Chapter 2: On The Run
"TAIWA WAKARI YOU ARE UNDER ARREST FOR THE DISAPPEARANCE OF YUSHA TATSUJIN!" a voice over a megaphone calls out from outside.
'Disappearance?' Taiwa thinks surprised, 'What's going on?'
"WE KNOW YOU'RE UP THERE" the voice continues, "IF YOU'RE NOT COMING DOWN WILLINGLY, WE WILL BE FORCED TO GET YOU."
"Chief, we're awaiting your orders." a security officer says as he looks at his chief with the megaphone.
"Go get em'."
The officer nods his head as he and four other officers run towards the entrance of the building.
'I need to get out of here.' Taiwa thinks as he looks around the apartment.
The steps of the security become louder and louder as they gallop up the stairs like a stampede. Taiwa looks till he notices the window at the far end of the apartment with a fire escape. He runs towards it just as the door is kicked open.
"There he is!" one of the security points out.
"Stop! Security!" another security officer yells as he dashes at Taiwa.
Taiwa fumbles with the window as he struggles to get it open.
'Come on come on, open open open.'
Finally, the rusty window creaks open. Taiwa pushes it up all the way and sticks his head out when he feels a tug on his leg. He looks back to see the security officer holding his leg.
"You're not going anywhere!"
"Oh yes I am." Taiwa says as he tries to get loose, "Now let…GO!"
Taiwa, using his free leg, kicks the security officer in the face breaking his nose. The officer lets out a cry and releases Taiwa's leg to cover his bloody nose.
"You mother f-."
Taiwa quickly leaps out the window and onto the fire escape. He starts to climb down the ladder when the other officers stick their heads out the window.
"Halt or we'll shoot!" the officer demands as he and the two others take out their hand guns.
Ignoring the orders, Taiwa continues down the metal ladder. The officers begin to shoot at the teen as he tries to make his escape. Taiwa stops his descent as the bullets clang and ricochet off the metal bars of the fire escape. He closes his eyes hoping to not to get hit as he takes a step down the ladder. His foot slips on the metal causing Taiwa to lose balance. He opens his eyes as he falls. Taiwa plummets till he plops on top of a dumpster with a thud. The impact causes the teen to bounce off the metal top and onto the hard street.
"The suspect is on the west side of the building." the officer orders into his walkie, "Officers converge!"
Taiwa slowly gets to his knees. He covers his mouth as he coughs. He pulls his hand away from his mouth to see blood.
"Shit…" Taiwa says under his breath as he struggles to get on his feet.
He begins to gingerly run over to his D-Wheel that he parked there a few minutes ago. He climbs aboard and puts his helmet on getting ready to make a run for it. Taiwa pushes the button that starts the engine when he hears the security cars coming close.
'Come on come on.'
Taiwa revs his engine and drives off as his tires screech. He turns the corner and speeds down the street. Through the helmet's visor, Taiwa's eyes concentrate on the road and his get away when he hears the sirens. His focus is broken causing him to turn his head to see security cars chasing after him.
'Dammit, I have to lose them…but how?' Taiwa asks himself as he turns corner after corner through the semi-busy streets.
Neo-Domino city citizens stop and stare when Taiwa and the security pass by. The cars on the road all adhere to the sirens and pull to the side letting the teen have a clear straight path.
"Where is this guy headed?" an officer asks the chief who is driving in one of the cars.
"Hell if I should know, he's not from here so he shouldn't have anywhere to go." the chief answers as he slams his foot on the acceleration.
"Informing all officers," a voice on the security's radio calls out "there is an accident along Main Street causing bumper to bumper traffic."
"Shit, and that's where we're headed." the chief snarls as his frustration embodies his face.
Taiwa lifts his head as he sees straight lines of brake lights coming up ahead.
'Yes, just what I needed to get away.' Taiwa thinks to himself as he pushes down on the gas pedal.
"Sir…Sir we need to stop, the traffic is straight ahead." the officer informs.
"I know…." The chief responds still pursuing the D-Wheel.
"SIR!"
"Fine! All cars pull back." the chief orders as he slams on the brakes causing his car to screech trying to stop.
The other security car stops as well.
"Here I go!" Taiwa says as he maneuvers his D-Wheel between the lines of cars.
The chief and the other officers step out of their vehicles.
"I want a chopper following that punk YOU UNDERSTAND ME?" the chief yells into the microphone connected to his helmet.
"It's ok chief, I got this." a female voice answers over the frequency.
"Huh? Mikomi?"
