The Beast Underneath: A Yu-Gi-Oh! Fanfiction

Chapter Twenty-Three: Eighty-Five

"I still can't believe we don't have school because of the tournament," Shizira stated as they walked down the sidewalk. All around them, dozens of people ran or jogged with Duel Disks strapped to their arms.

"Goes to show the influence Kaiba has in Domino," Kiria whispered softly.

"Yeah, I heard he has statistics on all the duelists ever! Hey Ki-Ki, I wonder if you're in there? You're probably the best ever ever!" Asuiri cheered, swooping down and wrapping his arms around her. He hoisted her into the air, cradling her in his arms, before adjusting her and placing her atop his shoulders.

"Asuiri!" Kiria squeaked, face turning pink. "P-Please put me down!"

"But you're so tiny, Ki-Ki-chan, and I don't want the duelists to crush you," he replied.

"Asuiri, if she wants down, put her down," Axel reprimanded, albeit not terribly forcefully. His expression turned glum as he picked her up and helped her off his shoulders in a some-what awkward fashion, as they were still walking and he was trying not to bump into anyone. He was currently failing.

"What should we do, since we don't have school and none of us are in Battle City?" Shizira asked, before shooting a look towards Asuiri. "And if anyone says the zoo, I'll ship you straight up to the clouds."

"You can make people fly, Shi?!" Asuiri gasped, holding Kiria's hand tightly in his. "Make me fly! Make me fly! I wanna fly! Oh, can you make penguins fly?! We should go to the zoo and see if you can make the penguins fly."

"There's only so much zoo you can take before the zoo becomes exhausting. Especially when you're just sitting in front of the penguin exhibit for most of that time."

"I do not always sit in the penguin exhibit!" Asuiri retorted. "Sometimes I go look at the polar bears, and I love the aquarium! The aquarium section is the best besides the penguins."

"Asuiri, if it's anything freezing or aquatic, that's where we go. I haven't been to the actual Safari exhibit since I went with father," Shizira scolded, but she was smiling.

"Zoo?" Malice asked as she walked along with her hand held tightly in Axel's. Not for romantic reasons, but more like a mother holding her child's hand so they didn't run off.

"The zoo is where you go see animals," Axel explained.

"Ani-medals?"

"Oh boy."

"We could always go watch Yugi," Kiria offered. "I know he's in Battle City."

"Kiria, I'd agree with you but that's a terrible idea," Shizira replied.

"Why's that?"

"Izira is more hell-bent on killing him than she is on killing Uria."

Speaking of the notorious devil, the spirits were walking behind their hosts, as Kiria carried the rocks in her back-pack. Izira, too, was sitting outside of the earrings - and actually sitting atop Shizira's shoulders, although she provided no actual weight on them - and sent a death glare at the red dragon when her name was mentioned.

"Yes. Yes I am. You'll be surprised to find that he is actually the reason I am such a wonderful maniac," Izira added her two-bits' worth, even though only Shizira and the other spirits could hear her. None of the Yamis could hear or see each other, but each of them could see and hear all three rock spirits.

"I don't want to ask why," Hamon huffed.

Izira sent him a cold, withering glare which he casually ignored.