A/N: This chapter was a challenge and a half to make. Especially with the stress of finals and projects and whatever else I had going on these past couple of weeks. But finally, I can say that that is over for this summer and I can focus more on what I need to focus on. Can't promise more chapters because I have so many things I want to do. I can promise that I will still try to have at least one chapter done every month. Even if done late, but it will be done. I did struggle a bit with this chapter in terms of how I wanted to end the duel. Kevin's cards aren't absolute which is my fault for not thinking them out when I first began drafts for this story, but eh, it is what it is, and I like how it is turning out. So without further ado, I present the next chapter. I hope you enjoy the ending between Akiza and Kevin/Luna.
Note: Italics and underline is the conversation in mind between Kevin and Luna. Italics by themselves are the character's thoughts.
Disclaimer: I don't owe Yugioh 5DS. Just my own OC, custom cards, and ideas.
Chapter 14-2 Destroy to Protect
"Somehow, we all share the same misery with those memories. Have faith that it will soon get better."
{Let's Rev it up with Yu-gi-oh Kevin's 6th Grade Life}
Goodwin: I found out where you came from. You come from a place called 'Crashtown'. I was also able to get hold of Luna's parents, they won't be able to come anytime soon and they also told me that they haven't heard of your parents in a long time.
Kevin: Oh, sorry. I- Akiza. She also seems confused. I'm not sure why, but I think she doesn't quite remember me.
Yusei: Akiza is not a witch. She just needs support. Good support from friends.
Dexter: Actually, I did some research last night, and with the help of my parents- Your marks, Kevin and Luna, look like these drawings in this fairy tale called 'Spirit of White Hope'.
Yanagi: Oh yes, I remember something about that. It's part of The Crimson Dragon; a myth that was lost long, long ago. I don't exactly know how it goes, but this fairy tale had a white creature who protected a kingdom called 'Spiritus'. She was in a battle against an Evil King. Eventually, she was able to beat him, but that cost her her life. But before she could pass to another life, she gave the King and Queen marks of protection and love. One day, they had a beautiful daughter with beautiful blue stunning hair. The kingdom treated her as a gift from their lost White Protector. She would one day rule the kingdom after her father and mother. But then one day, her parents go missing and the Evil King strikes once again.
Kevin: This might also sound weird, but Princess Eclipse also called me daddy before I left Spiritus.
Yanagi: Oh! Then that must mean you two are the missing King and Queen!
Akiza VS Kevin/Luna
[LP: 4000 LP: 700/3600]
Akiza's POV
I don't understand why Kevin would risk his Life Points for that girl. I feel some kind of pain in my mind. I close my eyes and feel a memory at the edge of my vision. I know that look they gave each other. I used to have it too...
"Akiza. Let us help you. Please."
"Enough!" I exclaim. "Are you going to make a move or are you already too scared to continue?" He has nothing on his field with barely any life points left and his clothes are all torn and ripped. I'm surprised he's still standing. You expect a boy like him to give up at this point, but he's in this tournament for a reason and that reason is pushing him to continue. My eyes travel to their arms. They both have marks. Just like me. These stupid marks are the reason!
He's breathing heavily as he tries to stay on his feet. With a grin on his face, he grabs a card from his hand and plays it. "I summon Junk Hedgehog in attack mode and place one card face down. That does it for now."
I find it strange that he is not doing anything much besides playing defense. Why is he holding back? "Well Kevin…" I draw a card from my deck. "It's my turn and I activate 'Ivy Shackles'. And with this spell, I can now turn your Junk Hedgehog into a plant-type monster. Before you know it, Kevin, your entire field's going to look like one giant greenhouse." Green vines appear below Kevin's small robotic creature and surround its whole body.
I notice him and Luna change a worried look. Again… That look. It's like they are looking at each other for comfort without saying a single word to each other. "So with your machine under the control of my Rose Tentacles, she can attack you an extra time this round. You said I enjoy other people's misery. Well, I guess I should really enjoy this, shouldn't I?"
He frowns and my monster prepares to attack. "Now, Rose Tentacles, attack! Thrash his creature!" I exclaim with fingers pointed at him. "Go, Rose Retaliation!" My monster's vines head their way to Kevin's monster and it shatters it into tiny yellow pieces. As a result, a huge wind shakes the stadium, but what surprises me is that from the remains of his creature stands a floating version of his Junk Hedgehog.
"Once per turn, my monster can't be destroyed in battle," Kevin explains. "And I don't take any damage from it."
"Well good thing, it can attack again. Rose Tentacles, attack!" My monster's vines slash at the spirit of Junk Hedgehog and it vanishes. "Oh, and by the way, my Rose Tentacle's power doesn't stop there. Since your machine is under her control, you now take 300 points of direct damage!"
