When Reiji explained the contingency plan, it seemed fairly basic. If they were separated, knock out any Obelisk force member and attempt take to their teleportation bracelet. If they had one, Leon would use it to teleport to their world. He would be able to hide there until he found out how to get to a different world. The plan was simple in theory but completely unrealistic. To start, he had no idea where he would be. There was no map or directions he could follow which would help. Secondly, Leon was on an island thus, aside from a boat, had no method of traveling anywhere. Lastly, he had been seen when he teleported, so seconds after he appeared in the fusion dimension, the alarm for an intruder had been set off. All things considered, it couldn't get much worse.
"There he is! Get him!" Well, except if another squad of guards found him, it could get worse then. Leon sprinted through another corridor as the five guards gave chase. Thankfully, Leon had mastered the art of actions duels. He could out sprint any opponent to a card and traverse the most difficult terrain to get to where he wanted. Now only if his dueling skills would follow… Instead of wallowing in self-pity Leon lead the group of Obelisk members to a dead end. As he turned the last corner he jumped high and pulled himself over the ledge of the wall before him. Quickly crouching, he hid behind the upper terrace of the wall.
"Where the hell did he go?" The voices rose up and Leon was happy the guards were fairly incompetent. "He is probably up above; another squad said he can climb walls easily." Maybe not that stupid, I guess that trick can only work once. Knowing his cover was blow he ran, guards from below shouting for him to stop, not that he would. Leon reentered the maze of 'academia' or whatever they called it and kept a keen eye and ear watching and listening for guards. His head turned and he held his breath, there, footsteps from the hallway to his right. Leon quickly moved to a pillar, back flush to the wall. As he waited, the voices of guards floated closer.
"She did what?" One of the guards asked incredulously. Leon peeked around the corner and saw uniformed men walking side by side. But, what caught his attention was the girl in their arms.
"Yeah, she tried to use the alarm as a distraction for her to escape." The girl in the guard's arms was Yuzu. Finally a stroke of luck except… why was she in different clothes?
"Just put her in her room, and make sure to lock it this time. Or the boss will have our heads."
"Yeah, yeah." The guard entered the room and seconds later he exited empty handed. "What was the code again?"
"Seriously? This is the third time this week! Get it through your think skull, 7641259!" I take back what I said earlier, these guys are idiots, Leon thought to himself.
As the two walked away, Leon slipped out from his cover and approached the door. "7641259, was it?" The door beeped and slid open. Leon quickly rushed inside where Yuzu was lying on the bed. Leon gently shook her, calling her name, "Yuzu, Yuzu wake up." Despite this she stayed asleep. Drugged maybe? As Leon's brain processed this, it picked up some other details. Why was her hair blue? Leon shook his head. Yuya may have clones running around, but Yuzu as well? Unlikely. No time to think, Leon and Yuzu needed to leave. He picked her limp form up and ran.
Ten minutes passed and Leon was exhausted. While actions duels were tiring, running with an unconscious girl was beyond that. Another twist, another turn, the maze of a building never ended. As soon as Leon was about to lose hope, he noticed someone. Well, someone's hair to be exact. Yuya had explained what this 'Sora' looked like multiple times, hoping to come across him after the attack on standard. Unfortunately, he was never found. The boy he saw in the corridor matched Yuya's description from the shoes to the bright blue hair he had. Maybe he could help. He was about to call out, but Sora turned and entered a room. Leon hurried after him his muscles protesting to every movement. As he got to the room his jaw dropped. A whirling portal waited inside the room and Sora stood before it.
"This is my ride out, right?" Sora asked addressing the scientist who stood near the controls. The scientist nodded.
"Please move quickly, it takes time for the energy in these to safely dissipate the longer you wait the longer the cool down."
"Alright, I'm off." With that the boy disappeared into the vortex. Leon, seeing his chance, ran in, but the scientist noticed him and blocked his way.
"Well it looks like a rat came in as well." The scientist sneered. "Where do you think you're going?" Leon glanced to his side where the control panel for the door and used his elbow to slam into it hoping to close the door. In the end, he only hurt his arm. Looking fully at the panel the button "Lock down" caught his attention. He quickly pressed it cursing his stupidity and the doors slammed shut. He looked back to the fusion dimension scientist who only looked amused.
"Let me through," Leon commanded with as much authority as possible. He hoped he looked better than he felt, because he felt like keeling over. Clearly the scientist thought so as well.
