Vile: This didn't take me as long as I thought! Here's the one-shot I mentioned at the end of Numbershot 94!

Shark: What kind of one-shot is this?

Vile: I modeled it after the battle inside the Key in Episode 37. As such, we have an old favorite back in the fray, as well as another of my creations!

Astral: And as I recall, this has HopexLove in it?

Vile: Yep. A battle and NumberShipping all in one! I don't own ZEXAL, blah blah blah! Enjoy the story, everyone!

Two Halves of One Light

Yuma stared down the unknown boy in front of him, Kotori beside Yuma. A yellow "67" was printed on his forehead, a dark aura flaring from him. "Duel me, kid… I want your Numbers!"

"Not happening! Kattobingu daze, ore!" Yuma called out. "Duel Disk, set! D-Gazer, set!" He readied his gear and was set for the Duel. His opponent was ready as well.

"Go for it, Yuma!" Kotori cheered.

"DUEL!"

*With the Emperor's Key*

Astral felt energy coming from the outside. "Hmm. Yuma is starting a Duel. I must aid him." Then, he saw the Number pillars pulsating. "That doesn't look good…"

"Don't worry, Astral. We will protect the Numbers." A voice said. Two orbs of light came around and changed shape, revealing them to be Hope and Love, their face armors retracted.

Astral smiled at the two Numbers. "Arigatou. If Yuma needs you, I will call you." Both of them nodded. Astral flew off in the direction of the energy to join Yuma.

Love smiled. "Hopefully he won't need us." She said, leaning against Hope. "It's peaceful in here." Hope smiled as well.

*Meanwhile*

A black orb floated aimlessly in the back of the area. A purple number flashed on the orb before it reformed into a humanoid form: Number 96. He growled as he saw Astral leave. "Blast! I can't take the Numbers with him gone!"

"Forget about him, Black Mist." Another voice said. The black spirit turned and saw another black orb float down. A red Number flashed on it before it morphed into a different shape, identical to Yuma but discolored greatly: Number 88. "I take it you haven't seen the Numbers' new bodyguards."

"'Bodyguards'? What the devil are you spouting?" No. 96 asked. No. 88 floated to another pillar, followed by No. 96.

"Take a look." The Yuma clone said, pointing down. No. 96 saw what he was pointing at and hissed.

"Kibou Ou Hope…" He growled. "So, he stayed behind… Eh?" He noticed the woman standing next to him. "Who is that wench?"

"That's Hope's new 'girlfriend', Suki Joou Love." No. 88 mused. "Her effect is even designed to aid his. I hate this mushy stuff. Yech!"

Black Mist growled. "As if dealing with Hope was bad enough… now we've got two of them to deal with! And with Love's power increasing Hope's own, we'd be finished!"

Mirror's Dark Half's eyes suddenly widened, and a lightbulb appeared above his head. "Keheheheheheh…" He chuckled.

"What's so funny?" No. 96 asked.

"The answer was so simple! I know how we can defeat them, AND lure Astral back here!"

This made the black spirit grin. "I like where this is going… What's the plan?"

"We attack Hope's new weakness. One he doesn't even realize he has." No. 88 grinned evilly. "Listen closely…"

*Back with Hope and Love*

Hope and Love kept their guard on the Numbers. Astral had called upon Number 25: Fullmetal Photoglide - Focus Force, but nothing else had happened. Love was enjoying the quiet time, leaning up against Hope as they sat in the air (They float, what do you expect?), but she could sense that Hope was tense. "What's wrong, Hope?" She asked.

"I can't rid myself of the feeling that something is wrong…" The warrior replied, making Love look worried. Hope looked back at the Number pillars, and his eyes widened. The Number 96 pillar was dark. "Oh, no."

"What is it?" Love asked.

"SURPRISE!" A voice yelled out, and a mass of black tentacles rushed toward them. Hope quickly brandished his swords and did some quick slashes, mincing the tentacles into dissipating goop. "What's the matter, Hope? You don't like surprises?" The black spirit floated down lazily.

"A-Astral?" Love sputtered.

"No, this is not Astral." Hope told her. "This is Number 96… Black Mist."

"Black Mist? That monster used by Mirror's Dark Half?" The mage realized. "But why such a difference in appearance?"

