"Looks like we are not alone, older brother."
A man with dark skin and long yellow hair said amusingly. Next to him was a young boy with blond hair and yellow and red highlights.
Bohman and Haru, Lightning's Ai lackeys.
"Who are they, younger brother?", the childlike boy questioned, pointing at the two avatars approaching their castle.
"They're some familiar faces", Bohman answered. "And just like us."
...
"You're so smart, brother!", spoke a child-like boy to his 'brother'. "You can even find this place in the network. If you weren't here to guide me, I would definitely be lost right about now."
The boy had a short bobcut of cyan hair, two pink streaks and orange in the back of his head. His eyes were pale yellow and with pale skin to boot.
Roboppy, more accurately his advanced Ai/ humanoid form.
"Shut up Roboppy, you speak too much", spoke up the 'older brother'. "Have you made a backup of your old body yet? Yusaku would be suspicious if he noticed your body was lifeless."
The young man himself had yellow eyes that had rectangular pupils, black shoulder length, spiky hair with yellow tips, along with purple bangs with pink highlights.
Ai, Yusaku's Ignis, and in his humanoid form.
"Geez, You don't have any faith in me at all, older brother", Roboppy pouted with arms crossed.
"Your actions back in your duel against Soulburner have left quite a heavy impact on me", Ai told the shorter boy dramatically. "But I should have expect that beforehand. I'm not taking those same chances again."
"Don't worry, I won't repeat my mistakes again. You can count on me this time, brother!", Roboppy saluted. He then asked with a slight hint of doubt, "But what are we doing here?"
"We're meeting a certain couple of siblings", Ai answered. "They're the most wanted people in the VRAINS network during this specific era."
The ignis then casually opened the door before him.
Before the talking Ais were both Bohman and Haru waiting for them.
"Yo, Bohman", waved Ai.
"Ai", Bohman said with arms crossed. Both Bohman and Ai stared at each other in a long, pregnant silence.
"Ai? The Dark Ignis Ai?", Haru questioned incredulously.
"Yes, It's me", Ai responded. "Why? Are you surprised, Haru?"
"He really is from the future like us, Bohman", Haru noted to his younger brother. He then pointed at Roboppy and asked, "But who is that little boy beside him?"
"My name is Roboppy, his little brother!", Roboppy replied excitedly while hugging Ai tightly.
"You're just an accident, remember?", Ai groaned. "I actually used to hope that you never had a free will to begin with."
"You say 'used to'. You know I'm a special brother to you, brother", Roboppy hugged his Ai brother tighter.
Bohman and Haru looked at each other in silence, they didn't know what to say.
After Ai managed to tame Roboppy, Bohman spoke up to ask, "So, how does it feel being the only Ignis left?"
"You were the person made me get in that situation in the first place", Ai glared at the tanned humanoid, "You asking me that question doesn't seem very fair."
"I told you something like this would happen, though, didn't I?", Bohman asked. "By siding with the human species, you closed off your own future. Are you planning to repeat the same mistakes again, even if you have already gone through them before?"
"This time my friends are still alive", Ai said with a smile, albeit with a hidden rage inside. "They don't feel like the same but they're still alive, nonetheless. Still, this doesn't mean that I forgive you; I never will. I'll have my revenge for Windy and all my Ignis friends that have been absorbed by you in my timeline."
Bohman destroyed his home, hurt and absorbed his friends, and forced him into suicide.
Ai couldn't bear to see Yusaku's eyes after he dueled against him, and when he was going to be deleted.
It didn't matter if all that suffering still hadn't happened here yet. Ai felt very much the consequences of his actions, even now.
...
When the Dark Ignis first woke up, he was extremly surprised to see that his friends were still alive and well. Apparently he had gone back in time, back when Bohman was still a threat. He was even more surprised when he learned that Roboppy wasn't the robot he was back in his original timeline.
Countless days went by in velocity, and Ai recreated his deck with the help from Roboppy in secret, still under the disguise of his Ignis form to fool Playmaker and everyone else. But he didn't have enough data to recreate his invincible The Arrival Cyberse @Ignister, his ace monster, so he could only manage to create a weaker version of it. But Ai knew it wasn't enough. He knew Bohman's powerful abilities, so he had to guarantee his victory.
