Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ Shadow Dragon ❯ Wolf ( Chapter 4 )
[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]
By: Plantress 
After the events of the mansion, a strange white dog who is more than he seems shows up. Seto finds out who Reaper is, then finds out what his own power really is.
Anime/Manga: Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Adventure / Action | Type: Crossover | Uploaded On: 04.10.2007 | Pages: 4 | Words: 7.4K | Visits: 308 | Status: Completed
After the events of the mansion, a strange white dog who is more than he seems shows up. Seto finds out who Reaper is, then finds out what his own power really is.
Anime/Manga: Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Adventure / Action | Type: Crossover | Uploaded On: 04.10.2007 | Pages: 4 | Words: 7.4K | Visits: 308 | Status: Completed
do not own Yu-gi-oh or Shadow Hearts. I don’t own any of the characters except Cassandra either.
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She hadn’t known what was happening at first. Exhausted, both physically and magically, she hadn’t even been sure she would get out of here alive. All that had been in her mind was the fact that Grandfather had been right and that she really did not want to die. Then suddenly there had been a bright flash of light and a shout of pain from the direction she had last seen her companion. She had pushed back one of the snake heads, then glanced over afraid that the snake woman had hit him with a spell….only to see something jump out of the way. Something that landed hard and crouched there for several seconds. As the smoke clear Cassandra felt her heart skip a beat. A blue lizard-thing was crouched there, studying it’s hands. Then the snake-woman had attacked again. At first she feared the lizard-thing was an enemy, but when it charged the monster she paused. She didn’t let herself relax or drop her guard, but took the time to catch her breath. Slowly she began to edge around to where she had last seen her companion. When she neared the spot where she had last seen him she spotted his younger brother peaking out from behind the table that was serving as his shield. As the snake woman collapsed the lizard dropped to the ground. There was a flash of light and then he was there. The guy that had been following her though the entire mansion, Kaiba.
A second or two passed as she stared at him. Her trance was broken only when she felt Mokuba sprint past her. Almost automatically her hand shot out and grabbed onto the boys wrist. He turned and glared at her.
“What are you doing?” She hissed at him. “He’s dangerous, he’s a…..”
“He’s my brother, and he just saved your lie!” Mokuba snapped at her. Startled she loosened her grip slightly and he pulled away from her, running to where his brother was.
“Seto, are you alright?” The boy. Kaiba nodded and stood up, slowly. Cassandra watched him alarmed, then switched to a defensive position.
“What kind of monster are you?” She asked glaring at Kaiba.
“My brother isn’t a monster!” Mokuba yelled back at her, but his brother grabbed his shoulder.
“Quiet it Mokuba.” He turned and matched her glare. He noticed her position and smirked.
“What are you going to do with that, attack me?” He asked. “Your just as exhausted as I am. You couldn’t win against me now.”
“Say’s who?” Cassandra snapped back at him, then switched her stance to a more offensive one. But when she moved so did Mokuba, placing himself between her and his brother. She paused and swore internally. Now there was now way for her to get to that monster without going through Mokuba. She stood down and glared at him.
“Your not going to hide from me.” She said.
“I never hide.” Kaiba snapped at her. “Come on Mokuba we’re leaving.” The brothers turned and started to make their way up the stairs.
“Wait!” Cassandra yelled and tried to go after them, but a way of dizziness struck her and she stopped. Hurts and exhausted that had been partially held at bay by adrenalin now returned and she was forced to sit down to regain her strength. After she had eaten several of the herbs her grandfather had given her before she left, Cassandra felt better. However by the time she managed to leave the mansion the brothers were long gone.
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Seto wasn’t sure when they got home. He vaguely remember calling someone to come pick them up but the ride back was hidden behind a haze of exhaustion. Truthfully he was glad he was so tired. If he wasn’t then he would have to think about what had happened back there. Wouldn’t have to think about what he had done….what he had become. But that couldn’t have been real could it? People just didn’t turn into monsters….creatures out of legends….did they? Cassandra’s question rang in his head as he stumbled to his bed, hardly ware of Mokuba supporting him. He wasn’t a monster. He wasn’t a monster. There was no way…..with those thoughts in mind, Seto Kaiba drifted off into an exhausted slumber.
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The next morning Mokuba went downstairs to find his brother already eating breakfast. For a few seconds the younger Kaiba hesitated then joined his brother. All through the meal he kept an eye on Seto. Last night he hadn’t been able to sleep well and Mokuba thought that if he had been so tired, exhausted from a combination of nerves and fear, he wouldn’t have been able to sleep because of the nightmares. But now he wanted to talk to his brother and ask him about what had happened.
“Seto?” He asked tentatively as his brother stood up. Seto turned and looked over at him. “Yesterday…what happened to you? How did you do that? What was….”
“I don’t want to talk about it Mokuba!” Seto snapped at his brother causing Mokuba to flinch. The elder Kaiba felt guilt when he saw his brothers reaction and then sighed. “Just don’t mention that to me again, alright? What ever happened back there is over and done with. We don‘t have to thing about it anymore” Mutely Mokuba nodded and watched his brother walk away. Although he wasn’t scared of his brother and firmly believed that there was no way he could be a monster, Mokuba was too smart to dismiss to ignore what had happened yesterday.
And besides….Seto had looked almost scared when he had turned back yesterday and that was something that had Mokuba worried. His brother was not scared of anything or anyone….although Mokuba guessed that what had happened yesterday was enough of freak out the strongest person. As the younger Kaiba watched his brother exit the room he wondered how he could get his brother to talk to him. Although he couldn’t say way, Mokuba felt that ignoring what had happened yesterday was a very bad idea.
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A little over a week after they had returned from the mansion, Seto was working at home. He noted the sound of the door opening but didn’t say anything until Mokuba’s voice entered his ears.
“Uhhh….Big brother?” Seto looked up from his work. His younger brother was standing in the doorway to the office, on hand still on the door handle.
“Mokuba, what did you do now?” He asked. The only time Mokuba’s voice was that hesitant was when he had done something he wasn’t sure his older brother would approve of.
“I didn’t do anything exactly…..it’s just that….” Before Mokuba could finish his sentence something white poked it’s head around the doorframe and stared into the room.
“What is that thing?” The white thing, Seto realized it was a large dog of some kind, laid it’s ears back at the harsh tones and moved closer to Mokuba.
“Well….it followed me home.”
“Followed you home?” If it had been anyone else that had said that then Seto would have snorted and told them to get rid of the beast. But Mokuba wasn’t known to lie…least of all to him. “It followed you home for no reason at all?” Seto was trying to keep the sarcasm out of his voice although it was hard. The excuse had just sounded so clichéd. If his younger brother noticed anything odd in his voice he ignored it and nodded instead.
“He was wandering around by the park a couple of days ago when he saw me and he just started to follow me. I’ve tried to get him to go away but every time I go out the main gate he’s there waiting for me. I don’t think that he has anywhere else to go Seto.” Mokuba looked up at his elder brother pleadingly. “So can I keep him, Seto? I don’ want to leave him alone.” For several seconds Seto’s gaze switched from his brother to the dog and back again. It’s not like it would be a problem to keep a dog in the house, he didn’t like them very much. They reminded him to much of that human mutt that followed Yugi around….but then again this was Mokuba asking and his little brother rarely asked him for something….. And he did owe Mokuba for letting Reaper lay his filthy hands on him so…
“Alright, you can keep him, but you’re the one taking care of him. Just keep it out of my way.” He turned his attention back to his work. “And the first time that thing chews up the furniture or makes a mess, it’s gone.”
“Alright. Thank you Seto.” Mokuba said happily. “Come on Blanca.” As the dog followed it’s new master out of his office, Seto wondered why Mokuba had chosen that name. Then he pushed to the back of his mind and promptly forgot about it.
