Hi all! Hiyuusha here with another chapter of Yu-Gi-Oh: Tag Force! Alright, this'll be the last Chapter.
Ciao!
Last time… on Yu-Gi-Oh: Tag Force!
"Everyone alright down there…?" he asked, listening for any kind of response.
There was a brief pause.
"Erm… yeah, can't see a thing though." Mathew scowled.
"Use your phone as a light," he told them, "you know, just like in the games."
"Ah! That's right!" Enzo grinned, "Good thinking Konami! I'll do that right now- w-whoa!"
"What is it?!" Konami asked, tilting his head down the chute as he heard his team cry out in shock, "What happened?!"
"K-Konami… dude you gotta get down here and look at this!" Enzo called.
"What…? Alright, hold on." Konami scowled, sliding the rest of his body into the chute.
The ride was quick, lasting no more than a few seconds. In hindsight, Konami could've compared it to a slide, unlike the vent-like entrance he'd used to break into the Sector Security Vault.
He landed with a soft crash, groaning weakly as he rubbed the back of his head in pain. "Ow…"
"I told you that you needed to go slowly," Wisteria complained, reaching down to help him up. "Are you alright?
"Yeah, but never mind that," Konami said quickly, "What was it that was so important for me to see?"
"Check it out…" Enzo frowned, turning his weak light into one of the cargo containers. "You'll never guess what these guys have hidden up in here."
Konami frowned, turning his Cell Phone to shine down a light into the vicinity as he stepped forward. "What is… it?"
His eyes bulged, and he suddenly realized why Enzo had cried out as he did.
Inside the container was none other than the cold, sleeping body of Akiza's lord and master, Divine.
Konami yelled out, falling on his back from the sudden shock that the man was mere inches from his face.
It was at that very moment that the alarms blared, and then… everything went to hell.
And now…
-Chapter Twenty Six-
Gauntlet
The alarm was blaring.
Light of all sizes and colors lit the hallway, illuminating the path before him.
Where was he?
Where were they?
He didn't know.
He didn't know!
Crashing through the door at the end of the hallway, Konami stumbled into a roll, falling flat on his back as he listened to the sounds of enemy psychics pass through the hall.
"Do you see him?"
"No. I lost him when he turned down this hallway."
"Damnit! The boss won't be happy. Find him!"
He heard a pair of footsteps run off. The second pair seemed to stay where they were.
"Freaking moron… knew he couldn't do his job right… now then, if I were an intruder… where would I be…?"
Konami's eyes widened, hearing the man's footsteps approach the room he was in. Leaping to his feet, Konami glanced around. He had to find something to hide in… anything! What was there?
A desk, a closet, several cardboard boxes in the corner, and a plant, hardly decent hiding spots, but he'd make one of them work. He heard the door creak open.
He needed to move, now!
The psychic sighed, stepping inside the room. "Huh… not much in here." He took several steps inside, glancing around the room. "Don't mean there ain't no unwanted guests though." He circled the room, glancing around the nooks and crannies before coming to a stop in front of the closet.
"Hmph… I gotcha!" he shouted, ripping the doors open, "Heh… figures."
The closet was empty.
Konami held his breath as he watched the man leave the room, snapping the door shut behind him.
"Whew…" he whispered, gently removing the cardboard box he'd hidden under. "That was close… thank Horahkty for Solid Kaiba. Rathie, can you hear me?"
No response.
"They must've jammed us somehow… that or Rathie's being a lazy asshole." Konami frowned, "Kinda hoping it's the latter in this case."
He frowned, sliding in behind the desk as he turned on the computer. "They had Divine here… where the hell did he come from?! I saw… I saw him disappear into the Shadow Realm! Why would they have him frozen in here?! It doesn't make any sense!"
Watching the monitor boot up, Konami sighed in relief, "Good… it's not a locked computer… but then again, that means it probably won't have any relevant information…"
As much as he hated it, he was right.
While there where files describing ways to control one's abilities and lesson schedules, there was nothing that explained the presence of Divine in the building's cargo bay. He shut the computer down, rolling the chair back to gaze at the ceiling.
It seemed as though if he wanted answers he'd have to go to the big Witch herself. Well, it wasn't as if he'd have to deviate all that much from the original plan. Their whole reason for entering was to force a run-in with Akiza anyway!
Konami paused, a small frown working its way on his face.
"Their"… He was alone now. During the first few moments, when the guards had first arrived, they'd been separated. Konami didn't know where they were, or even if they'd managed to get away in one piece. The teen frowned, reminding himself that his team was stronger than they looked.
