Kitten Knight: The following legend has nothing to do with a certain 5D's Anime character, you'll know which one in a second.
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Shadowchasers: Muru
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Round 04: Overwhelm
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In Aboriginal Australian mythology the Crow is often portrayed as a trickster, culture hero or ancestral being (or some combination of the three). Many tales depict the Crow's adventures, one such tale tells of how the Crow received his black feathers.
Long ago in the Dreamtime, the Crow's feathers were white. Crow often spent his days with his best friend Eagle. One day, the two decided to split up to hunt for food. "You go into the hills and hunt for kangaroo," said Crow, "and I'll go the billabong (a lake) and catch ducks for dinner".
Eagle agreed and the two went their separate ways. Eagle went into the hills to hunt kangaroo, while Crow went to the billabong to hunt ducks.
But Crow was sneaky and greedy, after he caught enough ducks, he light a fire to cook the ducks and ate them on the spot. That night he'd return to camp, telling Eagle he had no luck catching any ducks and the two would share Eagle's catch.
This continued for several days. As each day passed Eagle grew more and more suspicious of Crow, until one day he decided to secretly follow Crow down to the billabong.
Eagle watched as Crow caught some ducks and prepared a fire. As Crow began to cook the ducks, Eagle confronted him, calling him a lair. He then pushed Crow into the fire, causing him to scream in pain. Crow struggled to get up, but each time he did and enraged Eagle would throw him back down into the embers, his white feathers becoming more and more stained with ashes each time.
Eventually Eagle had had enough and released Crow, who raced down into the billabong and jumped straight in, he desperately tried to wash the ashes away.
But the ashes would not wash out, Crows feathers had been stained permanently black as punishment for his crimes.
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It hadn't been long since young Ezekiel had found the lost kobold (not that he knew the child's true face) and was now carrying her around on his shoulders.
While he didn't mind helping out the lost girl, he couldn't help but get a feeling that there was something more to this situation than a lost child. He tilted his head up at the girl, she appeared to be (at the very least) comfortable around him, but that feeling wasn't quite mutual.
The girl's skin felt rough, cold and slimy, she also smelt very strange, like an odd combination of wet dog and some kind of fruit-scented lotion. And occasion he'd feel something brush against his lower back.
"Kind of glad I'm an only child," he silently admitted.
"So um," Ezekiel asked, "what's your name?"
"Gertie," the girl quietly replied, her voice was rather high pitched - like a small dog's bark.
"Okay… I"m Ezekiel…"
A few moments of tense, awkward silence between the two followed.
"So, what's your mum look like?" said Ezekiel, breaking the silence.
Gertie perked up a little. "Red scales, white horns, a long tail, she's really pretty."
Ezekiel's eyes twitched, this girl certainly had an… active imagination. She sounded lie she was describing a lizard more then a mother…
"Maybe her mother really is a lizard," he thought.
He shuddered at that thought before mentally discarding it.
"I'll take you to security," said Ezekiel, "they'll help you find you mum. No matter what she looks like…"
Gertie nodded, holding back tears. Ezekiel could tell that while she may be comfortable around him, she was still clearly terrified.
But unaware to Ezekiel and Gertie, a familiar figure was watching them from a distance.
"Damn it," Kimba muttered, "I'm gonna have to rethink my plan."
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Derrilin sped his stolen D-Wheel along the Western Distributor Highway, cursing under his breath as he overtook another car.
Now, kenku were classified by the Shadowchaser as a species of Yōkai - supernatural monster from Japanese mythology - but due to the mysterious force that brings Shadowkind to Earth dropping them wherever it pleased, kenku appeared all over the planet (though most would migrate to Japan - where they felt they would belong).
"Which way, which way," Derrilin mumbled, "gotta get outta here, fast." He cursed again, he'd spent too much time plotting an escape route and not enough time acting trying to escape the city before…
Derrilin's heart skipped a beat as he checked his rear-view mirror. He saw a D-Wheel quickly catching up to him. It was a slightly older model, crimson in colour with a pair of yellow, reptilian eyes and sharp teeth painted on the front panel.
The D-Wheel itself looked bloodthirsty, the rider (despite wearing a helmet) more so.
The D-Wheel quickly covered the distance between it and Derrilin, in a matter of seconds it was alongside Derrilin. The rider turned his head to the thief.
"This is Matari Grant of the Sydney Shadowchasers," ordered the rider, "pull over now."
"Bite me," squawked Derrilin.
"Suit yourself," shrugged Matari, "you got a name?"
"Derrilin," the kenku sneer, "and do you really think that line makes you intimidating?"
"Well, yes," Matari replied.
Derrilin rolled his beady eyes. "How did you find me so fast? I though it would take a few more minutes at least."
"The owner was pretty proud of his ride," Matari answered, "but he was also pretty paranoid that someone would steal it. So had GPS tracking installed, just in case anyone decided to do that."
Derrilin grumbled and cursed under his breath, why he have to go for the shiniest D-Wheel he could find? He must've been sticking around Kimba too much.
"So Derrilin," Matari asked, "do we need to do this the easy way or the hard way?"
"Oh what do you think!" snapped Derrilin, taking out his deck. "I inovoke the Fair Fight Clause. Get ready to duel Shadowchaser."
"Sometimes I wonder why I bother asking that question," pondered Matari. He hit a button on his console, causing the Speed World 2 card to appear on the screen.
"Duel Mode Engaged," droned the console's computerised voice, as his duel disk shifted into place. "Requesting permission from city network."
"Access granted."
Lights lit up the roadway ahead, as cars one by one carefully vacated the lane.
"Let's get this over with," groaned Derrilin.
"Not very confident in your duelling skills?' teased Matari.
"No, actually they're quite refined," the kenku replied, "it's just I didn't feel like dealing with you. I've dealt with enough idoicy today."
"Well, the feeling's mutual, buddy."