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Over the last week Seto had gotten used to the sight of the mutt following his brother around the house. At some point in the first few days after it’s arrival Mokuba apparently bought it a spiked collar and although Seto thought it looked ridiculous and even the dog itself didn’t seem to happy about it, he didn’t say anything. After all it was his fault that Mokuba had been put in danger and even though his brother hadn’t said anything about them, Seto knew he was having nightmares. After he had gotten a pet, it must have taken his mind off things since he seemed to sleeping better. That alone was enough for Seto put up with the animal. It seemed to be well behaved too, he hadn’t had any complaints from the staff about it chewing up fortitude or leaving…other…messes behind. He began to wonder if it was really someone’s lost pet and if they should look for its’ owners, but then he dismissed it from his mind. If it was a lost pet then it was it’s former owners fault for failing to take care of it, not is problem. The only thing that made Seto pause was the fact the there was no money from the household account to buy any sort of dog food. Then he though about it and realized that Mokuba was probably just taking his words seriously and using his own allowance to buy food for his pet. Pleased with his brothers responsibly Seto didn’t’ say anything.
Although Seto thought as he drifted off to sleep. maybe I shouldn’t make him do that. It he is showing that he’s that responsible then I guess I should reward him some how.
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When Seto woke up again he wasn’t in his bed anymore. He knew that before he even opened his eyes. The surface he was now laying one was cold and unyielding. Why in the hell am I laying on the floor? Did I roll out of the bed or something? Annoyed and a little embarrassed the millionaire opened sat up, not as he did so the seemed to wearing the clothes he had changed out of before going to bed and then opened his eyes. .He then froze and tried to ignore the panic that had surfaced. Not only was he not in his bed, he wasn’t even in his bedroom anymore! And what was most frightening to him, although he would never let anyone see how scared he was or even admit it to himself, was he knew this place. A courtyard floating I the middle of a grey fog, two doors at either end….this was the place he had first felt the power of the ice. For half a second he was frozen by fear and uncertainty but then his personality reasserted itself.
“I went to bed. This is just a dream brought on by stress.” He muttered half to himself.
“A dream is it?” A voice cackled behind him. “I had forgotten how amusing humans could be.”
“They are very amusing!” Another, strange, voice called. “Humans will do anything to avoid the truth won’t they?”
“Who’s there?” Seto growled and twisted around to see behind him. There was a new addition to his dreamscape. Another door had appeared. It stood on the side of the courtyard opposite the gate he had come in what had previously been empty space. The door itself was unremarkable compared to the other two, it was just a heavy iron affair studded with spikes and free of ornamentation. But hovering on either side of it were four glowing things.
“Oh look, he noticed us at last.” One of the things spoke. It looked vaguely like mask that was shaped like a fish head, only it was glowing blue and hovering several feet off the ground on the right side of the door. As he watched it turned to look at him. Blue fire burned in the holes where a persons eyes would go while the same colored fire seemed to surrounded it. Slowly Seto stood keeping his eyes on the mask.
“So your finally back. What took you so long Harmonixer?” Seto switched gaze to the mask that had just spoken then glared at it. This one was hovering the left side of the door at a higher level than the other one, it looked like a golden mask made to vaguely resemble a bird head. Several long and sharp ornaments decorated the back of the in what looked like a cross between a suns rays and feathers.
“What in the hell are you going on about?” He snapped at it. Seto was getting tired of feeling like people were talking about something that he didn‘t know about, it made him feel stupid. Usual he was the one explaining things to people who were less intelligent than him, and he was finding out he did not like the roll reversal.
“Maybe he doesn’t know how to get to the Graveyard?” Another voice said. This time the speaker was a red mask hovering just under the golden one. It looked like little more than a square with round eyes and two horns sticking up from the top two corners. Halfway down it was split in two and the halves appeared to be held together by little more than the red light that surrounded it, although it appeared to talk just fine.
“So he doesn’t even know how to access something that exits within his on soul!? He can’t be that stupid.” Another glowing mask thing spoke up, this one floating above the blue one who had first spoken to him. It looked like a lion mask surrounded by green fire. Seto growled.
“Look, I don’t care were this is I am not going to be insulted by a bunch of floating masks!” Seto took a step towards the door.
“And what are you planning on doing to us?” The golden one spoke up. “Challenge us in a Shadow Game? That is the only way to be rid of us and if I remember correctly, your record with those is despairing.” A soft growl forced it’s way from the harmonixer’s throat. Although he did not know exactly what had happened to him during those times when the he had been trapped in the darkness, those times had caused dreams that he still woke up in a cold sweat from. He could never remember the nightmares either but for some reason he had the feeling he did not want to remember them and that is what annoyed him. Seto Kaiba was not suppose to be afraid of dreams and nightmares that didn’t exist…..things like that just weren’t suppose to happen right. But then he shoved those thoughts to the back of his mind.
“How in the hell do you know about that!?” He demanded. All of them laughed and then the blue one spoke up.
“You really don’t get it do you boy?” It asked. “We are you, or at least the less tasteful parts of you.”
“What do you mean by that?” Seto growled. The red one chuckled.
“So you don‘t know? We, little Harmonixer, represent your repressed desires. Your fears, your greed, your violent desiers and …..” This time Seto could have sworn you it grinned even wider, if that was at all possible. “your pride.”
“In short, Harmonixer, we are the dark parts of your soul.” The lion mask took over . “The shadows that exist within all humans. That little boy with the millennium puzzle attempted to drive us out. He did manage to diminish are power, but..”
“But you can’t be rid of part of yourself just like that.” The bird finished. “We show you the truth of your soul. And you, who can’t even accept what you are will never be able to get rid of us!” The masks sent of a course of cackling laughs. Seto twitched, annoyed at all of them.
“Just who do you think you are?” He growled. “Even if this is a dream, I’m not going to stand here and be insulted by a bunch of party masks. Shut up now!”
“Why don’t you make us?” The blue mask suggested.
“Unless your to scared too.” The red mask added. Seto didn’t say anything. He just started forward. This was his dream ands he was not going to be insulted. He would teach these things what it meant to challenge Seto Kaiba. Seto took a step forward.
“STOP!” The voice rang through the area and Seto froze involuntarily. He growled and looked back over his shoulder to see who had dared to interpret him. Standing behind him breathing heavily was a familiar large white shape. Seto blinked when he saw Blanca then raised an eyebrow at Blanca before h turned back around. The sight of his brothers dog confirmed that this was all just some realistic, idiotic, dream. He had even been thinking about the dog right before he fell asleep.
“You do not want to fight them now.” It was the same voice that shouted a few minuets before. This time Seto whipped around to stare around the landscape. He saw no one save for Blanca. Almost as if reading the disbelieving thoughts that flowed through his mind, the dog raised its paw.
“Down here.” He said. The sight of a talking dog might have startled before but because this was clearly a dream, Seto just accepted him. The harmonixer turned around.
“Your not listening to me are you?” There was a click of nails on stone and then a white blur past his legs and then stopped on the path right in front of him. Blanca looked back at the masks and then back at Seto.
“I told you to stop.” Was all the dog said.
“What in the hell are you doing?” Seto snapped. Blanca looked at him impassively.
“Stopping you from making a very bad mistake. Your challenge something you have no idea of the power of.” Having heard all of that before, Seto shrugged him off.
“I don’t care.” Seto growled and was promptly ignored. Blanca had shifted so that he could see both Seto and the Masks at the same time.
“They are the Grail, Sword, Staff and Golden masks.” He said as if Seto hadn’t said anything. At each name Blanca would glance at one of them. Blue, Gold, Red and Green all seemed to glare as Blanca listed their names. “They are the formed from malice, from negative energy and they exist within all humans.” Blanca glared back at the masks. “Since you however are a harmonixer, they can take a much more active and deadly role.”
