Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ The Crow: Armageddon ❯ Mask of Darkness ( Chapter 1 )
[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]
By: The Wolf Demon 
Anime/Manga: Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Action / Horror / Adventure | Type: Crossover | Uploaded On: 04.14.2007 | Updated On: 04.14.2007 | Pages: 7 | Words: 5.1K | Visits: 201 | Status: Completed
Anime/Manga: Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Action / Horror / Adventure | Type: Crossover | Uploaded On: 04.14.2007 | Updated On: 04.14.2007 | Pages: 7 | Words: 5.1K | Visits: 201 | Status: Completed
The Crow: Armageddon By The Wolf God and Kokuryu
Disclaimer: The Crow, Yu-Gi-Oh, and Teen Titans are owned by James O'Barr, Kazuki Takahashi and Shonen Jump, Warner Bros., DC comics, and Cartoon Network.
Author's note: This is the final chapter of the Yu-Gi-Oh/Teen Titans trilogy. The Crow, the Black Robin, and the Teen Titans have fought against super-human soldiers, demons, and fallen angels. Now, they face their most dangerous and deadliest challenge ever: an evil cult of satanists hell bent on universal domination. Plus, The Crow and The Black Robin face their destinies. Let the final battle between good and evil begin!
"It is not in the stars to hold our destiny but in ourselves"
-William Shakespeare.
"We're falling throughout eternity
The clock is ticking and your still counting sheep
You're still half asleep
There's no one coming ( There's no one coming)
And there's no way out ( And there's no way out )
I've been falling ( Well I've been falling )
And it's so far down
Shrouded beneath a veil of tragedy
When death comes calling
Who will you believe?
Tell me who will you believe
When it's down to you and me
Will you still stay on your knees?
Who will you believe?
When it's down to you and me
There's no one coming ( There's no one coming)
And there's no way out ( And there's no way out )
I've been falling ( Well I've been falling )
And it's so far down ( And it's so far down )
There's no one coming ( There's no one coming)
And there's no way out
There's no way out
No way out
Pushing me down, breaking me down
There's always something pushing me down, breaking me down
Pushing me down, breaking me down
There's always something pushing you down, breaking me down
Pushing me down,breaking me down
There's always something pushing you down, breaking me down
Pushing me down, breaking me down
There's always something pushing you back, pushing you back
Rise
I'm pushing you back, I'm pushing you back, rise
I'm pushing you back, I'm pushing you back, rise
I'm pushing you back, I'm pushing you back
There's no one coming
And there's no way out
Well I've been falling
And it's a long way down
Down"
Motograter-"Down"
Chapter 1:
Mask of Darkness
Yugi rode his motorcycle through the streets of Domino, he was searching for a drug lord named Bane. For the past four months, Bane distributed this drug called "Venom" throughout the city. Every criminal who bought this drug was pumped up with artificial muscle. That made them even stronger and the police couldn't even hope to fight them. Problem was, the drug was addictive and the criminals would have to return to Bane periodically to buy more Venom. Plus, Venom was the same chemical used to make Bane into the man he was today. What the police didn't know was The Crow had aided them to find the warehouses that manufactured the drug.
The makers of the Venom chemical were arrested but Bane was no where to be found. The cops thought the Venom-enhanced mobster fled the country but The Crow thought otherwise. Yami thought Bane was still in town somewhere selling his drugs to criminals. Yugi saw a man with big bulging muscles robbing a closed video game shop. The thief walked out of the giant hole he created in the concrete wall. He carried a bag filled with video games and cash. The Crow parked his hog across the street from the video game shop.
"Man, tonight's my lucky night! I can't wait to go home and play all these X-box games," The robber said.
"Going somewhere, dude?" Yami asked while he stepped off the Harley.
"It's a little early for Halloween, ya painted up bitch," The thief replied.
"Don't worry. Every day is Halloween where you're going," Yugi said.
"That's it! You're dead, shitface!" The thief screamed.
The muscle-bound thief dropped his bag of X-box games and money. He charged at Yugi but he stopped the robber with his left hand then smashed him in the face with his right hand. The robber crashed through the glass window of the video game shop. Yugi hopped into the shop through the broken window then attacked the thief. Yugi grabbed the thief by the shirt and threw him from wall to wall. Yugi dragged the robber by his hair then slammed his head into the glass display case, blood oozed down the robber's face. The Crow threw him to a book shelf filled with strategy guide books. The thief crashed onto the book shelf as he groaned in pain.
"Tell me where Bane is, now!" The Crow demanded as he held the thief by the collar of his shirt.
"I ain't telling you nothing, you retarded mime," The robber replied.
"You better talk or I'll tear you from groin to gullet," Yugi said pulling out a shiv from his trench coat pocket.
"Do you think a shiv will scare me, man?" The thief asked.
"We'll see about that," Yami said as he knocked the thief out with the shiv's handle.
The thief regained conscious sometime later only to find himself in a darkened room of an old steel mill. He was tied upside down by rusted chains.
"Where the fuck am I?" The robber asked himself.
"In my personal corner of hell," Yami Yugi replied, his blackened lips curled into an evil smirk.
"What the fuck do you want from me?" The thief asked with fear in his voice.
"Information," Yami replied. "Where does Bane operate from?"
"I dunno, I swear!" The robber screamed.
"You buy his damn drugs," Yugi stated coldly. "I'd imagine you have some idea where he is."
The thief sweated profusely, not from the heat of the molten steel but from the fear of The Crow. The chains swung slowly as the robber started to panic.
