Vile: And I'm back on quick speed, bringing you the first chapter of Numbershot 53!

Yamoto: This is quite an interesting one. First time I'm the protagonist.

Vile: Hey, I couldn't shove you to being a full background character, could I? This story tells your backstory.

Yamoto: I repeat, interesting.

Vile: :) And there's a special pairing for some of you viewers in here! I hope ya like it! I think you get the disclaimer by now, so I'll skip it, except for one thing: The bolded cards are mostly made by YRPOtaku169, not me. Enjoy!

Numbershot 53: Family Reunion

Chapter 1

"Nightmare Vulpine, attack and finish this Duel!" Yamoto ordered. The dark fox quickly dashed forward and sliced through its target: Number 29: Magnum Six-Shot Blaster. The resulting explosion sent Yamoto's opponent backwards as his Life Points depleted to zero. The buzzer sounded, and the Augmented Reality vanished. Yamoto's D-Pad and D-Gazer vanished in darkness, and his hair and eyes returned to normal. "Hate to do this, my friend… but I can't let you keep that Number." He formed the Dark Matter Blade on his hand. "I will relieve you of it and your suffering!" He brought the blade across and slashed his opponent, ripping Number 29 from him and making the opponent faint. Yamoto retracted the blade, bringing the card to his hand. "Nanbaazu Nijuukyuu (Number 29)… You will afflict him no longer." A sigh came from him, and he pulled out a small slip of paper: A photo. It was torn, so only part of it remained, showing an 18-year-old man with very familiar two-tone red hair holding half a bundle. 'Will my search ever stop...?'

"Yamoto!" A voice called. Yamoto's eyes widened, and he looked to the side to see Yuma, Kotori, Kaito and Orbital 7 approaching them.

He smiled. "Ah, Yuma-kun, Kotori-chan." He greeted. Then he noticed Kaito and gasped. "Kaito-kun!"

Kaito held up a hand to calm him. "No need to be hesitant or hostile, Yamoto." He explained. "I'm actually grateful to you. After our incident, I found my old friend and managed to save Haruto." Yamoto smiled. "I am now working with Yuma to find the Numbers, so this makes us allies."

Yamoto nodded. "Thank goodness." He then sighed. "At least you had better luck finding someone important to you than I've had."

This confused the other four. "What do you mean, Yamoto?" Kotori asked. Then she noticed the picture. "What's that?"

A slightly sad look came over the dark hunter's face. "I didn't come to Heartland to look for the Numbers. I came here to find… my parents." The other four of them gasped. "This picture used to be of me and my parents when I was a baby. It was ripped by my father so that if I ever find him, his half and my half will match." He handed them the picture.

Kaito gasped at the image. "This is… Gauche!"

"You know him?" Yamoto asked.

"Yes! He and Droite work with Dr. Faker and Mr. Heartland to gather the Numbers." Kaito informed him.

"Droite… why does that name sound familiar to me?" Yamoto wondered. "I feel like I should know it… but I can't place it. Regardless, you know this man as 'Gauche', yes?" All four nodded. "You have to take me to meet him. He and my mother are the sole reason I came here."

"We're helping him." Yuma said. "It's what Tou-chan and Kaa-chan would want me to do. If we can find someone's parents, we should."

"Doumo arigatou, Yuma-kun." Yamoto said with a smile.

"I might be able to track him." Orbital spoke up. His eyes began to glow green. "With the information on Dr. Faker's staff in my databanks, I might be able to pinpoint Gauche's location." A few minutes went by, then his eyes flashed. "I think I've found him! Follow me!" The robot suddenly rushed off, followed by the other four.

'Please… let this work. I have to find my parents.' Yamoto thought. Orbital lead them to an area on the west side of the city.

"Are you sure you know where you're going, Orbital?" Kaito said.

"Positive, Kaito-sama! If my sensors are correct, Gauche must be in this direction!" The robot replied. Eventually, the group came to an open area, but the person they were looking for was nowhere in their vision.

"Uh… Orbital? Are you sure your sensors are working properly?" Yuma asked. "I don't see Gauche anywhere!"

Unknown to all of them, someone was sneaking up behind them. Yamoto sighed. "Damn… my search may be screwed after all…"

Then, two huge hands clamped down on Yuma and Kaito's shoulders. "We meet again, you two!" A deep voice sounded. Yuma and Kaito quickly jumped and whirled around, coming face-to-face to the hulking man they were after.

"Gauche!" They said together.

Yamoto, however, had his eyes in awe at the main. His mind flashed back to the picture. 'It's him.' He thought.

"What brings you all to this part of town?" Gauche asked. "Numbers?"

