(A/N: Hi everyone! Been a while! A few things have happened since the last update. For the first time in my life, Valentine's Day wasn't Singles Awareness Day for me and, on top of that, I now have a girlfriend for the second time in my life and I am on Cloud Nine. Additionally, I have also finished Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. Pretty good game all things considered. But that's neither here nor there. Let's get started on today's chapter).
With Joey behind the wheel of Mukuro's Jeep, he, Téa and Tristan were driving along the train tracks in search of their friends. It took a few hours, but they were eventually able to catch up with Mai, Mukuro and Miho. The trio had stopped by a clearing so that Mukuro could call Junko. Unfortunately, cell reception in the middle of the Southwestern plains was about as terrible as one could expect, leaving Mukuro at a loss for what to do and how the group was going to get to Florida. No signal meant no GPS and there were clouds for days in the sky, so no using the sun or stars to figure out which way was east.
"Tristan!" Miho darted over to him, arms spread wide, throwing her arms around him, having been so worried for her boyfriend.
Tristan pat her head. "It's okay, Miho. I'm fine."
"Are you guys okay?" Téa asked, approaching Mai, Mukuro and Miho.
"Had a little bit of trouble, but we're still kicking," Mai said, giving Téa a thumb's up.
The five teens, and Mai, swapped stories about their encounters, and quickly established that Yami and Junko were still unaccounted for.
"If I comprehend Junko as well as I think I do, she and the Pharaoh have likely headed for Florida on their own. Junko still has the Altanean Spellbook. She could summon a monster to life, tamed for her and the Pharaoh as a means of transportation."
"Why not come get us?" Joey asked.
"Knowing Junko, she wants to save time and we will eventually catch up with her, but I am uncertain how we will determine our direction with the clouds overhead. The duel with Valon turned our position so many times I have since lost track. I would normally have tools or a two-way radio for reconvening with other soldiers in such circumstances, but that is not the case at present."
"So…what? We're stuck here?" Joey wondered.
"Unless we had some sort of magnetic compass," Mukuro pointed out.
"We could just wait out the clouds," Mai stated.
"If it starts to rain, we do not have shelter though," Mukuro pointed out. "The best we have are the ponchos in the trunk of the jeep."
"Great, so now what?" Tristan asked. "Wait for transportation to fall out of the sky?"
As if he'd said the magic words, the sound of a turbine engine could be heard overhead. A plane was descending fast from behind where Joey's group had driven towards Mai's group.
"Isn't that one of Kaiba's?" Mai asked.
"At the angle it's going, it will crash in the forest beyond," Mukuro stated. "That kind of impact will cause a fire. And depending on what kind of fuel is on board, possibly an explosion."
"What?! But the people on board…" Téa started to worry.
"So what? It's Kaiba," Joey said.
"How can you say that?" Téa asked.
As Joey and Téa bickered, Mukuro's brain had clicked into an analyses mode of her own. While nowhere near as good as Junko's to predict the future, Mukuro would not be the ultimate soldier if she could not analyze her surroundings under extreme circumstances to evaluate risk and probability of success in a do or die setting.
Time had slowed down to a crawl for the dark haired teen. She'd already calculated the arc angle and velocity of Kaiba's plane as well as her own physical capabilities and the distance between herself and the ground as well as the time in seconds before impact. Unfortunately, no solution presented itself under the current circumstances.
In the middle east, Mukuro was rarely, if ever, tasked with bringing down an aircraft on foot. Even when she was, rockets were usually available. But this time she needed the passengers alive. Junko needed Kaiba alive for her plan. And as for Mukuro herself, well, Kaiba alive helped her too.
"Seto Kaiba is one of my personal heroes."
In an article with his local paper, Makoto had been interviewed as a Battle City finalist. Mukuro wondered, would Makoto…like her if she told him how she saved Seto Kaiba's life from a plane crash.
Mukuro slapped her cheeks methodically before she drifted off into her own subconscious fantasies. Fortunately, the thought of Makoto had given her an idea.
"Joey, summon Hermos!"
"Huh? What? Right now?" Joey stuttered.
"Yes," Mukuro responded plainly.
"Uh, okay," Joey said. "Hermos!" Joey shouted and released the dragon into the air as it put its feet firmly on the ground.
Fortunately for Mukuro, Hermos wasn't nearly big enough that she wasn't able to take a running leap onto his back in between his shoulders. "Hup!" she yelped as she flew through the air onto the dragon's back.
Then, putting a gloved hand on the monster's back, she crouched and declared, "Fly."
Beating its giant wings, Hermos took off into the air. It already knew its destination by instinct, drawn towards Kaiba through his connection with Critias.
On board, Mokuba could see Mukuro and Hermos flying towards the pair of them. "Seto! Look!"
"Huh?" Kaiba saw Mukuro approaching fast as the plane continued to crash. "What is that?"
Drawing a pistol from its holster at her side, Mukuro shot out a window where the emergency exit door was on the KaibaCorp aircraft. Then, with Hermos flying close, she managed to get into the plane, completely ignoring the rapid descent in altitude that would leave most dizzy. Then, from the inside, she wrenched open the emergency exit.
By this point, Kaiba and Mokuba had left the cockpit.
"Who are you?" He demanded. However, Mukuro looked familiar. Ah yes, he'd met her briefly at Industrial Illusions, but he hadn't learned her name.
"Your plane is going down, but I can still save your life," Mukuro said stoically.
"You expect me to just jump?" Kaiba asked. He then saw Hermos' scales hovering outside the window.
"If you don't feel confident jumping, I can carry you myself," Mukuro said, the wind blasting at her from the side.
The plane lurched forward, nearly throwing Mokuba and Kaiba back towards the cockpit.
"What about Alister?" Mokuba asked. "We can't just leave him on the plane!"
"I'll get Alister. Go with the woman, Mokuba," Kaiba said.
"But…Seto," Mokuba protested only for Mukuro to grab Mokuba under her arm and, without warning, leapt onto Hermos. She slid on the dragon's back, but the rough scales were high in friction on her combat boots and she maintained her balance, setting Mokuba down. She then turned back towards the blimp and held out her hands for Kaiba to toss her the much bulkier and taller Alister. Mukuro caught the unconscious member of Doma as Kaiba took a moment to prepare himself and then took the death defying leap out of the plane onto the back of the big red dragon below. He dropped to one knee, watching as his precious plane smashed into the ground by its engine and a huge fireball erupted, causing a fire to spread fast. Hermos then doubled back towards Joey and the others.
With the fire spreading rapidly, the gang realized there was no time for questions. They had to shut up and go!
Hermos flew overhead with Joey driving the jeep with Valon and Rex in the backseat. Tristan took one motorbike with Miho in the side car with Mai on the other bike. The group completely outran the ever growing forest fire, even as the ever threatening flames licked at their back.
"What's with this fire? Is it magic?" Joey asked.
"Don't be ridiculous!" Kaiba shouted. "It's just the wind."