"Duel!" both Derrilin and Matari announced, the AR-Field expanded around their vehicles.
(Derrilin:8000/Matari:8000)
"I'll make the first move," Matari announced, drawing five cards.
"You do that then," said Derrilin, doing the same.
Matari looked over his opening hand, then took two of them. "I'll set one card face down and summon Jurrac Velo."
A facedown card appeared one side of Matari's D-Wheel, while the colourful dinosaur appeared, running alongside his D-Wheel. (1700/1000)
"Sakuretsu Armor will protect Velo," Matari thought.
"Jurrac Velo," said Derrilin, "that's pretty much every Jurrac player's starting move my God, you're like a broken record."
"If it ain't broke, don't fix it," Matari replied, "that ends my turn."
Derrilin drew a card, both Speed Counters rose to one.
"I summon Mystic Tomato."
In a flash, a demonic looking tomato appeared, cackling as it bounced alongside Derrilin. (1400/1100)
"Then I set one card face down."
A facedown card flashed into existence before fading.
"That concludes my turn."
"Concludes?" asked Matari, drawing as the Speed Counters rose to two. "You must be the fanciest thief I've ever met."
"Go jump off the Harbour Bridge," spat Derrilin.
"Never mind," said Matari, playing a card, "I summon Jurrac Protops."
In a burst of flames, Jurrac Protops appeared alongside Velo. (1700-1800/1200)
"Like I said, broken record," scowled Derrilin, "your entire strategy is entirely offensive and in more ways than one."
"Whatever," Matari frowned, "attacking is how you win this game. Velo, attack his compost bin reject."
Velo gave Matari and strange look it didn't want to betray its carnivorous nature but that's what its master wanted. The Dinosaur charged at the evil produce, smashing it to pieces. (Derrilin LP:8000-7700)
"You do realise," said Derrilin, "that when Mystic Tomato is destroyed by battle, I can summon a Dark monster with fifteen hundred of less attack from my deck?"
A black portal opened up, and a second Mystic Tomato flew out.
"Well it's a good thing that Protops is a herbivore," said Matari, "He'll actually enjoy this."
Protops licked its lips and charged at the evil Plant, taking a massive chunk out of it in a single bite. (Derrilin LP:7700-7300)
"I use that one's effect to summon Clown Zombie," said Derrilin.
A sinister laugh echoed over the field. As a new monster appeared, an undead clown balancing on a large ball. It had an evil grin on its face as it twirled the scythe in its hands. (1350/0)
"Clown Zombie?" thought Matari, raising an eyebrow. "Probably just tribute fodder."
"I end my turn," the Shadowchaser announced.
Derrilin silently drew a card as their Speed Counters rose to three. "I set this monster face down," he said.
A reversed Monster appeared next to Clown Zombie. Causing Protops to roar. (ATK:1800-1900)
"As well as this card."
A facedown card joined his back row.
"And I'll finish up by switching Clown Zombie to defence."
The undead clown cackled and held its scythe in front of it, turning blue in the process.
"Playing defence are you?" said Matari, drawing as both sides gained another Speed Counter. "You do know how pointless that is against Jurracs, right?"
Derrilin said nothing, he just glared at Matari.
"You know," said Matari, "I haven't said you have the right to remain silent yet."
"Do you always crack stupid jokes?" scowled Derrilin.
"It helps relieve stress."
"But it won't stop you from becoming a smear on the road," frowned the kenku.
"We'll see about that," Matari replied, resuming play, "I summon Jurrac Guaiba."
In a burst of hot flames, the long-necked Jurrac appeared on the field. (1700/1400)
"Ugh," Derrilin groaned, "I can read you like a book."
"You like reading, do ya' buddy?" Matari chuckled, "Well here's one from the history books, Guaiba attack Clown Zombie."
Guaiba roared and raced at the undead clown, effortlessly biting it in half.
"And with Guaiba's effect," Matari continued, "I can Special Summon Jurrac Monoloph from my deck."
In a fiery flash, Monoloph appeared among the other Dinosaurs. (1500/1200)
"Predictable," spat Derrilin.
"But why stop there?" Matari continued, "Monoloph may not be able to attack this turn, but Velo can!"
Velo raced forward, praying that its prey wasn't a vegetable.
The Dinosaur bit into something fleshy, the arm of a large blue-furred bear. (1400/1200)
"Mother Grizzly," Matari shuddered, the painful memories of being slashed across the chest playing out in his mind.
The Beast-Warrior roared in pain and shattered.
"Don't seem to like that monster, do you?" taunted Derrilin, "so I'll summon another."
A blue-tinged portal opened up, and a second Mother Grizzly flew out.
"Protops attack that one!"
Protops charged into the blue bear, shattering it. (Derrilin LP:7300-6900)
"I use that one's effect to Special Summon Atlantean Pikeman!"
Another blue-tinged portal opened and a new monster flew out. An aquatic fish-man, armed with a long pike. (1400/0)
"Another Normal Monster?" Matari questioned, "what kind of nonsense strategy is this?"
"It's a very sane strategy," Derrilin replied, "now I believe its time for you to Tune Monoloph with Guaiba."
"You may have done your homework," retorted Matari, "but you're failing this test. I'll Tune Monoloph with Protops instead."
The two fiery dinosaurs flew into the air and dissolved into seven shining stars.
"Synchro Summon. Jurrac Giganoto!"
The light faded as Jurrac Giganoto dropped down to the field, landing with a loud crash before it began running alongside Matari's D-Wheel with Velo and Guaiba. (2100/1800)
"And so long as Giganoto is one the field," Matari explained, "all my Jurrac's get a little bonus."
"I know, I know," grumbled Derrilin, "two hundred for each Jurrac in your graveyard."
The spirits of Monoloph and Protops appeared behind Giganoto. (ATK:2100-2500) (ATK:1700-2100) (ATK:1700-2100)
"I end my turn."
