Before I get the chapter started, thanks go out to The Queen of Water for Favoriting and subscribing to this story, double chocolate cookie! And I'd also like to extend a welcome to Avia Jenith to this story, for she has added this to her Alerts list as well. If you guys like what you're seeing in this, then check out my other fanfics, Through Another's Eyes (Yu-Gi-Oh! Original series) and Heir to Hellsing (Hellsing manga). The same goes out to Annie Matsukaze for favoriting this story and adding me to her favorite Authors list. Cookies to all!
And of course, I can't leave out GetsuRoze, who's added me to her Favorite Authors and Author Alert lists. I can't thank you enough!
And thanks to my reviewers:
GetsuRoze, your review made my laugh my butt off! Here is the update you've been begging for, lol.
And no, Tsukuyomi-chan, I will not say who sent Yuma's deck…not yet, at least. I do have plans for the Arklight family later on, tho'…and I'm not tellin' what they are!
Thanks for the tip in your review, Kiyu—Word doesn't like Japanese names! And yesh, Kotori uses a WIND deck. I do intend to have duels in the future, but they won't be every freaking chapter…there's gotta be room for other content, too! (Like Yuma getting bored in class…ASDFGHJKLF)
Cookie for Maxxotic1, our newest reviewer! Yes, I intend on keeping this going.
And last but not least, our anonymous reviewer. The update is here!
Chapter4
Numbers Hunter
"I attack your Dragunity Dux with my Shocktopus!"
Yuma repressed a swearword. "Activate trap: Relieve Monster! I return my Dux to my hand to summon another monster in his place!"
Shark snorted derisively. "I counter with Seven Tools of the Bandit." He said. "Your Dux goes to the Graveyard."
Yuma LP: 1200
Shark LP: 3000
"I set a face-down and end my turn." Shark looked to Yuma across the field. "You're losing your touch, Yuma." He said.
Yuma didn't reply, only drew. The duel was only four turns in, and already Shark had depleted his Life Points to a mere 1200. Until now, Shark hadn't lost any LP; Yuma hadn't been able to touch him. Currently Shark had Shocktopus and Jawsman on his field, and two facedowns, whereas Yuma had nothing.
"I summon Dragunity Pilum, and I'll use his effect to summon Dragunity Militum in attack mode!" Yuma said. "And next I'll use Militum's effect to Special Summon Pilum back from my Spell and Trap zone."
Shark merely raised an eyebrow. He probably sees this coming, Yuma thought, but continued anyway.
"I tune my Dragunity Militum to my Dragunity Pilum! Descend, Dragunity Knight Trident!" He pointed to Shark's Shocktopus. "Trident, attack his Shocktopus!"
Shark didn't do anything to prevent his monster's destruction. Instead, he activated a trap he'd set. "I activate the effect of Life Shield. For every card I discard from my hand, up to 1000 points of attack damage is negated." He sent one of his cards to his graveyard, and his Life Points remained untouched as a result. "You also activated Shocktopus's effect. He now equips himself to your monster."
Yuma grimaced, remembering the effect. "And my Trident loses his Attack Points and is stuck in position."
"Good to see your memory hasn't completely left you," Shark said. "Are you done?"
Yuma nodded sullenly.
"Good. Then I draw. Looks like the Duel's over, Yuma." Shark said. "I attack your Dragunity Knight with Jawsman."
Yuma: 0
Shark: 3000
-WINNER: KAMISHIRO RYOGA-
The AR field dissolved as Yuma removed his D-Gazer. He took his deck from his D-Pad and returned it to the case at his waist without saying a word.
Shark strode up to him and crossed his arms. "You know, after four years, I would've expected you to have improved." He said. "Guess I got disappointed."
"Shut up, Ryoga." Yuma said, not using his rival's nickname for once.
Shark ignored the comment. "Your new deck doesn't suit you."
Yuma paused at the comment. "What?"
"I said, your new deck doesn't suit you." Shark repeated. "You should've been using your old one. The one your father gave you…the one you and Astral dueled with."
