Steve the Purple Dinosaur, STPD, or Team Dino for short, does not own Yu-Gi-Oh! GX or any of the characters in it. All credit goes to the true, super special awesome, genius creator... 4Kids WRONG. LOL! :) We are nearing an end and are hoping to update quicker than we typically do. This Chapter took less than a week, so were getting better. Thank you to all who reviewed, faved, and put us on Author/Story alert: ChocolateLizz, SpiritxPro's Mistress, Solei, AndersonYuki4404, Oak-chan, Zaryenna, DarkJakGirl, solarkittygirl. You guys are the best. Tree Stars to you all :D
~Chapter 10: The Thorn in my Side~
Zane POV
We walked in silence toward Thorn's mine camp. Though we were just under a mile away from it, I could faintly hear the pounding of picks and hammers. I didn't like having to give up the freedom we had achieved. If it wasn't for Aster asking me to return, I wouldn't have went. If only he hadn't left his deck in his jacket. Then we would be putting distance between us and Thorn, rather than closing it. "What are we going to tell Thorn?" Eisenhower asked.
"I don't know." Thoughts ran through my mind: What could I possibly tell Thorn that would logically cover my ass? I looked to Aster, he seemed to be in deep thought as well. Eisenhower assumed a look of nonchalance as though it were up to us to think of something brilliant. That was alright with me. I took Aster's hand in my own, trying to comfort him. He looked up to me, if he was scared, he hid it well. I gave him a weak smile, he smiled back. His grin was much different than mine. It was a smile with a new purpose.
"Zane, Eisenhower, I just might have an idea about that."
It didn't take long to return to the mine camp. As we approached, I had forcefully grabbed Aster and Eisenhower by the back of their shirts. We all had cut marks and scratches from our battles with Byrn and his friends, respectively. Who's to say that they didn't come from the rebel army? Aster's brilliance was one of the many reasons I admired him so much.
At the sight of the three of us, birds and miners alike stopped to look. I fained anger. Aster was smiling, as was Eisenhower. I didn't need to tell them how to play their part. They both were skilled actors, in my opinion. Would it even matter? Thorn would be so distraught that I doubted his ability to use logic or reason. I walked with new found confidence. It was time to put on a play, unlike most plays though, this one opened with the death of the evil antagonist, Thorn, and it starred the illusive trickery of Aster Phoenix, the loyalty of Eisenhower Marcs, and the cunning wit of Zane Truesdale. It was predicted to be a huge success
Thorn approached cautiously with a strange look on his face, "Well?" He asked quickly, his voice higher than I'd ever heard it: almost as though he desperately wanted me to tell him the threat that the rebel army carried with it had been neutralized. "Did you slaughter General Phoenix's legions? Was the track damaged? Is it ok to-"
"It appears that you didn't have your facts straight, Thorn," I said, enunciating every syllable with great care; My voice pouring pent up rage and frustration. I shoved Aster and Eisenhower to the ground hard. "General Phoenix doesn't have six hundred troops. The number is much closer to six thousand!" As soon as it was said, miners and birds drew in a large breath as one. They appeared to be holding their breath during my well crafted monologue... perfect. Thorn was speechless... perfect. He was too angry to doubt my words with logic. "The army is just up that pass," I pointed to where we had come from, "They're on their way. They're here for you, Thorn."
"You lied to me!" Thorn hissed. He kicked Aster, who was still on the ground from when I shoved him, in the stomach. Eisenhower instantly went down to help him up. Thorn paced back and forth. I stepped back a little, giving him room to do so. After a while he snarled, "He's up there, isn't he? Laughing at me?" I could clearly see anger in his eyes, "I'll show them," he hissed quietly, yet everyone present could clearly hear him. "I'LL SHOW THEM!" he screamed. Thorn had finally snapped. The track wasn't fixed, the rebel army was ten times the size he had originally though it was, and if both problems weren't fixed in three days, The Supreme King would pay Thorn a painful visit.
