Yugioh - Xenophobia

[Hinoryu]

Hey, folks. I've been losing the inspiration for Battle Earth recently, and then I got the idea for this fic. I figure I may as well do it 'til I get that inspiration back. So, here's the deal: Setting is Domino City, year 20XX. I'm ignoring the canon timeline, so Yuugi's group are third-years at their school now.

As for duels, they'll all be 8000 point duels, and it'll be assumed that, save for Duelist Kingdom, all duels have always been that way. On the subject of names, I'll be using the Japanese names for most cards, unless the English name is just cooler. Since the Elemental Heroes play a big part of this, they'll all be in Japanese.

Anywho, sit back and enjoy.



"There must have been a time when we could have refused, and said no..."

That's what Guildenstern thought. But that's not true. For all people, there is no way to say 'no', if you can find it early enough. That is not true. Once you start on a path, time marches on. You can always look back, but you can never turn back. Because people are people.

That's something I've learned. The concept is called 'hitsuzen'. Inevitability. Something like that. Once something is set into motion, it will have an outcome. That's hitsuzen. But the way things are set in motion... It's not fate. Fate's bullshit. It's just that people are people, and when people meet, things start moving. It's not intentional, or even conscious. It's just the nature of people.

Because of that... I look back now, and realize it started then. When I met them... By then, I had probably overcome the boundaries of 'normal'. Looking back, I definitely think so. Because then, my 'ordinary' days became more. Subtly, they became different, crazier... Stronger, somehow. It's hard to explain.

Well, instead of explaining, maybe I should show you it. Everything that happened... From when it started. Back then, we were innocent. We loved and hated, fought and made peace, went through so much together, with no idea that our lives were balanced on the edge of a knife. When that knife twitched, things fell... Well, I'm getting ahead of myself.

This is my story.

CHAPTER 1
BEGINNING

In dazzling, shining moments we were all together, I spent them without realizing how precious they were

A boy walked down the street, towards Domino High. He was almost feminine in appearance, and rather small. He had long, dark grey hair that went almost to his waist, though it lightened as it went, and was white at the tips. He had dark grey eyes, with glasses over them. However, what most would notice about him was his paler skin, denoting a foreigner. He was getting a few stares as he went, though he didn't care. He just walked on, listening to a cheap, beaten-up mp3 player.

Now, to remember them fondly I will embrace the feeling, you were right there with me

However, he was not alone. Though no one could see them, he had at least fifteen ghostly figures following him. Some wore capes, others had wings. They were remarkably colorful for a completely invisible group. The boy didn't notice, but they all followed him, looking around curiously.

Always, always, always, you were smiling there beside me

The boy stopped walking for a moment, and glanced over his shoulder. The ghostly figures all suddenly looked back over. There was a pause, as they stared at each other. Finally, he turned back around and continued walking, dismissing whatever he saw as a bug, or figment of his imagination.

Even if I lose you, I'll get you back... I will never leave you.

He walked through the school gates, reached into a pocket, and turned off his mp3 player. I hate that song. He thought to himself as he went.

[January 5, 20XX]
[10:03 AM]
[Domino High School, class 1B]

"Class, please calm down. We have a new student." The teacher, Kinokono, said, looking down at his class roster. "Please come in."

The door slid open, and the boy walked in. He looked around the room, expression completely unchanging. "This is Aliester Saiga." Kinokono told the class. "He's recently moved here from his home in Germany. Since he's new, please show him the ropes." He examined the room.

Two people looked up with surprise. One, a short girl with long red hair tied in a ponytail, and the other, a taller, awkward boy with blue hair extending down his mid-back, and bangs covering his eyes. Neither were looking at the new student, however. Both of them were scanning over the fifteen-plus, hazy and indistinct shapes around the boy.

"Wow, a cute new guy. And he's got some of them... Wow, that's a lot. You see 'em too, right?" The girl whispered. The boy nodded. "Then this'll be fun."

"There's an empty desk right over there. Go ahead and take your seat." The teacher said. Aliester went and sat down. "Right... Now, where did we leave off last time? Right, Kenji Miyazawa's 'Night Train to the Stars'..."

