Part 1: Chapter 8 – The Return
Yuzu could see the Duel Palace in the distance as she lept from rooftop to rooftop. All around her, citizens were watching the Duel occurring with such interest that nobody took notice of her as she flew over their heads with a series of rapid leaps and bounds. As for Yuzu, only one thing concerned her as she spotted where Yuya and Shinji were dueling. She could see that Yuya was fighting hard against Shinji, but he looked unfocused and depressed, and Yuzu was certain she knew why. She had to reach him. She had to show him she was okay.
She landed on top of a glass skyscraper before pausing when she saw her reflection in the roof. Looking down at herself, she suddenly realized that Yuya might not recognize her if she was wearing her current outfit. She tried to decide if she should change, or just keep heading to the trackway and hope Yuya recognized her face.
"Needing my help?" a girlish voice giggled in Yuzu's head.
Yuzu flinched as the laughter of the foreign voice filled her head. "I'm okay." she mentally replied, "I just need to help Yuya now."
Yuzu heard another round of giggling as the voice of her inner spirit filled her head. "You know…" the spirit mused, "I didn't much appreciate being stuffed in your pocket during that duel, but I've got to say… I absolutely LOVED your entertainment style! You were just so… ADORABLE! Oh, it just makes me want to wrap myself around you and squeeze you like a little doll!"
"Uhm… thanks?" Yuzu replied in her speaking voice, not sure if she liked the compliment. Still, this was the spirit that had brought her back from the dead. Maybe she should try harder to be friendly with it.
"Uhm…" she paused, trying to think of what to say, "I'm glad you enjoyed the duel, and I am sorry for… uhm… putting you in my pocket… uhm… Ti'ika Sara?" she paused after realizing she was talking to a trading card.
"Oh don't worry about it!" Ti'ika Sara giggled. "I mean… after all… I wasn't REALLY in your pocket." Yuzu felt her marks wriggle against her skin as something seemed to squirm inside her body as if she'd swallowed a bundle of giant, twisted snakes. Yuzu shivered with the sensation, before Ti'ika Sara resumed speaking. "You know…I was just thinking… if you really want a fashion change right now, I'd LOVE to play dress-up with you!"
"Dress up?" Yuzu asked, pulling out the Ti'ika Sara card.
"Oh yes!" Ti'ika Sara giggled as the card shone with a dim red light, "I heard your thoughts after all. I know you don't want to scare your widdle Yuya Wuya."
"What?" Yuzu asked, wondering where Ti'ika Sara had come up with the nickname.
"You know…" Ti'ika Sara teased with a little "tee-hee-hee," "…Yuya Wuya, your widdle pet name for your boyfriend!"
"He's not my…" Yuzu protested before Ti'ika Sara interrupted her.
"Oh don't worry Yuzu!" Ti'ika Sara reassured the bracelet girl, "I'll keep your secret safe." She began giggling like a hyperactive four-year-old.
Yuzu stared back at the card, trying to remember what Ruri had told her about it. From Ruri's tone, she had acted like her Earthbound God card was something to be reverenced. But so far, Ti'ika Sara was sounding less like a wise and powerful spirit and more like an annoying little sister.
"Who are you?" Yuzu asked, examining the card as if it was a strange new species of animal.
The giggling stopped and Yuzu felt as if the spirit were staring at her. "I already told you, Yuzu." Ti'ika Sara replied in a more controlled and mature voice. "I am a part of you, your ally, companion, and soul. I share your desire to stop this ridiculous human war, bring peace to the dimensions, and reunite you with your friends… especially Yuya."
"Why are you so interested in Yuya?" Yuzu questioned. "For that matter… why are you so interested in me?"
"I have been watching you for a while now, Yuzu." Ti'ika Sara replied. "I watched as you were brutally murdered by that idiot, Sergey, and felt your despair and sorrow when you suffered in the Underworld. I chose you when you accepted the call to be a Dark Signer and began sharing in your thoughts, emotions, and desires when we became bound as one. I felt your rage when you were assaulted by those Security oafs, and was deeply impressed when you decided to spare them, despite your anger. I felt tremendous amusement from watching you display the power of your ideals, and have grown to appreciate your spirit. You are lighthearted and gentle, yet serious and fiery when you want to be. A lot like me to be honest, though while you are a mortal human, I am an immortal spirit creature. And yet… despite this little difference, we really aren't too different. I, like you, want peace. I, like you, want joy in life. I, like you, have people I like, and people I could care less about. We both have opinions, beliefs, desires, and tastes. Together, we are the Dark Signer, a more perfect creature who holds all the strengths of human and spirit without all the nasty little imperfections of either. You benefit from the ability to share in my power, and I…" she giggled before changing back to her more youthful, hyperactive voice, "…I get someone I can call Onee-Chan! So that's why I'm interested in you and Yuya. Because I'm your friend! I LOVE YOU!"
Yuzu blinked as Ti'ika Sara's giggling filled her head again. "You've been watching me? Why?"
"You're special, Yuzu!" Ti'ika Sara giggled, "My special little Onee-Chan!"
"Okay look…" Yuzu sighed, feeling more uneasy from Ti'ika Sara's adoration than flattered, "…I appreciate what you've done for me… raising me from the dead and all… but I don't… I don't really know you. Frankly, I don't think you really know me either! I appreciate the fact that you want to be friends, but… but I don't really feel comfortable with you calling me Onee-Chan. I still don't even understand all the details about this whole Dark Signer bond I've made with you, much less anything about who you are. So just… just hold off on all that… ok? Until I know you a bit better, let's just… let's agree to call each other… partner, ok? Partner?"
Ti'ika Sara seemed to be thinking. "Mmmm… okay… partner." she called back in a more serious tone before letting out a little giggle and reverting back to her more girly voice. "So anyway… Yuzu-partner, before I got distracted, I think I wanted to show you how to change your appearance."
"That could actually help me right now." Yuzu admitted, looking down at her clothing. "Just so long as whatever you're suggesting doesn't involve anything weird." she hastily added.
"That depends on what your definition of 'weird' is." Ti'ika Sara smugly replied. "Believe me Yuzu…" her voice switched back to being more mature and serious, "…what you mortals call miracles is nothing more than a Tuesday evening for me. So why don't I help you out a little? Then you can have your sweet little reunion with your friend."
Yuzu looked back over at the trackway where Yuya was dueling against his opponent. "Okay…" she sighed, "…just tell me what to do."
"Focus on your mark." Ti'ika Sara advised, "Feel your veins suck up the energy like roots sucking up water from the ground. Feel those veins carry that energy throughout your body until it weaves into your entire being. Then… focus on what you desire your appearance to be in your mind, and it will be so."
"That simple?" Yuzu asked, looking down at her glowing flower mark.
Ti'ika Sara seemed to smile. "You can take my word for it… partner."
Yuzu put the card back into her deck and began doing as Ti'ika Sara had instructed. Closing her eyes and clearing her mind, she began focusing on the mark on her right arm. Just as Ti'ika Sara had instructed, she focused until she felt tremendous energy course through her mark, down her veins, and into her heart before exploding outwards and weaving into her entire body. As she pictured herself in Rin's riding outfit that Yugo had given her, she felt her clothing warp against her skin. Opening her eyes, she saw that her Dark Signer outfit was gone and replaced with the exact same clothing she had worn before being resurrected. Her physical appearance had also changed. Her eyes were now their regular color and the marks on her skin had vanished away as if nothing had happened.
"Thank you… Ti'ika Sara." She murmured, appreciating the help.
"Can I call you Onee-Chan now?" Ti'ika Sara probed.
"Well see." Yuzu replied, before leaping off the building and sprinting towards the duel at top speed.
…
"Now it begins!" Shinji roared, after his Synchro Monster, Azusa the Spirt Bow, successfully destroyed Yuya's Salutiger.
"What am I doing?" Yuya thought to himself, only half-focused on the duel. "I can't save Yuzu like this!" The words Shinji had spoken to him before the duel flashed through his mind.
"Once someone loses, it's over."
So nobody even cares if Yuzu is hurt!?
"You could Say Hiragi Yuzu has become another sacrifice for this world. It's time for the commons to rise up against the tops so incidents like that don't happen again. You will be my stepping stone to accomplish that!"
So what then!? Was Yuzu just supposed to be a martyr for the common's riot!? How would Shinji's rebellion even be worth anything if Yuzu was left suffering, badly injured, and possibly dying, just so the commons could vent their hatred against the Tops!? Yuya couldn't accept any of it. He'd tried to end the duel as quickly as possible, but Shinji's Bee Force Nest had stopped him. Yuya had no idea what to do! He knew he had to save Yuzu… she needed help! But how was he supposed to help her if he lost now!? Was his only choice to forget about her and focus all his attention on the duel!? He couldn't do that even if he wanted to!
