Aoi paced in front of the hot dog truck.
"Could you stop that?" Jin asked, "Just watching you is making me anxious."
"Sorry," she sat down, "I'm just worried I guess. I can finally go save everyone, but what if I can't save everyone?"
"You mean if you fail miserably? Or if someone gets left behind? Simple, you'd just never see them again."
Aoi gave him an incredulous look.
"I'm just saying."
"You're very helpful."
"Aoi!" Ema rode up on her motorcycle, Akira holding on to her, looking quite green.
"Ema! Akira!" Aoi ran up to them, "How did it go?"
"We got what we needed." Ema said, shaking her hair out of her helmet.
Kusanagi emerged from the truck, "Then what are we waiting for?"
"Just Revolver."
"I'm here." Ryoken approached, "What have you got?"
"The good news is, they're safe." Akira began, "The bad news is, they're on Queen's ship. We can't get close without her seeing us."
"We'll need a distraction." Ryoken muttered.
"I can do it," Aoi spoke up.
Ryoken nodded, "Then it's decided."
———
Hours later, a small boat pulled up next to the massive ship.
"You can get in through that porthole," Baira said, "According to the blueprints the security room should be near there. We'll go around the other side."
Aoi nodded. "Right."
"Be careful."
"Don't worry, I will. You sound like my brother." Aoi climbed into the small window and found herself in a dimly lit hallway. On the other side was a door the said 'Security: Employees Only Beyond This Point.' Taking a deep breath, she tried the door. Locked. She banged on it as hard as she could. A moment later it opened to reveal the bald visage of Bishop.
"Yes, wha-" his bored expression changed to one of shock when he realized who was there. "You?!"
Aoi gave her best smarmy smile. "I'm here for my friends, looks like I'll be going through you."
Bishop forced a smile. "So it does." He pressed a silent alarm on his duel disk. A wave rippled through the area, and a holographic arena sprung up, changing Aoi into her Blue Maiden form.
"Let's get a move on."
———
Yusaku woke up when he felt the silent alarm going off in his head. He winced, and briefly considered shorting out the security system. He decided against it. There was probably a generator on board anyway. A minute later he heard the buzz of a hologram behind him.
"Did the Queen's pet come to gloat?"
Zephyr sighed, "Some people say good morning."
"Yeah, and some people say 'auspicious.' Stating facts really won't get us anywhere. At least tell me why the alarm is going off this early."
"It's almost noon."
Yusaku shrugged, "Like I said, early. Answer at least one question."
Zephyr gave up, "I don't know what the alarm is about. No, I did not come to gloat. Queen told me to grab you and head to the 'screening room.' She doesn't tell me anything so that's all I got."
Yusaku got up and tried the door handle. Oh, now it opened. He could run, but then he was on a boat; nowhere to go. Anyway he was really too curious not to go see what his mother wanted. She was probably banking on that. Mentally cursing, he turned to Zephyr.
"You'll have to show me the way."
The 'Screening Room' turned out to be just a room with a large TV. Miyu was already there fidgeting nervously in her seat. Queen was standing at the front of the room.
"We have a treat for you today." Queen's shark-like smile made her comment all the more ominous, "It seems we have an interloper playing hero." She snapped her fingers and the screen turned on behind her. On it were Blue Maiden and Bishop, squaring off.
"Blue Maiden!" Yusaku shouted.
"Aoi!" Miyu cried.
"By all means," Bishop gestured for Blue Maiden to go first, "Let's make this interesting."
"Let's," the girl agreed, "I want to impress Miyu after all. I draw!"
Miyu's face turned the same pink as her hair.
Blue Maiden considered her hand for a moment. "I'll start out by summoning Marincess Sea Star. Shine! The circuit of love and bonds! I set Sea Star in the Link Marker! I Link Summon Marincess Sea Angel. Her effect lets me add a Marincess' spell card to my hand."
"A link one with a side arrow," Queen scoffed, "I knew she wasn't bright, but for her first move to be a misplay like that…"
"It's not a misplay!" Miyu said with surprising force, "She knows what she's doing. I hope."
Back on deck Blue Maiden certainly seemed confident, "I activate Marincess Battle Ocean! Now all my Marincess monsters gain 200 ATK."
"She definitely knows what she's doing." Yusaku grinned.
"I banish Sea Star in my GY to Special Summon Marincess Springirl. Shine again! The circuit of love and bonds! I set Springirl and Sea Angel in the link markers in order to summon Marincess Coral Anemone. Springirl's effect activates. When she gets sent to the GY for the summon of a Water monster I get to send cards from the top of my deck to my GY and you take 200 Damage for each one."
