Lise stretched out her back, lithe like a cat. Maybe it was being back at Terra's dojo in Peru, and the habits she'd accumulated there, but she found herself getting up early. Going to the gazebo and gardens to train like old times didn't sound like a bad idea. But she had to be careful not to wake Yusei up.
She slid out of bed and changed out of pajamas as quietly as she could. The warmth of the Peruvian desert greeted her outside. The world warming up for the day. She stretched again, hands reaching up towards the sunlight. The ringing chimes of the gazebo were just as relaxing and peaceful as she remembered.
The world felt so simple in the partial shade and sunlight of the gazebo. All the elements were together. The flowing, giggling creek. Flickering flames of the morning candles Master Terra always lit gave off their own slight warmth. Earth surrounded the gazebo, not just in the dirt beneath her feet, but in the smell of the garden's flowers. The chiming signaled the graceful presence of the air flowing. Normally in meditation, the lesson was to block out the rest of the world. But this place was built for meditation that embraced the world, and the connection with the Earth and all its elements.
"Thought I'd find you out here," Yusei said, voice soft and low.
Lise snapped to attention at the sound of his voice. She hadn't realized she was relaxing so much she was falling asleep sitting up. "It's unnatural how quiet you are!"
Yusei chuckled a little, pushing off the gazebo railing he was leaning on. How he made leaning on something look sexy, Lise had no clue. He joined her on the gazebo's wooden floor, mimicking her cross-legged position. "Meditating?"
"Trying to. It's easier here. I just feel so connected to the Earth." Lise closed her eyes again.
"It'd be easier out here than in the city, I imagine."
"Too much interference," Lise agreed, she opened one eye as scathingly as she could. "Like your hand."
Yusei didn't shy away from taking her hand in his. He knew what Lise's 'no' voice sounded like, and she was more teasing than actually irritated.
He's in a strange mood… Lise thought to herself, watching Yusei trace the lines of her palm with his fingers.
"We never got the chance to talk about what happened in the past, when we met Jaden and Yugi," Yusei said, his long lashes hiding part of the blue of his eyes.
Lise's whole face felt warm. "You mean what you said about…?"
"Growing old together, yes," Yusei was also feeling incredibly hot in the face. But he didn't want to let go of Lise's hand and the electricity that surged between their touch.
Lise turned her attention to the roof of the gazebo. She rolled her tongue between her teeth. The statement itself and what it meant rolling over in her mind. "I never really thought about it before, or even considered it."
"Never?"
"You forget, I never considered anyone would like me long enough to date me either."
"Fair enough."
"What about you?" Lise's thumb traced tiny circles into the back of Yusei's hands. Her posture relaxed as she leaned a little closer just to embrace his nearness. "Did you ever consider spending your life with someone?"
"Not seriously at first. Remember, being with you was just a pipe dream for a while…But seeing you old like that, when I didn't get to share it with you? When this is all over, and after we've seen every corner of the world, would you want to?"
Lise laughed a little. The warmth and love radiating and bubbling out of her like uncorked champagne. This relationship stuff was hard. Harder than she'd imagined. But there was no one else she'd want in her corner more. She tapped her forehead gently to his. They were practically breathing the same breaths. "Yes."
"Together forever," Yusei promised.
"I hope you two are using my spiritual gazebo for its intended purposes," Master Terra broke the silence. She carried her steaming tea tray in to sit across from them.
Lise reddened, but she kept her hand firmly in both of Yusei's. "Of course, just taking a break."
Master Terra looked like any old woman settling down to have tea. But Yusei knew she was far from ordinary. She poured tea for all three of them. Lise took her mug eagerly. Yusei was more hesitant.
"I haven't poisoned the tea, young man," Master Terra gave him a scathingly curious look.
"Oh no, I know, I just…" Yusei turned pink at his rudeness. "I'm worried about what you might tell us."
Master Terra chuckled at that. She wafted the tea's aroma into her nose. "My wisdom comes from experience, not age."