Until one particular day, he hacked into Cyber's personal computer.
Ai found it extremly odd to see that Windy's originator had participated in this war in the first place. Also, he wanted to investigate Takeru Homura's childhood friend, Kiku Kamishirakawa. She even worked with Revolver willingly, too.
She was quite an odd person. Neither her nor Cyber were in his original timeline.
Ai was extremly surprised to find that Cyber had many rare cards and powerful decks. Cyber had asked Aqua and Earth to create many cards from a mysterious card database of some sort. He couldn't hack into that database, though, because of Earth and Aqua's powerful protection program.
Still, Ai managed to borrow 2 powerful cards from the duelists, although borrowing them is not necessarily the correct term. He was surprised to learn that these cards were in the Lost Incident's couple's possession. Also Miyu Sugisaki had access to Accesscode Talker, the main reason of his defeat against Yusaku in the future.
With their cards in his possession, though, he could defeat Bohman.
Lightning was the main culprit, yes, but Bohman was the main reason he lost his friends forever.
Ai still glared fiercely at Bohman.
"I should have expected this", Bohman sighed. "Maybe my sins are too much. But, my purpose and very existence are in jeopardy. I cannot let incorrect feelings like guilt deter me."
"I challenge you in a PK duel, Bohman", Ai pointed at the tanned humanoid while preparing his duel disk. "I will finish you once and for all, for everyone's sake."
"You're overestimating yourself and your abilities", Bohman declared as he prepared his duel disk. "I will absorb all the Ignises again, only this time I'll start with you first, Ai."
The ground between both Ai's glowed with white lines, fully materializing into a Master Duel board.
"DUEL."
"DUEL!"
Bohman's LP: 4000 LP
Ai's LP: 4000 LP
"Oooh, a fated duel between brothers", Roboppy squealed excitedly.
"Shut up", Haru said in annoyance.
"What? Do you want a fight, too?", Roboppy asked with a manic glare. He prepared his duel disk.
"You're just a laundry robot", Haru said irritatedly. "Do you really think you can win against me?"
That line had driven Roboppy to the edge, the irises of his eyes surrounded by red rings and his eyes' outlines becoming more pronounced.
Roboppy's menacing glare made Haru back down a little.
"I will make you regret insulting me like that. I challenge you in a PK duel", Roboppy pointed at Haru with a menacing glare before taunting playfully. "You're going to be destroyed by a little laundry robot, and you'll see your brother vanishing again before your very eyes."
"Fine, I accept", gave in Haru.
Maybe he should deal with him. Roboppy's defeat could make Ai's mental become unstable. Such event would be an advantage for his brother Bohman.
The Master Duel board for them was set.
"No one is allowed to look down upon me anymore", Roboppy set his deck and said in maniacal tone.
The two duels between brothers were happening simultaneously.
...Meanwhile, in Kiku's Pov...
Damm, I didn't want to be a girl anymore.
It fucking hurt so much. Someone kill me, please.
If I had remembered the cost of being a girl and had the chance to accept it, I never would have.
My stomach was hurting so badly now. According to my memory (or original Kiku's, more accurately), periods lasted 5 days maximum.
5 days in hell.
No wonder girls were extremly cranky in these days. Things like these never happened with boys, so I never had to deal with this before.
And this was just the 3rd day.
In the morning after returning home from Starlight Road, I woke up with a hellish menstruation. The slow, painful days had begun since then.
I still had school today, to make matters worse. I was going to meet Takeru there, too, who isn't exactly happy with me. I didn't want to meet him in this condition.
So in the next 2 days, I decided to avoid him on purpose. It didn't work well. He still wanted to meet me privately.
I had asked Dr Taki how to ease the pain from menstruation. She said she would send me some medicines in my package along with my Subterror deck. I've only managed to receive the Subterror deck so far.
And the package arrived right in the morning before I prepared to school. I took the medicines immediately.
And it worked.
I could understand why many people wanted to join the Knights of Hanoi. It seemed like they had the resources for everything.
