Koros45 doesn't own Yu-Gi-Oh!, or Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's
Chapter 59: Wayward
The Avatar warped again into the massive black sun as Marik's Battle Phase ended, Marik chuckling as he looked at his hand.
"You got lucky my dear. No monsters to finish this with – this time." He said cryptically. "Turn end."
Turn 15: AKI IZAYOI: 800, YUSEI FUDO: 2300
"However – now that you know who I am, let's change this display." The man fiddled with the display on his Duel Disk until it changed his name.
AKI IZAYOI: 800, MARIK: 2300
"You probably won't believe me – but I'm a fragment of the late Malik Ishtar's soul. I assume you're familiar with the concept, seeing as The Black Rose Witch has consumed Izayoi Aki's mind as well."
"No." Was the response he got as the woman across from him stood up.
Aki Izayoi took a breath, fully awakened due to the direct attack.
In the past, she'd asked for a savior. Most likely in the form of either of the two men who were watching her at the moment. Divine and Yusei, both men with their own goals and convictions. Both men who she'd idolized at different points.
But neither one would do. No validation from an outsider would be as pure as her accepting herself as she was.
Aki remembered the extensive time she'd spent meditating after the Dark Signer battles had concluded. It had been just as steep of a battle as Team 5D's own again Yliaster. Realizing that she could care about herself was a small step, but it had been enough.
Enough to re-enlist at Duel Academy even if she was one of the older students in her class. Enough to become a normal citizen and have her life back. Enough to love herself as she was. The girl, the adolescent, the witch, the member of Team 5D's, and now the medical student. They were all her. And they were all worthy of her love, regardless of how she'd felt about herself in the past.
"Trap card, open! Ivy Shackle! I'll use it to revive Ivy Wall!" Aki stated as her monster re-appeared on the field to defend her (2/0/1000).
"Fool! Why didn't you use that to block Avatar earlier?" Marik asked.
Aki smiled. "I could handle the battle damage. I just didn't want to lay all my literal cards out on the table." She responded.
"Ivy Wall Summons an Ivy Token to your field." Aki said as a small plant with comically large eyes sprouted on the far side of Marik's field (1/0/0).
"And now I play Fragrance Storm! I destroy a Plant-Type monster to draw a card, and if that's also a Plant-Type monster, I can draw again! So I'll destroy one of the Ivy Tokens!" Aki stated as the Ivy Token shattered.
"When an Ivy Token is destroyed, you take three-hundred points of damage." Aki explained.
Malik clutched his shoulder and tisked as the plant's explosion had hurt (MARIK: 2300 → 2000).
She drew a card and revealed it. "The card I drew from Fragrance Storm – Glow-up Bulb - is a Plant-Type monster! Therefore I draw again!"
Aki did so and smiled. "And when Rose Fairy is added to my hand by a card effect, I can Special Summon it!"
Next to Ivy Wall, a pink fairy with red hair appeared (3/600/1200).
"And then I Summon the Tuner Monster, Glow – Up Bulb!"
In front of Aki, a budding flower about the size of a basketball appeared. (1/100/100).
"And now – I tune Glow-up Bulb, Rose Fairy, and Ivy Wall together!" Aki shouted.
"Hunter of splendid thorns hidden in the sacred forests, with your whip of punishment in hand, come forth now! Synchro Summon! Appear now, Splendid Rose!"
The green suited blonde hunter appeared, leaping down to the roof of the building and bowing before Aki (6/2200/2000).
And before I continue, I'll use Glow-up Bulb's effect – I send the top card of my deck to the Graveyard to Special Summon it from my Graveyard!" Aki explained as her Tuner re-appeared (1/100/100).
"Finally - I play this Spell Card –Shining Reverse! I send the appropriate monsters from my field to the Graveyard to Synchro Summon a monster of the corresponding level from my Graveyard!" Aki explained.
"Hmph! So you'll revive your Black Rose Dragon? But what good will it do against my Wicked Avatar?" Marik questioned even as Aki's monsters began to tune again. Splendid Rose jumped through the green hoop created from Glow-up Bulb's tuning ring.