"You and what army? You can barely hold that girl anymore from the looks of it. Tell you what. This portal will need 15 minutes to dissipate the remaining energy. I have a deck or two that I have been in need of a test subject for. If you can defeat me before time runs out I will step aside." Leon placed Yuzu against the wall and walked forward, his duel disc activating.
"Let's get right to it then, I'll start." Leon glanced to his cards and grabbed one. "I activate the field spell, Void Expansion. Next I activate the spell card, Reasoning. Call a level."
"Level 8." Leon nodded and removed the top card of his deck and revealed it. Infernoid Attondel, lvl 8. "It looks like my guess was right." Leon only shook his head.
"Reasoning can only special summon a monster than can be normal summoned or set. Attondel as well as most of the infernoids are the same, as they cannot be normal summoned or set, thus-" Leon began flipping card after card each one being sent to the grave. Five infernoid cards later he flipped up a monster he could summon. Infernoid Dekatron, lvl 1. "I special summon infernoid Dekatron in defense mode. When he is normal or special summoned I can sent an infernoid from my deck to the grave and have Dekatron gain levels equal to that monsters and gain it's effects. I send Infernoid Seitsemas to grave." Dekatron gave a cry as its level increased to 8. "I set a card and end my turn."
"Then it is my turn, draw. I summon Elemental HERO Prisma." A crystal warrior rose from the ground. "I can reveal one fusion monster from my extra deck and send one fusion material of the revealed monster from my deck to the grave. Prisma will then gain their name. I reveal Gladiator Beast Gyzarus and I send Gladiator Beast Bestiari to the grave." Prisma glowed and the image of Bestiari was revealed. Now since I control a gladiator beast, I now special summon Test tiger to the field." A tiger leapt forth landing next to Prisma. I tribute test tiger to return a gladiator beast to the deck and special summon another one." Test tiger disappeared along with Prisma. "I special summon Gladiator Beast Darius. When he is special summoned from a gladiator beast effect, I can special summon one Gladiator Beast from my grave but it's effects are negated. I special summon Bestiari!" A large armored humanoid horse landed on the field and was soon followed by an armored winged bird. "Now…contact fusion!" The two monsters moved towards one another and clasped hands. The two shone brightly and flew up. "I send both back to the deck to special summon Gladiator Beast Gyzarus."
"Contact fusion?" Leon was taken aback, a fusion that did not require polymerization? Was such a thing possible?
"The technique was developed by a legendary duelist. He was said to have saved the world with his power. Through multiple trials and errors, I was able to emulate and surpass his legendary summoning technique and have created two decks that have the ability to contact fuse. In his deck, once fused, the fusion monster would return the extra deck and leave his side of the field open. I have created decks that not only bypass that flaw, but I have the ability to exchange my monsters. But enough of that, come forth Gyzarus." A huge armored Falcon descended from the sky landing on the other side of the field. "When Gyzarus is special summoned, he can destroy two cards on the field. I choose your monster and your face down." Winds swirled around Gyzarus as he beat his wings, then he sent two twisters forward, each one destroying their intended target. "Now, Gyzarus attack!" The falcon flew forward and slashed Leon dropping his lp from 4000 to 1600. "After the battle phase, when Gyzarus attacked, I can return him to the extra deck and special summon two Gladiator beasts as long as one is not Bestari. Thus I special summon Gladiator Beast Augustus and Gladiator Beast Retiari. Retiari effect, I banish your Seitsemas from grave. Then with Augustus I can special summon Gladiator Beast Andal. Now triple contact fusion!"
"Again?!"
"Come forth, Gladiator Beast Nerokius." A large six winged armored bat flew down and crashed into the field. "Nerokius, can't be destroyed by battle and if he attacks or is attacked, you can't activate any spell or trap cards, until the end of the damage step. I set two cards and end my turn"
Leon drew. "Due to the effect of void expansion, I special summon one infernoid token to the field." A small capsule containing a swirl of multiple colors rose and landed on the field. "I banish the token to special summon Infernoid Harmadik." The token burst and light engulfed the area. When the light died the hellish shape of a beast was shown. "I activate Harmadik's effect and destroy Nerokius." The cannon on Harmadik's back charged a beam.
"I activate my trap card, Gladiator Beast War Chariot. When an Effect Monster's effect is activated, if I control a face-up "Gladiator Beast" monster I can negate the activation and destroy it." The canon on Harmadik, misfired and exploded taking the monster with it.
