Chapter 49: Ten Hour Vaporwave Mix
(Jamie Lancaster POV)
The mirror was like a pool of water, cool and soothing as we passed through it to Sarina's chosen dueling field. Mackenzie and I were taken to a pristine artificial landscape, a plaza built of polygons and pixels. The ground was a smooth, hard black surface with a perfectly patterned lattice design running endlessly in deep blue lines. The sky was a light blue fading into warm, neon pink at the horizon, where polygonal mountains jutted at exact angles into the air. The sun was a flat circle, red and orange and yellow, with an old VHS filter flickering over it. Silhouettes of palm trees swayed in the distance, though there was no breeze where I was.
The imagery elicited a curiously empty sense of nostalgia for me – I thought not of tangible things, like my old family and friends, my old world, and all of that which I could see with my eyes and hold with my hands. I thought of youth, the wasted nights drinking and playing video games, and all of the things that I never had and would never have in this world or the previous one. I couldn't deal with the emotions, so I focused back on Mackenzie.
At the sight of her, the anger rose again and quelled my sadness. However, her expression was contemplative and melancholic as mine was, and I did not say anything as the rage petered out.
"Hey!" A familiar voice called. I turned around to see Kenzan and Atticus approaching, in their dinosaur and dragon forms respectively. I laughed a little at their predicament, while Mackenzie gazed upon them dispassionately.
"Thank goodness you guys showed up! I was worried we were gonna be trapped like this forever!" Atticus quailed.
"What's the problem? I thought you liked dragons." I asked facetiously. "Besides, the furries will be all over you two if you stay like this. And it does look like we're in a computer…why, I can hear the message boards from here!"
"Funny as ever, Jamie." Atticus rolled his red eyes.
"Heh, I guess you ended up finding me and not the other way around, Jimbo." Kenzan said wryly. "And Mackenzie is with you too. But where's Jasmine?"
"I don't know. I thought she would be with you two." Mackenzie said.
"I did not require three hostages, so why risk doing battle with her?" Sarina's voice cut in. We turned around again – this virtual plane was somewhat disorienting – and the white-robed woman rose from the ground as if it were water, her expression as placid and peaceful as her brother's.
"Sarina." I drawled. "You must be acting on your brother's orders."
"Oh? I didn't realize you were familiar with me. But I suppose that is what makes you two so interesting." She smiled. "I am acting on Sartorius' behalf, though not quite his orders. It's a complicated situation made more so by your duel energy."
"What do you mean?" Mackenzie's blue eyes glimmered in trepidation.
"The nature of prophecy is always ambiguous, but with you two…neither I nor my brother can see you in the tarot cards or in the crystal ball. I wish to test your power to see if it can be used to save Sartorius." Sarina was being pretty forthright with us if I remembered her motivations from canon right.
"Save Sartorius? We have no love for him. Why would we go to such trouble for a man who most likely wants us dead?" Mackenzie questioned with her hands on her hips, her white clothes cast orange by the environs' digital light.
"My brother is not in his right mind!" Sarina protested – I think she expected us to be a bit more heroic, like Jaden and Aster. "He is being controlled by the Light of Destruction! Slowly, over the years, exposure to the light has poisoned his mind and turned him into a mad cultist!"
"Ah, the old brainwashing excuse. How very convenient." Mackenzie sneered.
"So why not just ask us to help you? Why take hostages and force us to come to you while your brother is in the city?" I asked.
"I know that Jaden Yuki, wielder of the Gentle Darkness, and Aster Phoenix, warrior of Light, will overcome their differences and work to save my brother. My visions have shown me. But it is you two I am concerned with. I wished to take the measure of you, to see if you are friends…or foes. Through a duel, I will see the truth that my third eye could not." As Sarina spoke, her shadow slowly shifted and changed form until it was a perfect clone of her, two identical Sarinas now staring us down. Duel Disks materialized on their arms.
"What gives you the right to judge us? We will do as we wish! If I had it my way, I'd have nothing to do with you or your brother or this ridiculous plot." Mackenzie replied testily.
I wished she had nothing to do with this plot, but here we are. "So it doesn't matter what we say, does it? You will try and duel us either way."
"The battle shows truth where words obscure." Sarina replied stubbornly.
"Well, it's our only way out…and besides, I relish the opportunity to humble so-called prophets. It goes both ways – our strength is more real than your lofty words." I chuckled, and she frowned. "Oh? That bothers you? I thought words didn't matter?"
"…They do not. But the rules of this game do. I will start at 8000 life points, and for each of your turns I will take one. If I take the first turn, it will pass to one of you, and then back to me, before the remaining player gets their turn. You are allowed to use card effects on your partner's field, but not their hand. You will share a graveyard and banished zone, although your extra decks will be separate." Sarina explained. "If you two wish, you may team up against me. Otherwise, I will battle you both individually and get the measure of you that way."
Perfect. This way I can focus on the fight without worrying about Mackenzie backstabbing me. "I'll fight you myse-"
"Let's fight together, Jamie! We'll show her the real super power of teamwork!" Mackenzie's voice was sweet, Kenzan and Atticus foolishly echoing "Hooray! Friendship!" in the back. She gave me a thumbs up and a devilish glare.
"That's right! We at Central Duel Academy look out for each other! Go and show her the power of friendship, you guys!" Atticus cheered.
"I'm going to scream." I voiced wryly to Sonata.
"If you refuse her, it will look as though you repudiate the concept of friendship. And we can't have that, now can we?" Sonata succinctly verbalized the meaning of Mackenzie's cunning remark.
"This universe does have a way of punishing those who do not kneel at friendship's altar. Of course, if the friend is actually a scheming vixen who wants to resurrect a demon, then perhaps I could be forgiven, just this once?" I asked my duel spirit.
"It will be difficult, with Kenzan and Atticus here. Atticus lusts after Mackenzie, and Kenzan is not one for nuance. Betraying Mackenzie at this point would be unwise." Sonata opined.
I growled, even as I acknowledged the truth of her words. "I despise this waiting, but she wants to force me into a mistake by testing my patience. We will wait too. For now, we will handle this nuisance as friends would." I shuddered as I thought of Mackenzie's fingers trailing across my neck, of her lips grazing against my chin, my mind wandering before I snapped back to focus.
"Well?" Mackenzie smiled at me. I glowered, but nodded. "Let's do this."