The kenku smirked as he drew his card, as the rider's Speed Counters reached five. "Firstly, I activate Dust Tornado, to blow away your face down card."
Derrilin's Trap flipped up, and a tornado shot out, tearing Matari's set Sakuretsu Armor to pieces.
"That could have been a disaster if I ran into that," said Derrilin, with a hint of smugness in his voice. "Next I activate my other Trap, The League of Uniform Nomenclature, which lets me bring out two more Pikemen."
In a flash, two more Pikemen joined the first.
"Now my strategy comes into play," said Derrilin, "I summon Junk Synchron."
In a burst of energy, a small Monster appeared next to the Pikemen. It was a humanoid robot, resembling a mechanic in an orange vest with a silk scarf wrapped around its neck. (1300/500)
"Uh-oh," Matari gasped, realising the whole point to his opponent's strategy, and there was nothing he could do about it now.
"And when this guy is Normal Summoned," continued Derrilin, "I can Special Summon a level two Monster from my graveyard."
Clown Zombie reappeared, balancing on its ball.
"Now it's time to turn this duel around, Shadowchaser," said Derrilin, "I tune the level three Junk Synchron with the level two Clown Zombie!"
Junk Synchron pulled the ripcord on its back. Then it and Clown Zombie flew up into the air and changed into five shining stars.
"Synchro Summon! Junk Warrior!"
The Synchro Monster flew down from above. It appeared to be cobbled together out of spare parts and scrap metal (hence its name), with light blue armour and two heavy gauntlets around its arms. (2300/1300)
Matari gritted his teeth.
Derrilin chuckled. "And when Junk Warrior is Synchro Summoned, he gains attack equal to the total attack of every level two or lower Monster I control, and with three Atlantean Pikemen on my field, that's…"
Junk Warrior's fists glowed with energy. (ATK:2300-6500)
"A whole lot."
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Back in the Harbourside Mall, Ezekiel and Gertie were still looking for the security deck. The young kobold was still atop Ezekiel's shoulders.
"Really wish I was here more often," Ezekiel muttered, "we'd find the security desk in no time."
He scanned the map in front of him and Gertie. "Okay…" he said, pointing to a location on the map, "we are here," his finger moved to another spot, "and we need to get here. He looked up at Gertie, "ready to go?"
Gertie nodded.
Ezekiel turned around, being careful to keep his balance, only to freeze in place when he came face to face with a rather tall man blocking his way. He was standing in a position that made it clear he was standing there for a while.
"Hello," said the man.
Ezekiel narrowed his gaze at the "man" in front of him. His skin was sickeningly pale with thin limbs, his hair was a mess of tangled black knots and his oversized nose stuck a long way out in front of his face. His gaze was also very off-putting, there was something almost… inhuman about it.
"Um, excuse me?" Ezekiel asked.
Ezekiel hoisted Gertie off his shoulders, careful not to remove his gaze from the man in front of him.
He let go of Gertie, and almost immediately she cowered behind him. She didn't like the look of the man in front of them.
"It's okay honey," Kimba said softly, "I won't hurt you. I'm a security officer."
Gertie squirmed, clearly terrified of this man. Ezekiel was pretty skeptical of him too.
"Where's your uniform?" he asked.
"I'm undercover," Kimba replied.
"An undercover security officer?" Ezekiel asked, raising an eyebrow, "those things exist?"
"Oh yes, yes," Kimba falsely reassured the pair, "I'm out looking for a lost girl…" his eyes set themselves on Gertie, who clung tightly to Ezekiel's leg.
Ezekiel gritted his teeth and winced in pain, it felt like claws were digging into his leg. He looked at Kimba, he didn't trust this guy one bit.
"Come with me girl," sneered Kimba, beckoning to her with his talons, "I'll take you to your mother."
"Hold on," said Ezekiel, stepping between the two Shadowkind, "what her name?"
Kimba stepped back in shock. "Umm, her name?" he stammered, "Umm, umm. I wasn't listening when she said it."
"So let me get this straight," said Ezekiel, "you're an "undercover" security guard, and when a grieving mother asks you to help look for her lost child, you didn't even bother to learn her name?"
"Uhh… it's been a long week," Kimba hesitantly replied.
"You're either the worst security guard ever," said Ezekiel, "or not even a security guard at all."
Kimba glared at the youth. "You little shit!" he snapped, raising his talons to swipe at the youth.
But Ezekiel was just that little bit faster, he gave Kimba a fast but powerful shove, even with his tall, spindly body, the faux-security guard was much lighter than he had expected.
Kimba tumbled over onto his back, a several small knives flew from his pockets.
Ezekiel's eyes opened wide as he saw the knives. "Run, run!" he said, grabbing Gertie and running off in the other direction.
"Get back here!" Kimba fruitlessly ordered, scrambling got pick up his knives.
Kimba stood up and raced in the direction the two had taken off in, they were long gone, but with his superior speed and agility, he could catch them in no time.
But then he stopped and realised something, that kid had shoved him rather hard, and before he could make a swipe at him on top of that. There was only one explanation of how he could let that happen…
And it definitely wasn't due to overestimating his own abilities…
"Shadowchaser," he muttered.
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"Junk Warrior attack Guaiba!" Derrilin ordered, "Scrap fist!"
Junk Warrior flew forward and slammed Guaiba with its fist. The Dinosaur was sent bouncing back down the highway, shattering on the fourth bounce.
Matari and his D-Wheel wobbled violently as his life points dropped like a stone. (MLP:8000-3600)
"Ready to give up?" asked Derrilin.
"Not on your life pal," Matari replied. He grimaced, correcting his D-Wheel's motion put more strain on his aching body than he'd hoped. "Since I have another Jurrac in my graveyard, all my Jurracs gain more attack."
Guaiba's spirit appeared Giganoto. (ATK:2500-2700) (ATK:2100-2300)
"You'd have to send your whole deck to the graveyard to even hope to match Junk Warrior's power," bragged Derrilin, taking a card from his hand. "I'll set this card face down and end my turn."
