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Yu-gi-oh 5Ds: Rise of Darkness and Corruption (Athene/ImaginaryMuse & Razgriz)


And still, the arrogant prick was sitting there, belittling him as he pointed out the obvious flaw in his plays; he looked back to the cards in his hand. Getting Grapha back on the field would be so easy; all he'd needed to do was summon the Ceruli he had, then return it to the hand and let Grapha's presence be recognized.

And yet...He didn't. "Draw!" he declared, pulling another card that would serve him well, but not with Spirit Barrier on the field.

Why? He didn't know...And thinking hard, he probably should have earlier. But maybe it was fear that was holding him back from fully playing his offense to its potential. He'd felt that surge of rage, and honestly? It scared the shit out of him.

"You don't need that monster...The card you just drew will be instrumental to our victory." the Emperor told his vessel again; though now their oponent's arrogance was starting to noticeably aggravate the Emperor.

"You'd think after seeing his friend be annihilated after having Rose called out, he would be wiser than to suggest you calling me out. If he does again, I am coming out though...Just to have a few words with him, I won't rob you of the chance to destroy him. I can feel the weight of your pride on this battle" Hotsuma then heard the Emperor state, who slowly gave an affirmative nod.

"You can sit there and run your mouth all you like...But know this, once I get momentum, you're going to regret taunting me! Just as Yuna showed you won't be able to look down on her, neither will you be able to look down on me ever again!" Hotsuma bellowed, shouting afterwards "I play the Equip Spell Big Bang Shot and target Lightning Lord! My beast, absorb this power!"

The red-eyed demon's body shook before its wings spread wider, the entirety of its form now ablaze in red-orange fire as its ATK rose to 2900, the ferocity of the lightning brewing around it becoming even greater

"Even if your monster's in defense mode, your best tactic is stalling! No matter what you throw down, I'll crush it! Lightning Lord attacks! Abyssal Super Piercing Storm!"

And just like before he air shattering as a barrage of bolts seemed to fire into the sky; before long a demon's face appearing above them; and within moments, the monster was struck down by another massive thunderbolt that completely annihilated it.

Or at least, that was what he thought...But when the smoke cleared, there was some little gremlin holding what appeared to be a tuning fork and key striker, completely unharmed. And with a defense of only 300, it was definitely a blow to his ego, along with the fact that Spirit Barrier now activated to absorb the difference of what would have been staggering piercing damage.

Divine was watching this battle with vested interest; in truth, Hotsuma was putting everything he had into this Duel, but Tokumo's Spirit Barrier was a troublesome trap indeed. And now that he had Dark Resonator on the field with that trap in play, the effect of Hotsuma's piercing damage Spell card was virtually useless.

Hotsuma grit his teeth; now he was starting to know what Yuna felt like when Jun played that Draining Shield Trap. He was so close to making a break in his defenses, but now he had card with effects that prevented battle destruction. "Lucky asshole....Turn end" he muttered
 

... Nonsense ...

While Hotsuma took his turn, Tokumo thought back to the last few minutes what Yuse had said to Jun. Specifically regarding the Spirit World, and how his idiotic partner had angered the spirit of Beelze. That was ... no. She was surely bluffing about that much. Right?

Of course! It's impossible!

... And yet, he was fighting another person whom had gained the ability to change into a duel spirit.

... Tokumo's eyes narrowed at the thought. Okay, fine. So maybe Yuse had been dead serious about that much. But that didn't mean shit about how things were going in this duel. That had to be correct!

... Didn't it?

His head shook. None of this mystic bullshit mattered. The only thing that did was the here and now. Thus anything linked to the ongoing duel was all he needed to pay heed to.

"We'll see, boy," he muttered, taking his turn to draw.

For a few seconds, his heart pounded quickly.

Thank gods, another ---

He had been originally thinking 'monster', and that was indeed true. However, it was perhaps a bit too dead on for even his tastes. Tokumo's eyebrow twitched slightly as he found himself gazing own at another Dark Resonator.

... Really? Really?! Of all the cards .... shit!

"Well then," he declared, waiting to calm his voice down before stating his move, "I will set another monster and then end my turn."

There were at least two graces that Tokumo was seeing at the moment. One, Hotsuma couldn't get past his Dark Resonator. Not with only monster, anyway. Two, despite having equipped his monster with Big Bang Shot, it wasn't a card that applied piercing damage to his monster.

... Of course, even then, that wouldn't matter. Not with Spirit Barrier on the field.

All in all, he had more than enough ways to keep his life points from sinking any further for the time being. And even though he had little doubts Hotsuma was far from happy about that, the opposite was true about Tokumo.
 
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Quite so...Hotsuma was not pleased at this development, getting fairly ticked off that Tokumo put yet ANOTHER monster in Defense mode. "Fan-fucking-tastic...The wall just gets taller and taller" he grumbled mentally, declaring 'Draw!' and looking down at his new card.

Well, at the very least, he would have defense if the new monster his opponent put down somehow got rid of his own. "I set one card face down and attack your other face-down!" he declared, Red-Eyes launching another strike only to see yet another Dark Resonator.

"Fuck!" the young man shouted angrily...Now this asshole had two monsters that could eat attacks and Big Bang Shot couldn't do jack shit! "Language, Mr. Oboro; your mouth will get you in trouble if you don't watch it..." he then heard the Arcadia boss comment idly.

He just gave Divine a bland stare and turned his attention back to his opponent "Turn e...." he started to say, pausing as he felt something wash over him. It felt...Wrong. Evil....Much like how he felt when he was first contracted to the Emperor. But this felt even more wrong, like it was something that shouldn't even exist.

"Remember my earlier comment, boy? It comes...And it hungers for vengeance." the Emperor quipped, not sounding perturbed in the slightest; regardless of what happened, he could feel who it wanted to find...But it was attracted to the manifestation of its power, likely as an anchor to let it exist in this plane of reality.

At that moment, a dark light - nearly black in color - burst from the ground like an unholy eruption of despair, three sets of yellow eyes peering out from within. Harsh growls and snaps could be heard, even Divine ducking down to avoid being spotted; no one knew what the hell was going and they were rightfully scared shitless.

"THE ONE! WHERE IS THE ONE THAT DESTROYED A PIECE OF ME!? TELL ME NOW, OR I'LL SWALLOW THIS WORLD!"

The voice boomed with an ancient strength, one that could be arguably unmatched even by the Emperor himself..And Hotsuma froze in place as those bright yellow orbs turned to look at him. "Oh, fuck..." Hotsuma whispered, completely stilled by the dread that seized his spine, "Let me assume control, boy...Lest you want Beelze to tear your soul to shreds." he heard the Emperor demand, the urgency doing little to make Hotsuma comply quickly.

"YOU! BOY! YOU REEK OF MY ESSENCE! IT MUST BE YOU!" Beelze roared, and from the column of black fire came two salivating, very angry dragon heads with the very clear intent to murder him. "Boy, switch, unless you want us both killed!" the Emperor commanded now, his voice loud in his ears as he demanded his vessel's obedience.

Hotsuma's eyes closed, that same dark fire erupting over him before the Emperor's form appeared, sword held vertically in front of him with its point in the ground.

"Beelze...Too long it's been." he then replied calmly, the dragon heads lifting up and a way a little as it looked over the new figure with interest...Before long, a wide armored serpentine body sliding out to fully reveal itself. Hushed whispers about the identity of the beast echoed about, largely ignored as Beelze's attention was focused on the Emperor before it.

"SO, THE GREAT DEMON EMPEROR EXISTS EVEN HERE?! WAS IT YOU!? DID YOU DESTROY A PIECE OF ME?!" Beelze asked in a very loud voice; this thing seemed incapable of an 'inside' voice. "Was not me...Not was it the boy. But perhaps you ask him, he'll be of more use." the Emperor replied, pointing an armored finger at Hotsuma's opponent. If I'm not mistaken, I believe he holds a piece or two of you. I can feel it from here..."

At this Beelze would turn and look at Tokumo directly, its gaze full of anger and wanting to destroy; the two massive long-necked dragon heads quickly encircled the man; moments later, both of them roared loudly as it sensed the Beelze cards in his Extra deck. "YOU! YOU HOLD THREE PIECES OF ME! GIVE THEM NOW!" Beelze's main body declared angrily; Tokumo would only be able to watch as the copies of Beelze he had would fly out and hover before him.

"INTACT...YOU ARE NOT THE ONE! BUT YOU KNOW THE ONE WHO DID! THEIR ESSENCE OOZES FROM YOU!" Beelze roared again, adding fiercely "YOU WISH FOR MY POWER TO WIN, BUT YOU WILL NOT HAVE IT! YOUR PRICE SHALL BE YOUR PRIDE!" The next sight would make just about anyone soil their pants: The two giant dragon heads opened their maws even wider, the dark fire that once enshrouded the creature erupting and seeming to engulf Tokumo, unknowingly cursing him to forever suffer the agony of defeat. It would be extremely hot and most definitely painful, but not lethal....And once the flames were extinguished, the servant of Arcadia would find himself unharmed (largely) and Beelze gone from the field.

"Is..it safe to come out?"

That was what one of the underlings said as the commotion died down, Divine peeking from around the massive podium having jumped down to avoid being seen before replying, "Yes, I believe it is...Everyone it's over..." He made a mental note to bar Jun from Arcadia and get rid of him; the man was too dangerous if he was bringing these types of monstrosities to his doorstep. And if Tokumo wanted to throw a fit, he could follow his friend right out the front door.

"So...Now what?" The Emperor heard his vessel ask, himself stating verbally "Well...Since it seems I'm out, I'll be your opponent for a little while...But it will have to wait, and you will regret mocking me, fool! Come my next turn, you will see EXACTLY why the Demons are to be feared!" And with that tirade over, "Seeing as I'm already like this...At least allow me the satisfaction of breaking this fool's defense...He must pay for insulting my pride."
 

"My, my, Hotsuma-kun. If I didn't know better, I'd take you for a sailor over a duelist with how much you swear."

His smirk widened as he chuckled. Things were definitely not going as he would have preferred. Hell no. Still, every entertaining second he could see or take notice of was good enough. For example, hearing even Divine scold Hotsuma for using his rather colorful language so often was a damn good example. It made him remaining here instead of turning and seeking what he really wanted at this very moment that much more worthwhile. But honestly? Even this duel wouldn't stop him.

No. He'd go find that little bitch after this was over. Aki couldn't be around her all day, nor every day. An opening would come. And when it did, he'd ---

... Think more on that. something else caused him to quickly lift his head. Earlier, he had felt it for a few brief seconds. A surge of power that had arrived when Yuna became Yuse. It was something akin to that but ... much more evil. Stronger even. This was something .... more dangerous than anything he'd ever felt before. Even Aki, when she was without her restraints, didn't possess this sort of strength.

"What in the?!"

Though they were all in different locations, Tokumo, Aki, and Yuna all seemed to utter the same question. Each easily felt Beelze. None understood nor identified it, however, until the very spirit showed up.

"Oh my god," Yuna whispered, feeling multiple shivers trail down her spine. It felt more like the demonic dragon was in front of her as opposed to in the stadium.

"Holy shit," Aki agreed, finding herself even amazed at the sight before her very eyes.