"Very well! I shall begin!" The real Sarina said. "I'll start by playing Pantheism of the Monarchs. By sending a Monarch spell or trap to the graveyard from my hand, I can draw two cards. Then, I'll summon Edea the Heavenly Squire (800/1000)." Her first monster was a priestly figure in white raiment, smaller than even Syrus. Odd – I thought she played some mirror-related cards in the anime. She certainly didn't play Monarchs, I remember that much. Then, I suppose I haven't really seen too many anime-only cards in this universe, generally. Perhaps some anime effects on cards like Bubbleman and Card of Sanctity, but nothing too far out there. Even Banner didn't use his anime deck, instead using a similar banishing anti-meta strategy. I suppose Sarina is following in his footsteps in that regard. Whether she follows him into the grave will be another matter, I hope.
Interestingly, this being a tag duel actually works a little in my favor considering the wording of Domain of the True Monarch's effect. The field spell works if only one player controls a tribute summoned monster. If both Sarinas control tribute summoned monsters, then the field spell's main effect doesn't work.
"When this monster is summoned, I can special summon a monster with 800 attack and 1000 defense from my deck to the field! I summon Eidos the Underworld Squire (800/1000)!" Similar in stature, this squire had edgy, spiked black armor. "When this monster is on the field, I can conduct a tribute summon in addition to my normal summon this turn."
"So, I will sacrifice Eidos and Edea!" The creatures morphed into spherical energy constructs, one bright yellow and the other pitch black. The two balls swirled and mixed, but the light eventually won out over the dark, and her new monster appeared in a white veil, like sunlight scattering through a windowpane. "I tribute summon Ehther the Heavenly Monarch (2800/1000)!" The monarch towered above the artificial mountain, gold and white robes billowing in the air despite the dearth of wind.
"I set two cards and end my turn." Sarina said, gesturing to me with an open palm.
"Let's do this!" I nodded to Sonata before drawing. "First, I'll cast the spell First Movement Solo, letting me special summon a level four Melodious monster from my deck! I summon Aria the Melodious Diva (1600/1200)!" The singer held a harp on her back, clad in brown and peach robes. Her purple hair was done in a short, old-school style. "While she's on the field, Melodious monsters can't be targeted by card effects or destroyed by battle."
"I'll continue by summoning Keeper of Dragon Magic (1800/1300)!" In contrast, my next monster was a lance-wielding knight in light blue armor, his gauntlets clawed like a dragon's. He was probably one of the more traditionally "badass" looking creatures in my set, but his looks were meaningless in comparison to his useful ability. "When this card is summoned, I can discard a card to add a "Fusion" spell to my hand!" Not only did I get Polymerization to my hand, but my discarded card was more useful in the graveyard. "Now, I'll activate Polymerization, fusing together two Melodious Divas in my hand – Canon and Sonata – to fusion summon Schuberta the Melodious Maestra (2400/2000)!"
The fusion monster was a tall woman in a flowing red dress, patterned with various musical notes on it. Her hair was strawberry blonde, rising in the air like a flame from the force of her aura. She refrained from singing for the time being. "Thankfully." I thought, although secretly I found it a little enjoyable.
"So, this is what the blast brought you? The gods must be playing a joke on you, Jamie." Mackenzie smirked.
"I wonder about that." I replied drolly. "But I haven't heard the punch-line yet." If Mackenzie had it her way, she would be the one delivering it, I'm sure. "I'll set two cards and end my turn."
"Interesting…I confess I did not anticipate you would play cards like those. I thought maybe you'd play dragons, or something teenage boys think are cool." Sarina commented with gentle amusement.
"I hear that a lot." I inclined my head in hopes that she would shut up and take her turn. Curiously, Sarina's clone inclined her head as well before drawing.
"I'll also summon Edea the Heavenly Squire, using its effect to summon Eidos the Underworld Squire from my deck!" The clone had the same starter as the real Sarina. "Now, I'll tribute both to summon Erebus the Underworld Monarch (2800/1000)!"
The true monarch was just as gigantic as Eether in size, but of a different element – of the shadows. Its flowing black cape shifted unnaturally, shadows moving within it as if it were a living thing. His dark grey armor wrapped like skin around the monarch's bulky frame, two curved horns at the helm. While Eether stood sharply at attention, Erebus slouched with a hand on his cheek, as if this matter were a waste of time.
"When this monster is summoned, I can send two Monarch spells or traps with different names from my deck to the graveyard! In exchange I can shuffle one card from my opponent's hand, field, or graveyard into the deck!" The effect was extremely powerful because it did not target. "I'll shuffle your Schuberta back into your extra deck, Lancaster!"
"I activate my trap card, Infinite Impermanence! This negates your monster's effect until the end of the turn." The trap was extremely useful for stopping monster effects that activated on summon.
"Very well. One of the cards I sent to the graveyard was Pantheism of the Monarchs. When it's in the graveyard, I can select three Monarch spells or traps from my deck, and you choose which one to add to my hand." Sarina said.
"Which one of us chooses?" Mackenzie asked.
"I'll handle it." I interjected shortly. The choices she gave me were another Pantheism, Domain of the True Monarchs, or March of the Monarchs. Letting her draw two was out of the question, and the field spell would be too big of a problem since I didn't have much spell/trap removal outside of a few Exceed monsters. I let her have March.
"I'll activate March of the Monarchs. Now, tribute summoned monsters I control cannot be targeted or destroyed by card effects. I'll end with a face-down."
"You have a way to play around that?" I asked Mackenzie gruffly.
"Of course." She answered with contrasting smoothness.
"My Melodious monsters are all fairies." I said.
"Good. See, I knew we'd make a good pairing." She gave me faux-bedroom eyes.
"I believe the term is team, not pairing." I bit the inside of my cheek.
"Right." She drew. "I'll set three cards before summoning Bountiful Artemis (1600/1700) to my side of the field." The white winged statue-esque creature floated on the field, eerily still. She could have made a Rank 4 with Artemis and my Keeper of Dragon Magic, but of course to use her counter traps she probably needed a fairy on the field. "I end my turn."
"Now, the real test begins!" Sarina drew, and now everyone could attack on their own turn. "I attack Bountiful Artemis with Eether the Heavenly Monarch!" The angelic overlord shot a blast of holy flame at Mackenzie's machine. I assume Sarina was scared to activate effects due to Mackenzie's face-down cards.
"I activate my face-down Negate Attack, stopping the attack and ending your battle phase. And since I activated a counter trap, Bountiful Artemis lets me draw a card." Mackenzie responded smoothly.
