Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction / Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ Alternate Universe Twist ❯ The Earthbound Angel ( Chapter 17 )
[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]
By: Trunks' Girl 787 
Yugi goes into a whole new world!
Anime/Manga: Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction / Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Suspense / Drama / Action | Type: Alternate Universe | Uploaded On: 09.19.2005 | Updated On: 09.24.2005 | Pages: 6 | Words: 5.7K | Visits: 175 | Status: Completed
Yugi goes into a whole new world!
Anime/Manga: Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction / Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Suspense / Drama / Action | Type: Alternate Universe | Uploaded On: 09.19.2005 | Updated On: 09.24.2005 | Pages: 6 | Words: 5.7K | Visits: 175 | Status: Completed
Saiyan Moon Goddess: I apologize a million times for making you wait almost a year. Inspiration comes to me when I least expect it. To make it up to you, I can say there are only 4 chapters or so left for this piece of work to be finished. I got chapter titles and I got ideas!
Like I said, writer's block or not, I'm determined to finish my stories! So if there's still anyone out there that still likes my work enough to wait for me, enjoy!
Disclaimer: I don't own Yugioh, its plot, or its characters. Yami Yugi and Yami Bakura have bodies in my fic and I'm using Japanese version names. All look-alikes have been revealed so the list won't get any longer.
**ALTERNATE DOUBLES**
*From Saiyan Moon Goddess (OC/s)*
1. Koneko - Marlene/Saiyan Moon Goddess (18 years old)
*From Yu-Gi-Oh!*
1. Nessuro - Yugi (18 years old)
2. Neil - Yami (16 years old)
3. Prince Umi - Ryou (19 years old)
4. Prince Cerulean - Bakura (9 years old)
5. Prince Zukoi/Hiroshi - Marik (20 years old)
6. Prince Ryu - Malik (the yami) (10 years old)
7. Max - Pegasus
8. Korosu - Bandit Keith
9. Jono - Jou
10. Amaya - Anzu
11. Queen Emi - Mai
12. King Isamu - Ryou's Father
*From Yu Yu Hakusho*
1. Kage - Hiei (18 years old)
2. Zorro - Kurama
3. Akira - Botan
4. Maki - Koenma
5. Iwa - Kuwabara
6. Jin - Jin
7. Yuke - Yuseke
8. Yasu - Yukina
"talk"
'thoughts'
/mind talk/
~Alternate Universe Twist~ by Saiyan Moon Goddess
~Chapter 17: The Earthbound Angel~
Yugi's Universe...
There was a collective scream...
"WHAAAAAT????!"
Everyone stared wide-eyed at the TV set. Most of the group sat in front of the couch, where Marlene's body lay. Yami Bakura and Seto sat on two armchairs. Popcorn and soda cans lays forgotten scattered all over the floor around them. Jou, who had kept eating, chocked on his popcorn until Honda gave him a whack in the back.
On screen Nessuro and Yugi seemed frozen. But they knew better, at least Yami felt it for he almost tore his hair off in apparent pain. That was enough for the others to know something was terribly wrong. And just then, they heard a metallic clash as Yugi's katana dropped from his hand. The small warrior fell back to the floor, unmoving. Nessuro's smirk was visible as his black irises returned and the green veins vanished. Nessuro was now the last one standing. Yugi's friends were all at loss for words, until they erupted into another collective scream.
"YUGI!!!"
**********
Alternate Universe...
Nessuro approached the fallen warrior and stared into his amethyst eyes, now dull and soulless. The sight made him smile wickedly.
"Now this universe's last hope has fallen." he said. "It was fun while it lasted, but in the end I have won, savior of light. You were no match for me. And now that your soul is mine, I shall destroy your body before you can figure out how to return."
Nessuro raised his arm high, his black blade tight in his grip. He instantly aimed to decapitate the body in a clean cut, and without any hint of hesitation he brought the weapon down. Yet, before the tip could even come in contact with the pure skin, it recoiled back against an invisible barrier and almost hit its master. Nessuro gasped and managed to regain his balance.
"What?! How is this possible?!"
**********
Yugi's Universe...
Yami held his palm stretched toward the TV screen, his other hand holding his head. He greeted his teeth, grunting at the strain pulling at his very brain. The others turned to him, questioning what he was doing. He merely smirked and didn't take his eyes off the TV.
"You're not getting your filthy hands on my hikari." he said.
"Wow!" Jou said. "Yami, how are you able to shield him?"
Yami frowned. "It's not easy. Nessuro has a tight barrier of black magic around his castle. It's sapping my strength. I just hope Yugi returns before my protection spell collapses."
All eyes returned to the scene, mentally praying for Yugi's safety.
**********
Alternate Universe...
Nessuro growled in frustration. No matter how hard he swung, his blade couldn't get to Yugi's neck not even an inch. He even tried black magic attacks, but all efforts were in vain. The little one's skin remained unmarred except for small bruises and scratches from the precious fights. The dark one drove his blade into the floor once his patience reached it peak.
"Damn you!"
After a while, he regained his cold surface. Another wicked smile formed on his lips as he pulled his sword free from the stone floor.
"Never mind, it's only a matter of time anyway. If I can't destroy you in the physical realm, I'll make you suffer in the next one."
The dark entity then left Yugi's body lying on the floor, turning his back on it and walking back to his throne. Kage and Koneko's bodies still lay around the large chair. He simply kicked them away carelessly and sat back on his throne, holding his sword in one hand. He mentally checked the magical barrier he had around his castle and was satisfied to see it running properly. Nessuro expanded his mind throughout the alternate universe. Again he was satisfied his slaves had brought him every single soul to him. There was no one left but him. His next move would be swallowing the souls of those slaves of his. But first thing is first.
"Now, you're mine...earthbound angel." Nessuro said and closed his eyes.
**********
Yugi's universe...
"Damn it!" Jou cried. "Do something!"
The TV set kept focused on Yugi's body and Nessuro. But both figures were unmoving from their positions and that made everyone anxious to know what hell was going on. Jou hit the set trying to change the image, but he would only succeed in breaking the machine. Honda had to hold him back.
"Calm down, Jou." said Ryou. "How about a change of channel?"
Ryou took Marlene's remote control and pressed the channel "up" button. The TV's image changed.
"Did it work?" Mokuba said.
"Look, it's Yugi!"
**********
Alternate Universe...
'What's...happening?'
