Round & Round, the planets revolve round the sun. And we always seek after love and peace, forever more. Grow- Whoops, sorry about that. Every Heart was going through my mind and now it is officially one of my favorite songs. Anyway, I bring you the next chapter of A Hidden Crystal Rose. This one will deepen Angel's relationship with her new 'family' and Sayer will also appear in it, too. Thanks to all of you who reviewed and gave my suggestions. OK, lets get this chapter rolling!
Chapter ten: What the bug?
" And they were never heard from again…" said Mike in a dead and desolated voice. Angel, Drake, Rail, Halley, Lilly, Jamie, and Davey felt shivers run down their spines when the older boy finished his scary story. They were all in Drake's hospital room and it was already night time. They decided to spend a night at the hospital before Angel would get to her Turbo Duel tomorrow. They were all just telling scary stories and having a good time. Well, they were all a bit shaken after Mike's story, but they were still having a good time.
" Sheesh Mike, that's one really creepy story. Where'd you heard it?" asked Rail, crossing his legs on the part of the hospital bed he was sitting on.
" My father told me it. He's knows a lot more since he spent a few months at Crash Town." said Mike.
" Well it was rather scary. Are you OK, Lilly?" asked Drake to his younger sister, who was trembling a little at her brother's side. The little girl shook her head but her eyes still held a little fear.
" N-N-No. D-Daddy says that Atlas's don't show fear. I want to be fearless like you, daddy, Hunter and Blake, big brother." stammered Lilly. Drake placed his arm around his sister.
" It's alright, Lil. Dad just says that to show us bravery. You are as brave as me, dad, and the twins." he said. Lilly smiled and cuddled next to her brother. Angel smiled at the two. Drake really was a soft guy on the inside. He only showed it around people close to him, like her. The prodigy's heart fluttered slightly when Drake had shown her his soft side. She really did like that side of him.
" OK, lets not tell anymore scary stories. Lets do something else." said Halley.
" Alright. How about we say what we're afraid of?" suggested Rail.
" Why would we do that when we aren't going to tell scary stories?" asked Angel.
" Come on! It could be fun. Look, I'll go first. What I'm afraid of, mmh… I guess I would say clowns. Those painted face weirdoes just give me the creeps." said the carrot-top, shivering slightly at the thought of the harmless entertainers. Everyone chuckled to themselves silently.
" Umm… I guess I would say that I'm afraid of snakes. I just can't stand them." admitted Halley.
" I'm afraid of… those pointless kiddy shows that involve obvious questions. They don't scare me they just really irk me." said Mike.
" So you're saying that if we turned on this hospital TV right now and put on something like, Pee-Wee's Playhouse, then you'd run out of here in a heartbeat?" asked Rail.
" In a nutshell, yes." said Mike. Everyone one was silent for a moment before they began busting their guts. Mike scowled at them all as they laughed." You know, I feel this is rather pointless, too." he muttered, his cheeks tinting red with embarrassment.
" Ah, we're sorry, Mike. We just thought it was a little funny since you're a tough guy and all." said Halley. Mike continued to scowl and Halley nudged Angel." OK Ang, what are you afraid of?" she asked.
Angel tugged on a strand of her black hair." Well… I-"
" Who wants pizza!" yelled Crow as he barged into the room with the other adults fallowing in tow.
" Alright! You're the man, dad!" whooped Rail as the older Hogan place the large pizza box down on the middle of the bed. The box was then open and everyone grabbed a piece of plain cheese pizza.
" So, what were you guys talking about?" asked Bruno as he placed a bit of pepper on his pizza.
" Just stuff, dad." said Halley as she took a bite out of her slice. Everyone then just focused on their food and they were pretty silent. Then, Jamie pointed out something.
" Uncwil Yusei and Angel are bwoth eating pizza funny." she said in her childish voice. Everyone looked at the two. Both had their slices of Italian food folded in a parallel way, making both slices represent little flags.
