Chapter Twenty-Six

Giving the audience time to calm their excitement or sorrow, the Royal Stadium was being outfitted for Jeanies victory ceremony, replacing the two platforms for the duels with one larger one, with a large staircase leading up to it.

Once the public had calmed, the King climbed up the staircase to address them: "Today we gathered here to see whether we would be able to crown a new Dueling Champion. I always enjoyed the game and the organizers asked me whether I would like to say a few words after the Duel was over. I obviously said yes, after all they agreed to pay my wildly overpriced speaking fee."

This turned out to be a joke, since it got a nice laughter out of the audience.

"About fifteen years ago this ranking system was first established. Back then it didn't have many supporters, me not included. Back then I wasn't exactly able to focus on such trivial matters, but even then, I wasn't keen on such a competitive approach to a card game. How it turned out so far proved me wrong pretty effectively. It has become the biggest sports event – if you wanna call it sports, which I am inclined to do – in the history of our city. And we see the culmination of it today. Two young talents facing off against each other for the number one spot of the ranking list. And we do have a new number one from today on, for no one knows how long it is going to last."

This seemed to be Jeanies keyword, as she emerged from one of the gates. Apparently she used the downtime to change her usual attire. She now wore a flowing white gown with applications of gold and a cape around her shoulders with the same colors. Her hair had been braided into an updo and she wore a golden headpiece resembling ivy leaves. Ironically, her new looks resembled the Kings one a lot, the man she was about to overthrow.

The King gave her time to walk up the staircase and casually smile at the audience, so he just went on when she was standing next to him: "Today we are here to celebrate this talented, strong and fierce woman, who, what I am especially proud to say, is my beloved daughter, your Princess Jeanie."

"Thank you father," Jeanie said, ready to give her speech, all the while Yuito nearly toppled over in his chair in her hideout.

The King was Jeanies father? She was a Princess? And yet she was still gonna start a Revolution against him? And most importantly… what did that mean for Keiji?

"I'm very grateful for your kind words," Jeanie said, partially to the crowd and partially to her father: "And you're right, we are here to celebrate my victory. I fought long and hard for what I finally accomplished today and I would like to give my kindest thanks my team: My managers, my stylists, PR agents and my shoe guy. Yes, I do have a shoe guy. Yes, he is male and yes, he selects my shoes. Give credit where credits due."

She gave the audience some time to applaud and laugh at her remark before she went on: "But I want to be entirely honest with you, I am not only here to celebrate myself. I know that the entire city is listening to my words right now, so I want to use this unique opportunity for some more pressing matters."

In the background, Yuito could see the King nodding somberly. She must have told him she was going to use her speech to present some charity of sorts. Maybe on the breakfast table, between the weather and the current politics.

"The unemployment rates and homelessness are on a crazy all time high. Especially the youth, people around my age are facing life on the streets with not perspectives for their future. And it's not only their own future that's losing perspective. These people are all our future, your future. Your future is living on the streets, unable to get a job without having an apartment first, but unable to pay for one without having an occupation. Right now, it takes a miracle for them to break out of it, the only practical way is for them to get discovered as a Dueling prodigy."

The camera panned over the audience, showing lots of teary eyes and handkerchiefs being pulled out.

"In any other situation, I'd ask you to donate money to a charity that I would have picked beforehand, with the hopes that said charity will use that money for actual charity and not for buying their chairman a fancy new car. But we are in a situation that cannot be fixed with bare money. There needs to be something bigger. Someone once told me that the future needs to fix itself, and in a way they are right. We cannot wait for someone to help us, we need to do it ourselves."

She made a small dramatic break, allowing everyone to realize that this was maybe not what they expected from her speech.

"I know that most of you out there are listening to me," she continued, "and today I'm giving you the tool to change your future. Or rather, I'm not giving it to you since you already own it. Normally, Duel Disks only create Solid Vision with a limited amount of strength to it. Enough to knock people back, not enough to actually injure them. Not anymore. As I speak, my associates are uploading a virus, that will remove said limiter for anyone within reach of a Duel Disk which has the virus installed. With the Duel Disks I have been handing out the last couple of weeks, that should be all of you. Now, I employ you to use them to take what is yours."