Matari silently drew as his and Derrilin's Speed Counters rose to six.
"I've gotta find a way to beat that thing," he thought, looking at the three cards in his hand: Jurrac Tyrannus, Jurrac Dino and Sabersaurus. "Nothing useful here." He then looked at the card he drew. "Please be something good."
Matari played the card. "I activate Speed Spell - Angel Baton, so now I can draw two cards…" He drew two cards.
"Then discard one card from my hand."
He then discarded a card, one of which he'd drawn with Angel Baton.
"Draw anything worthwhile?" asked Derrilin.
"That's for me to know, and for you to find out," Matari replied, looking at the card he kept, Call of the Haunted. He then grabbed another card, "I summon Jurrac Dino."
A burst of fire erupted on the field, and a new monster leapt out. It was a small and pudgy dinosaur, it stood bipedal with four-clawed hands and feet. (1700-2300/800)
"All right guys," said Matari, "charge!"
Giganoto, Velo and Dino roared.
"Stop right there!" shouted Derrilin, his Trap Card flipping up, "I activate Fiendish Chain!"
A chain of dark energy shot of the Trap Card, wrapping itself around Giganoto's legs and tripping the dinosaur over. Velo and Dino had to dive out of the way to avoid being crushed.
"This Trap prevents your Monster from attacking," said Derrilin, "as well as negating its effects."
Giganoto growled and roared in pain as the chains electrocuted it. (ATK:2700-2100) (ATK:2100-1700) (ATK:2100-1700)
"My team may be weakened," said Matari, "but it's not out yet!"
Velo rushed forward and bit into one of the Pikemen, shattering it. (DLP:6900-6600)
Dino swiped another Pikemen with its claws, shattering it as well. (DLP:6600-6300)
"I'll give you points for trying," said Derrilin, "but that won't weaken Junk Warrior."
"I know, I know," said Matari, "but I'm not letting you run me over with a bunch of fish filets."
"But now you've left yourself open to Junk Warrior," Derrilin said with a grin, "I'm kind of looking forward to seeing you getting flung from your D-Wheel. Wonder just how far you'll fly."
"The only one flying here is you!" shouted Matari, grabbing the Call of the Haunted Card and setting it. "I end my turn with one card face down."
A face down card appeared behind Matari's Monsters and quickly disappeared.
"Which means that I can use Dino's effect."
"Effect?" parroted Derrilin, "during the End Phase?"
"Don't worry," Matari replied, "Junk Warrior is safe… For now. Dino's effect can only be used if it manages to destroy a Monster by battle this turn, which it did.
"All I have to do is give up one of my Jurracs, so goodbye Giganoto. "
The restrained Synchro Dinosaur disappeared, leaving the dark chains to fall to the ground.
"And then I can draw two cards," said Matari, making two draws.
The Shadowchaser looked at the two cards he'd drawn: Prideful Roar and Survival Instinct. "I think I've just found my way out of this mess, just gotta survive this turn. I sure hope this works."
Derrilin slowly drew a card as the Speed Counter rose to seven apiece. His gaze switched between Matari and the Card he had set.
"I don't know if that face down card is a bluff or not," the kenku thought, "but if I sit around and wait, he'll gather enough Speed Counters to destroy Junk Warrior with Speed World 2's effect."
Derrilin looked at his hand, then up at Junk Warrior. "Attack Jurrac Dino," he ordered.
Junk Warrior flew toward Dino and punched it, sending the Dinosaur soaring across the road and shattering against a street light.
The attack kicked up a cloud of dust over Matari, obscuring him from Derrilin's vision.
The kenku laughed, and sped up. "I'll be having an ice cold beer in Canberra by sundown!" he cackled.
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Zephyr touched down in Tumbalong park, making sure to land out of sight. There had been quite a few times where Wendy had to deal with Mundanes claiming that the had seen her in the air, leading Wendy to give a rather awkward explanation - something she'd like to avoid.
Wendy unclipped herself from the saddle and slid off Zephyr's back. "Good girl," she said, petting the gryphon on top of the head.
Zephyr replied with an affectionate chirp.
"Stay close girl," said Wendy, pulling her scarf and goggles off her face, "I'll ask around if anyone has seen anything suspicious."
Wendy was about to take a step but stopped. "We better give Rowan a call, see if he can help out."
She unzipped a pocket on his jacket and pulled out an old mobile phone (Rowan had insisted that they all use these outdated devices) and dialled in a number.
She listened as the phone rang, and received no answer.
She sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose, then dialled the number again.
And again, she waited for Rowan to answer.
Wendy sighed. "Looks like we're on our own girl," she said.
Zephyr scratched her talons against the ground and shook her head.
"Matari and Arika are on patrol, we shouldn't disturb them.
"And besides, it's not like we need their help."
Zephyr lowered her head and huffed, sometimes her rider could be even more stubborn and full of pride that she was.
"Oh don't be like that girl," said Wendy , unzipping her other pocket and pulling out a small slice of meat wrapped in cling wrap.
The gryphon raised her head and fixated on the slice of meat, it was horse meat - any gryphon's favourite meal.
Wendy unwrapped the slice and threw it into the air, letting Zephyr snap it up in her beak and quickly devour it.
Zephyr fixated her gaze on Wendy, eager for another slice of meat.
Wendy smiled and turned around. "Come on girl, I'll give you another slice after we wrap this case up."
Zephyr scratched her talons against the ground in excitement, then - in just as eager fashion - trotted behind her rider.
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"Funny you should say that," said Matari as his D-Wheel rode out of the dust cloud, Velo following close behind, "I was thinking the exact same thing, except maybe not the Canberra part."
Derrilin's head twisted around, and he looked wide-eyes at his opponent. "How?" he screamed, looking at his console - Matari's face down was still set.
