Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh VRAINS, its characters, or any of its cards.
Kioku moved a hand in front of his mouth as he yawned. Last night, after logging out from Link VR, he wasted no time going to sleep: the Duel with Blue Angel literally destroyed his remaining energy and the teen drifted off into dreams the moment he placed his head on the pillow.
Even after having a long deserved sleep, he was still drowsy, but school will probably awake him.
Kioku didn't notice somebody running in his direction until they bumped into each other. "Oh sorry!" Kioku apologized first. "I was looking ahead - oh, Aoi!"
In fact, the person who bumped into him was none other than Zaizen Aoi. The girl rubbed her eyes, wiping away some tears which escaped Kioku's notice.
"H-Hey, Kioku... sorry, I didn't see you there..."
"Don't worry 'bout it," Kioku said while waving a hand. "I've finished making my part of the project, I've got it here," he told taking out an USB from his rucksack.
"Ok, thank you," she nodded before taking the USB from of Kioku's hand and the two started walking towards the school.
Fujiki Yusaku, who watched the two teens talk, narrowed his eyes as he started walking towards the school. [They seemed to know each other,] Ignis pointed out. [Maybe we could ask that guy to get information from Zaizen for us.]
"I said be quiet," Yusaku addressed his A.I.
[Gee, sorry if I angered you, your highness,] Ignis groused with a roll of his eye.
Turn 4:
An Undying Heartbeat
Kioku sighed listened to the professor's lesson, something involving the relationship between a cat's eye and quantum mechanical algorithms.
"Excuse me!" the voice of Aoi suddenly called out as she raised her hand to get the teacher's attention. "I don't feel well. Can I go to the infirmary?"
"Of course," the professor nodded. "Do you want somebody to accompany you?"
"No, thank you," Aoi said as she left the classroom.
"Strange," Kioku thought. "She seemed to be ok. Maybe girl problems... yeah probably that."
After some minutes, Kioku's phone buzzed as he got an Email. The teen took out his phone as he read the message: 'Playmaker VS Blue Angel ongoing right now!' was the message sent by Frog-chan.
"So he finally accepted," Kioku chuckled in his mind as he went on a Live recording and watched the Duel on his tablet.
The Duel started pretty much like his own: Blue Angel took the first turn and set her field up with Trickstar Light Stage and three monsters, Trickstar Lilybell, Candina, and Lycoris. She then used the first two to Link Summon her Trickstar Holly Angel, set two cards face-down, and concluded her turn.
Playmaker was up next: after two consecutive Link Summons, he brought out Decode Talker. He tried to destroy Holly Angel before its effect to increase Attack Points could get problematic, but Blue Angel used a combo with Trickstar Reincarnation and Lycoris to decrease Playmaker's Life Points and increase Holly Angel's Attack, exceeding Decode Talker's.
Playmaker defended his Ace from being destroyed by battle, but Trickstar Shatter managed to do the trick and destroy Decode Talker. He summoned Salvagent Driver to his field as a Cyberse Link Monster got destroyed and ended his turn.
Blue Angel declared her turn and drew. She acted strangely before she used Reincarnation's second effect in the Graveyard to resurrect Lilybell and attack Playmaker directly.
As Playmaker started his turn, Blue Angel started acting much weirder than before, like she was losing herself.
The male Duelist used Salvagent Driver's effect to bring back a Link Monster from his grave and summoned Defect Compiler before using his Skill, Storm Access, summoning his newly acquire Encode Talker.
Blue Angel tried to stop him by using her own Skill, Trickstar Fraud, but Playmaker dodged the damage by using Defect Compiler's effect. Being cornered, the Idol used her final card, Dark Angel, to defend herself, but the moment she played that card, shockwaves started emanating from the card.
Blue Angel turned serious and cold as she screamed in anger and pain until tears started coming out her eyes. Playmaker quickly ended the Duel, thus saving the Idol.
"Excuse me!" Kioku suddenly shouted as he raised his hand. "Can I go to the bathroom?"
"Of course," the professor answered.
As Kioku left the classroom, he started running in the school corridors as he searched for Aoi.
"Where is she!? First: she came to school today, thus she must be somewhere in the school. Second: Aoi is Blue Angel as I researched about her when she became a Charisma Duelist. Third: that means she's hiding somewhere people won't find her!"
[Oh! It's him!] a voice shouted catching Kioku's attention.
"That voice-!"
"It was me!" a male teen said as ran up to Kioku. "I'm Fujiki Yusaku. Have you seen Zaizen Aoi by any means?"
"No," Kioku shook his head. "She left class but hasn't returned yet. I searched everywhere I can in the school but I didn't find her."
"Did you look on the roof?"
Kioku shook his head again and both teens headed towards the school's roof. Much to their shock, they found Aoi passed out there.
Den City: Hospital...
The Operating Room's doors opened as two assistants and a doctors pushed out Aoi on a wheel bed.
"Aoi!" Zaizen Akira, her brother, shouted as he rushed towards his unconscious sister. "Hang on, Aoi!"
"Please step back!" an assistant told, she tried to restrain the elder brother. "We're taking her to the exam room!"
"I'm her brother!" Akira tried to argue.
"No one is allowed in the exam room!" the assistant said. Akira lowered his head as he stepped back and the assistant followed after the wheel bed.
"You're the ones who called me?" he addressed Kioku and Yusaku who were standing there.
"Yes," Yusaku answered. "We found her unconscious on the roof."
"Thank you," Akira said, seeming grateful. "Um... I don't know if I should ask this, but are you Aoi's classmates?"
"Yes," Yusaku answered again.
"I see," Akira smiled. "Everything is fine now. You two can go home."
The two teens nodded as they turned to leave, not before Akira spoke up.
"Wait a second. What are your names?"
"Fujiki. Fujiki Yusaku."
"Ketsueki. Ketsueki Kioku."
"I see. Thank you again for helping my sister out. Goodbye."
