Aurasoul hugging Ai tightly: Hello everyone and welcome to Vrains! I give a shout out to 0713MM for helping me type this story along with letting me use his OC Glacies and I don't own Vrains just my OCs.
Yukiko: So who is Takeru going to be set up with here?
Aurasoul: I am glad you asked Yukiko for it will be shown in this chapter! So please enjoy everyone!
Chapter 16
Miho was setting breakfast on the table a sigh as Rai was sipping his coffee and Touma reading over files.
"So the reason for the bounty is to capture Ai, isn't it?" Rai questioned.
"Yeah and since Shard helped Yusaku she has a bounty now along with Ice Queen." Miho frowned.
"Then there's that other Duelist, Soulburner he had an Ignis himself." Rai frowned.
"Which means he's a victim of the Lost Incident like Yusaku was and though I'm grateful he helped I'm still wondering about his motive." Miho frowned.
"Well there's a chance he's here in the City so we'll find out soon enough." Touma replied, not looking up.
"Yeah and Touma take a break you're gonna pass out at this rate." Miho deadpanned.
"I'm the caretaker here young lady." Touma scoffed. Miho rolled her eyes and Rai snickered before they heard someone coming down.
"Morning everyone!" They looked up to see Yukiko smiling happily wearing the girls uniform for Den City High School.
"Morning Yukiko. Excited for your first day of school?" Rai smiled.
"Yup! I'm glad Aoi and Glacies agreed to walk me there too." Yukiko smiled, eating breakfast.
"Tell me again why you didn't tell Yusaku you start today?" Miho asked.
"It's a surprise of course." Yukiko grinned.
"Of course it is." Miho chuckled.
"Well I'm going to see Kusanagi-san to hopefully help him find a lead on those two that stole his brother's conscious data." Rai replied, standing.
"Just when you think we're out of the woods." Miho sighed. Yukiko gave a small sigh before hearing the doorbell.
"I'll get it." She replied. She walked to the door opening it to see Aoi and Glacies. "Hey girls!"
"Hey Yukiko." Aoi smiled.
"Thanks again for walking with Yukiko to school you two." Miho smiled, walking over.
"It's no problem." Glacies remarked "Besides, your apartment is near ours anyways."
"Heh well thanks anyway." Miho smiled, handing Yukiko her bag and tablet. "Your lunch is already in your bag and remember you need to head to the office about logging you in the student records and your schedule."
"Yes mom." Yukiko smirked.
"Cheeky little fairy." Miho smirked, ruffling Yukiko's hair. "Now get going all of you."
"We're going." Yukiko laughed. "Let's go Aoi, Glacies."
"Right." Aoi nodded as both she and Glacies stepped aside to let Yukiko walk out of the house.
Miho watched them go with a small smile before she sighed rubbing the back of her neck.
"Well best I get ready for work can't keep her majesty waiting." She muttered.
"Ah! I can't believe I'm gonna be late! Why didn't you wake me Flame?!" A silver and red haired male teen was rushing down the street to Den City High School. The Fire Ignis rose out of the duel disk and sighed.
"I tried to wake you, but you muted me in your sleep." Flame told him.
"Next time try something else." The teen groaned as he ran.
"And you should watch where you run." Flame replied.
"Eh?" The teen questioned, before running into someone.
"Aaah!"
"You ok Glacies?!" The teen groaned after landing on the floor rubbing his head before looking up. "I'm sorry! Are you-!"
"I'm fine thanks." Glacies answered his unfinished asked question.
"Hey, isn't she-?" Flame began, but the boy cut him off.
"I'm really sorry about that." He apologized. "I should've watched where I was going."
"But are you ok? That was a pretty bad fall." Yukiko remarked.
"Yeah, I'll be fine." The boy remarked. "Oh, the name's Takeru. Takeru Homura."
"Yukiko Tokufuji." Yukiko smiled, before noticing his Duel Disk. Oh… So he's…
"I'm Aoi Zaizen The one you bumped into is my sister Glacies." Aoi replied. Takeru looked up at the snowy-whited haired, icy blue eyes.