"I banish Harmadik, Dekatron and Attondel from my grave to special summon Infernoid Onuncu. Flames of hell rise up and obliterate those who oppose you! Rise Infernoid Onuncu!" A familiar hellish bird once again rose and as it did beat its wings sending fire at Nerokius. The flames burned him and he was destroyed. "I attack you directly with Onuncu. Flaming oblivion!"
"I activate my facedown call of the haunted and bring back my Nerokius." Onuncu breathed out a trail of fire that scorched Nerokius and even the ground dropping the man's life to 3800. "Because Nerokius was attacked I can send him back to the extra deck to special summon two Gladiator Beasts. I special summon Gladiator Beast Laquari and Gladiator Beast Murmillo. Laquari's attack becomes 2100 and Murmillo destroys your monster. Acid shot" Leon scowled but quickly used a card from his hand.
"I activate the quick-play spell card void seer. I target one infernoid monster I control and that monster is unaffected by my opponent's card effects for the remainder of the turn." The acid flew forward but stopped short, as a barrier was created around Onuncu. "I end my turn."
"I draw, and I summon Gladiator Beast Andal" A large armored black bear came to the field. "Now triple contact fusion. I special summon Gladiator Beast Heraklinos!" The three monsters held arms and jumped up becoming light and fusing. Seconds later a huge chimera landed and roared. "I equip Heraklinos with Gladiator Beast's Battle Archfiend Shield. Now if he were to be destroyed, I am able to send this card to the graveyard instead. I attack your Onuncu with Heraklinos!" The chimera rushed forward. Onuncu sent flames down at the monster but its shield protected it and once in range Heraklinos used its spear to pierce Onuncu, destroying it. As the chimera landed its shield disintegrated as well. "I end my turn. Give up now? Your star monster is dust and you only have 5 minutes left."
"I draw," Leon looked at his hand. He had to hurry, no time to second guess himself. "First off, a void token is summoned to my side of the field. Next, I activate the continuous spell card, Void Dream." The room filled with dense fog but multicolored lights could be seen in the distance. "I can send this card to the grave to fusion summon one Infernoid monster. When my opponent has a monster that was special summon from the extra deck I can use up to five monsters from my deck as materials."
"From the deck?"
"Go void dream! I send the Infernoid monsters Onuncu, Lilith, Belgaphor, satan and antra to the grave. Fusion summon! The creature of hell has finally found his place on earth. Come lay waste to all those who defy your might! Infernoid Tierra!" A long serpentine dragon-like monster rose from the ground and screeched. "Because I used 5 cards as fusion materials I can activate two of his effects. First off, we both send three cards from our extra decks to our grave. Then we each send the top three cards of our deck to the grave." The appropriate cards were sent and the scientist laughed.
"Your monster may have more attack but not enough to defeat me this turn. All I have to do is wait till the machine shuts down and there will be nothing you can do about it. I win!"
"Will you let me finish? I normal summon Evil HERO Infernal Gainer. I can banish him to have one fiend type monster I have attack twice this turn. I use his effect allowing my Tierra to attack twice." The first fiend disappeared and the second screeched again.
"But he has 3400 attack, that means."
"That's right, this game is over. Tierra attack with Hell on Earth!" The monstrosity roared and breathed out a black flame completely obliterating Heraklinos lowering the man's lp to 3400. "Now attack again!" The fiend obeyed and black flames encompassed the scientist. As the duel ended the scientist slumped to the floor unconscious. Leon breathed a sigh of relief. He rushed to the control panel and scanned it. 3 minutes and 27 seconds left, just enough time. He quickly used the panel to find the self-destruct sequence and activated it. Now when the portal shut down, it would be gone. He rushed back to Yuzu, but not before pocketing the other "experimental" fusion deck. From what he saw the decks had potential. He hoisted Yuzu up and made his way to the swirling vortex. Hopefully his luck would hold out.
-Ω-
Leon head was throbbing as he awoke. He looked around seeing he was in an alleyway surrounded by tall buildings. Well he wasn't in Miami city, that's for sure.
"Get away from, Ruri!" Leon look up to see Yuya staring him down, except his hair was… Leon connected the dots, this was another version of Yuya.