"Even the fiercest winds can't make a forest fire spread this fast!" Mukuro exclaimed in alarm.
Fortunately, the fire reached the edge of its spread when the group drove around a small lake and out into a grassy road covered canyon, the sun behind them, the clouds parting.
"Well at least we know which direction is east now," Tristan said.
Having escaped the fire, the group made past for two plateaus due at 10 and 2 o' clock of their position and came to a stop to catch their breath from the excitement. Hermos also unsummoned itself back into Joey's card.
Kaiba was still a bit miffed that Joey Wheeler had been chosen to wield one of the dragons, finding the idea of the blond to be a chosen one laughable. But, at the cost of his life, beggars couldn't be choosers and Mukuro had done most of the heavy lifting anyway.
"That was awesome, Mukuro," Tristan said.
"That's a soldier for you," Mai said.
"Soldier?" Kaiba looked at Mukuro. Sure, she was dressed in camouflage, but still…
Mukuro saluted. "Fenrir First Branch, Second Battalion of Alpha Pack."
"Fenrir?" Kaiba had heard the name, but… "I thought your organization disappeared."
"Fenrir has disbanded, but I still consider it a home away from home," Mukuro said, nodding.
"Hmph, you're something else," Kaiba stated. "I suppose I owe you for saving my life."
"I won't need money, but um…" Mukuro cleared her throat, hiding a blush. "We can discuss it later."
Before Kaiba could say anything further, everyone heard propellers headed towards their location. "Mr. Kaiba! Mokuba!"
Mokuba brightened up at the sound of Roland from an external speaker system. "Roland!"
Kaiba's chopper landed on the ground as Roland came running up to the brothers and the rest of the group, out of breath when he reached them.
"Roland, you're late," Kaiba said to him. "I could've been dead."
"A thousand apologies Mr. Kaiba, I will take whatever pay deduction and removal of vacation days you see fit," Roland said, bowing.
"We'll discuss that later. It sounds like you have news."
"Sir, Noah's been meaning to speak with you sir. He's in one of the on board terminals."
"Noah, huh? This ought to be amusing," Kaiba said.
Mukuro then hatched another idea. Kaiba owed her and while she did want to save it… "Mr. Kaiba, sir. I believe I know how you can repay me." She gestured to her companions. "Please see us to Florida. We have business with Dartz. We need to catch up to my sister and Yugi." She knew if she said Pharaoh Kaiba wouldn't buy it.
"While I dislike having extra cargo on board one of my aircraft, I suppose I'll comply as payment. All right, let's go. But you're not to interrupt my business call!"
Sorry, Makoto, Mukuro thought. I hope I can see you again a different way.
Within minutes, the group was on board Kaiba's aircraft and headed for Florida. Once the machine had taken off, in a corner of the aircraft, Seto Kaiba sat in front of a portable computer terminal, a phone pressed to his ear. He was talking to Noah's AI.
"Let's start with an apology," Noah said.
Kaiba grumbled. "Fine. You were right. I'm sorry I didn't give you more credit. Happy?"
"Yes. Very," Noah responded, his ego clearly inflated. "Also, I would like a thank you."
"For what?" Kaiba asked, irritated enough as it was.
Noah showed Kaiba transactions being done through many different bank accounts. "I took the liberty of freezing all KaibaCorp assets. Stocks cannot be purchased or sold and all employees will currently have to deal with the money they have on hand until this whole fiasco blows over."
"To what end?" Kaiba asked.
"Because if I hadn't, Dartz would've bought out KaibaCorp in its entirety!" Noah exclaimed. He smiled smugly. "He's been using his minions to make you chase your tail while his company buys out everything you own."
"Dartz," Kaiba growled.
"You have no one to blame, but yourself honestly," Noah said to him. "If it weren't for me, you'd probably be scrubbing toilets in your own office."
Kaiba glared. After a brief pause, he said, "Unfreeze trusted employee bank accounts only, including mine. If you see a transaction over $40, block it until you get verbal approval from me. Send out a company e-mail of the situation."
"Thank you for trusting me so much, Seto," Noah said, clearly pleased.
"Don't get used to it. But…even I know that no matter how much we may not like each other, you wouldn't let anything happen to KaibaCorp as long as you could do something about it."
"Too true," Noah said. "Well, do let me know if you need anything else. I'm interfaced with all KaibaCorp technology after all."
"Yeah, we'll see about that. Bye, Noah," Kaiba said and slammed the phone onto the receiver.
"What's up?" Mokuba asked, approaching his big brother.
"Noah just saved the company from Dartz," Kaiba said, massaging his wrist.
Mokuba laughed happily. "I told you Noah was a good guy, Seto."
"Hmph," Kaiba said and approached the pilot. "I want to be touching down in Miami airport as soon as possible. Dartz's organization is supposed to be in that city."
"Understood, sir," the pilot nodded. "I'll fly her straight and true."
"Hmph," Kaiba then walked back to his seat.
"Our ETA should be approximately four and a half hours," Mukuro said, stating things as though they were simple matters of fact.
"Good. That'll give me time to get home before the weekend and be sipping coffee while I file the papers to sue Dartz for everything he's worth," Kaiba said, scowling.
"I hope we can find Junko and the Pharaoh soon," Joey said.
"Same," Tristan responded.
Téa was twitching. The longer she was apart from Yami and Junko, the two of them together and alone, the more apprehensive it made her. Mai cupped her hands around Téa's when she saw the brunette fiddling with her skirt.
"Relax. It's going to be fine," Mai told her.
"I hope so," Téa said miserably.
As Kaiba's aircraft sped towards Florida, Mukuro's cell phone suddenly rang. She didn't have to look at the caller ID to know who it was.
"Helloooooooooo!" Junko's voice echoed into her ear in a super upbeat fashion.
"Junko! Are you all right?" Mukuro asked.
"Yup, never been better. The Pharaoh and I are taking a rest stop at a no-tell motel for some much needed R&R." Mukuro was thankful the speaker phone was not on, even if Junko was more than likely kidding. "You guys are with Kaiba, right?"
Mukuro blinked rapidly. "How did you—"
Junko talked right over her, needing no further confirmation of the situation. "Great. Great. So listen, you guys are probably headed for Miami, but you're gonna wanna touch down in Jacksonville. Big storm approaching. I don't want anyone getting fried."
"I'll relay," Mukuro repeated. "Where's the rendezvous point?"
"Hmmm…let's meet at TIAA Bank Field right in the parking lot," Junko said. "Toodles!" She hung up before Mukuro could even say anything.
Mukuro sighed, pocketing her phone. "Junko will be meeting us at TIAA Bank Field."
"The Jaguar Stadium?" Mai asked. Mukuro nodded.
"How about no?" Kaiba asked rhetorically.
"Miami is being hit with a massive thunderstorm. You'd never get close without risk of injury," Mukuro said.
"I have a company to save and a madman to stop! If you geeks want to play detour at a football stadium, that's on you!" Kaiba exclaimed. He marched over to the pilot. "How much hazard pay do you need to fly into that storm and get me to Paradius?" Kaiba asked.