That being said, the two teens exited the hospital. As Kioku was about to leave-
"Can I ask you something, Kioku?"
The teen looked at Yusaku. "Has Aoi been... acting strangely during these days?"
"Eh? Aoi? No, she hasn't. She didn't have any problems in the last days."
"I see..." Yusaku said as he lowered his head. "That's all. Goodbye."
"A second, Yusaku was it? Have I... seen you before?"
"We're classmates," Yusaku quickly said. "You might of have seen me in class," he told before taking his leave.
In Real World: Kioku's apartment...
"What happened to Aoi?" Kioku thought as he looked through the Duel Records. "When she used that card, Dark Angel, everything started going badly. Let's see: Blue Angel and Playmaker's Duel started around 10:45, so all I have to do is go and see which Duels were ongoing during that period."
Kioku jolted up from his seat as he stared at the screen. "I... Impossible! A Hanoi program!? But... that means... Aoi is working for the Knights of Hanoi...?"
"No that's impossible!" he shouted as he sat back down and started pressing button after button on his keyboard. "First: she must have been forced into working with them. Second: Aoi would never do something like that by her own will. Third: that Dark Angel card must contain the Hanoi program. Which means I have to search when that card was used and I can examine that program."
As the file of Hanoi's program opened on the screen, Kioku remained dumbfounded. "W... W-What type of... program is this? I can't understand anything! Whoever did this program must be a very skilled person..."
The next day, Aoi was still in a coma for an unknown reason. Kioku tried to decipher the Hanoi's program but with no such luck. He was starting to feel guilty for not being able to save the Idol from Hanoi's corruption.
Right when he was about to give up hope, Blue Angel appeared in Link VRAINS challenging Playmaker for a rematch.
"Blue Angel?" Kioku asked no one as he stared at the screen. "Strange... the hospital records still state she is in a coma... must be a fake person working for Hanoi or even SOL Technology. Clearly, Playmaker isn't that stupid to walk into a trap like this one."
However, just as the words left his mouth, Playmaker appeared in Link VR, and Blue Angel dropped the act, revealing Ghost Girl, a mercenary Duelist, and hacker for hire, who used the entire Link VR to trap Playmaker, making everybody else log out or log in.
"I guess I'll have to be quick!" Kioku laughed as he started to manipulate the program used to trap Playmaker, all while he was listening to Akira's reasons on why he hired Ghost Girl to capture Link VR's famous hero.
It was hard nonetheless, but Kioku managed to break through the program's security and allow him to log in Link VR.
"I could continue hacking, but I have a friend to save!" he shouted as he jolted up from his seat.
Link VR: Den City - inside the Church...
"If you don't talk soon, your body will be torn apart!" Akira shouted as he tightened the grip of his hand, causing the strange hand holding Playmaker to also tighten and make him roar in pain.
"Akira, aren't you going a little overboard?" Ghost Girl inquired, seeming concerned for Playmaker's safety. "You want him to be alive to answer your questions."
"I won't patronize my enemy!" Akira shouted, making Ghost Girl roll her eyes. "Everybody who hurts my sister becomes my enemy! Now, tell me what you did Playmaker!"
"This party ends here!"
Ghost Girl was the quickest to react to hearing a new voice. She gently and swiftly extracted her dagger, throwing it into the air.
The dagger almost pierced through Bloody Talker's head if it wasn't for his reflex in dodging.
"WHOAAA! You almost got me there!" he chuckled, staring at the blade pierced the wall next to his head as sweat ran down his cheek. "Oh, wait a minute - this isn't a normal dagger is it?"
"You've got one sharp eye, dear," Ghost Girl giggled. "That's right. That dagger is a special invention of mine. It emits electricity at contact and can only pierce objects. Even if it would've hit you, you would've been fine. I'm a money-for-hire, alluring, mysterious beauty, not a murderer."
"Good to know, I guess..." Bloody Talker muttered as he jumped down from his hiding place, and landed next to Playmaker.
"You are one big of an idiot, sir!" he addressed the now captive Duelist. "This was clearly a trap! Didn't you notice any of the signs!?"
[I did, but he didn't!] Ignis quickly answered.
"See? Even that stupid A.I. noticed!" Bloody Talker said.
[Yeah-Wait, who are you calling stupid!?]
"Enough of this!" Akira shouted before the two could start an argument. "What are you doing here, Bloody Talker? Did you come to rescue your comrade? If you try to get in my way, I won't hesitate to defeat you either!"
"I came here in peace," Bloody Talker stated, turning serious. "What Playmaker is saying about your sister is true. I've searched in the Duel Records and found a Hanoi program there. Blue Angel, I don't know how or when acquired a Hanoi card."
"I already said it, lying won't work!" Akira repeated.
"We aren't lying!" Bloody Talker argued. "Blue Angel isn't the type of person to join the Knights of Hanoi. I believe, just like Playmaker, that she was tricked or maybe even forced to collaborate with them!"
"This conversation is going nowhere," Akira sighed. "I have no choice but to use my secondary weapon now that you appeared, Bloody Talker."
Akira snapped his fingers, and seconds later, a new person logged into the church. A twenty-year-old looking female avatar joined our heroes. She wore a black/blue jumpsuit and standard-model Duel Disk on her right wrist. She had long black hair with purple accents and deep, light blue eyes.
"I know you..." Bloody Talker muttered. "You're Cynthia, SOL Technology's special agent..."
"Correct," Cynthia confirmed. "I'm here because I was-"
"Daaaamn girl, you were going overboard when doing your avatar," Bloody Talker cut her off while pointing his finger at Cynthia's, slightly bigger than normal, breast area. "You got so big boobies!"
Cynthia's face turned red as a tomato as she quickly covered her breast area.
"This is my original size, you blockhead!"
"Really!?" Bloody Talker exclaimed.
[Those things can't even fit in a bra!] Playmaker's A.I. commented. [I think you invented a new size for bras, miss.]