Yuya snapped out of his thoughts when he suddenly noticed Shinji holding up a card.
"By sending Dart the Pursuit from my hand to my graveyard, I can deal the attack of a monster destroyed by battle as damage!" he explained.
"What!?" Yuya exclaimed, brain scrambling to think of a response.
"And with Azusa the Spirit Bow's effect, that damage is doubled!" Shinji roared.
"The attack of Salutiger was 1700!" Yuya exclaimed.
"And twice that, with 3400 damage, this will be over!" Shinji agreed, preparing to throw his card into the graveyard.
"No!" Yuya thought, desperately skimming through the cards on his field and in his hand for a counter. When he found nothing, he began searching the track for Action Cards, but none were in sight. "It can't end like this!" he protested. If the duel ended now, he'd be shuttled off to the underground and Yuzu would be left where she was, discarded like a used up playing piece.
Then, Yuya saw something from the corner of his eye.
"It can't be!" Yuya exclaimed, as he suddenly spied a figure standing on top of a building. A sudden turn in the trackway caused Yuya to lose sight of the figure, but not before noticing that the clothes she was wearing where white and pink.
"What?" Yuya blinked, wondering if his mind was playing tricks on him.
"YUUUUUUUUYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!" He heard someone call.
Whipping his head to the side, he saw her, leaping onto the next building with unbelievable speed.
"Yuzu!?" Yuya gasped, unable to believe his eyes, "YUUUUUUUUUUUUZUUUUUUUUUU!" He bellowed, half from shock and half from blissful relief.
He saw Yuzu's eyes tear up as she kept pace with his duel runner, smiling as she did. There was no question about it! It was her! She was okay! Yuya saw Yuzu briefly glance at his opponent, Shinji, before looking back at Yuya and nodding her head.
Yuya quickly reigned in his emotions and nodded back at her. "I understand!" he agreed. "Watch me Yuzu! I'm not going to lose this duel! I'm keeping the promise I made to you!"
"This is the end!" Shinji declared, tossing his card into the graveyard. "I send Bee Force – Dart the Pursuit to my graveyard and activate its effect!"
An aggressive hornet, with a massive stinger on its abdomen and face, appeared above Shinji's D-Wheeler before quickly spinning around and zipping towards Yuya.
"I'm not giving up on you, or this duel!" Yuya promised, accelerating his bike. Without a second of hesitation, he raced forward and used his momentum to launch himself off a ramp on the edge of the trackway, flip his bike upside-down mid-air, and make a grab for an Action Card suspended in the air. Just as he grabbed the Action Card and landed back on his bike, Dart the Pursuit, swung around and slammed itself into Yuya, leaving behind an intense explosion.
On the other side of the trackway, Yuzu gasped in shock, hoping that Yuya hadn't lost.
"Oh get a grip." Yuzu heard Ti'ika Sara yawn. "He's fine."
Sure enough, just as Ti'ika Sara finished her sentence, Yuya blasted out of the smoke, catching up to Shinji as he accelerated his D-Wheeler.
"Due to the effect of the Action Magic, Acceleration, the effect damage is negated!" Yuya proclaimed with a determined expression on his face.
"What!?" Shinji gasped, staring back at his opponent. Only a few seconds ago, Yuya had looked desperate, distracted, and scared. Now he looked determined, driven, and utterly focused on the duel. Shinji began wondering if Yuya's attitude at the beginning had all been a front just to put him off guard. Unfortunately, there was nothing more he could do for his turn.
"So… you were saved by an Action Card." Shinji growled, deciding not to read too much into Yuya's sudden change of attitude. He had just gotten lucky and was now feeling the effects of that sudden artificial confidence boost. "It won't happen again! I will defeat you and start a revolution! I end my turn!"
"Watch this, Yuzu!" Yuya thought, preparing to begin his turn. "Just like how you pushed forward with your own dueling and tried to tell them about the Inter-Dimensional War, I'll win the Friendship Cup with my dueling and then, make everyone in this city smile!" He focused in on Shinji who was still ahead of him, keeping his eyes off of Yuzu who was still following next to him. It didn't matter if he looked at her or not. All that mattered was that she was there, and she was safe! Feeling the stress drain from his body as he was able to focus more of his energy on the duel and less on worrying about his friend, he let a smile come over his face. "I'll end the Inter-Dimensional War and we'll all go home together, where the principle, Futoshi, Ayu, Tatsuya, my Mom, and everyone else are waiting!"
Swinging his arm through the air with dramatic flair, Yuya ripped a card from his deck.
"ORE NO TURN!" Yuya roared. He glanced at the card he drew and raised his hand to the air.
"With the already set Pendulum Scale I Pendulum Summon!"
A multitude of giant versions of Yuya's pendant circled through the sky as a pink portal appeared in the air beneath them. In the center, a streak of orange light streamed through the center of the portal before slamming onto the ground and revealing Yuya's new monster.
"Come forth!" Yuya declared, "Timesword Magician!"
Rising from the ground, a young warrior with brown hair, green eyes, a golden headband, a large brown cloak with a yellow belt over the right shoulder, and a massive sword with hooked ends at the end of the blade, raced next to Yuya's Entermate Silver Claw while letting out a brief battle cry.
"And here Yuya goes with a Pendulum Summon!" Mellissa Clair cheered from overhead, watching the duel while riding on her helicopter. "But… he only summoned one monster!"
"I activate Timesword Magician's monster effect!" Yuya proclaimed, "When this card alone is Pendulum Summoned from my hand, its attack is doubled!"
A trio of ethereal clocks appeared around Timesword Magician's blade in a series of concentric rings as the warrior's ATK rose from 1400 to 2800.
"An attack of twenty-eight hundred!" Shinji gasped.
Yuya didn't give Shinji any time to process what just happened. Extending his hand outwards he proceeded with his turn by declaring, "I attack Azusa the Spirit Bow with Timesword Magician!"
The diminuitive Timesword Magician raised his sword to the air before aggressively slamming it against the ground and sending out a violent shockwave towards Shinji's monster, dusting the humanoid bee archer. Shinji let out a grunt as his Life Points were reduced to 3400. Before Shinji had any time to recover, Yuya had already begun his next move.
"Next, I attack Pin the Hit with Silver Claw!" Yuya's wolf rushed forward at his command, extending his claws as he gained on Pin the Hit.
"At attack declaration," Yuya declared, "Silver Claw's effect increases its attack by 300 for the rest of the Battle-Phase!" As Silver Claw sprinted towards Shinji's monster, a holographic indicator appeared and showed its ATK rise to 2100.
"I activate Bee Force Nest's effect." Shinji countered, looking somewhat irritated. "When Pin the Hit is targeted by an attack, I Special Summon another from my deck and end the Battle-Phase!" A diminuitive bee with a stinger on its nose and an abdomen that looked like a miniature rocket booster appeared to Shinji's field. Silver Claw growled as the effect of Shinji's Trap Card blew it back and reduced its ATK to its original 1800.
"Shinji has held off the second attack!" Mellissa Clair commented, sounding even more excited as both duelists were now fired up.
"But…" Yuya countered, "…with its effect being used twice, Bee Force Nest is destroyed." Shinji's Trap briefly appeared before getting blown into dust. "Now you can't forcefully end the Battle Phase any more!" Yuya roared, the serious expression on his face deepening as his desire to reunite with Yuzu grew. "Turn end! The real fight starts now!
Yuzu nodded her head as she watched Yuya duel. There was no doubt in her mind now. Nothing could stop him from winning.
Shinji seemed to disagree.
"Even if you get serious now, you're too late!" Shinji snarled, raising his voice as he began another speech to the commons, "I'm not alone! Tens of thousands of Common's wills are with me! The revolution is already starting! No one can stop it anymore!"
All around the stands, hundreds of Commons began standing up, matching Shinji's determined expression as they did.
"ORE NO TURN!" Shinji roared, ripping a card from the top of his deck.
"I WON'T LOSE!" Yuya countered, slamming on the accelerator, "I PROMISED I WOULD WIN WITH MY DUELING!" Nearly slicing against Shinji's bike as he gained momentum, he increased speed until he flew by Shinji's bike, taking the lead.
Shinji, however, looked unperturbed by Yuya's action.
"I activate the magic card," he declared, "Bee Jewel of Rebirth!" As a holographic image of his Spell Card appeared to the field, a dark cloud of bees rose from the ground before coalescing into a solid cluster of bees above Shinji's head.
"I negate the effect of one Bee Force monster in my graveyard and Special Summon it!" Shinji explained.
Brushing aside the swarm of bees, Azusa the Spirit Bow suddenly appeared to Shinji's field once more.
"Now rise up commons!" Shinji ordered, "It's time for our strength to come together as one! Bring forth a revolution! Drag down those Tops and give them a taste of our suffering!"
