【35 - Amira Hashiru Versus Another Lieutenant of Coal Province City!】
With her hood up Amira snuck out a window and tested a drain-pipe. After ascertaining its sturdiness she slid down, her sneakers scraped against bricks. Then she landed, fixed up her hood, and hunkered down the sidewalk and away. If she could just keep her face hidden she might blend in and escape, now that Pluto had dealt with Genjin. The past three days had been exhausting. Amira weaved between dirty stragglers, but she'd barely travelled one block before she was found again.
A sleek white car with tinted windows stopped on the street. Gangsters of course, who else? Amira hesitated, she wasn't above using the nearby pedestrians as cover while she fled. The door popped open and it wasn't a gunman. A small girl dressed like she was on her way to a comic convention jumped out. Pink eyes menacing over her fanged smile, the goth-Lolita stepped onto the street. Behind her a huge muscle-man exited from the other door, Destirio's bald head turned her way. Amira froze on the walkway with a grimace, the civilians started to clear away.
"Aren't you just a sneaky little sneak?" Kurushi Glimmer put hands on her hips.
"What do you want, Kurushi?"
"Don't you know? The General says your time to decide is up, so the chosens are now the Outer Path's public enemy number one."
"I've no interest in fighting you or any of the others. So there's nothing to gain in you coming after me. So if you don't mind I'll leave…" Amira turned her foot toward a hydrant but didn't shift.
"You dummy…" she shook her brown curls "I'm here for a payback duel! You beat me before, but Destirio and me worked on my deck so it'd have better synergy." Kurushi held out her cards and they ignited with a purple gloom. "Kettou da!"
"That's such a dumb reason to want to duel someone!" Amira couldn't help snapping "I just killed a lieutenant, Genjin Bartos. You want us to risk our lives so you can settle a score? You lost our last game, just get over it!"
"Genjin died?" Destirio was now beside his boss, he looked down at her and she looked back before facing forward.
"If you're not helping us then you're against us!" Kurushi insisted "I never liked that magician and his dumb freak circus performances anyway. I bet he wanted to kill you for taking out his employees and that I understand, you killed Larkin!"
"Larkin!?" Amira remembered the yellow-eyed man in the trench-coat who'd kidnapped her.
"He was the second-most dangerous prisoner I got out of jail to work for me. You see while Genjin employed those with inhuman skills and deformities – he was always so fixated on anything that looked weird – I like to surround myself with dangerous criminals! Tough guys and the baddest of the bad, set free to do my bidding!"
"Larkin was a psychopath assassin… who's the most dangerous prisoner you let out of jail? Is it Destirio?"
"No," the big man answered "I was locked up for repeated driving offenses."
"If you're lucky you'll never meet him," Kurushi's fang peeked out as her lip curved up "And back to what I was saying… kettou da! I believe I challenged you, so just accept already chosen!"
"It's not like you'll let me leave if I say no…" Amira sighed in displeasure "yoshi."
"Excellent," the young girl smiled before her bossy side resurfaced "clear the road! You miserable, smelly animals!"
Amira stepped out to the middle of the street, her hand glowing with purple gloom. Their tables faded into view. Amira's pale eyes were frustrated. I already have Magris… I don't want any more crazy enemies coming after me! Crystaline shields projected out as invisible Kaijudo energy swelled in the public space. The game started and after the setting of some mana Amira was the first to summon.
"Emily, Injection Doll!" She had a pair of them in her hand, along with her castle, DarthRayne and a blocker. The blue-haired puppet aimed its giant syringe outward. "Turn end!"
Kurushi had a pair of Turtle Horns in her mana, she added a Dimension Gate then played another copy of the spell "By casting this I add Othello, King of the Gods to my hand!" A white portal swirled and the fire God peered out. Kurushi added the card with a snicker, shuffled and set the deck down "turn end."