Cold...
Emptiness...
Anger...Hatred....
Were those his feelings?...No, but they surrounded him on every side, constricting him. His body floated in mid air, yet he felt his body as heavy as if he was made of stone. And a sharp pain tug at his chest. He didn't have the strength to open his eyes let alone move his limbs. He floated in the empty darkness. Waiting for it to consume him entirely in its silence...
Sorrow...Loneliness...
Betrayal...
Love...?
Die. ..Dead...Let me die...
Earthbound Angel....
/Yugi-sama!/
What was that? A voice echoed in the distance. His shoulder twitched slightly, his eyes moving under the eyelids. He felt some of his strength returning.
/YUGI-SAMA!!/
Amethyst gems snapped open and looked round franticly. Yugi looked down at his body and saw it was transparent. He could see right through himself. Not just that, he was engulfed in a bubble of black flames. With a yelp he expanded his light power around himself in panic and the bubble burst easily, the flames extinguished. Yugi looked all around himself but he was surrounded in every direction by black empty space. He floated in nothingness. He panted and tried to regain his calm when he heard the voice calling him a third time.
/Yugi-sama!/
Yugi turned sharply and gasped when Black Magician Girl and Neil greeted him. The Oracle's apprentice flashed him a big smile while Neil stayed solemn and silent. The little warrior stared in shock for a second, then suddenly tackled Black Magician Girl in a hug.
"Black Magician Girl!" he said. He pulled back and looked at her in the eyes. "But...I thought you...How?!"
Black Magician Girl's smiled wavered. "I wasn't completely destroyed. In this universe, the magical beings you refer to as Duel Monsters have two lives. If we're killed once, were taken to the graveyard, but we can come back. The second time we die, however, we pass on."
"I'm so glad you're alive!"
The Oracle's apprentice hugged him back quick, then pulled away looking serious. "I know, but we don't have time for this now."
Yugi nodded, serious as well. "Where are we?" He turned to Neil, just noticing him. "Neil?"
"Hello, Yugi-sama." Neil said.
Yugi felt relief hearing his voice, it was the same as Yami's, which reminded him of home. Though hearing his dark half calling him master was just plain weird...But remembering this was Nessuro's younger brother and under the evil one's control, he kept his guard up. It seemed that Black Magician Girl heard his thoughts for she smiled reassuringly and said:
"Don't worry, Yugi-sama. Neil is on our side. I found him while looking for you." She frowned sadly. "Unfortunately, he's the only one I could find. Everyone else is scattered somewhere in this black realm."
"Where is this then?"
"We're inside Nessuro." Neil replied, shocking Yugi. "It seems he succeeded in taking your soul."
"No! That can't be!"
"Yugi-sama, he gave us the advantage." Black Magician Girl said.
"Huh?" said Yugi. "How?"
"You see, he knew, unlike the other souls, you are able to return to your physical body. Yet, he has underestimate you. He doesn't believe you'll reach him from here."
"What?"
Neil's aqua green eyes bore into his. "You have to cross this place to the other side." he said. "And find Nessuro's subconsciousness, where his soul is being kept."
"Alright then, but how can I get there? I can't tell which way is right and which left."
"Not to worry, Yugi-sama." Black Magician Girl took out her magic staff and raised it over her head. She muttered a spell into it and the tip glowed faintly. The apprentice held out her staff to a direction, frowning in concentration, and smiled. "This way. Follow the light!"
Black Magician Girl flew through the black space. Yugi and Neil glanced at each other before following after her. After going straightforward for a while, they easily lost track of time. It felt like they had been moving for hours. Yugi frowned worriedly, silently wondering how long they had been there and what was Nessuro doing at the current moment.
The farther they went, the colder the atmosphere around them got. The three ignored the feeling and hope filled them as Black Magician Girl's staff glowed brighter as they covered more distance. Still, no matter how far they went, it still looked like they were getting nowhere.
"There's something up ahead." Black Magician Girl said.
Yugi and Neil fixed their gazes of them. Just ahead of them there was a tiny twinkle of light.
"What is that?" Yugi asked.
"I don't know." Black Magician Girl said. "But it's in our way. We can't surrounded it, else we'll lose time."
"Then we have no choice." Yugi said. "Let's go through."
The trio flew further, toward the twinkle of light. Once they were close enough, the twinkle disappeared. For a moment, Yugi thought it had been nothing. But he didn't see the frown in Black Magician Girl's face.
It hit them all of the sudden. A blinding light flash right in front of their faces. The black space was gone. Yugi looked around for the Oracle's apprentice and Neil, but he found himself alone.
"Where...?" he said to himself.
The little warrior felt like someone did a redecoration of the place. Instead of black space, he floated in white space. He stopped moving for fear of getting lost.
"Black Magician Girl? Neil!"
He got no answer, but something did happened. Yugi looked up to see someone approaching him. In the distance between him and the mysterious figure he couldn't tell who it was.
"Wait! Stay where you are! Who are you?!"
The person kept walking toward his floating soul, either not hearing or ignoring his words. He tensed up, drawing out his katana in case he needed it. As the figure came closer, he managed to see it better. Once it was within closer view range, he gasped loudly. A blonde girl walked to him, staring up ahead.
"Marlene?!" Yugi yelled in shocked, then added quietly. "Or...is it Koneko?"
No mistake about it. The girl's eyes were hazel. Koneko's eyes were gray. It was Marlene, his love, from his dimension. He remembered the last time he saw her, when Nessuro made her disappear. For a moment he feared he had lost her, yet there she was. A smile came to him and his hope renewed.
"Oh, God! Marlene!" he called out to her, floating to her.
However, Marlene didn't respond to his call. The little warrior stopped at that, frowning in confusion. He took a closer look and noticed Marlene's greenish brown eyes were glazed over and dull. She kept walking not really looking at him, more like through him. The blonde then went past him without even a glance. Yugi felt hurt by that and he froze. Once he regained he came back to his senses, he floated past Marlene and stopped in front of her.
"Marlene, stop! It's me, Yugi!"
Once again she passed by him without acknowledging him. He was floored...What was wrong with her? Trying to keep himself from panicking yet again and floated beside her, following her steps, and waved a hand in front of her face. Marlene kept staring ahead with a dull gaze. In one last desperate attempt Yugi held her back by the shoulders and shook her.
"Marlene-chan, please, talk to me! What's wrong?"
