Me: Hey, look! Another update, and it hasn't been three months since the last one! …Actually, I was kind of worried that it was going to end up taking me that long, because I got writer's block halfway through writing this chapter. Man, it has been far too long since I've written a Duel.

Sky: Oh… so there's a Duel in this chapter?

Me: Yes. Along with… eh… No, you'll see.

Sky: …

Me: R-Right… I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh 5Ds, but I do own my OCs and their cards. Enjoy?

***This chapter is brought to you by Undertow, by John Mackey (it's a concert band piece, so it's not from a video game)***

Chapter 10

"You… what have you done to Reshiram?!" I shout, once I overcome my initial shock.

The girl twirls her wand, grinning madly. A white stone appears in her hand, and I can tell the moment I look at it that it is Reshiram. "Oh… nothing yet… But… Hee hee… You'll have to beat me if you want her back."

I guess that means a Duel. "You're on!" No way I'm letting them do anything to Reshiram!

Her wand glows a little, and morphs into a Duel Disk… that mirrors Akiza's. As if this didn't hurt enough already. "I'll be going first!" the Duel Spirit declares.

Witch of the Black Rose's Life Points: 4000; Sky's Life Points: 4000

She draws her card, which is larger than her own hand, and looks at it without emotion. "Hm… I Summon Evil Thorn in Attack Mode!"

Evil Thorn ATK: 100, DEF: 300, Level 1

A vine appears in the air. On one side of it is a wilted pink flower, and on the other is a black, bulging sphere of thorns.

"And I'll go ahead and activate my lovely thorn's special ability!" she chimes. "Hee hee… You'll take 300 damage and I'll get two more of my Evil Thorns in return!"

The bulging sphere of thorns glows, and inflates itself. I cover my face with my arms when it explodes, but that doesn't help at all. Pain flares up in several places; two thorns are stuck in my left arm, and another in my side. They aren't disappearing… they're more real than when battling a Psychic…

Sky's Life Points: 3700

I pull the two out of my arm, wincing each time. I don't know what to do with the one buried in my side. This is the Spirit World, but who's to say I'll get the help I need to fix it in time? Luna and Shosan are the only two here… and Witch of the Black Rose is the only Duel Spirit…

…I-It needs to come out, bleeding or no. The more I move—and I'm definitely moving—the worse it'll become, right?

"N-Neh?!"

I pull my hand back from the thorn when this green… creature bumps into it. It's… small… head looks kind of like a radish or something… but the rest of its body is more akin to tiny green fairy. The creature pulls the thorn out, places its hand on the injury, and bam! It's completely closed over. Not even a scab.

…Still hurts, but it won't kill me.

And then the creature flies around, landing on Shoshan's shoulder. He looks just as surprised as I am, and says, "Celebi? I haven't seen you in awhile."

"I thought you might need help!" the creature chimes. Okay, female voice. Definitely going to call it a 'she', then.

"Um… thanks, Celebi…?" I say. It's better than nothing.

But I still have the rest of the Duel, and there are two more Evil Thorns staring me down. …Figuratively, since they don't have faces.

"If that little episode is done, then I'm continuing my turn," Witch of the Black Rose announces, a frown on her face for once. "I'm activating the Spell Closed Plant Gate! Since I control two Plant-Type monsters with the same name, you can't attack on your next turn!"

"…I know." I've watched Akiza use this exact strategy before. Why… why did it have to happen like this…?

My opponent acts all smug, and adds, "I'll end my turn with a face-down."

"My move!" I draw, and look at my hand. It's not the best start I've had—probably the worst, if I'm honest with myself. And… I remember the last time my Deck worked against me. When I Dueled that imposter Jack… and lost.

…This is not going to be a repeat of that. I can't lose here.

Besides, it could just be that my main Duel Spirits are busy cleaning up from… what happened here in the Spirit World, so they ended up lower in my Deck.

"I Summon Celestial Synchron in Defense Mode!" I declare, placing the card on my Duel Disk.

Celestial Synchron ATK: 700, DEF: 1800, Level 3

A robotic star appears, surrounded by three circles of light.

"Then, because I Normal Summoned it, I can Special Summon a Level 1 monster from my Deck!" I continue. "Come to the field, Celestial Angel!"

Celestial Angel ATK: 0, DEF: 0, Level 1

A small girl—she looks 8 or 9—appears next to my star-robot. Her hair, dress, and wings are all the same color: white. And she glows.

"That ends my turn," I finish.

"Aw… no face-downs?" Akiza's Duel Spirit taunts. "I was hoping for more of a surprise. Oh well, it's my turn! Draw!" The moment she looks at her card, she laughs. "Perfect! I Summon the Tuner Twilight Rose Knight!"

