Aurasoul: Hello everyone and welcome to Vrains! I give a shout out to 0713MM for helping me type this story along with letting me use his OC Glacies!

Miho: So I'm dueling Akira.

Aurasoul: Yup while also introducing Glacies in the story too! Rai disclaimer if you please.

Rai: Alright. Aurasoul doesn't own Vrains only her OCs except Glacies who belongs to 0713MM of course.

Aurasoul: Thank you Rai and as we wait for the end of Vrains lets get this started!


Chapter 5

"I'll go first. My turn." Akira spoke. He observed his 5-card hand. He pressed a card and it went face-down. "I Set 1 monster, then I Special Summon Tindangle Base Gardna from my hand to my field in face-up DEF mode." After the set monster appeared on his field, the purple base gardna appeared next to it. (Tindangle Base Gardna, Level 5 DARK Fiend-type monster, ATK/DEF: 0/2300. Akira's hand: 3 cards.)

Set monster… A Flip effect deck? Flare thought with a frown before smirking. Pretty old fashioned, but it'll be interesting to see what he does.

"I set 1 card and end my turn." Akira concluded. (Akira's hand: 2 cards.) "Your move, Flare."

"With pleasure." She smirked. "My turn draw!" She looked at her six cards and nodded. "Alright time to blaze. I activate the Field Spell, Flame Spiral Tower! Form flaming tower of the truth dragon!" She yelled. Flames circled around them as it erupted in a tower of flames.

"With this, FIRE attribute monsters gain 400 ATK. Not only that, but once per turn I can Special Summon a Flame Truth monster from my hand or Graveyard." She explained. "Next I Normal Summon Flame Truth Witch!" Erupting from blue flames was a red-haired green-eyed woman wearing white robes with a flame design red shawl wielding a gold scepter with a blue flame. (Flame Truth Witch Level: 4, ATK/DEF: (Originally 1600)2000/1200)

"Flame Truth Witch's effect! When she's Normal Summoned, I can see one of my opponent's Set cards!" Flare spoke. "Now show me your Set card!" Akira watched as his Set backrow slowly revealed itself to Flare.

"You're going to look at my Set card?" Akira questioned.

"Yes. For the truth cannot be hidden." Flare spoke solemnly. "Now show me your face-down card."

"As you wish." Akira replied as he pressed a button on his duel disk to fully reveal his Set card to Flare.

"Lemoine Point." Flare spoke, looking at the card. "If you control no monsters, it's destroyed. But while a Tindangle monster is on your field, I won't be able to attack any face-down defense position monsters. I have to say, good protection." She then smirked. "Now things are gonna be interesting. I activate Flame Spiral Tower's effect and Summon another Flame Truth monster from my hand! Come! Flame Truth Ember Healer!" She called. Blue flames erupted as a young gold haired girl with green eyes wearing white robes with blue flame designs wielding a small god scepter lit by a blue flame. (Flame Truth Ember Healer Level: 3 ATK/DEF: (Originally 1400)1800/1700)

"Next I activate the Spell Calling of Flames! When I have a Flame Truth monster on my field, I can Special Summon a Flame Truth monster from my deck that's a lower level than the one on my field. With Healer and Witch, I can Special Summon a Level 2 monster! Come Flame Truth Western Dragon!" She yelled.

A black dragon erupted out of red flames with a barbed tail lit with a red flame, a white crest on its forehead, large wings, and blowing white smoke. (Flame Truth Western Dragon Level: 2 ATK/DEF: (Originally 900)1300/2000)

"Three monsters." Ghost Girl remarked. "It's coming."

"Appear! Circuit of the burning truth!" Flare yelled, flames burning around her.

The flames sprouted upward forming her circuit. "Arrowhead confirmed! The Summoning Conditions are at least 2 Effect monsters! I set Flame Truth Witch, Healer, and Western Dragon in the Link Markers!" Flare yelled, as the three monsters became flamed tornados going in the link markers. "Circuit combine! The Yin dragon of truth burn the lies! Link Summon! Blaze up, Link 3 Flame Truth Dragon Hero, Reshira!" And sprouting out of the circuit in white flames was a white-haired pale skin blue eyed woman wearing vermillion dragon like armor wielding a white flame sword and white dragon wings on her back. (Flame Truth Dragon Hero, Reshira Link: 3, ATK: (Originally 2400) 2800, Link Arrows: Top, bottom, bottom left)

"Your ace monster." Akira noted. "Impressive I must say."

"Thanks. Reshira here represents my way of living the life of truth." Flare smiled before she smirked. "Allow me to show you I activate Card of Sanctity! With this, we both draw until we have six cards in our hands."

"Very well." Akira drew 4 more cards from his Deck, as did Flare. Once she drew her cards, she looked and smiled.

"Good. When I have a Link Monster on my field, I can Special Summon Flame Truth Mage." She said. In gold flames stood a woman with long golden white hair, green eyes, wearing mages robes of gold flames and holding a bronze scepter lit with gold flames. (Flame Truth Mage Level: 3 ATK/DEF: (Originally 1300) 1700/1000)

"Now here's Reshira's effect. She gains 300 ATK for every monster she points to Flare Boost!" She yelled, as Reshira glowed red with her ATK increased. (Flame Truth Dragon Hero, Reshira ATK: 2800 - 3100) "That's not all! For each monster she points to, I can see one card from your hand or face-down on the field."

"Since she's already seen his face-down, she'll go for his hand." Ghost Girl remarked.

