It's finally time. You guys have no idea how long I have been waiting to get this part of the story out. Let's just say this has been in the works since I started TDE2.
Anyway, here's Part One.
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Chris' recap: "Last time on Total Drama Everything 2, the remaining competitors were all given a little jolt by a strange vision late into the night. Well, all except Lammy. She slept like a baby. Totally not suspicious at all. If that weren't enough, we then had our competitors warm up their vocal cords and and dust off their creativity, because everyone had to write their own song and record it for the radios. We had everything, from Ruby's happy beats to Gaz's calculated tunes. However, using some less conventional methods, Ivy managed to sway the judges into giving her the invincibility. Of course, this was something Gaz couldn't stand, so she went and stood up to Ivy, seemingly sealing the goth girl's fate. But Ivy had other plans and used her sole vote to eliminate Gaz's one weakness: Double D, leaving Gaz in shock and thirsty for revenge. Not to mention, Lammy kinda freaked out a little. She was even desperate enough to throw herself off the plane! She's crazy, I know. This time around, we got a challenge requiring two competitors to use strategy and skill, but rely on luck at the same time. Who will be the first to crack? Let's watch and find out on the latest episode of Total. Drama. Everything 2!"
*theme song*
"What do you mean we can't get into the city?" Chris asked, angrily talking on the phone.
He waited for the person on the other end of the line to stop talking, then he groaned. "Yes, I get that I have kinda trashed a few places this season, but one of my competitors lives in that city! And I wanted to do my next challenge there! Come on, please?"
After the other person stopped talking, Chris kicked the air in frustration. "Fine! If you want it like that, I will hold my challenge somewhere else. Are you happy?"
Not wanting an answer, he hung up. Then he turned to Chef, who was flying the plane.
"Change of plans. They're not allowing me to use the city for the challenge, even though we have someone who lives there. We're going to have to go somewhere else."
"Darn. Any ideas?"
"Any remote, barren landscape will do."
"I know just the place."
(Meanwhile…)
Most of the competitors were in the cafeteria (except for Ivy and Lammy). Gaz was sitting near the door, hastily writing down something.
Frustrated, she shook her head. "Nope, that plan's not going to work."
"Still working out how to get rid of Ivy?" Ruby said, walking over to her with Leo in tow.
"What do you think?" Gaz asked. "You know, it would be easier to make a plan if you two tried to help a little."
"You think we haven't?" Leo asked. "I've been trying to come up with a plan myself. Thing is, after what happened to Double D, I'm worried Ivy's always going to be one step ahead of us."
Gaz rolled her eyes. "That's where you're wrong. Zelda wasn't her doing. We made sure to take her out before Ivy could, right? That means with careful planning, we can get the upper hand."
"Well, at least you're handling things well and not pulling a Yusei," Ruby said.
"I can hear you, you know," Yusei called from the other side of the room. The other three looked at the duelist, who looked slightly annoyed (he had been reading a book on lost duel cards).
Realizing her mistake, Ruby facepalmed and said, "Sorry."
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"Me and my big mouth," Ruby said.
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"Gaz seems to have taken recent events in stride," Leo explained. "We all want Ivy gone, surely. But Gaz is more determined to do it than the rest of us."
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Ivy came into the cafeteria, looking at the others. "Wow, was someone left out of the conversation?"
"Ever think that might've been you?" Yusei asked.
Ignoring the smart remark, Ivy leaned against the wall and looked at her newly-manicured nails, polished to her favorite color: black. It really suited her skin tone.
Then another door opened, and Lammy walked in. "Top of the morning, guys," she said, a little tired but still cheery.
"You don't sound like it," Gaz pointed out.
"Sorry. Didn't sleep well last night. No idea why, because I am certain I didn't have a single dream."
She sat down, aware of everyone looking at her. "Will you guys stop staring at me?" she asked.
Silence filled the room as the six went back to their business. Then Ruby told everyone, "Kinda feels weird, not a lot of us left. I certainly didn't think I would last this long."
"You kidding?" Ivy asked. "I was always going to last long."
"Only because you go and exploit others," Yusei pointed out.
"When you put it that way, it sounds bad," Ivy told him. "But I was playing the game the only way I knew how."
Leo rolled his eyes. "At least it will be over soon," he said.
Gaz stood up and turned to leave the room. "Yeah, I'm not about to join in some stupid share fest," she said as she walked out the door.
Lammy was the next to leave. "This is just getting boring," she said, going out a different door.
As she walked down the hallway, she turned and looked back at the door. She ran back to it and tapped on the door, beckoning Yusei, who walked over and opened the door, then stepped into the hallway and closed it behind him.
"Yeah?" he asked.
"You said you wanted to know everything, right?" Lammy asked.
That was the least likely thing Yusei wanted to hear. "Yes. Why?"
Lammy took a deep breath. After everything she and Yusei had been through since the day they met, she owed him this warning. "I still can't tell you now, but I'm warning you that you might just find out before too long. I would be prepared if I were you."
"What the heck is that supposed to mean?" Yusei asked, confused.
"Just trust me on this," Lammy said before she turned and headed into the cargo hold.
Still confused, Yusei walked back into the cafeteria. "What was that all about?" Ruby asked him.
"I have no idea," he said.
(Meanwhile…)
Gaz had just walked back into Economy when she felt a tapping on her shoulder. She turned and found Dot. "What do you want, squirt?" she asked.
"Just delivering you a message and extra stuff," Dot said, handing Gaz a message device and an envelope.
Once Dot left the room, Gaz sat down and turned on the message, hoping Double D had sent it. So she was disappointed to see her brother Dib's face on the screen.
(Gaz's message, submitted by Storygirl000)
(We open to Dib in the same room as he was before. Story is sleeping behind him, muttering some things.)
Dib: Hi again, Gaz. Story's currently out of commission because she thought she could forgo food, water, and sleep for at least a week. How she's still alive at this point, I don't know.
Story: (mumbling) Please refrain...from opening...skies...
Dib: (sighs) First, let me clarify why I'm doing this: Story and I are...reluctant co-workers on a different project of hers, and she told me that if I didn't do this, the world would be doomed. (muttering) And she threatened me at Pokéball-point.