Twilight Rose Knight ATK: 1000, DEF: 1000, Level 3

A young boy with icy-blue hair appears, wearing black armor that is lined with dark magenta. He holds a small sword in one hand.

No. No no no, this can't be happening. This monster… it's the one that Akiza always uses—used, I flinch at the thought—to bring out Black Rose Dragon. And I just can't face that creature. It can't happen. It just… can't.

"And I'm using my knight's ability to bring out the Level 4 Lord Poison," Witch of the Black Rose continues.

Lord Poison ATK: 1500, DEF: 1000, Level 4

I'm shaking when the plant with spikes on it appears. She's going to do it. She's going to… no…

"Time for a Synchro Summon! I Tune my Level 3 Twilight Rose Knight with my Level 4 Lord Poison!"

Here it comes…

"I Synchro Summon Black Rose Dragon!"

Black Rose Dragon ATK: 2400, DEF: 1800, Level 7

My eyes aren't focused when the black dragon covered in rose petals appears. There was no way they could be… not when all I see before me is fire. A stake… and fire, phantom screams drowning out everything. I barely notice when I fall to my knees.

Akiza… Akiza… I'm so sorry I couldn't save you…

"I'll use my dragon's ability to banish an Evil Thorn from my Graveyard, in exchange for turning your Celestial Synchron into Attack Mode… with its ATK reduced to 0."

Celestial Synchron ATK: 700 to 0

I wish… I wish you didn't have to die…

"Black Rose Dragon, attack!"

That you weren't killed because of me…

I jerk back into reality right before the attack hits me, but that's too late to do much of anything.

…

I welcome the pain. I shouldn't, but I do. Black Rose Dragon… This is my punishment for failing to save your Signer, isn't it? The ground stings, and the rose petals burn into my skin. The pain is worse than a Shadow Duel, and I can't stop it. I could have with Celestial Angel's effect, but I didn't activate it in time.

Sky's Life Points: 1600

When I pry myself off of the ground, I'm laughing away the pain. I don't know. Maybe I hit my head a little during that attack. I'm on autopilot right now—I can't let this dragon stop me if it means I'll lose Reshiram. "Is… Is that all you've got?"

"Heh, you won't be so smug after my next move," Witch of the Black Rose says. "But, until then, I'll equip Black Rose Dragon with Thorn of Malice. Your turn."

Black Rose Dragon ATK: 2400 to 3000

Ngh… those thorns make things worse for me. Especially since it means I'll take piercing damage, even if Black Rose Dragon can't destroy my monsters, and then my monsters get even weaker… I'll need a miracle to turn this around. "It's… my turn! I draw!" My card isn't a miracle, just another low-level monster I can't use right now—mostly because Celestial Synchron was destroyed. Biting my lip, I declare, "I Summon Celestial Meteor in… Attack Mode and that ends my turn."

Celestial Meteor ATK: 1500, DEF: 0, Level 2

My monster is nothing more than a silver asteroid, surrounded in flames, with two eyes and a mouth. He's usually overly energetic, but something's… missing. Like he isn't really here.

"That's it? Hah! I'll kill you on this turn!" Akiza's Duel Spirit taunts. She draws her card, and just adds it to her hand. "Black Rose Dragon inflicts piercing damage, remember? So, she'll attack your powerless Celestial Angel! You lose!"

I'm not going to let this happen again. "I activate Celestial Angel's ability! By paying half my Life Points, no one can attack this turn!" I can't help it. I scream in agony when my angel turns around and blasts me with a lightning bolt, as per the cost of her effect. The pain forces me back onto my knees, and this time I don't get up.

Sky's Life Points: 800

As soon as the dust clears, Shoshan runs to my side. "Sky, are you alright?"

I use him as leverage to stand up, and grunt out, "I'll… be fine."

That is far from the truth, because I fall back onto the ground as soon as I let go of Shoshan. It feels like all of the strength has drained out of my body… It's getting extremely hard for me to breathe… V-Vision's going dark…

I can still hear Witch of the Black Rose's voice, taunting me. "Aw… look's like you really can't live without Reshiram's help. How pathetic."

I… can't… what?

I'm vaguely aware of someone lifting me off of the ground. From the sliver of vision that I still have, I can see that it's Shoshan, eyes full of worry. "Sky… please, you have to get up."

I know. I know I have to… but I can't, I want to say. How can I, when my body is shutting down? That leads to me wondering why it's shutting down. It can't have been because of my own monster's effect… But is it really because I'm not connected to Reshiram right now? Shouldn't my connection to the Crimson Dragon be enough? I mean, I get the same amount of strength from both dragons…

Then again… because of what happened to Akiza…

Haah… haah… This is… the rest of my punishment, then? Lay paralyzed until the Duel Spirit that belonged to the friend I let die kills me?