Amira drew and briefly consulted her options. A Death March she couldn't play yet, with no creatures in the graveyard. She used her blocker for mana so she could keep up her tempo
"I fortify my shield with Rose Castle!" Those twisted spires grew from her left-most shield. "That'll weaken your Gods. Emily, ike!" Blue hair flew back with a maniacal chuckle, the syringe splintered a panel and pieces flew into the surrounding buildings. "Your move."
Kurushi merely smiled as she added another Charmilia to her hand. Her draw was Tigermite so she added it for some darkness mana. "I summon Lear, King of the Gods! Remember him? He can't be attacked or blocked by darkness creatures!" An avian in gold armor screeched, sweeping wings that crackled with green energy. Small vines tangled its legs and reduced its power to 1000.
Amira reached for her deck and it felt ice-cold. Hello again… She added Supernova Pluto Deathbringer to her hand, rethought her approach and used DarthRayne for mana. "I summon another Emily, Injection Doll!" An identical copy drifted down and giggled beside its pair. "My first one goes for your shield, ike!" The doll flew forward and stabbed another shield, its pieces bounced along the street behind Kurushi before reversing back into place. From behind her Destirio watched on with arms crossed. "Another Dimension Gate, you know what that means right!?"
"Triple God link…" Amira murmured.
"This time I add Macbeth, King of the Gods to my hand!" The portal reopened and this time a nature God peered through. After shuffling her deck Kurushi drew and started her turn. It was another copy of Othello which was useful because she didn't have fire mana yet, she charged it with her nature and darkness "I summon Othello and God link!" The flaming hydra was drawn to the avian in a terrifying display of blue lightning. The witnesses all ran from the sight of it, faces turning away from windows. With the fusion complete the linked God snarled down from above. Kurushi barred her fangs with excited fists "For now it's only on 5000, but I get to add mana from my deck and it still can't be attacked or blocked by darkness cards! Go for Emily, ike!" With a flaming sword and green-energy spear, the divine swept down and impaled one of the Emilys.
"When she dies you randomly discard!" Amira pointed.
"Ugh!" Kurushi was outraged to see her Macbeth glowing purple. She dropped it in her discard pile.
"God linking a second time won't be so easy." Amira drew a Marrow Ooze and used it for mana "Now I can graveyard-evolve Death March, Reaper Puppeteer! If I can't attack your God I'll have to go for your shields. Ike!" Her blue-hooded puppet-master cut through a shield. "Emily ike!" Kurushi's fourth shield shattered and she turned away with a growl. "You're still just a kid."
"I'm only a few years younger than you!" Kurushi snapped back.
"How old are you?" Amira crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow.
"Thirteen! You?"
"…sixteen."
"So don't go acting like you're so mature, dumb-dumb!"
"Can you stop saying dumb…?" Amira probed her forehead.
"As it happens, breaking my shields like you did allowed me to get the God I needed. I summon Macbeth, now triple God-link!" This lightning show was more intense than the last, hitting streetlights and breaking windows. When the blue faded Amira lowered her forearm, eyes widening. Kurushi pointed "My God's on 11,000, I get more mana and I can break three shields this turn! Go, ikeee!" Rose Castle was lost along with three shields. Among them was a single Terror Pit for her to use.
Amira turned the card and it shone purple "Choose which part goes, Kurushi! Your God is too powerful to be sharing all those abilities and being unblockable, I won't let it be linked again!"
"I choose Othello…" the fire part of the three-headed God separated before getting pulled by hands into a pit. Kurushi had drawn another copy of it that turn so wasn't letting the frustration hit her just yet. "Your move."
