Sema stared out over the bleak and dry wasteland before him. This was once a place teeming with life, now it was a scorched patch of desert, flat as flat can be. This place didn't get many visitors, but Sema had come here for a reason. The salt flats were the perfect place to see just how fast you could go.
Beside him, Sema's ten year old son, Silver sat on the baked earth, looking through his deck.
"Dad, why'd we have to come to Wendover? It's so boring here!"
"Well Silver, if you don't like it here, you can always walk back to LA." Looking back, Sema smiled. "Don't worry; we'll be back in LA before too long. I just need to calibrate the superconductor and plasma coil.
"Cause I know what that means."
Getting back on his D-Wheel, Sema thought back to when Silver had been born. The doctors never figured out why his hair was a silvery gray, but he grew up as normal as his child could. He picked up the card game at an early age after watching the anime on TV one day. Sema had done his best to teach him the game, and he believed his son could go places if he tried.
When Konami had announced they were opening a real Duel Academy, Sema was one of many to sign up, and after an entrance exam, he had been chosen out of thousands to attend at Las Angeles in the Ra Yellow dorm. He entered for two reasons, he didn't need to learn how to play the game, but his son could use the free scholarship. Plus, anyone who was accepted earned an official sponsorship from Konami. So far Sema had used the sponsor money to buy his own D-Wheel, and after winning one particular tournament, had received a one-of-a-kind deck, which he had given Silver.
Now Sema was here in Utah, testing his D-Wheel out on the salt flats. It had a superconductor, allowing its front half to levitate on the earths magnetic field. It also had an experimental plasma-ion drive that while not the fastest engine out there, was very simple in the actual construction, leaving it very low maintenance and very reliable.
Now Sema looked back to his son. "I'll be right back, ok?"
Silver nodded. "Ok."
Sema looked ahead of him and gunned the engine. Instantly his D-Wheel took off with amazing acceleration, another perk to the ion drive. After a half mile he was at 100mph, he braced himself and jerked the controls to the left.
He had heard the term "turn on a dime" but this was the first time he'd ever seen it. His D-Wheel went from going east to going north without loosing any speed, and all so quickly that Semas momentum tore him right off the seat. The only thing Sema saw was the ground rushing at him at 100mph.
Sema hit the ground at a shallow angle and bounced off, flying through the air for a few hundred feet before he began to slow in midair. Eventually he slowed enough that he could ease himself to the ground. Dusting himself off, he looked at his D-Wheel a quarter mile away, its superconductor allowed it to remain standing even after it had come to a full stop. Then Sema looked at the card in his hand, Zero Gravity. He was glad he had thought of it before hand.
Sema was a psychic duelist. He had telekinetic abilities that by themselves were limited to making chairs move and such, but he found that when he focused his powers through his cards, his power changed itself in reaction with that card. In this case, Zero Gravity had allowed him to survive the crash by giving him moon gravity, skipping along the earth like a stone in the water. It still hurt like a bitch, but he was alive. And he bagan the walk back to his D-Wheel.
00000
After getting back up to speed, he began a huge, gentle circle and slowly turned ever sharper, finding the critical point where he couldn't handle it. Surprisingly, he found that his main limitation was his own body. The G forces of such an extreme turn were bringing him close to blacking out long before his D-Wheel threw him from his seat.
After straightening out, he tried sudden turns, turning sharper each time until he could barely hold on, again the g forces from such a turn made the edges of his vision go dark, and when he had finished his testing, his head was pounding like he had landed on it when he was thrown the first time.
Heading back he saw two shapes in the distance, pressing a button on his D-Wheel, he activated the camera mounted up front, and with another press zoomed in on the figures.
It was Silver, talking with some stranger with platinum blond hair and a pink highlight down the front. Sema quickly brought his D-Wheel up to full speed and headed there before anything could happen.
Within moments he was within a half mile, he flashed his headlight to signal the two, and within moments had arrived. He zoomed past them and turned sharply, braking all the while and skidding to a stop.
He jumped off his D-Wheel and ran up to the two. "Silver! Who is this?" he hollered.
The man stepped forward. "Sema, I'm surprised you don't recognize me."
After a moments hesitation, an old gear in his head started up. "Jacob? No way! What are you doing here in the middle of nowhere?"
"I knew this was hotspot for turbo duelists, and was hoping I could see one myself. I saw Silver here and remembered the news stories about the kid born with white hair, so I knew you'd be here too."
Silver looked at Sema. "Dad, do you know him?"
Sema nodded. "Yeah, he's an old friend." Looking back at Jacob, he said "Hey! You want to duel?"
Jacob shrugged. "Sure, why not?" Then he lifted his arm, duel disk swinging into position.