Tokumo, meanwhile, was literally speechless. Unable to say anything as the dragon screamed and demanded to know whom had torn up the card of himself recently.

" If I'm not mistaken, I believe he holds a piece or two of you. I can feel it from here..."

His eyes tried to narrow, but any chance to successfully do so were stopped as Beelze got literally in his face and asked the same questions he'd hurled over to Hotsuma and his Emperor.

"W-Well ... umm ... "

Tokumo felt himself swallow, unable to finish the rest of the sentence. All he could do was stare in shock and awe as Beelze continued to angrily growl and hiss at him.

"W-Wait a second! Why am I being punished for Jun's actions?! I sure as shit didn't make him rip the card up! That was his doing, not mine!"

... Shouting back probably wasn't the smartest idea. But the fuck with it. Tokumo was absolutely livid, as much as he was terrified of this spirit. Still, he couldn't keep silent!

"I gave you the damn name! So go deal with him! Don't do this to me though ... NOOOOOOOO!"

His eyes closed tightly as even Tokumo whimpered, clearly expecting to almost literally be eaten.

... And found himself incredibly relieved when he opened himself and saw his body was still in one piece. Intact ... just like his cards. He panted heavily, holding his heart with a shaking right hand. "What in the living fuck was ... ??"

It wasn't that he didn't see or add two and two together. It was more like he simply didn't want to believe it.

"... My turn. Draw."

... If he hadn't believed what just happened mere seconds ago, now poor Tokumo had no choice but to. He literally had nothing. All that remained was the wall keeping him safe for the time being. "Turn end," he whispered. Anyone nearby could see a considerable amount of color had drained from his face, as if Beelze had stolen his very soul while screaming its heads off at him. And who knew? Maybe that had been what happened.

Suffice to say, it was fair to assume no one - not Aki, Divine, nor Jun - had seen Tokumo this terrified ever.

Today was a day of many 'first's, it would seem.
 
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No one could really say anything, not even Hotsuma - currently safe within his own mind and body because of the Emperor's influence - could say anything for a few minutes, watching through the Emperor's eyes. "This fool...What did he expect? Wielding a card like Beelze without even thinking of the repercussions" Hotsuma's contracted monster sneered, the young man replying with a question of his own "Did you seriously just talk down a DEMON DRAGON?! And how the fuck do you know Beelze, anyway!?"

"Foolish mortal...At least the card in which its power is bound got part of it right. Beelze is unkillable, even by the likes of me; a power such as that can only be sealed for a short time. Therefore, turning such a creature into an ally, if only in the sense that we do not meet as foes on the battlefield. So long as you show no fear, Beelze will respect you...And being a 'ruthless bastard', as I believe the expression goes for you humans, gives him great entertainment. You would be surprised how much the creature actually just wants to be left to its own devices."

A bit of a stunning revelation sure, but as Tokumo's turn ended - himself looking much worse for wear after that fun encounter - the Emperor's attention soon focused back on the man. And it was clear from the body language that Tokumo would get no reprieve.

"Now then...I believe it is my turn..." then said the Emperor, drawing a card and snickering as he knew exactly how to shatter this man's wall. "Don't be too complacent, whelp; you're far from out of danger yet! You've insulted my pride far too many times in this Duel, and I'll see to it that each moment of your defeat will be agonizing and painful!" was the next bellow, a sinister dark aura roaring up around the massive armored titan - eerily similar to the one Beelze emitted, but a fair amount less than it in terms of intensity - and its form becoming encased in a shadowy flame.

"It is time! Release your power, Lord of Lightning! By my decree, I command it!"

That was the Emperor's call, dark light spewing from Hotsuma's monster as it seemed to shift. Metamorphose and change, its body growing larger and larger; a second set of wings erupted from its back, the horns on its head growing longer and its presence becoming more and more malevolent. The Emperor laughed harshly, its joviality bouncing off the walls of the room as he then said, "You might think yourself invincible with your shield, but your stalling ends now, worm! My great thundering demon will use its power to shatter your barrier! Vortex Eradicator Storm!"

The massive demon on Hotsuma's field howled as the lightning from its body seemed to jump around even more violently than before, a massive web of thunderbolts surrounding both the Resonators and Tokumo before it collapsed, the Tuner monsters shattering as Red-Eyes' ability would destroy them both. "You will know pain, fool! Attack this coward directly! Abyssal Super Piercing Storm!" And just as before, that horrific demonic face in the sky materialized...And with Big Bang Shot adding another 400 ATK, this was one strike that Tokumo would certainly feel as the veritable beam of thunder struck him hard, the ground cracking and boiling from the heat of the lightning bolt.

"Feh...I know not why my host dared play so carefully around you, if this is all you can manage. Turn end...If you have anything left to defend yourself, I highly suggest you use it." then challenged the Emperor, fading away to let its host take control once more. "The hell...I would have figured you'd want to finish him off" Hotsuma commented, the Emperor replying snarkily "Show me you can at least utilize an advantage I gave you, and you might find use of my power to come easier."
 

Un-fucking-real!

Tokumo's fists were clenching tightly. His knuckles had been white, and if anyone paid any attention, they would see the new color was the least of the sadistic Psychic user's problems. His fingernails had dug so deep into his palms that they were drawing a bit of blood. But damnit all. He literally had almost nothing more to lose. So it wasn't like any of this mattered. His head bowed as Tokumo gritted his teeth, almost threatening to rip those out just from the sheer amount of anger and force now flowing through him. The truth of the matter was simple; there was nothing he could do against Hotsuma.

That little shit's gonna win and .... goddamnit!

"I know, right? If only your Shink from the first turn had worked, this would very likely be a different story, don't you think?"

Hotsuma's head lifted, his face draining a bit more as he heard the foreign voice. If Hotsuma had heard, then he didn't look like it.

"No, no. Fear not. No one else can hear me."

And who the fuck are you?!

"Look down. I'm in your hand."

An eyebrow raised as he glanced back down to his hand. There was only one monster in it, and there were several damn good reasons he hadn't played it as of yet.

... Darkness Neosphere?

"Well, yes. What were you expecting?"

... And what do you want?

Tokumo could practically hear a smirk in the reply as the demon went on, seeming to give an answer while simultaneously tuanting him. Though maybe that was just the tone ... he wasn't sure about much of anything, really.

"Well, I would say amusement, but alas, that's about to end. No, no. Given Beelze has all but disowned you, I am willing to replace him. I will give you more power. Unfortunately, there is nothing that can be done to help with this duel; surely, you have seen that much. However, I can aid out in something that has been on your mind since you brought her back into Arcadia."

... And how do I know you won't make it backfire?

"Because we can and will discuss payment when this duel ends. Of course, that's going off the assumption you want my help to begin with. But, what do I know? I'm probably just some low demon to you for all I can assume."

Tokumo scoffed, more as an act than hearing what Neosphere was offering. It was, however, fair to assume both were correct targets. If that damn boy wasn't around her so much, then it was Aki. Sometimes Divine ... and more often than not, accompanied by Aki. It seemed like another lose-lose situation. Just like this duel.

... Still, Tokumo knew better than almost anyone else - especially Jun - about the 'costs'. He had originally made one with Beelze. But with the dragon having cursed him, it seemed that was now gone. A way to replace what he just lost ... hmmm. Maybe ... maybe that could work.

"I'll set a card and end."

The gears turning in his head hinted that the offer was very carefully being thought about; not immediately accepted, but also not rapidly denied.

"Smart answer," he heard Neosphere quip in his head, chuckling as he watched his host resume the duel. It was definitely close to a point where Tokumo could surrender. But even then ... no. He didn't want to sink that low. Not if it could be helped, anyway.
 
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Hotsuma at this point wasn't sure what effect, if any, the blast of energy had on Tokumo. But as it stood, the sick bastard was down to 3600 Life Points and Hotsuma's still stood pretty at 8000. Not even a dent to be seen anywhere; for someone that had said he was fairly new to Dueling, it seemed he knew his Deck well enough to counter an opponent's moves.

But then again, Yuna had made it all too clear that adaptation was key to surviving in a place like the Satellite. With Sector around, it made the stronger and more numerous gangs even more uneasy....And whether it be with bats and chains or with dueling, one needed to learn how to fight.

Hotsuma didn't know what exactly what was going through his opponent's head...But seeing the look, the one of knowing their loss was coming, was oddly more satisfying this time around. And with one backrow now in play, the next move would be all too obvious to him: It was clearly a card that could destroy his Lightning Lord, or at the very least weaken/immobilize it.

But he was ready for that...He had been for several turns now.

"My turn! Draw!"

And when he drew his next card, he couldn't help smiling widely; he could even feel the Emperor's glee as his own eyes saw the card through his vessel's: Cry of the Damned. "Is this the card you were waiting for...? I must say, no wonder you were being careful..." his monster persona commented, Hotsuma's eyes closing as he replied, "This deck has plenty of powerful cards....But you're my ace for a reason. Of course, there are others that could accomplish the same feat, but this...This will be most fitting. And with the hand I have now, I want this sick pervert to burn..."

Yes, it seemed Hotsuma's own mood for blood was starting to much Yuna's when she was Yuse...Except he didn't reject it like her. No, it didn't matter if he killed this fucker or not. It would remind them all he was not one to be fucked with, especially if they came after his friends.

Divine felt that similar murderous surge that he felt from Yuse earlier on, emanating from the boy...But this was darker, all-consuming even, something that made a scowl cross his face. This wouldn't do, not at all; he cursed Tokumo now, for pushing things this far; if it were to get any more serious, he may have to intervene to stop any bloodshed.

And when Hotsuma's eyes opened back up, they would possess a distinct reddish tint both within and around the iris; not quite looking bloodshot, but almost as if he had just put in colored lenses. Not only thought, but his body language seemed...Looser. Like he knew all too well he was in control, and was getting a little too much enjoyment out of it. A low chuckle emerged from him, his voice now possessing a bit of a bass-like quality to it. "What's the matter, Tokumo? Don't tell me your little chat with Beelze made you lose your nerve!" he taunted playfully, setting a third card to his backrow and declaring as such.

"And with both your Resonators gone...Your Spirit Barrier's about as useful as a one-legged man in an ass-kicking contest!" Hotsuma taunted, clearly having fun now. "Now, Lightning Lord....Strike him again! Abyssal Super Piercing Storm!" the young man shouted happily...But then came a declaration of his opponent's,

"Quick-Play Spell, Shrink!"

But when the card opened to reveal itself, Hotsuma laughed quite loudly, "You think I'll let that happen?! I told you I wouldn't let you stall anymore! Counter-Trap, activate! Dark Illusion!" The middle of Hotsuma's set cards lifted upward, showing the counter-trap before it completely enshrouded Lightning Lord's electrified body. Within moments, a screaming shadow persona of the demonic monster erupted outward, striking the Spell Card and making its image blow apart...Allowing the original attack to continue unabated, Tokumo's body receiving heavy damage as his LP dropped now to a dangerous 700.

"Hah...hah..." Hotsuma breathed, the surge of adrenaline still running high through his body as smoke from the overpowered attack steamed from the ground. "Well...You said to come at you, and now look at you...Not even trying to defend yourself. I'm going to enjoy cutting your pathetic ass down to size!" Hotsuma then lifted a hand and made a 'come here' motion with his pointer finger, saying "Now allow me to say it to you: Come at me...Because if you don't, I promise to make you regret every threat, every action you did against Yuna...And I promise to break you one hundred times over on the next turn for it. Your move."
 

