Chapter 11; road to the finals heroes vs black birds

Knuckles entered the duel dome after leaving his duel runner in the garage and headed for the participants' seats. The semi-finals would start in approximately half an hour. But only the announcer and the dome staff were there. He noticed the whole gang was there except Sonic. That was his chance.

"Good morning guys" he said

"Good morning Knuckles." The all answered.

"Knuckles you're dueling first today. And you're against Sonic. How do you feel?" Amy asked him.

"I can't wait cause this time I have a surekill card against his deck."

"You found a counter in Sonic's cards? Weird. I've been searching for days to find an anti blackwing strategy" Jet said.

"You'll see guys."

Then Amy Wave and Rouge returned to their conversation while Knuckles sat with Jet Storm and Shadow and narrated them the events of last night.

"I knew it" Storm said at the end of Knuckles' story " I knew Amy liked him."

"Yeah and she tried to make Rouge leave the gang in order for Sonic to not fall in love with Rouge or something" Knuckles explained.

"Lol girls are the ones who say to discuss a problem and when they have a problem they try to destroy one another. They just don't make sense" Shadow said

" I still don't know what Amy finds attractive on Sonic. What more does he have? To be honest I liked Amy when I first met her but she didn't seem to be interested at all in boys back then. But even so she always spend a lot of time with Sonic." Jet said thinking.

" Lol do you even have to think about it? It is obvious." Shadow replied

"What is obvious?" Jet said a bit angry.

" I heard yesterday that no one of you guys ever beat Sonic in your entire dueling life. Of course Amy would choose the strongest."

"Shadow don't challenge him dude. Jet gets mad if you question his power."

"No Knuckles let him speak. We have democracy after all" Jet said with a voice that clearly revealed he was trying not to attack Shadow.

"I don't mean anything bad. I just believe that if I was in the gang at the beginning in your place I would have turned Sonic to dust in our first duel."

"Yeah ignoring that he DID crash you in your first duel with him." Jet said in a challenging tone.

" Yeah? Well if you remember Sonic knew about my deck being a one shot deck due to my victories with it. But in your first duel with him I assume he didn't know anything so how come you didn't one shot him huh? Or maybe you were just to weak back then to do it. I wonder… did you grow any stronger ever since then?"

"That's it you black emo bastard I am gonna show you why I was in Sonic's gang long before you." Jet shouted in an outrage.

"What did you say about my color?! You racist?!" Shadow shouted back while touching et's forehead with his forehead

"Nothing nothing I just said you're a.. weak black coward." Jet said in a funny tone.

"I'l show you who's weak." Shadow said raising his fists

"Guys stop I think you overdo it." Knuckles interfered.

"WHO ASKED YOU?!" They both shouted at him

"Ok then kill each other" Knuckles gave up and sat down again.

"With pleasure." They answered while Jet jumped on Shadow trying to punch him

Shadow dodged and kicked Jet in the belly. Jet lost his breath for a moment but instantly jumped again and punched Shadow on the nose. Shadow grabbed his nose in pain.

"How do you like this?" Jet asked him

Shadow jumped again and landed on Jet. The two of them then started rolling on the ground trying to punch one another. Storm and Knuckles were supporting them with words while the girls were looking in disappointment.

" Dude men are so immature." Wave said

"The only way for them to solve a problem is fists." Rouge agreed

"Nah Sonic never used his fists if he could avoid it" Amy said

"Was it like this in Sonic's gang before you guys met us?"

"You bet. A lot of times they argued and then used their fists sometimes even during a duel. Talk about a lot of testosterone."

"And you could take all this immaturity?" Rouge said surprised

"Well it wasn't easy. Every time they fought all I was saying in 'despair' was ' I need some female friends' which of course led to Sonic diying laughing."

"Maybe you think we should stop them?" Wave said worrying when she noticed that they started fighting even more fiercely than before.

"Nah they will stop." Amy said calm

"Why?" Rouge and Wave asked

"Cause he is here" Amy said showing Sonic entering the dome.

Knuckles and Storm noticed him as well.

"Guys um.. I think you should stop. Or you will be in real trouble" Knuckles tried to warn them.