Amira drew another Death March, with no creature in her graveyard at the moment she just used it for mana. "Alright! I summon Vorg, Ogre Puppet. Galaxy Vortex Evolution! My three creatures combine into Supernova Pluto Deathbringer!" Everything darkened as power flooded her body. Destirio took a fearful step back while Kurushi lowered her arms to her sides. Pluto howled, its wings of darkness and skeletal limbs opened. The blue sphere beneath its body brightened and spun. "I may not be able to attack your God, but it's still effected by meteorburn! And due to one of my cards evolving from the graveyard I can use the ability four times instead of three! Pluto attacks your last shield and meteorburn on your God, ike!" A pulse of death seized the linked God, darkness shredded out from Pluto's beak and the shield was turned into sapphire dust.
"I choose Lear…" Even the crazy lieutenants were affected by the fear induced by the phoenix. Kurushi's God separated once more into a single creature. The card Kurushi got was her castle: Original Heart, Ancient Blackmoon Fortress. Without a shield to fortify it with she couldn't use it. Kurushi's eyes widened with delight at her draw "Alright, mistress of death. I hope you're ready for this? I charge so I have nine cards in my mana zone. I cast Terror Pit! At least my Gods aren't so easy to take off the field, huh?" As soon as it came Amira's phoenix was gone once more. Amira gasped as the power left her feeling alone. Kurushi slapped a card down "I summon Othello and God link once more! Now it's on 10,000 power, I get rid of your last two shields! Ike!" With that turn-around Amira stepped back in fear. The hydra fused with a six-armed deity, while still emitting their blue lightning they flew forward and devastated her last two shields.
Amira caught the cards as they popped off the table and drew. She had three in her hand and decided to play them all "Sealed Devil Ronovel, Emily Injection Doll, Sealed Devil Samijal!" Three darkness beings swarmed play. Two were blockers that couldn't attack, but Amira was counting on a draw that could save her. If she pulled Killer the Kill she could immediately take her opponent down and kill another lieutenant, seeing as neither had any shields. Amira tried to resist slipping into another anxiety attack as she stood her ground and waited.
Kurushi added her tenth mana card "I summon Tigermite, Bomb Devil!" The tiger plushie raced onto the field, lugging a stack of dynamite over its shoulder. "Next I cast Hell's Scrapper to take out Emily and Samijal!" An orange grinder rose up, two chains flicked out and caught Amira's creatures. She watched on in shock as they were dragged, struggling. The compressor machine banged away, flattening its targets then fading out afterward. Kurushi leaned back to laugh before ordering her next attack "now my God, todomeda!"
"Ronovel blocks!" Her crustacean was immediately exterminated under the divine onslaught. The card flicked to her graveyard.
Amira reached for her deck while silently panicking. Come on, a graveyard-evolution is all I need and this game's done! She drew a cross gear. Amira's legs gave way and she fell against her table.
Kurushi waited for a minute, then after being unable to coax a response from her opponent she simply drew and started her next turn.
"The chosen darkness duelist, huh? What a joke. You look like you're about to faint. I summon another Lear and also Titus, King of the Gods. You haven't met this one yet, have you?" The avian appeared and so did a flaming humanoid in gold armour. "It's not triple… quatro! I four-times God link! Titus, Lear, Othello and Macbeth all combine into the ultimate form of my God!" All that could be seen was blue. Their hairs stood on end and the charge was palpable, as overwhelming as the presence of a chosen phoenix. When the thunderous zapping retracted the nearby hydrant had burst, spilling water onto the street. Cracks spiderwebbed through the road to accompany the potholes. It would no longer be driveable. The four-headed God floated above the buildings and emanated power.
"I don't want to die like this…"
Kurushi ducked her head "It's now on 14,000… but don't worry Amira, I only wanted to humiliate you not kill you. If I were to kill you now Magris would then come after me. The way General Urobach is now after his plan failed, he won't be concerned with keeping me safe. So I won't kill you, but know this…"
Amira raised her head with teary eyes.
Those pink eyes narrowed "If you knew what Magris had planned for you, you'd be begging me to kill you instead. Tigermite, Bomb Devil ike todomeda." She twisted the card, her wicked plushie scampered forth and jumped into a kick. Amira tensed then grunted at the impact. She flew and the breath was knocked out of her. She skidded along the ruined street and lay in a heap.
