Call of Darkness
XLII: Vow of Tribe
The aftermath of the Duel Royal was awkward, to say the least. I had given Chancellor Tenjouin and Tenjouin-sensei a quick accounting of Yuuki Ayame's demise and the accidental circumstances.
It was a solemn procession at the crematorium, and Chancellor Tenjouin had been very understanding. She cried at the funeral too.
Nikki-chan gave me a look as I paid my respects. "Did you try?"
I considered, and nodded. "It was... a trap. Shimotsuki Setsuka... killed her."
Nikki-chan stiffly nodded, biting hard on her lips and trying not to cry. "Thank you, Kannazuki-sempai."
Mutou Ryuuki-san had turned up for the solemn event as well, standing with the Tenjouin family. Yuuki Judai-san had given me a very solemn nod and agreement, and a verbal affirmation that he did not hold the Movement responsible. Nii-chan did not turn up, but I found that the flowers on her grave did not wilt and had not wilted at all.
Yet, that was not to say that all was smooth-sailing. I had to entertain two more awkward meetings with the O'Brien father-son team and a global teleconference between all of the heads of the Arcadia Movements worldwide. KaibaCorp stock fell by twenty points, and with it the Arcadia Movement suffered too. Though Seto Kaiba, with some help from the Movement, had managed to give reparations to the two hundred or so students and the Movement itself, relations between the business world and the Movement had definitely cooled somewhat.
On the other hand, we have had positive reports of the Duel Academias worldwide ever since the Duelist Kingdom fiasco.
It was the last day of September that I was scanning all the activities that the Movement had planned when they came in.
"We're heroes now!" Kaido had smiled as he turned in a very improved report stating that Psychics in the various Dual Academia branches had experienced better attitudes and peer treatment since Duelist Kingdom, and quite a few more curriculum proposals. "It's not entirely bad. And we've worked out a system of disappearance risks in our general pool."
"Seika-ojou..." On that day, Nakamura-san hesitated. "Are you sure that Orion-sama can manage your workload?"
"I'm fine, I'm fine!" Orion assured as he looked through the stack of documents with me. He winced, gingerly patting his stomach.
"So, the reason she did that was to keep me off the island, huh...?" I heard him whisper. There was a look of self-recrimination about him, like how Rex-nii had looked when Nii-chan disappeared.
"Yes. I..." I heaved a sigh. "I don't know how to convince her anymore..."
"Seika-ojou..." Nakamura-san pressed the neatly arrayed invitation to me. "Ms Kaiba has issued an invitation to her party tonight."
I sighed, glancing at it. "I... Do I have to?"
"Considering that you and she parted on hardly the best of terms, I judge it prudent that you attend," Nakamura-san informed me. "And, since the invitation included a plus-one... I suppose that Orion-sama could have followed along, were it not for his own invitation."
"Me?" Orion echoed, his eyes narrowed as he accepted a similar stark-white and gold envelope. "Why?"
I opened the invitation.
Kisara Kaiba
cordially invites the holder of this invitation
To the celebration of Neo Domino KaibaLand's 50th Annual KC Grand Prix
On the first day of the month of October, to begin at six pm in the evening,
in the Grand Amphitheatre of KaibaLand, 60 Tops, Neo Domino City
Dress code is preferred formal, though smart-casual is acceptable upon notification of staff upon receipt of invitation. You may bring along a companion of your choice. Please provide this invitation upon arrival as proof of good standing.
Offered in good grace, to the head of the Arcadia Movement and a sincere ally of the Kaiba family. Accept it with no obligation in the capacity of these entities, as a gesture of goodwill, and no debt shall be accrued.
RSVP The office of Ms Kisara Kaiba,
Vice-Chairperson, Kaiba Corporation
0XX-XXX-XXXX
Sincerely.
Orion whistled as he glanced at the glided paper. "Invitations got fancy," he commented.
"They are usually given a week in advance, but given the metal content of the invitation, we had to send it in for checking," Nakamura-san regretfully informed me. "Suitable clothings and accoutrements have already been arranged for Seika-ojou and Orion-sama. The fitting is today."
I turned to look at Nakamura-san, who had not given any hint away. "You masterminded this, didn't you?"