His answer came as a new Monster charged out of the dust cloud. A metallic stegosaurus, with razor sharp spines along its back. (1200/2400)
"That's my Stegocyber," Matari explained, "I discarded it with Angel Baton last turn."
"That still doesn't explain how you survived," Derrilin flatly stated.
"I'm getting to that," Matari replied, "Stegocyber has a powerful effect, if I would take Battle Damage while it's in my graveyard, I can reduce the damage I take to zero and Special Summon him. All at the cost of one thousand life points."
A black aura surrounded Matari, causing him to cringe. (MLP:3600-2600)
"So you live another turn," said Derrilin, turning the Atlantean Pikeman card sideways.
The remaining fish man crouched down and protected himself with his weapon.
"I end my turn."
Matari drew a card, staring down at the six-thousand five-hundred attack point Junk Warrior staring him down.
He looked at the five cards in his hand and hit a button on his console. "I activate my facedown card, Call of the Haunted to bring back an old friend."
The Trap Card flipped up and flashed, and Jurrac Guaiba reappeared in a burst of scorching flame.
"So that card was nothing more than a bluff," noted Kimba, "to distract me from your real defence. You're a little smarter than I anticipated. I better not let something like that happen again."
"You're just lucky it wasn't Mirror Force," said Matari, "or Junk Warrior would be nothing more than a pile of scraps."
"Junk Warrior is already a pile of scraps."
"Well it'd be smaller piles of scraps!" said Matari, "but until I get the means to do that. Guaiba attack your last Pikeman!"
The long-necked dinosaur roared and raced forward. Sinking its jaws into the defenceless fish man, which shattered like glass in an instant.
"And then I'll use Guaiba's effect to summon Jurrac Ptera!"
In another burst of red hot flames, the flaming, winged-retile appeared on the field, curling up defensively.
"Let me take a wild guess," Derrilin scowled, "Staunch Defender, Shift, something that would force me to attack Ptera and return Junk Warrior to my Extra Deck."
"Sorry, but you're so cold my Dinosaurs are freezing to death," smirked the Shadowchaser, grabbing a card and playing it, "I'm bringing out the big guns to deal with your Monster."
Velo and Guaiba disappeared and in their place rose a mighty behemoth, towering above Stegocyber and Ptera. Clearly based on the most well-known species of Dinosaur, a Tyrannosaurus Rex. (2500/1400)
"Say hello the tyrant lizard king! Jurrac Tyrannus!"
"It's four-thousand points weaker than Junk Warrior," Derrilin stated, not even looking slightly impressed.
"Well, then I'll just have to close that gap!" Matari replied, "I use Tyrannus' effect, sacrificing both Stegocyber and Ptera, I can give Tyrannus an extra five-hundred attack for each."
Ptera and Stegocyber dissipated into golden pixels, which flew into Tyrannus. (ATK:2500-3500)
Matari then slid the Stegocyber card into his pocket. "Of course, if Stegocyber is Summoned by his effect, he gets banished after leaving the field."
Derrilin chuckled. "You do realise that you wasted all those resources powering up your Monster, and I can still take the both of you out in one hit."
"Ooops," Matari smiled, "I was always bad at math in school, come to think of it, I was bad in most subjects. I set these three cards face down and end my turn."
Two face down cards appeared above the road, then disappeared.
"Wait!" Derrilin yelled, "
"I just told you I was bad at math, didn't I?"
"I hate you," the kenku coldly stated, drawing a card as the Speed Counters rose to nine each.
"The pressure is on now," said Matari, "what are you going to do? Attack and potentially fall into my trap, or wait and let me blow up Junk Warrior with Speed World's effect?"
Derrilin gulped, he knew that despite having the most powerful Monster (by far), at this point Matari was the one in control of the duel. He could potentially punish his actions no matter what he did. This Shadowchaser was certainly smarter than he looked - and claimed.
The kenku looked through the four cards in his hand: Birthright, The Transmigration Prophecy, Emmisary of the Afterlife and Synchron Explorer.
He thought through his options, passing his turn right now would be suicide, there was only one option… As much as he didn't like it.
"Junk Warrior attack!" ordered Derrilin.
Junk Warrior nodded and flew at Tyrannus, raising its fist.
"Trap activate!" Matari yelled, one of his two Traps flipped up, "Survival Instinct! I banish every Dinosaur in my graveyard, and I gain four hundred life points for each one!"
Matari pulled Velo, Guaiba, Protops, Monoloph, Ptera, Dino and Giganoto out of his graveyard and placed them in his pocket. A golden aura then appeared around Matari and his D-Wheel. (MLP:2600-5400)
"Life point padding!" yelled Derrilin, "that was your big plan!"
"Not quite!" Matari replied, as Junk Warrior closed in on Tyrannus, "I activate my other Trap Card, Prideful Roar!"
"Shit!" Derrilin swore, he knew he was in trouble now.
Matari's other Trap flipped up, and a red aura appeared around both the D-Wheel rider and his fiery Dinosaur.
"First off," Matari grunted, the red aura clearly causing him pain, "I gotta pay life points equal to the difference in our Monster's attack scores."
"Three thousand," said Derrilin.
"About right," grunted Matari. (Matari LP:5400-2400)
"Then Tyrannus gains attack equal to the difference…"
The aura around Tyrannus intensified, powering up the fiery tyrant lizard.
"Plus three-hundred extra."
Tyrannus roared loud enough to shake the road. (ATK:3500-6800)
Junk Warrior punched Tyrannus, but the massive Dinosaur only staggered slightly backwards and retaliated by belching a huge ball fire, incinerating Junk Warrior.
Derrilin hung his head. (Derrilin LP:6300-6000)
"Just to add insult to injury," smirked Matari, "Tyrannus may lose the boost from Prideful Roar, but due to his own effect he gains three-hundred of it back."
The aura around Tyrannus disappeared. (ATK:6800-3800)
The kenku stared silently at his opponent, after a few seconds he spoke up. "I set a Monster, and two cards."