Another loss… Amira's breaths were shallow and sharp. As soon as I lost Pluto all my resolve was gone. Am I truly worthless without my phoenix? Am I truly fit to be a chosen…?
Destirio stepped up to Kurushi's side as she packed her deck with much satisfaction.
"What do we do with her now? Hand her over to Magris?" he asked.
"He'd certainly be willing to give me anything I ask for. And it's very funny that despite all his efforts I'm the one that's succeeded in capturing Amira, twice. But if Genjin's now dead…" she snapped her fingers with glee "I know! I'll have Magris hand over the leading position of the Axe-gang! Since we don't have a nuke anymore I can control all three of the triads! I'll be the queen of this whole city!" Kurushi put hands on her hips and threw her head back with laughter.
"…according to the news the military will take back control of the city in a matter of weeks." Destirio pointed out and Kurushi's laughter died.
"Oh well. Take her, anyway."
"No you don't!" Simon skidded out and stood between them, Destirio faltered in his approach.
Heidi, Lisa and Diego rushed to Amira's side. The darkness duelist didn't even raise her head. The muscled lackey eyed the blonde teen who stood between them.
"Well if it isn't young Simon. I haven't seen you since our days at the Underground Circuit. I'm glad you physically recovered from the defeat I gave you, but you haven't come by as a participant since then. Even Lady Darkess says so."
"I heard you were using a hack strategy like Bombazar, Dragon of Destiny. Can't say I'm surprised!" the blonde snapped back.
"And how could I forget," Heidi joined Simon's side "me and him also have a score to settle!"
Kurushi gave a girlish cackle from behind the man "and what's with that big purple mark on your face! You look like you already lost a fight! Stupid-head! Moron!" The cackling continued.
Lisa and Diego were just helping Amira to sit up. Heidi and Simon's expressions both turned livid.
"What now? Should I duel them?" Destirio asked.
"No…" Kurushi turned back to the car. "If anymore duels happen in this area word is gonna spread to the Axe gang. Magris will arrive before we even get to Amira. We'll lose the chance to hand her over ourselves. Let's leave."
"Another time, Simon. Heidi." The cage-fighter nodded at the pair before leaving for their getaway car. He slumped down to fit inside while Kurushi hopped in. The tires peeled away and the pair was gone. Simon stared after them while Heidi went back to check on Amira. The girl was now standing unevenly with a friend on each side.
"Amira… we finally found you again. You're so lucky the Atomic Bomb was stopped!"
"Atomic Bomb…?"
Heidi sighed and shook her head "you don't even know about that yet. Come on, we better leave before anyone else gets here. Then we can all stop for you to recover, alright?"
"Can you walk?" Lisa asked soothingly, using her professional nurse's voice. Amira nodded and the five of them left. That hydrant continued to spit a fountain of water from behind them.
When it seemed safe they stopped to let Amira sit so she could calm down. Heidi watched her and couldn't help thinking everyone else was right in their deduction of Amira. She was avoidant, quiet and mostly timid when it came to situations like these. She'd been opening up somewhat, but was she a user too? They were nearing the edge of the city's business district and now there were houses. The one beside them had been set on fire some time ago, now it was a blackened skeleton and anyone who'd been inhabiting it was forced to move on. Over the horizon were partially-built sky-scrapers that'd never be finished.
"Amira, your hands are shaking" Heidi commented.
"I'll be okay soon, it's just anxiety."
"Where've you been these past few days?" Heidi sat beside her on the old bus stop bench.
"I've been getting surrounded and hunted. I don't think it's safe for us to be out in the city much."
"Yeah, with the lieutenants in charge we might get shot on sight."
"You should get a hood," Amira told her.