"Most certainly not," Nakamura-san denied, his face stoic though he was possibly lying. "Mr Ariyashi was not told to keep the invitation to run checks as quickly as possible, and neither was your schedule rearranged to accommodate the event."
"Nakamura-san." I sighed. "I think you just want to dress me in a nice gown."
"There is that," Nakamura-san admitted.
There was a choke, and Orion-san was bent over the table, doubtlessly concealing his mirth.
"Of course, I have provided a tuxedo for Orion-sama as well."
Orion-san stopped laughing as the door opened.
"Seika-chan, we've just gotten two visitors," Yuko announced from the doorway. "They won't leave."
"Indeed? Nakamura-san-"
"You have no imminent appointments, Seika-ojou," Nakamura-san consulted the calendar.
"Rafael-san, Archibald-san," I greeted as the two came in. Yuko closed the door behind them loudly, though it just made a muffled sound. "Please, have a seat. Would you need refreshments?"
Rafael-san shook his head. Archibald-san was more taciturn.
"This is Orion Hunter, the nephew of the Madame Shimotsuki having just returned to us," I introduced them. "Orion-san, these are Corporal Rafael de Santos and Specialist Archibald O'Brien of the West Duel Academia."
"Yes," Archibald-san frowned in answer. "Kannazuki-san, Hunter-san. I come as representative of West Academia this time. As you may know, West Academia has traditionally done the training of its Blue Berets in a joint curriculum with West Point Academy. And yet... well, an entire Blue Beret contingent was on Duelist Kingdom Island, and were defeated by an amateur force of Psychics with no training in military combat and only three leaders, which was in turn taken down by a civilian force of slightly over ten Psychic Duelists."
"Indeed?" I felt my eyes widening. I had hardly known of the scope of that battle, save that there had only been one death: Ayame-san. To think of what we had done... on hindsight, I could see that indeed, other countries were looking at us.
"Therefore... West Academia would like to approve the creation of a curriculum that would involve how to handle situations outside of usual combat." Archibald-san hesitated, his eyes flickering to Nakamura-san and to Orion-san. "However, we have approached the two Movements in New York and Louisiana, and they have notified us that with such a move, we need to seek permission from the Central Movement, as the two of them are hardly qualified to speak on such matters which may affect the current détente. Their words."
"I am not equipped to give an immediate answer," I replied diplomatically. "May I understand the reasons which this request is issued, along with an official documentation of request?"
"The fiasco of the Duelist Kingdom Island showed us that there are, indeed, enemies that we have never been trained to handle," Archibald-san insisted. "Kujaku Satsuki, Tenjouin Michiru, Shimotsuki Setsuka... they outclassed us all. Even though we were better-trained than the rest of the island, we were outclassed by a team of eight Psychics who were trained by Shimotsuki in the past."
"Luck was on our side." I pointed out. "We did not face the true enemy at hand, and there was only a skeleton garrison on the island. The eliminator squad also escaped the moment the control room was seized." Also that Setsu-chan set up the whole thing as a trap for Ayame-san and to teach Yuuko-chan and me. It was an open secret in the Arcadia Movement that Shimotsuki Setsuka usually managed to achieve her aims one way or another, and that the best way to ensure victory was to make sure that no one died. None of us dying could be practically counted as a decisive victory.
"Luck meant nothing when you walked into the enemy base to attempt to open the gates," Rafael-san spoke up. "Luck meant nothing when James Cook crashed the doors open for us. You defeated Tenjouin Michiru, who was one of the three leaders of the eliminators then. That sort of courage requires exposure to the combat of Psychic Duelists, which the Movements have been hesitant to show us."
"There is that," I acknowledged. There was nothing I could use to dissuade Rafael-san, after all.
"The Movement has always been open to interactions between the rest of society and non-Psychics," Archibald-san argued. "Where's the harm in fighting together?"
"Because then the Army gets methods on how to handle Psychic Duelists," Orion-san pointed out. Somehow,
"There is Orion-san's argument, and there is the possibility of official recognition by the Duel Academias," I acknowledged. "I... I do not have the ability to make a decision now. The next time an appointment is not made, it would be very inconvenient for us, Archibald-san. I hope you may understand that."
"...I do," Archibald-san whispered, looking away. "I know what you guys face. And already... I know that we need the Movement. I'm sorry for imposing something like this on you."
"Was that all you need to address, Archibald-san?" I asked.
