It had been a few hours since Fader had dueled Serena. He sat by the
fountain going over his deck. There wwas one thing he was sure of, he was
going to have to be at his best to win in Battle City; that meant that his
deck would have to be at its best as well.
He spent sometime the first hour after his duel with a group of spectators watching two younger kids dueling. the battle had been unispired and neither duelist had played a monster with and attack of more than 2000 points, but it had been a good distraction from the tournament and from the strange letters that had lead him to Domino in the first place.
Fader had just finished making some modifications to his deck when some voices caught his attention. it sounded like there was a dispute going on in the nearby alley. Fader set his deck back into the Duel Disk, grabbed his backpack and headed over to investigate.
He peered into the alley and saw two guys all in black outfits pushing a younger boy to the ground.
"Just give us your locator card and rare card," said the first.
His associate laughed as he added, "We won't hurt you."
The kid lay on the ground, propping himself up with his arms. "But the rules say that you have to beat me in a duel first."
"We don't have time to duel a bunch of pathetic losers," said the first one, shaking his fist. "Just gimme your damn card."
It was at that point that Fader stepped out from the shadows he had been observing from, "How about he doesn't?"
The two thugs whipped around to face Fader. the second turned to his comerade. "Looks like we got ourselves a hero."
Fader pointed at the two thugs, "Let the kid go and you can duel me."
The first one laughed. "Oh we don't duel. We just collect rare cards we shakedown from these kind of losers," he said pointing to the kid.
"Collect? For who?"
"For me," came a voice from behind Fader. He turned to see a figure in a black trenchcoat standing there, his Duel Disk pulsing and flashing with light on his arm. 'If you're foolish enough to want a duel then you'll face me, on one condition; if I win, I take your locator card and rarest card and also the kid over there's too. If you win," he laughed, "If you win you'll get two rare cards and two locator cards."
Fader activated his Duel Disk. "You're on."
Fader and the man in black locked their Duel Disks into place, the holo- projectors flanking both duelists. "It's time to Duel!" they shouted at the same time. (Author's note: Sorry guys, I had to do this at least once. It'll never happen again. :D)
The man in black drew his opening hand, "The name is Potemkin. I'll have them etch it into your tombstone." He made his first draw. "I'll play Neo the Magical Swordsman (1700/1000) in attack mode. And then I'll play the magic card, Symbol of Courage which increases the attack power of all my monsters by 200 points."
"My turn." Fader looked at his hand. He didn't have any monsters that could stand up to Potemkin's Neo; at least not in attack strength. "I play one monster in defense position and then I'll play the magic card, Chorus of Sanctuary, which will add 500 points to my monster's defense. Then I'll set one more card and end my turn."
Potemkin turned to his thugs, who were now holding the young boy tightly, and laughed. "He doesn't even have enough guts to attack me head on. What happened to all your brave words hero? You can't hide in defensive all game; and I have just the monster to prove that! I 'll draw and play Severing Samuri (500/800) in attack mode. Now thanks to my Symbol of Courage my Swordsman's attack raises by another 200 points."
"What?" Fader shouted. "It keeps rising?"
"That's right," replied Potemkin with a cocky voice. "It's a continuous magic card, my monsters' attack will keep rising and rising with each passing turn. Now Severing Samuri, attack his face down monster!"
Fader could only watch as Potemkin's Samuri rushed forward and sliced through his face down monster with one swift strike. "How is that possible? My Mystical Elf? Its defense power was higher than your Samuri's attack."
"You fool. Severing Samuri's special ability allows it to destroy any face down monster card regardless of its Defense rating. Now Neo the Magical Swordsman, attack his life points directly!" Neo dove and attacked Fader, but his Life Points held at 4000. Potemkin didn't understand, "How is that possible? Your Life Points should be at 1900!"
"I activated the trap card, Enchanted Javelin. It raised my Life Points by the same value as your Swordsman's attack power."
Potemkin obviously wasn't impressed, "That trick will only protect you for one turn. Next turn my Samuri will destroy your Life points!"
Fader's grin faded. Potemkin was right, the Enchanted Javelin couldn't help him again this duel. He needed a new plan. He felt a voice, a presence in the back of his mind (or was it two?) telling him to trust in his deck. It was like a concience only stronger, more meaningful. He shook it off and drew a card. He looked at it and did a double take. That card wasn't in his deck. It took him a few seconds to realize just where the card had come from. It had been one of the five cards that had been in the envelope that he found with the peice of the Millenium Puzzle. But those cards were still in his backpack, weren't they?