Marlene stopped walking, but still stared through Yugi. "Earthbound angel....can't...can't get out..." she whispered, barely heard. The blonde then pushed Yugi to the side and continued her way. This time, Yugi let her go and watched as she disappeared into white space.
"What's going on?!" he yelled frustrated. He wanted so much to go after her. He suddenly heard a noise behind him. "Huh?"
Yugi looked behind him and saw more figures walking toward him like Marlene's soul just had.
"Now what?" he groaned, then gasped, eyes widening "No way..."
More souls were walking his way. It was like an army of them. They all walked with dull stares, some walking aimlessly away from the rest. Most walked in a straight path and passed Yugi without a glance. They bumped into Yugi or pushed him aside like Marlene had done and kept on their way. Familiar faces he saw, some not. Young, old, men, women, children, even duel monsters. In the crowd he saw Kage, Koneko, Prince Umi, Prince Cerulean, Prince Hiroshi, Prince Ryu, Zorro, Amaya, Yasu, and many more. Every person he had and had not met in the alternate universe were wandering around in the white space.
Seeing all those people in that condition and having those dull stares bore into him made Yugi panic again. They looked like freaking zombies! And he couldn't get out from the large mass of the crowd. He was being buried under them, suffocating...
"H-help...!! No!!"
/Yugi-sama!/
The little warrior felt his hand being gripped by an invisible force, which pulled him away from the crowd. Before Yugi knew it, he found himself back in black space. Black Magician Girl was the one holding his hand, and Neil was right behind her. Both looked at Yugi worried. He turned to both of them.
"What...just happened?" he asked.
"We almost lost you." Black Magician Girl said. "The lost souls inside Nessuro are gathering up for some reason and are pulling any other wandering souls to them. They almost dragged you and Neil off to wherever they're going."
Yugi looked down grimly, clenching his shaking fists. "Not a pleasant experience."
"We must hurry." Neil said. "We're coming closer to the subconsciousness."
"Yeah, the sooner the better." Yugi agreed. He shudder as the haunted eyes of the lost souls remained on his mind.
The Oracle's apprentice once again took out her staff and guided the two boys through the darkness. The path remained quiet as Yugi and Neil were too freaked out about what happened to say anything, and Black Magician Girl knew how they felt so didn't utter a word either.
They continued until the Oracle's apprentice came to a sudden stop. She looked before her, her staff glowing and letting out sparks. She let out a small gasp.
"What's wrong, Black Magician Girl?" Yugi asked her.
"We are unable to go further from here." Black Magician Girl and reached out with a hand. She yelped when she came in contact with an invisible barrier that shocked whatever touched it. "This soul barrier is too strong for me. Yugi-sama, from the three of us you are powerful enough to cross."
Yugi reached out and touched the barrier. He felt it, but it didn't shock him like it did Black Magician Girl.
"What will I find on the other side?" he said.
"Nessuro's soul," Black Magician Girl said. "and the demon responsible for all the suffering in our world."
"Huh?"
"It's hard..." said the blonde woman. "I didn't tell you before, but all this chaos wasn't caused by Nessuro alone. There's someone else..."
Before Yugi could ask, Neil stood before him. "Yugi-sama..."
"Yes, Neil?" The little warrior still felt uncomfortable with being called master, but said nothing about it.
"That monster took my brother from me." Aqua green eyes were filled with tears. "For many years I've missed his loving and caring smile, the one he gave only to me when he looked after me. After I saw the Prophecy of light, the thought of the earthbound angel coming to protect us gave me reason to hope. So I implore you, savior of light, please bring my brother back to me safely." He bowed to Yugi.
Yugi frowned at first. When he fought Nessuro he felt the evil coming from him. He devoured souls and made innocents suffer for mere pleasure. He did much horrible things; and he took Marlene from him. I wasn't easy for him to see his alternate double as anything good. But Neil should know more about his brother than Yugi. After reflecting that, he smiled and helped Neil stand straight again. He looked at him straight in the eyes, which were leaking by now.
"You have my word, Neil. I promise, I'll bring Nessuro back safely."
Neil couldn't contain himself. He hugged Yugi saying thank you and crying happily. Yugi pat him in the back, then pulled back, turning to the soul barrier.
"Alright, here I go." he said.
"We trust you will come back safely as well, Yugi-sama." said Black Magician Girl.
"We apologize for not being able to fight by your side." said Neil.
"It's alright." Yugi said. "Without you, I would've been lost in this place with no idea what to do. I appreciate all your help. I'll defeat this demon and release all the souls from this place. I'll be seeing you."
Yugi flashed them both a grin and stepped through the barrier. He only felt a tickling feeling inside him as he passed, and proceeded to fly through empty space. On the other side, he could've sworn the atmosphere got colder. He floated straight ahead.
He didn't have to go long, though....
In his way, he eventually encountered a lone soul sitting in the dark in front of him.
"Who's there?" Yugi called out, weapon ready.
The person looked up. Blank eyes stared back at him. This was the first soul that had actually answered his call and look at him, not through him. The black darkness never failed to shock him, for the soul sitting before him was Nessuro!
"Nessuro?"
Yugi approached the soul cautiously when Nessuro didn't move from his spot. No matter what, Nessuro stared at him with that dull stare as if trying to penetrate him. He looked close to nothing like the cruel villain Yugi had encountered. When the little warrior got close enough, Nessuro stretched out his hands toward him. Immediately he tensed, but didn't feel any hostility from the soul. He held still. Nessuro's hands went to his face; they were an inch apart when Yugi's vision went blank and all he saw was white and the last thing he heard was a whisper in his head.
/Earthbound angel.../
*FLASH* (Some people hate these, but I don't care. There's going to be a few of these. Hehehe...)
An image came to his view. He could barely move, feeling weak and helpless. Someone was carrying him in a loving embrace, and he could feel his body covered with a warm blanket. For a moment he could've sworn he felt tinier than usual, yet he felt safe. Then he glanced to the side and saw he was heading into a cave entrance. He took his surroundings and saw the one holding him was a young woman, a man by her side. For now he could just lie in the lady's arms and wait. As the pair went inside the cave, the blanket wouldn't let Yugi see the insides of the cave clearly. He heard voices and glanced up when the pair stopped. His eyes widened when they came in contact with a familiar pair of ice blue eyes. The Black Magician was looking down at him. Yugi heard a voice in the distance, also familiar, and female by the sound of it.