"Chilling Flames Engulf the Entire World! Pitch-Dark Flower, Set Into Bloom!'"
"Synchro Summon! Be Revived, Black Rose Dragon!"
In a burst of radiant orange, Black Rose Dragon re-appeared, thorns and bristles pointing everywhere as it eyed Marik and craned its neck forward, letting out a vengeful roar. A gust of wind picked up, sending a storm of pink petals flying all around the skyscraper's top (7/2400/1800).
"Falling back on your Black Rose Dragon – but still that's not enough to get by my Avatar! When will you learn!?" Marik asked.
Aki spoke unflinchingly. "Black Rose Dragon's first effect: When this card is successfully Synchro Summoned, I can destroy all the cards on the field!"
"No - ! Then – you'll destroy the entire field?!" Marik asked, looking panicked at her declaration.
"If you're really in Yusei Fudo's head, you know I will! A Synchro Monster Special Summoned through Shining Reverse's effect can't be destroyed by card effects!" Aki continued. Marik's only response was to take a step back in caution.
The man in Yusei's body looked shocked – a look Aki didn't often see on Yusei's face. "But that means-!"
"Correct! If I can't destroy your Avatar in battle, I'll wash it away along with the entire field! And additionally Black Rose Dragon will be immune to its own destruction effect! Now – I activate Black Rose Dragon's effect!" Aki said as her dragon's eyes flashed purple and it growled.
"Black Rose Gale!" Aki commanded, raising an arm as Black Rose Dragon rose its' head and roared. The dragon extended her rose wings, causing a storm of black and purple petals to swirl around the top of the skyscraper. The twisting winds and petals gathered into a funnel that shot straight up at The Wicked Avatar, flying skywards and slamming into the false sun.
Chunks of jet black separated from the dark orb, gradually dissolving as they were torn away by the petals. The change was gradual, but the sheer amount of petals cut the false sun to ribbons. Without a sound, The Wicked Avatar broke apart and vanished – as did the purple sphere surrounding both Duelists. The whole field was now gone – save Black Rose Dragon.
"Now for the Battle Phase! Black Rose Dragon, direct attack!" Aki commanded.
The steam of purple and black lanced towards her opponent, the attack hitting thin air.
Marik chuckled, shaking as Aki stared at him. They both were trembling, her from the elation that she'd almost won and him from the fact that it had been a close save.
"Too bad my dear. But when I get attacked directly, I can discard Swift Scarecrow to end the Battle Phase!" Marik explained, looking at the newest card in his Graveyard.
Aki composed herself and held up one card.
"In that case I'll set this - and end my turn." She finished, taking a breath. She was worn out. Aki guessed that made sense considering she'd just reclaimed her own body and soul – and just got over a monster previously stated to be invincible.
"Good! That's good, Aki! Crush Fudo Yusei and lead us to victory!" Divine urged, pleased that his strongest weapon had pulled through whatever nonsense Marik had conjured up.
"Don't be so sure you've won yet!" Marik warned. "My turn!" He yelled.
Turn 16 AKI IZAYOI: 800, MARIK: 2300
He looked to his next card and laughed.
"To think it took you so long to overcome my Avatar. But now it doesn't matter. I still have a way to win! I Summon Salvagent!"
In front of Marik, a man wearing a blue suit of armor similar to that of the Dark Magician appeared of his empty field (2/0/0).
"And now I use Salvagent's effect! I sacrifice it to revive a Synchro monster from my Graveyard – only now it's not counted as a Synchro monster!" Marik explained.
Salvagent crossed its twin staves and vanished.
"And since I only have one Synchro monster in my Graveyard-" Marik began.
"You'll revive Stardust Dragon." Aki finished.
Stardust Dragon re-appeared behind him with a growl, hunching over as it eyed Black Rose Dragon – the other Synchro looking wary (8/2500/2000).
"And now the Equip Spell – Junk Attack! If Stardust Dragon destroys your Black Rose Dragon by battle, you'll take half of Black Rose's attack power as damage! That will be enough to end this!" Marik yelled.