"What are you gonna do to me?" The robber asked.
"I don't know," Yugi replied. "I was thinking that I might drop you in that molten steel. The smell of burning flesh is rather unpleasant, although it's an acquired taste."
"No! Please, don't do it," The robber begged.
"Will you tell me where Bane is now?" Yugi asked.
"No!" The thief yelled.
"Prepare to die," Yami snarled and began lowering the thief into the molten steel.
"Please! Don't kill me!" The robber screamed at the top of his lungs.
"Are you going to tell me, or do I have to drop you?" Yami asked.
"All right, I'll talk," said The thief.
"Good," Yami replied and stopped the thief right where he was, just inches above the molten steel. "Where does he operate from?"
"He's selling his drugs at Domino Harbor," The robber replied.
"Thank you," Yugi sneered. He pulled the thief up and threw him to the ground. "You get to keep your miserable life. Put it to better use than this."
"Yes, sir," The thief said then left the steel mill.
"Now to take down Bane," Yugi said, and returned to his Harley. He started the motorcycle and drove down to Domino Harbor.
(Domino Harbor)
The Crow arrived at Domino Harbor around twenty minutes later. The harbor was like something out of an H.P. Lovecraft novel, surrounded by thick fog with seagulls flying in the air searching for garbage to eat and sounds of a bell ringing in the distance. The darkness would frighten many people. But Yugi Muto was not many people. He was Yami Yugi, The Crow. His very name carried the power of darkness with it. Yugi searched through the harbor to find Bane, that is until he heard a voice.
"So you are the vigilante they call The Crow," a South American-accented voice said.
Yugi turned around and confronted a tall, extremely muscular man dressed in a black tank top, black pants, a black mask, and a spiked collar. The metal cuff with the thin tube connecting his head to the cuff didn't escape his notice, either.
"Are you the one called Bane?" The Crow asked.
"Yes, I am Bane," The muscular masked man replied.
"What brings you to Domino?" Yugi asked coldly.
"Profit," Bane replied casually, as if he was just replying to someone asking him how he was doing. "Not much to be found if a vigilante who dresses like a bat keeps interfering with your business. So I came here to...start over."
"It ends here, Bane!" Yugi declared. "I won't let you sell your drugs in my city."
"Your city?" Bane asked, amused. He chuckled, a chuckle that grew into a full-blown laugh. "You and Batman are so very alike in this regard. You think the cities you protect belong to you and therefore you get to make all the rules. I will teach you otherwise."
He pressed the button on his cuff, pumping the Venom into his body to increase his strength. Bane cackled as his muscles buldged and veins popped out from his arms and neck.
"Prepare to die," Bane said while slamming his beefy fist into his left hand.
"I'm already dead but bring it on," The Crow replied while cracking his neck.
Bane charged at Yugi but Yugi flipped over Bane's shoulder and landed on his feet. He withdrew his Desert Eagles from his trenchcoat pockets and fired at Bane but to no avail.
"Ha! My muscles are so strong that even bullets cannot penetrate my skin now," Bane said.
Yugi became suprised upon seeing what happened. 'Holy shit! My bullets didn't even make a flesh wound on his body. His body is like armor with the Venom in his system.'
Bane backhanded The Crow in the face which sent the undead anti-hero flying to a pile of crates. That didn't deter Yugi, as he couldn't feel pain. He just got up and delivered a vicious spin-kick to Bane's midsection. Bane stumbled backwards as Yugi delivered a volley of punches to Bane's midsection. Bane managed to block one of Yugi's incoming fists and lifted him off his feet by his right hand, Bane rammed his knee into Yugi's ribs then tossed him across the harbor. Yugi crashed to the ground, he tried to get up but Bane grabbed Yugi off the ground by his head and slammed him through a harbor shop. Bane pulled Yugi's head out of the shop's wall and threw him to the squared dock. As Yami got up, Bane continued his beating on Yami. Bane was now ready to finish The Crow off, he grabbed the uber anti-hero and raised him over his head with his left leg bent downard.
"Now, I will break you!" Bane declared then smashed Yugi over his knee.
Bane shoved Yami Yugi slowly off his knee then said, "It was fun playing with you and all but unfortunately, I have some work to do. I have customers waiting to buy my Venom."
Bane walked from the dock while The Crow lied unconscious from the beating he took. When Bane was about to reach the exit, a voice yelled, "Bane!" Bane turned around to see Yugi standing on his two feet then gave the teenage vigilante a devilish smirk.
"You certainly are a glutton for punishment," Bane said. "So I'm gonna pound you six feet under!"
"I've been there. Not a very pleasant place," Yugi replied.
"I'll send you back there, then!" Bane threatened and charged at Yugi.
"I don't think so," Yugi mumbled under his breath and drew one of his handguns.
He jumped out of Bane's way when the Venom-enhanced criminal tried to punch his head in and shot the tube connecting his metal cuff to his head. Bane started to spasm in agony as the Venom was depleted from his body. Bane let out a howl of pain then collasped to the ground. The Venom drug oozed from the broken plastic tube as Yugi said, "Without your Venom, you're nothing."
As Yugi hopped on his Harley-Davidson motorcycle and left the harbor, the puddle of Venom on the ground formed into the mark of the crow.
(Outside of Heaven's Night)
Tea was standing outside of Heaven's Night for almost fifteen minutes and was getting a little bit angry because Yugi was late. Tea wore a sleeveless yellow shirt trimmed in black, red skirt, dark beige boots, and a silver necklace. She wanted to look beautiful for Yugi when he showed up. Tea had been waiting for the past couple of weeks to spend some time with him.
