Welcome to Chapter 8 everyone! The beginning of this thing is going to be absolutely crazy and all over the place. I'm serious, and it might get a bit confusing and I'm sorry about that. Let's just jump right in and see what Zero's luck is getting them into now.
Ch.8: Good Reunions Bad Meetings
"Ahh." Yuzu sighed as she strolled down the pathway back towards the Yusho Duel School with Allie by her side. "I'm glad Sora and Yuya finally settled their differences. Honestly, both of them were starting to get on my nerves." Yuzu looked down at the strawberry haired child beside her. "What do you think?"
"I'm just glad that the fighting is done." Allie put in her own two cents. "That, and seeing Sora following Yuya everywhere was starting to get kind of creepy."
"I can agree to that." Yuzu sweat dropped at Sora's literal stalking of her best friend. It honestly freaked Yuzu out that Sora somehow managed to get everywhere, even into their own school. Not the duel school, she had honestly expected Sora to end up there since her father was desperate for more students to enroll. "Let's just hurry up and get this ice cream over to the others. Before they start going through withdrawal symptoms and get antsy."
"Alright-" Allie began, but was cut off by a familiar voice.
"Did you hear what Sylvio has planned for Yuya?" It was one of Sylvio Sawatari's henchmen. Yuzu and Allie both stopped what they were doing, and hid behind the corner of a building to listen. "I heard it's going to be brutal."
"We shouldn't be talking about this out here." The second goon spoke. "And definitely not so close to the Yusho Duel School. Let's just hurry up and get Sylvio his food, you know how he is when he's hungry." Both boys shivered in fear, before sprinting away towards the harbor.
They're going after Yuya, again? That Sylvio! He just doesn't know when to learn. Seems like I'll have to teach him to leave Yuya and us alone. Yuzu gave a determined frown, before handing off the ice cream to Allie.
"Here, hold this and go get the others. I'll be back as soon as I can." Yuzu spoke quickly, before running to catch up with those goons.
"Yuzu! Wait up!" Allie spoke, but she just couldn't catch up to the older girl. Sighing in defeat, the redhead quickly ran back to the Yusho Duel School with the icecream in hand as fast as she could. The girl just knew that Yuya needed to know about this.
. . .
"Ah, I believe this will be a good place for my plans!" A voice exclaimed suddenly from outside the warehouse Zero and Ruri were currently residing in.
The masked man woke with a start, but he instantly sprang into action once he pieced together what was happening. Almost as fast as lightning, Zero grabbed ahold of Ruri's stirring form by the arm, and tugged them both onto the second floor of the warehouse into the shadows. It was just in time, because seconds after they were hiding from view the warehouse doors flew open. They screeched loudly on their rusted hinges, and the loud noise woke up Ruri fully. She remained silent as she rubbed her eyes from lack of sleep.
Four figures walked into the warehouse. Two of them were struggling to carry a nice couch, while the third one was pushing a table in as well. The fourth figure just stood there and watched, giving the other three orders about where to put the furniture. Once everything was settled, the stranger sat himself on the couch and put both feet onto the table in relaxation.
The person who seemed to be in charge was a teenage boy. He had brown hair and four blonde bangs. He wore a school jacket that was exactly like Yuya's, along with a grey shirt and dark red pants. The other three were most likely this person's goons, each one wore a school jacket, a red tie, white shirt, and dark red pants as well. The only difference between these three was their hair and eyes. One had green hair and green eyes, the second had light brown hair and brown eyes, and the last boy had dark brown hair and brown eyes.
"I can't wait to enact my revenge against Yuya for embarrassing me in that duel. I'll never forget that duel he gave me." The first teen grit his teeth at the mere thought of losing. "But how to get him to come over here."
"Perhaps if we take one of his friends." One of the goons suggested, Zero and Ruri angry at the boy for even mentioning kidnapping. "The kid seems to really care about that one girl with pink hair."
You've got to be kidding me. Why on Earth did these kids have to choose THIS warehouse for their 'diabolic plans'?! Why are these four going after Yuya in the first place? Zero pondered to himself. Ruri and Zero listening in and eavesdropping unashamedly, they had came walking into their warehouse as if they owned the place. Which, to be honest, was kind of likely. Seeing as the masked man and rebel fighter had taken to just resting in here without permission. And did that one kid mention Yuzu? She does have pink hair.
The four teens had been conversing while Zero was in his thoughts. It wasn't until a loud rumble echoed across the room that Zero returned his attention to the four stooges.
The three goons tripped over themselves, it was really embarrassing in Zero's opinion. "Ah! Are you hungry Sylvio? Yamabe and I can go and get you something to eat, it'll only take a few minutes!" The kid with light brown hair spoke instantly.
"What do you think Ootomo? Of course I'm hungry!" Sylvio snapped at the brown haired boy, who stepped back slightly. Sylvio looked to the side, as if pondering something. "I'm in the mood for a nice pie. You and Yamade go and get me a really nice pie from that cafe that's down a little ways. I want you back here in thirty minutes, now go and don't be late!" The burnette male shooed his two henchmen off, and they left running.
Zero and Ruri exchanged glances. Even though you couldn't see through Zero's mask, the man had the most annoyed and deadpan expression on his face alongside Ruri's.
"You've got to be kidding me." Ruri whispered incredulously, as she turned and watched the other two intruders interact. The third goon was giving Sylvio a shoulder massage, while the teen himself ranted about how he would defeat Yuya Sakaki. "They just had to choose here for their 'dastardly' kidnapping plans?" Ruri looked at Zero again. "You're luck really is crap, you know that? And I think it's starting to affect mine to."
Zero hissed through his modulator, trying his best to keep quiet so that they weren't spotted. "Don't start getting on me about that now. I've told you and warned you time and again about that. To be honest I'm surprised I didn't expect something like this to happen, and I actually managed to get a good night's sleep for a few hours there." The two had returned watching the teenagers. "We'll have to wait until all four of them leave before we can slip out undetected."
"That, or we can just beat them in a duel and walk out." Ruri pointed out the easy way.
"But we gave Yuto and Shun coordinates for here. If they arrive to the Standard Dimension they'll head over here, and instead of finding us they'll find them." Zero pointed at the two, Sylvio starting to become even more peckish since fifteen minutes had passed. "We'll have to wait for these fools to leave. Besides, I don't want us to be wanted by the police for assaulting children in this dimension. That certainly wouldn't be good for either of our reputations. I suppose we could always relax on the roof, I never did have a lot of time to do any stargazing."
Ruri sighed, before she laid down on the second floor and tried to go to sleep again. It was a futile attempt since Sylvio just couldn't seem to keep his mouth shut for long enough.
. . .
Shun and Yuto were hopping across warehouse rooftops when they finally arrived at their destination. The coordinates given showed an old looking warehouse just a few feet away.
"This is it." Shun breathed, excited to finally reunite with his sister. "They're in there, they're actually alright."
Shun started to run forward, but was halted when Yuto spoke up. "Hold on a second, who are they?" Yuto pointed towards two teenage boys running towards the warehouse. One was holding a carry out bag almost as if it was containing glass. They went over to the exact same warehouse as Shun and Yuto were heading, before opening the door and heading inside.
Shun growled. "Who they hell were they? Are those Fusion users from Academia?!"
"Now, we can't just jump to conclusions Shun-" Yuto began, but was silenced by Shun's sudden outburst.
"Ruri!"
Yuto looked over at where the Raidraptor was pointing, and sure enough. Ruri was running over to the same warehouse as well, just a few feet behind the other two boys. The two couldn't figure out that this wasn't actually Ruri, but Yuzu seeing as they were still too far away. Though they did notice that she looked angry about something, before she flung the warehouse door open and walked in.
"What is she doing?" Yuto asked, absolutely baffled. Why were there strangers at the coordinates Zero had given them, and why was Ruri going after said strangers?
"No time." Shun ran forwards, and dropped down from the warehouse roof onto the ground perfectly fine. "Let's get going before something happens to her."
Yuto looked like he wanted to say something, but knew it was pointless since Shun was now on the warpath. So instead, he just went with Shun and started heading towards the warehouse.
. . .
