Chapter 1: I need an Out
"Thanks ma'am I hope you have a good day" Yukon began to shy away awkwardly as the customer left and his boss sighed.
"So I guess that's the last customer." Yukon's boss stretched his back and took off his blue apron and hat; his bald head glimmering in the light. Sharp eyes turned to Yukon as he took off his uniform. A worn gaze gave way to bags under his eyes - brown hair peeking from the hairnet which he hid under his hat. Yukon's boss was a big fellow, but beneath that bulbous stomach was someone who was physically capable of handling a lot of customers due to his experience. Yukon was just a child when he was adopted by him and his late wife. Her passing, however, has put a strain on the business' finances. To help with this, Yukon did what he could in and around the restaurant, even despite moving away when he was 18 for college. Now at 21 the restaurant had stabilised while Yukon himself was struggling to make ends meet.
"Susunami, I'll be heading straight home tonight." Yukon politely stated as he rotated away, link chain and hair flowing behind as he started heading towards the exit.
"Yukon!" He turned sharply towards his boss as his voice pierced his ears.
"Yes, Susunami?" He responded curiously.
"I hope you get home safely and I'll see you on Monday" He expressed his concern in his voice as well as stern stature in the value of his words. His gaze never leaving Yukon's petrified state… "Hey you should really see a doctor about your condition; the smallest mouse could really give you a heart attack. You've gotten that bad." Yukon laughed nervously scratching his head in admitting shame, frame shaking but it's obvious from Susunami's point of view that he looks after himself.
"Oh come on I'm not that bad." It really was bad though, his blood would drop from his face, looking ill at any sign of confrontation, a beautiful girl with physical values of a fitness instructor. Black hair and darkened lipstick proving that they were a decent match due to interests, asked for his number earlier and he almost fainted from shock, the poor maiden felt so bad she apologised profusely and proceeded with her payment before leaving. "Anyway, I'm heading off now. See ya, Susunami"
"That's boss to you while we're here!" He reprimanded.
Yukon ran past the cleaners on his way out. As he left the building he looked out to see the skyscrapers in the city, he breathed in deeply. Taking in the night air, hoping to calm himself down to help him focus for the night ahead of him. "Right. I need to get home and get ready for tonight".
He walked to his Duel Runner, got it running and rode off, but following him was Susunami looking over his shoulder keeping a sharp eye on him as he left, bald head shimmering in the night air reflecting the light from the street lights.
"I hope he's going to be okay, he really shouldn't be working in his condition that he is in. If he can't speak to people properly how is he ever going to make friends or even meet a girl?" Ever since he was a child he's always had this stressed out expression. He won't talk about his problems nor will he trust Susunami with his faults. On the plus side despite his lack of talent in the food industry he had a dueling talent that was unmatched by anyone that he actually knew of. He hoped he could put that talent to good use and actually become a pro one day. He needed to go. He needed to get out and Susunami wanted to help in whatever way he could to help him get there. With or without his permission.
* * *
As Yukon rode through Duo Domino City, he flew past a border showing the ultimate tech Kaiba Corp came up with for standardizing the duel runners and duel disks for champions, alike in the pro-scene and he found his mind wandering back to his days when he first started dueling as a child. He picked up on it when he found a card someone through out of a window and all he could see was a heroic figure with the name of Ningirsu. Since then he's kept hold of it and had built his deck around it, treasuring it since. He was only 11. He had made friends with the other kids who played with him, until they grew up and moved on to other things and other fads that were popular. Not Yukon though Duel Monsters were a passion of his and he decided he wanted to make something of himself with the skills that he picked up from the game.
Later on just before he turned 16 his foster father and soon to be boss, Susunami gave him his first full power deck to help him with his dreams of becoming professional. The world chalice deck, it accompanied Ningirsu perfectly, but he wasn't confident with the deck as it was. When, just 6 months ago, he and his foster father were struggling with funds to keep the business going, Yukon decided to go underground and ask to borrow money from the Sacred Triad Beasts. Offering a way out of his dilemma in exchange that he had to duel for them for entertainment. Their way of paying them back for the cash but with a catch, he had to win and with every loss he had, would double the money he owed them. With 6 losses under his belt, a 7th loss would be all over for him, his deck will be gone including Ningirsu, and so will his life.