[January 5, 20XX]
[12:17 PM]
[Domino High School, class 1B]

"Hey you! New guy!" A girl's voice called.

Aliester looked over. The lunch bell had just rung, so he was eating a bento he had prepared at home. The girl who was watching him earlier had dragged a chair over. She sat down and watched him carefully. She then grinned. "Hey!"

"What do you want?" He replied.

"Figured you were probably bored and lost, since it's so tough being a new kid, so we decided to come by and say hi!" The girl grinned.

"... Ignoring that I was quite content... 'We'?" Aliester asked.

The boy who had been watching quietly approached. "This is Neriki Kazuhiro." The girl mentioned, "and I'm Michina Taneko. It's nice to meet you!"

"Whatever." Aliester turned back to his food.

"Hey, don't be so introverted!" Taneko said. "Come on, talk to us! We don't bite!"

"I do." Aliester said calmly as he ate.

Taneko stopped and looked at Kazuhiro. "Well..." She pulled a chair over and sat down next to Aliester. "Can we at least talk to you?"

Kazuhiro looked around, sort of confused, but then followed Taneko's lead. Aliester just shook his head apathetically.

"So you're a duelist?" She asked him.

Aliester looked up. "I collect the promo cards that come with comics." He shrugged. "Not a serious duelist."

"Huh... I see." Taneko looked pensive, as if wanting to bring something up, but not knowing how. "Well, then... After school, do you want to duel?"

"Why?" Aliester replied bluntly.

"Why not? It's a fun thing to do." Taneko grinned.

"Not with you." Another blunt reply.

"Why not?!" Taneko asked impatiently.

"Because you're annoying." He said plainly.

"I have a good reason to want to duel you!" She stomped.

"A 'good reason'?" Aliester asked, not really caring.

"I can see your monsters." She said.

Aliester looked at his deck, which was in a pouch attached to his belt, closed. He just looked back up at her and gave her a funny look.

"Look, just meet me on the roof after school and I'll show you." She sighed.

"And if I refuse?" He asked.

"Then I'll keep bugging you until you do anyway." She countered.

"Whatever. I'll be there, then." Aliester sighed. "If only to shut you up."

[January 5, 20XX]
[3:57 PM]
[Domino High School, Roof]


Aliester sat on a bench on the school roof, waiting. He had a comic out, and was flipping through it. A winged man was being assaulted on all sides by uniformed men with guns. The winged man spun, fists flying, and knocked them all out... Or so he thought. One snuck up behind him, gun out... Until the man's wing reached out, curled behind the sneaky one, and flung him to the ground with enough force to knock him out.

Aliester sighed. Comics were his hobby, after all. The only time he ever felt happy was when he was reading them. He didn't know why. But reading these comics were his favorite thing to do, and indeed, the only thing he enjoyed.

"We're here!" Taneko announced, opening the door to the roof and swaggering out, Kazuhiro immediately behind her. "Let the game begin!"

"All right." Aliester stood up. He slotted his deck into his Disk, and the disk's tray slammed together, and swung into position. And unbeknownst to him...

Behind him, at least fifteen forms gathered into position. All of them humanoid, in strange costumes. A few of them were stretching, one flexed his wings, another cracking his knuckles. Aliester had no idea they were there.

Taneko smiled, though. "Huh... Elemental Heroes, huh? And quite a collection."

Aliester's eyes narrowed. "It's rude to look at an opponent's deck before you duel them."

Taneko blinked. "Huh? I didn't. I was looking at them." She waved to the assembled spirits behind Aliester.

He turned and looked behind him. "... There's nothing there." He rolled his eyes. "Look, just admit to it and we'll move on. I don't know why I'm having this duel anyway."

Taneko blinked in surprise. So he can't see them... She turned to her side. A formidable form appeared next to her. A large man in armor, with almost purple skin, and blue-white hair. He wore a cape that very well could have been two bat wings folded down.

"Hey, Kava." Taneko greeted him. "You mind sitting this one out?"

"As you wish, milady." The armored man said, unheard by all but Taneko and the nearby Kazuhiro. He knelt, again unseen by almost all, and vanished again. Taneko slid a card out of her deck, and placed the deck in her Disk.