"You do have something to tell us," Lise said, sipping her tea.
"I'm afraid so," Master Terra's face fell. Her wrinkles made her expression heavier. This was serious. She swirled the dregs of her tea like she was trying to use divination skills to see if her students would be safe. "You're coming close to your final battle with Yliaster. To more answers and more questions."
Lise and Yusei shared a look.
"I fear that this time… the Signers have been too lucky in this battle. I fear if victory is achieved again, it will be at a cost."
Lise swallowed. Suddenly her tea wasn't sitting well. "Like…a sacrifice?"
"Yes."
Yusei sighed. We can't catch a break. "Isn't there something we can do?"
Master Terra smiled thinly. "Young people are always so eager to do something, to change their predicaments. Maybe that's why I started teaching."
"But is there really nothing we can do?" Yusei pressed.
Lise was quiet. Her eyes shifting between her fingers as she thought.
"A sacrifice and a betrayal."
"Oh…" Yusei didn't have anything else to say. This news was rather depressing. Who could possibly betray them? Their friends would never…
Master Terra's serene expression fell. "I wasn't trying to dishearten you. You're my student, whether you train here or not, and I couldn't let you leave without warning you."
"I know," Lise sighed, sniffling a little. "That kinda thing just sucks, ya know? It's already hard enough to make friends." She had to set down her tea to rub at her eyes. "I don't want to… think that one of them would just turn on us like that."
Yusei's hand found Lise's to give her a comforting little squeeze. She was thinking the same thing. Neither of them wanted to believe that kind of thing could happen again. It had hurt so deeply years ago when Jack had betrayed them. To believe something like that could happen again was unbearable.
"I'm here for you too," Master Terra said. Her grey eyes were hard with her need to convey her earnest intentions. "Both of you. You, all of you, can get through this."
/
"Welcome back," Crow greeted when Jack, Carly, Lise, and Yusei filed inside the garage at the clock tower.
"Thanks, good to be back," Lise yawned. She sat down on the couch, bleary-eyed from the flight.
"How was the trip?" Bruno came downstairs, and grabbed an apple for breakfast.
Jack puffed up his chest. "Amazing! I got an evolved synchro monster!"
"After he endangered all our lives," Carly reminded him with a jab to his abdomen.
Crow chuckled. "That sounds like our Jack."
"But now I'm starving," Jack rubbed his hands together, licking his lips. "Carly, I'm going to make ramen, would you like some?"
"Sure."
"Oh, Jack, about the ramen sta-" Bruno started, wincing slightly.
Jack ignored him and swung open the cabinet they kept their ramen in. "Where…? Did you?"
"We finished it all while you were in Peru," Crow admitted. "Sorry, bro. We can go with you to get more."
"You bet your asses you will! Let's go!"
"Jack, it's okay. We don't have to have ramen," Carly suggested. She followed him as he stormed for the door.
"Okay, guess we're going now," Crow shrugged at Bruno, who followed the others.
Bruno paused at the staircase down into the garage. "Wait, aren't Lise and Yusei coming…"
"Huh?"
"Nope," Bruno laughed a little, falling into step by Crow. "They fell asleep on the couch. Guess they needed a nap."
/
"You're saying they're all sold out?!" Jack screamed, clutching at his head. "Why?!"
Crow rolled his eyes. "Just chill a little. The sweet red-bean noodles are popular, so it's not surprising."
Carly placed a hand on Jack's shoulder. "We can look somewhere else."
"Don't you dare expect me to pull out cash to foot the bill for you!" Crow snapped, just for the record.
Jack fired back immediately. "I'm the one who was smart enough to find this stand in the first place!"
"That's not what I'm talking about!"
Bruno tried to placate them. "We don't we come back and buy again on a different day?"
"I'm sure there are other stands we can check," Carly whipped out her phone to start sleuthing. The sooner they dealt with this, the sooner they could enjoy a meal.
