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Kindred Spirits Chapter 55: Knight of Duel
Demak turned to the man Kiryu had brought before him. Crow Hogan was not someone that Demak knew personally. The man wore the uniform of a Security Officer, though now with a bullet hole in the back of the uniform.
They were in a small concrete room, the dim lights barely casting light in the area. It was a small space and Crow was in the center, placed on a concrete table in the room's center.
"Taking him to me was really your best idea?" Demak asked. Kiryu's eyes were wide and his face was tense.
"He's one of my best friends! I'm not going to let him die! Especially to the man that I hold responsible for killing me!" Kiryu said, slamming his fist into the concrete wall. He heard a visible crack and stopped as his augmented strength had damaged it.
"And I need to calm down. We were supposed to stay cool and look where I got us." Kiryu said, looking up to meet Demak's gaze.
The other man said nothing and raised a hand, the fingertips igniting in purple flames.
Demak continued, rolling Crow over onto the cot and revealing the bullet wound.
"He was wearing a Security issue vest. It made it difficult for the other man to land a fatal blow. Therefore this cowardly attack was his best bet. But - "
Demak stopped and touched the wound with his glowing fingers. "- I don't have much medical knowledge, I may be able to save him. Get me a doctor."
Kiryu grimaced and wanted to hit himself. Of course the answer was right in front of his face.
"Fine, but after this - I want answers." He said, giving Demak a glare.
"They won't ease your impulsiveness." Demak said quietly and Kiryu wanted to hit the wall again.
/
Doctor Smith was at a loss for words as Kiryu had arrived at Martha's, the Dark Signer looking downcast.
"Doctor, I need you to come with me. It's Crow." Kiryu said.
He felt a slap across the face as Martha gave him a glare. "I don't care what kind of demon you have in you, Kiryu! You were why Yusei got hurt and now you're saying the same thing's happened to Crow!? If I lose him, you're next!" The woman said, giving him her best stern gaze. The tears made it hard to maintain as she stood as a barrier between him, and West and Nico.
Kiryu's cheek felt the slap though his dulled nerves barely registered it. The pain rather, was from the looks his kids gave him as Martha kept them away.
"Dad. Crow's hurt?" Nico asked.
"Yeah. So we need Doctor Smith. Please-" Kiryu began.
"How do I know you're telling the truth?" The doctor asked.
"Here." Kiryu said, showing him a live feed of Crow under Demak's eye. "I'll give you time to get whatever you need, but we need to hurry. He's been shot and the hospital's way too far away."
/
It had been hours since then, Doctor Smith recalled, as he had extracted the bullet in a hasty procedure. Then the man called Demak applied a medicine. The operation was a success, but Crow was still out of it.
Doctor Smith had no more use to them, so he felt himself drift off to sleep suddenly. When he woke up, he was back at Martha's, the woman and a gaggle of children looking down at him in worry.
"Is Crow going to be alright?" Martha asked.
"I think he'll be fine. The surgery itself was easy. The rest is up to him." Doctor Smith said. "Though I wish I'd known where they are hiding out – they blindfolded me both ways."
"Dad. . . he's getting Crow involved." West said with worry.
"Yeah. After he said that he didn't want to be involved either." Nico said.
"Kiryu . . . what the hell are you Dark Signers doing?" Martha said, voicing the question on everyone's minds.
/
Misty was less than thrilled with the turn of events. Both Kiryu and Carly were being rash. It was a valid reaction given their own connections to the former Signers. However it was also something she didn't expect they would do.
The feeling was disappointment, Misty realized as she sighed and wondered just how Crow's involvement would change their plans.
She contacted Carly and found the other's face looking dejected as they made eye contact.
"Misty. I just saw Jack." Carly managed to say, hanging on to each word.
"He just stood there as I yelled at him. I didn't think of what to say. It was not what I expected."
She shook and struggled to keep meeting Misty's gaze.
"I – I didn't say what I wanted – ! But he didn't say anything to refute it! Only that he loved me - !" Carly blurted out, stopping her words as she shook.
"Then take some time and clear your head. We all need to gather before our plan resumes, so come see me if you have time. If it's alright I'd like to invite Kiryu as well."
"Right." Carly said.
The call ended and Misty wondered just what she'd do next.
