Good afternoon everybody! Yes, the Nutty Buddy is still alive, he's still writing, and he had a very Merry Christmas indeed. Between Rogue One, Rivals Collide, reuniting with old friends, making new ones, college shenanigans, and more, well, I did sorta fall behind on this chapter. Sorry about that. But I'm back! And ready to deliver some more chaos to your lives!
Akiza: The following is a non-profit fan-based fanfiction. Yugioh, Yugioh GX, Yugioh 5D's, Yugioh Zexal, and Yugioh Arc-V are all owned by Konami, 4Kids Entertainment, Toei Animation, and Kazuki Takahashi. Please support the official release!
Chapter 32: A King and a Witch
Yusei sat back on his Duel Runner, pondering life and its many mysteries. He'd come to terms with the fact that as a Signer he'd had a responsibility to save the world. There was a part of him that had actually enjoyed being New Domino City's guardian. The bonds he shared with his friends, the bonds he was making with the people of New Domino City, and the newest bonds he had made with Yugi, Kaiba, and Dani, they all meant a great deal to him. As it was, he had also felt a bond form with Mika during that latest Turbo Duel. It was a bond formed of respect, as was the case with most Turbo Duelists he had faced off against. She had fought him with a passion he had only felt from the elite Turbo Duelists, the likes of which he had only really felt against Jack, Crow, and a few select others.
"Why?" the Head Signer asked nobody in particular. "Why must they bring chaos to my city?" He clenched his fist tightly, feeling a bit of frustration. Director Goodwin had said it wasn't going to be easy, although his words seemed to ring hollow after the whole Dark Signer fiasco, but Yusei knew he had a point. He was going to have to defeat the Master and his minions, but why were they after New Domino City in the first place? What was so special about the city that drew all the nutjobs towards it? Hell, the Master seemed like an even bigger lunatic than Goodwin. Yusei glanced back at where the recently mechanized Mika and her Runner were resting. Why had she incurred such a terrible fate when he was the target of the Master's wrath? What was the Master's end game? He had so many questions and so few answers. It was so frustrating. Then something clicked in his memory. Mika's cold voice, near the end.
"I've sent you a data package. You deserve to face the Master at least once. That way you can know the true power that you were up against and you will know just how futile your struggle against the Chaos Movement is."
"Data package," Yusei repeated, curious as to what she meant. He checked his Duel Runner's computer and found that he had indeed received a data package. A part of Yusei was wary of it being a trap, some elaborate plot from the Master to shut down his Runner and take him out of the fight, however temporarily it might prove. And yet, he had a feeling in his gut that this was important. So with a moment's hesitation, he opened the package he had received from Mika. His blue eyes scanned the files, taking note of the names over each file. He knew he was going to have to look over that "Accel Synchro" file later, but the one he was looking for was aptly named.
"Chaos Movement HQ," Yusei said to himself as he tapped the file, opening it. He scanned through the document that popped up, looking for one important detail. "Man this place is big. But where is it?" He read through several more pages, taking a small mental note of each of the rooms within the headquarters until he finally found what he was looking for. "I can't say I'm surprised."
Satellite High Rise
There was a hush among the group after the intense Duel had concluded. Even though it had been Yusei Dueling, everyone was feeling the pressure from the Chaos Movement. The Head Signer had gone quiet after the Duel had concluded, and to be fair, nobody blamed him. This sudden shift in intensity, it had shaken everyone. When Yusei had informed them that Mika had been turned into a robot, it had brought a sudden cloud over everyone.
"So," Leo began, breaking the silence at last. "What does this mean? For us?"
"I don't know," Luna said after a pause. She rubbed her arm, looking out the window of Akiza's car. Satellite seemed so peaceful right now. Sure, there was some smoke from the factories, but otherwise it looked like business as usual in the Satellite district. If she hadn't known any better, it would've been just another normal cloudy day in New Domino City.
"It means the Chaos Movement is getting desperate," Kaiba said eventually. He stood up, exiting the convertible. "We have to keep taking the fight to them. They're going to screw up eventually."
"Where are they though?" Crow challenged, glancing over at the Kaibacorp executive. "It's not like they've exactly broadcasted where they hang out."
"Actually," Yusei's voice crackled over the intercom, getting everyone's attention. "I think Mika gave us a parting gift."
"What is that supposed to mean?" Jack demanded.
"It means that I have the location of the Chaos Movement's hideout," Yusei answered. Needless to say, the shock of everybody was nearly tangible.
"But wait," Crow began, scratching the back of his head in curiosity. "Why would Mika give you the location of their hideout?"
"She said something about facing the Master and learning the true power we're up against," Yusei explained, a hint of uncertainty in his voice. "She also seemed certain that I would lose to him."
"He does strike me as a formidable foe," Yami Yugi agreed. "Which is why we will need to work together to defeat him." He clenched his hand into a fist, staring at his hand. The Pharaoh may not have been a part of this future timeline, but any timeline where people were needlessly getting hurt was one he couldn't stand for. They had to stop the Master, and they had to stop him soon. He could sense a great power slowing waking up, and the Pharaoh knew that great power was not something he could allow unleashed upon the world.
"So then, where is it?" Jack asked. "So we can put an end to this once and for all."
"I'm sending the coordinates over now. I'll meet you guys there," Yusei said and the clacking of typing keys came over the communications channel for a second. "Just be careful, they're sure to try something."
"We will Yusei," Akiza said simply. "But you be careful as well."
"Yeah, they have you separated from the rest of us," Crow said, "Watch out, cuz they might ambush you since you're on your own." He chuckled sheepishly. "Guess we should've followed you for that Duel."
"We were going max speed," Yusei explained, "So I'm not sure you would've been able to keep up. But don't worry guys, I'll be careful. Over and out."
"You got it Yusei," Jack said, climbing onto his white Runner. "Just don't count out my Wheel of Fortune when it comes to speed." With that, he activated the engine with a roar as a beep on his Runner indicated that he'd received the coordinates from Yusei.
Akiza and Crow received the coordinates as well with two more beeps and they looked on the GPS system on their vehicles to see where it was. Crow rolled his eyes. "Why am I not surprised?" He glanced over at Dani. "You've been quiet. What's up?"
The female Blue-Eyes Duelist met Crow's gaze, that steely determination in her bright blue eyes, but Crow saw something more in there. Was it fear? Or maybe apprehension. "I don't know Crow, but I have a very bad feeling about this."
"Then we must be doing something right," Crow quipped as he tossed her the spare helmet, putting his own on in one smooth motion.