Story: (mumbling) Your time...came with the rain...but now...it's dry...
Dib: Now, as for the actual point of this message...we've finally reached a conclusion regarding Lammy's necklace. (holds up a few sheets of paper) Story went through every back-episode of the show trying to get an idea on what it can do, did a lot of research on it, and she wrote her conclusion and a recommendation before passing out.
Story: (mumbling) Gonna take...more than...just time...
Dib: I'd share the info with you now, but due to...outside forces...I can't. Instead, I'll be attaching the papers to the message and sending them directly to you.
Story: (mumbling) We ended...right as you...cut the ties...with knives...of lies...
Dib: She does have a few more recommendations on what to do with the necklace, though I doubt the validity of some of them. (squints at the papers) I mean, "power of love"? Really?
Story: (suddenly awakens and bolts upright) YUSAMMY WILL BE A THING AGAIN EVEN IF I HAVE TO STICK THEM IN A CURSED PHOTO BOOTH TO MAKE SURE OF IT!
Dib: (screams) RAGDOLL, TRANQ!
(A tranquilizer dart comes out of nowhere and hits Story, knocking her out. Ragdoll the Mimikyu then walks in, holding a smoking tranq gun.)
Ragdoll: Kyuuuu!
Dib: (sighs) Good luck, Gaz
*end*
Gaz looked at the envelope. She knew right away the contents contained the answers Yusei was looking for. She hastily opened it, and a few papers fell out, including a letter from Story, some newspaper clippings, pictures, pages ripped out of textbooks, and other things related to the findings. She took one of the papers and started reading.
It took several minutes to read every word from every piece of information, but once she was done, it all made sense to her. Lammy's erratic behavior, the strange nature of the necklace, her treatment towards Yusei, it all fell into place.
And she was the only person on the plane with the information, except maybe Lammy herself, because Gaz wouldn't count her out on finding the secrets of the very object she wore.
Putting the findings back into the envelope, she ran out of Economy and back into the kitchen, sitting down next to Yusei.
"We need to talk," Gaz whispered. "I found something you're gonna want to hear."
Gaz's tone of voice left Yusei a little concerned. "Okay, what is it?"
Before Gaz could open her mouth however, Chris turned on the intercom. "Okay, competitors. We got some crazy fun to take care of today in the form of a unique challenge. Everyone, get ready to land. But be warned, the runway's short, so you're going to have to jump out."
"Tell me later," Yusei said, knowing there was no time.
(One rough landing and six scary jumps out of a moving plane later…)
"Ever think Chris may be a little crazy?" Ruby asked, dusting herself off.
"You only now just figured that out?" Gaz asked her.
Once everyone had gotten over their rough entrance, they took stock on their surroundings. They were in a wide open barren wasteland, not unlike ones they would arrive in whenever they were about to go into an interdimensional challenge. However, there was no large portal this time.
"Okay, this is most certainly new," Leo said, looking around.
"Maybe they forgot to build something and we're just getting a free day," Lammy told him.
While everyone else was confused, Chris walked out, Chef and the Warners in tow. "First of all, congrats to you all for making it to the final six. We're finally nearing the end of the season after a whole lotta drama and insanity. Sheesh, it feels like this season's been going on for years."
"Tell me about it," Yusei said, rolling his eyes.
"Anyway, we had to make a sudden change of plans for this challenge," Chris explained, sounding annoyed because of Yusei's remark. "We were originally going to have another interdimensional challenge, but they turned down my request to enter the area. Apparently they have heard of some questionable things involving risking protected wildlife habitats, destroying property, other stuff. No idea what they're talking about."
Gaz gave a quick snort in disbelief.
"Luckily, I had prepared for such a problem, so here we are. We made a few interesting changes to the area here. Chef, press the button. You guys are going to like this."
Chef held up a small remote containing a single button. With a smirk, he pushed it and suddenly, the ground right under the competitors started to rumble. Everyone looked down and were stunned to see that the dirt below them was disappearing. The next thing they noticed was that the ground was slowly rising. It stopped once it reached five feet high, and the dirt on top of it had disappeared to reveal a stainless steel surface. On this floor was a design, looking similar but not quite like a sports field. Most of the competitors had no idea what this was, but Yusei quickly recognized it.
"No way," Yusei whispered to himself. Then he turned to Chris. "Is this what I think it is?" he asked.
Chris smiled. "It's exactly what you think it is. Everyone, you are now standing on a standard Duel Monsters Duel Field."
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"YES! YES! YES!" Yusei exclaimed.
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"Impressive, huh?" Chris asked. "Here's how this is going to go. We're dividing you guys up into teams of two, and both teams will pick one representative. That representative will go up against the other team's representative in a no holds barred, one-on-one full on Duel. The winner of this match will secure invincibility for themselves and their entire team. Simple enough. If you guys don't know how to play the game (in other words, you're not Yusei), I have manuals so you can read those if you have to step up. I would suggest reading them anyway so that you know what's going on. Any questions?"
Ruby raised her hand.
"No questions? Good. We decided the two sides earlier by a random selection, to make things interesting. Ruby, Gaz, and Yusei, you guys are one team. Leo, Lammy, and Ivy are the other team. Hard part's over."
Some people sighed in relief. Ivy wasn't on the same team as Yusei.
"Now I'll give you guys a few moments to decide who's doing this. Get to discussing."
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"We're going to have to choose carefully," Leo said. "None of my team are professionals, and the others have a guy who lives for this game. The only person I think can do anything against him is Lammy."
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"I was going to start thinking about our options," Gaz whispered to Ruby and Yusei, "but let's face it. There's going to be no discussion. Yusei, you're our best shot. So we're putting you up in the line of fire."
Yusei smiled. "This should be fun. My only concern is that they'll choose Lammy. It's not just our history, but she's actually learned how to Duel, and she's not bad. Besides, while we've both done analog Duels against each other several times, we've never done an actual match together. I mean a real match, with Duel Disks."
Gaz shrugged. "We'll cross that bridge when we come to it."
