Yu-Gi-Oh 5D's - Sutādasuto / Stardust Accelerator
by Yusei
Summary - "Rena awakens in Satellite with no memory of who she is. Sticking close to Yusei, the journey to uncover the past and follow the unknown Signer into Neo-Domino City unfolds. Then the adventure really begins".
Disclaimer - I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh 5D's or any of the characters.
A / N – First off, I'd like to explain the end of the chapter and the clash with the anime's version of events; the idea of the break-in was that it occured later in the night so as to allow Rua to be around when Yusei and Rena escaped and not in the middle of the night. It does mean shuffling about with events, but I've got an idea of how to fit everything in. This chapter, again, is largely a repeat of the episode version, but new chapter will move on to the game's plot and move the story ahead. Please read and review.
Yusei -「Neo-Domino」- Impound Centre
"Is this… Saiga?"
"Just push on" the voice commanded
"But…"
"GO!"
Yusei lowered his head, glaring again at the solid wall ahead, the strength in Saiga's voice was enough to convince him – the man may not have trusted his own bonds, but he wouldn't drive someone to suicide, not after all the help he had already been. He trusted the man; he would live to see the sun rise.
He twisted the handgrip and pushed down on the pedal, kicking more dust from the back wheel for the machine. It accelerated, throwing him towards the locked doors, the solid barrier standing between him and freedom – he had been a prisoner of Neo-Domino for far too long, much longer than he had been on City soil. Now was his chance to break free. The gap widened.
"No way! What's that punk doing?" Ushio yelled in shock.
"Yusei!" Rena cried. Her face showed up in a small window on Yusei's monitor, apparently, she had figured that out in the final moments. Maybe he would die, but he would die free. His mind wasn't there though, he would be saved some how – if he was a Signer, fate wouldn't let him die.
His head rose, yelling out as the doors came closer. His eyes widened as adrenaline pulsed through him. The D-Wheel came meters from the door. Fate had to make its move now.
Ushio smirked; he was shocked by the decision of the regardless adolescent in front of him, but at least he'd get him out of the picture once and for all. He'd no long have to put up with the boy's antics and duel him with the continuous array of Tuners and Synchro Monsters.
"I see. You can surrender that way too, I guess" he chuckled. Either way, he wasn't getting out alive.
Yusei pressed on regardless of the rising stakes and the rapidly shrinking distance between himself and the door, waiting for whatever surprise Saiga had in store.
"Get down!"
Yusei leaned forward, lowering his head just low enough to peer over the top of his machine's bonnet and ahead at the door. If he was going to die, he'd at least face it rather than hide. Seeing the movement from his D-Wheel, Ushio's smile flipped; something didn't feel right if Yusei was bracing himself for suicide. A drop of sweat crawled over his scar; something didn't feel right.
The doors ahead began to shake, almost bending towards the approaching pair. White light shone through the cracks and blew the barrier apart, engulfing the dead-end with smoke and flames; roaring as Yusei dove towards the destruction. Time almost slowed down as the D-Wheel rolled into the embrace of smoke and debris. Ushio called out as it reached for him, prepared to drag him into the unknown and from his comfortable advantage over the missing Satellite rider.
Through one of Yusei's windows flashing on the monitor, Rena watched in horror as she heard everything, losing sight of Yusei in the thick smoke. Her eyes widened as she drained her concentration on what was ahead and down to the revelation on the opposite end. There was nothing but smoke and Ushio's voice – there was nothing to suggest what had happened or the aftermath of it.
"Yusei!" she cried, tensing the muscles in her arm fiercely.
Behind her, the pursuing officer grinned coldly. He had been warning her across the chase that something was bound to happen; whether it was to him, her or both didn't matter to him. What mattered was he had been right, and with the death of a friend staining the walls of the building, it was possible that Rena's fighting spirit would leak out. A chuckle tickled his throat and bounced out of his mouth; a cold victorious chuckle.
"I guess your friend didn't have it in him to face up to the real world" he called. "Maybe he'll do better in the next world, wherever he went. Give it up; you know it's only a matter of time before you face the same fate".
Rena's eyes widened as the light-hearted tone of the man's voice reached her, pupils and iris were united in shrinking whilst fixed onto the cloudy window absentmindedly. The D-Wheel began to slow, permitting the man to accelerate to her right side and smirk at her, finding the strands of her fringe hanging over her eyes, pressed down by the visor. The officer moved closer, the arm of Rena's D-Wheel in reach, all he'd have to do was grab her hand and tear it from the grip; that would be enough to slow her down. His hand parted from the handlebar of his and crept through the air.
"Perhaps you're right. But I wouldn't embrace anything happening to Ushio, or to you" the girl mumbled dully. The officer froze, moving his shadowed eyes to hers. There were no sudden movements, nothing immediately. Until her head shot up and towards him; a fierce blaze in her eyes. "Maybe we should find out".
The blue machine slammed into the standard issue grey counterpart. The man cried out in shock, withdrawing his arm suddenly and working to regain control of the machine. Rena's jaws tightened as she slammed the chasing D-Wheel into the wall, lighting the hallway with spitting sparks, but that still wasn't enough. Her right leg flailed, the sole of her trainer stamping on the ribs of the officer, who groaned, pressing his active hand against it and hissing. Rena pulled her D-Wheel away, leaving the rapidly slowing victim behind, glaring with eyes of pure abhor at her trail before wobbling violently. He came to a complete stop, anxious about continuing further after the sudden attack and watched ahead.
"What on Earth was that?" he growled.
"I have no idea what that was" Rena whispered to herself, gazing absentmindedly at the monitor in front of her.