Sema walked back to his D-Wheel and placed his arm down on the dash. When his metal deck holder made contact, the machine released the two halves of the blade, which swung out metal arms that swung into slots in his deck holder, drawing the blades into his now whole duel disk. They then swung around so that they faced him, on the opposite side of a normal duel disk. The longer half with the three card zones was also on the front, making it resemble an arm sword.
Turning around, he dug into his pocket and brought out a small lens that wrapped around his head and behind his ear, being held in place like a bluetooth. His D-Gazer was colored gunmetal to match his duel disk, its red lens giving everything an odd hue.
Jacob also had his D-Gazer on, looking behind them, Sema saw that Silver also had his on. Nodding to Jacob, they activated their duel disks.
A wave of data streams seemed to rain down from the sky, turning everything an odd color, the sky was purple, and the sand a darker shade of brown. A small electronic voice said "AR Vision uplink, completed." Their D-Gazers now projected a virtual reality that covered everything around them. No one who wasn't "plugged in" to the duel would see the monsters, which helped reduce bystanders getting surprised by giant holograms whizzing past their bedroom windows.
"All right, lets duel!" They both said, before grinning. Just like old times.
Sema 8000
Jacob 8000
"I'll go first!" Jacob said. First I play my spell card, Solar Recharge! By discarding a card, I draw two cards. Then I summon Lumina, Lightsworn Summoner."
A disk of light grew in front of Jacob and a beautiful woman stepped through, her hands glowing with mystic energy.
Lumina, Lightsworn Summoner
LIGHT
Spellcaster
Lv.3
ATK/1000
DEF/1000
Once per turn, you can discard one card from your hand, then special summon one "Lightsworn" monster in your graveyard. During the end phase of your turn, discard the top three cards from your deck to the grave.
"I activate her effect! By discarding Garoth, Lightsworn Warrior, I can revive the Wulf I discarded to the grave."
Lumina placed her hands together, the mystical energy forming another disk of light, and out of it came a white anthro wolf, dressed in white armor, holding a staff with a ring-shaped blade and a gauntlet with three glowing claws.
Wulf, Lightsworn Hunter
LIGHT
Beast-Warrior
Lv.4
ATK/2100
DEF/300
This card cannot be normal summoned, if this card is discarded from your deck to the graveyard, special summon it.
"Finally, I place two cards facedown and end my turn." As he did, the images of two giant facedowns appeared on either side of him.
"During my end phase. I discard three cards." His duel disk ejected three cards off the top, which he took and placed in the grave. When he did, his grave glowed, and two cards came back out.
"What do you know?" Jacob said. "One of those cards was another Wulf, and another was Sabre. I play both."
A bolt of light arced out from his graveyard and materialized as another Wulf. The second arced out and shot into Luminas hand, solidifying as a sword, its blade glowing slightly.
"You see, when Lightsworn Sabre is milled, it equips itself to a lightsworn. Increasing its attack by 700."
Lumina
ATK/1000↑1700
Sema grinned. "I learned a lot since high school. You'll find I'm a bit better than I was before. I place three facedowns, and end my turn." Three upside down cards appeared in front of Sema, then faded from view.
"Really?" Jacob said. "I'm not stupid enough to attack an empty field with three facedowns. With my spell card, I'll destroy them all!"
Grinning, Sema said "Really, well before you do, I activate my first trap! Battle Mania! This forces every monster you have to attack, and then I chain my second trap, Raigeki Break! So by discarding a card, I can destroy your first facedown."
The second card flipped vertical, and a bolt of lightning shot from it, shattering Jacobs facedown.
"Well, I'll still wipe out your last card with Release Restraint Wave! By sending Lightsworn Sabre to the grave, I can destroy every facedown you control!"
As the spell appeared, Lumina raised the glowing sword to the sky, it shattered, releasing a powerful shockwave.
"Chain trap!" Sema said. Jacob groaned. "Limit Reverse! I can now revive any monster with 1000 attack or less!"
"But what… oh no." Jacob said.
"The card I discarded for Raigeki, Yubel!"
The trap flipped up, and the shockwave dispersed upon hitting it, the winds then warped and changed direction, forming a dark cyclone in front of the trap, suddenly two wings flared out, scattering the winds. Hovering there was a winged demon, is body half male, half female, split down the middle. The center of its forehead had a large vertical eye, it's hair half white, half blue.
Yubel
DARK
Feind
Lv.10
ATK/0
DEF/0
This card cannot be destroyed by battle and you take no battle damage when this card battles. Instead, your opponent takes any damage you would take. Sacrifice 1 monster every turn, if you do not, Yubel is destroyed.
"And don't forget my Battle Mania." Sema said. "You have to attack with every monster."
Without Jacobs command, Lyla haised her hand and shot a bolt of light at Yubel, which hit an invisible barrier, reflecting back at Jacob.
