Chapter 53: Cryptic Truths
"Hey...you have my face as well!" Leiko pointed at Hotaru accusingly. "You copyright bastard!"
Hotaru just chuckled. "Of course we share this face. You and I are connected, more then you know."
"I don't give a crap about that! Tell me where Rin is!" Leiko demanded.
Hotaru laughed openly this time. "You truly don't understand. Everything is unimportant now. Everything you know is meaningless. We're finally at the climax of what is predestined to happen, to the ones who share the same face. The boys with the dragons, the girls with the bracelets...and us! The broken pieces! The lost pages of the story! The ones who hold the incarnations of Yavix!"
"Arrrrrrgh! Shut up! You're fucking annoying!" Leiko raged.
"Leiko, soon all will come together. Those boys and those girls. So we must as well...and it shall begin with you and I!" He activated his Duel Disk, causing the red sword to appear.
"If you wanted to have a Duel, just say so, damnit!" Leiko revved up his Duel Runner as the blade appeared on it. "I'll kick your ass, find Rin, and then everything will go back to normal!"
"Indeed it will, Leiko...because we will become one once again!" Hotaru cried, just as Leiko sped forward and shot past him, the two glaring at each other in the milliseconds that they were side by side.
"DUEL!"
Leiko vs. Hotaru LP: 4000
Leiko did a U-turn and began driving up and down the hall. "I'm going first! From my hand, I Normal Summon Psybernetic Hacker!" The floating psychic appeared alongside the Duelist. "And I activate its effect! By reducing Hacker's Level by 2, I can Special Summon a Level 4 or lower Psybernetic monster from my hand! I'll Special Summon Psybernetic Developer from my hand!" Hacker held its hands out as a portal opened and the disco ball Tuner appeared.
"I tune my Level 2 Psybernetic Hacker to my Level 4 Psybernetic Developer!" The Tuner turned into four Synchro rings that Hacker passed through. "Powerful psychic being, appear now, and screw this bastard up! Synchro Summon! Appear! Level 6! Psybernetic ATX!" The gun lance wielding psychic appeared with its 2600 ATK.
"But I'm not done! As I Synchro Summoned a Psybernetic monster, I can Special Summon Psybernetic Technician from my hand!" The little Level 3 appeared, sitting on its oversized chair. "And now I'll activate Technician's effect! By reducing its Level by 1, I can Special Summon a Level 4 or lower Psybernetic from my Graveyard with its Level reduced by 1! I'm bringing back Psybernetic Developer, bitch!" The Tuner reappeared, now as a Level 3.
"Here we go again! I tune my now Level 2 Psybernetic Technician to my revived Level 3 Psybernetic Developer!" Developer once again turned into Synchro rings, three this time, for Technician to fly through. "Great psychic being, come forth and smash this bastards face into his own ass! Synchro Summon! Get out here! Level 5! Psybernetic PSU!" The mecha-like psychic appared next to the other Synchro with 2400 ATK.
Hotaru applauded. "Yes, that's it! That's why you became our Synchro piece! That will to keep on moving, to get better and better! And soon, it will be MINE!"
"Shut the hell up already! I activate Psybernetic PSU's effect!" Leiko pointed. "By reducing its Level by the Level of a Psybernetic in my Graveyard, I can inflict that Psybernetic's attack on you as effect damage! I'll reduce PSU's Level by 4, targeting the Psybernetic Hacker in my Graveyard, and inflict its attack, 1400, to you as damage!" PSU's Level dropped to 1 before it fired two green lightning bolts from its prongs that exploded around Hotaru's feet, knocking him onto his back.
Hotaru's LP: 2600
Leiko screeched to a halt. "I set a card and end my turn! How's that, asshole!?"
There was a silence. But then Hotaru burst out into laughter before his entire body unnaturally leaned up so that he stood again, with an evil grin on his face. "Just what I expected from you! This is going to be fun! My turn!"