"Oh! I've done it!"
Yugi's eyes moved to the direction of the sound and saw Black Magician Girl wearing white robes, her magician armor and helmet nowhere to be seen, and her staff resting against a table in front of where she sat. She looked much younger than the woman he had met in the alternate dimension. The blonde one held her hands open in the air and a circle of green colored magic floated between them.
"Master!" she cried happily. "I have done it! My first vision! And it's beautiful! Is this a true prophecy?"
"We shall see, Mana." Black Magician told her. "But you're being rude. We have guests."
"Oh, I'm sorry!" she let the circle disappear and straightened up, smiling brightly at the man and woman. "Welcome to the Oracle Peak! How may we be of service?"
Had it been a better and less confusion situation, Yugi would've laughed. She sounded like one of those people who worked in Disney World or something like that, bubbly, cutely innocent, and full of endless happiness. Black Magician sighed at her attitude and turned to the pair. They didn't seem to mind.
"We brought our firstborn son to you, great Oracle." the woman said, holding out the little bundle to him. Inside the blanket was a baby boy.
"Please, tell us how bright our future is now that our love has brought a new blessing into this world." said the man.
"Oh, master, please let me do this one." Black Magician Girl pleaded. "You said I needed practice."
"Yes, but not like this." said the Oracle. "Now, Mana, leave this to me."
Mana was disappointed but looked hopeful. "Can I watch?"
"Go ahead."
"What a beautiful baby!" she started cooing at the little one. "May I know his name?"
"His name is Nessuro." said the mother, smiling at the apprentice's eagerness.
After cooing the baby some more, Mana stood back and let the Oracle do his work. Through the baby's eyes, Yugi saw Black Magician rising his staff over his head. A purple colored circle of magic similar to Mana's green one appeared. The Oracle looked into it like fortuneteller staring into a crystal ball. He frowned.
"I see horrible things is this young one's future." he said.
His words froze the couple, whose smiles turned to surprised expressions, then apprensive they looked. Terrible images came out from the circle that everyone in the room saw. From visions of monsters and demons, to bloodcurdling shrieks of men, women, and children, to scenes of innocents being torn apart by destruction. In the middle of the chaos, was a small shadow with glowing demonic eyes. Black Magician recited a prophecy as the images circles around the room. Even his apprentice was scared and gasped at what she saw. Once it was over, the parents looked at their son with shock and disgust while the Oracle and his apprentice Mana looked with pity in their eyes. The baby seemed to sense the hostility of his parents' gaze, for he started wailing.
"Demon child!" the mother cried.
"He'll bring the death of us all!" cried the father.
"Wait, please!" Mana pleaded with them. "My master's prophecies aren't always accurate. Besides, if you raise him right, I'm sure he won't turn out like the prophecy says."
But the girl's words went on deaf ears. The pair's eyes stayed the same, not even the crying of their child soften their hearts. Yugi felt a chill go up his spine. The two left Oracle Peak with the baby, Yugi hearing how they said he was a monster and how they should deal with him.
*FLASH*
The scene changed before Yugi's__well, Nessuro's__eyes. This time a two year-old Nessuro was standing up watching his parents who stood in front of him. The boy wore rags and lived in a closet room where his mother and father said demon child's lived. He was never called by his name by them, so he only knew because their servants called him Nessuro.
Mother was happily rocking a newborn baby in her arms. Father also looked proud. Nessuro gave his new little sibling a curious stare. The baby had the same hair as him, black and blue spikes with blonde bangs, only the baby's blonde bangs stood up with the rest of his spikes. They also shared the same aqua green eyes.
"What shall we name him?" said the father, ignoring his other son in the room.
"I like Neil." said the mother.
"Neil it is. We must take him to the Oracle immediately. Maybe this child may correct the first mistake."
The father didn't even look at him, but for a toddler Nessuro knew he was referring to him. Mistake was one of father's nicknames for him.
"Should we bring it along?" father said, now glaring directly at the boy watching them.
"My love, we must." said mother. "Who knows what chaos he would cause in our absence."
"Yes, you're right."
The parents went back to where the Oracle lived, all the while ignoring Nessuro (Yugi) completely. They presented their second son to the Oracle. Mana once again left whatever she had been doing, cooed the baby and made funny faces for him. And she greeted Nessuro happily, not minding the parents' bad look in their eyes. Yugi felt Nessuro's heart light up. When Black Magician predicted a new prophecy, the happy atmosphere fell once again. It was another dark prophecy. This one said Neil would suffer greatly in the future at the hands of a loved one. The Oracle didn't mention if the loved one was a family member or a friend, but the parents instantly thought of Nessuro and glared at him, who shrank back. The Oracle shook his head sadly at their behavior.
The parents left Oracle Peak in a hurry, barely pausing to pay their respects to the Oracle. The mother held her baby close sobbing and crying. The father dragged their eldest son forcefully by his arm.
Back home, the mother put the baby in his crib and the father locked Nessuro in his closet room. They went to their room and talked, leaving their door wide open in their hurry. Nessuro pressed his ear on his door and heard his parents talking loudly.
"This is going too far!" said the father. "We should talk to the king and execute this demon!"
"We can't!" said the mother. "Innocence is a perfect disguise for a demon. No one will believe us if we tell them this child is evil."
"Then we kill him ourselves!"
"We go to jail! What of our son?"
"Then we give him up!" the father insisted.
"People will interrogate us. We told no one of this boy, but they will suspect. One of the wealthiest families in this country suddenly gives their firstborn away for so reason? What will others think of us? Our image will be ruined. And we shouldn't put others in danger for our mistake."
Nessuro heard every word, and he understood them somewhat. What he failed to understand is why his parents despised him so much. Yugi felt what he felt and wished the ground would swallow him, his heart breaking for the child. He later heard the parents come to a decision. They gave their servants orders to transport Nessuro's belongings to their dungeons. The father unlocked his door and dragged the boy without a word to the dungeons, where he threw him into a cell and left him there. Caged like an animal. The cell was decorated to look like a makeshift of a child's bedroom. It was the same one Yugi and Lily passed when they came into the castle after Neil ran through the black portal. Nessuro lived there from now on, never to be let out except to go to the bathroom. His parents never came to see him and servants brought him food.
To Be Continued....