Behind them, an old woman was walking with her groceries. Like something from a movie, an unknown turbo duelist drove past, snatching the woman's purchase!
"Stop him! Thief!" The woman cried.
"Uh…"
"You don't see that every day!" Carly switched to the camera on her phone. Maybe if she couldn't catch the thief, she could at least find a way to identify him with her footage!
A rope cord came out of nowhere, wrapping around the thief's wrist. He was unseated, spilling the old woman's purchase, five instant cup ramen bowls, everywhere.
Dressed in large, dark hat, sunglasses, and boring, beige clothes, the owner of the rope cord stepped out of the shadows. He smirked and picked up the cup ramen.
"Oh thank you!" The old woman beamed at her would be ramen rescuer. She snatched her ramen back.
"Wait…"
"Here, as a reward," she gave the strange, little man one cup.
"In that case," the man snatched two more cups and used his rope cord to whisk away into the dark alleyways. He giggled like a maniac the entire time.
"Okay… you all saw that too, right?" Bruno asked, just as flabbergasted as the old woman.
"Must be Lazar. That just went from weird to super weird," Crow commented.
Carly smirked to herself. "And the whole thing is on tape!"
/
Lazar finally felt safe to relax. "It's been a while since I had the chance to feast! It's also the newly released sweet red-bean noodles!"
"Someone looks happy, Lazar."
Lazar gasped, jumping to his feet. It was Crow and Bruno!
"Yo," Crow put his hands on his hips. "It's been a while."
"H-Have you confused me with someone else?"
"Stop messing around!"
Lazar turned around to find the other end of the alleyway was blocked by Jack and Carly.
"It's you, Lazar, no doubt about it!" Carly pointed dramatically.
The four of them started to close in.
"It doesn't matter what you wear, it doesn't hide your high-pitched voice!" Jack growled.
"And this will prove it!" He and Crow grabbed at Lazar's disguise.
"NO!" Lazar whined. Underneath the disguise he still sported his signature red clothing and clown makeup. Jack took the three ramen cups just for good measure.
"If you don't mind answering some of our questions?" Carly grinned. So this is what it feels like to be a real journalist! "Since you're the Vide Director of the Public Security Maintenance Bureau, then you should know something about Yliaster!"
"Oh…" Sweat broke out on Lazar's brow. "You want me to tell you about Yliaster? What's in it for me?"
Jack smashed one of the ramen cups into Lazar's face. "Just tell us! You're nothing but a thief who stole MY cup ramen! Don't think I forgot! Tell us, and tell us now!"
"Get a grip, Jack!"
"Don't tell me what to do!" Jack spat at Crow.
Lazar took advantage of their distraction. He kicked the ramen cups out of Jack's hands. He snatched the two cups Jack had dropped as he used his rope cord to pull himself up to safety. "This is one of the best cup ramen of its time! Farewell!"
"That slick bastard!" Crow swore.
Bruno sighed. "Now what?"
"We need help," Carly ended her recording and tapped into her speed dial.
/
It was nearly noon when the twins and Akiza joined the others at the garage. Lise and Yusei had awoken from their nap, both sipping at steaming coffee.
"So, lemme get this as straight as I can get it," Akiza put her hands on her hips. Veins pulsed with her irritation. "Lazar managed to run away from all four of you?"
Bruno, Crow, and Jack avoided eye contact. It was bad enough they'd been outwitted. Worse, by a goddamn clown. Carly was flipping through the footage on her phone.
"At least I don't have a grudge over cup ramen," Crow said, avoiding looking at Jack.
"I'm not to blame!"
The twins and Akiza shrugged. "Whatever."
"But why is Lazar hiding?" Bruno asked.
"My guess," Yusei spoke up. "Is the Yliaster agents working for Mako tried to kill him."
"You mean he really thinks he's in danger?" Crow raised an eyebrow.
"He does have information on them," Lise pointed out. "He worked for the Emperors."
Akiza raised a finger. "Should we try to attack again? We'd have a better chance with all of us."