Much to Cynthia's annoyance, Ghost Girl was trying really hard not to break into laughter.
"And what are you giggling about!?"
Ghost Girl quickly turned serious and cleared her throat. "Ahem. My apologies. Although, you have to admit that was pretty funny."
"Enough!" Akira snapped. "Cynthia, you know why you're here."
"Yes, sir," Cynthia nodded, giving Ghost Girl one last glance before she walked closer to Bloody Talker, Ghost Girl waved innocently at her with her eyes closed.
"Duel me!" she addressed Bloody Talker. "As an agent of SOL Technology, I won't allow you to roam freely in my company's program. If you choose to decline, that's fine. I'll just have to resort to using brute force like Zaizen-sama!"
"Yeesh! I don't want that," Bloody Talker gulped as he glanced at Playmaker. "Don't worry, Playmaker! I'll defeat her and save you in no time!"
"Don't lose," was the only thing Playmaker said.
Bloody Talker nodded as he turned his gaze to Cynthia. Both Duelists leaped into the air as their respective D-Boards materialized under their feet. Both zoomed away from the church, riding on the Data Storm's winds.
"Let's do this!" the two youths shouted in unison.
"Speed Duel!"
Bloody Talker - LP 4000
VS
Cynthia - LP 4000
(The Duel is conducted as a Speed Duel.)
"I'll take the first turn!" Bloody Talker announced. "From my hand, I normal summon Creeper Dendrache (ATK: 1350/LV: 1)! Then, since I control a "Creeper" monster, I can special summon Creeper Recepier-V (ATK: 950/LV: 2) from my hand!"
"Two "Creeper" monsters..." Cynthia narrowed her eyes. "He's going for a Link Summon."
"That's right!" Bloody Talker confirmed. "Appear, The Circuit that will kill my opponent! Arrowheads confirmed! The summoning conditions are two "Creeper" monsters. I set Creeper Dendrache and Creeper Recepier-V in the Link Markers! Circuit Combine! Link Summon! Manifest yourself: Jack Creeper of the Blooming Flame (ATK: 1850/Link 2: Bottom, Top)!"
The hacker's corrupted angel emerged from the portal with an ear-piercing cry.
"I activate the Spell Card Cynet Defrag, letting me revive Recepier-V under Blooming Flame's link arrow! Now I activate Blooming Flame's effect. By destroying Recepier-V which is linked to it, you take 800 points of damage! Flame Tempest!"
As the Creeper Recepier-V burst into particles of light, Blooming Flame unleashed rays of energy from its wing-blades, hitting Cynthia and making her wince.
Cynthia: LP 4000 - 800 = 3200
"Recepier-V's effect activates!" Bloody Talker stated. "When destroyed by a Link Monster's effect, I can add any "Creeper" monster from my deck to my hand. I choose Creeper Spinete-X. I set one card face-down and end my turn!"
"Very well. Now it's my turn-!"
Before Cynthia could do anything, Den City's streets cracked open as lava erupted from the floor. Several explosions came across the streets as more lava flooded the city, giving it an appearance similar to Hell.
"What happened!?" Bloody Talker asked confused.
[Cynthia, do you hear me!] Akira's concerned voice shouted through Cynthia's Duel Disk. [Abord your mission now! Your safety takes top priority. Leave Link VRAINS before something happens! Tell Bloody Talker the same thing. It seems he and Playmaker were right, after all, I have to excuse myself in some way to them.]
"Are you sure about that, Zaizen-sama?"
[One-hundred percent. The Knights of Hanoi's leader, Revolver, appeared in front of us and told us everything. He just started a Duel with Playmaker.]
"I see..." Cynthia muttered, shocked by what she heard. "Understood, sir. I'll leave immediately."
As the call ended and Cynthia was ready to speak with Bloody Talker about the matter, a new voice spoke through her Duel Disk.
[Wait, Cynthia-san.]
"Bishop-sama!?" the SOL's agent gasped as one of her higher up's voice came out her Duel Disk.
[Defeat Bloody Talker under any cost. This strange Hell-ish transformation of Link VRAINS doesn't hurt avatars, only if you come in close contact with the flames. Don't fall off your D-Board and capture Bloody Talker. These are the orders given... by your mother.]
"Mother?" she echoed surprised. "I understand, Bishop-sama."
"My turn!" Cynthia shouted, looking back at the Duel. "Draw! Since my opponent controls monsters whilst I don't, I can special summon this monster from my hand. Appear, Cyber Dragon (Light/Machine/Effect/ATK: 2100/LV: 5)!"
A dragon with a long serpentine body clad in metal appeared with a roar.
"Next, I normal summon Cyber Dragon Core (Light/Machine/Effect/ATK: 400/LV: 2), and activate its effect, letting me add Cyber Restore Code from my deck to my hand. Now, I activate the Spell Card, Power Bond! With this card, I can Fusion Summon 1 Machine Fusion Monster by using monsters in my hand or field as materials!"
"What!?" Bloody Talker gasped. "A Fusion Summon!?"
"Nowadays, a lot of Duelists only use Link Summoning due to their recent appearance and constant support-cards they gain," Cynthia explained. "They forget just how powerful past Summoning Methods can be. Through Power Bond, the monsters I fuse are Cyber Dragon, one on my field and one in my hand, along with Cyber Dragon Core which is treated as Cyber Dragon while on the field or Graveyard!"
As her three monsters merged together in a multi-colored vortex, Cynthia chanted.
"Minds filled with eternal knowledge, combine your three head here and now, and become the intelligence of mankind! Fusion Summon! Show yourself, Level 10! Cyber End Dragon (Light/Machine/Fusion/Effect/ATK: 4000)!"
A dragon resembling Cyber Dragon, but having three heads and a much larger body, emerged from the Fusion Portal, roaring at the enemy.
"Power Bond's additional effect activates!" Cynthia declared. "The monster summoned through its effect gains Attack equal to its original Attack, in this case, 4000 (Cyber End: ATK 4000 = 8000)!"