"Such foolishness. That monster and I are two different forms of the same being!" No. 96 jeered. "But enough beating around the bush." He pointed at Hope. "Nanbaazu Sanjuukyuu (Number 39)! Bring Astral here! Now!"

"Never!" The warrior snapped, his face armor coming over his face. "I know what you want with him, and I will never let you succeed!"

"That goes double for me!" Love declared, forming her staff in her hands and activating her mouth guard. "A vile Number such as you should be destroyed!"

Black Mist had an amused smirk. "Oh, how cute. The warrior's lover is choosing the join the fight." He mused. Love blushed at the remark. "But it is that love… that will cost you your lives!" He snapped his fingers.

Out of nowhere, a ring of purple energy ensnared Love. "Waah!" The ring pulled her back to an anchor being.

"Love!" Hope cried, turning around. He was shocked to see an upside-down-cone-shaped being restraining Love with the ring. One huge eye protruded from it. "...Big Eye?" Then, he noticed that the monster was very discolored. Its body was a dark gray instead of silver, its sclera was black, its iris was red and glowing, and there was no pupil. "Nanda…?" His eyes fell on the ring, and it hit him. The orange "11" that was normally on the ring was instead a red "88". He glared. "Mirror's Dark Half!"

"Oh, so you remember me, Hope. I'm flattered." The shapeshifter Number mused with sarcasm, his voice having changed to a creepier-sounding one. "I hope you don't mind that I've made your girlfriend here more 'comfortable', heh heh!"

Love was clearly not comfortable. The energy ring had her pinned against the copied body, struggling, her arms useless. "Let her go right now, you cad!" Hope demanded.

"Silence!" Black Mist suddenly shouted, getting Hope's attention. "You are in no position to make demands, Hope! We have her under our mercy, and you'll do as we say! Now, bring Astral here… or she dies!" He snapped his fingers, and Number 88 tightened the ring.

The added pressure caused extra pain. "Aaaugh… Aaaagh!" The mage screamed.

"What's taking you? Call Astral!" Number 88 jeered. Hope looked at Love with fear, then groaned.

*Outside the Key*

Yuma groaned as his monster was destroyed. Focus Force was still going, however. "Kuso!" He groaned.

Suddenly, Astral felt a sensation in his head. 'Astral! Return to the Key, immediately!' He heard Hope's voice call. Astral cringed.

"Astral, what's wrong?" Kotori asked.

"Yuma, Kotori. Something seems wrong within the Key. I must return." He told them. "Yuma, I will give you Numbers to use." He held out his hand toward Yuma's Extra Deck holder, causing a few cards to appear. "Good luck, Yuma." Yuma nodded, and Astral dissipated into the Key.

*Within the Key*

Astral reformed within the Key right beside Hope. "Hope, what is the problem?"

"Long time no see, Astral!" The black spirit chided, making Astral's eyes widen as he turned to face him.

"N-Nanbaazu Kyuujuuroku (Number 96)!" Astral realized. Then, he noticed the other being. "Nanbaazu Juuichi (Number 11)? No… Nanbaazu Hachijuuhachi (Number 88)!"

"Oh, it's like a good ol' family reunion! Hah hah hah hah!" The transformed Number joked.

"As you can clearly see, Astral, everything is in our favor now." No. 96 explained, gesturing to the captive woman. "So you have a choice: Join us, so we may destroy this world… or Number 13 pays the price."

"Astral…" Love choked out, weak. "Don't give in…"

Astral was scared. He was caught. 'If I refuse, Love will die… If I don't, this world is doomed… I don't know what to do…' Unknown to everyone, Hope's fists were clenching hard.

Eventually, Black Mist got tired of waiting. "Okay, enough stalling! I don't care what you decided anymore… you WILL aid us!" The black spirit unleashed his tentacles at Astral, making the blue spirit brace himself.

However, some quick sword slashes made short work of them. Astral opened his eyes, seeing Hope with his swords out, as if he had just attacked. "Hope…?" Love and Astral breathed.

Black Mist growled at Hope. "Irritating warrior, how dare you? You must want your lover to die!"

An evil laugh came from Mirror. "In that case… I'd be happy to oblige!" He squeezed the ring as tight as possible, creating lightning around her as well.

"AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!" She screamed loudly in pain.

"LOVE!" Astral cried. Then, he noticed something: Hope was gone. "Hope?"

"Where did he go?" Black Mist demanded to know.

All of a sudden, the warrior re-appeared behind the transformed monster. "No one, I repeat, NO ONE hurts, threatens, or attacks Love…" His eyes flashed. "Especially not you lowlifes!" No one could follow as Hope sliced across and through the transformed Number.

"Gyah-haaaah!" Number 88 cried out. The energy ring shattered, causing Love to drop to the ground on her hands and knees. Number 88's Big Eye form reverted to his Yuma form. "Curses!"

Number 96 had tic marks all over his head. "DAMN YOU! You will pay for this, Hope!" He pointed his arms at the ground. "Arawareyo, BLACK MIST!" A pile of black slime sloshed around before forming into the enormous Fiend-Type Number. "Kill them, now!"

Hope quickly looked at Love, noticing she could barely move. "Astral, follow me!" He said, quickly moving. The warrior quickly grabbed the downed mage off the ground and took off, Astral hot on his heels.

"You can't run from us!" Number 88 yelled, chasing after them, Number 96 and his card form following.

"Get them!" Black Mist yelled. The Fiend lashed out its arms at its targets.

Hope quickly dodged the incoming attacks, unable to block them with the woman in his arms. Love wrapped her arms around Hope, scared. "Astral! Get back to Yuma, now!" Hope told the spirit.

"But what about you two?" Astral replied.

"Don't worry about us! If they get you, we're all doomed!" Hope said. "Just go, NOW!"

Astral looked at them for a few seconds, then nodded. "…Fine. Be careful!" The spirit then flew into the sky of the world they were in, vanishing.

Hope continued to dodge the attacks from Black Mist's card form. Then, he suddenly sped up before stopping. "Hope? What are you doing?" Love asked as he set her on the ground.

"I can't keep running from them. That won't work!" He said, turning to face the two evil Numbers. "Now I will fight to protect you, Love. They won't get through to you."

"Hope…" Love breathed.

Black Mist and his card form came to a stop, Mirror right beside them. "Shimata… he escaped! Graaaaaah! Fine then! I'll just kill you two instead!"

"You had your fun, 96!" Mirror cut in. He held up the back of his hand, the "88" appearing on it. "Now it's my turn!" His body morphed into a new monster: Number 16: Ruler of Colors – Shock Ruler. It too was discolored, the blue "16" replaced with his red "88". "Prepare to die, Kibou Ou Hope!" Colored lightning was fired from the mask.

"Moon Barrier!" Hope wheeled out his barrier, deflecting the lightning effortlessly. "It will take more than that to get through me! My turn!" Hope lunged forward, blades at the ready, slashing at Number 88. However, he was soon nailed in the back by the claw of Number 96.

"2 against 1… not good odds, even for you!" Black Mist taunted. The Fiend unleashed black whips, lashing the warrior a few times, but he retaliated by slicing them.

"Don't keep your eyes off us!" Number 88 taunted. Hope was suddenly attacked by a gust of freezing wind from the shifting Number disguised as Number 19: Freezerdon.

Hope glared at them from behind his armor. "Don't underestimate me… you monsters!" He yelled, slicing Black Mist's card form across the chest, causing it to roar in pain.

"Grrah! You will not win this time!" No. 96 growled as his card lashed at him again. Hope managed to dodge, but was struck again. A yell of pain came from him.

Love could only watch in horror. She was too weak to move, let alone fight, but she couldn't just let him die. "Hope… no…" She breathed, tears forming.

"Okay, I'm sick of this! Time to get rid of you!" Number 88 growled. He changed form again, this time into Number 33: OOPArts Super Weapon – Machu Mach. "Time for Infinity Cannon!" Cannons appeared from the holes in the buildings. "YOU'RE DEAD!" Dark energy blasts erupted from the copied cannons.

Hope was too busy fighting Black Mist to see it coming. He looked back just in time to see the blasts heading at him, and his eyes widened. He was suddenly struck off guard by the Fiendish Number, his face armor breaking in the process. His red eyes locked on to the incoming blasts fearfully. "NOOOO!" A voice suddenly shouted. Out of nowhere, a purple energy dome surrounded him, deflecting the energy blasts away from him.