Jeanie took another small break, allowing her to revel in the shock and awe of the audience. Everyone was completely silent, looking straight at her with their mouths open.

"As will I," she went on, "I hereby declare myself Queen of Myoto City and Her Majesties other Properties. I will follow in my fathers footsteps who let our beautiful city, our heritage and our future fall into the devastating condition it is today. And I will do my utmost to to reverse this. And you will help me with this. You will be my force that backs my claim to the throne. And once we are done, we will make the world a better place, together! This is our revolution, this is the Combat Revolution!"

The people in the stadium were still silent, but from out of the stadium distant screams were heard, followed by a few faint monster screams. The first people had Summoned their monsters, it seemed.

"Seize him," Jeanie said to the Kingsguard that were on the platform with her and her father.

Much to her fathers surprise, they actually took him. For Jeanie it wasn't that much of a surprise, she was the one who bribed them after all. She turned her attention around to the Royal Palace that towered over the stadium: "It is time for a coronation."

Keiji couldn't even try to process what had just happened on the TV. Everything he just heard was just so… unreal that it made no sense to him. Jeanie a revolutionary? And his father? If that was his father. Maybe he and Jeanie had different dads, but… she always said 'our' father so… maybe he was?

Daichi, who was still staying by his bedside, was having an easier time processing: "Does that mean I have to call you 'your majesty' now?"

"I wish I never told you she's my sister," Keiji said, rubbing his temple, "but maybe."

"That's… crazy."

"Tell me about it," Keiji replied, "but you know what's really crazy?"

"Tell me about it," Daichi said.

"I need your help," Keiji said, "I need to get into the Royal Palace."

"Okay, anything else? Light your smoke on the sun, or dig a hole using nothing but toothpaste?"

"I'm serious."

"Yeah, me too. We're gonna get killed if we go out there. Because if you go out there you're gonna get caught in the crossfire. You can barely walk properly after all. And if you die your sister is making sure I'll die painfully."

"Make sure I don't get killed then," Keiji said, trying to sit up in bed.

"Did you even listen to me?"

"Of course," he replied, "but my sister is currently about to fuck up hard. Someone needs to beat some sense into her."

"Let me repeat myself," Daichi said annoyed: "You are not leaving."

"On the contrary," Keiji said while trying to collect his clothes from the closet. Moving still hurt a lot, especially with clothes on the transplant skin, but he'd make it do. "I am leaving. And you're coming with me. You wanna know why?"

"Why is that?"

"Because if I go out there alone I'll break down by the time I'm by the next street corner and then I'll get trampled to death. And then my sister is definitely gonna kill you."

"So… let me get this straight," Daichi summarized, "you want me to go on a suicide mission that gets us both killed, because otherwise you're gonna get yourself killed and by extension get me killed?"

"Pretty much yes," Keiji replied, after a little bit of thought, "except I don't wanna die today."

"Me neither," Daichi admitted, "so why don't we just stay here?"

"The chances someone's gonna come bursting into these doors looking for painkillers or cheap drugs are gonna be much higher than you'd think."

Daichi nodded his head in agreement: "Didn't think of that. Hurry up then."

"How about you help me?"

With lots of screaming from Keiji, the other man helped him get dressed. The skin parts that the doctors transplanted were still pink and sensitive and it hurt a lot pulling clothes over them. At least they didn't tear, the both of them would have had a lot more problems if it did.

"There we are," Daichi said when they were done, "now climb on my back."

"I thought you'd never offer that," Keiji bluntly said as he climbed up. Once up he could see a glimpse of himself in the mirror as they were leaving. Half of his face was fresh pink skin the other half his worn out old skin. Honestly he never thought he was handsome, but now he was simply hideous. Whoever did this to him, Keiji would punch his teeth in.

The first thing Hatsuko and Saburo did when they realized what was going on in the Royal Stadium they turned off all the lights and shut the blinders. Cowering behind the couch, both of them knew what was going to go down.

A bunch of homeless guys armed to their teeth with real monsters were going to be out there in the streets any moment now, dying to take out their anger at the privileged. And right now, both of them were in a penthouse in the 40th floor of a skyscraper. In an apartment that probably cost a million upwards.