"Actually, Gauche, we were looking for you." Yuma told him.

This made the large man raise an eyebrow. "Me? Why me?" He then noticed the purple-eyed boy. "Hmm? Who's this?"

"My name is Yamoto." The boy said. "I'm the one who's been looking for you." Gauche and Yamoto's eyes locked. Gauche stared into Yamoto's eyes, which were the same purple as his own. He saw something familiar in his eyes… something he hadn't seen for so long. Yamoto returned the stare. 'It's definitely him… I've found my father.'

Gauche suddenly gained a grin. "I can see a spark in your eyes, kid. You're a Duelist, aren't you?"

Yamoto nodded. "Yes sir. I started Dueling after getting a keepsake card from my father a year ago."

"Well then, why don't we have a little Duel?" Gauche asked. "Something about you rings familiar to me. Since people can learn about each other through Dueling, if you Duel me, I can figure out who you are."

'He wants to make a game of it?' Yamoto thought. A small smile came over him. 'I guess I can just tell him if he doesn't figure it out.' "All right, Gauche-san, I accept your offer!"

"Nice! That's the attitude I like to see!" The man said. He and Yamoto took their positions.

"Go for it, Yamoto!" Yuma said.

'I won't use Numbers for this, so my Dark Duel Mode isn't needed.' Yamoto thought. "Let us begin! Duel Disk, set!" His Duel Disk appeared from darkness on his right arm. "D-Gazer, set!" From darkness, his D-Gazer wrapped around his head.

Gauche smirked. "Ikuze! Duel Disk, set!" His own D-Pad appeared in flames on his arm. "D-Gazer, set!" His tattoo Gazer formed on his face.

"AR VISION, LINK ESTABLISHED." Both players' D-Gazers flashed, as well as those of the spectators. "ESTABLISHING LINK BETWEEN A AND B." The area morphed into the augmented reality.

"DUEL!"

Yamoto LP:4000

Gauche LP:4000

"The first turn goes to me, Gauche-san!" Yamoto called out. "Watashi no turn! Draw!" He drew his card. "Verz Nidhogg, Shoukan!" His monster was a black-and-purple worm-like monster with two sets of three red eyes.

Verz Nidhogg: Lv.4 DARK Thunder ATK:1650/DEF:750

The name struck an odd cord with Gauche. '"Verz"? It's almost like…' His eyes widened. 'Could he be…?'

"I place one card facedown. Turn end!" Yamoto placed his card.

"Ore no turn! Draw!" Gauche drew his card. A grin came over him. "Heroic Challenger Loxley, Shoukan!" His monster was a bronze-armored robotic-looking warrior holding what looked like a large conch shell. On its back was a quiver that held a bow and arrows.

Heroic Challenger Loxley: Lv.4 EARTH Warrior ATK:1000/DEF:2000

"Loxley no monsuta kouka hatsudo! When Loxley is Normal Summoned, I can Special Summon 1 Level 4 or below Heroic monster from my Deck!" Loxley blew into the shell, causing a loud horn-like noise to sound. "Arawareyo, Heroic Challenger... Anansi!" This monster had dark yellow armor that made it look more like an assassin, holding a pair of trench knives.

Heroic Challenger Anansi: Lv.4 EARTH Warrior ATK:1900/DEF:1100

"Whoa!" Yamoto gasped.

"Ore we Reberu Yon no Loxley, Rhongomiant, Obarei (I Overlay Level 4 Loxley and Rhongomiant)!" The two warriors turned fully orange before spiraling into the air. A red spiral portal opened up, and both monsters flew inside. "Ni tai no monsuta de, Obarei Netwaaku kochiku! Ekushiizu Shoukan! Arawareyo, Heroic Champion… Gilgamesh!" From the portal, an enormous, hulking gold-and-green-armored warrior emerged. It thrust its hands into the earth, pulling out a HUGE axe with two half-moon blades. It let out a grunt as it hefted the axe on its shoulders, two red Overlay Units circling it.

Heroic Champion Gilgamesh: Rank 4 FIRE Warrior/Xyz ATK:2400/DEF:200 2 Overlay Units

"Whoa…" Yamoto mused.

Gauche smirked. "You seem impressed. This will really impress you! Gilgamesh no monsuta kouka hatsudo (Gilgamesh's monster effect activates)!" The red orb was absorbed into the monster's helmet. "By using an Overlay Unit, it gains 600 Attack Points!"

Gilgamesh ATK:3000 1 Overlay Unit

"Gilgamesh, attack Verz Nidhogg!" Gauche ordered. The monster readied its axe and rushed toward the worm.

