☆10: Of Him and Her

"Pu- puhahahaha! What's wrong with your hair?"

Jaden points his index finger at Yuji, laughing so loud, like a circus monkey mocking its own trainer.

"..."

In contrast to him, Yuji's eyelid twitching and X shape like vein mark appeared below it.

"Hahahaha! Akh- my stomach!", Jaden hold his stomach while still laughs at Yuji, or specifically his new hairstyle.

Yuji's hair much longer than before.

His left side lock hair is gone, now divided into two braided lines on the left side of his head. The back of his hair is now appeared more spiked. But the most extraordinary part is his bangs, which are way longer and spiked downward bit to the left, resembling dragon's claws.

Well, what Jaden is saying is true. If Yuji's previous hairstyle is more normal that much belong to a proper student, then the current hairstyle can be categorized as wild, crazy, and even strange.

"This is fashion!", shouts him to Jaden, with right fist clenched hard as he wants to smack him in the face.

"Fashion? That kind of hairstyle?", he tilted his head, "Nah, No way that crazy hairstyle is a fashion", he then held his chin, "Or... is it?"

Yuji's eyelid twitched, he really wanted to smack Jaden's idiotic face (yes offense).

"Hmph! At least my hairstyle is much cooler than that clump of moss you called hair", sneer Yuji, pointing his finger toward Jaden's hair.

"Oi! Now you're taking things too far!!", remarks Jaden.

"You're the one who started it, idiot!", said Yuji.

"Don't call me idiot, you're... idiot!", replied Jaden.

"An idiot calling an idiot is the bigger idiot, you idio- no... Moss Head!", sneer Yuji.

"Oi! My hair looks nothing like a Moss!", told him, starting to get angry.

"It does...", said Yuji, with a smug.

"Does not!", replied Jaden.

"Ask your mom, it does!", replied Yuji while pointing at his hair again.

Jaden grits his teeth, staring at Yuji with a silent hint of anger. In contrast to him, Yuji dons a satirical expression to imitate the low IQ Chimpanzee to mocks Jaden.

"..."

"..."

Silence ensure for a while.

Winged Kuriboh who watched their bantering since the beginning suddenly shaking his body, he felt that the surrounding air become colder like it was in the middle of a winter.

""Fine! You asked for it!!""

Both of them quickly placed their respective deck to The Duel Disk, then took five backward steps, eyes locking into each other figure, like an old western gunman ready for a Life or Death duel.

The cold wind passed through them, the trees that surrounding both of them began rustling so noisy, as if they were intimidated or excited to see the duel.

Just then-

CAWW!

A dark crow passing by right in the middle of Yuji and Jaden, shrieking with an ugly tone as if asking, "which one of you, that'll become my meal?", as for signaling the start of the duel.

Yuji clicked his tongue, Jaden slowly narrowed his eyes. Both of them at the same time draws five cards to their hand.

The one who opens his mouth first is Yuji, "Oh, I'm going to shave that stupid clump of Moss from your head! "

"Not before I kick your ass first!", said Jaden as he placed his fingers on the mounted deck.

With a loud voice, they shout:

""Duel!!!""

...................

Slifer Dorm, Room 204

"Guah!!!"

Yuji wakes up, sweating profusely as the aching weight of his consciousness filled his head, and he groaned in pain. His heart was beating uncomfortably under the ribs as his stomach churned.

With rattling breaths and eyes filled with panic, he rolled up his sweat drenched shirt.

"It's gone..."

Yuji checked his chest, but there isn't any wound on it.

"Kuhk...", Yuji held his head as the throbbing pain set in.

He closed his eyes, remembering the dream he had.

In that dream he dueled against Dark Magician Girl, and... "Argh!!", killed by her.

The vision of the dream resurfaced, and his headache get even worsen.

As Yuji remembers, something pierced him right in the chest, something... alive like... tentacle? Or a tendril? Whatever it is, that something manages to leave a big gaping hole of a wound on his body.

"Just a dream..."

Yuji curled up tightly, planting his face between his thighs as his arms tightly embraced it.

