Welcome to Chapter 24! Let's just jump right on in! Apologizes for the extreme delay. You'll see my rant about it at the end.
Ch.24: A Tense Calm...
The smell of a nice stew cooking on a warm fire surrounded the rather large group of duelists, both contestants, citizens, and rebel fighters. The lovely smell waving off in the air in a nice steam as the stew bubbled and the fish sizzled within the makeshift pot.
"Thank you for catching the fish for this marvelous dinner partner." Michio spoke happily, grateful that things were starting to turn back to normal.
Teppei scratched the side of his head in mock bashfulness. "Well, it was nothing really. I caught the fish from the river that streamed by in this area." The fisherman held out a hand. "I don't need your thanks Michio, but if the others insist then they can give me all of their Pendulum cards-" The cheap man stopped talking when he realized that everyone else wasn't even paying attention to what he was saying. His jaw dropped. "Hey! Are you even listening!?"
Yuto had returned to the tree Shun and Ruri had once occupied. The latter of the two coming over to the campfire. While Zero didn't like the idea of Yuto watching out for the group all alone, he recognized how uncomfortable and uneasy the Phantom Knights duelist felt around Yuya. The Xyz user's mind most certainly heading back to the time they had gone berserk once again.
They needed to find a way to make the power in Ruri's bracelet null. If only so they didn't have to keep doing the tedious game of keep away.
While Yuto was assuming guard duty despite his minor head injury, Shun and Ruri turned the fire to keep warm. The Raidraptor duelist had bandages wrapped around almost his entire torso, but he still kept his blue trench coat on. The dark cyan haired duelist only had bruised ribs from the harsh fall he took on the stairs, and the rest of the resistance was thankful that the injuries weren't worse. Though it was uncomfortable to breath at times and a pain to move around quickly, Shun would survive and heal soon enough.
Yuya himself seemed out of character, his scarlet red eyes dull as he stared into the fire in a dazed manner. The other contestants were watching the tomato haired teen with some worry, but Zero's mind drifted to more important matters than the tense silence that enveloped the area.
Like addressing the elephant in the room.
"Okay." Zero clapped his hands, much more thankful to have his shoulder relocated once more, though it was still sore it was a much wanted and needed improvement. "Let's start this entire thing off with what YOU remember, Yuya."
Yuya gave a deep sigh. His voice sounding dull to everyone, even Ruri who had never met the teen before. "All I remember is those guys from Academia showing up all of a sudden, and the three Knight of Duels…" Yuya trailed off, before forcing himself to finish his sentence. "Being turned into cards."
Gongenzaka blinked in disbelief. "People who lose to these people in a duel are turned into cards!?"
"That can't be!" Michio exclaimed as well.
Yuya's red eyes remained facing the fire, his head tilted down from everyone's gaze. "After that, I can't remember anything…" Finally, red eyes looked up into Zero's mask. "Did I defeat them?"
Zero nodded his head in conformation. "You did. Although it looked more like you and Yuto slaughtered them in the duel, and you two banded together and summoned an entirely new dragon that I haven't seen before."
Yuya blinked. "A dragon you've never seen?"
"I really can't see it." Aura suddenly blurted out, gaining the rest of the group's attention. One of her eyes were closed as she looked at Yuya through her glass apple. "Darling is the same as always." She lowered her glass apple to address Yuya directly. "Before, I saw a very dark shadow deep within you."
"A dark shadow?" Yuya repeated, confused.
"It's what is most likely responsible for you and Yuto going as berserk as you two did." Zero commented darkly, though his posture was the epitome of relaxed as he leaned back casually. Both black gloves now returned to him as he made a hand gesture of holding a glass of wine. "This darkness that possessed you both."
"I can't believe that at all!" Michio turned to look at Zero with a frown on his face. Ghosts? This masked man, who most certainly is a genius at least, is claiming that ghosts are after Yuya? That supernatural events are the reason behind all of this.
"I know what I saw!" Aura snapped, irritated at how people didn't take her words seriously. She looked down at her glass apple once again. "I can't say for sure though… but I know there was something evil there!" Yuya quietly took out a card from within his deck, and with a subtle movement, Zero saw that it was Odd-Eyes Hellfire Dragon.
. . .
"I understand." Serena spoke, posture stiff as she addressed her Standard counterpart. The Melodious duelist stood up for her own thoughts against her, and for that the Fusion user could give the girl some respect. "I'll meet this Xyz Dimension duelist named Shun Kurosaki and check if what you say is true, or attempt to find Zero once more." She finally had a name of one of the Xyz rebels she had been after.
However, Serena wasn't entirely sure on what she was going to do now with this new piece of information.
Yuzu nodded, and held up one finger. A rather mischievous glint was in her periwinkle eyes that could still be seen in the darkness and glow of the Aurora Borealis in the iceberg area. "I know! We can swap clothes."
Serena blinked at Yuzu's suddenly weird suggestion. "Clothes? Why would I want to do that?"
Yuzu winked. It didn't really help. "It's be a hassle if you were found by Academia before you got to Shun, right?"
"I see." Serena put a hand to her chin in slight understanding. "So you're willing to be my double and draw their attention away from me?"
"Exactly!"
Serena turned to the side, and actually began to unbutton her red jacket. "Alright then."
"W-w-wait a second!" Yuzu threw her hands out frantically.
"Why?!" Serena asked, annoyed now.
Yuzu's periwinkle gaze turned to the silent ninja that still had his back turned to them. His arms were crossed and to be honest Serena actually forgot that he was even there. The Melodious duelist grabbed ahold of Serena's arm and began to drag her behind a very large icy boulder. Yuzu turned her head to address Tsukikage. "We're changing now, got it?"