"Oh." Takeru spoke almost softly. "Well like I said, sorry about that."
"It's alright." Glacies told him. "We're heading to school as well."
"I haven't seen you around before." Aoi remarked. "Are you a new student?"
"I am, yeah." Takeru replied as he stood back up.
"Oh me too looks like I'm not the only one." Yukiko grinned. "Come on you can walk with us inside."
"Alright." Takeru nodded. "That'd be great actually. I just moved here, so I don't know that much about Den City."
"Oh why not. I help you with that. I was born and raised here." Yukiko offered.
"Really?" Takeru asked, a small smile on his lips." You'd do that?"
"Sure it's no problem." Yukiko assured happily.
"I'm sure your brother and sister will be happy you made a new friend." Aoi added with a small smile.
"That's for sure." Yukiko smiled. "Come on, let's hurry before the bell rings."
Yusaku sat in his classroom as the rest of the students chatted he only sighed lightly.
"Aww is poor Yusaku wishing he can talk with his girlfriend?" Ai teased quietly.
"Quiet." Yusaku hissed lowly at Ai. "I don't need more attention than I already have. *sigh* I should have just left you home with Roboppy."
"Yet doesn't deny the girlfriend bit." Ai snickered to himself.
"Hey Fujiki." Shima spoke, walking to him. "I heard we're getting some new students to our class." Yusaku rolled his eyes, then glanced ever so slightly at Naoki.
"Yes I know." Yusaku remarked nonchalantly.
"I wonder what kind of person it's gonna be." Shima wondered curiously.
"Alright class take your seats!" Their teacher called, walking in the classroom. "Now before we start class 2 new student will be joining us. One of them is new to the City while the other is new to the system so I expect all of you to treat them kindly. Alright you two come in." The door slid open and Yusaku was surprised to see Yukiko walking inside with Takeru behind her. She caught his eye and smiled giving him a small wave. "This is Takeru Homura and Yukiko Tokufuji." The teacher introduced. "They'll be with us for this class."
"Hello everyone it's a pleasure to meet you." Yukiko smiled politely.
"Same here." Takeru nodded. Everyone in the class voiced their hellos the male students looking at Yukiko awed.
"Wow that girl sure is pretty." Shima remarked surprised. Ai would have said something in agreement to Shima's remark, but Yusaku muted him.
"Homura your seat is above and Tokufuji your seat is next to Fujiki." The teacher replied. Yukiko walked up before the teacher could finish walking to Yusaku with a smile.
"Hey Yusaku. Surprised you?" She asked with a smile, surprising their classmates.
"You could've told me you started class today." He replied, yet a smile on his face.
"And where would be the fun in that?" She giggled.
Soon the bell rang ending the class most students of the class began talking with Yukiko and Takeru with most of the boys speaking with Yukiko.
"Man Fujiki I can't believe you actually know a pretty girl like Tokufuji you're just full of surprises." Shima remarked to Yusaku, who was watching Yukiko.
"She's a childhood friend that's all." Yusaku replied.
"Hey Yusaku!" Yusaku looked up seeing Yukiko walk to him smiling having escape the other students.
"Since we have some time. Mind giving me a little tour?" She asked.
"Sure." Yusaku nodded, standing.
"Homura-kun you come too." Yukiko voiced up.
"Oh, ok." Takeru nodded as he began to follow them. The three walked out of the classroom and down a hall once they reached an empty classroom they walked in Yukiko closing the door.
"Best to do introductions." Yukiko smiled. "Yusaku this is Takeru Homura I met him with Aoi and Glacies in front of the school but we both know him as someone else."
"So he's Soulburner?" Ai questioned as he rose out Yusaku's duel disk.
"Yeah. Am I right, Homura-kun?" Yukiko asked Takeru. Takeru nodded.
"Right." He replied.