Bruno shook his head. "I don't think he can be found so easily."
Lise frowned and drained the last of her coffee. "Bruno's right. We have to be clever about this."
"That damn bastard," Crow swore.
The room fell silent as everyone thought it over. Jack mulled things over, staring at the one cup ramen he'd managed to save.
"I've got an idea!"
"Huh?" Everyone blinked in surprise at him. Jack wasn't usually their idea guy.
Jack looked rather devious chuckling to himself with a devilish smirk and his arms crossed. Even Carly was a tad unnerved.
Crow narrowed his eyes. "Why do I get the feeling I'm gonna hate whatever you come up with?"
/
Deep in one of the city's sewage tunnels, a curtain stretched from one wall to the next. There wasn't much, dirty furniture and filthy water beneath the haphazardly placed wooden pallet blocks.
Lazar was seated at the table. A similarly dressed woman and young child sat across from him.
"We haven't feasted like this in a while," the child said, referring to the two ramen cups on the table.
"Where did you get this, my dear?" The woman questioned, eyes narrowing slightly.
"Atsuko," Lazar waved away her words. "Don't worry about that." He peeled back the lid of the closest ramen cup. "How savory!" he cried, the smell of the broth caressing his nostrils. "Now Kaoru," Lazar composed himself and pushed the bowl over to the child. "Eat please."
"Aren't you going to eat, daddy?"
"I ate earlier, outside. So please…"
Kaoru double checked with his mother, who nodded. "Let's eat!"
Lazar smiled at his family. His stomach groaned loudly.
"Dear?" Atsuko realized what her husband had done for them. She ate with tears in her eyes.
/
The next day everything was ready. Team 5Ds set up an elaborate ramen marketing stunt in the market areas where they had last seen Lazar. Artwork and sets and costumes had been put together last second, complete with Naruto and pepper hats for the twins. Everyone had slept in shifts so no one would be too sleep deprived the next day.
"Today we bring you the spicy Red Dragon Noodles!" Luna announced.
Leo joined in, grinning from ear to ear. "Welcome to the third anniversary sale! Happy to have you!"
Akiza was part of the stage act, clad in a witch's hat, dress, and sunglasses. "Our special guest today is Cup Ramen Man!"
The curtain onstage pulled back to reveal Cup Ramen Man! Or…Crow also in costume.
"Sorry to keep you waiting!" Crow pretended to be cheery despite how ridiculous he looked in a cup ramen costume.
Their lackluster crowd didn't seem all that enthusiastic. No one cheered at the big reveal.
Crow's eyes twitched. "Why am I wearing this stupid thing again?" He grumbled.
Akiza elbowed him, hissing under her breath. "You think we wanna be dressed like this? You lost the coin toss with Jack!" She blew on her party blower with zero enthusiasm.
Crow's fists clenched so hard his knuckles cracked. "I'm gonna make you regret this, Jack!"
Hiding behind the curtain, Yusei, Jack, Carly, Lise, and Bruno watched and waited.
Jack frowned. "What's Crow muttering about?"
Lise shrugged.
"Dunno," Yusei said.
"So to start off," Luna was saying. "We'll have a spicy Red Dragon Noodle Duel Tournament!"
Leo gestured grandly to Crow. "You'll have to fight the strongest duelist: Cup Ramen Man in a duel! If you win, you receive a year's supply of spicy Red Dragon Noodles as a prize!"
Now the crowd was getting energized! Free noodles was something no sane person refused. And all they had to do was beat some guy in a costume.
"Duel!" The twins cried in unison.
Challenger after challenger faced off against Crow. One by one, they all lost! Crow wasn't being mean, but if he couldn't take out his frustrations on Jack at the moment…
Still amped from his last match up, Crow pointed into the crowd. "Who's next?!"
A small man dressed in black jumped onstage. His dark hair with a single red streak hid his eyes, but not his purple lipstick. "I'll be your next opponent."