All of a sudden a revved engine causes the chief to turn just to see a security bike use the other security car as a ramp to jump the chief's car. The bike hits the floor and continues the pursuit of Taiwa through the traffic.
"Whoa…" the other security officer says shocked.
Mikomi pushes the pedal until she finally sees Taiwa's D-Wheel in the distance.
"Mikomi stop right now!" the chief orders over the security frequency.
"Sorry chief I can't do that." Mikomi answers with a smile, "I'll be letting this guy get away."
"Mikomi…if you don't do as I command I will make sure you wi-." The chief begins to say before Mikomi pushes a button on her bike disconnecting the two.
"That's better."
Mikomi then presses another button that begins to dial a different number.
"Hello?" a voice on the other end says.
"Heyyyy, Eisei I'm in pursuit of a suspect and I need you to patch me through to their frequency."
"Mikomi?" Eisei says aloud before composing himself to a whisper, "Ohhhh no I'm not your personal secretary transferring you to different people and besides the chief would kill me if he found out, and another thing-."
"You know Eisei, in the time you're taking to bitch you could have finished getting me this guy's frequency." Mikomi interrupts smiling. "And don't worry bout the chief, I'll take the blame."
Eisei sighs and pauses for a second before answering unenthusiastically, "Fine, give me a sec."
'Good, while he does that I'm going to catch up to this little mouse.' Mikomi says to herself as she slowly creeps up on Taiwa.
'Ok, I think I lost them.' Taiwa thinks to himself before slightly turning his neck to see a security bike getting closer, 'What? You gotta be kidding me.'
Taiwa faces the front again and tries to lose the new pursuer.
"Got it." Eisei says quickly, "You're connected."
"Thanks Eisei, you're the best." Mikomi encourages before switching the frequency to Taiwa's. "Taiwa Wakari this is your last warning, pull over and surrender yourself."
The call startles Taiwa before he realizes what's happening.
"Why do I have to surrender? I didn't do anything." Taiwa responds.
"That's not what I heard, but have it your way; if you refuse I'm going to have to make you surrender by force."
Mikomi pushes the touch screen at the front of her bike activating the internal computer.
"Duel mode on…Speed World activated." the computer says.
The computer on Taiwa's D-wheel flashes on, catching the teen's attention as it says the same thing.
"I was afraid of that." Taiwa says as the duel disc activates, shuffling his deck.
The computers simultaneously emit a virtual aura that surrounds both bikes.
"Auto Pilot engaged." the computers say.
"For the last time, I didn't do anything." Taiwa says becoming agitated. "Why would I want to do anything to my best friend?"
"Well in my line of work friends are the ones that do the worst things to each other, friendship is an empty bond that is easily broken." Mikomi begins to say, "But if you insist that you're innocent prove it by defeating me and you'll go free."
A stern look comes over Taiwa's face, "Fine, let's do this."
Both duelists draw their first five cards as the computers flash "4000 life points".
"I'll let you start things off criminal." Mikomi says with a smile.
The word strikes Taiwa and makes him grit his teeth as he draws a card. He glances at the card and then pulls another one from the other five and places it on the duel disc in front of him.
"I'll summon my Echo-Lancer Treble in attack mode." Taiwa says as a portal appears alongside his D-Wheel.
Out of the portal emerges a mechanical lion who roars as it runs alongside Taiwa's D-Wheel (1500 Atk).
"I'll end my turn."
"My my what a cute little kitty cat." Mikomi insults as she draws a card, "Let's see what it can do against this!"
Speed Counter: Taiwa 1 Mikomi 1
"I'll summon Dewdark of the Ice Barrier in attack mode."
A portal appears on Mikomi's side as a ninja in a purple and blue jumpsuit leaps out. (1200 Atk)
'What is she up to?' Taiwa thinks to himself, befuddled as to why she has summoned a weaker monster.
"What's wrong criminal? You look confused." Mikomi sneers as she points to Taiwa, "Dewdark, attack!"
'Is she nuts?' Taiwa thinks as the ninja jumps in the air and throws ice kunai toward him, "Treble intercept that attack and destroy her monster."
On his orders, the mechanical lion pounces in the direction of the kunai to destroy them when the kunai maneuver around Taiwa's monster.
"What the!"
The ice kunai fly through the air and strike Taiwa in the back. The youngster grimaces as his life points drop. (2800 LP)
Speed Counter: Taiwa 0 Mikomi 1
With the decrease in speed, Mikomi's D-Wheel rides side to side with Taiwa's. The security officer turns to her suspect.
