Good afternoon everybody, tis your Nutty Buddy here with the next exciting installment of Yugioh: Chaos Unleashed. Tis the summer time, so more time for fanfiction shenanigans! Happy belated Fourth of July for my fellow Americans, now on with the chapter!
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Chapter 34: Revenge of the Pharaoh
A cool breeze blew across the Satellite, ruffling Yusei's hair. Despite the dark clouds blocking out the sun, it was a warm day across all of New Domino City. There had been a bit of a heat wave across Japan lately, not enough to make everyone stay indoors and enjoy the air conditioning but enough to get most people to shed the light jackets that had been a necessity during the cold front the previous week. And yet, it wasn't the mildly warm weather that had Yusei sweating. He was focused on the screen on his Duel Runner, the retractable keyboard clicking under his fingers as he worked to get the code just right. To his dismay, he had found that the firewalls he had slipped past earlier when getting in were adapting to his code and beginning to shut him out. Yusei wasn't used to any sort of computer adapting to his hack attempts. Then again, he hadn't done any major hacking beyond the simple computers of the Satellite. Those were blocky, static, and not a problem to get past. This, this felt alive.
"Is this an AI?" he asked nobody in particular. Not that artificial intelligence was a new concept or anything, but Yusei was surprised at just how lifelike this coding process felt. He'd seen Sector Security try to implement AIs into their security forces, the most memorable being from four years prior, shortly before the Enforcers had begun their conquest of the Satellite. Then, they had rolled out some sort of Dueling tank, though it hadn't lasted long. The Magicians, ironically enough, had been the ones to take it down, which had given Kalin enough info he needed to plot out their attack against the Magicians later. Yusei had seen other AI's throughout the years, including a drinking AI that identified the various bar-goers and served them their regular drinks. Needless to say, that was a more popular drinking establishment than most.
"Warning, signal will be cut off in thirty seconds," his computer droned at him in that standard female voice.
"I know, I know," Yusei growled, fingers flying over the keyboard. He just didn't have enough time for the perfect code. The Head Signer hated imperfections in his work. It was a bit of a weakness of his, but Yusei took pride in his repair work and coding. As much as it infuriated him, this living computer of the Master's was forcing him to activate his code prematurely. With Akiza's freedom on the line, he wanted to avoid any possible mistake, but he just had to take a leap of faith.
"Ten seconds," the computer droned as Yusei finished one last key line of code.
"Here goes nothing," Yusei said and reluctantly hit send. There was a moment's pause.
"Signal has been cut off," the computer told Yusei. "System will now reboot."
Yusei frowned as his Duel Runner powered off. That was a troubling sign. He hoped he hadn't crippled his Runner with some form of malware from the Master's servers. He wasn't in the mood to walk the many miles it would take to reach the Master's hideout. A gentle beep on his Duel Runner indicated that it was rebooting, and he could only wait as the computer slowly loaded. "I hope it worked."
Satellite Highway
"They're catching up!" Dani shouted, glancing back for Crow so that he could focus on the road. With a small "eep", she pulled her head out of the line of fire as a red laser blast zipped past, right where her head had been a second prior. These robots were relentless in their pursuit, herding Jack and Crow towards the beach where there would be less room to maneuver. It was only a matter of time before they were caught.
"Jack, wanna give them the old Satellite Slip?" Crow said into the headset built in his helmet. A part of him was relishing the chance to use his Riding skills to their fullest. Crow was always up for a challenge, albeit he would've preferred it without the world, or Akiza's sanity for that matter, on the line again. With that grim reminder, he renewed his focus on avoiding the robot soldiers. The Tail Signer was impressed with the handling on the motorcycles the robots were using to keep up with them, then he reminded himself that it wasn't the time to be admiring the enemy's handiwork.
"I'll go right, you go left Crow," Jack answered calmly. Crow could almost see the wry grin on Jack's face. "Just make sure that girl of yours is ready."
"What's the Satellite Slip?" Dani asked hesitantly. The two Runners separated, each going down the opposite alley.
"Just a little maneuver we came up with to avoid Sector Security," Crow answered in a tone that told Dani that there was more to it than it sounded.
"What aren't you telling me?"
Crow chuckled. "Well, if we screw up, we're all dead, but otherwise it's no big deal."
The ease with which Crow said it caught Dani off guard. That he could be so calm in the face of danger… "Crow, you better not get us killed."
"Oh come on," Crow said flippantly. "You really think little ol' Crow is gonna let you down? Trust me Dani, you're in for a show." He accelerated into the curve, cutting the edge with the skill of an expert. The robots following mimicked his moves, cutting the corner just as he had. Dani watched them follow, aiming their guns again. She looked forward and gasped, seeing Jack riding towards them at full speed.
"What are you doing?!" she shouted, alarmed.
"Trust me!" Crow yelled back. The distance between the two closed rapidly, the high speeds making the meters fly by. Dani watched, unable to look away. If she was to die in some fiery explosion, well, she didn't want to go out with her eyes closed. Her thoughts turned to Kibo, and then Crow made his move. He zigged left and Jack zagged right, narrowly avoiding each other. The robots following the two of them had a second delay as their targeting reticules picked up the other Signer, and that second proved fatal for the lead bots, as the first three from each direction smashed into the other, a loud metallic crash signifying their demise.
"WAAAAAAHOOOOOOOO!" Crow whooped as he wheeled around, zipping down an alley as the last two robots decided to chase after him.
"You're insane!" Dani shouted in his ear, but she was unable to keep the smile off her face.
"But it worked, didn't it?" Crow laughed, narrowly cutting another corner. He glanced back at the remaining two pursuers and was surprised to see them lock up, getting some strange signal. He pulled to the side and watched robots go zooming past to crash right into the wall of the building dead ahead, putting them down for the count. "Looks like Yusei finally came through." He slowed down for the first time in a while, the Blackbird easing to a halt by the alley entrance. Jack pulled up next to him a few seconds later, smirking at the damage.
"Nice to see the Satellite Slip still works," he commented dryly.
"Yeah, we sure showed them!" Crow celebrated, giving Jack a high five.
"That was absolutely nuts!" Dani shouted, head buzzing with the adrenaline rush. That had been nothing like she'd ever felt before. The speed, the wind, the rush, she could now see why there were thrill seeking adrenaline junkies in the world. It was exciting! Exhilarating even! If there was any doubt in her mind about her wanting to be a part of this world, this world of Turbo Duelists, it had been erased by that last pass. And to think, it was only yesterday that she had been telling Yugi and Kaiba that she didn't want to Turbo Duel ever. "Crow you crazy bastard you!" She punched Crow on the shoulder, unable to contain the giggles that came with the wave of elation from that recent sequence of events.
The Blackwing Duelist chuckled. "You okay back there? I told you you had nothing to worry about!" He laughed with her, and even Jack cracked a smile at the infectious laughter.
"Well, if you two lovebirds are done," the Wings Signer began, getting a glare from the female Blue-Eyes Duelist, "Then we'd better get a move on. If I know Yusei, he'll be calling asking why we aren't underground yet." As if on cue, the dashboard of both Runners began to ring with their respective incoming call tones. Jack smirked. "Speak of the devil and he shall appear."
"I don't think Yusei counts as a devil," Crow chortled as he hit the accept button.
"Did it work?!" the Head Signer's frantic voice said as soon as the connection was established. "Are the bots down?"
"You got em just in time," Crow answered cheerfully, revving the engine. "I dunno how you did it pal, but you made them freeze at just the right time."