"Well, a majority of them anyway." He thought, thinking of Enzo.
The boy in question squealed, his hands pressed firmly against the door as several members of the Arcadia Movement tried to force their way inside.
"No, no, no, no, no!" he shouted once more, "You don't want to come in here! There's no way you're getting in!"
One of the psychics scowled, kicking at the door once more, having no luck. "Darn…! He's pretty strong for such a weak-looking guy."
"What do we do? We can't get him as long as he's hiding out in here… and we need to go find some of those buddies of his as well."
"You're right…" the teen scowled, "Alright, you get going. I'll handle this guy myself."
"E-Eh? You sure… if we couldn't get this door open together…."
The Arcadia Movement follower smiled charismatically, patting his hand on his partner's shoulder, "Don't worry. I have an idea. Go find the rest of the intruders, will ya? There's no telling what they got up to in the cargo bay."
"R-Right…!"
Enzo sighed in relief, feeling half the pressure suddenly disappear off the door. "Finally giving up then…?" he asked with a grin, thinking he outlasted his opponents.
"Not at all," came the smooth reply of his hunter, "I just realized how stupid we were going about it. Don't worry; I'll get you out of there nice and quick."
Enzo's face twisted into a frown. The man sounded rather confident… was there something he didn't know about? "Ha! You're bluffing! I'm stronger than two of you guys combined! Unless you went and got some backup there's no way you're getting through this door bro!"
"Oh I have backup, just not the kind you're thinking of." The man replied, the sound of an activating Duel Disk drawing Enzo's attention.
"Huh…? Your cards…? What good will those do- ohhh…." He frowned. For a moment, he'd been thinking that they were dealing with regular people.
He now remembered that that was not the case.
They had attempted to infiltrate the Arcadia Movement… a home for Psychic Duelists. He was not dealing with an ordinary guard, but a Psychic hunter, one who carried within him the power to turn his cards real.
Gulping, Enzo increased the pressure he was applying to the door. He knew that in just a few moments, things were about to get a lot harder on his end.
-5D's-
"Suijin, Attack!"
Mathew gagged and gurgled as a wave of mystical water came rushing over him, flushing him halfway down the hall. He coughed in exhaustion, sprawled over on his hands and knees as he looked up into the eyes of his executioner.
"Ready to talk now?" the woman asked, "Or will I need to have Suijin flush you out again?"
"Ugh… Agh…" Mathew panted, setting a hand on his knee as he made to stand.
The girl frowned, "You're not choking are you? It'd be a shame if my first catch ended up dying so soon."
"Ugh… sorry, but I'm not dying just yet." Mathew chuckled dryly, despite his body being soaking wet.
"Oh? So you can talk now." The woman smirked, "Good. Now answer my question, will I be flushing you down again, or will you tell me why you and your pals thought it'd be a good idea to break into the Arcadia Building?"
"Heh… you don't know… good, guess that means the others are safe then." Mathew smirked. "Well… that or they just aren't talking."
"It could be the latter," the woman scowled, "but we'll find out what we want to know sooner or later. Now tell me, why did you attack our home?!"
Mathew frowned, "We weren't attacking, we were infiltrating. There's a slight difference you know. Besides, shouldn't you know? You saw who came in here with me right? Isn't he famous among these parts?"
"Someone famous? Who?" the woman scowled.
"Man, you must not be high up on the food chain." Mathew grunted, "Tell you what, I'll Duel you for it. If I win, you have to let me go free. If I lose… I'll tell you what you want to know."
"A Duel…?" the woman asked, "Why would I agree to that when I could just have Suijin drown you until you tell?"
"Well, for one you wouldn't have to worry about cleaning up your mess after." Mathew tried, pointing to the soaking wet hallway. "And, say you win, wouldn't an assured explanation be better than a half-truth?"
Scowling the woman weighed her options. She could just continue to torture the boy, but he had a point. Why waste time and energy when she could just finish him off with a single Duel? It wasn't like she'd lose. Besides, she really didn't feel like explaining to Akiza why her favorite hallway was drenched in Suijin's… well.
"Very well, I accept your challenge!" the woman spoke quickly, dispelling Suijin as she shuffled her Deck, "But be warned, if you were hoping for an average Duel you'll find no such thing here! I shall reveal to you the might of the Arcadia Movement, and show you just what happens to those who endanger our home!"
"Fair enough," Mathew replied, using the chance to activate his Duel Disk, "but don't get cocky. I'm no slouch at this card game either!"
DUEL
Mathew-8000 LP
Arcadia Grunt- 8000 LP
Inwardly, the boy smirked. He'd talked his way into a Duel… now, he had a chance!