The moon ninja just simply turned his head away from the girls, eyes closed and arms still crossed as he answered. His voice slightly muffled from his long blue scarf. "Understood."
After around ten minutes, the two lookalikes had reappeared once more with their clothes swapped. Though they kept their hairstyles and bracelets. Yuzu nodded, her demeanor becoming serious once more. "Shun wasn't in the volcano or iceberg area, and that leaves the ancient ruins and jungle areas."
"I'll cut back through the jungle area then." Serena spoke calmly. Even though she was already there, the rebel could have moved on from his previous location. The two girls gave a single nod to the other, before both turned and began to sprint away from one another. It was only after the girls were a good distance away that Tsukikage turned and focused his eyes on Serena, and the ninja suddenly vanished.
. . .
A teen carefully brushed his curly red orange hair out of the way as he watched the three duelists vanish from the iceberg area. However, a bright light suddenly distracted Dennis, and his light blue eyes turned his attention to it.
The color purple flashed in his vision, and Dennis instantly knew who it was. An old friend, though he had kept his cold mask on the entire time during their friendship.
If you could call it that.
"What's this? You're finally here." Dennis smirked. "I was getting tired of waiting, Yuri."
Magenta eyes opened to stare Dennis down. The small smile on his face wiped away slowly with his classic uncaring mask. Yuri stepped forward and spoke about his business. "So, did you find them?"
"Of course!" Dennis cheered to himself quietly, not wanting to give himself away. The Performage user turned and pointed down at where Yuzu and Serena were recently. "Although I haven't been able to find Ze- huh?" Dennis blinked as he saw Yuzu was surrounded by three Obelisk force members already. "She's surrounded already." Dennis leaned against the railing of the building's roof. "Ah, jeez." The Academia spy spoke aloof.
"Hmm?" Yuri blinked, and stared down at the three Academia soldiers that dared tried to take his mission. "What are they doing here?" He spoke calmly. After the lousy disappointment of carding an entire Xyz rebel base and not finding Zero the Predaplant duelist had returned to his usual calm, almost robotic demeanor. His eyes narrowed with annoyed anger. "The Professor gave only me the orders to capture and bring back Yuzu Hiragi."
Dennis turned to address his friend. "Yes, a good question. One that I can easily answer!" He pointed down at Yuzu while still speaking with Yuri, who had turned his head to give Dennis his attention. "Yuzu just exchanged outfits with Serena. Obelisk force is going after Serena." Dennis smiled. "The two of them are lookalikes, just like you, Yuya and Yuto. That's why-"
Yuri narrowed his eyes. "And who is that? Yuya?" The Fusion user's voice darkened slightly at the idea of ANOTHER person looking like him. He remembered the one annoying fellow after he had obtained Rin Kukiko. Then there was also the one serious boy who he briefly glanced at before he was forcefully teleported away from his next target Ruri Kurosaki.
He also remembered that this Yuto Radien was a member of the Xyz resistance.
The resistance group that was run by Zero.
Dennis continued on explaining with that smile still on his face without any fear. "I keep telling you, the guy from this dimension who looks just like you!" Dennis held up a finger. "Funny I should mention him, because apparently Yuya has met-" The rest of his sentence was drowned out by sudden screams. "Huh?!"
The source of said screams soon revealed themselves as two teenage duelists were flung out of an icy ramp of sorts in a bathtub with skates on the bottom. The two, one looking like they came from the desert and the other from the actual arctic, were thrown from the bathtub and rolled across the rooftop both Dennis and Yuri were currently occupying.
It was actually very lucky that they weren't thrown off of the roof, or that the railing didn't break from the strain.
"Jeez, that scared me!" The arctic girl spoke up first and slowly got up.
"We went too fast!" Halil spoke up next.
Olga turned to look down at the desert duelist in exasperation. "It's because you said you wanted to ride it!"
Instead of replying to that remark, Halil instantly cheered up as he spotted two duelists. He pointed at the other teens on the roof. "But we found some duelists!" Olga turned her grey eyes to them as well.
Yuri openly frowned while Dennis gave a tired, if slightly sympathetic, sigh. "Oh boy, they saw us." It was a shame that these two got here at such an unlucky moment. Now they wouldn't be able to get out of there alive.
Olga stood, something was off about the other two teens. "What are you people going here?" She's only seen the orange haired teen as a contestant, the purple haired one was new. A fan running into the Action Field perhaps?
Dennis smirked. "Sheesh, that's the last thing I want to hear from you."
Suddenly, Yuri stepped forward, gaining everyone's attention as his footsteps echoed off of the roof.
The teen gave a dark smile. "You people, are nuisances." His magenta eyes widened as that smile turned into a dangerous grin.
. . .
Yuzu grit her teeth as she carefully looked at each Obelisk force member. If Serena is to learn about the truth of the Xyz Dimension, she has to meet Shun or Zero! I have to keep these creeps away from her!
Yuzu quickly activated her duel disk silently, and the Obelisk force members did the same. "Don't think I'll back down just because it 1! I'll beat you all!" Yuzu ducked her head and steeled herself for the upcoming intense battle.
However, it was not meant to be.
"You people are nuisances too!"
Yuzu blinked, and watched in astonishment as a teen wearing a large purple and a red jacket jumped down from a rather tall building and land on his own two feet unharmed. Obelisk force turned their attention to the new stranger, while Yuzu's own mind processed this turn of events. "Yuya!" Her childhood friend and crush's face flashed by this lookalike, but it soon disappeared when he spoke once again.
Yuri frowned, and spoke calmly. "What are you saying? I'm not that guy." The boy stood and held up two cards. "That aside, you three, out of my way. If you get in my way, you'll end up like these two." The boy threw the cards, which were revealed to be Olga and Halil. The two were caught in their images screaming and terrified. "I have the authorization of the Professor to do it as well." The boy's lips twitched.
