Yu-Gi-Oh! Season Zero Chapter Fifteen Part Three

Disclaimer. I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh! 

Hanasaki rushed in front of Yugi, spreading his arms. Yugi gasped. “Hanasaki? What’re you doing here?” Hanasaki looked back. “I’m helping you!” The thugs smirked. ‘This voice....it’s the play hero from yesterday.’ They both glared down at Hanasaki, making the boy feel small. ‘Don’t be scared. I can flatten these guys when I turn into Zombire!’ One thug scoffed. “Tch. Whatever. Let’s go.” The other thug frowned, and followed him. Hanasaki breathed a sigh of relief. Yugi was impressed. “Wow. They ran away when they saw you...how’d that happen?” Hanasaki laughed nervously. “I don’t know...” He gave him a thumbs up. “If you ever need me...don’t hesitate to let me know! I’ll take care of it!” He walked away, smiling. Yugi tilted his head. /It seems that he’s been more confident lately. What do you think happened?/ There was mental shrug. //Can’t know for sure. It might be a good idea to watch out for those men. It looked like they knew Hanasaki.// Yugi agreed. (Meanwhile...) “Hey! Weren’t we gonna pay him back for last night? Where are we going?” The other thug snorted. “No way. We just needed to know what he looked like. That brat is our meal ticket. Let him play hero for now. We’ll put our real plan of action together tonight. Heheheh...” (Later that night...at Yugi’s house.) Yugi admired the Zombire figurine he put together. “I only have to spray paint it now!” He tried to use the paint but nothing came out. “Oh jeez. This thing is empty. Gotta get more. Our store doesn’t carry any. I’ll ask Hanasaki for some!” He was just about to leave when the phone rang. Yugi halted at the doorway, waiting to see if it would ring again. It did, so he picked up. “Hello?” A panicked voice spoke. “Is this the Motou residence?” Yugi frowned. “Mr. Tomoya? Is that you?” Mr. Tomoya yelled into the phone. “You have to help my son! Please! They’re going to do something horrible to him I know it!” Yugi gasped. “I’m on it! I’ll be at your house as fast as I can!” Hanging up, he sped downstairs, putting on his shoes and ran out of the house. ‘Those jerks...what have they done?’ (Earlier in the evening...) A thug stood outside Hanasaki’s house, holding a stone wrapped in paper. Hanasaki and his family were eating dinner. “So dad...you’re going back to America right? Will you be home soon?” Mr. Tomoya set down his fork. “Hm. I don’t know...” Hanasaki sighed. “Oh.” Mrs. Tomoya looked at her son worriedly. Her husband smiled. “So I heard some incredible rumours! Late last night I heard some criminals were beating up someone in the park but then a superhero came out of nowhere and stopped them! Who do you think it was?” Hanasaki grinned behind a hand. “Who knows?” He stood up. “I’ll be in my room! Just knock before you come in okay?” He left the dining area. Mrs. Tomoya glanced sideways at her husband. “Don’t you think Hanasaki has been acting more masculine lately?” Mr. Tomoya laughed. “You think so?” (Meanwhile Hanasaki was...) Hanasaki had put on the Zombire costume again, leaping around the room. “Hyah! Hrah! Hah!” His window shattered as a rock flew in, covered with a piece of paper. Hanasaki unfolded the paper, freezing at what he saw. It showed a picture of Yugi tied up. ‘We have your friend. Come to the spot marked on the paper...or else you’ll never see him again.’ Hanasaki scrunched the paper, angry. ‘Those jerks!’ He jumped out the broken window, leaping off the roof and following the directions on the paper. One thug peeked around the corner, smirking and holding a walkie talkie. (Did I spell that right?) He whispered into the speaker. “He took the bait. He’s coming your way.” The walkie talkie crackled. “Alright. We can see him!” (At the meeting spot...) A thug spray painted a skull onto the wall. Waves crashed against the ground as the ocean rushed relentlessly in the ominous trap the thugs set up. Another of the crew got out a phone, dialing in a number. “Yo. Is this the Tomoya residence? We’d like to play some more games with your son. The payment this time is...500,000 yen.” The man on the other line gasped. “I don’t have that kind of money!” The thug smirked. “That’s a shame. If you don’t pay we’ll introduce a shocking new plot! This time the hero gets beat to death by the villains!” As if he heard his name Hanasaki appeared at the stairs to the dock by the ocean. “Alright! Where have you hidden Yugi?” The man with the phone chuckled. “He just arrived. Old dude...if you don’t bring the cash quick the next time you see him is in a hospital bed!” (At the Tomoya residence.) Yugi banged on the door. It opened and Hanasaki’s father came out. “Oh! It’s you! Please! Save my son! This is the note!” Yugi took the slip of paper that had laid forgotten on the road. Narrowing his eyes, he turned, taking off down the street. ‘Hanasaki...you did this for me.’ The Millennium Puzzle started glowing. //Let me handle this! You won’t be able to beat them!// Yugi stopped running, lowering his head. /Are you sure?/ //Positive.// He felt the familiar tugging sensation in his gut, and tried not to resist. It still felt weird though. Suddenly, Yami was standing in Yugi’s place, blinking. /I’m still not used to this./ Yugi announced telepathically. Yami smirked as he took off running. //Sorry. Where’d you put that slip of paper?// /It’s in the left pocket./ Digging out the paper, Yami briefly scanned it, heading towards the spot marked on the paper. (At the thug’s trap...) Hanasaki trued to defend himself as the thugs kicked him and punched him, bruising and beating his tiny body. “Hah! Where’s mister superhero now?” Hanasaki gritted his teeth. ‘Dangit...I thought I was strong.’ As if he knew what he was thinking, a thug laughed. “Your old man paid us to do this. As in...we were only acting last night. You couldn’t beat us in a real fight...crybaby.” Hanasaki stood up. “You’re lying!” He ran towards him but the man sprayed some paint in his face. Hanasaki yelled. “Ahhhh! My eyes!” Before he knew it a foot came flying at his head, throwing him to the ground. Suddenly, a familiar voice sounded. “That’s enough you scum!”