When the other two goons had returned, it was around sunset, and they were a few minutes late. They stumbled into the warehouse stuttering out apologizes. Sylvio, for all of his care, just shoved the two off and wanted to eat his pie.
He had just taken a bite when a NEW voice spoke up.
"There you are, you dirty no good snake! Sylvio!" A female yelled as she threw open the warehouse door, which had been recently closed by the two goons. Sylvio sat up, and began to choke on his pie from the sudden entrance. His henchmen helping him with the choking problem.
"Hey, is that-" Ruri sat up in surprise at the sight of a familiar face. Her and Zero having taken to studying their surroundings. The two debating if they could make it to the hole in the roof without anyone noticing. It looked almost exactly like her own, but this girl had pink hair tied up into pigtails and periwinkle eyes. Her face was set in a determined and angered frown, eyes steely.
"Yuzu." Zero finished for Ruri, staring at the girl in shock. "That is Yuzu Hiragi, your Standard counterpart." Zero clicked his tongue in frustration. "But what is she doing here? Things just got more complicated."
"Yuzu!?" Sylvio looked at the girl in surprise, not expecting to see her here. "What you are doing here?"
"I heard how you were going to force Yuya into another duel!" Yuzu snapped.
"Oh, so th-"
"You think you can defeat Yuya that easily?!" Yuzu huffed. "You're not even on his level of dueling!"
"Okay, now that-" Sylvio tried to speak again.
"I bet he could beat you with one arm tied behind his back while blindfolded!" Yuzu interrupted again. "I could beat you easily!"
"WILL YOU JUST LET ME SPEAK!" Sylvio snapped and yelled at her.
"No, but what I will allow is a duel." Yuzu brought out her duel disk. "I'll beat you and make sure you never go after Yuya again."
She's really is like a mother hen, Yuya was right. Zero watched this interaction, his smirk laced with amusement under his mask.
"What? You, duel me?" Sylvio pointed at her, and then at himself, before laughing. "That's a good joke."
"Oh, so you're too scared to battle me then?" Yuzu taunted, and Sylvio's eyebrow twitched. Zero and Ruri really wanted to laugh at this childish argument, they found it rather hilarious.
"Scared? No way!" Sylvio exclaimed boldly, but it was ruined by Yuzu making chicken noses and mocking the teen. Eventually, the burnette had had enough and yelled. "Alright fine! I'll duel you, if only to show you that I'm superior. That, and to get you to finally shut up!"
"That won't be necessary." Another voice spoke from the entrance, and everyone turned their heads to meet the other uninvited guests.
"Come on! How many people think they can just waltz in here like they own the place!" Sylvio complained slightly, but these two new figures had him stumped. One was wearing a trench coat and the other had a black cape on. Both of their faces were covered, but it didn't make them any less intimidating or scary.
The slightly shorter one stepped forward and activated his duel disk against Sylvio. "You'll have to battle me first."
Sylvio raised an eyebrow. "What are you? Some mysterious knight in shining armor? Coming to save the princess now are we?" The other didn't respond to Sylvio's words, which slightly annoyed the teen. "Someone's not very talkative now are they?"
Meanwhile, the taller teen was walking towards Yuzu, who had been mistaken for Ruri. The stranger seemed to realize this, because he reeled away in shock. "Wait a second, you're not Ruri!"
"Ruri?" Yuzu gave the two strangers a lost and slightly scared look. "My name is Yuzu. I don't know anyone by the name of Ruri, and who the heck are you two? What are you doing here?" Yuzu backed away slightly.
"Things just went from bad to worse." Zero tried to rub his forehead, but his mask prevented him from doing so. "At least we found Yuto and Shun finally…" Zero groaned, before standing up. "Screw it, everything has already spiraled out of control, it's not like my plans ever work out the way I want them to anyway. Let's just go before things get too violent."
"Wait, now we're revealing ourselves." Ruri looked at Zero annoyed, the man just couldn't make up his mind on this.
"The only reason I wanted us to stay undercover was so that we could find Shun and Yuto faster. Seeing that we've finally found them, stealth isn't really necessary." Zero explained, and helped Ruri to her feet as well.
"Alright then!" Sylvio activated his own duel disk. "I'll accept your challenge. Then once I defeat you we'll get to see just who is under that flimsy mask of yours." The teen stated boldly.
"Hey!" Yuzu butted in, pushing past a surprised Shun to look at Yuto angrily. "I do not need others to fight my battles!-"
"I don't want you to get hurt." Yuto interjected, surprising the Melodious duelist. "You may not be Ruri, but I won't allow an innocent person to get hurt." Yuzu couldn't say anything else because the duel had already began.
YUTO LP- 4000
SYLVIO LP- 4000
"DUEL!"
"I'll go first." Yuto spoke, before drawing and acting quickly. "I place all of my cards face down and end my turn."
The action surprised everyone but those who knew Yuto, and how his deck worked. Shun just stood there, knowing that Yuto could win his own duels. While Zero and Ruri watched from above with interest.
"That's it?" Sylvio laughed. "You came walking in here all high and mighty and then you make such a dumb move? Are you sure you know how to play this game Mr. Knight?" Yuto stilled didn't reply, not bothered at all with this kids attempts to rile him up. Sylvio frowned at Yuto's reactions. "Alright fine! Be that way! I draw!" Sylvio drew.
"Allow me to use those set cards of yours." Sylvio spoke confidently. "If there are two or more cards in my opponent's Spell or Trap Zone, I can Special Summon this card from my hand!" A monster that seemed to be themed around ice sat cross legged when it appeared onto the field. "Come forth. Escher the Frost Vassal!"
ESCHER THE FROST VASSAL LV.4 ATK:8000 DEF:1000
"And now I sacrifice Escher and Advance Summon Mobius the Frost Monarch!" The first monster turned into particles, and disappeared from the field. A portal opening from below where Escher sat, to bring a newer and more powerful monster onto the field. The monster looked like a knight dressed in chiseled ice to resemble armor. Two metal gauntlets on its hands and yellow eyes narrowed from within the monster's helmet.
MOBIUS THE FROST MONARCH LV.6 ATK:2400 DEF:1000
Yuto stood there and stared at the new monster, unafraid of what it could do. He still choose to remain silent as he studied the opponent before him. This kid, he didn't have any true drive whatsoever. It honestly kind of grated on Yuto's nerves as he watched this kid be so bold. Yuto could tell that Shun seemed to agree with Yuto's own thoughts. The Raidraptor duelist twitching as if wanting to have a crack at the kid. Thankfully, he wouldn't, because Yuto knew that Shun didn't have as good control over himself as he did.
"Mobius' effect activates!" Sylvio threw his hand out. "When this card is successfully Advanced Summoned I can choose two Spell or Trap cards on the field, and destroy them. Freeze Burst!" A ball of light appeared in between the monster's hands, and threw it at two of Yuto's facedown cards. The two cards revealed themselves before they shattered, and were destroyed.
"I'm just getting started!" Sylvio boasted, waving a spell card between his fingers. "I activate the Spell card Advance Carnival from my hand! This card allows me to Advance Summon again after one Advance Summon succeeds!"
Yuzu's eyes widened in shock. "He's going to release the 2400 Attack Mobius and Advance Summon another monster?" One that was going to be even stronger to boot.
"That's right!" Sylvio grinned victoriously. All of the resistance fighters currently watching the duel snorted at the teen's arrogance. "I release Mobius the Frost Monarch and Advance Summon!" Mobius vanished into particles, and the same process that happened with Escher repeated itself. "Come forth, Mobius the Mega Monarch!" An even bigger monster, most likely a king of sorts, appeared onto the field. A giant cape flapped behind the monster, who was also covered in ice armor, metal, and two bigger gauntlets on each hand.
MOBIUS THE MEGA MONARCH LV.8 ATK:2800 DEF:1000
"Usually this would require releasing two monsters, but if it was a monster that was successfully Advanced Summoned you can release it and have one count as two!" Sylvio showed his duel blade to everyone, which had his Level 8 monster card. Sylvio narrowed his eyes. "That is the power of Mobius the Mega Monarch."
"Mobius the Mega Monarch's ability activates!" Sylvio threw his hand forward towards Yuto. "When this card is successfully Advanced Summoned I can choose three Spell or Trap cards on the field, and destroy them!"