The Subterror archetype was my favourite archetypes to make the opponents rage quit, especially with Numeron Zexal. I wasn't degenerate enough to use Mystic Mine Burn, though. I'm no monster.
I came to school quite early. I ended up waking up early because of the pain, to which luckily only lasted an hour after receiving the medicines.
Only a few students arrived today, for some reason. I noticed a certain, brown-haired girl in the middle row. She was wearing earphones, and began noticing me as I approached her.
"Sorry, Aoi, for invading your privacy", I said sheepishly. "Is it okay if I sit next to you today?"
"Ok, sure", Aoi accepted it right away, before moving to the side to give some space. After a while, Aoi suddenly asked me:
"Did you have a fight with Homura?"
Ok, this was unexpected. Seems like rumors were spreading.
Looking at my tensed expression, Aoi quickly apologized, "I-I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to intrude your privacy like that."
"It's ok", I said, before suddenly thinking about something. I then stared directly into her eyes and asked her with seriousness, "Actually, can I trust you with something?"
"O...ok, yeah", the brunette was taken aback a little. She then stammered with determination, "I will do my best to listen."
"Good. Please come with me to a vacant room", I told her. I then took out a card from my bag and continued, "Also, bring your deck with you. I have something extremly important to tell you."
Aoi looked around her bag, before taking out a small deck case.
"I hope you bring your real deck", I whispered in her ears. Aoi's eyes went wide and looked at me in shock when I said. "You should just only use Trickstar Holly Angel."
Aoi returned her deck box to her bag, before bringing out another deck box.
I went with Aoi to a vacant room. It was quite early in the morning, so no one would expect us here.
"Ok, what do you want?", Aoi stared at me warily. You really are scared if someone finds out your identity huh, Aoi?
I didn't blame her, I was kinda in the same boat.
I then threw her a card, to which she catches. Her eyes are opened in shock after seeing the card.
"I believe that can answer my relationship with Takeru", I said amusingly.
"You... you really are her", Aoi stuttered. She then eyed me even more warily. "You're Kisara, one of Hanoi's Knights..."
"Well, it looks like Spectre has given you a quite wild experience", I said to her. "But I promise I won't let them harm you in any way. I swear it in my soul."
"You.. you don't know what it feels like being trapped inside your own body, do you?", Aoi's eyes started leaking tears. "I don't fully trust you..."
"Of course I don't know what it feels like, because I never allow myself losing in life and death duels", I responded. "But that's not the point. I already said I was gonna protect you, so that's what I plan to do."
Aoi only kept silently weeping to herself. Seeing her crying like this was sad, but...
"Besides, please return my Galatea. I feel like you can crush her", I extended my hand towards the brunette.
My card was in critical situation now. She started to form a fist, and she can crush my card with it.
Hearing my request, Aoi returns me the card.
"You said the card explains your relationship with Homura", Aoi notes as she dried her tears off her eyes. "It means Homura is Soulburner, right?"
"Well, it is quite obvious after all", I shrug off.
"But that also means..."
Aoi covers her face in shame when she comes to a realization. She remembered a specific friend of Homura's.
Yusaku Fujiki.
"Yusaku is Playmaker", Aoi muttered. "No wonder he knows my identity."
"Took you long enough", I stated with a bored tone. To be honest, it seemed obvious by looking at their faces.
"Why are you revealing this to me, though?", Aoi questioned me.
"I must tell you this. Yusaku's someone who's closing off his heart completely because of the Lost Incident that took place years ago", I began explaining. "He only views you as a person he needs to save, not as an actual companion. You only view him as Playmaker, the legendary hero, and not as a broken boy named Yusaku Fujiki. Am I wrong?"
I then tell her the identities of the most wanted people on the network. SOL Technologies would love the infornation I have just given to her.
Aoi opens her mouth to say something, but nothing comes out. She doesn't know what to say.
"Have Miyu and Kosaka rebuilt your deck?", I asked Aoi, changing the topic to something more lighter. I remember when Windy referred to Cyber as 'Kosaka', so maybe that was his name.
"Yes, he said my deck didn't need to use many Extra Deck Trickstar monsters, just 2 copies of Holly Angel are enough.", Aoi answered as she took her deck box. "He also said that my deck should focus more on controling the field. He gave me many powerful cards to upgrade my deck, too."
