Fun Fact: While Yuya's been having his misadventure in the Fusion Dimension, Yoko has found and adopted a mating pair of skunk apes. Lemon (the female) likes to be groomed, while Ade (the male) often gets into fights with Yoko's toucan.
Description: Yugo and Rin ride to survive.
Too bad Gongenzaka didn't have a bike. Otherwise, he could have chased Yugo down. But alas, running on foot was nothing compared to riding on a D-Wheel, and they lost sight of Yugo almost immediately after he left.
That didn't mean they couldn't keep running though. Gongenzaka was hot on the trail, while En sniffed the air for any scent of Yugo. So far, En had already lead them down four blocks and down a highway. Hopefully the dog knew what it was doing.
Now, nearly half an hour later, Gongenzaka and En had stopped by the side of a highway. They took their seats on the ground and watches as a few cars and motorcycles passed by; they were going down the highway, eventually taking the road up to the roads high above the city.
Gongenzaka looked to the dog. "Do you still smell Yugo?"
The dog looked to him and barked.
"I don't know what that means," Gongenzaka confessed.
Gongenzaka patted the dog's head. And together, they watched the vehicles pass them by. Soon, they would gain the strength to keep marching forward and keep searching for clues. But hopefully, they wouldn't be too late to save Yu-
"Hey, Gonny!"
Well, look who was slowly driving up onto the scene. Crow, in his signature black D-Wheel, the Blackbird, rode towards Gongenzaka and En. The closer the got, the more he slowed down, until he was eventually parked right in front of them.
The bike behind him was caught off-guard by the speed drop and halt. It swerved on by and passed him by, before losing control and crashing into a guard rail.
"What are you doing here, Gonny?" Crow asked his friend.
"Chasing after Yugo," Gongenzaka answered.
"Yugo?" Crow wondered. "He's... what? The Fusion Yuya?"
"Synchro Yuya, the banana-haired kid from the Friendship Cup."
"Oh, yeah. I think- I think I remember him," Crow lied.
"He took off after a loan shark, and we've been trying to find him."
Crow hung his head low. His expression darkened, though Gongenzaka and En couldn't see beyond his helmet's visor.
"Did you say loan shark?" Crow asked gravely.
"Yes," Gongenzaka confirmed.
"There are a few loan sharks in the poor part of town," Crow said. "Tops that take advantage of Commons in need..."
"Sounds like a serious problem."
"It was another tool used by the Tops to oppress us."
Crow turned his head away. "I thought those days would be over now."
"Do you know anything about one name Garome?"
Crow raised his head. "Garome?"
"The orphanage owes money to him," Gongenzaka explained. "Chojiro told me that he's a dangerous person."
"Oh, but he is."
Gongenzaka grabbed his pupper and rose up from his seat. He walked closer to Crow, who turned to look at him with weary eyes.
"What do you know about Garome?" Gongenzaka asked.
"Let's just say that we've crossed paths," Crow said to him. "I was hoping that he would have been run out business after the Friendship Cup. But I guess that would have been too much to hope for."
"I'm sorry..." Gongenzaka said quietly.
En stretched his head over to Crow. Curious, Crow held out a hand to the dog, slowly moving closer to him. When his fingers were in range, En repeatedly licked Crow's hands.
Crow smiled. "You're a good dog, huh?"
"He's helping me look for Yugo," Gongenzaka explained.
"I should help, too."
Crow slid up the back of his bike, then moved a hand back to pat the space behind him. To this, En let out a confused whimper and tilted his head.
"Hop on, Gonny," Crow told Gongenzaka.
"You can bring us to Yugo and Rin?" Gongenzaka gasped.
Crow shook his head. "Nah. Not yet at least. We need to go get someone fist."
"Who?"
"Someone powerful enough to fight Garome."
Gongenzaka nodded. He tucked En under one of his armpits, then climbed onto the back of the bike. He brought En into his lap and held the dog with one hand, and held onto Crow's waist with another. Once they were all safe and secure, Crow started to ride.
The underground duel stadium was full of life. Now, people were filling the seats around the duel track, eager to watch the upcoming duel. It was short notice, but when they saw Rin and Yugo park themselves on the starting line, everybody was ready to witness something exciting.
Yugo and Rin were recognized on sight. Though they wore their helmets now, and Yugo rode a different bike, people could just tell who these two duelists were: the people who fought to protect the city, their dimension, every dimension. They both competed in the Friendship Cup and dazzled the audience during their fights. And one of them was the current Duel King himself.
So can we agree to work together? Rin asked.
I think Yugo has the right of way, challenging Garome, Serena told her.
I mean, he's pretty much guaranteed to win against all those random duelists, Ruri said. Seemed like Garome thought we were one of his best talents, and I doubt there'd be a lot of duelists with talent to match a pro here. In this dank, gross underground stadium.
Well, I'm in, Yuzu said.
Why? Serena asked.
To protect the boys, Yuzu said simply. Garome's a schemer. Even if they boys won, making them oppose Garome would put a target on their back. Backs?
One back, Ruri explained. One body, one back.
Yeah, Yuzu agreed. If people are so dependent on him, maybe he can make them do... really bad things. What if he puts a hit out them or something?
That's grim, Yuzu.
It's a possibility.
You have a point, Ruri sighed. I'm in. Serena, what about you?
I think Yugo and the others can take care of themselves, Serena insisted.
Yeah, but if we lose, Yuri's not going to let me hear the end of it, Rin said.
Serena put a hand to her chin. Beating Yuri and the others would be fun. But still...
I bet the boys don't have this much resistance between them, Rin said, pouting. They're probably working way better than us right now.
Deep in the mindscape of the Yu boys, things were not working out way better.
Together, their minds unified to create one image. The boys now sat in an imagined version of their bedroom. Yuri was sitting on a chair by their desk; Yuya sat on the floor, crossing his legs; Yuto stood, leaning his back against the window sill; and Yugo sat on the bed. Everyone's eyes were on him.
Yuri put a hand to his chin. I could help. COULD help. COOOULD. I don't WANT to, but I COULD-
Shut up and help me, Yugo thought-growled.
Yuri egao'd. Fine. I'll help my baby brother. But only because I want Rin to lose.
Thanks, Yuri.
And because you're so cute.
Thanks, Yuri.
I'm with you on this, Yugo, Yuya said. And I'll be with you all the way, okay? We're going to help those kids.
I knew I could count on you! Yugo said. He was grinning broadly as he said this. Yuto, you in?
I'm not sure, Yuto admitted.
Cue groans and moans from the other three brothers.
What? Yuto grumbled.