"Shall I go first?" the woman asked, drawing a card before Mathew could give a response, "Thank you. Now, I'll start by summoning Witch of the Black Forest to the Field in Attack Mode!"
Witch-LV4-(1100/1200)
As he gazed upon the relatively weak monster, Mathew prepared himself for the worst. After all, if the woman had been torturing him with Suijin, it could only mean that there was a devastating card hidden in her Deck.
"I'll finish my turn off by setting two cards down." The woman smirked, ending her turn.
"Well then," Mathew smiled, "I guess that means that it's my go! Draw!" he grinned, seeing just what he drew, "I'm activating the Spell Card Smashing Ground! It lets me destroy the one face-up monster you control that has the highest Defense Points! And since your only monster is the Witch of the Black Forest, it's going to the Graveyard!"
The woman smiled, watching a great fist descend and annihilate her monster, "Good, that's just what I was counting on!"
"Huh?"
"You see, my Witch of the Black Forest has an effect!" the Arcadia grunt grinned, "When it is sent from the Field to the Graveyard, I can choose a monster with 1500 Defense Points or less from my Deck and add it to my Hand! The card I'm choosing… is the Familiar-Possessed Wynn!"
"Agh…" Mathew coughed, watching her add the card to her hand, "So that was your plan huh? Well, it doesn't matter, because you still have no monsters on the Field! Which means, I can summon the Indomitable Fighter Lei Lei and attack you with no problem!"
He threw the card down on his Duel Disk, summoning a muscled monkey-like man that bulged with strength.
Lei Lei-LV4-(2300/0)
"Go Lei Lei!" Mathew commanded, "Attack her directly!"
"Sorry, but I'm not as dumb as you think I am!" the woman retorted, "Reveal Face-Down card! Negate Attack!"
"Huh?!"
"Yes! This card allows me to negate your monster's attack and end the Battle Phase!"
"Che… so you don't get damage this turn…" Mathew grumbled, "However, because you negated my attack Indomitable Fighter Lei Lei gets to stay in Attack Position!"
The Arcadia Grunt scowled. "Perhaps… but I'll deal with that soon enough."
"Heh, we'll see. I'll set two cards and end my turn!"
"Then it's my move!" the woman called, "Draw! I'm setting a monster in Defense Mode, and I'll set another card along with it before ending my turn!"
"You're making your moves pretty quick, aren't you?" Mathew asked, "Guess you already know all the little strategies you can implement with it then. Not bad."
"Of course it's not bad." The woman scowled, "I've been worked day in and day out to perfect my technique. And now that I am so close, it will be child's play to defeat someone like you."
"Someone like me huh…?" Mathew asked, "Guess I'll have to show you that you're wrong about me then! Draw!"
-5D's-
From her hiding place amongst the sleeping quarters, Wisteria scowled. Unlike the other members of the SOT crew, she had been lucky. None of the guards paid her a moment's notice, far too concerned with the "dangerous" men that had found their way inside. Didn't they realize that girls could be deadly too? In fact, it could be argued that women were even more dangerous than men!
She huffed, glancing around the closet of the empty room she had entered. She needed something practical… something that would let her blend in with the rest of the crowd without incident…
She smiled, pulling out the small female Arcadia uniform. If she wore this there was no doubt that everyone would think of her as a fellow Psychic. She quickly glanced around the room, ensuring she was alone before slipping inside the dress. There was no need for her to give off a private showing to just anyone after all.
Several minutes later Wisteria left the room in full disguise, her usually pinned pink hair draped down across her back in what one would call a "submissive" manner. It was all part of fashion, and if Wisteria knew anything, that was it.
She put on an angry scowl, pretending to be upset at the rather sudden awakening she suspected many of the psychics had been subjected to.
"What the hell is going on?" she yapped, drawing the attention of two Arcadia Movement grunts.
"Huh…? Oh," the teen grimaced, "Looks like we're being invaded. Apparently some idiots broke in through the trash chute, trying to come up through the basement. We're lucky we had motion sensors put down in the Cargo Bay, otherwise we probably wouldn't have found them.
"Motion sensors… of course!" Wisteria scowled, "That explains why we got caught!" "Any news on the search?"
"Nothing yet." The other replied, "Either they're in hiding or already escaped."
"Escaped?" Wisteria asked, "They can do that?"
"Well, yeah." The two chuckled in unison, "I mean, Akiza's sure to have locked the place down tight… so it's probably not true but…"
"But what?" Wisteria huffed, "I don't have all day you know."
