A/N: Two updates in one day, because I couldn't leave you on that cliff hanger. So here. And thanks for the reviews. I love you guys.
"Slip of Fortune's effect allows me to remove Fortune Lady Fire from play and negate your attack," Carly cried.
Fortune Lady Fire spun and disappeared in a burst of fire. Despair of the Dark returned to the dark shadow and Melinda frowned. This was her strongest monster and she was in bad shape. How Carly and her D-Wheel could stand this was beyond her; even her high levels of pain tolerance and experience with dark cards were being pushed to the limits.
"She'll return next standby phase," she continued.
"Alright," Melinda said quietly. "I set another face down and end my turn."
(SPC +1)
"Fortune Lady Fire returns to the field," Carly said, glancing back at Melinda. "She's not staying for long though. To start, she and Earth level up and when Earth does so, you take 400 points of damage."
Earth smiled and swung her staff down into the ground. Once again the ground shook and spikes shot up, slamming into Melinda, knocking her so hard she thought for a moment she would fall.
Carly 1600 (SPC 6)
Melinda 1600 (SPC 3)
"You've suddenly gone all quiet, Milly," Carly taunted over her shoulder. "Too bad. Like you said, this duel is over. I sacrifice Fortune Ladies Earth and Fire to summon your end; Earthbound Immortal Aslla Piscu!"
The strange pod rose from the ground and formed into a huge black and orange hummingbird. It let out a strange wailing cry and Melinda couldn't help feeling her heart tremble. She'd heard about them and what they could do, but seeing it in front of her was terrifying. ATK 2500/DEF 2500.
"Now, Aslla Piscu, finish her off!"
It gave another wailing cry and shot down towards her. Melinda was vaguely aware that Crow was yelling through the headset, but her only thought was the monster coming down at her.
"Milly! If you have a card that can save you I suggest you use it right now!" barked Kiryu in her ear, snapping her back to her senses. "Do it!"
"I activate Enchanted Javelin!" she cried. "Now I gain life points equal to the ATK of your monster!"
Aslla Piscu's beak hit the ground just before Melinda's D-Wheel, sending her flying. She struggled to get her D-Wheel back upright just in time to swing around another corner after Carly, breathing heavily, and well aware that a piece of rubble had hit her shoulder so hard it had gone numb, not to mention she was sure she could feel the damp trickling of her own blood.
Carly 1600 (SPC 6)
Melinda 1600 (SPC 3)
"You managed to avoid that nicely," Carly called. "But you can't stall forever."
"She's right," Crow said quietly over the radio. "Milly, you have to be careful. Stop playing games and finish this quickly, please."
"Please," Jack sneered. "She can't win. She can't attack the Immortal, she can't attack any other monster and she can't attack Carly. Even if her deck can take another turn I doubt her body can. Dark Signers don't feel pain like you do. It's different. We feel far less than you do, but what we do is far more vivid."
"I wish Yusei would hurry up..."
"You've hung on so far, so take your turn," Carly called. "But let's see how you manage next turn."
(SPC +1)
"Ok..." Melinda breathed, glancing over her hand. "I set one face down and end my turn."
"Really?" Carly laughed. "That's it? You've obviously lost your will to fight. Shame. Isn't that what you told me, that you need to be strong and fight to deserve a man like Kiryu? Or has this Signer really made you weak?"
"Take you turn."
"Fine."
(SPC +1)
"Well, since there's not much else to do, I should end this-"
"I activate Raigeki Break," Melinda said quietly.
"What?" she cried.
"I send Regenerating Mummy from my hand to my graveyard to destroy your Immortal. And as you know when Regenerating Mummy is sent from my hand to the graveyard, if automatically comes back to my hand."
"So what if you've destroyed my Immortal? Its effect activates and destroys every monster on your field and you take 300 points of damage for each."
Carly 1600 (SPC 8)
Melinda 1300 (SPC 5)
"I summon Fortune Lady Wind to the field." ATK ?/DEF ?. "As you know, it's all about her level, which is three so her ATK is 900, which you're about to feel!"
Her staff connected with the side of Melinda's D-Wheel, knocking her across into the corner of the track. She swung back over into the centre, gasping in pain.
Carly 1600 (SPC 8)
Melinda 400 (SPC 5)
"I end my turn."
(SPC +1)
"I activate the Speed Spell- Book of Life. I remove three speed counters and I resurrect my Despair from the Dark and remove from play your Immortal."
"No!"
"Now it's your turn to feel the pain," she whispered. "Despair from the Dark, finish this."
Once again the ghoulish creature shot from its shadowy refuge, swallowing Wind whole then vanishing into the ground. It reappeared and in front of Carly, racing through her, leaving her screaming and spinning out of control. Her D-Wheel slammed into the ground, rolling over itself as Carly hit the ground with a thud. Her geoglyph disappeared and Jack and Crow sped down from the ridge.
Carly 0 (SPC 9)
Melinda 400 (SPC 6)
"Carly..."
Jack cradled Carly in his arms, talking to her quietly as she held his hands. Crow jumped off his D-Wheel and ran to Melinda's side. She groaned and he gently helped her off and to the ground so she could rest.