"Yes," Archibald-san stood. "I will take my leave until you get back to me. My contact details are with the receptionist. Excuse me."
He left. Rafael-san did not.
"Rafael-san?" I asked.
"Pardon me," he nodded. "I represent the Kingdom of Misgarth. Specifically, the royal family of King Ojin."
"What?" Nakamura-san turned his head. "Then...!"
"Stop, Nakamura-san," I said. "It does us no harm to listen."
"Specifically, it is dependent on the answer of two individuals," Rafael informed me. "Ryuusuke Diamondblade and Shimotsuki Setsuka. It was for that reason that I set out on the orders of the King to find these two individuals."
"The King...?" I echoed.
"Well... following the blunder of SORA on the part of the then-Prince Ojin, Misgarth fell into civil war," Rafael recited, as if having said so from memory. "The royal family scattered, and the Princess Linda and her child were found in Australia. By that time, Princess Linda was cared for in Australia by Mr Valon. Later, Mr Valon gave his life up to save the princess and her child before they were recovered by the royal family."
"How cruel," Orion mumbled. "I heard about it, but I didn't know..."
"But, how would the wishes of a dead man affect Ryuusuke Diamondblade and Shimotsuki Setsuka?" I asked. "Unless... these are the wishes of the King's grandson?"
"I was told to find the descendants of Rafael Knighton, later Shimotsuki, and Amelda Crowley, if just to assuage the conscience of the late Mr Valon." Rafael informed me. "For you see, the late Mr Valon knew the late Mr Knighton and Mr Crowley as old friends. From what I gather, they served together as well, once upon a time, and only now can the royal family of Misgarth repay its debt of honour."
It was very good, if rather implausible. For there were things that did not ring right with Rafael's words.
I was feeling a bit envious of the kids who managed to get back to Academy Island after the mess at Duelist Kingdom. School life is way easier than getting through the mess thrown at the Movement on a monthly, if not actually daily, basis.
I hated impromptu jobs. Particularly this one.
"Remind me why did I sign up for this?" I asked no one in particular. We were somewhere on the highways that connected Neo Domino together in a Honda SUT. I would have rode Carpe Jugulum, but considering where we were going it called for a car, at the very least, and Kaido had been reluctant to release the keys to the Pilot. Considering the three cars totalled by Youkai and I over two years, maybe he had a point that the SUT was the only thing capable of going through three Psychic Duelists and the Manjoume luck.
In the back seat, Yukio snorted. "Apparently, your dates consist of running from monsters and blowing shit up. You chose, you don't get to complain."
"I get Youkai. So why Ryuusei?" I pointed to Ryuusei, who was studying the perspex window. Yeah, so I forgot to clean it. So sue me.
"We need heavy assault power," Yukio flatly replied. "Yuko is busy sticking to Kannazuki like a human limpet, and this is familiar stomping ground to you guys. None of the usual guys are free, and Atlas had a baby to sit on."
"Reina would be fine," Ryuusei sighed. "Don't be crass, Yukio-san. So... we have someone holding down the local DA campus?"
"Zombie World, according to what Glen and Reggie reported," Youkai affirmed, clinging onto his seatbelt as he balanced the slim little notebook on his lap and I drove. "Extends to the campus fence, no more, no less. Too bad Seika took a day off, we could use some help."
"What about Kraehe?" Yukio asked. "If she's inside..."
"She's only one Psychic, and inexperienced as well." Ryuusei cut in. "Besides, odds are that this is more than a lone assault."
"Zombies," I shuddered as I swung by the entrance.
There are some places that just seem eerie, and schools are one of them. Usually bustling with students and other human activities connected to the established education system, seeing a school, any school, without any such human activity can be really unsettling. I got that impression, seeing the V-formation of the DA buildings, that this was the case. The shadows threw everything into muted shades of grey, even in the late afternoon. There were thorned vines tangled amidst the wire fence, and they lent some aura of mystery and general horror movie feel to it.
We got out of the car and walked in slowly through the broken gates.
"Left, right... front, back, up," Youkai affirmed. "Don't think anything can hide in the concrete, anyway."
"You've been watching too much animé," I chided as Ryuusei led the team in. "Yukio, what are we here for?"
"Rogue Psychic. Zombie World... well, for one thing, we know that she's not powerful enough to operate the worse effects of Zombie World."