"Whatever it was, you don't need it now" Saiga's voice came through the helmet. A window appeared in the place where the billowing smoke had been, revealing the truth about the Riding Duel happening further through the building. "Yusei's alive".
Rena smiled at the news, relieved that he had been able to make it through the smoke and flames as the doors flew from their barriers. The relief was short-lived when the scene in view reached her; Yusei was hanging onto his D-Wheel by one hand, the only thing keeping him from flying from it, while Ushio bore down on him regardless. A gasp escaped her; he was alive, but not safe and far from out of the woods.
-遊戯王5D's-
Stardust ~ Chapter 14 – Dead Chase! Awaken the Trust in Bonds ~ Sutādasuto
Yusei -「Neo-Domino」- Impound Centre
Above him, Yusei had Ushio still following him through the levels of the Impound Centre, two monsters on his field. Powered by his Speed Spell – Rapid Shot Wing, Search Striker had gained the attack power to finish off his lifepoints. Both creatures combined had exactly the amount he had left, much to the plummeting officer's delight.
"Search Striker" his booming voice plunged to the monsters. "Attack him directly; Clever Strike!"
A blue ray shot out of the hunter's gun and struck the crimson D-Wheel, engulfing it for a second. Yusei slipped from the seat, his eyes and mouth wide as he gasped, struggling to hold on while the rest of his body floated uselessly above the machine he was supposed to be in. Sparks lit the edge as the wall scratched the D-Wheel, threatening to colour itself with the blood shade of the victim, the tires moaned as they spat furiously, launching flaming sparks up at the pursuing man.
YUSEI - USHIO
1400 - LP - 4000
3 - SPC - 5
"And now, the end. Chase Scud, attack him directly again!" Ushio yelled triumphantly.
Two golden rays shot out of the pale palms belonging to the machine, racing down together with Yusei and his D-Wheel set as targets. Yusei gazed over his shoulder, uttering another sound of shock. His right arm tensed, dragging him forward, reaching forward with his open left hand. As he reached forward, Rena appeared on the monitor, out of the way, her face painted with a combination of terror and reluctance to give up, her eyes blazed anxiously.
"Yusei, hang in there!" she cried through the link.
Yusei clenched his teeth, wagging his fingers as they swam through the battering air, shadows stretching while the blast grew ever closer. All the fingers with the exception of his forefinger curled, relying solely on the closest digit. It fell, touching the second-left key, the card opened above him.
"Reverse card open! Confusion Chaff!" he shouted.
The twin rays crashed into the card which acted as a shield, lighting the shaft. Yusei took the opportunity to drag himself forward and into the D-Wheel. The gales tried repeatedly to knock him back into the vulnerable position to hanging on with a single hand, but with his new grip, his legs tucked in and he fell into the machine, seated once more with something around him to protect his body when the floor came. The card shattered, becoming small golden cards that latched onto the white machine, sending it spinning out of control and above Ushio, drawing the officer's stunned eyes. A drop of sweat ran down the side of his face, calling out to his monster spiralling uncontrollably.
"Confusion Chaff can be activated during your second direct attack" Yusei declared, clenching the handgrips tightly. "Its attack gets negated and that monster battles with the monster who attacked directly first".
Ushio called out in response'; above him, a crimson dot shone in the centre of what would have been Chase Scud's forehead. The machine dropped again, moving towards Search Striker, who bent down and lunged at its former-comrade in retaliation. It fell past Search Striker, who turned and shot a blue beam of power to the machine. Chase Scud evaded the attack and returned a blast in its own shade, which failed to hit the target. Instead, bound by the power of the Trap card, Search Striker shot another blast, ripping through Chase Scud, who exploded into a wide cloud of black smoke and blue flames. Golden shards plummeted past Ushio, raining over him and his D-Wheel, falling faster than gravity determined the vehicles and duellists to drop.
"Dammit. I place one card face-down and end my turn" he scowled.
The steel pack on the back of the survivor glittered and faded, the effect of Rapid Shot Wing coming to an end and dropping the monster's attack back to its standard 1600 value. The floor was rising quickly, ready to snatch the two and drill gravity into them, to firmly fix them to the surface of the world, obey the laws of physics and resume their battle like any other normal Riding Duel would.
"Raise your D-Wheel" Saiga's voice command Yusei. He gasped, stretching his neck with the intention of finding a view of the ground beneath. He knew it was coming, but in a way, he still felt unprepared to land. Doubt was creeping in. "Raise it. Hurry!"
Yusei did as he was told, craning the front wheel of his D-Wheel above his head and bracing himself. To pull off the manoeuvre, he stood under the crescent curve, arching his back forward to avoid the two colliding.
The elevator roof came and went, breaking apart with ease and allowing the D-Wheel entrance. The machine bounced once as the sudden return to earth came about, releasing the pressure in the back tire and landing again, spitting out a shower of fiery sparks. Like the forceful entrance had been a cue, the doors opened and the D-Wheel tipped forward, returning the front tyre to the ground, where it belonged. It shot out, shakily returning to its purpose while the doors slid shut behind the back, locking Ushio inside as he jumped about.
The scene had changed from the narrow elevator shaft to wide corridors with plenty of room; a nice change of scenery, especially as he was on the ground floor. Finally, for a moment, Yusei rode alone.
"Rena's catching up; she's heading to the shaft now. She should be with you in a few minutes, but don't stay behind just for her" Saiga reported.
Yusei's eyes stayed on his monitor as he listened; she was seeing everything, a helpless spectator unable to even catch up and support him in the flesh – something he knew she wanted to do. That much was clear in the Detention Centre; she was more comfortable around him, especially in a City full of strangers who detested their people. He almost rode alone.