Saiyan Moon Goddess: I'll get started on the next chapter as soon as I do my tests this week. It's already planned, just waiting to be wrote down. I'm inspired at last! And for those who don't know, when I'm inspired, I write a preview!
NEXT TIME: Yugi keep watching Nessuro's memories from his point of view. Whatever caused him to turn into the evil being he encountered? Answers he will get, but what will he do once he faces his alternate double again? Careful, Yugi! It's not Nessuro you have to worry about!
NEXT CHAPTER: ~Chapter 18: My Inner Demon~
Like I said, writer's block or not, I'm determined to finish my stories! So if there's still anyone out there that still likes my work enough to wait for me, enjoy!
Disclaimer: I don't own Yugioh, its plot, or its characters. Yami Yugi and Yami Bakura have bodies in my fic and I'm using Japanese version names. All look-alikes have been revealed so the list won't get any longer.
**ALTERNATE DOUBLES**
*From Saiyan Moon Goddess (OC/s)*
1. Koneko - Marlene/Saiyan Moon Goddess (18 years old)
*From Yu-Gi-Oh!*
1. Nessuro - Yugi (18 years old)
2. Neil - Yami (16 years old)
3. Prince Umi - Ryou (19 years old)
4. Prince Cerulean - Bakura (9 years old)
5. Prince Zukoi/Hiroshi - Marik (20 years old)
6. Prince Ryu - Malik (the yami) (10 years old)
7. Max - Pegasus
8. Korosu - Bandit Keith
9. Jono - Jou
10. Amaya - Anzu
11. Queen Emi - Mai
12. King Isamu - Ryou's Father
*From Yu Yu Hakusho*
1. Kage - Hiei (18 years old)
2. Zorro - Kurama
3. Akira - Botan
4. Maki - Koenma
5. Iwa - Kuwabara
6. Jin - Jin
7. Yuke - Yuseke
8. Yasu - Yukina
"talk"
'thoughts'
/mind talk/
~Alternate Universe Twist~ by Saiyan Moon Goddess
~Chapter 17: The Earthbound Angel~
Yugi's Universe...
There was a collective scream...
"WHAAAAAT????!"
Everyone stared wide-eyed at the TV set. Most of the group sat in front of the couch, where Marlene's body lay. Yami Bakura and Seto sat on two armchairs. Popcorn and soda cans lays forgotten scattered all over the floor around them. Jou, who had kept eating, chocked on his popcorn until Honda gave him a whack in the back.
On screen Nessuro and Yugi seemed frozen. But they knew better, at least Yami felt it for he almost tore his hair off in apparent pain. That was enough for the others to know something was terribly wrong. And just then, they heard a metallic clash as Yugi's katana dropped from his hand. The small warrior fell back to the floor, unmoving. Nessuro's smirk was visible as his black irises returned and the green veins vanished. Nessuro was now the last one standing. Yugi's friends were all at loss for words, until they erupted into another collective scream.
"YUGI!!!"
**********
Alternate Universe...
Nessuro approached the fallen warrior and stared into his amethyst eyes, now dull and soulless. The sight made him smile wickedly.
"Now this universe's last hope has fallen." he said. "It was fun while it lasted, but in the end I have won, savior of light. You were no match for me. And now that your soul is mine, I shall destroy your body before you can figure out how to return."
Nessuro raised his arm high, his black blade tight in his grip. He instantly aimed to decapitate the body in a clean cut, and without any hint of hesitation he brought the weapon down. Yet, before the tip could even come in contact with the pure skin, it recoiled back against an invisible barrier and almost hit its master. Nessuro gasped and managed to regain his balance.
"What?! How is this possible?!"
**********
Yugi's Universe...
Yami held his palm stretched toward the TV screen, his other hand holding his head. He greeted his teeth, grunting at the strain pulling at his very brain. The others turned to him, questioning what he was doing. He merely smirked and didn't take his eyes off the TV.
"You're not getting your filthy hands on my hikari." he said.
"Wow!" Jou said. "Yami, how are you able to shield him?"
Yami frowned. "It's not easy. Nessuro has a tight barrier of black magic around his castle. It's sapping my strength. I just hope Yugi returns before my protection spell collapses."
All eyes returned to the scene, mentally praying for Yugi's safety.
**********
Alternate Universe...
Nessuro growled in frustration. No matter how hard he swung, his blade couldn't get to Yugi's neck not even an inch. He even tried black magic attacks, but all efforts were in vain. The little one's skin remained unmarred except for small bruises and scratches from the precious fights. The dark one drove his blade into the floor once his patience reached it peak.
"Damn you!"
After a while, he regained his cold surface. Another wicked smile formed on his lips as he pulled his sword free from the stone floor.
"Never mind, it's only a matter of time anyway. If I can't destroy you in the physical realm, I'll make you suffer in the next one."
The dark entity then left Yugi's body lying on the floor, turning his back on it and walking back to his throne. Kage and Koneko's bodies still lay around the large chair. He simply kicked them away carelessly and sat back on his throne, holding his sword in one hand. He mentally checked the magical barrier he had around his castle and was satisfied to see it running properly. Nessuro expanded his mind throughout the alternate universe. Again he was satisfied his slaves had brought him every single soul to him. There was no one left but him. His next move would be swallowing the souls of those slaves of his. But first thing is first.
"Now, you're mine...earthbound angel." Nessuro said and closed his eyes.
**********
Yugi's universe...
"Damn it!" Jou cried. "Do something!"
The TV set kept focused on Yugi's body and Nessuro. But both figures were unmoving from their positions and that made everyone anxious to know what hell was going on. Jou hit the set trying to change the image, but he would only succeed in breaking the machine. Honda had to hold him back.
"Calm down, Jou." said Ryou. "How about a change of channel?"
Ryou took Marlene's remote control and pressed the channel "up" button. The TV's image changed.
"Did it work?" Mokuba said.
"Look, it's Yugi!"
**********
Alternate Universe...
'What's...happening?'
Cold...
Emptiness...
Anger...Hatred....
Were those his feelings?...No, but they surrounded him on every side, constricting him. His body floated in mid air, yet he felt his body as heavy as if he was made of stone. And a sharp pain tug at his chest. He didn't have the strength to open his eyes let alone move his limbs. He floated in the empty darkness. Waiting for it to consume him entirely in its silence...
Sorrow...Loneliness...
Betrayal...
Love...?
Die. ..Dead...Let me die...