Stardust Dragon shone with an orange light for a moment as the Junk Attack card equipped to it.
"You may have been able to destroy my Wicked Avatar, but I've studied you through this man's memories. In all of his duels with you, you've never been able to overcome this dragon!"
"Now I battle! Attack, Stardust Dragon, and bring me victory!"
Stardust Dragon obeyed, Shooting Sonic firing straight at Black Rose Dragon.
Aki was quick to counter, waving her arm to the side as a card on her field sprang up.
"Trap activate! Rose Blizzard! This trap card will force Stardust Dragon into defense mode, cancelling the battle!" Aki said.
The beam hit Black Rose Dragon, but dispersed as Black Rose Dragon roared, roses flying around the field in a vortex. The black dragon shrugged off the attack, hissing as the winds around her picked up.
Black Rose Dragon snarled as she eyed Marik with her intense yellow eyes. The winds and petals caused Stardust Dragon to back away, body turning blue as it raised its wings around its chest in Defense Mode (2000).
"No! I was so close - !" Marik seethed, clutching his head as he looked up at Aki's monster.
"Turn end." Marik said, before lurching as he covered his mouth. Aki stopped as Marik shook his head, eyes wide as he grit Yusei's teeth and looked like he was in pain.
"No! No! It's too soon for me to lose control like this - !" Marik seemed to struggle speaking.
"How?! How can he still resist me - ?!" Marik wondered aloud, moving his left arm over one of his eyes .
/
Marik screamed in Yusei's head. Something was. . . wrong. The light that had gone out upon his claiming of the current body now burned within him. The vessel rocked. And then he felt defiance.
Somehow the bodies' native owner had returned.
All of Marik's questions could wait. For now he just had to bide his time. The power of the shadows was still with him – for as long as he possessed the Wicked Avatar, he could maintain control. Shiro had been a fool to give him a card that mirrored The Winged Dragon of Ra in so many ways. It had been his undoing – if Divine really had finished him off.
The thoughts dispersed as Marik arrived at the epicenter of the commotion in his brain.
Yusei wasn't done yet, it seemed. Marik growled and turned, investigating the spike of pain he felt in the host's mind. It was irregular, even though it didn't feel major. He still wanted to investigate further.
Monsters that had once been cards of his rose around Yusei's mind to try and find what was wrong. Lord Poison and Helpoemer were the first to rise, Legendary Fiend following suit. As Marik focused on what to do he felt something repulsively bright and pure within the mind. He was not alone.
Helpoemer shrieked as a glowing white and blue fist pierced its chest, causing it to shatter. Marik drew back as his eyes showed him something he knew was going to be more than just an annoyance.
In front of him, Yusei stood, clad in some kind of glowing, winged armor. Around him was a sphere of wind that rapidly dissipated. Yusei looked at Marik and then looked straight up before he lept into the sky, spinning around like a tornado. The man took off on the armor's giant jet-like wings. In seconds he was at the edge of the subconsciousness, shining light in all directions from his armor as he let out a roar. The shadows that Marik's corruption had caused burned away and Marik's monsters shrieked as the piercing light caused them to draw back.
"You all outnumber him! Attack!" Marik commanded.
With haste Legendary Fiend flew at Yusei. The shining armor moved faster than should be possible, and Marik saw his fiend shatter from a punch that he couldn't even process happen until he saw Yusei, arm extended as the fiend's particles scattered. Yusei turned around as Helpoemer and Lord Poison were right behind him. He let out a yell and spun around, as the Shooting Star Dragon's armored tail sliced both of the creatures in half, scattering into light as they ceased to exist.
Marik growled and raised an arm. "I don't have time for this! Lava Golem, appear!" Marik roared.