Leiko glared harder at his responce. 'This guy is seriously fucked up!'
"I Normal Summon HorReaper GhoScissors from my hand." The tattered sheet ghost with scissors for hands rose up, cackling creepily. "Now, as I control a HorReaper monster, I can Special Summon HorReaper PitchFreak from my hand."
The monster that appeared was covered in black leather and red straps on its thin humanoid body, with comically large black boots and a choker around its pale white skin. The right sleeve of its jacket was torn as its right arm bulged with muscle, and red claws stuck to the ends of the fingers. Its other arm was skinning, and clutching its own tail, which curved around from behind it, as the end of said black tail ended in a long, sharp pitchfork. It's teeth were pointed and formed into a grin as its red right eye and its purple left eye spun around in their sockets, as out of its spiky black hair were two horns, one black and straight, the other white and curved, as the monster laughed manically.
HorReaper PitchFreak, Level 4, Fiend, DARK, ATK: 1700 DEF: 600
"When PitchFreak is Summoned, I can send one HorReaper or Horrible card from my Deck to my Graveyard." Hotaru took a card straight from his Deck. "I'll send the Spell, Horrible Fusion, from my Deck to the Graveyard. And now, hehehe...since Horrible Fusion is in the Graveyard, I can banish it to fuse my HorReaper GhoScissors and HorReaper PitchFreak together!" The two monsters laughed as they became a purple and red whirlpool.
"Deformed ugly freak, be ripped to shreds by the spirits anguish! And drown together in insanity and rage! Fusion Summon! Appear! Level 6! HorReaper ManiAxe!"
The monster that appeared was bulky with grey skin covered in blood red scars. It wore a leather torso which was ripped at the right shoulder, revealing a black skull tattoo on it. It wore a tattered black fur loincloth with a spiked chain belt around its waist. Its legs were noticeably tiny in comparison to the rest of its body, and covered in black armour with pointed toe boots, whilst its bulky arms were bare. On its head was an iron mask with two eye holes for manic, bloodshot red eyes to look out of, with two large black horns curving around on top of it, whilst a long serpentine tongue hung out of its smiling jaw. It carried its weapon with both hands, because the axe was as giant as the monster itself, with a screaming red face in the middle of it as the giant curved blade glimmered dangerously.
HorReaper ManiAxe, Level 6, Fiend, DARK, ATK: 2100 DEF: 800
"Those monsters are just fucked up!" Leiko cried.
"Thank you." Hotaru smirked at the compiment. "I activate ManiAxe's effect! Once per turn, I can banish a HorReaper monster from my Graveyard, to increase the attack of every HorReaper I control by 200! Also, they are unaffected by my opponents cards and effects until the End Phase! I banish HorReaper GhoScissors!" The monster roared as its ATK became 2300. "Now GhoScissors' effect activates as it was banished from the graveyard by a HorReaper's effect! That monster gains 500 attack!" ManiAxe's effect rose even further to 2800.
"Battle! HorReaper ManiAxe will attack Psybernetic ATX! Crazy Cleaver!" The monster laughed madly before swining its giant axe, completely destroying the Synchro monster.
Leiko's LP: 3800
"Nothing but a piss poor scratch!" Leiko replied. "I activate my Trap, Psybernetic Backup! Since a Psybernetic Synchro monster I control was destroyed, I can Special Summon a Level 4 or lower Psybernetic from my Deck! C'mon, Psybernetic Coder!" The little Level 2 monster appeared. "When Coder is Summoned, I can reduce its Level by 1 to Special Summon a Level 3 or lower Psybernetic Tuner from my hand or Deck! From my Deck, I'll bring out Psybernetic Engineer!" Coder's Level dropped to 1 as the Level 2 robotic Tuner appeared.
"Yes, that's it! just like that!" Hotaru applauded. "I set a card and end my turn. Now, try again!"