"What did you say!?" Bloody Talker gulped. "It has 8000 Attack... this girl sure isn't a pushover..."
"I set a card face-down. Battle! Cyber End Dragon, attack Blooming Flame and end this Duel! Eternal Evolution Burst!"
"Not so fast! Activating Trap Card!" Bloody Talker declared. "Instant Save Coating! When my Life Points would be depleted by an attack, this card negates the damage I would take!"
"But your monster will be destroyed!" Cynthia pointed out.
Cyber End Dragon fired beams of light from its three head, annihilating Blooming Flame.
"Not for long though! My Trap has another effect! I can special summon from my Graveyard a Cyberse monster which has the same or lower amount of Attack than the damage I negated! Since I was about to take 6150 damage, I can special summon Blooming Flame back to the field!"
"So my attack was essentially negated," Cynthia scoffed. "No matter. I end my turn. At this moment, Power Bond's final effect kicks in. During the End Phase of the turn, I special summoned a monster with its effect, I take damage equal to the amount of the Attack my monster gained, in this case, 4000!"
"Suicide?" Bloody Talker questioned with a raised eyebrow. "You were betting everything on that one attack?"
"I don't bet unless my chances of success are assured," Cynthia told. "Since I'm about to take effect damage, I activate the Quick-Play Spell, Cyber Restore Code from my hand! The damage I take is negated, then, for each Cyber Dragon on my field and Graveyard, I gain 500 Life Points!"
[Cyber Dragon Core is treated as Cyber Dragon while on the field or Graveyard. Together with two Cyber Dragons that are in your Graveyard, you gain a total of 1500 Life Points,] Cynthia's A.I. said.
Cynthia: LP 3200 + 1500 = 4700
"Hoh? You were thinking this far ahead?" Bloody Talker chuckled. "You were sure I'll protect myself from your attack, so you chose to play it safe and add that card to your hand through Core's effect. Not bad."
"Are you going to praise me all day long or take your turn already?" Cynthia snapped.
"Tough crowd, it seems. My turn!" Bloody Talker cried out. "Draw!" he shouted, drawing his card. The two Duelists turned a corner, seeing more destruction and lava on the streets of Link VR. "Man, whoever did this knows how to turn up the heat!"
"Was I supposed to laugh at that?" Cynthia raised an eyebrow.
"I was just wondering," Bloody Talker waved his hand. "Anywho, returning to the Duel. Since your dragon has... a very high amount of Attack, I'll resort to destroying it with a card effect! I normal summon Creeper Spinete-X from my hand, and activate Blooming Flame's effect once again, destroying Spinete-X under its bottom arrow, and inflicting 800 damage to you!"
Cynthia: LP 4700 - 800 = 3900
"I also activate Spinete-X's effect! When destroyed by a Link Monster's effect, I can target and destroy 1 monster you control! Begone, Cyber End Dragon!"
"Oh, it'll be gone I can assure you that," Cynthia let out a sly smile. "However, it won't go down the way you think it will! I activate my set card, Cybernetic Upgrade! With this Trap, by tributing a Fusion Monster which lists Cyber Dragon as one of its materials, I can special summon a new being from my Extra Deck!"
"The intelligence of mankind," Cynthia chanted as her monster burst into particles of light. "Gain the wisdom of the Gods, and become the beacon of evolution and supreme knowledge! Show yourself, Level 10! Neo Cyber End Dragon (Light/Machine/Fusion/Effect/ATK: 4000/DEF: 2800)!"
The monster on Cynthia's field was replaced by a similar looking robot-dragon which had glowing highlights and orbs along its body, larger wings to support its body, and three tails.
"Tch... it avoided destruction and it evolved?" Bloody Talker narrowed his eyes. "This girl is one talented Duelist. I activate the Spell Card Cyberse Memory from my hand, letting me draw a card. I drew Creeper Gliater, a Cyberse monster. Thus, I can draw one more card. Now I activate Gliater's effect, discarding it to revive Spinete-X from my Graveyard!"
"He has two monsters again," Cynthia noted. "Another Link Summon is on its way."
"Appear! The Circuit that will kill my opponent!"
As Cynthia suspected, a Circuit Portal opened in front of Bloody Talker as he prepared for a Link Summon. "Arrowheads Confirmed! The summoning conditions are two "Creeper" monsters. I set Blooming Flame and Spinete-X in the Link Markers!"
Both said monsters turned into beams of light as they entered the Bottom and Right Marker, causing them to glow red. "Circuit Combine! Link Summon! Manifest yourself: Link 2 - Jack Creeper of the Crimson Sky (ATK: 2150/Link 2: Bottom, Right), in my Extra Monster Zone!"
The two-weapon wielding Creeper emerged from the portal with a battle cry.
"I activate Dendrache's effect from my Graveyard, banishing it to revive Spinete-X for the second time! Next, I activate Crimson Sky's effect! I destroy Spinete-X linked to it, and draw a card! Then, Spinete-X's effect activates, destroying your dragon for good!"
Using its sword and axe, Crimson Sky slashed in half Spinete-X and Neo Cyber End Dragon respectively.
"Neo Cyber End Dragon's effect activates!" Cynthia abruptly stated. "When destroyed, I can revive 1 Cyber Dragon from my Graveyard in Defense Position (DEF: 1600)!"
From the explosion of its fellow dragon, Cyber Dragon emerged with a roar.
"I set the last card in my hand. Battle! Crimson Sky, attack that dragon if you may! Scarlet Axe and Blue Sword Slash!"
As Bloody Talker's Link Monster destroyed Cyber Dragon, Cynthia was ready with another effect.
"I activate Cyber Restore Code's other effect in the Graveyard!" she stated. "By banishing this card when a Cyber Dragon leaves my field, if it left the field by the opponent, I can draw two cards!"