"I lay two cards face down. Then I play the X-Head Cannon (1800/1500) in attack mode."
"You stupid X-Head can't stand up to my Swordsman."
"Maybe not, but he is more than capable of taking out your Samurai. X-Head Cannon, attack!"
"What? No! My Samurai!" shouted Potemkin as his Samurai was shattered.
Fader: 4000, Potemkin: 2900.
"It's your turn Potemkin," Fader said, crossing his arms.
"True and this will be one of your last! Swordsman attack his X-Head!"
"You'll have to find it first Potemkin! Go Magical Hats, surround and protect my X-Head Cannon!" Four silk hats appeared on the field, hid his monster then shuffed around.. "There are 4 hats Potemkin, you'll have to pick the right one before you can destroy my monster."
"More pathetic stall tactics. It doesn't matter. I don't even need to attack or choose. Your X-Head will reveal itself to me."
"What are you talking about?"
"First I'll lay this card face down. Then I'll play Change of Heart!"
"Change of Heart?"
"It allows me to take control of one of your monsters and use it as my own until the end of my turn."
Fader started to protest, "But the hats..."
"Will do nothing. Change of Heart doesn't need to see your monster to find it. It can sense its presence. Now come to me X-Head Cannon."
The Magical Hats dissappeared and the X-head vanished from Fader's side of the playing field only to reappear with Potemkin. So much for my cryptic card draw, thought Fader. The hats hadn't been that helpful after all. "Wait! Your attack this turn is already over. you can't have my X-Head attack me."
"Who said that I was going to attack?" replied Potemkin. "I just didn't have the right number of monsters to carry out my plan."
"You plan?"
"I will now sacrifice my Neo the Magical Swordsman and your X-Head Cannon to summon the Buster Blader (2600/2300)!" Potemkin proclaimed with an evil enthusiasm. "And next turn there will be no where for you to hide from his awesome power!
Fader looked at his deck, then to Potemkin and finally at the Buster Blader. A list of cards in his deck poured through his mind. He kept arriving at the same conclusion: There was nothing in his deck that could stand up to the Buster Blader. There was of course his Black Luster Soldier, but he didn't have the nessesary cards in his hand that he needed to Summon it. He wasn't even close.
Fader brought his hand up to his deck and drew his next card. "I play Card Destruction! We discard our hands and draw the same number of cards that we had before." Now it was all up to his deck and his next four cards. They would determine whether he won or lost. With a grim determination Fader closed his eyes and drew his four cards. he couldn't believe it. Right there in his hand were two more of the five cards he had found in the run- down store. How had they gotten into his deck? He didn't remember putting them there.
Fader though back over the last few hours. He remembered parting with Serena and watching the two kids duel. The only thing he could remmeber next was sitting at the fountain modifying his deck. How had he gotten to the fountain? He couldn't remeber. He must have put those cards in his deck.
He shook off his doubt and examined the cards. Just great, he thought. They were totally useless. Both cards needed a particular monster to play. He didn't have that monster card in his deck. At least he didn't remember putting that monster in his deck. But if his last three card draws were any indication. His own deck was capable of surprising him.
Fader closed his eyes again. What did he have to lose? "I activate the Curtain of Black Magic!" Fader kept his eyes closed, he couldn't believe that any of this was actually happening. "I summon the Dark Magician (2500/2100)!" It was then that Fader opened his eyes, and there before him in deep purple robes was the legendary Dark Magician.
"That stupid Magician can't save you. It doens't even have enough attack points to destroy my Buster Blader. You wasted your move and half your Life Points," shouted Potemkin.
"My turn isn't finished Potemkin," said Fader calmly. He spread his lips into a large smile. "Though after my next move you'll wish wish that it was. First I lay one card face dwon. Now it's time to say goodbye to your Buster Blader."
"You idiot, I just told you my monster was stronger than yours."
"My Dark Magician doesn't need to attack to destroy your Buster Blader."
"What?"
"Go Mystic Box!" Watch Potemkin as both our monsters are incased in sealed boxes," explained Fader. As he did, two rectangular boxes with question marks on them surrounded both player's monsters. "Now watch Potemkin and see the demise of your monster." Ten swords then materialized in the air and pierced the box that contained the Dark Magicain.
"You destroyed your own monster," shouted Potemkin. "You're more of an idiot than I thought."