Lisa was standing with the others "we just need to lay low for a couple more weeks until we get a chance to evacuate. Until then city-wide conflict is going to keep escalating."
"…I killed Genjin. Or rather, Pluto did." Amira stated.
"Another one down," Heidi nodded "You've stopped shaking. Let's go."
It took them hours and when they reached home it was night again. They were starving but could only have a few bread buns and soup, otherwise they'd need to do another shopping trip and Mr Barrow didn't have the money. Simon tried convincing him to sell the van but in these troubling times they had even less customers. It was still a comfort to be with familiar company, even in that dusty and run-down building.
For another week they remained, spending a few hours a day doing chores. They had many more hours free to do what they liked, whether it be spending time with the children, staring out at the stars from the campervan's roof or going down the street to walk between the junkyard piles of the dusty plains. The two chosens also meditated on their phoenixes and Heidi felt her mental link with Mars increase. Now she could sense him in her pocket, and while shuffling her deck there was a spike of heat whenever she touched the back of his card. The bruise on her cheekbone was nasty and lingered on. As they waited for her test results Heidi couldn't help staring at the little girl. The two boys would go adventuring and running about, when they weren't fawning over Simon. The girl didn't have the energy to do that, instead she played softer games with broken toys. She was either alone or had Lisa with her. Heidi couldn't help staring at how sick the girl looked, nose snotty and having to sit down when she got faint. Would that be her? When it was time to get Heidi's test results she was unhappy to hear she wouldn't be going.
"Amira's right, you two will both be getting hunted so you need to wait here," Lisa told her.
"And why can't I come with you?" Diego was strident.
"We're less likely to be recognized but if three of us go there could be trouble…" Lisa approached him tenderly. "So I'm going with Simon, he knows this city best." Their moments were so intimate that Heidi often felt embarrassed and like she had to look away. With a pang of sadness it reminded her of the good times in her old relationship.
"Don't worry Heidi, we'll get your results and be back before the end of the day" Simon gave her a thumbs-up.
"You better. Be careful, you two."
They put on different clothes, stretched and faded. Lisa tried wearing her hair out under a beanie. Simon just went as himself. The two set off for the nearest clinic. Heidi knew there was no point worrying about the result so she tried to keep her mind off it as best she could. Instead she tried doing extra chores that day, anything that would distract her from thinking. When the pair returned at nightfall without a hitch and happily told her she was negative for the blood disease, Heidi felt a cascade of relief.
"That's one less thing to worry about. I hate this soul-sucking place."
"The gangs will be taken care of soon, just like my Grandma wanted" Diego answered from the doorway "We just got to hold out until then."
"Aside from that, we need a plan to take out Magris. Then Amira and I can leave this hole" Heidi muttered and didn't get a response from anyone.
That night was fairly festive, it was a minor celebration of Heidi's negative blood test. Simon cooked up meat patties, and although it was low-grade quality it was still solid food. The children were happier and they were all bright in the dinner room with their mismatched plates and cups. Amira sat on the steps again and Heidi was on the ground by her leg. The table was full of everyone else. It was like being a part of a bizarre family, Diego teasing Simon for not cooking his meat all the way through. Occasional laughter. Heidi cut up meat with plastic utensils, dipped them in her dollop of barbecue sauce.
The fire duelist looked up to see a faraway look in Amira's eyes "this reminds me of my own family, before my three sisters left home. Though I was always so much younger than everyone else."
"I was thinking the same thing." Amira confessed, sipping from her cup of juice. "We need nights like this to keep everyone going. I wasn't all that close to my family but they weren't bad, and at times like these I do think of them."
Mr Barrow had a collection of old boardgames. They were missing pieces so new rules of play were agreed on, this entertained the children for hours. Any squeals and squabbling was silenced by Mr Barrow's gruff but fatherly commands. When it was time for the children to go upstairs to sleep there was a deck of cards to entertain the older ones. It was almost a full deck, though the cards were bent and faded, but they could all sit around the table now in more quiet enjoyment. They were playing a game called 'take five' in which the players took turns putting cards down, trying to get rid of their hand while making others draw.