“Please don’t tell me that your going to start spouting the harmonixer nonsense.” Seto snorted, then turned back toward the masks.
“What are you doing?”
“What does it look like? I don’t care what those masks or whatever you called them are. I am not going to let them disrespect me.”
“Don’t.” Blanca’s reply was said so forcefully that even Seto stopped for a second. “I don’t care what they have done to you. Do not fight them. They are not something you can defeat like that.”
“I’m suppose to do what then? Sit here and let them insult me?” The millionaire asked.
“So your actually listening to their taunts and responding to them like a weak willed child?” Blanca snorted. “I thought you would be stronger than that.”
“What!?” Seto glared at the dog. “Weak willed!?” Suddenly the millionaire was furious. No one, not even his enemies had called him that before. That his dog would dare say that he was weak willed when he had found home for Mokuba and himself, had drove though the changes in policy for the Kaiba Corporation and reshaped all though his own will was infuriating to him.
“Yes, weak willed. Your listening to the masks and doing exactly what they want you to do.” Blanca glared at them. “They want your soul Seto, but they can’t take it unless you let them. The masks sole purpose for existing is to break humans. They can’t move in the real world and they have to make you come to them. So they sit there, taunting you, saying the words that the know will make you enraged so that they can take you.” Blanca turned and looked at him. “A truly strong person can ignore their teasing and walk away. But if you want to act like a child then go ahead, challenge them. As you are now they will defeat you.”
“Defeat me? You don’t know how many of my enemies have tried dog. I don’t run away from anything or anyone.” Seto snapped at him.
“Who said anything about running away?” Blanca stretched and glanced at Seto. “I just said you should ignore the masks.” The dog cocked his head as he studied the masks. “I won’t stop you if you want to challenge them, although that their will is stronger than you own.”
“What!?” Ignoring Seto’s outburst the dog turned and began to walk away.
“If you want your question answered than follow me, If not than stay here and argue with them. It’s your choice.” With that Blanca walked over to the heavens door. As it opened the dog gave him one last glance then went through.
“What are you going to do?” One of the masks called from behind him. “Fight us, or run away like your doggy friend did with your tail between your legs.” Seto started to respond but then Blanca’s words rang though his mind and he realized that like Pegasus, they were trying to goad him into responding. Annoyed with himself for not realizing it sooner he turned and glared at them.
“Shut the hell up.” He growled and after half a seconds hesitation went through the Heavens door.
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Inside was and exact duplica of the what was through Hells Door, an open space surround by three doors with different symbols on them. Seated in the middle of the open space was Blanca.
“Seto you are a harmonixer and as the masks said, your life is not going to be easy.” He said as soon as Seto came through the door.
“My life has never been easy.” Seto snapped. “Now tell me what a harmonixer is mutt. I’ve been called that by Reaper, those masks, and now you. Tell me what you think I am!”
“ I‘m not a mutt, I‘m a full blooded wolf and I don’t like to be insulted.” The wolf grumbled then looked up at Seto. After seeing that there would be no apology forth coming he sighed.. “To answer your question….in the most simple terms a Harmonixer is some who can fuse with various spirits to take one their form and powers.”
“That’s it!” Seto glared at the dog. “Both you and Reaper seem to be under the delusion that I’m some type of Duel Monster or something. What makes you think I can!?”
“You already have, haven’t you?” Was the calm reply. Seto stared flashes of the two times he had transformed running though his mind. “I don’t’ know much about your card game or what it means there” Blanca continued. “But I do know that you are a Harmonixer. And a very special one too. You have more than one fusion soul available to you.”
“Fusion Soul?”
“The monster spirits that you are able to fuse with” Was the impatient reply. “Most Harmonixers are born with ability to control only one fusioin soul. You however can control many.”
“It’s nice the at you know exactly what I’m capable of. How do I get this
“Look around you” Blanca nodded to the various doors. “Each of these represent a spirit that was sealed in your soul. You’ve already unlocked one, but if I remember right there should be more spirits through the door of heaven..”
“So basically your saying that I have a bunch monsters running around inside my head. And I haven’t heard of this before now because….?”
“They aren’t running around in your soul. They are sealed up until you choose to release them and gain their power. A harmonixers‘ power is primarily ruled by emotions, so unless you have a sudden breakdown, the power from the fusion souls will only answer when you wanted.”
“Until I choose to release them? So I get to deiced if I want to use them or not, and I can just leave them here and pretend that no of this every happened.”
“Well I guess…” Blanca said uncertainly. The wolf really didn’t like the direction the discussion was taking.
“So I don’t have to be a harmonixer unless I want to?”
“Yes, if that’s really what you want.” Blanca looked up and meet Seto’s eyes. “And is that really what you want?” For a second the harmonixer hesitated. Then he glared at the wolf, and seemed to draw himself up higher.
“Listen mutt,I don’t like the fact that you and just about everyone I’ve had the misfortune to run into lately has suddenly deiced that they are going to tell me exactly what I am and what I’m suppose to be doing, I was getting along perfectly fine before all this shit happened and I will continue to do so. I don’t need some deluded psycopath and a talking dog to tell how to run my life! I’ll track down that bastard Tucker and that nutcase Reaper, and then this whole thing will be over and I can get back to my life!”
“So you’ll ignore everything that you have just learned and chase after an enemy that you have no hope of defeating?” Blanca snarled. “For some said to be so smart you are acting very stupid.” Seto bristled at the wolfs tone.
“Look wolf I don’t care if this is a dream or even if this is somewhere in my soul, either way means I don’t have to hang around here.” Seto turned to leave but was stopped by streak of white that ran past him and planted itself in front of the door. “Out of my way mutt.”
“Make me.” Blanca growled. “I will not let you through until you realize the full implications of what you are trying to do. If you want to leave you will have to go through me.” Seto laughed.
“I’m not scared of the big bad wolf. Now move!” He took a step toward the door and Blanca charged. One second the wolf was standing in front of the door, the next he was lunging towards him. Seto brought his arm up instinctively but Blanca hadn’t been aiming for his through. Instead he hit the millionaires’ chest hard enough to knock almost all the air out of him, then jumped off his chest as he hit the ground. For a second Seto lay their staring up into grey mist. Although he wouldn’t admit it, even to himself , he was scared. Up until now it had been easy to pretend this was all a crazy dream but this….you couldn’t have the air knock out of you and feel pain in dreams could you?
Shaking his head slightly Seto rolled onto his stomach and stood up shakily, still struggling to get air into his laboring lungs. Blanca had returned to his position in front of door. Seto glared at the wolf and wished he had some sort of weapon with him. Blanca just kept staring at him, then charged again. Seto tried to dodge the wolfs initial assault but he wasn’t fast enough. A quick nip on his wrist caused a cut that bleed sluggishly, and the canine managed to turn as he landed and launched himself back at Seto. Several more attacks latter Seto had several mores small wounds, and though they stung he knew they weren’t serious.
Damn dog! Seto thought to himself. He knew that wolfs jaws were powerful enough to crack bone, and that the white one in front of him had been holding back. That stung Seto‘s pride. He was not used to
being underestimated. Even though the wolf had several wounds from Seto’s attacks they were nothing compared to the bleeding wounds the wolf had inflicted on him. For several seconds they paused both glaring at each other. Then suddenly the wolf shifted slightly as he prepared to attack and Seto realized that he was finally able to read the canines attack pattern. As Blanca launched his attack Seto shifted and lashed as Blanca was in midair, catching the wolf in mid-air. His kick launched Blanca away from him and the wolf hit he ground hard. Seto froze and sat in a crouch panting for several seconds.