I love ya, man, Yugo said. But seriously, why do you always have to be the one wet blanket?
I'm not a wet blanket! Yuto protested. Yuya?
I mean... Yuya grumbled.
What? What is it?
Whenever it comes down to a decision, you're always either super cautious. Plus you're prone to anger sometimes, like when you wanted to lash out at Edo during out duel-
Yuto hates fun, Yuri said.
Yuto narrowed his eyes and squinted at his brothers. You can't throw Edo against me; that was a long time ago. Everyone I cared about was dead! And-
Look, are you going to help or not? Yuri asked. The duel's going to start soon.
Decide later, Yugo said. I gotta go and focus on the duel now.
Yugo snapped back to the waking world. By now, more of an audience had gathered. Rin, who was parked right beside him, let out a long, hushed sigh.
"Were you talking to your sisters just now?" Yugo asked her.
"Yep," Rin responded. "How'd you know?"
"Lucky guess," Yugo said with a smirk.
Tell Yuzu I said hi, Yuya said.
"Yuya says hi, Yuzu."
Tell Yuya I said hi, Yuzu said.
"Yuzu says hi, Yuya," Rin said. "Yugo, are you ready to-"
Rin's words were interrupted by the sound of static. The sound of a finger tapping could be heard on the speakers, though the source of the tapping was unseen. The tapping was small, and could barely be heard over the discussions amongst the members of the audience.
Garome's voice filled the stadium, "Everybody, shut the hell up!"
At once, people in the audience shut the hell up. Yugo and Rin both snapped to attention.
"Tonight, we have an amazing battle ahead of us!" the man continued. "On the inside of the track, a duelist I personally picked myself. She not only defeated one of my strongest duelists, but you might also recognize her as one of the Lancers from the last Friendship Cup!"
Rin noticed that Garome neglected to mention her name. But the audience didn't seem to care; this vague description of her was enough to drive the audience into whoops, hollers and applause.
"And her opponent? None other than the current Duel King himself... You Your Sock Hockey!"
He didn't know Yugo's name, either. Or Yuya's. But once again, the audience was eating it up. They were screaming now, cheering and shouting like crazy. A few people jumped out of their seats, and some were running down the aisles and tripping onto other people.
Yugo was waving to the audience, soaking in the attention. Though was this really Yugo? She would have expected him to be waving both arms and yelling back at the audience, rather than keep himself dignified. Maybe Yuya was giving him tips.
Garome was back on the air now. "To celebrate this momentous occasion, we're going to be doing something different tonight: the 777 Challenge!"
Cue more audience cheering. Apparently, this challenge seemed to be a big, impressive thing for them.
Yugo, realizing that he wasn't the thing they were cheering for, stopped waving and sheepishly returned his hands to his bike. He looked briefly to Rin, then turned his head straight ahead at the track. Dramatic and cool.
"For those who don't know, the 777 Challenge is a Riding Duel with new rules. Duelists start with 7 cards and 7000 Life Points, and they will have their own, unique rule that they must not break. If they do, they lose 700 Life Points each time they break that rule."
Yugo looked to Rin again. "Did you know about this?"
And Rin looked to him. "No! Honestly, I'm just as lost as you are."
Garome went on, "If the boy says the girl's name, he's breaking his rule. And if the girl swears, she beaks hers."
"That's devious!" Rin gasped. "This is weighed against Yugo."
"How do you figure?" Yugo asked her.
"Because you love saying my name, and I don't swear because I'm well-behaved."
"I don't love saying your name, Rin," Yugo scoffed. "And you swear all the time."
"Not a lot."
"You were swearing like 10 minutes ago, when I went into that room."
Rin frowned. "You rode your bike through the office, you ass. And if you're going to talk shit, I just might ride my bike through your face."
"Point taken," Yugo said hastily.
"Now everybody, shut the hell up again!" Garome shouted. "Because it's time to duel!"
At once, Rin and Yugo straightened their backs, aligned themselves on their bikes, and kept their feet to the sides. It was instinctual for them: the second they knew a duel was coming, they made themselves ready.
Their screen's lit up. Their Life Points, Speed Counters, and a dueling field were broadcast before them. In the middle of their screens was a countdown, starting from 1:00. One minute.
The number was dropping down quickly. But when you're anxious for what's to come, every second of waiting felt like an eternity.
Forty seconds.
For the two audience, it was merely a tedious wait. For Yugo and Rin, it was way too long.
Thirty-five seconds.
They didn't want to duel each other. And honestly, they were even less eager to find out what would happen after their duel. No matter the outcome, it wouldn't be fun.
Twenty-two seconds.
Rin bit her lip. Her mind was heavy with guilt now. She couldn't allow herself to fail. Doing so would keep Yugo out of her reach, and put him at risk of being hurt. She needed to protect him.
Luckily, her sisters were beside her. Even though Serena didn't agree with her, she could feel her, along with Yuzu and Ruri, riding along with her. She could feel their love and support, but also their worry and fear.
Fifteen seconds.
Yugo was tapping his feet against the side of his bike. He was anxious, sure. But he was determined. His mind was made up, and all his thoughts were focused on the duel, and the kids, and Martha. He liked Rin. He loved her. But no way in hell was he going to let her stop him from doing what he knew was right.
His brothers were with him, ride or die. Yuto was still unsure about helping him, but he knew that his brother would never let him be hurt. He could feel his protective spirit around him. And he could feel Yuya's cheerful energy, motivating him to go forward, to never back down. And he could feel Yuri's raw, intense... sexual energy for some reason. God damn it, Yuri.
I'm keeping your spirits up, Yugo! Yuri giggled.
Yuri, I swear I'll... Wait, you said my name right!
Eh? Yuri grumbled. I guess I did... Damn, now I'm embarrassed. I shouldn't have let my guard down!
Yugo egao'd. He did feel a little better now.
Thanks, Yuri, he said to his brother.
A few seconds left. Yugo and Rin were ready to go. The audience was silent, watching and waiting for an explosive start to what would be an amazing match.
Three. Two. One.
"Riding..." an announcer cried out.
"DUEL!"
Yugo: 1 Speed Counter
Rin: 1 Speed Counter
Yugo rode ahead of Rin, riding faster and moving in front of her. He drew seven cards from his deck, then placed them in a holster on his Duel Disk.
Yugo lifted up two cards from his hand. "With my Scale 3 Speedroid Passinglider, and my Scale 8 Speedroid Dominobutterfly, I set the Pendulum Scales!"
From either side of Yugo's bike, columns of blue light rose to the sky. They carried up two mechanical toy monsters, who in turn displayed their Scales underneath them.