My monster's vine appears above Kevin and it smacks him on his back.
[Kevin's LP: 400]
"UNH," he says, handling the wrath of my plant.
"Hmm." I grin.
"Kevin!" Luna exclaims and she goes to his side.
"I'm okay, Luna," he tells her with a soft smile. He grabs her hand and gives it a squeeze.
"I'm telling you, Kevin. If you did not play hero last round, you wouldn't have to have faced all this pain. Now, you barely stand for whatever reason with only 400 life points."
"I-" He begins but then he sighs and he closes his eyes. At that moment, Luna intervenes.
"He did it because he cares about me. I don't know much about you Akiza, but I do know a bit and I can understand it. I too was alone before he showed up again on that night. He's here now, trying to protect me and he's here now, trying to get his friend back. We want to be your friend, Akiza and I will do everything I can to help my boyfriend get you back!" She draws from her deck and she looks at Kevin. Again, they look at each other with that same comforting expression. Like they know how each other feels. How can she or Kevin know how I feel…
"I summon 'Princess Faith'." A beautiful white-hair silver-eyed girl with a purple staff in her hand, appears with 2000 attack points and 1800 defense points. "Just like Kevin has been doing his best to protect me from your pain, I will do the impossible to show you that we are just one in the same." Her monster raises up her staff and it begins to glow a bright purple light. "When she is summoned I can choose a level two or lower monster from our graveyard to special summon it back to the field. I choose QuickFlash Warrior."
Kevin's warrior reappears on the field again with 1800 attack and defense points."I am able to summon him back because his level is treated as two while in the graveyard." She then smiles and again her monster raises up her staff. It glows a denser purple light. "I tune my level 4, Princess Faith, with the level 4 QuickFlash Warrior-" Her princess turns into 4 green circular rings and surrounds QuickFlash Warrior in a yellow outline. From it, 4 white stars appear. "Miracles are created when the moon shines bright in a cloudy dark night. From a legend, White hope shatters the darkness, I synchro summon, 'Junk Blue Moon Dragon'!" A white stream of light engulfs her two monsters and from it, a mechanized blue and white dragon with a galaxy pair of eyes appears with 2300 attack points and 2700 defense points.
"Wow, look at that dragon- that machine," The Announcer adds. "It's so marvelous and her eyes are so beautiful."
The dragon roars and my arm begins to hurt. I take a look at it and see my red mark glowing. She also holds a dragon just like Yusei and Kevin do. Just how strong is this girl?
No one's POV
Kevin looks at his girlfriend in awe as she looks at her dragon in admiration. Wow, where did you get her?
Luna turns to him and smiles. Don't worry about it. Let's just say a friend helped me out and now, it's time that I start protecting you back. As much as I love that my boyfriend shows me that I mean a lot to him, I can't afford to have you lose this match. Remember, we got a King to overthrow. You have to win this.
Kevin nods and she continues. "Now, I play the spell card 'Rush Recklessly', which boosts my monster's attack points to 3000 this turn." A blue light washes over her dragon. "Junk Blue Moon Dragon, attack Akiza's Rose Tentacles with Miracles light stream of Galaxies!" Her dragon opens her mouth and a stream of purple light shoots out and it slams into Akiza's monster. It shatters in an explosion of grey clouds.
[Akiza's LP: 3200]
She groans, surprise on her face. She felt that attack at that time.
"That does it for now," Luna says smiling back at Kevin. Nice, Luna. That should be enough for now. He nods at her in approval.
"That was a big round for the dream-team couple!" The Announcer tells in excitement. "Now, will Luna's dragon be enough to take Akiza down?"
"Take that, you witch!" Someone from the crowd jeers.
"Get her out of here!"
Back at the stand, Tanner smiles with a fist. "See that combo gramps. They are on a roll."
"To me, it looks like both Kevin and Luna are dueling differently. They are holding back for some reason," Dexter points out to them.
Yanagi nods. "It seems so."
Back at the duel, Akiza draws from her deck. "You want combos, Luna. Watch! I first summon Twilight Rose Knight in attack mode and when she is summoned, I can special summon a plant-type monster from my hand." A blue-haired girl with a sword in her hand appears and she points it to the ground. Another root-like monster with spiky hands appears beside her with 1500 attack points. "And now that I have a tuner monster on my side, it's time I summon up your destruction! Get ready, you two." Her knight raises her sword up high and turns it into 3 green circular rings. It surrounds Lord Poison and turns it into 4 white stars. "I tune my level 3 Twilight Rose Knight with my Lord Poison to create my ultimate monster!" A purple light engulfs them and from it, a beautiful red rose dragon with spiky vines appears with 2400 attack points and 1800 defense points. "Black Rose Dragon!"