" Huh, you guys do eat pizza the same way. Why do you fold them anyway?" asked Jack.
Yusei took a bite out of his slice and shrugged." I've always eat pizza like this." he said.
" I just fold it because it keeps cheese from sticking on my fingers." said Angel. The teen had to admit, it was a little odd how both her and Yusei ate their pizza. She had been folding it since she had ever first tried pizza and she had never met anyone else who done the same. It felt odd. But it was a good odd. She couldn't explain it.
The group then went back to eating and a few conversations were thrown here and there.
" By the way, you said that you were going to tell what you were afraid of, Angel." mentioned Halley. Angel chewed on the crust of her pizza.
" Oh yeah, well, what I was going to say was-"
" Ew! Gross, a spider!" Lilly called as she pointed the arachnid crawling on the floor.
" I thought this hospital was clean." said Drake with disgust. He then noticed had her head turned away and that her hands were balled into fist." Angel? You OK?" he asked.
" Please get it out of here." whispered Angel in a small voice. Everyone could hear the slight fear of her voice. The spider made another crawl and Angel flinched, lowering her head more and turning her knuckles white." Please… just make it go away…" her voice was beginning to waver with fear.
Kalin walked over to the spider and he stepped on it, cleaning up the mess with his napkin." It's dead." he announced as he threw away the napkin. Akiza placed her hand on Angel's shoulder.
" You're afraid of spiders?" she asked in a gentle tone. Angel shook her head, still looking away.
" Not just them… I'm afraid of all bugs. It's a… phobia I have. When I was little, I was just lying in the grass when a praying mantis crawled onto my stomach. It was really creepy looking." she mumbled shyly. Everyone was silent before Yusei pulled the girl-in-disguise into a one armed hug.
" When I was younger, a cockroach tried to make a home out of my ear. I'm afraid of bugs, too." he admitted.( AN: No joke. Yusei is afraid of bugs, check out episode two of the English dub if you don't believe me.) Angel stared wide-eyed at Yusie. There was no way this guy could be afraid of bugs. He acted so calm, cool, and collective. How could someone like him be afraid of bugs?
" But you acted calm when the spider was around." pointed out the unkown Fudo.
" That's because I thought of something else to keep it out of my mind. I focused on the people around and I knew that, that spider couldn't hurt me since they were around me." said Yusei as he gave a calm smile." Angel, as long as you focus on what you live for, then nothing can ever scare you." he said. Angel stared at him, then at the people around her. She could see Yusei's point. As long as you focus on what drives your will, then nothing can distracted you from it. Angel felt a new resolve stir in her mind. She really was learning a lot from her new 'family.'
" Crap! They're still in the tournament! I thought you said that virus chip would get them kicked out, Robert!"
That, dear readers of the world, was none other than a very angry Spencer Catillian. He and his siblings were at there expensive yet very distasteful home. All five Catillians were sitting on giant couches that were cover in faux fur. Spence, the oldest by a day, smacked his younger brother up-side the head.
" Ow! Hey, it's not my fault! That stupid new mechanic of their's filled in to be their Ace of Spades. Layoff!" yelled the younger brother as he pulled out his phone and decided to call one of his ( paid) friends from Norway.
" Robby's right, brother dear. That new mechanic they have could be trouble for us." said Brittney Catillian as she gave her lips five layers of thick red lipstick. Spencer began pacing back and forth.
" You're right. I have a feeling about that new person in their group. I haven't seen him around school yet he always seems to be around Draco's group. He just… he just gives me one of those weird feelings. Like he's some sort of threat to us. We need to get rid of him. It's the only way we can read the TSRT." he said.
" But how? I bet Team 5 Doofuses already told them that we don't get along. I doubt that he'll ever come with us anywhere." said Monica Catillian as she tried to solve her Entomology homework. She had, oddly enough, a great interest in insects and arachnids. She seemed to be into it.
The door to the room they were in suddenly open and one of their butlers came in.