/
The Black Rose Witch pointed to the monitor and Divine followed her finger.
"Sherry LeBlanc. Approaching our stronghold." The woman said, glancing to the leader of the Arcadia Movement.
"Hmph. Do you want to give her a welcome?" Divine asked. "The same greeting you showed to Andore?"
"Sherry LeBlanc is a higher caliber of duelist. She also has an emotional investment in Yusei Fudo – and Aki Izayoi." The Black Rose Witch said, mentioning her subdued persona.
"I propose we use this to convert her. She has a history fighting Yliaster. If you are truly planning on the Arcadia Movement being solitary, she may be a weapon to use when the time comes." The witch said.
Divine closed his eyes and laughed. "Then by all means, welcome her in, Aki. We'll have The Arcadia Movement's first guest in a while. But – first we'll give two tests. One to Sherry herself and the other to my next project. Divine said with a grin."
"By your will, Divine." The Black Rose Witch said, staring at the screen and the rider on the white D-Wheel.
/
Rua rubbed the back of his head as he stared at the hospital television. Angela Rain's news report was not on the air, Carly Nagisa subbing in instead. In addition he could barely focus on the TV. The injury he'd been given had certainly felt like an attack but he couldn't believe the theory that Yusei did that to him. No one in the hospital did.
And yet Atem's Puzzle was gone and both it and Rua had been in the same room as Yusei. As much as Rua wanted to deny it, a thread was there. He grunted and shut off the TV, opting to go to his sister. She was still unconscious. It almost made him nostalgic but mostly it made him worried.
"Ruka, don't stay there too long. I can't drag you back here if you do." Rua whispered, hoping that he'd hear good news soon.
/
She stood in the misty peak and was surprised. The air was easy to breathe. And on top of that she felt strong. Ruka took a look down the mountain and saw nothing but mist below. There was the distant sound of rain and then a bright light overhead.
Ancient Fairy's body shone with brilliant light as the dragon hovered above her.
"Ruka." The dragon thought to her.
"Ancient Fairy Dragon!" Ruka echoed as she floating off the ground and into the air.
"Where are we?" Ruka asked, realizing that she was floating of her own accord.
"The Spirit World." The dragon responded. "It is now time."
"Time for what?" Ruka thought to the dragon but Ancient Fairy was silent as they passed through the sky.
It was not difficult – flying that was – as long as Ruka was in proximity to Ancient Fairy Dragon. They continued to rise through the sky and Ruka wondered just where they were going.
/
"I trust you'll be able to deal with any interlopers?" Divine asked a screen, the other's face obscured by static.
"Yes. I'll deal with the trespasser." The voice said and Divine grinned. "Just remember to bring them in alive."
"Yes sir." The voice said and the comm ended.
"Sherry LeBlanc . . . let's see if you're worthy of joining my Arcadia Movement." Divine thought.
/
She drove the D Wheel down the street and was frustrated at everything. Crow. Yusei. And now Aki. It was the last straw as Sherry changed course. Yusei was a problem that she could deal with later. But Aki needed to be taken from the Arcadia Movement. The stories Aki had told her of that place confirmed that.
Suddenly she heard the rumble of another D-Wheel's engine and saw a golden speck in the distance. The shimmer grew larger until Sherry could make out the thing. It was a golden D-Wheel, modeled after an armored horse. It's rider wore armor of the same hue and pointed a sword at her as he spoke.
"Sherry LeBlanc! If you fancy yourself a knight, you will stop your course and accept this Duel!" The man yelled to her.
Sherry answered by accelerating, the D-Wheel's speed letting her pass the man's charge with ease.
"The Knight duelist from the Fortune Cup? I don't have time to duel you." She said, focusing on the compound ahead.
Then she saw the purple field shoot out ahead of her as the other rider sheathed his sword and raised his shield duel disk.
"Then I'll impose the duel between Knights – and you'll be - !"
he was cut off as a circular craft slammed into his D-Wheel's side, the Wheel of Fortune pushing him away from his prey.
"Go after her! I'll deal with him!" The new arrival yelled.
"Jack Atlus!?" Jil DeLancebeaux yelled in surprise.
"Why challenge a knight when you could face a King?!" The other man yelled, giving Jil space to ride parallel.
