A/N: OMG, didn't that take way too long? The duel continues, and there's there's a big surprise down the bottom half of the chapter for you, because Kiryu's gone crazy. Which means cliffhangers. I love crazy Kiryu. And remember to review guys, it makes me feel so good to hear from you.
Carly 1600 (SPC 4)
Melinda 4000 (SPC 4)
"Alright, Carly!" Melinda called over her shoulder. "Show me what you've got."
(SPC +1)
"Inherited Fortune activates and I can summon two Fortune Ladies. So I summon Fortune Lady Fire." ATK ?/DEF ?. "And Fortune Lady Earth." ATK ?/DEF ?. "Fortune Lady Fire's effect means when she's special summoned, I can destroy a monster on your field and you take damage equal to its attack. And it's going to be your Ryu Kokki."
"I activate the Speed Spell- Shrink." The face down revealed itself and Carly glared over. "By removing three speed counters, the attack of any monster on the field is halved. I chose my Ryu Kokki. Now his attack is 1200."
Fire threw slashed the zombie and shattered into several skulls, slamming into the side of Melinda's D-Wheel and knocking her into the flaming wall. She screamed in pure agony, then laughed softly as she pulled back to the centre of the track. They swept around a few tight corners and back onto a straight.
Carly 1600 (SPC 5)
Melinda 2800 (SPC 2)
"What are you laughing at?" Carly snapped, pulling upside her. Melinda glanced up from under her visor, dark eyes covered in the red visor looking almost demonic. "No wonder Kiryu likes you; you're as insane as he is."
"I'll give you some advice, Carly," Melinda laughed cruelly. "You should stick with Jack. You should never have survived with Kiryu. You're too weak."
"What?" she cried.
"Think about it? He doesn't want a girl like you," she continued, with a careless shrug. "You're a sweet, naive, submissive little girl who won't argue with him. Jack might like that but Kiryu doesn't." She sighed and waved her hand dismissively. "That's why he comes back to me, sweetheart. It's simple, you think he doesn't respect you as a duellist, fact is, he doesn't respect you at all because you let him walk all over you. So, prove me wrong. Prove you can handle a man like Kiryu and make your or stop wasting my time!"
Carly's eyes were wide and tears began to well up. "You're just saying that to put me off my game!"
"Yes, but it doesn't make it any less true. Now finish your move."
"Fine! Fortune Lady Earth, destroy her Zombie Master!"
Earth spun and slammed her staff into the ground. Spikes shot up, tearing at Melinda's D-Wheel and her. She was swing sideways and Carly pulled ahead, laughing coldly.
Carly 1600 (SPC 5)
Melinda 2000 (SPC 2)
"Come on, Milly," she called. "Keep up." Melinda snarled and straightened out, tearing around the corner after Carly. "I thought you were stronger than me, Milly; that's why Kiryu loved you right? You look worse off than I do, and your D-Wheel doesn't sound so good either. Since I don't have the power to take on any other of your monsters, I'll end my turn with a face down."
(SPC +1)
"Alright, Carly," Melinda said, lowering her head dangerously. A cruel smile came to her lips. "Carly... let me show you a card I love... one of the first card Kiryu ever gave me. I sacrifice my Pyramid Turtle and Zombie Master to summon Despair from the Dark!"
A dark shadow loomed behind her, a red and yellow glow pulsing inside it. ATK 2800/DEF 3000. Melinda smiled and revved her engine, then tore up the road, the wind whipping around her making her mind spin. Yusei's engine designs were amazing, she couldn't imagine having been here- facing a Dark Signer and actually fighting for something- without Yusei's encouragement.
"Yusei, can you hear me?" Crow said quietly, switching audio channel. "Yusei?"
"I'm here," Yusei replied. "What's wrong? Is that you duelling?"
"No, it's Milly," he said. "She's in trouble, Yusei." He sighed and glanced down as Milly set a face down. "I know you want to find Kiryu, but if Milly's duelling, especially against Carly, you can bet he's lurking; and he wants to find you two. I think you should come here."
"Ok, I'll be there as soon as I can."
A D-Wheel pulled up beside him and he turned, almost expecting it to be Yusei, but he couldn't imagine he'd have arrived that quickly. It was a black and crimson, mono-wheel D-Wheel. Crow frowned and glanced at him.
"Are you going to be a pain?" Jack said quietly.
"Jack... you're one of them?" Crow whispered.
"You don't sound surprised."
"I figured as much. I just didn't want to believe it."
"Are you two sleeping together yet, or are you still aching over how much she still loves Kiryu. They were together last night, you know."
"You know nothing about me, Jack. Although, I hear you're found of Carly."
"Now, Despair from the Dark, tear apart her little Fortune Lady Fire!" A ghoulish creature shot out from looming shadow and swung opened its gaping mouth to engulf Fire. "It's over Carly!"