"I'm gonna kick your ass! My turn!" Leiko drew. "I activate Engineer's effect! With it, I can return Psybernetic PSU to its original Level!" Engineer zapped PSU, making it a Level 5 again.
"Oh? Are you gonna use its effect to zap me some more?" Hotaru asked coyly.
"Don't underestimate me, bastard! I tune my Level 5 Psybernetic PSU and Level 1 Psybernetic Coder to my Level 2 Psybernetic Engineer!" Engineer turned into two Synchro rings for the two monsters to fly through. "All knowing psychic being, be born and stand from the ever growing knowledge of the world! Synchro Summon! Appear! Level 8! Advanced Psybernetic Super-Computer! The giant robotic psychic floated behind Leiko with 2800 ATK.
"That's more like it!" Hotaru approved. "That's what I expected from our Synchro part!"
"Do you ever shut up!?" Leiko growled.
"I think that more applies more to you, then me." Hotaru waved it off, as he took a chocolate bar out of his pocket and began eating it. "That rushed nature of yours seems to be common with Synchro Dimension inhabitants. Even that pink haired one."
Leiko noticeably flinched. "Ayu...?"
"Yeah, I know her." Hotaru nodded, still eating. "That pinkette bitch you seem to care so much about." Leiko glared at him. "Please, why do you think she cares about you after all the horrible things you did to her? Probably whored herself out just to spite you, the dumb shit! This is how you like talking, right? Hahahahahahahahaha!"
Leiko's eyes were shadowed, as he clenched his fists. "Insult me all you want..."
"Did I strike a nerve?" Hotaru taunted.
Leiko glared at him, as his eyes glowed a fierce green. "But don't you DARE insult Ayu in front of me DAMN YOU!"
Hotaru grinned. "There it is, that look in your eyes! That resolve!"
"I'll kill you!" Leiko screamed. "I activate Advanced Psybernetic Super-Computer's effect! By reducing its Level by any amount, it gains 400 attack for every Level lost until the End Phase! I reduce its Level by 7, and increase its ATK by 2800!" The monster gained an electrifying green aura as its ATK doubled to 5600.
"I'll crush you with this attack!" Leiko roared. "Battle! Super-Computer! Attack HorReaper ManiAxe! Overdive Rush!" The green aura formed into giant robotic fists around its fists, before the monster unleashed a flurry of punches that obliterated ManiAxe in a blast of debris smoke. "That's what you get for insulting Ayu, fucker!"
But, suddenly, the smoke began being sucked forward, towards a box with sharp teeth, and eyes all over it as black flames burned at its side. "What!?"
"I activated the Continuous Trap, Horrible Box." Hotaru said, still eating, as the card showed said box. "If I would take any damage, this card reduces it to 0." When all the debris smoke had been sucked in, the box closed. "And if this card is destroyed, you take damage equal to the amount negated. 2800, in other words."
"Damnit, I set a card and end my turn. At this point, Super-Computer's attack returns to normal." The green glow faded as its ATK became 2800 again.
"You got overemotional and rushed things." Hotaru chided him with a grin as he sucked the remaining chocolate off of his fingers. "That's everybody's crutch, those they care about."
"Don't...call Ayu such horrible things." Leiko muttered as he grit his teeth.
"Poor, poor, Leiko. You're just trying to fill an empty hole in your heart, another thing that binds us four together." Hotaru shrugged. "Trying to replace what you lost."
"I didn't lose anything! Quit spewing shit!" Leiko raged.
"But you did, we all did. And I am going to return us together, so that we can get it back." Hotaru's eyes suddenly glowed blood red, in comparison to Leiko's glowing green. "Let's continue killing each other, shall we?"
Yu-Gi-Oh!
"My turn!" I drew, and looked at the Trap I drew. "This is...this could be my only chance! Again, I will Pendulum Summon! Revive from my Extra Deck!" A single light fell from the portal. "Level 3! Timestream Trickster!" The monster reappeared in DEF Position. "I set a card and end my turn!"