"Nani?" Number 88 cried. He then saw the source of the field: Love's staff, held by the female Number as she struggled to stand up. Her face was a glare of determination.

"Love! What are you doing?" Hope cried.

"You protected me… so I'm protecting you!" The female Number replied. "I won't let these… Fiends kill you!"

"Insolent wench!" No. 96 shouted. "You will pay for this!" As her shield spell vanished, Love only had time to turn her head as the massive claw of Black Most struck her dead-on, knocking her to the ground and making her drop her staff. "Mirror! Finish that wench!"

"With pleasure, Black Mist!" The copycat jeered. He made one more transformation, this time into Number 17: Revise Dragon. "Time to pay up for all the static you gave us!" Dark energy gathered in the transformed Number's mouth. "VICE… STREAM!" The energy came out in a jetstream that barreled right toward Love.

The mage looked on in fear at the oncoming attack. She could barely move, let alone dodge. All she could do was scream in fear as she awaited her defeat. "LOVE!" She heard someone scream. All of a sudden, Hope jumped in front, grabbed her, and jumped out of the attack range. However, he was not as lucky as he thought, as the attack grazed him in the back, shredding his wings. "AAAAAAAAAAHHHH!"

"HOPE! NO!" Love screamed. Both Numbers landed on the ground in heaps, Hope on his back and Love landing near him. Hope was barely breathing.

Numbers 96 and 88 let out a combined evil laugh. "HAHAHAHA! SUCCESS! Kibou Ou Hope and Suki Joou Love have been defeated!" Black Mist laughed.

"I say we finish the job, then!" Number 88 laughed, shapeshifting once more into Number 61: Volcasaurus.

Love managed to crawl over to her fallen comrade and lover. Her eyes were in tears. "Hope… why…?" She asked, about to break down. "You could have been killed from that attack!"

Hope managed to open his eyes and turn to her, red eyes meeting hazel eyes. "That didn't matter to me…" He coughed. "Love… I would rather perish… than lose you…"

"Hope…" Love breathed.

"What Kotori is to Yuma… you are to me…" He reached out a hand to her, which Love managed to take. "I love you more than anything… I didn't even think… we Numbers were capable of loving… but you proved me wrong and captured the heart I didn't even know I had…"

Love's tears finally fell from her eyes as she hugged Hope tightly. "Hope… What did I do to even meet you, let alone deserve you…?" She cried out, pulling away to look at him. "If I lost you… I'd be nothing… I was created solely to love and support you…" She took his hand again. "Hope… what little power I have left… I'm giving to you. I know you can still win this… Don't ever give up…"

"This is like what Yuma tells everyone… Kattobingu…" Hope breathed, before Love finally leaned in and kissed her counterpart. They had been rather passive about their feelings before, but now they were all coming out at once in one heartfelt kiss that might very well be their last. Tears fell freely from both of their eyes as they savored what might be their last contact. Unknown to them, both of their Numbers began to glow brightly.

"Heh, what a fitting end." Number 88 jeered. "At least those two lovebirds will die in each other's arms, hah hah hah hah!" The chest spikes on his transformed body opened. "Here comes the Mag Max-eh?" A bright glow was coming off of the kissing Numbers.

"N-Nani?" Black Mist cried. Then, Hope and Love were encased in a sphere of yellow light. "N-Nanda? What is going on?"

The sphere floated into the air slightly, then it began to dissipate from the bottom up. Love once again stood strong, her injuries healed from before. However, the form she was kissing had morphed into a new form with black, silver, and gold armor. The red "39" still glowed on his shoulder, just as the blue "13" did on Love's shoulder. The two Numbers broke off their kiss.

When Love opened her eyes, they widened. "Hope… no. You changed into… Kibou Ou… Hope Ray…"

Hope Ray smiled at Love and took her hands in his. "Yes… your devotion and love awakened my inner power." He told her, getting a smile from her.

Number 88 backed up, scared. He remembered Hope Ray from his first defeat. "Mirror! What is this?" Black Mist demanded to know.