"Now, I use Speedroid Passinglider's effect!" Yugo declared. "Once per turn, I can send a Speedroid Tuner from my hand or field to the Graveyard. Passinglider's Pendulum Scale's increased or decreased by that monster's Level, until the end of the turn."
Yugo pulled a card from his hand and dropped it into his Graveyard. At this time, the number underneath Passinglider went from a 3 to a 2.
"Pendulum?" Rin mused. "Should have seen that coming, honestly."
"No Pendulum Summoning this turn, though," Yugo said. "Next, I summon Speedroid Double Yoyo."
Yugo placed a card on the Disk in front of him. A strange machine appeared by his right side. It was gray, and had three outlets at the front, giving something of a face. On either side of it were green wheels with sharp, serrated blades around them. (ATK 1400)
"When Double Yoyo is Normal Summoned, it can Special Summon a Level 3 or lower Speedroid monster from my Graveyard."
Yugo was riding on ahead. But now, a portal opened up behind him. A Speedroid Red-Eyed Dice was now trailing behind him. (ATK 0)
"Next, when Speedroid Red-Eyed Dice is summoned, I can change its Level."
The monster spun around on one of its corners. It jumped into the air, and its front face spun around, until the side with three dots was facing forward. (LV 1 → 3)
"Come on!" Yugo bellowed. "I tune my Level 4 Speedroid Double Yoyo with my Level 3 Speedroid Red-Eyed Dice!"
Yadda yadda, green rings, level stars, chanting. Clear Wing Synchro Dragon was summoned, and you were spared 4 paragraphs of padding. (ATK 2500)
Yugo held up two cards. "I'll set two cards, then end my turn."
With one card left in his hand, Yugo continued to ride forward, with Clear Wing and two face-down Spell/Trap cards in tow. His Pendulum Scales flew above him. His Life Points remained at 7000.
Yugo: 2 Speed Counters
Rin: 2 Speed Counters
As her turn began, Rin drew her next card. She now sported eight cards at her disposal, and she was closing the distance between her, Yugo and Clear Wing.
Clear Wing's one of Yugo's greatest cards, Rin thought. Its effect could end this duel in a heartbeat. I'll need all the help I can get if I want to beat it.
"Nice use of Pendulums," Rin said aloud. "I'll follow suit by setting my Scale 2 Windwitch - East Wind, and my Scale 5 Windwitch - South Wind from my hand."
From either side of Rin's D-Wheel, columns of blue light rose up to the sky. They carried two witches, each riding broomsticks, along with the Pendulum Scales underneath them. East Wind, notably, had long, auburn hair, which ran down the back of her pale-yellow dress, until it reached her knees.
"South Wind's effect lets me add one Windwitch monster from my deck to my hand."
A card was ejected near the bottom of the deck. Rin pulled the card up and revealed her Windwitch - Snowball, then added it to her hand.
"Next, I activate the Continuous Spell, Speed Relay!"
Rin placed a card on her field, and a large version of it materialized behind her. It depicted two D-Wheeling duelists, racing against each other on a road and facing the foreground.
"During each of my opponent's turns, I gain an extra Speed Counter," Rin explained. "And since you don't know, Speed Counters-"
"I know what a Speed Counter is," Yugo told her.
"... What?"
"I like to keep track of riding news in the Synchro Dimension. This has been one of the biggest stories of the year."
Rin blushed. "O-Oh... Well, I was just checking."
Rin bit her lip. So Yugo knew this, and she didn't? Not that she thought Yugo was an idiot or anything. He was smart! Sort of. She just didn't... expect him to know about something she didn't. She was sort of unused to that, really.
But no time to worry! She straightened out her back, revved up her bike, and continued to push on forward. Now was the time to give Yugo her all, and to show him that she was going to fight to the fullest to protect him.
Just as he did for me, was an errant thought she had at that moment. One that she didn't really dwell on, or fully realize. Because right then, her focus was all on kicking Yugo's ass.
"If I control no monsters, I can Special Summon Windwitch - Ice bell from my hand," Rin said. "Then, I can Special Summon another Windwitch monster from my deck."
Rin threw down a card, summoning forth Windwitch Ice Bell. The monster flew alongside her, a trail of cold, blue wind behind her. (ATK 1000)
With a wave of her wand, Ice Bell brought forth another witch, now on Rin's other side. Windwtich - Glass Bell materialized and flew alongside the other women. (ATK 1500)
"When Glass Bell is summoned, I can add a Windwitch monster from my deck to my hand," Rin explained.
A card was ejected from the very top of Rin's deck. She pulled it up and placed her new Windwitch - Snow Bell in her hand.
"... And when Ice Bell is summoned, I can inflict 500 points of damage to my opponent."
Ice Bell waved her wand, then aimed it forward. A frosty, snowflake-filled breeze poured out from her want and ran down the track, towards Yugo.
Yugo turned a corner, but the cold wind followed him. It would soon brush against the back of him and his vehicle, sending a chill throughout his body. But Yugo remained collected and steadfast, despite the cold shoulder. (Haha get it?) (Yugo: 7000 → 6500)
Rin closed her eyes and let herself fall into deep thought. She was thinking over the board before her: activating effects to target Clear Wing would just make the dragon stronger. She couldn't activate the effects of Level 5 or higher monsters. The easiest way to fight it would to simply overpower it. But those face-down cards probably had an answer to that...
Maybe you want your monsters destroyed, Yuzu said to her.
What? Rin asked skeptically.
Let's plan ahead! Yuzu said happily. Look at your Pendulum Scales. We can't activate South Wind's effect any more, can we?
Rin looked down at the cards in front of her. ... So we use East Wind's effect!
That's not all!
Oh, right! We can use their monster effects too, right?
Right.
Rin egao'd, baring her teeth. Thanks, Yuzu! I have an idea now.
Rin could feel a hand on her right shoulder. She didn't have to look back or ask questions, she just knew that this was Yuzu, reaching out to her, supporting her. They were going to do this together.
"I tune my Level three Windwitch - Ice Bell with my Level 4 Windwitch - Glass Bell!"
The two witches flew forward. Glass Bell became the four green rings, and the one Ice Bell became four Level stars. Everything swirled together and created a light that shone before the duelists.
"Midwinter wind. Make ice and snow my power and blow through!" Rin chanted. "Synchro Summon! Level 7, Windwitch - Winter Bell!"
The light spread its wings and became a flying... airplane lady with chest-bongos. (ATK 2400)
"Rin matches the challenger with her own Synchro monster!" came the voice of an announcer. "But can it be enough to conquer Clear Wing? It's ATK leaves something to be desired!"