All across the city, Commons watching the duel began cheering at Shinji's speech, raising their fists into the air and chanting his name. Mellissa Clair looked very displeased as she watched the crowd get thrown into a frenzy.
"I said no provoking the audience!" she snapped, "Didn't I!?"
From the main control room, Roger briefly glanced at a few screens displaying crowds of Commons becoming a little unruly. "It doesn't really matter." He thought to himself. "The commons won't rise up. They've been oppressed by the Tops precisely because they're all bark and no bite. It's enough for them to vent their frustration at the Tops with a few angry screams and speeches. Shinji was a little full of himself. He could do nothing to truly change society. However… if a stronger leader showed up… then there could be problems."
"Chief!" One of the surveillance officers called, "Shinji's really riling up the crowds. Should we do anything about it?"
"I'm already taking care of it." Roger replied with a bored expression on his face, as he pressed a button on his desk and began speaking with a squadron of Security officers. "Arrest all Commons gathered along the trackway and recruit them into Security Service as per directive, Alekhine's Gun." He ordered. "Hold off on the Commons gathered in the stadium and send word to Melissa Clair and all other news agencies to hold off on any reports regarding Security activities. The last thing I need right now is for them to riot out of desperation." He pushed another button on his desk and contacted his Bio-Cybernetics Therapist. "How is production on the chips coming along?" he asked, lowering his voice.
"I've set the machines to overdrive." The Therapist stammered, nervously tugging at one of his side burns. "We're boxing thousands as we speak. However, I must warn you, it takes a long time to safely inegrate the chip into someone's brain. Even with all these chips, there's no way I can get them all installed for you and complete Sergey in one day."
"No need to worry." Roger replied. "My engineering teams have already developed a simple hand-held weapon capable of shooting the chip through someone's skull with a push of a trigger. All they have to do is get up close to apply the nozzle to someone's forehead."
The therapist's eyes widened at this. "But… that could… that could permanently damage their brains if the chip isn't implanted without the proper surgery!"
"What is that to you?" Roger asked, eyeing the engineer with a hostile expression on his face. "We can worry about damaged brains later. All I need from you is the amuninution. Fortunately, if your reports are accurate, it sounds like you are doing a beautiful job. Now… how is Sergey doing?"
"All is on schedule." The therapist hastily reported, flipping through some charts. "I have integrated the weaponry and armaments into Sergey's biology and have began work on an exterior bio-suit. Assuming all goes well, he should be able to withstand a direct hit from a rocket propelled grenade without a single scratch on his armor. I just need to install an appropriate power source."
"Draw energy from Sergey's ace monster." Roger instructed.
The therapist went pale, hands quivering as he struggled to hold up his charts.
"Work with the engineer." Roger coldly replied. "You are on a tight schedule. I would hate to see you fall behind."
"Y-yes sir." The therapist whimpered, as Roger closed the screen.
"CHIEF!" One of the Surviellance officers shrieked.
"What!?" Roger snapped, staring down at the woman who had clamped her hands over her mouth in shock.
"It's Hiragi Yuzu!" the girl hastily reported, displaying a large holographic screen of the camera feed she was watching to the whole room. "One of the one's you told us to watch for! I don't believe this! I thought she'd just crashed!"
"WHAT!" Roger roared, leaping from his chair and sweeping through the camera feed with his eyes. Sure enough, there was Yuzu. Her marks had dissappered, but Roger still recognized the signs of her status as a Dark Signer as she effortlessly leaped across buildings and kept pace with the duelists while watching them duel.
Roger took a deep breath before continuing. "Proceed with the plan." He ordered. "Have a squadron of Security Officers tail Hiragi Yuzu without being seen and have them stand by for my orders."
"Yes chief!" the girl replied, hastily complying with Roger's orders.
"She's not like Ruri." Roger thought to himself, nervously picking up a black pawn and twirling it in his hand. "If I play this right, we should be able to take care of her… quietly." He looked back at the duel. "Yes… quietly." He thought to himself. "Let the populace enjoy their entertainment while I take care of security matters."
And indeed, the population did seem to be enjoying the duel. The audience was on the edge of their seats as they anticipated the next move.
"Shinji…" said Yuya, trying to reason with his opponent as he continued to call for rebellion, "…I understand your pain, but all this hatred won't change anything! I want to change this society by making people smile thorugh my dueling…"
"Smile!?" Shinji sneered, interrupting Yuya mid-sentence. "We'll smile when we drag those Tops down from their cushy penthouses! That's why we need a revolution!" he extended his hand forward. "I activate Pin the Hit's effect! Once per turn I can inflict two-hundred points of damage!" his three Pin the Hits swarmed forward before the stingers on their faces began glowing. "I have three Pin the Hits, for a sum of six-hundred damage!"
Each bee shot a lance of energy at Yuya's bike, knocking him about as his Life Points dropped to 1900.
"Shinji's effect damage hits the mark!" Melissa cheered, "It's now 1900 verses 3400 Life Points!"
The crowd roared their approval and screamed Shinji's name as their hero tightened his lead.
Yuya looked back at Shinji. "You plan on reducing my Life Points with effect damage before attacking Silver Claw with Azusa the Spirit Bow?"
Shinji smirked back at Yuya. "How naïve. Did you think that I'd summon Azusa the Spirit Bow with its effect negated just for that?" He leaned forward on his bike. "I tune the three Level one Pin the Hits to the Level five Azusa the Spirt Bow!"
"That Synchro Monster is a Tuner as well!?" Yuya gasped.
Shinji's three Pin the Hits rushed forward and formed a single file line before Azusa zoomed ahead of them, disappearing into a stream of five stars that each morphed into a green ring of light. Rushing forward, the three Pin the Hits flew into the center of the five concentric rings, turning transparent and revealing a single glowing white sphere within each of their bodies as Shinji began his summoning chant:
"Power in concert, bear the flames of grudge and release the arrow of revolt! Synchro Shokan! Level 8! Bee Force – Hama the Evil-Crushing Bow!"
In a flash of white light, Shinji's new Synchro Monster appeared to the field, compound eyes glowing with red light. The new monster was humanoid like Azusa the Spirit Bow, with two arms, two legs, and thick green and orange battle armor. However, just like Shinji's previous Synchro monster, Hama possessed several apian traits with a pair of antenne, compound eyes, an insectile mouth, and two pairs of bee wings. In his right hand, he carried a massive compound bow that glowed with green light. A holographic indicator appeared and showed an ATK of 2800.
"Twenty-eight Hundred attack?" Yuya exclaimed.
"Shinji Weber Synchro Summons again!" Mellissa declared, she was about to continue her commentary when she noticed something happening on the ground beneath the chopper. Several Security Vans had pulled up near the track near to where a group of Commons were watching the duel, throwing some empty bottles at the screen while shouting "Down with the Tops!" Swiftly, the vans each deployed a large revolving turret from the top of their roofs before shooting webs of netting at the group of Commons, suppressing them all after just a few rounds.
"Uhm…" Mellissa Clair mumbled, staring at the scene. She opened her mouth to say something about the scene when one of her aids suddenly rushed forward and directed her attention to a message on his computer screen, while gestering with his fingers to stay quiet. Melissa looked down at the computer screen, gulping when she had read the message.
"We have your sister in custody…" it read, "…make sure the news is accurate for her sake."
Melissa stared blankly at the screen, sweating and shivering before the aid nervously prompted her to keep going.
"Uhm…" Mellissa Clair stammered, plastering on a massive fake smile. "…this duel… this duel is one of the most exciting we've seen! The city is one! We are all friends!"
Shinji, meanwhile, looked like he had already achieved victory.
"Now Commons!" he commanded, as a triumphant grin spread across his face, "Gather by my side, just like this monster! We'll change this society with our own hands!"
As the crowds of Commons roared Shinji's name in response, Shinji looked around the the groups of Commons who were supporting him when he suddenly noticed something happening to a group of Commons outside the trackway. A group of Security offcers were hauling away some netted people before jamming a device against each of their foreheads and pulling a trigger.
"NO!" Shinji gasped, horrified that Security was responding this way to his dueling.
Yuya noticed Shinji's expression, and looked in the same direction Shinji had glanced. Letting out a gasp, Yuya looked up to the helicopter and called to the reporter.
"Hey!" he shouted, "Are you seeing this!?" he indicated the groups of security Vans that had turned their weapons on another crowd of fleeing Commons, rapidly netting them before Security Officers jammed more devices against their foreheads. "What's going on!? Security needs to stop!"
A new message appeared on the screen of Melissa Clair's aid. "You are currently experiencing some audio difficulties." It stated.
Melissa Clair ran her hand across her throat while keeping her fake smile firmly plastered to her face, indicating to her aids to cut the audio feed of the duel.