"Well, supposedly there's a control switch up in her office," one of the boys finally relented, "In theory, if one of the invaders could get up all the way up there, they'd be able to hit it and get the heck outta dodge. Of course, they'd have to get through all the guards, all the sensors… not to mention our beloved leader herself."
"Of course. There's no way these mongrels could do such a thing." Wisteria sniffed, trying to blend in.
"Heh, yeah, not with the Black Rose around." the other grunt laughed.
"The Black Rose's Office huh…?" Wisteria thought snidely, "Someone like her… who likes looking down on people… must be on the top floor. Guess I know where I'm going then. And if that bitch gets in my way…" she slammed her fists together, "I'll punch her in the face!"
"H-Huh? Is something wrong?" one of the grunts asked, snapping her from her thoughts.
"What?!" Wisteria scowled, "Oh… I was just thinking what I'll do to those brats when I get my hands on them. You don't interrupt a woman's beauty sleep you know?!"
"O-Oh… Y-Yeah!" the other boy cheered, "Go get em! Kick em one for me too, yeah?"
"No problem." Wisteria huffed, leaving the two to their thoughts. She had her destination… now she just needed to get there!
-5D's-
"Darn… I've been throwing monster after monster at her… but she's still been keeping me locked down." Mathew thought, glancing at his Graveyard where several Goblins and Lei Lei's lie defeated.
The boy had a single face-down on the Field, whereas his opponent had a set monster and a set card. He had done a good job of protecting his Life Points thus far, but with the way things were going he could start losing them at any second. He needed a good play.
"My Turn, Draw!" he shouted, adding a card to his hand. "Alright! I summon Giant Orc to the Field in Attack Mode!"
A hulking grey Fiend appeared on the Field, wielding a bone-like club in its hands. It let out a hulking growl, staring down at the Arcadia Grunt angrily.
Giant Orc-LV4-(2200/0)
"You still had more then…?" the woman asked rhetorically.
"Yeah, but I can't risk activating his effect just yet," the teen grunted, "So unfortunately I'll have to end my turn."
"Just as well," the woman smirked, "this Duel was made for my victory anyway. Draw!" her eyes flashed sinisterly. "I'll set another monster and end my turn."
"?" Mathew frowned, "Well, whatever that look means can't be good."
"Oh it isn't," the girl smirked, "Not for you anyway."
"Che, we'll see about that! My turn, Draw!" Mathew grimaced, "Another one of you guys… but maybe I could use the Firepower! There's no need for her to have so many face-down monsters on the Field!"
"I'm summoning Toon Goblin Attack Force in Attack Mode!" he shouted, throwing the card down on his Duel Disk.
The world twisted and turned as the cartoon monsters appeared, carrying with them clownish clubs and other strange items.
Toon Goblin Attack Force-LV4-(2300/0)
"Again with the Goblins," the woman wrinkled her nose, "One would think that you are one, with how much you play them."
"Sorry, but I believe the term is you are what you eat," Mathew shouted, "So if anything, you're the Orc here! Giant Orc, attack the Face-Down monster in the middle! Eat it!"
"Not so fast!" the woman shouted, "I had a feeling you'd do that, so I took precautions! That's right; I'm talking about my Face-Down card, Waboku!"
"Eh?! You had that?!" Mathew asked.
"Yes, I assume you know what it does?" the woman asked, explaining anyway, "It lets me forgo any and all Battle Damage I'd take this turn, and prevent my monsters from being destroyed by battle as well! So you just attacked my Nimble Momonga for no reason!"
"Tch… and it was a trappish card anyway," Mathew grunted, "Even if you didn't have Waboku you would've come out ahead."
"Yes, and don't forget, since your monster declared an attack," the woman pointed to him, "it gets turned into Defense Mode!"
"Urk!" Mathew grunted, watching his powerful Level 4 monster become a weak Defender.
"Now I'll go!" the woman shouted, "and bring out what I've been waiting on all along! Behold, by tributing my Nimble Momonga and other face-down monster, I can summon an old friend of yours! Welcome back, Suijin!"
Mathew scowled as water flooded the hallway, drenching them up to their knees in Suijin's rage. The blue being appeared on the battlefield shortly after, giving Mathew a nasty green gaze.
Suijin-LV7-(2500/2400)
"And now, Suijin, attack his Toon Goblin Attack Force!" the woman screamed, "Go! Torrential Water Flash!"
Suijin complied, its mouth snapping open as water flushed outward, overtaking the small cartoons and drowning them completely. Mathew held his breath as a small wave overtook him as well.