"T-those are- Olga! Halil!" Yuzu cried out in shock, and quickly deactivated her duel disk and went down onto her knees to carefully collect them. "It can't be." She didn't even notice how the three Obelisk force members quickly scurried back from the hole which they came out of. "People are sealed into these cards?! This can't…"
"Oh? Do you know them?" The stranger asked lightly, as if they weren't talking about people figuratively dying at the moment. The boy walked forward calmly. "Sorry, they were interfering with my work." Yuri gave a small, creepy smile. "You can have them back." He spoke lightly. Yuto and Yuya's faces flashed over his own.
'"Yugo… another guy who looks just like me.'" Yuzu remembered that conversation she had with Yuya once he had woken up from his small coma.
So, he's Yugo? Yuzu thought to herself. She looked down at the two humans turned cards. "Did you do this?" She asked softly, an edge seeping into her tone.
"That's right." Yuri revealed rather happily, throwing a hand out casually.
"Why?!"
Yuri gave the girl a confused look. "Why? Because they were nuisances." He answered like it was the most obvious thing in the world.
Her periwinkle eyes had widened as she looked back up at Yuri once more. 'Turning people into cards-!"
"If you keep on bugging me about it." Yuri's voice deepened as he spoke threateningly. His small smile turning into a bigger, more dangerous one. "I'll turn you into a card too."
Yuzu flinched back. Would he really do it?
Yuri leaned back slightly, both hands on his hips. "But I won't." His voice returned to that light, cheery demeanor. However, it was also calm and his eyes held no light, he held no emotion. "If I did something like that I'd get scolded by the Professor." It almost looked like he wanted to laugh at the last part.
"Professor!?" So this Yuya lookalike really was from Academia! Her grip on the two cards tightened. "So that means you're from Academia!"
"Yup, that's right." Yuri spoke happily, as if praising her for answering the trivia question correctly. He suddenly leaned forward once again to examine his next target. "But you really do look just like them… Ruri and Rin, that is."
"Ruri and Rin?!" Yuzu tensed. She knew that from what she had gathered from Yuya, Ruri was Shun's sister, and that she was wanted and almost kidnapped by Academia once before. However, this Rin was new to her. "Then the one who tried to kidnap Ruri was you!?"
Yuri leaned back, and looked like the cat who had gotten the canarie. He gave one swift nod. "Yep, me." The teen popped the 'p' in his yep.
"Why would you do something like that!?"
Again, Yuri gave the strange girl a weird look. "Why?" He spoke lightly like an adult explaining something to a child. "Because it was the Professor's orders." Yuzu gasped. "Right now, I'm only acting on the Professor's orders." He spoke lightly, playfully. "His orders to bring you to him, that is."
"Me?!" So she was correct, they were hunting her down as well.
"And Zero of course." Yuri added mostly to himself on the side, head tipped slightly. "But he's bigger game that managed to get away if only momentarily. I'll be sure to catch him the next time I see him." Yuri gave a wicked grin. "The bigger fish are always so much funner to catch."
"You're looking for him to?! Why!?" Yuzu asked, and suddenly Yuri's magenta eyes were trained on her again. It looked like a lion debating on what to do with its prey.
"I don't know why he wants you, but I can understand why he wants Zero." Yuri began to walk forward towards the kneeling Yuzu once again. "I only follow orders." He held his hand out to Yuzu. "I'll ask how you know about our masked friend and where he is later. Now though, the Professor is waiting for you." The horribly evil grin plastered on Yuri's face, and the extended hand made Yuzu relate to the offer as a deal with the Devil himself.
Yuzu tensed from her spot, and quickly launched into action. The girl slapped Yuri's hand away from her, the sound of the slap echoing across the field. Not stopping for a second, Yuzu did a couple sets of back handsprings to distance herself from the obviously creepy Academia enemy.
It didn't do anything but make Yuri smile even more and wave his sore hand on in front of him to lessen the slight pain. "Oh? Pretty good!" He admitted. "You're really just like Ruri and Rin. From what I've gathered about them with the time we've spent anyway." Yuzu carefully held out the cards in front of her while Yuri raised a finger, as if a lightbulb went off beside his head. "Then, how about we do this? We'll duel, and if I win, you have to listen to what I say. Sound good?" Yuzu took note that he didn't say what she would get if she won, and his excitement about the duel was rather concerning.
"Hold on!" Yuzu snapped. "You didn't just attempt to kidnap Ruri, but you kidnapped this Rin girl too?" And like what you're trying to do right now to me?! "Why!?"
Yuri put a hand on his hip, his tone showing his annoyance as he looked down at the girl mockingly. "I told you, it was an order." He was really getting tired of repeating that. He did a 'come at me' gesture. "Come on, hurry up!" He spoke impatiently. "Its rather obvious that if you know about Zero than he's here as well! I need to take you back to the Professor so I can find him!" They had a duel they needed to finish, and Yuri was determined to come out on top. "Weren't you just gearing up to go against Obelisk force?" The Predaplant duelist egged Yuzu on tauntingly.
"I…"
Yuri lifted up his duel disk. "If you won't start, I will." Yuri hissed in his excitement to finish this duel and go on with his bigger hunt. His violet sword duel blade appeared as he activated his duel disk.
Yuzu grit her teeth, before activating her own pink one. "I won't go down that easily!"
If only she had known just what she was dealing with. She would know better than to say such words.
. . .