Chaos Movement HQ, The Master's Quarters
The leader of the Chaos Movement started, as though he had just gotten a nasty shock from an exposed wire. Something had shifted within the miasma of chaos he now engulfed himself with, and he wasn't certain if it was for better or worse. He roused himself, letting his mind drift among the chaos. The beautiful chaos. His beautiful chaos. The Master saw things, many that were beyond the comprehension of humanity, many that would drive most people mad in fact. But he was no mere human being. He was the Master, and he controlled the chaos. He was as great, if not greater than the powers that be in this time. And he knew that chaos was coming, but his target wasn't Astral world at the moment. The Master had other priorities. One world at a time.
"This disturbance in the chaos," he murmured, casting his mind out towards New Domino City, and more importantly the Satellite District. "It did not come from Yusei or Yugi. It came from one of our own…" He trailed off as he felt for the truth, which even in the distorting layers of chaos he knew would reveal itself. When the miasma exposed his recently transformed minion, he snorted.
"So, Mika sent them our location, did she?" he said, just a hint of anger entering his tone. "How disappointing. I should've known she'd crack at the end. Looks like we're moving ahead of schedule then. Hehehehehehehe." The Master withdrew his mental consciousness from the chaos and returned his mind to his body. Time to prepare the defenses then, if the Signers and their friends were on their way. "Then it's time to play rough." The Master opened his eyes, mismatched with the colors of chaos as they were. They remained multicolored, infused with the chaotic powers he gathered within his body.
The Master activated his commlink and spoke into it. "Bario? Are the outside traps ready?"
The cold voice of his hideout's guardian answered after a moment. "The explosives are nearly ready. Just two more remain to be placed in the locations you specified."
The Master grinned, knowing just how he was going to get rid of his main headache, Yusei Fudo. His vision hadn't changed thanks to Mika's interference. In fact, now that he reflected on it, had become even clearer thanks to Mika's actions. Perhaps she hadn't screwed up after all. "Very good Bario. Prepare yourself for battle, because the Signers are on their way. But I will buy you enough time to prepare, so use whatever manpower you need to finish the job."
"Understood. Out." The Master grinned as the communication's cut off with a small pop. He really needed to get that man to relax, at least once. Such a frigid personality could only be kept up for so long. The Master was curious as to when his seemingly tireless guardian allowed himself to relax. Perhaps he had some family that he thought hidden from the Master. If so, he had hidden them well. But the Master knew that if he put his mind and powers to it, all would be revealed. That, unfortunately, would take time that thanks to Mika he couldn't afford to lose, so he put it to the back of his mind for the time being. Dealing with his minion's more personal lives would have to wait. For now, he had some pesky Signers to take care of.
He opened his commlink again, this time contacting a different peon. "Bonaparte? Are you ready with the new cards I gave you?"
"I am indeed Master," came the quick reply. "And I must say, the Extra Deck sealing capabilities of these new monsters are marvelous. Where did you find these Monarchs when I could not, after scouring the world for my first Monarchs?"
"Are you really questioning me?" the Master asked, a dangerous tenor undercutting the jovial tone that usually permeated his voice. "Just remember LJ, what is a king to a god?"
"What is a god to a nonbeliever?" LJ shot back.
The Master raised an eyebrow, even though his minion couldn't see it. This was certainly a gutsy play by LJ. A part of the Master was curious as to what brought this on. Still, now was not the time for infighting. It was time for a lesson. "He is still a god, and that god is quite capable of making said nonbeliever suffer when his time has come. Life is fleeting. Eternal suffering, less so. Do I make myself clear Bonaparte?" If nothing else, the ominous shift in his tone should suffice to set Bonaparte straight.
The threat certainly did the trick, as his minion was immediately backpedaling on his words. "My apologies Master. I thought I'd ask, in case there were some more amazing Monarchs waiting for me?"
"You should be grateful for what I've given," the Master warned. "But is the trap ready?"
"It is Master," LJ answered quickly. "Though, are you certain they will come this way?"
"I have never been more certain," the Master answered. "Just be ready." With that, the Master shut off his commlink and sat back in his chair, mind fully back in his room. Time to rest and continue moving pieces around, setting up the trap. He glanced at the chessboard on his desk, set up in one of his favorite puzzles. Nobody in the Chaos Movement had ever been able to solve the puzzle, much to the Master's amusement, and it had proved an intense brainteaser to the Master as well. He moved a bishop and captured a black rook from the board. The next move by black would result in the loss of his bishop, which was a necessary loss to set up the checkmate. "Perhaps, by chipping away at the foundation of the Signers, I'll be able to strike down the head if he's distracted with the loss of a loved one." With that, he activated his computer, preparing the next stage of his grand plan.
Satellite Highway
Crow and Jack's Runners led the way down the road, followed by Akiza's little convertible. The usual travel arrangements were in play, and as such Kaiba found himself with time to think as they sped down the road. The Master was another lunatic that needed to be put down, spouting this nonsense about controlling the world or whatever. The Kaibacorp executive wondered just what it was that attracted these maniacs into his life. Every single time he felt he was ready to regain his title as the world's best Duelist, some moron would appear and distract Yugi, who seemed to believe the nonsense they were spouting every single time. Despite his past experience with these types of villains, Kaiba had to admit that even this Master was perhaps a bit more than he was willing to admit. Dartz and Marik were crazy, and Kaiba had been beyond insulted when Dartz had bought out Kaibacorp, but the Master… Kaiba was at a bit of a loss for him. Still, no matter how invincible The Master made himself out to be, the Kaibacorp Executive knew that he was going down.
"So, Yugi," Akiza began conversationally, trying to break the monotony of the drive. "Asides from being the King of Games, why do you think the Crimson Dragon brought you here?"
Yugi placed a hand on his chin, rubbing it thoughtfully. "I don't really know. My gut is telling me that we were brought here because we're going to be needed in the final battle."
Kaiba couldn't hold back a snort. "Obviously this Crimson Dragon recognized my superior Dueling skills, as well as Yugi's. I mean, why else would it bring us to the future when there are so many time paradoxes in play here?"
"The Master did steal two of Yugi's Egyptian god cards," Akiza pointed out, glancing at Kaiba before focusing on the road. "Given Yugi's reign as the King of Games, he kind of needs to get back those cards."
"I think it's more than just getting back the Egyptian god cards," Yugi said from the backseat. "I mean, yeah, they're powerful cards that can do a lot of harm in the wrong hands, but there's more to it than just getting back the god cards. Something tells me that the Master wanted Kaiba and I to come to this era."
"He's got to be crazy if he thinks he can take the King of Games on!" Leo said, as though that were the answer. "And that's not counting Yusei and Jack either."
"Maybe," Yugi said, "But that madness is dangerous, to us and to New Domino City. We have to find him quickly, to put a stop to all this. We caught a break with this gift from Mika, but I have a feeling it's only going to get harder from here."