When Blanca didn’t get up Seto snorted and started to walk toward the door. He was almost there when he heard a voice behind him.
“Stop.” Blanca growled as he struggled to his feet. The millionaire snorted.
“And just how are you going to stop me?” He sneered in the wolfs direction. “You can barely stand, mutt.” Instead of answering the wolf glared at him and barked two words. Immediately the ground under Seto’s feet exploded, hurling him sideways.
Seto scrambled to his feet almost immediately, wincing as the pain of the initial explosion and subsequent impact rippled though him. He turned to glare at the wolf just as Blanca threw back his head and howled. It was different from anything Seto had ever heard before, it made the hair stand up on the back of his neck. He didn’t just hear that howl, he felt it in his bones. It almost felt as if that howl was calling out to something. Then, in response to the call, soft lights appeared in the air around the wolf. The began to fall, like glowing snow flakes, on to Blanca’s wounds. Ever time a light touched a wound there was a flash and the wound would vanish. Seto could do nothing but stand and stare as all of the wolf injuries vanished one by one.
“What in the world?” He stammered as Blanca turned golden gaze back on the him. For a brief second Seto was mad, both at himself and at Blanca. While a very small part of him was yammering that it was unfair, he hadn’t known that Blanca could do that and the wolf was cheating, most of his mind was logically analyzing it and wonder why he hadn’t assumed the wolf could do something like. Still….
I am going to beat some sense into this mutt. I’ve faced wolves before, the only difference is that the ones I had to deal with walked on two legs instead of four. I know I can defeat him and I will! As soon as that thought entered the Harmonixers mind a familiar wave of cold touched his consciousness. It promised him power, strength, everything he need to defeat this wolf, if only he would give into it. Seto nearly did…but then the memories of the mansion surfaced. Memories of scaled hands and power….but also ones of accusations and the shocked looked in his brothers eyes. Immediately Seto shoved the cold back, forcing back into the far corners of his mind. He ignored the fear that went with it and tried to pretend that he had not felt the cold at all. He was not harmonixer, not a monster like Blanca and everyone else seemed to think he was.
Seto internal struggled lasted less than as second. That was all Blanca need to throw back his head and howl one more. This howl was very different from the last howl, it was stronger, louder and some how very, very threatening. For a second nothing happened and Seto started to think that whatever Blanca had been trying to do had failed….until a red streak raced past the wolf, and head straight toward him. He tired to move out of the way, but when he dodged he red light followed him. Right before it connect with him, he was able to see a vague dog shape…then it hit and all other thoughts vanished from his mind.
He was cold, colder than the feeling he had gotten when he had transformed into that…..that thing. As if he had suddenly been plunged into ice water and would never be warm again. Accompanying that cold was an intense pain that tore through his body. He had never felt anything like it, the pain didn’t come from anyone area. It was more like something had caused every nerve in his body to scream. The pain and cold lasted only a second or so but that second was an eternity. Just as the pain was fading another red light hit him, and then another and another after that. He was hit eight times, but after the first four he couldn’t stand any longer, he felt his legs give way, and felt his vision start to blur and fade. Seto tried to hold on, tired to force himself back to consciousness but the last light hit him, one that if possible, hurt worse than the others. This time he wasn’t able to resist the pain and felt darkness drag him into unconsciousness….
Only to jerk awake immediately. It was still dark and for half a second Seto was confused…until he realized that he was laying in his bed, in his room. Just a dream. He thought. I let what that bastard Reaper and that woman said get to me. Then the pain hit. It was not nearly as intense as the pain his dream, more of an ache, but like the pain it didn’t come from any one area. It was as all his nerve’s were sore. Alarm rippled through him the he squashed it. It was a dream that was all it had been dream. This was just his reaction to a extremely realistic dream. That was all it could be, all it had to be, right?
“It wasn’t a dream.” A voice said out of the darkness. Seto sat up right, muscles tense, reflexively preparing for another fight. “Relax. It’s jut me.” This time the millionaire realized that the voice sounded familiar. He glared at the large white shape at the foot of his bed.
“How did you get in here?” He snapped at Blanca. “And why in the hell are you on my bed?”
“I opened the door.” the wolf said as he yawned. “It’s harder to do without hands though. And I’m up here because I knew that the only way to convince you that of that I was telling to truth was to show it to you.” Blanca stood up and jumped to the floor.
“And since the easiest place to do that would be in your graveyard, I had to figure how to get you there. The only option was to approach you while you were asleep. Any other time and your soul would have resisted me.”
“My soul? Just what are you trying to do to me.” Seto threw the covers off and stood up. A shock of pain went up and down his body, but he choose to ignore it.
“Trying to get it through your skull that you won’t be able to deal with Reaper as you are now!”
“I said it before, it don’t’ need any help!” Seto took a step toward the wolf, then wince as his body sore body protested the movement. “I can deal with him on my own!” In his mind Seto wondered if this was just another dream…but it felt to realistic for that…but it hadn’t to be one, didn’t it?
“No you can’t!” Blanca roared back at him. “You couldn’t even stand up to me.” That caused Seto to stop. The wolf glared at him. “I was rougher on you than I should have been but seemed to the only way for you to realize you own weakness!”
“I don’t need to hear this from a talking dog!” Seto yelled. “I’ve been taking care of both myself and Mokuba before you were probably even born you stupid mutt, and furthermore I don’t’ care what kind of stupid tricks you pull. If you don’t shut up then I will make you.”
“Like you tried to do before?” Blanca mocked. Seto snarled but the wolf shook his head before the young man could attack.
“Why didn’t you transform when you attacked me? You would have stood a much better chance if you had.” Seto paused the memory of ice and power flooding through him. He forced it to the back of his mind. He looked up and meet golden eyes that bored into his own.
“I told you, I’m not a Duel Monster. I can’t fuse or transform or what ever it is you think I can do!”
“You already have Seto. I know it. That was why the graveyard is active right now. You’re the one that woke it up.”
“I told you to shut up! I’m not some sort of monster!”
“Who said you were?” Blanca asked then tilted his head quizzically. “Are you scared?”
“No way in hell!” Seto snarled. “I am not scared of anything, let alone something that can’t possible be true!” Blanca sighed.
“I know Harmonixers are supposed to have strong wills but this is ridiculous!” Blanca muttered under his breath, the sighed.
“I can’t force you into this so I won’t event try.” He told the millionaire.
“About time you realized that…!” Seto growled.
“But I hope you realized what’s going on here.” Blanca raised his golden eyes and caught Seto’s red ones once again. “Reaper has taken in many lives in pursuit of his goals and he won’t balk at adding Mokuba’s to that number. I will protect him as best I can but in all truth, I can’t stand up to Reaper on my own. Think about that Seto.” The wolf turned and started to toward the door. Right before he exited he paused and looked back at the harmonixer.
“Oh and Seto” He said. “I was fighting during World War I.” As he left the wolf called back. “Please listen to your elders this one time, Seto.” Seto scowled then turned and climbed back in bed. For him the rest of the night would be a restless sleep filled with nightmares.
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I am really, really, really sorry for making everyone wait so long. I really have absolutely no excuses. I had this three quarters written by the time the family vacation I was on was over. Then I promptly forgot about it. Hehe.
I did want to have this up for Christmas but I got writers block on the scene between the masks and Blanca. This was originally suppose to be shorter but Seto insisted on arguing about everything, so it go a lot longer. The only scene that actually go shorter was the one were Blanca is ‘adopted’ by Mokuba. Originally Seto was going to make a bigger fuss about it but then I realized something: Even if Seto really isn’t that fond of dogs (I see him as more of a cat person ) I doubt he would really care as long as the dog didn’t get in his way. After all they can afford to have one and Mokuba given the responsibilities that Seto has given Mokuba before I doubt that would be an issue.