"Woah," Kevin says in awe.
Her dragon roars as strong winds begin to shake the stadium. Kevin and Luna gasps as their marks glow brightly. "Because as soon as it is summoned to the field, I can activate its special ability!" A card pops out of Akiza's duel disk and she grabs it from her graveyard. "So by taking a plant-type monster from the graveyard and then removing it from play, I can choose one of your monsters and send its attack points to zero!" She holds her card up high and the spirit of Wall of Ivy appears above her. "I'll sacrifice Wall of Ivy." Akiza's dragon reaches over to her other monster and bites it. It vanishes and Black Rose Dragon's vines make their way to Luna's Junk Blue Moon Dragon. It surrounds her dragon in red spiky vines. "It's a small price to pay to take out all of your dragon's attack points!"
"Oh no," Luna says worriedly.
"It's worthless now, and there's nothing you can do Kevin to protect your dear girlfriend!" Akiza exclaims. "Black Rose Dragon, attack!" Akiza's dragon takes a deep breath and shoots a purple stream of light towards Luna's dragon.
"That's where you are wrong, Akiza," Kevin interferes and he grabs a card from his duel disk. "Since Junk Hedgehog is in my graveyard, I can remove it from play to prevent Luna's dragon from getting destroyed this turn." A blue light appears from his duel disk and surrounds Luna's dragon in a protective blue dome. "But she is still going to feel the wrath of my dragon."
"Not a chance," Luna interjects. "I activate Junk Blue Moon Dragon's effect. By decreasing my dragon's defense points, I can reduce the damage I take to zero."
A set of mechanical blue wings appear from her dragon's back and it forms a dome around Kevin and Luna. Her dragon's defense points decrease to 300 and a protective counter is placed on the dragon. The purple stream of light from Akiza's dragon hits the protective dome, but it repels towards the crowd. Luckily, it manages to hit the glass window which shatters upon contact. The people close by begin to leave in worry.
Kevin gasps and sees the chaos Akiza has caused. Oh no. Her powers are getting out of control. We better finish this duel before anyone else gets hurt.
Akiza sighs and places two face-down cards on her field.
At that moment, someone from the crowd yells, "You ruined my seats. You have any idea how much they cost me?!"
"She's dangerous! Just send her away!" Someone else yells.
"No one likes you."
The crowd begins to chant, "Freak. Freak. Freak."
Akiza looks down and Kevin and Luna look at each other in worry.
"Just keep it up. Just keep putting me down," she says mostly to herself. "I know it makes you feel good. But now let me show you what makes me feel good. It's time to show you what misery really is." She has her eyes closed now and Kevin and Luna closely listen to her explain. "My whole life, I've tried to ignore all the teasing and name-calling, but you can't ignore the pain that it causes forever, Kevin. I'll make them stop." She looks at them with a wicked and devious smile.
We have to help her, Luna says to Kevin. Before she does something she'll regret. If we show her that her power is a gift and not a curse, maybe she'll stop causing all this pain.
Kevin nods and he frowns, closing his eyes.
Kevin's POV
"Akiza, do you remember duel academy?" I ask her as I try to grasp those memories from the depths of my mind. "Forgot everything about what Koda said and listen to me. I was a lost boy with a mysterious future. I remember I was taken from my home because of something that happened to me. I remember how I got into duel academy. I was a loner and I was not too friendly to anyone because like you, I also had a 'curse'.
"The headmaster knew my parents, but he didn't exactly know my problem. One day, he tried to understand me on why I was not as social as I should be. Why didn't I duel like the others? I told him it wasn't a good idea, but he insisted. He said he wouldn't judge, that he just wanted to help me. And for whatever reason, I trusted him."
"You were alone," Luna softly says in a whisper.
I nod. "I was alone."
"And you needed a friend," Akiza adds in understanding.
"It was just supposed to be a simple duel to show him that there was nothing else I needed. I didn't need his help, but then he said something that I know I misunderstood at that moment. I don't remember what, but I did know that I was just a time bomb waiting to happen.
Some time passed and things only seem to get worse. The headmaster could have sent me away, but for some reason, he kept me around. He put me in this physical education class to help me stay in shape. I liked it, but there was this chubby kid. I don't remember his name…" I say and feel a low pain in my head. At that moment, I feel Luna's soft hand in mine. "This boy wanted to take my dueling cards and I tried to keep away, but this invisible force pushed him away." I laugh and continue, "You wouldn't believe it, but somehow, a rock-like creature protected me until who knows when."