Sema: 8000
Jacob: 7000
Afterwards, his Wulfs rushed in, one struck with its staff, the other slashed with its blaed gauntlet, both attacks were stopped by Yubels barrier, and both monsters were thrown backwards into Jacob, who stumbled and fell over; flinching from such large objects being thrown directly at him.
Sema: 8000
Jacob: 2800
Getting up, Jacob said "I end my turn." Once again, his deck ejected three cards, which he placed in the grave.
"My turn!" Sema said. Behind him, he heard Silver cheering him on.
"Yeah! Go dad! Show him the big one!"
It warmed Semas heart to hear his sons support, but he knew it wasn't time to close in for the kill yet. With his facedown, it would be reckless. He knew Jacob was a great duelist, and would have some kind of counter.
"I summon my Snipe Hunter in attack!"
A seal appeared on the desert ground, and from it rose an imp, wielding an odd looking blaster.
Snipe Hunter
DARK
Feind
Lv.4
ATK/1500
DEF/600
Discard a card to activate this effect. Roll a six-sided dice. If the result is 2-5, destroy one card.
"I'll use Snipe Hunters effect, my first target is your facedown."
Snipe hunter leveled his blaster, and a holographic roulette wheel appeared above the hammer and began spinning. It eventually stopped and landed on 2. Immediately a purple beam shot out and blasted the facedown card to pieces.
"Next, I switch Yubel to defense, causing Limit Reverse to destroy it."
Immediately Yubel shattered, but it seemed that the shards were growing. Sure enough, they stopped flying, and expanded until they re-connected in a much larger mass, which took the shape of a large twin headed dragon.
"When Yubel is destroyed, it evolves into a deadlier form, com forth Yubel, Terror Incarnate!"
Yubel Terror Incarnate
DARK
Feind
Lv.11
ATK/0
DEF/0
This card can only be summoned from your hand, deck or graveyard when Yubel is destroyed by a card effect. This card cannot be destroyed by battle and you take no battle damage when this card battles. Instead, your opponent takes any damage you would take. At the end of each turn, destroy every monster, except Yubel, Terror Incarnate.
"And now I end my turn." Sema said. Yubel then raised its heads to reveal a huge vertical eye in its chest, which glowed, then released a pulse which destroyed Lumina, both Wulfs, and Snipe Hunter.
"My turn." Jacob said. "I set a monster facedown and set a card. That's all for now."
"I draw." Sema said. "I summon my Man Eater Bug in attack mode."
Man Eater Bug
EARTH
Insect
Lv.2
ATK/350
DEF/250
Flip: When this card is flipeed faceup, destroy one monster.
Jacob had a confused look. "Why would you summon a flip monster in attack?"
Sema shrugged. "Maybe I'm crazy? I set a facedown and end." Again, Yubel fired a pulse which destroyed Jacobs facedown and Semas insect, but this time in the wake of the blast, a beam of orange light shot from the sky. Out of it descended a huge orange machine.
"Come forth! Machine Emperor Grannel!"
Jacob stared wide-eyed. "What?"
Machine Emperor Grannel
EARTH
Machine
Lv.1
ATK/?↑4000
DEF/0
This card can only be special summoned when one of your monsters is destroyed by a card effect. This cards ATK is equal to half your life points. Once per turn, you can take control of one of your opponents Synchro monsters and equip it to Grannel. Grannel gains ATK equal to that Synchro monsters ATK. Once per turn, you can special summon an equipped Synchro monster to your side of the field.
"No way… a Machine Emperor?" Jacob muttered. Then he squinted. "You really have gotten better, haven't you?"
Sema smiled. "Yup. But the question is, do you have a new game?"
"Oh, you'd better believe it. You won't believe how hard to find this card is, but now that I have four Ligntsworns in the grave, Wulf, Lumina, Garoth, and the Rinyan Yubel destroyed, I can special summon Judgment Dragon!"
A shaft of white light shot from the sky, and a white feathered dragon whose size rivaled Yubel appeared when the light faded, its crimson claws shining in the sunlight.
Judgment Dragon
LIGHT
Dragon
Lv.8
ATK/3000
DEF/2500
This card can only be special summed if you have four or more Lightsworns with different names in your graveyard. Pay 1000 LP to destroy all cards on the field, except this card.
Sema shook his head. "Honestly, You didn't expect me to know this was coming? I play my trap card, Bottomless Trap Hole!"
Before the dragon had a chance to do anything, a giant pit opened underneath it, the great dragon fell into the earths maw, which closed behind it in a rumbling crunch, great pieces of dry desert clay jutting into the air.
Jacob cursed under his breath. "I end."
"My turn." Sema said. "My Machine Emperor attacks!"
