Chapter 3; it is the duelist, not the deck

Sonic and his friends arrived at 7AM in Paris. Tails was the only one awake and had already drunk 3 coffees to stay awake with only 4 hours of sleep. Sonic woke up and found him waiting for the others to wake up as well.

"Good morning bud."

"Good morning." Tails said trying to keep his eyes opened.

"Dude you look exhausted. How many hours of sleep did you get?"

"4" Tails said once he sat next to Sonic

"Dude this can't go on. show me how to fly this thing."

"No. I can do it" Tails tried to say but he almost fell asleep.

"Tails don't be a hero. Just show me. How hard can it be? Not harder than my runner's flight mode right?"

"Yeah. I guess. Come on."

They went to the cockpit and Tails taught Sonic how to fly it. By the time they were done the others were awake. They all had breakfast together.

"So what is the plan today guys?" Jet asked.

"We split to search the city. If we don't find anything by 3PM we group for lunch. Then we will go see some landmarks and we will return to the airport by 9PM.

"Um guys?" Silver asked.

They all looked at him.

"I was just wondering that… you know.. I should stay and wait here. I mean… I'm not one of you. I just wanted to help but I don't want to be any burden to you."

"Silver relax" Sonic said "you'll join me in the search."

"Thanks. I'll do anything to help you all."

They finished breakfast and then headed for the city. This time Sonic made them all swear that they wouldn't log in any online account so no one would spot them. Afterwards they started once more searching the city. It took less than they predicted so they grouped once more. They concluded that no god card existed there so they decided to go eat in a French restaurant. The food was delicious for everyone except Knuckles who almost vomited just by looking at the food. Afterwards they went all the way up the Eiffel tower where Knuckles challenged Jet to go to the first floor from the stairs while they took the elevator. They reached the first floor and Jet joined them out of breath 20 minutes later. Then they used the elevator to go to the top where they admired the view. Amy and Sonic went few steps away from their friends to kiss. Afterwards they had a walk next to the sequana river where Sonic and Silver had a duel. Of course Sonic resorted in using the sky ruler in the end due to Silver outplaying him but managed to avoid the 'interrogation' by his fans. Afterwards they went outside the louvre where they had pictures with the pyramid. On the way back Sonic and Amy put their plan in motion and talk to Jet and Wave. Sonic approached Jet while Tails and Knuckles gave advice to silver about his deck and Amy took Wave nearby.

"How are you?"

"Um.. fine what question is this?"

"Well I noticed some kind of affection between you and Wave."

"What? No."

"Yesterday every time you looked at each other you were both blushing. And today when we were at the top of the tower I saw you two looking at each other in a way that showed you were attracted by each other."

Jet hesitated but admitted it.

"Yesterday when I saw her in that dress.. my heart started beating super fast. This has never happened to me before."

"Dude relax the same thing happened between me and Amy. You two are in love."

"How do you know?" Jet asked

"I and Amy had the same reaction in the spirit world. Just be yourself and once you see a chance tell her how you feel."

"You think so?"

"I do." Sonic answered.

On the other side of the gang Amy was talking to Wave.

"Come on Wave admit it. You like him don't you?"

"N.. No.."

"No means a giant loud scream of YES! Remember?"

"Ok. Yes I think I am in love with him. Ever since he mad that compliment I want to just grab him and kiss him. No man has ever told me something like that. I am going crazy!"

"Relax. Just wait until he makes a move. If not you make an inconspicuous move and he'll respond I assure you."

They continued their walk towards the parking were. Just before they reached their runners though, another runner appeared out of nowhere heading right for Sonic.

"What the..?!"

The driver tried to punch Sonic as it seemed but Sonic dodged and the guy only touched his belt. Then he left while letting out a victory cry and holding something above his head. Sonic checked his belt and saw his deck box missing!

"This guy stole my deck!"

"After him!" Amy screamed.