Mathew-7800 LP
Arcadia Grunt-8000 LP
"Darn… this could get bad." Mathew commented, squeezing some of the water from his jacket.
"Hmph, for you perhaps. Now that my Suijin is on the Field I shall be victorious!" the woman laughed, "Now, make your move scum!"
"With pleasure!" Mathew shouted, adding a card to his hand, "I'll start off by giving myself a bit more Defense, I'll set a monster! But that's not all I'm doing," he explained, "I'm also throwing out the Spell Card Swords of Revealing Light! This card will stop you from attacking me for three turns, giving me more time to think up a plan of attack!"
"Heh… running scared huh?" the woman smirked.
"It's called a tactical retreat. Just like what I was doing when you caught up with me!" Mathew explained, "I'll go ahead and end my turn."
"Hmph… then I'll start mine! I can't do anything with those accursed Swords on the Field… so I'll set a monster and end my turn."
"Alright! Then I'll fix this up!" Mathew shouted, "Draw!" his eyes flashed in delight, "Okay! I think I'll start by activating my Trap Card, Final Attack Orders! It'll force all face-up monsters to change into Attack Mode and their Battle Positions can't be changed!"
"Is that so…?" the woman frowned, wondering where he was going with this.
"That means that my Giant Orc's effect is no longer relevant," Mathew explained, "but I'll come back to that, because I'm tributing my set monster card to bring out my Ace! Look out, cause the Great Maju Garzett is coming to the Field!"
A storm seemed to rupture the ceiling above them, summoning forth a grand Fiend that dwelled in the shadows.
Great Maju Garzett-LV6-(0/0)
"0 Attack Points?" the woman smirked, "How cute."
"It won't be for long," Mathew grinned, "Because the Great Maju Garzett has an effect you see, it gets double the Attack Points of the monster I used to summon it! And since the monster I used was my Axe Dragonute, a 2000 Attack Point monster, that means the Great Maju has an Attack of 4000!"
"What? 4000?!" the woman gaped. "So that's what you were waiting on!"
"That's right!" Mathew grinned victoriously, "And you're about to find out just how mean he can be!"
-5D's-
Konami scowled, hiding alongside the corner as he watched two Arcadia guards walk past him. He'd been there for some time, waiting for just the right moment to jump out and make a break for the door at the end of the hall.
The guards seemed to be moving along a specific pattern, something Konami knew he could take advantage of. Unfortunately, the patterns were so brisk that he didn't know if he'd be able to make it in time. When one guard turned the corner another would come out from behind.
Konami scowled. He needed some kind of distraction….
He would not be disappointed.
After several more minutes of waiting, the sound of fast approaching footsteps swept the teen back into motion, forcing him to lean back behind his chosen doorway and leave the door open just a crack.
"H-Hey! I've got news!" the guard shouted, drawing everyone's attention, "Apparently, we've got one of the guys!"
"Huh? We did?"
"Great! So who was it that caught him? Was it that tool Syun?"
"No, it was that hothead, Bawnji."
"Bawnji? Uh oh…"
"Yeah, apparently he went all out on the guy, summoned Behemoth and ran the guy down." The guard continued, "Apparently he's dragging him down to holding now, wanna come watch?"
"Heh, watch Bawnji go at it with some loser? Of course."
"Obviously, there's no way I'm missing this."
Konami scowled, his eyes narrowing through the cracks. One of them had been captured…? They had said it was a he… that meant it was Mathew or Enzo… neither he could imagine going head to head with Behemoth and living to tell the tale.
This wasn't good.
Why on earth had he let them come? In hindsight, the mission probably would've gone better with just one or two people. Four was just asking for trouble. But he couldn't think on that now, one of his friends was in danger. Terrible danger, and it was his fault they were there in the first place.
Helping the Black Rose Witch… it seemed to be far more trouble than it was worth. Konami glanced around, making sure the coast was clear before sliding subtly back into the hallway. He needed to find the holding area. If he could reach whoever it was, maybe they could find a way out together.
"Not so fast, Red Hat." The smooth, silky voice of the Black Rose Witch called behind him.
Konami froze.
She was here? On this floor, behind him?
"You seem scared. Does the mere image of me strike such fear in your heart?" the Witch seemed to cackle, "It should."
Konami swiveled around at the words, turning to face a crackling screen with the Witch's image on the picture.
"Akiza," he hissed, "So it was just a recording."
"No," she corrected, "this is live. I can hear everything you say. And…" she made a gesture, pulling Enzo onto the screen, "everything my guards say as well. I see you have finally shown your true colors, showing up here, out of the blue. What are your intentions?"
