Normally Yusei would be scared in this situation, but he was really looking at a future version of Lise. She was much older, judging by the cane she held and the wrinkles, but doing well. She looked about 60 if Yusei had to guess.
The others gathered around the table were muttering and whispering to each other. They didn't seem to be convinced Yusei wasn't Z-One. Whoever that was.
"Should we just lock him up?" The red-haired man suggested.
"Sounds pretty cowardly, Brave," Alexis crossed her arms.
"Better safe than sorry."
"I say we kill him," Hassleberry raised his hand.
Red scarf boy rolled his eyes. "Of course, you would."
Hassleberry grabbed the boy by his shirt. "You got a problem with me, Reiji?!"
"No," Reiji remained cool and calm.
"Boys, please," the larger woman with her hair in a brown braid spread her hands placatingly. "Let's not fight. We're supposed to be on the same side."
Hassleberry dropped Reiji, looking sheepish. "Sorry, miss Dorothy."
"How is it looking out there, Syrus?" the man dressed in a long cloak in the wheelchair asked.
"Not much change, Chancellor Shephard. The streets are still difficult to navigate if you're one of the yellow bots, but the white and blue ones can fly so… It's only a matter of time before they're airborne too."
"Right, did ya all forget the Z-One doppelganger here, or just me?" Croc man growled in his Australian accent.
"Wouldn't he have killed us all by now if he were Z-One?" The green-haired woman pointed out quietly.
Yusei knew her voice sounded familiar. "Luna? Is that you?"
Luna frowned at him, not knowing what to make of him. The teacher, Yusei remembered now, Ms. Bartlett gently rested a hand on Luna's back.
"Then…" Yusei looked closer at the red-headed woman and dark-haired woman. Without the scar…and the other woman had strange glasses… "Akiza! And Carly!" They stiffened under his gaze, and Yusei bit his lip. He'd been a little too friendly. These were versions of these women he most likely hadn't met.
"Well, that's just great. He knows our names and faces," the brunette man threw his hands up. "Might as well show him the entire base now!"
"Please, Dragan, not all is lost," the man with silver hair, dressed in white, reassured his teammate.
"Thank you, Halldor. Shall we give it a test?" Older Lise straightened up, grabbing her cane and hobbling around the table.
"But General, Syrus's team has already put us in jeopardy!" Croc man insisted, walking alongside her. "Maybe he's just waiting until we show him the rest of the base to kill us all?"
"I've considered that, Jim," older Lise said firmly. "But I think there are a few ways we can determine whether this is Z-One or the real deal, right, Rally?"
Rally popped up as Jim fell back, albeit grudgingly. "I think it's actually him."
"That remains to be seen," Akiza crossed her arms.
Yusei's eyes darted back and forth. He wasn't sure what to do. Am I supposed to act normal? What is normal anymore? I forget…
"So, how old are you?"
"Twenty," Yusei said. He frowned. How is my age supposed to help? I mean it was pretty recent… Oh! He smiled. "It's been a couple months since, but Lise…er, you… uh…"
Older Lise smiled and nodded for him to go on.
"My birthday gift wasn't really a gift, but an experience. Because the WRGP was starting up in September, MechCon, in New Domino's convention center, was going to be bigger than ever. It happened to be on my birthday weekend this year, so Lise bought weekend tickets for us. It was the best! She basically followed me around while I…" Yusei tapped his index fingers together. "I just looked at tools, duel runner parts, and duel runners the whole time. I even got to help build some and look at new engine prototypes! It um…it was a really great birthday…"
"That's Yusei," Lise laughed. "That's how I remember it too."
"No way!"
"From the past?"
"How is that…"
"Paradox," Reiji adjusted his glasses knowledgeably. "He tampered with everyone's past and future. That's how we're all muddled together on this incorrect timeline."
Yusei frowned at the table of flabbergasted adults talking animatedly. What did his arrival mean?
"You look confused," Rally commented. His shoulders had dropped and he leaned more casually on the table. He must have been more worried then he let on.
"It's been a long day."
Lise banged her cane noisily on the table. The others fell silent. "For now, let's call this meeting over. We have a lot to discuss and it's better to do so after we've been refreshed."
"I'm okay with that," Ms. Bartlett raised her hand in agreement.
"Same," Carly said.
"Then until tomorrow."
"Come on," Rally tugged on Yusei's coat. "You can stay with me tonight."
Once again, Yusei allowed himself to be led away. Everything was so disorienting. So many new names and faces, old ones too. Faces that were so familiar and so different too.
Rally opened a door in a hallway lined with identical doors. How Rally could tell them apart, Yusei didn't know, and he didn't care. He was suddenly exhausted. He didn't even care that the room Rally ushered him in was mostly bunk beds.
"I sleep here with Tank, Blitz, and Nervin. They won't bother you if I tell them not to. You can take the bed above mine."
"Thanks."
"I'll be right back with some food." Rally shut the door and was gone.