"Looks like we're already guaranteed invincibility," Ruby said.
(Meanwhile…)
"Yusei and I have done actual Duels against other people, but never against each other. Whenever Yusei and I went against each other, it's always been analog. Besides, have you guys even paid attention? I would rather not have to do this against him."
Leo shook his head. "And I understand, but you're the only one out of the three of us who already knows how to do this. You're likely our best hope."
"And can you please not involve your love problems?" Ivy asked. "We've heard enough of that crap already."
Leo rolled his eyes. "Do you even care about what's going on between them?"
"I'll let you know when I do."
Annoyed, Leo looked at Ruby. "Normally, I would ask you to throw it, since we're on the same team as the plant witch."
"I'll take that as a compliment," Ivy said.
"But please try as hard as you can," Leo continued. "Not just for our sake, but Yusei's. No doubt you're going against him, because the others would be idiots if they didn't send him out there. Odds are, he'll be disappointed if you don't give it all you got."
Lammy sighed and said, "Alright. I'll take one for the team."
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"I really hope I don't regret this," Lammy groaned.
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"Have you guys made your selections?" Chris asked.
The competitors all nodded.
"Ivy, Leo, Lammy, who's your representative?"
After around two seconds, Lammy raised her hand, shrugging.
"Alright, this should be interesting," Chris said. "Pretty sure the answer is obvious, but Gaz, Yusei, and Ruby? Who are you choosing to send out and win you guys invincibility?"
Already mentally screaming at the thought of having to Duel Lammy, Yusei gave a slight nod. "I'll do it."
"Then it's decided. Later, both you and Lammy are going to Duel against each other in the hopes of winning invincibility for yourselves and your team. Aren't you both excited?"
"If you wanna call it that," Yusei deadpanned.
"Define 'excited'," Lammy said.
Chris laughed. "That's the spirit. I'm going to give you both an hour to strategize, whether out here or on the plane. Then you guys will duke it out. Man, the match up could not be better for this."
Once he was done talking, everyone walked back to the plane to wait out the hour. As they walked, Gaz tapped Yusei's shoulder.
"Listen, there's something you really need to know," she said.
Yusei shook his head, telling Gaz, "Sorry, but I really don't want to be thinking of anything else. I need to focus on what I'm doing later."
Realizing it was again pointless to argue, Gaz sighed in frustration and walked back to the plane.
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"I completely understand that he needs to focus on the Duel later, especially since he's going against Lammy," Gaz stated. "But this is important, and I don't know how much longer it can wait."
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Lammy sat alone in the cargo hold, opening up one pocket from her suitcase, Once the pocket was unzipped, she pulls out what she thought she would never need all season.
A Duel Deck.
The lamb smiled, remembering the day she and Yusei decided what Deck she would use. After finishing up the previous TDE season, they both agreed that she would now be able to carry her own Deck. Even though she probably wouldn't use it much since she loved music way more, it never hurt to be prepared.
It had taken a while to find the perfect Deck to use. Coco had even pitched in once and came up with a few cards she made up, but eventually Lammy had decided not to use them (Coco kept the Deck for herself afterwards). It took several weeks, but ultimately Lammy found what she was looking for, and she had carried it with her ever since.
Carrying the cards, she walked out of the cargo hold and into the cafeteria. She sat down and began to look at each card. At least in there she would start planning out her strategy in peace.
"You nervous?"
Or so she thought.
Lammy turned and saw Yusei sitting at the table opposite her. She had not noticed him when she walked in. Deciding not to dwell on it, she shrugged. "Maybe."
"I thought so."
Lammy shrugged again, and then came the customary awkward silence.
"You're not nervous, are you?" Lammy asked once the awkwardness had momentarily passed.
Yusei shrugged. "Maybe."
"Kinda shocking, coming from you."
"I guess."
More awkward silences.
"At least one good thing will come out of this if I lose," Lammy pointed out.
"What's that?"
"We can all get rid of Ivy."
Both of them laughed. "Then I guess I had better win," Yusei teased.
Lammy's smile disappeared after that. "Tempting as that is, I really don't want to hold back. I want to try to win."
Yusei nodded. "I was hoping you would."
Even more awkward silences.
"Yusei?"
"Yeah?"
Lammy took a deep breath and said, "I don't think I ever really said much of an apology, for what I did that day. I didn't realize how hard it would be for you."
That was the last thing Yusei expected to hear from Lammy at this point.
"I mean, I know you didn't take it well originally. I also know you had to deal with a lot since I left. I'm almost surprised you even want to talk to me."
Now concerned, Yusei walked over to her table and sat down. "Why would you say that?"
"Because I know that, deep down inside, you hate me for what I did to you."
"How do you know?"
Lammy started to cry. "Because of what you said to me in Niagara Falls."
Yusei shook his head. "You and I both know that wasn't me. I was brainwashed that day, and-"
"But that was you!" Lammy exclaimed. "At least, part of it. I don't know how much it was, but Ivy's love dust targeted your feelings for me. She took the positive and turned it to her, so all you had for me was the negative feelings. If you didn't have any animosity for me, you wouldn't have said it all. At least, that's the explanation Double D gave to me afterwards."
Just like that, Yusei became filled with guilt as he realized Lammy was right. He had never seen before just how much the season had affected him.
"Sometimes, whenever I was going through a particularly rough time on the plane, maybe I would, for a brief second, blame you for it," Yusei said after a long time. "After all, things would have been easier if both of us had stuck together. And all those times, I thought I was just choosing a random subject to blame. I never really believed there was any malice to it. But it looks like I was living in my own illusion. Guess the breakup affected me more than I thought."
Lammy nodded. "Me too. I cried myself to sleep every night after I left the plane, because I had cost myself my best friend in the entire world, and the most amazing guy ever. I kept telling myself I had made the right decision. I was sure I had done the right thing. But sometimes I wonder if I that's my own illusion. Let me just say, what I did that day was the hardest decision I ever had to make."
They both looked down at the necklace she was wearing. "I wish we had never found this necklace," Lammy said.
