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

Chapter Fifty-Nine: Putting Demons to Rest (or, at least, trying)

Kiria knocked on Shizira's door, wanting to check up on her friend and also discuss Axel's newfound romantic interest. Kiria doubted Shizira would be all that interested - she didn't seem highly intrigued by romance, it was more of a mindless discussion topic to her - but still. No harm enlightening her.

"Be there in a second!" Shizira's voice sounded slightly more panicked than normal, strained almost. It was quiet for the longest of seconds.

"Shit!" Shizira screeched a nano-second before Kiria heard the disorienting bang and her ears began ringing. Rancid, foggy green smoke began to trickle out from underneath the door shortly before it was opened, revealing Shizira.

Kiria couldn't help it. She snorted, much like Axel, trying to hold her giggles back in her hands. The hair immediately around Shizira's face was blown back into black spikes - which included her bangs - and her skin was covered in a greenish-white dust.

"Wow, Shizira, you swore!" Kiria gasped, still half-laughing at her friend's appearance.

"Ha, ha," Shizira drily answered, rubbing most of the dust away from her eyes. "Come on in. Maybe you'll try to be useful, unlike some dick of a spirit."

"Shut your trap!" Izira snapped. "You're just pissed because you can't get it right and you know I could."

"I'm pissed that you're sitting there laughing at me while I get myself nearly blown apart by magic backlash," Shizira retorted, before realizing she was in Kiria's presence and she wouldn't hear Izira. The corners of her mouth turned down in a slight grimace as she retreated further back into the house and Kiria closed the door behind her.

"Izira's laughing at you?" Kiria questioned.

Shizira nodded her head, gesturing to her kitchen. Several books were propped up on book stands, and the kitchen island was strewn with herbs and materials, while vials and pots bubbled on the stove. Shizira dumped one vial down the drain, using her fingers to try and re-establish her straight hair.

"What for?"

"I keep messing up this one really key thing I'm trying to accomplish," Shizira explained as Kiria took a seat at the kitchen island, fiddling with some leaf or another. "It's just... it doesn't help when she's hovering over my shoulder saying all of this shit and pestering me!"

"Harsh, harsh!" Izira laughed cruelly, rolling about the air. "Wow, I didn't know you had the spit in you, little brat!"

"Enough with you!" Shizira snapped, yanking her earrings off and throwing them at the couch, where they bounced off the cushions. "I'm done with your attitude and your disrespect for the time being!"

Kiria blinked. "Wow, Shizira... that was..."

"What, uncharacteristic of me? Well I'm tired, okay?! I've been working on this for-bloody-ever and she just won't shut up, pointing out all of my mistakes and laughing and ragging on me! It doesn't help my self-esteem any when that's all I hear over and over and over again!"

Kiria let out a slight whimper and hid a little further under her bangs. "Sorry."

Shizira gave an exasperated sigh and blew at her bangs. "No, Kiria, forgive me. I'm just stressed. I've been spending a better part of today on this."

"If I may ask, what are you doing?"

"I'm... well..," Shizira gestured awkwardly to one of the propped-up books, picking it up and holding it out in her hands for Kiria to read. It was the page from what was formerly her family's spell book, with the three pictures of a more terrifying Raviel, Hamon, and Uria.