"Look again Potemkin," said Fader just as the box opened to reveal the card image of Potemkin's Buster Blader, run thorugh by the ten swords.
"No, my Buster Blader!"
The second box then opened to reveal the Dark Magician, battle ready. "Now," said Fader, "With no monsters to defend you I can attack your Life Points Directly. Dark Magician, Dark Magic attack!"
Fader: 2000, Potemkin: 400.
"Your turn Potemkin." Fader didn't know what to think. Had he really just done that? Summoned one of the strongest monsters in the game and used it to destroy another one of the strongest? Fader breathed a sigh of relief.
"Don't get too comfortable," warned Potemkin. "I'm about to destroy your Dark Magician. First I'll activate my face down card, Proof of Dragon Destruction."
"What does that do?" asked Fader.
"It allows me to bring back my Buster Blader to my hand from the graveyard."
"It's too bad you don't have the required number of monsters on the field that you need to summon it Potemkin."
"Yes it would be a shame," started Potemkin, "If I didn't have the magic card, Choosing Machine! It allows me to take one of my monster cards from my hand as well as two other non-monster cards. Then you choose one of them at random. If you select my monster, I get to summon it to the field without having to sacrifice any other monsters to do so." The backs of three cards appeared on the field before Fader. "Go ahead Fader, make your choice."
Fader stared intensely at the cards, hoping that if by sheer force of will he would be able to see through the cards and make the right choice. "I choose that one," he said pointing at the card on the far right.
Potemkin let out a howling shatter of a laugh, "You just sealed your own defeat!" he shouted, "Come forth Buster Blader!" Once again the armor clad soldier appeared on the field, this time, its sword pointed directly at the Dark Magician. "And after his attack bonus from Symbol of Courage he has even more power with which to erradicate you! Buster Blader teach his Dark Magician a lesson for sending you to the graveyard!"
"Not this turn Potemkin," interrupted Fader. "Or any other for that matter."
The Buster Blader halted in mid-stride as it moved to strike the Dark Magician. "How?" demanded Potemkin. "Why did my Buster Blader stop?"
"Because of my trap card Potemkin," replied Fader. "You were so caught up in revenge you didn't see me activate, The Regulation of Tribe. It allows my to name a monster type, preventing any monsters of that type from attacking. In this case, the warrior type.
"But all of my monster are warriors!"
"Exactly."
"Curse you!" shouted Potemkin. "But at least with my Buster Blader in play you can't attack my Life Points. And unless you wish to sacrifice your Dark Magician the effects of Regulation of Tribe will be gone for my next turn."
The effects of Regulation of Tribe may be gone by your next turn," started Fader. "But it won't matter since you won't be getting a next turn. I am going to end this, now!"
"Big words hero, but how do you plan on doing that?"
"With your own magic card; the Change of Heart!"
"Idiot, that card has been used and was sent to my graveyard."
"Yes," said Fader. "It's exactly where I needed it to be. I activate Double Magic! I'll discard a magic card from my hand and in return I get to use your Change of Heart card from your graveyard! And I'll use it to control your Buster Blader!" The Buster Blader vanshed in a flash, and in another flash it had turned its sword back on Potemkin. "With no monsters left to defend you once again, your Life Points, are history. Buster Blader and Dark Magician attack!" A powerful force blinded all those who watched. "It's over Potemkin."
"I can't believe the boss lost," said one of the thugs, letting go of their hostage.
"No kidding," added the other. "This guy is the real deal."
Potemkin waled over to where Fader was standing. "My boys are right. You are the real deal. No one has ever trounced me like that. These cards are yours," he said holding out the Buster Blader and Change of Heart.
Fader took the two cards and turned to the fifteen year old former hostage who was starting to walk out of the alley. "Hey kid!" he shouted. The teen turned back to Fader, with a shocked expression on his face. "Here," said Fader, tossing him the Buster Blader card. "You deserve this."
The kid looked at the card, then back at Fader who nodded his approval. "What do I have to do in exchange?" he asked.
"Nothing except that promise me that you'll use it to win a whole bunch of locator cards. I expect to see you in the finals," said Fader with a grin.
"Definately," replied the teen. "The name's Beezy. And don't worry, I don't plan on leaving Battle City anytime soon." Beezy then turned and took off out of the alley.
Who says teenagers are all bad? thought Fader. He turned back to face Potemkin but found himself alone in the alley, save for a pair of locator cards that were on the ground at his feet. Fader picked them up, pocketed them and made his way out of the alley. What Fader had missed was a note from Potemkin that was blowing around in the wind: "This isn't over."