"I'm not surprised you figured it out Tokufuji-san or better yet Shard Dragon." Flame replied as he rose out of Takeru's duel disk.
"An Ignis!" Yusaku grew wide eyed.
"You!" Ai gaped.
"Hello again Flame." Yukiko smiled. "And please just Yukiko is fine."
"Eh?! Wait you're!?" Ai began, looking at Yukiko.
"What are you after?" Yusaku questioned to Takeru.
"Don't get the wrong idea. I'm your ally." Takeru assured.
"He did help us back at VRAINS, Yusaku plus I trust him and Flame." Yukiko replied.
"As its name says, it's the fire attribute, an AI based on me." Takeru said.
"So then you're also!" Yusaku began.
"I'm also a victim of the Lost Incident." Takeru confirmed. "Flame arrived to me after the Tower of Hanoi, and I learned what happened to him."
"Which is why you came here, right?" Yukiko asked.
"Yeah the Hanoi are gone but the Cyberse World was attacked. A new incident." Takeru said. "So we decided to confront my life together."
"So you know what happened to Cyberse World, Flame?!" Ai questioned.
"Yes but for right now this isn't the best place to talk." Flame replied.
"I agree, why don't we go to my place after school." Yukiko suggested. "I'm sure Miho and Rai will want to hear this too."
Miho stood in front of the door to an office in SOL Technologies taking a deep breath she knocked.
"Queen, it's me Miho Tokufuji you requested to see me." She spoke.
"Come in Miho." Miho heard Queen's voice from the other side of the door. Miho opened the door walking in the office to see SOL Technologies CEO Queen yet she knew her as an old family friend with her deceased parents. She gave a polite bow.
"Hello Queen. What can I do for you?" She asked formerly.
"Come now Miho there's no need with formality. Not between us." Queen smiled lightly.
"I suppose not but you are technically my higher up boss." Miho replied with a light smile.
"Yes, that is true." Queen admitted. "So how is Yukiko? You and Rai must be happy she's back."
"Oh yeah we are especially with her full recovery from the hospital and her going to school." Miho admitted with a nod.
"That's good to hear it's too bad you couldn't make Hanoi pay for taking her from you." Queen remarked. Miho felt her insides tense at the mention of the Hanoi before shrugging.
"Truthfully I don't mind we got back our little sister that's all that matters." She replied.
"True. So you two never learned of their leader's identity?" Queen asked. Miho looked at Queen surprised by the question before shaking her head.
"No we never did in the end." She replied.
"I see well at any rate I expect you pull your weight in helping to capture the Ignis." Queen spoke.
"Yes." Miho nodded, before looking unsure. "Um Queen may I ask you something?"
"Sure." Queen retorted as she shuffled some papers on her desk. "What is it?"
"What… What do you plan to do with the Ignis once we capture them?" Miho asked. Queen paused for several moments and let the now shuffled papers fall onto her desk. Her expression became stern.
"That is of no concern to you right now, Miho." Queen replied.
"Yes of course sorry for my rudeness ma'am." Miho apologized. "I'll be going then."
"Oh before you go, tell Akira to come to my office. I have to talk to him." Queen added.
"Of course ma'am." Miho nodded.
With that Miho walked and left the office walking far enough to allow herself to shudder a hand on the wall.
Every time I still get that bad feeling when I talk to Queen. She thought with a grimace. Makes my skin crawl…
"Miho?" Miho flinched before looking up and relaxed seeing it was Akira.
"Oh boss it's just you." She sighed.
"I was just about to get you from Queen's office." Akira told her.
"I just finished talking with her." Miho replied. "She wants to see you now."
"Oh great." Akira groaned. "It's probably about Glacies again interfering with SOL's job at capturing the Ignis." He grimaced at mentioning his younger sister. "I know she has a bounty on her head, but I want to see if Queen will remove it." He paused before adding. "You can head back to work now Miho. I'm gonna go talk to Queen."
"Will do." Miho sighed. "Good luck you'll need it."