"Aren't you going to do anything!" Yuzu looked at the mysterious stranger angrily. "If you're just going to waste your turn and not do anything then I might as well have dueled! You're obviously no help. Surely you can at least activate your face downs."
"It's be pointless!" Sylvio interrupted. Now the burnette threw his duel disk arm out to the side. "If this monster was Advance Summoned using a WATER-type monster. Mobius the Mega Monarch prevents the targeted cards from being activated! Freeze and shatter! Blizzard Destruction!"
The rest of Yuto's cards revealed themselves, before they two were destroyed and sent to the Graveyard. Yuto did nothing but stood there calmly as he sent the three cards into his grave. It looked like he wasn't bothered in the slightest from this great turn of events.
Yuzu cringed under the frigid air that blew by her. Before she realized that the air was frigid, and cold. When the icy wind had stopped, the girl looked down at her shivering body in confusion. "How come I can feel the wind even though this isn't an Action Field?"
Action Field? What the hell is an Action Field? Yuto, Shun, Ruri, and even Zero all thought at almost the exact same time. From their experiences so far, the duels didn't need any 'Action Fields' to make them real. All of the destruction that was brought upon Heartland proved that to each and every one of them.
Yuto quickly focused back onto his duel, eyes not leaving his opponents. His battles from Academia making his moves almost instinctual. The Phantom Knights duelist knew that if you turned your back on an Academia soldier, you risked becoming a card. Regardless of you being in the middle of a duel or not.
Things seemed to look rather dire for Yuto. The rebel having nothing on his side of the field while Sylvio had a Level 8 monster. Ruri started to step forward, but Zero stopped her.
She looked up at the masked man. "Yuto can fight his own battles, just like how you can take care of yourself. Just look at him." Zero gestured to Yuto's almost relaxed form. "He's not even worried about this duel. You can see him once this battle is over."
"With this all of your set cards have been destroyed, and your hand is at zero." Sylvio made a zero sign with his fingers, before shrugging as he started to mock the masked duelist. "On top of that you don't have any wall monsters out." Sylvio gave a mock salute to Yuto. "After that cool entrance this is pretty pathetic."
Yuzu looked at the black and purple spiky haired duelist again. "Hey, I know this may be offensive, but you need to get it together! If this is all you can do then it'd be better if you let me-" The Ruri lookalike was silenced by Yuto just looking at her. The teenage girl flinched back slightly, although she didn't know as to why she did. Those eyes she could barely see through those goggles, why did it make her think she knew this person?
"Now then, my gloomy knight in shining armor. I'm sorry for the rude awakening but I'd appreciate it if you and your little friend behind you stepped down from the stage." Sylvio did a mock bow, and now Shun really wanted to hit him. Thankfully, Yuto intervened before that could happen. Goggles reflected the setting sunlight and rising moonlight, his face seemingly impassive. "Battle! I attack you directly with Mobius the Mega Monarch!"
Icy spikes grew out of the monster's armor as it began it's attack. The icy wind kicking up once again and chilling everybody in the room slightly.
Finally, Yuto spoke once again. "I activate the Spell card from my Graveyard, Phantom Knights Shadow Veil!"
Everyone was surprised at the man's declaration. At least, those from the Standard Dimension were. Zero himself had seen a move similar to this one back during Yuto and Edo's duel in Heartland.
Sylvio's eyes widened. "You're going to activate a Spell card from the Graveyard you said?"
Quickly, three spell cards were ejected from Yuto's duel disk, where the Graveyard was, and showed them to the entire crowd. "When a direct attack is declared, I can Special Summon as many of these cards as monsters as possible." Quickly, the Phantom Knight's duelist laid all three spell cards onto his duel blade in Defense Mode. Three spectral knights riding spectral like horses appeared. The horses had golden armor covering their frames, while the specters wore clothes and capes.
PHANTOM KNIGHTS SHADOW VEIL LV.4 ATK:300 DEF:300
PHANTOM KNIGHTS SHADOW VEIL LV.4 ATK:300 DEF:300
PHANTOM KNIGHTS SHADOW VEIL LV.4 ATK:300 DEF:300
"When this card's Special Summoned using this effect, they are banished after being sent to the Graveyard." Yuto finished as the icy wind blew from within the warehouse wildly. The wind ruffling everyone's hair and clothes.
"You set three cards intending to use their abilities to Special Summon them then?" Yuzu looked at the duelist in surprise.
Sylvio was frowning now at this turn of events. "Hmph, they're just wall monsters you summoned while you were flustered!" Sylvio accused, before throwing his hand forward, pointing to one of the defensive monsters. "I'll destroy them! Go Mobius the Mega Monarch! Attack Shadow Veil! Imperial Charge!"
Just as Sylvio had implied, the enormous monster charged towards its prey, and smashed Yuto's monster to pieces. With the attack done, the wind finally died down.
"When destroyed, the Shadow Veil is sent to the Graveyard and is then banished." Yuto spoke calmly. Not even concerned with the loss of one of his monsters.
"Looks like you barely saved yourself this time." Sylvio condeded, irritated by that fact slightly. But having this duelist survive longer made the duel more entertaining. "I set one card and end my turn!" Sylvio smirked. "I guess I'll let you live one more turn."
Yuto seemed to have enough of this duel. "There will be no next turn for you!"
Sylvio looked at Yuto in disbelief. "What?"
"My turn, I draw!" Yuto drew a card, before seemingly staring straight at Sylvio. "I thought you'd put up more of a fight but. Your dueling. I don't feel the sharpness of a blade or the power of a bullet in it." The light reflected off of Yuto's goggles, revealing one grey eye. "Not even a FRAGMENT of it."
Now the L.D.S student was getting angry at this stranger's bold declaration. "What was that?"
"All conditions have been met." Yuto spoke, ignoring Sylvio's comment. "When there are two monsters with the same level on my field, my deck's evolution manifests itself!" Yuzu blinked at Yuto's words, confused, before Yuto helped her realize what he had meant. "I use the two Level 4 Shadow Veils to build the Overlay Network." The two monsters turned into a purple light, and disappeared into a vortex in the ground. A familiar dragon to Zero, Shun and Ruri rising from it's depths.
"What! It can't be!" Sylvio leaned back in shock.
"That's-" Yuzu began, but couldn't finish over the wind that had suddenly kicked up again.
"Formed from the pitch-black darkness, fight those foolish enough to oppose its treacherous fangs! Descend now!" Yuto yelled, and a blinding white light took over the field as a black and purple scaled dragon emerged. "Xyz Summon! Rank 4! Dark Rebellion Xyz Dragon!" Dark Rebellion roared at its entrance.
DARK REBELLION XYZ DRAGON RNK.4 ORB.2 ATK:2500 DEF:2000
"Xyz… Summon." Yuzu looked up at the dragon in awe. The pink haired girl having taken a couple steps back from the stranger.
Sylvio clapped his hands in applause. "I'll admit, I was surprised when you Xyz Summoned so quickly. But, are you planning on battling against my Mobius with that monster?" He pointed at Yuto's dragon, before gesturing to his Mobius Mega Monarch. "Dark Rebellion Xyz Dragon's Attack is 2500, while on the other hand Mobius' Attack is 2800." Sylvio played with one of his blonde bangs. "It seems your Xyz Summoning turned out to just be a bluff!"
"An Xyz monster's true power is to use their orbitals to annihilate their foes." Zero spoke up finally, his modulated voice loud enough for everyone to hear. Everyone on the first floor looked up at the masked man and Ruri in shock. Seeing as they didn't even know those two were there and watching their duel the entire time.
Yuto was shocked, because Zero had literally just took the words right out of his mouth. However, Shun had different thoughts when he finally saw his actually little sister standing tall beside their masked leader.
"Ruri!" Shun cried out with relief, and quickly jumped up to the second level. Ruri didn't even get a chance to say anything before she was enveloped into a hug. "Ruri. Oh thank God you're alright."
"W-who is-" Yuzu stammered, the unaware girl freaking out at Ruri's appearance. She looked almost exactly like her! "Who is she! A-and why does she l-look like me!"
"Forget the Yuzu lookalike." Sylvio spat, and glared up at Zero. "Who the heck are you?! You're wearing an even more complex, and admittedly cool, mask than Shining Armor over here!" The teenage boy pointed at Yuto for emphasize.
