Huge Revolution
XXVIII: Overlay Sentinel
The story so far:
While the Straw Hats were on their way to Dressrosa, a tsunami nearly crashed upon them. They were saved by a mysterious Duelist with the pseudonym of Maille, who transported them into a parallel dimension which contained the mysterious archipelago of Messiah Draconis. In a twist of fate, their handyman Yusei, who had been laid down with an injury, was kidnapped along with his D-Wheel, and the Strawhats are headed with their allies: Maille, the samurai Kin'emon, and the Shichibukai Trafalgar Law, to rescue him...
… until they were faced with the transforming steam locomotive, Steam Synchron, on Kurohane Island. A totally different crisis was beginning to form...
"I wanna ride the transforming mecha!" Luffy wailed.
"No, Luffy!" Nami shouted back. On hindsight, it resembled a bit like a mother with unruly child at department store over a robot toy, except that this robot was slightly larger than life-size. "You're supposed to search this island with your brother!"
"But, a mecha! It transforms! It talks!" Luffy complained, proclaiming to the skies in a fashion described as close to milking the giant cow. "Nami...!"
"That's right, Nami!" Chopper rallied. "It's a man's dream to ride a transforming mecha! Look at Usopp!"
Said sniper was curled up in a corner, sulking. "Transforming mecha..."
"What are you doing, Usopp?" Sanji drawled, lighting up a cigarette as his sentences proceeded to eviscerate Usopp's robotic romance. "Just because you're watching the Sunny and Caesar, and you're not boarding the train, doesn't mean that you get to slack off. Brat, what are you doing?"
The Synchron monster held out Momonosuke by the collar, and the young samurai boy was sulking. "I wanted to ride the karakuri..."
"I'm not a karakuri!" proclaimed the station master. "I'm a steam locomotive!"
"You're not helping!" Zoro snarled back at him before confronting the Captain. "Oi, Luffy! You want to save Yusei, right?!"
"Of course!" Luffy started crying. "B- B- But, the mecha...!"
"So what are you lazing around here for?!" snapped the swordsman. "Search this island! Then you can find all the mecha in this place! Are you struggling between your desire and your reason?!"
"I..." Luffy swallowed. "...you're right, Zoro. So I'll search this island first before getting on the train! Ace, let's go!"
"You're really pumped up, Luffy," Ace lampshaded as he walked behind Luffy, the two of them running off into the green forestry that defined most of what anyone could see of Kurohane Island.
"He's going to wreck havoc," Law stated.
"...yes," Robin commented, dull surprise apparent.
Law's dour expression deepened when the rest boarded the train, and the Heart captain scowled further once the train departed with a loud whistle, since they were in the car directly behind the engine.
"Say, your name is Steam Synchron?" Chopper asked, eyes glittering with excitement with his head poked out of the window.
"Yes," the Synchron replied, trundling along an undetermined path above the surface of the ocean. "You're very curious for a new monster."
"I'm not a monster," the Strawhat doctor grumbled. "I'm a reindeer!"
"I see," was the answer, complete with dull surprise.
"Say, station-master," Nami enquired, her orange locks rippled in the wind as she stuck her head out of the window to converse as well. "Is your name really Steam Synchron?"
"Yeah," it replied. "Everyone calls me Steam. Where are you headed?"
"Erm, the Isle of Life."
"Oh, I hope you like transforming mecha then."
"Eh?" Nami panicked. "I don't want to! Robin, swap with me!"
"We're going there to search for our handyman, right?!" It was Franky's turn to pop a vein. "Are you looking down on mecha?!"
"Oi, don't yell at Nami-san!" Sanji kicked out at Franky from his seat. "So, Steam. How does this line go?"
A long whistle blew. "We are approaching Black Garden. Repeat: we are approaching Black Garden."
"This is our stop," Aki commented, getting up with Brook.
"Yes," the gentleman skeleton offered the crook of his elbow. "Aki-sensei... would you assist an old man down the steps? This is not an excuse to get close to your panties."
"As if!" Nami whacked him down onto the thin strip of beach that Steam Synchron had parked himself on.