"It's him!" Jack whispered. My plan is working!
Crow grinned wildly. Finally! "Good to see you again!"
"Hold up, you've seen me somewhere?"
Akiza, the twins, and Bruno slowly closed in around Lazar. Yusei, Jack, Carly, and Lise busted out from behind the curtains.
"You won't get away this time!" Jack cried.
Crow whipped off the big cup he'd been wearing, slamming it down over Lazar. "I've been waiting!" Lazar was trapped! "I have you now!"
"Persistent pests," Lazar growled. He threw down a smoke bomb.
Smoke flooded the stage. No one could see, but everyone could hear Lazar's high-pitched giggle as he escaped again. Yusei had been the closest, and was able to throw a tracker on Lazar a second before he vanished for good again.
"Bastard, Lazar get back here!" Crow yelled into the clearing smoke.
Jack's head swiveled back and forth. "Where'd he go?!"
Leo's body sagged with the weight of their failure. "He got away again?!"
"Don't worry," Yusei pulled out the matching locater to the tracker he'd put on Lazar. "We can track him down with this."
Even Carly was flabbergasted. "When did you have time to make that?"
"Last night. Lise can't track someone she isn't connected to, so I figured I'd make a tracker just in case."
"Aw, you're so smart," Lise beamed at her boyfriend.
Yusei's cheeks flushed deep pink.
/
Lazar finally stopped running right by his new home with his family in the sewage tunnels. "Those guys will never be able to catch me."
"Think again."
Lise lead the charge from the air. Crow and Jack were right behind her on their duel runners. Carly hung on tight right behind Jack. They wheeled around, boxing in Lazar.
"Betcha thought you wouldn't see us again so soon," Crow grinned.
Lazar whirled between them. "How did you find me?!"
Yusei pulled up, along with Bruno, Akiza, and the twins right behind him. "We couldn't let you escape again, so we planted a tracker on you.
"Now then," Jack approached, cracking his knuckles. "You cup ramen thief!"
"Please," Lise crossed her arms. The please was just a curtesy. She could beat it out of him, if she wanted to. "Tell us everything you know about Yliaster."
"I'm telling you guys nothing!" Lazar growled.
Crow put his hands on his hips. "If that's the case, then how about this. We'll settle this in a duel."
Lazar narrowed his eyes. "A duel?"
"Yeah," Crow nodded. "If you win, we'll leave you alone. If I win, you'll tell us everything you know about Yliaster."
Lazar swallowed. His green eyes darted to the entrance to his current home. His family. "Very well. You can't win against my talent anyway!" He whipped off his disguise with a flourish, duel disk at the ready.
"All right!" Crow activated his duel disk too.
Crow: 4000
Lazar: 4000
Carly kept her camera at the ready. The others got comfortable. Whether Crow won or not, they could still try again. Later, most likely.
"I'll go first," Lazar said.
"Come on, then!"
"First, I set four facedown cards!"
Bruno gasped. "Four cards all at once?!"
"Next, I summon Jester Lord!"
(Jester Lord: Atk: 0 Def: 0)
Just like Lazar, the card resembled a juggling, smiley clown.
"The monster from back then," Crow muttered. Back in the Satellite…
"If this card is the only monster on the field, Jester Lord's attack power goes up by one thousand for every spell or trap on my field."
"So it has four thousand attack points, big deal. You're just as tricky as ever," Crow quipped.
"You've got nothing against the Vice Director of the Public Security Maintenance Bureau!" Lazar snickered. "I end my turn."
"I can't decide what's creepier; clowns or spiders," Lise shivered. Clowns were freaky.
Leo nodded. "This duel is definitely gonna be weird."
"Clowns like you should just quit bluffing. My turn! If there are monsters on my opponent's field, I'm able to summon Blackwing Sirocco the Dawn without a tribute!"
(Blackwing Sirocco the Dawn: Atk: 2000 Def: 900)
Crow's bird had dark colors, stark contrast to the bright colors of Jester Lord.