Zero didn't even bother with a mock bow, and just slightly ruffled his cape, which was covering his entire body. "My name is Zero, and that is all you really need to know."
Sylvio seemed insulted by Zero's words. "Why you-"
"Let me ask you this question." Zero interrupted, surprising the teeneager. "Are you from L.D.S?"
Sylvio blinked, confused by the question. "What do you mean? The Leo Duel Schools are expanding across the entire globe, so of course I would go there."
"Wait? Leo?" Shun and Yuto exchanged a look between themselves and Zero.
The masked man confirmed their suspicions. "Leo Akaba is indeed the one responsible for creating this organization." Both boys got angry at the thought of the Professor from Academia.
"Leo Akaba? Who is-"
"Shun, Ruri." Zero spoke over the Sylvio, making him even more upset at being undermined by some masked man. "We can have this reunion at a better place at a later time. Yuto." Zero looked down at said teen, who seemed to straighten slightly without even noticing. "Finish this duel quickly." Zero paused. The masked rebel jumped down from the second floor and landed on his own two feet calmly. His cape flying and spreading out across the room, seemingly making him look bigger and even more intimidating. It was rather reminiscent of a bat or dragon spreading its wings when its about to fly or land. He looked up at both Yuto and Shun one more time. "It's nice to see you two again. This place needed a few more familiar faces."
"No kidding." Shun spoke sarcastically, but did as Zero asked nonetheless. Letting go of Ruri, both resistance fighters jumped down onto the second floor and stood beside Yuto and Zero. Though Shun was sure to be close to Ruri, the tall teen also gave her some space, which surprised the younger Kurosaki. She thought that once Shun had arrived, he would act as if they were joined together at the hip. Perhaps Zero was right about what he said on family.
"Right." Yuto spoke, and doubled his focus on the current duel he was about to win. "You'll bear witness to an Xyz monster's power!" Yuto held his hand up towards Dark Rebellion. "Dark Rebellion Xyz Dragon's effect! By discarding one orbital, Dark Rebellion can lower one Level 5 or higher monster on my opponent's side of the field Attack by half, and Dark Rebellion's Attack increases by that amount! Treason Discharge!"
Purple lightning spread across Dark Rebellion's wings, and attacked Sylvio's Mega Monarch. The lightning wrapped around his monster as if they were actually ropes, and everyone watched as Mobius' attack decreased as Dark Rebellion's increased.
MOBIUS THE MEGA MONARCH ATK:2800 = 1400
DARK REBELLION XYZ DRAGON ATK:2000 = 3900
"Now Dark Rebellion's Attack is over Mobius'!" Both Yuzu and Sylvio's goons exclaimed in shock.
"No way!" Sylvio put his hands on top of his head and cried out dramatically.
"I'm not finished." Yuto continued on mercilessly. "I use the last remaining orbital and activate Dark Rebellion Xyz Dragon's effect again! Treason Discharge!" More purple lightning appeared, and wrapped around the severely weakened Mobius Mega Monarch.
MOBIUS THE MEGA MONARCH ATK:1400 = 700
DARK REBELLION XYZ DRAGON ATK:3900 = 4600
"An Attack of 4600!" Yuzu cried out in surprise.
Sylvio backed away slightly. "No- No way!"
"Battle!" Yuto declared, and pointed towards Sylvio and his weakened monster. "I attack Mobius the Mega Monarch with my Dark Rebellion Xyz Dragon! Go! Crush that glacier with your fangs! Revolt Lightning Disobey!" Dark Rebellion roared, a blue energy entering it's purple, lightning charged wings. The dragon gave one menacing flap, before charging forward. The long mandibles on its chin beginning to glow white as the attack zeroed in and landed.
There was a big explosion, and smoke covered the field. Dirt, dust, and other shrapnel and debris began to scatter across the field wildly. Yuto went over to Yuzu, and protected her from any incoming shrapnel, but some of the debris cracked his goggles. Zero went over to both Ruri and Shun, covering them both with his cape. Sylvio himself was thrown back by the blast, and cried out.
The excess smoke poured out of the hole in the roof and the front door, giving everyone enough visibility to at least see everything around them.
SYLVIO LP- 4000 = 100
Sylvio got up with some effort, and gave a pained grunt. The boy managed to raise himself up into a sitting position. Yuto, seeing that his goggles were cracked and broken, took them off of his eyes for fear of any glass getting in it. Small flames licked at the floor and sides of the abandoned yet occupied warehouse. The furniture Sylvio had brought in was destroyed, and scattered across the warehouse.
"I'll only ask you once, and you will answer me properly!" Yuto threatened, his voice almost hissing as he spoke. "What is your connection with Academia?"
"A-Academia?!" Sylvio spoke with confusion, and admittedly, slight fear. The teenager shrugged at Yuto's question. "What are you talking about?"
"Don't play dumb!" Yuto snapped.
Now Sylvio stood up and threw his hands out. "I mean it!" He insisted. "Anyone who's enrolled in L.D.S doesn't know what this Academia is? I certainly don't. Is that a rivaling school from another country or what? I don't know anything about this Academia or whatever! I swear!"
Yuto seemed to believe in Sylvio's words, and one nod from Zero proved it to be true. Leo Akaba may have made the corporation, but he is currently residing in the Fusion Dimension. The students enrolled into the Leo Duel School truly don't know anything about the dimensional war going on between the Xyz and Fusion Dimension.
"Then I have no business with you." Yuto turned around, and began to walk away. Despite the fact that the duel wasn't over and that Sylvio had 100 Life Points left.
Sylvio smirked, before standing fully and making his move. "Idiot! The duel isn't over yet!" He activated his only set trap card. "I activate the Trap card Ice Rage Shot! This card can be activated when a WATER type monster on my field is destroyed in battle. It destroys one of my opponent's monsters, and deals them damage equal to the monster's Attack Points!"
Yuzu and the stooges gasped in shock, and looked towards Yuto's Dark Rebellion Xyz Dragon. However, Yuto along with the other resistance fighters didn't even bother turning around at this turn of events. All four of them heading towards the exit of the warehouse.
Sylvio continued nonetheless. "Your Dark Rebellion Xyz Dragon is destroyed, and I'll have you take it's Attack, 4600, in damage! So you lose!" Sylvio cheered, celebrating a victory he didn't win quite yet. The burnette tilted his head back and laughed boisterously. "I read your move and planned ahead by setting that trap card and now I've won!"
"Such cheap tactics." Yuto stopped walking away. "It's child's play honestly."
Zero couldn't agree more with Yuto, and Sylvio seemed shocked at Yuto's words. "What was that!?"
Yuto raised his hand, back still turned from Sylvio. "I activate from my Graveyard the Continuous Spell card Phantom Death Spear!" The spell suddenly appeared on the field, and glowed brightly. Before the card seemed to invert on itself, and turned into an actual spear surrounded by a red ring as if from the Underworld itself. "When my opponent's Trap card activates, by banishing this card from my Graveyard, I negate the effect of the Trap card that triggered it and destroy it."
Sylvio's eyes had widened comically, and his pupils shook slightly from this permanent turn of the tables. Yuto still didn't look back as he spoke. "And then! It deals 100 points of damage to my opponent!" 100. That was enough to take the rest of Sylvio's Life Points and cost him the duel.
Sylvio flailed his arms comically, sweat dripping down his face as he began to panic. "Wait. Wait. Wait! Wait! Wait! Wait! Wait! Wait! Wait! Wait! Wait! WAIT!" His words began to rise into a yell as he repeated the word frantically.
Yuto finally turned to face his defeated opponent, and pointed at the boy. "Experience this with your very own flesh! The rage and sorrow of the battlefield!"
The spear flew towards Sylvio, and a few tears sprung in the teenagers eyes as he actually thought he was about to die. He was thrown back against the wall harshly, and thankfully, was still alive. Though he was definitely shaken from the ordeal, as the spear had torn a hole into his school jacket and pinned him against the wall of the warehouse. The burnette didn't dare blink or say a word through his gritted teeth lest something else happen to him.