" Pardon me, masters and mistresses, but there is a visitor for you. He says something that may interest you." said the butler as he stepped aside and allowed the gentleman in.
" Good evening, children." said the man when the butler left.
" Who are you? What do you want?" asked Robert. The man simply walked over to the big window of the room and he stared at the city below.
" Me? You don't have to know my name for now. But I do know your names. I also know that you are quite interested on winning the TSRT. Well, children, I can be of some assistances. I can help you win." said the man. Spencer thought for a moment. Could this man really help them win the TSRT?' It would put Draco in his place. And... It could be the only way to help Jacob.' he thought with a small frown before it turned into a smirk. The Catillian nodded.
" Very well, sir. So, can you tell us what we can do first?" he asked. The man's eyes shifted to Monica, who was looking at a picture of a tarantula.
" Young lady, you have a bug deck, don't you? Do you think you could… Switch out of your team temporality? Say… With Team Heavy Metal?" he asked. Monica nodded, not taking her eyes off her picture.
" How dose that help with anything?" complained Britney . The man's acid-green eyes gave a sinister flash.
" You'll see, young lady You shall see."
" So, what kind of deck will the other team have?" asked Angel, shuffling her deck. It was the day of her Turbo Duel in the TSRT and she still felt nervous. Her heart was going a bit to fast and the accident that Drake went through passed her mind. Crow and Rail wiped grease off their hands and they made a quick survey of Team 5D's II Runner.
" Dunno. But don't worry, Angel. We made sure that nothing is tampering the runner, we made a five time scan, you'll be fine." reassured Crow. Rail nodded in agreement with his dad.
" Yeah, chill, Ang. You've been practicing and you got it all down pat. You'll be fine." said Rail. The fanfare trumpets played then." Well, we have to go. Good luck, Ang." said Rail as he and his dad walked out of the garage base to get to their seats. Angel took a deep breath and she walked over to the Runner. The contraption that was made with her two hands now made her a bit uneasy. The Hogans had told her that they made sure that everything was going to be alright. But she still felt a bit afraid.
Taking a deep breath, she sat down on the D-Wheel and she pulled on her scarlet-red helmet. She slipped her Deck into the car slot of her Runner and she moved her fingers carefully, causing the Runner to give a snarl of life. Taking another breath, she crawled the Runner to the small lead out entrance. She closed her eyes briefly and she let her hands feel the controls. She remembered all the buttons and switches by heart and her feet were at the exact positions they were to be in. When she saw a green light give her the signal to take off, she opened her eyes and she raced her Runner out of the garage base and onto the racing field.
" And now, lets welcome the Ace of Spades for Team 5D's II. He's a cool ol' mechanic that seems to be wise beyond his years. Lets give a big hand to- What! Angel Fudo!" called the MC as Angel raced on the track. The young Turbo Duelist could hear the intakes of breaths and she looked around at all the people who stared at her. She could feel her stomach do a back-flip and she focused her eyes straight ahead. She pulled the Runner to stop at the starting line and she could hear the crowd shouting.
" No way! Yusei Fudo got a kid!"
" That's so weird! Where has he been?"
" Is this kid as good as his dad!"
" This is incredible, huh, folks! The son of a legend is here to star in his first ever Turbo Duel! Boy, won't this be exciting?" asked the MC enthusiastically. The crowd agreed with him with roars of cheers for the young Fudo. Angel tried to hide the blush that was heating her face.
" My, they really do think he's your son, hm?" asked Jack to Yusei from their commentary seats. The other man didn't say anything. He felt the feeling of importance and pride swell in his heart. To hear that his son staring in his first Turbo Duel… Oh if only if he were his real son. Yusei gave a light sigh and he smiled at Angel. For now, pretending was all he had.
Drake watched his hospital TV with full anticipation. He couldn't wait to see Angel give a full-action Duel.
' Good luck, Angel. I know you can do this.'
" Are you sure this will work?"