They initiated pursuit. Sonic decided to let it seem like he got away with it and slowed down. They saw the runner drive into an abandoned clinic. There they followed the driver inside where they found him in the back of the building looking through Sonic's deck. They heard some words from him.

"Finally! With this deck I will rule the game… and the world! MUHAHAHAHA!"

"No you won't!" Sonic said angry.

The guy turned around and saw Sonic.

"Well well… the king… the king without his sword! Ahahahahaha!"

"Give the deck back! It doesn't belong to you!"

"Yes it does! You've been the champion for too long! It is my turn to rule now!"

"Beat me then!"

"I can't! cause you don't have a deck to fight with!"

"Oh do I not?" Sonic said revealing a deck box from inside his jacket.

The guy received a little shock but overcame it instanty.

"So what? I have the ultimate deck. I will win easily!"

"No deck is ultimate. It is all the duelist's skills and his belief in his deck not the deck itself that counts in the end."

"Oh you have a very big idea for yourself for a so called 'humble' king. I'll crush you like a bug."

"Come on then."

"DUEL!"

"I'll start." Sonic said " I draw. Before I move on with my turn let me ask you. Did you ever watch star wars?"

"Yeah. What about it?"

"Do you remember all these machines? R2-D2? C3P0? X-wing fighter?"

"Yes what about them?!"

"I gave the idea to the company of the game to create a set of cards that originated from star wars."

"Sonic! you have…?!" Tails asked in awe.

" I summon forth Kozmo tincan in attack mode!"

"Kozmo? What in the world is that?"

"A rare and powerful set of cards." Tails explained " one of the best if used correctly."

"I set 3 cards face down and end my turn. Finally my tincan's effect activates. I choose 3 kozmo cards from the top of my deck and show them to my opponent them my opponent randomly picks one of them. The selected card goes to my hand the rest to the graveyard. I choose Kozmoll dark lady, kozmotown and Kozmo Dark Destroyer. Choose." He said setting the cards face down like monsters.

"I choose the one to my left."

"Excellent you picked dark destroyer."

"So what your turn is over. My turn I draw. I summon forth blackwing Kris the crack of dawn. Then I special summon gale. I tune them to summon Blackwing armor master! Attack!"

"Right into my trap. I play my tincan's other effect. I banish it and special summon a kozmo from my hand of level 2 or above! Arise dark destroyer!"

"WHAT?!"

"And there's more. I activate his effect. I destroy a monster on the field. Armor master!"

"NOO!"

"Now what will you do?"

"Monster reborn!"

"Stubborn huh?"

"I end my turn with a set card."

"My turn. I draw. I play call of the haunted to resurrect my kozmoll dark lady."

"I chain with torrential tribute."

"Right into another trap. When destroyer goes down he calls a level 7 or under monster from my deck. I pick kozmo forerunner!"

"IMPOSSIBLE!"

"I could end you right here and now. but I think I will torture you. I attack directily!"

"AAAH! "(stranger's LP 5200)

"I end my turn."

"Darn you. I draw. I play foolish burial to send blackwing vayu the emblem of honor to the graveyard. next by banishing it and armor master I synchro summon blackwing silver wind the ascendant. I attack your monster with my silverwind and chain with kalut the moon shadow so you lose 1400 LP!"

"Hmph." (Sonic LP 6600)

"I end my turn."

"My turn. But before that I chain with my second call of the haunted to resurrect my forerunner. Now I draw. in my standby phase I gain 1000 LP thanks to my forerunner." (Sonic LP 7600). "Now.. should I end this cause we have a journey to make or should I prolong my fun?"

"Stop mocking me?!"

"I guess I'll just end my turn with another set card."

"You'll pay for that! My turn. I draw. Huh! You should have ended me when you had the chance! I summon blackwing Jetstream the blue sky and play my blackback to revive gale. I tune them for armory arm! And now.. Limit overdrive!"

