Call of the Dark Spirits

"Y-Yeah..." Zeiya mutterd as she found the strength to get up and walk over to Shuho. She got on his runner and shuddered, feeling an eerie pressence around them. "...I hope the others are ok..."

"Y-Yes! Of course!" The woman at the counter said as she took the phone and started to call someone. After a few seconds, more nurses came over to the two injuried party and helped them onto the movable bed.

"Damn...I just realized I've never had surgery before..." Seiki muttered under her breath. "This is gonna suck."

Seth helped the only way he could, by lowering his cargo onto the bed slowly. He watched as the medical staff rushed them off, making sure they were stable all the way there. When they were clear enough, he snapped to the others, looking Darren dead in the eyes.

"Now what's going on?"

Darren gave a small sigh before he turned to Seth and Yuki. It seemed to be a job well done, but now was the difficult part, the explanation. "Okay, ya probably noticed that things are a bit more futuristic then you remember," he said, beginning to explain things. "This isn't exactly where we're suppose to be, but here we are. A guy I know brought me here to help prevent something from happening... but I can't really interfere directly because everything's being watched. Heck, something might be trying to take us all out just for what's already happened. But... there's something we need to do first or the world will be destroyed."

Shuho nodded lightly, starting to move the Duel Runner as they rushed off. "I know they'll be fine," Shuho said as he focused on the road while still talking. "Darren's there, and he taught me everything I know about dueling... actually, he's kinda the reason I am the way I am. Before, I just wanted revenge for something that happened to my family, but he told me that Duel Monsters never respond to feelings like that. I know they'll be safe with a guy like him around."

"Now that you mention it, a lot of my memory seems to be.....not there."

Seth seemed to take the breaking news fairly well, expression unnerved by the sudden shock of his time travel. He let out a sigh, placing his arms in a fold across his chest in a nonchalante demeanor.

"Fate of the world on the line. Feels just like yesterday."

"It ends here. Aki!" he began, bowing his head as his eyes closed. Kai brought up a violent hand and gestured for his massive beast to attack with hungry glee, the creature roaring before bearing down upon the girl with a burning flame in it's maw. Yet, it froze. The pigtailed boy had his hand upon his deck, the dragon fully stopping with the echo of spiritual power as the realization of what he just did kicked in. He opened his gaze and revealed a blue stare, softly turning away from the Black Rose Duelist as everything got ready to fade and return to normal. The outcome was just how the Blackdragoon expected, his eyes never leaving that card in her hand.

"I won't hurt you, Aki. I don't hurt my friends."

He was surrendering.

"Just like you don't want to hurt me. Your friend."

Well, he did say it would end

"Hah...All I remember is being in a 'coma'....damn lying doctors." Yuki said, scratching her head. "But since you can't interfer, how the hell are we gonna save the world? I mean, we don't know shit about this time, and I stopped dueling after about two years from the academy."

"...He sounds like Seiki...just nicer." Zeiya said as she looked at the area around them. "I tried stealing from her, but I ended up getting a real beating...She's been like a big sister to me ever since...." She grew quiet, as if she didn't think she had the authority to say anything more. Shaking her head, she looks at Shuho. "I'm more worried about her than anyone. Didn't you see the state she was in?"

Aki stopped, looking at Kai as if she had no idea what to do next. She placed her hand on her head in pain, then screamed out in agony before falling to the ground, passed out from the strain of her own power and the duel.

"I found a way around that..." Darren said as he thought for a moment, almost remembering. "I met a kid named Shuho. You probably saw him in that tournament earlier. Anyway, I taught him what I think he needed to know and passed something down to him. He used it and got this far, and now I think he might have a hand in saving this whole thing. Maybe... you two need to do the same thing." He stopped after that, looking at Seth for a moment. "Then again, that's as long as you can actually find someone you consider worthy of what you've got to give."

Shuho nodded, remembering how desperate Seiki was to save Zeiya from that place. She seemed prepared to kill herself for it, and it looked as though she almost had. "All the more reason to make this fast..." Shuho said simply, as he sped up even though the Stadium was very close to them.

The pigtailed didn't hesitate to take the pretty red-head into his arms and heft her into a soft carrying grasp, his eyes glancing at her silent features before he turned his head behind him to spy a flicker of red. A smile formed across his lips as he nodded, sending a silent "Thank you" to his partner now resting in his deck. Either way, it was time he got Aki to some place safe and let her rest up, or get her to a doctor. He liked the later better. He kicked off on the floor and began to walk through the rubble caused by their duel, his footsteps echoing through the chilling cold,

Unknowingly, he was heading directly to his companions.

"What do you expect me to give them?"

Seth rolled his eyes at the concept. Sitting back to give his posessions to another made his stomach turn. He fell back, allowing the wall behind him to catch him as he looked to the floor, tossing over the possible paths he could take. A worthy heir.