"Is that all? Then it's my turn." Haruka drew. "Again, I activate Invocation's effect in my Graveyard to shuffle it into my Deck, and add my banished Aleister the Invoker to my hand, who I will Normal Summon." The Spellcaster appeared on the field once again, in ATK Position. "And with Aleister's effect, I shall add Invocation from my Deck to my hand."
"I activate my Trap! Banish Shock!" The card showed two shadowed monster with a dark void inside of them twisting them together as lightning crackled around them. "During my opponents Main Phase, by destroying a number of monsters I control, I can target and banish an equal number of monsters you control! I'll destroy Timestream Trickster and Timestream Acrobat, to banish Invoked Mechaba and Invoked Purgatrio!" My two monsters burst into sparkles as two beams of light shot towards the Fusion Monsters.
"Useless. I activate Mechaba's effect. I'll discard my trap, Omega Summon, to negate Banish Shock and banish it!" Mechaba's jaw opened as it sucked the Trap card in, swallowing it. "You've wasted your last hope."
But I just smiled. "Actually, I was hoping you'd do that!"
"What!?" She gasped.
"Banish Shock's other effect activates, as it was banished!" I pointed forward. "With it, I can Special Summon one of my banished monsters! Revive! Yavix the Imprisoned Warrior!" My ace reappeared on the field in ATK Position. "And due to Yavix's effect, all your monsters lose 500 attack and defence until the End Phase!" The four monsters on her field were bound by red chains, reducing their power. "Now none of your monsters are strong enough to defeat Yavix!"
"Don't get so full of yourself! I activate Invoked Raidjin's effect!" She cried. "Once per turn, during either players turn, I can Set a monster on the field! I'll Set your Yavix!" The Invoked monster shot a bolt of lightning from its blade.
"The monster Special Summoned by Banish Shock's effect is unaffected by card effects until the End Phase!" I countered as Yavix shrugged off the electricity.
Haruka glared. "How dare you! Don't get so smug, you jerk!"
At that, another shock went through my mind, causing me to clutch my head. "Haruka..."
"Haruka..."
"Who...are you?" I groaned.
"You're so creepy...I love that."
"Who...who are you to Hotaru!?" I cried out in frustration.
At that name, she noticeably flinched. "Hotaru...?" Suddenly, she clutched her own face. "Hotaru...my Hotaru...aaaaaahhhhhhhh!"
"Haruka!" I called, as her eyes suddenly hardened again.
"I don't care about any of that!" She shouted. "I activate the Spell, Invocation! With it, I fuse the Invoked Mechaba and Invoked Purgatrio on my field!" the two monsters swirled together into a giant rainbow crest.
"I offer up demons to the omnipotent god beyond this ultimate portal! Invocation Summon! Come forth! Level 10! Invoked Elysium!" A giant rainbow monster with a long arm(?) appeared with 3200 ATK.
"Something is wrong here..." I mumbled. "What is it, Haruka?"
"Battle! Invoked Elysium! Attack Yavix the Imprisoned Warrior! Edge of the World!" The monster fired a rainbow beam from its body that obliterated Yavix, making me cross my arms to shield myself.
Elliot's LP: 2100
"This will end it! Invoked Raidjin will attack you directly!" The monster fired another, larger bolt of lightning from its sword.
Quickly, I jumped up and snatched a card from a platform. "Action Spell, Avoid negates the attack!" I jumped out of the way of the lightning.
"Annoying! You're so annoying!" Haruka screeched. "I activate my face-down Quick-Play Spell, The Book of the Law! With this, I tribute an Invoked monster, then Special Summon another from my Extra Deck with a different Attribute! I tribute Invoked Raidjin..." The monster burst into sparkles. "And Special Summon Invoked Magellanica!" A gigantic stone monster suddenly erupted out of the ground, towering over both of us with 3000 ATK.