Behind Yusei, a massive burning beast made of lava itself rose, sending heatwaves through the area. Lava Golem had an empty cage on one of its arms and swung it at Yusei like a melee weapon. Marik expected the Duelist to dodge, but he simply held out an arm, and the cage stopped as he caught the blow, and all of it's accompanying momentum without even budging. The glare he gave Marik was enough for the sliver of Malik Ishtar's mind to shudder. Marik's jaw dropped and he frantically began to cast another summon. As he started gathering his sacrifices to satisfy the ritual's conditions, he saw Yusei vanish into thin air.
/
He was the wind itself. From the instant he'd hit the barrier to his own dimension, he had felt Shooting Star Dragon at his back. And it was now connected to him. He'd have all the time in the world to find an official explanation for it but at the moment he didn't care how it happened. Shooting Star was at his call once again and as it was his card, it was one he could fight with as though it was part of his own body.
He had heard about Duel Spirits from Ruka, of course. And there was Judai's spirit partner Yubel, as well as Mahado and Kisara. This was similar, he supposed. Although he had no such Duel Spirit calling powers to call his own. Since they were in his mind, Yusei guessed that's why they could keep fighing like this. Shooting Star Dragon had become some kind of power armor around him. White with a blue glow to it, and gleaming with light. The guantlets on his arms cleaved through the shadows and the visor on the helmet showed Yusei where Shooting Star Dragon recommended attacking.
The dragon didn't object to his movements as the heightened awareness and reflexes were a good match to Yusei's fighting skills. Strangely Yusei felt only joy exude from Shooting Star Dragon – and it made sense why. In the space of his mind they were partners. Not a new Ace Monster at a Duelist's beck and call, or a convienant answer to Ghost's Synchro Killer, or even a vestige of a departed God and a Signer. Yusei felt the Dragon's pride that he could call upon it so easily.
Power surged through him like never before. He was truly one with Shooting Star Dragon as he faded out of existence before he re-appeared next to the Lava Golem. Yusei touched the top of his deck. Five cards flew from it and in front of his visored helmet that he imagined must look something like Shooting Star Dragon's head. Three Tuners were there, Junk, Nitro, and Turbo Synchron.
"Stardust Mirage!" Yusei thought as the armor glowed and he divided into three. His armor glowed now with a red aura. To his immediate left, another Yusei glowed blue, in the same Shooting Star Dragon armor he was wearing and to his right, another shone yellow.
The three all flew back and immediately flew forwards, inserting their fists as far into the beast of lava as they could manage. The armor held up as he and the two mirages hit Lava Golem with full force. The monster let out a wail of pain and exploded as Yusei spun around to look for Marik.
"You thought it was a good idea to use my body." Yusei said, and heard his voice project from all around the area. "Now you're going to find out why that was a very bad idea." He said as he flew around the now lit area, looking for the intruder.
Marik panicked mentally as Lava Golem fell to Yusei's armor. Yusei turned and behind Marik, Masked Beast Des Guardias appeared, taller than even Lava Golem. The white and brown behemoth regarded Yusei behind its three masks and thrust its blue forearms forwards. It was fast. The Shooting Star Dragon armor moved by instinct as Yusei felt the dragon that he was one with extend its arms and grab onto the Masked Beasts' biceps as they struggled, grappling for control.
Yusei felt the creature keep even with him and knew if they just matched power for power, he'd be forced into a draw. And besides, his real opponent was Marik. Yusei closed his eyes, keeping his thoughts focused. He vanished from view and reappeared above Masked Beast, crossing his arms as the top five cards of his deck shot out again, flying in front of them.
No tuners. Yusei dismissed the cards as he flew away from a punch of the Masked Beasts' and tapped the deck again. Five new cards flew in front of Yusei again and he smirked as he saw Junk, Nitro, Turbo, and Road Synchron, along with Debris Dragon fly in front of his face.
Yusei flew into the air, crossing his arms as he divided into five this time. But now he found that the strain of controlling copies was hard to maintain. Shooting Star Dragon itself sent a soothing cry into Yusei's soul and Yusei found the strain vanished. Yet there were still four beings standing on each side of him, shoulder to shoulder, though now they weren't copies of himself. His armor was glowing pure white. To his right he saw Junk and Nitro Warrior glow blue and green, respectively. And to his left, Turbo Warrior and Road Warrior shone with green and yellow auras.