Grannels optic flared red, and then it raised one of its huge cannons to bear on Jacob. A massive yellow beam erupted from it, blowing boulders into the air and leaving Jacob lying in midair over a huge crater.
Sema: 8000
Jacob: 0
After the duel finished, more data streams rained down from the sky, dispelling the virtual reality. The world returned to their normal colors, the pieces of scattered earth and the crater vanished along with Yubel and Grannel as the illusion was deactivated.
"Yay! Way to go Dad!" Silver cheered, running up to Sema. Sema laughed and knuckled Silvers fist, then walked over to Jacob, offering his hand.
"Duel disks sure are different from high school. Huh?"
Taking his hand, Jacob said "No kidding, I was actually knocked off my feet by that last one."
Sema helped his friend up. "Yeah, that was actually my fault a bit."
Jacob sighed. "Those crazy powers of yours?"
Smiling sheepishly, Sema chuckled. "Yeah, they can sometimes get out of hand when I get caught up in the moment. I'm working on it though."
Jacob shook his head. "why'd you put Grannel in a Yubel deck? Makes no sense."
Shrugging, Sema said "Hey, it worked, didn't it?"
"Dad, can we go back now? It's hot!"
Looking at Silver, Sema said "Yeah sure." Looking back to Jacob, he said "Hey, want to come to out hotel? We can get caught up."
"Sorry, but I've got other things to do."
"What, here in the literal middle of nowhere?"
Jacob shrugged. "Yeah, bad luck huh? I'll probably track you down later though."
So Sema and Silver walked over to the D-Wheel and got on. "Sema placed his duel disk on the display and the blade detached, splitting in half and rotating to rest on either side of the display.
"So did you find out what you needed to?" Silver asked.
Nodding, Sema said "Yup. I'll calibrate when we get to the hotel." Sema started the engine and headed into town at a much more reasonable pace.
00000
Later that day Silver was on the porch of the Hotel, playing a video game while Sema had the panels taken off his D-Wheel, adjusting a knob here and a conduit there, putting limitations on the D-wheel so that he couldn't accidentally turn to sharp and throw himself off. He had also fixed a problem with the front left thruster, which allowed him to turn left. He had found on his trial run that is was less responsive than the right, and so was synchronizing the two.
When he looked up next, he saw Silver talking with a girl about his age, who's hair was a dark pink color that reminded him of a good wine.
Placing the panel back and bolting it on, he called over to Silver.
"Hey! Who is that?"
"Oh, Dad! This is Akiza! She's in town with her dad too!" He hollered back.
Sema raised an eyebrow. Her name was Akiza? Her parents obviously liked the 5ds anime. Then it struck him, her hair color was the same as the character from the show! Talk about taking it all the way!
"Akiza!" Sema hollered. "Where is your father?"
Akiza pointed behind him, Sema turned to see an amazing D-wheel cruising up.
It was a single massive wheel, with a dark ring running horizontal. Two booster boxes were on either side, and a man rode inside the giant wheel. It looked much like Jack Atlas's D-Wheel, except for the horizontal ring. All the controls seemed to be on the inside of this ring.
As the D-Wheel rolled up to a stop, Sema watched amazed as it stopped so quickly. Normally the momentum would cause the rider to spin around the wheel from stopping or starting too fast, but this man seemed to have solved the problem.
The man got off, he was wearing faded blue jeans and a brown leather coat that looked incredibly hot in the desert sun, He had short brown hair and glasses. He walked up to Sema and put out his hand. "Hi, I'm Mike. You're a turbo duelist?"
Sema shook his hand. "Sema, and I'm better on the ground, but I thought I'd give it a shot."
"Glancing at his jacket, Mike said "Duel Academy eh?"
Sema smiled "Yeah. I joined mostly so my son could learn a little. He's good, but he's got a lot to learn."
"Well, not to be a stick in the mud, but if you're in Ra, then that means you have some room to learn yourself."
"For your information," Sema said "I chose to enter Ra. The color suits me better."
Mike laughed. "You declined Obelisk because you like yellow better? Wow! THAT'S a first for me!" Sema laughed along with him.
After a minute, Sema asked "She's yours?" pointing at Akiza.
"Yeah. Akiza's not her birth name, but she liked the character so much she started being as much like her as she could, even begging me to get her hair dyed. She's actually not half bad with a plant deck, but she's definitely got room to improve." Looking at Silver, Mike said "And him?"
"That's Silver." Sema said. "His hair was like that from day 1, the doctors could never figure out why."
"Huh… That's weird." Mike said. It took a few moments before he noticed Semas annoyed expression. "Uh, not that it looks bad! I just mean I've never heard of that is all!" Straightening his face, Mike looked at Sema seriously. "But changing the subject, how about a turbo duel?"