But they simply ignored him while still trying to punch one another and rolling on the ground.

Sonic saw them fighting, closed his eyes disappointed and approached them. When they noticed him it was too late. In one move he caught Jet's hair and Shadow's ear and pulled them forcing them to stand up.

"If there's one thing I hate, it is fighting" he said calmly but everyone could feel his rage as if it was emitted like an aura. Nobody said a thing." If you want to settle a score then duel after the tournament. I won't accept fighting in my gang as a way to solve problems." And he let go of Shadow and Jet who apologized to one another and returned to their seats.

"Knucks our duel is up next. Since we both have duel runners it will be a turbo duel. I'll be waiting for you at the start. Don't be late." He said with a smile while walking back to the garage.

"Woah. He is not joking today" Knuckles said impressed and a bit terrified " anyway guys I'm going I need to take my runner. I'll see you later"

"Good luck Knuckles." They all said together

At the same time Sonic was making a final adjustment at his deck. He was about to ride his duel runner when he heard the door closing behind him. The room became a black space. But then a light bulb lighted up. Then Sonic heard an unfamiliar and at the same time familiar voice behind him.

"So we meet again."

Sonic turned around and saw someone in the shadows looking at him. Then the stranger came out of the shadows. Sonic felt he was striken by electricity. It was the champion himself! With quick steps he approached Sonic and grabbed him by the throat. Sonic felt he was drowning. And then he heard the champion whispering in his ear.

"You better not lose. I can't waste the chance to humiliate you in public in the final round. So DON'T LOSE."

At that moment the room was once again covered in darkness. Sonic felt the champion's hand letting go of his throat and tried to catch him but then the garage doorway to the duel runner course of the duel dome opened shedding light into the garage. The champion was gone.

"Was it a dream?" Sonic wondered.

He rode his duel runner and accelerated. He completed 1 lap in the course and stopped at the beginning. Knuckles joined him a minute later.

"So… we finally have a rematch. But I could never expect it would be in the duel cup."" Knuckles said smiling.

"Give it your all buddy. We must make sure that the best will go to the final."

"Of course."

The red light upon them was activated. The duel runners' engines started roaring. Then the yellow light was activated. The roars became louder. Exactly before the green light was activated they shouted

"TURBO DUEL. ACCELARATION!"

And they accelerated. The rule of who would go first in a turbo duel was that they would race to the first turn and the winner would decide who would go first. Sonic's runner was the fastest. He crossed the turn first and declared he would go first.

"Let's do this. I draw. I activate the black whirlwind. Then I summon forth blackwing shura the blue flame. Due to the whirlwind's effect I add to my hand blackwing gladius the midnight sun. And because I control exactly 1 blackwing gladius joins shura in defense mode. I'll set one card before ending my turn."

"Damn the surekill card isn't in my hand. Problem. But I will still duel with my all." Knuckles thought.

"My turn Sonic draw. I summon elemental hero stratos. Due to his effect I add elemental hero prisma in my hand. I set 2 cards. Your move."

"Here I go. My turn. I draw. I summon forth blackwing buster the sacrifice. He has 1500 attack points so my whirlwind adds to my hand kalut the moon shadow. Now I play Icarus attack."

"Crap. When did he put that in his deck?" Knuckles thought

"Now buster the sacrifice will be tribute so I can destroy 2 cards on the field. And of course I pick your set cards."

Knuckle's set cards were destroyed.

"I see. Mirror force and dimensional gate. Had they been activated they would have caused me some big trouble. As for buster he has an effect. If he is send to the graveyard in a way other than my opponent's effect a monster on my opponent's sie of the field loses 600 attack points."

"Oh no!"

Stratos was weakened

"Oh yes. Now that this is out of the way I turn my gladius to attack mode and attack to your stratos with my shura!"

"AAh" (Knuckles LP 7400)

"Now that shura as killed one of your monsters he calls forth from my deck another blackwing with 1500 or less attack power. Like mistral the silver shield. Mistral and gladius attack Knuckles directily!

"AAH" (Knuckles LP 6400)

"Is this all?"