Yuma glared at the violet-haired boy. "I already told you why I don't." He said. "I don't duel. Not with that deck. Not anymore."
"And I think it's a stupid reason." Shark replied. He turned his back to Yuma. "See you next class."
Yuma returned to his place between Tōya and Zei. "What was that about?" Zei asked.
"I don't want to talk about it." Yuma mumbled. Zei pressed on, but Yuma still refused to answer, so much so that he was silent for the entire following class.
Once school was out, Kotori tracked him down. "Yuma! Get back here, you idiot!"
Tōya shot him a glance and gave him a joking smirk. Yuma rolled his eyes and elbowed past him to Kotori—who looked a bit ticked off. The only thought on Yuma's mind was Oh god, what've I done now?
"Uh, whatever I did, I'm sorry?" He asked tentatively.
The reply he got was a hard, solid slap across his face.
"Ouch! What was that for?!"
"For being an idiot!" Kotori snapped.
"Wha—how the hell was I being an idiot?" Yuma shot back. "Is this still about me leaving Heartland?!"
"Yes…but it's not the reason I'm mad." Kotori replied. "You threw that duel against Shark. I saw it! You two should have been evenly matched! But no, Shark didn't just beat you; he clobbered you!" SMACK. Another slap.
"Yeowch! Will you cut that out?! I didn't throw the duel!" Yuma protested. "I just, I…." he trailed off, not knowing a good way to counter her argument. In truth, most of it was valid, but still….
"Not from what I saw." Kotori snapped. "And, like it as not, I'm on Shark's side; you should be using your father's—no, your—deck, Yuma. You know it better, and…it knows you. Not those Dragunities you've got now."
Yuma's expression turned sad. "You know I can't do that, Kotori."
Kotori studied him for several long moments, and then started past him in a huff. "Fine, then." She said. "Have it your way. Stubborn ass."
Yuma stared after her, rubbing his sore cheek. She has gotten pretty, he thought. He shook his head, bonking himself. "Gah, quit thinking like that! She's not—" he caught himself, almost saying the last two words; your girlfriend.
Could've fooled me, considering how sweet you were on her back then.
I was not sweet on her! Oh, geez, I'm going insane; I'm having a conversation with voices in my head. Not good. He shook off the weird conversation before rejoining Zei and Tōya.
"So…she your ex-girlfriend or something?" Zei asked, grinning.
"No. She's never been my girlfriend." Yuma made the denial for the second time in as many minutes. "Pissed as hell at me, though."
"Naw, ya think?" Tōya asked. "You two had everyone staring at you guys, you were yelling so loud. What's this about your old deck? Running away from Heartland?"
"Yeah…and during the duel this morning, Shark said something about your deck not suiting you." Zei added. "He said that you should be using your old deck too. And something about a guy called Astral…."
"Shut up. I don't want to talk about it, and there's no way in the pits of hell that you'll get me to spill." Yuma said sharply. Maybe a little too sharply, seeing the looks on their faces.
"Fine, have it your way." Tōya grumbled. "Just remember, you're gonna have to explain eventually. It's pretty clear that you know Mizuki and Shark."
Yuma didn't reply, only grunted assent. Yeah, I know them…but I wish they hadn't showed up here. He shoved his hand in his pocket and clenched his fist around the Key. For a moment, it got hot. Really hot. He yanked his hand out with a hiss, the Key still in his fist.
"Yuma? What's wrong?"
Yuma didn't answer automatically, just gingerly opened his fist. The skin on his palm and fingers was reddened from the burst of heat. Now it was more of a mild pulsing. Not like a heartbeat, like when Astral inhabited it, but more like a radar beacon. It took Yuma a moment to register that it could be reacting to one thing.
"Numbers…" he clenched his fist again and ran off, Zei and Tōya trailing behind him.
