Yusei's runner cut across the desert easily. A small dust cloud followed him, but otherwise he and Lise were alone. Numerous mountains broke the monotony of the landscape, but Lise had still fallen asleep leaning on Yusei's back. She hadn't been happy about being squished in the back against his runner's arc again, but they'd figured it would be best to take his. Yusei had been driving for a longer time after all. Hopefully Jack and Crow would be fine for the few days the pair would be gone.
"There it is!" Yusei said, more for Lise's benefit than his own. "There's Crash Town."
Lise yawned, rubbed an eye sleepily, and peered over Yusei's shoulder. "Not much to look at."
"Maybe it has more appeal when we're actually in town?" Yusei parked atop a nearby cliff. He raised the left arm of his runner and dismounted.
"Why are we stopping here?" Lise yawned again and got off the runner less than gracefully. "Oh god, I'm so stiff. I fucking hate that arc." She started to stretch her aching limbs out, cracking them whenever possible. "Next time, we take my runner."
"Uh huh," Yusei said, not really paying attention. He was watching the town. From this distance it looked deserted. His gaze slid directly beneath the cliff.
Wooden posts rose up out of the ground with duel disks strapped to them, too many to count. A scream broke across the silent desert, drawing the attention of both Lise and Yusei.
Lise skidded up to the edge of the cliff beside Yusei, and the two of them knelt to the dusty ground to watch.
Three men dressed in blue clothing resembling jumpsuits were running away from more men dressed as cowboys.
"Don't try to escape! Stop!"
Cornered up against the cliff, the three blue-clad men began to climb as quickly as they could. The two cowboys chasing them seemed to be the only people with duel disks. They grinned wickedly and drew a card from their decks. One of the men dressed in blue reached into his clothes and retrieved something. He allowed himself one look and then threw an object up onto the cliff Lise and Yusei were hiding atop.
"You can't escape from here."
"Please don't!"
The cowboy placed his card on his duel disk. Instantly the three men in blue keeled over amidst screams of pain.
"I'm increasing the power!" the second cowboy promised, doing the same as the first, and sure enough the three men's screams of pain grew louder until they passed out.
"What're you doing?!" Yusei couldn't stay hidden any longer.
Lise stood too, but she went to pick up whatever that one man had thrown up there.
"Huh?" The two cowboys looked up. "Oh, we're just punishing these slackers for ditching work and running away." The gathered the three men like they were nothing but garbage.
"Let them go!"
"Can't do that. You two look like duelists. Our town will welcome you then. If you've got skills, you can earn lots of money," the two cowboys laughed as they dragged their three charges away.
Yusei grit his teeth angrily. "They looked like they liked hurting those men. What kind of place is this?"
"Dunno, but I do know those guys were nothing but slimy," Lise's brows were knit curiously over her open hand.
"What did you find?" Yusei lowered his head closer to Lise's to look.
"I think it's a pendant," Lise let the strand hang from her fingertips. Weighing it down was indeed a pendant. The shape was that of a raindrop with three triangles pointed down on the surface. Two of which were solidly colored black, and the third an outline with two smaller triangles inside.
"It's beautiful. Why would someone throw this away?"
Lise frowned and slipped the pendant onto her own neck for safekeeping. She tucked it into her shirt alongside her dragon necklace and her own pendant. "Just another question to add about this place. We're not even in the town yet, and I already hate it."
"Well, we came here for a reason. Hopefully our visit will be short."
"Knock on wood," Lise added just in case.
Yusei smiled slightly, and climbed back aboard his runner. "Shall we see the town then?"
"And find your letter writer? Sure," Lise swung aboard behind Yusei and hung on tightly.
The letter. Yusei had received a strange letter just last week from someone in this town. He or she had explained that Yusei's friend was in town. He or she had somehow discovered this friendship, and bid Yusei come to town and save said friend. Saving meaning taking him away from the town, otherwise the town would kill said friend. It was signed simply; Barb.
Yusei had shown the letter to Lise, who read it once and said she was coming with him. Yusei had to smile at that. She always knew when he was going to do something reckless. In this case, it was following up on the wishes of an incredibly vague letter. If one of their old friends was stuck in this town, they figured they had to at least check it out.
Inside the town wasn't much better. The shops and homes were like conjoined cubes flimsily put together. All the windows and doors were closed up, and literal tumbleweeds rolled through the dirt streets. Not a soul could be seen.
Yusei parked in the square. Not knowing what else to do, Lise and Yusei dismounted and looked around for some people.