"Very well. I end my turn." Sarina bobbed her head.
"Sweet move, Mackenzie!" Atticus breathed a little fire from the sidelines. She smiled bemusedly at him, glancing from him to me for some reason before returning her focus to our opponent.
"Draw." I put it from my mind for a moment. The first order of business should be to get rid of that continuous spell, but making a Rank 4 Exceed with Aria would get rid of her protection effect. I glanced at Mackenzie's two remaining face-down cards – Trap Jammer and Ultimate Providence. Could be useful, although I disliked relying on her.
"I activate Schuberta's effect. By banishing up to three cards from any player's graveyard, I can boost her attack by 200 for each. I'll banish Pantheism and your two squires to boost her attack to 3000!" Schuberta began warming up her vocal chords, and I wondered what it would be this time. Britney Spears again? Surely they wouldn't go back to that well so soon.
"Now, I'll attack Erebus the Underworld Monarch with Schuberta!" Interestingly, perhaps because of the landscape, my diva played instrumental vaporwave music instead of the usual stuff! Resonance by HOME perhaps wouldn't be my first choice as a battle dirge, but it did lend a certain surreal atmosphere as the demon lord was brought down by my synths. (Jamie and Mackenzie 8000/Sarina 7800)
"Alright, that's it for my turn." Taking down Erebus was a big win. That card becomes a bigger threat the longer it stays on the field, especially with March of the Monarchs protecting it from targeting. However, Monarchs are usually able to bounce back quickly since they don't invest a lot into the field.
Sarina's clone drew. "I play Terraforming to add a field spell from deck to hand. Then, I'll play Domain of the True Monarchs!" The computerized landscape was shrouded in a shadowy blanket, the four of us plunged into a vast, empty throne room. Since only one player controlled a tribute summoned monster, neither Mackenzie nor I could summon from the extra deck. However, if Sarina's clone tribute summoned, two players would have tribute summoned monsters, rendering the field spell null.
"Now, I'll play my set card, The First Monarch (1000/2400)! This card acts as a trap monster while it's on the field!" A pitch-black silhouette now sat the enormous throne at the far end of the chamber, barely discernible through the thin ribbons of light passing through the artificial windows.
"Then, I'll use Domain of the True Monarch's secondary effect. I can reduce the level of a monster with 2800 attack points and 1000 defense points in my hand by two until the end of the turn. This lets me summon level eight monster with only tribute! I sacrifice The First Monarch to summon Caius the Mega Monarch (2800/1000)!"
The silhouette sitting the throne took solid form and shape, becoming a dark behemoth clad in iron grey, spiked armor. The steel was inlaid with crimson accents, and a cape of faded black fur fell from the titan's shoulders. The echoes of screaming souls accompanied the monster's arrival, the ghosts of disembodied skulls floating around his body. This creature wasn't quite as large as Erebus, but it was plenty big, as if it were Erebus' slightly less intimidating younger brother. "When this monarch is tribute summoned, I can banish one card on the field and deal 1000 damage to you!"
The Melodious monsters couldn't be targeted, so she banished the Keeper of Dragon Magic instead. The Mega Monarch swiped the small knight aside like a gnat and knocked me on my ass in the process. I let out a wheeze of pain, feeling dizzy as I got to my feet as fast as possible. (Jamie and Mackenzie 7000/Sarina 7800)
"When Caius banishes a dark monster by this effect, I can banish all copies of that card from your deck as well. Furthermore, since Mega Caius was summoned by sacrificing a dark monster, I can banish an additional card!" Sarina continued. I was forced to send my second copy of Keeper of Dragon Magic to the banished zone. With another swipe, Mackenzie's Bountiful Artemis was crushed.
"Now, I'll attack Aria the Melodious Diva with Eether and Mega Caius!" Although Aria could not be destroyed by battle, both monarchs were still able to deal 1200 points of damage apiece from the attacks. Aria bravely held off the assailants with an energy shield, but the aftershocks of the blows sent Mackenzie and I sailing. (Jamie and Mackenzie 4600/Sarina 7800)
"Urgh…hey, are you alright, Jamie? I think you ended up taking the brunt of that." Mackenzie grunted as she rose to her feet, he hair messed up a little. When I looked over, she flashed me a smirk, her eyes subtly amused as I clutched my side.
She knows I know how it really is, and still she puts up this façade, still she keeps me waiting, strung along until the trap eventually closes over my head. How could I have let this happen? I am not your pawn, Mackenzie! I will not hesitate when the day comes, mark my words!
"Hey, take it easy." Sonata urged gently. "She knows she can get this kind of reaction out of you, that's why she does it. Come on, you can handle it. Just focus on the fight and you'll have fun!" She appealed to my base enjoyment of dueling, and it worked. I suppose I've always enjoyed this game and competition in general because it gets me out of my head.
I took a deep breath and stood up. "You're right. No matter who stands in our way, or what happens, we'll find a way to win."
"That's the spirit!" Sonata smiled.
"That's my ninja way! Believe it!" I added sarcastically.
Her smiled faded and was replaced with an impish grin. "Okay wise guy, just for that I'm putting Old Town Road back on the rotation."
"Do your worst!" I grinned.
"Hey, there ya go, Jimbo! Keep it pushin', it ain't over yet!" Kenzan somehow made a thumbs up with his little dinosaur arms. Atticus nodded as well, not really able to smile with a dragon's face.
"It's my turn!" Mackenzie drew. "I'll play my own field spell, the Sanctuary in the Sky!" The field spell not only helped out her strategy, but it destroyed Domain of the True Monarchs. Good thing that under the current rules there could only be one field spell up at a given time. And that means we could summon from the extra deck without worry!
"Then, I'll play the continuous spell Valhalla, Hall of the Fallen! While this is on the field, once per turn I can special summon a fairy monster from my hand!" The formerly dark and vast throne room was bathed in sunlight, white marble buildings rising around us while flowers and grass sprung up around our feet. In the distance, I swore I could vaguely hear bagpipes – the music was all the over the place around here today!
"Using the effect of my continuous spell, I'll summon this from my hand! The Legendary Planet, Splendid Venus (2800/2400)!" The golden seraphim arrived from the second planet from the sun, its four wings still in the air. The creature was of the same size as the monarchs, an equal in majesty. I never thought I'd be pleased to see it, but here we are.