Yusei tumbled to the ground with a thud. His D-Wheel hit the ground next to him. A shadow fell over him. Kiryu sneered down at him from his D-Wheel. Yusei steadied his breath and got shakily to his feet, pulling his D-Wheel back upright. He'd come from nowhere and slammed straight into Yusei's side, sending him flying.
"Kiryu," he said quietly. "I thought for a moment you were hiding from me."
"I would never hide from a coward like you," Kiryu snarled. He stepped off his D-Wheel, grabbed him by the shirt and slammed him into the ground. "Why wait for a duel?" He laughed and closed his hands slowly around Yusei's throat. "I could kill you right now."
"Kiryu..." he groaned, struggling beneath the heavier boy. "This isn't how you want to win. I know that... Kiryu... you'd never be happy to win like this..."
Kiryu laughed and sat up slowly, loosening his grip just enough to let him breathe. He looked thoughtful, but his eyes only showed impatience. "Who are you?"
"Yusei Fudo, you know that," he said quietly.
"That's not what I mean and you know it." He smiled and traced Yusei's marker lazily. "Yusei Fudo is dead. He died in a riot in the facility. So, I'll ask again, who are you?"
"I told you."
Kiryu squeezed his hand around his neck and Yusei struggled to pry him off but it was no use. "You're lying to me. Does Milly know you're a lying piece of dirt? Does she know that you've been using her Signer?"
"I..." He gasped for air as Kiryu's grip tightened again.
"You... you what, Signer?" Kiryu laughed. "Now, tell me the truth. If you lie again, I'll kill you. Who are you?"
After a few moments of catching his breath, Yusei gazed up at Kiryu. Somehow, he didn't doubt Kiryu would kill him if he didn't give a satisfactory answer this time. Both hands were still around his throat, just relaxed enough to let Yusei talk and get a little breath. He had to think fast.
"Alright," he whispered hoarsely. "But you won't like it."
"Don't tell me what I will and won't like, Signer," Kiryu snarled. "Now, spill."
"Ok... I am Yusei, but a different Yusei. I'm from a different world, or a different time line, or something like that," he explained, watching Kiryu carefully to see if he bought it. He seemed to be considering it. "Where I'm from the Dark Signers were beaten when they appeared. It was the four Signers and we beat you."
"You're crazier than I am. You're not even worth killing."
"No, I'm telling the truth. In my world we were friends before you died, you blamed me for it, for leaving you behind, and I tried you help you, I tried to save you, but there was this whole misunderstanding and it got out of hand... Kiryu, I know you don't want to do this. If you want to beat me you want to do it in a duel, not like this, it's way too easy for you, it won't satisfy you."
Kiryu frowned and for a moment Yusei wondered if maybe he was going to let go. Then Kiryu laughed; bitterly and cruelly.
"Yusei... you're right, it won't satisfy me," he cackled. "So, keep talking, tell me about where you're from."
"Will you let me up?" Yusei said.
He thought it over for a moment before shaking his head. "No. I still don't trust you."
"At least, let me breathe." Kiryu loosened his grip, his hands resting on his shoulders. "In my world, when we beat the Dark Signers, everyone came back. All but two- Rudger and Rex. But everyone who died came back... just as they were..." Kiryu laughed, but it seemed hollow for once. "You live out in the desert now, you watch over a little western town, you're some kind of sheriff. You look after these two sweet little kids. You're all they've got."
"Why are you telling me all this?" Kiryu snapped, his voice trembling slightly.
"Because I want you to understand," he replied. "You're so angry, but you don't need to be. Everything can change."
"What makes you think I want it to?"
"Misty would come back. I know you loved her. And Aki would come back too, and you could make right what happened with her."
"You don't know anything!"
"I know that Melinda would still love you if you were that person again."
"You're talking a load of bull," he snapped. His fist slammed into Yusei's jaw before he could stop himself. Yusei grunted as his head knocked against the ground, and Kiryu closed his hands around his throat. "I've changed my mind, Yusei... you are worth killing."
Yusei tried desperately to pull Kiryu's hands away but Kiryu just squeezed tighter, laughing cruelly. His head was pounding. Blood rushed around his ears his vision began to darken. All he could see was Kiryu laughing. It didn't stop him struggling and trying to break Kiryu's hold. There wasn't much hope; Kiryu was taller and heavier, and he'd always been stronger. Then everything went dark.
A moment or two after Yusei's body went limp, Kiryu let go. He took a moment, quietly considering the body. His mark was glowing crimson, and slowly ebbing away to nothing. He tilted his head slightly then slowly pulled off Yusei's helmet. It was proof that the last hope of the world- the last Signer- was gone. He searched through the deck on the wrist dealer, and then his extra deck, and found the Signer dragon. Stardust Dragon...
"Pretty little thing," he muttered, tucking it into his pocket. He glanced back at Yusei. "If you'd just stayed out of my way, you would have been able to protect Milly a lot better." He smiled. "You failed, Signer."