"The only person I knew worthy of anything I could give........"

His memories brought him back to the face of one determined yet layed back student at the Academy, biker gear making up his phase of his life. He remembered the ill-fated boy, only to snap back to reality.

"Died a long time ago....."

Darren was about to speak when he felt a strong pulse in his head. He placed his hand to his ear for a moment, staying silent which he never did. He started to walk to the door, signaling Yuki and Seth to follow him. "I think you guy can find out the truth right about now. He's callin' us all over. Must be important to take it this far."

So the mystery man was going to reveal himself? Excellent. Seth said nothing, only moved from the wall like a phantom, hands slipped into his pockets as he followed Darren, a shadow to his movements. Whatever was about to happen, it ws going to determine the fate of the world. It felt like the good old days, if one could call them that.

"Like. I. Said. I haven't dueled for almost 10 years, idiot!" Yuki said, kicking Darren slightly as she got up and wlaked along with the two boys. She says she hasn't dueled, but in reality, she's not even sure if her so called 'dueling skills' are worth passing down to anyone.

Zeiya nodded firmly as the Stadium slowly came into view. She thought for a second, feeling something tugging at the back of her mind. "...Hey, Shuho. What happened after I crashed?" She chirped, pulling at his clothes. "Did you fight Jack? Did you win?"

OOC: Now if you excuse me and my hungry/thirsty self....I'm about to go to hell. be back sometime after 12?

Darren held the spot that Yuki kicked as he led them all out of the hospital. He led them to the back which was surprisingly empty. When Darren stopped, a man in white armor was waiting for them. "It seems you have arrived! All of you are now active parties and the situation calls for you to move."

"This is the guy," Darren said as he lifted his arm up to him. "You should probably explain a few things. These guys aren't easily trusting."

The man placed his hand on his sword, unsheathing it from his back and revealing it to them. "I am Sankishin. This is the name of my armor and all you need know me by. I am from a future far distant to this one. Within that future, the world has fallen to Dark Duel Spirits and is in ruins. To prevent this, I came back to change time and mold the ones with the power to stop it. To do this, I needed something from the past to awaken and develop those abilities. That something is you three."

Shuho gave a small sigh of regret as he began to slow down the Duel Runner. "I was dueling Jack during your match. He challenged me and I did win that match. If I'd known what had happened, I would have dropped it and went to help you. I'm sorry, Zeiya..."

"Huh...that can explain why we're here." Yuki muttered, crossing her arms. "But Like I said, I stopped dueling after the academy. How exactly am I suppose to help these kids if I can't even duel properly myself?"

"Hey, hey! No sad face!" Zeiya said, pulling at Shuho's cheek. "You didn't know. You didn't even think that was an official match. You shouldn't feel sad! Smile! Smile!" She started to smile. "At any rate, everything worked out. It's ok!"

"That's not the only thing you have to offer," the man said, turning his eyeless head to Yuki. "These chosen ones are more than just children you teach a card game to. These children are the incarnations of your souls in this world! In your world and time, you battled and defeated many powerful evils, and that spirit is needed here and now in order to preserve this timeline."

"But... if you needed all of them, does that mean Seth's gotta go to that Kai kid?" Darren said, hearing this part for the first time. "Somethin' about that seems outta place."

"Incorrect," Sankishin said to correct Darren. "Kai Blackdragoon's soul is to akin to the one you know. Bringing your version here would create a Time Paradox, and I would be discovered. However, Kai also is developing his abilities at a rate that needs no interference because of this. Shuho has gained great power due to Darren's teachings, but the girl is still lacking in her connection to her powers. Yukina Flames, this is where you are needed."

Shuho stopped the Duel Runner as they had reached their destination. He looked at her and said, "Yeah it did... but in the end though. We even dueled, but it wasn't finished. Even if it was, wouldn't have really counted since you didn't have Blue Eyes at the time." He looked down at her deck and lightly said, "By the way, what do you think happened before... with my arm and everything?"

"Huh...Well, I'll just have to see this kid myself." Yuki said, shrugging. "but still, what about Drakemore here? and on another note, is there really only three kids with this kind of power?"

"Mmmmmm....Maybe it was the same thing that happened to me during the duel...when my chest and head started to hurt really, really bad and dI ended up crashing." Zeiya said before hopping off his runner. "at any rate, lets talk this over later after I find my runner and we find the others!"

"That's nice, I see we've returned to medieval armor in the future. Interesting choice when battling forces of darkness."

Seth ran his eyes over the man from the future. He look ridiculous, and that was coming from a man who wore leather trenchcoats at every waking moment. Then again, he had the power to bring him here without noticing, so why question it now?

"So there's another me running around. Great. Who is he?"