"We'll be headed over to the subway soon," Jack added, meeting Yusei's gaze through the screen. "We'll do whatever it takes to help get Akiza back from whatever this dark spell it is that she's under."
"Alright, I'm going to head towards that subway entrance you marked," Yusei told them. "See you there."
"I wouldn't worry so much," Crow said, "With Yugi Dueling down there, I bet Akiza will be freed in no time."
"For her sake, I hope you're right." With a click, Yusei ended the connection.
Dani shared a concerned look with Crow. "I know that he and Akiza are really close, but Yusei seems even more wound up than normal."
Crow shrugged. "He's taking it bad. I know Jack and I have teased him and Akiza for a while, but it was all in good fun. We all figured they were gonna end up together sooner or later. When he and Aki had that moment last night, I knew things were gonna be a bit different between them, but since Akiza's in trouble, he's nearly freaking out."
Dani's eyes grew wide with surprise. "But he looked calm!"
Crow sighed. "Yusei's great at hiding his emotions from others, most of the time, but I've known him too long. He tends to bottle up emotions when he's serious, but even he can't keep it in forever. A part of me is scared that he'll snap in the middle of a Duel, and since you need your head in the game, that could prove costly." He shook his head as he accelerated onto the street. "He sees himself as the leader, and he pretty much is, so he's always ready to take full responsibility for stuff he wasn't able to help. He also tries to shoulder the burdens of the world way too often. So we have to help Yusei more than ever now."
"Oh wonderful," Dani deadpanned. "So not only do we have to fight the Chaos Movement, but we have to keep our arguably best Duelist from getting too stressed out over his girlfriend who is currently under some weird mind control from the Chaos Movement because she lost a Duel."
"Just another day for us Signers," Crow joked.
Satellite Underground
The purple flames crackled with power as they continued to burn around the room, and yet curiously there were no scorch marks. Kaiba was amused by the amount of effort these Chaos Movement minions went into creating a dramatic scene. Why Akiza was now standing behind LJ like an obedient servant, head bowed and hands folded, was beyond the Kaibacorp president. Perhaps…Kaiba wondered if there was another person utilizing the holograms, creating some form of subliminal message targeting Akiza specifically. Theoretically it was possible, though it would take an expert hypnotist to direct it at only one person. Whatever the case may be, Kaiba just wanted Yugi to finish this moron off so they could get back to stopping the Master and get back to their time.
LJ LP: 2300
"So, King of Games, do you think you can withstand the coming assault?" LJ asked, adding the card he'd drawn to his hand and plucking out another. "Since you so graciously provided me with 2 facedown cards, I can now Special Summon Escher the Frost Vassal from my hand in Defense mode!" A small light-blue armored man appeared in a flurry of snowflakes, taking up a meditation position in front of LJ.
Escher the Frost Vassal: Atk 800, Def 1000, LV 4
"Next, I activate the special ability of Landrobe the Rock Vassal that's in my hand," LJ continued, flipping the card around. "I can take a monster of yours and flip it into face-down Defense mode and then Special Summon this Vassal from my hand!"
Yugi LP: 4000
Dark Magician: Atk 2500, Def 2100, LV 7
Dark Magician Girl: Atk 2000, Def 1600, LV 6
'That doesn't sound good,' Yugi thought to his partner. 'He's gathering sacrifices again.'
'No, it's not, but we must hold on against whatever's coming,' the Pharaoh thought back.
"I'll take your Dark Magician and switch him to Defense mode!" the Monarch Duelist announced. A brown aura appeared around Yugi's ace monster as the purple robed magician crouched down, disappearing into the brown back of the Duel Monsters card.
Kaiba nodded. "Since most of his monsters seem to have 2400 Attack points, I can see why he chose the Dark Magician. Those 2100 Defense points are easier to deal with than his 2500 Attack points."
"Now come forth Landrobe the Rock Vassal!" the Bonaparte descendant shouted, throwing the card on his Duel Disk. A white hooded man in thick brown and yellow armor rose up from the ground, literally, crushing a few rocks in his hand.
Landrobe the Rock Vassal: Atk 800, Def 1000, LV 4
"Now to bring out a third Vassal!" LJ announced.
"Wasn't two enough?" Leo asked, looking a little dismayed.
"It's all part of my plan!" LJ said with a grin. "I banish Raiza the Storm Monarch from my Graveyard in order to Special Summon Lucius the Shadow Vassal!" A chibi-version of Caius the Shadow Monarch appeared, a dark ball of energy bouncing between his clawed hands.
Lucius the Shadow Vassal: Atk 800, Def 1000, LV 1
"The only downside to this ability is that I can't use my Extra Deck this turn," LJ explained, "But as I've explained numerous times over, I have no Extra Deck, so it's not a downside at all." He held up the last card in his hand. "And now, I'll play a card I think you're familiar with Yugi. I activate Card of Sanctity, so now we both draw until we hold six cards in our hands!"
Yami drew his cards, glaring at his opponent unflinchingly. 'He's taking a big risk, allowing me more access to my Deck. But still, he's getting six new cards. He must feel the risk is worth it.'
"Excellent," the Bonaparte Descendant crowed, "I activate the Magic Card Double Summon, so now I get an Extra Normal Summon this turn!"
"Since all his monster's abilities seem to activate when he Normal Summons them, this is really bad," Luna said, worry in her tone.
LJ's voice was triumphant. "I sacrifice Landrobe the Rock Vassal in order to bring forth his master!" The Rock Vassal crumbled into pebbles, which began swirling around the Monarch Duelist threateningly. They shot forward and created a gravelly portal as LJ began chanting. "Now watch as the Ruler of all that the ground supports appears to enact his grounded justice upon the world! I Tribute Summon Granmarg the Rock Monarch!" The rocks shattered to reveal a man in thick golden brown armor, giant fists taking the place of hands in his armor.
Granmarg the Rock Monarch: Atk 2400, Def 1000, LV 6
"And now Granmarg's ability activates!" LJ continued. "He can destroy 1 Set card on the field, including Monsters!"
"Then that means-" Yami exclaimed, getting the hidden implications immediately.
"You guessed it, I'm destroying your Set Dark Magician!" LJ shouted, throwing a fist into the air. "Go Underground Earth Power!" Granmarg slammed both his mighty fists down on the field, sending a wave of glowing yellow energy through the earth that erupted underneath the Dark Magician's card, causing the legendary Magician to appear for a second, writing in agony before shattering under the assault.
"Dark Magician!" the Pharaoh shouted, feeling the sting of loss from his ace monster. Dark Magician Girl was similarly horrified by her master's demise. A pink aura appeared around her frame as she sent a glare towards the Rock Monarch. "Still, with the loss of my Dark Magician, Dark Magician Girl inherits the soul of her master and gains an extra 300 Attack points!"
Dark Magician Girl Atk: 2300
LJ chuckled. "That's useless. Now I sacrifice both of my other two vassals in order to bring forth the ultimate Monarch of darkness!" The two vassals dissolved into dark shadows which merged together and created a portal of pure darkness. "Behold, the king of the dead rises from the realm of shadows to rule over both life and death itself! Behold Erebus the Underworld Monarch!" A man in demonic dark blue-tinged armor with red highlights stepped through the portal, red eyes glowing ominously. A dark brown furred cape flew behind him, moving on its own despite the lack of breeze.
Erebus the Underworld Monarch: Atk 2800, Def 1000, LV 8
"And just like Granmarg, Erebus's special ability activates because I successfully Tribute Summoned him," the Monarch Duelist said. "I can take a card from your hand, field or Graveyard and shuffle it back into your Deck. I choose to send your Dark Magician from your Graveyard back to your Deck!"