Rai was cleaning his counter when he heard voices he looked up unsurprised to see Yukiko and Yusaku but curious by the third person with them as Yukiko opened the door. "I'm only saying Homura-kun you were really staring at Glacies with a flushed face." Yukiko replied with a giggle.
"I was not!" Takeru pouted.
"You actually were." Flame retorted as he rose out of the duel disk. "I recorded the whole interaction from start to finish."
"Oi!" Takeru sighed angrily.
"Send it to me! I wanna see this!" Ai replied, as they walked inside the shop.
"Sure." Flame told Ai. "And done. Have a look."
"Hey wait a second!" Takeru began.
"Well you all seem to be having fun." Rai remarked amused. They all looked up seeing Rai smirking amused at his counter.
"Hey Rai." Yukiko smiled, walking to her brother.
"Hello Yukiko, Yusaku and it's good to see you again Ai." Rai replied.
"Hiya Rai!" Ai said cheerfully.
"So who are our guests?" Rai asked, looking at Takeru and Flame.
"Rai this is Takeru Homura and the fire Ignis Flame, guys this is my older brother Rai Tokufuji." Yukiko introduced.
"Which means you're Soulburner." Rai smiled, putting his hand out to Takeru. "It's a pleasure to meet you both thank you for helping my little sister back in VRAINS."
"Uh, you're welcome." Takeru retorted as he shook Rai's hand.
"My brother here happens to be Spark Dragon and helped Yusaku in the battle with the Hanoi along with Blue Angel and Go Onizuka." Yukiko explained to Takeru, as Rai let go.
"I wouldn't say that it was truly Yusaku who beat the Hanoi more than Miho and I." Rai chuckled.
"Speaking of, where is Miho?" Ai asked, looking around.
"She's still at work, but she should be here-" Rai began. But the door was opened to show Miho walking in rubbing her arms. "Now."
"Miho you ok?" Yukiko asked worried, walking to her sister.
"Fine just a little tired." Miho spoke lightly, then noticed Takeru and Flame. "Soulburner?!"
"Eheh, yeah that's me." Takeru laughed lightly.
"This is Takeru Homura and the Fire Ignis Flame, Miho." Yukiko introduced. "Takeru my older sister and Rai's twin Miho she's Flare Dragon."
"Surprises today." Miho muttered, before putting her hand out to Takeru. "Pleasure to meet you both. Thanks for giving Yukiko a hand before."
"It's no problem." Takeru smiled, shaking her hand.
"Flame here knows what happened to the Cyberse World, so I invited them here." Yukiko said.
"Well why not you guys come up and I'll make us some tea." Miho smiled.
Miho poured the tea as they all sat in the main room of the apartment all of them finding seats before Miho sat down.
"Now Flame, you said that you and the other Ignis were discussing your future with humanity while you were hidden. Is that right?" Miho asked.
"Yes. Our technologies are more advanced than humans. And we were discussing if we would share it in order to form the bridge to our future with humans." Flame nodded. "But that was when the enemy had suddenly attacked us. They knew our weaknesses and destroyed Cyberse World almost instantly."
"When did this take place? Could it be the Hanoi?" Rai began.
"No. This enemy had attacked during your battle with the Hanoi." Flame told them. Yusaku noticed Miho let out a small sigh of relief while Ai spoke.
"What about the other 4?!" He questioned.
"I'm still looking for them." Flame told him.
"I see…" Ai replied sadly.
"So there are a total of 6 Ignis." Yusaku noted.
"Yeah. Like how there are 6 attributes to Duel Monsters there are 6 attributed Ignis." Ai explained.
"You're the Dark attribute. And Flame is the Fire attribute." Yukiko pointed out.
"What's Kusanagi-san's brother's attribute?" Yusaku questioned.
"Only the one partnered with him would know." Ai replied. "But we never needed that info. After all, I never thought I'd contact you."
"Same goes for me with Takeru." Flame nodded.
"And so now you'll be looking for your fellow Ignis, right?" Rai asked.
"Right." Flame remarked. "And I'm hoping all of you will help us."