Footsteps echoed in the cavernous hallways. The blue light cast from dropped sapphires reflected a flash of teal hair, a celestial stole of silver lamé, and several dragons flying overhead. The Spellcaster crashed through a doorway, panting. "S- Stardust..."
"What is it, Effect Veiler?" Clawed hands dug gouges into the stone walls.
"It's Master Yusei..." the Tuner panted. "He's awake..."
"I see," the dragon shimmered out of existence, and the female form standing in its place smoothed back the emerald hem of her white peignoir. "Will this do?"
The lesser spirit paused, unsure about the correct response. "Perhaps... Master Yusei might receive the wrong idea?"
"Ah. You're right," She spun around on one ankle. "I want him to get a good impression. Especially since I let that foundling steal his card."
"He might misunderstand even more like this," the Effect Veiler stated. "Your usual wear will be fine. Humans like our Master will be frightened if you visit them in such finery."
"I see."
Back in a sterile infirmary type of room, royal blue eyes blinked, unfocused and meandering. Slowly, the owner of those eyes reached up to his face, noting the absence of gloves on his hands. He sat up, finally spotting his clothes neatly folded, and the two deck-boxes laid out on their belt next to his side. Checking inside, he searched the eighty cards between them and was finally satisfied that all his cards were present.
"Where am I?" Yusei muttered, glancing around. "This is... a sick bay? I remember... Chopper-san... then I got painkillers... we talked... I fell asleep... this isn't the Thousand Sunny."
The tired eyes lost their look immediately as the fact sank in. "This isn't the Thousand Sunny. I have to get out."
His eyes briefly widened at the sight of the Yusei Go across his bed as he started to change. "Why is my D-Wheel here? Well, I'm lucky. Unless..."
A brief change and check on his bandaged shoulder and the D-Wheel later, and Yusei straightened back up to sit inside the Yusei Go, starting up a systems check. The monitor clicked with all systems running near-optimally before he wheeled the vehicle out through the door and into what looked like a very long and large hallway on either end, illuminated by branches of crystal.
"I have to be careful..." Yusei frowned as the footfalls of two or three approached.
Throwing one leg over the seat of the D-Wheel and pulling out a helmet from under the dash, he started the Yusei Go with a roar of the engine. It shot down the hallway as Yusei hit the horn. Several people – and things – scattered before him, and Yusei drove the D-Wheel even as alarms, shouts and even the hum of several engines started.
Yusei blinked as the visor of his helmet blinked in tandem with the D-Wheel's system. "Huh? Autopilot? 'Underwater system yet to be flushed'...? Why would anyone take a D-Wheel as an escape vehicle?"
The screen began to blare as the rough floor gave way to smooth marble, and Yusei winced as his shoulder bit to the bone during the next trick driving stunt of skidding to do a turn-back and reverse-wheel to perform a three-point turn. "Ow!"
Contrary to Yusei's expectations, the Yusei Go shot off, through a central hub where the hallways seemed to empty into a spot without anything resembling safety railings. From the looks of it, they were going to plummet several stories down, surrounded by glittering crystals as gravity met a hard place. It served as one of the few times Yusei legitimately discarded his poker face in favour of shouting. "HHHEEEELLLLPPPP!"
There was a pneumatic hiss. The shout cut off midway as Yusei beheld his beloved D-Wheel folding and unfolding, the back rest and the arms slotting themselves to become the arms and blue-painted legs of the red body. Its glossy black helmet gleamed in the harsh lighting of the sick bay, along with a shiny exhaust pipe and what looked like the counterweight for balancing the frame. Arms outstretched, it closed around Yusei in a protective embrace, before rider and D-Wheel slammed into marble at terminal velocity, rolling for a bit, and then rotated to fold back into the Yusei Go, a shaken Yusei still clutching the arms that made up the handlebars in correct riding position.
Yusei got out stiffly, extracting the hybrid DuelDisk to attach to his wrist-blader. Eyes never leaving the D-Wheel, Yusei made to move but found himself tripping, to fall back against a large hand. A draft blew against the floor, and Yusei turned around again to meet thick, blue-scaled thighs attached to a muscled, almost human-esque body plated with scaly skin that glittered blue, green and deep white, with an elongated neck that ended in a thin reptilian face and narrowed golden eyes.