On Crow's Runner, another conversation was taking place, one that had one person's head nearly spinning. Dani had asked Crow just how much went into being a Turbo Duelist, intrigued by what Crow had offered earlier. The gusto with which the Blackwing Duelist had launched into this conversation had surprised Dani at first, though in retrospect she shouldn't have been surprised. Crow's passion for his kids was only matched by his passion for Dueling and his passion for riding. He may had inherited the Blackbird from Pearson but, thanks to Pearson, Crow had learned so much about Duel Runners that he could build one of his own if he wanted to. Or, as Crow was alluding to, building one for her.
"Of course, the parts aren't exactly easy to come by," Crow was saying, "But there's plenty of time before the Grand Prix, so I think between me and Yusei we can get you a Runner cobbled together in time. You can practice with the Blackbird until we get your Runner built."
"Slow down there, Crow," Dani interrupted before he could continue. It had been what she'd thought was a harmless question about Turbo Dueling and Crow just simply couldn't stop talking about it, at least not with his engines revved, so to speak. It was…cute, Dani found herself thinking. She could feel every shift in Crow's body as he moved with his Runner, maintaining balance around the curve in the road. He was one with his Runner, and his handling of said Runner showed. True, ever since Crow had asked her about the WRGP, Dani had been curious about Turbo Dueling, allowing herself to wonder just what it was like to ride along the wind, to be behind the controls of a fast vehicle such as the Blackbird and to Duel at the same time. But everything was happening so fast, Dani was having a bit of trouble wrapping her head around it. "You're going too fast!"
'I was just getting used to being among these Signers,' she thought to herself. 'Now I'm a mother, Crow's asking me to become a Turbo Duelist, we still have the Chaos Movement to fight, there's some crazy thing called Accel Synchro that Yusei fought against, don't even get me started on the XYZ summoning I've been watching people fight against, and we're rolling towards the lair of the enemy. It's almost too much!'
Crow heard Dani's tone in his helmet, and realized that Dani had a lot on her mind. "Sorry bout that. I know I got carried away, but there's so many awesome things ahead of us."
"You're assuming we win," Dani pointed out in a bit of a deadpan tone.
Crow chuckled. "Well of course, for starters we got the King of Games with us. Him and Yusei are probably the best tag team of all time, and we haven't seen them team up yet! I just know that the Master is going down if he chooses to fight them. So we got that going for us."
"And what about the rest of the Chaos Movement?"
"I'm sure we can handle them," Crow said nonchalantly. "I mean, what more could they throw at us?"
Dani sighed. "That's what I'm afraid of." There was a sudden burst of static in Dani's, Crow's and Jack's helmets, causing simultaneous flinches from all three.
"What was that?!" Jack shouted, ears ringing a little from the unexpected shock of sound.
"I dunno," Crow said as he glanced skywards. There was no kanji in the sky to indicate the Chaos Movement's presence, nor were there any crazy fires springing up. Then he glanced backwards. "Guys, where'd Akiza go?"
"What are you talking about Crow?" Jack asked, "She's right behind us, right Akiza?" When there was no response from the Claw Signer, Jack then realized just what Crow meant. "Her car just vanished!" Both Runners came to a screeching halt, the three of them looking around for the convertible that had been following them.
"What do you mean her car just vanished?!" Yusei's concerned voice came over the intercom. "What's going on?"
"I don't know Yusei," Crow replied, grey eyes scanning the road, looking for any sign of Akiza and the others. "She's not showing up on the monitor either!"
"Just keep looking for her," Yusei said quickly, "I'm on my way over!"
The sound of marching feet got Jack's attention. "I think we have a bigger problem right now."
"Like what?" Dani asked, glancing over at the Wings Signer. Then she looked past Jack and saw what he was looking at. "Oh. Oh crapbaskets." A veritable army was marching towards them, the heavy footsteps indicating that this army was not made of living men. As they approached, Jack could see that they were robots, which only increased the threat level. Their outfits were like those from the Napoleonic Era, bearskin hats and everything, though the weaponry they toted was modern enough.
"I'm thinking we should move," Crow said simply and began driving in the other direction, heading for the nearest exit.
"Like Jack Atlas would run from a bunch of tin cans," the Wings Signer scoffed. Then a laser blast zipped past his Runner and the former Turbo King decided discretion was the better part of valor and followed Crow onto the side streets of Satellite.
"Yusei," Crow began as he zoomed down another alley, Dani clinging to him tightly. "You should probably stay away from the highway." He sent the video feed of the soldier's approach to his friend. "Cuz they sure don't look friendly."
Far away, Yusei Fudo clenched his fist in frustration as he saw the march of the metal soldiers on his vid screen. He hated that he couldn't help his friends, but there were other ways he could help. If these soldiers were robots, then they had to be controlled by someone. That meant there had to be a signal nearby. If he could trace that signal, then perhaps he could shut the robots down. It wouldn't locate Akiza and the others, not directly, but Yusei figured that if he could stop the soldiers, he could locate whoever was behind this. He hoped desperately that she was ok. His Mark of the Crimson Dragon was pulsing faintly, telling him that she was fine. For now.
Satellite Underground
Akiza was surprised, as was everyone else in the vehicle. One moment they'd been cruising along the road behind Crow and Jack, then the road had opened up in front of them, revealing a steep slope that Akiza had been unable to avoid, traveling at the speed they had been going. Now they appeared to be underground, the hole they had driven into sealed up like it had never been there to begin with.
"Where are we?!" Leo gasped, glancing around in the near darkness. "Where'd the sky go?"
"Somehow we're underground," Luna answered, looking out the window nervously.
Akiza flicked on the headlights, illuminating the tunnel they were in. Railroad tracks extended out into the darkness and the cracks on the worn-down walls cast eerie patterns. "I didn't even know there was an underground railroad in the Satellite."
"Didn't Yusei hide out with Rally and his other friends in a subway?" Leo asked.
"The subway extended throughout Domino City," Kaiba said, "if it hasn't been renovated since it became New Domino City and the Satellite, then all we need to do is proceed forwards and we'll find our exit."
"I guess," Akiza said as she reached for her car radio. "Better let the others know." She thumbed on the switch that would enable her to communicate with the others, and just as quickly thumbed it off.
"Of course they're jamming our signal," Kaiba groaned, working his jaw to sooth his aching ears from the sudden squawk of static noise.