"What the hell is this?" The engine to Yugo's D-Wheel purred calmly from its place beside the flowing lava river the Synchro duelist had suddenly come across. The blue and yellow haired duelist lifted the visor covering his aquamarine eyes, some sweat gliding down his face at the intense heat. "First the Ice Age, and now a blazing hell…" Yugo made a fist, cracking his knuckles in the process. "What's going on with this world?... I bet Zero knows. Bastard always seems to know about something."
"Stop it!"
"Huh?" Yugo's eyes flashed over to a bridge where six people were currently having a huge Battle Royal. The voice itself sounded very frightened, but what caught Yugo's attention was the three people wearing masks and soldier uniforms. "That's…!" The other three duelists were crowded back to back in a triangle formation, Obelisk force surrounding them on the outside. Their monsters were also resembling their current situation.
Obelisk yellow held out a Spell card. "I activate the Spell card Antique Armageddon Gear from my hand!" He smiled. "With Antique Gear Triple Bite Hound Dog's effect, I can attack three times!" The Fusion soldier's monster howled, the soundwaves echoing across the field. Yellow pointed over to a teen with shaggy dark purple hair that covered his eyes. "First I'll start with your monster!" The boy tensed in fear. "Get him, Battle!" The mechanical dog reared its three heads in excitement. "I attack Natural Goadrake!" The dog lunged at the monster.
"And I activate Antique Gear Double Bite Hound Dog's effect." A gear suddenly appeared beside the plant like-lion as Yellow continued speaking. "Any monster with a Gear Shift Counter on it can be destroyed before damage calculation!" The gear suddenly sling shot itself at the lion, and destroyed it.
Lightning cracked down on an enormous tank like machine that rolled towards the poor teens. "And now, with Antique Armageddon Gear's effect, the destroyed monster's Attack of 3000 is dealt to its controller!" The multitude of guns suddenly aimed at the boy, and fired without mercy.
LP- 2400 = 0 LOSER
The boy cried out as the rounds hit his chest and sent him flying away from the safety of the circle. He landed right in front of one of the other Obelisk force members who gave a sickening smile down at the teen.
"St-stop! Please!" The boy pleaded for his life, but his cries were ignored as Obelisk red proceeded to card the boy in a beam of purple light. "Help me!" His screams echoed across the field as he became nothing more than a flimsy card. Obelisk red laughed, shoulders shaking at the force of his chuckles.
Suddenly, the second teen's monster was destroyed as well. The boy with blonde hair and glasses shook in fear at what was going to happen next. "With the same effect, you also take 3500 damage!" Yellow sneered as the rounds hit the boy away as well.
LP- 2100 = 0 LOSER
The poor teen screamed, and soon he became a card as well thanks to Obelisk green.
Yugo narrowed his eyes at the laughing Obelisk force members. "Those bastards are…" The Synchro duelist's mind thought back to when he had first accidentally warped to Heartland. The smoking buildings still on fire, the people running and screaming, and those same soldiers laughing as they turned men, women, and children into cards like it was a game.
His mind thought back to the conversation he had with Yuto and Zero at the park. Back when he had dueled and almost certainly murdered Yuto, and harming Zero in his enraged daze.
"Those fucking bastards are here too!?" Yugo snapped. At this rate, seeing Obelisk force practically confirmed that Zero and Yuto were here as well.
The last boy with lavender hair stepped back until he was against the railing on the bridge. Sweat gliding down his face in fear and in his moistened eyes. "This is the end for you to! I attack Hierophant of Prophecy!"
Yugo grit his teeth, and revved up his engine. "Hold it right there!" The sound of his D-Wheel echoed across the field as he made his bike jump up into the air and land on the bridge. All four duelists stopped and gaped at the rider's sudden interference. Yugo skid his bike to a screeching halt and glared at the Obelisk force members.
. . .
Alarms rang off in the control room once again. "There is an intruder in the volcano area!"
"That's…!" Nakajima exclaimed. "He's the duelist that challenged Yuto and Zero! The boy from the Synchro Dimension!"
Reiji's mind flashed back to that moment in the park they just barely managed to catch on camera. His violet eyes narrowed behind his red glasses.
. . .
The duel disk popped up from Yugo's D-Wheel, and activated itself. The green duel blade that looked like four wings appeared. Yugo held out a card for everyone to see. "I Special Summon Speedroid Menko from my hand!" The monster was like a rug that had twisting gears inside it.
SPEEDROID MENKO LV.4 ATK:100 DEF:2000
The monster suddenly rose up into the sky as little jets on each corner activated to keep itself afloat. "With its effect, I change all of my opponent's monsters to Defense Mode!" Smoke suddenly billowed out of each corner, and the monsters all turned into Defense Mode.
Including Obelisk Yellow's Triple Bite Hound Dog.
Yellow gripped his fists and grit his teeth in angered frustration. "Damn it, then… I end my turn!" He leaned forward. "You! Just who are you?!"
"I'm Yugo." He answered calmly, poker face in play.
Green lowered his arms in confusion. "Fusion? Are you an ally then?!"
Yugo snapped his helmeted head over to said individual. "I said YUGO dammit!" The Synchro duelist spoke angrily now, poker face completely wiped away. With that, he sent his D-Wheel forward and began to take his turn. "My turn!" Yugo drew a card, and began to race up a rather steep path of rocks without fear. "I Summon Speedroid Three-Eyed Dice from my hand!"
SPEEDROID THREE-EYED DICE LV.3 ATK:300 DEF:1500
Yugo's bike curved up the ramp, and suddenly the Synchro duelist was thrown high up into the air. "I tune my Level 4 Menko with my Level 3 Three-Eyed Dice!" The blue stars and rings began to align themselves. Yugo's vehicle landed on the side of a building and sped down back towards the ground like nothing was wrong. His ace monster began to appear from within its bright lighted depths. "Spread those wondrous and beautiful wings. Strike down our enemies at lightspeed!" Yugo threw a fist forward, one still driving his D-Wheel. "I Synchro Summon!" Yugo's dragon began to appear. "Come forth! Level 7! Clear Wing Synchro Dragon!" Yugo's enormous ace dragon spun onto the field to show off its transparent seafoam green wings. A deep roar echoed off the walls and shook the buildings' glass windows before going to fly right above its master Yugo.