"Its ATK isn't important," Rin said. "Winter Bell's effect: I can target a Windwitch monster in my Graveyard, then inflict damage to you equal to that target's Level, multiplied by 200."
"That won't happen!" Yugo declared. "When a Level 5 or higher monster activates its effect on the field, I can negate the effect and destroy the monster."
Clear Wing spread its wings. Light shone through them like a prism, and the light filtered through its wings tilted towards Winter Bell. Winter Bell was immediately overcome by the light, filled and overwhelmed until its body was completely hidden. With a bright flash, the light was gone, and an explosion before Rin hinted at her monster's demise.
"... Clear Wing then gains that monster's ATK, until the end of the turn." (Clear Wing ATK 2500 → 4900)
The audience erupted into various emotions. Many people cheered, while many others gasped, or started to yell. Some people complained, while others cheered for Rin to fight back. A few people even cast some insulting comments towards her, or Yugo, or even Clear Wing or Winter Bell.
Clear Wing looked back to Yugo. Its expression didn't change, but Yugo could clearly understand the emotion his monster was trying to convey to him.
"Ignore them," Yugo said to his monster. "You were great, buddy."
With that remark, Clear Wing looked straight ahead and let out a loud, ear-piercing scream. Now, it was satisfied with its work.
Both Yuzu and Rin shivered. It was instinctual, really. They - and only they - were briefly filled with a sense of dread and worry. But with a shake of Rin's head, she dismissed the negative thoughts.
Instead, she focused on her field, and the cards in her hands. And on Yuzu's encouraging words. And on her own knowledge of Synchro Summoning. The board was a map, and she had the skills to navigate a path that would lead her straight ahead.
It was what Littleduelist said in Game of Thrones, but with Duel Monsters: Synchros are a ladder.
"I see it, guys!" Rin announced to the world.
Yugo looked across his shoulder, over to Rin.
"In my mind, I see the path to victory!" the girl went on. "Windwitch - East Wind's Pendulum effect: it can destroy it and another Windwitch card in my Pendulum Zone; then, I can add a Windwitch monster from my deck to my hand."
A blustering, green wind rose up from beneath Rin's D-Wheel. The moment it reached the witchy women, they shattered, and the columns of light faded from sight.
Rin pulled out the card that was ejected from the middle of her deck. She added her Windwitch - North Wind to her hand, giving her eight cards at her disposal.
"When Windwitch - South Wind is destroyed, I can revive a WIND Windwitch Synchro monster from my Graveyard. Cold Necromancy!"
A trail of ice and snow started to bluster out from behind Rin. The material clustered together, and the stormy winds shaped it into Windwitch - Winter Bell. (ATK 2400)
"And when East Wind is destroyed, I can revive a Windwitch Tuner monster from my Graveyard! Storming Revival!"
Strong winds rose from the ground. Now trailing beside Winter Bell was Windwitch - Glass Bell. (ATK 1500)
Rin and her monsters trailed after Yugo, moving closer and closer to him and Clear Wing. In response, Yugo revved his bike and drove faster, creating more distance between him and Rin.
What's she planning? Yuya wondered.
Rin's vicious when she duels, Yugo informed his brother. She's planning something.
But couldn't she just have Synchro Summoned with Winter Bell and Snow Bell?
Maybe, yeah, Yugo answered. But I know Rin. She's not going for a simple solution. Whatever she's planning, it's going to be big.
"I activate Weather Doll's effect!" Rin announced: I can reduce the Level of a Level 4 or higher WIND monster by up to three Levels, then Special Summon this card from my hand."
Four Level Stars appeared over Glass Bell's head. Three of them shattered, and the last one vanished. (LV 4 → 2) Beside the monster as a ghostly-white sheet, a teru teru bozu. (ATK 1300)
Rin threw her arm forward. "Onward! I tune my Level 3 Weather Doll and my Level 2 Windwitch - Glass Bell!"
The witch became rings and the doll became orbs. They danced together, clustering together to create a new entity.
"Strong winds call for strong power! Become the breeze that lifts our wings!"
The monster was an industrial fan, trapped in a boxy frame. It had thin metal limbs, with three-fingered hands and two-toed feet. At the top was a small, bulbous orb, almost like a diminutive head for the creature.
"Synchro Summon! Level 5, Wind Turbine!" (ATK 1400)
The audience roared as Rin's two monsters trailed behind her. Now all the jeers became cheers, and their screams filled the underground stadium. A spotlight fell on Rin and her monsters, and the lights outside of that were dimmed. Right now, everyone was focused on Rin.
"Another successful Synchro Summon!" the announcer screeched excitedly. "And- and- and- we all know what's coming next!"
What's coming next? Yuri asked.
Check Wind Turbine's card, on the screen, Yuya told him.
Through Yuri's eyes, he could see the board. He could see Wind Turbine's card displayed on his dashboard screen. And as he read the card, he could understand why everyone was hyped up.
It's a Tuner, Yuri said.
She's going to Synchro Summon something very strong, Yugo explained.
What will she summon? Yuya asked.
I don't know. I didn't even know she had any Level 12 Synchro monsters.
Meanwhile, the audience was cheering for Rin. Together, they formed a chant to drive up their hype. "SYN! CHRO! SUM! MON! SYN! CHRO! SUM! MON!"
Rin and Yuzu egao'd. "We'll give you all a good show!"
The cries grew louder and louder, until the voices reaches as hard as they could. They soon devolved into simple screams of excitement and energy, and furious applause.
Rin could feel it: something deep and primordial inside of her. She could feel her sisters pour their strength into her. She could feel her own strength boiling over her. And could feel the excitement in the air, the adrenaline the wind carried. Most of all, she could feel something in her monsters, and in her Extra Deck, reaching out to her. It wanted to be free.
But at the same time, she felt Yuzu. Yuzu was feeling the exact same rush she did, and she knew. Right now, they were perfectly in tune. They, who had been working together this duel, were now of shared mind. A clear mind, where the struggles of one were shared by the other. Perfect harmony.
Perfect synchronicity.
"We tune our Level 7 Windwitch - Winter Bell with our Level 5 Wind Turbine."
They moved in unison. They spoke in unison. They shared the one body in unison. It was as if they were one being.
"The goddess of midwinter."
Wind Turbine gave way to five rings that expanded over Rin and Winter Bell. Winter Bell became a strong wind that completely engulfed Rin and the rings. And instantly, Rin vanished. She was gone.
"Nature's gift of cold breathes new life into your frozen petals."