He spent sometime the first hour after his duel with a group of spectators watching two younger kids dueling. the battle had been unispired and neither duelist had played a monster with and attack of more than 2000 points, but it had been a good distraction from the tournament and from the strange letters that had lead him to Domino in the first place.
Fader had just finished making some modifications to his deck when some voices caught his attention. it sounded like there was a dispute going on in the nearby alley. Fader set his deck back into the Duel Disk, grabbed his backpack and headed over to investigate.
He peered into the alley and saw two guys all in black outfits pushing a younger boy to the ground.
"Just give us your locator card and rare card," said the first.
His associate laughed as he added, "We won't hurt you."
The kid lay on the ground, propping himself up with his arms. "But the rules say that you have to beat me in a duel first."
"We don't have time to duel a bunch of pathetic losers," said the first one, shaking his fist. "Just gimme your damn card."
It was at that point that Fader stepped out from the shadows he had been observing from, "How about he doesn't?"
The two thugs whipped around to face Fader. the second turned to his comerade. "Looks like we got ourselves a hero."
Fader pointed at the two thugs, "Let the kid go and you can duel me."
The first one laughed. "Oh we don't duel. We just collect rare cards we shakedown from these kind of losers," he said pointing to the kid.
"Collect? For who?"
"For me," came a voice from behind Fader. He turned to see a figure in a black trenchcoat standing there, his Duel Disk pulsing and flashing with light on his arm. 'If you're foolish enough to want a duel then you'll face me, on one condition; if I win, I take your locator card and rarest card and also the kid over there's too. If you win," he laughed, "If you win you'll get two rare cards and two locator cards."
Fader activated his Duel Disk. "You're on."
Fader and the man in black locked their Duel Disks into place, the holo- projectors flanking both duelists. "It's time to Duel!" they shouted at the same time. (Author's note: Sorry guys, I had to do this at least once. It'll never happen again. :D)
The man in black drew his opening hand, "The name is Potemkin. I'll have them etch it into your tombstone." He made his first draw. "I'll play Neo the Magical Swordsman (1700/1000) in attack mode. And then I'll play the magic card, Symbol of Courage which increases the attack power of all my monsters by 200 points."
"My turn." Fader looked at his hand. He didn't have any monsters that could stand up to Potemkin's Neo; at least not in attack strength. "I play one monster in defense position and then I'll play the magic card, Chorus of Sanctuary, which will add 500 points to my monster's defense. Then I'll set one more card and end my turn."
Potemkin turned to his thugs, who were now holding the young boy tightly, and laughed. "He doesn't even have enough guts to attack me head on. What happened to all your brave words hero? You can't hide in defensive all game; and I have just the monster to prove that! I 'll draw and play Severing Samuri (500/800) in attack mode. Now thanks to my Symbol of Courage my Swordsman's attack raises by another 200 points."
"What?" Fader shouted. "It keeps rising?"
"That's right," replied Potemkin with a cocky voice. "It's a continuous magic card, my monsters' attack will keep rising and rising with each passing turn. Now Severing Samuri, attack his face down monster!"
Fader could only watch as Potemkin's Samuri rushed forward and sliced through his face down monster with one swift strike. "How is that possible? My Mystical Elf? Its defense power was higher than your Samuri's attack."
"You fool. Severing Samuri's special ability allows it to destroy any face down monster card regardless of its Defense rating. Now Neo the Magical Swordsman, attack his life points directly!" Neo dove and attacked Fader, but his Life Points held at 4000. Potemkin didn't understand, "How is that possible? Your Life Points should be at 1900!"
"I activated the trap card, Enchanted Javelin. It raised my Life Points by the same value as your Swordsman's attack power."
Potemkin obviously wasn't impressed, "That trick will only protect you for one turn. Next turn my Samuri will destroy your Life points!"
Fader's grin faded. Potemkin was right, the Enchanted Javelin couldn't help him again this duel. He needed a new plan. He felt a voice, a presence in the back of his mind (or was it two?) telling him to trust in his deck. It was like a concience only stronger, more meaningful. He shook it off and drew a card. He looked at it and did a double take. That card wasn't in his deck. It took him a few seconds to realize just where the card had come from. It had been one of the five cards that had been in the envelope that he found with the peice of the Millenium Puzzle. But those cards were still in his backpack, weren't they?