To think, all Yusei had wanted was to find someone to point him in the right direction. He never dreamed he'd meet the future versions of Lise, Akiza, Carly, Luna and Rally. Would he meet Jack and Crow too? Were they old or young? Did he want to know?
Rally came back shortly with water bottles and convenience store buns. Two apiece. One mango and one strawberry.
"It's not much, but it's something."
"It's enough to fall asleep on. Thanks, Rally."
Rally broke into a wide grin. "It's good to have you back. Maybe we'll stand a chance against those Mechlords now."
"Yeah…" Yusei lowered his gaze. Mechlords, the monsters the three Emperors use. That doesn't sound good. Am I supposed to help stop them? But then what do I do to get back to the right timeline?
Rally caught Yusei's yawn despite the attempt at hiding it. "Sleep. We'll still be here in the morning."
Yusei wanted to protest, but he was so tired. So overwhelmed. He took his boots and coat off and climbed into bed. He was asleep when his head hit the pillow.
/
"It's my turn," Paradox smirked acidly. His field was wiped clean, but there was more where that came from. "I add a Malefic monster from my deck to my hand instead of drawing." He pulled the card dramatically, his smirk turning into a demonic grin. "Excellent! Now I have all the cards in my hand I need for victory! Your hopeful streak is about to end!
"I send Stardust Dragon from my extra deck to the graveyard… to call upon Malefic Stardust Dragon!"
A black and white mask enclosed around Stardust's muzzle. Black armor plating with white designs slapped onto his chest. Black and white knee guards appeared on Stardust's legs. Its beautiful wings were tainted with the Malefic power.
"Stardust…" Lise choked on the word. Her hands shook and she curled them into fists. Yusei and now you Stardust… She had to rub away a fresh tear. "Can't you see you're hurting him?!"
Paradox rolled his eyes. "Allow me to unleash Stardust Dragon's power to its fullest! I summon Malefic Parallel Gear!"
(Malefic Stardust Dragon: Atk: 2500 Def: 2000)
(Malefic Parallel Gear: Atk: 0 Def: 0)
"Next, I tune Malefic Parallel Gear to Malefic Stardust Dragon!"
"What?!"
"You're not the only one capable of synchro summoning, Elizabeth," Paradox spat, using Lise's real name just to add insult to injury. "I synchro summon… Malefic Paradox Dragon!"
(Malefic Paradox Dragon: Atk: 4000 Def: 4000)
Not only was the new dragon enormous, but it looked just as sharp and deadly as Paradox himself. The dragon's body sprouted spikes on its back, head, knees, feet and tail.
"It's huge!" Jaden gasped, craning his neck back to get the full effect.
"Malefic Paradox Dragon's effect activates! When he's successfully synchro summoned, it will resurrect a synchro monster in the graveyard regardless of summoning conditions. I bring back Stardust Dragon!"
"This dude wants a fucking punch in the face," Lise muttered. It didn't fix her situation, but she felt better imagining doing so.
Paradox ignored her. "Malefic Paradox Dragon reduces the attack power of all your monsters by the attack power of the resurrected monster. Power down, Neos Knight!"
(Neos Knight: Atk: 3200 - 700)
"Oh no, Neos Knight!" Jaden cried.
"Farewell, historic duelists!" Paradox waved mockingly down at his enemies. "Malefic Paradox Dragon destroy Neos Knight!"
Both Yami and Lise gasped. The giant beam of nightmares and death coming from Paradox Dragon's mouth was not comforting to say the least.
"Heads up, Jaden," Yubel said.
"Yeah, I know," Jaden was still smiling. A good sign. "Trap activate: Hero Barrier! When an Elemental Hero is on the field, it'll negate one of my opponent's monster's attacks!"
"Great!" Yami cheered.
Lise sighed. "Close one…"
"Damn your tricks! I play my own trap Malefic Claw Stream! When a monster with Malefic in its name is on the field, this card can destroy an opponent's monster!"
Neos Knight went up in a spray of yellow chips, but Jaden was far from out. "But my next trap activates; Elemental Mirage! When an Elemental Hero on the field is destroyed by an effect, I can revive the destroyed monster! Welcome back, Neos Knight!"
Yami gave Jaden a thumbs up. "Nice going, Jaden!"
Jaden saluted and winked at his idol. "I wouldn't dream of leaving the field wide open when passing things off to you, Yugi!"
"Right, Jaden, I'll carry on your heart and passion!"
Paradox sighed. These heroes are getting so tiresome. When will they learn they can only hang by a thread for so long? "No matter how many times you revive your monsters, it's futile. As long as Stardust Dragon is on my field, Malefic Paradox Dragon's effect will reduce the attack power of your monsters by Stardust Dragon's attack power."
(Neos Knight: Atk: 2500 0)
"Oh Stardust…" Lise whispered. I can't bring Yusei back, but maybe I can do something for Stardust… He wouldn't want to be used against his friends like this…
"Lise."
"Huh?"
