Me: I'm finally back!

Yusei: What took you so long?

Me: I had a vacation for a week to my grandmas' houses. I wasn't allowed to bring my computer.

Jack: Hmph, I liked it better when you were gone.

Kalin: Me too.

Me: Oh, you can leave now. You guys aren't in the next few chapters.

Jack and Kalin: Yes! *Dash out the door*

Yusei: Okay then. *Walks out the door*

Me: Oh well, I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh 5ds, but I do own Sky and the new OC introduced in this chapter.

Me: Yep, it's been awhile since I've edited, but here it is…

Chapter 11

The first thing I realize as I come to is that my body is in intense pain. The second is that I'm in some sort of cave. 'But how did I get here?' I think, wincing as I pull myself up to a sitting position. Then my memories come rushing back to me. 'So… they think I'm dead…'

A second wave of pain rushes through my body, and I manage out a healing spell to fix up my injuries. As soon as it does so, I lean back against the cave wall, closing my eyes for a moment. The spell to fake my death certainly used a lot of my energy, and using a healing spell shortly afterwards doesn't help my horrible exhaustion at all…

When I open my eyes, I feel refreshed and assume I took a nap. Either way, I can stand now, and I leave the cave only to get drenched. 'Just my luck, a storm…' I think. 'Actually, that will work perfectly. It can cloak my escape to Neo Domino—after all, Sector Security has no reason to expect an escapee from the sky.'

My Duel Disk is in no shape to do anything at the moment, meaning my only way is with my own wings. At least it's not likely for someone to see me. I unfurl my white wings, stretching them a little because I haven't used them in forever. Then I start to run, and I'm about to take off when—

"Hey! Where do you think you're going?"

I almost trip and fall flat on my face from shock, but manage to keep my balance and turn around. The person who had shocked me is a woman, my age but a few inches shorter than me. All of her clothes are black—black skinny jeans, a black undershirt underneath a slightly torn army jacket, and black combat boots. She even has fingerless gloves and a baseball cap pulled over her head. Her hair is short and brown, and the woman stares at me with piercing green eyes.

"Uh… this is…" I try to come up with a decent excuse.

"Don't bother. You're going to the City, right?" she asks.

"Yes…"

"Knew it. You mind taking me with?"

I sigh. "Yeah, I guess." It wouldn't be good for me if this woman blabbed about what she saw. "What's your name?"

"Sydney," she replies.

"Sky. C'mon, we need to go."

XXX

We land on the beach and walk to the City itself. I resist the urge to gape at all the buildings. I haven't been here in over fourteen years, and even then I only got to go around the City like, twice.

Sydney whistles in amazement. "So, this is Neo Domino City. Much nicer than Satellite, I can tell you that."

I snort, "'Much nicer' doesn't even begin to cover it." I notice we're getting strange looks from some of the passersby, and I hear someone mutter something about our 'hideous clothing'. I look at Sydney's clothes, and then at my own. I don't think our clothes are ugly—a little dirty and slightly torn, but not hideous. Still, those people have probably spent their entire lives here, so I can see where they're going with that. "You have any money?" I ask my new friend.

"Fresh out, but I know where we can win some," she replies.

"You've been to the City before?"

"Before it split, yeah," Sydney says.

"Huh. Well, what's the place you have in mind?"

"The underground Dueling arena. You're good, right?"

"Well, I don't mean to brag, but my brother and my friends are the only people who've either managed to defeat me or can come close to it," I say, rubbing the back of my head sheepishly. "I was in a Duel Gang, you know, so I had to be the best…"

Sydney nods, "Then getting us some cash will be no problem at all."

XXX

As we approach the old building, I put my arm out to stop Sydney. "Are we going to disguise ourselves?"

"Nah, it's not like people'll be able to recognize us."

Even so, I pull up the hood of my jacket and shift my hair around some, so that people can't get a good look at my eyes. They're my most recognizable feature, after all, and I don't want to waste some of my energy on a disguising spell. I take a deep breath in, and follow my friend into the dilapidated building.