Tears stream down his face underneath his black shades and helmet, hair and link chain flowing in the wind as he rides across the motorway. Reaper mask sitting tightly, his strategy for tonight's duel start flowing through his head until he reached his apartment complex to pick up his duel disk and deck. After he retrieved them he fit his duel disk and deck onto his custom duel runner. He paused for a moment before he set off, tears streaming further and began to cry to himself.
* * *
It wasn't long before he arrived to the Sacred Triad Beast's club, the crowd going wild as duels are being fought out between contestants. Explosions happening all over the place, cheers deafening the ears as Yukon pulled up to the scene. The surrounding area is full of huge cages that would electrify you if you hit them. This would stop people trying to make a runner to safety.
"Well if it isn't Yukon" a deep voice came out of the shadows. All you can see are his pristinely polished boots. 2 women sat next to this bellowing shadowy figure. "Coming to give us a good show this time, or are you going to just lose this time round. 'Cos if you're just going to do that you might as well just hand us your deck now and you can walk away a free man except with a hefty bounty on your head and nowhere to run to. We have your place tracked after all" This guy must be the boss of the Raviel section, Yukon thinks to himself. "So what's it going to be? Fight or flight? I'm telling you now another loss to your name the sponsors gone, and same with your life. We don't like to back losers."
Yukon's petrified face dropped as the stakes rose for him. "I will win, sir. I can guarantee that" He didn't sound convincing whatsoever.
"Doesn't matter what your words say, just get up there and give me results" The boss shooed him over to his dueling sponsor Reiji who tried to comfort him with words, but nothing was getting through to Yukon at this point. Reiji helped him into the cage and picked up the microphone, his towering stance demanded his presence, his shades reflecting the light from everywhere and his suit, was dry cleaned, pressed and smartly presented to put on a good show.
"Ladies and Nimrods! Duelists of all ages! We have a show you will never forget! In our Blue corner we have our one pump chump (he hated calling Yukon that), sporting for us today Yukon Kido. This guy has 6 losses in a row, and we all know what happens when we have a 7th don't we?!" The crowds all holler and squawking 'relegation' towards the arena excited for what's going to happen in this match. "And in our red corner we have a fresh new challenger on the block, donning his suit attire… hey kid." He whispers towards him, "What's your name again?"
"Trey." He states bluntly as he focuses on our beloved hero and geared up for the duel.
"We have Trey! I wonder what deck he's going to be playing! Though I think it won't matter since he could probably play Ojama's and still beat Yukon. Now please do not place any further bets as we have now closed the lines for the duel."
Trey smirked at Yukon, his opponent quivering in his own shadow, "Well, this is going to be easy" He thinks to himself. "Alright since I'm such a kind hearted gentlemen" he laughs in a very stuck up tone, "I'll allow you to go first. Don't be shy, now. Give me everything you've got!".
"Alright! Let's duel. Since I'm going first I'll set one monster face down and card face down and end my turn" The crowd went silent now, all that was going on in Yukon's mind was his plan, he would look out to the crowd, he could see them raging and cheering, but he couldn't hear anything. Everything went silent as he laid his face down trap card.