Yami's expression was fierce. He was excited to be dueling with her and Jaden, but there was a lot at stake too. "I'll get back Stardust Dragon at all costs!"
"You will?"
"I place two cards face down and end my turn."
"Here I go, Paradox! It's my turn!" It was time for the King of Games to show his stuff.
"Yugi, my cards are your cards," Lise said. Just like she'd merged her cards with Yusei and Jaden, they'd have to combine efforts even more if they wanted to win.
Yami smiled at her. "Right, I add one monster card from my deck to my hand thanks to Lise's Reincarnation of Hope effect. And the monster I'm choosing is… Dark Magician!"
"Classic, yet predictable."
"Next, I activate the spell Ancient Rules! It allows me to special summon a level or higher monster from my hand! Show yourself, Dark Magician!"
(Dark Magician: Atk: 2500 Def: 2100)
Yugi's ace monster stood valiantly by his side. Both Lise and Jaden had seen photos of him, but pictures didn't do him justice. Dark Magician's purple armor covered him head to toe, extending from his head and knees in artful curls and arcs. A dark purple cloak draped over him, concealing the spellcaster's purple hair. He carried a turquoise scepter in which a dark-yellow blue gem was inset.
"This is simultaneously one of the best and worst days of my life," Lise breathed.
"I know!" Jaden gushed. "Too cool!"
"However, he too is subject to Malefic Paradox Dragon's effect," Paradox reminded them.
(Dark Magician: Atk: 2500 0)
Banner frowned as he picked apart the field. "So long as Stardust Dragon is out, they don't have a chance."
Lise seemed to be realizing the same thing. "Yugi, if Stardust needs to be destroyed, then destroy him."
"But Lise…" Yami and Yugi had only known her for a short time, but they knew how much the dragon and Yusei meant to her.
"Stardust wouldn't want to be used to hurt us."
"Bring it on, already," Paradox growled. "I have a Director to destroy."
Yami understood. Ready, Yugi?
Yeah, let's hope this plan works!
It will, my friend.
"I activate the spell Bond Between Teacher and Student! When Dark Magician is on the field, it allows me to special summon his disciple Dark Magician Girl in defense mode!"
(Dark Magician Girl: Atk: 2000 Def: 1700)
Dark Magician Girl flew onto the field riding her staff like a broom. She had a blue and pink outfit that matched Dark Magician's style. Hers was slightly more feminized, revealing she sported blond hair, not purple like her mentor.
"Oh wow, we've got a tough-looking foe on our hands," she said.
Dark Magician's firm expression was not unkind as he addressed his pupil. "Do not falter. With us joining forces with our master, victory is assured."
Dark Magician Girl was assured too. "Right!"
"Next, I activate Magic Gate of Miracles! With two or more spellcasters on my field, I can switch an opponent's monster to defense mode and bring it to our side!"
Two giant, green magic doors appeared, bisecting the field. Comical, gloved hands emerged from the gate on Paradox's field. They reached for Paradox Dragon.
"I activate the trap Malefic Force! The monster equipped with this card cannot be affected by an opponent's spells! Meaning, you can't steal my Paradox Dragon!"
Yami was less than deterred. "Then that means…"
The door slid down Paradox's field. It stopped in front of Stardust Dragon, and pulled the beast inside.
"What?!"
Lise gasped as Stardust Dragon emerged from their green door! The card on Paradox's duel disk burst into pieces too!
"I got your friend back," Yami smiled at Lise.
She almost burst into tears again, hugging the familiar card to her chest. "Thank you!"
Jaden couldn't stand it anymore. The move was too brilliant. "You planned on stealing Stardust back from the start, didn't you?!"
Yami nodded. "Mm-Hmm, which means Malefic Paradox Dragon's effect is gone and our monsters' attack returns to normal!"
Stardust Dragon, Neos Knight, and Dark Magician's attack points soared back up to twenty-five hundred. Dark Magician Girl's attack went back to two thousand.
"Not bad, Yugi," Paradox admitted.
Stardust Dragon made a sound in its throat, like sighing or purring. He nuzzled up against Lise's cheek. She laughed, patting Stardust's nose. "Stardust, that tickles!" Glad to have you back. I just wish I could bring Yusei back too…
"Don't celebrate just yet. Even if you regain your attack power, Paradox Dragon's attack is four thousand, far exceeding any of your monsters."
Yami had a smirk of his own. "I wonder about that… I activate Dark Magic Twin Burst! It increases the attack of Dark Magician by the attack of Dark Magician Girl this turn!"
"What?!"
"Their total attack power is forty-five hundred! That's more than your Paradox Dragon. Go! Dark Magician and Dark Magician Girl, attack!"
"Here goes!"
"Yeah!"
Dark Magician and Dark Magician Girl crossed staffs. A black and gold mass of power bubbled up between them.
"Dark Magic Twin Burst!" At the Magicians' command, the power shot out in a beam that tore through Paradox Dragon like a knife through butter.
Paradox: 3500
Yami, Jaden and Lise: 2600
"Amazing!" Jaden shouted, punching the air.