A face down Monster appeared beside the kenku's stolen D-Wheel, while two face downs appeared behind it.
"Aw, don't beat yourself up," said Matari, "that's my job!"
"And he's back with the jokes," groaned Derrilin.
"I like jokes," Matari said as he drew a card, the Speed Counters rising to ten each. "But I like Dinosaurs much more than I like jokes," said the Shadowchaser, playing another card, "so I'll bring out Sabersaurus."
The fiery portal opened again, and a large, red-scaled triceratops charged out. (1900/500)
"Alright it's about time for a counterattack," said Matari, "Sabersaurus attack!"
Sbaersuarus charged at Derrilin's set monster, which flipped up to reveal a ghostly grim reaper, which was immediately trampled by Sabersaurus.
"That was my Emissary of the Afterlife," explained Derrilin, as a card stuck out of his deck, "which lets us both add one level three or lower Normal Monster from our decks to our hands."
The kenku flipped the card around, it was another Clown Zombie.
"I guess you don't have one, do you?"
"Actually," Matari smiled, as a card stuck out of his deck, "I do."
The Shadowchaser plucked up the card and flashed it to his opponent, it was Trakadon. "Not the best Monster, but he works pretty well with Gallim to make Velphito.
"But let's not get too far ahead. Tyrannus direct attack. Tyrant Flame!"
Tyrannus roared and launched another fire at Derrilin, hitting his D-Wheel head on.
He screamed as the fire burned him. (DLP:6000-2200)
The flames around Derrilin died out, some his feathers were now charred black with ash.
"Consider it punishment for your crimes and dishonesty," said Matari.
"Aw shut your face," cawed Derrilin.
Matari narrowed his gaze at his opponent as he pressed a button on his console. "I activate the effect of Speed World 2, removing seven of my Speed Counters to draw an extra card.
Matari's D-Wheel slowed down dramatically as his Speed Counters fell to three. He drew a card and inspected it. He then grabbed it and another card and set them on his disk. "I end my turn with these two face down cards."
The two cards flashed behind Tyrannus and Sabersaurus before disappearing.
Derrilin looked in his rear view mirror as he drew a card, his own Speed Counters rising to eleven while Matari's rose to four. The gap between the riders was quickly widening.
Derrilin smiled as he looked at his drawn card. "I'll start by activating my face down card, Birthright, to revive one of my Atlantean Pikemen."
The Trap Card flipped up, as an Atlantean Pikeman returned to the field in a splash.
"Next, I'll activate the Speed Spell - Vision Wind, which lets me bring back another Pikeman."
The Speed Spell flashed and another Pikeman appeared.
"The, I'll summon my Synchron Explorer."
In a flash, a red, round machine appeared. It had four short limbs and an ovoid head with two glowing green eyes. (0/700)
"And when he's Normal Summoned," said Derrilin, as a particular card slipped out of his graveyard, "I can Special Summon a Synchron Monster from my graveyard, and since there's only one possible target…"
Junk Synchron reappeared next to Synchron Explorer.
"You've got two of those things!" gasped Matari.
"No," Derrilin admitted, "but I do have a way of reusing the first."
Derrilin's Trap Card flipped up. "I activate The Transmigration Prophecy, which lets me target two cards in either player's graveyards and shuffle them into their owner's deck."
The Junk Warrior and Dust Tornado cards appeared in behind Derrilin, before transforming into beams of light and darted into his deck.
"But Synchro Monsters can't exist in the main deck," said Matari, "so it gets sent to the Extra Deck instead."
"That right," said Derrilin, "which means that I can summon him again."
Junk Synchron and Synchron Explorer flew into the air, disappearing and leaving behind five shining stars.
Junk Warrior flew down from above once more.
"I may not have all three of my Pikemen," said Derrilin, "but two is still a pretty substantial boost."
Junk Warrior glowed with energy, though not quite as much as before. (ATK:2700-5100)
"Finish him. Attack Sabersaurus with Scrap Fist!"
"Not so fast!" shouted Matari, "I activate my Trap Card, Threatening Roar!"
Both Tyrannus and Sabersaurus roared, making Junk Warrior and the two Pikemen shudder in terror.
"Now I'm safe from attacks this turn," said Matari.
Derrilin started to sweat again. If he took an attack from Tyrannus against one of his Pikemen, he'd be wiped out. And not being able to destroy it with Junk Warrior, there was only one thing he could do…
He hit a button on his console.
"I remove ten of my Speed Counter to destroy your overgrown lizard."
Derrilin's D-Wheel slowed down dramatically as his Speed Counters dropped to one. Electricity then surged throughout Tyrannus' body, making the Dinosaur roar in pain before shattering.
"One down, one to go," smirked Derrilin.
"Actually," said Matari, who was now catching up to his opponent, "you still have two Monsters to deal with, because I activate Puzzle Reborn!"
The Trap Card flipped up, and dinosaur bones flew out of it.
"Several palaeontologists have compared reconstructing the skeletal structure with a giant puzzle," said Matari, as the bones began to literally pull themselves together.
After the bones finished positioning themselves, flesh appeared around them and Jurrac Tyrannus returned to form.
"Of course, he loses his attack boosts, but he still has plenty left."
"But Junk Warrior has more than twice his attack," said Derrilin. "I end my turn. Which means that the Pikeman I summoned with Vision Wind is destroyed."
That Pikeman shattered like glass.
"My turn," said Matari drawing a card as his Speed Counters increased to five, while Derrilin's increased to two.
Matari smirked. "You know he said, while I believe that attack points do matter, sometimes defence points should count too."
"What are you getting at?" asked Derrilin.
"You'll see," Matari replied.
The Shadowchaser played a card, and another Dinosaur appeared. It was clearly based on a brachiosaurus, with a long neck and forelegs that were longer than its hind legs. Its scales were dark purple and covered with small curved spines. (1800/1100)
"Meet Black Brachios," said Matari, "and when he's Normal Summoned I can switch one Monster you control to defence position."