Things took a turn from good to bad to worst in the span of a few seconds. Just half an hour ago, the two of them were enjoying the fight that Jeanie and Eivin had with each other, an epic fight. Saburo had ordered chicken wings and pizza, they had beer and even a good red wine for Hatsuko. Granted, there were three other guys with them the whole time, a few bodyguards Saburos mom had paid for the night, but they stayed out of it, so the two could have some fun together.

Saburos parents were actually very nice to her and understanding of her situation.

At least, what she told them her story was. She basically went with what Saburo had suggested, she just… added onto it a little. Her parents were out of town for the week and someone from school, who was in love with Hatsuko and had been stalking her for a while now managed to break into her apartment. Granted, she wasn't home but he left a love letter for her and now she's too afraid to stay at home alone.

They immediately bought it and let her stay, especially when Saburo also lied and said they were back together.

'Like, for weeks, you never notice it when things happen in my life, dad!' was effectively the quote he used.

Even though he kind of guilt tripped them into making her stay she was definitely happy they did. She was gonna somehow repay them when all of this was over.

But this new situation, it was… quite unexpected.

A few minutes into cowering, they could already hear screaming from the streets – both human and… not human. Dragons, birds, animals. All of them. Fight noises. Gunshots.

Somehow Hatsuko wanted to go look outside of the window. How close the fighting was. How big the monsters were. How many monsters there were. But she just couldn't move. She could see that Saburo looked at her teary-eyed and she noticed a tear slip down her cheek too.

If worst came to worst they were trapped in here. The only way out of here was down on the streets. And that suddenly stopped being an option. So, if the lantern guy decided to blink in and come for the red Crosspoint, she didn't know where to run. Granted, she could turn invisible and run across the streets like they planned originally, but the probability to get caught in the polices crossfire was suddenly a very possible outcome.

So… she didn't know what to hope for. She knew her ex-boyfried didn't either. So right now they could only wait. Time was still on her side.

Yuitos mind was honestly blanked out when the TV broadcast cut to a maintenance image. He knew what was gonna happen, yet we was utterly unprepared for the carnage that followed in the minutes after.

Soon he could hear screams from the streets, some of which abruptly and violently stopped. People were dying out there. Jeanie's forces killed them.

She had just motives, Yuito didn't question that but… he didn't know if she knew what hell she just broke loose. Yuito knew the people she was catering to. They wouldn't just stop when she told them to. Once they gotten hold of a little bit of power, they cling to it till their death.

Soon he was sitting with his ears to the metal door that separated him from the outside world trying to hear what was going on outside. He couldn't hear the guards anymore, maybe they left to join the frenzy. How inconsiderate of them as this was basically the prime time for the services to be required, but he couldn't blame them. Jeanie hired them for just this moment after all.

After a while, he heard tires screeching outside and someone on high heels making a run towards the door.

Soon he heard a knock right where his head was, followed by a familiar voice: "Yuito? Yuito I know you're in there, let me in, quick!"

It was Alessia.

Without hesitation, Yuito opened the door just far enough for her to slip through, and then closed it again.

"Come in, you're safe inside," Yuito said, with Alessia still trying to catch her breath.

"The opposite, actually. I'm here to get you out, to a safer place," she explained, "a mob of people is heading right into this direction. They a bunch of Dungeon Worms with them so they'll probably break this bunker down sooner rather than later."

A wave of fear washed over Yuito: "But where should I go?"

"A friend of mine set up a safe haven," Alessia continued, "It's the safest place in the entire city, except for maybe the Royal Palace. I can take you there in five minutes, with my car."

"Are you sure?" Yuito said, "shouldn't we stay here? Jeanie said I'd be safe in here."

"Yuito have you lost your mind?!" Alessia yelled at him, "you're going to believe the woman who brought this all upon us, who just usurped her fathers throne on national television?!"

Taking a moment to think it over, he replied: "Yeah, maybe you're right."

"Maybe?!" Alessia yelled, "I nearly died trying to get here so move your fucking ass and let's get out of here."