"Yeah, get some!" Lise clenched her fists.
Banner was getting pumped too. "They might actually pull this off!"
When the dust cleared, Paradox was less than enthused. "The true battle begins now!"
"Time to give up, Paradox. You're out of monsters."
"No, not yet. That last attack was an huge mistake on your part, Pharaoh!" Paradox started glowing with a dark purple miasma.
Jaden's brown eyes widened. "What the?"
"This can't be good…"
"I play Malefic Paradigm Shift! When Malefic Paradox Dragon is destroyed, by sacrificing half my Lifepoints, I can special summon Malefic Truth Dragon!"
Paradox: 1750
Yami, Jaden, and Lise: 2600
Purple electricity burst out of Paradox. The miasma expanded into an orb that engulfed Paradox inside. Below the orb a new portal type opened up. A dragon, larger than any played before, bigger than the skyscrapers around it, emerged from its depths. Paradox plunged waist deep into the dragon's head, the long tails of his hair connecting to the dragon's horns.
(Malefic Truth Dragon: Atk: 5000 Def: 5000)
"Did he just change himself into a monster?" Jaden gasped.
"Okay, I'll say it," Lise gulped. "That's disgusting."
Yami nodded. "And with a lot of attack points to boot."
"Time to eliminate you three!"
"I place two cards facedown and end my turn," Yami said.
/
Yusei woke to an empty room. He wasn't sure what else to do, so he pulled his boots on and went looking for breakfast.
He found Lise outside in the morning light. "Good morning. Lost, are we?"
"Yeah…" Yusei admitted, scratching the back of his head. He rocked back and forth on his feet. What do you say to your girlfriend who's suddenly fifty years older than you? Give or take…
"This is so strange," Lise chuckled, pushing her hair back from her face. "You're twenty and I'm almost seventy, and we both ended up dealing with life in the wrong timeline."
Yusei sighed, letting some of the tension go. "Yeah… I mean…what the hell happened?"
"Ah…" Lise ground her cane into the dirt to tie her hair back. She sighed, and pushed a little hairpin in to secure the hair knot. "We lost the duel against Paradox."
"No…"
"Yes. The spirit of the Pharaoh and the Crimson Dragon sacrificed themselves for Yugi, Jaden, and me. Jaden and I had to learn to live in a time that wasn't our own… And then when we finally made it to when you and I vanished into the past, the team wasn't complete. The Emperors succeeded in decimating the city and its future."
"But we're all still here," Yusei pointed out weakly. He felt like he'd been sucker punched. He never dreamed the trio he'd left behind could lose.
"Sure, we're still fighting, but…this is the future Paradox was talking about… It's only a matter of time until the Mechlord Emperors destroy us all."
"So-So it's hopeless? We're just…prolonging our deaths?" This is worse than I thought. What are we supposed to do? How are we supposed to fight something that can defeat the best we have?!
"No, there is one thing that gives me hope," Lise turned to him. "You."
Yusei's eyes widened. "Me? How? I'm just one more person. I don't really know how much help I'll be."
"It's not about you help per ce. It's the fact that you're here," Lise had a sneaky smile on her face. The same smile Lise wore when they were about to do something they shouldn't at the reeducation center. "If my hunch is right, and I've sent a couple people out to make sure, your presence means Paradox has found a way to time travel by now."
"You mean-"
"We can end this incorrect timeline by using his technology to send you back to that duel."
"All right," Yusei grinned. "When do we go?"
Lise's smile dropped, and she rolled her eyes. "Never if our council keeps arguing about 'delusions in my old age.'"
"They don't…"
"They're not sure if they believe my theory. Few people believe time travel is possible, despite the proof right in front of them…" She sighed. "I understand their fear though. If we send you back, change things, then this timeline will never exist."
Yusei hesitated. He'd barely been in this future for more than a day. It was already challenging. He couldn't imagine living through it for days. Years? Forget it. "Why would they want to hang on to this life?"
"Because sometimes the devil you do know is easier than the one you don't."
"Still, it's a chance. A chance that the me of the new timeline lives a better life."
Lise's eyes twinkled in the morning light. "Exactly."
Yusei's heart ached. It wasn't a bad thing that Lise had grown old. That was life, and he was glad to see she took to it as best she could. He just wished he could have been there, grown old with her. If he was stuck here, he'd have to fight on without her eventually. Sooner than later.
"Come with me. I have something to show you," Lise hobbled back underground.
Yusei rubbed away a tear and followed her to a door barred by a scanner. Lise used her fingers to hold her eye open for scanning, and the door whooshed open.
"The paint is fading a little, but I insisted no one make any modifications."
The lights flickered on, and the door closed behind them. A sheet was covering something big, arc shaped.
Lise pulled on the sheet. "And I did my best to maintain the gear, but now that you're here, I figure you'll want to upgrade it to your liking."
Underneath the sheet was Yusei Go. The red did look a little faded underneath the artificial lights. But it was clean, well maintained, and ready for its rider.