"Uhhhh, my entire year's salary and a doubling of my life insurance policy if I don't make it?" The pilot asked nervously.
"Done," Kaiba stated.
"You're nuts!" Joey exclaimed.
"Sometimes when you run a big company, you take risks. I'd rather be a dragon, sinking its fangs into my enemy in the heat of a rampaging battlefield than be a cowering puppy dog with its tail between its legs!"
"You want a piece of me, rich boy?" Joey asked.
"Stop it," Tristan said, clasping Joey's shoulder. "He's not worth it."
"Mukuro, do something!" Téa exclaimed. She figured the soldier would be the most reasonable person to appeal to. Unfortunately, what Téa failed to realize is that Mukuro absolutely sucked at socializing, especially when it came to arguing with other people. She was the type that followed orders and relayed messages. Everything else was Junko's territory. Was Kaiba crazy for flying straight into a thunderstorm? Absolutely. Could Mukuro reasonably convince him not to? She wouldn't even know where to start. Instead, she just kind of looked at Téa with a strange, confused look in her eye.
All that came out of her mouth was, "Please be safe." Téa was flabbergasted.
"Hmph," Kaiba said with a smug smirk. "Trust me. I've got too much to live for to end up dead in the wreckage of one of my own aircrafts."
"Well, better him than us," Joey thought.
"Don't be mean!" Miho exclaimed.
At their request, Kaiba dropped off the others along with Mukuro's Jeep and the two bikes onto the parking lot of TIAA Bank Field. He then took off in stubborn pursuit of Dartz's headquarters.
"So now what?" Joey asked.
"I…guess we wait for Junko and the Pharaoh. They are coming, right?" Téa asked.
Mukuro nodded. "Junko said she would be here." Mukuro, of course, knew full well that Junko might try something the blonde considered amusing. However, she had no way of proving that and, really, Téa didn't need to be put on edge by being told that Junko was a chronic liar.
"Hey, if no one's around, that means free hot dogs!" Joey exclaimed.
"Is food all you really think about?" Mai chastised.
"Let him go, it's how he copes," Téa said.
"Isn't that stealing?" Miho asked.
"In trying times, you must survive on whatever you can procure," Mukuro said, repeating words her superiors had told her in Fenrir. "Shall we see what the stadium has to offer?"
Joey, Mukuro and Tristan headed into the stadium proper, looking for food. The place was dark, yet strangely unlocked. Upon walking in and looking for food, Joey's nose led the trio to one vendor that was open in an otherwise empty stadium.
The vendor open was for a stall called "Glamor Grill". Standing behind the counter was a man looking to be about 19 that reeked of cigarette smoke in a pink shirt with a tiny hat on his head with a big G on it. He was fair skinned with reddish brown hair. He had a badge pinned to his shirt that said "Bert".
"Customers? Customers!" He exclaimed, fidgeting like he was going through withdrawal.
"Hey, what are you doing here? Where is everybody?" Tristan asked looking around.
"Don't know, don't care, you gonna buy something or what?" Bert asked.
Mukuro looked up at the menu. Everything seemed pricey, but she was Junko's sister. Their bank accounts were well stocked. "We will buy plenty, but…what are you even doing here?"
"Yeah, this place seems deserted," Joey said looking around.
An insane smile crept upon Bert's lips. "Yeah! I know! So WHAT if everybody else left work? So WHAT if nobody's buying anything? Par for the course, little dudes, par for the course," Bert said, leaning on the counter.
"I'm a woman," Mukuro stated.
Bert started fidgeting nervously.
"This is just too weird," Joey said. "We sure this guy ain't one of Dartz's lackeys. Whatever, I'll take a burger and fries, thanks."
"Coming right up little dude!" Bert exclaimed and began working the griddle behind him.
"This is just sad," Tristan said. "Hey, the stadium looks like it's been shut down. Why are you even here?"
Bert fidgeted nervously more. "Well…I mean…I guess no one said I had to work today. But that's the thing! Sometimes no one tells me I have to work until halfway into my shift! Then I get yelled at! Well…okay, yelled is the wrong word. It's more like I have to listen to my boss play the guitar and make up songs about how bad I am at my job."
"Jeez, and I thought Kaiba was a terrible boss," Joey said.
"I'll take a pepperoni sub. Hot," Mukuro said.
"Sure, sure, little lady," Bert said, turning around, whipping up the grub. "How about you, spike?" He asked, referring to Tristan's haircut.
"The name's Tristan," Tristan stated. Joey flicked his hairdo. "Oh." He looked at the menu. "Oh, hey, that cheese stuffed steak looks good."
"You're in luck, I've got enough ingredients for one more of those!" Bert exclaimed. "The truck comes by on Friday with more!"
"Listen, Bert, you seem like a nice guy," Joey said as he got his food first. "But…maybe you should, I dunno, seek shelter or something. The whole world's goin' nuts. Your life could be at risk. That ain't worth a part-time job."
"Yeah, no kidding. Burger Town's salary ain't worth it in these conditions," Tristan added.
"Sorry, little dudes, threats don't work on me," Bert said, smiling with clearly fractured sanity. "I can't go to hell. I'm all out of vacation days."
Even Mukuro's jaw hung open a little at the sheer incomprehensibility of the situation.
Tristan and Mukuro received their food and Joey ordered a bit more, with Mukuro offering to pay, to get something for Mai, Téa and Miho.
"Hey, we got friends coming by later, you still gonna be here?" Joey asked.
"Sure thing, little dude. But you don't have to worry about me. Nobody ever cared about Bert R. Pence and no one ever will."
"Man, I kinda feel bad for the guy," Tristan said.
"Someone else's problem," Mukuro said, turning to leave. "Let's go."
"Have a fabu-ful day!" Bert called after them.
As the trio left the stadium back to the parking lot, Joey pierced the uncomfortable silence with, "That was just bizarre."
"What some people will do for a paycheck, I tell ya, man," Tristan said.
Mukuro glanced to one side, finding herself not exactly in a position to say anything given the things she had to do for Fenrir for money. Not that she minded any of it, but she knew the two boys standing on either side of her would.
As the trio headed back to their friends, the sound of a motorbike could then be heard zooming towards them. At first, Joey thought it was Mai coming to check on them when he saw the blonde hair flapping in the night air, but when the driver yanked his warm, freshly wrapped burger out of his hands, he knew better.
"Wha—"
Natsumi lifted her helmet up to take a long, spiteful bite of Joey's hard eaten burger and then spat out the pickle at him right into his eye.
"YOU LITTLE BRAT!" Joey shouted. Natsumi could taunt him, she could threaten him, she could even hit or wound him, but nobody, NOBODY, messed with Joey Wheeler's food!
Natsumi then revved the engine, returned her helmet, turned around and took off, burger clenched between a few fingers.
"You get back here with my meal!" Joey shouted.
Like lightning, Joey sped back towards Mai, Téa and Miho and, without saying anything, hopped on the bike and took off in hot pursuit of Natsumi.