Crowds of Commons in the stadium began a new wave of protests, but this time because the audio to the duel had been cut, leaving everyone wondering what Shinji and Yuya were saying as they screamed at the screen.
"It's begun!" Shinji roared, "They're already trying to stop us! Now's the time! Stop standing around! Rise in rebellion! Take this city from the Tops!"
"We appear to be having some issues with the audio." Melissa apologized while smiling brightly. "Fortunately… it looks like we still have visual of the duel, so… I'll just provide commentary on what the duelists are saying. Shinji trades a few insults with Yuya who counters with a bit of spicy rhetoric of his own! My, my! Such bad sportsmanship! This is supposed to be fun!"
Yuya stared back at Melissa Clair, unable to believe what was going on. Shinji must have really scared the Tops with his speech. Enough for Security to think they had to start arresting people en masse in order to prevent his revolution. Why else would they be attacking so many people like that and trying to shut up Shinji's speech?
"It's no use." Shinji growled. "They're trying to silence me." He balled his hand into a fist. "But I don't need words to talk! I only have to defeat you, Yuya!" he snarled at his opponent. "Then we'll rise up against the Tops! And I will lead them on the front lines!"
"Shinji!" Yuya protested. "This isn't helping! You're only making things worse!"
"SHUT UP!" Shinji roared back, extending his hand to his monster. "YOU KNOW NOTHING! HAMA THE EVIL CRUSHING BOW, ATTACK HIS ENTERMATE SILVER CLAW!"
Hama conjured a large arrow made of pure energy from a slot in his wristband before loading his massive compound bow. Unleashing his arrow, he blasted Yuya's Silver Claw to dust, causing Yuya to almost lose control from the force of the attack as his life points dropped to 900.
"Uhm… Shinji's attack hits the mark! Yuya now only has nine-hundred life points left!" Melissa stammered when a new message, "Calm down the crowds or we will be forced to." Appeared on her aid's computer screen. "Isn't this fun, aren't you all excited! Let's… let's enjoy this duel together! Everyone?"
"Yuya!" Yuzu called as his life points were dropped down to the hundreds. She couldn't hear what Yuya had been saying, but clearly something was upsetting him. Looking down, she gasped when she saw the same thing Yuya and Shinji had spied. Security had now moved on to another segment of the track, systematically breaking up crowds and capturing them with massive nets fired from the turrets of Security trucks before pushing something against each arrested person's head and hauling them away.
"No!" Yuzu gasped, horrified by what she was seeing. From deep within her, she felt her anger growing. What was Roger doing!? Was he so scared of Shinji's speech that he was just going to arrest the entire city before anyone even committed a crime!? Forgetting about Yuya, she advanced forward and prepared to activate her Duel Disk, feeling the urge to take on all of Security and stop them in their tracks.
"Well… this is interesting." said Ti'ika Sara, sounding eager. "I can tell this is REALLY upsetting to you. Care for my help?"
Yuzu was about to reply when another voice filled her head.
"Yuzu!" Ruri's voice called, "What's going on? Are you alright!?"
"Oh great…" Ti'ika Sara whined, "…what does SHE want!?"
Yuzu blinked, shocked that Ruri was suddenly in her head. "What!?" she exclaimed, "Ruri!? Is that you!? How are you speaking to me now!?"
"Oh… sorry." Ruri apologized, "I forgot I didn't explain anything to you about the mental links."
"No… I don't mean that!" Yuzu stammered, "…Although… yeah… you forgot to mention you could speak to me like this. I meant to ask how you escaped from Security!?"
Yuzu could sense Ruri grinning. "I beat them, and then recruited them after I freed them from their mind control."
"All of them!?" Yuzu gawked. "There were… hundreds of them!"
"To be fair… I don't expect to be able to do something like that again so easily." Ruri explained, "Roger's strategy was completely linear and repetitive. He wasn't able to exploit any of my deck's weaknesses. Now that he knows how I work, I expect he'll come well prepared during our next engagement… assuming he even attempts to duel at all."
Yuzu looked down to the fleet of Armored Security cars which were quickly moving from block to block, netting and loading up Commons en masse before shipping them off. "I'm sorry…" Yuzu apologized, activating her Duel Disk, "…I can't talk anymore right now. There's something I have to do."
"What are you planning?" Ruri interrogated.
Yuzu hopped down to a building, approaching the convoy of armored Security Vehicles. "I'm stopping them. I'm stopping them right now before they take anyone else!"
Yuzu heard Ruri sigh. "I'm having the same problem with Rin right now." She seemed to mutter to herself. "I'm very sorry Yuzu, but it's not a good idea right now. If we engage Security here, we'll only be playing right into Roger's hands."
"What are you talking about!?" Yuzu asked, feeling her anger grow as swarms of Security officers manhandled even more innocent civilians. "We beat nine Security officers together, and you just beat hundreds of them on your own! If Rin's like us and she joins us, we can do something about this!"
"You're assuming they'll even give us the chance to duel them." Ruri replied, sounding just a little exasperated. "I've been watching a few of them myself. Believe me, these ones aren't messing around. As soon as they see even one of us, they'll fire those nets at us en masse. Those turrets are fast, and they don't seem to miss from what I've seen of them. Not to mention that those are only the non-lethal weapons on those things. You and Rin are still developing your powers. Even if I went in there, those tanks would probably be able to hold me off long enough for Roger to send in enough soldiers to overwhelm me. And like I said, unless he really is a brain-dead monkey, he'll know how to exploit my deck's weaknesses."
"So what are saying?" Yuzu asked as another group of civilians were brutally carted off by Security. "We just sit here and do nothing!?"
"I didn't say that." Ruri sighed before continuing. "Look… I'm not abandoning these people. I swear I will do everything in my power to free the people of this dimension. But we'll need more help if we're going to take down Roger without uneccessary bloodshed."
"What do you mean by uneccessary bloodshed?" Yuzu hesitantly asked.
Ruri paused. "I have… spoken with my spirit before. She… she says there are some ways I could stop Roger right now. But… but it's not something pleasant."
A vision suddenly filled Yuzu's mind. She saw the entire city laid before her gaze. From the point she was standing, Yuzu suddenly saw Ruri's heron mark, a flower mark, and a green whale mark appear in the sky and on the ground before a massive shadow of black mist poured from the marks. In only a few moments, the mist had spread itself across the entire city, enveloping everyone and everything within before fading away. When it was gone, the city that had once been so loud suddenly became deathly silent as cars ceased moving, dogs stopped barking, and the streets and parks which were once filled with people became eerily empty. Yuzu shuddered at the scene before looking down at her right arm to where her mark once lay, wondering what on earth had happened in the vision.
"Did you see it?" Ruri asked.
Yuzu nervously gulped. "Yes… what… what was that?"
"It's a power we possess which I never intend to use. I wasn't kidding about us having the power of goddesses. If I wanted to, I could sweep the inhabitants of the Synchro Dimension away like dust." She paused, "But it'd be wrong to do that. It's like having a nuclear bomb. Just because you've got one doesn't mean you use it… unless you really have no other choice. I don't want to hurt any innocent lives. I plan to take this Dimension from Roger the right way. Through dueling. To do that… I'm going to need your help, and we're going to need a lot more help than what we've got right now. Roger still has a massive army. Now that we've shocked him, he's only going to be tightening his grip on the city and the world. Baring the use of the power I just showed you, if we try to take him on now, make no mistake, he WILL win. It might not be when he sends the first wave of one-thousand soldiers, or even the next, but he WILL figure out our weaknesses eventually, and he WILL destroy us."
Yuzu looked sorrowfully down at the scene of merciless brutality. "So what do we do?"
"We use Roger's tyranny against him." Ruri explained. "Rin's been telling me about the oppressed people in the Synchro Dimension. They are willing to take on Roger, but they need leaders. I need you and Rin to be those leaders. Someone who can lead them against Roger's regime."
Yuzu looked back at Shinji, who had reduced the ATK of Yuya's monster with the effect of Hama.
"I want to stop Roger." Yuzu replied, "But I don't want to just start a mad riot."
Ruri seemed to nod her head. "I don't share in all of Shinji's beliefs." She agreed. "That's why I'm counting on you and Rin to be leaders, so that this isn't just some savage riot against the Tops. My goal is to free everyone, Tops and Commons, from Roger. To do that, we need a revolution, not just a rebellion. With your leadership, I think we can do that." Yuzu felt Ruri grin, "Teach them about smiles, just like you reminded me."
Yuzu nodded her head, lowering her Duel Disk in resignation. "I understand." She sighed, "But… it still feels wrong… leaving these people to be captured."
"Justice will be served." Ruri growled. "Mark my words. I will not let Roger off the hook for this!"
