Yu-Gi-Oh! Avatar
The Grand Tournament
Fanfic Chapter 257: Trace Memories Pt 6: Restoring Hope
Episode Basis: None
Harold Kumara was born to Katrina and Fubuki Kumara. After his father died, his mother's parents took him, his mother, and his twin sister Katy in. But things had turned horrible after Katrina died. First, Katrina's father was incapacitated (the most polite word for it) and her younger brother, 'Z' took charge of things. He blamed Kaiba Corp for his father's disablement (though it was clear he wanted to blame Harold and Katy for it as well) and formed an elite group to take revenge on Kaiba Corp. This group's name: The Four Horsemen. Its members: Harold, Katy, Todd, and a woman named Faley. They sabotaged all things Kaiba Corp. The line was drawn when Harold was torn between setting up a trap for Kaiba Corp. lawyer Johnson and saving his friend Drew's life. That caused a fight to erupt between Harold and Z. In retaliation, Harold revealed what was happening to Gozaburo Kaiba. In retaliation for his betrayal, Z beat Harold with a metal pipe and left the boy to die. But a guardian angel was watching him, an angel named Katy. She left him with the Wingweaver Duel Monster card and a slip of paper with his name on it. Harold saw this thanks to the Avatar Armlet. Now, as Harold returns to the outside world, he must consider not his past, but his future. Does his future lie with Drew or does it lie with Yugi and the others?
Harold opened his eyes and moaned. It was bright and he had to close his eyes again to clear up his vision. Yugi and the others gathered around him.
"Harold, are you all right?" Tea asked.
Harold rubbed his eyes and looked at Yugi, "How long was I out?" He asked hoarsely.
"Ten months," Atticus said which caused Alexis to smack him in the back of the head. "Well that's what it felt like."
"It was five minutes," Yugi informed him.
Harold rubbed his eyes again, "I lived twelve years in five minutes," he groaned. "It felt much longer."
"Twelve years in five minutes," Tea parroted in a questioning tone. "Does that mean what I think it means?"
"Have you remembered your past?" Tristan asked out right.
"I remember," Harold said. He thought back to the visions the Avatar Armlet showed him. They were still as clear as day to him. "I remember my mother, what she looked like, how she talked. I remember seeing her take her final breath right in front of my eyes." Yugi and his friends all gasped. "I remember her final legacy, telling us to follow what is in our heart and giving us two cards so that in one way or another, she would always be with us.
"I remember a faceless man who I called father, who died when I was very young, but who lived a life of righteousness and justice.
"I remember growing up in a mansion yet feeling like the lowest of the low, oppressed by relatives for things that happened before I was even born.
"I remember my uncle, a heartless person who drafted me into the first ever Four Horsemen group and sent me on a campaign of sabotage and destruction for reasons that even now I'm still not sure of. I remember feeling the pain, not just the physical pain of being knocked on the head, but the emotional pain of the ultimate betrayal. But most of all…" He looked up at Katy. "I remember the feeling of love, the comfort of having a family. Yes, I remember my past."
I'm so glad, Katy thought. But now that he remembers, Uncle is going to kill him.
"Then you remember saving my life," Drew said. Harold nodded. "Then you know that we really were friends and that you should leave Yugi and come back with me."
Yugi and the others backed up and just looked from Harold to Drew. Harold stared at the floor for a minute before shaking his head. "I'm sorry, Drew, but no."
"Why not?" Drew asked.
"Drew, the person who saved your life from that car all those years ago is not the same person you are dueling right now. When I got hit on the head, I didn't just wake up with amnesia, but I was given a chance most people can only dream about."
"What's that?" Todd asked.
"A chance to start life over again, a clean slate in other words. I've become a different person. I transformed from Harold Kumara to…" He stared down at his Armlet. "The Avatar, and after comparing who I was back then with who I am now, I know that I am not the person you once knew. Back then, I was weak and insecure, doing what was asked of me just to make others happy. Since waking up and meeting these guys, I've become a stronger person, and more decisive in what I do. And besides, I can't even imagine a life without Yugi or the others. We've laughed together, cried together, and even saved the world on an occasion or two. My mother told me to follow what is in my heart and right now my heart is telling me to stay with those who have proven to be my friends time and time again…"
Yugi Moto,
"Is something wrong?" Yugi asked. "You see kind of down about something."