Earthbound Angel....
/Yugi-sama!/
What was that? A voice echoed in the distance. His shoulder twitched slightly, his eyes moving under the eyelids. He felt some of his strength returning.
/YUGI-SAMA!!/
Amethyst gems snapped open and looked round franticly. Yugi looked down at his body and saw it was transparent. He could see right through himself. Not just that, he was engulfed in a bubble of black flames. With a yelp he expanded his light power around himself in panic and the bubble burst easily, the flames extinguished. Yugi looked all around himself but he was surrounded in every direction by black empty space. He floated in nothingness. He panted and tried to regain his calm when he heard the voice calling him a third time.
/Yugi-sama!/
Yugi turned sharply and gasped when Black Magician Girl and Neil greeted him. The Oracle's apprentice flashed him a big smile while Neil stayed solemn and silent. The little warrior stared in shock for a second, then suddenly tackled Black Magician Girl in a hug.
"Black Magician Girl!" he said. He pulled back and looked at her in the eyes. "But...I thought you...How?!"
Black Magician Girl's smiled wavered. "I wasn't completely destroyed. In this universe, the magical beings you refer to as Duel Monsters have two lives. If we're killed once, were taken to the graveyard, but we can come back. The second time we die, however, we pass on."
"I'm so glad you're alive!"
The Oracle's apprentice hugged him back quick, then pulled away looking serious. "I know, but we don't have time for this now."
Yugi nodded, serious as well. "Where are we?" He turned to Neil, just noticing him. "Neil?"
"Hello, Yugi-sama." Neil said.
Yugi felt relief hearing his voice, it was the same as Yami's, which reminded him of home. Though hearing his dark half calling him master was just plain weird...But remembering this was Nessuro's younger brother and under the evil one's control, he kept his guard up. It seemed that Black Magician Girl heard his thoughts for she smiled reassuringly and said:
"Don't worry, Yugi-sama. Neil is on our side. I found him while looking for you." She frowned sadly. "Unfortunately, he's the only one I could find. Everyone else is scattered somewhere in this black realm."
"Where is this then?"
"We're inside Nessuro." Neil replied, shocking Yugi. "It seems he succeeded in taking your soul."
"No! That can't be!"
"Yugi-sama, he gave us the advantage." Black Magician Girl said.
"Huh?" said Yugi. "How?"
"You see, he knew, unlike the other souls, you are able to return to your physical body. Yet, he has underestimate you. He doesn't believe you'll reach him from here."
"What?"
Neil's aqua green eyes bore into his. "You have to cross this place to the other side." he said. "And find Nessuro's subconsciousness, where his soul is being kept."
"Alright then, but how can I get there? I can't tell which way is right and which left."
"Not to worry, Yugi-sama." Black Magician Girl took out her magic staff and raised it over her head. She muttered a spell into it and the tip glowed faintly. The apprentice held out her staff to a direction, frowning in concentration, and smiled. "This way. Follow the light!"
Black Magician Girl flew through the black space. Yugi and Neil glanced at each other before following after her. After going straightforward for a while, they easily lost track of time. It felt like they had been moving for hours. Yugi frowned worriedly, silently wondering how long they had been there and what was Nessuro doing at the current moment.
The farther they went, the colder the atmosphere around them got. The three ignored the feeling and hope filled them as Black Magician Girl's staff glowed brighter as they covered more distance. Still, no matter how far they went, it still looked like they were getting nowhere.
"There's something up ahead." Black Magician Girl said.
Yugi and Neil fixed their gazes of them. Just ahead of them there was a tiny twinkle of light.
"What is that?" Yugi asked.
"I don't know." Black Magician Girl said. "But it's in our way. We can't surrounded it, else we'll lose time."
"Then we have no choice." Yugi said. "Let's go through."
The trio flew further, toward the twinkle of light. Once they were close enough, the twinkle disappeared. For a moment, Yugi thought it had been nothing. But he didn't see the frown in Black Magician Girl's face.
It hit them all of the sudden. A blinding light flash right in front of their faces. The black space was gone. Yugi looked around for the Oracle's apprentice and Neil, but he found himself alone.
"Where...?" he said to himself.
The little warrior felt like someone did a redecoration of the place. Instead of black space, he floated in white space. He stopped moving for fear of getting lost.
"Black Magician Girl? Neil!"
He got no answer, but something did happened. Yugi looked up to see someone approaching him. In the distance between him and the mysterious figure he couldn't tell who it was.
"Wait! Stay where you are! Who are you?!"
The person kept walking toward his floating soul, either not hearing or ignoring his words. He tensed up, drawing out his katana in case he needed it. As the figure came closer, he managed to see it better. Once it was within closer view range, he gasped loudly. A blonde girl walked to him, staring up ahead.
"Marlene?!" Yugi yelled in shocked, then added quietly. "Or...is it Koneko?"
No mistake about it. The girl's eyes were hazel. Koneko's eyes were gray. It was Marlene, his love, from his dimension. He remembered the last time he saw her, when Nessuro made her disappear. For a moment he feared he had lost her, yet there she was. A smile came to him and his hope renewed.
"Oh, God! Marlene!" he called out to her, floating to her.
However, Marlene didn't respond to his call. The little warrior stopped at that, frowning in confusion. He took a closer look and noticed Marlene's greenish brown eyes were glazed over and dull. She kept walking not really looking at him, more like through him. The blonde then went past him without even a glance. Yugi felt hurt by that and he froze. Once he regained he came back to his senses, he floated past Marlene and stopped in front of her.
"Marlene, stop! It's me, Yugi!"
Once again she passed by him without acknowledging him. He was floored...What was wrong with her? Trying to keep himself from panicking yet again and floated beside her, following her steps, and waved a hand in front of her face. Marlene kept staring ahead with a dull gaze. In one last desperate attempt Yugi held her back by the shoulders and shook her.
"Marlene-chan, please, talk to me! What's wrong?"
Marlene stopped walking, but still stared through Yugi. "Earthbound angel....can't...can't get out..." she whispered, barely heard. The blonde then pushed Yugi to the side and continued her way. This time, Yugi let her go and watched as she disappeared into white space.
"What's going on?!" he yelled frustrated. He wanted so much to go after her. He suddenly heard a noise behind him. "Huh?"
Yugi looked behind him and saw more figures walking toward him like Marlene's soul just had.