After descending three flights of stairs, the smell of booze, sweat, and throw-up fills my nostrils, and I try not to gag. Sydney seems unfazed, and walks straight over to the bar. She plops down on one of the chairs, catching the attention of the bartender—a man with dark hair, a crooked nose, and Criminal Marks on both cheeks. "We'd like to Duel," she says confidently.

The man sneers at us, "This ain't a place for girls."

I glare at him and reveal the knife I keep hidden in my sleeve. Then I jab it into the counter, mere inches from his hand. Surprise fills his face as I say, "Well, we aren't like most girls. You let us Duel, or next time I use the knife I won't miss."

The bartender slowly pulls his hand back, eyes on the knife as I remove it from the wood and return it to my sleeve. "I… suppose there is room for the two of you. But only in the one-turn-kill section."

"No problem," I say confidently. My Deck has several ways to pull off an OTK, so…

"Ditto," Sydney agrees.

"Fine, I'll just need your names… or nicknames…"

"Night," Sydney says.

I smile, "I think I'll be… Dusk, then."

XXX

A few Duels later and I'm up, against some guy by the name of Shadow. He's a young man in black, with a mask covering the lower half of his face. His eyes are hidden by the shadow that his hat casts.

"So, you're my opponent?" Shadow asks dryly. "Of all the competition here, and I get a measly girl?"

"Just because I'm a girl doesn't mean I can't Duel," I snap. "You'll be the one who loses, regardless of who goes first."

"Really now? Well, since those who go first have to use card effects to pull off an OTK," Shadow grins, "you'll get the first turn. Unless you're scared?" He laughs.

"If it means making you shut up, then I'll gladly take the first turn," I reply.

Shadow's Life Points: 4000, Sky's Life Points: 4000

"It's my turn, I draw!" I shout, taking my turn. I look at my hand and smile. I have an easy OTK in my hand, just as long as I draw that card in the combo. If not, then I have a different way. Harder, but it'll do. I hope I get the easier option, though… "I Summon the Tuner Eccentric Boy in Attack Mode!" I shout.

Eccentric Boy ATK: 800, DEF: 200, Level 3

"Then I use his special ability, which lets me Synchro Summon using a monster in my hand," I continue. "I Tune my Level 3 Eccentric Boy with my Level 5 Haos Reptak! Searing flames at the Earth's core reignite now, forging a dragon with powerful flames! Synchro Summon! Burn, Pyrus Titanium Dragonoid!"

Pyrus Titanium Dragonoid ATK: 3000, DEF: 2500, Level 8

A red dragon appears, with silver coverings on his knees, wings, chest, and elbows. The end of his tail has a yellow spike, a blue-green gem set in his tail. Similar diamonds are set in his elbows and chest, and his horn is the same golden-yellow as the spike on his tail.

"When Haos Reptak is used in a Synchro Summon, I can draw one card!" I declare. I put a hand to my Deck, closing my eyes. 'Please, give me that card…' I pull the card off my Deck, and my right eye burns a little. A smile creeps up on my face, because that means… "I activate the Spell Titanium Burst! Now, Pyrus Titanium Dragonoid is sent to the Graveyard, along with my hand. But, for each card I had in my hand, you take 1000 points of damage!"

"What?!" Shadow exclaims.

"Oh, and I have four," I say with a hint of sarcasm. "Looks like I win!"

My dragon explodes, and the light hits my opponent, knocking him to the ground.

Shadow's Life Points: 4000. Winner: Sky Fudo

"N-No way! I… I never lose!" Shadow shouts in protest, complete and utter shock written on his face.

I grin. "Well then, I hate to break it to you, but you just did!"

Someone pats me on the back, and I stiffen up before I realize it was just Sydney. "Great job! You earned us a ton of money." She holds up a bag that clinks a little, grinning at me while she does so.

To be continued…

Me: Okay, that's the chapter.

*Cricket noises*

Me: Oh yeah… I'm alone now.

*Sky and Sydney appear*

Sky: Hey, we're here now.

Sydney: Yep. Oh, Shimmering-Sky appreciates reviews.

Me: It's true. I also don't care if the reviews are flames or not.

Me: Still could care less whether or not the reviews are flames or not. Just as long as I get them.