"Also incorrect," the man said, turning to Yuki. "There ARE more than three. In fact, Seth Drakemore was brought because there is another. I used the timeline to locate duelists who showed the beginning signs of power, but I was unable to locate the one connected to Seth Drakemore. This could either be because he never developed said abilities in my timeline, or it could be that he is killed before he has the chance to. Seth Drakemore, I'm afraid I must task you with locating that person."

"As for you, Yukina Flames..." The man turned, blade in hand. It started to glow as he slashed downward at nothing. However, a large tear seemed to open where he had slashed. "The girl Zeiya is currently at the stadium. If you truly wish to see for yourself, you can go meet her now."

Shuho nodded lightly as he stepped off the Duel Runner as well. He looked around for a moment and said, "I think they had a place in the Stadium where they held Duel Runners... Maybe its there."

"So the kid needs to show himself......or herself, or I need to search the world for someone I don't know, you don't know, and who doesn't know who they are. If I don't, the world will be destroyed."

Seth chuckled lightly as he shook his head, then looking to the sky above. Luck was just not on his side right now.

"Sounds simple enough."

Yuki stood there for a second, thinking deeply before shrugging. "Oh well, what do I have to lose other than the fate of the world? Not unusual to us." She said before turning to Seth and Darren. "If you excuse me, I'll go and meet my so called 'student' now." With that said and done, she stepped into the tear, disappearing from the others' views.

"Yeah! I know where that is!" Zeiya said as she started to walk. "...I was thinking...I wonder what happened to Yusei? I mean, I saw him before I faced off Kariya, but now..." She fell quiet, not sure what else to say.

The man turned to Seth as Yuki disappeared into the tear, which closed very soon afterwards. "My time is short," he said plainly. "You all know what you must do from here on. Darren, your task is all but complete. Until the time comes, remain here with the injured. The enemy could take any opportunity to gain a hostage as advantage. As for myself... there is one other I mist see before I go back into hiding." He swung his blade again, creating another rip in time/space itself and turned to Seth. "Seth Drakemore, your task is the most important as of this moment. Even if all the Spirit Callers develop their connections to their powers fully, there is no way to be sure that is will be enough. Everything may depend on your ability to find the other." With that, he turned and walked into the tear, the rip closing immediately afterwards.

Shuho thought for a moment, then shook his head and said, "Not sure... I mean, he was there before we went to save you, but then he sorta disappeared. Hope he's okay..."

"Yeah..." Zeiya said before she recognized the area. "Come on! It's over there!" She cried out as she started to run into the garage. Looking around, she spots her duel runner as well as a sillouette of a person.

"There you are." said the person as Zeiya got closer. The blue haired girl blinked before letting out an exclaimed gasp and pointing at her.

"Y-You're that woman that went against Kariya!" She said. "Yukina Flames, right?"

"Heh...surprised you still remember." Yuki said. She saw Shuho and raised her arm in a rather flat wave. "So you're the kid Darren's been training." She tried her best not to say 'Mujo' since Shuho's never heard Darren's 'last name'.

Back at the hospital, a young man wearking a sports jacket and cap walks up to the front counter. "Excuse me." He said, tilting his cap low so that the woman can't see his eyes. "Is there a girl name Seiki in this hospital? I came to see her."

"Miss Seiki? She and the officer injured are still in the middle of surgery." the woman said. "Once they're out, I'll notify you immediately. In the mean time, I'll have to ask you to wait and sit down on the bench."

"I see...thank you very much." He said with a small bow as he walked over and sat down on the bench: his elbows on his knees and his fingers intertwined to allow his chin to rest on them.

"Best for last, I suppose."

Seth had taken the words to heart, trying to uplift the moment with a rare joke, and failing in the process. He sighed, this task would be much harder than it sounded, and it sounded incredibly hard. He turned to Darren, his old friend and rival the only one left to speak to anyway.

"Did you find your other by accident? You seem to have dumb luck like that, from what I remember."

Shuho looked at the woman, wondering how she knew about Darren if he had never seen her before. He was a big part of Team Satisfaction, so it must have been that. Thinking nothing more of it, he nodded and said, "Yep, he taught me all about dueling and about protecting your friends instead of fighting for revenge. I guess you know him too, huh Yukina?"

Darren shook his head with a small smile and said, "Wasn't exactly luck... I got pointed in the right direction, but I had no way to be sure until I got close to them. I felt something... somethin' really similar to me. It made me wanna help the kid, even without knowing him. I found out the rest later." He turned back to the hospital and said, "Well, better head back. We've all been gone from there way too long."

"Yeah." Seth simply agreed and followed suit behind him. Find someone like him? Feeling connections? It felt like something impossible to do. Seth could only hope that he would find the other in time. "What are up against now, anyway?" Seth asked, but then respond right after. "Forget it, doesn't matter."