"Why?" I asked.
"None of us are flaking off, Chase," Youkai answered, shuddering. "You notice something?"
I looked out and up. "No lights?"
"That, and I can't get a signal," Youkai put his phone extracted from seemingly nowhere back into a really tiny pocket that really shouldn't fit it.
We walked through the main building, and I grimaced at the utter silence of the administration branch. I found a corded phone, attached outside the general office, and dialled the NDPD. If the bad guys, whoever or whatever they were, were afraid of attracting attention from the outside world, we might be able to avoid the entire situation by calling in lots of police cars and flashy lights.
The phone rang once, twice. It went dead, along with the lights and the constant blowing sigh of the heating system.
I heard a snap. I whirled, and then I saw Youkai glance at a side hallway. I noticed a few things.
First, that Mototani had apparently been retained on the cleaning staff of Kings. Usually people who pissed Shimotsuki Setsuka and the entire Arcadia Movement off didn't survive, but I guessed that Shimotsuki just made his life hell for a while and left him to dry for being a hapless idiot prone to mailing letter bombs. A steel ladder was tipped over and lay on its side by him.
Second, there were droplets of blood around him, especially the ones closest to the ladder. They glittered like tiny brilliant rubies.
"What?" Ryuusei asked as I pulled back slightly. "What is-"
He stared at Mototani, or the body, for a second and answered the question for himself. "Crap."
Yukio stooped over. "This was recent. The blood hasn't oxidised."
Youkai swallowed as Yukio checked the corpse and I took a really good look. Well, Mototani was breathing, but his throat had been torn out. Whatever time he had left was a mere formality. "I didn't see anything, Chase."
"I heard a snap, didn't see anything either." I answered.
Yukio could hear our quiet conversation as clearly as if he'd been sitting with us. "Something grabbed him," he said. "Something moving fast enough to cross your whole field of vision in a second or two. Didn't stop moving when it took him. You probably heard his neck breaking from the whiplash."
There wasn't much to say to that. The whole concept was disturbing as hell.
"It's a great way to do a grab and snatch if you're fast enough." Yukio conversationally continued. "I was shown how it was done once." His head whipped around.
I felt myself tense. "What?"
"More lights just went out."
I snorted. "Only one reason to do that."
"To blind us," Ryuusei assessed. "Prevent anyone from reaching the vehicles or calling for help. At least the panic sign Uzuki sent us told us something. A tricky Duelist, someone used to setting things up and then controlling the field of their own accord."
We left once Mototani gave his last breath, and a few moments of going through the hallways later, I found the main hall. The Colosseum-like structure of the amphitheatre had not changed, but it was crowded now. The students had become aware that something was wrong, and an uncertain silence hovered over the place. Some of them looked injured.
A shock of red hair clothed in black hurried over. "What is it?" Himemiya Uzuki asked me, her expression pinched and worried. "Is Seika here?"
"Trouble," I said. "Seika is handling really important negotiations with the NDPD. We may be in danger, and I need you to answer a few questions for me, right now."
She opened her mouth.
"First," I said, interrupting her, "do you know how many security men are present?"
She blinked at me for a second. "Uh, four in the day, two after. But the security hasn't answered, so the Disciplinary Committees and the Berets are occupied with keeping order and the safety of the students. The teachers are around the other side."
Several short, breathy screams came as the lights blinked and flickered, and I heard Ryuusei shout for silence and call my name: "Chase?"
The PA system let out a crackle and a little squeal of feedback. It shut off again and came back on.
"Testing," said a dry, rasping voice over the speakers. "Testing one, two, three."
Uzuki froze in place, and then backed up warily, looking at me. I stepped up next to her, and she pressed in close to me, shivering. "So glad Seika didn't come today," she muttered. "She'd be safe in the Movement."
"There," said the voice. It was a horrible thing to listen to – like Linda Blair's impression of a demon-possessed victim, only less melodious. "I'm sure you all can hear me now."
"Oh, hell," I breathed.
"This is Sara," continued the voice. "Sara Wraith. I'm sure you all remember me."
I glanced at Uzuki, who shook her head.
"Then again," she continued, "It doesn't matter. Not here, anyway."