SYLVIO LP- 100 = 0 LOSER
YUTO LP- 4000 WINNER
With the duel now over, and a winner declared. Everything within the duel and battlefield vanished and dissipated into a bunch of yellow particles and blew away in the wind. Sylvio slumped down against the ground, the teenager having passed out from his brink with death and from his duel. But everyone still saw as Yuto finally removed the filter around his mouth. What the resistance saw was Yuto's face, but what everyone else saw was Yuya's face. What Zero saw, was a mix between both Yuto and Yuya, seeing as both counterparts could pass off as twins. Even with the different hair style, coloration, and eye color.
"Y-Y-Yuya?" Sylvio stuttered, before finally succumbing to his exhaustion and adrenaline rush, and passed out.
"Yuya?!" Yuzu looked at Yuto in unabashed shock. With a quick glare between Shun and Yuto, the goons with Sylvio thought fast. They grabbed a hold of the passed out teenager, and made a swift get away. "Yuya! What are you doing here?"
Yuto looked to Yuzu again, his face blank and eyes showing no recognition. "My name isn't Yuya, its Yuto."
"Yuto?!" Yuzu sounded exasperated, and extremely confused with a bit of fear laced in between. "What are you talking about Yuya!" She reached out towards her supposed childhood friend and secret crush.
"Ms. Hiragi." Zero interjected, breaking Yuzu out of her stupor as she stepped away from Yuto and the masked man in slight fear. "I'm afraid you are confusing my friend here with someone else." Yuto felt slightly endeared at hearing Zero call him a friend. It filled him with a small amount of pride at being able to worm his way into the masked man's heart. "Your friend, Yuya Sakaki, may have the same face as Yuto. However, their hair styles, hair color, and eye color are completely different, as you may now notice."
Now Yuzu could see the differences since Zero had pointed them out to her. "B-But why does he- look like Yuya?" Periwinkle eyes met pink ones as she stared at Ruri in confused fright. The girl becoming as skittish and jumpy as a rabbit. "Why does she?-"
"Ruri Kurosaki may look like you as well, but rest assure you two are completely different people. The same is said with Yuya Sakaki and Yuto Raiden. Though I am a bit stumped by this as well, there is nothing to be afraid of." Zero assured Yuzu calmly.
How does this guy know my name? And how does he know about Yuya?! Yuzu thought frantically, wondering just WHO was behind that mask.
"W-Who are you then?" Yuzu asked dumbly.
Zero shook his head, a small chuckle on his lips. "My name is Zero, and that is all you need to know, Yuzu Hiragi." Shun nudged Zero and gestured outside.
"There is someone coming, we really should be leaving." The Raidraptor duelist stated, and sure enough, the sound of someone's voice could be heard from a distance away.
Yuzu recognized that voice, even from such a distance. "Yuya?"
Zero decided to kick everyone into gear. "Alright, let's get out of here before anything else happens. There's already a lot on our plate as it is." With that said, everyone scattered quickly. Zero, Ruri, Shun, and Yuto all running out of the warehouse in a flurry of motion. Yuya stopped running towards the warehouse, with Allie, Sora, and the other kids behind him. Zero's mask glimpsed into Yuya's scarlet eyes, along with the emerald green of the Academia spy, before he ran the other way. The rest of the resistance following swiftly, and they were gone within an instant.
. . .
Yuya was shocked by the masked man's presence, and stopped running. Everyone else seemed surprised by the strange person as well. Though, that was all it took before him and the three other people with the masked man to run away from the scene and vanish without a trace. The tomato haired teen shook his head, and refocused on his worries about Yuzu. Sprinting quickly, the teenager went to the front of the warehouse those strangers just ran from, and saw Yuzu inside. She looked absolutely lost, like she had been taken for a real spin.
"Yuzu!" Yuya ran over to her childhood friend and gave her a quick hug. She seemed to tense at the action, before she realized that this really WAS her Yuya.
"Yuya." Yuzu spoke dumbly, still confused from today's events. By now, the sun had set completely and it was extremely dark outside.
"I was worried about you." Yuya pulled away. "Allie told me what happened, so I came over as quick as I-" He never got to finish, because a quick slap across the face from Yuzu's fan prevented him from speaking. The loud 'SMACK' echoed across the now empty warehouse.
"Where have you been!" Yuzu began to rant. Everything that had happened today crashing down on her.
Back at the entrance, Sora hissed between his teeth and took a couple steps away from the angry teenage girl. He put both of his arms behind his head and watched Yuya being yelled at with sympathy. "Sheesh, I don't think I want to get into that. I feel sorry for Yuya though, he did come all the way out here to help her." Even the Academia spy knew better than to get a female angry lest he suffer from their enraged wrath.
"Yuzu doesn't seem to be really happy." Tate, the boy with darker blue hair than Sora's spoke up. Watching the scene as well.
"She was pretty happy when we were coming back with the ice cream though." Allie spoke solemnly, if confused slightly. "How come she's so upset? Was it because of Sylvio again?"
While the two teenagers started to argue, one accusing while the other defending himself, Sora looked outside. Emerald green eyes scanning his surroundings meticulously. So Zero had been hiding here all of this time? Wonderful, the Professor was wanting to know where he was, and was starting to get impatient. These results will do wonders for him once he reports in.
Sora had heard rumors about this masked man. How he managed to defeat Edo in the game of war twice now, and how he defeated three members of the Obelisk Force all by himself. Academia's people and students there were starting to fear his name, because nobody could get a grasp on this guy. He was like a legend, a haunting ghost of sorts, a specter or ghoul. No one knew his name, or background, or even his history. He had just suddenly appeared from thin air. Though, that wasn't the only reason people were starting to get afraid.
The people Zero had fought and defeated. When they returned to Academia, they had changed. They didn't want to fight anymore, and wanted the war to end. Saying that Academia was wrong and that carding people wasn't just 'a game'. Sora snorted, those fools had been turned into cards themselves instantly. Treason was not taken lightly. What confused the light blue haired duelist the most though, was when the three Obelisk Force members Zero had defeated had done the SAME thing. Obelisk Force was like the hunting dogs of Academia, and were extremely loyal until the end. To have three of them change sides so suddenly made the Frightfur duelist wonder if Zero had some unique power hiding in his deck, to change people's way of thinking. It seemed to make the most sense, and even then it was slightly absurd.
There was even a rumor that he had managed to score a tie with Yuri. That had spread like wildfire across the school, but it still didn't make people any less afraid of him. In fact, some people actually felt sorry for the masked man since he was now the focus of Yuri's attention. The Predaplant duelist had been hunting Zero down back in the Xyz Dimension relentlessly, but had only managed to find a resistance base. Needless to say, everyone had been turned into cards, but there was no Zero. It seemed to make the eccentric teen disappointed, because he seemed to be in a rather good mood after his first duel with him. There was no doubt that Yuri wanted to fight Zero again for a second time, and mercilessly win.
Sora was shaken out of his thoughts when he realized Yuya had been calling out to him.
"Hey, Sora. You coming?" The light blue haired kid looked back at Yuya. Their dispute having been settled, but Yuzu hadn't spoken up about what had been causing her such distress. It seemed to have Yuya slightly worried, but he didn't dare push. Everyone else had exited the warehouse, and began to walk back towards their school. They certainly had a lot of explaining to do when each and everyone one of them got home. Though, Sora didn't have a home here, he kind of just bummed off of Yuya and his mom's place.
Even then he still feared the anger she would show. Yuya's mom wasn't even his mother, but when she scolded him it certainly felt like it.
Nodding quickly, Sora ran to catch up with the others. "Yeah, I'm coming!"
For now, Academia would have to wait. Trying to explain things to Yuya's mother would have to come first.
. . .
Carefully and quietly, Zero led the rest of his comrades towards the hotel he had 'booked' a room at. They had taken to using alleyways and rooftops most of the time, being careful to avoid cameras. No one wanted their new base of operations to be exposed to the enemy, that would just lead to disaster. Though the streets were mostly empty around this time of night, it wasn't until they were less than a block away that they decided to use said streets.
Zero quickly walked through the automatic doors of the hotel and went straight towards the lady at the counter. She looked freaked out at seeing four people dressed in either weird or ragged clothing.
She didn't even get a chance to speak before Zero spoke. "I'm heading to my room on the top floor, Room 486." Zero gestured to the three others behind him. "These three are my cousins, and will be staying up there with me."