I open my eyes and see Akiza as pale as the snow. As soon as our eyes meet, she looks down. "It felt like forever for me because I was scared out of my life, but then you came. Yes, this beautiful red hair girl came to my aid and said, 'I won't hurt you. I just want to talk'. You saved me with those words and now, it's time I saved you." I draw from my deck and smile.
"I summon Princess Hope. "A blue-haired girl with a purple dress and a blue staff appears with 100 attack and 2000 defense points. "And with her effect, I can send Speed Synchron and Princess Savior from my deck to the graveyard to perform a synchro summon."
I grab both of my monsters from my deck and send them to the graveyard. My monsters appear and Speed Synchron lights up. He transforms into two circular green rings that surround Princess Savior. Her body glows in a yellow outline and is replaced by 6 stars. "From the past memories of clustered hope, a new horizon shines bright. Go take flight, Junk Blue Delta Dragon!"
A white light shoots beside me and Luna and a mechanized dragon with eyes of a blue moon appears with 2700 attack and 2300 defense points. It roars and shakes the surroundings.
The crowd is in awe and Akiza frowns again. "You brought another dragon to remind me of all the pain that detestable mark on my arm has caused me? Why would you do that? Do you really believe that because we all have this mark in common you know what I am feeling and you know what I've been through?"
"Wrong, Akiza. I am just showing you that you're not as different as you think! We don't have to be your enemy, we could be your friend."
"Friend?! Who says I want a friend again? We have these stupid marks and no matter what we do, we'll always be the outcasts. Get it, our fate is to be alone…" She's looking down now with her hand over her arm and mark. "My family. My classmates. You… Everyone, I've ever known, I've hurt. That's why having friends isn't a choice, anymore. It's something I can never do again. And that's why it's so much easier to wear a mask. It's amazing how little you care about other people when you can live behind a wall of plaster and paint, even if it is only the size of your face." Akiza covers her face with a white mask, with two red lines that go from the top to the bottom of her plastic eyes.
"And so, I dueled with it… I won with it… And I lived with it… Some have said it's time to move on, to 'Show my true face to the world', because maybe then people wouldn't fear my abilities. Maybe then, we could live a normal life, or at least, as close to normal as people like us could get."
I look down and remember Sayer when he found us on that dark and lonely alley. Akiza and I were starving and tired. I do remember now that she wore a mask to hide her true self from the world, but what about me? I denied hiding behind something made of plastic and paint.
"Maybe even have a friend… But you heard that crowd, didn't you Kevin? Luna? They don't understand me. 80,000 people are shouting they're afraid of me!"
"Don't listen to them, Akiza. Listen to us. Listen to me, "I say to her with confidence.
"I need my mask," she denies shaking her head. "Why are you trying to help me after all I put you through, Kevin?"
"Because I know you!" I tell her.
"You know who? The scared girl? Maybe the face behind the mask?" She questions looking away.
"I know what it feels like to be alone. To not have anyone or anything be there for you during tough times. I don't have memories of my past life. I don't know who my parents are or where they are. If they are even alive. What if they died… or I somehow, I killed them by accident with my so-called 'curse'? I don't know because no one can tell me."
"Kevin," Luna whispers to me.
"I feel helpless. I feel scared and yes, I do feel so alone, but now, I have friends. I have Luna. My girlfriend, who somehow accepted me even with my mysterious past.
"Who knows maybe I am part of a secret organization meant to stop this tournament or something like that and I don't even know about it because I can't remember and no one can tell me if that is true or not." I chuckle realizing really how I have not a single clue to where I came from and who I really am.
"But I do know that I have support. And just like me, Akiza, you do too. You are not alone. You can't stay afraid. You can't hide behind a mask forever."
"You're wrong," Akiza denies not looking at me.
"I know my Sister Rose would look at me and say, 'If we let these gifts affect us, in a negative way, we won't move on and grow'. We can learn from each other, Akiza, again, and as long as I'm around, you won't be alone anymore. We will fight this. Just like you helped me, I can help you." At the mention of "Sister Rose", Akiza finally looked at me. I see her fear, but I see her worry for someone she came to love. "Junk Blue Delta Dragon, attack with stream of hope!" My dragon roars and prepares to attack as its mouth opens up. At that moment, I groan in discomfort as my mark shoots some kind of pain up my arm. I look over to Akiza and Luna who also share a discomforting look. "Don't wear that mask!"
My dragon shoots a blue beam out of its mouth and impales Akiza's dragon. It explodes in yellow triangular pieces.
[Akiza's LP: 2900]
The explosion creates a strong breeze which shakes the whole stadium again.