"That your duel runner?" Three more cowboys emerged from the dust. Two were rather large, and the one in the middle was skinny.
"An interesting pair has arrived."
"The two of you want to duel?"
"Sorry, but I generally make it a rule not to duel against amateurs," Yusei quipped.
"What?"
Lise laughed and crossed her arms. She raised an eyebrow at Yusei. "Somebody woke up on the asshole side of the bed this morning."
"But I'm your asshole," Yusei pointed out. The corners of his lips twitched upwards.
"We'll see," Lise responded coyly.
"Hey! Don't ignore us!" The three cowboys spread out, surrounding Lise and Yusei. "Those are some pretty strong words, you two, but the more arrogant you are the quicker you go to hell."
"To hell?" Yusei's eyes darted between them.
"Damn, and I thought I was already in hell," Lise joked. She blinked, unamused.
"Oh no, hell is in the mountains. Before you know it, you're gonna be thrown in with the rest of 'em!"
"Show us your skills!"
Lise and Yusei raised their duel disks, both ready for a fight.
"Stop!" A pretty dark haired woman carrying flowers emerged out of the flower shop. She was dressed in a black top that bared her midriff as well as her shoulders. A red skirt fell just past her knees, and was held in place with a pink sash. A necklace, earrings, and bracelets added accessories to the woman's look. "It isn't duel time yet," she insisted. "You're breaking the laws of Crash Town!"
"Um…what?"
"I don't want to gather flowers for funerals anymore," the woman shoved her bouquet into the hands of the skinniest cowboy. She approached Yusei and Lise with a smile on her face. "I asked them to come."
"You did?" Yusei and Lise shared a glance.
"Yes," the woman turned to face them, revealing lovely brown eyes. "I wrote the letter. I'm Barbera."
"Now the name Barb makes a lot more sense," Lise nodded.
/
Barbera took the couple back to the cliff they had originally arrived at. She waited patiently while Lise and Yusei did their best to hide Yusei's runner in a desert bush. Eventually Lise just pushed the runner on its side, much to Yusei's chagrin, and covered it much more effectively. Only after Lise promised to touch up the paint job upon their return home, did Yusei relax.
"So," Yusei sat down next to Barbera, and took Lise's hand in his when she joined them. "Your letter said you wanted to save my friend from this town."
"Yes," Barbera answered simply. She removed a rock from a small flower, freeing it from being crushed.
"I see."
"This place is very dangerous. I've never felt so tense," Lise said.
Barbera nodded. "And when the sun sets the town gets even more dangerous."
The trio watched the evening sun descending closer and closer to the horizon in the distance. From the mountains on both sides of town came two large gangs of duel runners. They met and parked at the town's square.
Barbera pointed to one group. "The gang wearing the red scarves is the Malcolm Family. Their leader is Malcolm, in front." She pointed to the other group. "Facing them is the Ramon group. The thin man in front is their leader, Ramon."
"What now?"
"You'll know soon enough. Watch."
Lise squeezed Yusei's hand, hoping to comfort him. She was uneasy too, and she didn't want to tear her eyes away for a second.
Malcolm's sneer was directed over his shoulder to one of his gang members. "I'm counting on you, Giant. If you defeat him, I'll give you as much money as you want."
A large man with rippling muscles jumped off the back of the wagon. His entire body looked like it was made of rocks. His head was practically as thick as his arms. He cracked his neck cockily as he advanced. "Which of you is the cheater who keeps winning?" He stopped in the square, the only place the sunlight from the setting sun still reached.
Ramon smirked with confidence too. "Everyone talks tough before a duel begins. They never realize it'll be the last thing they ever say."
Giant growled furiously to the jeering laughter breaking out in Ramon's group.
"I'm counting on you, master."
As if he emerged from the sun, a lone duelist approached. His shadow fell long and dark across the desert sand. His hair was silver and very long. He wore boots, the standard pistol duel disk, dark pants, a faded purple shirt and a dark jacket that flapped in the breeze. A relaxing tune emanated from him, coming from the harmonica pressed to the duelist's lips.
"No way," Lise gasped. "That's-"
"Kalin!"
"At dusk, duel time lasts until the sun vanishes below the horizon. One of them will vanish along with the setting sun," Barbera said.
"How would that get Kalin killed?"
"You'll find out. Watch."
The doors and windows in every home and shop in town opened. Everyone emerged to watch. A horse drawn carriage filled with coffins was waiting anxiously to see who would emerge the victor and who the loser.