"I'm just wondering... why I'm here?"
"Harold, you're not..."
"Oh no, no, I'm not going back to that again. But... why was I chosen to become a Watcher. I can't even cheer you and Joey on like Tristan and Tea. And anyway, with all the people like Mai and Rex around setting their own rules, what's the point?"
"Well I, for one, am glad you're here, Harold. I couldn't be able to concentrate on the duel if you and the others weren't there."
"But Yugi, you're a dynamo when it comes to dueling."
"Only because I know my friends are there to back me up. If we left you back in Domino like I originally thought, I would worry about you and not be able to concentrate on the duel."
Tea Gardner
"I could've told you that," Tea said from the bathroom door. "Harold, we'll help you find your purpose, that's what friends are for."
"Gee… I never had a friend before."
"Then you've came to the right place," Yugi said. "When it comes to friendship, Tea's the expert."
Joey Wheeler
Serenity gently pulled on the sleeve of Joey's shirt. Joey looked at his sister who gave him a pleading look. Joey sighed and knew what Serenity wanted him to do. He went up to Harold, "Yo, Harold, you got a sec?"
"Joey, I don't think this…"
"Better now than never," Joey interrupted. "Look, I just wanted to say… well… sorry, man, for… what I said on the blimp last night. If Serenity's okay with you, then I'm okay with you. So what do you say, buds?" He offered Harold his hand. Harold shook it.
Tristan Taylor
Tristan punched the wall. "Doesn't that blockhead realize that we cared about him?"
Amara Pennfield
"I just wanted to say… well… I'm sorry for what I said during our duel, I wasn't aware of how much Serapheem meant to you."
"Oh, it's all right, I guess I overreacted too. Serapheem was given to me by a very good friend of mine. I hate it when people put down other's objects. Anyway, it's all good."
"That's good. You know, you did some pretty sweet moves back there, especially with that little Hoshiningen, I was wondering if… well… would you give me some pointers so I could be ready for the next Duel Monsters tournament."
"Sure, I'll teach you everything I learned from Yugi."
"Perfect."
Duke Devlin
"But… how can you guys let me off so easy? Especially you, Yugi, I mean I humiliated your friend, forced you to play a game that you knew nothing about, and almost forced your Grandpa out of business.
"Let's just leave the fighting on the field," Yugi suggested. "Because revenge begets nothing but hatred and rage, and if you're truly sorry, then the best thing you can do is be friends."
"I really don't have a lot of friends," Duke admitted. "Are you sure you…"
"Hey, look at who we allow into our group," Harold said gesturing with his thumb to Tristan and Joey. "You're normal compared to these two."
"Hey!"
"Thank you, thank you all." Duke and Yugi shook hands.
"Alexis and Atticus Rhodes…" He winked at the children which made both of them beam. He then turned to Todd and smiled, "Even Todd Lundgren. If it wasn't for the people you see around me, I probably wouldn't be alive."
"Wouldn't be alive?"
"When I first woke up in that apartment, with nothing but a Duel Monster card and a slip of paper with my name in my pocket, I was depressed over what I believed was my lot in life. I thought me being here was an accident and that the world had no purpose for being here. More than once, I came close to killing myself. Then I met Tea and through her I met Yugi and the others. They showed me something very important."
"NO!" Something slammed into my back and I dropped the scissors into the toilet. I turned and saw that Yugi had grabbed me in a reverse hold. "Harold, violence isn't the answer, especially violence to one's self."
"But Yugi, I can't stand this any more. I don't have a family, don't have a past, what could I be here for except through some divine accident?"
"You were put on here to be our friend, Harold!"
"What?"
"That's right. How do you think Tea would feel if you just took your own life like that? She considers you her friend and so do I!"
"But Yugi…"
"But nothing, you were sent here for a reason and until we find that reason, you're sticking with us. Harold, we'll help you find your purpose, that's what friends are for."
"They showed me that I life is worth living especially when you have people who care about you. They have proven that they cared about me and I'd like to think that I did the same to them." Harold looked back at Yugi who nodded his conferment. Harold turned back to Drew, "That's what they did, Drew, that is why they're my friends, because they saved my life. Katy and I may be related by blood, but I'm related to all these guys by spirit."