"Everything I do just benefits her," Bloody Talker grunted in annoyance. "I end my turn. At this moment, Spinete-X is special summoned to my field in Defense Position and Gliater returns to my hand from the Graveyard."
"My turn!" Cynthia announced. "Draw! First I activate Cyber Dragon Core's effect in my Graveyard, banishing this card whilst I control no monsters to Special Summon my third copy of Cyber Dragon from the deck! Next, by banishing the Trap Card Cybernetic Upgrade from my Graveyard, I activate its second effect! By tributing a Cyber Dragon I control, I can revive Neo Cyber End from the Graveyard!"
Cynthia's Cyber Dragon exploded in light particles as Neo Cyber End took its place.
"That monster again..." Bloody Talker muttered.
"I set two cards. Battle!" the SOL agent shouted. "Neo Cyber End Dragon attacks your Crimson Sky! Epitome Evolution Burst!"
The three-headed dragon unleashed streams of light against its target, destroying it with ease and almost making Bloody Talker fall off his D-Board by the shockwaves.
Bloody Talker: LP 4000 - 1850 = 2150
"This is the end, Bloody Talker!" Cynthia said. "As long as there are three Cyber Dragons in my Graveyard, Neo Cyber End Dragon can attack thrice during each Battle Phase!"
"What!?"
"Do it! Epitome Evolution Burst - Secondary Shot!"
The monster to be annihilated next was Creeper Spinete-X, leaving Bloody Talker's field empty.
"Begone, Bloody Talker!" Cynthia let out a sly smile. "Epitome Evolution Burst - Third-!"
Before the words could come out Cynthia's mouth, a bright light in the distance glowed, blinding the two Duelists.
"What's this!?" Cynthia inquired as she tried to block the light with her arm.
The Data Storm started circling around the mysterious light's source. The blinding light disappeared, however, the winds started turning violent, causing Bloody Talker and Cynthia to hold onto their D-Boards if they didn't want to fall into the lava down below.
Bloody Talker, who is used to this kind of wind whenever he uses his Skill Storm Access, was able to hold onto his D-Board. Cynthia, on the other hand, lost control after seconds.
She screamed as the winds blown her off the D-Board, causing her to start falling towards the ground and lava.
"I won't be able to survive!" she thought alarmed as she tapped her Duel Disk in attempt to connect to her board and have it materialize under her feet. "The storm is interfering with the signal! I can't even log out!" the word 'ERROR' in red appeared on her Duel Disk, much to her desperation.
"CYNTHIA!"
The SOL agent looked up and gasped as she saw Bloody Talker jumped down his D-Board. The hacker dived down towards her at great speed, reaching her.
"What are you doing!?" she shouted confused and scared as they were getting closer to the floor.
Bloody Talker stretched out his hand, grasping Cynthia's arm.
"I've got you!"
Said Bloody Talker as he smirked. Seconds before they could hit the floor, Bloody Talker's board appeared beneath their feet, allowing them to jump onto it. The D-Board soared upwards, away from the lava.
"But how did you-?"
"Rocket Boosters."
Cynthia gazed down at the smaller person, and followed his gaze at the back of his D-Board and saw, true enough, two rockets attached to each side of the board, giving it a boost and enough speed to fly through the uncontrollable winds.
"Why did you save me?"
This question rolled out her mouth in automatic. Why would he do that? They were enemies after all. She wanted to defeat him and capture him. So why did Bloody Talker save her?
"I don't hate you," he said with a shrug. "We might be Dueling against each other, but I don't want you to die."
"Are you helping me out of sympathy?" she asked again. "Are you patronizing me?"
"None of that," he answered. Bloody Talker glanced at Cynthia, and his crimson eye met with her light blues. "We aren't even enemies, for goodness sake. You were just ordered to defeat and capture me by Akira, who misunderstood the whole situation on who hurt her sister."
"How are you so sure you know what happened to Blue Angel?" Cynthia found herself ask.
"I know her... the true Blue Angel," Bloody Talker explained, looking forward. "She... is lonely. She thinks everybody just wants to use her because her brother is Zaizen Akira. Whenever I think of her, it's like looking in a mirror. The tears she's holding inside her heart... are like the ones I'm holding in..."
"But she would never join the Hanoi, never," the dual-colored male narrowed his eyes. "She isn't that type of person, she would never sink that low."
"You know Blue Angel's true identity and met her in person?" Cynthia asked. "What did you tell her?"
Bloody Talker smiled and Cynthia noticed something new: this wasn't a taunting smile Bloody Talker always makes, this was a serious smile, a warm one.
"I told her I believe in her," he said. "Not Blue Angel, a world famous idol, but the person behind Blue Angel."
"You... you're a strange one..." Cynthia spoke after a pause. "On the outside, you're this sadistic, mysterious, always cheerful weirdo, but on the inside, you're a lonely, sad, and caring kid."
"Why thank you for the compliment," Bloody Talker chuckled. "Also, how long are you going to cling to me?"
"Eh?"
Cynthia lowered her gaze and saw her arms were still holding onto Bloody Talker. Her face turned red as she cried out.
"And why were you silent about it, pervert!"
Before Bloody Talker could say something in defense, Cynthia's knee came crushing into his stomach, making the hacker gasp in pain.
Cynthia huffed as she jumped down the D-Board, letting the male clench his stomach where he was hit.
"Is this... what I get... for being nice?" he muttered to no one.
"The Duel is still on hold," Cynthia reminded as she rose in the air on her D-Board, along with her dragon behind her. "With my next attack, it's over, Bloody Talker!"
"Than why don't you... attack?" Bloody Talker taunted, trying to recover from the knee-in-the-stomach-attack.
"A bluff?" Cynthia thought. "He still has one face-down which could be anything... but if I hesitate now, I won't get another chance like this. It's now or nothing!"
"Final Battle! Go, Neo Cyber End Dragon! Epitome Evolution Burst - Third Shot!"
"Counter Trap open!" Bloody Talker cried out. "Link Reboot! When I'm about to take battle damage, this card makes the battle damage I take zero!"