Aster had planned this all, and he usually had a wonderful sense of humor; however, that humor was fading quickly, "I can play rough too, General Phoenix!" he yelled toward the mountain pass. He grabbed Aster away from Eisenhower and dragged him toward a fairly large hunk of rock. He through him over it, so his chin hung over the ledge. Despite Aster's thrashing, a couple of birds held him down, and kept him restrained. "Come down here prepared to surrender, or I swear I will do it!" A bird brought a mining ax over to Thorn, who took it blissfully. "Come down here or your precious son will breath his last breath!" Thorn was insane. He'd gone crazy, not that he wasn't always crazy. Now he was deranged.
Memories flooded my mind: Kissing Aster after we finally had the chance to speak freely to one another. Ordering Thorn to give me a large number of his birds, and then brutally sending them to the stars with my Cyber-Dark Dragon. Dueling and defeating Guardian Baou.
Thorn continued shouting to the mountains, and everyone else remained quiet.
Destroying the track leading to the High King's Palace with the nearly indestructible hammer. Hiding in the mountain pass and planning my contribution to what Aster started. Aster jumping to the rescue,as always, and saving the little red haired girl, while I jumped for cover. Feeling self loathing when I didn't even try to protect Aster from the end of Thorn's whip.
Thorn began to bring the ax back, preparing to bring it down with an Earth-shattering blow. The memories subconsciously directed my action. I wouldn't cower while Aster was killed, not this time. I bent down and picked up the hammer in an abandoned tool kit. When I looked up, I saw Gable and Joan watched me carefully, with prying eyes. I watched as Thorn began to bring down the ax that would end Aster's life. I lunged towards Thorn, and blocked the blow with the claw of the hammer. Wow, these things were really indestructible. I saw the shock in Thorn's eyes, and the relief in Asters. I pulled the hammer and the ax flung out of his talons and into a rock behind me. A smirk worthy of Hell Kaiser himself appeared on my face. As Thorn recovered from shock, I pulled the heavy black cloak off, revealing my black jacket. His eyes grew even larger, now in full realization of which side my allegiance truly lay.
I swung the hammer towards him, a blow that would crush his skull, but he dodged it easily, by flying into the air. My mind raced with thoughts of what to do next. It was like a duel, anticipate your opponents moves, then block them with stronger ones. Eventually you put yourself in a position where you can deliver the final blow, the game ending attack, the killing strike. Yes, fighting Thorn was like a duel, and Hell Kaiser never lost a match. Could I embrace that side of me? Would I come back normally if I did? We would soon find out. Aster's life was on the line, his safety. I had no choice.
I spun to Eisenhower, who was more than ready to act. "Knife." I ordered him. He quickly responded tossing me exactly what I needed. Thorn struck down from the sky digging his talons into my shoulder. I felt myself being raised off the ground. The sharp knife like claws penetrating my skin and tearing at my every nerve. Lets see how he likes it. I raised my arms and jabbed the blade into Thorn's upper thigh. The shock and pain caused him to drop me. I fell five feet back to the ground and saw as Thorn landed some ten feet away. He ripped the knife from his leg and threw it through the air, straight for my chest. I grabbed the nearest henchman and pulled him in front of me. The knife penetrated his heart and instantly his body evaporated to the stars.
"Whip." I cried to Eisenhower who quickly tossed me the handle of a leather two prong whip. I cracked it at Thorn, and he again took flight. I watched as he drew his own bladed chain whip from his kit. He cracked it at me with ease, the razor sharp edge made contact with my upper arm and cut through my flesh with fierce intensity. My muscles felt like they were on fire, and liter fluid was being used in an attempt to put it out. The serrated edges made it difficult to pull out, causing more damage to be done in the process. This whip wasn't for combat. It was used to whip prisoners who were restrained and couldn't fight back. The saw like teeth of the blade, that was once an advantage, now became a flaw. The added time it needed to be removed from skin, gave me a chance to grab hold of the chain and pull it from Thorn's grasp. I ripped the blade from my flesh and threw it into the nearest pool of lava. I heard a sizzling noise as the metal liquified and mixed with the hot spring. Traces of burnt silver were left in viscous liquid. I smiled, Thorn glared and I again raised my own whip, intending to do more damage than he had. It made contact with his wing and Thorn dropped from the sky to the ground, landing on his feet. "I don't think anyone will be flying off today." I mocked. He was not amused.