"You…You saved…" Yusei was too busy crying for words. It had been nearly fifty years, but through everything she had saved his duel runner. "Thank you," he choked out.
"General Lise." There was a knock at the door.
"I'll take care of this," Lise left Yusei with his bike.
He started going through, making sure everything was in proper order.
"You were right," Akiza said once the door closed behind her. Her grin was offset by the white scar dividing up her face, like an irregular starburst. "Paradox has done it."
Lise was slow to react. She didn't want to jinx anything. "You're sure? Paradox has the time travel technology?"
"Yes. He's working on combining it with a duel runner as we speak. It won't be long before the window of opportunity closes."
"Right. We'll have to launch an attack soon."
"I'll alert the others," Akiza nodded enthusiastically and left.
"Sounds like I need to make upgrades sooner rather than later," Yusei commented.
"How soon?"
"If I have schematics of what to expect from the Mechlord Emperors? About a day."
"Done. Assuming the council agrees, we'll most likely strike tomorrow morning."
"As you wish," Yusei smiled at her, saluting. "General."
/
"Okay teams! To your battle stations! You have your assignments! Let's go, go, go!"
Yusei climbed aboard Yusei Go. Hassleberry, Aster, Syrus, Alexis, Reiji, Halldor, Dragan, and Brave were leading decoy teams to various attack points across the city. While they were drawing the majority of the Mechlords, Lise, Rally, Akiza, Carly, and Yusei would launch into the stronghold Paradox's time travel tech was hidden, according to Akiza and Carly's reports. Dorothy, Shephard, Luna, and Ms. Bartlett were coordinating everyone's attacks from a nearby tech base, removed from the main base to protect Martha and her children.
Yusei and his team waited for the all clear. He and Rally had worked nonstop, managing to get Yusei Go up and running, and catch a couple hours of sleep. The others had come around, even Hassleberry, to putting all their hopes into this plan. It was up to them to make sure they didn't fail.
"General," Luna's voice crackled over their coms. "You're ready for launch."
"Copy that," Lise stretched to her full height. She pressed a button on her cane, it extended into a bow staff, and she slipped it on her back. "Launch positions."
Everyone crowded around, hanging onto Yusei's duel runner. Lise stood out in front, her body slowly glowing orange, crackling with electric orange energy. Her chi. Yusei eyes widened as he realized; Lise had become a Chi Master.
"Ready, General!" Rally called up.
The ground split beneath them, revealing a technological slingshot contraption. The rebels' tech team had spent all night getting it finished. They had been getting it ready for use anyway, but now they had something better than bullets to shoot.
Luna's screens showed her the cannon's head rearing back, ready to shoot Lise, then Yusei Go. "Noise level, sound. Feedback at two hundred percent. Target locked. Ready? Aim… FIRE!"
Lise lead the way as the five of them skyrocketed into the air. Her chi exited and reentered her body in a continuous feedback loop, infinitely strengthening her so long as she kept up the cycle. The excessive power extended itself into Lise's hair, making it grow longer as they flew in. She had two almost wing-like emblems hovering nearby her feet, helping her stay airborne now that the Crimson Dragon's power could no longer do so.
At the peak of their arc in the air, Rally hit a button on Yusei Go. Wings deployed from the sides. They weren't enough to 'fly,' but they allowed the four of them to glide across the sky.
"We have incoming!" Luna warned. A wave of Mechlords, all three different types, were about to collider with the small team.
"I see them," Lise grunted. "Apparently our distractions weren't enough for us to slip in undetected."
Akiza grinned. "No problem. This is much more fun."
"Don't stop," Carly urged Yusei and Rally. "We've got your backs."
"Destroy as many as you can, and don't die," Lise called to her friends.
"Wouldn't dream of it, General," Akiza winked.
She and Carly leapt off as the wave of Mechlords was upon them. The girls whirled like dangerous tops, smashing anything that touched them. Carly had an array of throwing knives hidden all over her person. Each one hit its precise mark, disabling Mechlords. Akiza and Black Rose Dragon swooped over the Mechlords, blasting and ripping them to shreds. They had to keep the Mechlords from disturbing Yusei Go's flight pattern.
Lise ducked into a roll, shooting her chi out like a twister that swept up and dispersed many Mechlords. She took a deep breath, pulled out her staff, and spun it in midair. "Rotation!" she cried, circling her hands like the arms on a clock. A beam of orange chi shot out of the indicated circle the staff's spinning had created. The beam acted like a laser, disintegrating any Mechlord unfortunate enough to be in its path. Yusei Go followed close behind Lise as she guided the laser forward.
Carly rolled her eyes. "Destroy as many as you can, she says."
"Right?" Akiza shook her head. "While she destroys half a battalion."
"Let's step it up then!" Carly grinned as she took out twenty Mechlords with one well-placed throwing knife. "Can't let the General have all the fun!"