"We wouldn't be so sad right now if we hadn't," Yusei pointed out, for while he didn't know exactly what Lammy was going through, all he knew was that the necklace played a major part.
Ding! Ding! Ding!
"Oh great," Lammy sighed.
Chris came in, laughing. "Yep. With a tender moment like this, you guys shouldn't be shocked that we're throwing this on you. Besides, I've been looking for the opportunity for you guys to sing together all season."
"Probably should've seen this coming," Yusei said.
(Author's Note: We simply could not do a season involving singing without a special duet between Yusei and Lammy, especially when they're about to try and defeat each other in a children's card game, and the climax to their plotline for this season is nearly upon us. So here's a slow pop-rock song called "What Happened Between Us".)
Yusei: While you were gone
I couldn't think straight
My mind just kept going hazy
You were away for so long
I became filled with hate
To the point I started going crazy
But looking at you
I see my love for you too
We both can use this song
To ask how it all went wrong
You're my star in the sky
That turned black as the night
I can also take blame
For you giving me pain
I thought my own reasons
Were correct and just
But when I look at you
I ask
What happened between us
What happened between us
Lammy: Not a day has gone by
My heart hasn't been sore
Not a day has my heart been conflicted
Because you want to know why
I wish I could say more
But I can't until my burden's been lifted
This was done by my hand
But please understand
My love's not gone away
I treasure it everyday.
You're the reason I sing
And why my heart's breaking
This all was my fault
Because I asked for it all
I thought my own reasons
Were correct and just
But when I look at you
It's because of me
What happened between us
What happened between us
Yusei: You have reason to see
This was all you, not me
But I want you to know
I blame myself, can't let go
Lammy: My heart's filled with guilt.
Like it will shrivel and wilt
But what always pulls through
Is my love for you
Both: You're my star in the sky
That turned black as the night
Yusei: I can also take blame
For you giving me pain
Lammy: I thought my own reasons
Were correct and just
Both: But when I look at you
I ask
What happened between us
What happened between us
What happened between us…
The song finally ended, and Yusei and Lammy looked right into each other's eyes. Then, they kissed. Both seemed to have fallen for each other all over again.
However, Lammy quickly realized what she was doing, and she lightly pushed Yusei away. She sighed and looked away from his confused face.
"We're about to go out and compete against each other," Lammy said. "We're about to compete against each other in something that, while we both have experience with, we've never done against each other before. Let's try and not lose focus, okay? When we're Dueling, know that I'm going to do whatever it takes to win. I'm not holding back. Promise me you'll do the same."
Slightly crestfallen but knowing Lammy was right, Yusei nodded. "I promise."
Lammy gave a sad smile, and she took her cards and left the room.
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"She's right about us trying to keep our focus," Yusei said. "But in there, I felt two things. One was the hope that we will both be okay. The other was that something's about to go wrong."
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"It wasn't just me wanting us to concentrate later," Lammy explained. "I remembered exactly why I've kept myself away in the first place, and now I've made the situation more dangerous. In fact, I'm starting to think the kiss was my fatal mistake."
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The rest of the hour passed quickly, and soon Ivy, Leo, and Ruby were sitting in a prepared set of bleachers while Gaz hung back and Yusei and Lammy were making final preparations.
"I have never seen either one do this, but heard Yusei's supposed to be fantastic," Leo said. "I wouldn't be surprised if he wins."
Ruby nodded, but added, "I just hope he and Lammy can keep their heads. It must suck to have to do this, especially after everything."
"Hey!"
Everyone heard Gaz scream, and they turned their heads to see her running towards them. She appeared to be holding several papers - the same ones she received earlier.
"I finally know what Lammy's necklace is doing to her!" Gaz exclaimed as she ran, but then stopped dead in her tracks and looked around.
"Oh, is Yusei not out here yet?"
Leo shook his head. "They're both still on the plane."
Gaz facepalmed. "Dang it! I knew I should've checked the plane."
"Wait, didn't you say you knew what Lammy's necklace was doing?" Ruby asked.
The goth nodded. "Guess I have to tell somebody," she said. She handed the other three several of the papers.
"'Egyptian Pyramid Banned from Tourism After Discovery of Ancient Ruby Necklace'," Ivy said, reading the title of a newspaper article. "This isn't a joke, is it?"
"Just keep reading it," Gaz said sharply.
Ivy rolled her eyes and read the article out loud. "'While some are skeptical, others believe this is the same necklace that contains a fabled ancient sorceress known as Namora. Many believe this evil witch to be a legend, but the necklace is said to perfectly match the description of the necklace that was Namora's source of power, the necklace her spirit was sealed inside after her death.'"
A picture of the necklace in question was right next to the article. It looked exactly like Lammy's.
"See, my brother Dib had been working with Storygirl000 on what the necklace really was. Apparently, Story is very adamant on bring Lammy and Yusei back together, so she got Dib to help her with her research. They sent all of this to me just today, and it looks like they got it spot on."
Leo looked at Gaz. "Amazing how much she can put her enthusiasm to use when she isn't capturing people and making them fall in love with her."
"Or sending a Pokémon after me," Ivy said.
Ruby looked at one of the reports. "Looks like this Namora person was an evil sorceress from over 1,000 years ago who tried to enslave the entire world with her magic. However, right when she was going to succeed, she was killed by a group of other, benevolent sorceresses."
"Thing is, while Namora's mortal body could be killed, her spirit could not go down that easily, and her spirit could easily possess some poor soul and take their body if she wished," Leo said, also looking at the report.
"So it looks like they punished her in the only way possible," Ivy said, also looking at the report along with the others. "They sealed her spirit inside her very own source of power: the Eye of Namora."
Gaz nodded. "And as a failsafe, they sealed the Eye away in a forgotten Egyptian pyramid, where they believed she would never escape. But here's the thing: what they didn't know was that right before being sealed, Namora charmed the Eye so that whoever put it on would be unable to take it off. What's more, once someone puts it on, Namora would start controlling her new host through the Eye's influence. Over time, Namora would gain more and more power, mostly through the host's emotions. Eventually, she is said to reach the point where she has gained enough power to break the seal on the Eye and escape. At that point, Namora will take full control of the host's body, trapping said host within their own mind. The sorceress will regain her full power and, with her new body, return to bring the world to its knees."