Yuzu turned her attention back to Yuya's duel, catching up to what happened with a few side-screens showing some recaps of past plays. After Yuya took damage, Shinji activated the effect of his monster, reducing Timesword Magician's attack by the damage Yuya received. Now Yuya's monster only had 1800 ATK and Shinji had activated another effect. His monster could attack twice in one turn. If it hit, Yuya would lose!
Yuzu raced to catch up with the riders, hoping Yuya had something to counter Shinji's attack.
"GO!" Shinji roared, "Hama the Evil-Crushing Bow! Attack Timesword Magician! End it with one-thousand points of damage!"
Hama launched an arrow at Yuya's small warrior, who held out his sword protectively in front of him.
"THE REVOLUTION BEGINS!" Shinji bellowed at the top of his lungs, as if trying to reach the ears of the people in the stadium, "ONCE YOU ARE DEFEATED, THE COMMONS WILL RISE UP AND FIGHT BACK! YOU CANNOT SILENCE US ANYMORE!"
"And Shinji… is getting… really fired up!" Melissa Clair reported, sweat beading on her forehead. "He's saying what a fun duel this is and how he's honored to be a participant in the Friendship Cup!"
Shinji bellowed at the top of his lungs as his arrow connected with Timesword Magician, blowing it to dust.
"YUUUUUYAAAAAAAA!" Yuzu called, desperately hoping he hadn't lost.
Then suddenly, as the smoke cleared from Hama's attack, Yuya suddenly emerged with a phantasmal monster above his head. The monster looked like a cross between a desert tapir and a purple balloon with a black top-hat and large, round black eyes.
"Huh?" Melissa Clair gasped, "What is this?"
Shinji looked shattered. "What happened!? Why!?"
"I activated the effect of Entermate Balloon Baku's effect." Yuya explained. "When I send this card from my hand to the graveyard, I can reduce battle damage to zero just once."
Shinji looked down at the Security vehicles and back up at Yuya before snarling. "I guess you aren't going down that easily. But…" he sneered, "…you only have nine-hundred Life Points left. I'll take you down next turn! Turn end!"
Yuya looked up ahead, spying Yuzu watching him from a building before reverting his attention back to the duel. "There's no way I can lose here." He thought to himself. "I made a promise. I WILL make everyone smile with my dueling, end the inter-dimesnional war, and return to our world with Yuzu!"
He ripped a card from the top of his deck. "ORE NO TURN!" he roared, glancing at the Spell Card he drew.
"I activate the Magic Card, Match Pump!" he declared. "I draw one card from my deck, and if it's a Level four or lower monster, I Special Summon it! Any other card is banished." He put his fingers to the top of his deck. "However… when the Special Summoned monster is a Pendulum Monster, that monster is destroyed and sent to the Extra Deck! In addition, during this turn, I cannot Special Summon except by this card's effect!" He contemplated his move before performing his draw. "If this draw is a Pendulum Monster," he thought, "I can increase effect damage with Extra Shooter's Pendulum effect."
He looked down at his deck, exhaling before taking the risk. "DRAW!"
His eyes widened in shock when he saw the monster he drew.
"This is… Tuning Magician!?" he gasped.
"GET ON WITH IT!" Shinji roared. "I WILL NOT LET YOU STAND IN MY WAY! THE REVOLUTION IS READY TO BEGIN!"
Yuya threw down his card. "I special Summon Tuning Magician in defense mode!"
A short magician with pink hair, white clothing with green trimmings, and a forked magician's staff with a rounded shield-like bell in the center of the pole, appeared to Yuya's field. A holographic indicator showed a Level of one and a defense of 0.
Melissa Clair gasped at Yuya's tremendous bad luck. Jack Atlas, meanwhile, quietly contemplated Yuya's play.
"Why does he have that card?" he thought to himself, watching Tuning Magician strike the bell of her staff, activating her ability. "When it's summoned, the opponent's Life Points increase by four-hundred while the user takes four-hundred damage."
Shinji laughed at Yuya's blunder as his Life Points rose to 3800 while Yuya's dropped to 500.
"Looks the match is decided." He sneered. "Putting such a useless card in your deck has sealed your fate!"
"There's no such thing!" Yuya countered, "Every card has a purpose! I truly believe that! If I listen, the card will surely respond to me!" he bowed his head. "I want to prove that in this tournament." He though to himself before thinking about the card he willingly placed in his deck. "Tuning Magician… there's no way you're just a useless card that hurts your user."
He raised his hand to the air. "I activate Extra Shooter's Pendulum effect!" Yuya declared. "For every Pendulum Monster in my Extra Deck, I inflict three-hundred damage!" From his Pendulum Zone, Yuya's Extra Shooter pulled back on his slingshot. "There are two in my Extra Deck, which makes six-hundred points of damage!"
Shinji flinched as Extra Shooter's projectile slammed into his bike, reducing his Life Points to 3200. However, the attack didn't seem to worry him.
"Because of this effect." Yuya explained. "I cannot Pendulum Summon. I end my turn!"
"So that was it!?" Shinji sneered. "You were planning on drawing a Pendulum Monster and increasing Extra Shooter's effect damage, but you didn't count on this happening! Drawing such a useless card has spelled your doom!"
He ripped a card from his deck. "ORE NO TURN!" he declared. "I'll bring an end to that useless card! I attack Tuning Magician with Hama the Evil-Crushing Bow!"
Hama once again conjured an arrow from his wristband before loading it into his arrow and launching it at Tuning Magician. Tuning Magician tried to fly away, but was swiftly caught by the arrow before disintegrating into gold holographic dust.
"Tuning Magician!" Yuya called.
"THIS IS IT! THE REVOLUTION BEGINS!" Shinji triumphantly declared. "GO! HAMA THE EVIL-CRUSHING BOW! DIRECT ATTACK!
Shinji's monster launched an arrow directly at Yuya.
"I activate my Doreneko's monster effect!" Yuya countered. "Once per turn, when there are no monsters on my field, battle damage is reduced to zero!"
Yuya's other Pendulum Monster began crashing a pair of mallets against its drum body, sending out waves of sound while chanting, "Nya, nya, nya, nya!" Before the arrow could reach Yuya, the soundwaves blew the arrow off course, saving Yuya from the damage.
"WERE NOT DONE YET!" Shinji barked, looking ready to murder someone. "When Hama the Evil-Crushing Bow fails to inflict battle damage, I inflict three-hundred damage for every Bee Force monster in my graveyard!"
The ground in front of Shinji exploded with light as an army of seven Bee Force monsters burst from his graveyard.
"There are seven Bee Force Monsters in my graveyard!" Shinji growled, "That makes twenty-one hundred points of damage!"
The seven Bee-Force monsters transformed into streams of glowing light, which coalesced and formed into a sphere of light over Hama's right hand.
"This time I'll end it for sure!" Shinji declared, face brimming with determination. "Go! Hama the Evil-Crushing Bow! Become the spark that lights the beacon of revolution! SAKAKI YUYAAAA!"
Hama slammed the sphere of energy against his bow, pulling back the string and launching it strait at Yuya. As the sphere of energy approached, it gradually lengthened until it resembled a flaming yellow arrow.
Yuzu gasped as she watched, unable to believe Shinji had countered Yuya's defense so quickly.
Slamming down on the accelerator, Yuya surged forward, making a rapid turn on the track before spying an Action Card suspended in a clear bubble. As the massive energy arrow gained on Yuya's bike, Yuya managed to swerve out of the way, feeling intense heat from Shinji's attack as it blazed past him.
Shinji blinked as his attack missed. "You dodged it!?" he exclaimed.
"I activated the Action Magic, Encore," Yuya declared. "With this card, I can choose one Action Spell in my graveyard, and use it!"
"An Action Magic in your graveyard?" Shinji suddenly gasped when he realized which one Yuya had chosen to use.
"That's right." Yuya agreed. "I chose, Acceleration! With its effect, Hama the Evil-Crushing Bow's effect damage is negated!"
Shinji looked like he was going to foam at the mouth with rage. "Stubborn brat!" he snapped. "But the match isn't over! It's no use drawing it out! I set one card face down and end my turn!"
"It won't end like this!" Yuya roared. "ORE NO TURN!" Before he could even begin, Shinji held out his hand.
"I activate the Continous Trap, Bee Formation!" A cloud of bees began swarming around Hama, forming a glowing infinity sign behind the monster. "When a monster is Normal or Special Summoned to my opponent's field, Hama the Evil-Crushing Bow's attack increases by 400!" Shinji grinned confidently. "I don't know what you drew, but whenever you summon a monster, Hama the Evil Crushing Bow's ATK will go up!"
"Shinji seals his victory!" Melissa Clair declared. "Can Yuya make a counterattack!?"