"Hello there, I finally get to see your face." Mikomi says as Taiwa recovers from the attack and looks at her. "Not bad."
"How… did you?" Taiwa begins to ask before being cut off.
"Hah, you underestimate me criminal." Mikomi laughs, "That's my monster's special ability, when the only monsters on my field have a level of two or lower, my Dewdark can attack you directly"
The two D-Wheels drive around the stalled cars until they finally make a turn onto a back street to get away from the traffic.
"I set a card face down and end my turn."
Speed Counter: Taiwa 1 Mikomi 2
"Now let's see how you bounce back on this turn criminal."
"I am no criminal!" Taiwa yells as he draws his card, "Come out Reverbera!"
Taiwa places the card down on the duel disc as a woman android appears in front of his D-Wheel next to Treble. (1600 Atk)
"Oooo getting a little heated I see." Mikomi instigates, "I like that, show me what you got!"
'She's trying to get me off my game.' Taiwa thinks as he stares at the duel screen to see the face down card on Mikomi's field, 'It has to be a trap, but I can't just sit here and wait.'
"Reverbera attack Dewdark with reverberating rush."
Reverbera dashes at the ninja ready to attack.
"Heh too predictable, I activate my trap." Mikomi says as she pushes a button revealing her face down, "Go, Dimensional Ice Mirror."
All of a sudden a mirror appears in front of her ninja as a reflection of Reverbera rushes toward the original. Taiwa's monster attacks the mirror just as the reflection attacks Reverbera. The attacks shatter the mirror causing the shards of glass to hit both duelists.
"What the hell was that?" Taiwa asks.
"My mirror negates your monster's attack, but we both take damage equal to half of its attack points." Mikomi informs with a smile, "Oh and it also ends the battle phase."
Taiwa stares at Mikomi before looking forward down the street as their life points drop.
Lifepoints: Taiwa 2000, Mikomi 3200
"I place one card face down." Taiwa says placing the card down and then pointing to Treble, "And then I activate Treble's special effect; once per turn I can choose one monster on my opponent's field and that monster can't attack or change its position until their end phase."
Mikomi turns to her opponent intrigued.
"Can you guess which monster I'm going to choose?" Taiwa asks sarcastically.
Mikomi doesn't say anything as she stares at him sternly as he smiles.
"Go Treble!"
The mechanical lion turns to Mikomi's ninja and lets out a loud roar that seemingly paralyzes the monster.
"I end my turn."
Speed Counter: Taiwa 2 Mikomi 3
"You think you're smart huh? I draw." Mikomi says drawing her card when her eyes widen from the card she just pulled, "Don't think just because you prevented me from attacking you directly that you have control of this duel."
Taiwa tightens the grip on the handles of his D-Wheel to brace himself for what is coming.
"I activate the effect of the Speed Unit of the Ice Barrier in my hand; by sending it to the graveyard I can special summon another Ice Barrier monster from my deck just for this turn." Mikomi informs Taiwa as she discards the card as another card comes out of her deck.
"Another monster?"
"Yup and I choose Pilgrim of the Ice Barrier."
Mikomi grabs the card from her deck and summons it. A sage with tattoos covering its arms appears next to her ninja. (1500 Atk)
"Next I summon Samurai of the Ice Barrier."
The security officer lays down another card as a blue samurai appears with her other two monsters. (1800 Atk)
"Are you ready criminal? I now tune my level two Dewdark to my level four Pilgrim."
Dewdark disappears into two rings around Pilgrim causing it to fade away until there are four stars inside the rings. A beam of light comes through the middle that causes Taiwa to shield his eyes.
'Don't tell me she's going to-.' Taiwa thinks to himself as he struggles to see through the light.
"Synchro summon! Bow down to Dewloren, Tiger King of the Ice Barrier!"
Out of the light appears, with a thundering roar, a giant blue tiger dressed in royal armament and ice spikes growing out of its shoulders. (2000 Atk)
'This is going to be bad.'
Elsewhere…
"Someone get me a status report on officer Mikomi's pursuit of the suspect." the police chief orders as he and the rest of his officers start to make their way around the traffic.
"Chief, the copter has been sent out and should be catching up with the chase shortly." an officer informs over the radio.
"Good." the chief says as he maneuvers around the cars. 'Be careful Mikomi.'
Back to the duel…
"Dewloren destroy Treble with royal ice slash!"
The tiger pounces at the mechanical lion with claws extended.
"Not yet security, I activate my trap; Supersonic!"
"What?"