"Truth Sight!" Flare yelled, as Reshira's eyes glowed. "Show me the card on the far left!" Akira tsked, but showed her the card regardless. Once Flare saw the card, she grew wide eyed for a moment. "Tindangle Guardian." She spoke. Akira nodded before the card vanished and went back to his hand.

"Is something wrong Flare?" Akira questioned. She gave a slight chuckle. "Nothing Zaizen, go Reshira attack his Base Gardna!" She yelled. Reshira flew high ready to strike the Gardna monster. When Reshira began her attack, Akira thrusted his right hand forward.

"Sorry to disappoint you, but I activate my Tindangle Base Gardna's effect!" Akira declared.

"What?" She spoke, shocked.

"Since your Reshira points to it, I can Tribute it to Special Summon 1 Tindangle from my Deck!" Akira announced as he pulled a card from his Deck. "Come! Tindangle Hound!" The gardna vanished from Akira's field. In its place appeared a massive dark blue hound. (Tindangle Hound, Level 7 DARK Fiend-type FLIP monster, ATK/DEF: 2500/0.)

"Scary mutt, but his ATK isn't enough against Reshira!" She remarked. Now it was Akira's turn to smirk.

"Are you sure about that, Flare?" Akira questioned.

"What?" She frowned.

"Your Reshira loses 1000 ATK for each monster in the zones its Arrows point to." Akira remarked. My Hound is in one of them, so it loses 1000 ATK! Hell Howling!"

Flare gasped as Tindangle Hound howled and lowered Reshira's ATK to 2100. "Reshira!" Flare gasped.

"You can continue your attack if you want, but it'll lead to you taking damage." Akira remarked.

"Hmph! Don't think I'll let that stop me! I activate Flame Truth Mage's effect! By Tributing her, 1 Flame Truth monster gains 500 ATK until the End Phase!" Flare smirked. Mage disappeared in gold flames surrounding Reshira as her ATK rose to 2600. "That's enough for your Hound! Go now Reshira!"

"I know you know I have Lemone Point Set, but I'm going to play it anyway!" Akira spoke. The Set card revealed itself.

"Not like your set monster was my target. Reshira attack his Hound! Inferno Flare!" She yelled. Reshira formed a ball of white flames as she launched it destroying Tindangle Hound in the flames. Akira tsked as his LP dropped. (Akira's LP: 4000 - 100 = 3900.)

"Not bad." Akira remarked. "But you just triggered my Hound's effect!"

"Its effect?" She frowned.

"That's right!" Akira retorted. "When it's destroyed by battle or by effect, I can flip 1 Set monster I control face-up!" The Set monster flipped itself face-up to reveal a red skinned angel-fiend hybrid. (Tindangle Angel, Level 4 DARK Fiend-type FLIP monster, ATK/DEF: 500/1800.)

"Now it's an angel." Flare muttered lowly.

"With her, I revive the fallen Hound face-down." Akira explained. "But, if this effect is used during the Battle Phase, the Battle Phase automatically ends!"

"Tch. I place 2 cards face-down and end my turn." Flare finished. (Flare's hand: 4 cards. Akira's hand: 6 cards.)

"Flip effect deck. And no doubt with traps in order to protect the face-down monsters. Impressive to say the least. No wonder he was a higher-up in SOL Technologies." Touma spoke impressed.

"Not now Touma." Flare muttered.

"Ah we made it!" Flare turned to see Playmaker running in as he looked shocked. "You're late." She spoke.

"Not our fault! We got caught up with some duelists!" Ai yelled, popping out from Playmaker's duel disk.

"Yeah well, you two can just sit back. I can take care of Zaizen myself." Flare spoke nonchalantly. Playmaker closed his eyes and clenched his right fist, as if holding back his frustration.

"Oh don't be mean to the poor boy Flare. We're giving him the data he needs either way once you win." Sparks said with a chuckle, as he typed. "You enjoy teasing him too much."

"He makes it too easy." Flare smirked, while Playmaker glared at her.

"So you two are working with Playmaker." Akira stated, observing the 3.

"I wouldn't say it like that. It's more like we have a common enemy." Flare shrugged.

"The Knights of Hanoi." Ghost Girl stated.

"I can understand why Playmaker fights the Knights of Hanoi, but why you two Flare, Sparks?" Akira questioned. Flare went silent for a moment before giving a light chuckle.

"Maybe in a way you can understand." She hummed. "To put it simply, we're getting back our sister." Now it was Akira's turn to go silent for several moments before eventually replying.

"I can understand that." Akira replied, slight uncertainty present on his face. "At least, I think I can understand."

"Think of it like this. Remember the pain you felt when your sister Aoi was put in the state she was in because of the Knights of Hanoi?" Flare asked. Akira tsked at the reminder, but listened regardless. "Well that would be the same when me and Sparks felt when we found out our sister was kidnapped from us 5 years ago."

"Kidnapped?" Ghost Girl repeated, shocked.

"No one expected it to be honest. An 11 year old frail girl in a hospital to be suddenly kidnapped? The police couldn't even find a single clue to it." Flare explained with a bitter smile on her face. "Me and Sparks couldn't leave it at that and took matters into our own hands."

"Which lead to you 2 and Playmaker to team up, in a sense." Akira remarked.

"We met him 3 years after coming to VRAINS. Took us months to gain his confidence and trust." Flare sighed, shaking her head. "A lone wolf you would think."

"But even so, to go this far." Akira began.

"Then let me ask you: Think if you were in our place and one of your sisters had been kidnapped. Would you have done nothing?" Flare asked. At Flare's question, Akira went silent for several moments before opening his mouth.