"What the heck was that about?" Téa wondered.
By this point, Tristan and Mukuro were jogging towards them. "You guys see Joey?" he asked.
"Yeah, he just took off without saying anything like he'd been possessed by the devil himself. What happened?"
"Natsumi…stole his burger," Mukuro said, glancing to the side.
"Burger?" Téa asked.
Tristan held up the big tote bag. "We got food for everyone and then Natsumi came whizzing by and nabbed Joey's just to screw with him."
Mai growled, getting on the other bike, detaching the side car. "Ugh, that idiot. I'll drag him back, by his big, dumb haircut if I have to."
"Wait a minute, Mai! What about Junko and the Pharaoh?"
"You kids can stay here and wait for them. But I'm not going to let Joey get hurt on my watch," Mai said, strapping on the helmet. "I'll drag him back kicking and screaming if I have to."
"Be careful, Mai," Miho said. "Don't lose your soul."
"Don't worry, kiddo," Mai said, patting Miho on the head. "Neither Joey nor I are going to lose our souls. We'll be back before you know it." Mai then took off down the road.
"I hope everything turns out okay," Téa said, worried.
"I'm sure things will work out," Mukuro said. Whether she believed it or not, she knew it was what Téa needed to here.
"I sure hope so," Téa said.
Despite Natsumi having a head start on him, Joey was able to keep up with her by eyeing the dust trail she was leaving behind and the faint sound of her own motorbike. He pursued her southeast over St. Johns River, down Beach Boulevard and then onto I-295. She dragged him off road through Pablo Creek and then past a Best Buy and a Hobby Lobby before going back onto the main road. The two headed southwest, eventually ending up on state road 115. They passed a Longhorn Steakhouse, making Joey desperate for his burger before making a sharp left into Fruit Cove and finally ending up at Alpine Groves Park.
Natsumi drove northwest along Alpine Groves Park Road making a full loop around the cul-de-sac at the end of the road. She came to a stop when Joey cut her off before she could go back the way she came. He had the bike stopped, helmet off and was staring right at her. Realizing she had nowhere left to run and that this was far enough, Natsumi dismounted her own bike and hung up her helmet. Joey watched as she stuck the last bit of burger in her mouth and then let the crumpled wrapper float to the ground before stomping on it. The dainty little yakuza lady then let out an inelegant belch, as she covered her mouth with her fingers.
"Delicious," Natsumi said with a smug, condescending smirk.
"You're gonna pay for that, literally! Do you know how expensive stadium burgers are?" Joey asked.
"Oh no use crying over devoured carbohydrates. You and I have unfinished business, don't we? Master Dartz has promised me everything I need and all I need to do is settle our debt," Natsumi said, staring seriously at Joey. "And you of course have plenty of reason to hate me now, don't you Joey? Your friend, your pride," she chuckled, "Your burger."
Joey snarled. "This is for Ibuki and my hamburger you rosy cheeked little brat!"
"Then let us not waste any time," Natsumi said and got out her duel disk, activating it. "Let's duel, Joey! Duel where you're so far from your friends, their cheering can't save you now!"
"I don't need 'em here," Joey said calmly.
"What?" Natsumi asked, flatly.
Joey clutched at his shirt. "My friends are always with me, even if they're not here physically. I'm not gonna lose to someone like you that fights all alone for a madman promising power. I got way more to fight for!"
"What drivel," Natsumi said. "I am the superior duelist here, and I'll prove it! I activate the Seal of Orichalcos!"
Storm clouds rolled in overhead as the Seal of Orichalcos formed in the sky and then landed on the ground, sealing Joey and Natsumi inside. A dark aura surrounded Natsumi, seeming to empower her with the power of the Orichalcos.
"Natsumi, you've always been a pain in the ass," Joey said, activating his duel disk, "But you've never been crazy. Those Orichalcos guys did something to ya, and I'm gonna set you free," he said, drawing his hand. "I promise."
"Save your salvation for someone who cares. Now, watch as I play Koa'ki Meiru Bergzak!"
Wasting no time putting Joey in a corner, Natsumi summoned her mighty masked warrior in her hand. He hit the table, screaming as usual with 2,000 attack points before the Orichalcos powered him up to 2,500. "Next, I'll discard one Iron Core of Koa'ki Meiru to keep my Bergzak in play and set one card face-down onto the field." Natsumi said as the face-down card appeared with its proper hologram. "Then, I end my turn. Let's see you overtake one of the most powerful monsters I have at my disposal!"
Joey grit his teeth. This was going to be trouble.
Unbeknownst to him, as he prepared to take his first turn, Mai was driving all over for any sign of him. Sadly, she'd missed the activation of the Seal of Orichalcos, having been too far away when it happened. Be safe, Joey, she thought, eager to find him. I'm coming!
Joey then drew the top card of his deck. "It's my move. Let's go!" He looked at his hand. Nothing looked playable, until Joey remembered exactly what he had at his disposal. "I activate Polymerization!" he declared. "And I'll use it to fuse the normal monsters Battle Warrior and Tiger Axe to bring out First of the Dragons!"
A massive blue dragon emerged on Joey's side of the field with an insane amount of attack power, 2,700 to be precise.
Joey laughed. "Heh heh, perfect," Joey said, rubbing his nose. "First of the Dragons can't be destroyed except by battle with monsters without special abilities and every single one of your monsters has an ability, doesn't it?"
Natsumi took a step back, sweating. Her body language told Joey everything.
"This duel's over before its even begun!" Joey shouted. "First of the Dragons! Attack!"
Charging a beam in its throat, First of the Dragons unleashed an attack that completely disintegrated Natsumi's Bergzak. First blood belonged to Joey Wheeler as Natsumi's life points fell to 3,800. Natsumi snarled at Joey in irritation.
"Your move, Natsumi," Joey said, grinning. "Course it's only a matter of time before you lose."
"Don't you dare look down on me!" Natsumi shouted. "And instead of drawing, I'm going to bring my Iron Core of Koa'ki Meiru back to my hand. And next, I activate my face-down trap card Core Reinforcement!" Natsumi declared, unveiling her face-down card, which showed an iron core sitting atop a pedestal. "This allows me to bring back Koa'ki Meiru Bergzak back to the field!"
Bergzak returned to the field, screaming as usual, arms trembling with rage.
Joey blinked. "I don't get it. You wasted a trap card like that on a master weaker than mine?"
Natsumi held up a card in her hand. "You never were a bright one," Natsumi chuckled. "Behold!" She swiped Bergzak off the duel disk. "By activating the special ability of one of the monsters in my hand, I can sacrifice a single Koa'ki Meiru monster to summon my all powerful Koa'ki Mieru Rooklord to the field!"
A blue and black, machina-like warrior stood upon the battlefield, rising up to such a height that it met face to face with First of the Dragons. The monsters had 2,800 attack points and 2,200 defense points. "And thanks to the Seal of Orichalcos, he gains an extra 500 attack points." Rooklord now had 3,300 attack points as its visor glowed a sinister bright red. "First of the Dragons may not be able to be destroyed by Rooklord, but you'll still take battle damage," Natsumi declared. "Attack!" She shouted, pointing at Joey's monster.