A forceful, howling breeze flew behind Yugo, blowing past him. His bike started to waver and swerve. He had to struggle and force himself to keep control of his vehicle, to not let the wind blow him away.
"Oh Superior Queen, take rule over your domain, and liberate those you hold dear!"
Rin was now further down the field, and turning a corner. She was now way ahead of Yugo on the field, but now lacked her monsters.
She held up a card. "Accel Synchro!"
"Accel what?!" Yugo gasped.
A monster materialized above Rin. It was an enormous, pale blue-skinned woman, like Winter Bell. Her lower half gave way to a flowing, beautiful dress of blue; the underside consisting of near-infinite white ruffles, giving Yugo the illusion of white rose petals.
The monster wore the headpiece of Winter Bell, but the back had broken off. The monster's back featured shoulder-length purple hair, and two long pants ran down the sides of her face. Her eyes and face were more human. Familiar, it looked like Rin. Or, more specifically, it looked like Ray. (ATK 3700)
"Level 12, The Superior Queen of Ice! Windwitch - Melodious Bell!"
There was a stunned silence in the air. The audience was completely stunned by the beautiful creature before them. But none of them could take their eyes off of it. They could feel, they could tell, that this monster was dripping with power.
Rin slumped forward, then let out a long, tired sigh. The adrenaline and passion had now left her body, leaving her with exhaustion. Though she could still ride and concentrate on the world around her, she no longer had the power that fueled her. She only had herself and Yuzu, and the power of their other sisters.
Clear Wing let out a furious roar. Though this cry might be indistinguishable from its previous vocalizations, Yugo could understand his monster clearly. Its heart was full of hatred and anger now. And fear. It was giving Yugo a message. No, a warning. Clear Wing was worried about him.
Yugo felt his heart beat wildly in his chest. Sweat was dripping down his face. Though he kept his expression stiff and unchanging, he started to share the anxiety his monster had for him.
Don't give in, Yugo, came Yuya's voice.
Yugo blinked. I- I... What...?
It feels like Clear Wing still harbors some fear for Ray, Yuya said.
Yugo looked up to his monster. It was already looking down at him with a nervously unevan expression. Its eyes were pleading with him.
I see what you mean, Yuya, Yugo said.
Don't share that fear, Yugo. Help Clear Wing to overcome its fear. Support it.
I will.
"Clear Wing!" Yugo shouted to his monster. "Don't worry, buddy! We can still win this!"
The dragon let out a softer roar this time. It gave Yugo an uneasy egao and turned its face
"Yugo!" Rin announced.
"Rin?" Yugo gasped.
(Yugo: 6500 → 5800)
"Fuck."
"We're going all-out," Rin said. Her voice was tired, but full of conviction. "We know how strong you are. That is why we're going to do everything we can to defeat you."
"I'll never let you win!" Yugo roared.
"You cannot win!" the girl answered in kind. "Windwitch - Melodious Bell's effect: when it is summoned, it gains half the original ATK of any monster on the field, besides itself. "
Melodious Bell turned around and opened her arms. A thin, bluish glow outlined Clear Wing The glow grew stronger and brighter with each passing second, becoming more intense and vibrant, threatening to completely hide the dragon in its light.
"Ice Queen's Touch!"
"Clear Wing's effect!" Yugo declared. "Dichroic Mirro-"
"Useless!" Rin replied. "Windwitch - Melodious Bell is not affected by our opponent's card effects. Clear Wing cannot destroy our monster."
The glow then left Clear Wing and jumped into Melodious Bell's arms, and the latter embraced it in a hug. As soon as it was trapped by those arms, the glow shattered, and Melodious Bell grew stronger. (ATK 3700 → 4950)
Yugo's jaw dropped. "Clear Wing, I...!"
Rin turned her head to look at Yugo. "Now I summon Windwitch - Squall Bell!"
Rin placed a card down. A monster materialized onto the field behind her. Floating on a broomstick was a rather large, chubby witch with long, curly, blue hair. Her face was round and her dress was tight, but her body was curvy and appealing, much like her egao. (ATK 1400)
"When we control two or more WIND monsters, we can Special Summon Windwitch - Snow Bell from our hand."
A third played now materialized onto Rin's side of the field. Behind her was a large, glass ball. Its body was primarily white, with gold trimming and blue gems. It featured a golden, crown-like object on top, which had its own crown-wearing gem. Angelic wings sprung from the crown-like object, allowing the monster to fly alongside the witches. (ATK 100)
"We tune my Level 4 Squall Bell with our Level 1 Snow Bell."
Snow Bell became a ring, and Squall Bell became the orbs that danced between them. They joined together and dashed ahead of Rin and Melodious Bell.
"Synchro Summon! Level 5, Windwitch - Cold Bell!"
Now floating before Rin was a smaller, less sophisticated version of Winter Bell. It was a monster with a blocky, lumpy body and thick legs. Its wings were now hands, and its fins and armor were smaller, less developed. Its eyes were bigger, and its body had less of a shine to it. (ATK 2100)
Yugo grunted. "You're going on the offensive right away."
"We'll do whatever it takes to protect you," Rin said. "Battle Phase! Windwitch - Melodious Bell attacks-"
"STOP!" Yugo cried out.
Rin jumped up in her seat. She blinked, and she could feel her mind lose focus on the world around her. Something inside of her started to waver, and she could feel her connection with Yuzu interrupted. Rin's lack of concentration broke the connection, it seemed.
Melodious Bell stayed in its place, riding down the track with Rin. It remained still. The audience started to murmur and talk amongst themselves. Nothing too loud, but it was clear that many people were growing confused with the halt. A few more seemed to be unhappy with the waiting.
"Wh-what is it?" she mumbled.
"I won't let you destroy Clear Wing!" Yugo cried. His voice was passionate, but the volume also made his voice sound a bit strained.
"Yugo?" Rin asked.
"I won't let you destroy Clear Wing," Yugo said again. "Clear Wing is scared of you right now."
Rin frowned. "What do you mean? What's going on?"
Yugo looked up to his monster. "Clear Wing, I'm going to protect you."
Clear Wing turned to Yugo. Their eyes met, and they shared a moment of silence between them. Once again, they didn't need words to communicate their thoughts to the other.
"What's this?!" the announcer screeched. "What is going on here?!"
"Yugo, I need to attack," Rin said. "You can't protect Clear Wing."
"Like hell I can't!" Yugo declared. "Trap activate! Speed De-Synch!"