"Talking to yourself?" Aliester asked, bored.

"Nope. Talking to a good friend." Taneko replied cheerfully. "Anyway, let's get started. Why don't you take the first move?"

(ALIESTER: 8000) (TANEKO: 8000)

He sighed. "I draw." As he drew his six cards, the spirits assembled behind him all vanished, smal glowing forms flying into the deck, and his hand.

"I set a reverse card and a monster. Turn end." He said, bored.

"Draw!" Taneko grinned. "I summon Vampire Lady!" A woman in an ornate robe appeared on Taneko's field. She easily would have been beautiful if not for the fact that she had blue skin, green hair, and glowing yellow eyes... Well, as Taneko had said, she was a vampire. (1550 ATK)

"Vampire Lady, attack!" Taneko ordered. "Nightwing Strike!"

Dick Grayson? Aliester thought to himself. The vampire held her hand forward, and pointed her palm at the set monster. Bats suddeny flew out of nowhere from all around her, swarming at the card. It flipped up, revealing a large brown humanoid with a red head, shielding itself with its arms. "Elemental Hero Clayman." Aliester noted. (2000 DEF)

"Instant magic, Rush Recklessly!" Taneko slid the card into her Disk. "Vampire Lady gains 700 attack points!" The bats suddenly charged in faster, seemingly uncaring as to what happened to them. Clayman tried to defend himself, but against the new assaults, was overwhelmed.

"Trap card, open." Aliester gestured. "Hero Signal. I get a level four or lower Hero monster from my deck to the field..." A blue man, with wings and armor appeared... only his wings seemed to have propellors in them. (1800 ATK) "Airman's effect lets me move an Elemental Hero from my deck to my hand... I choose Elemental Hero Featherman for that."

"Fine by me." Taneko grinned. "How are ya?" Airman looked around in confusion, then realized Taneko was talking to him. He shrugged, and looked sheepish.

"What do you mean 'how am I'?" Aliester asked, unable to see the monster's movements.

"Never mind." Taneko shook her head. "I'll just set one card and end my turn."

"Draw." Aliester looked at his new card. "I activate Fusion Sage, allowing me to move Fusion from my deck to my hand." He stated. "Which I then play... I fuse Elemental Hero Featherman and Elemental Hero Burst Lady. Fusion Summon Elemental Hero Flame Wingman."

A tall humanoid appeared on his field. He was green, with a red right arm with a dragon's head instead of a hand. He had a tail, and a single feathered wing as well. Most of all, he was intimidating. (2100 ATK)

"Woah..." Taneko stared. "I didn't see that one with your spirits."

"... Spirits?" Aliester asked.

"I'll explain after the duel." She shrugged. "It's odd that you don't see them, though."

Aliester glared. "I have no need for hallucinations. Elemental Hero Flame Wingman, attack! Flame Shooter!"

"Hallucin-" Taneko was cut off by Flame Wingman pointing his right arm at the Vampire Lady. Fire shot from the dragon head, engulfing Vampire Lady, then spilling over and scorching Taneko herself.

(ALIESTER: 8000) (TANEKO: 7450)

However, even as her life fell, the fire didn't stop, and Vampire Lady hadn't burst into pixels. "What's going on?" Taneko asked.

"Flame Wingman's effect, activate." Aliester stated coldly. "when it destroys a monster in battle, it deals burn damage equal to the destroyed monster's attack points." Taneko's eyes widened, and then one last blast of fire hit the Vampire Lady, blasting her back into Taneko.

(ALIESTER: 8000) (TANEKO: 5900)

"Ow... Trap, open!" Taneko waved, staggering back a bit from the blow. "Thirst for Blood! When a monster is destroyed in battle, I get a level four or lower Vampire from my deck... It's like your Hero Signal. Come out, Vampire Bats!"

A single card in her deck turned black, and slid out. It then unfolded, revealing wings, until it became a bat itself, and flew onto Taneko's field. It screeched, and more bats joined it. (800 ATK)

"Vampire Bats' effect." Taneko declared. "While it's on the field, all undead monsters gain 200 attack points!" More bats flew down to join the flock already there. (1000 ATK)

"Idiot." Aliester shook his head. "Airman, attack the bats. Hurricane Gale." The blue hero's wing propellors began to spin, until they launched twin cyclones.