"...No." Akira replied softly. "I would search everywhere for them. High and low, the unexpected places no one would think to look….. You get the idea."

"Then you can see why we're doing this in order to get back our sister. We need to get any info we can on the Knights of Hanoi to find out why they took her and get her back to us." Flare retorted. "To end the nightmares. Night after night of what they could've done to her and what they still could be doing to her. To end that sorrow and bring back together the small family we are."

"So that would mean no matter what I say, you won't stop." Akira stated with a frown.

"Sorry Zaizen, It's obvious you're a kind man, but this is something only we can do." Flare spoke with an apologetic smile. Akira closed his eyes for a moment, then he re-opened them.

"I applaud your courage, but I will not hand over the data." Akira remarked. "Even if I did so right now, it will only lead to more casualties later." At that, Playmaker scowled.

"What does he know of our suffering? Our pain?" Playmaker questioned from a deep frown on his face.

"Playmaker don't." Flare snapped with a glare. Playmaker glanced at Flare and scoffed.

"What? It's true." Playmaker replied, his frown still present on his face.

"He only wishes to help us. In the end, his heart is in the right place." Flare sighed. "And besides, I don't need you to snap on us at the moment." However, Playmaker did not budge from the matter. His frown deepened further.

"Even if his heart is in the right place, he should stand down and let us retrieve the data." Playmaker pressed. "He knows nothing of what we've been through. He may have sympathy for us, but he has no empathy. His life isn't filled with nightmares of the past. Not on the level we had to experience." He pointed his right index finger at Akira. "Zaizen! Stand down! I don't want you involved in our path for revenge!"

"He snapped." Ai remarked.

"Obviously." Flare sighed. Despite Playmaker's tone of voice towards him, Akira did not yield to the request.

"Why should I bother to stand down?" Akira remarked. "Even if I do, you will still walk this dark path that you may not be able to escape from. If you step away now, you could-"

"Does it look like I care?" Playmaker snapped. "Even if I decide to turn away from this, justice will not be brought to Hanoi if I do that!" Playmaker clenched his fists as he continued. "I know what you're trying to say Zaizen. If I walk away now, I could live my life as a happy one, right? Make friends and have a bright future? Unfortunately...that was taken away from me 10 years ago!" Flare and Sparks sadly frowned at this, knowing it was the case after hearing his reason of fighting the Knights of Hanoi. After they met him, they knew how important this was to him. How this was the only way for him to move forward in his life. It was why they didn't talk him out of fighting that day.

"Well you heard him Zaizen. No matter what, we'll be continuing." Flare sighed. Akira closed his eyes, then opened them again after a moment.

"Then I'll use all my power to make sure you don't succeed." Akira replied. "Sorry Flare."

"No worries Zaizen. You're doing your job, nothing more. Besides, I know you're just as curious about the Lost Incident." Flare chuckled.

"You're not wrong Flare." Akira admitted. "But I'll explain why I am after I take my turn. Or rather, after I make the first move for turn." Akira placed his right hand on his duel disk and a card materialized out of it. "Draw!" (Akira's hand: 7 cards. Flare's hand: 4 cards.)

His Hound is gone, but there's still his Set monster. Flare thought, glancing at it. In other words,… Akira pressed a card from his hand and it revealed itself again. "I activate the effect of Tindangle Guardian from my hand." Akira spoke. "By flipping 1 Tindangle monster either face-up or face-down, I can Special Summon this card from my hand in either face-up, or face-down DEF position. I Set my Tindangle Angel to Special Summon Tindangle Guardian from my hand!" After the red-skinned angel went back face-down, the new monster appeared onto Akira's field. A dark blue robed fiend stood in between the 2 face-down monsters; holding its staff in a defensive stance. (Tindangle Guardian, Level 6 DARK Fiend-type FLIP monster, ATK/DEF: 1000/3000. Akira's hand: 6 cards. Flare's hand: 4 cards.)

"There it is." Flare muttered.

"So, you know what Guardian represents then." Akira spoke.

"Not too hard really. Hound represents you, Angel represents your sister Aoi, and Guardian represents your foster sister." Flare smiled.

"Foster sister?" Ai questioned, surprised. Playmaker crossed his arms, but gave no comment. Akira glanced at Playmaker, then at Ai, and nodded.

"That's right, Ai." Akira replied.

"Her name is Glacies if I recall. And you're just as protective of her as you are with Aoi." Flare hummed.

"Right you are Flare." Akira remarked. "And I have every reason to be just as protective of her as well as Aoi."

"I'll bet. But it seems she's just as protective to you two." Flare smirked. Akira nodded.

"This is true." Akira answered. "And due to Glacies's past, she has every reason to be as protective as I am." Akira glanced over at Flare before he continued. "Especially considering she was not raised by humans right away."

"Eh? Not raised by humans right away?" Ai questioned, clearly confused.

"Meaning raised by animals." Sparks said lightly.

"Now why on earth would a child be raised by animals and not humans?" Playmaker chimed in, slightly intrigued by the story.

"If I had to guess, she was abandoned by her parents." Sparks frowned as he typed. Ai's eyes widened to bear shock.

"Ehhhhhh?!" Ai nearly shrieked. "That's horrible!"

"For once, I agree." Playmaker replied. "No human should have to live like that."

"I'll try to be brief with her backstory. Or least, with what she has told me." Akira spoke. He paused for a moment, then continued. "If she was here, she would explain it the best she could. But since she's not, I shall do it for her." Akira took another pause, this one much longer than the last. He took a deep breath, then began to speak again. "To be brief, like Sparks said, she was abandoned by her parents. They...intended to leave her at an orphanage but...they never made it that far….. She was abandoned in the South Pole of our planet. Or if you'd prefer an exact location, Antarctica."