"What!" cawed Derrilin, almost choking.
Brachios stamped its feet and Junk Warrior moved to a more defensive pose.
"It's time to wrap this chase up," Matari smiled, "Brachios attack Junk Warrior!"
Brachios stamped its feet again, sending a shock wave at the scrap synchro and blowing it to pieces.
Derrilin was silent.
"Sabersaurus fillet that fish!"
Sabersaurus roared and dashed forward, charging through it and shattering it. (DLP:2200-1700)
Derrilin let out a sigh and slumped back against his seat.
"Finish it Tyrannus!" Matari ordered, "Tyrant Flame!"
Tyrannus gathered another ball of flame in its mouth, then fired it at Derrilin. The blast hit the kenku their head on, and he screamed. (DLP:1700-0)
Horns sounded as Derrilin's D-Wheel ground to a halt. The kenku gripped the handlebars. "Damn it!" he swore, throwing his arms up in frustration, more of his feathers had been charred by the flames.
Then Matari pulled to a stop next to him. "Alright," he said, hopping off his D-Wheel and taking a blue gemstone out of his pocket. "No one escapes justice, not on my watch."
"I see that," said Derrilin, "but I know of someone who has."
Matari narrowed his gaze. "What are you talking about, you Sesame Street reject?"
The kenku sighed and crossed his arms. "Tarni Burumurring," he said.
"Burumurring," said Matari, the mere mention of that name left him setting with anger.
Years ago, Tarni Burumurring was a notorious criminal who operated in Sydney but had operations as far away as Tokyo or New York. There were only rumours of what she truly did: extortion, fraud, robbery, forgery, money laundering and even murder. Whether or not Tarni was responsible for these things was truly unknown, the only evidence anyone had were just rumours at best.
But then one day, one of her higher-ups betrayed her, coming to the Shadowchasers and confessing everything he and her organisation had done. The Sydney Shadowchaser confronted Tarni and arrested her underlings…
But Tarni was nowhere to be found, all that was found in her office was a note. It told the Sydney Shadowchasers to do multiple unmentionable things, and that they could have all her underlings but they'd never take her alive.
Tarni had escaped the law, but in doing so she lost everything. She'd never have the power and influence she once had…
But it looked like she was certainly willing to try.
"She's hiding out in Rozelle bay. Storage shed number fourteen…" said the kenku
"An old abandoned warehouse?" Matari noted, raising an eyebrow, "gee, who'd ever think to look there?" he sarcastically added.
"You obviously didn't," growled Derrilin, "there's a fake floor in the back corner, behind some crates. Go down the stairs and that is she'll be, I guarantee it."
"She's been right under our noses this entire time," said Matari, seething with rage, "when I get my hands on her…"
Derrilin fake coughed, gaining Matari's attention.
Matari held up the gem, and it began to glow. "I suggest that when you spill your guts to whoever interrogates you, you might even reduce your sentence."
"Don't worry," smiled Derrilin, "I think I'll enjoy seeing that bitch go down in flames as much as you would."
The gemstone flashed brightly, and the kenku disappeared.
Matari then almost immediately put the gemstone away whipped out an old smartphone (Rowan had insisted that they all use these outdated devices), and dialled in a number.
"Come on Wendy," he muttered, "pick up."
After a few rings, Wendy picked up. "Hello," she said.
"Wendy," Matari said, his voice filled with excitement, "Tarni…
"Burumurring," Wendy cut it.
"I know where she is," said Matari.
"Where?" Wendy asked in a rather demanding tone.
"Rozelle Bay, warehouse number fourteen," Matari replied, "there's a false floor in the back corner, she hiding under that."
"I should've guessed she be hiding somewhere like that."
"Can't believe you never thought to look there," chuckled Matari.
"You didn't either," Wendy bluntly replied.
Matari hung his head in frustration. "I'll make a call to Rowan and let him know what we're doing."
"Don't bother. I've been trying to get a hold of Rowan for the last twenty minutes and he hasn't picked up. He must be on the return trip."
"Or inside a giant frog."
Wendy was about to reply about how stupid she thought the whole giant frog concept was but decided against it. "Don't joke about something like that," she said, "he wouldn't be dead."
"I didn't say he was dead," Matari protested, "I said he was eaten by a frog."
Wendy was silent for a few seconds. "We're getting off topic," she said. "I'll go confront Tarni, you can take over what I'm doing."
"Wait!" Matari grumbled, "What? Why do you get to go after that bitch?"
Wendy glanced back at Zephyr. "I already have backup," she replied, "you don't."
"I can handle things myself," grumbled Matari, "I don't need an overgrown chicken following me around all day."
"That's what you said last time, and what happened then, she escaped. Made us laughing stocks among the organisation."
"No, she didn't! You're just exaggerating things! Jalal even congratulated us arresting all of her underlings!"
"Well, it felt like we were!"
The quick phone call was turning into yet another shouting match.
"We're getting off topic again," said Wendy, "I'll head to Burumurring's location."
"What about Arika?" Matari asked, "should I call her?"
"Don't bother. She needs to focus on catching whoever she's after before it strikes again…"
"Wambeen," answered Matari, "evil God, he hurls lightning at people, hates tourists slightly more than the average person does…"
"It's more likely to be some spell caster who uses lightning-based spells, or a descendant of a blue dragon rather than one of your evil Gods," said Wendy, "Now as I said, I'm heading to Burumurring's location, you come to Tumbalong park that's where I'm…"
"What are you doing there?"
"I starting a search. This morning a kobold child was kidnapped by a kenku…"
Matari's heart sank and his stomach churned. He had a gut feeling about who the victim was…
"A little girl kobold?" Matari asked, trying to remember what he had seen earlier "and was her mother was wearing a red robe, with a tonne of jewellery?"