"Cousins?" Zero heard Shun whisper sarcastically to Ruri. "Really?" His sister quickly hit Shun's arm to silence him before they got caught in their lie.
Hearing the room's number caused the lady's geass to activate, red rings entering her brown eyes. She smiled calmly and gestured towards the elevator. "Of course sir. It would be wise to use the elevator if your cousins have any heavy luggage with them. I hope you and your family have a nice stay at our wondrous hotel."
Quickly, before they drew even more attention, Zero herded them into the elevator. Thankfully, the lobby was empty except for the lady and the others. Zero pressed the button to the top floor, and then stepped back, waiting. The elevator music, which was crappy at best, was the only sound made throughout the crowded elevator. Shun opened his mouth to speak, but was silenced quickly by Zero raising his gloved hand. A single finger asking for a minute of more patience. When the elevator finally dinged, and the doors opened, Zero rushed out of there with a swish of his cape. The others following swiftly, unless they desired to get left behind.
Zero had precured a key card from within the pocket of his cape, and opened the designated door to his room. After Ruri, Yuto, and Shun had entered, Zero had shut the door and locked each and every deadbolt and lock available. The masked man had added a couple of extra locks to the door, most likely due to his paranoia.
Only once all of this was done, and his room was check for any bugs and cameras. Those found were quickly disabled or destroyed. Did Zero draw the blinds by the giant window that took up one entire side of the wall, and collapsed down onto the long black leather couch with an exhausted sigh. He tilted his masked head back, and stared up at the ceiling as he thought of what had just occurred. Not only had Yuzu saw Ruri's face, but Yuto's as well. Then there was the Academia spy, who had spotted Zero running from the scene of the crime. This certainly didn't bode well for the future.
Yuto and Ruri were looking around the room in awe. All three of the resistance fighters hadn't been in a room like this in a long time since the invasion at Heartland. The Phantom Knights duelist and the Lyrical Luscinia duelist investigated the multiple bedrooms, baths, the kitchen, living room, and there was even a laundry room.
Shun looked at the masked man with disbelief. "Where the hell did you get the money to get this room?"
Zero lifted his masked head up to meet Shun's gaze. "There is a friend of mine that lives here in the Standard Dimension. He has quite the funding in this world, so it was easy to just ask for a little money and you know the rest." Zero gestured around the room, before straightening on the couch. The masked man subtly shifting the focus of Shun's attention onto something else equally important. "But I believe there is something that you and a certain someone need to settle first."
With those words said, both Shun and Ruri looked at each other. There was a tense atmosphere in the air, but it wasn't nearly as bad as it was back when Zero and Yuto were about to go on their mission in the Xyz Dimension. Each Kurosaki sibling was studying the other, for what, not even Zero or Yuto knew. It was a thing that only the siblings themselves could see.
Shun decided to break the silence first, which was a small win for Ruri. "I'm so sorry Ruri."
Now she didn't expect an apology right out of the gate, and her eyes widened in shock. "What? Shun. You don't-"
"But I do." Shun insisted, and yellow eyes stared into his sister's pink ones seriously. "Our arguments. If I hadn't been so overprotective in the first place you wouldn't have shoved me away. Then you never would have been alone when that freak Yuri showed up, and we wouldn't even be in the Standard Dimension now. We would be back in Heartland kicking Academia's ass out of our world." Now yellow eyes looked down at the ground, slight shame in them. "I was so blinded by the fear of what could have happened to you with Obelisk Force that it twisted my judgement. I know you can take care of yourself, but you're one of the only things I have left besides Yuto. If I were to lose you, I-I-"
The Raidraptor duelist couldn't even finish his words, as if the thought alone terrified him. "I would do absolutely anything to get you back and keep you safe Ruri. You're my little sister, and I love you. You're all I have left and I just can't lose you. I want to be able to see you grow up fully and get married. I want to see you live your life happily and fully, and I won't let anything get in the way of that. I want to see your smile until the day I finally die and I can rest easy knowing that I did a good job as being your big brother."
Now even Zero felt something at Shun's words. It was that same determination the masked man had when it came to Nunnally, that undying love and willingness to sacrifice everything. "You're not the only one who should be sorry big brother." Ruri shook her head slightly, small tears forming in her eyes. Shun looked back up at his sister in surprise, and slight worry. "I was pushing you too hard on letting me have some space. I can see now why you're so worried about me, and you have a right to be. The Professor himself is after me, and it has me scared, so I can't even know how you feel about it. I should have just let you begin to back away at your own pace, if with a little nudge now and then. You wanting to keep me safe has just become so much of a habit that it's hard to stop, and I'm sorry for trying to rush you so quickly."
Now Ruri started to stammer, stumbling over her own words as if her tongue had suddenly been tied. "W-when I started to disappear, a-and I saw your face. Y-you looked so t-terrified, and I was s-so f-f-frightened! I thought I was actually going to die, and- and never see you again! I felt so-" Ruri rubbed the tears out of her eyes quickly as she hiccuped slightly. "So BAD for the things I had said- that I might- might have left you with those harsh- w-words stuck in your head. I- I was so scared that you would blame yourself for what had- h-happened!"
Now Ruri was starting to cry, and Shun was instantly by his younger sister's side. His arms wrapped around her frame, and gave her a tight hug. Which Ruri returned with just as much strength, it was almost like they were afraid the other would suddenly disappear. The Raidrapotor duelist rubbed circles into Ruri's back as she shuddering, trying to keep her tears at bay. Shun whispered calming words into her ear as they both unconsciously rocked each other side to side, it seemed to help the Lyrical Luscina duelist calm down. Eventually, her shudders and tears had subsided, but she still didn't let go of her brother.
Shun wouldn't tell anyone that he had some tears rolling down his own cheeks, eye slightly red as he watched his sister cry. It truly hurts to see her so sad, it hurt him all the way to his soul. When later asked, threatened really, about the other two seeing him cry. Yuto and Zero would look at the tall teen with mock confusion, and say they didn't see anything of the sort.
"It's okay Ruri." Shun comforted, Zero having never seen this side of the unshakable fighter. It was a nice touch, seeing that the teen wasn't as stone cold as Zero himself could be. "I felt guilty as well, about the words I had said to you. That's why I want to make amends with you right here and now. I'm going to try and respect your wishes, I really will. It's just going to be difficult for me, and I may need time to adjust, is that alright?"
The two separated, Ruri rubbed her raw eyes before giving a nod. A genuine smile on her face as she looked up at her brother. "Yes. That's fine, and a little space is all I ask."
Now Shun smiled. "Besides, I'm sure you can always whip me into shape if I start to revert back into my old habits."
Ruri laughed. "You bet I could, and I won't hold back either." The two hugged each other again. Both to make sure the other was still there, and to just show that their argument was now over.
"Never underestimate the wrath of women." Yuto finally spoke up, not wanting to ruin the moment before. Seeing that things were finally settled between the siblings made Yuto relieved. "It will do you wonders for the future Shun."
Shun tried to get out of his sister's grip, now realizing that there were still two other people in the room, but Ruri stopped him. A somewhat mischievous smile on her face that made the hair on Yuto's neck stand. Faster than Yuto could react, the girl had reached out and grabbed onto Yuto's hand, before pulling him into the now group hug.
The blush on Yuto's face was somewhat hilarious, and Ruri laughed a bit at his expense. "Come here Yuto, we're making this a group hug." The Phantom Knights duelist stopped in his struggles, and accepted his defeat at the hands of a group hug. Though the grey eyed teen almost fell over when Ruri had wrapped an arm around his neck. The same could be said with Shun as Ruri's other arm wrapped around his neck, and she pulled them closer.
Shun looked up at her sister in discomfort. The tall teen having to bend in an awkward angle at Ruri's action. "Ruri! You know this isn't exactly comfortable for me!"
"I'm sure you could kill at Twister Shun." Zero's modulated spoke up, amusement clear in his masked voice's tone.
All three of the resistance fighters turned their heads to level their stares at Zero. Now all three of them had a mischievous glint in their eyes, and Zero causally sweat dropped from underneath his mask.
"You feeling left out Zero?" Ruri asked in faux innocence.