"He's right, your deck only needs to focus on burning the opponents, that much is good enough", I agreed. I then asked the brunette, "Is it okay if I borrow it?"
I'm quite curious about the Trickstar deck Aoi had just rebuilt.
Aoi then gives me her box, to which I open. Her cards were in double sleeves, unlike Ryoken.
Wow, it even had Inspector Boarder.
Suddenly, I drop to my knees and hug my belly. Aoi's Trickstar deck falls to the ground.
...Fuck.
"Are you ok ?" Aoi asked me with concern in her eyes.
"Well, it means I haven't been a mother yet."
I tried to crack a joke. Damm, it hurted like hell.
"Oh, I see. I will help you go to the clinic."
Aoi understood, she tried to help me get up.
"I will help you fetch the cards. It would be not fun at all if someone saw these cards."
I tried to collect back Trickstar cards. But my stomach was still killing me.
"I will do it, my deck doesn't have too many cards. You should rest."
Aoi said and put me on a chair.
Aoi collected back her cards. I took out the pill in my pocket and swallowed it.
The pill still needed at least 15 minutes to kick in.
Aoi's cards were in her deck box again. She helped me stand up.
"I don't need to go to the clinic, we will back to the class, I can handle it."
I said.
"Ok, as you wish."
Aoi replied.
We are still walking in silence, then Aoi suddenly speaks up.
"In the Inspector Boarder's card text, I was very confused at first, but actually it was quite simple. I only don't know what is 'Pendulum' means. Do you know it ? Kosaka said I didn't need to know them because no one would use Pendulum anyway."
Aoi questions to me.
I am not in the mood to teach another Pendulum lesson again. Ryoken is extremly intelligent and it still took me a lot of work.
"I'm sorry, my condition doesn't allow me to explain something complex like that. You only need to know that it is a whole new kind of summoning methods."
I explain. I am really not in the mood to explain to her.
"I...see."
Aoi mutters in dissapointment.
On the halfway back to our class, we were stopped by 3 boys.
At the first glance they are just normal students, until one of them approaches me.
"Hey two beauties, it is not good to be late like this ?"
He said with a creepy smile on his face. Oh please, what I have done to you ? I know I am quite beautiful. But to be harrased like this, no.
I started to hate being a girl.
"Get out of our way."
I glare to them. Luckily my stomach stops killing me.
As usual, the boys are flinched a little.
"Why ? Why don't allow ourselves inviting you to a beautiful place ? You are the beauties, of course. I can give two of you a lot of money."
The other boy invites me with a charming smile on his face, it makes me nauseous. A typical rich boy thinks he can get everything he wants with his money, or his parents' money.
How do I know it ?
Because I had observed them.
I used to go to a private school where many boys were quite rich and weathy, the boys like that that weren't upper class, they are just spoiled children. The boys from upper class are another level of aura and intelligence. They really define the difference between middle class and upper class.
Just imagine Ryoken Kogami or Reiji Akaba. Yeah, many upper class boys are like that.
"I repeat, get out of our way."
I said in a more menacing tone.
"Ooh, scary. I see you have duel disk. Why don't you and your friend entertain us a little ?"
I don't have time for this. I am not interested in dueling now.
"I accept."
Aoi suddenly said.
What ? No. You only bring Trickstar with you.
"Seems like you are brave, brunette. I am ready. If you are lost, I will take your deck. Considers it like the replacement of you."
A boy seems like the leader laughs.
"I will accept the challenge instead of her. But in return, I will take your deck if you lose."
I said. I cannot allow Aoi's identity be uncovered. I know how shameful is it if the secrets are exposed.
The duel disk in this world is quite small, I can carry them around like a watch.
"I accept. Even Revolver or Playmaker cannot defeat me if I use this deck. Even the new girl names Kisara, too."
The boy laughs as he sets his duel disk.
"Hey, you will be revealed if you duel."
Aoi whispers to me.
"So do you. Of course I am not that fool."
I whisper back.
"Are you ok with this ? His confidence makes me quite disturbed."