"I came here to help you." Konami frowned, his eyes narrowing upon seeing Enzo's condition.
"Help me…?" the Witch asked, "How? By forcing me to follow your way of thinking like those before you? No, Red Hat. You did not come here to help me. Admit it to yourself, you came to slay the Witch, before she could slay you!"
Her grip on Enzo tightened.
"No! That's not it at all!" Konami denied, "You are not a lost cause, Akiza. I can help you," he glanced at Enzo once more, "Hurting the innocent is not the way to go about this."
"Hurting the innocent…?" Akiza scowled behind her mask, "We are the innocent ones here Red Hat! When Society turned against us, when our own families abandoned us, who did we have to turn to?! No one… No one would help us… until he came. Divine… he showed us how we could live… showed us that we could survive despite society's hatred for our kind. And then you, the glorious "hero" you are, took him away from us! You are the villain here Red Hat, and I shall not allow you to defile his memory any further!"
"I'm not sure what you think you know of Divine…" Konami frowned, "but I can assure you he was not, is not," he corrected, remembering the body, "who you think he is."
"Enough!" Akiza snapped, "It seems words will not be enough. I have your accomplice here in Divine's- my office. I'm sure you know the way, no? We shall settle this as we always should have… with a Duel!"
Konami closed his eyes. "Agreed. It's been a long time coming, but I'll finally wake you up, Akiza!"
The woman scowled behind her mask, standing as the television turned off.
Konami glanced at his trembling hand. Finally, they would have the Duel they'd been kept from. Finally, he would do what he'd always wanted to… he grimaced, watching the elevator beside him open up.
He stepped inside, pressing the button for the 25th floor. He'd have his Duel with Akiza, but for now…
He'd have to wait.
-5D's-
"Great Maju Garzett, attack her Face-Down monster!"
"My Face-Down…? But I won't take any damage from th-" the woman paused, her eyes widening as she glanced at Final Attack Orders. "Oh no! That card will force my monster into Attack Mode when it's identity is revealed! Which means-"
"I take it you just figured this out!" Mathew grinned, "That's right, because of my Trap Card, you're gonna take damage from every attack I make! Now, let's see just what monster I attacked! Go Maju, take it out with your Exterminating First Bullet!"
The Fiend roared, lifting its fist angrily and plowing it towards the Face-Down monster. In response to the attack, the monster flipped up, revealing the Mask of Darkness.
Mask of Darkness-LV2-(900/400)
"Just 900 Attack Points?" Mathew asked, "Tough luck! Final Attack Orders, do your thing! Go Maju, wipe it out!"
The monsters collided in a very one-sided battle, light engulfing the hallway as the woman reeled back in shock.
Mathew-7800 LP
Arcadia Grunt-4900 LP
"Awgh… Ugh!" the woman hissed, gripping her shoulder in visible pain, "To think you'd have such a powerful combination…."
"I told you," Mathew grinned, "I'm not as weak as you think!"
"Tch! My Mask of Darkness has an effect! When it's destroyed and sent to the Graveyard, I can return a Trap from my Grave to my Hand! The card I'm choosing to bring back is Negate Attack!"
"Planning to hold me off huh?" Mathew closed his eyes, "That's fine. I end my turn!"
"My turn!" the woman shouted hurriedly, "Draw!" she glanced at her hand worriedly. "Normally I would use some of these monsters to defend myself… but because of that accursed Final Attack Orders any monster I place will be shifted into Attack Mode! Still, I have Suijin on the Field… which means I can still use its effect in the event it is attacked. I just need to be patient…" "I'll set a card and end my turn."
"Guess you've figured out that I'm gonna mop you all over the place huh?" Mathew grinned, "Good, you look like you could do with a little shock in your life."
"E-Eh?"
"Heh…" Mathew shook his head, "Never mind. Anyway, this'll be my last turn."
"What? How could you say that? I have enough monsters to bide myself another turn, not to mention my Trap Card!"
"It won't change anything." Mathew smirked, "This turn will end in your defeat. And I'll prove it right now! First, I'll activate the Spell Card Heavy Storm, destroying all Spell and Trap Cards on the Field!"
"W-What?! So you knew what I was planning then!" the woman hissed angrily, covering herself as the storm swept through the hallway.
"That's right, and it was all for this moment, for my freedom!" Mathew retorted, "Behold, I'm tributing my Giant Orc to bring forth the Divine Fowl King Alector!"
Amongst the winds of the Heavy Storm, a red-winged being descended from the ceiling, coming to a stop beside the Great Maju Garzett.