A sudden smash and Ushio forced his way out of the elevator, tearing the doors off and tossing them onto the ground, black smoke crept out and released him, holding him back no more.
"Oh no you don't!" he snapped.
The standard D-Wheel raced along an elevated corridor, separated by railings, pillars of concrete and air; nothing more. He grinned wickedly while Yusei watched, unable to escape the ferocious charge that would no doubt lock him in the battle and behind the officer. He pushed the D-Wheel to the edge and smashed through the railing, twisting metal and ripping off remnants of bears, flying through the final invisible barrier between himself and Yusei, the boy watched.
The descent alone wasn't enough; Ushio rammed Yusei in a weaker attempt than when he first slammed into the D-Wheel, a gentle nudge in comparison that did little to affect Yusei's path. The crimson rider straightened himself and glared at the smug officer by his side.
"So scum, thought you could escape huh?" Ushio chuckled.
His pupils shrank to extend his wicked face; whatever it took to intimidate his opponent and remind him of just what was ahead should he fail to escape. A brown glove suddenly appeared in his face, twisting his left cheek and disrupting the face. The two fell back, only for the new arrival to slide forward and ride beside Yusei – Saiga had infiltrated the building as well.
"Saiga, why are you here?" Yusei asked.
"I just wanted to see the fate of someone who casually prattles on about 'bonds with friends' like you" Saiga scowled. "I don't have any mushy-gushy feelings for friends, or what have you. I'll just have what you owe me figure up financially".
His eyes fell to the ground, staring down whilst filled with regret and suddenly quiet. Yusei narrowed his eyes, suspicious over the man's secret past; the photograph he had picked up and the scarred Machiner's Sniper that had been delicately laid beneath the wooden frame. Saiga was hiding something big, and Yusei couldn't accept that. He wanted to call Saiga a friend, but he had yet to truly understand what it was about having friends that scared the man.
"What happened?"
Saiga could almost see it all before him; the race track, the cheering of the ecstatic crowd as the green D-Wheel raced along, sidecar attached on its left. The duo were chasing after another D-Wheel and companion, an orange machine. The younger Saiga set his eyes on his deck, chin without stubble, and drew.
"My turn, draw!" he called, removing the top card. "Machiner's Sniper!"
The pale much-loved mechanical humanoid appeared, its right arm resembling a screw driver. The being moved the weapon into position, aimed at the blue ninja figure opposite.
"Direct attack!"
A blast came from the metal end, bouncing off the racing concrete and engulfed the creature. Black smoke poured out the creature's chest and it exploded into a shower of golden shards; another victim of the perfect tag team and their unbeatable treasure. The two were champions with the successful blast, holding another golden trophy in their hands and cheering proudly; Saiga and a man with spiked orange hair – his partner, his trusted friend. Saiga set his eyes and bright smile on his companion who returned the joyful look. Confetti fell around them, floating like colourful petals, celebrations of their victory continued around them; they were lost as they contemplated how much they valued each other. How much they cared for their friend.
"That's what I really thought back then…" In a corridor lit only by the sunlight through the end, Saiga stood in front of a suited man, holding up the deck that had earned him so many victories with his friend's help, grinning optimistically. "But at the same time, I tried to cut ties with Yuji, the guy I called my friend, ignoring the contradiction in doing so. All to go single and teach the higher league".
Life continued on the same; the roaring crowds filled his ears as the duo chased down another pair of opponents together in one vehicle. Yuji threw down the Monster card, the favourite; their trusted ally.
"Here goes. I summon Machiner's Sniper!"
"Yuji, what're you doing/" Saiga snapped, setting his glinting eyes onto his lower friend. "Not that monster".
The baffled Yuji gazed at his partner with surprise lighting his eyes. "But this is our favourite monster, right? It can handle the end-"
"Think a little more! Do you think that strategy will work forever?" Saiga snapped. He turned away from his friends and to the opponents ahead, glaring in their direction instead of Yuji. "We end your turn".
Yuji's eyes softened as he watched Saiga conclude their turn, sorrowful and regretfully. He couldn't help but think he was beginning to lose his friend in the competitive world of duelling. His eyes fell. "Saiga…"
Ahead of them, Machiner's Sniper was struck by the opponent's white blast, shattering into a shower of gold floating past them and left as glowing debris behind them.
"There, I told you so!" Saiga yelled at Yuji, his eyes filling with more frustration. "It's all because you played it on your own".
"No, instead, using an effect, for now-" Yuji tried in calm protest, thinking clearer than the confused rider.
"Stop screwing around!" Saiga snapped. "Quit dragging me down anymore than you ha-"
The two both looked ahead with wide eyes of shock after a crash and the shriek of metal against the concrete track filled the air. The opponent D-Wheel was spinning uncontrollably, heading towards them after some mechanical fault sparked the terrible chain during the moment of distraction. The two riders were thrown from the ruined D-Wheel when it smashed into a barrier and rebounded back into the track – in front of Saiga and Yuji as they rolled towards it. Before he could do anything, Saiga hit the wreckage, launching himself and Yuji into the air. A component from the wreck was knocked out, crashing into the connecting piece that held Yuji to Saiga's side and damaged it, sending cracks through the metal.
The two hit the concrete at the bottom of the grassy hill, racing towards a plant without any power to stop themselves and away from the competition. The wires inside the damaged joint were stretched, snapping as they drew closer to the site without either noticing. Until it was too late and they were separated, the nose of the sidecar hit the ground, sending a chill through Yuji's entire body. His wide terrified eyes moved to Saiga, reaching out for him, desperate for rescue.