... So? What exactly is your plan, hm?

"Are you agreeing, then?"

I'm definitely considering it. But I'm no idiot. I own't say yes until I know some details.

"Good, good. You'd be amazed how many fail to do that. Well ... the answer to your true problem is relatively easy. She's never really alone. While I can't do anything about that, I can make it so she can't detect you and thus prepare for you. The rest of the plan will be mainly up to you; although I wouldn't be opposed to giving advice. My main obligation is to carry out my deals; nothing more, but certainly nothing less. And at this rate ... she will very likely surpass Aki, or at least get as close to it as possible. So, what do you have to lose?"

Tokumo frowned as he drew. Another monster - Archfiend Soldier, to be precise. But alas, there would be no way to summon Darkness Neosphere. Any sliver of hope that had lingered as a way to turn this duel around was officially gone from a quick look at his hand. His body shook, angrily and just a bit terrified. Not of Beelze, and not even of Hotsuma or his damned Emperor. But rather, of his own demon. Making deals with fiends was dangerous in the first place, and that was exactly why few people dared to make more than one agreement with any of them.

So for Tokumo to be considering it at all was a huge deal.

Fine, Tokumo inwardly declared. We'll begin once this duel ceases.

"No, actually," Tokumo quipped back to Hotsuma, taking his own turn to smirk back at the younger leader. "Beelze is, compared to the others, rather low. Rank and power wise. He is not my concern ... nor should he be yours. Quick-Play Spell, Shrink!"

His tongue clicked in annoyance as the second Shrink was also disabled.

"You're quite annoying for a brat," Tokumo muttered, sounding like he was reassuring himself more than anything. All while slowly drifting towards becoming legitimately insane. "Hmph. Fine then. I'll set a monster and end. Your go~"

... It no doubt sounded as weird as it looked. Despite all but admitting he was going to lose, Tokumo no longer seemed to be worried or freaking out about that. It was very much like he'd allowed himself to almost perfectly mimic how Jun had been during his own last turns. And that was indeed partly true.

... Unlike his partner, though, he had a reason. A back-up plan, and a goal he was hellbent on working towards. It made knowing he was about to lose this duel that much more satisfying.

Yuna, meanwhile, had finally recovered well enough to stand up with minimal support. Some rest plus a bit of water and snacks had given her ample strength. Now, she was practically pressed against the closest window, watching in awe and wonder. She hadn't been doubtful of Hotsuma's skills or anything. However, she couldn't remember off the top of her head when he had won with full life points. And that was what made her the most impressed, more so given he was against someone who had taken her out on the first damn turn.

Aki merely grinned, not saying anything out loud.

Not right away, at least.

After allowing Yuna to gawk for a few more moments, she lightly tapped Yuna on the shoulder. "Seeing as this is about to be over, care to rendezvous back to the main area?"

"Yeah. That ... would be appreciated."

The two began heading back towards the designated 'waiting area' Divine had created. Aki remained nearby, just in case Yuna seemed a bit wobbly or looked like she would lose her balance. Otherwise, she let Yuna move freely. Were roles reversed, Aki had little doubts of how Yuna was feeling. That thus meant she wouldn't want any displays of pity or aid. Only if she proved they were truly needed, but never before then.
 
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The fact that Tokumo remained so calm, after snipping so irritatedly earlier on in the Duel, was certainly strange to the onlookers and to Hotsuma. The latter, however, couldn't care less about whether he accepted defeat or not. He was going to crush this bastard...Whether or not it would actually kill him remained to be seen. His deck certainly responded well to his outrage...And the next move would be even more evidence that Beelze's curse was definitely working against Tokumo.

"I draw!"

That was what Hotsuma shouted as he pulled probably the best card he could have gotten, a rather sinister grin crossing his face again. A card that would completely destroy any chance Tokumo had of surviving this attack.

"Be calm all you like...But this is where your perversion, and you, end! Trap Card open! Cry of the Damned! Arise from the darkest depths of the Underworld! Show them why you rule the darkness with an iron fist! Archfiend Emperor!"

This is where it ended, he thought, feelign the ground shake as the Emperor arose from the Graveyard, its silhouette darkening the field once more with its size. But before Hotsuma could make a move, everyone nearby would hear something...A voice, very faint and very much deathly afraid.

"M-my lord...Please, have mercy...He forces me...Only you are my lord, our one true god!"

This made Hotsuma pause, before long a low growl echoing from within the boy's mind...And then something even stranger happened. His own monster, the colossal shadow on his field bellowed in a voice that seemed to make the very air in the room shake in trepidation, all of its fury directed toward Tokumo:

"You scum! You conniving insect! HOW DARE YOU TURN ONE OF MY SUBJECTS AGAINST ME!"

And just like that, the shadow wisps coating the massive titan flew away...Revealing the true form of the Emperor: Ornate armor decorated every inch of his figure, a blade easily the size of the arena itself and a half resting its handle within the iron fingers that enclosed it. Every bit of the enormous monster screamed power, even as its armored body sat atop the enormous throne, those glowing blood ruby eyes glaring at Tokumo with the utmost want to shatter both body and soul.

"BOY! DESTROY THAT MONSTER! NOW! NO ONE USES MY SOLDIERS LIKE PAWNS AND GETS AWAY WITH IT!"

To surmise that Tokumo slighted the Emperor somehow was a very grave understatement; no, this was a matter of personal pride now. If the Emperor had his way, this fool's head would be crushed like a melon beneath a falling sledgehammer.

But rather than falter, Hotsuma chuckled, as if amused by the outburst.

"Of course...But first, I want him to see that nothing he has can withstand the Archfiend's power. I activate Emperor's effect, offering the soul of my fallen Commander as tribute to destroy your Spirit Barrier! Imperial Decree!" And as the demon commander would give its essence to fuel his lord's power, the Emperor's right arm raised up to let everyone see a pulsing black mass beneath the bracer...And moments later, the black tendrils that had destroyed his cylinder shot out like spears and shattered his barrier.

"Sorry if this is too slow....Tokumo-kun. But I promised to make this painful, and you seem to have pissed off the demon king somehow. I wonder what your facedown is that got him so upset...Let's find out! I play Raigeki, clearing all monsters from your field!" A massive thunderbolt struck down, the face-down card revealing itself as Archfiend Soldier as it cried out in agony before being destroyed. Leaving his opponent completely exposed...But if he thought he was going to attack now, he was sorely mistaken.

No, he wanted to annihilate this...thing. Hotsuma considered him so far an animal that he was no longer human, probably never was.

"I'm not done yet though...Now that I see why his majesty is so enraged, it's only right that he get some personal justice. Whatever Beelze did to you, he's going to make it a hundred times worse." was Hotsuma's next comment, adding as he showed a card from his hand "This brat is about to make these next few seconds of your life a living hell. I activate from my hand the Equip Spell, Axe of Despair and infuse its power with my Emperor!" A dark and very lethal fire erupted from around the monster's massive body, its ATK rising to a whopping 4000...But the real change came from the blade he was holding. Its length shifted, transformed...Twisting into something wrong, its edge even sharper than before and seeming to scream with the sadness of the countless legions it had slain.

"But since we're on the topic of justice, as I'm sure your sorry ass has had it coming for a while now...Let me bring someone else that might want a say in this. I summon Stygian Security!"

At this, one of the key Tuners of Sector's deck profiles appeared, a bullhorn in one hand and the police light atop its head flashing as it held a stun baton in another. "Don't worry though; funny as it would be to have this guy be the one helping to finish you off, I'm talking REAL justice...The kind Sector only pretends about. I'm tuning my level one Security with my Level Six Lightning Lord!"

The green rings encircled both monsters as Lightning Lord took to the sky, Security following closely behind him before a black light enclosed them both, Hotsuma's voice low as he spoke in a chant-like tone, "Star of death, shining at Heaven's zenith! Descend and render your judgment on the living! Synchro Summon! King of Divine Punishment, Dark Highlander!"

And with its summoning completed, another massively armored fiend wielding a wicked-looking scythe appeared on Hotsuma's field...Both of their weapons looking a little TOO lethal, especially for what was supposed to be a simple display of skill. Even Divine could feel something was very wrong; strong as Tokumo was, even he couldn't take a hit like this...And with the deal he wanted to make, it might seem like he wouldn't live long enough to even begin discussing the specifics with the monster in his hand.

Hotsuma didn't falter though, only seeming to revel in the power these two heavy hitters possessed. Now not only did he have two powerful monsters on the field, but now Synchro Summoning would be impossible with Dark Highlander on the field. Made even more evident as the Emperor's body rose from its throne, the gigantic sword raised high above the head of Hotsuma's opponent.

"Now you die, Tokumo...Highlander and Emperor, destroy him in both body and soul! Redemption Omega Final Strike!"

Highlander charged forward right about the same time as the Emperor was going to bring the sword down on Tokumo's head...And though the attack should have killed him, Tokumo would feel something blocking it. A 'cushion' of sorts, reducing the imparted energy by a significant margin as the weapons impacted the Psychic's form; however, the impact would still be sufficient to blow him back several meters, a smoking crater being all that was left of where he stood as LP would drop to zero from the overkill damage.

Divine breathed heavily, hands extended outward as a stray bead of sweat trickled down his temple; it seemed that Hotsuma had more power than anyone could have anticipated. But he did save his associate's life, if only to not have bloodshed occur in his dueling hall. He made a note to try and restrict them further, but as to how he would achieve that...He didn't know. Two people nearly died today, and that was unacceptable; he couldn't have Psychics spilling blood against each other.

"Well...I think that's enough excitement for one day...Very good performance, Mr. Oboro. Victory is yours." Divine then commented, letting his composure come back to him. Hotsuma just stared at where Tokumo lay, hands clenched in anger as he replied, "Feh...You wasted energy saving his sorry ass. Just remember my friend's words: None of you have the right to look down on either of us now." Giving a few blinks, he just breathed deep, the red tint to his eyes gone as the Emperor's influence subsided.

A smirk crossed his face as he realized that he did more than just kick Tokumo's ass: It was a shutout. Aside from that one Duel with Yuna as Yukio in Satellite, he'd always lost Life Points to some degree. He'd always taken a hit or two in a Duel, and definitely lost his fair share...Maybe this was fate's way of saying she was his good luck charm. "Take that, fucker!" he shouted gleefully.
 

A very sudden, abrupt thought entered Tokumo's mind. What really made it all the more intriguing, however, was no one had made him think about this. Not Darkness Neosphere nor any previous memories, be it of duels or anything else. It was just a very spur-of-the-moment thought that he pondered. He silently thought it over for a few moments ... and began chuckling. Fine, so maaaaybe there had been slight bits of influences and inspirations that made him come up with the idea. Still, it was otherwise correct to say no one or nothing had made him think about this scenario. Just himself.

"I'm curious, Hotsuma. Your Emperor is helping you out now. But - and you don't have to answer me out loud - I want you to think long and hard. How much do you truly trust your precious fiend? After all, you saw exactly what happened between me and Beelze. So what's to say that won't happen to you? If you ever end up having to face him and defy him ... will you succeed? I wonder ... "

The devious smirk only continued to spread, rather than vanishing like it probably should have. Especially when the Emperor screamed directly at him.