'It's been almost fifteen minutes and Yugi hasn't showed up. I know Yugi has to protect the city but I've been waiting to go out on a date with him for weeks,' Tea thought. 'I'll just give him five minutes more then I'll leave.'
She looked around, hoping to see Yugi, but instead she saw a pair of headlights coming by. At first she dismissed them, but as the headlights came closer, she saw a car coming toward her. The car stopped, all four car doors opened and four figures dressed in dark purple robes emerged. Tea looked at the robed figures with suspicion as they walked toward her.
"Excuse me, are you Tea Gardner?" One of the robed figures asked.
"Uh, yes. What do you want?" Tea asked.
"You," One of the robed figures replied.
"Stay away from me!" Tea exclaimed.
"Get her!" One of the robed men ordered.
The robed men advanced toward Tea but they didn't count on her knowing martial arts. Tea delivered a round house kick to one of the robed figures then delivered a karate chop to the neck of another robed figure.
"My boyfriend's a blackbelt," Tea said, getting into a defense pose.
While three of the robed figures were getting their asses kicked, the tall robed man pulled out a bottle of chloroform and a clean white rag from somewhere in his robe. He opened up the bottle and poured its contents into the white rag. He snuck behind Tea and placed the chloroform soaked rag over the young girl's nose and mouth.
"Don't worry, it'll all be over soon," said the robed man.
Tea let out a muffled scream as she struggled in the robed man's arms but the fumes of the chloroform already took its effect. Tea thrashed about to get free from her captor's arms but she went limp thanks to the chloroform.
"Get her in the god damn car," One of the robed figures ordered. "Let's head back to Gotham City, Master Marik has some plans for this sexy little thing here."
The four robed figures along with an unconscious Tea got into the car and drove to the airport. After arriving at the airport, the four robed men carried Tea and boarded on their private dark purple jet. Two of the robed men sat in the cockpit of the jet while the other two robed men watched over Tea. The pilot and co-pilot flipped a few switches and the jet's engines roared to life. The jet moved through the runway and took off into the sky. The wheels bent themselves into the bottom of the jet as it left the Domino skies for Gotham City. Meanwhile, Yugi zoomed down the highway toward Heaven's Night. He looked through his bird's eyes to check to see if Tea was waiting for him at the club but his beautiful girlfriend was nowhere to be seen.
'That's funny, Tea is not here,' Yami Yugi mentally said. 'I should go find her once I get to the Heaven's Night club.'
When Yugi arrived at Heaven's Night, he began to search for her. He yelled out Tea's name but got no response. Yugi continued to look around for his beloved until a sense of dread crept into his mind. A flashback of what happened to Tea played itself into Yugi's mind. In the flashback, Tea stood outside of Heaven's Night door when a car pulled up beside her. Four robed men emerged from the car and advanced toward Tea but she fought off her would be attackers valiantly. The tallest robed man snuck behind Tea with a chloroform soaked rag and knocked her out.
"Get her in the god damn car! Let's head back to Gotham City, Master Marik has some plans for this sexy little thing here," One of the robed figures said then the flashback ended.
"No, Tea! No!" The Crow screamed.
(Joey's house)
Mai was discussing plans with a wedding planner for her and Joey's upcoming wedding while Joey sat on the chair, bored as hell. As the wedding planner pointed out a few outlines where the friends and the relatives will be sitting and where the wedding party will be standing at the alter, Joey had lost it.
"Boring," Joey said in a monotone voice.
"Joey, will you quit acting like a big baby?" Mai asked. "I'm discussing plans for our wedding!"
"Oh, come on, Mai! Dis is stupid," Joey replied. "All dis god damn weddin' plannin' is puttin' me to sleep."
"What your mouth, Joey," Mai said.
The wedding planner giggled while Joey and Mai argued over the wedding plans but it was time for her to leave. She said good-bye to Mai and Joey and left.
"Thanks a lot, Joey!" Mai yelled.
"What did I do?" Joey asked.
"You wouldn't shut up, that's what," Mai replied.
"I'm sorry, Mai," Joey said. "It's just dat...gettin' married is such a big step and all."
"I know, Joey," Mai replied with sympathy. "I just spoke with your mom about our wedding and she said she would love to come and watch her son marry the most beautiful woman in the world. She was even nice enough to give me her old wedding dress."
"No way, Mai!" Joey exclaimed.
"What?" Mai asked.
"She ain't comin' to the weddin'," Joey said.
"Give me a good reason why, Joey Wheeler!" Mai exclaimed.
"When I was a kid, she and my old man went through a divorce," Joey explained. "Pops took custody of me and Mom took custody of Serenity and ever since that day, I hated her."
"Don't you think it's time you mended fences with your mother?" asked Mai.
"Aside from you, there are only a few people in this world I truly love," Joey replied. "And my mother took one of them away from me. We were so close, and Mom just ripped us apart like paper."
"It's not healthy to be so angry and resentful toward one person, Joey," Mai said.
"Oh, I don't just resent her," Joey amended. "I resent Pops, too, the drunken bastard."
"What was he like?" Mai asked.
"Wasted every freakin' cent he earned on somethin' alcoholic," Joey replied. "Barely paid me any attention and when he did, it was to insult me."
"I'm sorry to have heard that," Mai said. "I don't know about your father but I do want her to be there at the wedding and for you make amends with her."