"I'll go on ahead then." Sherry said, driving on ahead.
"Master Divine – is it alright if I change targets?" Jil asked into his comm.
"Yes. Crush the King into dust and prove that you're a worthy member of the Arcadia Movement as our first Cyber Psycho Duelist!" Divine directed.
"Very well, King! I'll change my quarry to you, Jack Atlus!" Jil declared as the knight and King began their duel.
/
JIL DELANCEBEAUX: 4000, JACK ATLUS: 4000
"Riding Duel, Acceleration!" Both men yelled out.
Turn 1: SPC: 0/0
Jack drew. He began with his Twin Breaker (4/1600/1000) and three set cards. The monster took a wary stance, his sharp eyes looking to Jil's field, anticipating what the knight duelist would play.
Turn 2: SPC: 1/1
"Draw!" Jil yelled out, smiling as he saw his first card.
"I suppose Master Divine will have to deal with Sherry LeBlanc himself. I'll just have to crush you and become a King worthy of the knights' blood that runs through my veins! I summon Masked Knight LVL 3!"
In front of Jil, an armored knight appeared. It was very squat in proportions, with a mask as the name suggested. Golden and silver armor patterned in triangular shapes. It also had a golden crest that extended into a beetle horn and bright red oval eyes (3/1500/800).
"Then I'll use its effect! By not attacking this turn, I can deal you 400 points of damage! Persona Blast!" Jil yelled.
The knight's horn shimmered and it fired a blast of energy at Jack, who said nothing as his life points decreased (JACK ATLUS: 4000 → 3600).
The effect knocked the Wheel of Fortune back and Jil laughed. "See that?! Feel that pressure?! Master Divine has given me augmentations through technology! Now I can manifest power similar to that of a Psycho Duelist!"
"Hmph! A trick like that won't be enough to stop me!" Jack retorted.
"Then I'll use this! The Speed Spell - Overboost! This gives me four Speed Counters instantly, but they drop down to one at the End Phase!"
Jil played the card and gained speed, passing Jack as he played another card (SPC: 1 - 5). "And now - I can use Angel Baton to draw twice, discarding my Masked Knight LVL 5 as a cost!" Jil stated, agreeing with his hand as he reached for a new card.
"Next I set two cards and end my turn!" The Knight said as a pair of hidden cards materialized in his back row. His Speed Counter re-adjusted on his End Phase (SPC: 5 - 1). He ended his turn with two cards left in his hand.
"That will end my turn."
Turn 3: SPC: 2/2
"Hmph." Jack said, drawing a card before Twin Breaker raising both of its arm blades as it sized up the Masked Knight.
Jack pointed and his monster leapt towards Masked Knight LVL 3.
"Hmph! Foolish! My Sakaretsu Armor will destroy your monster!" Jil said with a sneer as Twin Breaker's body shattered like glass.
Jack said nothing as he set a fourth card - his turn came to and end. He had two cards left in his hand.
"And then – on your End Phase – I'll use this! My trap card! Level Change! This card tributes Masked Knight LVL 3 to summon the Masked Knight LVL 5 back from my Graveyard!" Jil explained as his knight evolved into a larger form (5/2300/1300).
"And now I'll make my next move!" Jil said as it switched back to his turn.
TURN 4;
JIL DELANCEBEAUX: 4000 JACK ATLUS: 3600
SPC: 3/3
"Draw!" Jil pulled the next card from his deck and laughed.
"First off it's my Standby Phase, so my Masked Knight will level up again! Now rise! Masked Knight, LVL 7!"
The knight roared and its' armored body grew once again, this time into a warrior whose' proportions and sheer amount of body armor made it resemble more a mech than an armored warrior (7/2900/1800).
"And once per turn – he can inflict you with 1500 points of damage! Persona Big Blast!" Jil cried out. The blast struck Jack, sending the Wheel of Fortune spinning wildly out of control. Jack tisked as he took the damage to his Life Points (JACK ATLUS: 3600 → 2100, SPC: 3- 2).
"And now – Masked Knight LVL 7, finish him off!" Jil commanded.
The knight leapt into the air, ready to strike Jack down with its blade.
Jack responded with a trap card – Half or Nothing.