The dream is so vividly real, that it almost close to reality. The excruciating pain, the disgusting feeling of tentacle squiggling in the chest as he watched helplessly, and... the chilling horror of death.

Yuji's breath a sigh of relief, knowing there isn't any wound or perhaps no gaping hole to leave on his chest.

"A dream...", whispered him.

All of it was a dream! That what he wanted to believe... until a soft voice of a girl entered his ear.

"Are you... alright?"

If it was Sakura or Alexis, he wouldn't mind, but the voice he hears belongs to someone else.

Yuji's body petrified. He slowly turned his head toward the owner of the soft voice.

"Dark Magician Girl..." he whispered.

Yuji grits his teeth, and glares at her with bloodshot eyes that contains anger and fear.

Dark Magician Girl gulped her saliva as she felt chill filled her spine. The bloodlust Yuji gave, made her wanted to leave the room A.S.A.P, but she can't do that... not until she finished speaking with him.

"What are you doing here?", asked him with heavy and harsher tone.

"I... I-uh, want to talk", replied her as she shifted her gaze away from Yuji.

Looking at her sorry pathetic expression and hearing her reason, made Yuji angrier, even though his own heart beating faster as it seems to signaling him to run away from her.

"Talk? Talk... huh?", told him, containing a tone of frustration and mockery.

As she lowered her head, Dark Magician Girl clenched her hand in front of her bosom.

What he did to him last night was almost over the line.

Without fully listening to him, she forced Yuji to a duel, and that duel wasn't really the mundane duel everyone played.

Under the power of Dark Magic, an oath was performed. With the loser must adhere to the winner's word.

Not only she did lose, but she also made him...

" What happened before... I-", She stares at Yuji in the eyes.

"I...", The moment their eyes met, Dark Magician Girl felt as if her heart were melted by an acid.

Making her more afraid, and head blank for a few seconds.

"Speak. Clearly.", told him with intimidating tone with eyes fiercely glaring as if ready to kill.

That's show how much Yuji were angered by her.

"I'M SORRY!"

Can't take or hold it anymore, Dark Magician Girl apologize by prostrating herself in front of Yuji.

"I'm SORRY. For not LISTENING to you, and getting you KILLED!"

Killed...

The moment Yuji heard that word, he closed his eyes tightly while bite his lower lip hard that it bleed.

[Killed? Did... did I die? Died from a duel?]

His heart sank,

[No... the duel isn't what who killed me, the one who killed me is...]

Yuji opens his eyes, and shifted his gaze to Dark Magician Girl.

"You... killed me!", whispers him angrier.

Noticing that the air become much colder, Dark Magician Girl quickly lift her head.

"Gah!"

When she lifts her head, she was startled to see Yuji jump to ambush her with a mad expression on his face.

His hands extended, aiming for her neck and to pin her down.

But alas,

Zliiin!

Yuji's hands then body passed through her like a light passed through a glass.

"What?!", he didn't know what or why is it happening, and then crashed into the floor making a loud THUD sound.

Looking at him, Dark Magician Girl become worried then extend her hand to help him.

"Are you alright?!", asked her.

"Don't touch me!", said Yujj slapping her hand. However, his hand passed through her hand.

Yuji grits his teeth, and clenched his right fist as hard as he can.

"Wai-"

Before she finishes her words, Yuji suddenly threw a punch to her face.

"Kya!"

Alas, the punch passed through her face like before.

"Guh- Aaaaaaaaa!!!", witnessing his punch passed through her, Yuji screamed.

Looking at him, Dark Magician realized that she can't speak or reasoning with him. Not until his rage has to subside.

[I'm sorry...]

And so she closed her eyes, sitting obediently with a pale expression, letting herself becomes a punching bag for Yuji.

........................................................................................................................................................ 5 minutes has passed.

Yuji kneeling in front of Dark Magician Girl with his head lowered, sweating and breathing erratically.

In contrast to him, Dark Magician Girl didn't suffer any harm and wound, and she was just sitting in his room obediently with closed eyes.