In the moment, with golden light catching her hair, Mackenzie looked beautiful. So long as I could forget what was underneath. "While Venus is on the field, all non-fairy monsters lose 500 attack and defense points. Jamie's Melodious monsters and your Ehther the Heavenly Monarch are both fairies, so their strength remains. Your Caius isn't so lucky! And since this effect does not target, March of the Monarchs can't protect anything!" Sure enough, Caius the Mega Monarch, a fiend type monster, was wilting in the light, its attack reduced to 2300.
"Venus, attack Caius with light of the master!" With a wave of the staff, Venus was able to banish the demon out of the heavenly realm. (Jamie and Mackenzie 4600/Sarina 7300)
Throughout the entire move, Sarina only watched placidly, unbothered by the minor damage. "Most impressive. It appears the two of you are of similar ability, to be able to destroy our monarchs one after the other. But the contents of your hearts…that is where, I think, the difference lies. It is something I can only discern vaguely…fight on, so that I may learn the truth!"
"I'll switch Jamie's Aria The Melodious Diva to defense mode and end my turn. You'll have to be the one to fight on now." Mackenzie said drolly.
"You're right! Draw! I'll set a monster and a card to end my turn." The real Sarina said, quickly finishing her move.
"Ok." I grunted. This will give me the opportunity to try out a new combo. Well, it would be new to these people anyways – these cards were used a fair amount by Pendulum players back in my old life. These cards were tech options, so I wasn't sure how well they'd integrate into this deck. When's a better time to try than when your life is on the line, right?
"I'll play Foolish Burial, sending a monster from my deck to the graveyard. Then, I'll activate the effect of that monster! The tuner monster Destrudo, the Lost Dragon's Frission (1000/3000)!"
From the polygons formed a bizarrely shaped dragon – half of its body was replete with pink-hued scales, while the other half was a glowing skeleton, blue flames blazing in its eye socket. Webbed wings spread as it let out a hackle-raising cry. "By paying half of my life points, I can summon this guy from the hand or the graveyard." (Jamie and Mackenzie 2300/Sarina 7300)
"I hope you know what you're doing." Mackenzie did not look pleased that our life points were halved, but they were being put to good use.
"Don't worry." Yet, I added mentally. "When Destrudo is summoned this way, I can reduce his number of level stars by the amount of level stars another monster on my side of the field has. Destrudo is a level seven monster, but by targeting Aria the Melodious Diva, I can reduce his level by four, putting him at three."
"And now, I can tune the level three Destrudo with the level four Aria!" The half-dead dragon's body transformed into three florescent green rings, while Aria took the form of four bright energy spheres. The spheres lined through the rings, the two structures summoning a monster through a pillar of light.
"Synchro summon! Yazi, Evil of the Yang Zing (2600/2100)!" I believe this was my first synchro summon in this world, outside of the few practice matches I've had to test combos. This deck does not normally synchro summon often, but after Adam got me a cheap copy of Destrudo I worked in some tech options. Yazi was one of them, a black dragon with crimson eyes and odd, mammalian paws instead of traditional claws.
"Hey, this isn't a melodious card! How am I supposed to sing when you're summoning dragons instead of divas?" Sonata whined.
"Technically, this is a wyrm, not a dragon." I corrected, bemused.
"What's the difference, anyways?" she asked.
"Nothing really, but Konami didn't want to make it too obvious that dragons are the strongest cards in the game, so they made nu-dragons to split the support pool. A lot of them have cool artwork, so there's that going for them." Noticing that Sarina and Mackenzie were giving me weird looks, I cleared my throat and said, "Sorry, just thinking. Anyways, I'll go ahead and use Yazi's effect. I can target one Yang Zing monster I control along with one card my opponent controls and destroy them both. Since I can't target your monsters, I'll get rid of your continuous spell, March of the Monarchs! Now, your monarchs can be targeted and destroyed by card effects!" Black and red lightning coiled around Yazi's frame as he destroyed himself and Sarina's spell card.
"Was it worth it? To synchro summon only to destroy one card is a poor use of resources, wouldn't you agree?" Sarina mocked.
"I'm not finished synchro summoning. You see, when Yazi is destroyed, I can summon a wyrm type monster from my deck in defense mode! I'll summon Mare Mare (2100/1400)!" While it was a wyrm type, this monster looked more like a giant seahorse than anything else, orange and spiked. Mackenzie looked over appraisingly, glancing between the monster and me. This card sucked to draw but it was nice to have in my deck for instances like this, even if I didn't always use it.
"Mare Mare is a level seven tuner monster, but by reducing his level by one, I can summon a level one Mare Mare Token (0/0) to my side of the field." A little baby seahorse formed next to the larger Mare Mare. "And now, with a level six tuner and a level one non-tuner, I can perform another level seven synchro summon!" The two seahorses coalesced, this time taking a new shape entirely.
"My two monsters, take the shape of pure speed energy! I synchro summon F.A Dawn Dragster (2100/2000)!" This synchro monster wasn't a melodious diva either, though in my defense they had no synchros to speak of. This was a bright green and white futuristic racecar, a huge spoiler holding four turbo engines in the back. "This monster has 300 attack points for each of its level stars, so it is at 2100 right now, or it would be if not for Splendid Venus' effect. " I explained. Since Dawn Dragster was a machine and not a fairy, Splendid Venus reduced its attack by 500.
"Does its level change?" Mackenzie asked.
"You'll see, probably. I'm going to start pushing now that I have a negate on board. I hope you don't mind losing your legendary planet." I said.
Mackenzie gave me an odd look. "Fine." She said coldly, before adding sweetly, "I mean, of course! Friendship and trust will win the day!" It was more than a little creepy, but I pressed on.
"Alright, here we go! First, I'll crash Eether the Heavenly Monarch with Splendid Venus! Since they have the same attack points, they're both destroyed!"
"I refuse! I play the trap card Mirror Force to destroy your monsters!" Sarina activated the common, but useful battle trap.
"No way! I'll use the effect of Dawn Dragster! By reducing his level by two, I can negate a spell/trap activation. This reduces his attack points by 600 as well though, but my attack still goes through. The two proud fairy queens shot twin beams of holy light at each other, each falling apart under the force of the blasts. Venus was a pretty big loss, but now Sarina only had one set monster, and my non-fairy monsters were back tot their full strength.