"Heh! You're one to talk! You've used your own soldiers time and time again, have you not? I can safely say that - at least on day one - you definitely used and manipulated Hotsuma-kun over there. So don't talk as if you yourself are 'innocent' or what have you. Hah!"

Adrenaline plus what could only be described as a miracle had been keeping Tokumo from reacting in the more expected ways. However, with the pain starting to dominate his own will power, he was now feeling every second, every surge of sheer agony. It was now finally showing, staring in his facial features. Particularly the eyes. Tokumo had been in some tough duels before. But none had been like this in any form or fashion. Certainly not against another Psychic, let alone one this strong or angry. And it was made worse by the fact the feelings were perfectly justified.

The weakest of chuckles would pass from Tokumo's lips, as the last of his consciousness focused on registering the 'cushion'. The very thing which kept him from being outright murdered. Good. He would definitely use that to his advantage, now knowing he could - and most certainly would - wake up. It would be hours - probably days - before that happened. But as long as he knew consciousness would return, that was all that mattered. He'd need it to make his deal official, and get what he wanted.

Until then ....

"Hotsuma! Holy fuck!"

Yuna took her turn, now running forward and wrapping her trembling arms around his neck. "I ... shit. I don't think I've seen you do that before. Win a duel without losing life, I mean. That was ... damn. Heh. I've never felt so relieved before to be on the same side as you before now. I'm only partially joking; you do know that, right?"

Her head shook from side to side as she peeked over Hotsuma's shoulders, staring at the very bloodied and knocked out Tokumo. Her gaze lingered on the former foe ... before moving and concentrating instead on the blue eyes belonging to Hotsuma.

"Thank you," Yuna whispered.

Now - as far as she was concerned - the entire ordeal was over. No one would be that desperate nor insane, after all. Now - even if they never got out of Arcadia - Yuna was already feeling so much safer than she had in the past near two weeks.

Aki cleared her throat, holding a finger up to signal she had a bit to add before Hotsuma carried Yuna away, "She did have a bit to eat and drink but ... lunch will probably help her out. She's still a bit weak ... but she's not in the worst state I've seen. I'll go and get that started up for you two. The rest of the day will likely be free for you two to spend as you both desire."

Although ... I'd at least recommend trying to be somewhat discreet. Unless, of course, you're into showing off.

Leaving the tease at that, Aki turned and walked away.

Slowly but surely, the crowd began to disperse, eventually leaving a very speechless Yuna alone with only Hotsuma.
 
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Divine had the onsite medical team come in this time, Tokumo's injuries worse than Jun's; to think that two of his best enforcers would be so mercilessly beat down. Maybe the Satellite was more full of potential candidates than he thought; could very well be that the Barbaric Area was ripe with talent, ready for recruiting.

With the Duel over, however, Hotsuma wondered about the question Tokumo posed...But just as quickly shrugged it off; no doubt the shithead was just trying to turn his head around. Giving a deep sigh of relief, he turned around to be greeted with the sight of his lover rushing him and her body thumping against his. True...It was definitely a prideful moment to completely sweep an opponent like that, and what better way to celebrate than have his lover's arms around his neck?

"Did you forget that Duel in Satellite already?" he teased, laughing as she mentioned her partially joking. "Don't worry, the feeling's mutual" he replied back in the same half-teasing manner; man, this was a great day. Both of them completely demolished their opponents, and now more than likely those with any desire to try and haze them because they were new Psychics would think twice about it.

"I told you, didn't I? No more moping...I've done enough of that to last us both more than enough lifetimes" he smirked at her, knowing that he beat the hell out of this pervert. Still...He was hoping to put him down like the mad dog Tokumo was, but he supposed this would do, even as the medics came in and hauled the bloodied man away to be treated.

Still...There was one thing he was meaning to say. Something no one would expect from him this soon...But she quickly cut him off, talking about lunch. Come to think of it, he could eat; he didn't seem quite as wobbly as his friend - even though she wasn't all that shaky herself - but to say he wasn't hankering for a good meal right now would be a bit of a bald-faced lie.

And as Aki would make her way out, she would hear within her mind those unthinkable words from someone who had given her nothing but trouble from day one.

"Thank you...For looking after her, I mean."

Granted he still didn't trust her...But at the very least, she'd earn a brownie point for holding up her promise. But as the room cleared, they were indeed left alone...None of the juniors wanted to get anywhere near the two of them, lest they be subjected to their wrath. Which was fine, because he kind of wanted to go lay back down anyway.

"You thank your enemy...You mortals are strange creatures indeed" the Emperor commented after the silence, adding "Was there really a need to summon that other beast? The fool had no way of defending himself..." Hotsuma just laughed, "I told him he would pay, plain and simple. Don't tell me the great and powerful demon king is actually concerned?" The Emperor let out a 'Hmph' and replied, "Hardly, boy. You were playing too cautious the entire time, there were several opportunities you could have taken him down by more."

"I know that...But I haven't faced that pig's deck before. Besides...You got the final hit in, even with Divine blocking you. Figured you would be happy." Hotsuma quipped, his contracted spirit stating "I would have preferred to snuff out his life right then and there. But I suppose he can enjoy his time here for a short while longer. I can at least extend him that much mercy."

Letting his attention fall back to Yuna, Hotsuma grinned at his partner and lover "Well then...I say we go enjoy a short break, then mosey around Arcadia. Fun as this place has been, we do need to find a couple of things out. No one's going to want to mess with us anymore...Not unless they're looking for a severe kick in the ass." was the Disciples' boss's statement. "Don't worry...I'll be your walking cane" he joked to her, but also letting her know in that manner that if she did need someone to lean on, he was there...And he would never let her fall.
 

Whereas Yuna had sometimes been on edge when surrounded by silence, this was one of the opposite moments. The times she was glad to have it. No more chaos. No more unneeded fear or angst. All of that and everything else negative was finally, completely gone. Maybe only for the time being. But right now, that was more than good enough for her. Yuna's eyes slowly closed as she allowed her head to remain pressed against Hotsuma's chest, concentrating on listening to his heart and simply enjoying the closeness between them. Each second the leaders spent near one another was feeling more natural, more ... 'right'. Like this was indeed meant to happen.

Heh. And to think you were trying so hard to keep living your life as Yukio.

Granted, those days had actually been fun. But there was no way she would have been able to be quite this close to Hotsuma. She didn't need to be a Psychic to know that much. It thus made her - oddly - feel kinda grateful he had walked in on her while she was half-nude. She chuckled softly upon remembering what used ot be a dreadful day, now finding it to be something good. Positive. A change in the right direction - for the both of them.

Irony always did have a funny way of showing up. Much like Karma, Fate, all of that good shit. Hehe ...

Her head slowly nodded, subconsciously replying to Hotsuma's reminder he was done pouting. "Mhm, I'm seeing. It's definitely showing up now. Good. The necklace feels nice and all ... but I do wanna give it back to you eventually. It is yours, not mine. Keep this mood around ... and you'll definitely get it back soon."

As Yuna lifted her head, she turned and confirmed for herself they were completely alone. The sight made her gulp, then sigh. The single sound was laced with nothing less than sheer, sincere relief. It was likely out of habit, but Yuna had expected someone to come over, separate them, and force them into separate rooms once again.

Nope. Never again ... Divine had been truthful about that reward.

"Good," Yuna muttered, letting her head plop back down on Hotsuma's chest. A weak smile crossed her face as the other leader finally suggested the two going and indulging in a reprieve. "Most definitely," Yuna agreed, "Sounds great. Especially while lunch is in the midst of being prepared."

Her eyes rolled as the warrior-user heard Satellite's beloved fiend offer to be her 'walking cane'. "Don't get me mixed up with Jun or hentai-yaro now. I wasn't that badly wounded, after all. Definitely not compared to them, anyway."

Plus, he was right. At this rate, people would have to be literally or as close to suicidal as possible to dare mess with either of them. Any and everything Yuna had been dreading seemed to disappear as quickly as it'd haunted her mind.

Feeling much more confident and relaxed, she did half-accept Hotsuma's offer by at least wrapping an arm around his waist.

... As much as she hated to admit it, he was right about one thing. Her tremors hadn't fully stopped. And if only because of that, she didn't trust her body to cooperate with her.

The moment the new lovers entered their - her, technically - room, she plopped down on the bed, eagerly beginning to kick her shoes off.
 
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Hotsuma chuckled at her referring to Tokumo as 'hentai-yaro'; it was truly an apt description for someone like him. "True enough, just wanted to let you know that I got your back. Always." was his response; she really didn't do too badly, just a few times where she felt a little wobbly. But they still made it back...And now had their own time to chill.

But even though they'd deserved a rest, she would find him restless. They really did need to get out of here, and it wasn't just the fact that they were essentially guinea pigs.

People back in Satellite were undoubtedly starting to worry; and while he didn't question Yamichi or Hajime's ability to hold it down...He didn't like the fact that they were essentially leaving their people in the dust. But at the very least...With this power, he could make sure Sector was never a threat again. If he could do THAT to another Psychic...

Sector Security was royally fucked, a thought that made him grin.

Sitting down across from Yuna on a chair, he then spoke to her in a low voice, "So, Yuna...Fun as this place is, we need to talk. I don't mean to put a damper on the fact that we both kicked ass today. But we need to get back to everyone at Satellite...And soon. I don't like just sitting here, knowing that Sector's still running around there...Trying to enforce their shitty little laws."

Taking a deep breath, he then looked at the young woman more carefully and added "Also...I don't like that these clowns have that shipment of Beelze cards. I'm not saying we need to make that a priority, but if we could even get some of them out of this Arcadia place's hands...I think everyone back home would be better off. We could even give them to some of the other leaders...Give them a means to fight Sector off. Think about it, Goodwin's probably fucking pissed his guards lost those cards. Imagine how pissed he'll be if he sees that dragon being used against his people."

At this, he definitely couldn't help but laugh...It was kind of funny how it started. At first, he was just going to rob the truck and destroy the cards. But now, after seeing Beelze in person (not that it was a person, per se), it made him think. If Beelze was strong enough to make this guy Tokumo nearly shit himself in fear, what would it do to Sector once it got turned against them.

"Boy...I'm beginning to like the way you think. I hadn't realized that this Goodwin was the one who asked for the commissioning of the card. To turn a weapon of his own wanting against him...I can think of no grander slight." he then heard the Emperor say casually, Hotsuma replying as his eyes traveled back to the door to make sure no one was listening in, "What can I say? Any chance I have to put a dent in Sector, you can bet I'm going to take it...The only question is how. No doubt their glorious leader has them under lock and key somewhere..."

Looking back to Yuna, he then asked, "So...How about it? Got any ideas?"
 

Yuna found her gaze shifting, moving away from the ceiling over towards Hotsuma. He wasn't alone, luckily. She was also feeling a bit restless. Now, however, it was fueled less from feeling unsafe, and more from simply wanting to leave. The last intention she'd had before their capture was forcing Hajime to take completely over. She wanted to be back with all of the others of Yomi.

... Of course, the reunion would probably be a bit awkward at first.