"Shooting Star Special – Hyper Mirage!" Yusei shouted as Junk Warrior was the first to attack, knocking Masked Beast Des Guardius into the air with a savage uppercut. The fiend flew into the air right as Nitro Warrior boosted above it – and sent it crashing down into the earth with a powerful double fisted downward blow. Then Turbo and Road Warrior both dashed at the recovering fiend, striking it with their battle claws. All four warriors vanished into colors matching their auras, the blue, green, red, and yellow trails of power returning to Yusei.
The Duelist raised Shooting Star Dragon's claw and felt the energy burn in its clenched fist. The Masked Beast Des Guardias was on its last legs, and Yusei dashed forwards, slamming his clenched fist into the creature's chest. Des Guardias let out a horrible wail as it exploded. Yusei felt the pressure from the punch send shockwaves through the area as the monster ceased to exist
Jacob
He felt Marik's fear as he locked eyes on the purple cloaked man. Marik raised an arm to the sky and roared, "Wicked Avatar, give me the strength to oppose him!"
A massive tendril of black ooze fell from the illuminated area as Yusei looked up to see it spill over from what he thought must be his own subconsciousness. The ooze surrounded Marik and Yusei heard laughed as it solidified into an identical suit of jet black armor.
"Fool! My Avatar gives me strength even while I'm in your mind!" Marik sneered. "Now show me what you can do, Dark Star Dragon!" Marik said as he flew towards Yusei.
Yusei's fight or flight instinct triggered and he vanished to the banished zone before he reappeared above Marik. Fighting that armor would be suicide, Yusei reasoned. He blasted off and felt the great speed of Shooting Star Dragon carry him around the grasping tendrils of The Wicked Avatar's form that seemed to be infecting his mind. That was the root of the problem, of course. And The Avatar was a creature that he couldn't beat with sheer force alone. Shooting Star Dragon told Yusei to
If it could move around through his mind, as much as that thought disgusted him, it meant that he could do the same. He sped upwards, aware that Marik was no doubt in hot pursuit, and tapped his deck. Two tuners this time. Yusei gnashed his teeth as a second copy of himself branched off to keep watch while he flew onward.
Yusei felt something strike the copy as he felt what it felt. The Avatar had covered it with its essence, and Marik shattered it with a flying punch. Yusei grimaced. He didn't have any time left. Then he remembered the copies of himself become the Synchro Warriors when he asked for it, and Yusei projected his next desire to the armor.
"Shooting Blaster Sonic!" Yusei yelled as Savior Star Dragon's signature attack formed between his outstretched hands, striking the Avatar and causing it to wail. He heard Marik scream as well and flew up in the gaps that the writhing Avatar's mass made when struck with such an attack. Yusei flew through the sleepy feeling, hazy ring and everything immediately felt sharper and more comfortable. It was dark and Yusei asked the armor for light. It responded by making him flex, which somehow shot out light in all directions.
Yusei's mouth opened in shock when he saw just how bad it was. The Avatar was right infront of him, pulsing and writing as it covered most of what was there. Yusei tried to keep his thoughts in order as the mass noticed him with a shriek, sending more tendrils after him. Yusei flew ahead of them, aware that they were mere inches from grabbing him even at his great speeds.
He needed them to stay away. The armor glowed and suddenly a burst from Meteor Stream sent ten small meteorites out of his hands, crashing into the tendrils and knocking them away. Then he looked up again once that danger was passed. Marik seemed to swim out of the Avatar's frame, armor intact as he shot a wave of dark energy at Yusei. The duelist felt the wave strike one of his wings and he faltered, but he found a solution to his problem.
"Cross Counter!" Yusei yelled as he spun around and returned the favor to Marik with a great uppercut to the chin. Then he had to get out of there. Yusei flew up and felt the armor start to wane as the visor right ahead of his nose started to dissolve into stardust. He boosted forth and with a blast of Shooting Sonic, cut through more of the Avatar to reveal a path straight up.