"Sorry, but I've already made my decision," Akiza says as prepares to put on her mask over her face once again. "I need the mask. Without it, it's too easy to be hurt. " She puts it over her beautiful face.
No, she can't wear that thing again, I say in desperation remember how my sister Rose began to change as we struggled the first few nights after we ran away from the academy.
"Nice mask, scaredy-cat," someone yells from the crowd.
"Happy Halloween."
"Listen," Luna starts, but Akiza interferes.
"No, you listen," Akiza declares her voice different because of her mask. "It's my move and I activate 'Magic Planter'. So by removing my Ivy Shackles from play, I get to draw two more cards from my deck. And next, I'll play my face-down trap card, 'Wicked Rebirth'!" Her trap card reveals. "For the low price of 800 life points, I can summon a synchro monster from my graveyard."
[Akiza's LP: 2100]
"And I am bringing back my Black Rose Dragon!" She points up to the sky as a purple beam of light shoots up from the ground to reveal various purple vines. From them, Akiza's ace card reappears back on her field as it roars. The strong winds shake the stadium once more. "But I am not done yet, because now I can equip Wicked Reborn to my dragon." A circular white ring appears in the sky and releases purple particles on Akiza's dragon. "She might not be able to attack this turn, but as long as she is equipped with this card, Black Rose can be re-summoned at the end of each and every round. So, for those of you in the back of the class, that means that if it's ever destroyed by some special effect, it comes back as good as new at the end of my turn."
"Hmm."
"Oh, and last but not least, when Black Rose dragon is special summoned, all the cards on your field are destroyed," she adds as her dragon's eyes grow a bright pink light. "So say goodbye to your pathetic pets!"
Oh, this is not good, Luna says worriedly. A strong whirlwind begins to come from Akiza's dragon as it flaps its huge wings of petal Roses. If we don't stop this, Kevin. She's going to destroy everything and everyone in this stadium.
"I activate Junk Blue Delta Dragon's effect," I begin. "By returning my Speed Synchron from my graveyard to my hand, I can negate your dragon's effect and destroy it!" My dragon roars and it makes its way to Akiza's dragon. Its mechanical wings surround her dragon as it explodes and disappears.
Nice, Kevin, Luna compliments. I nod and smile at her.
"You may have rid the field of my dragon for now, but let's see how you handle my face down card 'Betrayal of Dragons'. To make sure your dragons don't interfere, since you control two monsters with the same level, I can give you a choice. Either remove from play monsters from your graveyard that equal the same amount or send one of them to the graveyard."
I frown, understanding what she is doing. I grab QuickFlash Warrior and Princess Savior from my graveyard and remove them from play. "Now, you won't be able to activate any of your dragon's effects to stop me from doing this! Ha!" She plays another spell card from her hand.
"My spell card 'Mark of the Rose'." A rose symbol shoots out of her card and marks the cheek of my Junk Blue Delta dragon. "With your dragon under my control, how will you protect your girlfriend now that you don't have him." My dragon's eyes turn red and it leaps up to the sky. It goes over to Akiza's side of the field.
Oh no, Luna says softly. If she attacks, you will lose, Kevin…
"You tried protecting Luna, but you left yourself wide open. It's over, Kevin. Junk Blue Delta Dragon, attack Luna's dragon and finish this!" Akiza declares pointing her finger at us. My dragon roars and prepares to shoot his beam of light. I'm sorry, Luna apologizes and I take her in for a hug.
I will not fail you or Akiza, I remind her, and my dragon attacks. I suddenly feel a warmth in my body and we both look to our marks glow brightly. A blue dome suddenly appears over us before the beam makes contact.
"Is this it for Kevin? In protecting Luna, has it cost him the duel?" The Announcer questions worry in his tone.
Akiza's POV
I remember… I remember his screaming that went through the walls of the Arcadia Movement. As soon as I attacked, I realized my mistake. It was because of Sayer that he went through so much pain. I didn't realize it until it was too late and I tried to save him, but I failed… And just like now, as the beam of light from his dragon heads towards Kevin and Luna… She means a lot to him. I can see that as he hugs her to protect her from my attack. I once did the same thing to protect him from my uncontrollable "curse". Time seems to slow down as my mind wanders to a memory of my past with Kevin.
We were in an abandoned train station. It was our temporary home, but we had a roof over our head and enough blankets to survive the cold endless nights. It was our home.