Yuito quickly grabbed his new Duel Disk, knowing he'd need it if they ran into someone, before they opened the door and sprinted up the stairs to Alessias car.

She immediately put her foot down and while they sped though the alleys of the city, Yuito could catch glimpses of what was going on in the streets.

A Rock Ogre Grotto beating down on a few policemen who were trying to shoot it away, only to get squished by it.

A swarm of Kuramas with people riding on their backs grazing through skyscrapers, letting broken glass rain all over the screaming people on the streets.

A huge dragon tearing a hole into a roof, before picking out a screaming woman and… Yuito had to avert his eyes, because he didn't want to know what would happen after that.

"It ain't pretty, I tell you that much," she said, "just pray they have enough dignity to stay away from the hospital Keijis in."

The wave of realization his Yuito like a brick load: "We need to get him."

"I know," she replied, "but its on the other side of the city, we'd be dead before we get there."

"I don't care, I'll walk there."

"Calm down, I know someone who can get there much faster than us. He can retrieve Keiji."

"Where is he?"

"In the safe haven. Right around the corner."

Yuito didn't quite know what to expect when they rounded it, but he was kinda disappointed of what he saw.

"A church?" he asked confused.

Alessia parked her car in front of a huge church with two bell towers. It seemed incredibly worn down, the windows smashed in, the ornaments removed from its walls and no light from the inside, even though it was the middle of the night by now.

"A cathedral, to be exact," Alessia said, much more calm now that they were here, "no matter how crazed they get, people always at least hesitate before they strike god. Come on inside."

Following her inside through the large wrought-iron gates, the first thing was that he was blinded by the light. The churches insides were fully lit with dozens of candles burning all across the building. He could see exquisite wallpaintings and the stained glass windows were unscratched from the inside.

Even though that was all very strange, Yuito had more pressing questions on his mind.

"So now, how are we gonna get to Keiji? Where is this guy? And how is he gonna do it?" he asked as he walked down the aisle with Alessia.

"I thought the both of us moved past the 'how' a long time ago."

Yuito turned rapidly when he heard another familiar voice from one of the corners and his suspicions were proven right when he saw the blue light coming from there, contrasting that of the candles.

Tian.

"I would say I am going to get your friend, but knowing you I knew you'd ask about him anyway, so I just come from there," he explained, while Yuito was too thunderstruck to react, "I have bad news. He's not there anymore, and neither is that big brute. Maybe they thought the location was unsafe and moved somewhere else."

"How do you know each other?" Yuito asked, "What game are you playing here?"

He knew that he had been angry at times, sometimes even not sure about what he was being angry about, but never as much as right now. He didn't even know the business his manager and the man with the blue Crosspoint had with each other, yet he felt tricked. Lied to. Backstabbed.

"I have to admit, we weren't entirely honest to you. But I promise you will understand in a second."

"So tell me!" Yuito yelled, his screams echoing from the high ceiling.

"I'm terribly sorry Yuito, but this is all my fault," he heard another voice, faint, feminine, quiet.

As he followed it he could see a girl emerging from the shadows, sixteen at most, dressed in a short, white crochet dress. Her short white hair was held in place by a small ponytail.

"I'm sorry for all you had to go through, but I had to see you one last time."

"We met?" Yuito asked thunderstruck.

"You dueled me," she replied, "in front of a huge audience. Don't you remember?"

It took him a while to pinpoint her, but he soon was able to recognize her voice: "Ever White?"

"Call me Eva, please."

"Eva," he tried again, "what do you mean? Why did you want to meet me?"

"I knew," she started, "that you made yourself clear with my beloved Oru that you do not want to take part in the convergence. I respect that. But I at least wanted to see you in person for once. Without a mask. To know who you are. And, well… so does he."

Eva looked past him and as Yuito turned around, the anger he had just felt washed away and was replaced with a myriad of other emotions. Sadness. Fear. Hatred. Happiness.

Right behind him he saw a man in a white suit, with messy, dark brown hair and a beard, and large puppy eyes that Yuito couldn't even remember when he was them the last time.

He felt the tears running down his face, as he managed to utter out a single word.

"Dad?"