Yuya looked at the card he drew.
"Monster reborn." Yuya murmured. "A Magic Card that allows you to Special Summon a monster from the graveyard. The monsters in the graveyard are…" he mentally skimmed through his monsters and the monsters of his opponents, "…I have five-hundred life left. Even if I take control of Azusa the Spirit Bow, I can't defeat Hama." He struggled to come up with a strategy when he suddenly felt a sensation come over him.
Looking around, Yuya suddenly noticed that his environment seemed to have faded away before getting replaced with an endless black tunnel with streaks of white light.
"What is this!?" Yuya thought, not understanding the sudden vision. Looking to the side of the tunnel, he was able to make out the city of the Synchro Dimension. However, the city looked different. It was bathed in darkness. Several buildings were on fire, while dozens of skyscrapers had collapsed to the ground. Forming a triangular formation around sections of the city, three massive marks blazed against the ground with intense energy. At the top, there was a green, whale-shaped mark with a spiral eye. On the right bottom corner, a crimson flower mark with six petals blared against the darkness like a bonfire. On the lower left, a ghostly-blue dog-shaped mark with a long upright tail, cast an eerie glow against a cluster of ruined buildings. Shining in the sky with intense white light at the center of the formation, a massive, kilometer-long Heron Mark dwarfed the other three marks in size as it seemed to stare down at the city.
Yuya gasped at the vision, unable to comprehend what was going on. Suddenly, from up above, Yuya was startled by the sound of a massive roar.
Looking up above, Yuya nearly fell from his bike when he saw a massive, ghostly dragon creature, whose body seemed to burn with intense crimson flames, spiraling through the sky with three other smaller dragons surrounding his gargantuan body in a triangular guard-escort formation.
"Did Shinji summon that thing?" Yuya thought, looking back. But Shinji was nowhere in sight, and something told Yuya that there was no way Shinji could possibly have a monster like that in his deck.
"There are people on those dragons!" Yuya heard Yuto suddenly exclaim.
Yuya spun his head around when he suddenly heard Yuto's voice call from within his mind. Appearing next to his bike, Yuya's ghostly companion pointed up at the formation of dragons, directing Yuya's gaze towards the three smaller dragons surrounding the massive crimson dragon.
"Yuto!?" Yuya gasped. "What are you doing here?"
"Just look!" Yuto insisted, dark eyes widening as he gazed upon the dragons.
Yuya complied, and stared up at the three dragons. Sure enough, just like Yuto had said, on top of the three smaller dragons, a human sat on the dragon's back, riding it like a horse. On the serpentine body of a blue dragon with elegant humanoid arms and hands, and a pair of white butterfly wings, a girl with long green hair, white shorts, and a long, pink shirt, stared down at Yuya and Yuto with a bright smile on her face. Not far from her, riding a dragon with bright golden scales, two pairs of leathery wings, and a broad tail with a shovel-like end, a boy with green hair tied back in a ponytail, and who was dressed in a tight blue and green riding outfit, watched over the other green haired rider protectively. Looking back and forth between the two riders, Yuya noticed that their faces almost completely matched each other's faces, making them look like twin siblings. Above the twins, riding an ethereal white dragon with a face like a white tiger's, a large white mane, an elaborate headdress, two pairs of arms, no legs, a bushy white tail like a paint brush, and nine pairs of rapidly humming dragonfly wings running down its massive serpentine body, a pale woman, who looked to be in about her early fifties, with long white hair tied back into a bun and ponytail, icy blue eyes, and who was wearing a large black kimono with white flowers, stared down at Yuya and Yuto with a calculating expression on her face.
"What is this?" Yuya asked once again, not knowing what else to ask. Looking through the tunnel, Yuya could barely make out the crowds watching him, but they didn't seem to even be aware of what was going on, much less care.
Yuya and Yuto, however, were not the only ones who saw the dragons.
Hearing a sudden, ear-piercing roar, Yuzu looked up to see the same four dragons Yuya and Yuto had seen. Instantly, the second her eyes made contact with the massive crimson dragon, she felt sudden pain stab through her right arm where her mark once lay.
"Aaaaaaaaaaaaaagh!" Yuzu shrieked, as the pain forced her on her knees.
"YOU!" Yuzu heard Ti'ika Sara's voice roar, "Why are you here!? Why do you have to interfere!?" Yuzu gasped in agony as feelings of overwhelming rage and anguish rose up within her.
"What is that!?" Yuzu shrieked, desperately wanting to be rid of the pain.
"THE ENEMY!" Ti'ika Sara hissed. "The vile one! The imprisoner! Soul binder! Body breaker! Stone layer! Meddler! Deciever! Betrayer! The Crimson Dragon! QUETZALCOATL!"
Yuzu struggled back to her feet, as physical and emotional pain continued to wrack her mind and body. Tears dribbled down her cheeks as she involuntarily gnashed her teeth together in growing anger. Just looking on the loathsome dragon, she could understand what Ti'ika Sara was saying. She had only just barely seen it, but she already knew she hated it! She wanted to be rid of it! She wanted to banish it! Bury it! Destroy it!"
Yuzu fell to her knees, gasping for breath as the wave of emotions began to overwhelm her. Was this… was this really what she was feeling right now? Why!? She didn't even know what was going on! And yet… she could still feel the hatred, pressing and burning against her skin as if wanting to burst out like a wild animal and rip the dragon to pieces.
"Are you feeling this!?" Yuzu though to Ruri, struggling not to faint from the simultaneous agony and rage.
"I do." Ruri replied from overhead, landing next to Yuzu, before retracting her wings and cradling her counterpart in her arms. "Rin's feeling it as well."
Yuzu could tell Ruri was deeply upset. While Ruri tried to offer comfort by gently stroking her friend's back, she gazed warily back at the dragon, red irises flaming against her black sclera. Yuzu caught a glimpse of Ruri's hand trembling as she angrily balled it into a fist before another wave of pain suddenly shot through her body, causing her to tense up from the force of it.
"What is it!?" Yuzu moaned, wondering if she could possibly take any more pain.
Ruri closed her eyes and inhaled through her nose. "We might have some opposition."
From the Duel Palace, Jack Atlas rose from his throne when he suddenly caught vision of the Crimson Dragon flying throught the sky above the Friendship Cup contestants. Falling down to his knees and bowing in the direction of the dragon, he held out his right arm until it was facing in the direction of the dragons.
"So you've returned… Quetzalcoatl." He murmured. "I accept the call. I vow to do everything in my power to serve you." The instant he made this declaration, a crimson mark shaped like a pair of dragon wings blazed to life beneath his sleeve.
"Call to them, Yuya!" Yuto instructed his companion, still gazing up at the dragons.
"Do you know them?" Yuya asked, desperately trying to find an explanation for what was going on.
"No." Yuto responded. "But I feel like we should make contact with them."
Yuya gazed up at the dragons and their riders. The dragons and riders had an intimidating air of tremendous power about them, and yet… for some reason, Yuya felt that neither the dragons nor the riders were going to harm either himself or Yuto.
Yuya decided to take Yuto's challenge and see if he could find some answers.
"HEY!" he called at the top of his lungs. "WHO ARE YOU!?"
The older woman in the kimono looked down at Yuya.
"You see us?" she inquired in an even tone, somehow clearly projecting her voice to Yuya without shouting. "If so, then both of you raise your right arm."
"Both of us?" Yuya asked.
"I suppose that works as well." She smiled. "What about your companion next to you?"
"You see me!?" Yuto gasped, floating forward.
"Apparently as well as you see me." The woman replied. She looked around the area, glaring at the marks burning against the city landscape. "This place is not safe to speak. The Earthbound are watching us right now."
"Earthbound?" Yuya asked, steadily becoming more confused.
"Who are you!?" Yuto called. "How can you see me!?"
The rider looked down at Yuto, carefully analyzing him. "You and I are not too different." She explained. "Let's leave it at that for now."
"But who are you!?" Yuto pressed, looking exceedingly glad to have someone to speak to.
The woman smiled warmly at both Yuya and Yuto. "Hashimoto…" she replied, "…Seijun Hashimoto."
She looked back over to where the marks were burning and scowled before looking back down at Yuya and Yuto with a grave expression on her face.
"Beware the ones who bear those marks." She warned. "But be especially wary of this mark."
She extended her hand above her head. The instant she did, a massive, multicolored spiral mark appeared in the sky, stretching out endlessly in all directions before fading away.
The green-haired girl flew her dragon down a little lower and began speaking to Yuya and Yuto.
"Seek us out when you've managed to clear your mind again." She advised. "We'll find a place where we can speak freely."
Yuya's mind was swimming with questions. Looking over at Yuto, he could tell his companion was just as dumbfounded as he was.
"How will we find you again?" Yuya called. "How do we clear our minds?"