Yuji lift his head while his breathing is still erratic, looking fiercely at Dark Magician Girl like an exhausted dog.

Whatever he threw at her like punches, kicks, and even physical objects, all of it just passing through her body.

"Fine, let's... let's talk! I've now remembered that you said I was dangerous... why, and WHY THE HELL did you recognized ME as that?!!"

Asked Yuji as he then started to take off his shirt to swept his sweaty face and body.

Hearing his question, she slowly opens her eyes.

"...!!"

Then quickly shift her gaze from him, embarrassed to see Yuji was wiping the sweats using his shirt from his body.

"Talk...", insisted Yuji which then throw his sweat-drenched shirt to the laundry basket.

Unbeknownst or known to him, Dark Magician Girl is still embarrassed to start talking.

"Now!!", shouts him.

Hearing his insistence, Dark Magician Girl slowly turned her gaze toward Yuji with cheeks a little bit red.

The two face each other again, but looking at him made Dark Magician Girl's cheeks blushing redder with her eyes starting to spin.

"Ugh...", Yuji who saw her reaction sighs then walk off to grab a new shirt.

Dark Magician Girl lowered her head, embarrassed to see Yuji who saw her embarrassing blushing expression.

After an abruptly 30 seconds, Yuji comes back and sitting cross-legged in front of her while holding his right cheek with his hand, looking at Dark Magician Girl with tired expression.

"Now, do tell", said with a listless tone.

Dark Magician Girl gulped her saliva, "T-this...", and with shaking hand she took something from her skirt then presented it to him.

"Hm? Wait... isn't that", Yuji widened his eyes, he was shocked to see what is in her hand.

"Duel Monster Cards?", asked Yuji, as he slowly took the cards from her hand, "Red-Eyes Darkness Metal Dragon, and..."

When he shifted his gaze to the card beside Red-Eyes Darkness Metal Dragon, Yuji suddenly get another headache.

Unlike the usual Duel Monster card, the one that Yuji received is pitch on the front. No name, no stats, no explanatory, only a pitch black blank page.

Then, the memory of a strange man in questionable getup reappeared in his mind.

[If it's you... you'll certainly able to awaken it], said Truman.

"Awaken... it... that... night!", mumbling him.

Another memory resurfaced, and this particular memory is clearer and almost vividly real.

It was the memory when she faced Dark Magician Girl in the abandoned dorm.

After their duel, Yuji saw a pitch-black blank card floating behind her, and without warning that card shoot out a limb like tree root toward them.

A single tear fall from his left eye, Yuji now completely remembered what happening last night.

To safe her life, Yuji grabs her shoulder then pushed her quickly to the ground, saving her life... and ending his own.

"Wait!"

Yuji gets up, then quickly search his PDA in his room. After he found it, he quickly dials the number for contacting Trueman.

Alas, what he received is:

"There is no contact registered with this number, plea-"

BANG!

Before it finished, Yuji threw his PDA to the wall in a fit of rage, breaking it.

Dark Magician Girl closed his eyes, shocked and scared of what he just does.

"Trueman!!!", shouts him as he punched the floor with his fist, leaving a crack on it.

Dark Magician Girl silently watched him enrage, waiting for him to cool down.

But truth to be told, she wanted to ask Yuji who, or what, is Trueman? Because that name, she heard it before somewhere, albeit... she can't remember when or where.

Yuji shakes his head, then took a deep breath to calm himself down.

He then shifted his gaze to the Dark Magician Girl again, "So, those cards are the reason why you deemed me dangerous and wanted to duel me?", asked him.

Dark Magician Girl slowly nods, "Yes, albeit... at that time I didn't know it was from these two cards rather than you"

Yuji narrowed his eyes, "Then do you know these two cards? Especially the pitch-black one?"

Dark Magician Girl shifter her gaze to the pitch-black card, "If it's the pitch-black card, I... I myself didn't know what card it is"

She continues, "I tried to destroy it, but it was to no avail. No amount of Dark Magic I posses can destroy nor even scratch it, so I... sealed it"

When the words 'Destroy' and 'Seal' comes out, Yuji were shocked.