"Not good!" I thought aloud as I started running, looking for an Action Card.
"Go, Invoked Magellanica! Attack Elliot Zekaki directly!" The enormous monster roared as it swung a fist at me.
In the nick of time, I grabbed a card from the ground. "Action Spell; Miracle! I target a monster, then it cannot be destroyed by battle until the End Phase, and all Battle Damage either player takes from it is halved!"
"You idiot! You don't have any monsters!" Haruka cried.
"I'm targeting Invoked Magellanica for its effect!" I responded just before the monsters fist smashed into the ground, making me fly forward and faceplant the ground.
Elliot's LP: 600
"Arrrrgh!" She cried in frustration. "Aleister! Attack him directly!" The monster swung its staff and fried a blue energy beam that enveloped me and pushed me into the ground.
Elliot's LP: 100
"I end my turn." Haruka finished as Aleister's ATK returned to 1000. "I can't believe you're still standing. But! You have 100 Life Points and no cards in your hand, whilst I still have 4000 Life Points and three monsters! Next turn, I'll definitely destroy you!"
I struggled to my feet. 'Yeah...this really is a desperate situation...but...'
"I'll always be here. Promise."
"I won't allow you to continue like this!" I shouted. "Whatever is wrong with you, I will definitely bring you back to normal!" I placed two fingers on top of my Deck. "My TURN!" I drew, and slowly, looked at the card. "This is my one shot!"
"One more time, I will Pendulum Summon! Revive, my monster partners!" Two lights fell from the portal. "Timestream Trickster! And Yavix the Imprisoned Warrior!" The two monsters reappeared on the field in ATK Position. "Due to Yavix's effect, your monsters lose 500 attack and defence!" Yavix's chains bound the three monsters, reducing their power again.
"All you're doing is struggling uselessly! You can't win!" Haruka cried.
"I tribute Timestream Trickster, in order to activate the Continuous Spell, Shadow Clock!" Trickster burst into sparkles as a shadowy clock with clawed hands and red gems around it appeared. "With this, I target a monster you control, then Special Summon this card as a monster with the same Level, Attribute, and Type as that monster, with attack and defence equal to its originals! I target Invoked Elysium!" Shadow Clock turned into a dark version of the monster, only with its original 3200 ATK. "Now I have two monsters, which can destroy Elysium and Magellanica!"
Haruka flinched. "And the only other monster I'll have after that is Aleister!"
"Battle! Shadow Clock will attack Invoked Elysium!" The shadowy copy began charging up an attack similar to Edge of the World.
"I won't let you!" Haruka screamed. "I activate the effect of Invoked Elysium! By banishing this monster, I banish all monsters you control with the same Attribute! And since Elysium's effect treats it as having all Attributes, both of your monsters will be banished!" Elysium suddenly started emitting a blinding light. "This is the end!"
"I activate Shadow Clock's other effect!" I countered. "When the targeted monster activates its effect, I can negate that effect, then destroy both monsters!" Shadow Clock suddenly enveloped Elysium, before both of them exploded into black and white light.
"My Elysium!" Haruka cried out angrily.
"When Shadow Clock is destroyed, all monsters my opponent controls with attack less then its attack as a monster are destroyed, and you take 800 damage for each one!" Invoked Magellanica and Aleister the Invoker also burst apart into light and shadows.
Haruka's LP: 2400
"Damnit! DAMNIT!" She screeched.
"Open your eyes, Haruka! Battle! Yavix the Imprisoned Warrior will attack you directly! Sealed Energy!" Yavix launched a blast of orange and red energy from inbetween its arms that hit her dead on.
"Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!" Haruka cried as she was knocked onto her back.
Haruka's LP: 0
Elliot: WIN!
I wiped the sweat off of my forehead, before looking at her. "Haruka!"
She slowly sat up, holding her head in pain as she looked at me. "H...Hotaru...?"