"Another one? Leon muttered as stood. "Look I can explain, just calm down and give me a chance to talk." He held up his hands, hoping to placate the Yuya look-a-like. Well, either he was a look-a-like or Yuya had gone insane in the hour or so they had been separated. Leon honestly didn't know which one was better.
"Step away from Ruri and then I will let you talk."
"Yuto, what are you talking about? I am right here." The tense atmosphere instantly evaporated as another girl behind Yuto tapped him on the shoulder. Yuto did a double take and looked between both Ruri and Yuzu.
"Ruri, you have a twin?" Yuto choked out, once he got past his surprise. Ruri, who looked surprised as well, moved forward to examine the unconscious girl.
"She does look like a lot like me, doesn't she? We even have matching bracelets, but I don't think she is my long lost twin." Ruri looked to Leon. "Mind explaining who you are and who she is?" Leon nodded albeit a bit wearily.
"Sure, but can be go somewhere other than an alley way?"
Yuto shook his head, "Not yet, we still don't know who you are-" Yuto was interrupted by a sound smack on the back of his head.
"First you accuse him of kidnapping me and now you don't have the hospitality to give him a place to rest!" She then turned to Leon a wide smile on her face. "My house is not too far from here. We can rest there." With that, she promptly turned and walked off dragging Yuto behind her, leaving Leon only the option to follow. As he walked behind the pair, he caught wind of their conversation.
"You thought they kidnapped me? I can't believe you! What do I look like, some damsel in distress?"
"What no- I was- you- I was worried about you that's all."
Ruri sent Yuto a malicious smirk. "Oh? And why is that? You haven't fallen for me have you? I mean just the other day you declared that you would never fall in love."
Yuto struggled to keep the blush off his face, "No, I- Shun would be furious with me if you were hurt, right? I was making sure my friendship with Shun wasn't damaged." Yuto concluded crossing his arms with a huff.
Ruri whirled on him, her face the perfect picture of despair. "So if it wasn't for my brother you wouldn't care for me? I see…" To the casual eye Ruri looked to be on the verge of tears.
"No! I would always look out for you-" Yuto exclamations fell out of hearing as they turned a corner. Leon sighed, that girl had Yuto wrapped around her finger. At least it was playful teasing and nothing more. Leon glanced down to the girl sleeping in his arms. Did Yuzu have the same personality? She hadn't shown any of it while they were together. To be fair though, they had not met under normal circumstances. Leon shook his mind to clear it of his rambling thoughts and sped up to catch up with the arguing couple.
-Ω-
"You seriously expect me to believe that?" Shun Kurosaki asked, voice as cold as ice. Leon was warned that Ruri's older brother was an intimidating person. Unfortunately, the warning did the man no justice. He was a force to be reckoned with. Leon had told them his story up till now, and they were not buying it. Well Shun was not buying it, Ruri and Yuto looked too scared to say anything.
"Look, what do you want me to do to prove my story?" Leon's was running out of options. He either had convince these people that he was who he said he was, or be kicked to the streets.
"I don't want you to prove anything, I want you to leave. No one in their right mind would believe you. Right Yuto?" Shun looked to Yuto for confirmation, but found Yuto shaking his head in disagreement.
"I believe him," Yuto confirmed. "Shun have you forgotten what happened a month ago?" Shun face twisted into a scowl.
"Of course I haven't, who do you think…" His voice trailed off as a look of horror filled his face. Leon looked to Yuto to explain.
"About a month ago, a boy who looked nearly identical to me tried to kidnap Ruri. Thankfully, I was there and we worked together to fight off the boy. Shortly after we repelled him, he simply disappeared no matter where we looked." A small smile came over Yuto's face. "Shun almost killed me, thinking I was the kidnapper until Ruri told him that it was someone else." Shun looked away, the embarrassment evident on his face.
"So will you believe him now, brother?" Ruri asked, the hope evident in her voice. Shun sighed, but nodded his consent.
Leon smiled, "Thanks, I owe you guys." Yuto and Ruri returned his smiles while Shun only gave him a nod in response.
"Where am I?" An unfamiliar voice weakly spoke, drawing the group's attention to the girl in the bed.
"Yuzu! Leon ran forward only for the girl to shift away from him.
"Who is Yuzu?" Those words felt like spear pierced his heart. He had failed Yuya. "Who are you?"
"I am Leon, remember? We met when we were attacked by the Obelisk force." Leon tried again, and this time he got a reaction. A violent one.