Divine Fowl King Alector-LV6-(2400/2000)
"What? That card isn't even strong enough to take on my Suijin!" the Arcadia grunt smirked, "You were bluffing this whole time!"
"No." Mathew denied, "Because this monster has an effect! Once per turn… I can choose a face-up monster on the Field and negate its effect for this turn! So, the effect your Suijin has been hiding… it's useless!"
"What?! You knew about that?"
"Who wouldn't?" Mathew sweatdropped, "With the Paradox Brothers being as eccentric as they are… every Duelist should know all they can about the pieces that make up Gate Guardian!"
"Tch!" the woman took a step back, realizing what was going to happen. There was nothing she'd be able to do.
"Now then… shall we end this?" Mathew asked.
He didn't wait for a response.
"Go Great Maju! Destroy her Suijin, wipe it away with your Annihilating Second Bullet!"
The Fiend roared, its shoulders opening, revealing a swirling, shining sphere on each side. Bulging its muscles, the Great Maju Garzett charged forward, plowing its fist into Suijin's face and sending it spiraling down the hallway.
The woman screamed, the power of the blow shaking the hallway as Suijin crashed and eventually dispersed into a thousand white particles.
Mathew-7800 LP
Arcadia Grunt- 2400 LP
"Just enough huh…?" Mathew laughed, "Man, I really cut it close… Divine Fowl King!"
The Winged-Beast turned its head to look at its owner.
"Let's win this thing! Go! Red Winged Storm!"
The King nodded, leaping into the sky and flapping its wings twice, releasing a barrage of spiky-tipped feathers down upon the woman. She screamed, reeling back as the attacks ran through her. She had forgotten that the person before her was not a Psychic as she was.
Mathew-7800 LP
Arcadia Grunt-0 LP
"And that settles it." Mathew grinned, deactivating his Duel Disk.
The woman stood shocked, her knees eventually giving way beneath her, allowing her to fall to her knees in shock, "I-Impossible… Me? Beaten? By a mere human…?"
"A mere human…?" Mathew asked, "Hate to tell you, but you're just a human too. Same skin, same eyes… same feelings. A little psychic mumbo jumbo doesn't change all that. If that's how you guys think, then it's no surprise why Konami feels the need to destroy this place."
"Destroy…? So you were attacking us then!" the woman hissed, struggling as she tried to stand.
"Heh, relax. He means it figuratively." Mathew explained, earning a confused look from the girl.
He sighed. "What I mean is… knowing him, he'd be likely to Duel you all and then… hug you, or something. I don't know. I do know one thing though…" he stared at the girl intently, "We had a deal, and it's about time you came through."
The girl scowled, not happy about the turn of events. Still, she was a Duelist, and she would honor the commitment she had made with the man.
"The leader has locked down the building… No one in and out without her say so… If you really want to leave… you'll have to get unlock the doors from her office."
"Oh really?" Mathew asked dryly. Figures it would end up being complicated. "And just where is her office?"
"Down this hall…" the woman began with a scowl, "and to the right, there's an elevator. It'll take you up to the floor you're looking for…. I don't think you'll make it that far though…. Intruders never do."
"Heh…." Mathew chuckled turning to leave, "Then you obviously don't know the SOT crew very well."
-Chapter Twenty Six-
End
The invasion has begun. The members of the Signer Observation Team all forge their own path to victory! Will they succeed, or will Akiza's minions prove too much for them to handle? Find out, next time, on Yu-Gi-Oh: Tag Force!
Memory Fragment W09
"We're here." Konami determined, helping Wisteria to her feet as they entered a winding path of old ruins.
"How can you tell?" Wisteria frowned, moving her flashlight through the area, "I don't see anything special about this place."
"That's because you're seeing…" Konami informed her, "You should be feeling."
Wisteria scowled. Was he making fun of her?
"Excuse me?! I'll have you know that-"
Konami frowned, cupping her mouth with his hand to prevent her from speaking. "Keep quiet! Something's coming…."
Wisteria had been about to moan out angrily, but stopped when she felt a tremble beneath her feet. "What… What is that?" she thought, feeling another tremble beneath her, almost like footsteps. "Something that can make this entire floor shake… it can't possibly be human!"
Konami's eyes widened and he quickly pulled Wisteria to the side, hiding around an old broken slab as the girl hissed at him softly.
"What do you think you're doing? I'm not that kind of girl!"
"Please, please, please shut up." Konami hissed back, "You can scream and hit me as much as you want later but right now, be quiet!"