"Antarctica?!" Ghost Girl repeated, shocked.

"Any normal child would die there just from the sheer cold alone." Flare frowned. "Not even including the vicious predators there."

"That's the thing." Akira continued. "While there are vicious predators there, according to Glacies, she remembers them finding her there. As for these animals, the ones to find her were a colony of penguins and polar bears. Moreso the polar bears, but my point still stands."

"A group of polar bears?!" Ai gaped, shocked.

"So you mean to say these polar bears took her in?" Playmaker questioned, not believing it. "That sounds like some made up story. And even if this story is true, then why didn't the polar bears, and/or animals in the Arctic, eat her?"

"I've heard of special cases when female polar bears would take in abandoned young. Their maternal instincts would kick in and they'd raise them. It's most likely this case." Sparks frowned. Playmaker scowled and gave Akira a light glare.

"I still won't believe it."

"Then would you believe it to be true if I told you that there are files on it in here?" Akira inquired.

"What?" Playmaker frowned. Akira spread his arms out.

"In case that story wasn't convincing enough, I'm here for two reasons." Akira replied. "The 1st is to bring light to the Lost Incident from 10 years ago. The 2nd reason...well, I think that story of my adoptive sister pretty much covers it."

"I see. You came here in order to find the files regarding Glacies, along with the Lost Incident. But you knew you couldn't get to it after your demotion, so you enlisted Ghost Girl's help." Flare remarked.

"But Ghost Girl knew of the risks, so she gave me a copy of the backdoor so we would be bait in order for you two to get to here." Sparks added with a smirk. "How devious."

"Haha. Well I did what I needed to." Ghost Girl chuckled.

"I swear if you didn't get along with Sparks here, I would've deleted you ages ago." Flare said with a glare at Ghost Girl. Ghost Girl put her hands up in some form of defeat.

"Hey hey, no need for that kind of talk." Ghost Girl spoke.

"So in other words, he has much of a reason to be here as we do." Ai remarked.

"Well I don't care." Playmaker spoke nonchalantly. "He can have his stupid data on his adoptive sister. But he cannot take the Lost Incident data."

"Don't worry Playmaker, I'll make sure he doesn't." Flare assured him. "We had a deal upon our alliance, and I intend to keep it."

"Before I continue with my turn, there is one other thing you should know about my sister and why I'm here." Akira spoke. Playmaker rolled his eyes in irritation.

"What is it now?" Playmaker snapped. "I want to watch you get defeated so we can get the Lost Incident data!"

"Alright, let's hear it then." Flare spoke, ignoring Playmaker.

"To be quick with it, I heard rumors that...SOL Technologies is behind the bombing of Glacies's arctic camp in Antarctica… You know, the place where she lived with those polar bears and other arctic animals." Akira spoke softly. "I couldn't find any confirmations, so I had to figure a way to get inside SOL's Data Bank. If that information would be anywhere, it'd be here." Flare grew wide eyed for a moment before giving a glance at Sparks. He gave a knowing nod, typing quickly as she looked at Akira.

"I see. So like us, you wish for the truth for your sister. In ways, we are alike." She spoke, eyes closed. She then smirked as she looked at him, her arm outstretched. "Then let's battle Zaizen! Let us see who's thirst for truth overcomes the other! Your truth for your sister's home, or our truth on the Knights of Hanoi and the Lost Incident!"

"I agree!" Akira retorted.

"Oh boy, here they go now." Sparks hummed.

"I Flip my Tindangle Hound face-up." Akira spoke. The Set monster flipped face-up to reveal the hound.

"Aaaah! The pooch is back!" Ai panicked.

"That it is." Akira remarked. "And with it back, so is its Hell Howling effect! Since your monster's Link Arrow points to Guardian, your monster loses 1000 ATK!"

"Reshira!" Flare gasped, as Reshira's ATK dropped to 2100 again.

"Now Tindangle Hound is stronger than Reshira." Ghost Girl remarked. Akira thrusted his right hand forward.

"Battle!" Akira declared. "Tindangle Hound attack Reshira!"

"Trap activate! Flame Devastation! When my opponent's monster attacks my Flame Truth Link Monster, the attack is negated and for every Link it has, a monster on your field is destroyed!" Flare yelled.

"What?!" Akira gaped, shocked.

"Reshira is Link 3, hence three of your monsters are destroyed!" A flame shield formed in front of Reshira blocking the Hound as the flames shot back burning and destroying Hound, Guardian, and the Set Angel. Akira closed his eyes, then reopened them.

"With no monsters on my field, my Lemoine Point Trap card is destroyed." Akira spoke as the card shattered.

"Now she's got him on the ropes!" Ai cheered.

"My flames can't be put out that easily Zaizen." Flare smirked. "I am the one who seeks the truth and I will do so no matter the cost."

"I admire your willingness to continue onward, but I too will not be easy to beat. My Tindangle Guardian shall prove that to you."

"What?" Flare questioned.

"Since Tindangle Guardian represents my adoptive sister, Glacies, then you should know what this monster does, even though it was destroyed via your cards' effect." Akira remarked.

"Don't tell me!" Flare gasped.