"K-K-Kaosu Nanbaazu Sanjuukyuu (C-C-Chaos Number 39)…" The copycat stammered. "Kibou Ou Hope Ray!"

"'Chaos Numbers'? Tell me! What are 'Chaos Numbers'?" The dark Astral clone yelled.

"Fiends!" Hope Ray's voice boomed. They turned to see him looking at them, Love hanging on to his neck from behind as she rode on his back. "This form you see… Chaos Number… This form was granted to me by the power of ZEXAL!"

"Bakana! ZEXAL?" Black Mist cried, scared.

"Hai! This form is the light that pierces through the darkness of Chaos!" Hope Ray told them. "The love that myself and Love possess has activated this inner power, and now… you are finished!" The Chaos warrior drew his blades.

"You think a simple armor change will defeat US?" The dark Astral yelled. "You are NOTHING!"

Love activated her mouth guard. "We are two halves of one stronger light… the light of hope and love itself!"

"And this light is unlike any other… none of your dark power can shroud it!" Hope Ray finished. All of a sudden, he rushed forward with a battle roar. His speed was insane, appearing directly in front of Number 88 before slashing him ten times at blinding speeds.

"GYAAAAAAAAHHHH!" The transformed Number yelled from all the pain. The stress of it returned him to his Yuma form.

"Black Mist! Destroy them!" No. 96 demanded. The slimy Fiend moved forward.

Hope Ray's wings extended and became arms, drawing the huge sword from his back sheath. Love tightened her hold on his neck, pouring power into him. Energy radiated from his as his armor changed from black to white. "Hope Blade… CHAOS SLASH!" Both Numbers yelled at once. Hope Ray brought the huge sword down on the slime Field, cleaving it in two with a single swipe, causing it to roar in pain.

The slash sent energy outward, impacting the black spirit. "BAKANAAAAAAA!" He yelled as he was thrown back. He landed as a heap besides his copycat ally.

Hope Ray and Love let out deep breaths as Hope Ray sheathed his swords, his armor returning to black. Both of them retracted their face armor. "Now do you see our power?" Hope Ray asked them. "You will never be able to stop the two of us."

Number 88 looked up at them weakly, his black-scleraed eyes glaring. "Damn you… you won this battle… but the war is not over! It will NEVER be over!" His body shrank into a black orb and retreated, being absorbed into the "88" pillar.

Number 96 floated weakly in the air and looked at them, but he was grinning psychotically. "Heh heh heh heh… One thing to recall about Chaos… Where there is LIGHT, there will also be DARK! Farewell… for NOW!" With a psychotic echoing laugh, he regressed into a black orb and retreated into the "96" pillar.

Hope Ray and Love were covered in another yellow sphere. When it dissipated, Hope was back in his original form, Love still clinging to his neck. The female Number hopped off of Hope, but when he turned around, she immediately embraced him again. The warrior wrapped his arms around the mage tightly, letting her snuggle into his chest. "Oh, Hope…" Love breathed. "I knew you could do it… You're the best."

Hope chuckled. "I didn't do it. WE did." He tilted her face to look at him. "It was because of your love that I was able to beat them. You are the best part about me… which makes you, as they say, the best of the best."

Love smiled wider. "I love you… Kibou Ou Hope."

Hope smiled as well. "And I love you… Suki Joou Love." The two Numbers leaned in and kissed each other again, this time with passion. Love moaned happily as she kissed the Number she loved… the one who she gave strength to, and vice versa.

Up above, they were being watched by a smiling figure: Astral. He was holding a card in his hand: The name wasn't fully visible, but a "No. 67" could be seen on it. "They look just like Yuma and Kotori do now." He mused, recalling how they began their own passionate kiss after defeating the Number holder. "Observation #28: Lovers are two halves of one light. When those halves come together, they will shine through any darkness." He flew to another part of the Key, allowing the two Numbers to enjoy their love.

Vile: And this brings my one-shot to a close! I hope I did well with the battle action!

Yuma: That was awesome! That'll teach Black Mist and Mirror's Dark Half!

Astral: *smiles* And an accurate Observation for a conclusion.

Vile: Eh heh heh! I had this idea in my head for a while, so I had time to think about it! If you guys liked this story, leave a review for me! I'll be on my next work soon!

Computer Voice: Vile, logging out.