Now the armor's dissolving had dissolved the entire visor, and he feared he'd lose the power of flight. Keep a clear mind, Yusei thought to himself as he flew straight up, and found himself grinning as he saw a bright tunnel of light ahead of him. He sped through the tunnel and as he feared, Marik was far behind him. He felt Shooting Star Dragon roaring through his soul as the dragon put everything it had into keeping Yusei safe. Yusei felt the helmet fully dissolve now as he felt his hair now blow in the wind, free of the headgear. He was so close.
Yusei felt Marik's grip on his ankle and yelled as he was pulled down, yet the armor still spun forward. Now off, trajectory, he felt himself spin as he thought of the next thing to keep Marik at bay.
"Synchro Ring!" Yusei yelled as the giant portal formed around him, as the dissolving went down to his neck. Yusei leapt through the portal, and the added speed shook Marik off of him as he shot upwards, trying to steer back towards the gleaming portal, even as his wings of stardust started to dissolve. Yusei felt himself propel forwards, shooting up the tunnel of light and glared as it was rapidly closing – clogged by The Avatar's essence.
Yusei glanced down at the fading armor, which now was only covering his lower chest and legs. He thought of two things he'd need and hoped that Shooting Star Dragon could provide them.
"Stardust Mirage!" Yusei yelled as he raised both his arms, and the armor completely dissolved, covering both fists with white stardust as he rammed them into the dark mass. Then he blasted through the darkness and burst forth into the light, and felt himself again.
The portal below him began to close and Marik was frantic to emerge, pulling himself out just in time for Yusei to back away and take a combat stance. He was back in his own head. But it was a closed space. Marik was still in the Duel, and as long as the Avatar was in control, Yusei would be unable to reclaim his body.
The shadows from The Wicked Avatar had evaporated and Marik looked worse for the wear as he faced Yusei with a glare, staggering towards him as he raised his fists.
"It's up to you now - Aki." Yusei thought.
/
Turn 17: AKI IZAYOI: 1700, YUSEI FUDO: 2300
Aki drew a card and looked to him. If Yusei was still in there, she had to try and reach him. Even if Divine had plans that his existence didn't count on.
"Yusei. For the longest time you were my enemy. But now you are just one man. And one man can do nothing alone against the Arcadia Movement. Perhaps if you didn't rely on that Avatar monster, you might have had a chance to win, but once I figured out the weaknesses of it, the Duel was as good as over."
She paused for a moment before she continued. "Black Rose Dragon's second effect activates! I remove a Plant-Type monster from the game to force Stardust Dragon into attack mode, reducing its attack power to zero!"
A ghostly projection of Ivy Wall appeared hovering above Black Rose Dragon, the monster leaning forward and biting the illusion, shattering it to bits as Aki banished the monster in question from the game.
"What?! A second effect!?" Marik shouted in surprise.
"Rose Restriction!" Aki declared.
The tendrils hanging from Black Rose Dragon's wings shot out, turning from jet black to a glowing neon red, wrapping themselves around Stardust Dragon's limbs, forcing the dragon out of its defensive stance and into attack mode. Stardust Dragon struggled, but was powerless to counter this effect of Aki's dragon (8/2500 0/2000).
"Now, Shooting Star of Satellite, I'll bring your lofty dreams crashing down to the harsh reality of this Earth! Black Rose Flare!" Aki commanded, waving an arm as the stream of darkness tore through Stardust Dragon.
Marik screamed as the attack hit home, overpowering Stardust and reducing his life-points to zero. He swayed, suddenly feeling like the body he was in had too heavy of a weight to it.
/
Aki took a breath and composed herself, looking over to Divine with certainty.
"It is done. Yusei Fudo has been defeated." She said. Divine's shoulders quaked as his chuckling became full blown laughter.
Divine watched with a large smirk as Yusei Fudo's scream burned out far before Black Rose Dragon's attack was done. The man's head was pointed to the sky, blue eyes wide in shock as he fell to his knees, and then further, his face hitting the concrete
(YUSEI FUDO: 2300 → 0).