"Hmph. Then I'll just make you take half the damage! Direct attack! Persona Big Slash!" Jil urged as his monster's attack dropped (2900 → 1450), Jack grunting as he lost even more life points (JACK ATLUS: 2100 → 650, SPC: 2 - 1).
The impact caused the Wheel of Fortune to rock from side to side and the rider had to adjust his steering to keep his craft going down the road in the right direction.
"Hmph! Seems you can't keep up with my steed!" Jil taunted.
"Like I said – your little tricks won't work on me!" Jack shot back.
"Then I'll set this card – ending my turn!" Jil said confidently.
Jack said nothing as the next turn began.
TURN 5: JIL DELANCEBEAUX: 4000, JACK ATLUS: 650
SPC: 4 / 2
Jack began. He'd just drawn the third card in his hand.
"I use my own Angel Baton! So I discard Dark Repairer to draw twice!" Jack said, doing so, giving him a hand of three once again.
"Next, I'll Special Summon Vice Dragon!" He declared as his go to Synchro Material appeared on his field (5/2000 → 1000/2400).
"And then I'll use my trap card – Revival Gift! You get two tokens, but I get Dark Repairer!" Jack said as the three monsters appeared. Two pitch black tokens that giggled on Jil's field (31500/1500 X 2).
"Two Special Summons! But it doesn't matter!" Jil said with a chuckle. "Even if you Synchro Summon Red Demon's Dragon – you still won't be able to win!"
"Then it's time to break that weak pride of yours!" Jack said as he played his next card. "Because now – you lose! I tribute Dark Repairer and Vice Dragon for this! - " Jack said triumphantly.
"What?! The King performing a double Advance Summon!?" Jil exclaimed.
Jack began to laugh as a white pillar burst down from the clouds, parting them to reveal glowing white wings.
Then his image warped, Jack Atlus' D-Wheel changing shape to become a silvery and sleek D-Wheel, fashioned after the very dragon that Jil looked at.
"That's – it can't be - !" The knight said, slack jawed as the legendary monster's body appeared from the light, its eyes looking down at Masked Knight LVL 7 in judgment (8/3000/2500).
"It is! My soul - and my pride! Now – witness the supreme power of the Blue-Eyes White Dragon!" his opponent yelled. The name on the screen changed and Jil was shocked a second time.
SETO KAIBA: 650, SPC: 2
"Impossible!" Jil spat out, suddenly terrified at the implications of who he faced.
"Don't let that intimidate you! You still have your trap card! This guy's likely a fraud! Just like that 'Yugi' and 'Bakura' in the tournament earlier! It's just a way to psyche you out!" Divine's voice yelled from the helmet's comm.
"And now – Dark Repairer lets me draw another card!" Kaiba said as he drew and chuckled.
"Jack Atlus has some interesting cards! Now – let's see how these Speed Spells work a second time!" he said, playing a Speed Spell.
"You should recognize this! The Speed Spell - Overboost! I gain four Speed Counters, but they all go back down to one at the end of the turn! Not that you'll be around long enough to see that happen!" Kaiba threatened (KAIBA SPC: 2 → 6).
"Now – try this one on for size! Half Seize! I cut your Masked Knight LVL 7's attack in half and gain the rest as life points!" Kaiba said with a wolfish grin. "Even your Masked Knight will grovel at my feet like a dog!"
Jil gasped as Half Seize triggered. His monster slumped over while Kaiba's D-Wheel glowed in a emerald aura (Masked Knight LVL 7 (2900 → 1450, SETO KAIBA 650 → 2100).
"N-no!" Jil cried out as Kaiba laughed.
"Now your knight is weak - while my Blue Eyes is now ready to crush you!"
"B-but it doesn't matter! I'll still have enough life-points to turn this around!" Jil protested.
"Let's test that theory! Trap card, activate! Powerful Rebirth! To me, Twin Breaker!" Kaiba yelled as the blade wielding marauder re-appeared (4/1600/1000 → 5/1700/1100).
"Battle! Twin Breaker - attack a token!" Kaiba yelled as the marauder slammed its' blade into the first token, shattering it. Jil winced as he took his first damage (JIL DELANCEBEAUX: 4000 → 3800).