"I'll think bout it, all right?" Joey asked.
Joey and Mai heard a knock on the door. Mai walked to the door and opened it to see Yugi disheveled from his fight with Bane.
"What the fuck happened to you, Yugi? You look like you were in a fight," Mai said.
"I was," Yugi replied. "With Bane."
"Who's Bane?" Joey asked.
"A criminal who was selling other criminals Venom, an advanced steroid that grants users superhuman strength," Yugi replied. "The same stuff that was used on him as an experiment and that's how he became what he is now."
"What happened to him now?" Mai asked.
"I beat the shit out of him," Yugi replied. "He may be strong as me or even stronger with the Venom in his system, but I cut off his supply and he's weak as a fucking newborn kitten."
"Ain't ya supposed to be with Tea right now, Yuge?" askd Joey.
"I'm afraid she's been kidnapped, Joey," Yugi replied sadly.
"You know who took her?" Mai asked.
"No," Yugi replied. "But I knew her kidnappers wore dark purple robes."
"Where did those robed freaks go after they kidnapped Tea?" Joey asked.
"Gotham City," Yami Yugi said.
"Gotham City? Home of the Batman?" Joey asked with excitement.
"Yes. I must go to Gotham to find Tea," Yugi said.
"Hot damn! Mai, pack your bags, 'cause we're headin' to Gotham!" Joey cried out.
"No, Joey. You're not going anywhere," Yugi said.
"What? What do ya mean I'm not goin'?" Joey asked.
"It's for your own safety, Joey," The Crow stated. "I don't want any of you getting hurt while I'm searching for Tea."
"No way, Yuge!" Joey exclaimed. "I'm not gonna leave my best buddy to deal with those thugs by himself! They're just punks with robes; how tough could they be?"
"You're staying put," Yami said, his violet eyes hard. "I'm going to handle this alone. Understand?"
"Ok, ok, Yuge," Joey conceded.
"Thanks," Yugi said, sighing with relief. "I just...don't want you getting hurt."
"What's going on to make you wanna keep us out?" Mai asked.
"I sensed a darker power behind all this," Yugi replied.
"Like Memnon?" Joey asked.
"No," Yami Yugi contradicted. "Far worse than him."
"Then who?" Mai asked.
"I don't know," Yugi admitted. "In order to find out, I must go to Gotham City."
"Just come back in time for our wedding," Mai said.
"You're getting married?" Yugi asked.
"Yeah, we sure are," Joey replied.
Yugi smiled. "Hopefully, you two will be happy together."
"Thanks, Yuge," Joey said.
"I should go now. Tell Tristen and Serenity I said 'good-bye'," Yugi said, opening the front door.
Just as Yugi was about to exit the house, Mai stepped forth and said, "Yugi."
"Yeah, Mai?" Yugi asked.
"I just want to say 'good luck'," Mai said, embracing Yugi and kissing his cheek.
"Thank you, Mai," Yugi said then left the house.
Yami hopped on his Harley-Davidson motorcycle and drove from the Wheeler residence. When Yugi arrived at his home/game shop, he went to his room and began packing his stuff. After packing his clothes into his suitcase, Yugi walked down the stairs to the game shop and phoned a taxi. When the taxi stopped at the gameshop, Yami placed his suitcase into the trunk of the cab and told the cabbie to drive him to the airport. After listening to hours of AM radio commentary and the cab driver's life story, Yugi arrived at the airport. Yugi paid the taxi driver and proceeded into the airport. He went up to the front desk and paid for his airline ticket. Yugi walked through the terminal toward the plane that would leave for Gotham and sat down near a window.
"Flight 207 will leave for Gotham City in ten minutes," a female voice announced.
After everyone sat down in their seats, the plane was ready to take off.
"Flight 207 is now departing," the female voice announced.
Yugi looked out the window to see Domino City for one last time.
'Don't worry, Tea, I will find you. I will make those robed kidnappers pay,' The Crow mentally said.
Yugi leaned back in his seat and drifted off to sleep as the plane departed for Gotham City.
To Be Continued...
"Pick me up
Been bleeding too long
Right here, right now
I'll stop it somehow
I will make it go away
Can't be here no more
Seems this is the only way
I will soon be gone
These feelings will be gone
These feelings will be gone
Now I see the times they change
Leaving doesn't seem so strange
I am hoping I can find
Where to leave my hurt behind
All the shit I seem to take
All alone I seem to break
I have lived the best I can
Does this make me not a man?
Shut me off
I'm ready
Heart stops
I stand alone
Can't be my own
I will make it go away
Can't be here no more
Seems this is the only way
I will soon be gone
These feelings will be gone
These feelings will be gone
Now I see the times they change
Leaving doesn't seem so strange
I am hoping I can find
Where to leave my hurt behind
All the shit I seem to take
All alone I seem to break
I have lived the best I can
Does this make me not a man?
Am I going to leave this place?
What is it I'm running from?
Is there nothing more to come?
(Am I gonna leave this place?)
Is it always black in space?
Am I going take its place?
Am I going to win this race?
(Am I going to leave this race?)
I guess God's up in this place?
What is it that I've become?
Is there something more to come?
(More to come)
Now I see the times they change
Leaving doesn't seem so strange
I am hoping I can find
Where to leave my hurt behind
All the shit I seem to take
All alone I seem to break
I have lived the best I can
Does this make me not a man?"