Next chapter will be up a lot faster, promise!
Please Read and Review.
--Plantress
P.S.: How in character is Seto? I’ve been trying to keep him character but I’m really not sure how well I’m doing. I haven’t have any complaints but I want to know how I’m doing.
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Shadow Dragon
Chapter Four: Wolf
Cassandra crouched frozen, staring at the young man who had just defeated the enemy they had been struggling so hard against.Chapter Four: Wolf
She hadn’t known what was happening at first. Exhausted, both physically and magically, she hadn’t even been sure she would get out of here alive. All that had been in her mind was the fact that Grandfather had been right and that she really did not want to die. Then suddenly there had been a bright flash of light and a shout of pain from the direction she had last seen her companion. She had pushed back one of the snake heads, then glanced over afraid that the snake woman had hit him with a spell….only to see something jump out of the way. Something that landed hard and crouched there for several seconds. As the smoke clear Cassandra felt her heart skip a beat. A blue lizard-thing was crouched there, studying it’s hands. Then the snake-woman had attacked again. At first she feared the lizard-thing was an enemy, but when it charged the monster she paused. She didn’t let herself relax or drop her guard, but took the time to catch her breath. Slowly she began to edge around to where she had last seen her companion. When she neared the spot where she had last seen him she spotted his younger brother peaking out from behind the table that was serving as his shield. As the snake woman collapsed the lizard dropped to the ground. There was a flash of light and then he was there. The guy that had been following her though the entire mansion, Kaiba.
A second or two passed as she stared at him. Her trance was broken only when she felt Mokuba sprint past her. Almost automatically her hand shot out and grabbed onto the boys wrist. He turned and glared at her.
“What are you doing?” She hissed at him. “He’s dangerous, he’s a…..”
“He’s my brother, and he just saved your lie!” Mokuba snapped at her. Startled she loosened her grip slightly and he pulled away from her, running to where his brother was.
“Seto, are you alright?” The boy. Kaiba nodded and stood up, slowly. Cassandra watched him alarmed, then switched to a defensive position.
“What kind of monster are you?” She asked glaring at Kaiba.
“My brother isn’t a monster!” Mokuba yelled back at her, but his brother grabbed his shoulder.
“Quiet it Mokuba.” He turned and matched her glare. He noticed her position and smirked.
“What are you going to do with that, attack me?” He asked. “Your just as exhausted as I am. You couldn’t win against me now.”
“Say’s who?” Cassandra snapped back at him, then switched her stance to a more offensive one. But when she moved so did Mokuba, placing himself between her and his brother. She paused and swore internally. Now there was now way for her to get to that monster without going through Mokuba. She stood down and glared at him.
“Your not going to hide from me.” She said.
“I never hide.” Kaiba snapped at her. “Come on Mokuba we’re leaving.” The brothers turned and started to make their way up the stairs.
“Wait!” Cassandra yelled and tried to go after them, but a way of dizziness struck her and she stopped. Hurts and exhausted that had been partially held at bay by adrenalin now returned and she was forced to sit down to regain her strength. After she had eaten several of the herbs her grandfather had given her before she left, Cassandra felt better. However by the time she managed to leave the mansion the brothers were long gone.
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Seto wasn’t sure when they got home. He vaguely remember calling someone to come pick them up but the ride back was hidden behind a haze of exhaustion. Truthfully he was glad he was so tired. If he wasn’t then he would have to think about what had happened back there. Wouldn’t have to think about what he had done….what he had become. But that couldn’t have been real could it? People just didn’t turn into monsters….creatures out of legends….did they? Cassandra’s question rang in his head as he stumbled to his bed, hardly ware of Mokuba supporting him. He wasn’t a monster. He wasn’t a monster. There was no way…..with those thoughts in mind, Seto Kaiba drifted off into an exhausted slumber.
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The next morning Mokuba went downstairs to find his brother already eating breakfast. For a few seconds the younger Kaiba hesitated then joined his brother. All through the meal he kept an eye on Seto. Last night he hadn’t been able to sleep well and Mokuba thought that if he had been so tired, exhausted from a combination of nerves and fear, he wouldn’t have been able to sleep because of the nightmares. But now he wanted to talk to his brother and ask him about what had happened.
“Seto?” He asked tentatively as his brother stood up. Seto turned and looked over at him. “Yesterday…what happened to you? How did you do that? What was….”
“I don’t want to talk about it Mokuba!” Seto snapped at his brother causing Mokuba to flinch. The elder Kaiba felt guilt when he saw his brothers reaction and then sighed. “Just don’t mention that to me again, alright? What ever happened back there is over and done with. We don‘t have to thing about it anymore” Mutely Mokuba nodded and watched his brother walk away. Although he wasn’t scared of his brother and firmly believed that there was no way he could be a monster, Mokuba was too smart to dismiss to ignore what had happened yesterday.
And besides….Seto had looked almost scared when he had turned back yesterday and that was something that had Mokuba worried. His brother was not scared of anything or anyone….although Mokuba guessed that what had happened yesterday was enough of freak out the strongest person. As the younger Kaiba watched his brother exit the room he wondered how he could get his brother to talk to him. Although he couldn’t say way, Mokuba felt that ignoring what had happened yesterday was a very bad idea.
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A little over a week after they had returned from the mansion, Seto was working at home. He noted the sound of the door opening but didn’t say anything until Mokuba’s voice entered his ears.
“Uhhh….Big brother?” Seto looked up from his work. His younger brother was standing in the doorway to the office, on hand still on the door handle.
“Mokuba, what did you do now?” He asked. The only time Mokuba’s voice was that hesitant was when he had done something he wasn’t sure his older brother would approve of.
“I didn’t do anything exactly…..it’s just that….” Before Mokuba could finish his sentence something white poked it’s head around the doorframe and stared into the room.
“What is that thing?” The white thing, Seto realized it was a large dog of some kind, laid it’s ears back at the harsh tones and moved closer to Mokuba.
“Well….it followed me home.”
“Followed you home?” If it had been anyone else that had said that then Seto would have snorted and told them to get rid of the beast. But Mokuba wasn’t known to lie…least of all to him. “It followed you home for no reason at all?” Seto was trying to keep the sarcasm out of his voice although it was hard. The excuse had just sounded so clichéd. If his younger brother noticed anything odd in his voice he ignored it and nodded instead.
“He was wandering around by the park a couple of days ago when he saw me and he just started to follow me. I’ve tried to get him to go away but every time I go out the main gate he’s there waiting for me. I don’t think that he has anywhere else to go Seto.” Mokuba looked up at his elder brother pleadingly. “So can I keep him, Seto? I don’ want to leave him alone.” For several seconds Seto’s gaze switched from his brother to the dog and back again. It’s not like it would be a problem to keep a dog in the house, he didn’t like them very much. They reminded him to much of that human mutt that followed Yugi around….but then again this was Mokuba asking and his little brother rarely asked him for something….. And he did owe Mokuba for letting Reaper lay his filthy hands on him so…
“Alright, you can keep him, but you’re the one taking care of him. Just keep it out of my way.” He turned his attention back to his work. “And the first time that thing chews up the furniture or makes a mess, it’s gone.”
“Alright. Thank you Seto.” Mokuba said happily. “Come on Blanca.” As the dog followed it’s new master out of his office, Seto wondered why Mokuba had chosen that name. Then he pushed to the back of his mind and promptly forgot about it.
