Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ Ryou Bakura: Harbinger of Trouble ❯ Glyph: Enter Radical Retro Specter ( Chapter 14 )

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh. Kazuki Takahashi does, and I think they should have a disco special. Also, Radical Retro Specter is a remake of Mad Mod from Teen Titans.

 

She let them get too far. She had let her get too far. What was once an act of mercy was turning into her worst mistake ever, in her long, four-thousand year life. Katsaiga sat in her room, in the castle of Sylatone, looking into a crystal ball intently. She had seen Sami retrieve the ship. She had seen them escape Algon. She had seen the man who had given Sami the ship, something she duly needed to avoid. And she was too late to do much of anything. She gave a heavy sigh, and looked up. There stood a young girl, with shocking red hair that came down to her waist. Katsaiga seemed both pleased and annoyed to see her, and silently, hoped she had the patience to deal with her daughter. Seeing Sami succeed, while bringing some level of relief, had alerted her master of what she had done. And if she failed to act, she'd be disposed of.

 

“Amber, my daughter, what is it?” she asked calmly, fingering the orb, “News of Rath exists?” Amber, the young girl, merely shook her head in disinterest. She obviously wasn't there to warn her mother of their master.

 

“No, but we've spotted that bitch, Winchester,” the young girl replied angrily, almost hatefully, “She's moving toward Musuta, where all those weak, little Chesiers live. Mother, she's getting away!” Katsaiga didn't need her daughter to tell her that. It had been obvious enough. She let out another sigh. This was progressively getting worse and worse as time passed. She wished she had killed Sami right there, in the fields outside of Algon. But she hadn't. She spared the woman on an act of mercy. Mercy didn't win wars.

 

“I know well where they are,” Katsaiga said calmly, smiling and stroking the orb, “I would lie, dear daughter, if I said this didn't please me, in some small way.” Somehow, the tone of her voice told Amber her mother wasn't joking. Her frown became more apparent with that.

 

“Why? Winchester's a problem. She's the entire reason this happened to us!” Amber exclaimed, and huffed, “If… if… if her stupid sister hadn't interfered so long ago… we'd have killed her! We could've destroyed the entire Esper race if we killed her! Mother, we need to kill her!” Katsaiga could feel the tears well up in her eyes. They weren't tears of happiness. Oh, no, they were tears of something much more distant, of something before Amber had even been born. Tears of something that had occurred so long ago, she wasn't surprised that Sami hadn't been able to remember it.

 

“We need to stop this madness,” she whispered to herself, and then in a louder tone, “We must act. Amber, go and inform Radical Retro Specter that he is to deal with Winchester. He can keep her at bay.” What Katsaiga didn't say was that the man in question would most likely explain something to Sami, something that was vital in whatever Katsaiga's plans were. Amber's mouth dropped open at such a request. The man was insane! And, nearly impossible to reach. He lived in his own world, and who was to say where his loyalty lied? He could very well be on Sami's side to begin with. Except that, he wasn't. Amber just sighed, and walked to the door. Katsaiga heard, just barely, her daughter's response.

 

“Of course, mother.”

 

---

 

The sleep had been welcomed, and to Ryou's relief, the blonde man didn't come to haunt him that night. He woke up early, refreshed with the dream he had of going to school, and finding that, to his astonishment, the gym teacher had been fired. If only it had actually happened. Slightly disappointed, Ryou slipped out of bed, careful not to wake Bakura. He didn't know what time it was, but it couldn't have been after six. The sun wasn't even up yet. Silently, he crept out of his room, and down the stairs. Nothing stirred. He reached the bottom, and peered from the stairwell, into the large chamber that served as the main living space. There, Sami was. She had untied the bandana in her hair, but she was still wearing the same thing as the previous night. Ryou wondered if she had even slept.

 

“…Sami?” he called gently, so as to not scare her. She turned around, and tilted her head as she saw him. Then, she smiled slightly. It looked genuine. If she hadn't been so much older, Ryou would've complimented her on it. Immediately, he pushed the thought away.