"Yes, well minus the jewellery, the kenku stole that as well," Wendy answered, "How did you know?"
"I saw her this morning."
"Getting attacked?" gasped Wendy sounding enraged, "and you didn't do anything about it?"
"No. I saw her and her daughter crossing the street during my patrol," Matari sighed, he was now at a painful crossroad - bring sweet justice to a criminal who had humiliated him years ago, or potentially let a young innocent child (well as innocent as a kobold could get) be harmed.
"Fine," he sighed, "I'll be in Tumbalong park in about twenty minutes."
"Also," Wendy added, "I heard that the kenku headed North, the Harbourside centre would be a good placed to start."
Then she hung up.
Matari grumbled as he slipped the phone back into his pocket. He then trudged back to his D-Wheel.
0 - 0 KK 0 - 0
Ezekiel and Gertie ran into a backstreet a short distance from the Harbourside Mall, the two were alone in the backstreet
"I think… I think we lost him," Ezekiel smiled, "don't worry, he won't bother us again."
Gertie smiled at him, he could've sworn he saw a set of jagged teeth.
"She… she needs a dentist," thought Ezekiel, as he blinked and gently shook his head.
He looked at the young girl, her teeth look human again.
"Or I need an optometrist," he corrected himself.
But then a loud cackle came from above them.
"Thought you could hide from me you little shit?" a chilling and familiar voice yelled from above.
Ezekiel's eyes opened wide as he looked up, seeing the man from the mall standing on top of the building above them.
Kimba leapt down from atop the building, leaping with inhuman speed and precision he landed in front of the duo, he didn't seem to be injured by the landing at all.
Gertie squealed and hid behind Ezekiel's leg.
"Squeal all you like lizard," growled Kimba.
"Lizard?" Ezekiel gasped, looking down at Gertie, for a second she seemed to have orange scaly skin, a set of small curved horns and a rat-like tail behind her.
Ezekiel shook his head and refocused his vision, the young girl looked human to him once again. "Must've been my imagination," he reassured himself.
"Oi, over here Shadowchaser!" called Kimba.
Ezekiel looked up the man. "Shadowchaser?" he asked.
"Don't play dumb," Kimba replied, "the only kind of human that could outmatch my speed and skill in battle is a Shadowchaser!"
"I… I don't know what you're talking about," said Ezekiel, stepping back.
"Oh you're a good actor, you are Shadowchaser!" cackled Kimba, "but does your acting skill compare to your duelling skills?"
"What?" Ezekiel slowly replied it to him was clear that whoever this guy was, he wasn't right in the head.
Kimba produced a D-Gazer and duel disc. "I invoke the Fair Fight Clause! Get set to get decked, Shadowchaser! And once I beat you to a bloody pulp, the chicks will be all over me!"
Ezekiel stood silently, tilting his head in confusion. "The Fair what?" he asked.
"The Fair Fight Clause," explained Kimba, sounding rather annoyed that the "Shadowchaser" hadn't given up his "act". "You win and I'll let you take me away. But if I win, you give the girl to me."
Wait! thought Ezekiel, take him away? This guy thinks I'm a police officer… How… How… How thick is this guy?
Then the realisation hit him. "Wait, we're wagering… Gertie… Over a duel?
"That's the dumbest thing I've ever heard!"
"You can drop the act Shadowchaser," sneered Kimba, "you of all people should know how important this game is."
Ezekiel shook his head in disbelief, he still had no idea what this guy was rambling on about.
"The whole world has hinged on Duel Monsters before," said Kimba, "and it'll be many more times."
"That… that," Ezekiel stammered, then gulped, "that sounds a little far-fetched, don't you think?"
Kimba growled. "I'm getting tired of your stalling Shadowchaser," he said, reaching into his pocket with his free talon.
"Okay, okay," said Ezekiel, as he unzipped his bag and pulled out his duelling equipment, thank God he packed it.
"Good," smirked Kimba, "I see that you've come to your senses."
The kenku fixed his D-Gazer to his head and his duel disc to his arm, Ezekiel said the same. He looked down at Gertie.
"She not gonna be able to see the duel," he thought, "probably for the better."
He slipped on his own duel disc and D-Gazer and gulped.
"Get ready for the duel of your life Shadowchaser!" Kimba cackled.
Ezekiel slowly put his deck in the slot. He almost couldn't believe what was happening (and probably wouldn't have if it wasn't happening to him). He was duelling with someone's life on the line. Duel Monsters was nothing more than a simple, yet hugely popular, game, right?
But right now, all the rumours he had heard about Duel Monsters being more than a game (more than a way of life even) were starting to sound slightly less insane.
He gave another look to his opponent and for a second, he swore his long nose looked more like a beak and he appeared to be covered in black feathers
"Duel!" both Kimba and Ezekiel announced, the AR Field projecting around them.
0 - 0 KK 0 - 0
Speed Spell - Vision Wind
Image:Speed Warrior surround by a conical gust of wind.
Effect:Activate only if you have two or more Speed Counters. Target one Level Two or lower Monster in your Graveyard: Special Summon it. Destroy it during the End Phase.
Note: Speed Spell - Vision Wind was first used by Yusei Fudo in the very first episode of Yu-Gi-Oh 5D's, "Riding Duel! Acceleration!". Creative Credit goes to the writers of that episode.
0 - 0 KK 0 - 0
Kitten Knight: Oh Ezekiel, you poor naive overgrown child, what disastrous situation have you gotten yourself into?
Oh well, they say no good deed goes unpunished. Rescuing a lost little, scaly, smelly lizard-girl? "Burn in Hell! You monster!" I say.
Next time, as the Shadowchaser rush around to their new objectives, Ezekiel begins his duel with the (not as smart, strong, fast or sexually desirable as he thinks) Kimba.
But the duel isn't the only thing that Ezekiel might lose, as he becomes more Aware of the situation at hand…
Find out in the next chapter, Safe Zone!