The Legion's Classics: The Emperor's Regnant

Chapter 22: The Paths we take, Go to the Carnival!

(Ven POV)

I let out a slight groan as I felt my consciousness return to me, my eyes felt really heavy and I struggled a bit opening them, when the room came into focus I sat up and realized I was lying in a hospital room.

"What happened?" I mutter to myself trying to remember what happened before it comes back to me,

"Photon Hand!" Kaito said.

"Oh yeah." I say clenching my fists remembering the loss, "but how am I alive?" I ask myself as I take a look at my body, I noticed Kotori's ribbon was tied around my wrist and let out a soft smile. Before my thoughts went back to my earlier musings.

"Perhaps it was because I didn't have the Numbers on me." I muse before standing up, I almost fall down but managed to steady myself, it only takes a second for me to regain my full leg strength I catch an image of my reflection, "looks like not everything is back to normal." I comment as I see that my hair didn't go back to its normal color but had kept the snow white color of the soul less photon hand victims.

"What does this mean?" I question running my fingers through my hair contemplating what this new development could mean before shaking my head, "I'd better go find Kotori and get my Numbers back, I don't want her in any more danger then necessary." I think to myself as I clench my fists, "but I don't want to deal with any delays." I mutter before I notice a window latch, I detach myself from the monitor making it wail as I opened the window and jumped, I used my agility to make it safely to the ground and snuck off into the night.

-zexal-

I had spent a few hours walking around the park to help clear my head, I was trying to decide what I should do next.

"Maybe, I should ask 96?" I say thinking aloud I say as I put my hand in my pockets, still wearing the hospital clothes, "But it's my own fault I lost against Kaito, I had gotten so used to winning that my hubris overcame me and I lost sight." I mutter kicking a rock, "But still...." I say trailing off looking at the full moon above, "Would it be right for me to leave without word to anyone for six months." I wonder to myself as a soft breeze blows through my hair, before I shake my head, "No, I need to do this, but I'll tell Kotori at least." I think to myself before I start walking again in the general direction of where Kotori's house was located.

-Zexal-

When I got to Kotori's house I snuck into her room using the tree outside her window to get in, when I entered being as quiet as I could, I saw Kotori asleep shivering slightly, I walked up to her and pulled the covers over her and gave her a kiss on the forehead.

"Ven." Kotori says with a smile in her sleep.

I let out a silent laugh and sat down on the bed beside her and softly ran my fingers through her hair,

"Sorry Kotori." I say softly while stroking her hair as she lets out a sigh and nuzzles into my lap, "But I gotta go away for a little while, I wasn't as strong as I thought and I let my pride blind me." I tell the sleeping Kotori.

"You were strong enough for me." Kotori mumbles in her sleep.

I let out a soft chuckle, "I won't ask you to forgive me for leaving suddenly, but know that I will be back and I will be thinking of you every night." I say as I lean down and peck her lips.

Kotori lets out a soft smile.

"I'll be gone for six months before I return, when the WDC starts." I say as I gently lift Kotori on my lap and put her head on her pillow and gently fix up her covers, "See you soon my little bird." I say before standing up and going over to the desk and picking up my deck case of Numbers, I notice Dark Rebellion and pick it up and look at it for a moment before setting it back down, "My soul, I leave with you." I say softly before I jump out the window cat like.

-Zexal—

When I was a distance away from Kotori's house my deck box glowed slightly and Number 96 came out.

"What were you thinking, challenging the Number Hunter?!" Number 96 says scolding me.

"Sorry Mom." I say in a teasing tone rolling my eyes.

"M-Mom?" Number 96 says falling slightly, "What are you talking about?" he questions.

"You're acting like a doting mother." I tell the Dark Number with a smirk.

"I don't have any of these Human Emotions, I just need a strong duelist to help me obtain the Numbers." Number 96 says with a shrug.

"Whatever makes you happy." I say with a grin as I continue walking.

"So where are we going?" 96 questions after a bit realizing that we seem to be heading away from the city.

"We're leaving for a while." I tell him

"What?" Number 96 questions.

I put my hands in my pockets while walking a cold breeze blows through the air making me shiver slightly, "I realized something after I lost that duel against Kaito, I thought I was untouchable and no one could stop me, Kaito helped bring me back to earth and made me realize I was nowhere near what level I thought I was, so we are going to train for six months." I tell my partner.

"But what about Astral I can't let him out of my sight." Number 96 says.

I look over at the Dark Number, "Sure you can, think about it this way leave him alone for six months and train and before even stronger then you already are, or stay and watch him and keep your strength level, I won't force you to come but know that I am going." I tell the Number not stopping in my stride at all.

Number 96 floats there for a bit before flying to catch up with me, "Your right, Astral won't go anywhere if we leave him for six months, and when we return I'll be stronger then any Number and be able to absorb all their power." He says with a predator grin.

"Glad you see it my way." I tell the Number stopping my ascent up the hill and stopping to look down at Heartland spread over the horizon below me, I clenched my fist, "Everyone even though are paths make take us down separate roads for now, but I know they will intersect again in the future someday, some place but until then..." I pause and take a deep breath and yell loudly at the top of my lungs, "LET'S MEET AGAIN AT THE CARNIVAL!"

-Zexal-