"Would you like to join us then?" Yuto spoke mischievously.
Seeing Zero cautiously scoot back against the leather couch made Yuto, Ruri, and Shun laugh.
"Looks like we finally found our leader's weakness. Hugs." Shun said sarcastically. "That, and his feminine figure." Zero growled, and raised a finger towards the Raidraptor duelist, before heaving out a loud sigh and slumping against the couch in defeat. It was like being tormented by Milly all over again. He almost missed it, almost.
"Do you want to talk about everything else, now that you're dispute has finally been settled? Or do you want to wait for in the morning?" Zero asked, and everyone else pondered on the question for a moment.
"To be frank." Yuto spoke up first, and finally got out of Ruri's grip alongside Shun. "Shun and I kind of just arrived here, and the first thing we see when we find you is five teenagers having a childish dispute. I personally want to have some rest before we get back into all of this craziness again."
"I agree." Zero nodded his masked head. "I'll admit that I'm exhausted from all of the running and everything that has happened from today's events. I could use a quick break."
"The reason you're so tired is because you don't exercise enough Zero." Shun threw his jab in quickly. "Or should I say Ms. Zero?"
Ohhhh, Zero so desperately wanted to show Shun who was the boss, but he was too tired to really do anything. That, and he didn't want Zero's reputation to be ruined because he chased Shun around the hotel room like in a cartoon.
Shun just really liked to bristle Zero's feathers, ruffle him up and make the masked man more human.
"I'm going to bed before I have to hear one more 'Zero has the figure of a girl' remark from you." Zero hissed irritably, before standing up and walking over to his room.
It didn't stop Zero's hips from swaying and Shun calling him out for it. "You may want to keep those hips in check, before people really start to think you're a girl in disguise!"
Now Zero didn't care if his reputation was slightly damaged, and threw a potted plant at Shun. The Raidrapotor user barely able to dodge the suddenly unexpected projectile, and watched as the pot shattered onto the ground. The broken pot and plant would remain on the floor until housekeeping came by. The plant being placed into a new pot and put back onto the marble table that sat beside Zero's room. Seeing that as a warning of sorts, the yellow eyed teen finally stopped bugging Zero about his figure, for now.
That masked man was really tempted on geassing Shun to make him stop, even if it was a waste of his power.
. . .
A couple of days passed after Ruri and Shun settled their argument. As he had promised, Shun began to back off slightly, it wasn't much but it was progress. The group of four didn't really do much besides relax in the hotel. Each one taking a nice, long, hot shower that they didn't know they needed until they were already in it. During this time, Zero had explained everything that he possibly could to Shun and Yuto. About his theories on Ruri and Yuto's counterparts, to the girl's bracelet and its powers. How the Professor may have wanted the girls because of the power each bracelet most likely possessed, but he didn't know what activated said power. Then there was the part where Zero told Yuto about his possible powers.
The Phantom Knights user was completely caught off guard when Zero suggested that he actually had powers. It was so unbelievable. But when Zero spoke about how Yuto's eyes glowed during his and Edo's duel he slowly began to believe it. Yuto had spoken up about the strange rage he had felt when Edo did a dirty play and electrocuted the masked man. Perhaps it had something to do with his apparently glowing eyes during his duel. Though Yuto stated quickly that he wouldn't be using that power, and Zero had agreed to Yuto's request.
Once that was done, Zero spoke about Reiji Akaba. This helped clear up lots of Yuto and Shun's confusion about L.D.S. Zero actually wanted to get the CEO of the LEO Corporation to notice them, he wanted to get into contact with the violet eyed teen. When he had asked for any suggestions from the others, Shun suggested carding some of L.D.S' employes.
Ruri was instantly against the notion. Claiming that using such a thing would make them the same as Academia. However, Zero thought differently on the idea, which had everyone surprised. He went on to explain that carding them would help differentiate Reiji as either an ally or an enemy. To see if Reiji really was against his father, or if he was working together with Academia, and was just prepping this dimension for another invasion. Though he said it was okay for Ruri to refuse to do such a thing, and was actually somewhat proud of the girl for standing by her beliefs.
The masked man had agreed to Shun and himself doing the carding. Though Yuto and Ruri were hesitant about the idea, they couldn't really change their minds or go against their masked leader. Though they had stood their ground and made both Shun and Zero promise to only card L.D.S, and no one else. Which they had whole-heartedly accepted and swore.
With all of the heavy talking and explaining out of the way. Zero mostly just walked around the hotel room, but he was always doing something. Whether it was studying his duel disk and trying to get the information from the flash drive, or to updating his deck. It didn't matter. They even watched with amusement as Zero faced against himself in chess. The masked rebel having admitted that he did this very often when he was thinking deeply. He would put chess pieces around the board in likeness to current events.
Though the Xyz users were shocked to find out that Zero also used Fusion Summoning. Yuto having discovered Zero's Lancelot fusion monster by complete accident when he watched Zero duel himself over the masked man's shoulder. It had Shun fuming for a little while, but eventually, they managed to get over it. Which was good news seeing as they didn't need anymore inner problems when working as a team.
Four days had passed, and at the moment it was morning. Yuto was up first, seeing as he still had sleeping problems that wouldn't go away in an instant. Thankfully, he didn't sleep walk away unlike what had happened last time. Instead, the Phantom Knights user went into the kitchen and decided to cook up a batch of pancakes and even eggs. The teen having the ingredients necessary to make them brought up to him by room service. Though Yuto did have parents to take care of him, they were mostly away on business, so the grey eyed teen had learned to cook and make his own food. Which had come in handy at times like this.
Ruri and Shun had awoken next, each having been awoken by the smell of Yuto's cooking. At the moment, Ruri was setting the table while Shun was banned from the kitchen entirely. The tall teen having to sit in one of the dining room tables chairs with a barely noticeable frown and arms crossed grumpily at Yuto's statement.
"The last time you were in a kitchen and decided to cook for us, you almost made the oven explode. In the end it still ended up broken." Yuto deadpanned, having been there for the entire horrifying experience. Though the Raidraptor duelist could end up making some killer eggs. Which everyone found funny and ironic seeing that Shun's deck was based on birds. It was the only meal that Shun could really make without fear of something breaking, burning, exploding, or being thrown around the room.
Zero was the last one up, and it surprised the other three guests. Each one figuring out why almost instantly. Zero wasn't in his cape and suit anymore. Instead, the teen was wearing a black shirt and black jeans, only the mask remained on his face. Which looked very weird honestly, the resistance fighters might as well start thinking that that mask WAS Zero's real face.
Zero draped a jacket across the couch in the living room, before walking up besides Yuto. "Here, let me take care of the pancakes, you focus on the eggs.
Yuto looked at Zero surprised. "You know how to cook?" He asked incredulously.
Zero snorted in contempt. "Of course I do. How do you think I was making meals back in Heartland all by myself?" Yuto let the masked man into the kitchen, and together both were able to make some rather delicious and mouth watering pancakes and eggs. Though it was slightly ruined at Zero not eating any of the food that himself and Yuto had made.
"Aren't you going to eat? You did make some of this food you know." Yuto asked, as he pointed his fork at Zero.
"And reveal my face to you all?" Zero raised an eyebrow behind his mask, as he fiddled with his duel disk. "Nice try, but we're going to have to get to know each other for a lot longer before I even think about revealing my identity to you."
"You do realize that we came all the way into the Standard Dimension looking for you, right? That we're all on the same side against Academia." Shun frowned slightly at Zero's paranoia, his stubborn distrust against all three of them.
"You were mostly looking for Ruri. I know that if it came between me and her, you would toss me aside in an instant." Shun shrunk back slightly at the true comment, and so did Yuto. "Though I don't blame you, she is your sister after all. Then there's the 'we're all on the same side!' card. That is a rather broad spectrum." Zero pointed out, not bothering to look up at the other three, and mostly focused on his duel disk. "There could be people who want Academia kicked out of the Xyz Dimension, only from them to turn around on their allies for the power of ruling an entire dimension. Then there's the thought of spies having entered into your resistance. I don't desire my identity being spilled out to Academia. I've seen it happen countless times to others before, so you won't get me spilling all of my secrets instantly."