"Vampire Bats' second effect!" Taneko interrupted. "When they would be destroyed in battle, by discarding another Vampire Bats from the deck, I negate the destruction!" She tossed a card from her deck into the graveyard, and the bats grouped together. A copy of the Vampire Bats' card rose up in front of them, taking the brunt of the attack, while the bats huddled behind it. The spillover from the attack, however, struck Taneko.

(ALIESTER: 8000) (TANEKO:5100)

"Turn end." He declared.

"... That's no good..." A voice spoke up. Aliester looked around in surprise, then realized it was Kazuhiro talking.

"You speak?" He asked, raising an eyebrow.

"... Taneko-san is the strongest duelist in our year... Except for Mutou-senpai and Jonouchi-senpai... she is the strongest duelist in the school." He said softly. Taneko looked at him.

"Yet I'm winning."

"... No... You only think you are..."

"Pot of Greed." Taneko interrupted the two, before Aliester could ask for an explanation. "I draw two cards." She added them to her hand, then picked the other one and played it. She set one card facedown, then held up another. "Activate Dual Summon. Now I can Normal Summon twice this turn. So I sacrifice my Vampire Bats to summon Vampire Lord!" The bats drew together, and changed shape. They slowly morphed, becoming an almost-handsome man, with purple skin, light blue hair... Looking almost like the spirit near Taneko earlier, only much more of an aristocrat than a warrior. (2000 ATK)

"Too weak." Aliester noted.

"Kazuhiro warned you, and you still don't get it..." Taneko sighed. "Summon Vampire Bats!" The Vampire Lord raised his arm, and new bats appeared near him. A few bats departed the flock, to swarm closer to the Lord himself. (2200 ATK) (1000 ATK)

Though I don't get it... Taneko looked at her monsters. The spirits are one thing, but even the holograms are behaving a lot weirder with this guy around.

"Doesn't matter!" She said aloud. "Vampire Lord, attack Flame Wingman! Darkness' Disciple!" The vampire's yellow eyes flashed. Flame Wingman gazed back... and suddenly, the Lord was gone. Instead, a burst of darkness flew forward and consumed the hero. Flame Wingman struggled, but in the end, succumbed. "Vampire Lord, when it deals damage, forces you do discard a card from the deck of the type of my choosing." Taneko explained. "And I pick trap."

Vampire Lord flew forward and stared at Aliester, who was searching his deck. "Have you modded your Disk?" Aliester asked. "These are odd." He discarded Negate Attack.

(ALIESTER: 7900) (TANEKO: 5100)

"Wait, I thought it was you!" Taneko stared in confusion. "I mean, most of your deck is spirits, so I figured..."

"Again with that nonsense?" Aliester sighed.

"... Oh, yeah, I should explain." Taneko nodded. "Sorry, I got ahead of myself. Your monsters are alive."

"Not anymore." Aliester remarked drily. "Your Vampire just saw to that."

"Not what I meant." Taneko facepalmed. "Your monsters have living spirits. Those E-Heroes you have are real."

Aliester just stared. "I don't want to hear that sort of bullshit." He drew, as Taneko blinked in surprise. "I play The Warrior Returning Alive and Reinforcement of the Army. The first will add Clayman to my hand, and the second will add Sparkman." The two cards appeared, and a card slid from his deck and graveyard, respectively. "Activate Fusion! Summon Elemental Hero Thunder Giant!"

Out of the fusion vortex, a large... well, giant appeared. He was huge, with a purple bodysuit. Over his torso was yellow armor, and a glowing dome in the center of the chestpiece with lightning crackling inside. His eyes were obscured by a purple visor. (2400 ATK)

"Thunder Giant's effect, is that by discarding a card from my hand, he destroys one opposing monster with a base attack less than his own." Aliester explained. "Since I know Vampire Lord's effect will revive it if I do so... The bats are destroyed. Vapor Spark." He slid Edgeman from his hand into the graveyard, and a bolt of lightning struck the bats, destroying them outright. The Vampire Lord's attack slid back down to its base.