"I'll attack your set monster with Dragster!" My racecar deals piercing damage when it attacks a monster. Leaving behind green flames as it sped along, it ripped through Sarina's set Sangan (1000/600) like it was just another bug on the windshield. (Jamie and Mackenzie 2300/Sarina 6400)
Sarina got to add a card to her hand due to Sangan's effect, but now her field was clear for a direct attack. "Alright, I've kept you waiting long enough Sonata." I said, resigned. "Schuberta, attack directly!"
"~YYEEAAHHHH I'm gonna take my horse to the old town road, I'm gonna…RIIIDDDEEE till I can't no more ~" The meme rap came as promised, and I couldn't help but start laughing as I saw the incredulous expressions of Sarina and Mackenzie. Of course, Sarina had little time to mock me, since she was currently being sent flying by the full force of my boss monster. (Jamie and Mackenzie 2300/Sarina 3400)
"Really impressive stuff, Jamie. I'm sure your Obelisk Force will be awed when they realize their leader fights with meme songs and Disney anthems." Mackenzie sneered. "I can see why you hid these cards if this is what the blast gave you."
"Careful now, everyone who mocks these cards tends to eat their words one way or another." I smiled back – at this point, I didn't really care how embarrassing the cards were. I suppose I had grown somewhat attached to them. And besides, they were proving useful, although I would have preferred to play something like Pendulums or Dragon Rulers. Still, we play with the hand we are dealt.
Sarina quickly recovered from the attack, her expression still calm. "It's because you have a bond with your cards, isn't that right?" She smiled strangely.
"Uh, why yes, it is. That's totally it." I lied to her face. I did like Sonata, but she was an actual living being, not just a card. And it was because my cards actually worked together that I won, not this supernatural shit. I figure if Mackenzie can lie about the friendship tripe, I can lie about the heart of the cards tripe.
"That is wonderful to hear. My powers do not work as well on you as the others, but I can tell you ultimately have a good heart, despite everything." Sarina said, and I wasn't sure if she was telling the truth or trying to trick me.
"Thanks, that's nice of you to say. I'm afraid your ass is still going to be kicked, regardless. Just business." I smirked at her.
"It's hidden under pain and regret and snark, but I do think you're a good person. Perhaps you can help my brother after all, along with the foretold heroes." Sarina notably had nothing nice to say about Mackenzie so far, and I could tell that was starting to rankle her a little. Wisely, she did not speak up about the matter.
"But that does mean I am going to give up! I draw!" Sarina's robe billowed as she drew upon duel energy. "I activate my face-down, Call of the Haunted!"
"I'll use Dragster's effect to negate the activation!" I called out. Dragster now only had 900 attack and three stars.
"Good, because now I'll play my real strategy! I'll cast the spell Soul Exchange! I'll use this to sacrifice one of your monsters for a tribute summon. Thus, by sacrificing your Schuberta, I can summon Tenmataitei (2400/1000)!" Although not a monarch, this monster was just as impressive looking, a dark knight atop an armored destrier. His lance glinted sharply in the vaporwave light.
"While this monster is on the field, the effects of my normal summoned monsters cannot be negated!" And more importantly, my strongest monster was off the field. Luckily, Soul Exchange prevented her from attacking at all this turn. "I'll end with that." We were all running out of the necessary resources to make big plays. Monarchs in particular didn't have a good recovery game. Mackenzie's next draw might well decide things…I hated having to put my trust in her!
"Alright Jamie, I'll admit your cards are pretty strong. But I'll be the one to end this!" She turned to Sarina, and in that moment, with her back completely turned to Kenzan and Atticus, I saw the mask drop. Her eyes were clear, empty pits, and her expression was that of true malice. With a flourish, she raised a card above her head. "You thought you could judge us, Sarina, even when you yourself admit you do not understand the depth of our powers. You should have realized you were trying to catch a shark with a fishing pole. Now, observe what true power really is!"
Could the rest of them see the thick black flames that wrapped around her body as she accessed her duel energy? She shone all the brighter in the midst of the midnight inferno. Kenzan and Atticus smiled pleasantly, as if they could not see what was going on. But Sarina…her face showed true trepidation and perhaps a glimmer of understanding.
"My magic is more than enough to make sure those fools don't see or hear anything…incriminating. It takes a fair amount of energy, but it's worth it to finally breathe, you know?" Mackenzie said with a savage grin. At my fearful expression, she tilted her head. "Do you recognize this energy, Jamie? Do you, Sarina? It is Egyptian shadow magic, the same used by the Millennium Items and their wielders. Tell me, do either of you know how the Millennium Items were made?"
Of course I knew, but it appeared Sarina did as well. "…Sartorius told me. He told me that it was the work of human sacrifice and blood magic by the pharaoh's courtiers."
"Yes, indeed. The village was put to the sword and their blood was put to good use, inscribing the ruins that would transform ordinary metal into those gold treasures – the Eye, the Ring, and all the others. There was one noted survivor who attempted to seek justice against the tyrant Atem, but was thwarted. Now, he burns in hell with the rest of his kin."
Bakura, I thought, the name causing chills to race up my spine.
"But there was another who was out of town when the massacre occurred. No histories were ever written about that survivor, but that will change soon, I'm sure." Mackenzie cackled.
"Impossible…you?!" Sarina whispered.
Mackenzie tilted her head back and laughed. "Not exactly. But the distinction is wasted on you, I fear. Just know this – I am not a run of the mill duelist, and you were unwise to waste my time with this foolish exercise. For your mistake, you will feed the holy flames!"
"You…you are nothing like the others. You dare to use fairy monsters, when you are a monster born of darkness!" Sarina clenched her hand into a fist. So much for the warm and fuzzy talk from earlier. "Jamie Lancaster, how could you work with such a being?"
"Uh, it's a bit of a complicated story. Maybe we could get coffee sometime and I'll give you the details." I jolted, not expecting the question. I have to admit, Mackenzie's hammy evil act was kind of bad for my PR. Probably intentional, if I had to guess. Sarina stared at me as if she could not comprehend what I said. Before she could respond, Mackenzie was chewing the scenery again.
"You fear the darkness, but more than that, you fear that I can bear the light while existing in the deepest shadow. You brought us here to understand our powers, so I will not belabor the point any longer, not when action will serve! By using the effect of Valhalla, Hall of the Fallen, I can summon Voltanis the Adjudicator (2800/1400)
Purple lightning crackled, heralding the arrival of a high angel, clad in violet armor inlaid with bright blue crystals. Its robotic frame was offset by what appeared to be a magically-bound scepter. Mackenzie let out a deep breath, hiding her duel energy and releasing the glamor over Kenzan and Atticus. Sure enough, they looked upon Mackenzie as if she were just their friend, not having any idea of the dark depths.