Korn-"Alone I Break"
That's all for the first chapter of Armageddon. I like to wish my co-writer Kokuryu a happy birthday and dude, this chapter is for you. The Crow is headin' for Gotham to find his beloved Tea but what do the robed men have in store for our anti-hero? So get ready for high octane action in the 2nd chapter of The Crow: Armageddon but until then, happy readin'!
May the wolf spirit guide thee!
Disclaimer: The Crow, Yu-Gi-Oh, and Teen Titans are owned by James O'Barr, Kazuki Takahashi and Shonen Jump, Warner Bros., DC comics, and Cartoon Network.
Author's note: This is the final chapter of the Yu-Gi-Oh/Teen Titans trilogy. The Crow, the Black Robin, and the Teen Titans have fought against super-human soldiers, demons, and fallen angels. Now, they face their most dangerous and deadliest challenge ever: an evil cult of satanists hell bent on universal domination. Plus, The Crow and The Black Robin face their destinies. Let the final battle between good and evil begin!
"It is not in the stars to hold our destiny but in ourselves"
-William Shakespeare.
"We're falling throughout eternity
The clock is ticking and your still counting sheep
You're still half asleep
There's no one coming ( There's no one coming)
And there's no way out ( And there's no way out )
I've been falling ( Well I've been falling )
And it's so far down
Shrouded beneath a veil of tragedy
When death comes calling
Who will you believe?
Tell me who will you believe
When it's down to you and me
Will you still stay on your knees?
Who will you believe?
When it's down to you and me
There's no one coming ( There's no one coming)
And there's no way out ( And there's no way out )
I've been falling ( Well I've been falling )
And it's so far down ( And it's so far down )
There's no one coming ( There's no one coming)
And there's no way out
There's no way out
No way out
Pushing me down, breaking me down
There's always something pushing me down, breaking me down
Pushing me down, breaking me down
There's always something pushing you down, breaking me down
Pushing me down,breaking me down
There's always something pushing you down, breaking me down
Pushing me down, breaking me down
There's always something pushing you back, pushing you back
Rise
I'm pushing you back, I'm pushing you back, rise
I'm pushing you back, I'm pushing you back, rise
I'm pushing you back, I'm pushing you back
There's no one coming
And there's no way out
Well I've been falling
And it's a long way down
Down"
Motograter-"Down"
Chapter 1:
Mask of Darkness
Yugi rode his motorcycle through the streets of Domino, he was searching for a drug lord named Bane. For the past four months, Bane distributed this drug called "Venom" throughout the city. Every criminal who bought this drug was pumped up with artificial muscle. That made them even stronger and the police couldn't even hope to fight them. Problem was, the drug was addictive and the criminals would have to return to Bane periodically to buy more Venom. Plus, Venom was the same chemical used to make Bane into the man he was today. What the police didn't know was The Crow had aided them to find the warehouses that manufactured the drug.
The makers of the Venom chemical were arrested but Bane was no where to be found. The cops thought the Venom-enhanced mobster fled the country but The Crow thought otherwise. Yami thought Bane was still in town somewhere selling his drugs to criminals. Yugi saw a man with big bulging muscles robbing a closed video game shop. The thief walked out of the giant hole he created in the concrete wall. He carried a bag filled with video games and cash. The Crow parked his hog across the street from the video game shop.
"Man, tonight's my lucky night! I can't wait to go home and play all these X-box games," The robber said.
"Going somewhere, dude?" Yami asked while he stepped off the Harley.
"It's a little early for Halloween, ya painted up bitch," The thief replied.
"Don't worry. Every day is Halloween where you're going," Yugi said.
"That's it! You're dead, shitface!" The thief screamed.
The muscle-bound thief dropped his bag of X-box games and money. He charged at Yugi but he stopped the robber with his left hand then smashed him in the face with his right hand. The robber crashed through the glass window of the video game shop. Yugi hopped into the shop through the broken window then attacked the thief. Yugi grabbed the thief by the shirt and threw him from wall to wall. Yugi dragged the robber by his hair then slammed his head into the glass display case, blood oozed down the robber's face. The Crow threw him to a book shelf filled with strategy guide books. The thief crashed onto the book shelf as he groaned in pain.
"Tell me where Bane is, now!" The Crow demanded as he held the thief by the collar of his shirt.
"I ain't telling you nothing, you retarded mime," The robber replied.
"You better talk or I'll tear you from groin to gullet," Yugi said pulling out a shiv from his trench coat pocket.
"Do you think a shiv will scare me, man?" The thief asked.
"We'll see about that," Yami said as he knocked the thief out with the shiv's handle.
The thief regained conscious sometime later only to find himself in a darkened room of an old steel mill. He was tied upside down by rusted chains.
"Where the fuck am I?" The robber asked himself.
"In my personal corner of hell," Yami Yugi replied, his blackened lips curled into an evil smirk.
"What the fuck do you want from me?" The thief asked with fear in his voice.
"Information," Yami replied. "Where does Bane operate from?"
"I dunno, I swear!" The robber screamed.
"You buy his damn drugs," Yugi stated coldly. "I'd imagine you have some idea where he is."
The thief sweated profusely, not from the heat of the molten steel but from the fear of The Crow. The chains swung slowly as the robber started to panic.
"What are you gonna do to me?" The robber asked.
"I don't know," Yugi replied. "I was thinking that I might drop you in that molten steel. The smell of burning flesh is rather unpleasant, although it's an acquired taste."
"No! Please, don't do it," The robber begged.
"Will you tell me where Bane is now?" Yugi asked.