"Thunder Giant, attack Vampire Lord... Thunder Voltic." Lightning crackled between the Thunder Giant's hands. He thrust one hand forward and the electricity leapt off, arcing towards the Vampire Lord. However, the sky turned dark, and a red moon appeared. The lightning was dispelled, leaving the Vampire Lord smiling. He spread his arms and welcomed the light of the red moon.

(ALIESTER: 7900) (TANEKO: 7500)

"What did you just do?" Aliester asked.

"Trap card, Red Ghost Moon." Taneko explained as the sky returned to daytime. "By discarding a zombie type from my hand, like my Vampire Baby, I can negate an attack, gain life equal to the strength of the negated attack, and end your Battle Phase all at once."

Aliester sighed. "Turn end."

Taneko drew. "I remove Vampire Lord from play to summon Vampire Genesis!" She declared. Her Lord vanished, and was replaced by a giant beast. Only humanoid in the 'two-legs-two-arms-one-head' sense, it was purple, muscular to the point of being ridiculous, fanged, and ugly. It smiled twistedly, and stared at Thunder Giant, who took a step back in fear. (3000 ATK)

Taneko held her hands up, showing she had no cards in hand. "So all I can do is this. Vampire Genesis, attack Thunder Giant! Hell-Vicious Blood!" The vampiric beast gave another twisted smile, and then opened its mouth wide. A red gas shot from its mouth, and encompassed Thunder Giant, who just sort of... melted.

(ALIESTER: 7300) (TANEKO: 7500)

Aliester drew. "I set one reverse card, and switch Airman to defense." The blue hero knelt, holding its arms up in front of it. (300 DEF) "That's all I can do."

Taneko drew again, and smiled. "I got it."

"... She can show... why she is the strongest..." Kazuhiro said softly.

Taneko shot him a look. "Don't say that."

"She doesn't seem like 'the strongest' to me." Aliester remarked drily. "A lucky draw doesn't make a great duelist. Especially not one who babbles on about living cards."

Taneko glared at him. "Hey. Let's add something to this. Since you didn't want to 'listen to that sort of bullshit' before... If I win, hear me out okay?"

"And if I win?" Aliester asked.

"You won't win." Taneko replied.

"I'll agree... on the condition that if I win, you leave me alone from now on." He said coldly.

"Fine by me. It won't happen. I activate Pot of Avarice!" Taneko played the card. "I shuffle Vampire Lady, Vampire Baby, and all three Bats into my deck, then draw twice!" She shuffled them in, and drew as stated. "Next, I activate the Treasure of Returning Alive! Whenever a monster is summoned from the graveyard, I draw a card!"

Aliester rolled his eyes. "Should've seen that coming."

"Vampire Genesis' effect... I discard this Vampire Lady in my hand to summon a monster from my graveyard with a lower level. Return alive, Vampire Bats!" The bats swarmed out of the slot in her Graveyard to take their place on her field. Genesis laughed, as he grew stronger from their presence. (1000 ATK) (3200 ATK)

"Treasure of Returning Alive lets me draw a card..." She drew. "Which I play. Book of Life! I remove the Thunder Giant in your graveyard from play, and summon Vampire Lady!" The noble lady from before appeared on her field again, gaining strength from the bats. (1550 -> 1750 ATK) Taneko drew another card.

"That was stupid." Aliester commented. "Thunder Giant couldn't return anyway. A monster that could have returned would have been a bigger threat."

Taneko shook her head. "I don't like removing spirits, okay? I'm not sure what it feels like, but I bet it isn't pleasant."

"That again?" Aliester rolled his eyes.

"Vampire Bats, attack Airman!" Taneko ordered. "Bloody Feast!" The bats flew forward and... well, the hero died. Kazuhiro had to look away, he couldn't handle seeing it.

"You don't seem to have a problem with just killing them, though." Aliester noted. "Trap card open! Hero Signal!" The trap opened and shone a clear homage to Batman into the sky. "Since the signal is just a Batman ripoff, there's no better Hero to answer than the one modelled after him." Aliester noted. "Summon Elemental Hero Bubbleman in defense mode."