I was the same, in some ways. Of course, I did not secretly have any cool, edgy dark powers that I was aware of, nor was I working on behalf of a vengeful Egyptian spirit, but I did have an army of secrets I hid from the others, secrets that could cost me everything if they were revealed. Already, my presence has altered the world of dueling beyond the scope of canon. I tried not to think about too much, but at times it was hard not to.
"Now, I'll equip the spell Megamorph! As long as our life points are lower than yours, Voltanis' attack total is doubled to 5600! I suppose your Destrudo play paid off in many ways, Jamie." Mackenzie's voice was back to its fake friendliness. Sarina did not seem to expect the equip spell, and to be fair it was a pretty old card.
"Now, perish!" Mackenzie cried out as her fairy passed judgment, destroying Tenmataitei easily. (Jamie and Mackenzie 2300/Sarina 600) Afterwards, Dragster dealt the final blow, even its weakened state enough to get the job done. (Jamie and Mackenzie 23000/Sarina 0)
Sarina's clone disappeared as her duel energy failed her, brought down low by the defeat. She fell on two knees, looking up at the two of us as we approached her. I suppose we might have looked intimidating, although that would have been entirely because of Mackenzie. Her smile was cruel and sexy – I mean sadistic!
"Stay focused." Sonata cautioned. "Well-fought there, partner."
"Yeah, you too." I replied, flustered.
"This has been a waste of time." Mackenzie declared, flipping her hair before leaning close to me. "Let's kill her and be done with this, Jamie."
Even after that evil outburst earlier, she still defers to me…why? Does she believe I have more power in reserve than I really do? Hard to say.
The thought had crossed my mind, but at the end of the day it was needless. I also disliked the idea because Mackenzie was the one who suggested it. I gave her a stony look before turning to the fallen Sarina. "Let's get out of here. I have no intention of wallowing in vaguely 80's nostalgia for the rest of my life. Sarina, my coffee offer still stands if you're interested. Oh, and turn back Kenzan and Atticus to humans, while you're at it."
Sarina summoned some of her light powers, and a starry curtain of energy fell over my transformed friends, returning them to their normal selves.
"Thank you…thank you for my life." Sartorius' sister looked upon Mackenzie with fear. For her part, Mackenzie merely looked bored.
"Thank you for your cooperation. I will do my best to ensure your brother gets help. We won't kill him." I said in response.
"You know about what has happened to my brother? How?" Sarina asked.
"Don't worry about it. Just don't cause us any more trouble. This little stunt was fucking annoying." Realizing I sounded like a total dick, I added, "I understand how you feel. To lose your brother to the Light of Destruction and be unable to do anything about it…you're strong. I'll do whatever I can to ensure we all make it out of this alive."
Sarina gave me a sad sort of smile. "The future is more malleable than it ever has been. A strong will could change the current."
I wasn't sure how to respond to that, so I leaned over to Mackenzie. "It was a little obvious there that you didn't really care about saving Atticus and Kenzan. Luckily, they probably won't pick up on it since they're just glad to be alive." I advised sarcastically.
"Thanks for the tip. Not everyone can be as cunning and smart as you, you know." She replied, equally sarcastic.
"My pleasure. Here's another tip – if you step a toe out of line, I'll kill you." I whispered the words affably, and I recognized goose bumps on her pale neck. What happened to your little demonic act? I felt my anger spike. "I didn't appreciate your monologue earlier."
"Really? It's not as much fun if you reveal your intentions so blatantly. A skilled actor like yourself should know this." She whispered back.
"I'm tired of playing games with you. Stay away from Jaden and return Chazz's dragon to him. I don't care how you do it. If I get another whiff of bullshit from you, I will drop the fucking axe. Ask Kagemaru or Camula, if you doubt me." I was angry because I had to rely on her to win this game, but more than that it was because I allowed things to spiral so far out of hand. I allowed too much nonsense from her simply because I found her attractive, to be honest. David Rabb would have already been dead if he were in her position. Too soft – I'm too damn soft!
"Are you sure? The others see me as a trusted comrade. You'd have a hard time explaining it to them. You know how foolish they get when it comes to matters of friendship. I'm disappointed to hear such brutish ideas from you, after the wit I've observed." She chastised with a smile. "We could be great together, you know. Tragodeia's power would suit you well."
I could barely contain my rage, but before I could respond, Atticus and Kenzan rushed over, a little awkward as they got reacquainted with their human anatomy. "Hey, what are you two whispering about?" Atticus said in that breezy manner of his.
"Nothing!" I barked. Something in the way he looked at me was weird.
"We were just talking about where to go from here. The monarch duel spirits are still out in the city, as are Aster Phoenix and Sartorius. We need to look out for each other – that's what friends do, right guys?" Mackenzie said sweetly.
"Couldn't have said it better myself!" Kenzan let out a fist pump. "Thanks to you both! Those were some impressive combat operations!"
I chuckled. "Thanks, Kenzan. I'm glad you both are safe." As we spoke, I saw the pink and orange sun slowly grow brighter, taking the form of a white, circular portal.
"Ah, that must be the way out of here. Sarina – " I turned to thank her, but somehow, she disappeared in the moments I had my back turned to her. "What the hell? Did you guys see where she went?"
Mackenzie, Kenzan, and Atticus shook their head. "I don't know, but I'm not sure how long that portal is going to last. Let's make like a banana and split!" Atticus said as we all groaned at his lame joke.
"Where did she go?" I thought as we began to run towards the exit. "Jamie, don't worry. That was merely a digital projection. In this realm, my duel energy allows me to create such visions. It also lets me talk to you like this. My real body is far from danger, I assure you. But it's nice of you to worry." She spoke to me telepathically. "The portal will take you back to your hotel. Now go!"
I nodded, although I wasn't sure if she could actually see me. "Let's go, guys!" The four of us took a running jump and leapt into the portal. As we fell through, I caught Mackenzie's smoldering gaze, Kenzan's grit teeth, and Atticus' goofy grin.
In this moment of falling from one adventure to the next, there was a brief moment of peace. The moment passed, and we returned to the chaos.