Her voice was a lot calmer, which relaxed me. "Are you okay, now?"
"Hotaru...I-aaaahhhhh!" Suddenly, the floor opened up beneath her and she fell down!
"Haruka!" I ran forward as the ground closed up again. "Damnit! Haruka!" I punched the ground angrily, as if I could smash it open with my fury. "Haruka...! I finally found you after all this time, and you're...gone...again..."
I calmed down and steadied my breathing. "Hotaru...she really does mean a lot to you, doesn't she?"
Shakily, I stood up fully. "I can't worry about stuff like this right now. I need to go to the one person who has all the answers, the Professor!" I then resumed running down the corridor.
Yu-Gi-Oh!
Zevrakex's LP: 0
Paluis' LP: 0
Dr. Kirek: WIN!
"Im...Impossible..." Paluis breathed in pain, the three Guardians beaten to the ground.
"How the hell...is he so strong...!?" Zevrakex gasped.
"Kirek..." Orion groaned.
"You three have lost. Accept that fact." Kirek told them. "And with that, you will no longer interfere!"
Suddenly, cuffs extended out of the walls, just like with Misashi's room, and trapped the three of them to the wall.
"Kirek...please...!" Orion pleaded. "You do not know if this will work or not! You could end up just being another Zarc! You could ruin countless lives!"
"And what about the lives already lost!?" Kirek angrily demanded. "What about everybody who lived in the Original Dimension!? What about Ray!? What about-!" He flinched and choked on the word, but mustered the courage to speak.
"What about my son!?"
"He was very brave, Kirek!" Paluis called out. "A brave, kind, selfless soul...but that doesn't mean what your doing is going to bring him back!"
"You're just lashing out angrily because of what you've lost..." Zevrakex hissed. "He'd be disgusted to see you like this!"
"Shut up! You know nothing!" Kirek shouted. "This machine will work! I will use all of the D.E..."
"And recreate the Original Dimension!"
HorReaper PitchFreak: If you control a 'HorReaper' monster, you can Special Summon this card from your hand. If this card is Summoned, you can send 1 'HorReaper' or 'Horrible' card from your Deck to the Graveyard.
HorReaper ManiAxe: 2 'HorReaper' monsters. Once per turn, you can banish 1 'HorReaper' monster from your Graveyard, all 'HorReaper' monsters you currently control gain 200 ATK. Also, they are unaffected by your opponents card effects until the End Phase.
Horrible Box: If you would take 3000 or less damage, reduce that damage to 0. If this card is destroyed, inflict the damage reduced by this cards effect to your opponent as effect damage. You can send this face up card to the Graveyard to target a 'HorReaper' monster you control, and increase its ATK by half the amount of damage reduced by this cards effect, until the End Phase.
Banish Shock: Tribute any number of monsters you control to target an equal number of monsters your opponent controls; banish them. If this card is banished, you can Special Summon 1 of your banished monsters; it is unaffected by card effects until the End Phase.
Shadow Clock: Tribute 1 'Timestream' monster to activate this card. Target 1 monster your opponent controls, Special Summon this card as a monster with the same Level, Type, Attribute, original ATK and original DEF of that monster. If that monster activates its effect, you can negate that effect, then destroy both that monster and this card. When this card is destroyed, destroy all monsters your opponent controls with ATK less then this cards, and inflcit 800 damage to your opponent for every monster destroyed by this effect.
A new chapter! Sorry this one is a bit shorter, but its building up to something big, I promise!
And wow, just a few more episodes and Arc-V will be over...it was rushed. It was obvious it was rushed. Hopefully I'll be able to give you guys a satisfying end to Arc-VOC.
QOTC: Who do you think Dr. Kirek's son is?
Go ooooon, give a little guess. It'll be pretty amusing for me.
As always though, thank you so much for reading and supporting! And I shall see you guys in the next chapter!