"Oh, so you know what she does." Akira grinned. "Well I'll explain it for those that don't know! When Tindangle Guardian is destroyed by battle or by a card effect, I can Special Summon up to 2 Tindangle monsters from either my hand or Graveyard either face-up or face-down! So come back Hound in ATK and Angel in face-down DEF!" Both monsters returned to the field in the OG positions they were in before they were destroyed.

"Aww man! So much for getting rid of Angel and that Hound!" Ai panicked.

"Yeah. It's like they don't know when to stay down." Playmaker noted.

"Really living up to the name Guardian." Flare muttered.

"And if Angel gets flipped up again, Guardian can come back if Akira so chooses." Playmaker frowned. "A powerful defense formation."

"Should've known it wouldn't be that easy." Flare smirked. "But I'm not making it easy either! Trap activate! Truth Dragon's Terror! When more than one monster is Special Summoned on my opponent's field when I have a Flame Truth Dragon monster on my field, those monsters are destroyed!" Reshira's eyes glowed before launching blue flames from her wings; destroying Akira's monsters.

"You're gonna have to try harder Zaizen." Flare spoke.

"Perhaps." Akira remarked. "I place 2 cards face-down to end my turn. (Akira/Flare's hand: 4 cards.)

"My turn draw!" Flare yelled. "I Summon Flame Truth Ash Drake!"

A pure red drake dragon with white ash in its wings with bright blue eyes. (Flame Truth Ash Drake Level: 3 ATK/DEF: (Originally 1300) 1700/1800)

"Next I activate Flame Spiral Tower's effect! Once per turn, I can Special Summon a Flame Truth monster from my hand or Graveyard. So, from my Graveyard, come back Flame Truth Healer!" Flare yelled, as Healer reappeared on the field. "And since both Healer and Ash Drake are next to Reshira's Link Markers, she gets 600 extra ATK! Flare Boost!"

"So, with her Field Spell and Reshira's effect, her ATK becomes-" Ai began.

"3600." Playmaker finished, as Reshira glowed with her increased ATK.

"You're 300 points off from defeating me." Akira noted.

"That's what Healer is for. Speaking of, her effect activates when a Flame Truth monster uses their effect I gain 300 LP." Flare spoke. Healer raised her scepter as it glowed increasing Flare's LP. (Flare's LP. 4000 + 300 = 4300.)

"Now go Reshira! Attack Zaizen directly! Inferno Flare!" Flare yelled.

Reshira formed the sphere of flames once more, launching it at Akira in a burst of flames. The sphere of flames connected and made Akira go flying backwards. He landed on his feet and skidded a bit. (Akira's LP: 3900 - 3600 = 300.)

"She got him good!" Ai yelled. Ghost Girl heard a soft gasp, glancing to see Blue Angel watching the duel worried. So, she made it here as well. Let's see what happens. She thought.

"Not bad Flare." Akira brushed excess debris off his clothes. "But you just triggered my trap card. And a powerful one at that."

"What?" Flare questioned. Akira thrusted his right hand forward.

"Here's the proof! I activate the trap, Tindangle Dimension!" Akira revealed. The Set card then revealed itself.

"Tindangle Dimension?" Flare questioned, shocked.

"With this, since I took battle or effect damage while I have 3 or more Tindangle monsters in my Graveyard with different names, I can Special Summon 1 Tindangle Acute Cerberus from my Extra Deck, ignoring Summoning Conditions. After that, the monster that dealt the battle damage is banished!" Akira explained.

"Banished?!" Flare gasped, shocked. Reshira cried out as she disappeared from the field to their shock.

"Aah! Reshira's gone!" Ai panicked.

"And in her place is that massive monster." Playmaker noted as Tindangle Acute Cerberus appeared into the Extra Monster Zone Reshira was in originally. (Tindangle Acute Cerberus, attribute: DARK, Link Rating: 3, Link Arrows: T/BL/BR. ATK: 0)

"Ah, that's an even scarier dog!" Ai shuddered.

"0 ATK though." Playmaker frowned.

"Then it must have an effect!" Ai remarked.

"And that it does." Akira remarked. "You see, if I have 3 or more Tindangle monsters in Graveyard with different names, including Base Gardna, then my Cerberus gains 3000 ATK!" Tindangle Acute Cerberus glowed red as its ATK increased. (Tindangle Acute Cerberus's ATK: 0 + 3000 = 3000.)

"Aaah! It's ATK just rose up to 3000 just like that!" Ai panicked.

"I place a card face-down and end my turn." Flare finished. (Flare's hand: 2 cards. Akira's hand: 4 cards.)

Impressive Akira. You managed to not only take away your opponent's ace monster, but get your own ace onto the field. Ghost Girl thought.

This guy sure goes all out though. Sparks thought. The way he duels seems almost familiar to me…

"Haha you got me there Zaizen; I'll give you that." Flare smirked, thinking. But that dueling style. Why does it feel like I've seen it before?

"Back to me; draw!" Akira drew a card from his deck. (Akira's hand: 5 cards. Flare's hand: 2 cards. Akira's LP: 300. Flare's LP: 4300.) Akira glanced at the card he drew.

"Sorry Flare, but I just drew another card that'll lead to your defeat in this duel." Akira spoke.

"Oh really?" Flare smirked.

"Why yes." Akira replied. "I activate Nagel's Protection from my hand!"

"Nagel's Protection?" Flare questioned.

"With this, my Tindangle monsters in the Main Monster Zones are safe battle destruction and card effect destruction at your hands." Akira explained. "But that's just the beginning of your new problems. Once during the Battle Phase, any Tindangle monster I control that deals you battle damage is doubled."

"Double the damage!?" Ai gaped, shocked.

