Nightshroud

Story
Leo gets shoved to the ground, being cornered by Tank, Nervin and Blitz.

Tank: What now, now, eastern lover? No one else to help you now.

Leo: Heh. You think I’m intimidated by you? I’ve dealt with way worse!

Tank: Too bad on that. For now you’re going to get what’s coming to you.

Pharaoh: Meow.

Tank looks confused, as Pharaoh, a fat tabby cat, rubs up against his leg.

Tank: A cat?

Banner: Oh, there you are, Pharaoh.

Professor Banner walks over. He’s wearing a white shirt, black pants, and has a necktie. His black hair is tied up in a ponytail. Pharaoh walks over to him, rubbing up against his leg.

Banner: I’ve been searching for you.

Tank: Heh. Well, look who it is. The teacher from the East. Get lost!

Banner: I am sorry, but surely you have something better to do than to pick on younger class-men.

Tank: That guy’s a hybrid lover! We’re just showing him what we think of those around here!

Banner: I see. So, you three boys want to be suspended from school for assault along with bullying.

Tank: Like you have the authority.

Shrill Voice: Just what is going on here?!

Dr. Crowler, the head professor of the school, approaches. He wears a blue regal jacket, with gold trimmings and ruffled pink collar, shoulders, upper chest, and sleeves, and black pants. He has blond hair, some of it back in a ponytail.

Tank: (In fear) Dr. Crowler?!

Crowler: Professor Banner, are you getting into an altercation with these boys?

Banner: Oh, no. I was just informing them about your strict policy about bullying, and how they could be suspended and possibly expelled for it, and assaulting their fellow students.

Crowler turns to Tank and the others, glaring them into submission.

Crowler: And why are you three still there?! Out!

Tank and the others run off, as Crowler scowls at Banner.

Crowler: As for you, make sure you don’t intimidate the students!

Crowler marches off, as Banner helps Leo stand up.

Leo: Thanks, Professor Banner!

Banner: Oh, don't thank me. You should thank those two.

Banner walks off, revealing Serenity and Alexis watching from a distance. Leo runs over to them.

Leo: Hey, thanks!

Serenity: Of course. I saw you sticking up for that other girl the other day. Someone should be on your side.

Leo: Oh, I have plenty on my side. I got my sister, Ms. Ishizu, Yami,

Alexis: Wait, you know Yami?

Leo: Yeah! He lives at my house!

Alexis: (In disbelief) He’s alive?! They said he disappeared after the Signer thing.

Leo: We found him recently. He just woke up, and has been lying low.

Serenity: Alexis? What’s wrong?

Alexis’ expression is in disbelief, and pondering something.

Alexis: You think you could ask him to meet me? I, need his help with something.

Leo: Not a problem!

Back at the penthouse, Yami is sitting on the couch, feet up on the table, reading the newspaper.

Yami: Sheesh. To think it’d escalate this far this fast.

Ishizu: Feet off the table.

Ishizu walks by, blasting Yami’s feet with mana. He jolts from the impact, lowering them.

Yami: Hey!

Ishizu: If you’re going to live here, then you’re going to work for it. You’re responsible for the cleaning. Kitchen, living room, bathrooms.

Yami: Aw! I’m a world class superhero! I shouldn’t be doing something as, mundane as cleaning!

Ishizu: Didn’t learn much about that in the East, did you? You can use this opportunity to become more functional in your new environment.

Yami: Ouch. Fine, fine, Ms. Bossy.

Yami gets up, heading to the kitchen. The home phone rings, as Ishizu answers.

Ishizu: Hello? (She listens) Leo, what are you doing calling? Aren’t you in school? (She listens) For Yami?

Ishizu looks over, seeing Yami examining a sponge in confusion.

Ishizu: He’s busy right now. Is there a message that I should give him? (She listens) Very well. Now, get back to class.

Ishizu hangs up the phone, as Yami squeezes the sponge, fascinated.

Yami: Huh. How is this a cleaning apparatus?

Ishizu: You dampen it with water, squeeze excess water out, soap it up, and use it to scrub the surface of whatever you’re cleaning. Leo left you a message. A girl at his school, Alexis, needs help with something.

Yami gasps in surprise, dropping the sponge. Ishizu senses the change in attitude.

Ishizu: You know her?

Yami: A friend. From the East. I’ve got to go.

Yami takes off running, making it out the door before Ishizu can react.

Ishizu: Yami!

The school bell rings, signaling the end of the day. The students are leaving school, as Serenity and Alexis walk together.

Serenity: I hope Yami can help you. I know if anything happened to my brother, I’d do anything to help him.

Alexis: Yeah. Well, Yami and I have a, difficult history.