"Oh no," Yami growled, taking his beloved ace out of his Graveyard and removing his Deck from the slot on his Duel Disk, shuffling his Deck.
"But why would he remove the Dark Magician from the Graveyard and not the Dark Magician Girl out on the field?" Luna asked, confused.
"Yeah, Dark Magician Girl could take a hit from one of those Monarchs and help Yugi save some Life Points," Leo agreed.
"Wrong," Kaiba said simply, getting the twins to look at him. "Dark Magician is one of Yugi's best card's, and there are plenty of ways for Yugi to get it out of his Grave. However, with Sage's Stone already played, Yugi's going to have a much harder time getting it back out from his Deck. Dark Magician Girl isn't as big of a threat as you would believe, and Bonaparte is taking care of the much bigger threat by removing the Dark Magician."
"How right you are Kaiba," the Monarch Duelist said. "Yugi, I know one of those facedowns would help you survive this turn, whether it was bringing back the Dark Magician or using the Dark Magician's power to defend your Life Points. There's also the bonus of me removing your Dark Magician Girl's power boost." The pink aura around Dark Magician Girl faded from sight as Yugi finished shuffling his Deck and returned it to his Deck slot.
Dark Magician Girl Atk: 2000
"Now in order to finish you off, I'm going to activate the Field Spell, Domain of the True Monarchs!" LJ shouted, the dark mist of the Field Spell moving in once more. The shadow of a huge, if unidentifiable, monarch loomed behind him, infusing the Monarchs on the field with its power. "And as you saw before, when I attack with a monster I Tribute Summoned, it gains 800 Attack points for the remainder of the Battle Phase!" Both Granmarg and Erebus absorbed some of the mist, glowing faintly with their respective element's power.
Erebus the Underworld Monarch Atl: 3600
Granmang the Rock Monarch Atk: 3200
"In addition, because I control Tribute Summoned monsters, you can't bring out Monsters from your Extra Deck!" LJ stated, smirking at Yugi. "So no Dark Paladin or that Legendary Dark Magician for you in this Duel!"
"I disagree," Yami countered, "Because I also have a Tribute Summoned monster on the field in my Dark Magician Girl, so your Extra Deck sealing is no use!"
"Your Dark Magician Girl is about to leave the field!" LJ said, "Watch as Erebus the Underworld Monarch attacks the Dark Magician Girl with his Hellfire of Hades!" The Underworld Monarch created a ball of purple flames within his hands, preparing to strike.
Yami held up a hand. "Not so fast! I activate my facedown card, the Quick-Play Magic card Magical Pigeon!" There was a poof of pink smoke and the Dark Magician Girl vanished. Erebus shrugged and hurled his attack. Two pigeons were left in her place, though one of the pigeons was incinerated by Erebus' attack, a tiny pile of ash the only sign it had ever been there.
"Where's your Dark Magician Girl?!" LJ demanded, surprised as Yugi's Life Points remained the same. "Answer me!"
"It's quite simple," Yami explained, "the Dark Magician Girl was able to dodge your attack with the effect of Magical Pigeon. Not only that, but this Magic card can block another one of your attacks!"
The Monarch Duelist growled, flipping his robe behind him dramatically. "We shall see about that. I'll attack directly with Granmarg the Rock Monarch!" The mentioned Monarch lunged forward, giant fists glowing brown with earthly energy.
"You'll do no such thing!" Yami shouted as the second pigeon flew up and began pecking at Granmarg's mask, halting the Monarch in its tracks. "I told you that my Magic card would stop your attack!" The Rock Monarch flailed about for a moment longer before the pigeon juked when he should have jinked and was swatted out of the sky in an explosion of white feathers. Looking miffed, and perhaps a little confused, Granmarg the Rock Monarch stomped back towards his master, the brown glow fading from his arms.
"That makes no sense!" LJ yelled, surprised. "That was just a stupid bird!" He glanced at his hand and grinned. "No matter Pharaoh, if the card text I've seen is correct, then your Dark Magician Girl returns at the end of the Battle Phase as a Special Summoned Monster, which means your Extra Deck is sealed off once more!"
"But my Life Points remain untouched," the Pharaoh pointed out.
The Bonaparte descendant chuckled. "Are you sure about that?"
"I don't like the sound of that," Yugi thought.
LJ plucked a card out of his hand. "I activate the Quick Play Magic Card Quick Summon! Now I can perform another Normal Summon during the Battle Phase!"
Kaiba watched impassively. 'Clever. Now he can attack Yugi's Life Points directly with whatever monster he brings out, and with that Field Spell in play, it's going to hurt big time.'
"I'll activate a Trap in response to your Magic card!" Yami countered, "My Dust Tornado Trap! Now I can destroy a Spell or Trap card on the field and set down a new Magic or Trap card on my side! So I'll destroy your Domain of the True Monarchs and weaken your Monsters!" A vicious wind sprang up in the subway terminal, stirring the purple flames surrounding everybody and dispersing the black fog as well as the shadowy figure of the Monarch behind LJ into oblivion. The most telling effect was on the two Monarchs, as the dark aura around the two of them disappeared. Yami placed another card on his Duel Disk. "Then I'll place this card facedown."
Erebus the Underworld Monarch: Atk 2800
Granmarg the Rock Monarch: Atk 2400
"So you've gotten rid of my Field Spell," LJ shrugged, unconcerned. "That won't matter as I now Sacrifice Granmarg the Rock Monarch and bring forth his mightiest form!" The Rock Monarch began glowing with a light brown light, growing in stature and size. "Watch as ruler of the earth unleashes his true power upon the world, where mountains with tremble with each footstep of this mighty king! Come forth, Granmarg the Mega Monarch!" The light faded and revealed the new version of Granmarg in all its glory. A ring was mounted on his back, his spheres having split into actual hands. Horns stretched out from his helmet, and his armor was a lot bulkier than before.
Granmarg the Mega Monarch: Atk 2800, Def 1000, LV 8
"And before you complain about me only using one Monster to Tribute Summon a Level 8 monster Kaiba," LJ began, getting a glare from the Kaibacorp executive, "Since Granmarg the Rock Monarch was Tribute Summoned, it counts as 2 sacrifices for his Mega Monarch form! Not only that, but because I successfully Tribute Summoned the Mega Monarch, I can destroy up to two Set cards on the field, so say goodbye to your facedown card! Ultimate Earth Power!" The ring on the Mega Monarch's back began glowing yellow before it shot a beam of light at the Pharaoh's facedown card, destroying the Soul Rope Trap card.
"This is bad!" Leo shouted, "He's got nothing to protect his Life Points now!"
Luna heard the cry of the ever-familiar Duel Spirit of Kuribon and glanced to her left. "What's up Kuribon?" The Duel Spirit babbled a response. "You mean Yugi has a friend to help him?" A nod. "Really?"
Leo looked at his twin sister, overhearing the exchange. "Luna?"
"Don't worry Leo, Kuribon is telling me we're about to see her ancestor in action," Luna explained.
"Now, Granmarg the Mega Monarch," LJ began, "Since you've cleared the field of those annoying pigeons and that facedown, attack the King of Games directly! Go Mountain Crusher Melee!" The Mega Monarch of stone charged, fists aglow once more with an earthly aura.