The girl's twin flew down to Yuya and Yuto.
"I'd do what lead you here in the first place." He grinned. "It looks like the Crimson Dragon took notice of you guys' spirit in your duel and let you see us. I'll bet if you can achieve that same level of clear-mindedness in another duel, you'd be able to find us again."
"Crimson Dragon?" Yuya gaped, "Duel!?"
"Yep." The boy smugly replied, seemingly enjoying their confusion.
"Speaking of duels." Seijun called from up above. "You've neared the time limit for your turn. Fortunately, it looks like your monster is willing to help you."
Yuya gasped in shock, realizing that the duel must've been continuing, before noticing a flash of light on his left side. Looking upon the light, Yuya watched as Tuning Magician appeared to his field with a determined expression on her face.
"Tuning magician?" Yuya called, looking at the dimunuitive monster who stared back at him with unblinking eyes. Suddenly, in a flash of inspiration, Yuya saw something. Something he could create. Something Tuning Magician could help him create. Looking down through the tunnel, he started rapidly thinking through a series of plays. If he did things right, he could win!
"You have a plan?" Yuto asked.
"Yes." Yuya nodded before looking up at the three riders. "I'll win this duel." He called, "And then I promise I will find you again!"
"We will be waiting for you." Seijun called back, before she, the two other riders, and all four dragons zoomed into the distance and the tunnel faded away, leaving Yuya back on the duel field with just seconds left to complete his turn.
"Uhm… it looks like Yuya doesn't know what to do." Melissa Clair commented. "He has just five more seconds to make a move before the time limit ends his turn."
"ARE YOU GIVING UP!?" Shinji roared from behind Yuya, looking extremely angered. "I DON'T HAVE TIME TO WASTE ON YOUR MOPING! I HAVE A REVOLUTION TO BEGIN!"
Yuya proceeded with his turn without a second more of hesitation.
"With the set scale two, Doraneko, and scale six, Extra Shooter, I Pendulum Summon!" He raised his hands to the sky, up to where a large pink portal opened up between his two Pendulum Cards before twin streams of brilliant green and white light poured onto his field. "Revive from my Extra Deck!" he commanded, "Silver Claw! Timesword Magician!"
Shinji growled as Yuya's action caused the timer to stop, enabling him to continue playing so long as there were no more long pauses.
"Bee Force Formation effect!" he declared, "Hama the Evil-Crushing Bow's attack goes up by four-hundred!"
A holographic indicator appeared and showed Hama's ATK rise to 3200. Yuya, however, continued with his turn as if completely unconcerned.
"I activate the Magic Card, Monster Reborn!" he countered, slamming his Spell Card against his D-Wheeler. "I Special Summon one monster from my graveyard! Lend me your power once more, Tuning Magician!"
As a black portal appeared in front of Yuya, Tuning Magician rose from the depths of the graveyard, wearing a serene expression on her face as she glowed with violet light.
Everyone who was watching looked confused.
"Huh?" Melissa Clair gawked. "Why did he summon Tuning Magician again? What is he thinking!?"
Tuning Magician smiled before banging the bell on her staff once again and activating her effect.
"With Tuning Magician's effect," Yuya declared, "I increase my opponent's Life Points by 400 while I take 400 damage!"
Shinji stared back at Yuya in disbelief. While his own Life Points had risen to 3600, Yuya's had been reduced to a mere 100.
From the building, Yuzu gasped in shock, forgetting her own pain as she watched Yuya groan from the damage taken from Tuning Magician's effect. Leaping out of Ruri's arms before her Xyz counterpart could stop her, she began once again sprinting towards Yuya's location.
Even Roger momentarily wrenched himself from his business to glance at the Duel.
"What's he planning?" he thought to himself.
"Have you lost your mind Yuya!?" Shinji gawked, sincerely wondering if Yuya had decided to avoid losing the duel by trolling him as hard as possible with a ridiculously long pause and a series of wacky stall plays that made no sense whatsoever. Looking down at the convoys of armoed vehicles that were still capturing groups of Commons, he decided to not let Yuya get into his head and continue playing as seriously as he could.
"Hama the Evil-Crushing Bow's attack increases again with Tuning Magician's Summon!" he roared as the infinity sign behind Hama's back glowed with yellow light before Hama's ATK rose to 3600.
Everyone who was not running from Security gaped in shock at Yuya's brilliant stupidity, wondering if the stress of the duel really had snapped his mind.
Yuya continued his turn, completely ignoring the mockery from the crowds.
"I tune the Level four Silver Claw and Level three Timesword Magician with the Level one Tuning Magician!"
"What!?" Shinji gasped, never recalling Yuya having a single Synchro Monster in his Extra Deck, much less the knowledge of how to perform a Synchro Summon.
Tuning magician flew forward before morphing into a green ring which slid across Yuya's two monsters, turning them into golden outlines of themselves before they disappeared and were replaced with a single-file line of seven white spheres of light.
"Hero's blade that sets forth unyielding light, awaken with a flash!" Yuya chanted as a shining column of white light burst through the green ring. "SYNCHRO SHOKAN! LEVEL EIGHT! ENLIGHTENMENT PALADIN!"
In a flash of light, Yuya's new Synchro Monster burst onto the field. Weilding a pair of swords, one with a yellow gem in the pommel and one with a red gem in the pommel, Enlightenment Paladin gave a quick battle-cry before posing in front of Yuya. Enlightenment Paladin resembled Yuya's Magician of Chronomancy, with metallic clock-like accessories adorning his clothing, but this magician looked more like an armored knight with a white mask covering the lower half of his face, and shiny chrome armor covering the rest of his body. A holographic indicator appeared and showed an ATK of 2500.
Everyone in the crowd looked astonished by Yuya's unexpected move.
"Amazing!" Yuzu cheered, grateful to feel delighted over something after enduring so much pain only a few moments ago.
Shinji, however, looked unimpressed.
"It's too late!" he sneered. "Hama the Evil-Crushing Bow's attack is already at thirty-six hundred! And with Bee Formation's effect, it goes up by another four-hundred!" Hama roared as his ATK rose to 4000.
"I activate Enlightenment Paladin's monster effect!" Yuya countered as his monster joined his swords together till they looked like the 6:00 position on a clock. "When a Magician is used as a Synchro Summon Material, I can add one Magic Card from my graveyard to my hand!"
An ethereal clock appeared in front of Enlightenment Paladin before the hands of the clock began rotating counterclockwise. Suddenly, the duel field was bathed in a dark blue light. Time suddenly seemed to stop before both contestants' bikes started running in reverse.
"Wh-what on earth is happening?" Shinji gasped, looking scared.
"I add Gap Power from the graveyard to my hand and activate it!" Yuya declared, slapping down the Spell Card as the trackway reverted to its normal color before the two D-Wheels once again started racing forward. "I add half of the difference between our Life Points to one monster's attack!" the holographic image of Yuya's Spell Card began to glow. "The difference between my and Shinji's Life Points is thirty-five hundred. I add half of that to Enlightenment Paladin's attack!"
Enlightenment Paladin let out a war cry as he began glowing with an aura of golden light. A holographic indicator appeared below him and displayed an ATK of 4250.
"Four-thousand two-hundred and fifty attack!?" Shinji gasped. "Its attack is higher than Hama the Evil-Crushing Bows!?"
"It's all thanks to Tuning Magician." Yuya explained with a serious expression on his face. "Tuning Magician's effect made the difference between my Life Points and Shinji's even larger! Now, Enlightenment Paladin's attack surpasses Hama the Evil-Crushing Bow's attack!"
Shinji's eyes widened in disbelief.
Yuya humbly bowed his head. "I could Synchro Summon thanks to Tuning Magician." He looked up to the audience, thinking of the Commons who were being cleared away like trash. "EVERY CARD HAS A PURPOSE!" he roared, challenging the beliefs of the entire society of the Synchro Dimension. "AS LONG AS I LISTEN TO IT, THE CARD WILL RESPOND!"
Melissa Clair sweated inside her helicopter, not failing to miss the symbolism behind Yuya's action. It had been bad enough when Shinji was trying to insight a revolt with his dueling. Now it looked like Yuya was trying to do the same. One of the aids nervously prompted her to continue.
"Y-Yuya says he is proud to entertain the audience, and uhm… has once again called out his catchphrase… uhm… the fun has just started!" she stammered, hoping nobody in the audience could read lips. It was a terrible position for her to be in. She had already been threatened last night by Security when she was working late at night and caught a glimpse of Security's actions against the Executive Council. They had threatened to take her family if she reported anything. And now… here she was… complying with their orders once again… and yet… they had still taken her sister, Aliesha! What was she supposed to do!?
"GO! ENLIGHTENMENT PALADIN!" Yuya roared, "ATTACK HAMA THE EVIL-CRUSHING BOW!"