"You... you've sealed it?", asked him.

Dark Magician Girl nods, "Um...", then she placed her index finger on top of it.

Ziiiing!

When she placed her finger, unknown glowing symbols appears on the pitch-black card.

"That is...", Yuji were amazed, this is the second time he saw genuine magic is performed in front of his eyes.

As a duelist, seeing monsters and magic should be a normal occurrence for him.

Through Kaiba's solid vision system installed in The Duel Disk and The Duel Monster Card, any and many things that belong to a fantasy and imagination can be realized or brought to the reality.

But the magic she performed here evoked a peculiar feeling and curiosity inside Yuji's heart.

"I think this is enough", Dark Magician Girl retracted her finger, when she does that the glowing symbols disappeared as if the card's pitch black ink quickly swallowed them.

Dark Magician Girl shift her gaze to him again, in a soft and low tone asking.

"Do you... want to know what happened after you-"

"Please, tell me!", before she finished her words, Yuji quickly cuts her words and insisted her to tell him.

Looking at Yuji's curious and determined expression, she clenched her hand then took a deep breath before she started telling him of what happened last night.

With a firm expression, she opens her mouth.

"That day..."

-●-●-●-

"Ugh...", Dark Magician Girl slowly opens her eyes, the blurry vision become clearer.

"Hiik!", Her pupils shrank, stunned by the sudden visceral scenery. Dark Magician Girl quickly wakes up to covers her mouth, holding the urge to screams and puke.

"No... No...", as she then slowly shakes her head, watching in disbelieve.

It was too sudden! A black limb like a tree root suddenly emerges from the pitch-black card and, impaling Yuji, creating a big gaping hole in his body.

[Noooooo!!!]

Dark Magician Girl watches Yuji fall, her eyes were filled with shocked and horror.

But, the attack didn't stop at that.

The pitch-black limb like a tree root retracted inside the pitch-black card, then-

ZANBARAZAN!

Without a warning, the pitch-black card shoot out multiple limb toward her.

Before it can reach her, Dark Magician Girl rolled to the side, dodging the attack.

[I can't leave that thing alone!!]

Dark Magician Girl pulled out her deck, and throw the cards into the air, scattering them.

The scattered cards turned into multiple orb of light, floating like fireflies.

"Sisters, help me!", she shouted.

The scattered orbs of light begin to move, combined into forming 5 female figures.

The first one to appears is a female magician with red robe and white wings named Apple Magician Girl.

The second one to appears is a female magician who have mature aura and figure more than Dark Magician Girl and Apple Magician Girl.

"What is happ-"

"We talk later! Help me bring that thing down, and help that man over there!"

Before Kiwi Magician Girl finished her question, Dark Magician Girl cuts in and request her and the other sister to help Yuji's unconscious body.

Kiwi Magician Girl turned her head toward Dark Magician Girl's line of sight.

There, a body... or corpse of a teenager is laying waste near the floating pitch-black card where multiple pitch-black limbs came from.

Kiwi Magician Girl narrowed her eyes, "This'll be difficult..."

Noticed that the number of enemy is increasing, the pitch-black card released a fiery dark blue aura.

"Kuh!!!"

The evil pressure it gave made the expression of the magician girls paler, as if they were crushed under an avalanche.

Bzzzt!

An electrical signal comes down from the brain to her whole body, signaling as if something bad would happen.

"Sister!!!", realized what's wrong with the opposing card, Dark Magician Girl shouts to warned her sisters for an upcoming attack.

One of the pitch-black limbs move quickly toward the newly summoned Apple Magician Girl, ready to impale her like Yuji.

"Apple, cast a warding spell!", warned Kiwi Magician Girl.

The pitch-black limb slither fast like a snake ready to bite its prey, before Apple Magician Girl can cast her magic, the pitch-black limb already arrived in front of her.

"I won't let you!"

A new female magician with lemon robe and a pair of white butterfly wing appears in front of Apple Magician Girl.

"Sister Lemon!", said Apple Magician Girl, surprised.