Yami is wearing a helmet over his head, hiding his obvious hair. He signals Alexis, who sighs.

Alexis: Wish me luck.

Alexis breaks off from Serenity, as she makes it to Yami. She forces a smile, kissing Yami on the cheek.

Yami: Hey, Blue.

Alexis: You’re still calling me that?

Yami: You always wore a blue dress when we went out, Téa in red.

Alexis: Were we, ever a thing?

Yami: I guess I would ask you the same thing. In the situation we were in before, it was as close as I was willing to allow.

Alexis: I’m not calling you to discuss that. Atticus needs you.

Yami: Ah. Atti. What’s up with him?

Alexis: He was, attacked by some shadow creature the other day.

Yami: Yeah. I destroyed it.

Alexis: Well, after that, he’s had, mood swings. Personality changes. At night, he becomes, someone else. He doesn’t recognize me, he spouts about bringing everlasting darkness! He says that he’s, Nightshroud. He’d been wandering off at night.

Yami: He is as big a party animal as I was.

Alexis: Last night, he didn’t come back. He always comes back home. Please, find him.

Yami: (Sighs) Sure thing.

Yami begins to walk off, when he stops.

Yami: I’m glad you got into school here, Alexis. Gives you the chance to do something with your life.

Yami walks off, disappearing into a crowd. End Scene

Down by the warehouses at the docks at night, Jack, Jim and the other Enforcers are at a gathering.

Jack: Excellent job at our most recent rally, everyone! Our numbers are rising steadily, and we will soon be a force worth reckoning with! Our so called Mayor, Pegasus, will have no choice but to bow to our commands!

The crowd cheers, as the gathering ends. Jack is shaking the hands of some individuals, when two men of Egyptian descent approach him. One of them, Marik, wears a purple hoodie with gold chains on it, black pants and black shoes. He has two earrings, three gold bands around his neck, and five bracelets on each arm. The other one, Odion, is wearing a long purple robe over him, has hieroglyphics tattooed on the left side of his face, and is bald besides a ponytail in the back.

Jack: Some of the new recruits. Marik, and, Odion, was it?

Marik: That is right. I thank you for the opportunity of destroying those wretched hybrids once and for all. It feels like we can actually make a difference now.

Jack: With your assistance, we can. We’re happy to have you along.

Jim: Jack. We got another bloke coming.

Atticus stumbles along the docks towards them, wearing a black jacket over his black shirt and pants. He falls to his knees, groaning.

Marik: Hey, you alright?!

Marik runs over to help him, as Atticus looks up, a black dragon mask covering his eyes.

Nightshroud: I want eternal darkness in the ideals of the Dark One. Care to join me?

Nightshroud grabs Marik’s head, him screaming as he’s soaked in darkness. Nightshroud stands, pushing Marik away.

Odion: Master!

Odion dashes in at a faster than human speed, tackling Nightshroud. He rolls backwards, making it to his feet. Nightshroud forms darkness over his hands, dragon claws forming. Nightshroud charges, as Odion raises his arm, blocking the attack. A green tail shoots out from behind him, wrapping around Nightshroud’s neck, squeezing it.

Jack: He’s a hybrid?!

Nightshroud: I only need one to spread the message of darkness. Your death will be swift.

A portal opens to the side of the two of them, as Portadrillo comes out. He swings his arms to the side, striking both Odion and Nightshroud, sending them in alternate directions. Odion lands by Marik, who is curled up in a ball, screaming in pain. Nightshroud catches himself.

Nightshroud: Tsk. Heard you were dead, Yami.

Portadrillo: What can I say? I’m hard to kill.

Portadrillo pumps his jackhammer, forming a portal. He goes through it, reappearing behind Nightshroud. Nightshroud leaps backwards, tackling him back through the portal. The Enforcers gather around Marik and Odion, appalled.

Jack: You think you can get a hybrid in our group and get away with it?!

Odion grabs Marik and throws him over his shoulder, taking off running. The Enforcers give chase, Jack and Jim staying behind.

Jim: Yami’s back, eh?

Jack: All the more reason for us to increase our activity. The hybrids will feel empowered if they know he’s back. Ensure that the others don’t speak about his return. There’s been no mention of him in the news, which means he hasn’t let his presence be known yet.

A portal opens on the rooftop of a warehouse, Portadrillo and Nightshroud tumbling out. Portadrillo reverts, activating the Dueltrix, drawing two cards.

Yami: Being of darkness, crumble in the light! I fuse Chromastone and Battle Tails! To create!

He slaps down the Dueltrix.

Chromatails: Chromatails!