 

“Good morning, Ryou,” she said calmly, as though nothing had happened the night before. Perhaps to her, nothing had. Ryou had the distinct feeling she thought he was over-reacting. And now that he considered it, he probably had.

 

“Um… I'm sorry,” he began, and when Sami's eyebrow rose, he added, “For running from you. Last night.” Sami blinked. Clearly, she didn't recall it. Then, she chuckled. It finally connected. Taking a deep breath, she shook her head. In her mind, that shouldn't be bothering him so much.

 

“Don't be,” she replied, amused, “You aren't the first boy to kiss me. I'm not offended.” Ryou silently wondered how many boys had done so before, and quickly found he didn't want to know. He sat down at the table as Malik and Yugi came rushing down for the morning meal. It'd have to consist of cereal; Sami hadn't prepared anything, and she didn't make a move to do so. But no one minded. Cereal was the best start to any morning.

 

“How far are we?” Malik asked as he chomped into a spoonful of marshmallows. Sami glanced at a map, adjusting her glasses as she did so. Then, she shrugged and sat down to join them. Normally, she didn't eat breakfast, but she grabbed the box of cereal and poured herself a glass, being too lazy to bother with a bowl. She regretted it when her cereal tasted like alcohol.

 

“Not long,” she replied, pushing her bowl away, “Two hours at the most, but by normal standards, less than an hour.” Ryou grinned. That was good time. But then he wondered why Sami had said this day would include travel. He guessed she wouldn't spend some time in the city. That somehow, didn't surprise him. He just wished they could take some time off. A little sightseeing was healthy. It might do Sami some good, at the very least. Thankfully, Yugi ended up asking the question Ryou didn't want to argue with.

 

“Are we going to explore the city?” he asked her. Sami looked at Yugi carefully, considering the option in her mind. Truth to tell, there wasn't much need. Musuta was a small city; nothing was of unusual interest there. But that didn't mean they didn't still want to look. Finally, she nodded slowly. Which caught Ryou by surprise. He was sure she'd disagree.

 

“I don't see the harm,” she said, and then in a darker tone, “This will be the last time you'll be able to go home, though. If we leave Musuta and you all stay with me, you will fight, understood?” Ryou already knew that from the beginning. He planned on helping her. After all, he did owe Sami for saving his life, even if she could've also ended it in the same instance. Malik, however, wasn't so keen with her choices.

 

“So it's either we help you and die, or we run away and still die?” he asked, and though he meant it to be a joke, his tone wasn't in any way amused. He was angry, “Are we your friends or not?” Sami hummed. That stunned her a little bit. And, she didn't know how to answer. Technically, they were comrades, but friends? No, they weren't friends just yet.

 

“…you aren't,” she finally stated, and everyone looked at her, shocked by that answer, “But you are my comrades and I do take your lives seriously. That's why I'm giving you this choice. There is no shame in running away. This is a battle I may not even win.” That was welcomed by silence. It was a tough choice to make for any of them. What did they know about magic, anyway? All they knew was that magic was what started this. Sami had magic, and so did the Mystic they were running from. And magic was what nearly destroyed their world so long ago. Could they actually do anything? Ryou wanted to ask that, but Yugi, who'd been looking out of a window, suddenly turned and grabbed Sami's arm. He pointed a shaking finger out one window.

 

“What's that!?” he asked her, and she ran over to see what had scared him. At first, she saw nothing. Maybe he'd seen a bird, or some other flying creature.

 

“What is what?” she asked. But Yugi didn't speak. Sami squinted her eyes, and then she saw what was scaring him. There was a ripple in the air, and within that ripple was a black dot. At first, it was so tiny, she almost waved it off. But it grew. And it grew quickly. That tiny black dot expanded like a portal into nowhere. She backed away. She knew exactly what that was: Oblivion, the one thing she feared would be released. She rushed to the wheel, and switched off the Autopilot. To get away from it would take a skillful hand. Her hand.