Lemon Magician Girl waved her staff, summoning a golden magic circle that successfully blocked the attack.

Without wasting a precious second, she quickly grabs Apple Magician Girl's hand then guiding her to retreat and gather at Kiwi Magician Girl's side.

Realizing its attack were blocked, the pitch-black card moves its other limb to catch and crush the two female magician.

Known that they're being chased, Lemon Magician Girl then shouts:

"Lil Berry, Chocolate, Now!!"

"Baruuu!"

"Leave it to me!"

Hearing the signal, the baby Berry Magician Girl and Chocolate Magician Girl waving their staff.

From the earth, multiple stone pike were launched, while swords made of shadow rained down from the night sky above.

Both attacks, impaling the pitch-black limbs until it turned looking like a sea urchin, weakening them.

"Now's your chance, Dark!", said Kiwi Magician Girl.

She then points her index finger toward Yuji, "Go! I'll protect you"

Dark Magician Girl nods, "I leave my back to you", then she quickly ran toward where Yuji's body is.

Looking at the pitch-black card where Dark Magician Girl ran into, Kiwi Magician Girl can't help but to grit her teeth.

[That card... where does it come from? Even in The Spirit World, something like that doesn't exist!]

She then swift her gaze to Dark Magician Girl, [Dark, what in the world happening in this place?]

[No, that can wait] Kiwi Magician Girl shakes her head, "Be on your guard!", she then raised her staff shouting to her sisters to be vigilance and that it isn't over yet.

Dark Magician Girl ran, passing through the seemingly dead, impaled limbs.

[Believe me, Dark Magician Girl!], the memory when Yuji extends his hand for her to take, echoes in her mind.

Dark Magician Girl bit her lower lip, "I know this is too late, and you'll never forgive me, but..."

Lost in the though. She finally arrived at where Yuji's body is laying.

"Glup..."

The moment she lays her eyes on his unmoving body, Dark Magician Girl quickly covered her mouth, holding out the reaction to puke.

Big gaping hole created on his body. From it, blood dripping smoothly, creating a thick puddle of blood accompanied by fragments of bone and scattered flesh.

Half of his face and body drenched in the puddle of blood. Pupils expands to the limit without reflecting and containing any light whatsoever.

"Uu... uuu", Dark Magician Girl kneeled after witnessing the condition of his body.

"Buaghhh!", can't hold it anymore, Dark Magician Girl puked. To make the matter worsen, she puked near where his body is lying.

"I'm sorry..." she cried.

But Yuji can not answer her apology, not without given a second chance by the god above in heaven, nor there were any miracles that can revive him.

"I'm sorry..."

Unbeknownst to her, the attack from the pitch-black card isn't over yet. Slowly, from the other side of the card, a thinner limb with its sharp edge slither silently toward the back of Dark Magician Girl like a snake.

"..."

The limb positioning itself in line where her heart is. Shaking like the head of a snake, ready to strike and impaled her.

"He's gone!"

But before it can do so, Kiwi Magician Girl grabs itself first. Without looking at the limb she just caught, she immediately cast a fire spell, immolating all the limbs including the one in her grasp, and the pitch-black card.

The sizzling sounds and the light of the flames surrounding them.

"Make a barrier! We can't let others know about this", ordered Kiwi.

Berry, Lemon, Apple, and Chocolate nods at her order. They then fly into the air and raised their staff to the sky.

Creating a cubic barrier with their power that can hide the sound and light of the raging fire.

Looking at the dejected Dark Magician Girl, Kiwi Magician Girl walks toward her then patted her on the shoulder.

"The only thing you can do now is to mend the wound of his body, and then give him a proper burial", told her.

Dark Magician Girl then turned her head to Kiwi Magician Girl, asking her if she can revive Yuji.

"Kiwi, is there... something that can bring him back?"

"That is..."

Hearing her question, Kiwi Magician Girl closed her eyes, wondering if it's better to answer her question or not.

"Please...", begged her.

But, after looking at Dark Magician Girl's pitiful yet determined expression, she answered.

"Listen carefully, there-"