"Which means the Chaos Movement can't be far behind," Yugi said solemnly. "We should keep moving." Akiza accelerated slowly down the tracks, wary of any signs of life. Her powerful headlights illuminated alcoves that revealed old signs of habitation, remnants of the slum life of many from the Satellite. With the recent completion of the Daedalus Bridge, many of the Satellite residents had moved above ground, either to the main city or into the recently built habitats that offered much more creature comforts than the slums down below. The city was undergoing a bit of a facelift, with a new monument to celebrate the unification scheduled to begin construction the next week, which had meant that most of Sector Security was tied up in making sure the unification went off smoothly. Some people still didn't trust those from the Satellite, and vice versa. That didn't change the fact that these underground railways remained a creepy reminder of what had been in the past.
"I can't believe people actually lived down here," Leo said as another abandoned alcove past by his vision.
"Sayer showed me how people from the Satellite were treated," Akiza said, voice distant as she remembered her life before Yusei had entered hers like a shooting star. "He said that the Arcadia Movement would one day be strong enough to end the strife suffered by the Satellite, that we would rise up and no longer be feared. That we'd put an end to Yliaster and their schemes to keep the public divided. I don't know what came of him after Misty's Earthbound Immortal ate him."
"Come again?!" Yugi exclaimed. "It ate him?!"
"It ate him, but since everyone was saved from the Earthbound Immortals after we defeated them, I can only assume that Sayer survived as well," Akiza explained. "Sector Security hasn't found him, but I hope we never have to see him again."
"I don't see what this Sayer person has to do with the fact that we're underground with little clue as to where we're going," Kaiba snapped. "I don't care for this Earthbound Immortal nonsense either."
"Kaiba," Yugi said wearily.
"Don't 'Kaiba' me Yugi," the Kaibacorp executive shot back. "I'm focusing on the here and now. We don't have time for mystic mumbo jumbo and fairy tales. All I want to know right now is whether or not that light at the end of the tunnel is an actual light or if it's a train." He indicated the dot in the distance, a white dot in the darkness.
"Should we pull over?" Leo asked, a little worried at the last part of Kaiba's statement.
"I doubt it," Akiza said, just the faintest hint of uncertainty in her tone. "All the old subway lines had been stopped after Zero Reverse, so I don't think there's any trains running."
"Why do I sense a 'but' coming?" Luna asked.
Akiza smiled at the twin's foresight. "But sometimes it's better to be safe than sorry." With that, she guided her car gently off the rails, bringing it and Kaiba uncomfortably close to the wall. The light in the distance was slowly growing larger, though not at the rate that would alarm anybody. It wasn't long before they reached the bright white entrance, as it looked more like a portal up close given the contrast of light and darkness. Akiza nosed the car though and everyone blinked several times to adjust to the new light levels. When the bright blinding white light had dimmed to much more tolerable levels, the occupants of the car were suddenly faced with regret, as they found themselves surrounded by robot soldiers dressed like they were from the early 19th century.
"Welcome!" the booming voice of Louis John Bonaparte greeted them as a steel barrier slammed down behind them, trapping them in the room. It looked like it had formerly been a stop for the subway, but obviously the Chaos Movement had made renovations. It was as though someone had taken the interior of Versailles and brought it down here. Several classical paintings could be seen on the ceiling, including works from Michelangelo, Botticelli, da Vinci, and even Titian, if Kaiba's knowledge wasn't failing him. The social parties that were a necessary nuisance to any corporate executive had given Kaiba a general knowledge about the old artworks. Certainly more than the average person at least. LJ held out his hands to greet their presence. "Welcome to my temporary palace. Too bad you'll never leave."
"And I suppose you think you're going to stop us?" Kaiba challenged, standing up and putting his Duel Disk on.
"I am not here for you Kaiba," LJ said smugly, indicating his guards to move forward with a flick of his wrist. He was dressed like his ancestor on his coronation day, with the addition of a purple fluffy cloak. A ceremonial saber hung on his right hip. All in all, he looked much like the king he desired to be, jeweled crown perched as it was on his head. "Nor am I here for Yugi. The Master has sent me after the lover of Yusei Fudo."
Akiza blinked in surprise. "Excuse me?"
"Who are you?" Yugi asked. Obviously this man worked for the Chaos Movement, but he hadn't appeared to them yesterday.
"So it's true," the Monarch user murmured as he beheld the young woman behind the wheel. "Her beauty cannot be captured by mere pictures." He shook himself, knowing the job he had been sent to perform. "It would appear introductions are in order. I know who each of you are, from the King of Games to the Black Rose Witch, to the Head of Kaibacorp." He nodded towards each of them. "As for me, I also have titles, titles that you would do well to remember. The Ruler of Kings, the Lord of Monarchs, the One with the Perfect Royal Bloodline. All impressive titles, I'm sure."
"As far as I care, you're nothing but another pompous windbag," Kaiba noted dryly. "Titles mean nothing when it comes down to it. It's a lesson I've learned the hard way, sure, but it has made me stronger for it."
"Perhaps," LJ began, closing his eyes. "And yet it is our titles that show us how far we have come. Once I, Louis John Bonaparte, the Future King of Europe, defeat the Black Rose Witch, my reign shall be assured!"
The Psychic Duelist was instantly wary, his comments a warning. "You should know that every rose has its thorn."
"Oh believe me," LJ said sagely, reaching over to the fine china vase balanced on a Greco-Roman pillar raised three feet off the ground and plucking a white rose from the collection of assorted roses in said vase. He held it up to his nose and inhaled deeply, savoring the smell. "That is something I know full well." He replaced the rose and snapped his fingers.
"Hey!" Kaiba snapped as two of the robotic guard grabbed him and roughly hauled the Kaibacorp executive out of the vehicle. Unable to overcome the strength of the mechanized soldiers, Kaiba, as well as the other three passengers were held down, unable to interfere.
"Let me go!" Leo shouted as he struggled fruitlessly, legs flailing in the air uselessly.
"Stop it!" Yugi yelled at LJ watched the capture unfold.
Akiza had not been immobile as the robot guards approached her. As quick as one trained by the Arcadia Movement, Akiza had slipped on her Duel Disk and was reaching for her signature card. "Black Rose Dragon! Stop them!" The plant-like Signer Dragon appeared behind Akiza with a roar, lashing out with twin thorny black vines that speared the two robots holding on to Leo, striking through their chests and causing the soldiers to go limp, allowing Leo to drop to the ground. He scampered over to Akiza in the brief confusion as the robots began to counterattack.
"Go get them!" he cheered as Akiza pointed to the next set of robots. Her Black Rose Dragon managed to free Luna next, disemboweling her captors with a single swing of the dragon's vines. Luna landed on the ground, the four robot halves crashing down next to her.
"Akiza!" she shouted, stumbling forwards, hitting the ground.