But, really, they had been long overdue for the truth. So, she was ready to get that confession out of the way. Even if the others turned their backs and left, she felt confident Hajime wouldn't do that.

"Hmph. Fun? Hardly. Well, not this place. The duels we just had ... maybe. But that's about it. So ... go on."

Her own voice lowered, helping Hotsuma keep the talk they were having be discreet. This was even less of a thing anyone here needed to know. Granted, Divine and Aki probably had guesses they wanted out. But no actual proof. And Yuna smiled as she took note of Hotsuma relaying and showing he would take full advantage of that.

Yuna would wait for Hotsuma to finish, nodding firmly as she stayed lying down on her side.

"Agreed. Giving our people - those who want it, anyway - some Beelze copies would be a damn good help. As for actually leaving here ... sorta."

Her hand tilted.

"I almost wonder if we could simply fight for our freedom. More or less including that as an ante of sorts. Like ... go against whomever Divine feels appropriate and declare if we win, we can leave. No questions asked, no Psychic bullshit being used against us. But ... I'm not counting on that working. So I'm trying to figure a more reliable - or at least likely - plan out."

Her head turned slightly before she lowered her voice even more.

"I talked to Aki a bit while you were dueling ... and gave her something to ponder over. For now, it at least sounds like I may have convinced her to consider switching her loyalties and turning against Divine. I know that's a risk, but I - personally - would be fine with taking that chance. Definitely over certain other ones, fuck yeah."

Even though Yuna did feel a bit guilty knowing she was resorting to a tactic she usually hated - manipulation of a person - if it worked for them ... she felt confident they could be out sooner instead of later.

"Alternatively, we could probably just storm outta here. Divine and Aki are technically the biggest concerns at the moment, with Aki being a maybe' as to whether she would even end up going against us or not. So it may end up as a tag versus one person. Those are pretty damn good odds, especially with us fighting together."

A tired sigh passed her lips as she shrugged lightly.

"Aside from those plans ... I got nothing. Not yet, anyway. But I'll try to work on it."
 
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Hotsuma nodded as she referenced, however slightly, their 'fun' had been here. The Duels they'd both had were entertaining and a great way to let off steam, but that did little to make them forget about where they belonged.

And in Hotsuma's case at least, it only strengthened his resolve to get them both the hell out of here.

"Now who's being too generous in their own rights?" he teased after she made the suggestion about placing their ability to leave on the outcome of a Duel; the thought crossed his mind, sure, but he didn't see Divine being the type to let them go so easily. Even though they'd been here...for a number of days, he'd lost count...he had the sneaking suspicion that it wasn't enough.

He wanted to observe them more...Like some creepy stalker that found a new object of desire.

"I mean, it could work and we could definitely try it...But I'm thinking we should be ready to try and fight our way out. I don't see Divine wanting to let us go...As in, ever. There's no doubt in my mind he wants to find out exactly how this happened...And I'm not going to be his guinea pig any longer than I have to."

And when she brought up Aki and how she might have made her question her loyalties, Hotsuma leaned back in his chair with a raised brow. As if not truly believing she would actually even think of going against her master. "I'll take your word for it, I guess, since I wasn't there. But just don't be too surprised if push comes to shove, she won't disobey Divine's orders." was his next comment; she might have held up her bargain by keeping Yuna safe while he put the hurt on Tokumo, but he still didn't fully trust her. Not enough to let his guard down around her.

Shaking his head, he finished with "Don't worry about a plan yet...If we're going after Beelze, we need to find out where those cards are kept first." Which brought up another question...How would they find out? There was no way in hell anyone they asked would tell them, so that meant having to get sneaky. Unlike the goons of Sector...These guys could feel where they were, and even with the temporary blocks that they could call up, that only seemed to cover communication. Not actual presence.

Which was a problem, since Hotsuma knew all too well that they could easily track their movements. And even after spending so much time under observation here...He still remembered why he hated it. Too much looking over his shoulder, waiting for the inevitable (and proverbial, though sometimes he thought literal) knife in the back.

"Much as I appreciate talk of subterfuge, you might want to finish this later. That vile woman approaches, no doubt with meals in tow."

That thought echoed through Hotsuma's mind alone, ensuring that neither she or Yuna would hear it; much as it annoyed the young man, since it would have helped if she'd heard that as well. "Lunch should be here soon, yeah? Delivering that ass-whooping made me hungry all of a sudden" he then changed topic abruptly, hoping he and Yuna's past experiences of doing such would drop the hint that an unwanted listener was approaching.


*NEXT DAY*

Tokumo was laid up in the hospital wing of the Arcadia headquarters, a face-mask helping to supply his body with oxygen as he rested from the severity of his injuries. Two doors down was Jun, also laid up from the more internal lacerations that Yuse's attacks had been dealt to him. Nothing they wouldn't recover from, but fairly unpleasant for both to have to endure.

The man's figure was covered in a light breathable blanket, a nurse finishing a course of mild anesthetic to help him recover from the pain he was feeling; he'd been unconscious so far, but his mind wasn't that inactive.

Slowly, he began to wake up...Feeling the monster's presence reside within his soul. A temporary connection to help them form the contract....But first, he needed details. He wasn't about to make the same mistake as he'd done with Beelze...And after he got Yuna, he would be sure to pay his old friend Jun a visit to make him suffer for forcing him to have to contract with another demon.

"Neosphere...If you're there, I want to talk more about this deal you're proposing. And don't hold anything back; if I'm going to agree to this, I need to know exactly what I'm getting into." he then called out mentally, waiting for the beast to respond.
 

"Hmph. For me, it makes sense. You're the Fiend, not me. I'm a warrior. We can have mercy ... when we so choose. Come back when you can throw a better tease at me. That was by far one of your worst ones."

Yuna leaned back, pressing her back against the headboard, and quietly took note of Hotsuma's train of thought. It was slightly weird, at least her in mind, that Divine would really want to keep them. Hadn't they already proved they were too dangerous? That they'd obtained more strength than even he originally planned, and thus were more of a risk than reward at this point?

And yet .... Hotsuma's logic made sense. If Divine started to think any of that had been true, he probably would have ordered Aki to escort them out of the base instead of letting them merely walk back to their room. Her head nodded as she groaned in annoyance. " .... Yeeeeeah," she agreed, "Point made. Alright. Fine. I suppose it likely will be fighting our way out."

At least it wasn't a convoluted plan. It was simple, to the point, and - because of whom they were - very likely to work.

Like Hotsuma said, anyone trying to make a violent approach against us is basically signing their death wish at this point ...

"Alright. A bit more waiting it is, I guess."

Definitely not her preference. They had been here for almost two weeks, if not that. Yuna was as eager as Hotsuma to leave. But at the same time, she was also equally smart. And she thus knew ... trying to escape now would do neither of them any good. Certainly not without the Beelze cards. "Good. I'm hungry too, actually."

It wasn't only a lie. But that was what would make her words that much more better.

And sure enough, as Aki entered their room and set down the trays, no sense of deception would be felt from either of them. She did take note of them going quiet. Buuuut ... that probably didn't mean anything. They both had finished some tough matches rather recently. She would give them benefit of the doubt, more so seeing neither try anything dumb as she set the trays down. "Enjoy," she stated before turning and leaving the two alone to their own devices.
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If anything, Neosphere had been noticing that poor Tokumo's mind was ridiculously active. Way more than it should be. And most of the inner thoughts were filled with colorful words and thoughts about that girl. Although ... to his owner's credit, even Neosphere couldn't fully blame Tokumo.

With or without her powers, Yuna was quite the rare female in her own rights.

The addition of the powers this base had given her, however, made her even more precious. Like a diamond in the rough.

As such, even a demon like him could definitely understand why Yuna was on Tokumo's mind so much.

... Still, he would be doing this in smarter ways.

But then again, that was exactly why he was the demon and Tokumo was the human.

Besides, he decided, If he fails to see the flaw in this ... well ... that's not my problem.

It would be unfortunate, no doubt. But the truth of the matter was, demons very rarely had long-time vessels, and one major reason why was because few lacked the intelligence or truly understood what they were getting into.

"Of course. Demons are always around, even if you don't feel or expect their presence. I've never felt you so hungry before. Desperate for anything, or anyone. It's ... interesting. Anyway, my proposition is simple. Think of it as an anti-sensing aura, more or less. No one will be able to feel you coming. And, in the case of other Psychics, they won't be able to switch to their other halves, thus drastically weakening them. That should - hopefully - give you enough advantages to get what you want, yes?"

Neosphere then paused, partly to see if Tokumo was realizing yet what the main problem with this plan would be or not.

... It wouldn't matter, and in truth, Neosphere was actually hoping he would remain blissfully ignorant.

There was another drawback ... one he was fine admitting. Mainly because it wasn't the main issue Tokumo would have to worry about.

"Realize, though, that in accepting this, you yourself will be weakened. So you will have to have a good enough plan, and possibly some accessories. More likely than not. My money's on the likelihood that Yuna won't be alone. So, you'll need to adapt for that. But ... if you feel certain you will be able to handle all of that, very well. Otherwise ... I suppose there's little more to discuss, is there? So .... do we have a deal?"

Neosphere was barely restraining himself. The smirk that had formed on his face had almost mingled in with his voice. No matter what happened, this would hands down be fun for him to watch. It'd been a long while since anyone asked for his help -- and there was a damn good reason for that.

"Don't worry. I haven't forgotten about my price, or what I'd request of you. My agreements are - as I like to refer to them - blind ones. You'll know when the time is right. For now, all I need to know is if you'll accept my help or not."

Neosphere went silent again, praying, hoping, and expecting to hear the answer he wanted so badly to hear. The simple answer of 'yes'!
 
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Tokumo still wondered if this was a good idea...But if he wanted to get to Yuna and claim her for himself, he needed a way to get past the veritable guard team surrounding her. Even so...His recent experience with Beelze made him hesitant to even want to enter a contract.

But after his defeat at the hands of that brat Hotsuma...He knew power was needed. And Neosphere was his next best bet, even if it wasn't exactly an ideal arrangement. Demons were fickle creatures, always making deals but also finding ways to royally screw over their contract holder.

He nearly jumped out of his skin when Neosphere announced his presence, the heart monitor showing a small blip that would most likely be overlooked as a small sign of alertness before returning to normal.

"True enough, I suppose...Still, a little warning would be appreciated in the future" was his request; though truthfully, he didn't expect this demon to bother with such formality. If anything, the truth of Neosphere's words were exactly why this would be beneficial: Demons needed a way to make sure their own contract holders didn't attempt to nullify the deal, and what better way to do that than being nearly everywhere at once?

The man was silent as he listened to Neosphere's proposition: An ability to avoid being detected, while simultaneously suppressing the powers of other Psychics? A most useful one indeed...

Surely it came with some price...It had to, there was no way a demon would grant an ability like this for free. Not even at a discount.

Even so...He was quick to realize the small but critical flaw; if this power remained active all the time, it would undoubtedly draw unwanted attention. As such, Neosphere likely wouldn't be surprised as to his next request.

"Grateful as I am for the offer...I'm afraid that if this wasn't able to be turned off, my plan would undoubtedly be stopped before it began. As such, I'll need to be able to 'activate it', for lack of a better phrase. Be able to turn it on and off as I see fit...Last thing I need is Master or his little pet suddenly having a change of heart and coming to inspect me for my fun."