"I lay two cards face down. Then I play the X-Head Cannon (1800/1500) in attack mode."
"You stupid X-Head can't stand up to my Swordsman."
"Maybe not, but he is more than capable of taking out your Samurai. X-Head Cannon, attack!"
"What? No! My Samurai!" shouted Potemkin as his Samurai was shattered.
Fader: 4000, Potemkin: 2900.
"It's your turn Potemkin," Fader said, crossing his arms.
"True and this will be one of your last! Swordsman attack his X-Head!"
"You'll have to find it first Potemkin! Go Magical Hats, surround and protect my X-Head Cannon!" Four silk hats appeared on the field, hid his monster then shuffed around.. "There are 4 hats Potemkin, you'll have to pick the right one before you can destroy my monster."
"More pathetic stall tactics. It doesn't matter. I don't even need to attack or choose. Your X-Head will reveal itself to me."
"What are you talking about?"
"First I'll lay this card face down. Then I'll play Change of Heart!"
"Change of Heart?"
"It allows me to take control of one of your monsters and use it as my own until the end of my turn."
Fader started to protest, "But the hats..."
"Will do nothing. Change of Heart doesn't need to see your monster to find it. It can sense its presence. Now come to me X-Head Cannon."
The Magical Hats dissappeared and the X-head vanished from Fader's side of the playing field only to reappear with Potemkin. So much for my cryptic card draw, thought Fader. The hats hadn't been that helpful after all. "Wait! Your attack this turn is already over. you can't have my X-Head attack me."
"Who said that I was going to attack?" replied Potemkin. "I just didn't have the right number of monsters to carry out my plan."
"You plan?"
"I will now sacrifice my Neo the Magical Swordsman and your X-Head Cannon to summon the Buster Blader (2600/2300)!" Potemkin proclaimed with an evil enthusiasm. "And next turn there will be no where for you to hide from his awesome power!
Fader looked at his deck, then to Potemkin and finally at the Buster Blader. A list of cards in his deck poured through his mind. He kept arriving at the same conclusion: There was nothing in his deck that could stand up to the Buster Blader. There was of course his Black Luster Soldier, but he didn't have the nessesary cards in his hand that he needed to Summon it. He wasn't even close.
Fader brought his hand up to his deck and drew his next card. "I play Card Destruction! We discard our hands and draw the same number of cards that we had before." Now it was all up to his deck and his next four cards. They would determine whether he won or lost. With a grim determination Fader closed his eyes and drew his four cards. he couldn't believe it. Right there in his hand were two more of the five cards he had found in the run- down store. How had they gotten into his deck? He didn't remember putting them there.
Fader though back over the last few hours. He remembered parting with Serena and watching the two kids duel. The only thing he could remmeber next was sitting at the fountain modifying his deck. How had he gotten to the fountain? He couldn't remeber. He must have put those cards in his deck.
He shook off his doubt and examined the cards. Just great, he thought. They were totally useless. Both cards needed a particular monster to play. He didn't have that monster card in his deck. At least he didn't remember putting that monster in his deck. But if his last three card draws were any indication. His own deck was capable of surprising him.
Fader closed his eyes again. What did he have to lose? "I activate the Curtain of Black Magic!" Fader kept his eyes closed, he couldn't believe that any of this was actually happening. "I summon the Dark Magician (2500/2100)!" It was then that Fader opened his eyes, and there before him in deep purple robes was the legendary Dark Magician.
"That stupid Magician can't save you. It doens't even have enough attack points to destroy my Buster Blader. You wasted your move and half your Life Points," shouted Potemkin.
"My turn isn't finished Potemkin," said Fader calmly. He spread his lips into a large smile. "Though after my next move you'll wish wish that it was. First I lay one card face dwon. Now it's time to say goodbye to your Buster Blader."
"You idiot, I just told you my monster was stronger than yours."
"My Dark Magician doesn't need to attack to destroy your Buster Blader."
"What?"
"Go Mystic Box!" Watch Potemkin as both our monsters are incased in sealed boxes," explained Fader. As he did, two rectangular boxes with question marks on them surrounded both player's monsters. "Now watch Potemkin and see the demise of your monster." Ten swords then materialized in the air and pierced the box that contained the Dark Magicain.
"You destroyed your own monster," shouted Potemkin. "You're more of an idiot than I thought."
"Look again Potemkin," said Fader just as the box opened to reveal the card image of Potemkin's Buster Blader, run thorugh by the ten swords.