A face-down card appeared to Yugo's left. It rose up, revealing the front of a Trap card. The artwork looked like that of De-Synchro, but the blue of the card was green, and the it depicted a smoky image of a dragon, being ripped into two shapeless blobs. Seven red stars dotted various parts of the portrait.
"I can target one Synchro Monster anywhere on the field and return it the Extra Deck," Yugo explained. "Then, I can Special Summon all of the monsters that were used for the Synchro Summon, from the Graveyard."
"So you'll get rid of Melodious Bell?" Rin asked. "Yugo, don't be dumb. Melodious Bell isn't affected by-"
"Melodious Bell is not my target!" Yugo yelled. "I return Clear Wing to my Extra Deck, then Special Summon the monsters used to summon it!"
Yugo nodded to Clear Wing. The dragon nodded back, then dissolved into a large mass of white light. The light broke off and became Speedroids Red-Eyed Dice (DEF 100) and Double Yoyo. (DEF 1400)
"Then the controller of that monster draws a card."
Okay, even Rin had to admit, that move was pretty hella.
Yugo smirked triumphantly. "Now you can't touch Clear Wing."
Rin shook her head. "Well, at least your Life Points are safe."
"And I protected someone I care about!"
"Whatever..." Rin grumbled.
Though admittedly, she had to egao at that. He was such a softie sometimes. But Yugo was kind of endearing because of it.
But that's why she had to win. He was a softie, too easily ruled by his emotions. He was going to fall into Garome's web because of his heart. That's why Rin had to stop him.
She sighed. "Windwitch - Melodious Bell attacks Speedroid Double Yoyo."
Melodious Bell spread her arms once more. This time, an aurora poured from her chest and onto the field. The light fell down on Double Yoyo, and the monster was surrounded by it. But soon the light faded, and Double Yoyo did too; it made no sound and left no presence; it simply vanished quietly.
Her head was pounding, and she was tired. "Windwitch - Cold Bell attacks Speedroid Red-Eyed Dice."
Red-Eyed Dice's destruction was less quiet. Cold Bell slammed her body into the monster, taking it out in a fiery explosion that left Yugo's field almost completely clear.
"I set a card and end my turn," Rin concluded.
With the placing of a card, Rin's turn was complete. Rin ended her turn with her Windwitch Synchros and a face-down Spell or Trap card on her side of the field. She had three cards in her hand, and a full 7000 Life Points.
The audience was cheering out again. The announcer was screaming Rin's name and praising her moves. Some people were demanding more from Yugo, expressing their belief in him. The applause, the screams, the boos, the jeers, it filled the stadium.
But it didn't break through to Rin. If anything, it just gave her more of a headache. She didn't really care about the audience's opinions now; she was focused entirely on this match. And on Yugo.
I really am like a mother to him, she thought to herself, almost chuckling as she imagined it. It's my responsibility to keep the little jerk out of trouble.
You sound like Yugo, said Serena.
Rin furrowed her brow. Not now, Serena.
She could almost feel Serena egao-ing as she spoke. He wants to do what you're doing right now. Is that wrong?
Bite me, Serena, Rin said, sighing internally. I'm tired.
Yugo: 3 Speed Counters
Rin: 4 Speed Counters
The audience cheered them on as Yugo and Rin turned yet another corner. With Yugo's next draw, he had three cards in his hand. And it was at this time that he was aware of the differences in playstyle between him and Rin: he was less conservative with his cards, and it was biting him in the ass now.
We'll do this together, Yuya said.
We got you, fam, Yuri said to him.
Thanks, Yugo said in return.
You're welcome, hunty.
... Did you guys notice anything strange about Rin? Yuto asked.
"WHAT WILL THE DUEL KING DO NEXT?!" the announcer screamed. "What's with the HOLDUP?!"
She felt like Ray, Yuya said.
What? Yugo questioned. Clear Wing was scared of Ray, but...
I recognized Ray's power, Yuya insisted. And Clear Wing did, too. We'll need to work together if we want to win.
Or we can put me in charge of the body, Yuri offered.
No, Yugo said flatly.
I guess we're fine with letting Third Place Boy dueling, Yuri said mockingly, and with a grin.
Yugo his head up and scanned the audience. Enough bitching. Now's the time to duel.
"I activate the Spell, Cup of Ace!" Yugo declared.
Yugo slammed down a card, and the image of a large golden chalice materialzed before him.
Rin sighed. "Gonna play risky now, of all times? You're such a ki-"
"I toss a coin," Yugo interjected. Rin looked back. She saw the cup rise up into the air, then change its shape. Now a gold coin, it spun around in the air above them.
"If it's heads, I draw two cards. If tails, you draw two cards."
The coin stopped spinning. Silence took over the room. Everybody watched as the coin started to fall downward, towards the field.
Yugo closed his eyes. He could feel his brothers all around him. He could tell what they were feeling: they were all anxious for the results. All of them, even Yuto, wanted the same result.
Rin and her sisters watched on. They could tell what the others were feeling: they were all anxious for the results. All of them, even Serena, wanted the same result.
The coin landed behind Yugo, and floated behind him on the track. The image it displayed was of Yugo's own head, made of solid gold.
The coin disintegrated into sparkles, and the audience cheered. Yugo, egao-ing triumphantly, pulled the top two cards out of his deck and added them to his hand. He now had four cards.
"... Fuck," Rin muttered. "No wait, shit! I didn't mean to swea-"
(Rin: 7000 → 6300 → 5600)
"... Ugh."
"Get ready, Riiiiiiiiii..." Yugo had to stop himself there. "Rimba Racer! Because if I control no monsters, I can Special Summon Speedroid Terrortop from my hand!"
A spinning top materialized on the field before Yugo. And more spinning tops appeared behind it. And more, and more, forming a long tail of tops for the big top. It was terror-fying. (ATK 1200)
"When Terrortop is summoned, I can add a Speedroid monster from my deck to my hand."
A card was ejected from the deck. Yugo grabbed it and presented his card to his opponent. But rather than adding it to his hand, he slammed it onto his Disk.
"If I control a WIND monster, I can Special Summon Speedroid Taketomborg from my hand!"
Speedroid Taketomborg materialized on the field, to the left of Terrortop. It first took the form of a large taketombo. But it unfolded its body and transformed into a more robotic, humanoid appearance. (DEF 1200)
The audience was again cheering. The announcer was saying something. Maybe Rin was saying something, too. But right now, Yugo was in the zone. All his attention was on this duel and the paths set before him. Everything was filtered out. It wasn't important now.
He looked at the cards in his hand. What can I do here? Yuya?
Yuya appeared over his shoulder, looking at the cards before him.
Summon it, Yuya told him.
You sure?
