Cipher 055: Brother
"You better start talking. Or you will be in for a world of hurt!" Claud yelled at his prisoner. "Kid, if not even your pal Morbis could get it out of me, what makes you think you can? And 'world of hurt'? Come on, nobody talks like that anymore." Ion had become the latest prisoner of the enforcers station, which was now under the agents direct control. "We know you know who Dusk is, you might as well confess!" Claud had been 'interrogating' the rogue agent for some time now, to no avail. But the tv host was not exactly intimidating no matter how much he tried to be. "Well we have it narrowed down! Plus with the way the tower is built.." In fact Claud had given up more information then retrieved it. "Okay. That's it." Enough to make his partner enter the detention ward. "But Rita!" Claud whined as she started to pull him away. "You just can not shut up, can you? You need a time-out!" She then glared at Ion. "This is not over!" Rita slammed the door behind her and Claud. "Looking forward to it." Ion chuckled.
"I can do it Rita, I am sure I can!" Claud ranted as they walked the halls. "No, you can not. You do not have your Number anymore, Claud!" For the two hosts it used to be easy to get good or bad vibes from a person, not anymore. "Wait. What are you doing here?" It was in the halls they they spotted fellow agent Dantes. "Did Dusk get you too?"
"Not even." Dantes was still sore from his defeat at the hands of Ariel. "I did manage to obtain Number 07 though, so I did better than you two. It is just, that girl Ariel caught up to me, and she has a Number too now." Clauds eyes lit up. "You got beaten by her?" But Rita shoved him aside. "What do you mean? Caught Up? You used the tunnel system didnt you?" She thought it was impossible for an agent to be tracked through the museums tunnels. "Yes, and she found me anyway. I assumed her Number let her follow me.." Though knowing what Shark Drake's actual power was, that did not add up. "Wake up you fool. Don't you see what happened? That girl knows the lay-out of Etemenank! Ion sent the stolen data to them!" The pieces were falling in place. "Then the director must be informed. Which Agents are available?"
"Do you have to ask? Everyone but the invincible K and M of course." Rita replied derisively.
…..
Masked Raiders LP: 0 Ruby's LP: 0
"If you can not see how can't go on with zero lifepoints. I can not help you." Morbis told Ruby, who still insisted on another duel even after she had lost to him and Korose. "You will not try to arrest us?" The Raider was still on his guard, he had seen what happened to previus Number users. "Let's say our holding facility is 'occupied'." Was the agents answer. "We know you two have no more Numbers. Nor do I imagine you two possess worthwhile information. Your Number came to you on its own." He pointed at the girl. "Uh? Yeah? Isn't that how they all do it?" All Ruby recalled from that moment was the strange dream she had before she woke up with that card in her hands. "And there is no use in asking a pretender-hunter how he got his Numbers." Morbis could see through the Raiders body language, that he was confused. "You, Raider, started as a hunter, much like the other agents and Dusk. You were not blessed, you chose to take other blessings. A pity, you would have made a fine agent. Now you are Nobody." Agent M inserted every Number the masked one had ever hunted into the archive, along with Ruby's cards. "..!" The Raider recoiled, but did not respond. "Of course, you would never surpass me. I am the only Hunter who started with a Number."
"I know you love hearing yourself talk, but why are you telling us this?" Ruby twitched. If it hadn't been so annoying to listen to, she would just let him to keep babbling. "Because if either of you manages to find Dusk before I can, you can tell him about me. Only I can defeat him. Tell him I will be waiting for him at the floor only he can see." Morbis turned his back to the two he defeated. "Let us go, Korose. We are done here." And K followed. "I wish you luck in your further endeavors." Korose gave them a bit more humble farewell. "Gah!" Though they still left Ruby in a sour mood. "Who even has lifepoints left at this point?"
..
"Brother?" Subito and Shin were reunited once more. "Where were you?" Shin had not seen each other since two nights ago. "I needed time to think." Subito saw that his brother was not alone. "We meet again Artega." Dusk was there in the same room. "If you are here, that means you finally acquired a Number. What do you intend to do next?" Azar was not sure whether Subito wanted to challenge him or team up with him. It was always hard to tell with that blank face of his. "I did not come here for you." It turned out Subito had made a third choice. "Shin. I came to talk with you." Those words made Shin clam up. He had been questioned before by his bigger brother, but this time it pained him. "I know about the Numbers. I know what they are doing to you. You have too many of them now, including the ones you took from him." Subito referred to the man in black behind him.
"I was just holding them for Azar. And two of them are technically mine!"
Subito shook his head. "Azar should not have been given this responsibility either. I heard he was taken by the enforcers because of his contact with Dusk." At least it seemed Subito did not thinkt too much about Azars absence. "If you feel that way, I can take back the ones which are mine." Azar said, but his words set off something in Shin.