A hero clad in light blue armor appeared. He was short, and rather round, but if you looked at him, imagined he was in all black, and maybe squinted a bit, the resemblance may be slightly visible. He knelt defensively, smiling in a way the real Batman never would, though. (1200 DEF)

"When Bubbleman is Special Summoned, I draw twice." Aliester noted, doing so.

"Vampire Lady will get him, then." Taneko ordered. "Nightwing Strike!"

"Attacking Batman with his sidekick?" Aliester questioned as Bubbleman was destroyed.

"Huh? What's that mean?"

"Never mind."

"You're so frustrating!" Taneko stomped. "Vampire Genesis, attack directly! Hell-Vicious Blood!" Aliester simply stood there and let the attack hit him, not seeming to care as his life fell.

(ALIESTER: 4100) (TANEKO: 7500)

"I set one card and end my turn." Taneko seemed unnerved by his lack of concern about the attack.

"Draw." Aliester smirked. "Now I'm going to bring down your cards. I activate Miracle Fusion."

"Miracle Fusion?" Taneko inquired.

"I remove Fusion Material monsters in the graveyard from play." He explained. "Then I Fusion Summon the result. So now, I can summon the Elemental Hero's trump card! Summon! Elemental Hero-"

"Sorry, it'll take a miracle to get you out of this, but that's not it." Taneko cut him off. "Trap card! Bribery of the Demon Palace! You draw a card, but in exchange, I get to negate any magic or trap card... Your Miracle failed."

"Don't be so quick to write me off as dead." Aliester retorted, drawing. "You might find your burial premature." A golden hero with blades along his arms, and a helmet designed after a bull's head appeared on his field. (2600 ATK)

(ALIESTER: 3300) (TANEKO: 7500)

"That was a terrible pun." Taneko complained.

"I don't do puns." Aliester rolled his eyes. "After Premature Burial revives Edgeman, activate Field Magic. Skyscraper!" The school's roof vanished. In its place, a city emerged. The sky became night, and the city seemed quiet... Except for the huge monster and the hero. Taneko's more normal-sized monsters seemed amused.

"When Skyscraper is on the field, an Elemental Hero monster that attacks a monster with a higher attack strength than itself gains 1000 attack." Taneko recited.

"You know that but not Miracle Fusion?" Aliester raised an eyebrow.

"Shush."

"Edgeman, attack Vampire Genesis! Power Edge Attack!" Edgeman extended his arm blades, and flew forward. He swung one arm, the blade cut deep. He swung the other, the blade was parried. He bounced off, landed on the side of a building, and sprang off again, charging harder, straight at the monster. The Vampire Genesis was cut in half.

(ALIESTER: 3300) (TANEKO: 7100)

"I set one card and end." Aliester smirked. "And this is the turnaround."

"Don't count me out yet either." Taneko glared. "I draw... and equip Vampire Lady with United We Stand."

"What?!" Aliester stared.

The vampire noble simply laughed. (3350 ATK)

Aliester simply stared, not amused.

"Vampire Lady, attack Edgeman. Nightwing Strike!" Taneko ordered.

"Trap, open!" Aliester pressed the button on the back of his disk. "Elemental Recharge. I gain 1000 life points for each Elemental Hero on my field."

(ALIESTER: 4300) (TANEKO: 7100)

"The attack goes through." Taneko reminded him.

(ALIESTER: 3550) (TANEKO: 7100)

"And I still have my bats."

(ALIESTER: 2550) (TANEKO: 7100)

"Draw." Aliester declared... and looked at his hand.

"Well?" Taneko asked after a pause.

"... Dead draw." Aliester admitted, showing his card. "Fusion Gate. I pass."

Taneko drew. "Then, I guess it's over. Vampire Lady, attack!" Vampire Lady, rather than her usual assault, simply walked over to Aliester and stared him in the eyes, and glared.

(ALIESTER: 0000) (TANEKO: 7100)

"But that was a weird duel." Taneko noted as the holograms vanished. "My monsters were acting strange."