Yami smile the predatory smile of a wolf. "Your attack will not succeed! I activate the special ability of Kuriboh from my hand!" The famous brown furball appeared in front of the Pharaoh, eliciting a squeal of joy from Kuribon currently resting on Luna's head. Kuriboh turned and gave a cute little thumbs up to Kuribon before facing the charging Granmarg, arms spread wide. "By discarding Kuriboh from my hand to the Graveyard, I can negate any battle damage I would have taken!" The Mega Monarch brought his mighty arms up high before slamming them down onto Kuriboh. Granmarg left behind a dazed Kuriboh in the small crater he had created with his attack, returning to his master.
"I can see why you are the King of Games, Yugi," LJ conceded, frustration on his face as the stunned Kuriboh faded from view. "But no matter, for you will not have the means to take out my Monarchs given how slow your Deck is compared to mine! I'll place two cards facedown and end my turn!"
"Now the effect of Magical Pigeon wears off and my Dark Magician Girl returns to the field!" Yami announced. The pink and blue spellcaster appeared in a puff of blue smoke, staff at the ready and a look of determination on her face.
"She won't help you," LJ snarled.
"I disagree," Yami countered, placing two fingers on top of his Deck. "It's my turn! I draw!" He looked at the card he drew and his eyes widened in surprise. 'Magical Girl!'
'We may not have the Dark Magician to use for a Synchro Summon, but we do have the Dark Magician Girl!' Yugi pointed out.
Yami nodded before focusing back on the Duel. "I Summon Magical Girl to the field in Attack mode!" A young girl in a purple witch outfit appeared, waving her black wand in the air a few times and sending a few sparks around her before settling down.
Magical Girl: Atk 100, Def 100, LV 1
The Monarch Duelist observed the new Monster curiously. "Wait a second, I've heard of that Monster." His eyes widened in realization. "Hold on, that's the Tuner monster you used against Thomas last night!"
"Indeed she is," Yami agreed.
"But, you only have that Dark Magician Synchro!" LJ shouted, a frantic edge in his voice. "And Dark Magician Girl doesn't qualify for you to Summon that Synchro Monster!"
"I'm not going to Synchro Summon the Legendary Dark Magician!" the Pharaoh told him with a chuckle. He pulled the other Synchro Monster out of his Extra Deck in preparation. "I Tune my level one Magical Girl with my level six Dark Magician Girl!"
"Impossible!" LJ yelled. The Magical Girl created a couple more runes before transforming into a bright purple star that expanded out into a purple ring. The Dark Magician Girl winked at Yami before leaping into the ring, turning into six more brilliant purple stars.
"Wasteland magics emitted from days long gone, turn to ebon flames in her hand," the Pharaoh chanted, holding the new Synchro high above his head. "Behold the truth behind tales long sung where all foes wither and will not withstand, witness the student become the master through the time worn swirl!" The stars erupted into a brilliant pink light as Yami threw the card onto his Duel Disk. "Synchro Summon! Come to my aid, the Legendary Dark Magician Girl!" The light faded and revealed the newest Spellcaster in Yami's Deck. Much like her mentor, her Spellcaster armor had turned pitch black with pink and silver highlights, a pink ribbon attached to her waist. The Legendary Dark Magician Girl opened her red eyes, raw magical power brimming behind them. She flicked her blonde hair over her shoulder and held up her black staff, ready for battle.
"That's amazing!" Leo shouted.
Kaiba was intrigued, and at the same time frustrated. 'So Yugi, you've brought out your other new Synchro Monster. And yet we know nothing about who gave you those cards, or whether or not whoever gave you those cards is planning on providing me with some Synchro Monster. Hopefully something more powerful that Azure-Eyes Silver Dragon of Dani's.'
Legendary Dark Magician Girl: Atk 2500, Def 1900, LV 7
"So you found not only one, but two Synchro monsters that work with your legendary magicians?!" LJ exclaimed, surprised by turn of events. "How?!"
"If I knew, I'd tell you," the Pharaoh replied.
"Regardless, your new Synchro Magician may be more powerful than her previous incarnation, but she's still 300 Attack points short of either of my Monarchs!" LJ pointed out.
"My Legendary Dark Magician Girl has a special ability!" Yami countered. "She gains 100 attack points for each Magic Card in either Graveyard!" A pink aura drifted out of both player's Graveyards and was absorbed into the Legendary Dark Magician Girl's staff, the tip glowing pink with magical energies. "So since there are seven Magic Cards in both of our Graves, the Legendary Dark Magician Girl gains 700 Attack Points!"
Legendary Dark Magician Girl Atk: 3200
LJ's eyes grew wide in shock. "But that means…"
"Yes! Your Monarchs are going down!" Yami said. He pointed at Granmarg. "Go Legendary Dark Magician Girl! Attack Granmarg the Mega Monarch with your Ultimate Black Burning attack!" The female Synchro Magician held up her staff, weaving it in a pattern that created the signature symbol of the Dark Magician. With a kiss and a wink, the Legendary Dark Magician Girl sent the blast zooming towards Granmarg. The Mega Monarch held up his fists defensively, but the attack phased through his arms and into his body, exploding with the intensity of a small supernova. LJ braced himself reflexively as the shockwave from the attack rippled across the room, knocking the Monarch Duelist off his feet once more.
LJ LP: 1900
"I'll set this card facedown and end my turn," Yami finished, glaring at his opponent as he struggled back to his feet. "I suggest you stop this madness and free Akiza now!" It unnerved him how the once confident Akiza he had come to know was just meekly standing behind the Monarch Duelist, a dazed look in her eyes. "Can you hear me Akiza?! You must fight him!"
"It's useless," the Bonaparte descendant chuckled. "Akiza is mine, and soon your title will belong to me! After that, all of Europe!" He motioned Akiza forward. "Why don't you tell them my dear Black Rose Witch?"
She looked up for the first time in the Duel, but with none of the energy that had once been vibrant behind her brown eyes. "It is as you say, my lord." Her voice was timid, as though this new personality of hers was too scared to dare say anything to the contrary. "You are the ultimate Monarch."
"Thank you darling," LJ said, snapping his fingers. Akiza remained where she was, watching the Duel with blank eyes. "Now then, my turn!" He drew a card from his Deck, taking a moment to compose himself. Despite his confidence boost with the win over Akiza, this Duel was a mental grind. Here he was, facing the King of Games who had somehow mastered the Synchro Summon. He only hoped that he didn't find any XYZ monsters, or even the Master might have some trouble against him. Then again, these mysterious Pendulum monsters the Master claimed to have were supposedly mightier than Synchros and XYZs, so whether or not Yugi stood a chance against the Master was a moot point now. Right now, he had to take Yugi down. Easier said than done, but still possible, especially with this draw. "I activate the Magic card, the Monarchs Stormforth! Just like you took my Storm Monarch from me for your Tribute Summon, I'm now going to take your Legendary Dark Magician Girl and use it for my Tribute Summon!" A dark aura crept out from his Duel Disk, oozing towards the Pharaoh's last monster.
"You aren't taking her!" Yami countered. "Not so long as she has her special ability!"
LJ took a step backwards in surprise as a red aura appeared around the Dark Magician Girl Synchro. "Say what?!" The Legendary Dark Magician Girl held up a hand and the red aura burst outwards, deflecting the darkness. "What special ability?"
Yami smiled that confident smile of his. "My Legendary Dark Magician Girl has grown so powerful in the arcane arts that opposing Spell cards don't work on her. I call it her Magical Diffusion ability!" His newest Synchro Monster stuck out her tongue at LJ playfully, wagging a finger teasingly.
"Any other powers you want to share with me?" the Monarch Duelist demanded as he placed his Spell in the Graveyard.