"Luna!" Leo yelled, running forward to help his sister. The soldiers surrounding Bonaparte had not been idle during all this however. Several brought up their weapons to bear so that by the time Black Rose Dragon was ready to strike, LJ's soldiers were ready as well. Several laser blasts rocked the Black Rose Dragon, causing it to roar in pain. Akiza gasped and grabbed at her shoulder, feeling the pain of her dragon as it was blasted over and over again.
"Hang in there," she growled, shielding Leo and reaching out to Luna, pulling her close.
"Enough!" barked LJ and his robot soldiers stopped firing, allowing the Black Rose Dragon to sink to the ground, frame marked by the dozens of shots it had taken.
"Thank you, Black Rose Dragon," Akiza said, pain in her voice, linked as she was to the suffering of her dragon before it finally faded, the job at hand done. That had never happened before when she'd summoned a monster. Was this a result of her growth as a Duelist? Or was this the work of the Chaos Movement? Either way, it was another warning that her Psychic powers were not to be used lightly. But still, if they were to get out of this predicament, she might have to endure some more pain. Since they were apparently targeting her to get to Yusei, then Akiza vowed to stay resolute, just like Yusei.
"I see that you are not willing to go down quietly," LJ noted dryly as his guards remained in position, ready to blast away if necessary. "But that is just fine with me." The Monarch Duelist tapped the arm of his throne, a secret compartment opening up and revealing his golden Duel Disk. "Because I am a generous ruler, I allow my subjects to have the honor of being defeated by me before I finish them off. So tell me Black Rose, are you prepared to lose?"
"If it's a Duel you want, it's a Duel you're gonna get," Akiza said with a glare. "But why go through all this? Let my friends go!"
"That was both a test and a bit of insurance," LJ answered, shrugging nonchalantly. "I know Kaiba's ridiculous ego would make him step up and try to take up the gauntlet, and that Yugi's noble soul would rather him take the challenge than a fair lady such as yourself. Plus, I wanted to see your powers for myself, and I must admit I'm rather impressed. But since I have your undivided attention, I see no harm in granting you your request." With a snap of his fingers, his guards released Yugi and Kaiba.
"You're really gonna duel this guy?" Leo asked, looking up at Akiza. It seemed to be one thing after another, and the young boy had no clue what was going to happen next.
The Psychic duelist looked down at the twins reassuringly. She hadn't been around them as long as Yusei and the others, and yet already they felt like the little siblings she'd never had. The concern in both their faces touched Akiza's heart. "Yes Leo, I will. Don't worry, I'll be fine. Just stay behind me, because I have a feeling this Duel is going to be tough."
"Oh you don't know the half of it, Black Rose Witch," LJ said with a menacing chuckle as he held up his Duel Disk. Purple flames sprang up around the exterior of the room, preventing anyone from escaping. The kanji for king began to glow on LJ's chest, pulsing with power. The Marks of the Crimson Dragon lit up on Akiza's and Luna's arms. "You're trapped with me now!"
Satellite Streets
"Look over to the right!" Jack's voice rang in Crow's and Dani's ears as the two Runner zipped through the smaller streets. They'd managed to give the mechanized army the slip for the time being, but given how the soldiers were patrolling the streets, it was only a matter of time before they were found again. "Up in the sky!"
"King?" Crow read, confusion in his voice. "Wait a minute, why don't I remember that?" His Tail Mark lit up, getting Crow's attention. "Guess this means Akiza's Dueling whoever this person is that's doing all this."
"I Dueled some blowhard wannabe king named Louis yesterday," Jack said, a smug tone in his voice. "And I mopped the floor with him and his Monarchs. He's probably the one behind all this, but he'll never be King so long as Jack Atlas is around."
Dani rolled her eyes, knowing full well that Jack couldn't see her. "Just keep stroking that ego Kaiba."
"Pulease," the former Turbo King scoffed. "I'm not like Kaiba at all. Jack Atlas is one of a kind."
"Hey Crow, any way we can mute Jack for a while?" Dani asked the Blackwing Duelist, not bothering to hide the annoyance in her voice.
Crow was apologetic as he peeked around the next corner. "Sorry Dani, we can't afford to get split up right now, so we gotta maintain radio contact, at least until we can reach Akiza. Hey Yusei, any progress yet?"
"Still gotta locate the signal," replied the Head Signer from far away, "Though I see that the symbol's positioned not too far from where Akiza's last signal came from. The only reason I could think of it getting cut off like that would be if they went underground. See if you can check it out."
"Will do Yusei," Crow answered, seeing that two robot soldiers were guarding the entrance to the subway system. "Though I think these soldiers aren't gonna let us underground easily."
"Just keep trying, for Akiza's sake!" Yusei snapped, fingers flying over his keyboard.
Satellite Underground, Room of the Monarchs
"You got this Akiza!" Yugi said encouragingly. "We're right here with you."
"Thanks, Yugi," the Psychic Duelist replied, returning her Black Rose Dragon to her Extra Deck in preparation for the Duel. You didn't have to be psychic to feel the tension in the air.
"Are you prepared to lose?" LJ asked as he drew his ceremonial saber and pointed it at Akiza. The curved blade gleamed in the purple firelight. "Because your loss will be my gain! My gain of a servant for as long as I see fit. And one as beautiful and powerful as you would be quite the addition to my court."
"Just try it," Akiza shot back.
"Let's Duel!" they both shouted, activating their Duel Disks and drawing five cards from their Decks.
Akiza LP: 4000 LJ LP: 4000
"And as the only one who can claim a true royal bloodline here," LJ started as he sheathed his saber, "I'll start this Duel off. My turn!" He drew a card and studied his hand. "First, I'll Summon Edea the Heavenly Squire to the field in Defense mode." A small, effeminate knight covered head to toe in silver armor appeared, crouching in front of LJ protectively.
Edea the Heavenly Squire: Atk 800, Def 1000, LV 1
"And since I brought Edea to the field," the Monarch Duelist continued, grabbing a card from the middle of his Deck. "I'm allowed to Special Summon any monster with 800 Attack points and 1000 Defense points to the field in Defense mode, but I can't Special Summon any monsters from the Extra Deck for the remainder of my turn. So take to the field, Eidos the Underworld Squire!" A man covered completely by dark, demonic looking spiky armor appeared next to Edea, also crouched down in Defense mode.
Eidos the Underworld Squire: Atk 800, Def 1000, LV 2
"And thanks to his special ability," LJ said, holding up another one of his cards. "I can perform another Normal Summon this turn. So, I sacrifice Edea the Heavenly Squire in order to Tribute Summon Caius the Shadow Monarch!" Edea dissolved into a pool of shadows, which began to grow and swirl around the Monarch Duelist as he began to chant. "Wherever the shadows lurk, Caius is there, ruling the darkness in man's heart. Come forth, Monarch of the Shadows!" From the shadows stepped a man in bulky dark grey armor, purple highlights throughout the armor. Twin bat-like ears seemed to extend from the armor's helmet, giving Caius a sinister look.