…Nngh… I can't… I can't let that happen. Reshiram is… counting on me… and so are the r-remaining Signers. And they still have Yusei…! I won't let anything happen to him, paralyzed body or no!

"Is… that… the end… of your turn?" I gasp out as I slowly push myself up and out of Shoshan's lap.

"S-Sky…" Shoshan's still worried about me.

"Don't worry… I know… what I'm doing," I tell the man I love.

"Oh, then you know you won't be able to stall forever," Witch of the Black Rose says. "Because you won't. …Yes, by the way. That's the end of my turn."

My right hand throbs as I draw my card. What little air was in my throat froze when I see what card I drew… Crimson Star - Envoy of the Black Rose. This is… this is…! Akiza… A sad smile works its way onto my face. Thank you. I know what I have to do now. "I… release both of… my monsters to Summon… Crimson Star - Envoy of the… Black Rose!"

Crimson Star - Envoy of the Black Rose ATK: 2400, DEF: 1800, Level 7

The dragon that appears on my side of the field is nigh identical to the one Witch of the Black Rose controls. There are two differences, though. Mine has bright crimson markings on her body, concentrating on her claws, and lacks the extra thorns that Black Rose Dragon has due to Thorn of Malice.

"When I… Normal Summon this… card," I cough a few times—man, determination only goes so far—and continue, "I can Special Summon… a 'Crimson Star' monster… from my hand or Deck. I… choose Crimson Star - Envoy of the Light!"

Crimson Star - Envoy of the Light ATK: 1800, DEF: 200, Level 4

No one can see the full detail of this monster. It takes the vague shape of a knight, but the glow surrounding it makes it too hard to see much else.

"And… I use its… effect to increase… its Level by 1…"

Crimson Star - Envoy of the Light Level 5

That's it… I can do it… I take a deep breath—well, as deep as I can without breaking out in a coughing fit. "I Tune Level 5 Crimson Star - Envoy of the Light with Level 7 Crimson Star - Envoy of the Black Rose! Crimson flames envelop the pitch-dark rose! Become the path its light shines upon! Synchro Summon! Bloom, Crimson Rose Dragon!"

Crimson Rose Dragon ATK: 4000, DEF: 3000, Level 12

Instead of being a shade of pink, this new dragon's rose petals are definitely crimson. There are more of them, as well, even though this dragon is more humanoid than Black Rose Dragon. Her wings scatter petals everywhere with each flap.

I smirk when I see the look of shock and disdain that appears on Witch of the Black Rose's face. "Suprised? This is the card I'm going to use to… defeat you!" Dang it, I thought I'd gotten all of my energy back.

"F-Fat chance! I still have a lot more Life Points than you… and your dragon will only be able to take away a thousand of them this turn!"

"I wouldn't be so sure about that," I retort, still smirking.

"Huh?"

Crimson Rose Dragon flies over to her side of the field, and begins to constrict Black Rose Dragon. The original lets out a scream in anguish—and I almost call off the effect, but I need this to win.

Black Rose Dragon ATK: 3000 to 0

"Wh-WHAT?! What's the meaning of this?!"

"Crimson Rose Dragon's effect… lets me reduce the ATK or… DEF of a… monster on the field… to zero… You can see which… one I… chose," I say. Ngh… this needs to finish soon… I don't think I'll be able to speak much longer…

"To… zero? But… that means…!"

"Crimson Rose Dragon, attack Black Rose Dragon!" I shout. "Crimson Gale!"

All I see is flames. So many flames. And the scream… Witch of the Black Rose's scream… it sounds like Akiza's.

…Did I… do the right thing…?

Witch of the Black Rose's Life Points: 0. Winner: Sky Fudo

To be continued…

Me: And that's all for this chapter!

Sky: *Glares*

Me: Hey, it's not my fault. Shade thought this would be an accurate depiction of you fighting against Akiza's Deck after what happened last chapter.

Shade: Would you have preferred that I made light of Akiza's death?

Sky: …I would have preferred you to not make me have a sort of mental breakdown.

Lucy: Pfffffff… You think this one was bad? Wait until the one you have in Crimson Games! You haven't seen anything yet!

Me: Lucy… Don't talk about that.

Sky: *Holds head* You know what? I'm just going to go prepare myself for… whatever it is Lucy's plotting.

Lucy: NOTHING will prepare you for it!

Me: Oh dear, here comes Lucy throwing an insanity fit… Um, please, review!

Lucy: IT'S GOING TO BE SOOOOOOOO MUCH FUUUUUUUUUUUUUN!