The voice started singing. The tune wasn't even vaguely close to the actual song, but the lyrics of 'Happy Birthday' were unmistakable. I was never going to hear that song in the same way ever again; Shimotsuki and now this yahoo had settled that.
Uzuki's eyes had widened. "Huh...?"
"Who the hell is that?" I asked.
Uzuki shook her head. "I think it's one of the Central transfers. She couldn't fit in, moved here because of a complicated family situation or something."
"And you didn't recognise her?"
Uzuki gave me a slightly guilty glance. "The Disciplinary Committee has other things to worry about than its loners, and she was... well, quiet. She wasn't really very, you know – outstanding."
"Uh-huh," I demurred. "Tell me whatever you can about her."
"Um. About Seika's height, sort of... plain. You know, not ugly or anything, but not really pretty. Maybe a little heavy."
"Not that," I sighed. "Tell me something important about her. People make fun of her?"
"Some did," Uzuki answered. "The Committee keeps an ear on the ground, but..."
"Code Carrie." I muttered. "We're in trouble."
"Bullied student lash out in revenge, likely burning down the whole school and parts of Neo Domino in the process?" Yukio asked.
I blinked. "How did you...?"
Yukio rolled his eyes. "Stakeouts. I rent books from the Magic Formula."
The horrible, dusty song came to an end before I could comprehend the depths of Yukio's pop-culture background.
"It's been a year since I left you," Sara's voice said. "A year since I found what all you whining losers were looking for. And I decided to give myself a present." There was a horrible pause. "You. All of you."
"Code what?" Uzuki asked me.
I shook my head. "Know where the announcement system is?"
"Yeah. Administration. Right by-"
"The security office." I sighed.
Sara's voice continued. "The entrances are closed and watched. Feel free to run for them, though. The taste is so much better when you've had time to be properly terrified."
With that, the PA system shut off, but a second later, it started playing music.
"So how did we get in?" I realised.
"She probably intends to make us an example to the Arcadia Movement," Yukio absently replied, the virtue of having been in so many situations that it was hardly surprising anymore. "Right. So far, we have Sara Wraith, the suspected. Likely a loner, bullied... anything else?"
"She was... very into the occult," Uzuki shrugged. "Fantasy, vampires, that sort of thing."
"Zombie Duelist, opportunistic," Ryuusei chipped in. "Probably has help. Where are the teachers?"
"Here," I saw Marufuji-sensei walk to us, his steps brisk but reluctant. "We were leading the students in the West building here. I guess you're the reinforcements from the Movement?"
"Panic signal," Ryuusei answered.
Marufuji-sensei looked pained when he saw Ryuusei, though he concealed it pretty well. "I see... so what do we do now?"
"Do nothing," Yukio flatly replied.
"What?"
"Assuming that this Sara Wraith has even half a brain, she would know that the school's policy would be to put its students into a safe area while the teachers conduct an investigation," Ryuusei elaborated. "She probably isn't going for the teachers, since you managed to come back here. Mostly likely, she's waiting for all the students to come here before attacking."
"That's insane," Marufuji-sensei harshly exclaimed.
"No one said that sanity was required- look out!" Youkai dived. Where he stood, a crystal shattered, and a plume of smoke arose as we stepped away from it. From within the smoke, she stepped out.
Sara, or so I presumed her to be, was dressed in dark jeans, a red-knit sweater, and a long coat. She was sunken and shrivelled, as bony and dried up as a year-old corpse. She still had most of her hair, though it had clearly not been washed or styled. She stank. I don't mean that she was sweating. I mean she smelled like a year-old corpse that still had a few juicy corners left and wasn't entirely done returning to the earth. It was noxious enough to make me gag. There were screams, and a stampede to get away from the stage where she stood.
Her leathery lips peeled back into a smile, yellow teeth stained with drying brownish blood. She was enjoying this. Until her eyes fell on us. Her hands blurred, the motion too fast to see.
Yukio and Youkai were faster. Yukio threw himself towards the stage, and Youkai flipped to plant his feet on the raised wall with the leverage to propel himself as well. Yukio tripped her before Youkai even got to position to give her a knee to the midriff. How on earth did he have the leg strength to move himself about five metres diagonally through the air without ropes, I didn't know. I hoped he remembered that he wasn't immortal or Bruce Lee.
"You're surrounded," Ryuusei evenly answered. "You can't escape."