"KaibaCorp probably just uploaded a patch into the Duel Disk network." Aliester shrugged. "Now, then. I promised to hear out your bullshit, so talk." As he spoke, his spirits assembled around him in various locations on the roof, as it was easily spacious enough for all of them.

"It's not bullshit." Taneko protested. "We both have spirits too. Your monsters... The Elemental Heroes, we can see them." Sparkman looked around sheepishly as she said this, and vanished. Taneko raised an eyebrow. She could have sworn the thing blushed before it vanished. A shy spirit?

"You can see them?" Aliester raised an eyebrow, tone indicating surprise, but already knowing about it.

"You know they're there?!" Taneko blinked in surprised. "Then why-" She was cut off by a sudden beeping. "What's that?"

Aliester reached into his pocket and withdrew his cell phone, and tapped a button. The beeping stopped. "It's an alarm." He stated, looking condenscendingly at Taneko. He put the phone away, and pulled out a pill bottle and a soft drink out of his bag.

"You're sick?" Taneko asked.

Aliester swallowed the pill. "I'm crazy." He responded, then took a drink of his soda.

"... Crazy...?" Kazuhiro spoke up, already somewhat knowing the answer despite himself.

"Schizophrenic." Aliester shook his head. "I used to hallucinate what you guys were telling me. That my monsters were really alive." He took another drink from his soda. "Such a stupid thing is impossible."

"But they are!" Taneko protested. "Kazuhiro and I see them too, and we have our own spirits!"

"You do?" Aliester raised an eyebrow.

Taneko nodded. Behind her, the armored figure appeared. "Curse of Vampire, just 'Kava' for short." She explained. "Kazuhiro's are more shy, but..."

Kazuhiro nodded, acknowledging it. "... They're kind..."

Aliester looked back and forth between them. He then held out his pill bottle. "Want one?"

Taneko smacked the bottle out of his hand. It went flying, landed on the ground, and rolled. Aliester darted after it to pick it up.

"They aren't hallucinations, you jerk!" Taneko was trying to restrain herself from yelling.

"You're angry and want to yell at me." Aliester noted, pocketing the bottle. "But you're keeping your voice low so others around the school don't overhear. If they were really real, why would you care about that? Seems more like you're trying to avoid having people find out you play with imaginary friends."

"That's not it at all!" Taneko shouted, despite herself. "It's just not something people need to know about!"

"Why?" He asked.

"Because people like you are around and won't believe anything!" Taneko retorted.

"If they're real, you'd have no reason to hide them." Aliester shrugged. "You got something else to say, or can I go now?"

"Why are you so determined ignore them?!" Taneko asked. "They should be your friends!"

"I have no need for imaginary friends." Aliester said coldly. With that, he turned to leave.

"Wait!" Taneko called. "Just... try not taking your pills for a little bit. You'll see them, and they can tell you we're right!"

"I have no doubt that is the case." Aliester responded without turning around. "After all, if I stopped taking them, the hallucinations would resume. And who knows what they'd say?"

"... It's no good..." Kazuhiro said softly to Taneko. "... We should go..."

"..." Taneko turned around wordlessly and ran off. Kazuhiro trailed after her.

"Tch." Aliester turned and left, on his own.

"... It's sad..." Kazuhiro said quietly.

"I don't believe that guy!" Taneko growled. "He's just... Dammit! It's so frustrating! I thought it'd be cool to meet someone else with spirits, but he's just so infuriating!"

[January 5, 20XX]
[7:36 PM]
[Aliester Saiga's house, Domino City]

"I'm home." Aliester called as he entered the door.

"Welcome home." His mother called. "You're late. How was school?"

"It was fine." Aliester commented blankly. "There were a couple annoying people in the class that forced me into a duel after class. That's why I'm late."

"A duel?" His mother looked at him sharply. "I thought I told you to not play that stupid game anymore."

"It was only one game." He shrugged. "I lost, anyway. It's fine."

"It is not fine." His mother said, stressed. "What are you going to do if those hallucinations start again? We don't have the money for more therapy!"

"It is fine, mother." He said, tiredly. "I'm still taking those pills, and even if those two were trying to get me to believe they were real, I know better. I'm not a kid anymore."

"They were trying to what?" She demanded.