Sayer nodded to Spencer as the Catillian siblings and himself watched for Team Shadow Fiend's garage base.
" Of course. Just watch. As soon as this is all over, you'll be reunited with your brother in no time." said the older man. Spencer nodded and his eyes went back to the field, his eyes filled with slight regret and false hope.
" OK! Now that we've gotten into this much excitement, lets bring out the next Duelist! This blonde cutie had just switched teams and she has a bugger of a deck! Lets welcome the Team Heavy Metal's Joker of the Clovers, Britney Catillian!" yelled the MC as the blonde Duelist came driving out of a garage base on a green and silver runner. It almost resembled a grasshopper. As Britney parked next to Angel, said Duelist had her mouth slightly agape.
" You- You switched teams!" yelled Angel in a shocked tone. Britney smirked and gave a smug look.
" My, aren't you the observant one. Get ready to lose, half-wit!" yelled the girl. Angel glared at her and she looked to her deck, trying to calm down her anger. If she would let her emotions get to her, it could cost her the Duel and it could provoke her psychic abilities. She had to keep focus.
" Alright! It looks like things are ready to start. Racers, play your Speed World Spell Cards and lets get this show on the road!" yelled Hunter into his microphone. Both girls did as they way told and the cards soon activated the racing field.
" Alright! On your mark, get set… DULE!"
The two Runners speeded off in lighting speed. Angel took a minute to feel the wind kiss her cheeks before she focused on the race, watching the Life Points appear of the both of them come onto the screen.
Angel: 4000
Britney: 4000
" I'll give you the head start. It seems only fair for a loser like you!" yelled Britney to Angel. The crimson-streaked girl grounded her teeth and she drew a card from her deck.
" For my first move, I place one spell card face-down." said Angel as the turned card appeared by her side." And I also summon my Crystal Beast Sapphire Pegasus
( LV: 4/ATK:1800/DEF:1200) in attack mode. I end my move from there." said Angel as her face-down appeared in front of her and her white horse with sapphires ran along side her.
" How weak. Let me show you what a real monster is! For my turn, I play my Cross-Sword Beetle( LV: 4/ATK:1800/DEF:1200) in defense mode!" yelled the blonde as her giant brown beetle with four yellow pinchers appeared on the field. Angel felt her breath escape her lips. The bug looked so monstrous before her eyes. It's large pinchers that could easily snap her bones and it's big built that could crush her with one lunge. Angel was seriously scared now. She heard blood pumping in her ears and she took a nervous gulp. Britney noticed this.
" What's the matter, loser? You're gonna drop out because of a little beetle?" she asked mockingly. As if on cue, the beetle's pinchers snapped at Angel noisily. The silver-eyed girl flinched and she balled up her fist.
" Something is wrong. It almost seems that Angel is frozen." announced Jack, all apart of his commentary act. Yusei could see it, too. He knew that Angel was having her phobia problem. She looked so afraid. So lost.
' Remember what I told you. There's nothing to be afraid of.' thought the golden-streaked haired man, trying to send his thought to the young Duelist.
Angel bit the inside of her cheek and she took deep breaths.' It's not real. It's not real. It's only a hologram. Remember what Yusei said. Focus on other things. Other things.' she thought, thinking about her friends that were watching her. She took a swallow and she gave a determined look.
" What? Give up? I believe that isn't in my vocabulary. I'm just getting started!" yelled Angel. The crowd gave a roar of cheers and Britney glared at Angel.
Sayer looked at the scene with raised brows. And here he though his first plan would work. Angel was always afraid of bugs. And now she had learned to take charge of her phobia? How peculiar. The green-eyed man glowered at Yusei, who looked pleased to see that the young pro was alright.