Leo looked at the news article from earlier. "Guess they ended up finding that pyramid. The article says the pyramid -and the Eye- were found in an archaeological expedition over twenty years ago. Even though officials said there was nothing to be afraid of, they eventually decided not to take chances and barred the pyramid. Not a single person is supposed to enter, or it is said that Namora will lead them to her prison and entice them to put it on."
"I don't get it," Ruby said. "If the pyramid wasn't open to outsiders, why did Chris use it for our first challenge? He had to have known about the laws, right?"
"Ruby, you're thinking about a guy who has no regrets in risking people's lives through a television show, turning an island into a radioactive hazard, and wreaking havoc in a protected wildlife ecosystem like the Great Barrier Reef," Gaz added. "Tourism laws, I think, are the last things on his mind."
Leo picked up a picture from a torn textbook page. The picture was of an old sketch of the Eye of Namora. And it looked just like the necklace in the news article, as well as the necklace Lammy was now holding.
"If anyone else found it before she and Yusei did, I think we would have put it on ourselves," Gaz said. "Don't you guys see? It all makes sense. Lammy's nonchalant attitude towards certain things. How she would occasionally lash out for no reason. She was under the influence of the Eye during those incidents. It also explains why she's been giving Yusei the cold shoulder. She's trying to protect him from Namora, and also protect him from herself."
"It does match up perfectly," Leo said.
Ruby looked at the field. "So the more emotion the host feels, the closer Namora gets to escaping?"
Gaz nodded. "We have to find Yusei and warn him, because with Lammy Dueling her ex, I think her emotions are going to go haywire."
Leo nodded and stood up, but right before he was about to head to the plane, the jet's terminal door opened, and Chris, Chef, the Warners, Yusei, and Lammy all stepped outside. Everyone watched as they all stepped onto the Duel Field.
"Looks like everyone's ready," Chris said. "Just as a reminder, this is going to be one Duel, one winner. If Yusei wins, he will win invincibility along with himself, Ruby, and Gaz. If Lammy wins, she will be safe along with Leo and Ivy. Both of you will start with-"
"We already know the rules," Yusei said.
"Alright, but do not interrupt me again. Both of you, shake hands."
Yusei walked to the middle of the Field, Lammy doing the same. Without missing a beat, they both shook hands with each other.
"Remember, don't hold back," Lammy said.
"Same to you," Yusei responded.
With that, they both nodded and walked to opposite ends of the Field. Along the way, Dot ran over and handed Lammy a Duel Disk since she didn't bring her own (Yusei's was already on his arm). Then Chris, Chef, and the Warners stepped off the platform and walked over to the bleachers.
"Anyone want to take bets on who will win?" Wakko asked. "Five bucks on Yusei."
"I'll get in on that action," Chef said. "Five bucks on Lammy."
"Really?" Chris asked. "I'm betting twenty bucks that they both lose."
"Wow," Dot said. "Okay, nice stakes."
Gaz rolled her eyes. If these people knew better, they wouldn't want to bet.
Of course, this mattered little to Yusei and Lammy, who placed their Decks in the appropriate holder.
"Are you both ready?" Chris asked.
The two competitors both shouted, "Yes!" They looked at each other for a few seconds more. There was no going back. Lammy gave a slight nod. "Good luck," she called out to Yusei.
Yusei returned the nod. "You too," he said.
This was it.
"LET'S DUEL!"
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"It's on," Ruby said. "It will definitely be fun to watch."
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(Author's Note: First of all, I give my thanks to the guest known as Vegetalucard for giving me the idea of doing this challenge as part of the climax to one heck of a plotline. For quite a bit, I had been debating what I should do for this, and when I got the idea of a Duel, it made sense. Thanks, Vegetalucard. But before the fun, let me point out a few things, some of which I have already stated.)
(I am using the rules for the game as they are in the 5D's iteration of Yu-gi-oh. In that show, we got to see everything from new Synchro Summons to card games on motorcycles. What didn't exist back then, however, were Xyz Summons, Pendulum Summons, or whatever they introduced in VRAINS. Therefore, you will not see them since they weren't around. This also goes for the cards themselves. In short, you will not see any card of any form introduced after 5D's.)
(By this point in the chapter, this fact should be obvious, but what you're about to read is NOT a Turbo Duel. Yusei does not have his Duel Runner with him, and Lammy doesn't even know how to ride one as of now. So you will not see Speed Spells or anything else that would only find use in a Turbo Duel.)
(Then there's what Decks the two competitors are using. In Yusei's case, it's fairly simple. His Deck and Dueling style has been pretty established throughout 5D's, so the only challenge for him is reflecting that style. I will only use cards of his that appeared at least once in a regular Duel, even if they appeared in a Turbo Duel more often.)
(Lammy's Deck and Dueling style were more tricky, since this isn't her forte. However, given that she has been taught, I decided her Deck should reflect two things: her growth as a character, and how she was taught. Since she was taught by Yusei, you may see similar tactics. Heck, I was considering making up cards altogether to make a Deck similar to Coco's life, but eventually decided to go straight canon. I also decided NOT to involve the dark influence of Lammy's necklace into her Deck and Dueling style. For this challenge, it's all Lammy. I won't come out and say exactly what type of Deck she's using, but if you're a Yu-gi-oh fan like myself, you'll recognize it.)
(Lastly, this Duel will not be extended into the second chapter, since I have the second half of the Yusei/Lammy necklace planned for that. I would like to type up an entire Duel, but I would also not like this chapter to be too long. If I must skip ahead a little, I will, so bear with me.)
(Other than all that, we got a no-holds-barred match that I hope will keep you entertained. Sorry the explanation was lengthy, but I'm clearing things up. Enjoy the fun. We now return you to your regularly scheduled program.)
Lammy: 4000 LP
Yusei: 4000 LP
Both competitors looked at their newly drawn hand, five cards all waiting to be used. "Mind if I go first?" Lammy asked Yusei.
"Knock yourself out," Yusei replied with a slight grin.