The three beams shot by the enemy dragon dissolved into the air, leaving him unharmed.
"Then, I can special summon a Link Monster from my Graveyard! Revive, Crimson Sky!"
"So it wasn't a bluff," Cynthia groused. "It seems you got away this time. I end my turn!"
"My turn!" Bloody Talker declared. "Draw!"
The Duel got interrupted, again, this time by a loud bell ringing sound, which was coming from a giant tornado in the distance.
"What now!?" Bloody Talker snapped at the new strange phenomenon.
Particles of light started raining down the sky. As the spheres touched Crimson Sky, the monster's body started vanishing.
"Crimson Sky!" the monster's owner cried out.
"What's happening?" Cynthia questioned as she looked at her Duel Disk, seeing a strange card being active on the field. "Fire Prison? Who activated this card? Moreover, what type of effect is this!? It's like this card is meant to kill Cyberse monsters and their users..."
Bloody Talker kneeled down as he punched his board in anger and frustration. "My monsters..." he muttered through gritted teeth.
Flashback
Ten years ago. Unknown Location...
"I... I don't want to do this again!"
A much younger Kioku sobbed as his tears fell on the white floor.
"My monsters... their crying! Their hurt!"
Unknown to anybody else, the voices of Kioku's monsters continued echoing in his ears. Cries of pain, sadness, and anger continued to pulse in Kioku's head.
The little child did what every other child would do: he placed his hands over his ears, trying to stop the cries, but they only got louder and louder.
"Make it stop..." he sobbed, closing his eyes
Pro-Pro?
Kioku slowly raised his head towards the strange sound and found two round, glowing eyes staring back at him.
"AH!" Kioku yelped as he jolted up, but managed to bang his head into the creature's head, causing both to fall to the ground.
"Ouch..." Kioku muttered as he rubbed his head. He looked over and saw the strange creature trying to stand back up from the floor.
The creature was... not taller or bigger than Kioku. It big as his own head, Kioku thought. Its body was a globe, a white plate on top of its body, two big, round eyes glowing on it. It had two antennas above its head, along with a big circular object under its body, which seemed to give the creature the ability to levitate.
Pro-Pro?
It made that same sound again. The creature tilted its head slightly to the side. Was it trying to ask him something, Kioku wondered.
"H-Hello...?"
Pro-Pro!
The creature's eyes lightened up together with its voice. Its antennas started dangling from side to side as it rotated around Kioku as if analyzing him.
"W-Who a-are you?" Kioku asked.
Protron!
"Is that... your name?"
The creature nodded its head happily.
"Protron..." Kioku echoed. "T-That's a funny name..."
Pro-Pro!
The now called Protron nodded happily, agreeing with the small child's statement. Protron came closer and nuzzled its head against Kioku's cheek in a comforting manner.
Kioku can hear it: a heartbeat. Protron's heartbeat, he can hear it.
Kioku placed his small hands around Protron, bringing the creature even closer until he could hear its heartbeat banging in his ears.
It was calming... a constant beat...
Kioku forget the other monster's cries and voices as he concentrated on Protron's warm heartbeat...
Pro-Pro...
A heartbeat...
Bloody Talker closed his eyes, trying to find a heartbeat. He stood back up and continued looking forward with his eyes closed. Thanks to his Link Sense, he was able to faintly see the road ahead even if his eyes were closed.
"Bloody Talker!" Cynthia's voice called out to him. "Something is interfering with our Duel, and it's getting in your way. I... let's call it truce for today! I want to win against you fair and square, without the help of anything!"
"NO!"
Cynthia flinched at Bloody Talker sudden shouting.
"If I can't win now, then I won't have a future! Do you think a Knight of Hanoi member would be nice to me? They'll kill me the instant I'm powerless! I'm going to climb over this obstacle and further evolve as a Duelist!"
The SOL agent was shocked at the younger teen's resolve.
"Cyberse!" he shouted. "Can you hear me!? Answer me!"
He was met with silence.
"Damn it..." Bloody Talker cursed as he clenched his fists. "I SAID ANSWER ME! CYBERSE!"
That's when a loud heartbeat boomed in his ear. Bloody Talker smiled as the faint outline of Crimson Sky appeared in front of him, staring with its mechanical eye at him.
"They're here! The Cyberse!" Bloody Talker sighed in happiness. "The Duel continues unhindered! I normal summon Creeper Gliater from my hand!"
Although said monster didn't materialize on the field, Bloody Talker could hear a new heartbeat in front of him, and Gliater's form appeared in his vision thanks to Link Sense.
"It is time! Appear! The new Circuit of my resolves!"
Bloody Talker opened his eyes and threw his arm forward, a Link Portal opening before him. "Arrowheads Confirmed! The summoning conditions are two or more monsters. I set Gliater and the Link 2 Crimson Sky in the Link Markers!"
The invisible to naked eye monsters turned into beams of light as they entered the Bottom-Left, Bottom-Right, and Top Markers, causing them to light up.
"Link Summon! Manifest yourself! The loudest heartbeat in this fictional world! HEX GARDNIUM DRAGON (Dark/Cyberse/Link 3/Effect/ATK: 2300/Bottom-Left, Bottom-Right, Top)!"
The monster which appeared was a four-legged dragon with four round-shaped wings levitating above its back. The dragon's neck, belly, and tail glowed with streaks of flowing red data. Its back and four feet were covered in vanilla-brown armor, while a dark-blue helmet covered its head, two rectangular yellow eyes glowing under it. Several red glowing wires were attached to its feet-armor and helmet, giving it an appearance similar to burning flames.
Cynthia looked at her Duel Disk, seeing the Fire Prison card vanishing from the field.
"It disappeared..." she whispered. "Amazing... Bloody Talker's power is amazing. Moreover, this must be the dragon he got by using Storm Access during Blue Angel's Duel."