Aliester realized he said too much. "Just forget it. It's fine. I'm heading up to my room."

"Wait." His mother commanded. "You will tell me what happened."

He sighed. "It was nothing important. An idiot and her sidekick came up to me, started babbling, and demanded a duel. When she won, she started talking about 'living cards' and other stupid things. I left. That's all." He went into the kitchen to make a sandwich.

"Don't talk to them again." She ordered. "We just moved here, and somehow managed to afford a house instead of an apartment... If something happens to your mind-"

"We're still afloat because of that thing you signed that pays us for me to take these pills, and if I stop taking them, or need other treatment, we won't be able to make ends meet. I know." Aliester sighed. "I don't want to hallucinate again, you know. You don't have to keep freaking out."

"Don't talk to me like that." His mother told him.

"I'm going to my room to do homework." He replied simply. He took his sandwich and left the room.

He entered his room and looked around. His room was fairly neat. It had stacks of comic books all over, and an impressive collection at that. Some in German, others in Japanese, and a small few in English (though he couldn't read them). Most of his possessions were still in boxes scattered about the room. His desk had a laptop computer on it, as well, though he had to hijack his neighbor's wireless network, as his house didn't have one.

He laid down on the bed. "It's annoying." He muttered. "That annoying girl from school, and now my annoying mother... Tch. I guess it's true. All girls, no matter what, are annoying..." He sighed. "That's probably why dad left, back then. He didn't want to deal with..."

He sighed, and started eating. He wasn't in the mood to do homework. If it came to it, he'd just tell the teacher he was having trouble acclimating, or that since he was foreign, he couldn't read some of the kanji on the paper... Something like that.

[January 5, 20XX]
[9:12 PM]
[???]

In a dark room, a phone rang.

"Hello?" A male voice answered it.

"Hello... I was told to call this number if my child was in danger of hallucinating again..." Aliester's mother's voice spoke.

"Ah... Yes, the one we gave the new pills to." The male voice responded. "It has been years, with no trouble... what seems to be the problem?"

"There are other children with the same hallucinations... They are trying to convince my child the monsters from that annoying game are real."

"Is that so..." The voice seemed troubled. "Thank you for your concern. I will put a stop to them."

"I cannot thank you enough... I apologize for the trouble." Aliester's mother said apologetically.

"Think nothing of it." The voice seemed to have a smile to it, and hung up.


ANIME ONLY CARDS

Vampire Bats
3 stars/DARK/Zombie-Type/800 ATK/800 DEF
While you control this face-up card, all face-up Zombie-Type monsters you control gain 200 ATK. When this card is destroyed and sent to the Graveyard, you can send 1 "Vampire Bats" from your Deck to your Graveyard. That destruction is negated.
This card first appeared in Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters GX Episode 31: "Chronos vs Vampire Camula"

Red Ghost Moon
Normal Trap
Activate only when your opponent declares an attack. Discard 1 Zombie-Type monster from your hand. Select 1 Attack Position Monster your opponent controls and gain its ATK as Life Points, then end the Battle Phase.
This card first appeared in Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters GX Episode 32: "Kaiser vs Camula, The Activation of [Illusion Gate]"

Thirst for Blood
Normal Trap
Activate only when 1 monster you control is destroyed and sent to the Graveyard. Special Summon 1 Level 4 or lower "Vampire" monster from your Deck.
This card first appeared in Yu-Gi-Oh! R Chapter 4: "Threat of the Undead Deck"

OCG = TCG names

Vampire Baby = Red-Moon Baby
Treasure of Returning Alive = Card of Safe Return
Bribery of the Demon Palace = Dark Bribe

[Dark Sage]

Okay, I'm hooked.

Clearly, there's someone out there who simply doesn't like Duel Spirits, and is trying to stop folks from seeing them.

The plot where "main character has power and refuses to accept it" has been done before, but this is somewhat interesting. I'm anxious to see where it leads.

I liked the vampire deck too (speaking from someone who uses a character who also uses one, although she uses a few cards that Chelsea doesn't) and I'm also anxious to see the other characters.

Keep it up. I hope this fic goes far, and I hope you get your inspiration back.