"Hey Sister Rose," Kevin called for me as he laid on his back. I was standing, always on alert in case someone tried to take him away from me. In case, Sayer came looking for us again…
"Yeah, what's wrong?" I answered a bit worried still. It had been a few days already since we left The Arcadia Movement. After I had enough of Sayer's 'treatments', I took Kevin after everyone had gone to bed and we left. I was scared because I did not know what to do and where to go. I couldn't go back to my parents. They wouldn't accept us no matter what, but I did know that I had to keep Kevin safe no matter what. He didn't deserve to go through all this pain and suffering like I once did. He didn't deserve to be experimented on by Sayer even if he did show that he had Psychic powers like I did.
"I'm sorry," he had apologized with sincerity in his soft voice. At that, I looked down to meet his eyes and my heart melted when I saw the tears in his eyes.
"Why are you apologizing, Kevin?" I asked in confusion, kneeling down to get closer to him.
"I ruined everything. We had a place we could call home and because of me, I made you toss all that away," he explained now with short sobs.
"Oh, Kevin," and I grabbed his hand to show in comfort. "Look, you didn't make me do anything. I tossed all that away because you mean more to me than all that. You're my little brother and I will not let anything happen to you ever again. Even if it means I had to choose between you and Sayer."
"But he gave you everything. He gave you acceptance in a world that can't accept who you are," he argued back.
"Yes, he did, but he hurt me," I told him.
He raised his little eyebrows surprised and in anger, he exclaimed, "He did!" I smiled at him and took the opportunity to squeeze his hand.
"Yes, he hurt me by hurting the most important person that I came to love and cherish more than whatever he was able to give me. He hurt you and that's something I will never forgive him for."
He sat up and hugged me in fear that something would change in a quick instance. "He hurt others, Sister Rose."
"I know and because I didn't know how to stop him, I had to take us away from there. I don't know what I would have done if he hurt you anymore."
He chuckled and hugged me tightly. "Boom goes our home."
I laughed and smiled at him. "Possibly. I'm still having trouble controlling my powers so that wouldn't have been a good thing."
His face suddenly turned dark and he sighed. "Our powers… These stupid powers have done nothing, but ruined our lives, Akiza! I hurt my parents because of this 'curse' and we're homeless because of them."
"Hey, remember, they are a gift," I told him once. A gift… "Yes, it has caused us a lot of pain and suffering, I won't lie, but we're together. For a reason, they brought us together and as long as we remain together, we will be okay."
"Promise?" He asked with fear and uncertainty in his voice.
I chuckled knowing full well the answer to that, but I knew that I had to keep him believing that no matter what, as long as we remained together, things would turn alright. I believed it and for some time, I kept believing.
"Of course, and if we help each other control these powers, I will get you that card you always wanted," I said in hopes to calm him down.
At that, his face lit up in happiness. "That means we have to train hard." I nodded and hugged him tightly. "Yes, and if we do things right, I promise that I will find us a real home. One as close to normal as we can get so you can have a proper life."
My memories are interrupted by The Announcer's voice over the stadium. "Unbelievable, Kevin has managed to survive Akiza's attack!"
I realize where I am at and see Kevin has activated a trap card. "No way I will lose this Akiza. I made a promise and I will keep that promise no matter what. With the trap card, 'Fake Dragon', by discarding a card from my hand to the graveyard, I can prevent Luna's dragon from getting destroyed this turn and that's not all, because I also activate her dragon's effect. By decreasing her attack points by the amount I would have taken, I can place another protective counter on her and prevent my demise." Junk Blue Moon Dragon's attack points decrease to 1900 and it switches to defense mode.
I smile a bit relieved and notice that a part of my mask is missing. It must have been cracked due to the attack. "Since your monster's attack points have changed, you have allowed me to play my facedown trap card 'Walls of Isolation'!" My card reveals and suddenly Kevin and Luna are pulled apart by an invisible force. Solid grey walls covered in vines and plants appear around them both to separate them. "With this trap, not only does this prevent you from protecting her, you can't attack and as long as her dragon's life points don't return back to their original attack points, she will suffer half of the dragon's attack points on each of our end phases."
"What!" I only hear Kevin exclaim.
"I place one card face down and I end my turn." At that moment, Akiza hears Luna scream in pain.
"Luna!" Kevin exclaims as the crowd gasps echo around.
[Luna's LP: 2450]
Kevin's POV
Luna! Are you okay? I question concern and in fear. When I heard her scream, I felt so helpless. How could Akiza do this?
After a few seconds, which feels like forever, I hear Luna's soft voice in my hand. Yeah. Pause. I'm okay. Somehow, I feel it. Her physical pain and she's breathing heavily. Having to take that much damage, especially with Akiza's physic powers, she won't be able to stand it much longer.
At that moment, I see a purple light on Akiza's side of the field. "Black Rose Dragon has reappeared due to the effect of Wicked Rebirth," The Announcer explains. "What will Luna do next to get out of this mess?"