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Over the last week Seto had gotten used to the sight of the mutt following his brother around the house. At some point in the first few days after it’s arrival Mokuba apparently bought it a spiked collar and although Seto thought it looked ridiculous and even the dog itself didn’t seem to happy about it, he didn’t say anything. After all it was his fault that Mokuba had been put in danger and even though his brother hadn’t said anything about them, Seto knew he was having nightmares. After he had gotten a pet, it must have taken his mind off things since he seemed to sleeping better. That alone was enough for Seto put up with the animal. It seemed to be well behaved too, he hadn’t had any complaints from the staff about it chewing up fortitude or leaving…other…messes behind. He began to wonder if it was really someone’s lost pet and if they should look for its’ owners, but then he dismissed it from his mind. If it was a lost pet then it was it’s former owners fault for failing to take care of it, not is problem. The only thing that made Seto pause was the fact the there was no money from the household account to buy any sort of dog food. Then he though about it and realized that Mokuba was probably just taking his words seriously and using his own allowance to buy food for his pet. Pleased with his brothers responsibly Seto didn’t’ say anything.
Although Seto thought as he drifted off to sleep. maybe I shouldn’t make him do that. It he is showing that he’s that responsible then I guess I should reward him some how.
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When Seto woke up again he wasn’t in his bed anymore. He knew that before he even opened his eyes. The surface he was now laying one was cold and unyielding. Why in the hell am I laying on the floor? Did I roll out of the bed or something? Annoyed and a little embarrassed the millionaire opened sat up, not as he did so the seemed to wearing the clothes he had changed out of before going to bed and then opened his eyes. .He then froze and tried to ignore the panic that had surfaced. Not only was he not in his bed, he wasn’t even in his bedroom anymore! And what was most frightening to him, although he would never let anyone see how scared he was or even admit it to himself, was he knew this place. A courtyard floating I the middle of a grey fog, two doors at either end….this was the place he had first felt the power of the ice. For half a second he was frozen by fear and uncertainty but then his personality reasserted itself.
“I went to bed. This is just a dream brought on by stress.” He muttered half to himself.
“A dream is it?” A voice cackled behind him. “I had forgotten how amusing humans could be.”
“They are very amusing!” Another, strange, voice called. “Humans will do anything to avoid the truth won’t they?”
“Who’s there?” Seto growled and twisted around to see behind him. There was a new addition to his dreamscape. Another door had appeared. It stood on the side of the courtyard opposite the gate he had come in what had previously been empty space. The door itself was unremarkable compared to the other two, it was just a heavy iron affair studded with spikes and free of ornamentation. But hovering on either side of it were four glowing things.
“Oh look, he noticed us at last.” One of the things spoke. It looked vaguely like mask that was shaped like a fish head, only it was glowing blue and hovering several feet off the ground on the right side of the door. As he watched it turned to look at him. Blue fire burned in the holes where a persons eyes would go while the same colored fire seemed to surrounded it. Slowly Seto stood keeping his eyes on the mask.
“So your finally back. What took you so long Harmonixer?” Seto switched gaze to the mask that had just spoken then glared at it. This one was hovering the left side of the door at a higher level than the other one, it looked like a golden mask made to vaguely resemble a bird head. Several long and sharp ornaments decorated the back of the in what looked like a cross between a suns rays and feathers.
“What in the hell are you going on about?” He snapped at it. Seto was getting tired of feeling like people were talking about something that he didn‘t know about, it made him feel stupid. Usual he was the one explaining things to people who were less intelligent than him, and he was finding out he did not like the roll reversal.
“Maybe he doesn’t know how to get to the Graveyard?” Another voice said. This time the speaker was a red mask hovering just under the golden one. It looked like little more than a square with round eyes and two horns sticking up from the top two corners. Halfway down it was split in two and the halves appeared to be held together by little more than the red light that surrounded it, although it appeared to talk just fine.
“So he doesn’t even know how to access something that exits within his on soul!? He can’t be that stupid.” Another glowing mask thing spoke up, this one floating above the blue one who had first spoken to him. It looked like a lion mask surrounded by green fire. Seto growled.
“Look, I don’t care were this is I am not going to be insulted by a bunch of floating masks!” Seto took a step towards the door.
“And what are you planning on doing to us?” The golden one spoke up. “Challenge us in a Shadow Game? That is the only way to be rid of us and if I remember correctly, your record with those is despairing.” A soft growl forced it’s way from the harmonixer’s throat. Although he did not know exactly what had happened to him during those times when the he had been trapped in the darkness, those times had caused dreams that he still woke up in a cold sweat from. He could never remember the nightmares either but for some reason he had the feeling he did not want to remember them and that is what annoyed him. Seto Kaiba was not suppose to be afraid of dreams and nightmares that didn’t exist…..things like that just weren’t suppose to happen right. But then he shoved those thoughts to the back of his mind.
“How in the hell do you know about that!?” He demanded. All of them laughed and then the blue one spoke up.
“You really don’t get it do you boy?” It asked. “We are you, or at least the less tasteful parts of you.”
“What do you mean by that?” Seto growled. The red one chuckled.
“So you don‘t know? We, little Harmonixer, represent your repressed desires. Your fears, your greed, your violent desiers and …..” This time Seto could have sworn you it grinned even wider, if that was at all possible. “your pride.”
“In short, Harmonixer, we are the dark parts of your soul.” The lion mask took over . “The shadows that exist within all humans. That little boy with the millennium puzzle attempted to drive us out. He did manage to diminish are power, but..”
“But you can’t be rid of part of yourself just like that.” The bird finished. “We show you the truth of your soul. And you, who can’t even accept what you are will never be able to get rid of us!” The masks sent of a course of cackling laughs. Seto twitched, annoyed at all of them.
“Just who do you think you are?” He growled. “Even if this is a dream, I’m not going to stand here and be insulted by a bunch of party masks. Shut up now!”
“Why don’t you make us?” The blue mask suggested.
“Unless your to scared too.” The red mask added. Seto didn’t say anything. He just started forward. This was his dream ands he was not going to be insulted. He would teach these things what it meant to challenge Seto Kaiba. Seto took a step forward.
“STOP!” The voice rang through the area and Seto froze involuntarily. He growled and looked back over his shoulder to see who had dared to interpret him. Standing behind him breathing heavily was a familiar large white shape. Seto blinked when he saw Blanca then raised an eyebrow at Blanca before h turned back around. The sight of his brothers dog confirmed that this was all just some realistic, idiotic, dream. He had even been thinking about the dog right before he fell asleep.
“You do not want to fight them now.” It was the same voice that shouted a few minuets before. This time Seto whipped around to stare around the landscape. He saw no one save for Blanca. Almost as if reading the disbelieving thoughts that flowed through his mind, the dog raised its paw.
“Down here.” He said. The sight of a talking dog might have startled before but because this was clearly a dream, Seto just accepted him. The harmonixer turned around.
“Your not listening to me are you?” There was a click of nails on stone and then a white blur past his legs and then stopped on the path right in front of him. Blanca looked back at the masks and then back at Seto.
“I told you to stop.” Was all the dog said.
“What in the hell are you doing?” Seto snapped. Blanca looked at him impassively.
“Stopping you from making a very bad mistake. Your challenge something you have no idea of the power of.” Having heard all of that before, Seto shrugged him off.
“I don’t care.” Seto growled and was promptly ignored. Blanca had shifted so that he could see both Seto and the Masks at the same time.
“They are the Grail, Sword, Staff and Golden masks.” He said as if Seto hadn’t said anything. At each name Blanca would glance at one of them. Blue, Gold, Red and Green all seemed to glare as Blanca listed their names. “They are the formed from malice, from negative energy and they exist within all humans.” Blanca glared back at the masks. “Since you however are a harmonixer, they can take a much more active and deadly role.”
“Please don’t tell me that your going to start spouting the harmonixer nonsense.” Seto snorted, then turned back toward the masks.
“What are you doing?”