"I activate Cynet Defrag's effect from my Graveyard. Once in a Duel, by paying half my Life Points, I can use this card's effect from the Graveyard! I choose to revive Crimson Sky by equipping it with Cynet Defrag!"
Bloody Talker: LP 2150 : 2 = 1075
"Let's do this! Battle!" Bloody Talker cried out. "Hex Gardnium Dragon attacks your Neo Cyber End! I also activate its Quick Effect! By destroying Crimson Sky linked to it, Gardnium's Attack is doubled until the end Damage Calculation (ATK: 2300 = 4600)! Also, since Crimson Sky was destroyed by a Link Monster's effect, your Neo Cyber End's Attack is reduced to zero (ATK: 4000 = 0)!"
[If this attack connects, you'll have 0 Life Points left,] Cynthia's A.I. told.
"Since my dragon has 0 Attack, I can't use my set card, Limiter Removal on it," Cynthia said. "But my other face-down is a different story! Activating Continous Trap Card! Cybernetic Hidden Technology! When my opponent declares an attack, by sending a Cyber Dragon or a Fusion Monster which lists Cyber Dragon as material to the Graveyard, the attacking monster is destroyed! I sacrifice my Neo Cyber End to destroy your dragon!"
"I activate the Quick-Play Spell Card, Protection Coat from my hand!" the hacker stated. "Since I control a Link 3 or higher Link Monster, I can activate this card. I target my Hex Gardnium! This turn, the targeted monster can't leave the field because of card effects and it gains 500 Attack until the End Phase (ATK: 4600 = 5100)!"
"No!" Cynthia gasped as her plan backfired.
"Your Trap only destroys my monster, but doesn't negate its attack! Since your Neo Cyber End Dragon left the field, a replay occurs! Do it! Hex Gardnium Dragon attacks you directly!"
The wings above Gardnium's back aligned in front of its face. The dragon opened its jaw wide as it charged the incoming attack.
"Take this! Ultimate Gamma Ray!"
A beam of light was unleashed from the dragon's jaw, becoming larger with each round-wing it passed through. The beam washed over Cynthia, who smiled as she lost.
Cynthia: LP 3900 - 5100 = 0
Winner: Bloody Talker!
"That was a cool Duel!" Bloody Talker said as he moved his D-Board closer to Cynthia's.
"Yeah..." she faintly nodded. "Maybe we could do this another time?"
"You bet!" the hacker chuckled as he gave a thumbs up.
"Let's go back to the church," Cynthia said. Bloody Talker nodded as the two Duelists vanished.
"Cynthia? What are you doing here!?" Akira concerned voice asked as Cynthia and Bloody Talker appeared in the church.
"We came here to see the results of Playmaker's Duel," she explained.
Just then, Playmaker and Ghost Girl logged into the church.
"Playmaker! Ghost Girl!" Bloody Talker smiled as the two walked up to the bed in which Blue Angel was laying.
"I have the removal program," Playmaker told as he extended his hand over Blue Angel's body. "With this, she'll be cured."
His hand glowed green as data flowed onto the idol. The church glowed faintly as Blue Angel's body dissolved, meaning she has finally logged out.
"What happened!?" Akira asked confused.
"It seems she was able to log out," Ghost Girl explained.
"You should go and see her, Zaizen-sama," Cynthia suggested.
"Okay!" Akira smiled as he nodded. "Playmaker!"
Akira called out to Playmaker, who started walking away.
"Oh? Leaving already?" Ghost Girl inquired. Playmaker didn't respond. He logged out, giving somewhat of an answer.
"Hoh, how cool," Ghost Girl mused.
"Eh? Bloody Talker?"
Much to their surprise, even Bloody Talker was gone. He probably logged out too.
"That kid is really strange..." Cynthia sighed in exasperation.
In Real World: Kioku's apartment...
"That was a really tiring Duel..."
Kioku sighed as he flopped onto his bed, his head landing on the pillows. Today's Duel really did a number on him, especially when he had to force his Link Sense to hear his monster's heartbeats.
Pro-Pro?
That sound... it can't be...
Kioku slowly raised his head, looking up and seeing two round, glowing eyes staring back at him.
"P...P-Pro...tron?"
Protron!
Kioku couldn't believe his eyes! The very being which was there during his one Hell-ish of a childhood, and gave him support, was levitating there in front of him.
"Protron..."
Kioku muttered as tears started running down his cheeks. He placed his hands around the smaller creature's body, bringing it closer.
Pro-Pro!
Protron's happy voice said, burying its body into Kioku's chest.
"I've... missed you so much..."
He was so overjoyed, Kioku couldn't stop the tears from falling as he pressed Protron to his chest, until it actually started hurting.
Pro-Pro...
The two stayed like that until both fell asleep.
In Real World: SOL Technology...
A lone person stood in a dark, long, and wide hallway. The person was standing on a platform near the entrance. Said person was a female, not older than twenty. She was wearing a SOL female work suit. She had long, brown hair tied up in a high ponytail, she had light blue eyes, and had a serious expression as she stared at the nothingness in front of her.
Suddenly, the dark hallway was replaced by a clouded sky and a never-ending chess-board.
A giant chess piece, namely the Queen, materialized in front of the female worker.
"Cyndy, my dear," the chess piece murmured. "What happened to you today? You lost a Duel I heard?"
"Yes, mother," the now called Cyndy said. "I'm very sorry."
"You're working for SOL Technology from two years, right after you graduated," Queen sighed. "From the first second you became our company's most favorited agent, you never lost in a Duel. You're lucky I can use that in your defense if the other higher-ups want to fire you."
"I'm very sorry for causing trouble, mother" Cyndy apologized. "It seems Bloody Talker got the best of me today. It won't happen again."
"Cyndy, my dear," Queen sighed again. "You're stressing yourself too much. Bloody Talker is a very talented Duelist as I heard from the others, so I can close an eye this once. Maybe try revisiting your deck and strategies, that's what other Duelists do at a time like this, right?"