"Now what?" he groaned, then gasped, eyes widening "No way..."
More souls were walking his way. It was like an army of them. They all walked with dull stares, some walking aimlessly away from the rest. Most walked in a straight path and passed Yugi without a glance. They bumped into Yugi or pushed him aside like Marlene had done and kept on their way. Familiar faces he saw, some not. Young, old, men, women, children, even duel monsters. In the crowd he saw Kage, Koneko, Prince Umi, Prince Cerulean, Prince Hiroshi, Prince Ryu, Zorro, Amaya, Yasu, and many more. Every person he had and had not met in the alternate universe were wandering around in the white space.
Seeing all those people in that condition and having those dull stares bore into him made Yugi panic again. They looked like freaking zombies! And he couldn't get out from the large mass of the crowd. He was being buried under them, suffocating...
"H-help...!! No!!"
/Yugi-sama!/
The little warrior felt his hand being gripped by an invisible force, which pulled him away from the crowd. Before Yugi knew it, he found himself back in black space. Black Magician Girl was the one holding his hand, and Neil was right behind her. Both looked at Yugi worried. He turned to both of them.
"What...just happened?" he asked.
"We almost lost you." Black Magician Girl said. "The lost souls inside Nessuro are gathering up for some reason and are pulling any other wandering souls to them. They almost dragged you and Neil off to wherever they're going."
Yugi looked down grimly, clenching his shaking fists. "Not a pleasant experience."
"We must hurry." Neil said. "We're coming closer to the subconsciousness."
"Yeah, the sooner the better." Yugi agreed. He shudder as the haunted eyes of the lost souls remained on his mind.
The Oracle's apprentice once again took out her staff and guided the two boys through the darkness. The path remained quiet as Yugi and Neil were too freaked out about what happened to say anything, and Black Magician Girl knew how they felt so didn't utter a word either.
They continued until the Oracle's apprentice came to a sudden stop. She looked before her, her staff glowing and letting out sparks. She let out a small gasp.
"What's wrong, Black Magician Girl?" Yugi asked her.
"We are unable to go further from here." Black Magician Girl and reached out with a hand. She yelped when she came in contact with an invisible barrier that shocked whatever touched it. "This soul barrier is too strong for me. Yugi-sama, from the three of us you are powerful enough to cross."
Yugi reached out and touched the barrier. He felt it, but it didn't shock him like it did Black Magician Girl.
"What will I find on the other side?" he said.
"Nessuro's soul," Black Magician Girl said. "and the demon responsible for all the suffering in our world."
"Huh?"
"It's hard..." said the blonde woman. "I didn't tell you before, but all this chaos wasn't caused by Nessuro alone. There's someone else..."
Before Yugi could ask, Neil stood before him. "Yugi-sama..."
"Yes, Neil?" The little warrior still felt uncomfortable with being called master, but said nothing about it.
"That monster took my brother from me." Aqua green eyes were filled with tears. "For many years I've missed his loving and caring smile, the one he gave only to me when he looked after me. After I saw the Prophecy of light, the thought of the earthbound angel coming to protect us gave me reason to hope. So I implore you, savior of light, please bring my brother back to me safely." He bowed to Yugi.
Yugi frowned at first. When he fought Nessuro he felt the evil coming from him. He devoured souls and made innocents suffer for mere pleasure. He did much horrible things; and he took Marlene from him. I wasn't easy for him to see his alternate double as anything good. But Neil should know more about his brother than Yugi. After reflecting that, he smiled and helped Neil stand straight again. He looked at him straight in the eyes, which were leaking by now.
"You have my word, Neil. I promise, I'll bring Nessuro back safely."
Neil couldn't contain himself. He hugged Yugi saying thank you and crying happily. Yugi pat him in the back, then pulled back, turning to the soul barrier.
"Alright, here I go." he said.
"We trust you will come back safely as well, Yugi-sama." said Black Magician Girl.
"We apologize for not being able to fight by your side." said Neil.
"It's alright." Yugi said. "Without you, I would've been lost in this place with no idea what to do. I appreciate all your help. I'll defeat this demon and release all the souls from this place. I'll be seeing you."
Yugi flashed them both a grin and stepped through the barrier. He only felt a tickling feeling inside him as he passed, and proceeded to fly through empty space. On the other side, he could've sworn the atmosphere got colder. He floated straight ahead.
He didn't have to go long, though....
In his way, he eventually encountered a lone soul sitting in the dark in front of him.
"Who's there?" Yugi called out, weapon ready.
The person looked up. Blank eyes stared back at him. This was the first soul that had actually answered his call and look at him, not through him. The black darkness never failed to shock him, for the soul sitting before him was Nessuro!
"Nessuro?"
Yugi approached the soul cautiously when Nessuro didn't move from his spot. No matter what, Nessuro stared at him with that dull stare as if trying to penetrate him. He looked close to nothing like the cruel villain Yugi had encountered. When the little warrior got close enough, Nessuro stretched out his hands toward him. Immediately he tensed, but didn't feel any hostility from the soul. He held still. Nessuro's hands went to his face; they were an inch apart when Yugi's vision went blank and all he saw was white and the last thing he heard was a whisper in his head.
/Earthbound angel.../
*FLASH* (Some people hate these, but I don't care. There's going to be a few of these. Hehehe...)
An image came to his view. He could barely move, feeling weak and helpless. Someone was carrying him in a loving embrace, and he could feel his body covered with a warm blanket. For a moment he could've sworn he felt tinier than usual, yet he felt safe. Then he glanced to the side and saw he was heading into a cave entrance. He took his surroundings and saw the one holding him was a young woman, a man by her side. For now he could just lie in the lady's arms and wait. As the pair went inside the cave, the blanket wouldn't let Yugi see the insides of the cave clearly. He heard voices and glanced up when the pair stopped. His eyes widened when they came in contact with a familiar pair of ice blue eyes. The Black Magician was looking down at him. Yugi heard a voice in the distance, also familiar, and female by the sound of it.
"Oh! I've done it!"
Yugi's eyes moved to the direction of the sound and saw Black Magician Girl wearing white robes, her magician armor and helmet nowhere to be seen, and her staff resting against a table in front of where she sat. She looked much younger than the woman he had met in the alternate dimension. The blonde one held her hands open in the air and a circle of green colored magic floated between them.
"Master!" she cried happily. "I have done it! My first vision! And it's beautiful! Is this a true prophecy?"