"Really is that everything you have?! Well I just can't accept that. My turn, I draw." He slashed the card out of his duel disk, saw what he drew, gives it a quiet smile, adds it to his hand, shuffles it then he begins to make his play. "I normal summon Brotherhood of the Fire Fist Rhino" Yukon's mind began to go wild with his theory flowing. Due to the fact he summoned in front of the left extra monster zone, which made sense as Yukon noticed that Trey's left handed with the way he places his cards into his duel disk. "Next I activate my continuous spell Fire Formation Tenki which allows me to search for Beast Warrior type monster from my deck to my hand, and I add Brotherhood of the Fire First bear to my hand. Next, battle. Rhino attack his face down." Yukon's card flips face up to show a spellcaster type monster with no effect called Crowned by the world chalice, a priestess with purple hair, an innocent face donning robes and a tall staff in defence mode. "Huh, 2100 points of defence, I activate Rhino's ability by sending a fire formation card and discarding a fire fist monster from my hand, Rhino's attack points gets boosted to 3300 taking down your monster"
"Trap card activate, World Legacy awakens, this allows me to link summon on your turn, the materials for this link monster is 1 normal monster, come on out Imduk The World Chalice Dragon."
"With only 800 attack points standing in my way, you really want to lose that badly, sure Rhino go and take down Imduk." Suddenly a cloud of smoke appeared from the explosive impact the two monsters created. When the smoke lifted, Imduk was left standing and Rhino had been destroyed on top of that Yukon's 8000 Life points had remained untouched.
"My monsters effect activated at the start of the damage step, when Imduk battles an opponent's monster that his link marker points to. He destroys the monster instantly." Trey and the audience were left standing in shock. Trey looks at his hand he places two back row face down and ends his turn, a smile grinning on his face.
"You're not bad kid, Let's see what else you've got." Yukon began to calm down, releasing the breath he'd been holding in the entire time.
"Alright, my turn. I draw" 'World legacy's heart, that will be useful later on' "I normal summon The Agent of Creation - Venus and next I pay 1500 life points to special summon 3 shine balls from my deck to the field and shuffle my deck afterwards"
"Okay, cool, now what" Trey muses to himself. Yukon annoyed by his remark he activates Imduk's first ability.
"Imduk has an ability that allows me to have an extra normal summon for a world chalice monster in my hand, and I tribute one of my shine balls to Normal summon World legacy - World chalice"
"Now a level 5 machine with no attack or defence? What are you up to kid?"
"I now climb to the next stage the summoning conditions for this monster are two world chalice monsters, so Imduk and World Chalice you're up next. I use you two to link summon Auram the World Chalice Blade Master and that's not all."
"No?"
"Auram the World Chalice Blade Master gains 300 Attack for every World Legacy monster with a different name in my deck, I currently have 1 so it gets boosted to 2300 Attack"
"Now that's more like it" Trey Exclaimed with excitement in his voice.
"First before I attack though Imduk's effect activates and so does World Legacy - World Chalice too. When they were both sent to the graveyard I get to special summon 2 monsters from my hand and deck, so come on out Lee the World Chalice fairy and Beckoned by the world Chalice."
"Anything else?" He asked condescendingly; his voice growing impatient.
"Well of course Lee's effect activates giving me a search of a world chalice monster and I add Guardragon to my hand, after that I link summon Ib the World chalice priestess by using Lee and beckoned, summoning conditions requiring two monsters with different types and attributes, Then I link summon another imduk using one of my shine balls. Lastly with my 2 remaining monsters I link summon Proxy dragon." Trey by this time was getting super bored waiting for his turn. He noticed something quickly as his eyes began to wander; there was fire in his opponent's eyes. 'This guy has 6 losses in a row, but with this level of play there must be something going on.' He looks around and noticed someone in the corner of the room enveloped by shadow. It suddenly dawned on him that the pressure that his opponent must be facing from the owner of this club and underground arena. Well I better give him my ultimate attention, a good match and maybe something else afterwards.