"As a matter of fact, there is," the Pharaoh said. "For every Magic card that is activated, my Legendary Dark Magician Girl gains a Spell Counter! Additionally, since you sent another Magic card to the Graveyard, my Legendary Dark Magician Girl gains another 100 Attack Points!" A small orb of blue fire appeared by the yellow tip of the Legendary Dark Magician Girl's black magic staff, orbiting the head hypnotically.
Legendary Dark Magician Girl Atk: 3300
"And what happens when she gains enough Spell Counters?" LJ asked hesitantly, remembering the replay of Thomas' Duel the night prior. "Will she gain even more Attack points?"
"Not when she gains Spell Counters, no," Yami answered simply. "But her other powers will come into play the more Spell cards are played, so I suggest you think carefully about your next move."
"You say that as though I don't have a plan to stop you!" the Bonaparte descendant snapped. "I activate Tenacity of the Monarchs, where all I have to do is reveal a Monster with 1000 Defense points and either 2400 or 2800 Attacks points from my hand, and I can add any Monarch Spell or Trap from my Deck to my hand!" He flipped around a card, revealing it to be Thestalos the Mega Monarch. "Since this fiery Monarch meets the requirements, I can now add a Field Spell that I know you're familiar with by now."
'He has another one?!' Yugi exclaimed, sharing a nervous glance with the Pharaoh.
'Apparently,' Yami thought back grimly.
"Judging by the look on your face, you're not too eager to deal with the Domain of the True Monarchs!" LJ shouted as he played the card on the Field Spell zone. The dark mist descended upon the Duel field once more, the shadowy image of a Monarch looming behind the Bonaparte descendant. "Your Extra Deck is now sealed once more!"
"And you provided another Spell Counter for my Legendary Dark Magician Girl," Yami pointed out, another small flame joining the first orb hovering around the Spellcaster Synchro's staff.
"That has no bearing on what I'm about to play," LJ shot back. "I activate my Trap card, the Trap Monster, The First Monarch!" The Trap card flipped up and a shadowy figure emerged, nearly identical to the figure lurking behind the Monarch Duelist, only kneeling on the ground in a defensive posture. "And I'll Summon him in Defense mode!"
The First Monarch: Atk 1000, Def 2400, LV 6
"A Trap Monster?" Yami remembered the last time he had to face Trap Monsters, and it was not a fond memory.
Leo was confused. "Wait, how can there be a card that's both a Trap and a Monster?"
"Don't you remember what Miss Bartlet told us in Trap class last week?" Luna asked her brother.
Leo laughed nervously. "I kinda fell asleep during Trap class."
Luna rolled her eyes. "Of course you did. They're really rare cards, but Trap Monsters start out like Traps, then when they activate they become Monsters, but they still have all the strengths and weaknesses of Trap cards. He just used it to get a high level defense monster on the field easily."
LJ nodded approvingly. "You're quite bright for one so young. But I didn't bring out this Trap Monster as a wall. I activate The First Monarch's special ability! By sending one card in my hand to the Graveyard, I can change the Attribute of this monster to any type that I choose!" He looked down at Yami, a triumphant look in his eyes. "And you should know, Yugi, that another special ability of the First Monarch is that he counts as two Tributes when he's sacrificed for another monster of the same Attribute!"
"Oh no," Yami gasped.
'And with that Mega Monarch in his hand, I bet I can guess what Attribute he's gonna choose,' Yugi thought grimly.
"So, I send Berlineth the Firestorm Vassal from my hand to the Graveyard in order to change the Attribute of The First Monarch from a Dark type to the Fire type!" LJ shouted, flames engulfing the shadowy figure in front of him. What was left was the same Monarch shaped being, but instead of shadows it was composed of flames.
"I really don't like the look of this," Leo said simply.
The Monarch Duelist chuckled. "Now I sacrifice The First Monarch in order Tribute Summon the ultimate Monarch of fire!" The Monarch figure of flames exploded, transforming into a firestorm that roared overhead. "Witness the master of fire and flames evolve into his ultimate form, a form that burns hotter than the stars above! I give you Thestalos, the Mega Monarch!" The flames drew together and formed a man in red and orange armor, spikes all along the arms and flames dancing in the Mega Monarch's hands, a blue and red cape billowing about behind him.
Thestalos the Mega Monarch: Atk 2800, Def 1000, LV 8
"Now since I was able to successfully Tribute Summoned Thestalos the Mega Monarch, I can now select a card from your hand and send it to the Graveyard!" LJ began. "Now then Yugi, let's see that hand of yours!" The Pharaoh's five cards appeared above his head, revealing Gamma, Beta, Valkyrion, Monster Reincarnation, and Pot of Greed. LJ frowned. "Well then, you're awfully close to Summoning Valkyrion, such a shame I'm sending it to the Graveyard!"
The cards faded as Yami placed Valkyrion in the Graveyard. "He won't be there for long."
"You won't be around long enough to get that Magnet Warrior out of the Graveyard," the Monarch Duelist said, because now you take damage equal to the Level of the Monster just sent to the Grave times 200! In addition to that, since I used a Fire Attribute Monster to Tribute Summon Thestalos, you'll take another 1000 points of damage!"
"So with the Level eight Valkyrion the Magna Warrior, as well as the extra 1000 points, that's 2600 points of damage simply from Summoning a Monster," Kaiba noted. "These Monarchs are certainly a force to be reckoned with."
"You don't know the half of it Kaiba," LJ gloated. "Now Thestalos, hit the King of Games with 2600 points of damage! Go Monarch's Incineration!" The Mega Firestorm Monarch drew his hands together, creating another large fireball in his hands before he flung it at the Pharaoh, far too fast for the Legendary Dark Magician Girl to react, and all Yami could do was hold up his arms protectively as the fireball exploded on him.
Yugi LP: 1400
"And thanks to Domain of the True Monarchs, both of my Mega Monarchs gain another 1000 Attack points for the Battle Phase!" LJ informed the smoking Pharaoh, who looked a little dazed after such a powerful blow.
Thestalos the Mega Monarch Atk: 3800
Erebus the Underworld Monarch Atk: 3800
"Now I think I'll put that power to good use!" LJ said, holding up a fist. "Go, Erebus, attack that Legendary Dark Magician Girl! Hellfire of Hades!" More purple flames frothed around the dark Monarch before he launched a massive fire blast at the Spellcaster Synchro.
Yami smirked. "You activated my Trap card! Go Magic Cylinder!"
"What?!" LJ could only watch as the Trap flipped up and a brightly colored cylinder appeared next to the Legendary Dark Magician Girl, who used her staff to maneuver the cylinder into the path of the oncoming attack.
"Since I control a Spellcaster, this Trap card can redirect your attack right back at you," the Pharaoh told him, "So now, Legendary Dark Magician Girl, end this Duel!" The cylinder absorbed all the flames of the incoming attack, glowing dangerously with the raw power it had just taken in.
To his credit, the Bonaparte Duelist composed himself quickly. "Not so fast, King of Games! I play a Counter Trap, Trap Jammer! Now since you activated a Trap card during the Battle phase, I can negate and destroy that Trap! So say goodbye to your Legendary Dark Magician Girl!" The entrance of the Magic Cylinder was plugged up and it began to rumble ominously. The Legendary Dark Magician Girl glanced over at the cylinder curiously, wondering what was up before the cylinder blew up in her face, hiding her with smoke.
"Oh no!" Luna cried out. "Yugi!"
"I activate my Legendary Dark Magician Girl's special ability!" Yami gritted as the shockwaves buffeted him and Yugi. "By removing two Spell Counters from my Legendary Dark Magician Girl, I can save her from being destroyed!" A blue flame shield flared into existence, clearing the smoke away and revealing the Legendary Dark Magician Girl looking rather shaken by the attack. The shield faded, as did the two blue flames that had been circling her staff.