"Ah," came the startled, feminine-sounding voice before the draconic head turned to regard another entity standing on the upper levels. "It looks like you left the infirmary unattended, Effect Veiler."
"I- I'm sorry, Stardust Dragon! I mean, Master!" the now-identified Duel Monster squeaked as several more Monsters began to congregate around.
"Effect Veiler? Stardust Dragon?" Yusei looked around, picking out familiar companions of his deck. "And my D-Wheel... did it just transform? Did I accidentally build a transforming mecha? Or did you kidnap my D-Wheel?"
With a whirr and several clicks of metal on metal that sounded like a D-Wheel rearranging itself, the red-and-blue figure stood up to about Franky's height.
"Are you my designer, builder and coder, and overall creator, Fudo Yusei?" the transformed Yusei Go – no, the monster spirit – held up both arms in a gesture of peace, speaking in an almost modulated bass. "I am a Duel Monster spirit. My name is Accel Synchron. I have recently become sentient. Though, I have been in service to you since the dawn of my creation as the fifth D-Wheel personally built by your hands."
Yusei's expression fell into one of dull surprise, as if the world had just stopped making sense. In a way, it has. Usually D-Wheels didn't go into the habit of emulating Peter Cullen. "Erm, er... hi."
"My scanners indicate that you are going into shock and you are bleeding," was the mild statement issued when Yusei's hand flopped into something approximating a handshake offer to reveal a blood-soaked palm. The prediction came true when Yusei's knees buckled over and the man fell into unconsciousness, narrowly smashing his face into the raw marble before being caught. "Oh, dear."
Aki just walked down and waved goodbye as the train pulled off with a host of walking plant-monsters. It left her veritably alone save for Brook's company. The afro skeleton simply considered, bony fingers tracing the brim of his wide feather-bounded hat. "Where should we begin, Aki-sensei?"
"I don't know," Aki replied, walking up towards the nearest pathway that was curiously tiled and grass-lined.
Soon the tree line completely enveloped their vision, leaving them walking in a dark forest. Sunlight grew scarcer, and the flowers that bloomed in riotous colour without rhyme or reason. In the distance, a mountain seemed to rise up above the horizon line. With the rhythmic tapping of Brook's sword-cane beside her, it felt a bit like a light garden stroll.
Brook clutched tighter onto the handle of his sword suddenly. "Who is there?"
"Is someone there?" Aki questioned, activating her DuelDisk.
"Yes," Brook confirmed, drawing his blade, which shimmered in the dim light. "Uhm, Aki-sensei, this garden gives me the creeps. It looks like a demonic garden."
"I suppose," was the Black Rose Witch's non-committal reply as she pulled a card. "My servant, Black Rose Dragon!"
Gale-force winds reigned across the field as the black dragon appeared. This time, though, opposite the slender draconic form rose another pair of wings, another serpent profile, and roared back.
"A- Another Black Rose Dragon?" Aki exclaimed.
"Not quite," a deep masculine voice commented drily.
"Who?" Brook peered around. "I would spot you, but I have no eyes..."
"It is I, Mistress."
"Black Rose?" Aki guessed, staring up at her dragon. "Is it you?"
"Your dragon can talk?" Brook asked her.
Sharp teeth snapped close to Brook's afro, before the black and red dragon beheld its doppelgänger. "Is it that surprising?"
"No," Aki stated. "It is expected. After all, we did arrive here by a talking train. I might not have the Sight, but that seems irrelevant in this world. This is our first meeting, Black Rose. Nice to meet you."
"The same here, Mistress," Black Rose admitted, tentacles rising in an approximation of hands. "It is our first meeting where words have been exchanged. The Crimson Dragon must know of our dearest wishes to speak face to face to our partners, and yet by cruel fate only one amongst the six of you ever held that unique ability. Oh, that is not right; we have met at the temple in the sky, defending against the martyr of the lily and her great power as either warrior or witch. Ah, but you have inherited the power-"
"The other Black Rose," Aki decided, cutting off what was looking to be a very long monologue of the Black Rose Dragon's very long life as a Duel Spirit. "Can you talk too?"