"And Twin Breaker's ability gives it a second attack on a defensive monster! Double Assault!" Kaiba stated, pressing his advantage as the monster cleaved the second token in half (JIL DELANCEBEAUX: 3800 → 3600).
"And now - ! Blue Eyes White Dragon! Incinerate that eyesore of a knight with your Destructive Burst Stream!"
The blast of white struck Masked Knight LVL 7 and Jil barely had time to use his trap card as the attack hit.
"Trap Card, Open! Martyr Flag! I discard a monster – such as another Masked Knight LVL 5 – and then I double all my Warrior- type monsters' attack points!" Jil retaliated as his monster groaned, powering up with a red aura (1450 → 2900).
The Masked Knight seemed to resist the blast for a moment – but was still consumed and was torn apart (JIL DE LANCEBEAUX: 3600 → 3500).
"Gah! But I'm still in the Duel! Next turn, I'll - !"
"Weren't you listening?! There won't be a next turn!" Kaiba yelled as his last trap card sprung up.
"Behold - Lineage of Destruction! Since I destroyed two monsters in defense mode this turn – Blue Eyes gets two more attacks!"
Jil yelled as the Burst Stream struck him head-on this time, the remainder of his Life points burning up as the majority of his Speed Counters did as well (JIL delancebeaux: 3500 → 500, SPC: 4 – 1).
"Now! Finish this loser off, Blue Eyes! Strike him down with a final Burst Stream!"
The last strike sent Jil's bike flying, the Solid Vision system backfiring as the knight fell from the airborne vehicle. The armor cushioned his fall, but he dared not move as Kaiba stopped the Blue-Eyes themed D-Wheel and removed a similar helmet to look down on him.
"Tell your master that I'm coming for him. And I'm no ghost." The man said before putting his helmet back on and drove away, leaving a stunned Jil to ponder just what he could say – and just how Divine would deal with this information.
/
"So, Kaiba finally reveals himself. Or should I say – Priest Seto? And using the most cutting edge Kaibacorp technology no doubt. That is a surprise. I didn't expect Seto Kaiba to plan so far ahead - and for his ancestor to access his technology on top of that." Shiro said, fiddling with the Millennium Ring around his neck. He chuckled as Divine's attempts to contact him cordially got progressively funnier the longer Shiro waited to respond. He wanted to remind Divine the order of things after all.
"Hello?" Shiro asked, answering his holo screen innocuously.
"Did you know about that?" Divine asked, looking a little bothered, trying to hide it with over-corrected posture and a smirk that was forced.
"About Kaiba, or about your lobotomizing Jil DeLancebeaux?" Shiro asked, returning the smirk as Divine tisked.
"About Jil - I'm desperate for new recruits! - After being imprisoned for years, my Arcadia Movement will take some time to recover! But there's always experimentation! Jil volunteered for that and I wager he'd have done better if his opponent wasn't either Jack Atlus or Seto Kaiba!"
"Smart of you to employ a man who lost to Aki Izayoi, knowing she could defeat him again if he disobeyed you. To be honest, Kaiba was a surprise to me. But regarding your guest – are you going to be able to handle Sherry LeBlanc?" Shiro asked.
Divine laughed and turned around. Behind him, Black Rose Dragon roared, summoned behind the Black Rose Witch.
"Black Rose Flare!" Izayoi roared as the flames consumed Sherry, the woman screaming as her life-points fell to zero. Then Sherry crumpled to the ground, comatose from the attack.
"I don't have to. Aki has completed that task for me."
Shiro frowned. Divine had gotten his ace card of sorts in Aki Izayoi sooner than he'd liked – though he had to admit the timing was excellent.
"Then – I'll contact you later. I have a guest of my own to attend to. Keep an eye on Kaiba if you can." Shiro said, ending the call and looking stunned at the man who had kicked down his door.
/
Yusei Fudo leaned in the doorway, having left his blue jacket elsewhere as he work the black and red tank top. His arms hung loosely, resting against the door frame as he gave Shiro a piercing grin.
The eyes were all wrong. The pupils were far smaller, and his eyes were wide. Coupled with the grin, Yusei looked like a jackal. His hair was also a bit different, the amount of spikes resembling horns had increased and seemed to have more volume.
"I see you saw yourself in, Mr. Fudo – Is that you, Marik?" Shiro asked, feeling something in the Ring stir with either rage, surprise, or dread.