"In that case," Lammy said, quickly taking one card from the top of her Deck, "I Draw."
She looked at the card she just got. "I summon Naturia Beans in Defense Mode." Upon placing the card on her Disk, set of three bean plants popped up on the Field, taking up on space in the Monster section and huddling together before turning blue. (LVL: 2;ATK: 100/DEF: 1200; boldface will indicate what position a Monster is)
"I'll place two cards facedown and end it there," Lammy said, with two facedowns appearing on her side of the Field. "You're up."
Yusei then gave a slight nod, then grabbed a fresh card. In truth, despite the circumstances, he was glad to finally be doing this as a competitor of a reality show. And if he was supposed to go up against Lammy, so be it.
"I'll start off by summoning Speed Warrior in Attack Mode." Immediately, a tall skater-like machine appeared on the field and took a battle pose. (LVL: 2;ATK: 900/DEF: 200)
"And you're about to find yourself in some trouble, Lammy," Yusei explained. "On the turn Speed Warrior is summoned, his Attack Points are doubled."
Sure enough, Speed Warrior began glowing a harsh light and suddenly looked tougher. (ATK: 1800/DEF: 200)
Ruby looked at the others. "He's about to attack, isn't he?" she asked the others.
Lammy smiled. "Go for it."
Yusei looked at Speed Warrior. "Let's not keep Lammy waiting. Speed Warrior, take out her Naturia Beans! Go Hypersonic Slash!"
Right away, Speed Warrior readied a roundhouse kick and sent it towards Beans…
"I activate Naturia Beans' Special Ability," Lammy said. "This bad boy can negate one attack against it per turn. And to add injury to insult, attacking Beans does more harm than good for you. Beans, show Yusei here what I mean."
Naturia Beans then launched what appeared to be a small bean at Yusei's feet, which then exploded on impact at his feet in a cloud of smoke, which Yusei had to wave away.
(Lammy: 4000 LP/Yusei: 3500 LP)
"Did he just lose Life Points?" Leo asked.
In response, Yusei turned and looked at the others. "That's what happens when you attack Beans," he told them. "She was able to basically throw my attack back at me."
"Every card has its own value, every card is useful in its own way," Lammy said. "It was the first lesson you taught me, Yusei."
"Good thing you remember," Yusei said. "Do you remember another thing I said?"
"Just costing your opponent Life Points isn't enough to win," Lammy said. "But don't worry, I got more than this."
In response, Yusei smiled. "I can't wait to see it."
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"The last time Yusei had that glint in his eye, he was going toe to toe with Dante of all people," Gaz said. "He's always been fierce before, but here, when he's in his element, it's like nothing else matters to him. Nothing except the combos necessary to defeat his opponent, and having fun while doing it."
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"Here and now, I think we finally have a full view this guy," Leo said. "We can finally see the true Yusei. And the true Yusei is, and always will be, a duelist."
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"I'm placing a card facedown, and I end my turn," Yusei said. Then Speed Warrior glowed again, losing his power boost. (ATK: 900/DEF: 200)
Lammy grabbed another card. She smiled. Perfect. "I'll play the Field Spell Naturia Forest." She took the card and placed it in a special compartment on the Disk. Suddenly, the Field took the appearance of a large forest. The spectators all looked around.
"Okay, this is pretty," Ruby said.
"I'll tell you about what this baby does later," Lammy said. "But for now, what I'm going to do is sacrifice my Naturia Beans so a stronger monster can take its place. With that, I summon Naturia Bamboo Shoot in Attack Mode!"
Naturia Beans suddenly exploded in a cloud of light, and then a large bamboo shoot popped up in its place, taking a combat stance. (LVL: 5;ATK: 2000/DEF: 2000)
"Next I'm going to make Bamboo Shoot a little safer with Safe Zone." One of Lammy's facedowns flipped, revealing itself as a Trap Card. "Now Bamboo Shoot cannot be destroyed at all as long as Safe Zone is active. You can't touch him."
"Something tells me Naturia Bamboo Shoot's going to tear Yusei in pieces," Leo said.
"And oh yeah, Bamboo's about to attack now. Have at it. Take out Speed Warrior!"
Naturia Bamboo Shoot began bouncing towards Yusei's monster.
"Not so fast," Yusei said. "I play my Trap, Scrap-Iron Scarecrow!" But before the card could be flipped, it suddenly froze in place, prohibiting Yusei from activating it.
"What the-?"
Lammy giggled a little. "You didn't think I put Safe Zone on it for fun, did you?" she asked. "As long as Bamboo Shoot is faceup on the Field, since it was Tribute Summoned, you are not allowed to play any Spells or Traps."
The spectators gasped. "He can't play any Spells or Traps? Monsters only?"
"Awesome, I know," said Lammy, pleased with herself. "Now, back to business. Bamboo Shoot, tear Speed Warrior into scrap!"
Right away, Naturia Bamboo Shoot bounced high up into the air before it landed right on top of Speed Warrior, crushing and destroying it, and dealing a big hit on Yusei.
(Lammy: 4000 LP/Yusei: 2400 LP)
"As a bonus, since I negated the effect of Scrap-Iron Scarecrow, I get to add one Level 3 or below monster from my Deck to my hand, thanks to the effects of Naturia Forest." One card in her Deck stuck out from the middle, and she added it to her hand.
"With all that done, I'll end with a facedown."
Gaz looked at Lammy. "It's a good thing she's keeping calm," she said. "The more she keeps her emotions in check, the better."
Yusei groaned. Just perfect. Now Lammy had pretty much blocked off a good portion of his cards. He was going to have to figure something out so he could get around Bamboo Shoot's ability. He drew a card, and looked at it. Might as well start now.
"I summon Junk Synchron in Attack Mode." An orange machine-like being was summoned onto Yusei's side of the Field. (LVL: 3;ATK: 1300/DEF: 500)
"Okay, but that means I get to bring out Naturia Cosmobeet since you got a monster out," Lammy added, summoning a little black beet. (LVL: 2/ATK: 1000/DEF: 700)
"Next I activate Junk Synchron's special ability, which allows me to bring back a monster from my Graveyard in Defense Mode. Welcome back, Speed Warrior." Sure enough, Speed Warrior came back onto the Field. (LVL: 2/ATK: 900/DEF: 200)
"Something tells me Yusei's adding a bit of power," Gaz said. "I think I know what he's doing."