A beat, and the other Black Rose inclined its head.
"Then, you will not talk to me?" Aki guessed.
Another incline, with an added cock of its head and spreading of wings to further emphasise it blocking their way.
"Why, you disrespectful cur!" Black Rose took umbrage. "Mistress Aki is-"
"Enough, Black Rose," Aki stated. "We are also meeting for the first time."
"She, of all the spirits, should have respect for you, Mistress!" Black Rose lamented. "She's young. Please do not blame her."
"It is natural to be tense in my presence," Aki replied, DuelDisk unfolding. "You can't resist. After all, this is my territory, and the domain of my deck. Dragons, when faced with a greater power they do not understand, will lash out. Brook-san, please go on ahead first. Finding Yusei takes priority. We can rendezvous by baby DenDen Mushi later."
"No, I will stay!" Brook affirmed. "It seems like this is a personal decision for you too. Though I might not understand what's going on, but I will be your supporter!"
"Brook-san..." Aki acknowledged. "Then, stand back."
A form shimmered, and the other Black Rose conjured five floating card forms at the same time that Aki drew her hand.
"Wait," Black Rose translated as the other held up a tentacle, and then two. "Two new rules. First, the person going on the first turn cannot draw."
"What?" Aki commented. "Very well."
"Second, each player can control a Field Magic," Black Rose stated.
"That sounds fine to me too," Aki agreed. "Brook-san, stand back."
"Y- yes!" the musician walked back to the sidelines.
"Duel! I will start," Aki related. "I summon Koa'ki Meiru Gravirose to the field."
Brook startled as the rose monster appeared in a burst of flame. "Oh my! I was surprised!"
"With this, I send the level two Dark Verger from my deck to the graveyard, also known as milling, and then I set two cards," Aki continued. "End phase, I reveal Copy Plant in my hand as the maintenance cost for Gravirose."
"Uhm," Brook turned to the Black Rose standing by him. "What are they doing?"
"This is a form of ritual combat," Black Rose explained. "Each combatant has a set pool of life, and can control up to five monsters. The goal is to reduce the other's pool of life first. For Mistress Aki to do this, she must have realised something in her infinite wisdom. My Mistress, your brain rivals your beauty, as if a rose has bloomed-"
"Uhm, that's great." Brook commented, cutting in halfway.
"The other draws," Black Rose narrated as a sixth card appeared. "The other... plays Foolish Burial, milling Dandylion. Two Fluff Tokens appear on the field. The other summons Crane Crane. By the effect of Crane Crane, a level three monster like Dandylion can be revived, but its effects are negated."
"Dandylion with its effect negated?" Aki commented as the other raised a tentacle.
"The other constructs the overlay network with these two monsters," Black Rose announces. "By combining two equals of the exact same level, and by some other requirements where needed, an Exceed summon can summon monsters from other worlds of higher or lower orders, rather than across parallel dimensions, to summon Exceed monsters. The monsters used in the summon are attached to the Exceed monster as material."
"Exceed summon?" Aki was caught off-guard as a flower bloomed in the midst of the two monsters combining in a network of sparks, and a green-haired nymph with a tiara of flowers bloomed on the field.
"Meliae of the Trees, a rank three Exceed," Black Rose announced. "The other uses the effect of Meliae, detaching one material to perform one of two effects: in this case, Dandylion is detached to mill Lonefire Blossom from its deck. Two more Fluff Tokens are summoned. Then, the Continuous Spell Catapultomato is activated. By tributing one Plant-type monster, the player can inflict four hundred points of damage to the opponent."
Aki blanched as all four of the Fluff Tokens were loaded and launched at her in a big explosion.
"Aki-sensei, are you alright?!" Brook yelled, nearly sprinting across if not for the intervention of Black Rose.
"I'm... fine..." Aki staggered slightly. "This damage... is nothing..."
"One card is set, and turn ended," Black Rose dutifully interpreted. "Mistress..."