Wisteria frowned. The boy seemed to be serious, something that she'd heard to be rather rare. Wasn't he supposed to be laid back and foolish like all the other Slifer Slackers? She didn't have time to think on the subject as a bulging spider-like shadow slithered past them, shaking the earth with each step it took.
The girl's eyes bulged, not knowing just what she was looking at. Was it some kind of monster…? A Fiend-type no doubt… Something like that… hidden beneath the school?
She tried to scream.
Konami wouldn't let her.
So he did… something.
The figure slithered past, slowly disappearing down another tunnel as Wisteria began to hyperventilate. She glanced around, making sure the thing was gone. The last thing she wanted was for it to come slithering back.
"What… What was that?!" she hissed, deeming it safe as Konami stepped out from the corner.
Konami shrugged, "Duel Monster Spirit maybe? It's rare for one to be so powerful though… even you saw it."
"Not… Not that!" Wisteria hissed, though she did want to know what Konami meant by it, "I meant… you… you-!"
"Oh, that." Konami grimaced, "You were about to scream, so I shut you up."
"But… that was my first one! It was supposed to be special!"
Konami raised a brow, "Getting your first one as a giant Duel Monster slithers by? I think that's pretty special. Well, if it's any consolation, it was my first one too."
"What… it was?"
"Well, for the day anyway." Konami amended.
Wisteria scowled.
"Hey, you're the one who wanted to come down here without eating lunch." Konami reminded her, "If you don't like my Golden Egg Sandwiches, you can leave."
"Well, maybe I'll do just that!" Wisteria huffed, "Forget these Ritual Cards! There was that stupid monster… and now this?! No! I'm finished! Take me back!" she began stomping down a random tunnel, not waiting for Konami to catch up with.
The boy's eyes widened, "No, wait Wisteria! That way's-"
The girl screamed.
"Darn it! Hold on!" he shouted, tossing his equipment over his shoulder and running down the tunnel, "Wisteria!"
He sped down the winding tunnel, following the sounds of her screams to an open chamber, filled with dimly lit candles and a sacrificial alter. Wisteria lay dazed on the floor.
"Oi… Wisteria? Wisteria!" Konami hissed, patting the girl's cheek roughly, "Did she pass out…?"
"So. Came."
"H-Huh…?" Konami blinked in confusion, swiveling around to face the echoing voice.
Where there was once an empty space, a large, overbearing creature gazed down at him. Wicked red energy seemed to leak from its being, and its scaly grey skin encompassed everything around it, save for a burning pair of sickly yellow eyes.
"You worry. Girl." The creature spoke again, revealing its hideous sharp teeth. "Too bad. She gone."
Konami frowned, feeling the demonic aura the thing possessed. "What'd you do…?"
"Took her out. Use for Tribute."
The creature's words were short and to the point, but Konami could read between the lines. The meaning?
He was in danger. Wisteria too, for that matter. His grip tightened idly as he lifted the girl up.
The creature had taken her out…? What did that mean…? Her soul, perhaps? It would make sense… she hadn't moved an inch since he'd arrived, and the Spirit before him seemed to be growing in size by the second.
"Nearly done. Need… two."
Now that was something he didn't want to hear.
Konami gazed up at the figure quickly, watching it snake one of its scorpion-like claws towards him. Now, he was no fool, so when he saw the elongated claw reach from him, he moved. Moved like he never thought he could. Didn't stop until he had put considerable space between himself and the monster.
"Run. No…" the thing seemed to struggle, "Escape."
Konami had seen Duel Spirits in the ruins before, but never one that seemed so persistent. Hell, most of the Duel Spirits he encountered had even offered him advice! So why in the hell…?
He turned to make for the exit. He wasn't equipped to deal with the situation. He needed to get Wisteria's body out of there and-
The chamber seemed to lock behind him. The thing was right, no escape.
"Tribute."
Konami scowled. He was not going to let himself be used for some demonic sacrifice. Besides, someone needed to save Wisteria, and Dr. Crowler was useless. He turned, activating his Duel Disk.
"Not today pal."
The creature scowled, snapping at the air angrily at the boy's defiant look.
"You wish. Duel?"
"Yeah… I'll Duel you. You know how that works, right?"
"There. First began." Once again the thing seemed to struggle to speak. Then, several seconds later it screeched, "Shadow Game!"
"Shadow Game…?" Konami frowned. "I wonder if this thing is a remnant from one of the Shadow Riders…?"
"No. I Tragoedia. Long before." The creature seemed to shift, a shadowy figure appearing before it, wearing an Egyptian-styled Duel Disk. "Enough Talk. Time, Duel."
END