With its powerful arm, Rooklord drove its emblazoned piston towards First of the Dragon's face, jackhammering it right into the monster's jaw. First of the Dragons remained vigilant, though it cost Joey 500 life points, putting Natsumi in the lead. The score now stood 3,800 life points to 3,500.
"Next, I'll place a new card face-down onto the field," Natsumi said. "Then, I'll discard my Iron Core of Koa'ki Meiru to my graveyard to keep Rooklord in play. And end my turn." The hologram appeared as control of the duel passed to Joey, leaving Natsumi with two cards in her hand.
What do I do now? I didn't expect she'd get up a powerful monster so soon just like dat. He took a deep breath. I can't give up easily though. I'm gonna figure a way outta dis mess. Joey drew the top card of his deck. It was Rocket Warrior. It wasn't the most useful thing he could be holding at the moment. Even with Invincible Mode, First of the Dragons still wouldn't be strong enough to stop Natsumi's monster. Joey looked at the remaining three cards in his hand, hoping one of them would get him out of this mess. Unfortunately, it didn't seem like Joey's luck was the best at the moment.
"I'm gonna set one card face-down onto the field and set one monster into defense mode," Joey stated. "Then, I'm switching First of the Dragons into defense mode as well."
Joey's monster used its wings to cover itself.
"And that's my turn!" Joey declared.
Natsumi laughed. "You really are an idiot!"
"What do you mean?" Joey asked.
"Just calling it like I see it, Joey," Natsumi said. "Your simple-minded understanding of this game will be your undoing. First, I bring Iron Core of Koa'ki Meiru back to my hand!" Natsumi said, pulling the card from her graveyard and swiping it up. "Next," she said, holding her arm over the battlefield, "I activate my face-down card: Core Blast!" A trap card was flipped face up to reveal a fiery red core shooting fireballs. "First of the Dragons may be powerful, but it's not invincible. I would know since you won it off my brother! It's vulnerable to spell and trap cards, like my Core Blast! Now, every turn, at the start of my turn, if you control more monsters than me, I can destroy as many cards as you control on the battlefield until you control only as many cards as I control monsters."
"Oh no!" Joey declared, eyes shaking with terror.
"Oh YES!" Natsumi exclaimed, grinning wickedly, teeth showing. "Now, I'll destroy every card on your side of the field except for your face-down monster! Core Blast!"
Natsumi's trap card flashed brightly as it resonated with the core inside her monster. The Core was then fired at Joey's side of the battlefield, creating an explosion. Joey was thrown against the wall of the seal, banging his head on it as his shirt was torn up along his right shoulder, either side of his abdomen and his pants ripped open just above the knee. The dog tags he always wore were also now slightly singed.
"And the fun is just beginning," Natsumi smirked. "I summon to the field Koa'ki Meiru Boulder!" A golem made of brown stone with glowing yellow lips and eyes appeared on the battlefield. It had 1,200 attack points and 1,000 defense points. Then, with the power of the Orichalcos, its attack power increased to 1,700.
"Koa'ki Meiru Boulder, attack! Destroy Joey's last line of defense!"
Boulder rushed forward and pounded its big stone arm onto Joey's monster, destroying Rocket Warrior.
"And now for the beating of a life time," Natsumi said. "Rooklord, show Joey your might, cripple him!"
Rooklord's big heavy arm slammed into Joey's whole body and sent him slamming against the wall of the seal. Joey crumpled to the ground. He had braced for impact, arms crossed over each other, but his arms and the back of his ribs felt like bone had cracked. His legs were also a little woozy from the fall. Joey staggered to his feet, life points going all the way down to 200 points.
Joey panted as he stood.
"Had enough?" Natsumi asked, puffing out her chest. "Just let me know when you want to surrender your soul and I'll make sure it's nice and quick."
"Not a chance," Joey shot back, causing Natsumi to frown. Joey wiped his jaw of drool and dirt. "I'm not givin' up. Joey Wheeler ain't a quitter! Brace yourself, Natsumi! Cause here I come!"
"Fine, I'll discard Iron Core of Koa'ki Meiru to keep Rooklord in play, but I sadly don't have another core to keep Boulder in play. Oh well. He served his purpose." Natsumi's monster looked like it lost power and then it blew up, going to the graveyard.
Drawing the top card of his deck, Joey looked at what he had to work with. He then took note of the fact that Natsumi's trap card was still in play. That certainly didn't give him very much wiggle room in his current condition. He looked at the two cards he had in his hand from the turn prior: Nutrient Z and Aura Armor. Neither one really helped him out at the moment. And the card he just drew wasn't much help.
"I activate Pot of Greed, letting me draw two cards." This is it. If I draw poorly, I'm gonna lose both the duel and my soul. And I can't have that happen. Come on heart of the cards, don't let me down! Grunting, Joey drew two more cards: Time Wizard and Silver Dollar. Joey may have been dumb, but even he wasn't crazy enough to risk Time Wizard right now.
I'm gonna have to risk it all! Joey declared. "I set three cards face-down onto the field!"
Three cards?! Natsumi never thought Joey could be so brazen. It was surprising to say the least.
"And now I end my turn," Joey stated.
Natsumi chuckled. "I don't know what you're playing at, but I also know it won't work! First, I'm returning Iron Core of Koa'ki Meiru from my graveyard to my hand!" With only one other card in her hand, Natsumi prepared to summon it. "I call to the field my Koa'ki Meiru Prototype!"
A greenish robotic-like rock with wires sticking out of it crouched upon the battlefield. It had 1,800 attack points and 1,800 defense points. The little flashlight that it called a head glowed red as its attack power increased to 2,300. Joey took note of this. That was exactly what he wanted to see right now.
"Of course, it really won't matter. He's just insurance! Koa'ki Meiru Prototype, attack!" Natsumi shouted.
Natsumi's monster jittered about momentarily before firing an energy beam from its core at Joey. The attack hit home, seemingly making Natsumi the victor.
"What was that? Was that all a bluff?"
"Guess again!" Joey declared, showing off Nutrient Z. "I managed to survive!"
The power of Nutrient Z brought Joey's life points up to 4,200, but the attack's damage then brought it back down to 1,900.
"So what? You won't survive again! Koa'ki Meiru Rooklord, attack! Wipe him out!"
"Guess again!" Joey shouted. "I activate Aura Armor!"
"What?"
Natsumi watched as Joey became coated in a white and red colored alloy armor that deflected Rooklord's incoming massive fist, causing the robotic warrior to stagger back.
"Pretty cool, right?" Joey asked as his life points were cut in half, falling to 950.
"Y-you! What did you do?"