"Hmph! So this disguise wasn't as good as I thought!" The other man said, standing up and walking through the door to stand eye to eye with Shiro.
"I'll be blunt – I didn't expect you to survive when you didn't rendezvous with us in the Dominion of the Beasts." Shiro said.
"I knew you picked both of us to be expendable!" The man said, giving Shiro a grin as his eye twitched.
"You're not here to scare me. You're either here to get rid of me or make a deal, is that right?" Shiro asked.
"You're pretty smart! I'll give you that." The man said, his voice sounding distorted as his inflections warped Yusei's voice. "Now – I want to take complete control of this body! That's why I sought you out!"
"Hm . . I don't know much about that myself." Shiro said, wondering if Bakura would chime in.
"Give me the Ring! It boosted my power before and it will be enough to get a hold on this body!"
"I can't do that. My deal with Bakura means he stays here."
"Then give me a target!"
"A target?"
"Yes. Someone I can get rid of with this body. Someone Yusei Fudo cares about on a personal level If I commit such a foul act, it will warp the shape of this man's mind to fit my own."
"But why? Why make it personal? The man would be as repulsed if you chose anyone to target." Shiro pointed out.
"No! No! I am a fragment of Malik Ishtar's personality! Not a dark spirit! Not a complete soul! Just a shard of a man's inner self! But – if I do this! If I do something this man would curse himself for! Then I'll be able to make this body my own! I'll be able to be my own person!" The man growled, sounding almost desperate for a response.
Shiro found it fortunate that he had an appropriate answer. Given Malik Ishtar's leadership of the Ghouls, it would be best to appease his darker half. Especially when Shiro knew that Yusei Fudo was also no slouch when it came to fighting.
"All right then. I have a target that will benefit the two of us." Shiro said, turning around his holo screen and showing it to the man.
"Really? That will be an easy task!" Marik boasted with a grin. "Now – return The Wicked Avatar to me!"
"The Puzzle?" Shiro asked, holding out a hand.
Marik thought for a second and smirked. "I'll give you that once I dispose of this target. Once this body is mine completely, then I'll depart with the Pharaoh's treasure."
Shiro sighed and presented the card. "The Puzzle. Now. I won't ask a second time."
Marik snatched the card from his hand, cackling as he added it to Yusei's deck of cards.
"Well – I suppose I can give it to you after all." Marik said, tossing the Puzzle to Shiro and turning to exit the room.
"And after you get this body as your own? What then?" Shiro asked.
"Simple. I re-commit myself to destroying the Pharaoh and everything he cares about." Marik said, giving him a serious stare.
Shiro said nothing else as Marik left the room. Shortly afterwards, Shiro could hear the Yusei Go revving up before the rider drove off into the distance.
"Not a bad idea. Do you think he'll survive?" Bakura asked immediately afterwards.
"I don't know. But either way it will be one less opponent to deal with."
"And we have the Puzzle. But why? If you're not after the Items, than what's the point? Other than keeping it away from Marik?"
"Well – mostly it's for that reason. But – now we have something that Atem needs. It will be interesting seeing what happens next – especially since Satellite is still reeling from that Earthbound God's appearance."
"You mean – you haven't planned past this?"
"To be honest, not really. I just made sure that I had leverage over the Dark Signers and the Arcadia Movement. And now I have Atem's Puzzle, so he, Seto, and Isis will also have to bargain with me for it. At this point I'm just waiting for my project to finish – and for your body to be ready. I need you to be present for the final phase." Shiro explained.
"The same reason you wanted Diabound healthy, right?" Bakura asked him.
"Exactly as we discussed. Now – I must see the final touches of my project are underway. Then we'll enjoy seeing Marik face his target. It should be quite the show. After all - the Shooting Star of Satellite will face off against the Black Rose Witch once again." Shiro finished.
/
/
/
/
Edit: I did not name Jil's trap card - Level Change. I also got the effect wrong, as the player using it summons the LVL monster from their Graveyard. I fixed this giving Jil Overboost and Angel Baton in his hand on the first turn so he could get Masked Knight LVL 5 in his Graveyard without changing much else to the duel. I also fixed an error where he just set one card but used two on Jack's next turn.