"Trap Card, Overwhelming Infestation, activate!" Yamoto flipped his face-down. "This negates an attack, then increases the Attack Points of a DARK monster I control by your monster's Attack Points until my next End Phase!" All of a sudden, disgusting purple energy coated Gilgamesh's axe, rendering it dull. The same energy coated Nidhogg, causing it to grow larger.

Verz Nidhogg ATK:4650

"Ngh! Not bad, kid! I place one card facedown! Turn end!" Gauche said. 'This kid's got a lot of spirit in him. He reminds me of… me, in a way. He even looks like me, somewhat.'

"Watashi no turn! Draw!" Yamoto drew his card. "Gauche-san… it's time you knew why I was looking for you."

"Eh?"

"Verz Vector, Shoukan!" His monster was a pulsating ball of disgusting purple energy that radiated a black aura.

Verz Vector: Lv.4 DARK Fiend ATK:50/DEF:50

"Two Level 4 monsters?" Gauche wondered.

"Watashi wa Reberu Yon no Verz Nidhogg, Verz Vector, Obarei!" Both monsters turned fully purple before spiraling into the air. A red spiral portal opened in the ground, and both monsters sailed inside. "Ni tai no monsuta de, Obarei Netwaaku kochiku! Ekushiizu Shoukan!" A loud, distorted whinny was suddenly heard.

Gauche's eyes widened. "That sound… It couldn't be!"

"Behold, my most treasured card… a memento from my father!" Yamoto declared. Hooves were heard galloping, and a purple portal opened up. "Arawareyo… Verz Thanatos!" A bluish-gray horse leapt out from the portal and landed on the field. It wore a creepy black mask, and a black-armored soldier holding a sword in a reverse grip was riding it. Two purple Overlay Units circled it.

Verz Thanatos: Rank 4 DARK Fiend/Xyz ATK:2350/DEF:1350 2 Overlay Units

"Whoa, cool monster!" Kotori remarked.

"But not strong enough to beat Gilgamesh!" Orbital whined.

Gauche, however, was in awe. 'That card…' He then looked at Yamoto. 'Is it him…?'

Yamoto noticed Gauche's look. "Do you recognize me now… Tou-chan?"

Author-Made Cards

Heroic Challenger Loxley
Level 4 EARTH Warrior
ATK:1000/DEF:2000
When this monster is Normal Summoned: Special Summon 1 Level 4 "Heroic" monster from your Deck.

Heroic Challenger Rhongomiant
Level 4 LIGHT Warrior
ATK:1900/DEF:1100
When this monster is detached from an Xyz Monster as an Xyz Material; target 1 monster on the field; increase the ATK of that target by 800.

Verz Nidhogg
Level 4 DARK Thunder
ATK:1650/DEF:750
If you Xyz Summon an Xyz Monster using only this card and "Verz" or "Steelswarm" monsters, the Xyz Monster gains this effect.
● When this card is Xyz Summoned: Target 1 card on the field; destroy that target.

Verz Vector
Level 4 DARK Fiend
ATK:50/DEF:50
When this monster is sent to the Graveyard: Add 1 "Infestation" Spell or Trap Card from your Deck to your hand.

Number 29: Magnum Six-Shot Blaster (made by Rocket Knight 777)
Rank 4 DARK Machine/Xyz
ATK:3000/DEF:2200
2 Level 4 Monsters
During your Battle Phase, detach 1 Xyz Materil from this card: This card can attack all monsters your opponent controls. If this card attacks directly during a turn you activate this effect: Toss a coin and have your opponent call it. If he/she calls it right: Negate the direct attack. This card cannot attack while it has no Xyz Materials.

Heroic Champion Gilgamesh
Rank 4 FIRE Warrior/Xyz
ATK:2400/DEF:200
2 Level 4 Warrior-Type monsters
Once per turn: You can detach 1 Xyz Material from this card; this card gains 600 ATK. If this card has no Xyz Material, it cannot attack your opponent directly.

Overwhelming Infestation
Normal Trap Card
When an opponent's monster declares an attack: Target the attacking monster; negate the attack, and 1 face-up DARK monster you control gains ATK equal to that target's ATK, until your next End Phase.

Vile: Cliffhanger alert! Cliffhanger alert!

Yuma: Gauche is Yamoto's dad? Really?

Vile: What can I say? Makes for an epic plot twist!

Astral: I think I can make a prediction of the future.

Vile: Don't go psychic on us, Astral. If you guys liked this chapter, leave a review for me! See ya later!

Important Note: The diverging point between the actual canon and my fics is Episode 50. I will eventually post a one-shot detailing how the story goes in my canon.

Computer Voice: Vile, logging out.