"That doesn't sound good." Sparks spoke with a frown.

"It's not." Playmaker frowned. "Her remaining monster may be safe from incoming attack due to her Field Spell, but she'll still take damage."

"Interesting." Flare smirked. "You're not holding back for your truth. Then come at me full force Zaizen!"

"Alright. But you asked for it." Akira smirked. "I activate my 2nd face-down, Gergonne's End!"

"And what does that do?" Ai questioned.

"Now my Acute Cerberus cannot be destroyed by battle or by card effects. Gergonne's End becomes Acute Cerberus's equip card." Akira explained. "But that's just the beginning of its effect. If all of its Link Markers have monsters in the Zones Acute Cerberus points to, then Gergonne's End, along with those monsters in Acute Cerberus's Link Marker Zones are destroyed, then, Flare will take damage equal to Acute Cerberus's ATK before the monsters were destroyed by Gergonne's End's effect."

"What?!" Ai gaped.

"In other words, Flare won't be able to destroy Acute Cerberus with effects or in battle with Gergonne's End in play. And with Nagel's Protection, battle damage is doubled." Playmaker frowned.

"Oh no!" Ai yelled.

"Oh yes!" Akira remarked. "Battle! Tindangle Acute Cerberus, attack Ash Drake! Acute Math Blaze!"

"Flame Spiral Tower's effect! Once per turn, it can negate the destruction of a Flame Truth monster!" Flare yelled.

"But you still damage!" Akira shot back. The flames of the tower shot down, protecting Ash Drake and Healer. Acute Cerberus's attack blasted at Ash Drake, but the Field Spell protected it. Akira thrusted his right hand forward.

"Now you take 2600 points of damage!" Akira declared. Flare winced as bits of the flames hit her, decreasing her LP. (Flare's LP: 4300 - 2600 - 1700.) "But that's just the beginning! Now since Acute Cerberus declared an attack during the Battle Phase, once the Battle Phase ends, I get to Special Summon a Tindangle Token to my field. I choose to Special Summon said token in the bottom-left Link Marker Main Monster Zone Acute Cerberus points to." A small fiend appeared in said Zone in DEF position. (Tindange Token, Level 1 DARK Fiend-type Token monster, ATK/DEF: 0. Tindangle Acute Cerberus's ATK: 3000 + 500 = 3500.)

"3500 ATK." Flare frowned. Ai put his hands to head and continued to panic.

"Aaaah! Another attack like that and Flare's done for!"

"Hush." Playmaker told him. "Flare can still win." Ai stopped then looked up at Playmaker.

"You should be panicking more!" Ai told him.

"And you should act more like an Ai." Playmaker countered.

"Ugh fine." Ai groaned. "'Stupid' is a forbidden word. The chance of Flare's victory is 5%."

"It's less than that." Playmaker told him, which made Ai go still like a statue.

"Thanks for the confidence Playmaker." Flare spoke sarcastically, rolling her eyes. Playmaker glanced at Flare, after a few moments, he spoke up again.

"Despite what I've said, I still believe you can still win Flare. I'd be a terrible ally if I thought otherwise. The odds of success do not matter. Especially if I know you'll succeed. We need that data to uncover the one behind the Lost Incident." Akira glanced over at Playmaker.

"At this point, it doesn't matter who acquires the data." Akira told him. "I need the data too to know why SOL Technologies would attack a camp of innocent animals and nearly killed an innocent young girl. My adoptive sister!"

"Then stand down and let us pass to get the data!" Playmaker shot back. Akira grit his teeth at Playmaker's remark.

"Boys, boys enough already." Flare sighed, not wanting Playmaker to snap again. "Just leave it to me Playmaker. I'll win, don't worry. I got an ace after all."

"Hoh?" Playmaker wondered. Akira pressed a card in his hand and placed it onto his field.

"I end my turn with a Set card." Akira concluded. (Akira's hand: 3 cards. Flare's hand: 2 cards.)

"My turn; draw!" Flare spoke, drawing her card.

"The only way for Flare to have a chance is to get rid of Zaizen's trap and spell. In other words." Sparks smirked. "You'll need to Summon her."

"Yeah. Though I don't usually like Summoning her when we're 'working'." Flare sighed.

"Hoh?" Akira wondered.

"Oh well." Flare sighed. "I Summon Flame Truth Clairvoyant!"

A red-haired woman with dark green eyes, the lower part of her face covered in a white veil, wearing white robes with blue flames appearing in blue flames. (Flame Truth Clairvoyant Level: 4 ATK: 1900 (originally 1500)/1300. Flare's hand: 2 cards. Akira's hand: 3 cards.)

"Clairvoyant's effect! When Summoned, I can see the top 3 cards from your deck and rearrange them in any order I wish." Flare said.

"Very well." Akira spoke. He then pressed a button on his duel disk and the top 3 cards of his deck appeared before Flare on a screen. Flare looked at them before pressing them in the order she wished and the screen left. "Healer's effect! Since I used Clairvoyant's effect, I gain 300 LP." Flare spoke, as Healer's scepter glowed. (Flare's LP: 1700 + 300 = 2000.)

"Now it's set." Flare smiled, as flames formed in her hands. "Appear! Circuit of the burning truth!" She shot out the flames to form her circuit. "Arrowhead confirmed! The Summoning conditions are 3 monsters! I set Flame Truth Healer, Ash Drake, and Clairvoyant in the Link Markers! Circuit combined! Link Summon! Appear Link 3, Flame Truth Dragon Priestess!" Stepping out of the Circuit in red flames was a woman with scarlet red hair, dragon like green eyes, pale skin with red dragon scales on her cheeks, wearing pure white miko robes with red flame designs on the hems, wielding a red flamed katana. (Flame Truth Dragon Priestess, Link: 3, ATK: 2900 (Originally 2500), Link Arrows: T/B/R)

"Woah! Never seen that one!" Ai spoke in a surprised tone.