' You know, you really get on my nerves, Fudo,'
Britney picked a card from her deck." Whatever! It's still my turn. And now, I play my spell card, (-;-{) Parasite Protein!" yelled the Catillian as her card played a fat little worms appeared in front of Cross-Sword Beetle. Angel nearly gagged as the beetle ate the bugs with satisfying crunches. Her stomach lurched at her face went green. This was disgusting." And now, since my beetle has had it' snack, it's attack and defense points are raised by five-hundred!" yelled Britney as her bug doubled in size with twenty-three-thousand attack points and seventeen-thousand defense points. Britney pointed to Angel's Pegasus.
" Now, take out his lousy monster!" yelled the blonde as the beetle lunged at the white horse with chomping jaws. Crystal Beast Sapphire Pegasus gave a whinny of pain as she was destroyed. Angel winced as some of her life points dropped.
Angel: 3000
Britney: 4000
" I'll admit; that was a good move, Britney. However," Angel held up her hand." It wasn't a smart one. Because now, since you destroyed my Crystal Beast, I can play my trap card, Crystal Pair!" yelled the girl as her card played and a glowing light came from it. Stepping out of the card was Ruby, but she looked different. Her fur was a darker shade of purple and there were black markings spotted along her back. The fur around her neck and tail looked ruffled and her fangs looked sharper.
" What in the name of hell is that!" yelled Britney, as if Ruby were some sort of slime creature.
" She happens to be Advanced Crystal Beast Ruby Carbuncle( LV:3/ATK:300/DEF:300) Ruby has evolved into a stronger version of herself." informed Angel. Britney rolled her eyes.
" Yeah right. All that happened was that this little rat of yours looks like it crawled out of a freak beetle will take care of it!" yelled the rich kid as the beetle lunged like it did before. But when it reached the purple lynx, a glow came off the Crystal Beast and the bug gave a hiss, crawling back to it's master's side. Britney's eyes widen in surprise.
" What happened! Why didn't that vermin get crushed!" she yelled, flabbergasted.
" Because it's an ability she gained from Crystal Pair. When she was brought onto the field, the trap card allowed her into her advanced form and she was able to deflect any battle damage on the turn she was played." said Angel. She smiled at her closest friend, who gave a purr of pride. Angel then looked back at her opponent with a grin." And you know what, Britney? Crystal Pair has more in store!"
" Pardon!"
" Yeah, you heard me! There's another effect to Crystal Pair. You see, when a Crystal Beast is destroyed and sent to the Graveyard, not only does Ruby get into her advanced form and protection from battle damage in one turn, she can change into her normal form in order to bring out two other Crystal Bests!" yelled Angel as she drew two cards from her deck and played them onto the field." So now, I play my Crystal Beast Amber Mammoth( LV:4/ATK:1700/DEF:1600) and my Crystal Beast Cobalt Eagle(LV:4/ATK:1400/DEF:800) to run with Ruby." said Angel as her large brown mammoth with glowing ambers and her souring eagle with shinning blue gems sided with Ruby.
" That… That's unreal…!" chocked out Britney in fright. Angel gave a light grin with a shrug.
" Hey, a trio is an impossible team, right? Besides, I haven't played these guys in a long time. They need to stretch their legs." she said, pointing to the blonde's bug." Go! Amber, Cobalt, use tusking rage and aerial upper-cut on Cross-Sword Beetle. And Ruby, use ruby rush on Britney's Life Points!" she yelled as her monsters preformed their awe-inspiring acts. Britney gave a yell at the aftermaths.
Angel: 3000
Britney: 2700
" Alright! If Ang does good in the next move, we're sure to win!" yelled Rail in happiness. The rest of Team 5D's II joined him in cheering, feeling happiness in every fiber of their bodies.
" No! Britney's going to lose! Do something, Sayer!" Spencer hissed at the older man. The magenta-haired men gave a stiff nod and his eyes suddenly gave a red glint. If Angel wanted to be punished, then she would take it the way she had it as a child.