"No of course not Knucks." Sonic said as they completed another lap of the course " in fact I'm just getting warmed up. I play the trap urgent tuning. Now I can synchro summon a monster during the battle phase."

"I know what you summon. Your armed wing right?"

"Wrong I tune gladius and mistral. Mistral is a level 2 tuner and gladius a level 3 non tuner."

"Level 5 synchro blackwing?"

"Exactly. I kept this for the tournament. Say hello to blackwing gram the shining star!"

"Impressive. And what does it do?"

"it calls out a blackwing from my hand a level 4 or lower one. But his effects will be negated. Say hello to gram's friend kalut the moon shadow. Both of you attack Knuckles directily!"

"AAAAAAH" ( Knuckles LP 2800)

"In my main phase 2 I play the spell blackwing feathers to draw one card for each different name blackwing card on the field. I have gram shura and kalut. So it means 3 cards. I set 1 card before ending my turn."

"Damn. He is evens stronger than before. The only way to win is to draw the surekill card. But I have still 32 cards in my deck. And only 1 copy of it is allowed. The odds are against me. If I draw it the tables will turn. If not I lose. My deck. Respond to my call. I believe in you." Knuckles said inside of him.

Sonic then noticed Knuckles' mark shining. Of course Knuckles was visualizing the card he wanted with closed eyes like Amy last night so he didn't notice.

"My turn Sonic. It's now or never. I draw."

"What does he mean by now or never?" Sonic thought

"I drew it. It's over Sonic. This time I win. I set it face down and end my turn."

"No matter what it is Knuckles, it won't be of any help. Gram the shining star has another effect. You can't activate traps during my battle phase if a blackwing other than gram is attacking. My turn. I draw."

"Who said I wanted to play this trap on the battle phase? I play it now! I reveal the trap, assault of the light!"

"Oh no! Not that! Sonic said scared

"it destroys all dark attribute monsters on the field. For every one destroyed you take 1000 points of damage!"

At the seats

"Sonic had 3 blackwings. That means 3000 points of damage!" Amy said scared as well.

"So this was Knuckle's strategy." Rouge said. "That's why I like him" she thought smiling."

At the course

"Take this Sonic."

"AAAAAAAH" (Sonic LP 5000)

"Also you cannot normal summon any monster whose attribute is dark."

"But…. But my entire deck is dark attribute!"

"Well too bad."

"Oh shit. I'm in real trouble. Ok I set a monster. I end my turn."

"Time for my comeback. I draw. I summon forth elemental hero prisma. Next I play his effect. I show you a fusion monster from my extra deck and send one of its fusion materials from my deck to my graveyard to have prisma be named after that. I show you necroid shaman and send necroshade to the graveyard. Next I play double summon to summon elemental hero bladedge from my hand. And finally I'll play my 2 final cards I need to win. The quick play spell trap booster and the trap it activates. The trap future vision. I discard polymerization from my hand and send neos from my deck along with elemental heroes avian Sparkman and clayman along with neo spacian grand mole to fusion summon my ace. Come forth! Elemental hero Divine neos!"

"his ace is out. That's a problem."

"Now divine neos removes avian from the graveyard to gain 500 atk points. It's over Sonic. I almost feel bad but your long victory streak ends here. I attack with bladedge to your set. And don't forget. Bladedge pierces through your defense."

"Well too bad Knucks. My set monster is another mistral the silver shield."

"Oh no."

"I do take 800 points of damage due to the piercing effect (Sonic LP 4200) but the attack of your next monster won't do me a thing."

"Grrr Fine! Neos alius attack! And now divine neos. Legendary strike!"

"AAAAAH" ( Sonic LP 1200)

"Now you're hanging by a mere thread. I end my turn with a face down."

"Ok I can still win. But it won't be easy. Let's see." Sonic thought.

"My turn Knuckles. I draw. I play the spell card spell economics. Now for 1 turn any effect of a spell that forces me to pay LP during it's used is negated. So I activate the spell soul charge so I special summon 3 of my blackwings to the field. Normally I would pay 1000 points for each but due to spell economics I don't pay anything. Next I play another blackwing feathers to draw 3 more cards. Perfect. I activate the spell hurricane. Every spell or trap card on the field is set and cannot be activated for 1 turn. And finally I play delta crow anti reverse! It destroys all set cards on your field Knucks!"