Caius the Shadow Monarch: Atk 2400, Def 1000, LV 6
"An impressive opening move," Kaiba noted, "A defense monster and a monster with 2400 Attack points. Akiza will have to play her cards carefully."
"If you thought that was impressive Kaiba," LJ said with a laugh, "Just wait until I attack!"
"But it's the first turn!" Leo said, "He can't attack!"
"He's going for effect damage," Yugi said, realizing just what LJ meant.
"Very perceptive Yugi," LJ complimented. "As I activate Caius the Shadow Monarch's special ability! Since I successfully Tribute Summoned Caius to the field, I can target 1 card on the field and banish it! The card I choose to banish is Eidos the Underworld Squire!"
"But that's your own monster!" Akiza gasped. Caius drew his dark broadsword and slashed at the squire next to him, creating a dark portal behind the squire that absorbed the unfortunate monster.
"Exactly," the Monarch Duelist said, smirking at his opponent's confusion. "Since Caius just banished a Dark Attribute monster, I can now deal 1000 points of direct damage to you! Go Shadow Blade!" The dark Monarch held his broadsword up before it faded into the shadows.
"What?" Akiza glanced around, looking for the monster.
"Behind you!" Luna's cry was the only warning she got before Akiza felt the sharp pain of being stabbed in the back. The psychic duelist couldn't hold back a sharp cry of pain as she saw the broadsword of Caius' blade emerge from her chest. Caius withdrew the blade, leaving no sign of a wound, but Akiza was shaken by the ghostly feeling of getting impaled.
Akiza LP: 3000
"What was that?" she gasped, holding her free hand over her chest. The sight of the sword emerging from her body had unnerved her, even as Caius returned to LJ's side of the field.
"That was but a taste of what's to come," the Monarch Duelist declared. "There's more than one way to strike quickly in a Duel."
Akiza did her best to clamp down on her nerves, glancing at the cards in her hand. "Perhaps. And there's a way to strike back just as quickly too!"
LJ was skeptical. "Excuse me?"
"Since I just took damage from a card effect, I can now summon Eco, the Mystical Spirit of the Forest to the field in Attack mode!" Akiza announced, playing her card. A humanoid figure made up of interwoven branches and leaves appeared on her field, a red ball of energy forming between its hands.
Eco, Mystical Spirit of the Forest: Atk 1700, Def 1000, LV 4
"Now you take the same amount of damage that I just took!" Akiza shouted, "Go Nature's Revenge!" The Mystical Spirit of the Forest threw the red ball of energy at LJ, which exploded on contact. The Monarch Duelist was forced a step backwards, but remained resolute in the face of Akiza's psychic abilities.
LJ LP: 3000
"Clever girl," the Bonaparte descendant gritted out, brushing some dust off his clothes. "But it will take more than that to defeat me! I activate the Continuous Magic card, March of the Monarchs! Now any monster I Tribute Summoned can't be targeted or destroyed by card effects. The only downside is that I can't Special Summon any monsters from my Extra Deck, but since I don't have any monsters in my Extra Deck, I don't have to worry about that!"
"So he doesn't have any Synchro monsters?" Leo asked.
"He doesn't have any Fusion monsters or those weird XYZ monsters either," Luna pointed out, "He's relying completely on his main Deck."
Leo laughed. "That old-fashioned style of Dueling will be easy to defeat!"
"You naïve boy!" LJ shouted, causing Leo to flinch. "It's that attitude, that insult to the old ways that will be your undoing. They may not have been perfect, but they are more than adequate to get the job done, especially against those reliant on Synchros! I'll end my turn with two cards face down. Your move, Black Rose Witch."
"I left that name behind a long time ago," Akiza said simply. "My draw!" She drew a card from her Deck and looked at her hand of five cards. "I activate my Seed of Deception Spell Card! Now I can Special Summon a Level 2 or lower Plant type monster from my hand, a monster like my Copy Plant in Defense mode!" A small brown gathering of roots sprang up next to Akiza, two green eyes peeking out amidst the roots.
Copy Plant: Atk 0, Def 0, LV 1
"A Tuner monster eh?" LJ grinned. "So, you're trying to Synchro Summon? Not while my Monarchs rule! I activate my Continuous Trap card, Escalation of the Monarchs, which allows me to Tribute Summon a monster once during your turn!"
"So you'll trade in your Shadow Monarch for something else?" Akiza asked, curious as to what he could play.
The Monarch Duelist laughed. "Not exactly. I'm not sacrificing Caius. No, I'm going to use one of your monsters!"
'Is he using Soul Exchange?' Kaiba wondered, watching the Duel with keen interest. Here was yet another power mad megalomaniac, but he wasn't using the modern Synchro monsters or the futuristic XYZ monsters. What was so special about these Monarchs that would cause Bonaparte to spurn the Extra Deck?
"I reveal my facedown card, the Quick-Play Magic card, The Monarchs Stormforth!" LJ shouted, his other facedown flipping upright. "Now I can use one of your monsters as a sacrifice for my Monarchs! So I'll get rid of your Copy Plant, and Tribute Summon another one of my Monarchs!" As quickly as it had appeared, Copy Plant dissolved into several smoldering embers, embers that floated over to LJ's side of the field and began to grow in flames.
"He just shut Akiza's attempt to Synchro Summon down!" Yugi said, "Not only that, but he's bringing out another high-level monster!"
'I fear that this is just the beginning,' Yami added as the flames began swirling in front of the Monarch Duelist.
"From the smallest ember to the raging wildfire, Thestalos is there to rule over the fire and flames!" LJ chanted, "Come forth, Monarch of the Firestorm!" Much like the Monarchs that had appeared before it, another man covered with bright orange and red armor appeared, flames flickering around his hands as the Monarch stepped onto the battlefield.
Thestalos the Firestorm Monarch: Atk 2400, Def 1000, LV 6
"And now Thestalos the Firestorm Monarch's special ability activates!" LJ announced, "Since I Tribute Summoned him, I now get to select a random card from your hand and send it straight to the Graveyard!" He looked at Akiza's three cards. "And I think I'll choose the one on the left. Show us Black Rose, is it a monster card?"
"What difference does it make?" the Psychic Duelist asked as she flipped the card around, revealing the Mark of the Rose Spell card.
LJ frowned. An unfortunate miss, and yet fortunate at the same time. "Well, if it had been a monster card, then Thestalos would've dealt damage depending on the monster's level. But since it turned out to be a Spell card, it just goes to the Graveyard."