"With him on the field, Jester Lord has zero attack!" Crow reminded his opponent.
"Then I'll activate Imperial Register! When one of my monster's attack drops down, until the end phase, I'll be able to add the amount of attack power my monster lost to it. This allows Jester Lord's attack power to become four thousand again!"
Crow wasn't phased though. "Then I special summon Blackwing Gale the Whirlwind! I can special summon Gale from my hand when there's another Blackwing on my field."
"Oh, a tuner monster. You're aiming to synchro summon then? I play the continuous trap Discord! This card prevents players from performing synchro summons for three turns."
"For a clown, he's pretty good," Akiza begrudgingly admitted.
Luna clasped her hands. "How can Crow win if he can't synchro summon?"
"Synchro sealing again?" Crow smirked. He knew this game from the last time. "Don't you underestimate my Blackwings. Gale the Whirlwind's effect activates! Once per turn, it can halve one of my opponent's monster's attack and defense! Next, Sirocco the Dawn can raise the attack power of one Blackwing monster equal to its own power!"
Lazar was snickering again. "I have you now. I play Tuning Barrier! If a player has a tuner monster on the field or graveyard, they can't attack for three turns!"
"Aw man," Bruno grumbled. "And Gale the Whirlwind is a tuner monster!"
Jack crossed his arms, leaning back. "Lazar's trying to protect himself."
"But Crow has something up his sleeve," Yusei added.
"I hope so." Lise frowned at the duel unfolding. It wasn't just the clowns that was off.
Crow was grinning. "Going just as planned! I remove from play Gale the Whirlwind and Sirocco the Dawn to special summon Blackwing Aurora the Northern Lights!"
(Blackwing Aurora the Northern Lights: Atk: ? Def: 0)
Crow's new monster was a tiny dark blue bird. Its head was a brilliant sky blue, topped with pink accent feather.
"This Blackwing can be special summoned by removing from play a Blackwing tuner and non-tuner monster. Also, its effect makes its level equal to the removed monsters' total levels. Once per turn, I can remove from play one Blackwing synchro monster from my extra deck with the same level as this card. Until my next turn, Aurora gains that synchro monster's attack and monster effect. Blackwing Aurora is currently level eight, so I remove level eight Blackwing Silverwing the Ascendant!"
Aurora's attack flew up to 2800. Lazar blanched at the sudden rise in power. His three cards couldn't save him now!
"Oh yeah!" Leo pumped his fists.
"Yeah, its attack went up, and Aurora isn't a synchro monster!"
"And since a tuner monster was removed from play, Tuning Barrier has no effect."
Jack smiled at his friend. "He can still fight even with synchros being sealed."
"Good thinking, Crow."
"Since I already fought you in a duel back then, I already figured out your Anti-Synchro deck," Crow smirked. "This is it! Battle! Aurora the Northern Lights attacks Jester Lord! Next, by sending Blackwing Kalut the Moon Shadow to the graveyard, it adds its attack points to Aurora the Northern Lights attack!"
Aurora's attack was at a whopping 4200!
"What was that?!"
Crow: 4000
Lazar: 1800
"I set a card facedown and end my turn!"
"No…No way!"
"How's that, ya clown bastard!" Crow jeered.
A soda can came flying out of nowhere and struck Crow in the forehead. Luckily the can seemed to be empty, or Crow would have been seriously injured. Instead he recovered quickly, searching for the culprit. "Hey! What gives?!"
"Leave my daddy alone!" A tiny clown boy in blue, Kaoru, held up his tiny fists. His mother stood nearby, watching, hands clasped to her chest.
Lazar gasped. "What're you doing out here?"
Kaoru kept shouting at Crow. "You're always messing with my daddy, you bully!"
"I'm no bully!" Crow insisted. "I didn't know you have a family."
"Of clowns that look exactly like him," Akiza laughed a little. Bizarre but not unheard of. They even styled their hair the same way.