"Saiga!"
"Yuji! Yuji!"
The hands inched closer, almost touching and reuniting the torn friends when Saiga turned his eyes ahead. They were drawing near the central metal tower, there was no guarantee he could save Yuji and get them out in time. So there was only solution in his head during the moment of panic – he turned away and left Yuji to face the peril alone. Yuji cried out in terror just before he crashed, sending smoke pouring out of the giant cylinder, Saiga's D-Wheel crashed against the ground and he rolled from it, helmet falling off and leaving him with his back to the vehicle. A segment of the tower exploded and send flames roaring beneath the large pillars of black smoke, the first thing Saiga found when he lifted his head shakily.
"Yuji…" he groaned. Then it hit him just what he had done. "Yuji! Yuji!"
Yusei listened without words of his own to say, but allowed Saiga his solemn moment of regret, to focus on the person he abandoned, the one that called him friend. The incident still preyed on his mind and soul, clearly still disturbing him after the reaction to Yusei picking up the photograph of those joyful days, now he understood why. They rolled alongside each other in the wide corridor with nothing by silent pillars around them.
"As I've said before, the more fools talking about friends, the more you have to think only of yourself" the brunette mumbled. "You use them and hurt the, and when you're driven to the brink, you betray them without a card in the world". He smirked as he carried on; only able to imagine what had been going to through Yuji's head at the time and how he truly felt as he turned away. "Getting betrayed must be unbearable. He made it out with his life, but he retired and, even now, he's living, cursing my name". He looked… almost proud.
"Your partner said that?" Yusei asked calmly, unable to understand just why Saiga was smirking.
"He didn't have to for me to know" Saiga quirked.
Yusei stayed quiet for a moment. On the forgotten monitor, Rena hit the bottom of the elevator shaft, bouncing on the back tire of the machine once the ground caught up with her. She shot out, racing down the wide corridor and in the direction of the pair, with the rocked Ushio between the two parties. Yusei set his eyes on Saiga still, determined to open his.
"The word 'friend' may indeed by phony" he murmured. "But, so long as bonds exist, that's proof enough. That's why I came to get those bonds back".
Saiga's narrow eye traced Yusei in the corner of his view, not giving him the satisfaction of viewing the whole of his face. His face had grown filled with shadows after the incident, his eyes holding newfound cynicism born not long following that day.
"Hold it there!"
Behind the parallel D-Wheels, Ushio came storming down the corridor; orange sparks lit the bottom of his tyres while charging at full speed. In the distance, a faint blue could be made out – while Saiga and Yusei had been casually riding, Rena and Ushio had closed the gap between them.
"We still haven't settled the scores!" the officer declared. Jade lights flashed left and right in sequence, lighting the shrinking space between the two while Ushio moved in, almost slipping in between them. "Well, it's your turn".
SEVENTH TURN – YUSEI
Yusei kept his eyes ahead, laying his gloved fingers against the top card of his deck and pulled it away. "My turn".
YUSEI - USHIO
1400 - LP - 3300
4 - SPC - 6
"Discord Counter's effect has already lapsed" he added, lifting a familiar monster from his hand. "I summon Speed Warrior [ATK 900] from my hand".
The grey-skinned and armoured skater stretched out his muscles as he appeared on the field – a being well-known to Ushio, a monster that had been used against him more than once in their past encounters.
"Speed Warrior has its attack power doubled for the turn its summoned".
"I knew it!" Ushio blurted with a smug grin. "I activate a Trap card – Power Bind. This card can be activated when an opposing monster is summoned; that monster can't attack during this turn and its attack power gets reduced to zero until your next End Phase". The offensive power of the monster plummeted, bringing about a cackle from the trailing officer. "Too bad, if its attack power had doubled, it could have destroyed my Search Striker".
"Hey, what will you do?" Saiga asked, fixing his eye onto the boy beside him.
Yusei didn't even glance at the man. "I activate the Speed Spell – Reactor Pod from my hand".
"What was that?" Ushio asked, narrowing his eyes on the monitor in front of him and leaning forward to get a better idea of what was opposite.
"This card can be activated when you have four or more Speed Counters. By selecting a monster with 1000 or lower attack power on my field, the opposing player receives damage equal to the monster's original attack. Turn Speed Warrior's attack power of 900 into damage for the opponent!"
An aura shone around the body of the grey being; green and gold and blue, shooting back in an arch and raining over Ushio. The D-Wheel shuddered as it took the blast, Ushio's mouth opened and a low call flowed from his frowning jaws, closing them when the light dispersed.
YUSEI - USHIO
1400 - LP – 2400
"You've gone and done it now, you piece of trash" he snapped.
"I place a card face-down and end my turn".
EIGHTH TURN – USHIO
"Dammit… draw" Ushio scowled, tearing the top card of his deck away from the slot.
YUSEI - USHIO
1400 - LP - 2400
5 - SPC - 7
"I'll crush you, you zero attack power hunk of scrap-metal" he growled, bearing his teeth like a wild dog. "I use Search Striker to attack Speed Warrior".
The blue humanoid leapt forward and through the air, attracting Speed Warrior's shielded gaze over its curved oval shoulder. Search Striker's arm fell, locking itself into place and building an orb of shimmering blue light on the end on its weapon in an instant, the blast tore through the air, falling towards the vulnerable target.
"I activate a Trap – Scrap-Iron Scarecrow" Yusei called out, keeping his eyes from the battle and lifted his right arm in the direction of the face-down defence.
