouin: "No!... As far as we've come to protect Shougo-kun, it seems it was all for nothing."
Aino: "As the Genex elimination rounds come to a close, Almaz Wright's suspension seems certain, but Tenjouin-sensei must know how a boy would be so brainwashed as to be willing to perpetrate the sins of his fathers."
Chiba: "Almaz-san was capable of such a thing? I can't believe it."
Aino: "She looks into the boy's eyes and sees, like she saw in Aoyama-kun, the spirit of a duelist; and so, hoping to understand him better, decides to duel him."
Tenjouin: "I need to set aside my sympathy and play to the best of my ability. I will see the true motivation here, and get through to you like I did with Shougo-kun!"
Aino: "Next time on Yu-Gi-Oh! Negative Zero: 'Elimination Rounds Complete! The Pitiless Duel, Tenjouin vs. Almaz'. Please enjoy."
Shougo: "Sorry to everyone who was hoping for me to pull through somehow... life isn't always easy for the main character!"
--
CARDS USED BY SHIHO KATSUKI:
ALLURE QUEEN LEVEL 3
Effect Monster (LV3 Dark Spellcaster, 500/500)
Once per turn, during your Main Phase 1, you can select 1 Level 3 or lower monster on your opponent's side of the field, and equip it to this card. (Only 1 card at a time can be equipped due to this effect.) If this card would be destroyed as a result of battle, this card is destroyed instead. During your Standby Phase, by sending this card to the cemetery while it's equipped due to its effect, Special Summon 1 "Allure Queen Level 5" from your hand or deck.
LIGHTNING VORTEX
Normal Magic
Discard 1 card from your hand to activate. Destroy all face-up monsters on your opponent's side of the field.
MAGIC SHARD EXCAVATION (TCG name: Magical Stone Excavation)
Normal Magic
Discard 2 cards from your hand to activate. Add 1 Magic card in your cemetery to your hand.
REGULUS
Effect Monster (LV4 Light Beast, 1700/1000)
Once per turn, select 1 Field Magic card in your cemetery and shuffle it into your deck.
--
CARDS USED BY MARK WALKER:
OCEANUS, THE GUARDIAN OF ATLANTIS ("Negative Zero" original card)
Effect Monster (LV9 Water Warrior, 3800/3600)
This card cannot be Normal Summoned or Set. This card can only be Special Summoned by sending "Warrior of Atlantis", "Defender of Atlantis" and "Imperial of Atlantis" from your hand or field to the cemetery while "Legendary City Atlantis" is on the field. While this monster is on the field, "Legendary City Atlantis" may not be removed from the field by your opponent. If "Warrior of Atlantis", "Defender of Atlantis" and "Imperial of Atlantis" exist in the cemetery, you can offer this card as a Sacrifice to Special Summon these 3 cards to the field.
LEGENDARY CITY ATLANTIS (TCG name: A Legendary Ocean)
Field Magic
This card's name is treated as "Ocean". All Water-attribute monsters gain 200 Attack. Downgrade the level of all Water-attribute monsters in both players' hands and on the field by 1.
POT OF GREED
Normal Magic
Draw 2 cards from your deck.
RAISE DEAD (TCG name: Monster Reborn)
Normal Magic
Select 1 monster card in either player's cemetery and Special Summon it to your side of the field.
WARRIOR OF ATLANTIS
Effect Monster (LV4 Water Aqua, 1900/1200)
You can discard this card to the cemetery to add 1 "Legendary City Atlantis" from your deck to your hand.
LEVIA-DRAGON - DAEDALUS
Effect Monster (LV7 Water Sea-Serpent, 2600/1500)
Send 1 "Ocean" on your side of the field to the cemetery to destroy all cards on the field except this card.