Sure enough, Yusei was doing just that. "Now it's time Junk Synchron gives Speed Warrior a little tune-up." Suddenly, Junk Synchron split up into three rings, while Speed Warrior disappeared into two stars. "You know this guy, Lammy. And he's going to help big time. I Synchro Summon Junk Warrior!"
The three rings suddenly surrounded the stars, and the whole thing erupted in a burst of light.
"Let's rev it up!"
And out from the light came a blue machine-like humanoid, tall and ready. (LVL: 5/ATK: 2300/DEF: 1300)
"And that means I can attack. You never barred me from that, did you? Junk Warrior, send Naturia Cosmobeet to the scrap heap!"
Junk Warrior charged at Cosmobeet with a fiery fist, which struck the monster with a direct hit and destroyed it.
(Lammy: 2700 LP/Yusei: 2400 LP)
"I'll end my turn with a facedown."
Lammy nodded, but before she could make a move, she was suddenly interrupted. Yakko had stepped into the center of the platform.
"We now interrupt this showdown because Chris is paying me to play entertainment." Suddenly, he started playing Lammy's guitar (poorly), and then trying to do a hula dance. Yusei and Lammy could only watch this completely random event unfold.
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"What the heck was that?" Lammy asked.
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"Okay, Chris, just why did you hire the Animaniacs again?" Yusei asked.
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"Chris totally didn't tell him to do that," Ruby said. "We just figured a little 'keep Lammy's emotions in check' ploy wouldn't hurt."
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"Can you stop now?" Lammy asked.
"Yeah, we're kinda in the middle of something," Yusei told Yakko.
"Sheesh, fine. You two have no appreciation for true culture."
Lammy rolled her eyes. "Okay, I'm up. And I summon Naturia Horneedle in Attack Mode." A large bug of yellow, green, and brown with a stinger was summoned. (LVL: 4/ATK: 1800/DEF: 100)
"Okay, why the heck did you have to summon an insect?" Yusei asked, annoyed.
"You were the one who helped me build this Deck," Lammy pointed out. "You only have yourself to blame."
"Oh ha ha."
Leo smiled. "Even now, there's no mistaking the chemistry between the two. Neither of them are willing to hold back, it's like they're helping each other."
"Next I play from my hand the Spell Monster Reborn. (AN: Yep, I'm bringing in a classic for this) With this, I can bring back a card from my Graveyard. So I'm bringing back Naturia Cosmobeet." (LVL: 2/ATK: 1000/DEF: 700)
Leo grinned. "And now she's bringing out the big guns."
"Got that right," Lammy said. "Time for my own Synchro." The same process with Junk Warrior began, this time with Naturia Cosmobeet and Naturia Horneedle. "I tune these guys into a monster that's going to have you begging for mercy. I Synchro Summon Naturia Barkion!"
The stars and rings erupted in light, and out came a large silver snake-like creature, which roared loud enough that everyone had to cover their ears. (LVL: 6/ATK: 2500/DEF: 1800)
"Next I play the Spell Leodrake's Mane. I simply choose one Naturia monster on my side to get a bit of a power boost. And I think I'll boost up Naturia Barkion!" (ATK: 3000)
"And he's got Junk Warrior right in his sights. Barkion, let him have it!"
"Hold it!" Yusei said. "I play Scrap-Iron Scarecrow!" The Trap Card from earlier was flipped over, and it was this time successfully summoned.
Lammy gasped. "Of course. How could I have forgotten? Effect Veiler. You added that to your Deck shortly after I got mine."
"It's been a long time since we did this, and it's only ever been analog," Yusei admitted. "So no surprise you ended up forgetting. Effect Veiler's not usually the type of card I would add to my Deck, but its ability's going to save my butt. By sending this card from my hand to the Graveyard, I choose one of your monsters, and that monster's special ability is negated. And since Bamboo Shoot was a Tribute Summon, it doesn't just last until the end of the turn. Bamboo Shoot's ability is officially locked."
"Doesn't scare me," Lammy said. "Naturia Barkion's special ability activates. By removing two cards in my Graveyard from play, I can still negate the use of Scrap-Iron Scarecrow, not to mention destroy that annoying trap outright."
After Scrap-Iron Scarecrow was destroyed, Barkion successfully carried out his attack, destroying Junk Warrior.
(Lammy: 2700 LP/Yusei: 1700 LP)
"Also since I negated Scrap-Iron Scarecrow, Naturia Forest activates again, and I get another card. With that, I place Bamboo Shoot in Defense Mode and end my turn," Lammy said. (DEF: 2000) "I wish I could have Bamboo Shoot finish you off, but since Safe Zone's still in play, he can't attack you directly. Consider yourself lucky."
Lammy bit her lip. She just hoped Yusei didn't have anything else up his sleeves. Also, she kept trying to not feel anything, but it was difficult. She had to keep trying though, so that she wouldn't come out.
Yusei sighed in relief. He could finally use Spells and Traps again. Thank you Effect Veiler.
"I Draw," he said, looking at the card. "First, I play my facedown Descending Lost Star. This card allows me to Special Summon one Synchro Monster from my Graveyard. So I'm bringing back Junk Warrior." Junk Warrior came out, but it was in Defense. (DEF: 0)
"I also play a card that I borrowed from Crow coming here, Trap Stun. This negates your Safe Zone for the turn, making your Bamboo Shoot not so invulnerable."
Lammy's mouth gaped. "Another thing I forgot entirely. Just wonderful. But I still have Barkion's ability. Two cards removed from play, and Trap Stun's useless."
Even though she was right, Yusei shrugged. "That won't help you. Just watch."