"I will... gain your respect," Aki told the other. "I draw! I activate the Spell Trade-In, discarding a level eight monster such as Mariña, Princess of Sunflowers from my hand to draw two cards. By activating the effect of Gravirose, I shall mill Lonefire Blossom. I summon Copy Plant normally, and by this effect, Dark Verger is revived. By using the effect of Copy Plant, I shall copy the level of my own Gravirose, so Copy Plant becomes level four."
"I see," Brook noted by the sidelines. "So, this is almost like... a battle of magic."
"Tuning, level two Dark Verger to level four Copy Plant," Aki announced. "Splendid hunter and dweller of the sacred forest, with your whip of punishment in hand, come forth now! Synchro Summon! Appear now, Splendid Rose!"
In an explosion of light, a gold-haired youth appeared, long thorny whip in hand.
"Not yet," Aki pressed a button. "Limit Reverse revives my Lonefire Blossom, which I tribute to special summon from my deck Tytannial, Princess of Camellias!"
The orange bulb burst, and the red-and-green princess of plants appeared, primly standing by the gold-haired youth.
"I banish Dark Verger from my grave as the cost for the effect of Splendid Rose, to halve the attack power of Meliae," Aki announced. "Attack, Splendid Rose!"
"Trap, Wall of Thorns," the other defended according to Black Rose's narration.
"Counter Trap, Pollinosis," Aki rebutted. "I tribute Gravirose to negate and destroy Wall of Thorns. Chain quick-play Spell, Raging Mad Plants! For every Plant-type monster currently in my graveyard, my monsters gain three hundred attack power. I have Copy Plant, Mariña, Lonefire and Gravirose, so that's twelve hundred attack power to all my monsters. Splendid Rose attacks and destroys Meliae of the Trees, so I can banish Gravirose to attack with Splendid Rose once more, albeit at half strength. Aerial Twist!"
The black dragon was physically struck, and was cringing under Aki's gaze now as the whip snapped back.
"She might be a princess, but I am the witch," Aki proclaimed as the red-and-green princess dived, claws extended for it. "I am the witch queen of this place. Tytannial, finish him."
The dragon was struck again, a killing strike. It staggered back, roaring in pain, but lowered its head in submission after a huff. Aki walked over slowly, and kissed its snout, reassuring in her touch on the lower jaw. Gently, submissively, the other black dragon dissolved into sparkles upon its defeat, and a card floated into Aki's waiting palm.
"Moonlight Rose Dragon," Aki studied it, even as cards began to form around her. "That's right... twelve years have passed since that time."
"Oh, that was wonderful!" Brook clapped, bony fingers clacking together noisily like a xylophone. "But, why did a card appear?"
"This is my evolution after meeting Yusei," Aki reflected. "Black Rose... was this what you were trying to tell me all along?"
"...Moonlight Rose is the culmination of the freedom of your power and your independence," Black Rose confirmed reluctantly. "When anyone expresses a deep wish born of a sort of desperation, a new Duel Spirit is born. Hope, despair, possibility and facts, events and people are expressed through these cards. Moonlight Rose Dragon had been a possibility to be born ever since twelve years ago, but she had not been fully realised until this very moment, when you set aside your destructive desire to get to understand the denizens of your land, better. This is proof positive that you have conquered our power, without intervention from her or I. Furthermore, Moonlight Rose Dragon has given you information all over the island."
Aki's fingers tightened into a fist. "He's not here... our purpose has been fulfilled."
"I- Is that so?" Brook considered. "Aki-sensei..."
"I created this card, so..." Aki sniffed, putting it into her Extra Deck slot. "Thank you, Black Rose."
"The Head Signer is good for you," Black Rose admitted after a long silence. "Mistress, my existence revolves around you, as I have been realised by your wish. I wish for only the best for you, and I hope you find happiness. That is what makes the current situation even worse."
"Situation?" Brook questioned, turning around as smoke enveloped the tree line.
"Old enemies," was the simple explanation as the garden erupted into a conflagration. "The sun and the moon, here for revenge."
I can't possibly be the only one who noticed the red-blue colour scheme that Accel Synchron and Optimus Prime shares. For the voice, it must definitely be Peter Cullen.
Which brings up the question of who's the Ironhide here...
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