"We shall see, Mana." Black Magician told her. "But you're being rude. We have guests."
"Oh, I'm sorry!" she let the circle disappear and straightened up, smiling brightly at the man and woman. "Welcome to the Oracle Peak! How may we be of service?"
Had it been a better and less confusion situation, Yugi would've laughed. She sounded like one of those people who worked in Disney World or something like that, bubbly, cutely innocent, and full of endless happiness. Black Magician sighed at her attitude and turned to the pair. They didn't seem to mind.
"We brought our firstborn son to you, great Oracle." the woman said, holding out the little bundle to him. Inside the blanket was a baby boy.
"Please, tell us how bright our future is now that our love has brought a new blessing into this world." said the man.
"Oh, master, please let me do this one." Black Magician Girl pleaded. "You said I needed practice."
"Yes, but not like this." said the Oracle. "Now, Mana, leave this to me."
Mana was disappointed but looked hopeful. "Can I watch?"
"Go ahead."
"What a beautiful baby!" she started cooing at the little one. "May I know his name?"
"His name is Nessuro." said the mother, smiling at the apprentice's eagerness.
After cooing the baby some more, Mana stood back and let the Oracle do his work. Through the baby's eyes, Yugi saw Black Magician rising his staff over his head. A purple colored circle of magic similar to Mana's green one appeared. The Oracle looked into it like fortuneteller staring into a crystal ball. He frowned.
"I see horrible things is this young one's future." he said.
His words froze the couple, whose smiles turned to surprised expressions, then apprensive they looked. Terrible images came out from the circle that everyone in the room saw. From visions of monsters and demons, to bloodcurdling shrieks of men, women, and children, to scenes of innocents being torn apart by destruction. In the middle of the chaos, was a small shadow with glowing demonic eyes. Black Magician recited a prophecy as the images circles around the room. Even his apprentice was scared and gasped at what she saw. Once it was over, the parents looked at their son with shock and disgust while the Oracle and his apprentice Mana looked with pity in their eyes. The baby seemed to sense the hostility of his parents' gaze, for he started wailing.
"Demon child!" the mother cried.
"He'll bring the death of us all!" cried the father.
"Wait, please!" Mana pleaded with them. "My master's prophecies aren't always accurate. Besides, if you raise him right, I'm sure he won't turn out like the prophecy says."
But the girl's words went on deaf ears. The pair's eyes stayed the same, not even the crying of their child soften their hearts. Yugi felt a chill go up his spine. The two left Oracle Peak with the baby, Yugi hearing how they said he was a monster and how they should deal with him.
*FLASH*
The scene changed before Yugi's__well, Nessuro's__eyes. This time a two year-old Nessuro was standing up watching his parents who stood in front of him. The boy wore rags and lived in a closet room where his mother and father said demon child's lived. He was never called by his name by them, so he only knew because their servants called him Nessuro.
Mother was happily rocking a newborn baby in her arms. Father also looked proud. Nessuro gave his new little sibling a curious stare. The baby had the same hair as him, black and blue spikes with blonde bangs, only the baby's blonde bangs stood up with the rest of his spikes. They also shared the same aqua green eyes.
"What shall we name him?" said the father, ignoring his other son in the room.
"I like Neil." said the mother.
"Neil it is. We must take him to the Oracle immediately. Maybe this child may correct the first mistake."
The father didn't even look at him, but for a toddler Nessuro knew he was referring to him. Mistake was one of father's nicknames for him.
"Should we bring it along?" father said, now glaring directly at the boy watching them.
"My love, we must." said mother. "Who knows what chaos he would cause in our absence."
"Yes, you're right."
The parents went back to where the Oracle lived, all the while ignoring Nessuro (Yugi) completely. They presented their second son to the Oracle. Mana once again left whatever she had been doing, cooed the baby and made funny faces for him. And she greeted Nessuro happily, not minding the parents' bad look in their eyes. Yugi felt Nessuro's heart light up. When Black Magician predicted a new prophecy, the happy atmosphere fell once again. It was another dark prophecy. This one said Neil would suffer greatly in the future at the hands of a loved one. The Oracle didn't mention if the loved one was a family member or a friend, but the parents instantly thought of Nessuro and glared at him, who shrank back. The Oracle shook his head sadly at their behavior.
The parents left Oracle Peak in a hurry, barely pausing to pay their respects to the Oracle. The mother held her baby close sobbing and crying. The father dragged their eldest son forcefully by his arm.
Back home, the mother put the baby in his crib and the father locked Nessuro in his closet room. They went to their room and talked, leaving their door wide open in their hurry. Nessuro pressed his ear on his door and heard his parents talking loudly.
"This is going too far!" said the father. "We should talk to the king and execute this demon!"
"We can't!" said the mother. "Innocence is a perfect disguise for a demon. No one will believe us if we tell them this child is evil."
"Then we kill him ourselves!"
"We go to jail! What of our son?"
"Then we give him up!" the father insisted.
"People will interrogate us. We told no one of this boy, but they will suspect. One of the wealthiest families in this country suddenly gives their firstborn away for so reason? What will others think of us? Our image will be ruined. And we shouldn't put others in danger for our mistake."
Nessuro heard every word, and he understood them somewhat. What he failed to understand is why his parents despised him so much. Yugi felt what he felt and wished the ground would swallow him, his heart breaking for the child. He later heard the parents come to a decision. They gave their servants orders to transport Nessuro's belongings to their dungeons. The father unlocked his door and dragged the boy without a word to the dungeons, where he threw him into a cell and left him there. Caged like an animal. The cell was decorated to look like a makeshift of a child's bedroom. It was the same one Yugi and Lily passed when they came into the castle after Neil ran through the black portal. Nessuro lived there from now on, never to be let out except to go to the bathroom. His parents never came to see him and servants brought him food.
To Be Continued....
Saiyan Moon Goddess: I'll get started on the next chapter as soon as I do my tests this week. It's already planned, just waiting to be wrote down. I'm inspired at last! And for those who don't know, when I'm inspired, I write a preview!
NEXT TIME: Yugi keep watching Nessuro's memories from his point of view. Whatever caused him to turn into the evil being he encountered? Answers he will get, but what will he do once he faces his alternate double again? Careful, Yugi! It's not Nessuro you have to worry about!
NEXT CHAPTER: ~Chapter 18: My Inner Demon~