"Oh no. My assault of light! But still… you only have 1200 points and once I battle with your special summoned shura using bladedge it will be over."

"Too bad I have the spell dark hole! It destroys all monsters on the field!"

"NO! I activate the trap interdimensional transoporter which banishes for one turn divine neos so it dodges the blast!"

"ok then. I set a card and end my turn."

"Time to end this. I draw. I attack with Divine neos! Legendary strike!"

"Not today Knucks. I play the trap blackback! It special summons a monster from the graveyard and if it happens to be in your battle phase it negates one attack. So I revive shura!"

"Fine just wait until next turn."

"There is no next turn Knuckles. I draw!"

But when he touched the card Sonic's mark shined as well. Knuckles and Sonic both noticed it.

"Woah it's what happened before with me and yesterday with Amy!"

"Then I know what is at the top of my deck." Sonic drew the card and immediately played it as a monster. " Come forth. Blackwing-Kochi the daybreak!"

Kochi appeared and Knuckles was shocked.

"So these marks allow us to use the power of our spirit to draw a card that we need the most? He thought

"Now Kochi tune with shura! Arise and soar to the skies. BLACK-WINGED DRAGON!"

Black-winged dragon appeared causing the audience to go crazy in enthusiasm.

"I end the clash between our aces now Knuckles. Black Blazing Stream!"

"I knew that you would make a mistake one day. I discard honest so my divine neos gains Black-winged dragon's attack points for this battle. It has 5300 attack points. You were right Sonic there won't be a next turn."

"Of course I was right. And I will also be victorious! I activate the second effect of blackwing buster the sacrifice in my graveyard. If my opponent uses an effect to manipulate the attack power of his monster then I can banish buster from the graveyard to use the same effect once ignoring any conditions. So my dragon will also absorb the attack points of your monster once it absorbs his attack points! Now Black-winged dragon has a grand total of 8100 attack points! End this!"

"AAAAH" (Knuckles LP 0)

They stopped their runners. Knuckles was looking down under his helmet. No one could see his expression.

"Knucks. You ok?" Sonic asked

But Knuckles was shaking.

"Hey bro. you ok?" Sonic repeated his question

"Ha… ha… hahahahaha" Knuckles started laughing and soon got Sonic to laugh with him

"It was the best duel I ever had with you until today Sonic."

"Same here. I really thought I would lose back there."

"Still you won. That means you go to the finals now."

"I know. I'm super excited. Come on. Let's go park our runners and head back to the seats. It's Amy vs Jet now."

"I'll meet you there." Knuckles said and headed for his garage.

Sonic went and parked at his garage his runner and before he left he decided to take a look into it just to be sure it was ok. It was a fierce turbo duel after all. But then he heard again the door closing behind him.

"Let me guess" he said " you're again here?"

"Exactly" the champion answered again hidden under his helmet.

"What was that for? You know the whole grabbing my throat before."

"You don't know with what pleasure I would strangle you to death hedgehog. But I will get even more pleasure by humiliating you in front of the whole duel dome in the final. So you better not lose."

"Who are you? Why do you hate me that much?"

"You've been ruining my life ever since we met. But that will change soon. Till next time."

"Wait! What do you mean by ever since we met? I don't know you."

But the champion had already left.

Sonic immediately went back at the seats and told his friends about this.

"Why would the champion hate you?" Amy asked surprised.

"I don't know. And that voice. It is at the same time both familiar and unfamiliar. It makes no sense."

"Still" Jet interfered " I am sorry Sonic but if I happen to win against Amy now I can't let you win in the finals. It is my dream to win the duel cup."

"If you did something like this Jet I would never forgive you. I want you or you Amy to fight me with all you have at the finals. I need to show this champ I am not joking around."

" I am happy you see it this way. Come on Amy. Let's do this."

"Right behind you Jet."

And they headed for the arena as they had no duel runners to turbo duel