"No, my Buster Blader!"
The second box then opened to reveal the Dark Magician, battle ready. "Now," said Fader, "With no monsters to defend you I can attack your Life Points Directly. Dark Magician, Dark Magic attack!"
Fader: 2000, Potemkin: 400.
"Your turn Potemkin." Fader didn't know what to think. Had he really just done that? Summoned one of the strongest monsters in the game and used it to destroy another one of the strongest? Fader breathed a sigh of relief.
"Don't get too comfortable," warned Potemkin. "I'm about to destroy your Dark Magician. First I'll activate my face down card, Proof of Dragon Destruction."
"What does that do?" asked Fader.
"It allows me to bring back my Buster Blader to my hand from the graveyard."
"It's too bad you don't have the required number of monsters on the field that you need to summon it Potemkin."
"Yes it would be a shame," started Potemkin, "If I didn't have the magic card, Choosing Machine! It allows me to take one of my monster cards from my hand as well as two other non-monster cards. Then you choose one of them at random. If you select my monster, I get to summon it to the field without having to sacrifice any other monsters to do so." The backs of three cards appeared on the field before Fader. "Go ahead Fader, make your choice."
Fader stared intensely at the cards, hoping that if by sheer force of will he would be able to see through the cards and make the right choice. "I choose that one," he said pointing at the card on the far right.
Potemkin let out a howling shatter of a laugh, "You just sealed your own defeat!" he shouted, "Come forth Buster Blader!" Once again the armor clad soldier appeared on the field, this time, its sword pointed directly at the Dark Magician. "And after his attack bonus from Symbol of Courage he has even more power with which to erradicate you! Buster Blader teach his Dark Magician a lesson for sending you to the graveyard!"
"Not this turn Potemkin," interrupted Fader. "Or any other for that matter."
The Buster Blader halted in mid-stride as it moved to strike the Dark Magician. "How?" demanded Potemkin. "Why did my Buster Blader stop?"
"Because of my trap card Potemkin," replied Fader. "You were so caught up in revenge you didn't see me activate, The Regulation of Tribe. It allows my to name a monster type, preventing any monsters of that type from attacking. In this case, the warrior type.
"But all of my monster are warriors!"
"Exactly."
"Curse you!" shouted Potemkin. "But at least with my Buster Blader in play you can't attack my Life Points. And unless you wish to sacrifice your Dark Magician the effects of Regulation of Tribe will be gone for my next turn."
The effects of Regulation of Tribe may be gone by your next turn," started Fader. "But it won't matter since you won't be getting a next turn. I am going to end this, now!"
"Big words hero, but how do you plan on doing that?"
"With your own magic card; the Change of Heart!"
"Idiot, that card has been used and was sent to my graveyard."
"Yes," said Fader. "It's exactly where I needed it to be. I activate Double Magic! I'll discard a magic card from my hand and in return I get to use your Change of Heart card from your graveyard! And I'll use it to control your Buster Blader!" The Buster Blader vanshed in a flash, and in another flash it had turned its sword back on Potemkin. "With no monsters left to defend you once again, your Life Points, are history. Buster Blader and Dark Magician attack!" A powerful force blinded all those who watched. "It's over Potemkin."
"I can't believe the boss lost," said one of the thugs, letting go of their hostage.
"No kidding," added the other. "This guy is the real deal."
Potemkin waled over to where Fader was standing. "My boys are right. You are the real deal. No one has ever trounced me like that. These cards are yours," he said holding out the Buster Blader and Change of Heart.
Fader took the two cards and turned to the fifteen year old former hostage who was starting to walk out of the alley. "Hey kid!" he shouted. The teen turned back to Fader, with a shocked expression on his face. "Here," said Fader, tossing him the Buster Blader card. "You deserve this."
The kid looked at the card, then back at Fader who nodded his approval. "What do I have to do in exchange?" he asked.
"Nothing except that promise me that you'll use it to win a whole bunch of locator cards. I expect to see you in the finals," said Fader with a grin.
"Definately," replied the teen. "The name's Beezy. And don't worry, I don't plan on leaving Battle City anytime soon." Beezy then turned and took off out of the alley.
Who says teenagers are all bad? thought Fader. He turned back to face Potemkin but found himself alone in the alley, save for a pair of locator cards that were on the ground at his feet. Fader picked them up, pocketed them and made his way out of the alley. What Fader had missed was a note from Potemkin that was blowing around in the wind: "This isn't over."