So far so good. Next I summon Nitro Synchron in Attack Mode." (LVL: 2/ATK: 300/DEF: 200)
"And I think it's time to rev it up one more time," Yusei said, readying another Synchro Summon. "I tune Nitro Synchron with Junk Warrior. This guy's got power, and I want to see how you handle it, Lammy. I Synchro Summon Nitro Warrior!"
A green/black monster apparently made with muscle was summoned, roaring out in triumph. (LVL: 7/ATK: 2800/DEF: 1800)
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"Actually surprised he didn't bring out Stardust Dragon," Leo said.
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(Author's Note: What you're about to read is basically one of my favorite combos Yusei had ever implemented in the anime.)
"Next I equip Junk Barrage onto Nitro Warrior. This activates his special ability, which grants him 1000 Attack Points when a Spell Card is used." (ATK: 3800)
In the bleachers, Ruby squealed in delight. "This is going to be awesome!"
"And you know what that means. Nitro Warrior, take out Naturia Barkion! Go Dynamite Crunch!"
Nitro Warrior charged right at Barkion, destroying it easily.
(Lammy: 1400/Yusei: 1700)
"Next I activate the ability of Junk Barrage. When a monster equipped with this card destroys a monster, you get hit with damage equal to half the destroyed monster's Attack Points."
Then the barrage came raining down right on Lammy, who braced herself.
"Okay, but I am still standing. We both promised we wouldn't hold back. You clearly haven't, and neither will I. As long as Bamboo Shoot is still in Defense and under Safe Zone, I won't back down."
"As much as I respect that statement, I'm afraid this Duel is over," Yusei said. "I play the card you let me carry around, Mystical Space Typhoon. Safe Zone's history now, and good thing. You might want to check Bamboo Shoot."
Lammy looked. She was going to have to switch it to Attack Mode. (ATK: 2000) And when that happened….
"Oh, crap."
"Yep. Bamboo Shoot's immediately switched to Defense Mode, and Nitro Warrior can attack you all over again. Attack!"
Right there, Nitro Warrior launched itself right at Bamboo Shoot, destroying it.
(Lammy: 600/Yusei: 1400)
"And with him out of the way, Junk Barrage activates again. You played a good game Lammy, and you had me there for a minute, but this Duel is finished."
Sure enough, the effect of Junk Barrage was activated again, raining down on Lammy and sealing the Duel.
(Lammy: 0 LP)
The monsters and forest all disappeared, and everyone looked around.
"And that's it!" Chris announced. "Yusei has won the match, and now he, Gaz, and Ruby are safe from elimination."
Ruby and Gaz cheered loudly, glad to hear they were safe. Leo smiled, at least knowing Ivy would probably be doomed. But through all of their minds, one thing was common.
Were they safe from Namora coming out?
Meanwhile, Lammy looked right at Yusei and smiled. "Good job," she said.
"Thanks, you too. I think I would've been doomed if I hadn't had Effect Veiler" Then they both decided it was safe to do a quick hug, so they did.
At least, they thought it was safe, but…
"Gah!"
Lammy doubled over, screaming out in pain. Her necklace was glowing bright red. This raised panic in everyone. "Oh no," Gaz said.
Startled, Yusei tried to get her attention. "Lammy, what's wrong?"
The lamb started shaking, closing her eyes tightly. "Get away….she's coming…"
"She? Who?"
Then the other competitors plus Chris, Chef, and the Animaniacs ran onto the platform. "Lammy, are you okay?" Ruby asked.
"She's coming…."
Then Lammy stood up and started thrashing everywhere, forcing everyone to take a step back. Her necklace started to glow even brighter.
"Must….fight…..I have to…..fight….." This went on like this for several terrifying moments.
Then, she stopped. Her head hung low, her eyes closed, and she stood completely still. Everyone else was too scared to move closer. Then, her head raised up, though her eyes were still closed. Finally, Yusei tried to take one careful step in Lammy's directing, concern etching his face.
"Lammy?"
At that moment, Lammy's eyes shot open, and what everyone saw was enough to freak them out, and it even sent Yusei back towards the group. Lammy's eyes were bright red. And that didn't mean bloodshot either. The irises were blood red.
Those eyes took a minute to survey the competitors, before the lamb smiled.
"It feels so good to be free," she said, in a very un-Lammylike voice. In fact, it sounded eerily familiar…
...just like the voice they all heard in that dream the other night.
She looked down at herself. "Could use a change of style." Suddenly Lammy's normal outfit was switched with a set of bejeweled black robes, and a similarly ornamented circlet on her head. Only the necklace hadn't changed, as it was still around Lammy's neck.
Except one thing was certain, and the competitors all knew it.
That wasn't Lammy.
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Uh oh.
This isn't good. Hey, anyone...can anyone make sense of any of this?
Wait, someone's telling me Morning Merc's online right now. Gotta listen.
Deadpool (on the podcast): This is an emergency podcast edition of Morning Merc. LAMMY'S BEEN POSSESSED! I REPEAT! LAMMY'S BEEN POSSESSED BY THE NECKLACE, AND SHE AND THE WORLD ARE ON THE LINE! I need all who has ever competed on Total Drama Everything and/or Total Drama Everything 2 to head to the site of that challenge. Lammy needs us all right now. We gotta go over there and help her. I will remain online so my fans can get caught up with the hell of a battle this is supposed to be, but for now, EVERYONE GET OVER THERE! I DON'T CARE HOW, BUT GET OVER THERE!
Well, looks like that's about to happen. So now Lammy's finally been taken over by Namora, the sorceress inhabiting that necklace, and now Deadpool's rallying everyone to head over to where we just saw a Duel, so they can all fight. Oh, who am I kidding….
IT'S THE END OF THE WORLD! WE'RE ALL GOING TO DIE!
Oh, the Duel. Right. That was fun. Hard to come up with, but fun. But can we not change the subject? WE'RE ALL GONNA DIE!
Ok, uh….if we all survive this, I will be able to post Part 2, where everyone is now involved in an epic battle to save both Lammy and the entire world. That's all I'm gonna say.
So I will see you next time (if we're all alive), and in the meantime, I'm going to hide in my concrete bunker. No way Namora will find me in here.
TheMasterKat out! AND WE'RE ALL GONNA DIE!