"Dragon Priestess's effect! When she's been Link Summoned, I can Special Summon a Flame Truth monster from my Graveyard. And with my Field Spell, I can also Special Summon a Flame Truth monster from my hand or Graveyard. Come back Flame Truth Healer and Witch!" Flare spoke, as both Flame Truth monsters reappeared on the field.

"Appear once again circuit of the burning truth!" Flare shot the flames to form her circuit once more. "Arrowheads confirmed! Summoning conditions are two Flame Truth monsters! I set Flame Truth Witch and Healer in the Link Markers! Circuit combine!" She yelled, as her two monsters became flaming tornadoes going in the Link Markers. "Link Summon! Appear Link 2, Flame Truth Sage!" Appearing out of the circuit in red flames was a man with white hair, deep blue eyes, wearing pure white sage robes with blue flame designs, wielding a silver scepter lit by red flames. (Flame Truth Sage Link: 2 ATK: 2100 (Originally 1700) Link Arrows: T/R)

"Sage's effect when co-linked! Once per turn, my opponent discards a card from their hand and they take 400 points of damage!" Flare smirked. Sage blew the flames from his scepter towards Akira.

"Nice! If this hits, Flare wins!" Ai cheered.

"Don't expect it to be that easy." Playmaker frowned. "Although…" Akira glanced down at his 1 Set card, then at his Graveyard, then at his hand. He lowered his arms to his sides.

"Looks like you got me Flare." Akira remarked. "My Set card cannot help me, there's no card in my hand that could block, reduce or reflect the damage, and Tindangle Guardian's other effect only works if it's on the field. It's Graveyard effect could save me from losing, but I'd have to-Wait! I activate Tindangle Guardian's effect! When I would take effect damage, I return her, and up to 3 other Tindangle monsters in my Graveyard to reduce the damage to 0! So I return Guardian, Angel and Hound to my hand!" All 3 cards came out of his duel disk and he added them to his hand.

"But if you do that Akira, then-!" Ghost Girl began.

"I know!" Akira retorted. "My Acute Cerberus loses 3000 ATK." Flare gasped as the three monster spirits were Summoned and blocked Sage's flames.

"She was so close!" Ai yelled.

"Yeah." Playmaker noted. "But now it's over. Akira's Acute Cerberus only has 500 ATK. And he already said his face-down card could not help him."

"Dragon Priestess attack Acute Cerberus!" Flare yelled. "Holy Slash!" Dragon Priestess rushed, raising her katana and slashed down Acute Cerberus in flames.

"Even though Gergonne's End protects Acute Cerberus from battle and card effect destruction, you still take damage!" Ai pointed out. Akira raised his arms up to shield himself from the attack. The attack caused a fiery explosion and Akira skidded backwards several feet before falling to one knee. (Akira's LP: 300 - 2400 = 0.)

"Nii-sama!" Blue Angel gasped, coming out of her hiding spot running to her brother.

"Blue Angel." Flare spoke, surprised.

"Aoi." Akira spoke, looking up at his sister.

"Well a deal's a deal Zaizen." Flare spoke, walking over to Akira.

"Yeah." Akira spoke.

"And just in time too." Sparks spoke up. He typed the last button and his duel disk glowed. "Got all the files we needed."

"Great. Then we can get going." Flare nodded, as she and Sparks walked to Playmaker.

"Man, you sure had me worried." Ai spoke at Flare.

"Come on, there was no way I'd lose." Flare grinned. Playmaker nodded.

"Well with that, we should leave." Playmaker told them. "We got what we came here for."

"Flare, Sparks, answer me something." Akira spoke, standing as the two turned to face him. "You two have fought the Knights of Hanoi long before Playmaker, so you knew the risks so why? Why didn't you try to talk him out of fighting all that time ago?" The two blinked surprised looking at one another before giving chuckles.

"It be hypocritical if we did. After all, we are trying to learn the truth of why the Knights of Hanoi took our little sister and plan to get her back. While Playmaker wants to know the truth of the Lost Incident and figure out what was the purpose of the incident." Sparks explained. "In all honesty, it didn't seem like our place to try to stop him."

"And besides." Flare smirked, ruffling Playmaker's hair. "You honestly think he'll take no for an answer? He's too stubborn, so might as well try to look out for the guy as his seniors." Playmaker glared at Flare, annoyed, smacking her hand away, making her chuckle. "Playmaker, you leave first. Me and Sparks will send the files to you once we leave." She told him. Playmaker nodded, despite still baring an annoyed look. He logged out shortly afterwards.

"What more do you want?" Blue Angel questioned them. The two looked at her before Sparks typed on his duel disk and a blue shard slipped out of it. He took it and tossed it to Akira as he caught it, surprised.

"That's the files on your sister." He told him. Akira looked down at the blue shard, then back at Sparks.

"I don't know what to say other than thanks." Akira remarked.

"Don't thank me. Just felt like doing it." Sparks shrugged. "But listen Zaizen, it's best you stay away from the Incident, and the three of us. No offense."

"Playmaker may seem harsh and cold, but in reality, the only reason he doesn't want others to be in, this is because he doesn't wish to have his revenge drag anyone into the darkness." Flare explained with a soft smile. "The same goes for us; you two and your other sister. You guys should walk where there's light."