 

“Do you feel that?” Ryou asked suddenly, as a force of pressure hit the side of the ship. Sami's eyes narrowed. She wished Ryou hadn't spoken. It was making it difficult to focus. She glanced back for only a second.

 

“Oblivion has opened up,” she stated, her voice freezing the blood in Ryou's veins. She said nothing more as she looked again outside. Out of the corner of her eyes, she saw Oblivion's portal had reached a width large enough to fit the ship into. She slammed the nitro on as wind gusted out of the portal, barraging the old ship. This was bad. She knew the poor machine couldn't handle such a blow for very long.

 

“What's going on!?” Yami demanded, as he caught Yugi before the boy was sent hurtling out the window. He turned to watch Sami, but she didn't reply. The ship needed her full attention. Another blow struck the ship, this time causing enough of a shock to shake it. Malik's fists clenched as he clutched the windowsill.

 

“What the hell is Oblivion!?” he yelled over the roar of wind. But no one answered him. No one could hear over such a powerful blast. Sami growled as she tried to wrestle control over the ship. The winds were knocking it all over, and she couldn't even keep it on course. If this kept up, the ship would ignite from the force she was exerting.

 

“SAMI!” Bakura called, wishing to hell the woman would answer. But she didn't. She was still working at that damn wheel, until something crushed one of the windows in front of her, shattering it on impact. Sami screamed, letting go as the furious gale sent her soaring across the room, slamming into the ground further away. Tables, chairs, and other furniture were pushed back, and Sami jumped, narrowly avoiding being crushed by a couch. She landed, and staggered to the wheel. She had to land. They would die if this kept up.

 

“Sami, stop!” Ryou called, as he watched her go forward, the wind pelting her again and again, “Just stop! It's not worth it!” Sami either didn't hear him, or she ignored him entirely. She kept at it, using her arm as a shield against the cyclone. She nearly fell, but she kept her balance, her wings flapping wildly to steady her. Distantly, muffled from the wind, she heard Ryou beg her to stop trying.

 

“Shut up!” she screamed, her voice as loud as thunder, “We're going to die if I don't stop this!” She turned from behind her, to the front. Nothing had scared Sami before; at least, nothing to the point of screaming in horror, falling to her knees from it. But this did. Wherever that portal led to, they were sinking into it. No amount of sailing would save them from this. It had been too late. The void, that cursed void Sami wanted to outrun, was quickly swallowing the ship up. Darkness hung in the ship, and then, it flipped over. Ryou heard a loud crack, a muffled scream from behind him, and then he passed out. He didn't know what happened after that.

 

He didn't know where they landed. He didn't even care where they landed. They were just alive. They were alive, and that was all he cared about. Ryou opened up his eye weakly as his mind registered this fact. One thing that became clear was that they weren't in the ship anymore. They were lying in a plain of white grass. And yet it wasn't cold; it couldn't have been snow. Ryou blinked slowly, and looked in the distance. Trees sprang up in the distance, thickening to what looked like a forest. But, they were oddly formed and clear as crystal. Everything looked clear as crystal. They were the only things of color, wherever they were. Ryou didn't like any of it.

 

“…Sami, where are we!?” he whispered, shaking her. He found the movement hurt him. Then, he remembered he had slammed into something with a deafening crack before passing out. He prayed it hadn't been a person. Sami stirred, as did Malik and Yugi. The three spirits were nowhere to be seen as of yet. Malik blinked sleepily and stared at the white sky. He seemed particularly disoriented.

 

“…where the hell are we?” he asked sluggishly, rubbing his eyes. The realization that he was awake crashed in on him. He asked again, in a much sharper tone. He was terrified; he had no idea what another world was like, but this was it. He had never seen, or even heard of a white forest. Sami plucked a piece of grass with her fingers. She seemed frustrated. She let out a sigh, shaking her head. She could feel the magic swirling in this place. She wished she didn't.

 

“Another world,” she replied quietly, as though she were trapped in some kind of bubble, “Damned be it, this was what I wanted to avoid!” She pounded her gloved hand against the ground, snarling slightly. Her ears had lowered in anger. Ryou patted her shoulder, hoping to calm her. This wasn't her fault.