"Better shut yer mouth and open your ears, Natsumi. Aura Armor is a trap card that only works when I'm down to 2,000 or less life points. Then, it negates an incoming attack if that attack happens to be a direct attack, then it summons a Player Token." Joey said, tapping his chest with the palm of his armored hand. "Namely, this funky space age suit of armor. Its attack and defense points are equal to my life points." Joey said, revealing the 950/950 read on his token's attack and defense points. Course, just to activate it, I had to half my life points, but, at least I survived this turn and that's what matters. Now, unless I'm mistaken, you've got two monsters and only one Iron Core, don't ya?"
Natsumi tossed her hair to one side by jerking her head in that direction. "I must admit, I'm impressed. Your balls seem to have only gotten bigger since Middle School. It's too bad it has to be this way, Joey. You could've been on the winning side."
"I'd never work for a bunch a freaks trying to take people's souls!" Joey exclaimed.
Natsumi smirked. "Well, it matters not. Lucky for me, Koa'ki Meiru Prototype counts as an Iron Core of Koa'ki Meiru while its in play. In other words, I can sacrifice it to keep Rooklord in play. Enjoy your last turn, Joey. Because next turn, Rooklord is going to pound your little space suit and the last of your life points!" Natsumi said. She then swiped an arm across the air as her prototype exploded, ending her turn. As if on cue, clouds rolled in overhead and lightning cracked across the sky. And then, it started pouring upon the ground so heavily Natsumi and Joey could see the raindrops.
Joey drew the top card of his deck. It was a ritual spell: Red-Eyes Transmigration. That left him with only one course of action if he wanted to have any hope of living to see next turn.
"I activate Time Wizard!" Joey shouted.
"What?" Natsumi asked flatly, eyes shrinking in.
"Here's how it works," Joey declared as his monster appeared on the battlefield. "My clockwork buddy here spins the roulette on his time wand gizmo and if it lands on a time machine, then time will accelerate forward 1,000 years. Course, if I screw up, it'll blow up in my face and take my life points with it."
"You…you're letting the outcome of this duel come down to luck?!"
"Natsumi, you should know me well enough by now, that's just the kind of guy I am," Joey said with a smirk. Then he balled a fist and declared, "Go! Time Wizard! Time Roulette, go!"
"Time Ma-gic!"
The roulette spun around and around at a rapid pace. Natsumi hoped for skulls, while Joey hoped for a machine. It was as if Joey had gambled the outcome of this entire duel on a coin flip. With baited breath, both of them could feel their throats drying—despite the rain—waiting for the roulette to come to an end.
As the roulette loved to do, it stopped on a fake out in each duelist's favor before finally landing on a Time Machine. "BOO-YAH!" Joey exclaimed. "Score one for the good guys!"
"Y-you idiot! You can't do this!" Her panicked expression priceless.
"I just did," Joey remarked.
Time Wizard's Time Magic accelerated the battlefield 1,000 years, covering Rooklord with moss and wearing out the battery on its Iron Core, causing it to collapse, break and disappear.
"You're wide open!" Joey declared. "Now prepare to eat a knuckle sandwich! This is for my burger!" Joey shouted. He flew across the battlefield and delivered an underhand blow to Natsumi's stomach. Natsumi staggered back as Joey then leapt backwards back to his initial position.
Hunched over, wincing, wet hair getting in her eyes, Natsumi asked, "Didn't your mother ever teach you it was impolite to hit girls?" Her life points ticked down to 2,750.
"Mmmm, nah, musta missed that lesson. Sides, I don't live with my mom," Joey responded. "Your move, Natsumi. And don't underestimate me, cause Joey Wheeler is still in this game!"
The bad weather was starting to get to Mai, making it hard to see. She'd already narrowly avoided getting struck by lightning twice. Where are you, Joey? She wondered.
Fortunately for Mai, as she rounded a corner, she saw the massive frame of Rooklord right before she recognized the magical force of Time Wizard's Time Magic.
There!
Zooming forward, Mai raced towards the source. Lightning struck a tree and caused it to roll right into the street. Fortunately, Mai was an expert biker and revved straight over the fallen hunk of wood. Then, with a burst of speed, she tore down the road and then slowed down as the duel came into view.
"Joey!" Mai shouted. Lightning struck a nearby tree and caused it to catch fire as it fell onto the road. However, the heavy rain put the fire out quickly.
"Mai!" Joey shouted.
Dismounting from the motorbike, Mai ran over to the duel, noticing the Seal of Orichalcos. "Don't tell me…"
"Yup, Natsumi's playing for keeps. This is my duel to win or lose."
"And as soon as I'm done with him, I'm coming for you next, Mai Valentine!" Natsumi declared, gnashing her teeth.
Mai took off her helmet, the rain drenching her hair. "What'd you do to piss her off?" Joey asked.
"Is it about Valon?" Mai asked.
"NO!" Natsumi exclaimed, blushing. "…yes." She then clenched her fists. "It's all your fault. Valon's cool, he knows all sorts of things, and he has great hair, but he only ever looks at you!" Tears mixed with the rain as they poured out of Natsumi's big green eyes. She sniffed. "It's always like this. Every boy I like…they never look my way. They never want to be around me for me. Joey left me. Valon won't look at me. And the only other boy I ever liked picked an Ultimate over me, just when I was starting to think he was a pretty decent guy. This world that looks down on normal people…I'm going to destroy it. I don't care what it takes. No one looks down on Natsumi Kuzuryu!"
Lightning struck the surrounding area twice as Natsumi drew the top card of her deck. "Now its my turn to activate Pot of Greed so that I can draw two cards!" Natsumi declared. "I summon to the field, Koa'ki Meiru Doom!" She shouted. A blue and red fiend with black arms and red wings appeared on the battlefield, floating. It had 1,700 attack points and 800 defense points. The Seal of Orichalcos brought its attack power up to 2,200.
"I'm going to kill you, Joey Wheeler!" Natsumi shouted, her mind clearly at its wits end by the power of the Orichalcos. Screaming, Natsumi pointed at Joey for Koa'ki Meiru Doom to attack him.
"Gah! Activate Trap!" Joey shouted. "Go, Silver Dollar!"
Since Joey's life points were less than 1,000, his player token was very much the same. This allowed Silver Dollar to completely negate Natsumi's attack as her devilish companion's claw swatted against the unbreakable dollar.
"Grrrrr," Natsumi growled. "I'll send my Iron Core of Koa'ki Meiru to the graveyard. I'll get you next time."
She's right. If I don't draw something good, I'm in for a beating. As Joey drew the top card of his deck, he looked at what he drew. Not a game changer, but it could be. "I activate Arduous Decision!" Joey declared, as the spell card's face-up hologram appeared on the battlefield. "This card allows me to pick up the top two cards of my deck. Then, you choose one of them. And if it's a monster card, I get to keep both and summon the monster you picked, but if it's not, both cards are going to the graveyard."
"Again relying on luck. This is why Seto Kaiba thinks you're a third-rate duelist!" Natsumi exclaimed.