"Come at me!' Sonic mocked.

"Come forth Sky ruler!"

Sky ruler arised.

"I choose the effect to escape destruction! Attack his forerunner!"

"I chain with mirror force!"

"It doesn't work fool! I banish Jetstream!"

"Ok then" (Sonic LP 6900)" when it dies though it summons a new one level 6 or less. I choose my Kozmo sliprider! It destroys your set card."

"I end my turn."

"My turn. I draw. I set a card and then end my turn. I decided now. I end it next turn!"

"Dream on! I summoned the most powerful monster ever! My turn. I draw. sky ruler kill that spaceship!"

"I chain with Kozmojo! It destroys my forerunner and BANISHES YOUR DRAGON!"

"B.. BANISH?! I can't save it like this!"

"Exactly! Furthermore sliprider brings my level 2 kozmo strawman from my deck."

The sky ruler was vanquished.

"Impossible! This monster is the most powerful card in the world! Yet you took it down in a flash! How?! HOOWW?!"

"Because you don't even know how to play my deck. Only I can bring out its full strength. Now end your turn!"

"Damn you!"

"My turn. Time to end it! I activate strawman's effect. I summon back my forerunner! Also I activate Kozmotown! It allows me to add my destroyer back to my hand for the cost of his level multiplied by 100 so 800" (Sonic LP 6100) " Now I banish my strawman to summon destroyer! Finally I chain with my twin twisters to discard a card and vanquish your set!"

"No!"

"MONSTERS ATTACK!"

"NOOOOO!" (Stranger LP 0)

Sonic's friends were speechless. Sonic had just proven that his deck was beatable. Sonic approached the stranger who looked at Sonic's deck in hatred.

"How did the ultimate deck lose?!"

"It lost cause only I know how to wield it perfectly!"

"You arrogant bastard!"

"Say all the bad things you want! I couldn't care less. Give me my deck back!"

The stranger looked down sad and gave the deck back. Sonic turned around to leave.

"I have never won in my entire life." Sonic heard behind him. "No mater what deck I try I lose. What is wrong with me?"

"Your self confidence and your belief in your dueling skills. And also you need to work on them. Had you summoned Jetstream first and Kris along with gale followed him you could have summoned the crystal wing synchro dragon and make it harder for me. Also torrential tribute should have been used on the summon of tincan not destroyer. And finally you wasted monster reborn."

"I am useless."

"No. you are confused. Get a deck you like. Train with it. Believe in it. And you will win for sure."

"Can I ask you a question?"

"Yes."

"How did you become invincible?"

"Cause I believe in myself and in my cards and I have mastered them."

"I wish I knew how this felt like."

"Go out there and find out then."

"Yeah.. I will! I'll challenge you one day with a real strong deck that I believe in. and I will win for sure!"

"I will be waiting for that day." Sonic said smiling.

They left and returned to the airport. They all fell asleep immediately except Sonic and Amy who were looking at the Eiffel tower with all its lights lit.

"You know" she said "sometimes even though I know how great you are you make me fell proud to be your wife."

"Thanks baby." He said giving her a kiss.

"How did you find out your dragon's weakness?"

"Through my experience. I saw how the others fought it. So I saw the only ways to get rid of it. And I also learned how to protect it like this."

"What ways exist?"

"Banishing it? Sending it back to hand, negating his effect and tributing it to summon lava golem or kaiju monsters. But I rarely even have to bring it back since I usually use it to end the duel."

They spent some more time looking at the tower and the moon.

"So what is our destination tomorrow?"

"Berlin."

"Cool. I always loved their architecture."

"Yeah me too. But such things mostly exist on other cities of germany. We're gonna have to travel to some other big cities of germany to look for the god cards."

"I can't wait now"

"Me neither."

After this they went to their room and fell asleep. At 6AM Sonic woke up and requested approval for take off. Soon they were in the sky heading for the capital of germany.