“What does it look like? I don’t care what those masks or whatever you called them are. I am not going to let them disrespect me.”
“Don’t.” Blanca’s reply was said so forcefully that even Seto stopped for a second. “I don’t care what they have done to you. Do not fight them. They are not something you can defeat like that.”
“I’m suppose to do what then? Sit here and let them insult me?” The millionaire asked.
“So your actually listening to their taunts and responding to them like a weak willed child?” Blanca snorted. “I thought you would be stronger than that.”
“What!?” Seto glared at the dog. “Weak willed!?” Suddenly the millionaire was furious. No one, not even his enemies had called him that before. That his dog would dare say that he was weak willed when he had found home for Mokuba and himself, had drove though the changes in policy for the Kaiba Corporation and reshaped all though his own will was infuriating to him.
“Yes, weak willed. Your listening to the masks and doing exactly what they want you to do.” Blanca glared at them. “They want your soul Seto, but they can’t take it unless you let them. The masks sole purpose for existing is to break humans. They can’t move in the real world and they have to make you come to them. So they sit there, taunting you, saying the words that the know will make you enraged so that they can take you.” Blanca turned and looked at him. “A truly strong person can ignore their teasing and walk away. But if you want to act like a child then go ahead, challenge them. As you are now they will defeat you.”
“Defeat me? You don’t know how many of my enemies have tried dog. I don’t run away from anything or anyone.” Seto snapped at him.
“Who said anything about running away?” Blanca stretched and glanced at Seto. “I just said you should ignore the masks.” The dog cocked his head as he studied the masks. “I won’t stop you if you want to challenge them, although that their will is stronger than you own.”
“What!?” Ignoring Seto’s outburst the dog turned and began to walk away.
“If you want your question answered than follow me, If not than stay here and argue with them. It’s your choice.” With that Blanca walked over to the heavens door. As it opened the dog gave him one last glance then went through.
“What are you going to do?” One of the masks called from behind him. “Fight us, or run away like your doggy friend did with your tail between your legs.” Seto started to respond but then Blanca’s words rang though his mind and he realized that like Pegasus, they were trying to goad him into responding. Annoyed with himself for not realizing it sooner he turned and glared at them.
“Shut the hell up.” He growled and after half a seconds hesitation went through the Heavens door.
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Inside was and exact duplica of the what was through Hells Door, an open space surround by three doors with different symbols on them. Seated in the middle of the open space was Blanca.
“Seto you are a harmonixer and as the masks said, your life is not going to be easy.” He said as soon as Seto came through the door.
“My life has never been easy.” Seto snapped. “Now tell me what a harmonixer is mutt. I’ve been called that by Reaper, those masks, and now you. Tell me what you think I am!”
“ I‘m not a mutt, I‘m a full blooded wolf and I don’t like to be insulted.” The wolf grumbled then looked up at Seto. After seeing that there would be no apology forth coming he sighed.. “To answer your question….in the most simple terms a Harmonixer is some who can fuse with various spirits to take one their form and powers.”
“That’s it!” Seto glared at the dog. “Both you and Reaper seem to be under the delusion that I’m some type of Duel Monster or something. What makes you think I can!?”
“You already have, haven’t you?” Was the calm reply. Seto stared flashes of the two times he had transformed running though his mind. “I don’t’ know much about your card game or what it means there” Blanca continued. “But I do know that you are a Harmonixer. And a very special one too. You have more than one fusion soul available to you.”
“Fusion Soul?”
“The monster spirits that you are able to fuse with” Was the impatient reply. “Most Harmonixers are born with ability to control only one fusioin soul. You however can control many.”
“It’s nice the at you know exactly what I’m capable of. How do I get this
“Look around you” Blanca nodded to the various doors. “Each of these represent a spirit that was sealed in your soul. You’ve already unlocked one, but if I remember right there should be more spirits through the door of heaven..”
“So basically your saying that I have a bunch monsters running around inside my head. And I haven’t heard of this before now because….?”
“They aren’t running around in your soul. They are sealed up until you choose to release them and gain their power. A harmonixers‘ power is primarily ruled by emotions, so unless you have a sudden breakdown, the power from the fusion souls will only answer when you wanted.”
“Until I choose to release them? So I get to deiced if I want to use them or not, and I can just leave them here and pretend that no of this every happened.”
“Well I guess…” Blanca said uncertainly. The wolf really didn’t like the direction the discussion was taking.
“So I don’t have to be a harmonixer unless I want to?”
“Yes, if that’s really what you want.” Blanca looked up and meet Seto’s eyes. “And is that really what you want?” For a second the harmonixer hesitated. Then he glared at the wolf, and seemed to draw himself up higher.
“Listen mutt,I don’t like the fact that you and just about everyone I’ve had the misfortune to run into lately has suddenly deiced that they are going to tell me exactly what I am and what I’m suppose to be doing, I was getting along perfectly fine before all this shit happened and I will continue to do so. I don’t need some deluded psycopath and a talking dog to tell how to run my life! I’ll track down that bastard Tucker and that nutcase Reaper, and then this whole thing will be over and I can get back to my life!”
“So you’ll ignore everything that you have just learned and chase after an enemy that you have no hope of defeating?” Blanca snarled. “For some said to be so smart you are acting very stupid.” Seto bristled at the wolfs tone.
“Look wolf I don’t care if this is a dream or even if this is somewhere in my soul, either way means I don’t have to hang around here.” Seto turned to leave but was stopped by streak of white that ran past him and planted itself in front of the door. “Out of my way mutt.”
“Make me.” Blanca growled. “I will not let you through until you realize the full implications of what you are trying to do. If you want to leave you will have to go through me.” Seto laughed.
“I’m not scared of the big bad wolf. Now move!” He took a step toward the door and Blanca charged. One second the wolf was standing in front of the door, the next he was lunging towards him. Seto brought his arm up instinctively but Blanca hadn’t been aiming for his through. Instead he hit the millionaires’ chest hard enough to knock almost all the air out of him, then jumped off his chest as he hit the ground. For a second Seto lay their staring up into grey mist. Although he wouldn’t admit it, even to himself , he was scared. Up until now it had been easy to pretend this was all a crazy dream but this….you couldn’t have the air knock out of you and feel pain in dreams could you?
Shaking his head slightly Seto rolled onto his stomach and stood up shakily, still struggling to get air into his laboring lungs. Blanca had returned to his position in front of door. Seto glared at the wolf and wished he had some sort of weapon with him. Blanca just kept staring at him, then charged again. Seto tried to dodge the wolfs initial assault but he wasn’t fast enough. A quick nip on his wrist caused a cut that bleed sluggishly, and the canine managed to turn as he landed and launched himself back at Seto. Several more attacks latter Seto had several mores small wounds, and though they stung he knew they weren’t serious.
Damn dog! Seto thought to himself. He knew that wolfs jaws were powerful enough to crack bone, and that the white one in front of him had been holding back. That stung Seto‘s pride. He was not used to
being underestimated. Even though the wolf had several wounds from Seto’s attacks they were nothing compared to the bleeding wounds the wolf had inflicted on him. For several seconds they paused both glaring at each other. Then suddenly the wolf shifted slightly as he prepared to attack and Seto realized that he was finally able to read the canines attack pattern. As Blanca launched his attack Seto shifted and lashed as Blanca was in midair, catching the wolf in mid-air. His kick launched Blanca away from him and the wolf hit he ground hard. Seto froze and sat in a crouch panting for several seconds.
When Blanca didn’t get up Seto snorted and started to walk toward the door. He was almost there when he heard a voice behind him.
“Stop.” Blanca growled as he struggled to his feet. The millionaire snorted.
“And just how are you going to stop me?” He sneered in the wolfs direction. “You can barely stand, mutt.” Instead of answering the wolf glared at him and barked two words. Immediately the ground under Seto’s feet exploded, hurling him sideways.