"No!" The thief yelled.
"Prepare to die," Yami snarled and began lowering the thief into the molten steel.
"Please! Don't kill me!" The robber screamed at the top of his lungs.
"Are you going to tell me, or do I have to drop you?" Yami asked.
"All right, I'll talk," said The thief.
"Good," Yami replied and stopped the thief right where he was, just inches above the molten steel. "Where does he operate from?"
"He's selling his drugs at Domino Harbor," The robber replied.
"Thank you," Yugi sneered. He pulled the thief up and threw him to the ground. "You get to keep your miserable life. Put it to better use than this."
"Yes, sir," The thief said then left the steel mill.
"Now to take down Bane," Yugi said, and returned to his Harley. He started the motorcycle and drove down to Domino Harbor.
(Domino Harbor)
The Crow arrived at Domino Harbor around twenty minutes later. The harbor was like something out of an H.P. Lovecraft novel, surrounded by thick fog with seagulls flying in the air searching for garbage to eat and sounds of a bell ringing in the distance. The darkness would frighten many people. But Yugi Muto was not many people. He was Yami Yugi, The Crow. His very name carried the power of darkness with it. Yugi searched through the harbor to find Bane, that is until he heard a voice.
"So you are the vigilante they call The Crow," a South American-accented voice said.
Yugi turned around and confronted a tall, extremely muscular man dressed in a black tank top, black pants, a black mask, and a spiked collar. The metal cuff with the thin tube connecting his head to the cuff didn't escape his notice, either.
"Are you the one called Bane?" The Crow asked.
"Yes, I am Bane," The muscular masked man replied.
"What brings you to Domino?" Yugi asked coldly.
"Profit," Bane replied casually, as if he was just replying to someone asking him how he was doing. "Not much to be found if a vigilante who dresses like a bat keeps interfering with your business. So I came here to...start over."
"It ends here, Bane!" Yugi declared. "I won't let you sell your drugs in my city."
"Your city?" Bane asked, amused. He chuckled, a chuckle that grew into a full-blown laugh. "You and Batman are so very alike in this regard. You think the cities you protect belong to you and therefore you get to make all the rules. I will teach you otherwise."
He pressed the button on his cuff, pumping the Venom into his body to increase his strength. Bane cackled as his muscles buldged and veins popped out from his arms and neck.
"Prepare to die," Bane said while slamming his beefy fist into his left hand.
"I'm already dead but bring it on," The Crow replied while cracking his neck.
Bane charged at Yugi but Yugi flipped over Bane's shoulder and landed on his feet. He withdrew his Desert Eagles from his trenchcoat pockets and fired at Bane but to no avail.
"Ha! My muscles are so strong that even bullets cannot penetrate my skin now," Bane said.
Yugi became suprised upon seeing what happened. 'Holy shit! My bullets didn't even make a flesh wound on his body. His body is like armor with the Venom in his system.'
Bane backhanded The Crow in the face which sent the undead anti-hero flying to a pile of crates. That didn't deter Yugi, as he couldn't feel pain. He just got up and delivered a vicious spin-kick to Bane's midsection. Bane stumbled backwards as Yugi delivered a volley of punches to Bane's midsection. Bane managed to block one of Yugi's incoming fists and lifted him off his feet by his right hand, Bane rammed his knee into Yugi's ribs then tossed him across the harbor. Yugi crashed to the ground, he tried to get up but Bane grabbed Yugi off the ground by his head and slammed him through a harbor shop. Bane pulled Yugi's head out of the shop's wall and threw him to the squared dock. As Yami got up, Bane continued his beating on Yami. Bane was now ready to finish The Crow off, he grabbed the uber anti-hero and raised him over his head with his left leg bent downard.
"Now, I will break you!" Bane declared then smashed Yugi over his knee.
Bane shoved Yami Yugi slowly off his knee then said, "It was fun playing with you and all but unfortunately, I have some work to do. I have customers waiting to buy my Venom."
Bane walked from the dock while The Crow lied unconscious from the beating he took. When Bane was about to reach the exit, a voice yelled, "Bane!" Bane turned around to see Yugi standing on his two feet then gave the teenage vigilante a devilish smirk.
"You certainly are a glutton for punishment," Bane said. "So I'm gonna pound you six feet under!"
"I've been there. Not a very pleasant place," Yugi replied.
"I'll send you back there, then!" Bane threatened and charged at Yugi.
"I don't think so," Yugi mumbled under his breath and drew one of his handguns.
He jumped out of Bane's way when the Venom-enhanced criminal tried to punch his head in and shot the tube connecting his metal cuff to his head. Bane started to spasm in agony as the Venom was depleted from his body. Bane let out a howl of pain then collasped to the ground. The Venom drug oozed from the broken plastic tube as Yugi said, "Without your Venom, you're nothing."
As Yugi hopped on his Harley-Davidson motorcycle and left the harbor, the puddle of Venom on the ground formed into the mark of the crow.
(Outside of Heaven's Night)
Tea was standing outside of Heaven's Night for almost fifteen minutes and was getting a little bit angry because Yugi was late. Tea wore a sleeveless yellow shirt trimmed in black, red skirt, dark beige boots, and a silver necklace. She wanted to look beautiful for Yugi when he showed up. Tea had been waiting for the past couple of weeks to spend some time with him.
'It's been almost fifteen minutes and Yugi hasn't showed up. I know Yugi has to protect the city but I've been waiting to go out on a date with him for weeks,' Tea thought. 'I'll just give him five minutes more then I'll leave.'