Yugi LP: 900
"Looks like you get to survive one more turn," the Monarch Duelist said confidently, "But your Legendary Dark Magician Girl isn't so lucky! Go Thestalos, attack that Legendary Dark Magician Girl with your Volcanic Fire Blast!" The other Mega Monarch on LJ's field gathered more fire in his arms, creating yet another massive fireball. With a simple gesture, Thestalos sent the fireball flying towards the Legendary Dark Magician Girl. She tried to create a shield, but the fireball hit the ground underneath her and erupted skywards, incinerating the Synchro Spellcaster in a massive blaze.
"No," Yami gasped, trying to protect himself from the intense flames. He found himself knocked off his feet from the final explosion of the Mega Monarch's attack.
Yugi LP: 400
"You're finished!" LJ declared, "Even though the Battle Phase is over and my Monster's Attack points return to normal, you have no means of bringing out a Monster that could hope to challenge my Monarchs! I place one card facedown and end my turn!"
Thestalos the Mega Monarch Atk: 2800
Erebus the Underworld Monarch Atk: 2800
'Come on Pharaoh, get up!' Yugi shouted, his spirit form trying to help Yami back to his feet.
"I'm fine Yugi," the Pharaoh growled, glad for Yugi's aid. "But it all comes down to this. It's a long shot, but it's the only one we have."
'Yugi better draw the card he needs,' Kaiba thought sourly. 'I don't want to muddy my hands dealing with this scrub.'
"It's my move!" Yami announced as he straightened up. He placed two fingers on the top of his Deck, ready to draw, and a surge of electricity ran down his arm. He grinned as he recognized the significance. "I draw!"
"I'll take this time to activate my Trap card, the Prime Monarch!" LJ interrupted. The card flipped up and created a pillar of light, the faint outline of yet another Monarch lurking within. "Now by shuffling two Monarch themed Spells or Traps from my Grave, I can draw one card from my Deck!"
"Very well then," the Pharaoh said simply as the Monarch Duelist exchanged the necessary cards and then drew one card. "I activate Pot of Greed! Now I draw two cards from my Deck." He placed his fingers on his Deck again, closing his eyes. 'I must draw that Monster!'
"Did he get the cards he needed?" Leo asked breathlessly after Yami drew.
"I think we're about to find out!" Luna answered, holding Kuribon tightly.
The Pharaoh looked at the two cards he'd drawn, then smiled. "I activate Monster Reincarnation and send Gazelle, the King of Mythical Beasts to the Graveyard in order to bring back Valkyrion the Magna Warrior from my Graveyard!"
"Then that means you must have drawn-" LJ realized what that meant and his eyes went wide with surprise. "Oh no!"
"Oh yes!" the Pharaoh said, "I send Alpha, Beta, and Gamma the Magnet Warrior from my hand to the Graveyard in order to bring out Valkyrion the Magna Warrior straight from my hand!" The three Magnet Warriors appeared in the air above Yami's head, separating into individual parts that swirled above Yami's head, combining together one by one.
"That's so cool!" Leo shouted as Valkyrion's head settled into place with a dull thunk, the Magna Warrior landing in front of Yami with a thud.
Valkyrion the Magna Warrior: Atk 3500, Def 3850, LV 8
"You've shown you deserved the title of King of Games Yugi," LJ conceded, saluting Yami with his saber. "But it won't be enough to deplete my Life Points. You only have one card left in your hand, and I know you have no cards in your Deck that could power up Valkyrion enough for you to finish me off. A very good last ditch effort, but even if you had Summoned him in Defense mode, it's useless. I activate my last Trap card, Escalation of the Monarchs! Now I can Tribute Summon a monster during your turn!"
Yami held LJ's gaze. "It won't help you."
"I beg to differ," LJ yelled, "I sacrifice Erebus the Underworld Monarch and bring forth the Ruler of Light! Wherever the light shines, Kuraz is there to rule over all that is good and even some that's not so good." The dark Monarch dissolved into sparkles that formed a golden armored figure with large blue hands, a golden cape draped across his broad shoulders.
Kuraz the Light Monarch: Atk 2400, Def 1000, LV 6
"Now then, Kuraz's special ability activates!" LJ continued triumphantly. "He can destroy up to two cards on the field! So your big ultimate goal to bring about Valkyrion the Magna Warrior was useless! Go Kuraz! Light of the Monarchs!" The new Monarch fired a beam of energy from the ring on his back towards the giant Magnet Warrior.
"My ultimate goal wasn't Summoning Valkyrion," the Pharaoh said, grinning.
The Bonaparte descendant was taken aback. "What?!"
"I activate Valkyrion the Magna Warrior's special ability!" the Pharaoh announced. "Now by sending him to the Graveyard, I can split him up into the three Magnet Warriors used to create him!" Valkyrion began glowing brightly before shattering into individual parts once more, avoiding the Light Monarch's attack.
"But why would you do that?" LJ demanded, "Even tripling your defense and avoiding Kuraz's strike won't help you against my assault next turn!" The assorted parts of Valkyrion began to combine into the original three entities, all kneeling in front of the Pharaoh.
Alpha the Magnet Warrior: Atk 1400, Def 1700, LV 4
Beta the Magnet Warrior: Atk 1700, Def 1600, LV 4
Gamma the Magnet Warrior: Atk 1500, Def 1800, LV 4
"Because I still haven't used my Normal Summon for this turn," Yami explained, holding the last card in his hand up.
Kaiba's eyes widened in recognition. "No way!"
"What is it Seto?" Luna asked, looking at Kaiba innocently.
Kaiba spared her a glance. "Brace yourselves you two, because you're about to be in the presence of Duel Monsters divinity."
"I sacrifice all three of my Magnet Warriors!" Yami shouted, the aforementioned monsters transforming into three orbs of light that rose up towards the ceiling before zooming into the ground.
"What's this?!" LJ exclaimed as the ground began to rumble.
"Come forth from thy underground, mountains quake at thy sound," Yami chanted, holding the god card high. "Fear wakes at the view of your glory, show your anger and end this story!" A crevasse opened up behind Yami, dark gasses escaping the earth. "I Summon the Egyptian god card! Obelisk the Tormentor!" He played the card on his Duel Disk and the giant blue demon rose up from the depths, growling all the while.
Luna shrank away unconsciously from the god card, feeling the tremors of power reverberating around the room. Never had she felt a power like this before. It was old, far older than anything she had felt, ever her Ancient Fairy Dragon, as incredible as that sounded to her. The sheer might and power of this Egyptian god card was incredible!
"This is too cool!" Leo breathed, equally in shock and awe of the mighty being rising before them. Luna was surprised at how quiet he was, then remembered just what it was they were witnessing. The Egyptian god couldn't fit within the room and was thigh deep in the crevasse from whence he came, but even so, that just made him all that more imposing.
Obelisk the Tormentor: Atk 4000, Def 4000, LV 10
"Impossible, Obelisk the Tormentor!" the Monarch Duelist gasped, stunned. He too felt the overbearing presence of the Egyptian god card, even more so than the others since the Egyptian god was facing him. Still, he could withstand the incoming attack, but he was going to need a miracle draw next turn. He hoped the Master was still watching out for him.