"What? Give them back? You think I cant handle it, don't you?" Dark thoughts started to bubble towards the surface. "You two can! Why shouldn't I?" Subito was unnerved by his brothers unusually violent tone, but not surprised. "Shin. I have seen the results of your duels down below. You may not realize this, but the Numbers have changed you." Shin would never have been so malicious in his duels, he knew his little brother too well. "No. I get it now. You are just jealous!" But Shin refused to listen. "I am finally fighting back, and you can not have it! You want to be the best, the big brother! Even though you never liked dueling like I did. I would never have quit, I would never give up on dueling just because it becomes more dangerous!" Shin pointed his finger towards Subito. "Darcy was right about you! You only duel out of a sense of obligation. Because you wanted to help father, then and now! We both know who the true champion in our family is!" Shin behaved in such a way that even Azar knew what to say.
But Subito did. "You leave me no choice." His answer was to activate his D-pad. "I knew you would say that." Shins pad accepted the challenge. At the same time the room they were in reacted to the duel start-up, and created a holographic background for them to duel in. It transported all three to the middle of the Great Chinese Wall. "Dusk, please do not intervene. This is between me and him." Subito's request was fine with Azar, and he took a few steps back. He assumed he would try to claim Shins Numbers. Azar would probably have done the same if he had seen the signs of Shins lack of control earlier. "You can try to take my Numbers, brother! But I have so much more than you!" Shin drew six cards in an instant. "The first turn is mine, for once!" Whenever the brothers dueled in the past, Subito had always managed to get the first draw. Shin felt that, thanks to Number 12's ability, that would never happen again. "No. I let you go first." Subito drew five cards. "Making excuses already, Subito?" Shin placed a monster card and a trap card down on his field. "I am disappointed in you."
Shins LP: 8000 Subito's LP: 8000
"I was as well, with myself. But I am not disappointed in you, Shin. You took on too much and I should have seen it sooner.." The turn passed to the older brother. "Stop talking! Start your turn!" Shin shouted. "Yes, I should." Subito summoned a knight(4/1700/0) in full white armor, donning a red cape. "Daybreaker attacks." The warrior stabbed the set card in front of it with its sword. And an Apprentice Magician(2/400/800) was destroyed. "Thanks brother! Apprentice Magician sets a level 2 spellcaster from my deck on my field!" Shin placed a monster down to replace the apprentice mage. "..." And Subito ended his turn after he had placed a card down behind Cerberus.
"That is what I like to see, silent turns." Shin flip summoned the set card, Flelf(800/1300). "Now I will show you just how strong I am." With the elf's effect, who revealed a level 3 Gagaga Girl in Shins hand, his(5/800/1300) level increased by 3 stars. "Star Drawing!" Then the stellar artist mage(4/1600/1000) was summoned. "His Number?" And Azar knew why he chose those two monsters. Usually Shin never summoned his xyz monsters this quickly. Yet here he went. "I overlay these two to make my newest number; Volcasaur!" Because Star Drawing(5/1600/1000) could alter its level when it was used as an xyz material, Number 61: Volcasaur (5/2500/1000) could be xyz-summoned. It appeared with the force of an eruption. And Star Drawing had another effect. "I draw a card because Star Drawing was used as an xyz material!" As Shin drew, the number 61 appeared on Shins body. "When we were younger and you and me used to duel, you always told me; the obvious trap is never the real trap. And yet you fell right into mine." Shin had anticipated that Subito would simply kill his set monster, he wanted it that way. "You are slipping, brother." He detached a material from his Number. "And I am not going to risk finding out whether your trap is on the field or in your hand, I destroy your Daybreaker!" The volcanic dinosaur heated up one of its shoulder spikes and fired it off towards Daybreaker. "Ugh." It was instantly destroyed by Volcasaurs effect, and Subito took damage equal to Daybreakers attackpoints. "I have the lead. You will never catch up to me again!"
Subito's LP: 6300
Volcasaur could not attack directly during the turn it used its effect, so Shin wrapped up his turn. "So it has come to this. Earlier today I was not sure if I would find one with the right card. But.." A Photon Sabre Tiger(3/1200/400) was normal summoned, so Subito could add a second Tiger to his hand. "I did. I activate Monster Reborn, to special summon Daybreaker." His slain knight was brought back from the dead. "And when Daybreaker is special summoned, I may summon another from my hand." A second Daybreaking warrior(4/1700/0) appeared. "They shall be the materials for a rank 4 xyz monster: Number 85: Crazy Box!" The knights of daylight raised their words and joined as one into a vortex as black as the night. What first emerged was as a black puzzle cube(4/3000/300). Sections on all six sides slid open to reveal a hideous creature trapped inside. It had a high attackpower, this would be a problem.. "It can not attack. However, offense is not everything." A material was detached, and the box started rolling across the Chinese wall.