"I draw," Luna says softly and I feel her fall to her knees. That's when I begin to feel some kind of rage wash over my body. I look at my mark and then my hands and see blue lights surrounding them. Are these my… powers?
I'm sorry, Luna. I...I begin, but Luna simply says, "I'm okay. It's going to be okay."
"I summon Sunlight Unicorn in attack mode. And I place two cards face down. I end my turn."
No, that means- And I hear her cry. Her pain brings tears to my eyes and I want nothing more than to hold her in my arms to protect her against everything. Even my so-called Sister Rose."
[Luna's LP: 1300]
"You can't protect her, Kevin, and just like I couldn't for you…" Akiza's voice reaches me. Wait. What does she mean by that? "It's my turn and-"
"Before you continue, Akiza, I activate my facedown trap card 'Fairy Wind'. This card destroys your Mark of the Rose, and Walls of Isolation. For each card destroyed we all take 400 points of damage."
Luna? I question not caring about my own life points.
"Now Kevin's dragon will return to him so you won't be able to use him against us," Luna explains and a strong wind shoots out of Luna's card. It shatters all of Akiza's face-up spell and trap cards.
"And I activate Junk Blue Moon Dragon's effect, by decreasing her attack points, I can prevent Kevin's Life points from going to 0." At that, the walls around me begin to disintegrate. I turn to face Luna as I witness her get attacked once more.
[Luna's LP: 500]
[Akiza's LP: 1300]
Her dragon's attack points also decrease to 1100 with another protective counter gained. At this point, I see Luna on the floor with her clothes torn and ripped like mine. I go to her side and fall on my knees. "Luna…" I whisper with tears in my eyes and fear in my mind. I put her head on my lap and I continue, "You should not have done that. I-"
"You dummy," she whispers. "You've been protecting me since we started this duel so now, it was my turn to protect you."
"But now, when Akiza ends her turn. It will be all over…" I sob. She softly smiles and shakes her head.
"Maybe for me, but hey, you still have life points so convince Akiza to stop drowning in pain and despair and show her that, no matter what, she won't ever be alone ever again. I'm not and I'm so glad I met you, Kevin. For that, thank you." With that, she closes her eyes and I begin to cry.
"I told you Kevin. You tried to protect Luna, but you failed and now, she will lose," Akiza says and I look at her. I should be mad for what she has done, but I only frown at her.
"You're wrong," I simply say.
"Oh."
I softly lay Luna's head on the floor and get up. "I didn't fail. I protected her until I could and for that, I was able to convince you that we do know how you feel, Akiza."
Akiza looks down, but she continues, "I place one card face down and I end my turn."
I go stand in front of Luna as I prepare for Akiza's Wall of Isolation to take effect. Her duel disk glows and a burst of spiky vines sprout out towards me. I feel a strange sensation as my hands begin to glow and I cover myself as I wait for the vines to finish me off in scratches. They don't and I witness a blue aura surround me as it glows and pushes the vines away.
The crowd gasps and I see Luna lose the match.
[Luna's LP: 0]
"And it's over for Luna! What's this? Kevin has protected Luna from Akiza's trap card with some kind of physical powers. Does this mean what I think it means? He's… He's-"
The crowd begins to cheer my name. "Kevin! Kevin!"
I look around amazed and turn to Akiza. She's frowning. "Akiza. I'm like you and I also have these gifts. For a reason, we were chosen and I have used these gifts to protect the girl who means the world to me. I will use them too to save you." I draw a card from my deck and smile at what I drew. Akiza, I will show you that dueling with anger will only blind you from doing what's right.
"I first switch my dragon to defense mode so I am able to play the spell card, Machine Tactics. With it, I can equip it to my dragon and as long as it has more attack points than your dragon, it can not be destroyed by battle or card effects."
"Well, you should try better than that because I play my facedown card, Synchro Back. Now, by removing a synchro monster from my field from play, I can resummon it next turn. And who better than my Black Rose Dragon, Kevin." Her dragon glows and disappears. "I also play my other face down card, 'Dragon's Demise', which will double my dragon's attack points when she returns again on my turn."
I frown and I look at the card I drew. This is to save you, Akiza. "I place a face down."
"It won't help you," she says and draws from her deck. "Because thanks to my Synchro Back's effect, Black Rose Dragon comes back to my field!" The purple light shoots up from the ground behind her and her dragon reappears again.
She groans and her hand travels to her mark on her arm.
"Your sign…"
"I wish it was gone!" She exclaims in frustration.