Joey picked up the cards and showed the backs to Natsumi. "And if I'm third-rate, what does that make you? Fourth-rate? Fifth-rate?" Joey asked, not letting Natsumi get to him.
"I'm a great duelist!" Natsumi shouted. "I don't need to be an Ultimate to be one either! I'll prove it by beating you! Everyone will soon revere the name Natsumi Kuzuryu!" A bolt of lightning struck the tree to Natsumi's right, setting it ablaze. The rain was letting up a little, so it was taking a bit longer to put out the fire. Worse, before the fire could completely go out, the tree fell over and lit the ground ablaze. With the rain slowly letting up, there were now flames in the park as well as rain.
"Be careful!" Mai shouted.
"I can't leave the area!" Joey shouted back. "You be careful!"
"Gah! I pick the card in your right hand!" Natsumi shouted, eager to get the duel back on track.
"Nyeh?" Joey asked, looking at the card. "That your final answer?"
"Yes, that's my final answer!" Natsumi grumbled.
"Heh," Joey smirked. "Well then, say hello to my best duel monster friend! Here comes Red-Eyes Black Dragon!"
"What?" Natsumi gasped.
As Joey smacked the card onto the reader, a black lightning bolt shot into the sky, giving way to the form of Red-Eyes Black Dragon as it tore into the sky with a cry. Lightning flashed in the sky as Red-Eyes majestic form was visible to Natsumi's eyes.
"And that's not all," Joey said with a smirk, "I'm also gonna activate this magic card, Red-Eyes Transmigration!"
"A ritual spell?" Natsumi gasped, seeing the card activate and flip face-up.
"Yup, and I'm gonna combine my Red-Eyes Black Dragon with my Player Token to form Lord of the Red!"
Magic lightning struck Joey and turned black as his Player Token shattered and Red-Eyes' spirit fused with his body. Joey let out a loud scream like a martial artist channeling their ki. Joey was now encased in a self-empowered suit of armor resembling Red-Eyes Black Dragon with 2,400 attack points and 2,000 defense points.
"Lights Out!" Joey declared. "Your Koa'ki Meiru Doom is going down!"
Flying forward under his own power, Joey attacked Natsumi's monster, raking its claws across its body, destroying it. Natsumi's life points were reduced to 2,550.
"Natsumi, you gotta open your eyes," Joey told her as he retreated back to his position. "The Orichalcos folk brainwashed you. Is being better than an Ultimate really that important to you?"
"It's the only thing that's important to me," Natsumi said. "And I'm going to become one, just you watch. I'm going to crush you with everything I have!"
Joey sighed. "I'm setting one card face-down and ending my turn."
Natsumi drew the top card of her deck. "I activate Card of Demise, allowing me to keep drawing until I'm holding 5 cards, provided I discard my entire hand five turns later." Natsumi drew four more cards from her deck. She smirked when she saw the contents of her new hand. "I activate Double Summon! This magic card allows me to summon two monsters this turn! And I'll start with this one, Koa'ki Meiru Hydro Barrier!"
A genie-like creature floating on water, carrying a trident and having the whiskers of a Chinese dragon emerged on Natsumi's side of the field. It had 1,000 attack points and 1,900 defense points.
"But he isn't sticking around," Natsumi said as lightning struck a tree behind Mai and behind Natsumi. The trees were set aflame as they fell over and Joey could see the burning flame reflected in Natsumi's eyes. "For now I summon the strongest Koa'ki Meiru monster, Koa'ki Meiru Valafar!" A red hot fiendish monster with the Koa'ki Meiru symbol on its chest appeared on the battlefield. It had 3,000 attack points and 2,100 defense points. "And thanks to the power of the Orichalcos, he has more than enough attack power to finish you off! Koa'ki Meiru Valafar, attack Joey now!"
"Joey!" Mai shouted in alarm. She'd already done the calculation. Valafar had 3,500 attack points and Joey's Lord of the Red only had 2,400 attack points. 1,100 points of damage was more than Joey could take. "No, Joey!" Mai shouted, a tear falling from her face.
"Sorry, Natsumi, but I'm not done for just yet! I activate my face-down card, Graverobber!" Joey's favorite little gremlin pall appeared on the battlefield.
"And what is that supposed to do? None of my magic or trap cards will work for you."
"Graverobber can also steal monsters," Joey reminded her. "And I know a monster that'll let me live through this! Go, Koa'ki Meiru Rooklord!"
Natsumi's own monster appeared on Joey's side of the field with 2,800 attack points, blocking Joey from Valafar. Valafar, of course, tore it to shreds with its fiery fists and claws, igniting the battlefield and forcing Mai and Joey to shield their eyes, but the card had served its purpose. Instead of losing the duel, Joey's life points were drained down to a mere 250 life points, barely any better than before he used Nutrient Z.
Natsumi narrowed her gaze in annoyance. "Persistent as a cockroach."
"Maybe, but that's what you loved about me, wasn't it?" Joey asked, chuckling.
Natsumi sent the Iron Core of Koa'ki Meiru to the graveyard. "Your stall tactics bore me. You're out of cards and your only monster can't save you now," Natsumi told him. "Face facts, you lose. And when I beat you, the world will recognize me as the Ultimate Little Sister!"
"Is it really that important to be an Ultimate?" Joey asked.
"Yes!" Natsumi shouted. "Haven't you been paying attention?"
"Well in that case, if that's the title you want, you got a long way to go."
Natsumi stomped her foot. "Excuse me?!"
"You want to be the Ultimate Little Sister you said, right?" Joey asked. "Then if that's the case, who cares who recognizes your talent and skills? It shouldn't matter as long as your big brother recognizes it, right?"
"Fuyuhiko—"
"Should come first!" Joey declared, speaking over her. "If you really want to be recognized as the Ultimate Little Sister, then the fact that you put yourself ahead of your big brother, even a little, shows you ain't qualified."
"I let him have the title of Ultimate Yakuza!" Natsumi shouted, accosted.
"Oh yeah? Well maybe he was more qualified for that already," Joey responded.
"Natsumi stomped her foot twice. "You! How dare you? You think you know so much about our family you—"
Joey cut her off again. "No, but I know a lot about you, Natsumi. And I want you to take a look around you at what you've done. You're a Yakuza, ain't ya? What's yer family gonna think when they find out what you've been doing? What happened to Fuyuhiko anyway?"
"We aren't family. If you can't see the merit in the power of the Orichalcos, I don't need a brother like that."
The realization chilled Natsumi down to her very core. Her own burning hatred was visible right before her in the form of Koa'ki Meiru Valafar. The lightning, the rain, the flames, all her doing, all the power of the Orichalcos. Instead of dying a Yakuza, she took a traitor's oath. She'd turned on her family, on the world, for her own quest for glory, hers and no one else's.