"Crazy Box has 6 effects. Which one it uses, depends on the result of the die." It stopped on what appeared to be its fifth side. "5: It negates the effects of a monster on the field!" Black matter oozed from the box, which washed over itself "You chose your own card?" Shin flinched. "So he can attack with it." Azar quickly figured out the strategy. "Crazy Box attacks and destroys Volcasaur!" An eye within the cube fired a beam of green energy that disintegrated the dinosaur instantly. "And Photon Sabre Tiger attacks directly!" Shin was left defenseless. "Do you think it will be that easy?" But not helpless. "Because you declared a direct attack, I can special summon Gagaga Gardna from my hand in defense position!" A shield-carrying warrior(1500/2000) appeared. "This duel has only just started! Or do you have more for your turn?" Subito could not continue his attack. "...No." And so he phased through the rest of his turn, letting Shin take over. Crazy Box's effect was no longer negated now.
Shins LP: 7500
"I thought so. I summon Gagaga Girl! Shin summoned another Gagaga member(4/1500/1000). He also placed a second trap down and that was it. "He talks big, but he is on the defensive now." Azar observed. Shin did not even try to attack with Gagaga Gardna. Many times, Azar had seen or heard about how Azar lost to his brother at something. Yet this time it could go either way. Subito made Number 85 roll around again, and this time it landed on a two. That result allowed him to draw a card from his deck. Then he sent the Sabre Tiger to attacks Gagaga Girl. "I see you no longer hesitate in the face of traps. That is good Subito." Shin flipped a trap card: Gagagaguard. "But not all traps are bluffs! Gagagaguard makes my Gagaga Monsters indestructible if I control 2 or more of them!" Gardna and the Girl combined shield and magic to create one massive barrier that the tigers teeth could not shatter. Though Shin still took battle damage. "Admit it. You are getting weaker, while I am getting stronger. Your Number should be with me!"
Shins LP: 7300
"I.. summon Photon Lizard, and use its effect." All Subito could do now was use the effect of the little lizard(3/900/1200), tributing it to add a Photon Thrasher from his deck to his hand.
"My turn? Good." Shin started off by switching Gagaga Gardna to attack position. And then he summoned the Gagaga Magician(4/1500/1000). "This Number will be more familiar to you!" Gagaga Magician(5/1500/2000) used his power to raise its level to the fifth stage. Gagaga Girl(5/1000/700) then followed with her effect, the apprentice duplicated the level of her master. "I Xyz-summon Number 12: Crimson Shadow!" The Gagaga duo were drawn into the spatial portal, which turned red like blood. A crimson armored ninja leaped out unto the field. "Because I used Gagaga Girl as an xyz material, your monsters attack is reduced to zero!" Crazy Box(0/300) lost all of its attackpoints. . "I attack.. No, I destroy Number 85!" And with his blazing sword the shadowy ninja had sliced the black cube into pieces, all in the blink of an eye. "What do you think Subito, do you still think I can not control the Numbers!?" Shin screamed. "Do you?!" To complete his battle phase, Shin sent Gagaga Gardna(4/1500/2000) to smash down his brothers Photon Tiger
Subito's LP: 3600
"But you are wrong, Shin. You are being controlled!" Subito yelled, pointing at the marks of on Shins hand and shoulder. "Twelve and Sixty-One, their marks show that they are affecting you!" The mark had not shown when Subito had summoned Number 85, yet both of Shins Numbers were still influencing Shin. "No, they don't. It means that you can not use their full potential I bet you can not even use whatever powers that Crazy Box had!" Shin laughed as the turn passed to his brother. "That is just how they want you to see it." Subito started his turn. "There is only one way to free you of this. I control no monsters, so I may special summon Photon Thrasher. And after that I will normal summon Photon Crusher." A one-eyed swordsman(4/2100/0) along with the one-eyed pulverizer(4/2000/0) appeared on the virtual great walls at the same time. They both more than 2000 attackpoints. "I tribute Crusher and Thrasher, to special summon Galaxy-Eyes Photon Dragon!" The two Photons blasted upwards and tore through the skies. The galaxy beyond was revealed, and from that space the great galactic dragon(8/3000/2500) descended.
...
Meanwhile, a few floors above, two duelists were taking the quickest way to the top. "You know Ariel, you should really let your hair loose, you would look prettier that way." Trey's conversations with Ariel had been very 'enlightening'. "Trey, please. I need to think." It was a very one-sided conversation so far. "And concentrate.." Between the traps thrown around the tower, and her new Number cards, Ariel did not have much time to consider his words. Instead she wanted to call her friends for more advice. "..what?" Except the phone was dead. The network was down. "No. It worked before. Unless.. they are on to us?"
(To be Continued in Cipher 056: Enough of a Good Thing)
New Cards used by Shin Artega
Gagaga Gardna
Number 61: Volcasaur
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Gagagaguard
New Cards used by Subito Artega
Daybreaker
Number 85: Crazy Box
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Monster Reborn