 

“Will we be okay?” he asked her, but she didn't answer him. Her breaths came in ragged gasps. It was obvious she wasn't okay. Ryou turned back to the trees. Aside from the grass, and themselves, those were the only living things here. There were no birds, no rodents, not even a small stream. That wasn't a good sign. Food would be a problem here if they couldn't get out. A rustling from behind them caught their attention. Ryou turned, and his mouth dropped. Where nothing had once been, stood a man with shockingly red hair, a blue tailcoat with yellow ribbons adorning a purple shirt. His pants were blue, with a British flag symbol stitched on one leg. He tapped his cane on the ground. By all rights, he looked absolutely ridiculous.

 

“Now, now, what `ave we `ere, eh?” he asked, in a thick accent Ryou couldn't yet place, “What are you little duckies doing in my world?” Sami raised an eyebrow at him. She had never seen this man, but he was the one all of the magic was coming from. He wasn't crazy, as she first thought. He was a magician of some sort. That was even worse.

 

“Who are you?” she asked, and then stated, “I demand an answer from you.” Ryou wasn't so sure she should've been so demanding. They could've been dealing with a psychopath. But the man smiled. He was amused with her. He humored her.

 

“Me? Lassie, I'm known as Radical Retro Specter!” he exclaimed, his dark sunglasses gleaming in the white light, “And you lot have stumbled into my private home!” Ryou looked again at the crystal trees and the white grass. He saw no house or shelter of any sort that would permit lodging. So, he couldn't see how anyone could live here. But whoever this man was, he wasn't lying. Sami didn't seem worried, though. She kept her steady tone as she stood up. Her sleeves ruffled as she crossed her arms.

 

“Stumbled? We've done no such move,” she stated, almost indignantly, “You've taken us out of our world and thrown us here!” Radical Retro stepped back, shock scrawled on his face. Never before had someone accused him of a task so ridiculously useless! He had no need for visitors. He was a lover of illusions; he could conjure them if he so needed them. Then, anger set into his face. He wasn't the one who had done this, but he knew who very well may have.

 

“Aye, lass, you're looking at the wrong man,” he told her calmly, “I summoned no one to my world. But, I know who has. I'll contact her. In the meantime, I'll entertain you all with some riddles.” Ryou didn't like what that could mean, and Sami didn't either. Her brows had creased into a sharp V on her forehead now. The look she gave the man was critical; almost threatening.

 

“What is your game?” she demanded. But the man shook his head, waggling his index finger. No one knew his secrets, and he didn't plan to share them. His smile became playful.

 

“Lassie, you know not who I am, do you?” he asked her, and tapped his cane on the ground, “No worries, dear. You'll learn soon enough! Have fun!” Sami's eyes widened as she blinked, and then she looked down at her feet. She had felt a tingling sensation, and saw that she was disappearing from view. She didn't scream; there wasn't a need. But she struggled. And it did nothing. She vanished, leaving her friends in shock. They had never seen anything like that before.

 

“Sam?” Malik called, poking at the spot where she stood. He felt nothing. Turning around to face the crazy man, he glared and demanded, “What did you do to her!?” Radical Retro laughed calmly, and clapped his hands. Ryou wished he had his sword so he could slice those hands off.

 

“She's completing her riddle,” Radical said, “No worries, my lovelies! I have plenty for all of you while I make my call!” He tapped his cane to the ground, and Malik screamed as Yugi vanished slowly, and then he too dispersed into a blast of yellow lights. Ryou stepped back. He knew what was coming. He was next on the line. And he hated riddles. Especially magical ones. He knew enough to know they'd probably kill him. He wanted to live.

 

“Get away from me!” Ryou yelled, as Radical Retro came closer. The man tapped his cane again, an almost bewildered look starting to come across his face. Ryou didn't trust him for a second.