"What a relief," Akiza said, a touch of sarcasm in the tone. "Still, I haven't done my Normal Summon for the turn. So now I Summon Witch of the Black Rose to the field in Attack mode!" A small violet haired girl in a black rose themed dress appeared on the field, the blue rose-shaped gem on her staff gleaming dangerously.
Witch of the Black Rose: Atk 1700, Def 1200, LV 4
"And since I successfully brought her to the field, her special ability activates," Akiza began. "You're not the only one who has monsters with abilities that activate when summoned. When my Witch of the Black Rose appears, I can draw one card from my Deck, but if it's anything other than a monster card, then my Witch of the Black Rose will destroy herself and the card."
"So it's coming down to dumb luck?" LJ sniggered. "You're starting to sound desperate."
Akiza glared at him as she placed two fingers on the top of her Deck, ready to draw. "You know, that's similar what the Earthbound Immortal Ccarayhua told me through Misty when I Dueled her, right before I destroyed that evil god. Now let's see what my Deck has in store for me! I draw!" She held the card out for an agonizingly long second, peering at the card.
"What'd she draw?" LJ murmured, trying to read Akiza's face.
Akiza's smile did not encourage him. "I just drew my Rose Fairy, and thanks to its special ability, I can instantly summon it to the field because it moved from my Deck to my hand thanks to a card effect!" A petit pink fairy with a rose bud hairstyle fluttered onto the field, looking rather pleased with herself.
Rose Fairy: Atk 600, Def 1200, LV 3
"Now then, I Tune my level three Rose Fairy with my level four Witch of the Black Rose!" Akiza continued. The Witch flew skywards, turning into four stars that expanded out into four green rings. The Fairy flew into the rings, dissolving into three more stars as Akiza began her chant. "Chilling flames engulf the entire world. Pitch-dark flower, set into bloom!" The stars erupted into a bright light that was tinged purple as Akiza held her ace monster card in the air. "Synchro Summon! Appear now, Black Rose Dragon!" The plant-like dragon appeared behind Akiza with a roar, eager for revenge on the one who had commanded the ones that had shot it earlier. A shockwave of power emanated from the dragon, powerful enough for everyone to feel it.
Black Rose Dragon: Atk 2400, Def 1800, LV 7
"How useless," LJ said with a smirk. "My Monarchs are protected by my Magic card, March of the Monarchs, so neither of your Dragon's abilities will work on them! The only thing that is equal between our monsters is their attack strength!"
"I'm well aware of how you've protected your Monarchs from my Black Rose Dragon's special ability," Akiza said darkly. She couldn't strike at him this turn, but the Psychic duelist knew that with her dragon out she would still pose a threat to these Monarchs, which didn't seem to have a power above 2400 like her dragon. "So I'll place one card facedown, switch my Mystical Spirit of the Forest into Defense mode, and end my turn." Eco crouched down, holding her branch-like arms in front of her.
"As I expected," LJ sneered, "It's my turn!" He drew a card and scowled. "Looks like I'll have to pass."
Akiza blinked in surprise. She'd expected something, anything but that. Still, best try and make the most of the opportunity. "My turn then!" She drew a card and glanced at it. So much for making the most of her chance. "I'll place another card facedown and end my turn."
"Looks like it's going to come down to who draws that game-changing card first," Yugi commented, glancing at the translucent Yami next to him.
'Indeed,' the Pharaoh agreed. 'But I sense a great power lurking within this man's Deck. Whatever the Master has given him, it's not to be trifled with.'
"What do you mean Pharaoh?" Yugi asked, curiosity and dread filling him at his other self's comment.
'I mean that Akiza had better eliminate those Monarchs quickly, before LJ can make them evolve even further,' Yami answered, eyes not leaving the Duel.
"It's my turn!" LJ announced as he drew a card. "And I activate Pantheism of the Monarchs! By sending a Monarch Spell or Trap card from my hand to my Grave, I can draw two cards from my Deck!" He placed both cards in his hand in the Graveyard and drew two new cards, looking rather pleased at his draw. "Most excellent. I now activate the Field Spell, Domain of the True Monarchs!" LJ played the card in the Field Spell Zone and the ground began to rumble.
"What's going on?!" Leo shouted as several Greco-Roman pillars began to sprout from the ground, surrounding the two Duelists with those and a dark mist.
"Now then, since I'm the only one who has a monster that was summoned with a Tribute," LJ began, "You can't use your Extra Deck anymore!"
"You can't mean?" Akiza gasped.
"That's right!" LJ said with a chuckle. "No more Synchro Summons. And I'll be rid of your Black Rose Dragon soon enough. The Domain of the True Monarchs has another ability; it grants any monster I Tribute Summoned another 800 Attack points for the battle when I attack another monster." Some of the mist flowed into Caius and Thestalos as they drew their swords in preparation for the attack.
Caius the Shadow Monarch: Atk 3200
Thestalos the Firestorm Monarch: Atk 3200
"But I'm not going to attack just yet," LJ began, holding the last card in his hand up. "Because thanks to my Field Spell, a monster with 2800 Attack Points and 1000 Defense points has its level lowered by two while it's in my hand, meaning I only need to sacrifice one monster to bring him out, and bring him out I shall!"
'So his Field Spell is the equivalent of a Cost Down Magic card,' Kaiba thought, his blue eyes watching the Monarchs on the field like a hawk. 'But for specific monsters. Sounds like he's bringing out a game changer.'
"I sacrifice Caius the Shadow Monarch!" LJ announced, the mentioned Monarch dissolving into shadows. Those shadows pooled together to form a portal in front of the Monarch Duelist. "When the shadows are devoured by even darker shadows, the Monarch of the Shadows shall evolve and become ever more powerful! Arise and show them why you rule the darkness! I Summon forth Caius the Mega Monarch!" A figure stepped through the portal, still shrouded in shadows.
Leo pointed at the new monster and shouted. "What is that thing?!"
Luna heard the whimper of the Duel Spirit that accompanied her wherever she went, and saw Kuribon shivering next to her. "You're saying that monster is a creature of evil?"
"Evil is only a point of view," LJ said, "For now this creature of the shadows shall now destroy you!" The figure seemed to grow in height and bulk, towering over the Firestorm Monarch as bat-like wings unfurled from its back. Wicked clawed hands tore open the remaining shadows and revealed the new Monarch, clad in the demonic black, purple and red armor. Red eyes gleamed from under the helmet, sending a shiver down everyone's spine.