A narrow cross made of two iron bars appeared, hovering into the path of the blast. Wrapped around what resembled a neck above the horizontal bar was a white scarf similar to that worn by Junk Synchron and Junk Warrior beneath a loose helmet with goggles balancing on the tiny peak of the structure. Speed Warrior watched over its shoulder as the spectacle occurred; an invisible barrier saved it from the glowing power, the metal scarecrow between the two.
"This card negates an opposing monster's attack once per turn". The blast weakened, diminishing into a narrow ray before fading completely, smoke crept across the field in the wake of the failed power. "Then, it's reset on the field".
Behind the duel, Rena was inching closer, closing the gap while riding as quickly as she could in the hopes of reuniting physically with Yusei and Saiga. Her forehead furrowed as she watched what she could ahead, trying to avoid relying heavily on the monitor flashing in front of her. The blue flashing grew dim and vanished altogether; she frowned while Ushio moved on with his turn.
"He's building up for something while keeping Yusei down" she commented to no-one in particular. "Hang in there, Yusei. You beat him before, you can do it again; then we can all get out of here together, in one piece".
She tightened her fingers around the handgrips either side, pushing the D-Wheel to move quicker, spitting orange sparks across the floor as it increased slightly in speed, eating away at the gap between herself and the others, her cobalt eyes flared as they narrowed sharply on the battle ahead.
"Permanent Trap – Final Countdown" Ushio called, flipping the face-down Trap card besides his gliding Search Striker. "Sending this card and the cards set by this card's effect to the Graveyard during my turn's Main Phase, this card can inflict damage on the opposing player. Its effect inflicts 500 points with two, 1500 with three and 3000 points with four!" A twisted grin spread across his face, contributing to a drop of sweat building no Saiga's forehead as he watched the racing officer over his shoulder. "Your lifepoints are at 1400. So, by setting two more and sending them to the Graveyard, you'll be done for. Here goes – I set my first". He pulled the card from the small group clutched in the slot beside the deck holder, pressing it gleefully into the underneath slot, lighting his Duel Disk as momentum rushed through it. I end my turn".
"This is literally a countdown to zero lifepoints. Next turn, you're sure to…" Saiga called, watching Yusei over his waving white collar.
Yusei didn't respond to the brunette's concerns, but instead, focused on the duel, drawing from his deck. "My turn".
NINETH TURN – YUSEI
YUSEI - USHIO
1400 - LP - 2400
6 - SPC - 8
"I switch Speed Warrior to defence mode and I summon Healing Wave Generator [DEF 1600] in defence mode".
Painted in the azure aura of defence, a mirror floated through the vortex that opened, fixed in place by a frame made of several strange shapes and components, golden lights flashed around the edges while the being shed pixels of the same shade.
"Starlight Wave" Yusei called.
The stars dropped around him, guided by the rays of light shining from the glowing rods stuck into the instrument. Ushio snarled at the sight; single rays shining down on something was supposed to highlight how important or sacred it was; there was no chance that someone from Satellite could ever fit into one of the two options.
"Once per turn, by selecting a monster other than this monster, it adds 100 lifepoints for each level it has. I choose the Level 2 Speed Warrior, causing me to gain 200 lifepoints".
YUSEI - USHIO
1600 - LP - 2400
"Smart-aleck, huh?" Ushio spat, frowning for the first time since returning to the duel, disappointed by what had just been achieved.
"Now he needs to set three cards for Final Countdown's effect" Saiga muttered; his eyes as bitter as ever. "Guess you made it through one more turn".
"I place two cards face-down and end my turn".
Beyond the scowling officer, Rena's eyes had fallen to the screen in front of her, pulling up information on the duel and field. She smiled once finishing reading the effects of both Healing Wave Generator and Final Countdown.
"So Yusei's brought himself another turn" she commented, moving her gaze upwards and to the live duel. "Good luck, I know you can do it, just like back then".
TENTH TURN – USHIO
YUSEI - USHIO
1600 - LP - 2400
7 - SPC - 9
"My turn. I summon the Tuner Monster, Torapart! [ATK 600]"
Two miniature figures spun out of a portal on the field, connected by a base at the bottom of their feet. The twins were dressed similar to witches, black and purple capes with roan pointed hats. Large white eyes and blood red lips stood out of the sickly pale green, exposed arms of the same shade fell into teal gloves.
"I'm tuning my Level 2 Torapart to my Level 4 Search Striker!"
The twin-figured Tuner shone, consumed by light that afterwards shrank into two identical stars and floated abut the field. When the pair collided, two green rings expanded, opening the door for Search Striker to pass through. The robed figure soared into the gate, striping its form away and unveiling the four hidden stars from within".
"This is making me all tingly" Ushio chuckled. "Shinkuro Shoukan! Come no, Goyou Guardian! [ATK 2800]"
The white-skinned man familiar to both Satellite riders emerged from the brightness; dressed in the same maroon and black vest with trousers of the same colour. The man lassoed the rope in his hand, the metal end glittered under the aura of Speed World, a smirk grew on the white face decorated with blood red.
"Goyou Guardian attacks Healing Wave Generator. Goyou Lariat!"
The white-skinned warrior leapt up, twirling his rope like a cowboy about to capture a target. The rope launched forward, metal claw reaching for the mirror ahead. Yusei shifted his right arm to the edge where Scrap-Iron Scarecrow laid in wait, ready to defence the lifeline thrown to him and keep Ushio from destroying a hope granted by the deck.
"Activate Trap – Scrap-Iron Scarecrow" he shouted, flipping the card around. As soon as it stopped spinning, miniature bolts of purple light flashed around the card, to Yusei's shock.