She asks me.
"Don't worry. I have Revolver backs me up."
After my answer, she doesn't question anymore.
I set my duel disk. I admit, his confidence makes me quite worried.
"DUEL."
Both of us shout.
Kiku: 4000 LP
Bully Boy: 4000 LP
"I will let you go first. I want to see what you can do. My deck is invicible anyway."
The boy smirks.
He allows me to have 1st turn. It would be his demise. My first turn hand is great.
"I activiate Terraforming. I add The Hidden City to my hand. I activiate The Hidden City to add a Subterror monster to my hand. I add Subterror Behemoth Umatryx. I set 1 monster. The Hidden City's effect, I can change my monster to face up defense position. Subterror Guru's effect, I add Subterror Final Battle to my hand. I set 3 cards and end my turn."
I finish my first turn.
"My turn, draw. You have a strong deck but it is nothing compare to mine. I normal summon Zoodiac Ratpier ( 0 ATK - 0 DEF ) then I send Zoodiac Throughblade to the graveyard. I build the Overlay Network. XYZ Summon, Zoodiac Hammerkong ( 0 ATK - 0 DEF )."
Zoodiac ? No wonder he is so confident in his deck. That deck used to be Tier 0. But he lets me go first, big mistake.
It will be a sweet prize if I defeat him.
"No one can defeat this deck"
"Yes. This deck is invicible."
Two of his lackeys cheer for his leader.
Aoi looks at me in concern.
"I can win, trust me."
I try to console her.
"Ratpier's effect: I can detach XYZ material from the monster is attached by Ratpier to special summon another copy from my hand or deck. I special summon another Zoodiac Ratpier ( 0 ATK - 0 DEF )."
Not once per turn, I can understand why Ratpier is limited, it is the same as Destiny HERO - Malicious but Ratpier can also mill the graveyard and it is in a very broken archetype.
"Sorry, you cannot XYZ summon anymore. I activiate my set quick play spell card Super Polymerization. By discarding a card, I can use monsters from either side of the field as Fusion materials. Let me see, I choose Zoodiac Ratpier and Zoodiac Hammerkong. Fusion Summon, Brotherhood of the Fire Fist - Swan ( 2600 ATK - 2200 DEF )."
I clash my hands together like in Arc V to perform Fusion Summon.
...
I should drop that style, it isn't fit for me.
"It is so unfair. A Fusion card can use opponent's side of the field."
One of the lackeys moans.
Have you seen Fusion of Fire or A.I. Love Fusion ?
"I activiate Swords of Revealing Light, you cannot attack in 3 turns.I set 2 cards and end my turn."
My opponent grits his teeth. Dueling is fun, why don't you enjoy it ? Playing Swords of Revealing Light isn't fun at all, you know.
"Now you can't attack in 3 turns."
Aoi said to me.
"Really ? I doubt it."
I smirked.
"Before my turn come, I activiate Heavy Storm Duster to destroy 2 Spell/Trap cards on the field. I destroy your Swords of Revealing Light and 1 of your set card. Then I activiate Subterror Final Battle, I change Subterror Guru to face down position. I can set it again after I use the card instead of sending to the graveyard"
"WHAT ?"
Everybody is shocked. Staple Spell/Trap removals aren't very popular, that's why people in Vrains were struggling with Judgement Arrows. The destroyed set card is Waboku.
"My turn, draw. I change Guru to face-up Attack Position. Guru's effect: I add Subterror Fiendess to my hand. Then I normal summon Subterror Fiendess ( 800 ATK - 500 DEF ). Fiendess's effect, I change Brotherhood of the Fire Fist - Swan to face-down Defense Postion to special summon Subterror Behemoth Umastryx ( 2000 ATK - 2700 DEF ) from my graveyard in face-down Defense Position."
"Our boss's field only has 1 set card. Is it enough ?"
One lackey worries.
"She only has an 2 Attack Positions monsters with low ATK. He can survive."
The other says.
"I activiate The Hidden City's effect: I change Behemoth Umastryx to face-up Attack Position. Battle, Behemoth Umastryx attacks directly."
My opponent doesn't faze at all, he...smirks ?