"It's like we're all one big happy family," Joey said rubbing his nose.
"We're probably the most dysfunctional family ever," Amara commented.
"But still a family," Yugi concluded.
"You would turn down your real friend for those too shallow to care about true friendship?"
"Your Honor, I would like to reintroduce the pot calling the kettle black evidence," Tristan cracked.
"So noted," Tea threw in.
"Drew's only had one friend in his entire life," Yami noted to Yugi. "So he hasn't had the chance to learn what true friendship is."
"No, Drew, I would turn down someone who doesn't know about real friendship for real friends, the ones who taught me about friendship."
"Drew, we'd be willing to extend friendship to you," Yugi offered. "Just end this and free Katy. We can help you like we helped Harold."
"I've come too far to lose Harold now! I won't lose him again! Harold, if I can't get you, then I won't let Yugi either!"
"Anybody besides me find this conversation disturbing?" Duke asked. Most of the others nodded in agreement.
"With all due respect to the Pharaoh," Amara said. "Denial ain't just a river in Egypt."
"Sorry, Drew, but it's my move. And with my heart powering me and the hearts of my friends to guide me, I will win Katy her freedom!"
Harold, I'm so proud of you, Katy thought. I'm so proud that you not only found your past, but found good friends and have grown into a strong person. In a way, it was good that Uncle gave you amnesia; otherwise you wouldn't have gotten such good friends. I think both Mama and Papa would be proud of you.
(H: 200)
(D: 2150)
(SH: 3050)
Harold drew a card from his deck. "Sorry, Drew, but your downfall starts now and with this card: the magic card called Card of Sanctity! Now we get to replenish our hands with six cards from our decks."
"Go ahead, summon any monster you want, you won't be able to destroy my Sword Hunter."
"And what makes you think so?"
"As long as he has the monsters he's absorbed, he retains their attack points. They're like equip magic cards and you can't get at them."
"That's what you think, I play the magic card Heavy Storm! This magic card blows away all magic and trap cards on the field. You said it yourself that the monsters your Sword Hunter absorbs are like equip magic cards which means they have the same weakness as equip magic cards, like being destroyed by Heavy Storm!" Sword Hunter appeared in its original armor.
(SH: 3050-2450)
"There, now all the monsters Sword Hunter absorbed are back in my graveyard, but not for long. I play Monster Reborn to revive one of the monsters in my graveyard: Wingweaver!" As the fairy-type monster reappeared, Harold smiled at her. Wingweaver, I finally figured out why you're so precious to me, you're my link to my mother. I can see you in her. But there's another monster that I think would restore Katy's heart. So I need your help in summoning her. As if she could hear Harold's thoughts, Wingweaver smiled. Thank you, my friend. I consider you just as important as I do Yugi and the others.
"You going to continue to make googly eyes at your monster or are you going to continue with your move?" Drew asked.
"You sure you want me to continue, it means you're going to lose, because I'm not holding back, I'm unleashing my full power as a Duelist!"
"Go for it, man!" Joey cheered.
"I could attack your Sword Hunter now but you would only lose 300 life points, certainly not enough to win the game. I need more power; I play Cestus of Dagla which increases Wingweaver's attack points by 500!"
(W: 2750-3250)
"Now I could attack your Sword Hunter now and destroy it, but your life points would only go down by 800, still not enough to win the game. Besides, I have a more vital goal in mind." Namely restoring hope to Katy. "I play another magic card Heavenly Light!"
"Yes!" Yugi and the others cheered.
Alexis tugged on Amara's shirt. "Cousin Amara, what's Heavenly Light?"
"It's a ritual magic card, Alexis," Amara explained.
"That's right, a special ritual magic card, with it I can send Wingweaver away. Drew, you saw my guardian angel, now you're about to see Katy's."
"You mean…"
"Rise forth, Serapheem (1)!" Wingweaver disappeared into the sky and another angel-like monster came down in her place. She had long blonde hair, platinum green eyes, a long white gown, and two large wings.
Katy took one look at the monster and felt her eyes tear up. "Mama," she muttered.