"So what are your plans for the upcoming weeks?" Simon asked while dropping down a five of diamonds.
Mr Barrow frowned then drew his cards "I have made some arrangements."
"Such as?" Amira asked. The game continued around the circle.
"There's a bunker hidden out there in the junk piles. I've taken the liberty of stock-piling it with some supplies. I've also dusted off the old gas canisters in the shed. Sorry, Lisa." He dropped a two of spades onto the pile.
"All good," she drew the cards and her turn passed.
"Gas canisters?" Amira asked. "Heidi's on her last card guys."
"If this area becomes a warzone the last thing I want is for gangsters to take over this house and use it as a refuge." Mr Barrow grumbled and set a card down. "Diego, since you're our designated bombs and demolition expert, I hope you wouldn't mind helping me set up a good explosive if we need it?"
"Not at all, Sir" he answered.
"Sorry, Diego." Lisa dropped a five on the pile.
"Sorry, Heidi." Diego passed it on with another five.
"Dammit…" she reached for the deck and started drawing her cards. Amira had nothing to play and drew on her turn, so did Simon.
Mr Barrow dropped a set of threes down and won the game "anyway, if it gets too dangerous getting to the bunker and waiting on an evacuation may be the best we can do."
Amira glanced at Heidi before speaking "you guys would be okay, but the government might still be after the chosens to experiment on us or whatever else."
"Yeah, what can we do?" Heidi asked.
Simon considered for a moment "well there's always the pirate trade route up north. I heard about them, they're not a legal operation but that means no ID checks or dealing with officials."
"What are they?" Heidi asked.
"It's how refugees from the islands get here, or how wanted people try to get out the country. Big sailboats come down to the docks on the port city's west outskirt. They trade for things like salt and exotic island stuff, like I dunno, cocoa beans."
The chosens looked at each other, Heidi murmured "sounds like it'll be our only way to find the chosen who lives there."
"It's a shady operation, so you'd better be careful."
Mr Barrow was ready for sleep before they were so he wished them goodnight and retired to his room. The five went out back to the caravan and carried their blankets. Hours went by and they still weren't feeling tired. They talked and those three had regular duels without Kaijudo magic. Simon's deck was water and darkness, centered around discard control and Hydrooze, the Mutant Emporer. Lisa's deck was light and fire, focusing on immunity effects and Petrova, Channeler of Suns. Diego also used water and darkness, his deck was made to rush with Daidalos, General of Fury as a beatdown. While they played Heidi and Amira went out and climbed to the caravan's roof. Tossing up their blankets beforehand so they could lie back in comfort and stare at the plethora of stars.
"I like this group…" Heidi stated. "Before leaving the DMA I had another group of friends but they were killed. Penelope, Wembley, Soroban and Iwate. I'd hate for something like that to happen again."
"I'm sorry. That's why I don't like getting close to people." Amira explained. "It's not fair on them and it hurts when they die trying to help you."
Heidi blinked up at the stars for a few minutes "do you think that one day all five of us chosens will be a group? Together?"
"I don't know, Heidi." Amira answered with a sigh, she seemed to doubt it.
"Maybe we'd all get along after we learnt to understand each other."
Amira gave a non-verbal acknowledgement. A few minutes later she pointed out a shooting star, both girls were quiet as they made their separate wishes.
『AN: I am happy that once more both Acuma and Azure are up-to-date on my fanfic! And also we find ourselves with another reason to celebrate: we are 75% of the way through Darkness Arc! Hip hip hooray! We are now in the final stretch. Five more chapters to go until we can say hasta la vista to this dark installment and I get to reveal new game upgrades and another chosen! But all in time, first we need to see how I send off this arc and what will be the conclusion with our newest chosen Amira.』
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