"But you know who could be considered an Ultimate Sibling?" Joey asked. He pointed his thumb at himself. "Me!" he declared. "My little sister, Serenity, means everything to me. She's the reason I get up in the morning and the reason I duel! There ain't much that makes Serenity smile these days, even after getting her eye sight back. Right now…" Joey trailed off thinking about her. "Right now, she's going through a really rough time, taking a really difficult aptitude test that I paid for to give a shot at da top! I don't care if my little sister succeeds better than I do. We're two different people! Of course we're gonna have two different paths. But I'm always gonna support her, no matter what she wants to do, even if I'm collecting garbage and she's managing an entire corporate office, because she's mah little sister. Ya got it? That's what ya do when you're family!"
Natsumi hung her head. Joey's words stung, but he'd gotten through to her. She stood there as the rain picked up again, the lightning turning to distant thunder. She stood there, praying, hoping that Joey would end the duel with his next turn.
"Don't worry, Natsumi," Joey said. "I'm gonna save you from Dartz. I swear it!" Joey drew the top card of his deck. "I activate Roll of Fate!" Joey shouted. "Now, I roll this die block and depending on what number comes up, I discard that many cards to the graveyard and then I draw that many cards." The die rolled and the number came up two. Not the result Joey hoped for, but he would deal. However, when he saw one of the cards he had to discard, he could feel the heart of the cards channeling through him as he drew the next two cards.
Nodding, Joey declared, "I activate Monster Reborn! This will allow me to bring back my Thunder King the Lightning Strike Kaiju from the graveyard!" Joey's Kaiju stormed onto the battlefield. With a proud roar, its voice carried to the heavens, sending a bolt back up into the sky. "And next, I activate the Claw of Hermos!" Joey declared as his red dragon appeared next to his Kaiju. "This will allow me to fuse my monster together to create Thunderstrike Storm Rod!"
A magic staff in the likeness of Thunderking the Lightningstrike Kaiju appeared on the battlefield. Joey then grabbed the weapon, assuming equipment of it as Lord of the Red. The eyes on top of the armor sparked with blue electricity turning yellow. Joey held the scepter aloft above his head, his attack power increasing to 3,400.
"I activate the special ability of my Thunderstrike Storm Rod! Lord of the Red will attack three times this turn and it can't be destroyed by battle. And any monster it battles that isn't destroyed loses 1,000 attack points. Now take this!"
One of the charges from Joey's weapon from Joey's Rod was released and electrocuted Valafar, at the cost of 100 of Joey's life points, leaving him with 150. However, Valafar now only had 2,500 attack points. Then, with the release of the second charge as lightning discharged beneath Joey's feet, Joey blew Valafar up in a flash of powerful lightning. Natsumi's life points fell to 1,650.
Joey then stood there, gazing at Natsumi, seeing the expression on her face. "You okay?" he asked her.
"Finish it," Natsumi said. "I'm a horrible person."
"You're not a horrible person, Natsumi, just misguided."
"It doesn't matter what you say. I was dead before Dartz got to me."
Joey lowered his weapon a moment. "Natsumi, listen to me," he said, extending his arm towards her, palm face up. "I don't know what kind of trouble you got into, and…I know I ain't no Ultimate, but…we can still be friends if you're really sorry."
Natsumi grit her teeth, fists clenching. "Are you pitying me Joseph Wheeler."
"No, I'm trying to be nice. You've been through a lot and no matter what happens next, once we defeat Dartz and get back your soul, I know it's gonna be hard. So, I'm here ta help if ya need it. And…I know Ibuki will forgive you if you apologize, that's just the kind of girl she is."
"Joey's right, Natsumi," Mai said, approaching the seal. "Having a friend can mean the difference between a good decision and a bad one." She clutched a hand by her chest. "Take it from me, someone who didn't have any friends until I met this idiot."
Could've done without the idiot part there, Mai, Joey thought, a bead of sweat dripping down his drenched forehead.
"If not for them, if not for their kindness, I could've easily been the one standing there with the Seal of Orichalcos embedded in their forehead right now."
Natsumi seemed to take Mai's words to heart, and that only made her chest sting like it got struck by a hornet the size of her whole arm. "You really think…it's that easy?"
"I know it couldn't hurt to try," Joey said. "You said you were dead before Dartz found ya, so if we…when we all make it through this, how about you stop trying so hard to be recognized by the world, and start being recognized by the people that care about you, people like your brother. …People like me."
Natsumi hung her head and Joey and Mai could hear her whimpering. She dropped to her knees. "I'm sorry," she sobbed, tears gushing out of her eyes. "Big brother…" she hiccupped. "I'm so sorry."
"Joey, finish it," Mai said.
"Right," Joey said. He held up his Thunderstrike Rod. "Natsumi, sorry about this, but the duel's gotta end."
Natsumi took a huge breath and forced a smile. "It's okay," she said. "Go save the world, Joey. You have your path." She smiled, eyes closed as tears mixed with leftover rain. "And I have mine."
Joey nodded. Then, with a heavy heart, he let loose the final charge of the rod. There was a bright flash of lightning. By the time it died down, Natsumi's life points were already at 0 and her soul was already gone. She lay on the ground, peacefully. Blood was dripping out of a cut on the right side of her forehead right above her bangs.
As Lord of Red stopped surrounding him, Joey raced over to Natsumi. The wound didn't seem that serious. He tapped her skull. It was firm as a rock. He didn't know it, but this was a side effect of losing the power of the Orichalcos. Natsumi's head injury from Sato had partially resurfaced, but it wasn't as bad as when she'd been struck. Still, in spite of her injury, Natsumi seemed to be at peace with herself. She wasn't smiling, but her body just looked…tranquil.
Joey picked her up in his arms. "We gotta get back to the others," he said.
"I'll call Téa," Mai said, getting out her phone. "I'll have Mukuro bring around the jeep."
As Natsumi lay limp in Joey's arms, the moon shone over the now clear skies overhead. Joey looked out into the starry sky. Dartz! You're gonna pay! "You're gonna pay for hurting my friends, Dartz!" Joey shouted at the sky.
Mai looked at Joey, having not yet finished dialing for Téa.
"I'm gonna get 'em back. I'm gonna get 'em all back: Ibuki, Natsumi, Rebecca, and Yugi. I'm not gonna give up until everyone's got their souls back!"
Mai put a hand on Joey's shoulder. "We'll do it together," she told him.
Joey nodded, appreciative of Mai's encouragement.
And then…Mai called Téa.
(A/N: Oof. That was rough. Not sure if that redeems Natsumi for any of you, not that I care. Next chapter, we go back to Yukizome's group…and I think you all know what that means. If you don't, I'm not spelling it out.
And before anyone asks, yes Bert R. Pants is supposed to be a reference to Undertale's Burgerpants. I thought the joke was worth it XD. We needed levity like that with how freaking heavy this arc is. Anyway, while next chapter is certain to be interesting, chapters 79 and 80 are the really juicy chapters. Everything I've been planning in this arc comes to a head. We're not at the finale quite yet, but it's a pair of chapters that will forever shake the status quo and shape the rest of the fanfic. What do I mean? What does that entail? Can't tell you! But until then, as always, from all of me, to all of you, let your hearts stay human and your wrath draconic. Ja ne!)