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

Chapter Thirty-Nine: Izira's Search for Answers

Kiria caught up with the others, walking down the sidewalk in pursuit of a rogue Shizira. Kiria herself rolled the hilt handle around in her hand, testing it out. How to operate a sword...?

"Why are we even out at this time of night looking for Shizira?" Axel complained. Kiria was about to answer when she paused, staring down the street. A tall, majestic, towering creature strode down its middle, graceful and alone in the silence. Antlers reached heavenward, a massive and terrifying rack of points. A bone-like mask covered its face, but its eyes glowed luminous from within the dark depths of the eye sockets. It looked like a... like a deer, but with a long tail and plants that sprung gray-toned from its back. It strode right past them, not even paying them any heed. Kiria stared open-mouthed, which caused her friends to stop and stare at the empty street searching for her source of amazement.

"They're amazing, aren't they?" a voice commented, causing everyone to wheel around on the sidewalk. Leaning against the door frame of a neon-signed bar was a lady. She was obviously a bar-tender, dressed in a tight-fitting tube top and stretch pants. Her hair fell in brown-red waves around her face, her skin was dark like Malice's, and her eyelids were accented with gold eyeshadow.

"W-What do you mean?" Kiria asked.

She nodded in the direction the creature had strode. "Horazk. The guide of the lost dead," her eyes focused on the hilt in Kiria's hand. "Are you an exorcist? Not that I'm complaining, there's never enough."

"Who the hell are you?" Axel demanded.

The lady rolled her shoulders and shook a bottle in her hand. It contained some foreign liquid at odds with the original label. She took a drink before replying. "I'm Nahina. Nahina Yokouso. And the boy about to exit this door is my little brother, Tadai Yokouso."

Moments later, a slightly shorter lean-built boy exited the bar. He, too, had the same brown-red wavy hair as his sister. The difference was Nahina had shiny green eyes; his were a bright, luminous brown that went lovely with his hair.

"Sis, who're these yamps?"

"One of them is an exorcist, Tadai."

"O-Oh, n-no, I'm not an exorcist, ma'am. Just a new mage with a sword to protect myse-"

"Magic practitioner."

"Hm?"

"I said," enunciated Nahina. "That you're a Magic Practitioner. Not a mage. A mage is someone who is adept at magic or is in a specialized field. If you're new and you don't have a specialization, you're a Magic Practitioner. No fuss, though, since people interchange them anyway. Thought you'd need the education. What're you all doing so late out here tonight, with demons wandering around after the rain, looking for some food to enjoy?"

"Looking for my friends."

Tadai leaned forward and blurted, "Does this friend happen to be about ye tall, black hair white dress, creepy golden eyes and a look that says 'I'm gonna kill some assholes if it kills me?'"

The sisters and friends exchanged looks. "That sounds Izira-like more than Shizira-like," Asuiri added.

"Thank you," thanked Kiria, gratefully.

"S'no problem," Nahina nodded her head. "Tell me, if you ever go into the exorcist trade, let me know. I could use an apprentice."

"You say that to everyone and anything," Tadai scolded. "What next? Are you gonna ask the garbage can? The ash tray? The jukebox?"

She swatted the bottle at him. "And what do you know? I bet you'd as much like to pass your trade onto any other bloke, too!"

"My magic is for esteemed, powerful people!" he snapped back.