"Yes, mother," Cyndy nodded.
"Good. Masayoshi Cyndy, you're dismissed," Queen told as she disappeared, and the dark hallway returned.
Cyndy stared at the darkness in front of her for a minute before she turned around and left the Meeting Room.
"I'll do my best, mother. I won't let you down, I promise."
Today we meet our last OC which is going to make its appearance in this story, Masayoshi Cyndy. She's the daughter of SOL's great chess piece, Queen. At the start, I wanted to give her another Fanmade Archetype, but then I decided to give her a Cyber deck which I think suits her well.
We also discovered that Kioku (Bloody Talker) has a Duel Spirit friend since his childhood, Protron, which disappeared from his life but finally returned to Kioku's side, much to his joy. If you want to ask, why Protron from all the existing cards in YGO, it's because Protron is a Cyberse monster and is really cute!
We also discover the Link Monster Kioku obtained in the last chapter, which is Hex Gardnium Dragon, which mirrors Yusaku's (Playmaker) Decode Talker because of its stats and Link Arrows, and Revolver's Topologic Trisbaena because of its Link Arrows and its dragon-appearance.
Now, turning our attention to the canon.
I just love Spectre as a character, especially the deck he uses, a Link-based Plant deck. I'm gonna love when I'll get to write a Duel with this guy.
Blue Angel is doing he best to defeat Spectre. I personally don't know who to root for because I love both characters.
So Ema Bessho (Ghost Girl) died... and the way she died though... it was very sad.
That's why I won't let that money-for-hire, alluring, mysterious b***h die in this story! We NEED more badass female characters in YGO, so except her majesty not to die!
Was it just me, or did anybody else think Revolver looked worried when that pink-globe-thingy lost control? He did seem surprised.
Now we know Revolver has two different decks: one is his Vullet deck which he only uses in Master Duels, and a pure Dragon deck with the Topologic family as its Ace only during Speed Duels.
I was thinking of making Kioku do the same thing: his Creeper deck for Master Duels only, while a pure Cyberse deck for Speed Duels only, obviously, with Protron in the latter one.
I find it really funny how Revolver went to buy hotdogs from Shoichi when he KNOWS who Shoichi is, not to mention Yusaku who was sitting there at a table.
That should be all.
Now, before we depart, there are two last things I want to say.
1. A brilliant idea for a YGO VRAINS Overdrive SEASON 2 idea came to my mind, so after this fanfic ends, expect a season 2! If there's going to be a VRAINS canon season 2, I'll do an AU so things won't get complicated.
2. Something that is missing from this story is none other than an Opening and an Ending! I already have ideas for both, however, I'll be making different ones from the canon. For an Opening, since after the Another Arc if I'm not mistaken started, there wasn't a new Opening, so I'm going to make one myself with a song of my choosing. For the Ending, I really liked Believe In Magic than Writing Life, so I'll make an Ending with the former as its base.
As always, review and see you next time!
- Fanmade Cards:
Used by Cyndy (Cynthia):
- Cyber Restore Code
Quick-Play Spell
When you're about to take effect damage, activate this card: The damage you take is negated. Then, for each "Cyber Dragon" in your GY, you gain 500 LP. Banish this card from your GY when a "Cyber Dragon" you control leaves the field: Draw 1 card. If it left the field because of the opponent, draw 2 cards instead.
- Cybernetic Upgrade
Normal Trap
Tribute 1 Fusion Monster you control which lists "Cyber Dragon" as one of its materials: Special Summon 1 "Neo Cyber End Dragon" from your Extra Deck by ignoring its Summoning conditions. You can only activate one "Cybernetic Upgrade" per turn. During your Main Phase, banish this card from your GY: Target 1 "Cyber Dragon" you control; Send it to the GY, and if you do, Special Summon 1 "Neo Cyber End Dragon" from your GY. You can't summon any other monsters the turn you activate this effect.
- Neo Cyber End Dragon (Light/Machine/Fusion/Effect/ATK: 4000/DEF: 2800)
3x "Cyber Dragon" on the field
A Fusion Summon of this card can only be done with the above materials. If there are exactly 3 "Cyber Dragon" in your GY, this card can attack thrice during your Battle Phase. When this card is destroyed: Special Summon 1 "Cyber Dragon" from your GY.
Used by Kioku (Bloody Talker):
- Instant Save Coating
Normal Trap
Activate when your LP would drop to 0 by an enemy's attack. Negate the battle damage you would take from this battle. Then, target 1 Cyberse monster in your GY which has the same or lower ATK as the damage you took: Special Summon that target, and if you do, end the Battle Phase.
- Link Reboot
Counter Trap
During damage calculation, when you would take battle damage: Make the battle damage you take 0, and if you do, Special Summon 1 Link Monster from your GY.
- Protection Coat
Quick Spell
Activate only while you control a Link 3 or higher Link Monster. Target a Link Monster you control: This turn, that target can't leave the field due to card effects, also, it gains 500 ATK until the End Phase. When a Link 3 or higher monster you control is selected by an opponent's card effect: Banish this card from your GY; That monster gains 1000 ATK until this turn's End Phase and it can't be destroyed by battle or card effects.
- Hex Gardnium Dragon (Dark/Cyberse/Link 3/Effect/ATK: 2300/Bottom-Left, Bottom-Right, Top)
2+ Monsters
(Quick Effect): Activate one of these effects. You can only use each effect once per turn.
If this card battles an opponent's monster: You can destroy 1 monster this card points to; this card's ATK becomes double its original ATK until the end of damage calculation.
When your opponent activates a card or effect that targets a card(s) you control: You can destroy 1 monster this card points to; negate the activation.
- Trivia: This card's name is a combination of "Gard" and "Millenium". The word "Gard" in this card's name originates of an Old Norse word, meaning "To enclose" or "Enclosure" which reflects on its Effect-Negating effect. "Millenium" is a helpful worm.