Aster was still being restrained by two other birds. A third had retrieved the ax and was prepared to strike down with all their might. I noticed that one of the birds had a long sword in his belt. Instinctively, I released the leather whip, and yelled to Eisenhower a third time, "Sword." He responded, loyally throwing me a four foot sword, like the weapon of William Wallace. In one fluent motion I cut the through the air and struck the decapitated the the three birds their bodies fading to the stars. Thorn had retrieved a second ax and swung it ruthlessly toward my chest. I blocked it with my claymore and retaliated. With the extreme weight of both our weapons, our movements were slowed. Thorn couldn't come in close contact to me because of the length of my sword. It prevented serious combat, and with a short handled ax the minors used, it was no wonder he wasn't making progress. It was five minutes into our little duel, and I had more life points, and the upper hand. I was already tiring. The weight of my weapon and the injury on my arm forced me to abandon it. I brought the handle of the claymore back and tossed it at Thorn, the blade barely missed his him as it slide past and landed just four feet short of Aster.
I slid back to where Eisenhower stood, at the ready and opened the kit, and ripped out the hand held gun. It is time to figure out what this thing shoots. I aimed it at Thorn who was now charging towards me. Here goes nothing. I fired and watched as a roped net launched from it and captured my target. "Fuck." I breathed as I watched Thorn slice through the ropes with his ax. I grabbed the kit and attached it to my waste and ran towards the lower level tier of the mining camp gun in hand, the workers around moved aside. I noticed Aster had picked up the claymore and began slicing the chains of minors. As they were released, they quickly began to use their own tools to release other people.
I ran below the lower deck and Thorn slashed his ax in my direction. The weapon missed its target and chopped at the thick wooden support beam, where it remained planted. I slid the gun back into the pack and quickly punched Thorn with all my might. His arms blocked the blow and retaliated like lightening. I, too blocked the attack, and threw another punch this time in combination with high kick to his chest, this time making contact. I saw blood spew from his nose as he continued to attack me. He connected with my chest and pushed me backwards. I thought about Aster and rose to me feet again. Thorn had him whipped, tortured, and forced to work. He would pay. I hit him down a second time, and moved pulling myself upon the wood platform. The ax had already caused it to wobble. Here goes nothing. I ran across it, and watched as the levels behind me collapsed on top of where Thorn once was. I jumped of the edge of it and landed where Aster stood. As I spun I saw Thorn emerge from the wreckage. That one beam had caused most of the platform to collapse, and several birds fell to their deaths with it.
I slid the gun out from my kit. No nets remained inside. I looked at Aster and Eisenhower. "It's time to see what else this thing can fire." I quickly grabbed a knife out of the kit and slid them into the launcher. It wasn't a perfect fit, I had to shove three more into the launcher in order to get them to stay. I watched as Thorn took flight. He spread his wings and jerked them forward causing orange spike like feathers to fly towards me. I extended my arm, the makeshift gun in my hand, my right side facing him. I aimed and fired, hoping to make my mark. As an orange spike collided with my side, I watched my four knives hit Thorn, knocking him out of the sky. One on his wing, two in his chest and one in his neck. His body turned to dust as it fell into the pool of lava below him. I fell backwards from the blast and cried out as my body collided with the rocks.
In the distance I heard someone say "He is hurt." But that seemed so far away. I focused my attention trying to find my love. Where was he? I searched for his voice. I heard muffled sobs. Curiosity sparked my interest, who was dyeing? I wondered where the sobs were coming from. I looked up to see Aster, he was safe now.
Will Team Dino Kill Zane Truesdale off and end the fanfiction here? Will Thorn come back and kill Aster too? Find out in the next installment of The Young and Card Gameless. XD God I hope this fanfic doesn't turn into some dramatic soap opera.
Team Dino
Ps. LOL Christina told the mean neighborhood twelve year old bully that he should try and eat tree stars... not her fault the snot nosed little brat ate poison ivy... who's with me? "If there are leaves of three let it be." Everyone knows that. No snot nosed brats were harmed.