"This is weird in like the nicest way possible," Lise agreed. "For a clown…I guess…"
"I am a respectable member of society," Lazar frowned. "Regardless of my personal attire, that is."
"Respectable member of society," Jack snorted. "Funny."
Carly stopped recording. She knew what all this meant. She couldn't be responsible for endangering anyone, even if she got ahead doing it. Another good scoop down the train…
"This is dangerous," Lazar told his family. "Stay in the back!"
"But dear!"
"Daddy, beat the freaky bad guy!"
Crow shook his arms, picking up his legs indignantly. "Why am I the freaky one?!"
"Rest assured, justice is sure to win," Lazar said.
"Justice?!" Jack roared, fists at the ready. "Where's the justice in stealing my cup ramen?!"
"Can it! I have a duel to win! It's my turn! Continuous trap Customs of the Court activates! I summon Jester Queen!"
(Jester Queen: Atk: 800 Def: 800)
This clown monster was dressed head to toe in ribbons and bows. She too had a dramatic and flamboyant outfit.
"When this card is summoned, all cards in my spell and trap card zone are destroyed. When Customs of the Court is activated, all continuous trap cards cannot be destroyed except for this one."
Jack slumped back against the wall in a pout. "It's attack is still eight hundred. Idiot…"
"Don't call my daddy an idiot!" Little Kaoru yelled. "He's got an idea!"
"Right you are, Kaoru! The next continuous spell, Hidden Passage, opens! When my opponent controls a monster with attack lower than one of my monsters, and the lowest on the field, one of my monsters can attack my opponent directly!"
Crow grit his teeth. "This is bad." Direct attack of eight hundred…
Lazar broke into a devilish grin. "Jester Queen can attack for every spell and trap on my field!"
"Lazar has four spells and traps, so-"
"That's four attacks!" Leo realized interrupting Bruno.
"What the hell?!"
"Jester Queen, attack four times!"
Crow: 800
Lazar: 1800
"Crow!"
"Get up!"
"That was amazing!" Kaoru cheered. His blue coattails bouncing in the air just as much as the young boy in his excitement.
"Oh, my dear." Lazar's wife smiled at him.
"I will not allow myself to be caught by Yliaster, and especially not by the likes of you!"
"Is that why you're running away? To save their lives? What you don't seem to understand is that I'll fight against Yliaster no matter what!" Crow jabbed his thumb at himself. "My turn!
"Aurora the Northern Light loses its effect, so its attack returns to zero! This card can be special summoned if I control a Blackwing monster on my field. I special summon Blackwing Bora the Spear! Next I tribute my two Blackwings! I tribute summon Blackwing Abrolhos the Earthquake!"
(Blackwing Abrolhos the Earthquake: Atk: 2600 Def: 1800)
This new bird man Blackwing swung a formidable stone club.
Sweat broke out on Lazar's forehead. He knew trouble when he saw it.
"Good," Jack smiled. "Now attack and finish this off, Crow!"
"Oh no, dear!"
"Don't be worried, mama! Daddy won't lose! Do your best, daddy!" Kaoru cheered.
"I'm not running from Yliaster just for my sake, but for my family's as well! That's why I absolutely cannot lose!"
"To…protect your family?" Crow paused.
"You're so cool, daddy!"
Crow pursed his lips, mulling over his options. His lifepoints are at eighteen-hundred…
"Abrolhos the Earthquake's effect activates! Until the end phase, I can lower its power by a thousand to return all cards in your spell and trap card zones to your hand!"
"What?!"
"Abrolhos the Earthquake, attack Jester Queen!"
Crow: 800
Lazar: 1000
"When this card fights another monster, that monster is returned to my opponent's hand after damage calculation and isn't destroyed!"
"Idiot!" Jack growled. "What are you doing?"
Akiza blinked at Crow. This wasn't like him. Is he…pretending to throw the duel?
"If he attacked without its effect, then Crow would have won…" Bruno frowned, cocking his head to the side.