She looked around, hoping to see Yugi, but instead she saw a pair of headlights coming by. At first she dismissed them, but as the headlights came closer, she saw a car coming toward her. The car stopped, all four car doors opened and four figures dressed in dark purple robes emerged. Tea looked at the robed figures with suspicion as they walked toward her.
"Excuse me, are you Tea Gardner?" One of the robed figures asked.
"Uh, yes. What do you want?" Tea asked.
"You," One of the robed figures replied.
"Stay away from me!" Tea exclaimed.
"Get her!" One of the robed men ordered.
The robed men advanced toward Tea but they didn't count on her knowing martial arts. Tea delivered a round house kick to one of the robed figures then delivered a karate chop to the neck of another robed figure.
"My boyfriend's a blackbelt," Tea said, getting into a defense pose.
While three of the robed figures were getting their asses kicked, the tall robed man pulled out a bottle of chloroform and a clean white rag from somewhere in his robe. He opened up the bottle and poured its contents into the white rag. He snuck behind Tea and placed the chloroform soaked rag over the young girl's nose and mouth.
"Don't worry, it'll all be over soon," said the robed man.
Tea let out a muffled scream as she struggled in the robed man's arms but the fumes of the chloroform already took its effect. Tea thrashed about to get free from her captor's arms but she went limp thanks to the chloroform.
"Get her in the god damn car," One of the robed figures ordered. "Let's head back to Gotham City, Master Marik has some plans for this sexy little thing here."
The four robed figures along with an unconscious Tea got into the car and drove to the airport. After arriving at the airport, the four robed men carried Tea and boarded on their private dark purple jet. Two of the robed men sat in the cockpit of the jet while the other two robed men watched over Tea. The pilot and co-pilot flipped a few switches and the jet's engines roared to life. The jet moved through the runway and took off into the sky. The wheels bent themselves into the bottom of the jet as it left the Domino skies for Gotham City. Meanwhile, Yugi zoomed down the highway toward Heaven's Night. He looked through his bird's eyes to check to see if Tea was waiting for him at the club but his beautiful girlfriend was nowhere to be seen.
'That's funny, Tea is not here,' Yami Yugi mentally said. 'I should go find her once I get to the Heaven's Night club.'
When Yugi arrived at Heaven's Night, he began to search for her. He yelled out Tea's name but got no response. Yugi continued to look around for his beloved until a sense of dread crept into his mind. A flashback of what happened to Tea played itself into Yugi's mind. In the flashback, Tea stood outside of Heaven's Night door when a car pulled up beside her. Four robed men emerged from the car and advanced toward Tea but she fought off her would be attackers valiantly. The tallest robed man snuck behind Tea with a chloroform soaked rag and knocked her out.
"Get her in the god damn car! Let's head back to Gotham City, Master Marik has some plans for this sexy little thing here," One of the robed figures said then the flashback ended.
"No, Tea! No!" The Crow screamed.
(Joey's house)
Mai was discussing plans with a wedding planner for her and Joey's upcoming wedding while Joey sat on the chair, bored as hell. As the wedding planner pointed out a few outlines where the friends and the relatives will be sitting and where the wedding party will be standing at the alter, Joey had lost it.
"Boring," Joey said in a monotone voice.
"Joey, will you quit acting like a big baby?" Mai asked. "I'm discussing plans for our wedding!"
"Oh, come on, Mai! Dis is stupid," Joey replied. "All dis god damn weddin' plannin' is puttin' me to sleep."
"What your mouth, Joey," Mai said.
The wedding planner giggled while Joey and Mai argued over the wedding plans but it was time for her to leave. She said good-bye to Mai and Joey and left.
"Thanks a lot, Joey!" Mai yelled.
"What did I do?" Joey asked.
"You wouldn't shut up, that's what," Mai replied.
"I'm sorry, Mai," Joey said. "It's just dat...gettin' married is such a big step and all."
"I know, Joey," Mai replied with sympathy. "I just spoke with your mom about our wedding and she said she would love to come and watch her son marry the most beautiful woman in the world. She was even nice enough to give me her old wedding dress."
"No way, Mai!" Joey exclaimed.
"What?" Mai asked.
"She ain't comin' to the weddin'," Joey said.
"Give me a good reason why, Joey Wheeler!" Mai exclaimed.
"When I was a kid, she and my old man went through a divorce," Joey explained. "Pops took custody of me and Mom took custody of Serenity and ever since that day, I hated her."
"Don't you think it's time you mended fences with your mother?" asked Mai.
"Aside from you, there are only a few people in this world I truly love," Joey replied. "And my mother took one of them away from me. We were so close, and Mom just ripped us apart like paper."
"It's not healthy to be so angry and resentful toward one person, Joey," Mai said.
"Oh, I don't just resent her," Joey amended. "I resent Pops, too, the drunken bastard."
"What was he like?" Mai asked.
"Wasted every freakin' cent he earned on somethin' alcoholic," Joey replied. "Barely paid me any attention and when he did, it was to insult me."
"I'm sorry to have heard that," Mai said. "I don't know about your father but I do want her to be there at the wedding and for you make amends with her."
"I'll think bout it, all right?" Joey asked.
Joey and Mai heard a knock on the door. Mai walked to the door and opened it to see Yugi disheveled from his fight with Bane.
"What the fuck happened to you, Yugi? You look like you were in a fight," Mai said.
"I was," Yugi replied. "With Bane."