She cackled. "You can talk," she rasped, "when I say you can talk. Speak again, and I will rip you apart and throw you into the Bay."
"Sorry, I'm not buying that," Ryuusei answered. "By the Arcadia Rights Bill of 20XX, you're under arrest."
"Why, officer," she purred, and I felt repulsed for Ryuusei's sake. Even the dead girls were after him. "Are you trying to put me in cuffs? I didn't think necrophilia was a hobby for such a... delectable morsel."
"You're right," Ryuusei evenly answered as he unlocked his DuelDisk. "So, I guess I just have to win, then."
She leered. "And what makes you think I even need to accept your challenge?"
Ryuusei gave her a flat look, wide-eyed and serious. It pretty much conveyed that even if Ryuusei looked pretty, he had serious thorns and a way with computers. "You're pathetic."
Whatever it was, it got her attention as she unlocked her Gothic-looking black DuelDisk with a raspy snarl.
"Duel!"
Sara: LP 8000
Ryuusei: LP 8000
"Ladies first," Sara purred. "I summon Zombie Werewolf [1200/1200] to the field in attack mode. I'll then set a card, turn end."
The howling werewolf drew some more screams as it roared, and Sara giggled.
"Draw," Ryuusei considered the card. "I activate the Field Spell, Tomato Paradise."
Sara giggled as vines sprouted around the field. "Such an odd choice. How childish."
"I summon Lonefire Blossom [500/1400] to the field." Ryuusei declared. "I tribute it to special summon the tuner monster, Cherry Inmato [700/400] in defence mode. The effect of Tomato Paradise give me a Tomato Token [0/0] in defence mode. I set a card. Turn end."
"Draw!" Sara snapped as two giant tomatoes sprouted on the field. "I summon Malevolent Mech – Goku En [2400/1400]! This card can be normal summoned without a tribute, but at my end phase, it must be destroyed if it is the only Zombie on the field, and I take damage equal to its attack. Still, it looks like this turn is safe... Zombie Werewolf, attack the Cherry Inmato!"
Ryuusei barely flinched as the tomato's juice spattered the field. "When Cherry Inmato is destroyed by battle and sent to the graveyard, I can special summon two Inmato monsters from my deck. I summon Inmato [1400/800] and another Cherry Inmato, both in defence mode. Tomato Paradise activates, giving me two Tomato Tokens as well."
Sara scowled. "Goku En, attack the Cherry Inmato!"
"Using the second Cherry Inmato, I special summon one Inmato and my last Cherry Inmato," Ryuusei patiently replied. "Because my monster zones are all filled, Tomato Paradise does not activate."
"I end my turn," Sara snapped.
"And he's already managed to fill his field," Youkai frowned. "As expected of the Prince of Duel..."
"Draw!" Ryuusei declared. "I have two Inmato, two tokens, and one Cherry Inmato. Also, Cherry Inmato is a tuner monster."
"T- Tuner monster?" Sara looked taken aback.
"Tuning, level three Inmato to level two Cherry Inmato," Ryuusei announced. "Gathering stars will unleash a new future, become the path its light shines upon. To remember the once saviour! Synchro summon! Tech Genus Hyper Librarian!"
In a flash, the white robed magician appeared [2400/1800].
"With that, I summon the tuner monster, Spore [400/800] to the field." Ryuusei began. "Tuning, level one token to level one Spore! Gathering wishes will call out a new speed's horizon! Become the path its light shines upon! Synchro Summon! The Power of Hope, Synchro Tuner, Formula Synchron!"
A little race-car zoomed onto the field, beeping [200/1500].
"I draw a card due to Hyper Librarian, and then due to Formula Synchron himself," Ryuusei nodded. "Banishing level three Inmato in the graveyard to special summon Spore as a level four monster. Tuning, level three Inmato and level one token to level four Spore. Flashing ray that tears seas and stars, roar throughout the world and shake the souls! Synchro Summon! Jewel Flare Dragon – Stardust!"
The dragon that appeared was a lot like Stardust Dragon, yet not. It bore a covetous expression for a reptilian face, and it loomed possessively on the field. Again, it was creepy beyond reason, though for what reason I did not know. [2500/2000]
"One more card drawn," Ryuusei glanced at the field. "Activate the set card, Dust Tornado, to destroy your set card."