CLEAR WING SYNCHRO DRAGON LV.7 ATK:2500 DEF:2000
Yugo stopped his D-Wheel and both duelist and monster looked down at the intimidated Obelisk Force members.
Yellow spoke confidently. "Fool! Whenever a monster is Summoned or Special Summoned, Antique Gear Double Bite Hound Dog's effect puts one Gear Shift Counter on it!"
Obelisk red seemed to get the message, and leaned forward eagerly as well. "Now your dragon shares the same fate as their monsters!"
Yugo smirked. "I wonder about that."
"What?!" Both Fusion users flinched back at what Yugo was implying.
"When a Level 5 or higher monster activates its effect, Clear Wing Synchro Dragon can negate that effect and destroy that monster!" Clear Wing's beautiful wings began to glow a bright green, almost white light. "Dichroic Mirror!" Clear Wing roared, and the beam of light flew straight to the Hound Dog and destroyed it.
The machine gave a mechanical whine at its destruction, and Antique Gear Armageddon's effect activated. Bullets firing sporadically and all of them hit Obelisk yellow painfully on his back and forcing him to the ground.
OBELISK YELLOW LP- 3200 = 1800
"From his own card's effect!?" Green gasped as his frame began to shake as he watched his comrade in arms fall.
"And Clear Wing Synchro Dragon's Attack is increased by the destroyed monster's Attack!" Green returned his attention to their dangerous opponent. Clear Wing leaned forward and gave a low, pleasant grumble at the energy boost.
CLEAR WING SYNCHRO DRAGON ATK:2500 = 3900
"Prepare yourself!" Yugo gave a cocky grin and showed his enemies the card in his hand. "Now it's over! I activate the Spell card Synchro Cracker from my hand! I return Clear Wing Synchro Dragon to my Extra Deck and destroy all monsters with lower Attack than it!" The enormous black and white beast turned into a foggy baby blue before returning to its master's Extra Deck. A lime green light flew out like multiple buzz saws and destroyed all of the Obelisk force's Antique Gear Hound Dogs with a single strike. Armageddon's effect came to life, and bullets began to spray around the field wildly towards the three terrified Obelisk force members. Aquamarine eyes narrowed as that grin grew a smidge at his easy win. "Get finished off by your own card! With Antique Armageddon Gear's effect, you'll take damage equal to the Attack of your destroyed monsters!"
OBELISK YELLOW LP- 1800 = 0 LOSER
OBELISK RED LP- 3100 = 0 LOSER
OBELISK GREEN LP- 2800 = 0 LOSER
YUGO LP- 2000 WINNER
As soon as the three members were defeated and rendered unconscious they were forcefully warped back to Academia. With the threat now gone, Yugo turned his attention to the quivering teen sitting against the railing of the bridge. "Hey, are you okay?"
In response to Yugo's calm question, the boy quickly stumbled to his feet and began to sprint away from the scene like his life depended on it. "W-we can't handle fights like this!"
Yugo frowned deeply at the kid's reaction. "Hey!" Yugo tried to call the kid back, but he just ignored him and continued to run away screaming with his arms waving in the arm frantically. Jeez, and he seemed older than ME! "What the hell? I saved him and he doesn't even thank me?"
. . .
"Amazing, he's managed to defeat three Obelisk force members all by himself that quickly." Nakajima gaped up at the screen. "Then Synchro really isn't our enemy." However, watching their sole survivor of the elite Youth Team run away like a coward caused the bodyguard to stiffen in anger. "Our elite Youth Team was-" He wanted to throw something, but instead turned his attention to his boss, Reiji Akaba. "President! If it's come to this, we need to send out the Top Team-!"
"It wouldn't work." Reiji interrupted his bodyguard, and dug his nails into his palms. What a waste… Dammit, Academia is stronger than I first thought! "Right now, L.D.S doesn't have the strength to fend off Academia." He spoke bluntly. The CEO's intellectual mind thinking through multiple scenarios and plans, but mostly coming up empty.
"We won't know that unless we try!" Nakajima insisted, clenching a fist in his determination.
Violet eyes behind red glasses turned to stare down the man. "Have you forgotten why I am working to form a new team of Lancers?" Reiji's voice darkened just a smidge, but it was enough for the older man to get the message that Reiji wasn't happy and patient at the moment. Those violet eyes narrowed as he watched Nakajima flinch just a bit. "Since the discovery of Pendulum Summoning, dueling has moved to a new stage. Any skills that were acquired before that will not be able to compete with duelists from other dimensions!" Their other summoning methods are just stronger and more refined than Standard's. While we may have the advantage of knowing more than one Summoning Method. They also have the advantage of perfecting and reaching the peak of their own single Summoning Methods. Reiji thought darkly. "But, Yuya Sakai's generation of duelists. If any duelists younger than Junior Youth are able to embrace Pendulum without any resistance, there is a possibility that they could become even stronger."
Then of course, there was always the thought of Zero and his group's extreme potential as well. "Zero and the others in his group of fighters would make wonderful Lancer candidates as well."
The only problem was that Zero didn't seem to be the type to follow, but to take charge and lead.
What to do about that little problem…
"Quit messing around Akaba!" Unfortunately, the CEO was snapped out of his musings by the sound of a familiar voice. Reiji didn't even need to look back to see who it was.