Ruri huffed in slight frustration, but could understand where Zero was coming from. "Could you at least tell us how you learned to cook? I mean, those pancakes were so fluffy! Do you have a secret about how you make your pancakes as well?"
Now Zero looked up at them. He chewed on his lip slightly in thought before responding. "I didn't exactly have a choice BUT to learn how to cook. I learned it because of a need to survive. The reason why my pancakes are so good is because I've gone through countless trial and errors when making them. Please understand that when I was first starting to cook they looked like scorched rocks." He didn't mention that he was around the age of ten to eleven when he had first started.
The table grew silent as Zero's words sunk in. Survive? He had to learn how to cook to survive? What the hell did Zero have to go through to get where he is now?!
"Anyway." Zero put his duel disk to the side. He had tried to get the information from the flash drive he left back in the Xyz Dimension, but he was unable to pull it back up. Why couldn't operating a duel disk be as simple as a Britannian cell phone? Sure, he was learning the mechanics faster than others would, but it was still annoying nonetheless.
Zero put his masked head into both of his hands, fingers holding his chin. "I think it's about time I let you know why I'm not in uniform." Zero gestured to his clothes. "I'm going to be heading out to the Yusho Duel School today to check on Yuya, Yuzu, and learn more about that Academia spy." All three knew that this was coming, but it still made them unsettled at the idea of Zero being so close to an Academia soldier, even when undercover. It also made them slightly nettled that Zero would be showing his face to others, but not to them. Though they had no choice but to accept that unless they started to push Zero away.
"Shun." Zero's faceless mask met Shun's yellow eyes. "I want you to start heading out and carding L.D.S employes." Shun gave a single nod, before Zero focused his attention onto Yuto and Ruri. "Yuto, Ruri. I want you two to scout around Miami City. Look for anything that's suspicious or strange. Anything that involves Academia, or anything about the other dimensions in general."
"Right." Yuto and Ruri spoke in unison, all three of them itching to get to work.
"One more thing." Zero spoke before they could start moving. "This one isn't as important. Honestly, it's more of a suggestion than anything." Zero took a deep breath, before finally speaking. "I want you three to start trying to learn the other summoning methods."
"WHAT!" Ruri, Yuto, and Shun looked at Zero as if he had gone crazy.
Shun stood up from his chair, and glared at the masked man. "There's no way in hell I am going to be learning Fusion Summoning. Unlike you!" Shun hissed, and leaned in slightly towards Zero. "I refuse to learn that damned method that Academia uses to destroy my home and card my people!"
Zero sat calmly, and took the full brunt of Shun's glare. "I understand what I've just asked from all of you. As I've said before, it was only a suggestion. You do not need to learn Fusion Summoning, but that doesn't mean you can't learn how to Synchro Summon."
All three of them still looked doubtful, so Zero went even further. "Academia has been taking careful notes of my deck, as Yuri had proved during my duel with him. It wouldn't be too unbelievable for them to start categorizing your decks as well. They'll learn of your tactics and strategies, and intentionally put counters into their own decks to make it easier to defeat you." Ruri slumped slightly at that. The Predaplant duelist did seem to know what she was planning to do before even she did at times during their duel. "Being able to stay unpredictable could mean life or death when in the heat of battle. That is why I'm suggesting you learn some of the other Summoning methods."
Zero stood up, and went over to his jacket in the living room. Three pairs of eyes on him still as he casually put the jacket on. "You don't have to do it if you really don't want to. I'm not forcing you to do anything. This is just a prime opportunity to learn. The Standard Dimension has all forms of the Summoning methods, and it wouldn't be too suspicious if you decided to learn something. In fact, it would probably throw everyone else off at the thought of someone from Xyz learning how to Synchro."
Zero walked over to the door of their hotel room. Before taking his mask, and sliding it off of his head with a loud hiss. Yuto, Ruri, and Shun sucked in a breath at the thought of finally seeing Zero's face. However, it was not to be. Zero made sure to have his back to them, and was out the door before they even saw what hair color he had.
A pale hand hung up the Zero mask on a coat rack. The mask seemingly taunting them since it was no longer being worn. "Just think about it." Zero's young and noble voice spoke one more time before the door was shut. Lelouch now on his way towards the Yusho Duel School.
The three resistance fighters looked at each other. What exactly had just transpired?
Yuto rubbed his forehead, and went towards the coffee machine to get another cup of black coffee. He just KNEW he would need the extra energy boost for the day.
. . .
Lelouch called Yuya using his duel disk, and placed it besides his ear as he listened to the ringing. Surprisingly, the tomato haired teen didn't answer, and Lelouch was instead forced to send a voicemail.
"Hey Yuya. This is Lelouch Lamperouge. The teen you met when those two guys tried to mug me? You showed me around Miami City. Anyway, you know how I said I would contact you when I'd come over to the Yusho Duel School? Well, I just wanted to let you know that I'm heading over right now. See you in around ten minutes, bye." Lelouch hung up, a little irritated at being ignored. In case Yuya never answered his voice mails, Lelouch also made sure to send a quick text.
Hey, this is Lelouch Lamperouge. I just wanted to let you know that I'm heading over to the Yusho Duel School, and I'll be there in a couple minutes.
Yuya didn't send a reply back by the time Lelouch made it to the school. Strangely, there was a limo hanging out beside the school. One elegant eyebrow was raised at the strange sight, Yuya implied that they didn't have a lot of money. There's no way they could afford a limo, so someone else has to be here. But who?
Carefully, Lelouch opened the door to the school and entered. It was empty, and strangely quiet for a place that looked like a playground. The secret rebel wished that he had his pocket knife, but it was still in the Xyz Dimension along with that flash drive.
"Hello?" Lelouch called out, but no one came to see who had suddenly entered the school. Carefully, the raven haired teen strolled through the seemingly abandoned building with slight uneasy. His shoulders were tense and his paranoia was starting to get on him again.
Just as lelouch was about to call it quits and leave, willing to try again on another day. He managed to find someone, though it wasn't who he was expecting to find. The teen was leaning against the wall, body covered in the shadows. It looked like he was listening in on the argument going on from around the corner.
Lelouch instantly knew who this person was when he saw the red scarf. The grey hair, red glasses, and violet eyes like his own only proving it.
Reiji Akaba seemed to finally realized that there was someone else watching him, and turned around to face the one responsible. Seeing violet eyes like his own caught the CEO off guard, but he certainly didn't show it. He didn't expect to get caught eavesdropping on the fight going on between L.D.S and Yusho Duel School.
Seeing the stranger's pale white skin and raven black hair finally put the pieces together for him.
It was the stranger who did the powerful Fusion Summon. Though the footage Reiji had seen was absolute shit, just looking into this teen's eyes was enough for him to realize it. Those violet eyes were hardened, and it looked like the teen wouldn't take shit from anyone. It vaguely made Reiji think of looking into a mirror, those violet eyes reflecting his own.
The two teens were around the same height as they stared each other down in silence.
"Reiji Akaba." Lelouch spoke first, breaking the silence, but not his stare. "I wasn't expecting you to be here, taking a tour around the Yusho Duel School today as well."
Reiji pushed his red glasses up slightly, some light reflecting off of the lenses as he calmly stared back. "That's funny. I could say the same thing to you as well, I wasn't expecting any other surprise guests coming here..." The CEO trailed off as both teens seemed to be sizing each other up. It was almost like two alphas were circling each other.
"Who are you?"
Well, snap. Reiji and Lelouch are meeting, and it's rather tense. Guess who had another rival! Are these two going to be fighting each other? Lelouch does want Reiji as an ally though. How knows? We'll have to find out in the next Chapter.
I feel Zero and the resistance fighters needed a little more bonding time, so funny memory making hotel scenes indeed! About the figure of a girl thing for Zero. It's going to be a running gag between Shun and Zero, maybe even Yuto as well. An inside joke of sorts. But seriously, I watched a bit of the new movies that came out before Lelouch of the Resurrection, and saw that one darts scene between Lelouch and C.C. The dude was literally swaying his hips, as if taunting us with his freaking figure. He's making me envious, and he's not even real nor is he a girl. This Chapter was around 13,000 words long, YEAH! Along taking up 30 pages.
I'll be seeing you all in the next Chapter, have a nice day! -MoonlightWright