Lise let up the laser as they drew close to Paradox's facility. It was the top of the tallest building in New Domino. One of the only few skyscrapers still intact.
"Still with me?" Lise yelled back.
"A little bit of turbulence but otherwise okay!" Yusei reported. If they weren't in the most dangerous fight of his entire life, he would have thought everyone's abilities and techniques were awesome.
"Brace for impact!"
"Landing positions!" Rally's grip around Yusei's middle tightened.
Lise inhaled and exhaled slowly. More chi rose to her command. The orange chi arcing across Lise's body expanded over her arms. Orange dragon heads formed around both Lise's fists, like her Roar of the Dragon technique, but double the power! "Twin Dragons Roar!" Lise cried, pulling her hands back and thrusting them out together. The two orange dragons tore through the skyscraper's glass and concrete wall like it was made of paper in a raging, whirling cyclone.
Yusei Go touched down inside a few seconds after Lise landed. Rally and Yusei took stock of Yusei Go. So far so good.
Lise cracked her back and stretched. "Motherfucker, I'm way too old for this shit."
Rally dismounted, kicking his shoes out. Rollerblades popped out of his shoes. Lise did the same. Both of them grabbed onto Yusei Go, and Yusei gunned the engine down the hallway.
"At the end of the hallway, there should be an elevator," Lise said. "Akiza got the codes for the top floor. All things considered, we crashed in fairly close to target."
"That's good!" Rally grinned.
"Well yeah, but this feels too easy," Yusei frowned. "Shouldn't we have met more Mechlords?"
"We'll worry about that if and when it comes about," Lise pulled out the key card, and typed in the code for the elevator while Yusei and Rally turned Yusei Go around.
None of them dared to speak on the way up. They also didn't make a peep as the doors ominously clicked open.
The top floor was a dark, dimly lit laboratory. A lab for what was up for debate. Machinery littered the floors. There was a medical table that was dimly lit, flickering off and on. A plethora of wires, intact and snapped in two, dangling like grotesque noodles, hid the ceiling from view. Shattered screens crackled and buzzed, and a couple were smashed beyond repair.
The trio's eyes fell on a circular device taking up the majority of the room. It too was covered in wiring that stretched to the ceiling, but was also connected to a rotating light device that looked familiar. As did the irregularly shaped duel runner plugged into the bizarre setup.
Yusei took off his helmet and approached the controls. There had to be a way to program this thing, give it the proper time travel juice, whatever it was. Paradox had pressed a couple buttons on his duel runner, from what Yusei had seen. Maybe he had to undock it from the device first.
"Look out!" Rally tackled Yusei away from the controls just in time. A blue laser cut through the controls a second later.
A giant white and gold duel monster came into the light. It lowered its arm. On its shoulders and stomach, a familiar emblem swirled.
"Another Mechlord?!" Yusei gasped. He'd never seen this one before, and it was bigger than all the other Mechlords!
"I'm borrowing Astro Mekanikle," Paradox came out of the shadows. Paradox from the past. Not the one in the far past that younger Lise, Jaden, and Yugi were dueling.
Yusei groaned to himself. All this time travel stuff is making my brain hurt.
"I don't know how you managed to get in here, but you will not be taking my technology! I will be the one to change the world for the better! You will destroy all that is good in the world!"
"That remains to be seen!" Lise growled. She pulled her staff off her back. "We will be using your time machine, so I suggest you get out of our way."
Paradox's gold eyes gleamed in the soft, blue light. "Only I can properly utilize the power of Momentum. Its light shall serve me, not the son of its creator! I will not allow another Zero Reverse to change the course of history! Astro Mekanikle, eliminate them!"
Mekanikle fired its laser, its other fist joining in. Lise twirled her staff, this time using its rotation to create a shield of chi. Mekanikle's laser beam ricocheted off, tearing into the ceiling.
"Attack Paradox. We can't last long against Mekanikle, but we can at least stop Paradox from interfering!" Lise ordered.
Rally saluted and leapt out from behind Lise's shield, Yusei close behind. The three of them attacked both Paradox and Mekanikle, throwing everything they had into their offense. Paradox might have looked like just a pretty boy, but he could hold his own just fine.
"This isn't working!" Rally cried.
Lise retreated until her back was even with her teammates. "And I can't hold off this hunk of metal much longer."
"Then let's switch tactics," Yusei suggested. "Rally, can you distract a giant robot for five minutes?"
"It'd be my honor!" Rally grinned, slipping past Lise and switching opponents with her.
Yusei smiled at older Lise standing beside him. She almost looked like her younger self as she smirked at Paradox and cracked her knuckles.
Together they charged, remembering how they had fought together. Still in sync.
Lise reached out her hand, Yusei took it. Chi poured into Lise's feet as she leapt forward, spun, and threw Yusei at Paradox. She activated her constant lightning mode again, glowing orange, and hit Paradox from behind while Yusei hit from the front. Paradox's top and bottom went in two different directions, sending him face first onto the ground. He rolled out of the way of Lise's ax kick, trying to sweep her off her feet as he did.