A small boy pushed his way up to the front of the Ramon group. He smiled widely at Kalin's back.
The moment was almost upon them. The sun inched closer and closer to the horizon line. Giant kept his hand hovering over his duel disk. He was ready. Kalin did nothing to prepare himself.
The sun hit the horizon!
"Duel!"
In seconds, Kalin placed his duel disk, unfurled it, and drew his entire hand. Giant had merely fastened his duel disk to his arm.
"I'll go first," Kalin said.
Kalin: 4000
Giant: 4000
"I draw. I summon Infernity Mirage. I set one card and end my turn."
(Infernity Mirage: Atk: 0 Def: 0)
"Kalin's acting strange," Yusei observed, his dark eyes serious. "He's not fighting with any soul behind it."
"Exactly, he came to this town because he's looking for a place to die," Barbera explained.
"Wait, die?" That got Lise to look away. She knew what that pain felt like.
Barbera nodded. "This town reeks of death."
"Death?" Yusei repeated at barely a whisper.
"It all started when we learned that mountain contained a mineral named Dyne, which is sued to build duel runner parts," Barbera explained, pointing to the tallest mountain near the town. "Like a gold rush, many people arrived and built this town. When the dust settled it was Malcolm and Ramon in control fo the mountain. They competed for workers to dig the mineral. In the end they decided to compete for workers by dueling."
"Makes sense," Lise admitted grudgingly.
"Dueling ruled the town. If you win a duel, you receive lots of money. Many skilled duelists came to this town."
"What happens to the losers?" Yusei asked, almost afraid to know the answer.
Down below Kalin had won his duel. The sun was gone.
"The loser must work for the winning side, and he'll live in the mountain for the rest of his life. He'll never escape from the hellish darkness of that mountain."
Lise and Yusei shared a look of surprise. Both of them remembered the three men in blue from earlier.
Those were people sent to the mountain after losing a duel!
Is that kind of life really what Kalin wants? Lise looked back at their old friend. She had had plenty of misgivings about Kalin and this trip, but even he didn't deserve that kind of life. It was a fate worse than death.
I hope not. Yusei turned back to Barbera. "What happened to him?"
"He…" Barbera hesitated. "Kalin is using this town to commit suicide."
"That kind of life would be suicide," Lise murmured.
Ramon walked forward, happy to be on the winning side. "Thanks. The Giant had no dueling skills, but he looked like a hard worker. That's why you're the master," he put a hand on Kalin's shoulder. "That's your 50th win in a row."
"Damnit, Ramon!" Malcolm cursed in his rage. "You're mine next time! I'll send you and that jackass to the mountain!"
Ramon rolled his eyes. "Take your best shot."
In the last rays of daylight, the two gangs mounted their rides and left.
"Kalin!"
Hearing his name, Kalin slowed to a stop.
"Kalin!" Yusei yelled again.
Shocked, Kalin gasped. He hadn't expected to hear that voice calling his name. He peeked behind him, and his eyes were met with the unmistakable images of Lise and Yusei. Still, he didn't answer. Instead he kept riding.
"Kalin, why won't you answer me?!" He, Barbera, and Lise watched him go.
"If he won't respond to you directly, you'll have to duel him," Barbera said.
"In this town that sounds like the stupidest thing we could ever do," Lise sighed. "But I don't think we have any other options."
"What do we need to do?" Yusei and Lise turned to Barbera.
"Find some work."
/
Malcolm was treating himself like a personal water fountain. He was on his fourth beer, red in the face, and drunk off his ass. "How dare Ramon make a fool out of me!"
"Boss, you shouldn't drink too much," a gang member advised gently.
"Shut up!" Malcolm tossed his empty bottle to the ground, where it shattered. "You're all useless!" The Malcolm gang members gave Malcolm a wide berth. "If my younger brother Lawton came home right now, that punk Kalin would be… He'd win in a single turn!"
"Hey."
"Huh?" Malcolm paused in his drunken ramblings. "Who are you?"
"You're…from before!" The three cowboys from earlier realized.
"Hire me," Yusei demanded. He flung aside the folds of his poncho to reveal a new standard pistol style duel disk.
Oh, you are so milking this.
Yusei mentally smirked at Lise. And you're not loving sneaking around like a ninja?
Hey, I've always been a ninja. The all black just makes it official. Good luck.
Same to you. See you later.
"Bring it on!" the three cowboys challenged. "We'll be your opponents!"