Angel waved to the crowds who cheered her name. She felt so alive! So free! Nothing can spoil her pride. But suddenly, all of her happiness melted away. Her forehead gave a burning spilt and her nerves gave electrifying jolts. She gave a yell as she felt her mind being tear away from her body. Everyone stopped cheering when they noticed the oddest site. Angel's eyes were rolled to the back of her head, yet she was still driving her Runner. Something was wrong. Really wrong.
' Return to me, Angel… Come back to where you belong…'
' Sayer…? Is that you…? What are you doing here! Where are you!'
' Me? Oh, I am here, there, everywhere. I just wanted to get my godchild back.'
' No way! I'll never come back with you! I want to stay here with Yusei and the others! You were wrong! A have loads of people who care about me! I love turbo Dueling! You can't make me come back with you!'
' Oh really? Well then, child, I suppose that if you are going to behave like a child. Then you shall be treated as one.'
Angel felt her head pounding harshly against her head, as if someone was hitting it with a steeled hammer. She began screaming in pain as whips incrusted with spikes came around her wrist and legs, digging deep into her skin. She began crying in pain, remembering this kind of punishment as a child. If she misbehaved or talked back at Sayer, this was what she would get. Her mind would be conflicted with painful elusions that almost seemed real it was horrible.
' Stop it! Stop it! It's too much!'
' Then do as I say, brat, and come with me! You are mine! You will never escape me!'
Angel chocked out a sob, wanting all this pain to go away. She suddenly saw familiar faces. Drake, Lilly, Rail, Halley, everyone who she had met and grown to love in the past month appeared in her mind. Angel suddenly felt a great warmth cover her. Like she was being tucked in a blanket of sunshine. She could see the hue of all the colors of an aurora come from above. The light of energy appeared in her hand. The light dimmed and it revealed to be a card. Angel turned it over and a sudden light flashed over her.
Angel's eyes opened again and she soon realized that she was back in her Turbo Duel. Everyone looked at her confusedly and Angel looked just as confused.
" Err… It seems that Angel has come back to use from her sudden, uh… Dramatic pause?" suggested Yusei, having no idea what to say. Angel looked at her wrist and she could see the red marks of the spikes that were dug into her skin. She gulped and she looked around the field, trying to see if she could spot Sayer anywhere.
" Hey, dimwit! Quit looking more stupid then you look and pay attention to the Duel!" yelled Britney. Angel shook her head and she noticed the card that was in her hand. Where did this come from? She turned it over and her eyes widen. She then looked at Britney and gave a knowing smile.
" Alright, Britney. You seem to be getting quite bored so I'll do what you want. I play this new spell card,(-;-{) Crystal Cross-Fire!" yelled the Duelist as her card played onto the field." Let me explain, when I play this card, it allows me to use the remaining monsters on my side of the field to make them into an ultra powerful attack, so now, I use Amber Mammoth, Cobalt Eagle, and Ruby in order to ply that move!" yelled the Duelist as her three monster formed into a ball of energy and attacked Britney. Said blonde gave a scream as she was attacked. It was over.
Angel: 3000
Britney: 0
" ANNNDDD IT'S OVEEERRRR! LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, ANGEL HAS WON THE DUEL! THIS ACE OF SPADES HAS HELPED HIS TEAM MOVE TO THE NEXT ROUND!" yelled the MC enthusiastically. The crowd did nothing more than cry and cheer and play.
Angel pulled her Runner to a stop and the next seconds, she was caught in a dog-pile. She was cheered and praised by her who team.
" ALRIGHT! WAY TO GO, ANG!"
" YOU WON! YOU WON! YOU WON!"
" THAT'S THE WAY!"
Angel laughed as she was taken by the group hug. But suddenly, a nausea took over her head and fell back, fainting. Everyone gasped. What was just that? Yusei walked over and he spotted them along with the other adults. He looked at Angel before smiling knowingly.
" Lets go home. He's had a long day."
And there you go! Another successful chapter! At least, I hope it was. Well, I hope you all liked it and I hope you review. I'm glad I got it in and I will try to get the next chapter in soon. See ya next time!
This is me saying, Peace!