Nightshroud’s arms are covered in bladed dragon wings, as he soars at Chromatails. He curls up into a sphere, rolling underneath it. He opens up, and spins his tails, his body releasing a powerful ultraviolet light. The attack sears Nightshroud, him winching slightly from the attack.

Nightshroud: So that is how you defeated PaniK, my original form. Too bad for you, I am stronger than he was.

Nightshroud charges in, striking Chromatails with his wing. Chromatails rolls back to recover, as his tails spin faster, his light waves getting brighter. Nightshroud howls at this attack, the darkness over his body dissipating. Nightshroud claps his hands together, a pulse of darkness snuffing out the light, knocking Chromatails away. Nightshroud reforms his wings, gliding after Chromatails. He kicks Chromatails off the roof, him falling towards the ground. Chromatails tries to fly with his tails, but fails. He hits the ground, reverting.

Yami: Can’t fly? Both the fusion materials can fly, ugh!

Nightshroud grabs Yami by the throat, choking him. Jack and Jim approach, though they stop.

Jim: Let the bloke go!

Nightshroud: As you command.

Nightshroud shoves Yami through the air, as he goes into the harbor. Jack and Jim look shocked, as Nightshroud turns to them.

Nightshroud: Now, which one of you wants to join him?

Nightshroud steps towards them, as Jack and Jim back away. Nightshroud’s dark aura grows.

Nightshroud: Show your fear, boys. The more fear you have, the more power I gain. Right now, Yami’s fear of drowning is giving me strength.

An explosion of purple fire bursts out of the harbor, evaporating the water. A shining, yellow sphere rises from the water, floating over the water. Jack and Jim back away, while Nightshroud approaches it.

Nightshroud: Pulling out the big guns, huh? Now, show it to me.

The sphere opens up, revealing a large black dragon with his back side having the yellow armor that made the sphere. His arms, legs and torso are inflated like a balloon, increasing his size. His snout is curved, resembling a beak. The Dueltrix symbol is on his chest.

Diagonbolt: Diagonbolt!

Nightshroud’s darkness takes the form of a wyvern, with wings instead of arms. Nightshroud flies at Diagonbolt, as Diagonbolt’s body is encased in purple fire, him flying and colliding with Nightshroud. The energy releases, a wall of darkness pressing against a wall of fire. Jack and Jim retreat, taking off running. Nightshroud recovers from the collision, flapping his wings.

Diagonbolt: If that last form wasn’t bright enough for you, try this one for size. Based off the sun god of ancient Egypt!

Diagonbolt breathes a bolt of purple fire, as hot and as bright as the sun. Nightshroud is hit, light exploding, vaporizing the darkness. He drops a few feet, before the darkness revives itself, catching him. Diagonbolt curls into a sphere, which lights itself on fire as he rolls at Nightshroud. He rams him head on, the two both crashing into the water. Diagonbolt opens up, grabbing Nightshroud’s wings with his claws as they sink.

Nightshroud: You think this is over? Darkness never disappears, it just lies dormant. You want proof? Just try and destroy me.

Diagonbolt opens his mouth, releasing the bolt of fire. The light makes the water shine purple, it causing the water to evaporate. The water levels reside as Diagonbolt reverts, Yami caught in the current. He swims to the surface, the water dark again. Nightshroud is nowhere to be seen.

Yami: Oh, great. He’s gone. I’m not sure that was enough though. He’ll be back.

Yami sighs, as he swims back to shore.

Yami: I hate to bring Alexis bad new.

Characters

 * Leo
 * Professor Banner
 * Pharaoh
 * Dr. Crowler
 * Serenity
 * Alexis
 * Yami
 * Ishizu

Neutral

 * Tank
 * Nervin
 * Blitz
 * Enforcers
 * Jack Atlas
 * Jim Cook
 * Marik
 * Odion

Villains

 * Nightshroud

Aliens Used

 * Portadrillo
 * Chromatails
 * Diagonbolt (first appearance)

Trivia

 * Professor Banner is the successful teacher from East Domino mentioned by Pegasus in Life Goes On.
 * Alexis makes her return, revealing she made it into Domino Academy.
 * This episode begins a running gag with Yami being unfamiliar and having difficulty with cleaning apparatuses, particularly that sponge.
 * It's revealed that the Darkness can infect its victims, as PaniK infected Atticus, and Atticus/Nightshroud infected Marik.
 * This episode begins the arc focusing on Marik.
 * Despite Marik's hatred towards hybrids, Odion is part hybrid, being part Ssserpent's Species.
 * Diagonbolt is based off the Yu-Gi-Oh! Egyptian God card The Winged Dragon of Ra.
 * Yami now has fusion alien forms based off all three Egyptian God cards.