"Who's Bane?" Joey asked.
"A criminal who was selling other criminals Venom, an advanced steroid that grants users superhuman strength," Yugi replied. "The same stuff that was used on him as an experiment and that's how he became what he is now."
"What happened to him now?" Mai asked.
"I beat the shit out of him," Yugi replied. "He may be strong as me or even stronger with the Venom in his system, but I cut off his supply and he's weak as a fucking newborn kitten."
"Ain't ya supposed to be with Tea right now, Yuge?" askd Joey.
"I'm afraid she's been kidnapped, Joey," Yugi replied sadly.
"You know who took her?" Mai asked.
"No," Yugi replied. "But I knew her kidnappers wore dark purple robes."
"Where did those robed freaks go after they kidnapped Tea?" Joey asked.
"Gotham City," Yami Yugi said.
"Gotham City? Home of the Batman?" Joey asked with excitement.
"Yes. I must go to Gotham to find Tea," Yugi said.
"Hot damn! Mai, pack your bags, 'cause we're headin' to Gotham!" Joey cried out.
"No, Joey. You're not going anywhere," Yugi said.
"What? What do ya mean I'm not goin'?" Joey asked.
"It's for your own safety, Joey," The Crow stated. "I don't want any of you getting hurt while I'm searching for Tea."
"No way, Yuge!" Joey exclaimed. "I'm not gonna leave my best buddy to deal with those thugs by himself! They're just punks with robes; how tough could they be?"
"You're staying put," Yami said, his violet eyes hard. "I'm going to handle this alone. Understand?"
"Ok, ok, Yuge," Joey conceded.
"Thanks," Yugi said, sighing with relief. "I just...don't want you getting hurt."
"What's going on to make you wanna keep us out?" Mai asked.
"I sensed a darker power behind all this," Yugi replied.
"Like Memnon?" Joey asked.
"No," Yami Yugi contradicted. "Far worse than him."
"Then who?" Mai asked.
"I don't know," Yugi admitted. "In order to find out, I must go to Gotham City."
"Just come back in time for our wedding," Mai said.
"You're getting married?" Yugi asked.
"Yeah, we sure are," Joey replied.
Yugi smiled. "Hopefully, you two will be happy together."
"Thanks, Yuge," Joey said.
"I should go now. Tell Tristen and Serenity I said 'good-bye'," Yugi said, opening the front door.
Just as Yugi was about to exit the house, Mai stepped forth and said, "Yugi."
"Yeah, Mai?" Yugi asked.
"I just want to say 'good luck'," Mai said, embracing Yugi and kissing his cheek.
"Thank you, Mai," Yugi said then left the house.
Yami hopped on his Harley-Davidson motorcycle and drove from the Wheeler residence. When Yugi arrived at his home/game shop, he went to his room and began packing his stuff. After packing his clothes into his suitcase, Yugi walked down the stairs to the game shop and phoned a taxi. When the taxi stopped at the gameshop, Yami placed his suitcase into the trunk of the cab and told the cabbie to drive him to the airport. After listening to hours of AM radio commentary and the cab driver's life story, Yugi arrived at the airport. Yugi paid the taxi driver and proceeded into the airport. He went up to the front desk and paid for his airline ticket. Yugi walked through the terminal toward the plane that would leave for Gotham and sat down near a window.
"Flight 207 will leave for Gotham City in ten minutes," a female voice announced.
After everyone sat down in their seats, the plane was ready to take off.
"Flight 207 is now departing," the female voice announced.
Yugi looked out the window to see Domino City for one last time.
'Don't worry, Tea, I will find you. I will make those robed kidnappers pay,' The Crow mentally said.
Yugi leaned back in his seat and drifted off to sleep as the plane departed for Gotham City.
To Be Continued...
"Pick me up
Been bleeding too long
Right here, right now
I'll stop it somehow
I will make it go away
Can't be here no more
Seems this is the only way
I will soon be gone
These feelings will be gone
These feelings will be gone
Now I see the times they change
Leaving doesn't seem so strange
I am hoping I can find
Where to leave my hurt behind
All the shit I seem to take
All alone I seem to break
I have lived the best I can
Does this make me not a man?
Shut me off
I'm ready
Heart stops
I stand alone
Can't be my own
I will make it go away
Can't be here no more
Seems this is the only way
I will soon be gone
These feelings will be gone
These feelings will be gone
Now I see the times they change
Leaving doesn't seem so strange
I am hoping I can find
Where to leave my hurt behind
All the shit I seem to take
All alone I seem to break
I have lived the best I can
Does this make me not a man?
Am I going to leave this place?
What is it I'm running from?
Is there nothing more to come?
(Am I gonna leave this place?)
Is it always black in space?
Am I going take its place?
Am I going to win this race?
(Am I going to leave this race?)
I guess God's up in this place?
What is it that I've become?
Is there something more to come?
(More to come)
Now I see the times they change
Leaving doesn't seem so strange
I am hoping I can find
Where to leave my hurt behind
All the shit I seem to take
All alone I seem to break
I have lived the best I can
Does this make me not a man?"
Korn-"Alone I Break"
That's all for the first chapter of Armageddon. I like to wish my co-writer Kokuryu a happy birthday and dude, this chapter is for you. The Crow is headin' for Gotham to find his beloved Tea but what do the robed men have in store for our anti-hero? So get ready for high octane action in the 2nd chapter of The Crow: Armageddon but until then, happy readin'!
May the wolf spirit guide thee!