"You're from standard!" The Yuzu clone screamed activating her duel disc. "Where did you take me?" She leapt from the bed only to stumble and fall to her knees. She raised a hand to her head and grit her teeth as if she were in pain. The drug must not have worn off yet. She shakily got back to her feet. "Duel me," She wheezed out, "Duel me so I can prove to the professor that I can think and do things for myself."
"Wait," Ruri stepped forward trying to defuse the situation. "Yuzu, Leon rescued you from the fusion dimension. Please calm down."
"My name is Selena, stop calling me Yuzu!" Selena panted, clearly not feeling well. She pointed to Leon. "Duel me," Selena declared again. Shun stepped forward, but Leon beckoned for him to stop.
"If I duel you will you calm down and listen?" Selena's only response was to activate her duel disc. "Fine, go ahead and take your turn."
Selena quickly grabbed a hand of five. "I activate the spell card polymerization! I fuse together Moonlight Blue Cat and Moonlight Purple Butterfly. Fusion summon! Moonlight Cat Dancer!" A masked cat descended and landed on the field with a twirl. "I end my turn…" Once again Selena clutched her head and winced in pain.
Clearly not thinking straight and clearly not in a condition to duel…better finish this quick, Leon thought. "My turn, draw. I normal summon Infernoid Dekatron. I can use his effect to send Infernoid Antra to the grave and gain his effect and increase my level by Antra's." Dekatron roared as a spiritual form of Antra phased in behind it. "Now I banish two infernoids from my hand to Special summon Attondel." In a burst of flame, Attondel stood beside Dekatron. Now Attondel, attack! The fiend moved forward and burned the cat with its flames as well as lowering Selena's lp to 3600. "Now attack again!" The fiend attacked once more, but with no obstacles the attack hit Selena directly dropping her life down to 800. "Dekatron attack." The small fiend leapt forth and slashed at Selena dropping her lp to a mere 300. "I end my turn."
Selena's breath was coming in pants now. The drug, while wearing off, was still in her system and she was in some kind of foreign world surrounded by possible enemies. If she were honest with herself, she was feeling scared. They had her in a vulnerable position and she felt lost. She was usually a strong duelist from the fusion dimension. But right now, in front of two terrifying demons of hell, she felt like a child. A child with no way out. If she returned to Fusion they would lock her up again, she would never get this chance again. Staying here had to be an infinitely better option. "Draw…" Exhaustion began to take hold of her and her stance faltered. A glance at the drawn card made it clear her options were minimal. Surrender or lose next turn. "I- I-" in the end the pressure was too much. The drug, the duel, the fact of being in an unknown world, the fact she had nowhere to go, it all collapsed upon her. A tear slipped down her cheek, then another, and soon more followed. Selena for the first time in three years cried. Seconds later arms encircled her. She looked up to the face of Ruri who was giving her a look of understanding.
"How dare you pick on a girl!" Ruri's voice caused Leon to give a guilty flinch. The holograms disappeared as Ruri helped Selena to the bed. "Lie down and rest, you look tired." Selena could hardly argue and soon was lying in bed. Listening to her fate.
"What should we do?" Yuto asked looking to each member of the group.
"We could have her stay with us," Ruri said looking to her brother, but immediately looked away from his glare.
"We should send her back. I am sure she would be better off there," Shun stated, "Leon you still have that device right?" Leon nodded. He walked towards Selana with the device in his hand. As he was about to clip it to her wrist, she weakly pushed it away.
"Anything but that…please." Selena looked at Leon in desperation, pleading with him to give her a chance. Leon looked to the group for confirmation. Shun look like he was about to go with the prior decision, but both Yuto and Ruri were sending him glares of their own. In the end, Shun backed off and nodded his consent.
Leon turned back to Selena, who barely was able to keep her eyes open. "Rest, I promise you that you will be here when you wake up."
Selena returned a small, but genuine smile, "Thank...you." she managed to say,before her world became black. The words were so soft that Leon thought he had imagined it. He looked back to a smiling Yuto and Ruri and an exasperated Shun.
"Well, looks like we are in your care."
-Ω-
Sorry if the story feels a bit rushed or disconnected. I am laying the foundation for the story on both sides. From next chapter onward the each side of the story will have connections with each side affecting the other. Hopefully it won't been too confusing to follow. Favorite and review if you liked it or if you saw something that could be improved.