"Lastly I link summon using 2 link monsters as materials. So with Imduk and Proxy dragon as my materials out comes My ace monster in the hole, Ningirsu the World Chalice Warrior, his effect activates allowing me to draw cards to the amount of monsters that he points to with World Chalice in their name, So I draw 2" Trey was just stood there in awe this amazing board set up for this guy. 'This is definitely not the play of an amateur I wonder what kind of protection it has'. "Furthermore I activate the spell card World Legacy's Heart I get to add 2 world chalice monsters to my hand with different names. I add back Imduk and Beckoned by the world chalice, now battle, Auram attack him directly"
"Trap activate Dimensional prison this card targets an opponent's monster and banishes it"
"Monster effect activate, World Chalice Guardragon, I send this card to graveyard to negate the activation and destroy the card." The life points that came out of him and the shock of the impact sent Trey hurtling towards the back of the cage and he gets electrocuted. Screaming in agony, Trey fell to the floor, shaking with a fit. 5700 life points left to his name, he scrambles up on to his feet. When he finally manages to open his eyes, looking at him was not a face of malice or triumph but horror and fear. His Opponent was worried about him. He probably knew that was going to happen.
"So… that's the real reason for these bird cages huh? These people are sick animals that need to be put down. Okay, hit me with everything you've got you need this win right?"
"I… I can't."
"What! Why? You're going to lose everything if you don't attack me.
"But you'll get hurt by the cage, and you could end up dying or have heart failure"
"This is fucking nothing, don't look down on me in pity because I will get hurt, I chose to take part in these games, I chose to put myself in this position, now pick your damn pride up from the ground, and attack me with your remaining monsters and let's have a good duel." Yukon's horrified expression seems to have calmed to a more focused gaze, and a smile emanates from his face. Trey's expression lifts and he braces himself.
"Ningirsu and Ib, attack together" They strike his life points for 4300 points of damage, leaving Trey in an unstable position with only 1400 left from his life. Trey flies back again, with the electric shocks twice as worse as before and felt like the electrocution was going on forever. Before Trey knew it, he was on the floor, struggling to get up off the ground. Faintly hearing Yukon's voice, telling him that he had ended his turn. Now this time round everything went silent for Trey, he looked around and saw the vicious rabid dogs outside the cage all blood thirsty for action, sweat and tears. Finally managing to scramble to his feet, he announced in his loudest voice.
"I… I… I DRAW" he looked at his cards and he sees Fire Formation Tenki, Coach Soldier Wolf Bark in his hand and Fire Formation Tensen on the field. "My Turn, I normal summon Coach Soldier Wolf Bark. His effect activates allowing me to bring out Bear from my graveyard in defense position but his effects are negated.
"And what are you going to do with them?"
"You'll see now, my friend. I overlay them both to create the overlay network, and I Xyz (X-EEZ) Summon Brotherhood of the Fire Fist Tiger." Yukon stood there Surprised at how amazing His Tiger was, but nervous at the same time. Cautious at what it could do, because 2200 Attack points are not enough to get through Auram or Ningirsu since one has 2300 attack points and the other has 2500 attack points. "Next Tiger's ability activates, once this monster has been Xyz summoned I can set one Fire Formation spell or Trap on my field and I set Tensu. Now I activate another Tenki From my hand and add Fire Fist bear from my deck to my hand."
"But you've already normal Summoned though." Trey grinned, instantly making our hero nervous.
"I activate from my field Fire Formation Tensu from my field, there's one thing I need to mention about these Fire formation cards, they give my beast warrior type monsters 100 attack points per fire formation card on the field. So right now, Tigers attack points are now 2400 on top of that Tensu gives me an extra normal summon of a beast warrior type monster. So I normal summon Fire Fist Bear from my hand, same with Tiger his 1600 attack points go to 1800. Next I activate Tigers next ability, I detach one overlay unit to negate all monster effects besides Beast Warrior types on the field, so your Auram goes back down to 2000 in attack. Next I activate Bears ability, I send one fire formation card on the field to destroy your Ningirsu"
"Ningirsu's effect activates in the graveyard, when it's sent to the graveyard this turn I get to special summon a world chalice monster from my hand and I special summon Beckoned.