"Crow…"
The duelist in question scratched at the back of his neck. "Guess I miscalculated the damage. I end my turn."
Lazar blinked at Crow. He'd seen this boy's profile. He didn't just make mistakes like that. Did he…?
"Win, daddy!"
"Yes, dear, win!"
"It's my turn!" Lazar set his jaw, deciding to take the opportunity.
"I summon Jester Queen! Next, from my hand, I activate Jester's Panic! I select one card on your field, then I cans end one card of the same type from my hand the graveyard to destroy that card. When I destroy it with this effect, I can select one Jester monster on my field to inflict a direct attack on you! Now, show me that facedown card!"
"Yay! Daddy's gonna win!"
"But when Blackwing Mine is destroyed by an opponent's card effect, it deals a thousand points of damage to the opponent," Bruno said. "Lazar just has to choose the card that isn't Blackwing Mine."
"If I can pull this off, I'll win," Lazar mumbled to himself. He caught Crow's eye, and Crow quickly looked away. He is trying to lose on purpose! Is it because of my son? I can't lose. We have nothing, and Kaoru needs something, no someone, to believe in! And I'm going to be that person!
"With Jester Panic's effect, I send a trap card to the graveyard to destroy Blackwing Mine!"
Crow squeezed his eyes shut. "You idiot! Blackwing Mine's effect activates! When this card is destroyed, the opposing player is dealt with a thousand points of damage!"
Crow: 800
Lazar: 0
Nobody moved. The entire alleyway was silent.
Then Kaoru burst into tears. "No! Daddy would never lose to you!"
"Lazar…why?" Crow stepped froward tentatively.
"I know I couldn't lose…but in order to protect my family from Yliaster, I had to lose!"
"Lazar…"
His mother comforted Kaoru as he sobbed. Lazar knelt by his son.
"Kaoru, there's no need to cry. Daddy just lost a fight, to win the war. That's how I'm going to protect you."
The three of them dissolved into tears as they hugged each other.
"Can we go home now?" Leo sighed wearily. It had been a long, weird day.
Luna shot him a scathing look. It was a weird family of clowns, but they were still a family.
"That was really sweet of you, Crow," Akiza told him softly, knocking his elbow with her own.
Crow's cheeks flushed light pink. He rubbed a finger under his nose, focusing on something other than Akiza's pretty eyes… Or her smile. "You think so?"
"Uh huh."
Lazar walked back up to Crow. "I lost. We had an agreement. As promised, I'll tell you all I know."
"Hey Jack," Carly tugged on his jacket. "Next time we go on a date, let's eat something other than ramen, okay?"
Jack was about to make a scathing retort, but this entire two days-worth of zany craziness had happened because… Because he had been on an unstoppable quest for ramen. "We can take a break from ramen. Just this once."
Carly smiled up at him. "I'll hold you to that."
(I'm back! Finally! Sorry it took so long for this chapter to come out! Summer turned out to be really crappy this year. In addition to covid, I was the target of deliberate and pointed harassment and humiliation on Tumblr. I'm okay now, and going forward to the best of my ability. I was too upset and hurt to write for the longest time. So much so, I was afraid to write, that I wouldn't be able to anymore. But I'm glad I powered through and got this chapter done. My harassers can't ruin Yu-Gi-Oh 5Ds for me. I've been an avid fan of the series for nearly eleven years now, and the pettiness and pathetic actions of cruel people isn't going to stop that now or any time soon!
Thank you SO MUCH for continuing to read and be here with me. Soul of the Dragon will be completed. I want to complete it on my terms, and the way I envision. That means getting to its end, and not leaving it open-ended!
Big shout out to QuetzalcoatlismyMomma for their lovely comments and support. You have made my day more than once, and I treasure the email notifications to this day. Also big shout out to KitsunePhantom09! Your comments made me smile, and I treasure those too!
Thank you for being there for me when I needed it, and for encouraging me! I'm continuing, thanks to your help!)