 

“Now, now, you're in my world now,” Radical stated simply, “I can't have you little buggers running around while I call up Katsaiga, can I?” The mention of the Mystic caused Ryou to freeze. Katsaiga… that was who Sami was going to kill. That was who imprisoned him. How did this man know her? Ryou's eyes narrowed. Was this why Sami wasn't afraid? But, that made no sense. Sami had never mentioned anyone else who'd come between them. And, if there was someone else, Ryou was sure she would've said something.

 

“How do you know Katsaiga!?” Ryou demanded, wishing to all hell that he had his sword with him. Radical Retro looked down at him, and this time, he looked really confused. He crossed his arms, glancing up at the sky for just a moment too long.

 

“Oy, e'eryone in Oblivion knows about those Mystics!” he exclaimed, though Ryou didn't know if he actually remembered who he was talking to, “They come around, destroying other worlds for something that happened so long ago, no one even remembers! I wonder what they possibly want this time!” Ryou didn't know why Radical would be giving him such valuable information. He wished Sami were here to listen to it. She'd have a field day. He made a mental note to tell her everything this man might tell him.

 

“You've worked with them before?” If Ryou was going to buy everyone else some time to solve their riddles, he had to keep Radical talking. Radical didn't seem any the wiser over what was forming in the boy's head. He gave a cold laugh.

 

“Work with them? Well, when they come here, destroying my beloved world, I haven't a damned choice, do I?” Radical ranted, his brows furrowing under his glasses, “No, I don't. I do what I can, but only that! No one bribes Radical Retro!”

 

“Then why did you summon us here?” Ryou pressed. This was getting him nowhere fast, and if he wanted his friends to live, he'd have to play better than this. But Radical wasn't a man of normal logic. He turned to Ryou again, and shook his head.

 

“I told you dolts, I didn't summon you!” he replied angrily, “Someone else has, and when I find out who, they'll get worse than a frog in the throat! Now, stop distracting me! Off to your puzzle!” Ryou's eyes widened. He realized too late that he weaved himself into a trap. Radical knew all along what he'd do. He cursed the man as he tapped his cane onto the floor. Ryou knew what was coming. He dashed forward. He had to break that cane, shatter it to pieces. Then he'd be in the clear… for about five seconds. But that'd render Radical useless.

 

“NO! I…” Ryou didn't finish. Radical merely grinned as the boy nearly grasped his arm, only to disappear in a whirl of lights. Ryou didn't know what happened after that. One minute, Radical had spun out of focus; everything spun out of focus, in a blur of color that Ryou's mind couldn't grasp. The next moment, he was lying face-down near a crystal lake. He had failed. He couldn't stop Radical.

 

“…damn it,” he mumbled, pulling himself up. No one else was with him. He looked around, hoping there was some clue as to where he, or anyone else, was. But there was nothing. White grass beneath a white sky greeted him. Ryou shivered as he stood up. A faint breeze blew from behind, where the lake stood. It rattled through the grass, an eerie sound that Ryou only imagined in a horror movie, or perhaps a book. But it wasn't the sound he wanted to hear now. He stepped forward.

 

“Bakura?” he called. He hadn't expected to find Sami, Yugi, or even Malik, but he did expect Bakura to be there. Unfortunately, the spirit didn't respond. It gave Ryou a terrible feeling. He shivered again. He had to do something. Wherever he was, he had to get out. He'd get the ship and find everyone else. Then he'd kill Radical if the man didn't answer their questions. Or he'd get Sami to. She definitely would do so, after what the man had pulled. Just the thought of her doing that send a wave of sadness through Ryou. This was technically the first time he was separated from her, since they had met. He didn't mind that she was gone, but he still wished she was there. She'd have gotten them out of here by now. Ryou looked down. The more he thought about it, the more apparent that it became that he was alone. And in this world, that was the last thing he wanted to avoid.

 

-----------------------------(End Chapter)

 

After spending the night on the ancient ship, Ryou and his friends find themselves in a world of confusion created by the psychotic illusionist known as Radical Retro Specter. With everyone separated, how can they get out and stop this madman? And, how did they end up there at all? What was Radical hiding from them? Find out next chapter, so click that Review button!