(Aster Phoenix POV)
They ran for a while, seemingly outpacing Kaiba and Sartorius, who seemed to be in no hurry to actually catch them. Jaden, his archrival only a few hours ago, now seemed to be his only friend in this strange urban landscape.
"Quick, let's hide in here!" Jaden smoothly leapt the fence into an empty construction zone. Aster followed him. They weaved through piles of girders and palettes of wood, eventually taking refuge in the skeleton of a to-be-completed apartment complex.
They stayed hidden in the shadows and the dark for a while, catching their breath. "Do you think we lost them?" Aster eventually whispered, almost guiltily breaking the silence.
"I don't know, but from here, we can see them coming from any side." Jaden said, more out of breath than Aster was. The pro duelist was already in better shape than Jaden due to his athletic pursuits outside of work, but beyond that Jaden was exhausted from using three portals in a single day.
"I don't think I can make another portal today. The next time I go to sleep, I'm gonna be out for a while." Jaden chuckled, purple bags under his eyes. "At least I don't get the nightmares anymore."
"Nightmares?" Aster raised an eyebrow, his curiosity piqued.
"Last year, I got these really bad dreams. This voice showed me all sorts of bizarre visions, claiming they were prophecy. I could never remember the contents of the dreams when I woke up, but that voice…man, it sounded so familiar! But I don't know why." Jaden didn't seem too bothered by this, or perhaps his cheery demeanor was a mask…Aster was beginning to suspect the latter.
"But these dark powers…they've been able to help me drive the voice from my head. I can sleep a lot easier." Jaden smiled.
Aster was starting to think that there might be some truth to this incessant talk of visions after all. "So, you said earlier that you could show me some visions, isn't that right? What sort of things do you want to show me?"
"Well…it's not really up to me. When I was training in that other dimension, if I let the darkness influence my dreams, it took shape based on the contents of my mind. So if I gave you a bit of that energy, it would probably show you something different." Jaden tried to explain, but he was never meant to be a teacher.
"I want to see it." Aster suddenly decided. "I want to know more about this world and what sort of things are possible with this magic of yours. I've lived in a bubble for so long, my eyes were closed to anything that challenged my worldview. I want to judge this for myself."
Jaden glanced around the yard, but it was still empty and quiet for the time being. "Alright, sure thing. Just so you know, this tends to feel kinda weird the first time you try it." Jaden warned with a smile. "You might see some stuff you don't wanna see."
"I can handle it." Aster responded with crossed arms, although inwardly he was feeling steadily mounting trepidation.
"Okay, get ready! I'm gonna count down from three. This is gonna be totally rad!" Jaden's words only made Aster more hesitant.
"Three…" Jaden's palm rested against Aster's forehead.
"Two…" Jaden's eyes began to glow gold, while Aster had suddenly grown unbearably nervous, tensed, he had to get out of here –
"One!" Jaden's voice warped into a high-powered whine that could have been the spinning of starship engine turbines. Aster opened his eyes, and Domino City had completely reassembled, becoming an enormous, uniform configuration of chrome, former smokestacks and exhaust pipes now blasting pure, holy energy into the sky. Jaden was missing, gone without a trace, and Aster was completely alone. He didn't know why, but his body was moving, tumbling down bizarre alien geometries as the sky and ground switched places. Up was down and down was sideways and sideways was some direction outside the limits of normal spatial relations.
When he stood again, he was inside a stone tower, walking down spiraling steps and surrounded by candles burning purple flame. Down and down he went, into the earth. Aster left the stairwell to find himself in a long hall with a narrow ceiling. Through semi-circle shaped holes, things that Aster could only describe as presences emerged from the walls, the floors, the ceilings. Rippling, formless blobs of flowing liquid chrome stood beside shadowy wraiths, grey things with clasping hands and gaping maws. Where do you want to go? The angels, the demons asked him innocently.
They brought him back to his childhood home in the hills, where mother and father were. Mother's silver hair flowed gently, and in his father's embrace he felt the man's salt-and-pepper stubble prod his cheek. Mother gazed down at him.
"We all dream of things we want but cannot have." Mother said.
"I dreamed that my son would become a great duelist who used the power of the Destiny Heroes for good." Father intoned.
"I am a great duelist! I do use the heroes for good! For the light, and the true god, I use them against the sinners!" Aster's old teachings rose to the surface, and the words came unbidden. "Isn't that what you wanted?"
Tears rolled down their cheeks, and they turned their backs on him. Aster cried out as they walked away. "Wait! Don't leave me!"
But of course they had left him long ago.
In a burst of light, he was besieged by images, their clarity and sharpness more real than anything he had ever experienced. Two eyes, one electric blue and the other a burning orange. A knight, clad in shining steel plate from head to toe, took off his helm in front of clamoring foes, finally revealing a face once in shadow. Blood fell on sand, and a red, serpentine shape coiled between thunderclouds. The sun…he could see the sun shifting and growing wings. Two dragons battled in the sky, one larger than the other. Bleach staining a yellow shirt, seeping through the fabric…then, he saw Jaden Yuki and Chazz Princeton battling in front of the entire world, television screens all over covering their duel eagerly. A boy with spiky russet hair worked diligently on a computer, his glasses glinting off the screen's light – the five pieces, I must have the five pieces…
"The humans of this world are nothing but insignificant fodder, to be used in the machinations of the true gods. They have captured the spirits of monsters and magic in cards, true, but even the portion they possess amounts to little more than a crumb in a banquet of power. And to think, they enslave themselves and butcher each other just for a taste of the crumb!" Aster jumped at the sound of a disembodied voice at his side – two-toned, it blended the cadence of a child and an adult. "The truth is enough to make anyone a little crazy, don't you think?"
The voice concerned Aster more than the truth, whatever that was. Where is it coming from? Where? Where?! The voice did not stop, even as Aster ran far away. "And yet still humans gladly fight over the crumbs. The Millennium Items…would you believe there are artifacts in the universe that would make the ring or the necklace look like child's toys? Of course not – you have grown complacent in your current, meager level of awareness! Come and see, if you have the stomach for it, boy!" He knew, somehow, that if he saw what the voice wanted him to see, he would suffer consequences. He didn't know what or why, but his survival instincts turned him away.
And then, Aster could not take it anymore. Reason left him as he savagely smashed his fists against the walls, the enclosing walls drawing nearer and nearer despite his resistance, despite his efforts – and it was over. He was back in Domino City, back with Jaden, in the real world. Aster was drenched in a cold sweat, and his hands were shaking uncontrollably.