Caius the Mega Monarch: Atk 2800, Def 1000, LV 8
"And now his special ability activates!" LJ announced. "He can now banish two cards on the field! So Black Rose, say goodbye to those two facedown cards!" Caius stomped forward, fading into the shadows. "And in addition to banishing those cards, you take another 1000 points of damage!" Akiza's eyes widened as Caius reappeared in front of her, his wings blowing away her two Traps and his claws slashing right through her body, getting another scream of pain from the Psychic Duelist.
Akiza LP: 2000
"So your facedown cards were Wicked Rebirth and Wall of Thorns," LJ noted, smirking. "I see I was wise to remove those bothersome cards before your monsters. Now then, Caius the Mega Monarch! Attack her Black Rose Dragon with your Black Hole of Devastation!" The Monarch monster flared his wings out, gathering even more power before creating a ball of black energy in his claws.
Caius the Mega Monarch: Atk 3600
"That's right," Yugi noted sadly, "His Field Spell powers up his Monarchs when they attack. This is bad." The Mega Monarch threw the orb of energy at the Black Rose Dragon, which expanded out into a sphere that absorbed the Synchro Monster bit by bit until there was nothing left. Its task done, the black hole exploded, knocking Akiza to the ground as the agony continued.
Akiza LP: 800
"Now it's Thestalos' turn to attack Eco, the Mystical Spirit of the Forest with your Fire Blast Attack!" LJ announced. The Firestorm Monarch held his flaming sword in two hands, slashing three times in the air, leaving a trail of flame with each slash until he had formed the fire kanji in midair. With a mighty downwards slash, Thestalos fired the kanji at Akiza's last monster, incinerating the unfortunate spirit. Akiza winced as the flames flew over her body, grateful she had had the foresight to put her Mystical Spirit into Defense mode. With the battles done, the power surge that was evident within the two Monarchs disappeared.
Thestalos the Fire Storm Monarch: Atk 2400
Caius the Mega Monarch: Atk 2800
"Come on Big Sis!" Leo shouted, "You can do this!"
"Hang in there Akiza!" Luna added, holding the shivering Kuribon. "We believe in you!"
"All the belief in the world won't save you now Black Rose Witch!" LJ declared. "You only have one card in your hand and none on the field! With your defeat, my reign will be assured! Now prepare yourself, for your life as you once knew it will soon be over! Ha ha ha ha ha!"
Dun dun duuuuun! And that's why he's called Cliff Hanger! Actually, he's called the Nutty Buddy, but you get my point. So, shenanigans, a bit of character development, and another Shadow Duel. We're getting closer to the turning point in this battle, and boy you do not want to miss it. Hope you all enjoyed the chapter!
Question for the Chapter: It's something I've noticed while reviewing the Yugioh episodes, but Summon Chants. The first real Summon Chant was when Marik brought out the Winged Dragon of Ra, but the chants didn't really take off until 5D's, so this begs the question, what is your favorite Summon Chant? It can be something from the canon, like one of Yusei's clustering wishes chants, or it could be one of your own, something you made for your favorite/ace monster, like I did with Azure-Eyes. Obviously my Azure-Eyes chant is my favorite, but what about you guys? What's your favorite Summon Chant?
Response to Guest Reviews (In order with which they reviewed)
Digihero2001: I'm aware that ARC-V brought back Alexis, as well as all the other old characters they used. Nothing like taking advantage of the nostalgia factor to bring in the ratings, right?
Guest: Interesting choices, I'll make a note of them and see how it plays out.
Guest: How in the world would I bring Yuma and Astral into this story? No my friend, this is a 5D's/Original Series crossover. We won't see Yuma or Jaden until the sequel, which I have decided to name Chaos Incarnate.
Axcel (chapter 5): Shadow Duels don't always end with banishment to the Shadow Realm. See Joey vs Marik in the Battle City Finals
Guest 2: As much as I'm sure everyone would love to see Seto do a Turbo Duel, given his lack of Speed Spells and old cards, I don't think it would end well for our favorite anti-hero.
Arthogawa: It's alright my friend, take your time, I enjoy your well thought out reviews.
Of course I had Kaiba vs Jack end in a draw, otherwise I'd have people screaming at me because their favorite Duelist lost, whichever one that was. And it'd lead to more squabbling and one anti-hero lording it over the other and I really didn't want to get into that. But hey, it was an awesome clash between two powerful Duelists. You're rather perceptive when it comes to Kaiba relying on Shining Dragon, as that's a plot point for later.
No, Yusei hasn't gotten the stone tablet needed to perform the Accel Synchro, nor does his engine have the horsepower to generate the speed needed. That was a key plot point throughout the WRGP buildup in season 2 of 5D's, building a better engine. But the info Mika gave Yusei is legit, and one that'll have a bit of ramifications as I plan out future chapters, chapter that point out the ramifications that the Chaos Movement had on season 2 as a whole.
I'd thought Kaiba's comment about dueling Yusei was an inside into his nature as a Duelist, wishing to challenge and defeat the best. However, your comment is giving me ideas, ideas that might get worked into the climax of this story. We'll see.
I figured Aster, Alexis, and Cyrus would be top on the list for GX. I was looking to possibly add Zane as well, and then I read about his heart problems. It's…complicated, to say the least. The Cyber Dragons are a signature card of that era, but I find it hard to believe Cyrus would use both Cyber Dragons and the Roid machines. Then there's all the other characters in the show, Hassleberry, Jim, and so on, GX is going to be crowded. We'll see when the time comes. The Zexal characters are much easier, all things considered given that it revolved around Yuma, Astral, Kite, and Shark.
Yeah, it's looking like ARC-V won't be making much of an appearance in Chaos Incarnate. But I like the way you think, with ARC-V cards a possibility for each character that reappeared in ARC-V. But that's a ways away for now.
Oh yes, I have plans for Dani, with her and her friendly rivalry with Akiza. The interactions with people in New Domino, including one Sherry LeBlanc, is something I'm looking forward to. It won't be Chaos Unleashed or Incarnate, but the alternate Season 2 of 5D's direct sequel to this story will certainly be something to behold.
Thank you again for a wonderful review, and I hope I'll be more regular with my updates as well. This chapter was hard to write for some reason, but I'm hoping future chapters will be less difficult. Until the next chapter my friend!
Now then, shortly after this chapter goes up I will be creating a poll on my profile for characters that you think should go along with Jaden and Yuma when the time for Chaos Incarnate finally rolls around. Feel free to check it out and vote at your leisure. Should make things a little easier at least.
Thoughts? Questions? Concerns? Reviews are always welcome, as is any and all respectful criticism. As an author, I'm always looking to improve and I like hearing your thoughts about the chapter.
Follow me on twitter, at nuttybuddy792 for more nutty shenanigans and interactions.
Until the next chapter my friends!
From your Nutty Buddy,
The Eagle Nut