"Serapheem, activate your special power!" Harold commanded. Serapheem shot a speck of light into the sky and four more came down in its place. The four specks of light took the form of the three Ojama beasts and Mystical Elf. "Serapheem's power is much like your Sword Hunter's only she doesn't steal from the opposing graveyard, but uses monster's from the player's own. In addition, she gains 200 attack points for every monster summoned by her special ability."
(S: 3250-4050)
"But even with Serapheem's special ability, it still won't be enough to win the duel," Drew argued. Then he noticed that Harold still had a card left in his hand. "Unless…"
Harold finished Drew's sentence. "Unless I have a magic card that can give me the added boost, and by the way I do. This magic card represents the ties I share with my friends, the link that my sister and I share, and my mother. And together, we're all going to beat down your Sword Hunter! I play the magic card United We Stand! United We Stand increases one monster's attack points by 800 for every monster on my side of the field. Granted I only have one…"
(S: 4050-4850)
"But it should be enough to bring you down."
Maybe I was wrong, Drew decided. Harold seems more comfortable with those guys than with me.
"Now, Serapheem, try to restore hope to those who have none, attack Sword Hunter!" Everyone watched with baited breath as Harold called out the name of Serapheem's attack. "Ultra Luminosity!" Serapheem gathered energy into a ball and released it. The orb of energy exploded sending Sword Hunter flying.
(H: 200)
(D: 0)
Through the blinding flash generated by Serapheem's attack, Drew could barely see Harold and had to admit that standing proudly like that, he did look different. If Drew hadn't known it was really him, he wouldn't recognize him. He could also hear his voice, strong and confidant.
"Maybe you were right, Drew, maybe we were friends in a past life, but I could never be friends with someone who thinks friendship is something one can hog all to himself. And here's what I've learned about friendship, something I've learned from Yugi. Friendship is a two-way street. Just saying that you're friends doesn't make it so. You have to prove to others that you can be relied on and have others prove that they can rely on you. Now, you may think that hearing this explanation means you understand it, and I believe that you do but only in your head. Once you understand it in your heart, where the true source of friendship lies, then, and only then, we will truly become friends again."
The End
Duel Monster Database
(1)
Name: Serapheem
Level: 9
Type: Fairy/Ritual/Effect
Attribute: Light
ATK: 3250
DEF: 2700
This monster can only be Ritual Summoned. When this monster is Ritual-Summoned, Special Summon up to 4 Normal Light Monsters from your graveyard. These monsters are treated as equip spell cards. This monster gain 200 ATK for each monster equipped to it. The monsters used by this effect return to the graveyard at the End Phase of the turn this monster is Ritual Summoned. During each turn after this monster is Ritual Summon, you can resurrect 1 Normal Light attribute monster from your graveyard. That monster returns to the graveyard during the end phase of the turn that it is Special Summon.
Name: Heavenly Light
Ritual Spell
This card can be used to Ritual Summon Serapheem. You must also offer 1 "Wingweaver" whose attack points are above 3200.
A/N: Well, there you guys have it, Harold's past, revealed. I could end things there, but something tells me I should stick this through to the end, huh? Oh yeah, and I finally figured out a name for my upcoming GX series and I thought I would introduce it in a little sneak preview.
On an island isolated from the rest of the world.
(Zoom-in on an island complete with a volcano, forest, and various buildings.)
The next generation of Duelists train.
(A metallic serpentine-like creature appears)
Each honing their skills to become the next King of Games.
(Two monsters disappearing into a vortex)
But they are about to discover…
(A boy falling off a cliff, a man in a trench coat whacking a girl across the head and knocking her out)
That tests and homework are the least of their problems.
("I think it's time the Shadow Games make a comeback!")
From the guy who brought you Yu-Gi-Oh! Avatar
("I'm nobody special.")
And Yu-Gi-Oh! The Next Movie
(A Dark Magician Girl attacking)
When enemies are all around you.
("The only reason you're here is for target practice.")
And hope seems lost.
("That wasn't a duel that was a mockery!")
There's only one thing left to do.
("I like them, they're silly.")
GET
YOUR
GAME
ON
("Duel Academy isn't so bad, it's the students you got to watch out for.")
Yu-Gi-Oh! GX Legends
Coming soon to a fanfiction web site near you.
("Do you have to work at being this incompetent?"
("Nah, it's just a gift.")
Coming this Summer