Chaos Movement HQ, the Master's Quarters
The leader of the Chaos Movement snarled as he watched Obelisk rise up from the ground. "You imbecile Alex! That would have been Slifer the Sky Dragon had you not lost the god card I stole from him! And Slifer wouldn't have had any Attack points!" He slammed a fist on his desk as he let his rage build. It would help him increase his powers when the time was right, and it was fast approaching. Still, it would have been something for the King of Games to leave the chessboard this early. Always in motion, the future was, but for now, the future where he would ultimately prevail was still intact. Yusei would fall at the entrance of the Chaos Movement, worried as he was for his girl.
"Well now Akiza, let's see how long you last with that extra personality I created from your memories," the Master chuckled, letting the anger flow out. "You are but clay in the hands of, hehehe, the Master! HAHAHAHA!"
Satellite Underground
"Now then, will you release Akiza and stop this madness?" Yami asked, offering his foe one last chance to surrender.
"I will figure out a way to stop your monster!" LJ declared, pointing his saber at Yami in a challenge. "So bring it on!"
"Very well," the Pharaoh said, shaking his head. "But remember that you asked for it!" He threw a fist into the air. "Obelisk the Tormentor, attack Kuraz the Light Monarch!" The Egyptian god card shouted a wordless battle cry, the deep rumble shaking the room once more as Obelisk leaned forward, fists glowing an angry blue color. "God Hand Crusher!" The Tormentor punched the unfortunate Monarch, obliterating the monster with an explosion of blue energy, sending a shock wave around the room. Kaiba saw it coming and stepped quickly towards the twins, shielding them from the recoil of Obelisk's attack with a growl as he endured the god's power. LJ was not so lucky, taking the full power of the shock wave, which launched him back towards his throne, hitting it with a powerful thud.
LJ LP: 300
"And with that, I'll end my turn," Yami said simply as Obelisk resumed his ready pose. "You're finished!"
"Not... yet!" LJ struggled to his feet, then found himself assisted by Akiza. "Thank you my dear. You may go now."
"As you wish," Akiza said, bowing to the Monarch Duelist. "Where to?"
"Where you will be needed," LJ replied cryptically. With a flash of purple and golden light, the Psychic Duelist vanished, hidden in one of the alcoves in the chamber, ready to strike if needed. She wasn't ready for Dueling yet, he would have to get her back to the Master if he wanted her ready for that. Still, the Bonaparte descendant was glad that the Master was able to work his power on someone as powerful as Akiza. He glanced up at the Egyptian god card on the field and the one card in his hand. There was a glimmer of hope for him, he just had to draw the right card. "It's my turn Yugi, I draw!" The Monarch Duelist looked at the drawn card. This was the first step, but now it came down to his last chance. "I activate the effect of The Prime Monarch and send two more Monarch Spells or Traps from my Grave to my Deck to draw one more card from my Deck!" He moved the cards around appropriately and drew the card from his Deck silently, willing it to be the one he needed.
"I have a bad feeling about this," Leo gulped. "Akiza's gone and he's making his move!"
"I doubt even these Monarchs can take down an Egyptian god card," Kaiba said confidently. "Having used Obelisk before, I know full well what powers it possesses."
"We'll see about that!" LJ shouted, playing the drawn card on his Duel Disk. "I activate the Magic card, The Monarchs Stormforth!" A whirlwind sprang up around Obelisk the Tormentor, howling with power. "Now at the cost of not using my non-existent Extra Deck, I can use a Monster from your side of the field as a Tribute in order to Tribute Summon yet another Monarch that will prove your downfall! It's over Yugi! I win!"
"I wouldn't be so sure about that," Yami said, the confidence in his tone causing LJ to falter. He could sense Akiza nearby, and knew that once he defeated the Monarch Duelist, she would be free.
"What?!" he watched as the Tormentor brought his mighty hands together with a loud BANG, the shockwave causing the twister to dissipate into a simple breeze. "But that was my Monster to sacrifice!"
"Obelisk the Tormentor is no mere Monster!" Yami declared. "It's a god! And I think you know what a king is to a god."
LJ sank to his knees, utter despair on his face. He flashed back to his little clash with the Master. "He is still a god, and that god is quite capable of making a nonbeliever such as yourself suffer when his time has come." He had nothing. It was over. His reign, his dreams of bringing all of Europe together, over before it had even began. The Master had warned them against failure. "Have mercy Yugi!"
"Like you showed mercy to Akiza?" the Pharaoh asked sarcastically. "The time has come for you to answer for your actions, Bonaparte!" The sound of Duel Runners got his attention before Yami could call out to attack. With a roar, three familiar Duel Runners burst through the flames of the purple firewall, screeching to a halt just short of the Duel field.
Yusei dismounted from his Runner, removing his helmet in one swift motion. "Akiza! Where are you?!"
"Yusei's here!" Leo shouted, glad to see a familiar face.
"Stay back Yusei!" Yami shouted, relieved to see the others safe, but alarmed at the Head Signer's frantic search for Akiza. "It's too dangerous!"
"Where is she you snake?!" Yusei yelled at LJ, stepping forward, heedless of the danger.
"Yusei you dolt," Jack yelled, grabbing Yusei by the shoulder. "What do you think Yugi here is fighting for?" He yanked Yusei back as the four robot soldiers that had survived the Duel moved in between the Duel Runners and LJ.
"Didn't we just leave this party?" Crow deadpanned as the robots took aim.
Yusei took one look at the bots before retreating to his Runner and typing something into the Runner's computer. His headlights flickered before the robots seized up, much like they had earlier when chasing Crow, and fell to the ground with several clangs, lifeless as Yusei's code did its thing. "I'm through playing games with you guys. Where's Akiza?"
"Calm down man," Crow said soothingly, noticing the pulsing of their Marks. "She's close, can't you feel it?"
Yusei took a deep breath to calm down. He was right, Akiza was close. In this very room, in fact. He had to see her safe though. The Head Signer directed his attention towards Yugi. "Finish him off!"
The Pharaoh nodded. "With pleasure." His purple eyes fixed LJ in his place. "Your reign of terror ends now! You will release Akiza to us and restore whatever it is you did to her mind." The Eye of Wdjat flickered into existence on his forehead. "This I swear!"
LJ looked up at the Egyptian god card looming over his monsters and began to laugh. "You may win Akiza back, but her mind will still belong to the Master! Her loss has cost her psyche dearly, and if you defeat me, you may never get the old Akiza back!"
Yami hesitated. "Are you serious?!"
"He's bluffing, he has to be!" Crow said, concern undercutting his tone.
"Awfully big bluff considering he's facing down an Egyptian god card," Dani pointed out, shaking her braid out of her borrowed helmet. "And trust me, that thing is hard to go up against."
"We can't take that chance!" Yusei said, fear on his face for Akiza. "I don't want to lose her!"
Kaiba snorted. "Please, don't listen to this fool's desperate attempt to get out of your attack Yugi! Finish him off and ignore his little head games!"
Yami bowed his head for a second, mulling his options. He looked to Yusei, meeting the concerned gaze of the Head Signer. "Do you trust me Yusei? I promise I will get Akiza back!"
Yusei looked back into Yami's eyes, seeing the conviction in them. That look told Yusei that he would do everything he could to make good on that promise. "I trust you. Do what you must." He hoped to high heaven that Yugi's risk would pay off.
Yami nodded, turning his attention back to the Duel. "Your lies won't stop me Bonaparte! Obelisk the Tormentor! Use your Fists of Fury to take down Thestalos the Mega Monarch!" The blue demon god roared his approval, rearing back to attack, fists glowing a bright blue color. "God Hand Crusher!" The Great War god thrust his fist forward, crushing the orange clad Monarch with ease. The power behind the blow again buffeted everyone in the room, launching LJ backwards through his throne this time, crashing against one of the support pillars holding up the room, leaving the Monarch Duelist stunned.