"Damn it, Yuma! Can't you explain?!" Zei protested as Yuma led them down a side street, then off to another, the pulsing getting more frequent all the time. As he headed down another street, he didn't even register a purple-haired student coming the opposite way—
"AUGH! Watch it, Tsukumo!" Shark griped as he picked himself up off the ground. He and Yuma had collided, causing Zei and Tōya to try and put on the breaks in time…and failing. Shark was presently rubbing the spot on his forehead where he and Yuma had knocked skulls. There was a similar sore spot on Yuma's forehead as well. "What's got your ass?"
"Nuh…nuh…" Yuma groaned, panting and massaging his own sore spot.
Shark got the message. "Numbers." He said. He fished in his Extra Deck case and pulled out a familiar card: Shark Drake. It was glowing softly, a silver-white light from the image. "Let me guess; you've got the Key on you?"
Yuma nodded. "Burned my hand…I didn't know it could pick up Numbers cards without Astral."
Shark was about to say something when Zei interrupted. "Whoa, whoa, whoa! Explanations, please! What's a Numbers card? Who's Astral? What's with the freaky key you two're talking about? How come you two know each other? Why didn't you tell me you knew Ryoga "Shark" Kamishiro?! And does anyone have any Cheetoes?"
"Zei, down." Tōya said, pulling Zei out from between the two boys. "Though, he's got a point; it would be really helpful if you two explained what the hell's going on."
Shark shot Yuma an accusing look. "All right, all right; I'll give you guys the short version. You're going to think I'm crazy, though." He said in defeat.
"Dude, we knew you were crazy the day we met." Tōya said. "Need I mention the skateboard on the stairs?"
"No, and I really don't want to be reminded of that right now." Yuma sighed. "All right, short version: there's ninety-nine cards called Numbers Cards. If someone gets hold of them—well, excluding me, Shark, and another person—they get possessed, and essentially…uh, sorta turn into a demented version of themselves. Then again, Shark's pretty demented to begin with…."
"On topic, Tsukumo, or I just might send you flying."
"All right, already. The only reason I'm not possessed by them is because of a guy called Astral who's from another world, and has no memories. According to him, the Numbers Cards are bits of his memory." Yuma finished. "We good now?"
Zei and Tōya were just staring at Yuma. "And…I'm assuming that whole Heartland business has something in it, too." Tōya said.
"I'm from Heartland, yeah." Yuma said. He pointed to Shark. "It's also why I know Shark and Kotori."
"Great, so we all know what's going on now." Zei said. "Just one question now; is there anything about you, Yuma, that is true?"
"Yeah." Yuma replied. "I hate math and my English sucks."
Shark whacked him over the head. "And, as I'm hoping you two already noticed, he's an idiot."
"I am not!"
Shark snorted. "Riiiight. We'll get back to that. Right now, we've got a bit of a Numbers crisis." And with that statement, he grabbed Yuma by the arm and dragged him off to another side street, Zei and Tōya trailing behind.
"Aw, man…all this running is getting annoying!" Zei complained.
"Says the surfer," Tōya sighed.
"So…what all happened after I left, anyway?" Yuma asked. "I'm assuming since you won the WDC, that means that you beat Tron, too."
Shark nodded. "And you'll be not so happy to know that Faker's still on the loose." He said. "Last I knew, Kaito was still working for him…reluctantly."
Yuma was about to ask what that meant before the Key seared again. "Ow! I think we're close."
"What gave you that—" Shark started to ask the sarcastic question when a shriek rent the air. He motioned to Yuma to put his D-Gazer on as he activated his own eyepiece.
Yuma followed suit, and he gasped when he saw what was making the shriek. "That's…Galaxy Eyes." He said.
Shark only nodded. "C'mon. It's close." And he continued on track, this time not pulling Yuma along. He didn't need to; Yuma followed anyway.
Sure enough, two blocks away, a familiar figure in a white trench coat was dueling a man with a mad fire in his eyes. Key word here being was: as the two reached the duel, Galaxy Eyes dissolved into shards of light, causing Kaito's Life Points to drop to zero.
The AR link dissolved as Kaito's coat returned to its normal dark gray. He was breathing hard, and there was a deep cut on the back of his hand. Yuma was about to say something when Kaito keeled over forward.