Flare and Sparks turned away, rushing off as they logged out.

"Well time for me to leave too." Ghost Girl told them with a smile. "Be nice to each other." With that, Ghost Girl also logged out, leaving Akira and Blue Angel alone as he stood up.

"In the end, I couldn't do much." Akira frowned.

"That's not true." Blue Angel told him. "At the very least, I now understand how you feel and I know Glacies appreciates it deeply."

"Let's hope she thinks so." Akira chuckled lightly as he pocketed the blue shard in his jacket. "Although I am quite surprised that Sparks would be willing to give me the files."

"Yeah and Flare…" Blue Angel began thoughtfully. "It's almost as if I know her in some way."


Miho and Rai both stepped out of the room panting Touma looking at the two.

"Good work you two." He said to them.

"Man, that Akira doesn't go easy." She sighed as Rai tossed his duel disk to Touma. Touma caught it placing it on the computer to scan and look at the data while the two sat down.

"Well at least we got the files we needed in the end. Make sure you send a copy of them to Playmaker." Rai told Touma.

"Already on it." Touma assured, as he typed rapidly.

"Let's hope with this that we'll manage to find something." She said, eyes closed.

"Yeah. Although I can't help but think back to the duel and Zaizen's dueling tactics." Rai remarked.

"So you felt it too." She stated.

"Felt what?" Touma questioned, not looking up from the screen.

"Zaizen's dueling tactics… How he dueled… It feels familiar as if we seen it somewhere before." Rai spoke with a thoughtful look. "I know I've felt like I've seen something similar-"

"Ah!" Miho suddenly gasped, sitting up. "Now I know why!"

"Huh?" Rai questioned, looking at his twin.

"His dueling tactics, they're just like Aunt Juliette's!" Miho spoke. Rai gasped in realization.

"Right! I thought it seemed familiar! She used a Flip deck too! And it seemed familiar to us because she taught us how to duel when we were kids!" Rai gasped.

"I feel like an idiot for not realizing it sooner!" Miho sighed, standing.

"Where are you off to?" Rai asked.

"Going for a walk to cool my head. That work took it out of me." She said. She then left. As she walked out the house, hands behind her head. As she walked, thinking back to Akira and about what he told them about Glacies.

I've known her for months yet, I had no idea that she had to go through all that. Though then again, Glacies didn't like to talk that much about her time before Akira adopted her. Now I know why, so it would make sense. I never really got to know. She thought, putting her arms down.

"Miho-san?" Miho jumped in surprise, turning to face a 17-year-old girl with light blue eyes and snow white hair with pale skin, wearing the Den City High School uniform.

Just thinking about her and she suddenly appears like magic. Miho thought inwardly, sweatdropping before she smiled.

"Hey Glacies. You, doing well?"

"Yeah I am." Glacies replied. "Just got out of school. On my way home to Akira and Aoi."

"Oh I see." Miho said with a thought.

Though I don't think she knows they're still logged in at the moment and Akira is gonna want to see those files. Quickly Miho spoke.

"Say Glacies, if you have time at the moment. Care to hang out?" Glacies's expression showed that she was taken aback by the question.

"Sure, I wouldn't mind." Glacies replied after a few minutes of silence.

"I'll leave Akira a message, then we can hangout. Don't want him to worry about where I'm gonna be, right?"

"Of course." Miho smiled. "And once you do, we can go to this awesome ice cream stand I found. Their soft serves are great."

"That'd be great." Glacies smiled. She typed a message on her duel disk, then sent it to Akira. She looked back at Miho. "There; just sent him the message where I'd be. Now we can go."

"Great! Let's go." Miho smiled happily, leading the way.


"Alright, I sent them a copy of the files. Now we can check them ourselves." Touma said, turning to face Rai.

"Alright. Let's see then." Rai said, moving forward to see. Touma clicked on one of the files and Rai was shocked upon seeing a familiar picture. "That's Uncle Kiyoshi?!"

"Says he planned and executed the Hanoi Project." Touma spoke.

"As in the Lost Incident? But that would mean..." Rai began.

"Yeah. He was a researcher at SOL Technologies. It also says that he caused the incident alone." Touma spoke as he typed. "But SOL Technologies found out about it due to a whistleblower."

"But what about the purpose of the incident?" Rai demanded.

"It doesn't say." Touma frowned while he typed. Rai frowned as he looked at the screen before he grew wide eyed, shocked, seeing what the file also had.

"What?! What the hell?!" He yelled, shocked. "Seven years ago, Kiyoshi Kogami… Died?"


Walking down a steep staircase was Kiyoshi Kogami. Revolver, and a hooded figure. They stopped and looked down to see a blue light.

"This power… A new fight is beginning." Revolver spoke.

"Yes." Kiyoshi said, as he reached in his pocket. "When this seed bears Hanoi's fruit, that's the end of Link VRAINS-no; the whole network world." He took out a small glowing cube as he went on. "To achieve this long-cherished desire, I resurrected from the dead." He then looked at the hooded figure. "And I will greatly need your help to do so."

"Do not worry Uncle, Revolver I will do my best." The figure assured with a nod.

Revolver gave a sad smile to the figure as Kiyoshi dropped the cube down to the light as it softly lit up.


Aurasoul: Over 8 thousand words! Another long chapter!

Miho: You're enjoying yourself.

Aurasoul: Helps fill the void of Vrains being over so Akira's OC cards were created by 0713MM and until then my readers read and review!