Bishop LP:3800 Blue Maiden LP:4000
"A drop in the bucket." Bishop growled.
"A drop can make a wave," Blue Maiden answered, "I activate Coral Anemone's effect. I can bring back a water monster in my GY with 1500 or less ATK. Welcome back, Springirl. Appear once more, the circuit of love and bonds. I set Springirl in the Link marker to summon Marincess Blue Slug. Springirl's effect activates again, and since I control two monsters this time, you get hit for 400 points of damage."
Bishop LP:3400 Blue Maiden LP:4000
"Now I activate Blue Slug's effect. I can add a monster from my GY to my hand. Thanks to Springirl, that's Marincess Seahorse, and I can summon her next to Coral Anemone's Link. Appear, circuit of love and bonds! I set Blue Slug and Seahorse in the link markers. I summon Marincess Crystal Heart."
Zephyr elbowed Yusaku, "I think she's been spending too much time with you."
"Probably." The latter replied.
"I'm not done! Appear for the last time circuit of love and bonds! I set Coral Anemone and Crystal Heart in the Link Markers! Deep sea adventuress, swim to the surface to fight by my side! I Link summon Marincess Aqua Argonaut!"
Marincess Aqua Argonaut ATK:2300200=2500
"Here's where Battle Ocean's effect is going to come in handy. Not only does Aqua Argonaut gain 200 ATK, but I can equip 3 link monsters in my GY to it, and it gains 600 ATK for each one."
Marincess Aqua Argonaut ATK:4300
"With that I set two facedowns and end my turn."
Bishop LP:3400 Blue Maiden LP:4000
"I'll enjoy killing you," Bishop sneered, "I draw! Come, inscrutable guardian of the blue and green planet; The Agent of Mystery-Earth! Her effect allows me to add a 'The Agent' monster from my deck to my hand. Now I discard The Agent of Life-Neptune and summon a 'The Agent' Monster from my hand. Rise, beautiful guardian of the hottest planet, The Agent of Creation-Venus!"
"Right, I forgot about your summoning chants," Blue Maiden sighed.
"Appear, unpredictable guardian of the disorderly planet! I summon The Agent of Entropy-Uranus!"
Blue Maiden giggled.
"Should he be summoning that in front of a lady?" Zephyr joked, earning him a glare from Queen and a snicker from the other Lost Incident Victims.
Bishop muttered rolled his eyes, "I activate Sacred Water of the Sky! I get to activate Sanctuary in the Sky directly from my deck and gain 500 LP for every monster I control!"
Bishop LP:4900 Blue Maiden LP:4000
"I tune Venus with Earth! Dark ruler of the dead planet, rise from the underworld to wreck your vengeance upon humanity! Come, The Executor of Hades-Pluto!"
"Not a planet." Blue Maiden pointed out.
Bishop scowled. "I tune Uranus with Pluto. Burning light of the Universe, show me the way to victory! I summon Master Flare Hyperion!"
Master Flare Hyperion: ATK 3200 DEF 2600
"Hyperion's effect activates! I send a monster from my deck to my GY, and Hyperion gains its effect. I choose The Agent of Force-Mars. Hyperion gains the difference between our LP as ATK."
Master Flare Hyperion: ATK 4100 DEF 2600
"The pieces are in place. I set two cards face down and end my turn."
Bishop LP:4900 Blue Maiden LP:4000
Master Flare Hyperion: ATK 3200
DEF 2600
"The pieces are in place, huh?" Blue Maiden said excitedly, "Way to play your hand! I won't let you get to your next turn! I draw!"
"He's going down!" Miyu cheered.
"I target Aqua Argonaut in order to summon Marincess Sleepy Maiden! Appear! Circuit of love and bonds! I summon another Sea Angel! Her effect lets me add a spell card to my hand! I activate Marincess Dive! I summon Marincess Pascalus from my deck. And her effect lets me summon Marincess Mandarin from my hand. Appear! Circuit of love and bonds! I Link summon Marincess Marbled Rock! I use her effect to add Seahorse back to my hand, then use Seahorse's effect to Special Summon her. Appear! Circuit of love and bonds! I set Seahorse and Marbled Rock in the Link Markers! I summon Marincess Great Bubble Reef! Using Battle Ocean I equip her with three monsters!"
Marincess Great Bubble Reef: 4000
"I attack Hyperion with Argonaut!"
"Sanctuary of the Sky means I don't take the damage!"
"But your monster is still destroyed, which means I can activate Marincess current and deal you Argonaut's Link Rating x400 in damage!"
Bishop LP:3300 Blue Maiden LP:4000
"Bubble Reef, attack him directly!"
Bishop LP:0 Blue Maiden LP:4000