"Kaito!" Yuma called, running to Kaito's side. "Hey, wake up! Kaito!"
"We need to get him out of here." Shark said, nodding to the man. Yuma looked up, and the man who had been dueling Kaito was striding towards them.
Yuma stood. "Who are you and what happened to Kaito?" He asked.
"Oh. You know Faker's brat." The man said. He had jet-black hair that fell loose around his shoulders, slightly tanned skin, and acid green eyes. He was wearing what looked like a business suit, with a clip on the tie that looked familiar. "He just passed out. My guess is that he overexerted himself. I'm just here to take his Numbers…and his powers."
"Not happening." Shark said, stepping up. He had his deck in its slot already. "Duel me. If I win, you go."
The man looked to him with a bored expression. "No." he said simply. "There's someone else here I want to duel." He turned to Yuma as he pulled a card out of his Extra Deck case. "This look familiar, kid?"
Yuma's breath caught in his throat. "Kibou Ou Hope…" He whispered.
"That's right; it was his card, wasn't it?" The man asked.
"Yuma, take Kaito and go." Shark said. From the look on his face, he meant business.
Yuma shook his head. "No. I'm going to duel him." He said, inserting his own deck into his D-Pad.
Shark shook his head. "Not from that performance this morning," He grumbled, but stepped back. This was when Zei and Tōya decided to show up.
"What the—?"
"Great; more idiots." Shark groaned. "You'd better know what you're doing, Yuma."
So do I, Yuma thought, activating his D-Pad. So do I….
Cards Used
Shocktopus
ATK: 1600/DEF: 800
Attribute: WATER
Type: Fish
Level 4
When this monster is destroyed as a result of battle with an opponent's monster and sent to the Graveyard: You can equip this card to your opponent's monster. That monster's ATK becomes 0 and it cannot change battle position.
-XXX-
Jawsman
ATK: 2600/DEF: 1600
Attribute: WATER
Type: Beast-Warrior
Level 6
Cannot be Special Summoned. If you Tribute Summon this card, all Tributes must be WATER. This card gains 300 ATK for each face-up WATER monster you control, except this card.
-XXX-
*Life Shield
Trap Card
Negate up to 1000 points of damage for every card you discard from your hand.
-XXX-
Seven Tools of the Bandit
Counter Trap Card
When a Trap Card is activated: Pay 1000 Life Points; negate the activation, and destroy it.
-XXX-
Dragunity Dux
ATK: 1500/DEF: 1000
Attribute: WIND
Type: Winged Beast
Level 4
This card gains 200 ATK for each face-up "Dragunity" card you control. When this card is Normal Summoned, you can select 1 Level 3 or lower Dragon-Type "Dragunity" monster in your Graveyard, and equip it to this card as an Equip Card.
-XXX-
Dragunity Pilum
ATK: 1400/DEF: 1000
Attribute: WIND
Type: Dragon/Tuner
Level 3
When this card is Normal Summoned, you can Special Summon 1 Winged Beast-Type "Dragunity" monster from your hand, then equip it with this card. While this card is equipped to a monster, that monster can attack your opponent directly. When you do, Battle Damage inflicted to your opponent (by the equipped monster) is halved.
-XXX-
Dragunity Militum
ATK: 1700/DEF: 1200
Attribute: WIND
Type: Winged Beast
Level 4
Once per turn, you can select 1 "Dragunity" card in your Spell & Trap Card Zone, and Special Summon it.
-XXX-
Dragunity Knight-Trident
ATK: 2400/DEF: 1700
Attribute: WIND
Type: Dragon/Synchro
Level 7
Once per turn, you can send up to 3 cards you control to the Graveyard to look at your opponent's Extra Deck and send an equal number of cards from there to the Graveyard.
*=This card is one that I designed for this story. Sadly, it does not show up in the anime or in the TCG. You're gonna be seeing a lot of these little stars, as I'm even creating a few archetypes for this story as well.
What will happen in Yuma's next duel? Who is this mystery man? Find out in the next chapter!