"Kiryu, I know you're listening," she whispered.
"Yes, I'm on my way down, I've got news," Kiryu said quietly in her ear.
"Don't worry," Crow said gently. "Here, do you want me to get this off?" His hands went to her helmet, but she shook her head slightly. "Ok. It's going to be ok, Yusei' on his way. I told him you were duelling and he said he was going to get here as quickly as he could."
"Ow... I really hurt," she groaned. "Really, really, really hurt. That's not like these dark cards. It's constant."
"But you won," came Kiryu's voice. "I'm proud of you. And you won with our card. Don't worry, I'm on my way."
"Are you ok?" Crow asked. Melinda nodded. "I'm going to check on Yusei, see where he is. You'll be ok for a minute or two."
"Yeah, more than I can say for Carly."
"I'm sorry, Jack," Carly whimpered. "I thought I could win."
"It's ok," Jack said quietly. "You did well. It's ok, I'm right here and I'm not going to let you go. I promise, I'll find a way to bring you back, somehow. I don't care how, I don't care what it costs, I'll find away."
Kiryu laughed bitterly as he pulled to a stop. He paused next to them and Carly look up at him with tears streaming down her cheeks. He smiled and swung off.
"K-Kiryu..." she sobbed. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry, Kiryu, I tried. You were right."
"Don't be sorry," Jack snapped. "I'm going to bring you back."
"Jack, if there was a way of doing that, don't you think I'd have found it by now?" Kiryu laughed. "Sorry, Carly, but this is the last time you're going to see Jack until he pisses me off."
"Kiryu..."
She gasped and faded to dust in Jack's arms. He sighed and closed his eyes, fists clenching in pain and fury. He turned his glare towards Melinda. Suddenly, he sympathised with Kiryu, he realised why Kiryu had torn through Aki with no mercy after she'd beaten Misty. He went to get up, but Kiryu was one set ahead and landed a punch square on his jaw, knocking him back against his D-Wheel.
"Don't even think about it," he snapped. "We're done. Go home."
"What?" he yelled.
"You heard me," he said, folding his arms. "Find Bommer and Divine and go home."
"Why? What about the Signer?" Kiryu just laughed quietly. "Kiryu... have you already... you've found him?"
"Kiryu?" Melinda called.
Kiryu smiled and picked up a bundle from his D-Wheel. Everyone watched him carefully as he walked toward Melinda. Crow left his D-Wheel where he was trying to get in contact with Yusei to put himself firmly between them.
"It's over," he said quietly.
"What?" Melinda whispered.
"What are you talking about, Kiryu?" Crow snapped.
"Stop fighting a battle you can't win, Milly," he said, not even acknowledging Crow's presence. "How many times have I offered you a place at my side? You're all I have left these days, Milly, I don't want to fight you, now stop being so silly, come back with me."
"What is that, Kiryu?" she said, nodding towards the bundle. "When Yusei gets here-"
Kiryu tossed it to the ground and the dark material fell open to reveal Yusei' helmet. Melinda's breath caught in her throat, Jack laughed and actually clapped, while Crow's voice completely left him as he sat next to Melinda, hugging her tightly.
"Your Signer is gone," Kiryu said. "I dealt him myself." He knelt and smiled gently at Melinda. "I know you liked him, but he started it. If he'd behaved, I would have left him alone if he'd stayed out of my way because I know how much he meant to you. It's entirely his fault!"
"No!" she cried, burying her face in Crow's shoulder. "You're lying! You couldn't stand him, so you're trying to separate him from us!"
"If he's not dead, how did I get this?" he said, pulling out Stardust Dragon. "It's his Signer Dragon. He would never have given it up." He chuckled and offered it to her. "I think it belongs with you. Now, will you stop playing silly games and come with me where you belong?"
Crow snatched Stardust Dragon from Kiryu and helped Melinda to her feet. "She's going nowhere with you."
"Fine," Kiryu laughed. "So, what now? Do you think you can take on me, Jack, Divine and Bommer alone? Melinda's in no shape to have another duel?"
"I- I..."
"Run, Crow. Take Milly and look after her. If anything happens to her, I'm coming for you," Kiryu said. "Go on. I won't come after you if you don't give me reason."
"Can you ride?" Crow whispered.
"I'll manage back, but not much further."
Crow picked up Yusei's helmet and helped Melinda onto her D-Wheel. The pair tore off towards their homes. Kiryu smiled and watched them go. Jack was still laughing. Kiryu turned to him with a huge grin.
"You really killed him?" he asked.
"With my own two hands," Kiryu replied. "You've perked up."
"Girls come and go I guess..." he muttered. "You're managing. Besides, we now have no one to stand in our way. We're free to do as we like without that Signer. And the next stop is the city." He laughed and Kiryu smirked until Jack suddenly lunged forwards, returning the earlier punch. "You bastard, who the hell do you think you are to hit me?"
"Alright, alright," Kiryu said, waving his hand dismissively. "Sorry about hitting you, it was kind of out of line, even for me. You hadn't really done much wrong."
"No. So, let's get the guys and go home. We need to celebrate."