"Afraid not. Torapart; when sent to the Graveyard by Synchro Summon, the opposing player can't activate Trap cards" Ushio laughed. The steel end smashed through Healing Wave Generator with ease, blowing the item apart in a blaze of golden light. "And now, Goyou Guardian's effect activates". The mirror returned to one piece, bound by the circling rope until it was stretched between the victim and the dominant white man, who reeled it in like some kind of fish. "When it destroys an opponent's monster, it negates the destruction and gains control of the opponent's monster".
"That means that Ushio will be able to use Healing Wave Generator's effect on himself" Rena gasped, creasing her forehead as she watched the scene ahead.
Ushio's head tipped back smugly. "Welcome, Heal Waver-chan" he chuckled, cutting the monster's name, like it was an ally of his by choice. "I'll just be using your lifepoints recovery effect right now".
The prisoner rose, sprinkling the same golden dust as it did so, floating over Ushio and bestowing upon him the same warm glow that it had Yusei a turn before. Ushio cackled, raising both hands and throwing his head back; like a child daring to ride with no hands. It had been some time since he had felt the pure goodness in something, and now he was being chosen by the light as a man worthy of victory against the stubborn Satellite man, after two previous losses, he would have his revenge.
"I'm recovered. I'm recovered!" he chanted ecstatically. "Look; my lifepoints have gone up 600 and, presto, they're 3000".
YUSEI - USHIO
1600 - LP - 3000
He fell back down to the duel, pulling a card from his hand. "And now, Final Countdown, I set the second card".
Saiga curved his back while setting his sights on Yusei, who continued to glare ahead, focused on escaping and living rather than the threat constantly pestering him. Saiga, however, was constantly looking back, to the threat behind them and beyond even that.
"Hey, what are you going to do?" he called. "If you don't settle this next turn, he'll set his third one and you'll lose. You get that?"
Yusei still kept his eyes from the man riding beside him, like he couldn't even glance in his direction until he accepted the message he was trying to awaken him to. He was still focused on what was ahead; the future, and those he was fighting for.
"As long as I have bonds with my friends, I'll just believe in them" he commented stoically.
"Enough of your nonsense!" Saiga snapped, tired of the same words and lines. He knew first-hand that bonds and friendship weren't enough when fate was throwing the worst luck in his direction, even when his friend was with him. Yusei had no-one; nobody to support him outside of Rena, who was still beyond any form of help. "If your defeat is set in stone, then think of something else to do".
"Don't call them nonsense" Yusei murmured, finally moving his eyes to Saiga. "A bond with a friend – aren't you holding onto one yourself? That card…"
The very one he held beneath the frame of those times long ago, the abandoned friend and the ornaments of victory; that proved they were a team. Of the happy times he could no longer find.
"But I got that as a sign that Yuji will never forgive me" the brunette protested. His head fell and eyes fell shut; he didn't feel strong enough to face the past, to rip open the wounds he had covered with bandages in the hope they would heal with time. It still hurt.
"No, it's not". He opened his eyes, slightly wider than whilst they were filled with frustration and bitterness, he waited and listened, wherever Yusei was going with this, he was going to follow. "Perhaps your partner risked his life to save that card from the fire".
The card was scarred; burned and torn after the incident. A symbol of their friendship that Yuji had tried to use earlier in the duel before fate turned its back on them. While Saiga was down, it was possible that Yuji fought to pick himself up and fight for the card, walking back into the hungry flames just for that symbol. For that card that meant everything to him. Maybe just to save it, or maybe for more – to save his friendship with Saiga. It was possible that he had spent time that he could have used to flee getting that card back, putting himself in the centre of that explosion which almost killed him, lying amidst the blackened smoke and orange sparks like the tiny streams of molten that scarred the card.
"That's right. Your partner forgave you. Not even that… that probably never crossed his mind" Yusei continued. "What did cross his mind was only one thing – he wanted to protect the bonds he had with you. Since he didn't want to cut bonds with you… since he wanted to cherish those same bonds". Saiga's remorseful face tipped forward, his eyes falling shut like it had finally hit him what had happened, how long he had been mistaken; how much time had been wasted. "So long as you hold those bonds, you'll always be friends. Just like I have my friends…" The tips of his fingers hit the top card of his deck. "That's why I'll fight for those bonds. It's my turn".
ELEVETH TURN – YUSEI
YUSEI - USHIO
1600 - LP - 3000
8 - SPC - 10
"I summon Turbo Synchron [ATK 100]" Yusei called, throwing the new card granted by his deck onto the top of his Duel Disk.
A small viridian machine appeared, resembling the bonnet of a car with silver engine exhausts protruding from the curved chest and opening their mouths over its shoulders made of tyres. From the black rounded wheels, grey arms coated in jade green hands and viridian gloves stretched. Two feet of matching green and grey hung at the bottom of short legs, two lights flashed on the front of the chest. A black space opened up in the middle of the top, a head of cream encased in a helm matching the rest of its body with a visor matching the hands. The only feature visible beneath the body of armour were the large white eyes.
"When a Tuner monster is on my side of the field, I can Special Summon Bolt Hedgehog [ATK 800] in my Cemetery through its effect". A portal opened between Turbo Synchron and the defensive Speed Warrior, through it, the orange-furred creature glided onto the field, bolts drilled into its spine. "Turbo Synchron, attack Healing Wave Generator!" The command earned shocked responses from Saiga, Ushio and Rena, each puzzled by just what the plan was.
"What? Turbo Synchron's attack power is less than Healing Wave Generator" Ushio blurted. "Has he lost it?"