"Sylvio?! Why are you here, and how did you get in here!" The bodyguard instantly took action, and tensed for a fight of sorts. "What are the guards doing?!"
"Shut up!" Sylvio snapped irritably, barely casting a glance at the man. Meanwhile, Reiji rolled his chair around to glance at the blonde banged brunette from the side. "My dad's influence was more than enough for that!" The L.D.S student returned his attention to the bigger target of his anger. "More importantly, what is going on! Why aren't you showing what's going on with the Battle Royale?"
Reiji lifted his chin an inch. "You want to see it?" He asked casually. A small idea forming in the back of his head.
"Of course I do!" Sylvio responded instantly. "I want to see how far Yuya Sakaki gets with my own eyes! Not to mention I want to see more of that masked man and his theatrics." Sylvio grinned. "He has quite the talent that I'd like to take some notes off of."
"I see." Reiji returned his attention to the main screen still showing Yugo on his D-Wheel. "Then I'm fine with letting you just see."
"President!"
Reiji ignored him. "Sylvio Sawatari. Would you like to take part in a revival match?" Those masked violet eyes stared Sylvio down coldly.
Sylvio himself blinked at the sudden question. "A revival match?!" However, a small grin soon replaced his shocked expression. "Hooh? You've got my attention."
. . .
"I can't believe you, Yuto."
Yuto himself jolted awake by the harsh grip on his shoulder. The Xyz user quickly looked up at his assailant, ready for battle. Although finding out that it was only his childhood friend and leader, he soon quickly backed down and relaxed.
"Being the stubborn ass you can be, you decided it was best to stay up the entire night and watch us. Even against our leader's orders." Yellow eyes bore into Yuto's slightly sheepish but mostly exhausted grey ones. "You can be a real idiot at times. Even I got more rest than you!"
"It's not that big of a deal." Yuto spoke, but it was more like a mumble.
"It can be." Zero spoke up this time. The two resistance members smashing Yuto in between them as they sat down and leaned against the tree. While Zero's returned cape covered his entire body like a blanket or wings, Shun had chosen to cross his arms tightly across his pained chest. "You're exhausted, and that's bad when it comes to battle." That voidless mask tilted to gaze at Yuto from the corner of his eye. "Are you afraid to fall asleep?"
The question caught Yuto off guard, and the small twitch of his hands was a dead give away in Zero's opinion. Seeing that he was caught, grey eyes averted to look off into the jungle's thick vegetation.
"I see." Zero leaned back against the tree even more, the bark digging into his back slightly. This technology feels so real, even though its a hologram. It's amazing… Oh what destruction and carnage this would bring if Britannia got their hands on it. It was only a passing thought. "You're fearful of losing control once again, aren't you?" No answer. Only silence, but it was enough. "You aren't the only one."
This time, Yuto did look up to face Zero again, but soon found that his leader's gaze was on someone else. A certain tomato haired teen that was leaning against his own tree a good distance away. The frown of displeasure on his face obvious from here.
"When you two saw what Academia did to the Knight of Duels. It reminded you of your homeland, the Xyz Dimension." Zero continued. "That anger, that sadness is what drove you two into the darkness you seem to possess deep within your souls. But you need to remember." Zero turned to face Yuto fully. "You need to remember all of the good times you had. About all of the memories you made, and that power. Contain that anger and convert it something that can be used for good, for smiles as you said. Like the smiles that once lived in Heartland before the invasion."
Yuto tightened his fists. "That darkness. Even I couldn't tell what it was. That unknown thing is what threw me into such rage! If its done it once it can do it again! This time what if I can't stop myself from hurting the people closest to me!"
"Don't be afraid." Shun spoke confidently, yellow eyes molten. "You wouldn't allow that. No matter what, you would do everything within your power to keep us safe. You would never hurt your friends." The Raidraptor huffed a breath. "I know that for certain, and if I didn't, then I wouldn't let you be anywhere near Ruri. But even then, I would try my hardest, I would give my entire soul, to fight and bring you back."
"No matter what demons we are hiding." Zero began to finish. "I believe in you, and I believe in Yuya… I believe that none of us will lose control, and that we can contain this 'demon' within." Though the two resistance fighters couldn't see it. They could feel how Zero tried to give a smile, but to all of them it felt rather strained.
"You really think that?" The three turned to see Yuya's red eyes looking over at them, hope rising in those light red pools. The Entertainment duelist clutched the pendulum resting on his chest. "My father always told me that when I let fear get ahold of me, I won't be able to do anything." He gave a fond smile. "That if I wanted to win, I have to gather up my courage and press forward!" Yuya blinked out of his haze, and looked at Zero. "Do you really think that Yuto and I can fight it, this darkness?"
Zero gave a silent nod. "Of course. You two are strong in your beliefs, and you both only want to make people smile. You don't want to hurt anyone, so I know for a fact that you can fight and hold out."
Yuya's smile brightened, and behind him on the other side of the tree Gongenzaka was smiling as well. The others having been awoken by the conversation. "Thank you, I needed that."
"We both needed that." Yuto added, and gave a cool, thankful smile. "Thank you, Zero."
The masked man stiffened, before giving an indignant huff and standing. "I need my comrades to be prepared for the worst case scenario. I can't have your mind wandering off somewhere because of some silly fear. Now let's get a move on before Obelisk force finds us unprepared."
That snapped everyone back into reality. Ruri came over to help Shun stand and walk while Yuto stayed by their side. Zero came between them and Yuya's group, so that Ruri's bracelet wouldn't activate and warp anyone. Michio and Teppei quickly set up a campfire, where his famous cooking partner whipped up an array of sandwiches for everyone to eat.