Seto scrambled to his feet almost immediately, wincing as the pain of the initial explosion and subsequent impact rippled though him. He turned to glare at the wolf just as Blanca threw back his head and howled. It was different from anything Seto had ever heard before, it made the hair stand up on the back of his neck. He didn’t just hear that howl, he felt it in his bones. It almost felt as if that howl was calling out to something. Then, in response to the call, soft lights appeared in the air around the wolf. The began to fall, like glowing snow flakes, on to Blanca’s wounds. Ever time a light touched a wound there was a flash and the wound would vanish. Seto could do nothing but stand and stare as all of the wolf injuries vanished one by one.
“What in the world?” He stammered as Blanca turned golden gaze back on the him. For a brief second Seto was mad, both at himself and at Blanca. While a very small part of him was yammering that it was unfair, he hadn’t known that Blanca could do that and the wolf was cheating, most of his mind was logically analyzing it and wonder why he hadn’t assumed the wolf could do something like. Still….
I am going to beat some sense into this mutt. I’ve faced wolves before, the only difference is that the ones I had to deal with walked on two legs instead of four. I know I can defeat him and I will! As soon as that thought entered the Harmonixers mind a familiar wave of cold touched his consciousness. It promised him power, strength, everything he need to defeat this wolf, if only he would give into it. Seto nearly did…but then the memories of the mansion surfaced. Memories of scaled hands and power….but also ones of accusations and the shocked looked in his brothers eyes. Immediately Seto shoved the cold back, forcing back into the far corners of his mind. He ignored the fear that went with it and tried to pretend that he had not felt the cold at all. He was not harmonixer, not a monster like Blanca and everyone else seemed to think he was.
Seto internal struggled lasted less than as second. That was all Blanca need to throw back his head and howl one more. This howl was very different from the last howl, it was stronger, louder and some how very, very threatening. For a second nothing happened and Seto started to think that whatever Blanca had been trying to do had failed….until a red streak raced past the wolf, and head straight toward him. He tired to move out of the way, but when he dodged he red light followed him. Right before it connect with him, he was able to see a vague dog shape…then it hit and all other thoughts vanished from his mind.
He was cold, colder than the feeling he had gotten when he had transformed into that…..that thing. As if he had suddenly been plunged into ice water and would never be warm again. Accompanying that cold was an intense pain that tore through his body. He had never felt anything like it, the pain didn’t come from anyone area. It was more like something had caused every nerve in his body to scream. The pain and cold lasted only a second or so but that second was an eternity. Just as the pain was fading another red light hit him, and then another and another after that. He was hit eight times, but after the first four he couldn’t stand any longer, he felt his legs give way, and felt his vision start to blur and fade. Seto tried to hold on, tired to force himself back to consciousness but the last light hit him, one that if possible, hurt worse than the others. This time he wasn’t able to resist the pain and felt darkness drag him into unconsciousness….
Only to jerk awake immediately. It was still dark and for half a second Seto was confused…until he realized that he was laying in his bed, in his room. Just a dream. He thought. I let what that bastard Reaper and that woman said get to me. Then the pain hit. It was not nearly as intense as the pain his dream, more of an ache, but like the pain it didn’t come from any one area. It was as all his nerve’s were sore. Alarm rippled through him the he squashed it. It was a dream that was all it had been dream. This was just his reaction to a extremely realistic dream. That was all it could be, all it had to be, right?
“It wasn’t a dream.” A voice said out of the darkness. Seto sat up right, muscles tense, reflexively preparing for another fight. “Relax. It’s jut me.” This time the millionaire realized that the voice sounded familiar. He glared at the large white shape at the foot of his bed.
“How did you get in here?” He snapped at Blanca. “And why in the hell are you on my bed?”
“I opened the door.” the wolf said as he yawned. “It’s harder to do without hands though. And I’m up here because I knew that the only way to convince you that of that I was telling to truth was to show it to you.” Blanca stood up and jumped to the floor.
“And since the easiest place to do that would be in your graveyard, I had to figure how to get you there. The only option was to approach you while you were asleep. Any other time and your soul would have resisted me.”
“My soul? Just what are you trying to do to me.” Seto threw the covers off and stood up. A shock of pain went up and down his body, but he choose to ignore it.
“Trying to get it through your skull that you won’t be able to deal with Reaper as you are now!”
“I said it before, it don’t’ need any help!” Seto took a step toward the wolf, then wince as his body sore body protested the movement. “I can deal with him on my own!” In his mind Seto wondered if this was just another dream…but it felt to realistic for that…but it hadn’t to be one, didn’t it?
“No you can’t!” Blanca roared back at him. “You couldn’t even stand up to me.” That caused Seto to stop. The wolf glared at him. “I was rougher on you than I should have been but seemed to the only way for you to realize you own weakness!”
“I don’t need to hear this from a talking dog!” Seto yelled. “I’ve been taking care of both myself and Mokuba before you were probably even born you stupid mutt, and furthermore I don’t’ care what kind of stupid tricks you pull. If you don’t shut up then I will make you.”
“Like you tried to do before?” Blanca mocked. Seto snarled but the wolf shook his head before the young man could attack.
“Why didn’t you transform when you attacked me? You would have stood a much better chance if you had.” Seto paused the memory of ice and power flooding through him. He forced it to the back of his mind. He looked up and meet golden eyes that bored into his own.
“I told you, I’m not a Duel Monster. I can’t fuse or transform or what ever it is you think I can do!”
“You already have Seto. I know it. That was why the graveyard is active right now. You’re the one that woke it up.”
“I told you to shut up! I’m not some sort of monster!”
“Who said you were?” Blanca asked then tilted his head quizzically. “Are you scared?”
“No way in hell!” Seto snarled. “I am not scared of anything, let alone something that can’t possible be true!” Blanca sighed.
“I know Harmonixers are supposed to have strong wills but this is ridiculous!” Blanca muttered under his breath, the sighed.
“I can’t force you into this so I won’t event try.” He told the millionaire.
“About time you realized that…!” Seto growled.
“But I hope you realized what’s going on here.” Blanca raised his golden eyes and caught Seto’s red ones once again. “Reaper has taken in many lives in pursuit of his goals and he won’t balk at adding Mokuba’s to that number. I will protect him as best I can but in all truth, I can’t stand up to Reaper on my own. Think about that Seto.” The wolf turned and started to toward the door. Right before he exited he paused and looked back at the harmonixer.
“Oh and Seto” He said. “I was fighting during World War I.” As he left the wolf called back. “Please listen to your elders this one time, Seto.” Seto scowled then turned and climbed back in bed. For him the rest of the night would be a restless sleep filled with nightmares.
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I am really, really, really sorry for making everyone wait so long. I really have absolutely no excuses. I had this three quarters written by the time the family vacation I was on was over. Then I promptly forgot about it. Hehe.
I did want to have this up for Christmas but I got writers block on the scene between the masks and Blanca. This was originally suppose to be shorter but Seto insisted on arguing about everything, so it go a lot longer. The only scene that actually go shorter was the one were Blanca is ‘adopted’ by Mokuba. Originally Seto was going to make a bigger fuss about it but then I realized something: Even if Seto really isn’t that fond of dogs (I see him as more of a cat person ) I doubt he would really care as long as the dog didn’t get in his way. After all they can afford to have one and Mokuba given the responsibilities that Seto has given Mokuba before I doubt that would be an issue.
Next chapter will be up a lot faster, promise!
Please Read and Review.
--Plantress
P.S.: How in character is Seto? I’ve been trying to keep him character but I’m really not sure how well I’m doing. I haven’t have any complaints but I want to know how I’m doing.