"Though I understand how you feel. I have to search for Kusanagi-san's brother." Yusaku told him.
"But the thing is the incidents are connected." Yukiko spoke up.
"Yeah. According to Flame, the enemy used that Link Spell card just like Bohman and those AIs." Takeru replied.
"So the people who took Kusanagi-san's brother's conscious data and the ones who attacked Cyberse World are the same people?" Ai questioned.
"That seems to be the highest possibility." Miho replied, sipping her tea.
"Which means we have to go after the escaped duelist." Takeru said.
"But where did he even escape to?" Ai wondered.
"That's what we have to find out." Rai said, standing. "I'll contact Kusanagi-san and we'll start looking."
"I'll help too." Miho began, standing.
"No. It's likely you're being under supervision at work. Best not to get too into this." Rai frowned. "You talked with her after all." At once Miho stiffened at the mention and sighed.
"Yeah got it." She muttered.
"Her?" Ai wondered.
"My other boss." Miho shrugged with a frown. "For right now, we'll have Rai and Kusanagi-san find that duelist. So we'll have to wait till then."
"Guess so." Yukiko hummed, before standing. "Well then Homura-kun, how about I give you that tour I promised you."
"Oh! Right." Takeru retorted sheepishly.
"Tour?" Ai asked curiously.
"I promised Homura-kun that I'd give him a tour around the city since he's new here." Yukiko smiled. "Why don't you and Yusaku join us. If it's ok with you Yusaku."
"I'm fine with it." Yusaku nodded. "Gives me a reason in hopes to learn more about what's going on with the other Ignis. In addition to showing Takeru where Kusanagi-san's food truck is and can be at should he want to find me."
"Sounds like a plan." Yukiko smiled.
"Just don't be out too late." Miho told her.
"Yes 'mother'." Yukiko giggled.
"Get going!" Miho scolded, yet had a light smile on her lips. Yukiko giggled as she led Takeru and Yusaku out. Takeru smiling as he followed. Yusaku slowly followed, but then heard Miho and Rai talking.
"You were relieved it wasn't Ryoken and the others." Rai stated.
"Weren't you?" Miho asked lightly.
"I didn't say that." He replied. "...Have you heard from Ryoken?"
"...Few calls just to assure me that he's fine." She admitted.
"I see. Well be careful. Queen will probably have eyes and ears on you." Rai told her.
"I'm no novice." She snapped.
"Just warning you." He told her calmly. "Now about those flowers."
"Drop it!" She shrieked.
Yusaku frowned in wonder by their words for a moment.
"Hey Yusaku, Ai, you coming?!" Yukiko called from the bottom of the stairs.
"Huh? Oh! Sorry." Yusaku snapped out of his thoughts and followed Yukiko and Takeru down the stairs and out the door.
Yusaku stood with Yukiko as they introduced Takeru and Flame to Kusanagi-san. The two talked while Yusaku turned to look at Yukiko.
"Yukiko, can I ask you something?" He asked.
"Hmm? Sure." She nodded, curious.
"You all know Revolver before he formed the Knights of Hanoi, right?" He asked her. She blinked surprised by the question looking to the side before she nodded. "Our parents were friends with his own. That was how we met in the first place." She told him. "Though it's Miho who's closest to Ryoken."
"Really?" Ai asked, popping out of Yusaku's duel disk.
"Yeah. Hit it off and have been best friends since." Yukiko replied.
"That explains her reaction…" Ai muttered.
"Hmm?" Yukiko questioned.
"Nothing!" Ai quickly spoke. Yukiko raised an eyebrow before she shrugged when they heard Kusanagi.
"Yusaku, Yukiko, Ai, you three come over. I managed to find a lead." He called.
"Looks like he found something." Yukiko smiled. "Come on, let's go."
Aurasoul: And thats the end of this chapter!
Rai: You're just moving it along aren't you?
Aurasoul: Well Im pretty ahead on this one too. So until then everyone read and review!