"That ain't going to help you here my friend, I battle and activate my trap card Fire Formation Tensen I delegate one Beast warrior type monster on my field and it gains 1000 attack points until the end of the turn, and all my beast warrior type monsters gain an extra 300. So Bear has 2000 attack points and Tiger has 3300 attack points. With No monster effects on the field to protect you I attack Ib with Bear." The ferocious strike bear destroying Ib sent Yukon flying to the back of the arena due to the heavy shock wave and the cage despite him only losing 200 life points was massive. The pain he was going through was enough to cause a seizure. Trey was disgusted at the leader of this club rigging the game. "Hey! Knock it off already. He's already had enough." Yukon's agent pushed the emergency button trying to not look concerned in front of his boss. The shock stopped and Trey ran over, to see if he's okay.
"Can you get up dude?"
"Yeah. I can get up and keep going," Yukon trying to hide his agony his chains not helping him with them shocking him every time he touches them due to static shocks.
"Okay I'm going to come at you again now, so brace yourself this will be a big one, do you have any responses due to Ib leaving the field?" Trey hopped back to his position quickly after asking that question and waited for a response.
"I activate Ib's graveyard effect, when it leaves the field I get special summon a world chalice monster in her place, and I choose Chosen by the World Chosen." He stumbled after placing the card on to his duel disk. Chosen floated up with Solid Vision projecting his strong warriors out onto the field. Trey on the other hand can already see where his strategy is going.
"Due to bears effect, when he deals life point damage I get to set a fire formation spell from my deck directly onto the field, and I set my third and final Tenki, next I battle with tiger and I destroy your Auram on the field." causing another 1300 points of damage, the shock wave proved to be just as strong but this time Yukon braced for it and didn't move an inch, so he wouldn't hit the cages.
"Wow kid I have to admit you-" suddenly Yukon gets electrocuted on the spot as he's stood there, going on for a long time now too, blood starts coming out of his nose, and ears. His screaming curdled with the blood coming from his mouth. Trey stood there, helpless. Nothing he could do, now he wants to save this guy. The electrocution stopped at this point, Yukon Collapsed on the spot, Blood all over the floor from where he stood.
"Hey can you get up?! Try and get up!" Trey screams over to him, 'this duel has to be rigged against him, but what the hell can I do'.
"Just leave him, he's gone through this pain millions of times, he's been our performing monkey for a while now and the audience loves it" The voice came out of nowhere at first but Trey recognised it coming from behind him. He turned around and a tall. Very tall black dude steps out of the shadows and into the light, dreadlocks in his hair, muscles bulging from his military tank top and combat trousers to match, his boots pristine and polished giving Trey the idea that this guy is ready for anything and could probably snap your neck at anytime if he so felt like it.
"Why should I just leave him? He may be in your pocket, but he's still human and in agony."
"That's his fault for borrowing money from us and putting on shit shows for the past couple of weeks losing all his duels intentionally because he never wanted to hurt his opponent, and now he's at his limit. He may even die from these shocks but that's his fault for trying to take from us with nothing in return."
"What did he ask money for and how much?" Trey responded in turn as he watched this guy pick up his opponent.
"He borrowed 10,000 dollars from us to save his foster father's business from going bankrupt and to help keep it going until business picked up again, we complied with the agreement that he would duel for our entertainment since that's what he loved the most. Now we have filled our end of the bargain but he hasn't so I'm stripping him of everything."
"WAIT!"
"What? are you going to pay us back on his behalf or something?" Trey looked determined by this point; his gaze had fire in his eyes, enraged with the inhumanity that this guy made his opponent go through.
"I'll pay you the money back he owes if you leave him alive and leave him with his deck."
"Really now? And are you going to pay me back 320,000 dollars?" This soldier questioned with a grin on his face knowing full well no one has that kind of money.
"Yep. Every penny of it. Money is not a question for me." He wrote out a check, signed it and handed it to him. "Here, now leave him with me." The soldier's look grew stern – angry, almost. He stretched his huge hand out and takes the check, verified that it's actually real and was dumbfounded. The soldier tosses Yukon over and states to his guards.
"The boy goes free be sure that he never sees us again otherwise, my boss won't be happy." Trey stood up and suddenly felt a cold hand on his shoulder, He looked to his side and noticed a ring before everything went black.