Enlightenment Paladin charged forward, swinging his blade down against Hama's bow. From his wristband, Hama shot a bolt of energy back at Enlightenment Paladin, but Enlightenment Paladin managed to quickly block the projectile with his second blade. Raising both swords above his head, he merged the two handles together into a double-ended sword, before swinging the weapon around above his head in a whirlwind of blades. Mowing through Shinji's monster, he obliterated Hama in one swift pass, leaving Hama's severed remains to explode behind him.
Shinji grunted as his Life Points dropped to 3350.
Yuya didn't hesitate for a second before continuing with his turn. "Next, I activate the Enlightenment Paladin's effect! When it destroys a monster in battle, it inflicts damage equal to that monster's attack!"
Enlightenment Paladin spread out his swords, blades glowing with brilliant white light as a ghostly image of Hama the Evil-Crushing Bow appeared behind him.
"Hama the Evil-Crushing Bow's attack is…" Shinji gaped, unable to believe what was happening.
Enlightenment Paladin clashed his two swords together, sending a stream of blue energy that took the shape of Hama towards Shinji, who charged angrily at the bolt of power, inwardly cursing his misfortune. In an explosive blast, Shinji's bike skidded to a stop as it was blasted back and his Life Points were reduced to 0, leaving Shinji to scream at the top of his lungs with agony.
Melissa wiped some sweat from her brow. Relieved that the duel was finally over.
"It's over!" she cheered. "He escaped a crisis with a viscious counterattack and emerged victorious, the winner, Sakaki Yuuuuuyaaaaaaaa!"
From her building, Yuzu smiled down on Yuya, brimming with pride and relief that he had won.
"Thank you… Yuya." She smiled, straitening out her hair which had become frazzled from the pain she endured upon seeing the Crimson Dragon. "I will definitely take your message to heart."
From his room in the Duel Palace Stadium, Jack Atlas, pushed a button on an intercom.
"Send someone to my room immediately." He ordered, I need something delivered.
"Yes sir." A voice responded on the other end.
Jack sat down at a desk and began writing. After a few moments, he finished a letter, and managed to seal it away in an envelope bearing his insignia before the door to his room opened.
Sam stepped into Jack's room, looking a little anxious. His lower lip was quivering and he was rubbing his hands together as if he'd done something wrong.
Jack stepped forward and handed the boy a letter.
"I need you to deliver this to a former Security Officer named Soichi Kazama. You will find his address on the envelope. Be quick and don't stop for anything." He commanded.
The boy hastily took the letter from Jack and turned to leave when he paused mid-step, looking like there was something he wanted to say.
"What is it?" Jack Atlas asked, not in the mood to listen to another bell-boy's demand for a generous tip.
The boy nervously looked up at him. "Uhm… do you…" he nervously stuttered, "…do you… remember me?"
"Hmmmm?" Jack Atlas asked, looking over at the kid.
"Oh… no… of course not." Sam sighed. "Y-you gave me… you gave me the Tuning Magician card." He nervously explained.
Jack's eyes widened in recognition.
"Back then…" Sam hesitated, hoping he wouldn't upset Jack, "…I thought you had given me a useless card that suited me, so I bore a grudge against you." He looked down at the ground, looking like he had committed the greatest crime in the universe. "I gave it to Yuya, t-the Tuning Magician card that is, and told him to beat you for me."
Jack looked down at the boy. "Sakaki Yuya?" he asked.
Sam nodded his head. "I thought the card you gave me was useless, but Yuya taught me that depending on how you use it, it can be an amazing card! He taught me that there aren't any useless cards!" Sam had started to grow excited with his speech, but quickly went back to standing dutifully at attention when he noticed how he was acting.
Jack didn't seem to mind. "He was right." Jack nodded. "There aren't any useless cards. All of them have their purpose." He looked off into the distance, looking somewhat saddened by something. "People are the same." He knelt down at Sam's feet and put his hand on the boy's shoulder. "And that's why I need you now. You may not understand what is going on, but you are about to play a very important role in some major events, as will I, and as will others. Right now I need you to fulfill yours." He folded Sam's hands over the letter. "Whatever happens, this letter MUST reach Officer Kazama. If it does not, we will be sorely unprepared for what is coming."
Sam blinked at Jack before nodding his head in agreement and sprinting off with the letter at top speed. When the boy had left, Jack pulled out his deck holder and began examining a picture of a Jack Card on the side of the compartment. Holding it up to his arm, he clenched his fist until his wing mark reappeared on his arm, glowing with brilliant crimson light. As the mark cast its light on the Jack Card, the deck holder gave off a faint beeping sound before a tiny compartment opened beneath the Jack Card and a single card popped out.
Jack took the card in his hands and examined it thoughtfully.
"I had hoped this war was over," He murmured, "but the time for us to do battle has come once again, Neo Majestic Dragon."
…
Ruri had missed most of the duel. She had not bothered to pay attention to it. It had been too disconcerting for her when the dragon had appeared in the sky. After Yuzu had left, she had begun conversing with her inner spirit, Jatun Waqar, for a long time.
"I won't do it." Ruri sighed, a tear trickling down her cheek. "Not unless I have absolutely no other choice. It won't come to that. I can fix this!"
Jatun Waqar offered no response.
Ruri nodded her head. "Thank you for understanding." She sighed before flying towards the Duel Palace. The crowds were going wild, rewatching highlights of the last duel, blissfully oblivious to the brutality happening just outside. Soaring towards the returning D-Wheelers, Ruri looked down at the person Yuzu had talked so much about, Sakaki Yuya. Looking at him, she saw that he indeed looked just like her friend, Yuto, but she could tell it wasn't him. The look in his eyes was similar, but not quite like Yuto's.
As the contestant neared Ruri, the Dark Signer suddenly perceived something briefly flash into existence next to Yuya. With a gasp, she almost stopped mid-flight and plummeted from the sky. Changing direction, she flew down as close to Yuya as she dared and looked down at him once again. When she saw the same image flash next to Yuya, she almost fainted from shock as she recognized a face and gasped one name.
"YUTO!?"
JACK'S LETTER
SOICHI KAZAMA,
I HAD HOPED THIS DAY WOULD NEVER COME, BUT IT APPEARS OUR OLD ENEMIES HAVE RETURNED. THE CRIMSON DRAGON HAS MADE HIS APPEARANCE TO CALL US FORTH TO BATTLE ONCE MORE. NO DOUBT OUR FRIEND, DR. AKI, WOULD HAVE SENSED THIS, BUT I NEED YOU TO GATHER OUR REMAINING ALLIES. THE ONES WE PREPARED SPECIFICALLY FOR A SITUATION LIKE THIS, THE PHOENIX GUARD. SEND OUR ALLIES IN THIS DIMENSION TO THE OTHER DIMENSIONS AND GATHER AS MANY AS YOU CAN TO THE CITY. WE WILL NEED ALL OF THEM TO STAND AGAINST THE THREAT I FEAR WILL ARRISE. BE SWIFT, BE STRONG, AND KNOW THAT I REMAIN YOUR CONSTANT FRIEND AND ALLY,
JACK ATLAS.
SPECIAL OFFER 2: BRING FORTH THE LIGHT!
The Crimson Dragon has returned. He has come to gather all allies of light together in order to stand against an evil that has returned once again! Gather your strength together and join as one. Join the Phoenix Guard! Together, we will purge the universe of evil and restore light to a world fading into darkness!
My readers. I can't thank you enough for the many ideas you have already contributed to "Signs of Renewal!" I am overjoyed to see character and card ideas from Ghost83, Epsilon Tarantula, and greninja. I have recorded your ideas and you will be seeing those cards and characters in the future!
So Special Offer 2 is just like Special Offer 1. Submit your own fan cards and fan characters to the story. This time, however, you all can submit your characters to a new alliegience, The Phoenix Guard! These are brave duelists from across all the dimensions who, while not holding the position of Signer, stand as allies with the Crimson Dragon's servants. Now is your chance to give life to these characters! I already have several of my own original characters ready to go, for all sides of the conflict, but I can always, and love to, accept more! A shout-out goes to Epsilon Tarantula who is already marshalling an array of characters and their decks together to stand against the Jibakushin. Who will gain more support in the end? I can only imagine. At any rate, same rules apply (see the end of the previous chapter for details). PM me your ideas and watch your characters come to life as they take a stance in this escalating conflict! Stay tuned for chapter nine and ten which will both be coming out next week assuming all goes well with my schedule. I look forward to seeing your ideas! Stay awesome, and until next time, this is Donjusticia, signing out!
FEATURED FANFIC CARDS
Jack Atlas's Monsters
Neo Majestic Dragon/ Stats unrevealed/ Effects unrevealed.