Sara cursed as the set Red Ghost Moon was destroyed. "But, my monsters are far more powerful than you can handle!"
"Monster Reborn," Ryuusei revealed the card to revive Lonefire Blossom, and thus net a token that soon gave way to Tytannial, Princess of Camellias [2800/2600].
"Tytannial, attack the Malevolent Mech," Ryuusei ordered. "Librarian, you take the Zombie Werewolf. And Jewel Flare Dragon, attack the second Werewolf!"
Sara: LP 8000 → LP 7600 → LP 6400 → LP 5600
Ryuusei: LP 8000
"When Zombie Werewolf is destroyed by battle, I can special summon another Zombie Werewolf from my deck with a little... bonus [1200/1200 → 1700/1200]," Sara leered.
"I set two cards, turn end." Ryuusei barely responded.
"Draw!" Sara snapped. "I summon Vampire Bat [800/800 → 1000/800]! Now, all Zombie-Type monsters on the field gain an attack boost of two hundred [1700/1200 → 1900/1200]."
"During my opponent's main phase, I can use Formula Synchron to Synchro summon," Ryuusei rebutted. "Tuning, level five Librarian and level two Formula Synchron. Chilling flames engulf the entire world. Pitch-dark flower, set into bloom! Synchro Summon! Bloom, Black Rose Dragon!"
Black Rose Dragon emerged, long black neck curled gracefully, golden eyes gleaming, and a pair of rose-petal wings spread wide [2400/1800].
"Che... I'll set a card and move Werewolf to defence mode, turn end." Sara sneered.
"Draw!" Ryuusei called. "I tribute Lonefire Blossom to special summon Gigaplant [2400/1200], which nets me a token once more. I use the effect of Black Rose Dragon; by banishing a Plant-Type monster from my graveyard, I can move one defence position monster you control to attack mode, and also reduce the attack power of the target monster to zero. I banish one Cherry Inmato to target Zombie Werewolf. Rose Restriction!"
"My werewolf!" Sara shouted as the werewolf was bound in the thorned vines of Black Rose. [1900/1200 → 0/1200]
"Battle. Black Rose, attack Zombie Werewolf!" Ryuusei called. "And I activate the Trap, Synchro Stream! When I control two or more Synchro monsters, I equip this card to one Synchro monster of my choice, such as Black Rose. Then when Black Rose attacks, it gains attack power equal to that of another Synchro monster until the end phase [2400/1800 → 4900/1800]."
"F- Four thousand?" Sara mouthed as the werewolf met a fiery death.
Sara: LP 5600 → LP 700
Ryuusei: LP 8000
"Tytannial," Ryuusei raised a hand as the queenly creature held herself high. "Strike down the Bat!"
Sara: LP 700 → LP 0
Ryuusei: LP 8000
"I lost... I lost?" Sara kept shaking. "Why... why?"
"Get lost already!" Someone in the crowd shouted, and a stray paper cup flew to hit her. The ice still inside scattered across the stage.
"Freak!"
"Monster!"
"Demon!"
"Oi, that's still petty..." Youkai was held back by Yukio, who just drew a card.
Ryuusei coughed. The theatre fell silent.
"We are going to take Miss Wraith custody," he told the crowds. "She will be judged by the Arcadia Movement. Under that reminder, please hold back your abuse."
"Why should we?" someone shouted. "She tried to kill us!"
"She," I heard Sara growl, "still can. Overpowering Eye!"
There was a swift pattering sound, and Sara was there in a flash, her hand out... and the fingers stained reddish-brown, definitely not with henna. I could only watch as those ridiculously sharp fingernails went for the jugular-
-and a bell rang out, Sara falling off balance in pain.
The Battle Fader floated overhead as Yukio jumped, managing to get to Sara in time. He latched a pair of cuffs on her hands, twisted, and completed cuffing of the other hand before shoving a boot to her midriff. There was an oof sound as Yukio essentially kicked Sara down the steps of the benches of Duel Academia Kings, watching her thump down and to the ground with a surly eye. In the end, there was a sort of extra bounce, and she landed at my feet, looking rather woozy before spitting over my shoes.
"Oh come on!" I yelled as I jumped, but not fast enough to save the poor babies from ignobly being barfed on.
I hate impromptu jobs.
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