Yuya wasted no time digging in, and proceeded to eat an entire slice in almost one bite. The tomato haired teen hummed at the delicious flavor, and began to wiggle in place at the wonderful taste of food. "Delicious!" Yuya looked up to Michio, who was smiling down at everyone enjoying his food with pride. "Your cooking really is the best, Michio!"
"It's just a simple little something I put together from what we could find." Michio spoke proudly.
"No, it really is impressive!" Teppei complimented genuinely, and gave a thumbs up. "You really are the best partner, Michio!"
"Much better than the soup we usually have at the resistance I must say." Shun muttered over a mouthful. The resistance fighters knew of the wonderful food this man could make, and decided not to waste much time on small talk.
"Thank you for this wonderful breakfast, Michio." Gongenzaka gave a bow, and that's when Aura finally stood up and snapped.
"You all keep going on about Michio this and Michio that!" Aura huffed, hers arms down at her sides. "Even I can make delicious food for darling!" In her frustrated manner, the girl turned and began to run off along the river.
"Hey wait!" Yuya reached an arm out, but otherwise didn't try to stop her. Perhaps it's because Aura reminded him of a worser version of Milly, or that she was a liability, but Zero didn't try to stop her either.
Maybe his dangerous thoughts were hoping that she gets caught by Obelisk force.
Teppei raised an eyebrow at the girl's sudden demeanor. "What's with her? Where is she going?"
"Maybe to get ingredients?" Yuya spoke, his voice going quieter by the second.
"Hey, wait, she's not even a participant in the Battle Royale." Yuto spoke suddenly, a good distance away from the fire like the rest of the resistance. The black haired duelist gestured with a bit of his sandwich towards the other group. "So how did she even get here?"
"How did you get here?" Gongenzaka replied, which caused Yuto to remain silent and take a bite out of his food. "It's not just Aura. There are plenty of other duelists not a part of the Junior Youth Championship that have invaded!"
"Sora was there too…" Yuya commented sadly, eyes looking into the fire.
"Sora!?" Gongenzaka whipped his head from Yuya over to Zero. "You said something about Sora before, and now I believe it's time that everyone gets an explanation."
Zero huffed, and leaned back. His gloved hands behind him to keep his balance. The revolutionaries voidless mask tipped up towards the sky as he spoke. "Sora is with those guys, with Obelisk force, from Academia." That mask tilted just an inch to seemingly look down at everyone else. Yuya's group flinched back at the look. "What some of you fail to understand is that these people are dangerous. The magnitude of this situation has yet to hit some of you."
. . .
Breath frosted over into fog that flew past her face as she ran. Sweat froze in the cold as Yuzu ran with as much strength as her legs could carry. This was a horrible idea. I should have known! This person looks like Yuya, and even though his personality is different he's just as tough as him! No… He's even stronger! Oh God help me!
YUZU LP- 50
Yuzu stopped and looked around the icy ditch she had run and hidden in. The ice forming a cliff edge and shadowing her from view. Periwinkle eyes looked around wildly for any sign of purple. I can't do it. I'm no match for him! A shadow caught her eye, and the breath escaped from her lungs as a dragon's shadow began to appear on the cliff edge just above her.
"You're amazing!" Yuri spoke jokingly. His light voice carrying out across the silent field as Yuzu backed away in fright until her back was against the icy cold wall just underneath the Predaplant duelist. "You've managed to last until morning! Ruri and Rin haven't managed to survive this long against me, so you must have at least some potential. You have my praises, I suppose." Starving Venom Fusion Dragon hissed menacingly and leaned forward, eager to finish this hunt as the dragon leveled its head beside Yuri's. Drool dripping down its maw in desperate, sadistic joy. "But our game of hide and seek is over. Come out." The Academia soldier ordered playfully. "Come out, come out wherever you are~! Come with me back to the Professor." Yuri drawled.
The deranged purple haired duelist stopped right above the cliff hang, and right above Yuzu. The Melodious duelist threw her back against the wall even more as if to somehow magically sink into it and disappear. Hands covering her mouth as small tears entered the corners of her widened eyes.
As if sensing her fear, Starving Venom roared, and lashed his tail out against the icy ground. The ice gave in, and collapsed just beside Yuzu, who cried out in instinctual terror.
Magenta eyes widened as that sick smile spread across Yuri's face. "I hope you'll come out soon. I'd like to find and defeat Zero as quickly as possible before he slips away." His pupils turned into slits. "He's the big game after all. The twelve point buck, the enormous fish caught by my net… You're only a minnow."
It's over… I-I can't get away! Yuzu closed her eyes and shivered in terror while praying. "Help me, Yuya!"
As if God had heard her prayer, her bracelet glowed a bright pink color. Yuri recoiled at the familiar sight. "Again!" Those words barely left his lips before he was turned into pink particles and vanished.
Once that blinding pink light faded, Yuzu looked down at her bracelet and around the field wildly. "Huh?! It shined again! Don't tell me Yuya really is-!" The sound of a motorcycle or some sort of vehicle filled the air, and a teen riding a white and black striped motorcycle jumped over the small ditch.
Periwinkle eyes met aquamarine covered by a blue visor from the stranger's helmet. "Rin!" The sound of wheels squealing against the ground was heard before the engine was turned off. Footsteps quickly replaced the engine's purr. "Rin!" Yuzu blinked as she watched this stranger run towards her. He stopped for a moment, as if he was afraid that he was only seeing things, but soon enveloped her into a hug. "Oh Rin! I've missed you so much! I'm so glad you're safe!"
Yuzu couldn't help the blush that dusted her cheeks, although thankfully she could blame that on the cold. "Hold on a second! Rin?!" Her mind flashed back to what Yuri was saying before they dueled. Without thinking, Yuzu grabbed the sides of Yugo's helmet so that she could look him in the eyes. "You know who Rin is?" However, after staring at this boy's face she saw Yuya's own reflect back at her.