Letting that sink in for a moment, Tokumo then added, "I also believe that we would be discussing payment after the duel as well, and unless I'm mistaken this is after the duel. I tried a blind arrangement out of arrogance with Beelze. And as generous as you've been thus far, I'm afraid lack of specifics is what landed me in this mess in the first place." Tokumo knew he had to choose his words carefully; there wasn't any telling that Neosphere couldn't just find another host to claim as a contractor.

"Let's just say hypothetically, I accept these terms..." he began, using his own brand of vagueness to avoid directly signing a deal as he finished with, "Surely it won't harm you to divulge at least a smidge of what you request of me? You've heard my thoughts of her, after all, and the depths I'll go to obtain her for myself. If this fails, very little will be left for me...At the very least, I like to know what I'll be in for once my little endeavor comes to fruition."
 

Blah, blah, blah, I don't know. Blah, blah, blah, hmmm, maybe.

Same shit, new possible host. None of this was new to Neosphere's ears. If anything, it was so very old and incredibly predictable. Ergo, boring. He fought the urge to roll his eyes, not really wanting Tokumo to know just how irritated he was getting with the man. Of course, Tokumo was by no means the only person who had a Darkness Neosphere in their deck. The bed-ridden Psychic probably had no idea that, ironically enough, Hotsuma had at least one copy in his side deck; something Neosphere inwardly chuckled at the moment he sensed that. The card was just in the boy's side deck as opposed to the real one.

So of course, Tokumo probably failed to detect that.

... Well ... that plus all the drama that occurred between him and Beelze.

Either way, it wasn't any skin off of Neosphere's nose.

Finally, Tokumo began to lean towards giving a more direct answer. The smirk that spread over Neosphere's lips could practically be heard in the demon's voice as he finally replied back to Tokumo. "That switch can be arranged. Although I don't usually bother revealing my blind agreements, I'm feeling a bit generous. Because, as you said, I do indeed know of your wants and feelings for the girl. As a creature of lust, I can relate well enough. So ... the price is easy. Almost laughably so; I honestly don't know why you had to ask, in fact, The price is .... "

It would most definitely be cliche. But really, Neosphere was a relatively simple demon, for the most part. So, unless Tokumo could come up with a much more appealing offer ... he would hear the answer revealed to be.

"Your soul, of course. However, if you can think of something just as fair, I can consider compromising. Say ... half your remaining life span? Losing any of your senses permanently? Something like that. You literally gotta lose something in order to gain this. You seem to have a good head attached to your shoulders; I suggest continuing to use that. Because the moment you make a verdict, no take backs."

And now ... he had all but cornered Tokumo.

Because, as the duelist realized, he would have to accept the 'gift' in order to stand a chance. And now with him willingly including his 'switch', it would be more enticing as opposed to a threat; or so he felt confident that would be the case.

... Besides, who said Tokumo had to be willing to give his soul up for Neosphere to obtain it?

It'd be more ... brutal that way, no doubt. But that was how demons were. He was waiting as patiently as possible, anxiously hearing how Tokumo would respond to him. Tookumo's caution had been correct; if Neosphere heard a loophole, he could and most definitely would use it. Without a second thought or any hints of remorse.
 
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Tokumo was kind of worried he accidentally pissed off Darkness Neosphere; last thing he needed was another monster cursing him. Or worse, killing him; at the very least, he could have worked around another curse. Even though he didn't fully understand the magnitude of the monster's disowning him, he was far from ignorant to think the curse benign.

He was indeed clueless to Hotsuma's side deck, let alone the inclusion of a copy of Neosphere himself. Though even if he had known, it still wouldn't have changed the answer he was going to give...Even after Neosphere decided to confide in him the price for signing a contract with him.

Though if one considered how this man operated, such knowledge would compel him to accept the deal even more than he wanted to now. Especially now that Neosphere had essentially written himself in as a necessity to getting what his heart desired.

"My soul, huh?"

That was all he said at first...Remaining expressionless, but soon the corners of his mouth turning upward into a grin. "I would almost say you're cheating yourself, Neosphere; I was expecting more out of you. But then again, as a creature of lust, you know what you want from this life. I can relate." And not two seconds later, he would then give the demon the answer he was so eagerly seeking...With one slight twist.

"You can have my soul...On the condition that I do not fulfill my desire in forging this deal with you. I don't want you interfering either, respectfully. Even if I can't spend all my life enjoying her body, I want to get as much out of it as I can. But....As a sign of good faith, I'll even give you half my life expectancy upfront. Consider that your signing bonus."

One would normally consider it dangerous to start trying to modify a contract already made up in the mind of a demon...But then again, he'd just laughed in the face of near-certain death at the hands of a demon on par and perhaps even stronger than Neosphere himself, so few might find it surprising for a person like Tokumo to do such a thing.

"So...What say you, Neosphere old friend? Do we have a deal?" he then asked the dark demon, a sly grin of his own still very much present as he waited for the demon to give his own reply.
 

... Oh?

As Tokumo gave his counter-offering, Neosphere felt his grin widen ... again .... more even ... and finally, he busted out laughing in Tokumo's head.

"My, my. Aren't you the cocky bastard? Well ... can't say you aren't making this worth my time, if nothing else."

Indeed, even the demon was finding this to be as close to suicidal as possible. It definitely had a lot of risks. Most of which were against Tokumo. In fact, there wasn't really much of a downside to this for Neosphere. It was almost literally one of the absolute worst deals for Tokumo, one that was basically forcing him to succeed and use these powers to his fullest advantage.

"Alright then. I'll ignore the fact you stole my line, simply because I'm in a good enough mood. That being said, we most definitely have a deal. Now .. I haven't reduced a person's lifespan in a while. But from what I remember, it's exhausting; not just for you, but me also a bit. Of course, you'll feel more of the effects than I will. Aside from tired ... that's it. It shouldn't hurt. Hell, you'll probably forget about this exchange until your meeting with Death arrives and you question why it's sooner than usual. Ready? You'll probably feel like you just got a dose of really fucking strong medicine once again ... "

If Tokumo would try an old trick - say counting backwards from one-hundred - he wouldn't even get out of the nineties before feeling incredibly weak. Groggy. And then ... poof. There would go the last of his consciousness.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________​

Meanwhile, Yuna had been going about the day in the mostly same routine. The main difference that made today even somewhat different from the other days were her thoughts. Ever since waking up, Yuna had been trying to think, come up with a more concrete plan.

It was seeming more and more like they would probably just have to fight their way out. It was a slightly annoying thought ... but not overly amazing.

Still, there was something else that was just as essential for them to escape.

"Hmmm ... "

Nodding, Yuna reached down and began grabbing her clothes. Last night had been another ... wild one. However, they did stay a lot more discreet than their first time they coupled.

... Who are you kidding? Just use the real term; it was fucking.

Yuna smirked, chuckling softly to herself before turning and looking to Hotsuma.

"I think I figured another homework assignment we can work on while waiting to fight our way out," she stated in a very confident tone. Sneaking a few quick glances first, Yuna lowered her voice before beginning to whisper in Hotsuma's ear, purposely slowing her re-dressing so it would look like she was merely whispering sweet words as opposed to a plan.

"We need to find where they've put the Beelze cards ... sweetie~"

The nickname wasn't only included as an act. It did hold a very sincere, honest meaning behind the term. Now, however, it could also strengthen the illusion she was meaning to give off.

"Dunno if we'll be able to get started on that now. But ... it's something to think about, ya know?"
 
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Tokumo did his best not to bust out laughing himself; Beelze was far less personable, and seemed to have no capability of carrying on intelligent conversation. At least with Neosphere, it was like talking to a long-lost twin. One well-versed in the dark arts and extremely powerful in their own right.

"Good. I'm glad we both see eye-to-eye" the man replied contentedly; yes, this would do just fine. Even if he wouldn't be able to enjoy Yuna's body for too long now...At the very least it would give him more incentive to explore her in every way possible. And that alone was worth the price he was about.

And as his life was sapped away, his body began to get drowsy as it shut down for rest. The last thoughts on his mind were, ironically, not just on Yuna. But on his former ally....

"Jun...You're first." he whispered mentally, the unthinking darkness of sleep soon overtaking him once again as his body fell limply against the warm bed.


Hotsuma's night was quite wild indeed; seemed after their rest, they both wanted to celebrate the victory of their Duels. As it was, he was still lazing about in bed, groaning awake as his lover moved out of bed. Yeah...It was probably time to get up anyway. Who knew what they planned on doing now that they'd seen an extent of their abilities.

"Is that right? I remember us talking about it...But then we got distracted." he teased, opening an eye as she whispered in his ear. He suppressed a chuckle, but she would see the grin on his face as she referred to him as 'sweetie'. Whether it was intentional or not, had this been Yukio talking to him like that, who knew how weird things would have felt between them. But she would also sense that he didn't mind at all; in fact, it was one thing that made what was going on between them feel even more real.

He didn't particularly like the idea of confronting them at all...But if they wanted out, Divine was giving them no real alternative. And he worried that if they bothered to Duel for their freedom, it would make getting the Beelze cards even more difficult. No...Best thing was to fight their way out.

"Definitely...'Sides, we still need to think of a game plan as to how we're getting out at all." he grunted as he sat up, the blankets covering his pride as he stretched to work out the kinks. Which weren't as bad this time around. Oh yeah, they'd been more controlled...But in truth, he wouldn't be surprised if they all heard them. Not that it mattered, since they wouldn't be staying longer anyway.

Once the two of them were finished, Hotsuma started to get dressed himself when he noticed a slip of paper beneath the door; reaching down to grab it, he saw that it read:

"Breakfast will be served in the dining hall today. You two are welcome to join. The 28th floor, if you're interested."

"Heh, no more room service I guess...Probably pissed that we destroyed his two little cronies." Hotsuma grinned, waving the note in his hand before tossing it in the air and letting it float towards the young woman a few feet away. "If I don't see either of those two again, it will be too soon." he added as a mental afterthought, slipping on his shirt and jacket.

"Well...Let's go greet the masses, shall we?"

Moments later, both of them would be in a packed dining hall, the setup much like a school cafeteria complete with tables and food served on trays. A line could be seen forming as the eager juniors of this organization waited to be served their breakfast. As they walked in, however, most fell silent and more still avoided eye contact altogether as they would move through. Really, he knew they weren't bad people...But at the same time, he wasn't about to get chummy with any of them.

Still...The place was nice enough, and clearly came with someone that had money. Chandeliers hung high over head, the glow of the light warm but not overpowering and the walls giving the place a feeling of elegance. A lot of it...Probably from some trust fund or other shit that was built on the backs of the down-trodden.

"Cowards..." Hotsuma heard the Emperor growl from within, the young man smiling "Don't blame them too much; one think I've learned is that when you prove yourself, others will know where they fall in the power ladder. Surely you can relate, oh great demon lord?" The Emperor was silent for a moment before replying "The purpose of this place confounds me...Does this Divine seek to make them into warriors? Because if his guard fell so easily, none of these brats stand a chance against us."

Hotsuma couldn't really care what this place was for, as they weren't about to stick around to become full-fledged members.