"Yusei, what are you planning?" Rena asked slightly louder than a whisper. "Your lifepoints will barely survive".
Regardless, Turbo Synchron moved to attack the mirror, launching itself at the item with its right fist forward. The two didn't collide; a barrier of wind prevented them from doing so, saving either from being destroyed. Instead, Turbo Synchron was thrown back.
YUSEI - USHIO
100 - LP - 2400
6 - SPC - 9
"Dimwit, have you chosen to take yourself out? You only have 100 lifepoints left" Ushio laughed confidently.
"At this time, Turbo Synchron's Monster effect activates" Yusei protested, ignoring the words of the officer. "When this monster attacks, it can Special Summon a monster from my hand with an attack power lower than the damage its controller took. Appear now, Road Runner [ATK 300]".
The Tuner began to glow, opening a gate for the pink chick to race through and onto the field. Red boots covered the bony feet. A bell hanging from the green colour around its neck chimed with each rough step in air that it took.
"Trap card open – Emergency Tuning" the dark-haired Satellite duellist added, lifting the face-down card on his field. "This car can release a Tuner monster on the field and one or more other monsters to Special Summon a Synchro Monster that matches the requirements". On the field; Road Runner, Turbo Synchron, Bolt Hedgehog and Speed Warrior were all lined up,
Saiga gasped at the revelation, he could see exactly what had been set up. "He has a Tuner Monster and three others" he commented. "Don't tell me he's going for a quadruple Synchro Summon!"
"A what?" Ushio spat.
"Yusei, go for it, you can do it" Rena whispered optimistically.
"Here goes" Yusei called. Beside him, Turbo Synchron began to glow, reshaping itself into a single glimmering star. "Tuning my Turbo Synchron to my Bolt Hedgehog, Speed Warrior and Road Runner".
Five stars came from the monsters, playing in the air and spinning in a united circle, the single green ring passed on by Turbo Synchron spun around the central pair of stars, summoning a shimmering tower of light. The pillar expanded in an instant, consuming the six remnants of the monsters.
"Tsudoishi kizuna, saranaru chikara wo tsumugidasu! Hikari sasu michi tonare! Shinkuro Shoukan! Ideyo, Tābo Woriā! [ATK 2500]" [1]
What resembled the front of a lorry appeared, the front of the vehicle covering the torso like a chest plate of armour. Other components built up around the head, arms, shins and waist, covering the beige and metal body. Blue fabric like those of jeans covered the thighs of the beast and travelled further down the limbs. Tyres hung from silver axels protruding from the crimson waist, two yellow headlights flashed on the monster's chest, matching the eyes in the shadows of the large curved helm.
"What's this?" Saiga exhaled.
"I use Turbo Warrior to attack Goyou Guardian".
"Have you lost it, you dimwit?" Ushio chuckled, smirking as smugly as ever. The declaration of an attack against his strongest was more amusing than a concern; Yusei hadn't given up before, he had managed to pull something out to save him – and now… he was throwing everything away. "Goyou Guardian's attack power is 2800, that's higher than yours".
"But, Goyou Guardian is a Level 6 and Turbo Warrior's effect halves the attack power of monsters Level 6 and over" Yusei called in protest.
Ushio's smug grin was wiped in an instant and his face distorted into a panicked scowl. "What?"
"High-Rate Power!" Yusei declared.
The metal claws of the machine came together, producing black and violet shadows around the decaying power. The grim essence slammed against the guardian who flailed as its power fell [ATK 1400].
"But, even if you destroy it in battle, I'll still have lifepoints left" Ushio growled. "On my next turn, my Countdown will lead you to zero".
Yusei smirked, pressing down on the central key of his Duel Disk; the Trap to the left side of the field twisted around and identified itself. "Trap activate – Synchro Strike. This will increase the attack power of a Synchro Summoned monster by 500 points for each Material monster for this turn".
Blazing white power surged around the machine, pouring in between the metallic segments of armour and into the very core of the beast. Ushio gazed in shock, stunned by the fact that what had been weaker than his Goyou Guardian was able to turn the tide so extremely, ready to add another defeat against his name. He was going to lose a third time to the same boy.
"He used four monsters for its Materials. So… that means… its attack power is 4500?" he cried out. "Stop messing with me!"
The grey and white D-Wheel charged forward, more furiously than when he returned to the duel, quickly scraping away the distance between them. Rena gasped at the sight, watching Ushio shrink as his desperate charge pushed him further ahead; Saiga was also surprised by the tactic and sucked in a breath.
"Yusei!" he yelled, alerting the oblivious target.
Ushio charged past him and slammed into the left side of Yusei's D-Wheel, stunning him across in front of Saiga. Even without a wall right beside him, he was determined to stop Yusei from leaving one way or another – even if this was the only way to do so; to ram him off in the path of another D-Wheel, or to thrown him down to the ground with nothing to save him.
Rena snapped her neck straight, gasping when the two collided and the window on her monitor shuddered – she could do nothing to help her friend, despite all he had done for her and the others, the path he had paved for her to follow into Neo-Domino and to their stolen D-Wheels. She gripped the clutches tighter and pressed down on the pedal beneath her left foot, pushing the D-Wheel after the trio ahead.
"Yusei!" she cried out.
"I shouldn't be losing to the likes of some Satellite scum anymore" Ushio growled, slamming into the crimson D-Wheel again.
"Yusei" Saiga called, intersecting the fourth attempt and ramming his own D-Wheel into Ushio's. The two were locked as they raced, neither able to force the other one off.
"You… get out of my way!" Ushio snarled, pushing harder against the viridian shield.