Both didn't know that they were being watched by a third party.
"T-That Yuzu Hiragi!" Aura stewed angrily. "She's changing clothes and messing around with other men while seducing darling! Unforgivable!" The Fortune duelist took a step forward, only for the ice to crack and crumble under the pressure. Aura cried out as she was sent sliding across the icy ground and towards a curved edge. The girl was sent flying up into the air, before gravity took over and landed face first onto the ground, knocked out cold.
. . .
"What do you mean by that, Zero?" Gongenzaka responded grimly. His posture was stiff as the Steadfast duelist had his arms tightly crossed.
"I'm saying that this is war." Zero responded with just as much venom and hostility. The Standard duelists shrunk back. A primal instinct saying that this man wasn't to be fucked with. "Academia has invaded this Dimension, the Standard Dimension, for either two reason." Zero lifted one black gloved finger. "One is to invade and card everybody on sight like they did with Heartland in the Xyz Dimension." At the reminder, the Xyz rebels all scowled and glared at the ground as separate memories of the hell they've been through flashed through their minds. The masked man raise a second finger. "The second reason they're here is because they've learned about my whereabouts, and intend to capture me along with a few other people of interest. Both scenarios are highly likely."
"Capture?" Yuya tilted his head to the side. "Why would they want to capture you?"
"Because I am a threat that knows too much." That voidless mask stared at everyone unblinkingly. "That, and I am currently shielding and hiding some of Academia's prime targets." At that, his attention flickered to Ruri and Yuto. The Phantom Knights duelist was standing against the tree he was at before breakfast with a dark glare in his eyes.
"Yuto and Ruri?" Yuya blinked his ruby red eyes.
"But why would Academia want them?" Michio asked this time while looking between Yuya and Yuto. "Is it because Yuya and Yuto look alike?"
Zero nodded. "A good assumption on your part Michio, and I expect that to be one of the reasons. However, there's a much more darker scheme to it that meets the eye." Unknowingly, violet eyes flashed over to Ruri once again. "The Professor, the ruler of Academia, hasn't given any information on the project besides pictures in the database, so I know nothing more. But… I know for a fact that he is after the people that look like Ruri."
"The people that look like her!?" Gongenzaka stood, his stone sandals clicking against the ground. "Then that means Yuzu is in danger as well!"
Red eyes shrunk in fright at his childhood friend's predicament. "Yuzu!" Yuya scrambled to his feet as well. "If Yuzu is in danger then we need to go find her!"
"I'm afraid that is where we'll have to split ways." Zero spoke calmly.
"What?!" Everyone from Standard spoke in unison.
"You're seriously wanting us to split up?!" Teppei shouted incredulously. "This isn't some cheap horror movie! Everyone knows that splitting up is a BAD idea! What happened to safety in numbers?!"
"I have to agree with my partner on this one." Michio agreed, eyes flickering around the Xyz rebels. "You people are injured, and you haven't even eaten anything since we've met Zero." Unconsciously, Zero hunched back just a bit, but soon quickly masked his body language once more. This caused Michio's eyes to narrow even more. "Don't think I haven't noticed."
Now the Xyz rebels were glaring at their leader for ignoring such a vital necessity. "We'll talk about this later." Zero snapped irritably. "Right now we need to move out. We've stayed here long enough as it is, and it's only a matter of time before Obelisk force finds us." Or Sora, or maybe even Yuri. I have no doubt that he's here as well trying to hunt down one of the lookalikes.
"Alright, but do we really HAVE to split up?" Teppei insisted and gathered his belongings into his little cooler. The others nodded and followed suit.
"We'll be able to cover more ground that way, and we'll also be able to find Yuzu faster." Zero pointed out. That caused Yuya and his group to agree if begrudgingly.
Everyone mostly scattered to pack their own things, and Zero was just about to stand with a heavy sigh escaping his lips. He could feel the dried, flaking blood on the left side of his face, and it wasn't comforting.
It wasn't two seconds later when he felt someone roughly grab his sore shoulder and force something into his gloved hands. When Zero looked down to see what it was, he found that it was a sandwich neatly wrapped up in a napkin. Zero's void filled mask looked up to meet the glaring yellow eyes of Shun.
"You're going to eat that." Shun spoke darkly, even threateningly, before Zero even had a chance to speak. The Raidraptor pointed at said object even as the movement jostled his hurt ribs. "I don't care when or where or how you do it, but if I find that there's still a single crumb in there I will personally remove that mask of yours and shove it down your throat regardless. Got it?"
Though Shun might not have seen it, Zero blinked for a moment before giving a derisive snort. "You're such a mother hen." The resistance leader stood, turned, and began to walk away with a flick of his cape.
"No, I'm a mother hawk." Shun responded easily, before carefully getting up with the help of his sister Ruri. "And I will make good on my threat if you do not eat."
Zero rolled his masked eyes if somewhat playfully. "Sure, I hear you loud and clear." He didn't feel hungry anyway.
He would just dump the food somewhere when they weren't looking.
Oh. My. GOSH! That took WAY TOO LONG! I just ended up stopping, why!? I got stuck right around the end, and just didn't try to push forward after. I debated on extending it even further, but then that would make it way too long, but there was no action in this chapter! It's starting to feel like there are never any duels, but I swear. I SWEAR IT! There WILL be a duel in the next chapter, Zero WILL fight, and I'll make it happen or so help me I'll go cry in a corner!
I guess until then though, drop a REVIEW, favorite, and follow! I love reading your messages!
Just have a wonderful day, and hopefully I'll get the next chapter up and running MUCH sooner than this one. -MoonlightWright