A face down card on Taiwa's side of the field appears and reveals itself. Treble looks at the leaping tiger and lets out a screeching sound from its mouth. The sound engulfs Dewloren stopping its attack while disorienting the beast.
"Supersonic lets me change your attack to another monster on my field." Taiwa explains, "And since I have only one other monster, your tiger will attack Reverbera."
Dewloren quickly looks to the android and pounces on top of it destroying the machine. Taiwa grimaces from the hit. (1600 LP)
"What a difference your trap made." Mikomi states sarcastically, "I still destroyed a monster and hit your life points."
"Well officer, it's you who is now underestimating me." Taiwa replies smiling as a transparent Reverbera appears alongside him.
"Wait, what's your monster doing back?"
"Whenever Reverbera is destroyed as a result of battle, the controller of that monster loses life points equal to the attacking monster's level x300."
Shock comes over the security officer's face.
"And since your cat is a level six monster you take 1800 points of damage, now go Reverbera!"
Reverbera dashes in front of Mikomi's D-Wheel and extends its arms out with its hands open revealing speakers. Sound waves emit from these speakers hitting Mikomi. (1400 LP)
Speed Counter: Taiwa 2 Mikomi 2
The decrease causes Mikomi to fall behind Taiwa once again.
"Grrr you little shit, take this! Samurai attack Treble." She yells, frustrated.
The samurai leaps and slashes down on the mechanical lion destroying it. The backlash hits Taiwa causing his D-Wheel to swerve a little. (1300 LP)
"Monster effect activate." Taiwa yells as he regains balance, "Once Treble is destroyed as a result of battle, the monster that destroyed it is changed to defense position."
The blue samurai kneels down into defense position before disintegrating. The dust from the disintegration gathers onto Mikomi's deck. The top card glows as she draws it.
"Once my Samurai is switched to defense mode it is destroyed, but I get to draw one card." Mikomi explains looking at the new card. "So you knew my monster's weakness, that doesn't mean this duel is over just yet!"
'If only she knew, I had no idea that would happen.' Taiwa thinks before looking at the duel screen, 'But she's uneasy now, her anger is getting the best of her.'
Both D-Wheel's jump a gap in the road and drive into a dried up waterway.
"I place two cards face down and end my turn."
Speed Counter: Taiwa 3 Mikomi 3
"Ok it's my turn." Taiwa says drawing his card, "I activate the speed spell Angel Baton, with this I can draw two cards as long as I discard one from my hand."
Taiwa draws his new cards and sends one to the graveyard.
"Next I summon Echo-Lancer Resonance in defense mode."
A portal opens when a male android appears and kneels defending itself. (800 Def)
"Then I'll use Resonance's special ability, once per turn I can special summon an Echo-Lancer monster from my graveyard whose level is equal to the number of monsters on my side of the field." Taiwa states as Resonance slams the floor with its palm causing a ray of light to shine.
"That means!"
"Yup, since I have one monster I'm going to special summon the level one tuner monster Echo-Lancer Whisper that I just discarded to the field in attack mode."
A mechanical mouse jumps out of the light. (300 Atk)
"Huh? What do you expect to do with that?" Mikomi laughs mocking the monster's strength.
The security's tiger roars frightening the timid mouse into hiding.
"You shouldn't insult those you don't understand." Taiwa says seriously as he throws his arm back with his open palm facing Mikomi. "Now Whisper attack her directly!"
"A direct attack?"
The mechanical mouse hears the order and scurries passed the tiger attacking Mikomi. She brushes it off as she has become increasingly annoyed. (1100 LP)
"Then I'll play the speed spell Stealth Impact."
"What does that do?" Mikomi asks clenching her fists.
"After one of my monsters successfully attacks directly this card inflicts 500 points of damage."
A green aura surrounds the security officer as she takes the damage. (600 LP)
"Once Whisper deals damage it switches to defense mode." Taiwa informs as Whisper hides itself behind Resonance. (100 Def) "I place two cards face down and end my turn."
Speed Counter: Taiwa 4 Mikomi 4
"You'll pay for that; draw!" Mikomi draws her card and places it in her hand, "I reveal my trap Ice Spike, as long as this card is face up on the field when my monster attacks yours and has an attack higher than its defense I can deal the difference as damage."
Taiwa's eyes open at what he just heard. Mikomi grins as she points to Whisper.
"Now my prince, attack and destroy that little rodent and end this duel!"
The tiger charges at Taiwa's monster as he thinks about what to do.