"Hurry up!" Saiga snapped, focusing on Yusei rather than Ushio, whose icy eyes were locked onto him.
"Saiga…"
"Finish him – for your friends!" the brunette shouted, pushing against the officer as hard as he could, to hold him off, to protect the embodiment of bonds. Reminding himself that he was still human after what happened to Yuji.
"Saiga…"
"Weave the bonds!"
Yusei twisted his D-Wheel, sliding down the wide passage horizontally and opened his left hand in the direction of his new Synchro Monster. "Go, Turbo Warrior!" The crimson machine rose above the weakened white-skinned man who tossed his rope in feeble retaliation. The soles of Turbo Warrior's feet glowed, shooting out white jets of energy that sent him diving to the opposing monster. "Pierce, Axel Slash!"
The metal tuning fork at the end of the rope bounced off the gleaming claws frailly, leaving the white monster defenceless against the five metal digits at the centre of a blazing aura, lighting each as they drew closer. The man's face opened into horror and helplessness, meeting the collection of glowing fingers and exploding once they pierced his chest, becoming the victim of yet another of the Synchro Warrior monsters. Twisting his head in time to see his monster depart, Ushio cried out, the monitor in front flashing red.
YUSEI - USHIO
100 - LP - 0
DUEL END
Steam poured out of the defeated vehicle, toppling it in the dim corridor no longer brightened by the aura of Speed World. Locked onto him, Saiga fell with Ushio, landing in a clattered mess in the middle of the wide passage. Rena skidded around them, slowly catching up with Yusei who was in the middle of watching the two fall.
"Saiga" she called.
"Go ahead, never mind me!" he yelled to Yusei. Rena kept her eyes on him as she passed, and, perhaps it was imagination, but there a smile on his face.
She accelerated, chasing after Yusei, who was heading towards the brightened end of the building. He rode up the ramp and soared into the dawn sky, pale blues and green lighting the heavens and drowning out the night lights of Neo-Domino. Rena followed seconds later, finding Yusei slowing down for her to catch up. She rode alongside him and followed around the next corner, the machines shrieking as they came to a stop. Steam wavered from the ground, Yusei pressed against the side of his helmet, lifting the visor and looked to her.
"Are you alright?" he asked gently.
"Yeah, I'm good" Rena replied with a heavy exhale. "I'm worried about Saiga though; will he be alright back there on his own?"
"I'm sure he will; he's experienced in this stuff" Yusei guessed.
Rena released another tired breath and smiled at him. "I'm glad to see you're okay, I wasn't sure where you went after you left the Detention Centre". Her eyes moved to the lighting sky, captivated in the elegance of a new day. "It's pretty, huh?"
Yusei gave a subtle nod without words. He had been about to speak when a choir of Security sirens began to wail, panicking the duo. Rena's head rotated left and right, throwing the tips of her hair around her chin and shoulders, while Yusei remained calm, pulling the visor back over his eyes.
"We should go; if they catch us, then all this will have been for nothing" he stated.
"But where we will go?" Rena asked.
"There's too many of them right now – we'll have to split up" the dark-haired man replied blandly.
"What?" Rena cried in protest. "But we just got back together, now you want us to run off in different directions with no guarantee we'll see each other any time soon?"
"I trust you'll find somewhere to hide until the heat dies down; then we'll meet at Saiga's place – he should get out of this in one piece" Yusei answered, kicking his D-Wheel engine to life.
Rena frowned; clearly she didn't like the idea of separating from Yusei in the midst of the City ready to discriminate against them both, but he had a point – they couldn't afford to be captured by staying together, there was no telling how much longer than Markers' signals would be jammed by Saiga's devices. Yusei turned off to the right and raced into the streets opposite from where Saiga's abode could be found. Alone, Rena sighed and followed suit, heading in the east and towards another area of Daimon, somewhere she could hopefully be safe.
Alleyways guided her narrowly; she frowned, finding herself in the same predicament as she had been that night – relying on back alleys that could turn in an instant to a dead-end, trapping her and giving Security another point in the game of cat and mouse. A shadow flitted across the walls of the end ahead, where only one path waited, sending a chill creeping down Rena's spine. She turned the D-Wheel to turn and skid around the corner when a yelp forced the brakes. The D-Wheel skidded to a halt and Rena's head kept low, body shuddering after the sudden surprise.
She lifted her head, finding a boy in front of her; cyan hair tied into a ponytail hanging behind his head. A blue shirt decorated with yellow patterns could be seen in between the ends of a white short-sleeved jacket resembling a hoody. Shorts matched the jacket, grey bracelets covered the wrists in front of his head; white trainers marked with azure blue were set apart under shivering legs.
Seeing his tiny shocked body recover, Rena lifted her head and straightened her back; the boy opened his eyes and watched her through tense and bent fingers, losing the fear in his eyes slowly. The sirens of Security didn't die, but they faded into the background to the duo's minds as they gazed at each other, still unsure if other was a threat.
-
Stardust ~ PREVIEW ~ Sutādasuto
Rua: Cool! A D-Wheel! Come on, duel me!
Ruka: Rua, you're too impatient.
Rena: I don't know if it's safe for you kids to be hanging around here.
Ruka: If Rua's being too much, we'll leave
Rua: What? But I want to duel; she's a duellist after all. Next, Yu-Gi-Oh 5D's - Sutādasuto Accelerator, "Battle Across Divide! Locked Deformer Deck".
Rena: I have to make sure he's okay.
[1] "Clustering bonds/stars, weave a greater force! Become the path its light shines upon! Synchro Summon! Show yourself/Roar engines, Turbo Warrior!"