Yusei rushed in side first, allowing Lise to roll off his back to her feet. She grabbed his hand to keep him standing too. Lise kept going, whirling Yusei straight into Paradox, who smartly jabbed his fists into Paradox's gut.
"Duck!"
"Huh?" Paradox wiped out cold as Lise's staff passed harmlessly over Yusei's head, but wacked Paradox hard upside the head.
"That's one down," Lise twirled her staff. "You go figure out the time machine."
Rally was glad to have Lise join him. Judging by his tattered clothes, he'd had a few close calls. The two of them kept the giant Mechlord Emperor focused on them, while Yusei went back to the control panel.
Yusei's eyes poured over the screen's information. Luckily Mekanikle hadn't destroyed the main interface, but the jargon was complicated. They didn't have time for Yusei to go over everything. He needed the desired time settings and activation now. There! The time settings were based on a cryptex of massive size. Yusei spun through the years, days, and seconds fiendishly looking for the right one.
Rally's body came flying against the side of the control panel. Error messages starting relaying across the screen.
"No!" Yusei's fingers flew across the screen trying to find the next step. I still have to find out how to place the portal!
"Yusei!" Rally yelled his friend's name. They had a bigger problem than the damaged controls.
Mekanikle loomed over the two boys. It aimed one fist at each of them. Rally's hands shook. Yusei swallowed the lump in his throat.
"Over here you overgrown hubcap!" Lise yelled.
She kicked off from the wall, landed on Mekanikle's shoulders, and plunged her staff into its eye. Mekanikle staggered back, allowing Lise to shove her staff in further, using her chi enhancement to impale the giant monster to the floor.
Rally sighed and slumped to the ground. "I seriously thought I was gonna die there."
"There'll be more bots in a second," Lise joined the others at the control panel. She'd changed her staff back into a cane. Clearly all her efforts today had been a little too much for her older body.
"It's busted," Yusei explained. "I don't think I can pick the date and point the portal at the same time."
Lise and Rally took a closer look at the set up. If the control panel was just the catalyst, and all of the necessary tech was in the duel runner…
"Direct the portal using the duel runner controls," Rally suggested.
Lise nodded. "We'll find the right date and time."
Yusei smacked his forehead. "The duel runner! Of course!"
He pulled the duel runner out of its dock, making sure it was still connected to the control panel via the wires. Sure enough, Paradox had the entire set up ready to go once the runner could be disconnected. Momentum's sustainable, clean, light energy would be enough to keep the time traveling duel runner going for as long as Paradox needed it and then some.
Yusei familiarized himself with the type of interface quickly. The entire world was laid out in schematics down to the very room they were in. Yusei merely had to click and point. Thanks, google earth. I'll worry about how creepy this is later…
Blue lightning crackled to life in the middle of the room. A portal just like the one Yusei had arrived from burst into being the shape of a large letter 'O.'
"And coordinates are already squared away," Lise told him. She and Rally joined Yusei at the portal. Her smile was bright, her eyes heavy with sadness, but bright.
"You're going home," Rally threw his arms around Yusei, squeezing hard. "See you in the future, right?"
"Or the past depending on how you look at it," Yusei joked, squeezing back.
"You aren't going anywhere!" Paradox was awake! He pushed a button on his duel disk. Mekanikle raised one arm, and shot a laser straight through Paradox's duel runner.
"NO!"
The portal wavered, like its edges weren't quite coded correctly. Paradox's duel runner, now sporting a gaping hole, fell on its side.
"You have to go! Now!" Rally shouted, and ran to stop Paradox from interfering again.
The portal was steadily vanishing. In less than a minute it would close, trapping Yusei there forever.
"Will you be okay?" Yusei couldn't leave them like this. They might be from a different timeline, but they don't deserve to die like this!
Lise pulled Yusei into a hug of her own. "We will if you leave now." She was sobbing, Yusei could hear it in her ragged breathing. Her lips fell briefly on his cheek. "Make sure this future never happens, and we will be okay."
"I love you," Yusei whispered as he stepped into the portal.
Older Lise laughed through her tears. "I don't want to hear that from a boy fifty years younger than me. Tell the me of your time."
"I will," Yusei promised, rubbing at the tears in his eyes.
And the last trails of the portal closed over him.
/
"It's my turn!" Paradox grinned devilishly. "I activate Malefic Selector! I remove Malefic Parallel Gear and Malefic Cyber End Dragon from play to add two cards from my deck to my hand. Next, I send two cards from my deck to the graveyard. Appear Malefic Blue Eyes White Dragon, and Malefic Red Eyes Black Dragon!"
(Malefic Blue Eyes White Dragon: Atk: 3000 Def: 2500)
(Malefic Red Eyes Black Dragon: Atk: 2400 Def: 2000)
The classic dragons too were trussed up in black and white imitations of themselves. Wings and faces tainted with masks and incorrect coloring.