The meal today was simple enough, and far more rich than the two of them had seen in a long time even with their extended stay here: Miso soup, some sliced grilled whitefish, fermented soybeans and other small odds and ends. "Man...It's going to be hard going back to scrounging after this." Hotsuma lamented playfully as they would find an isolated table; really though, the food was a definite upside to everything. He could see why people wanted to stay...But speaking for himself? He knew he didn't belong.

"So...What do you think is in store for us today? Because it might just be another lazy day..." Hotsuma started to say, but soon found themselves greeted by a familiar face. "Relaxing already? You seem to have settled in nicely...Both of you have." then came Divine's comment, the man standing next to their table. "Not by choice...But you should know that by now." Hotsuma retorted, taking a sip of the provided tea. Divine just smiled, "Yes of course...But today, I was thinking since you both seem to have adjusted to your alter egos so well, that we would do another run of your vitals. See how they've altered, if they have at all."

Hotsuma cocked a brow; where did this come from? "Oh come now, Hotsuma...Surely you felt it? You feel different, don't you? Aren't you curious how this change might have affected you? I'm giving you both an opportunity to explore the limits of your new forms, after all." stated the Arcadia leader, Hotsuma scoffing "As if you care about that...This is just for your own purposes. But at least you're not trying to be overly secretive about it...Can we at least finish our meal first though?"

Divine just waved a hand, "Oh of course! I wouldn't let you two starve; Aki will lead you both there once you're finished. And don't rush; last thing is for you to get heartburn. Take care now" And just like that, he was gone again. Hotsuma let out a sigh through his nose as he took a bite of the rice, "That's something I won't miss...That much I can be damn certain about."
 

"Yep, that is correct. Just remember, Hotsuma, you have two heads. Sometimes, you nee to think with the one attached to your shoulders. Granted, I will admit the one down south is a bit more fun to use, but ... ya know ... we do need to be doing more than just each other every now and again."

Luckily, Yuna had managed to get Aki to agree about one thing. As nice as the previous outfit had been, both women concurred wearing it too many days in a row would become a bad thing. To make up for Yuna being forced to remain in Arcadia's base, she had come up with a compromise. More or less, a shopping list had been given to Aki, including preferred colors and all of her necessary sizes, as well as outfits for Hotsuma. As such, Yuna was now wearing something completely different. It may not be quite as elegant as the corset and jeans combination, but it was something she was just as fond about.

After ensuring the shirt was pulled down as far as it could reach, Yuna turned, smiling as she looked at her new lover.

... When she found him holding a piece of paper, though, her head tilted.

"Hmm? And that is ... ??"

When he explained the purpose of it, Yuna could help but snicker. "Well ... ya know ... he sorta should have prepared for the possibility of them losing. Maybe not that bad, but losing nonetheless. Just because we were captured easily doesn't mean we're fucking incompetent. Geez."

A soft sigh passed her lips as she shrugged and nodded.

"I suppose. I've never been an overly religious woman but, alas, you're right. To the masses we go, I suppose. As long as I'm not forced to give or listen to a sermon, I should be fine."

Even as of today, Yuna realized that in terms of how many faces or rooms she'd seen, she was still pretty foreign.

Hell, who the fuck is pompous enough to create a building with twenty-eight plus floors?

Apparently, this man Divine was.

... Where'd they get the funds for this building, anyway?

"Sector, perhaps?"

Morning to you too, Rose. Maybe. It's not an impossible thought but ... why? What would Sector gain by helping them out? Plus, wouldn't it make the fact they stole the Beelze cards redundant?

"Or convenient, if that was a sting, fake or otherwise?"

....

Now that was something Yuna hadn't thought about. Was this place allied with Sector at all, no matter how huge or small of an alliance it was? If so, this may need to be more than a location they eventually escaped from.

Personally, Yuna was fine with the averted stares. Better to have those than lustful gazes, in her opinion. Plus, it took away any uncomfortable feelings that would have been included should people have gawked instead at her and Hotsuma.

"Yeah. It definitely will be weird going back to our normal way of life," Yuna acceeded. "But I -- "

Before her thoughts could be finished, soft footfalls barely echoed in her ears. Her head turned, and Yuna soon saw Divine beside them both. Hopefully he hadn't heard her ... or would be too cocky to dwell on the talk about wanting to leave this place.

Last thing they needed was Divine to bring that up. Especially when they were so close to figuring something out.

"So ... if you need our vitals again ... something akin to a 'before and after' sorta thing?"

Yuna sighed at that, feeling a bit irked. If that meant exactly what she thought - going into the tank - it sorta made getting dressed become incredibly pointless. Wouldn't it have been easier for Divine to find them in their rooms, insist they come out with little more than a towel, and head over that way?

"Whatever," Yuna bitterly muttered, frowning as she felt her appetite dwindle slightly. Not all the way, thankfully; but enough for her to notice the difference.

" ... We'll be there soon enough ... "

"I guess ... "

Waiting for Divine to be out of earshot, Yuna eagerly nodded in agreement with Hotsuma. "Fuck and yes," she muttered, "Won't ever hear any arguments from me about that. Good god, I don't think I've met anyone nearly as annoying as that bastard."

Taking a moment to close her eyes and calm herself, Yuna took several deep breaths through her nose. When her focus shifted from Divine to her meal, she started to eat her breakfast, knowing at least some strength would be needed, regardless of how the tests would be performed.

... Of course, she was preferring either the usual method, or one that was easier to tolerate.

In the end, alas, this was one of the few things that she knew couldn't be controlled by her or Hotsuma. So, she simply hoped for the best, but half-expected the worst to be revealed to her.
 
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"You're telling me..." Hotsuma quipped, picking through the rest of his meal; even if their powers were strange, why would he single them out so much? Surely there were other prodigies or other stupid shit like that here, right? But no, they had to take up his attention now that they'd been 'awakened'. And now they were basically going in for a check-up. Great...As if going to the doctor wasn't bad enough. And like that, Divine managed to ruin yet another fine as rain moment between him and Yuna.

At the very least, the moment they broke out of here, he knew they would be able to go back to the way things were. Nice as the luxury was, there were people waiting for them. And he sure as hell wasn't going to leave dangling in the wind out there.

However...Soon it would be their time, and they were led by the Emperor's 'favorite'. "Vile woman...The moment she leaves this world cannot arrive soon enough." the Emperor grumbled, clearly not at all pleased at having to be near her. Stepping into an elevator, they were taken all the way to the bottom floor: the same underground level that their little prison was on. And of course, Divine was there to greet them, that smug grin still on his face, saying in that uppity cheerful tone "Ah, good you're here."

"I hope you realize that us getting dressed was basically a huge waste of time if we're just back in the dunk tank again". Hotsuma retorted, arms crossing over his chest, making the Arcadia boss snicker and wave a hand dismissively before replying, "Oh no, we have no need for testing like that; when you were awoken, we captured a full profile of your brainwaves. This is more to test how the changes may have affected you physically.

Divine then paused and gave Hotsuma a more direct look, "Though we'll still be conducting scans to see how your mental capability fluctuates under physical duress. Those are just done outside though, so trust me, neither of you will need to get wet today."

Well...At least that was something, the young man thought to himself as Divine continued, "Aki and myself will both be watching as you undergo some standard fitness testing. Aerobic fitness, strength, dexterity, reflexes...That whole thing."

The Disciples' leader gave his partner a look as if to say 'Well...Could be worse.' before returning his attention to the two, "I don't get it...If she's your number two, and your two guards are out of commission, who's to say someone up above won't be causing problems?" Divine smirked, "Worried, my boy?" to which Hotsuma grimaced, "Not on your life...Just think it's stupid to have all this attention focused on us."

Divine's smile didn't waver though, his voice calm as he explained, "You're giving Jun and Tokumo too much credit. They're excellent acquaintances, but I have plenty more associates who can see to matters in my absence. Besides...Even with all the information we've gleaned from you two, you're still unknowns. As such, don't think of it as a form of flattery. It's more to make sure neither of you replicate yesterday's events."

At this Hotsuma smirked back, "Well...I'd say that's not our fault. You should have expected them to lose, however unlikely it might have been." His own of saying 'You need to get better people', something he'd said to Sector patrols many times before. "Even so, the brutality in which they were defeated only confirms how little we understand of Duel Spirits. As such, we'll both be remaining here...Now if there are no further questions, can we begin?"


The two of them arrived in another auditorium-style room, complete with viewing window where the two top dogs of Arcadia could watch them in every move. Technicians surrounded each piece of equipment, even the scales to take their weight and the charts to record their height. And for him, the latter was unchanged...Still the six-foot-three-inches he was when he first came here. "Ugh, seriously...I'm feeling like a lab rat already..." Hotsuma grumbled, following the first instructions to have his weight measured again. Taking off his jacket, he then stepped on the scale and allowed it to be taken....Except no one would believe the number once the digital scale was finished.

"Two-hundred and one pounds."

Even Hotsuma couldn't believe it; there was no way he was that heavy. "Hey wait a minute..." he interrupted, stepping off the scale and stating "We're checking that again, I was only a hundred and seventy something the last time I got checked. No way I put on thirty pounds that quick." The technician looked up to Divine, who just nodded and allowed the measurement to be taken again.

"Two hundred and one pounds...Same as the previous."

"Heh...Guess you're not really all that bright." he then heard the Emperor state, Hotsuma's eyes narrowing as he stared into nothing, "The hell are you talking about..." A loud mental sigh could be heard, "Even I don't fully understand it, this being new to myself as well, but I feel it. Your body's changing, adapting to better withstand me on the most basic level. It's nothing bad; if anything, it will do nothing but help you." Hotsuma was silent for a moment; he should have figured as much, but still would have been nice to know about it.

"OK...So what's next?"
 

"I guess ... let's focus on the positives. He's not so desperate to resort to shit like vivisection or whatever. At least, I don't think so."

"Oh hell no. Divine-sama may be eccentric, but even that is way beyond his limits."

Yuna jumped slightly, coughing on some of the food she'd been chewing. Her head quickly turned and found Aki was behind them, waiting patiently with her wrists held behind her back. "Jesus fucking Christ! Mind giving a warning next time?!"

"Actually, yes. I do. If neither of you could detect me coming, these tests are all the more justified. You'll both need to work on strengthening all of your abilities; physical and mental."

" ... Well ... I appreciate you not trying to bullshit me. So ... thanks for that."

A quick elevator ride later, the two arrived in a similar yet different room. The water chambers weren't anywhere to be seen ... not yet. But Yuna wasn't expecting that to mean anything. Not yet and not before Divine could prove they really weren't going to have to worry about those damn things. If push really came to shove, Yuna could better handle them. But ... they were nerve-wracking in their own rights still. And because of that, she would honestly prefer not to have to get into those cursed objects.

"He is right. You should have considered they could have lost. That's a golden rule which applies to literally any duelist. As long as you're one, you should never believe for one second you're immune to being defeated."

... Knowing that even with their words being true that Divine wouldn't care, Yuna sighed softly, moving a few strands of hair behind her ears and quietly following Hotsuma further into the room.

"Five foot ten inches," the doctor declared after watching Yuna press herself against a wall with a weight chart attached to it and appropriately measuring her.

" ... Wait, what? Really?"

"Mhm. Feel free to look for yourself. I have where your head rested against marked."