Yuya nodded and egao'd. We've got your back on this one.
Okay!
"I summon Performapal Secondonkey from my hand!"
A donkey materialized onto Yugo's side of the field, to the right of Speedroid Terrortop. The donkey egao'd. That's it. (ATK 1000)
A quiet "What..." could he heard from the announcer. Not that Yugo or Yuya cared n the slightest.
"When this card is summoned, and I have two cards in my Pendulum Zones..." Yugo explained. "I can add a Performapal monster from my deck to my hand."
Again, a card was ejected from Yugo's deck. Now he added his Speedroid Performapal Performonkey to his hand, giving him three cards.
"Something tells me you're not finished with your turn," Rin commented.
Yugo nodded. "I see the path to victory, too. And it involves Pendulum Summoning!"
"What?!"
Yugo threw up a hand - his hand-hand, not his card-hand. "With the Pendulum Scales I've already set, I Pendulum Summon!"
A pendulum appeared in the sky above. It spun in an arc, leaving a trail of light as it moved. A beam of light crashed down to the field, bringing down a cymbal-banging robot monkey in a bow-tie. (ATK 1000) It took its place right next to Speedroid Taketomborg.
"I've summoned Speedroid Performapal Performonkey!" Yugo bellowed. "And when Performonkey is summoned, I can add a Speedroid or Performapal monster from my Graveyard to my hand."
Yoink! Double Yoyo's card was ejected from the Graveyard slot, and Yugo added it to his hand. With three cards on hand, he gave himself a little breathing room.
Everyone's eyes were drawn to his field. Yugo, whose turn had just begun, brought forth a field of four monsters.
"The fun's just beginning, everyone!" Yugo announced.
The fun has just begun, Yuya corrected.
"What Yuya said!" Yugo agreed. "I overlay my Level 4 Performonkey and Secondonkey!"
Nothing happened.
"I overlay!" Yugo said again.
Again, nothing happened.
"What's happening?"
The ghostly image of Dark Rebellion appeared to Yugo's right. The sudden appearance nearly startled Yugo out of his seat. Luckily though, he was holding onto his handles, keeping him securely on his bike.
The dragon looked down to Yugo. Its expression seemed angry, honestly. And it let out a low, hissing growl at the boy.
Yuto appeared beside Yugo, flying right beside the bike, flying like Superman. The strange sight almost made Yugo laugh. Scratch that - it made him snort as he stifled a laugh.
But he couldn't help but laugh when Dark Rebellion put an arm around Yuto and hugged him. Luckily for Yugo though, Yuto and Dark Rebellion seemed to ignore this.
Dark Rebellion, Yuto said to his dragon. You can trust Yugo,
The dragon responded with another, more frustrated growl.
Just this once, then.
What? What's it saying? Yugo asked.
Yuto turned to Yugo. Dark Rebellion's still mad at you for killing me.
Yugo looked up to the dragon and gulped. Oh.
But he's agreeing to work with you this time, Yuto explained.
Thanks, D.R. Yugo thought.
I'm still not sure about this fight, Yuto said sternly. And Dark Rebellion is apprehensive about fighting against Ray. But Dark Rebellion wants to win and help the children.
Yuto turned his gaze straight ahead, towards Rin and her Windwitch monsters.
And he respects you for saving Clear Wing, he continued. He wanted me to take over and duel, but I convinced him to fight alongside you.
Yugo egao'd broadly. You're the best brother, after Yuya!
Oh wait, he meant to think that part. Oh wait, he did think that part; Yuto could hear his thoughts. Could Yuto hear his thoughts now?
Yuto sighed. Just be sure of what you're doing.
The dragon let out a roar, then vanished from sight. Yuto nodded to Yugo, then also faded from sight. All that was left was Yugo.
"I overlay my Level 4 Performonkey and Secondonkey!"
A dark, swirling vortex opened up before Yugo. The monkey and the donkey jumped into the darkness, and an explosion of miasma and stars exploded forth.
Yugo closed his eyes. His heart was pumping, his mind was filled with adrenaline. In his ear, he could hear Yuya and Yuto whisper the dragon's chant to him. Yuto was confident and stern, but Yuya's voiced shared Yugo's excitement and passion.
"Formed from pitch-black darkness, to fight those foolish enough to oppose it with its treacherous fangs!"
From the miasma, the dragon let out a roar from the. Its wingbeats brushed the smoke away, revealing its large, black form to the world around it.
"Now, descend! Xyz Summon! Rank 4, Dark Rebellion Xyz Dragon!"
Dark Rebellion, now fully formed, rose up and flew by Yugo's side. It let out a roar as loud as thunder, and its wings spread a trail of sparks in its wake. (ATK 2500)
"You see that, folks?!" the announcer roared. "The Duel King just Xyz Summoned off of a Pendulum Summon! This is amazing!"
Dark Rebellion and Yugo shared a glance. This time though, Yugo was able to understand the creature's thoughts. Maybe it was because the dragon wanted to ally with him. Or maybe it was because he could feel Yuya beside him, listening along with him.
Yugo knew what Dark Rebellion wanted to convey: it wasn't scared of Ray. It was apprehensive, but it had less hatred and fear in its heart than Clear Wing. But it could put its worries aside to help, because the dragon believed in him.
Yugo egao'd. It was touching to have the dragon's support.
Yugo, you can feel Dark Rebellion's voice, right? Yuya asked happily.
I sure as hell can! Yugo said excitedly.
Hmm! Yuya said with a nod. Together now! Let's give the audience a show they'll never forget!
Yuto seemed to have retreated from the scene, but Yugo didn't mind. He could feel his power running through him and Dark Rebellion. He could feel Yuya and Yuri lend their power to him. It was exhilarating.
But it wasn't just power that he needed. He didn't feel the same overwhelming power Rin displayed earlier, as she summoned Melodious Bell. Though, in all honestly, he did feel more... in sync with what was going on?
Now Yugo could hear the cheers of the audience. He could feel Yuya's heart swelling. Or his heart. Whatever. The adrenaline of riding, the passion of the audience... He looked to his monsters, and they were egao-ing with joy. He could feel their excitement rising.
He was starting to see more of Entertainment Dueling's appeal. Or maybe he was just feeling Yuya's thoughts? It was getting a bit confusing now.
"I activate Dark Rebellion's effect," Yugo announced. "By detaching an Overlay Unit, I can target one monster my opponent controls, then cut its ATK in half. Treason Discharge!"