Yugi gasped. Blue Eyes and Red Eyes? Joey and Kaiba's cards?!
"Go, Black Fire Blast! Oh, by the way, when a Malefic monster destroys an opposing monster, Malefic Truth Dragon destroys all opposing monsters!"
"Are you fucking kidding me?!" Lise exclaimed. "That is so OP!"
Jaden was on it though. "I play the quickplay spell; Defusion! Neos Knight, time to split! This brings Junk Gardna and Elemental Hero Neos back to our field! Now, Lise!"
"Right! Junk Gardna's effect activates! When an opponent attacks, Junk Gardna can switch the attacking monster to defense mode!"
Yami smiled warmly at his teammates. "Great job, Jaden, Lise!"
"Don't forget, I have more dragons! Malefic Blue Eyes, attack!"
Dark Magician went up in smoke. The trio of duelists had to raise their arms to protect themselves.
"Dark Magician!"
Paradox: 1750
Yugi, Jaden & Lise: 2100
"Don't forget, when one goes, they all go!" Malefic Truth Dragon created giant, pointy spears that flew at the trio like a large, spiky cloud.
"Actually," Lise avoided getting her foot skewered by stepping back. "That's where you're wrong! Stardust Dragon's effect activates! I can release him to negate and destroy an effect that destroys cards!"
"What?!"
"So say goodbye!" Lise pointed back at Paradox. The spikes obeyed her, flipping around and hurtling at him instead.
"Don't fuck with me!" Paradox growled. "Malefic Truth Dragon's other effect activates! By removing Malefic Rainbow Dragon in the grave from play, it negates Malefic Truth Dragons' first ability! I also still happen to have Malefic Truth Dragon's attack!"
Truth Dragon spewed a fireball that smashed Neos to pieces. Once again, the duelist trio had to protect themselves from the shockwave.
"Now all your monsters go bye-bye!"
Dark Magician Girl and Junk Gardna erupted into yellow chips of light.
"Plus, for each monster destroyed by this effect, you take eight hundred points of damage!"
The biggest shockwave yet knocked back all three duelists. It tore through their clothes, and easily bruised them all heavily. Yami's makeshift cape went flying. Jaden and Lise's red jackets were ripped clean through to the skin in some places.
Paradox: 1750
Yugi, Jaden & Lise: 500
"Yes," Paradox snickered. On the ground where you belong! "Wallow in the despair you know to be your true future! You're all doomed!"
"Our field…It's…empty…"
"And my attack isn't over yet! I play Malefic Cross! I can resurrect a Malefic monster from the graveyard until the end of the turn! Be reborn Malefic Stardust Dragon!"
"No!"
"I've won!" Paradox screeched like a predator going in for the killing blow. "Go Malefic Stardust Dragon, destroy them!
"Elizabeth, how does it feel to be beaten despite you and Yusei's belief that you can change a hopeless future? Just how do you plan on changing this future?"
Tears leaked out of Lise's eyes. This…can't be the end… Can it? But our future…
"Lise," Jaden's voice broke her out of her reverie. "Don't tell me you're giving up? After you traveled through time twice to get us here?" He slowly pushed back to his feet.
"Huh?" Lise joined him.
"Yes," Yami nodded, the last to stand. "Our belief in Duel Monsters and its power brought us together through time so we could meet. That has to mean something. Whether our future is right or wrong is up to us to decide!"
"Couldn't have said it better myself!" Jaden clicked a button on his duel disk. "Flute of Summoning Kuriboh! I can add a Kuriboh or Winged Kuriboh from my deck to my hand! Yugi, you're up!"
"Come, Kuriboh! I activate Kuriboh's effect! By sending him to the graveyard, it reduces all battle damage to zero!"
"No! That's impossible! Blocking all my attacks?!"
"And at the end of the turn, Malefic Cross's effect is over, which means Malefic Stardust Dragon leaves the field," Yami smiled.
"That makes room for the real Stardust Dragon to come back to our field!" Lise realized. The light in her eyes had returned. Stardust's familiar glow was a huge comfort then, especially when not much seemed to be going right.
But, and maybe it was her imagination, Stardust seemed to be glowing more than usual. Lise frowned at her dragon friend. The glow wasn't coming from him.
"That's…" Paradox's blood had gone cold. "That's impossible…"
A blue portal pulsed with light behind Lise and Stardust Dragon.
(Okay! SUPER LONG CHAPTER! But overthemoonday started posting again, and she is such a huge inspiration in more ways than one. I'm in love with her fic Road to Hell, so give it a read, please! Now that everyone is in quarantine, we have the time, so might as well! Same thing with my longest chapter yet; might as well!
Times are stressful right now, but I'm hoping my writing provides a little bit of joy for more than just myself out there. I'm still working on finishing my classes in order to graduate, obviously remotely at this point, but I'll have more overall free time for both class and writing now. There are silver linings here, so to everyone out there, hope you're healthy, your family and friends are healthy, and you're all safe. In the meantime, happy reading! Thanks for your continued support!)