"But it's a part of you, Akiza. It's a part of all of us. Having this mark does not make you a witch, Akiza. It makes you special. I know others don't see that and I know it hurts, but when you get angry at them, you're only hating yourself. Remember, you once told me, 'They are a gift". I once didn't believe you, but now we have to figure out why they are trying to unite us together. First, you must realize that you are not alone. That we're all connected. Embrace your dragon. It's beautiful just like you are under that mask."
Akiza softly shakes her head. "I failed you."
"No, Akiza. You failed yourself. You have changed and sometimes changes need to happen to help us move forward. I didn't want to accept it at first because I was so scared to lose my big sister and that's where it cost me too. I should have done what you told me to do that day and because of that… I…" Suddenly, memories begin to drown my mind. I close my eyes trying to endure the sudden pain. "It's my fault we got separated once again."
Akiza's dragon roars as its attack points turn to 4800. Both of my dragons roar in response to her dragon's roar. She looks at her dragon and she looks back at me. "Since my dragon has more attack points than your dragon, your spell card is destroyed. Now with my dragon stronger than yours, it has enough to end this. But you still have those face-down cards. The question is will it be enough? You wasted your time and efforts trying to save Luna and me, and now you won't be able to save yourself. Let's see if you can stop me."
"I never wanted to stop you Akiza. I wanted to save you."
"Huh?" Akiza already has tears in her eyes.
"And I intend to with my trap card, 'Junk Demise'. By destroying all monsters on my field, if the total attack points of all my monsters are greater than the current attack points of your monster, it is destroyed."
Both of my dragons' roar and they take flight to Akiza's dragon. Their wings extend and they surround it in a tight hug. Akiza's dragon tries to fight back with her thorny vines against their embrace but to no avail. They explode in a big blue light and a piece of debris hits Akiza's mask causing it to split even more and it falls off her face. Sunlight Unicorn also disappears, but I gasp and see Akiza's eyes full of tears. "That's right. The Black Rose is crying and it's just like when I first cried right in front of you, right Kevin?" She gives me that heartwarming smile I saw when we found our first home below a highway bridge on that stormy cold night. It was the first time I saw her cry in desperation, fear, and worry.
"Kevin… Please, finish this," she pleads and I nod in understanding. "Due to Luna's Junk Blue Moon's dragon effect, since she was destroyed with protective counters, I can grab a monster with the same number of levels as protective counters it had." I grab one of my princess cards from my deck and play it. "I summon Princess Tamer in attack mode. Princess Tamer, attack Akiza and end this." She raises her green staff and a green light shoots out towards Akiza. It hits her and she falls on her knees.
[Akiza's LP: 0]
Winner: Kevin
No One's POV
"Akiza-!" Kevin begins to make his way to her when "he" shows up behind her.
"Is not your concern. I think you have done enough damage for today, Kevin." A redhead man says.
"Sayer... "
"Come, Akiza-"
"Akiza, don't go with him. You can't trust him," Kevin exclaims as the fatigue finally begins to get to him.
"Don't listen to him. He's just trying to get into your head. That's all he has been trying to do all match."
"Remember what things he did to us. To me…" Kevin reminds her.
"I… Sayer…"
"He's lying, Akiza. Don't listen-"
"Stop with the bullshit, Sayer!" Kevin exclaims. "Don't try to act like you know nothing when all you did was experiment on me in hopes to get whatever powers I possessed. You may have given us a home, but then you caught me exploring my powers and you wanted them all to yourself. You never cared to help me control them as you did with Akiza! You-"
"That's enough!" Sayer calmly exclaims. "Akiza-"
"Is it true, Sayer?"
He stammers, but calmly responds, "No of course not, Akiza..." Sayer is surprised by the doubt in her voice. Does she know again? She nods getting up with the help of Sayer.
"You fuckin' liar-" Kevin's rage awakens and they begin to notice the change of temperature, tone, and mood around. Luckily, Sayer responds, "Mr. Fudo. Welcome." Yusei goes to Kevin's side with Luna in his arms.
"It's okay, Kevin. We will get her to join us soon. She knows he's lying." He whispers to him. Surprised, he nods, understanding and he begins to relax. "This is not over," he tells Sayer before he leaves with Akiza.
Stay Strong, Akiza. We are coming to save you soon.
A/N: All I can say is that I had a blast telling the story between Kevin and Akiza. Of course, their mini-arc won't end there. I still have a lot to tell when it comes between the two of them and Sayer. Oh, boy. Next chapter will probably have Leo's return and the start of the final match between Jack and Kevin. If you enjoyed this chapter, please comment on anything or send me a PM. I gladly accept any criticism that can help me improve this story. Follow or Favorite if you want to see more and I'll see you all next time. Peace.