'If I take the hit I'll lose the rest of my life points.' Taiwa thinks to himself before noticing what he has on the field, 'Unless…'
The tiger leaps over Resonance and gets ready to destroy the monster.
"It's over!"
Just as the beast's claws were going to connect, Resonance intercepts it and takes the attack. The claws rip through the chest of the monster destroying it. The backlash from the attack strikes Taiwa causing his life points to drop almost to nothing. (100 LP)
Speed Counter: Taiwa 3 Mikomi 4
"Wait, how did you-?" Mikomi begins to say before she realizes the trap card that was activated.
"Heh, by my In Tune trap card." Taiwa explains "When a tuner monster is the target of an attack, I can have another monster take the hit instead."
The dust from the last attack settles revealing Whisper unharmed.
"No, I will not have you take control of this duel; I place one card face down and activate my Cave In trap card." Mikomi yells angrily, "With this card out on the field I can send it to my graveyard on my next stand by phase and when I do it will inflict 300 points of damage for every card on my field."
"Shit, that will take me down to zero."
"Exactly, and with that I'll end my turn."
"I activate Resonance's special ability, at the end of the turn when it's destroyed by battle I can special summon an Echo-Lancer monster with 1500 attack points or less from my deck, and I choose Soprano."
A light shines from Taiwa's deck as another machine monster appears on the field. (1300 Atk)
"It makes no difference so go ahead criminal, make your last pathetic move."
The D-Wheels race down the water way as dark clouds begin to roll in.
Speed Counter: Taiwa 4 Mikomi 5
'Come on deck speak to me, I trust you will give me what I need.' Taiwa thinks to himself as he draws his card.
He flips it over to see what it is and smiles at the pull.
"I summon Echo-Lancer Ampli-Flyer in attack mode."
A mechanical eagle flies onto the field and lets out a scream. (1100 Atk)
"Now I tune my level one Whisper to my level two Ampli-Flyer and my level three Soprano."
Whisper turns into one large green ring and encompasses the other two monsters until they dissolve into five stars.
"The hush of the enemy lurks in the shadows. Drown them out with your overpowering will."
"A Synchro summoning?" Mikomi yells out loud, 'Dammit I was too careless.'
"Synchro summon! Reveal yourself Deafening Droid!"
From the beam of light radiating from the monsters emerges a giant machine with speakers mounted on its shoulders. (2600 Atk)
"This monster is huge…" Mikomi says astounded.
"Go Deafening Droid destroy her tiger with deaf wave!" Taiwa orders.
The volume meters on the machine's chest begin to glow and increase until the speakers blast an enormous sound wave that barrels towards Mikomi.
"Not so fast, I activate Dewloren's special ability; I can return all face up cards on my side of the field to increase its attack by 500 points for each card"
The two face up trap cards are sent back to Mikomi's hand while Dewloren roars with power. (3000 Atk)
"Now counter attack my prince, destroy this criminal's monster and bring him to justice!"
The tiger runs through the wave and gets ready to slash the machine.
"I will not allow you to carry out your twisted justice. I reveal my face down, Synchro Strike." Taiwa yells as the trap card flips open, "For every synchro material monster used in the synchro summon my droid gains 500 attack points."
The spirits of Ampli-Flyer, Whisper and Soprano appear and fuse with Deafening Droid increasing its power. (4100 Atk)
"You may have seen the darker side of friendships, but I'm telling you I would never hurt my friends." Taiwa exclaims to Mikomi as she takes what he says in. "I will go above and beyond for my friends just like my monsters are doing for me."
Dewloren comes closer just as Taiwa's monster launches a punch.
"You…you know nothing about me or this world!" Mikomi yells catching Taiwa off guard, "I won't let some ignorant fugitive scum defeat me, I activate the trap card Frost Bite!"
"Another trap?"
The two monsters collide as they destroy each other. The light and feed back cause both D-Wheels to swerve until the computers fizzle out and smoke. The duelists are thrown from their rides and hit the floor rolling.
Taiwa 0 LP Mikomi 0 LP
The duelists come to a halt as thunder is heard. It begins to rain with the cold water rinsing the blood from Taiwa's forehead as he opens his eyes slightly. The youth struggles to move and cringes when he feels a sharp pain in his arm. He realizes it is broken and cradles it against his chest. He breathes heavily as he peeks at Mikomi who is lying on the ground motionless. Taiwa closes his eyes and focuses to see if he can hear the officer's thoughts.
'Dammit, there's nothing.'
Taiwa falls back as fatigue hits him. The sound of a helicopter in the distance is the last sound he hears before passing out.