"I activiate my trap card, Drowning Mirror Force. I can return all opponent's Attack Position monsters into the deck if I am attacked directly."
"I told you, our boss is the best."
"You are right. Now 3 of her monsters are shuffle back into her deck."
2 lackeys cheer.
You fool.
"I activiate Subterror Fiendess's effect. I send this card to the graveyard and change Guru to face-down position to negate your trap card."
I declare, but the leader is still smirking.
"At least I'm survived."
"No, I am not such a soft duelist."
I chuckle.
"How can you finish me ? I only receive 2000 damage. Even you flip your monster, it is just 1600 damage more. I still have 400 LP left."
The leader questions.
"That's why I will show you. Now give me your deck. I activiate Subterror Final Battle. ATK and DEF of 1 Subterror monster I control become equal to its combined ATK and DEF until the end of the turn."
Behemoth Umastryx ( 4700 ATK - 4700 DEF )
"4700 ATK..."
Aoi mutters.
"I can't believe it."
My opponent wailed as he was blasted away.
Bully Boy: 4000 LP - 0 LP
I come to his position.
"This is my deck now. Give it to me."
I demanded. Zoodiac used to be a Tier 0 deck. It still can be at least Tier 1 if all its archetypal cards are unlimited. I managed to win because I had Super Polymerization and Heavy Storm Duster.
But the thing he said is beyond my imagination.
"I never accept your condition in the first place."
He said.
So you are double-tongue huh.
I take off my stockings. All their eyes are glue to my legs.
Stupid perverts. Only a certain redhead boy is allowed.
I never tolerated them for this.
Their face became pale when they saw the thing was hidden underneath it.
"Stop it, Kiku."
Aoi shouts to me as she notices it.
"I have a really, really bad day, Aoi. So I'm very sorry to make you witness this."
I reply to Aoi then the bullies manage to run.
But I am faster. I manage to catch the leader, it is enough for me. I only need his deck.
"I'm so sorry. Please forgive me. I will give my deck to you."
He sobs and begs me.
"I have tried my best not to slaughter you when you and your friends stopped our way. But it is beyond my tolerance now, especially you and your friends glue at my legs."
I say as I trace the knife onto his face.
"Wait, I don't know how to use a knife elegantly."
I say, proceed to think. I close off my switchblade.
"Yes, please forgive me."
He begs.
"Well, maybe we should do something easier, how about breaking your bones."
I say with a sweet, betraying smile on my face.
I only intend to hit him unconciously. It would be bad if he needed to go to the hospital. Takeru's grandfather taught us quite a lot.
But suddenly, my knife is dropped to the ground.
I lose my balance and my whole body is falling to the ground, I smell a familiar body odour. I know it because we have done this thousands times and I have smelt that fragnance for many years.
Before my back hit the ground, he catches it. My right arm is grabbed and locked by him, it doesn't sound bad at all.
"Hello, Takeru."
I present my best genuine smile to him.
"Luckily we are in time."
Aoi lets out a sigh of relief.
Before my eyes, I see Aoi, Yusaku and a teacher.
"Teacher. She..."
Aoi starts to explain.
"I know. The camera has it all, but I never tolerate violence."
The teacher sighs.
"Come with me to the Headmaster Office, Kiku Kamishirakawa."
The teacher said to me, but Takeru haven't let go off me yet.
"I have legs, Takeru. If you want to cuddle me, I prefer somewhere more private."
I teased him. Takeru's face is beat red. I casually take the deck case from him who is still lying on the ground.
"She must be expelled from school."
The bully boy shouts out.
I just show him his deck case as I walk away with the teacher.
"What happened to you, Kiku ?"
Takeru mutters as I walk past him. He stares directly at my eyes.
You would know if you were a girl. Cramp is the worst.
But maybe I will tell him everything soon. I haven't rebuilt his deck either.
Author's note: Finally it's done. Thank you to everyone who is reading and supporting this fanfiction.
Next chapter will be destiny duel between Bohman and Ai.
I'm sorry for grammar errors, I have tried my best to correct them. The editor haven't caught up yet, we will reupload the edited version.
Thank you so much for helping me, PebbleDragon78.