"Fine," Malcolm shrugged. "I'll see just how skilled you are. If I like you, I'll hire you. If I don't like you, you won't leave unscathed."
"Let's get started then," the corner of Yusei's mouth curled up ever so slightly. "You can all fight me."
All three cowboys set their duel disks and drew their cards. Yusei did the same.
Yusei: 4000
Cowboy 1: 4000
Cowboy 2: 4000
Cowboy 3: 4000
"I'll go first. I draw. I summon the tuner monster Changer Synchron in defense mode. I set one card and end my turn."
(Changer Synchron: Atk: 0 Def: 0)
"My turn!" The first cowboy declared. "I'm almost disappointed you came by yourself. It won't be as much fun beating you without your pretty girlfriend to save you. Oh well."
Yusei's smiled turned into a fierce glare. "She has her mission and I have mine. Make your move."
"Be careful what you ask for! I summon Fuse Ray Blaster! Due to battle royal rules, neither of us can attack on the first turn. I end my turn."
(Fuse Ray Blaster: Atk: 1600 Def: 800)
"My turn," the next cowboy was up. "I summon Fuse Ray Blaster!"
"Shoot!" The first cowboy's monster shot a laser blast at Yusei. "When Fuse Ray Blaster is in attack position, if another Fuse Ray Blaster is summoned, you take 800 points of damage."
Yusei: 3200
"I end my turn."
"My turn," cowboy three's chance to go. "I summon Fuse Ray Blaster."
"Shoot!"
Yusei: 1600
"I end my turn."
"We have plenty of bullets remaining!"
Yusei stood back up and brushed himself off. It was his turn again, so he could take as much time as he wanted. Besides, it would rile his opponents up that much more. "My turn!" I have to get through these guys. Once I'm cleared to duel Kalin, I can beat him, and the three of us can grab him before he's taken to the mountain. "I send one monster card in my hand to the graveyard. This lets me special summon the tuner monster Quickdraw Synchron from my hand."
(Quickdraw Synchron: Atk: 700 Def: 1400)
"When a tuner monster is on my field, I can special summon Quillbolt Hedgehog from my graveyard."
(Quillbolt Hedgehog: Atk: 800 Def: 800)
"I tune Quickdraw Synchron with Quillbolt Hedgehog to synchro summon…Nitro Warrior! Then I summon Gauntlet Warrior!"
(Nitro Warrior: Atk: 2800 Def: 1800)
(Gauntlet Warrior: Atk: 400 Def: 1600)
"Now Changer Synchron tunes with level three Gauntlet Warrior to synchro summon…Armory Arm!
(Armory Arm: Atk: 1800 Def: 1200)
"Due to the effect of Changer Synchron sent to my graveyard, your Fuse Ray Blaster switches to defense mode!" Yusei pointed to the third cowboy's monster. "Next, O activate Armory Arm's effect! By equipping this card to Nitro Warrior, he gains 1000 attack points!"
"Three thousand eight hundred?" the first cowboy gasped.
But Yusei wasn't done just yet. "From my hand, I equip the spell Junk Barrage to Nitro Warrior. Since I activated a spell this turn, Nitro Warrior gains 1000 attack points for one battle! I'll beat all three of you this turn! Go Nitro Warrior!"
Cowboy 2: 0
"No way!"
The third cowboy's monster was switched from defense mode to attack mode, and promptly obliterated.
Cowboy 3: 0
"No way!"
"When Nitro Warrior destroys a monster, it can switch a monster from defense to attack position and attack again. Then with Armory Arm's effect, when the equipped monster destroys a monster in battle, you take damage equal to that monster's attack points. Lastly, due to the equip spell Junk Barrage, you take damage equal to half the destroyed monster's attack points. I'm flipping over my trap card Synchro Overlimit! A synchro monster that destroyed your monster in battle can attack again this turn!"
"No way!" Malcolm's mouth hung open in total shock.
"After Nitro Warrior's attacks, the effects of Armory Arm and Junk Barrage activate!"
Cowboy 1: 0
Victorious, Yusei folded his duel disk back up. He couldn't resist adding an extra few twirls before sliding the duel disk back into its holster.
Show off. Lise's voice mentally scolded.
"Three people in one turn? One turn, three kill. Incredible! You might be able to defeat Kalin! Can you do that again?"
"I was hoping you'd say that, but my fee is rather expensive."
"Not a problem."
Definitely the asshole side of the bed. You're lucky you're cute.