Sure enough, Yuna turned and smirked, content to see the physician wasn't just saying that to make her happy. Somehow, she had grown a good four to five inches. Mind you, she never had cared too much ... but it had irked her slightly that she always seemed to be 'average' in just about every way possible. Bust, height, weight, even appearance. But hell, she'd actually grown -- and not simply because she had a year or two more to do so.

Heh. Maybe these tests won't be so bad.

Her assumption on what would be next was proven right, as she watched Hotsuma stand atop a set of scales.

.... And when they declared how much he weighed, even Yuna raised an eyebrow.

"Ummm .... no. That has to be wrong. He's definitely not that heavy nor overly muscular."

The latter of which could have explained it decently. Except ... he wasn't a body builder or anything of the like. Sure, he had some muscles; but none that were worth thirty pounds.

When he got back up and was given the same weight ... her head tilted.

" .... Oooookay. I guess .... "

Shrugging casually, Yuna figured that, for now, they had to be right. There was no way to prove there was something wrong, after all. And since even Hotsuma couldn't prove that to be the case, they simply had to accept it. Making sure to stand up perfectly straight, she waited.

"One hundred and thirty-two pounds for you."

" ... Huh? Not one-hundred and eight?"

"Look down and see for yourself."

Sure enough, the red digits read the weight this doctor had relayed to her.

" ... The fuck? Ummm ... I mean .... lemme double check."

Waiting for the scales to reset, Yuna got up ... and found her amber eyes looking at the same numbers.

"That's not bad, you know? If anything, you do realize you had been under-weight prior till now, right?"

"Yeah, I do," Yuna muttered, hating that they were completely right about that. "But ... it's the same as him. Neither of us have eaten that much to have gained twenty to thirty pounds within about two weeks."

"It's okay, Mistress," she heard Rose reassure her. Yuna sighed again, merely crossing her arms over her chest.

I know it is, she answered, This is just really fucking annoying. One of the things we're supposed to know are our own bodies, ya know? And now even that isn't the case anymore it seems.

"Well," Aki began to state, "Next are measure ---"

"No!" Yuna snapped, pressing her arms tighter against her chest. "Absolutely not! 100 C; you're not going to tell me those have grown. Not without a damn good reason, and there are few I can even think of. If you really need to note that, check the damn tag. But nope! Not happening!"

Aki blinked, having clearly expected Hotsuma to protest ... although that probably would have happened. Yuna simply beat him to it, at least this time.

"Okay then. We can skip that. Blood drawing. We need to know what type you two have. This isn't up for negotiation. Come on."

The two would be led to a nearby table, with a chair on both sides of it. Atop the metal table were tons of empty vials. A few, however, looked as if they had been recently washed, thus probably used.

"If either of you dislike needles, I suggest looking away. But this does need to be taken note of. We will not only be checking what type your blood is, but if you may be ill with some semi-dormant illnesses or anything of the nature. Not everything is able to be detected right away, after all."

Yuna swallowed, already knowing one thing that Aki was bringing up. Whether it was intentional or not was another story.

... Won't it be too early to tell though?

Probably. Which meant she would need to check again in several more weeks to even know if that was a possibility or not.

Taking a deep breath, Yuna sat down in the chair placed on the right side of the table. Her top was short enough that she didn't need to roll her sleeves up, thankfully. So, instead, Yuna merely stretched her arm out, turning it so her elbow and hand were flat on the desk. While Hotsuma was being tended to, Aki walked over and began feeling around for a decent vein to use.

"Hmmm," the red-head mused. "You have small ones. That's unfortunate. Means I have to use this." Reaching down, she produced what appeared to be a rubber band and tied it tightly a few inches above Yuna's elbow, making her hiss slightly. "Make a fist and keep it clenched, please. There we go ... okay."

Keeping her right index and middle fingers tapping against Yuna's newly found vein, her left grabbed a syringe, cotton ball, and bottle of rubbing alcohol. First dampening the ball with some of the alcohol, Aki rubbed on the vein before tossing it away. "This may sting or pinch a bit. But that's all it'll do."

Before Yuna could protest or have too many second thoughts, Aki inserted the syringe into Yuna's flesh.

And soon enough, Yuna saw Aki grab one of the empty vials, attaching it to another end of the needle, and thus literally transferring her blood to the temporarily empty containers. Drop after drop fell in as her blood started being drawn for the first time in several long years.
 
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It wasn't any surprise that Yuna put on weight; hell he'd be more surprised if she didn't, if only because they were eating three hot meals a day...In Satellite, most were lucky to get one in a matter of a few days or even a week.

What did surprise him was the fact that she grew; he didn't really notice it at first, but when he looked at her again, that was when he saw it. She wasn't all that short before, but now she stood up to roughly around his chin. And in all honesty he felt kind of dumb; but then again, her height wasn't exactly a top priority. Plenty of people in the Satellite were short, and that was actually an advantage especially if they ran with one of the number of gangs that made up its general populace.

He was indeed about to protest Aki's suggestion, but Yuna more than was able to speak for herself and promptly canned it when she spoke up to flat out deny the inspection of her 'endowment'. He wasn't any expert on bra sizes but he didn't think they'd grown either, at least evidenced from their time together last night...But who knew anymore, since apparently even their own bodies weren't safe.

And then came something that Hotsuma was hoping he wouldn't have to repeat: Getting jabbed with needles. "Man...Fucking hate needles..." he grumbled, allowing himself to be strapped down. Thankfully, he had - from the technician's words - 'a phlebotomist's dream'. Whatever the hell that meant. It didn't take them long to draw the blood they needed...But fucking hell, they took a lot! Enough to give a full transfusion, or at least what he thought was enough to do as such.

"I better get a check for that..." Hotsuma muttered grumpily; just what did they think their bodies were doing? The blood was still red and it looked normal enough. Whatever, he thought...At least that was over with, even as the trays of filled tubes were sent to the on-site laboratories for analysis. He'd seen a few tests on the labels, but had no clue what they meant: CBC, HGB, ALP, and ALT along with a plethora of others that were complete gobbledegook to him.

"Alright...Well, next, we'll be testing some basic physical fitness in your non-altered forms. We want to see what changes, if any, have occurred on a macro-level scale. Fairly routine, almost as if you were in physical education at one of the schools: Push-ups, running, that sort of thing. We'll compare the results to the physical to the work-up we did after your awakening." Divine explained next; at this Hotsuma couldn't help but roll his eyes. Why did this guy keep up the whole mystique angle? They were abnormal now...He knew it. And they sure as fuck knew it.

Still...If he did gain weight and Yuna gained height...What else could happen? Would they be stronger? Faster?

"Don't kid yourself, Hotsuma; you're not a superhuman...Not like this anyway." he muttered, breaking himself free of his stupid wanderings and waiting to see what their first test would be.

First up was an agility course; needless to say, he did well despite being thirty pounds heavier and a head taller than his partner...But Yuna utterly kicked his ass all the same. A treadmill stress test soon followed, something they had done after their session in the water chambers, to see if either of them had developed a heart condition as a result of their transformation. For Hotsuma, at least, there were no issues there. Both the resting and post-test scans were normal. With the proper staff already onsite, the results could be analyzed almost immediately to help prepare an accurate baseline of their humans forms.

What followed was essentially a smorgasbord of physical endeavors, ones that pushed them to their very limits. And by the end of it all, Hotsuma was definitely sweating a bit...But not nearly as bad as he thought he was going to, and certainly not as bad as their first physical they had.

"Is there any point to this? I don't mind the exercise...But this place hardly seems like a military academy." Hotsuma commented after their last exercises - pullups, to be exact - stopped and he dabbed his forehead with a provided damp cloth, sitting down to have his blood pressure checked for what felt like the umpteenth time. "As I said, Hotsuma...We're looking into every angle we can. I'll admit we are pushing you two a fair bit harder than our usual candidates; believe it or not, this is an inhouse fitness facility free for use by anyone."

Hotsuma just chuckled after the result came normal again, "Hey, if you can build a thirty-plus story building, I've no doubt you made a home-in gym for your group." Divine replied calmly, "But of course; we don't just give a place to live here. It's a community in and of itself, a place people can truly call home. Much like your underground base Yomi, it's a place where people can feel safe and not have to worry about people trying to assault them just for being different." Hotsuma just rolled his eyes, standing up and stretching his arms; he couldn't place it, but this guy seemed far less genuine than he let on. He did seem to care, but only when it helped him.

"So...Now what? I'm assuming you want us to transform, right? Probably do these tests again?" Hotsuma asked, Divine just smiling "I believe that was implied, yes. Wouldn't do us much good if we didn't see how your respective alter egos augmented your abilities." Should have figured...Just more testing to see how they might be able to replicate it with others, most likely. His motivation was ridiculously see-through; then again, neither he nor Yuna trusted this man one iota to begin with.

A few moments later, and Hotsuma was back in his full Emperor form...Complete with armor and massive blade. "If you could be a dear though, Hotsuma, and attempt to remove the armor." he then heard Divine state, making the young man turn his helmet-covered head towards the leader of Arcadia. "Why? I'm not taking it off when I'm out and about, why would I do it here?" he then asked, Divine's response being "When you removed your helmet a few days ago, we all saw that it had changed. And for research purposes, we'll have to see how far that change extends." Giving a shake of his head and muttering a nearly-inaudible curse, he naturally took off his helmet to reveal his new face again...But after revealing the bracer, everyone would notice something quite different.

The removal of the plate armor from his left arm showed the same scale-like flesh as his face, the coloration a pale-red. The new limb, once possessing a form of definition appropriate for someone his age and size, was now considerably increased in apparent muscle mass. The bicep, deltoid and even the extensor muscles of the forearm were quite large. Each of the burly digits ended in ragged, claw-like nails that possessed nearly serrated edges as the grey-black distal edges seemed to end in points reminiscent of small kunai daggers. The same sort of result was also readily apparent when he removed the chest-piece. Aside from the bulging nipple-less pecs and eight-pack abs, the skin seemed thicker, almost like natural armor. Same went for his legs, his toenails looking the same as his fingernails.

"No need to remove anymore, Hotsuma..." Divine then warned, just as the Disciples' boss was about to undo the waistplate. "Why...Scared you'll be put to shame?" Hotsuma/Emperor remarked, Divine sighing, "No...But I don't really believe you exposing yourself to that degree is necessary. I believe we get how much it's affected you from this much alone." Even still, Hotsuma couldn't help but look himself over. He had some muscle before, but now...He was buff! Beyond buff really, and even taller than before.

"This is an Emperor's body, boy...Get used to it if you're going to serve as my vessel" Hotsuma then heard the Emperor remark, a slight grin forming over the transformed boy's lipless mouth.

"However...Let's take a short break first, then we'll have you tested while transformed. Give us a better understanding of how this works, plus I'm sure the staff would welcome some time to compile their notes." he then heard Divine state; a break it was then. Hotsuma couldn't help but run a hand over the top of his head, feeling only skin...Not to mention the weird feel of the flesh itself. "Well...Guess it makes sense, I don't really see anywhere hair COULD grow on this body." he muttered to his partner; and while he didn't say anything, he couldn't help but wonder what Yuna thought of him like this. He definitely looked different...But a part of him was dreading that she'd never be able to look at him the same way again.
 
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