"God! What do you want from me!" Aster stammered, his pitch uneven.
"Woah, easy there bro." Jaden clapped Aster on the back. "Sorry about that. It was like that for me too. What did ya see?" The Slifer Red asked casually.
"I don't know what it means… All my life, I have felt awakened in my purpose, fully surrendered to the will of the cosmos. But ever since meeting you, my destiny has been in flux. And this vision only compounds that my knowledge is incomplete. It is possible that fighting alongside you, rather than against you, may show me the truth of God's plan. For the time being, it appears our fates have converged."
Jaden tilted his head quizzically, not really understanding what Aster was saying.
Aster looked exasperated for a moment, before laughing instead. It was not mocking nor derisive, but a genuine, childlike laugh which faded into a frown. "Sartorius…do not think defeating him will be easy. He is in complete harmony with the universe, more a force of nature than a man."
"Yeah, I figured he'd be tough. We just need a chance to regroup. Let's get back to the hotel, Jamie sent me directions. There, we can hopefully rest up and think of a plan."
With that, the Slifer Red rushed off, with Aster forced to follow a step behind. "If fate can truly be changed, then it is not fate at all. If these prophetic visions are true… If Jaden and I, mere mortals, can change the course of God's plan, then that means that what Sartorius worships is not a god. It would have to be something else. Something fallible."
XxXxxXxXxXxXxXxX
(The Chazz Princeton POV)
The North Academy students had landed. The submarines safely docked, they rolled out in motorcycles towards the heart of the city, the wind harshly against them.
"Hold up!" Chazz cried out from the front of the pack. In front of the group, a purple barrier made passage through the city impossible. The two dozen motorcycles behind Chazz quickly stopped, the North Academy students looking impatiently at the obstacle.
Jesse quickly dismounted, his hair somehow still perfectly fluffy and tousled even as he removed his helmet. "Looks like a four-sided barrier made from duel energy. I'm guessing touching that would have some…unpleasant consequences."
"How the hell do you know what a barrier made of duel energy does?" Chazz questioned grumpily.
Jesse gave a soft chuckle in response. "Well, everyone's saying that magic has returned to the world with the arrival of these new cards. I figure we're gonna be seeing this kinda stuff more often." Jesse had thankfully abandoned his ten-gallon hat for the journey, but the rest of his attire still brought cowboys to mind – his tough leather boots, faded jeans, white button-up shirt and brown vest made Chazz think of a rodeo star. Chazz, meanwhile, stuck to his usual grimy black attire.
"Well, since you're the expert, how do we get past this? We're under orders to get into the city." Chazz reminded Jesse.
"Hmm…hard to say. Might have something to do with that big guy over there." Jesse pointed beyond the barrier, where the duel spirit of Zaborg the Thunder Monarch awaited them. He was enormous, electricity crackling between his red gloves and coursing along his copper armor.
"Who goes there?" Zaborg thundered. Some of the North Academy students wordlessly fell back in shock – they had little experience with the supernatural.
"Oi, Chazz, did you know about this?" One of them spoke up.
"Relax, I'll handle this." Chazz held a hand up before stepping forward. "I'm The Chazz Princeton, a duelist of North Academy. My comrades and I require passage on behalf of Maximillion Pegasus of Industrial Illusions. Are you the toll booth operator or something?"
"I am the gatekeeper, yes. My orders are not to let anyone in or out until I hear otherwise from my master, Lady Sarina of the twin mirrors. Wait here until then." Zaborg's tone brooked no argument, but Chazz was going to anyways.
"I don't like to wait, and I'm sure you're bored standing there like a glorified sentry. Why don't we have a little contest to decide it? I haven't had a good battle in a while." Chazz bared his teeth.
"Never one to do things the easy way, eh Chazz? You want me to back you up?" Jesse asked with amused resignation.
"No need." Chazz shot him down. "I can handle a little static."
"I recognize you now. Lady Sarina made note of you – you're the rival of Jaden Yuki, the Emissary of Darkness, isn't that right?" Zaborg did not appear roused, but idly curious nonetheless. "Nicknamed the Black Thunderbolt."
"Emissary of Darkness? You guys give him too much credit." Chazz mocked. "We may or may not have some business with him. It's none of your concern, sparky."
"Hmph! You're just as bellicose as your reputation implies. Very well, then." Zaborg activated his duel disk. "There's not room in the sky for this much lightning anyhow. You may be the Black Thunderbolt, but that merely means you are in my element! Prepare for battle!"
"Haha!" Chazz laughed at the prospect of battle. "Fine! Just don't cry when I Chazz you up!"
(A/N)
Hope you all enjoyed. Long A/N ahead.
This chapter was really tough to write for some reason, things just weren't flowing like they usually do. I've had a lot of petty distractions stealing my time lately as well…I need to step back and reevaluate a little. I'm sure you all know the feeling. Next chapter should be out sooner than this.
I really wanted to get some weird "Vision/Dream sequence" scenes in this story, sort of my take on the House of the Undying scene from ASOIAF or the various dreams from Berserk. One thing I still enjoy about GX to this day is that you're sort of just going along with the story and before you know it you're knee deep in weirdness. I think it's really cool and I wish some of the later seasons kept up the supernatural horror vibes. After all, the series began as a supernatural horror if we go back to the early chapters of the manga and season 0. I hope you guys were able to go with Aster's vision – how much of it is actually prophetic, I cannot say. I really want to connect Aster's character to more of the story's supernatural elements so he doesn't get pidgeon-holed into simply being "Jaden's rival". Please let me know what you guys thought of that scene in particular. I hope that the next YGO anime series goes back to the dark fantasy vibes. I'm not really a sci-fi/digital world guy so Vrains didn't really do it for me. First YGO series I dropped.
I also had some trouble writing the duel, since Sarina doesn't use any real cards in her anime duel. I decided to go with a monarch strategy focusing on Erebus and Eether. I know some people don't like that I do this, but at the end of the day I'm bigger into the card game than I am into the anime series, so it's easier for me to write duels if I am mostly based in the real life TCG. Of course I do use a few anime cards like Card of Sanctity for my own convenience, lmao.
We're gonna start seeing the chaos of this mini-arc begin to die down as plotlines converge in the next chapter. I know it's been a bit hard to follow, as I've been trying to focus on many characters. Anyways, thanks for reading and I'll see ya next time!