Dark Rebellion lifted its wings. Purple lighting poured from its body, onto Cold Bell. The electricity ran through Cold Bell's body, causing it to shudder and shake. (Cold Bell ATK 2100 → 1050) (Dark Rebellion ATK 2500 → 3550)
"Dark Rebellion gains the amount your monster lost," Yugo went on. "Now, let's do it again! Treason Discharge!"
Again, Dark Rebellion lifted its wings. Purple lighting poured from its body, onto Cold Bell. The electricity ran through Cold Bell's body caused it to shake and shudder. (Cold Bell ATK 1050 → 525) (Dark Rebellion ATK 2500 → 4075)
"That won't be enough to defeat Melodious Bell," Rin said stiffly. "And you don't have enough ATK to reduce my Life Points. Try again, Yugo!"
"Oh, I'm just getting started!" Yugo asserted. "I can also Tribute Taketomborg to Special Summon a Speedroid Tuner from my deck!"
Speedroid Taketomborg brought its body back into its previous, taketombo form. It started to spin, letting the rushing winds around it lift it up into the air. It few high above the field, above Yugo's head, before shattering into a sea of sparkles.
Its previous spot on the field started to sparkle. An angry, winged device materialized next to Terrortop. (ATK 0)
"This is Speedroid Maligiousmagnet!" Yugo explained. "And during my Main Phase, I can target a faceup monster you control, then use it for a Synchro Summon."
Rin's jaw dropped. "What?"
"I tune your Level 5 Windwitch - Cold Bell with my Level 1 Speedroid Maligiousmagnet!"
The magnet became a ring that flew forward. Cold Bell became the five orbs that flew backwards. When the two forces collided, they created a new light that shon upon the field.
"Synchro Summon!" Yugo cried out. "Level 6! Hi-Speedroid Kendama!"
The light unveiled a new monster: Hi-Speedroid Kendama galloped onto the field and floated before Yugo. (ATK 2200)
The audience was cheering now, and Yugo was starting to feel pumped. Their excitement was his. Or maybe it was Yuya's excitement; he was excited because their excitement was his. Yuya's. Whatever. Yugo didn't care any more. Right now, he was happy, and he didn't care why.
Yuya, this is great! Yuya said to Yugo. Or the other way around.
I know, right? the other responded. Let's keep going!
Right!
Yugo pointed a finger right at Rin. "Once per turn, I can banish a Machine-Type monster from my Graveyard, and then inflict 500 damage to Ri- my opponent!"
The image of Performonkey briefly appeared before Kendama's sword. The monster pierced the monkey through its chest, shattering it.
And to Rin, it felt like her own body was pierced by the lance. She clutched at her chest, the same place Performonkey was struck. (Rin: 5600 → 5100)
Yugo held up a card in his hand. "I activate the Spell, Speed Recovery! Now I can Special Summon a Speedroid monster from our Graveyard."
Now a familiar monster took to the field. Red-Eyed Dice returned for an encore performance, taking up Maliciousmagnet's old spot. (ATK 100)
"And I change its Level to 2!"
The monster spun around on one of its corners. It jumped into the air, and its front face spun around, until the side with two dots was facing forward. (LV 1 → 2)
"Now, we're gonna tune our level 3 Terrortop with my Level 2 Red-Eyed Dice!"
Red-Eyed became two rings, and Terrortop and its terror tops became three stars.
"Synchro Summon! Level 5, Wind Turbine!"
The combined form was an industrial fan, trapped in a boxy frame. It had thin metal limbs, with three-fingered hands and two-toed feet. At the top was a small, bulbous orb, almost like a diminutive head for the creature. (ATK 1400)
The audience was going wild now. From the corner of Yugo's eye, he could see two members of the audience fist-fight as he passed by. Others were throwing food or money. But everyone was screaming, going wild now. They knew what was coming, just as Yugo and Rin did.
Accel, Yuzu thought.
Synchro, Rin finished.
At once, their minds were harmonized again. They were joined by their mutual awe and wonder.
We Accel Synchro Summoned earlier, didn't we? they asked.
But what is it?
Can Yugo Accel Synchro, too?
Through confusion, the two minds were linked again. They had questions, but the mystery only made them more united in heart and mind.
They looked to Yugo, who gave off an aura of confidence. They couldn't see every detail of his face; otherwise, they would have seen his glowing red eye.
Yugo continued, "Next, by sending a WIND monster from my deck to the Grave, we can reduce Wind Turbine's Level by that monster's own Level."
A card was ejected from Yugo's deck. He pulled it out, then quickly moved it over to his Graveyard. (LV 5 → 4)
"IS HE GOING TO DO IT?!" the announcer screamed. "WILL WE SEE MORE OF THIS ACCEL SYNCHRO?!"
"Finally, we tune our Level 6 Hi-Speedroid Kendama with our Level 4 Wind Turbine!"
In a blink, Yugo and his entire field were gone. But his voice could be heard amongst the blowing wind that rushed over Rin:
"Wings that spread across the sky! They catch the light, and they they glide across the wings! Synchro Summon!"
This time, Yugo appeared on the other side of the track. He had two monsters trailing behind him: the black Dark Rebellion, and a large, white dragon with brilliant glass wings. Clear Wing's regular wings were attached to the dragon's back, but it also had many smaller wings that floated around them, unattached. The dragon's body was sleek and streamlined, and its tail was longer and less mechanical in appearance.
"Level 10, Clear Wing Accel Dragon!" (ATK 3300)
Garome was watching the duel from his office. He stood by the window, peering down at the track below him. A billboard displayed across the building showed him the Life Points each duelist had, along with how many Speed Counters each of them accumulated.
The girl could have won easily, if he didn't make the Life Points so high. Her deck had burn by its side. But a quick, one-sided match wasn't what the audience wanted. And the longer a match went, the more people had time to bet on the outcome.
Naturally, he collected a tax on every bet. No matter who won the duel, he would win. And that's not even counting the possibility of enslaving the boy.
Yes, maybe it's better to have the boy win.
Garome tapped his cigar, letting the ashes fall onto the floor.
If the boy won, I could rig any of the fights ahead of him, sabotage his chances. Then he would be indebted to me.
Having the Duel King under his thumb was a better prospect than employing a girl who could leave at any time.
It didn't matter to him that he was dirtying his own office with his ashes; someone would just clean it up for him, and they would be grateful for the opportunity.
Garome chuckled quietly to himself. Yes, everything was going just fine.
A/N: Accel Synchro is one of my favorite things about the franchise, so I was eager to include this. Plus it ties into future developments with the Yu boys/bracelet girls, so it's paving the way for stuff that'll go down later on.
Next time: When one goes beyond their limits, a duel between two lovers concludes.