LJ LP: 0
To everyone's surprise, a panel slide open on the wall and Akiza exited the secret compartment, cradling LJ as a fallen comrade. "My lord, are you all right?" The purple flames died, allowing the group to leave the subway terminal when they wanted to. Unknown to them, the robots that had guarded all the other entrances to the underground left their posts, retreating to parts known only to the Master, but they were out of the sight of the Satellite residents who'd wondered just what that parade of robot soldiers was all about.
Yusei had started forward as soon as Obelisk's blow had landed, but stopped as soon as he heard what Akiza said. "What are you saying?!"
"It's whatever mental power they have over her," Yami explained, stepping forward. Obelisk the Tormentor faded from sight, his task done, and the purple flames died down. "She's been brainwashed somehow!"
"Akiza, listen to me!" Yusei said, trying to snap her out of it like he had before. With how their bond had grown since that incident with Sayer, the Head Signer was sure he could bring her back. He had to! His Mark of the Crimson Dragon throbbed with his desire to save Akiza, a throb every other Signer in the room could feel, including Akiza, who look at Yusei and shrank back in fear.
She stood up from LJ's stunned form. "Leave me alone!"
Yusei blinked. "Akiza?" He was confused and scared simultaneously, wondering just what the Chaos Movement had done to her. It was the lack of recognition in her eyes that hurt Yusei the most. At least when he had fought Akiza during the Fortune cup, she had already known him, but those brown eyes were ones who viewed Yusei as a complete stranger.
The Foot Signer looked towards Yami, bowing. "As per the wager of my lord Louis John Bonaparte, I am now yours to command, Master Yugi. How may I be of service?"
Yami was surprised, as the Akiza he had come to know would never have said that. Still, the lingering memories in the corner of his mind, the tantalizing images of his past life in Egypt, what few he could glimpse in his dreams, gave him an inkling of what he had to do. The Eye of Wdjat glowed brightly on his forehead as he stepped forward. "Very well then Akiza. I shall release you from the bonds of servitude that currently bind you." The Pharaoh touched two fingers to the curious Akiza's forehead, the Eye appearing there as well.
Chaos Movement HQ
"Don't think that the powers of ancient Egypt are going to save her," the Master chuckled, watching the scene unfold. "Sure, you've stopped me from messing with her mind any more, but the damage is done, hehehehe. Akiza hasn't shown me the mental fortitude she needs to overcome my work. And a distracted Yusei is a vulnerable Yusei, hahahaha! Victory will be mine!" He focused his attention to the fallen Monarch Duelist. "And you, Bonaparte, I grow tired of your failures to take down your fellow kings, to say nothing of your little back talk earlier. I think a little case of the Midas touch oughta do the trick!" With a snap of his right hand, golden sparks flying from the fingertips, he continued to watch his handiwork with a little bit of interest, the rest of his mind allowing the chaos to build. To grow. To thrive. Chaos is the master, all must bow to it in the end. And that end was fast approaching.
Satellite Subway Terminal
Akiza collapsed as the Eye of Wdjat faded from her forehead, falling into Yugi's arms. The King of Games lowered her gently to the ground, noticing Yusei rushing forward.
"What happened?!" the Head Signer demanded, taking Akiza's limp left hand into his own. "What did you do to her?"
"I removed the Chaos Movement's influence on her," Yami explained gently, sensing Yusei's distress. "However, it's up to Akiza now to fully overcome that alternate personality that they put in her to make her so submissive."
Yusei looked down at the unconscious Foot Signer. She looked so peaceful right now, but Yusei knew full well that Akiza's mind was anything but. "And there's nothing we can do?"
"I did all I could," Yami said apologetically, "Unless there's something you can do as a Signer, it's up to Akiza now."
"And she's in for the fight of her life," Yusei finished gravely, supporting the unconscious Foot Signer as best he could. "Come on Akiza, I know you can fight through this!"
"I just hope the Black Rose Witch doesn't decide to come out again," Leo gulped.
"Leo! Don't say that!" Luna admonished. "We know that Akiza can pull through!"
"In the meantime, let's deal with this so called future ruler of Europe!" Jack said as he started forward towards where LJ had fallen. "I've had about enough of these Chaos Movement dolts!"
"And it looks like the Master's had enough of him," Crow noted, "Look, he's turned to solid gold!" Where once there had been a colorfully dressed man, looking as though he was about to rise from his prone position, there was a golden stature, a confused and scared look permanently etched onto the poor man's face. His mouth was open in a soundless scream, one that would be unheard for all of eternity.
"That's…creepy," Dani said, peering at the golden statue of what had once been Louis John Bonaparte. "I can't believe we didn't notice!"
Jack saw movement behind the frozen Monarch Duelist, his purple eyes taking in all the details. He flung out a hand and stopped Crow in his tracks. "Don't touch that statue people!"
Yami and Yusei both looked over, confused. Yusei gazed at golden figure. "What's wrong Jack?"
"That statue is cursed," the former Turbo King pointed out. "You see that rat by his feet? It touched Bonaparte and suffered the same fate. He's acquired the Midas touch somehow!"
"The Midas touch?" Leo repeated, confused.
"An old folk tale," Crow answered, "An ancient king wished for the power to turn anything he touched to gold, and it seriously backfired on him. I just hope nobody wanders down here and gets turned to gold."
"Well it's not like we can move him," Jack said dryly, "We'll have to move Akiza's car, but at least we can get out of here." He looked from Yami to Kaiba. "Can either of you two drive?"
"Of course," Kaiba snapped, "Why wouldn't I be able to do something so simple?"
"Kaiba," Yami said warningly, sending a glare to both proud Duelists. "Jack. Not now." Both just grunted.
"Come on Akiza," Yusei said gently, shaking the Foot Signer softly. "Fight through it."
Akiza's Mind
The Foot Signer was confused. She was currently sitting at the bar that was somehow existing in her subconscious, casting the occasional wary glance at her Dark Side, dressed up for a night on the town in an alluring burgundy dress and constantly running the pool table against anyone that challenged her. Granted, the faceless beings that were also inhabiting this bar weren't really good, but that was beside the point. She had left the bar and seen the interior of her mind, which was rather chaotic when she'd first beheld it, as memories throughout her life flashed across the skies while the ground seemed a lot like New Domino City, albeit tinged a light red color. She'd seen the good with the bad, though given the strange wind that had been howling through her mind tinged with a purple and gold color it was better for her to stay inside.
"I don't know what's going on with my head," the Foot Signer sighed to herself, "But I can't wait to get out of here!"
"That's my line," Dark Akiza snapped, effortlessly sinking the solid yellow ball with a crack of the pool stick. "And if you think you're getting out of here before I do, you've got another thing coming sweetheart."
Akiza shot a glare at her dark side as she sipped the drink that the bartender as slipped her. She couldn't get drunk in her own mind, both a plus and a minus in this situation, but the taste of the strawberry sake she was nursing was enough to help her get her mind off things. She saw the irony of the situation clearly, then the wind started. The chaotic wind began to howl within the barroom, the Eye of Wdjat appearing in the center of the room, as a portal of some sort. Through that portal stumbled a figure that surprised both Akiza and Dark Akiza.
"Who the hell are you?" Dark Akiza demanded, raising an eyebrow. The newcomer looked like Akiza, but as though someone had stuck her in some maid fantasy of theirs. She wore the stereotypical French maid outfit, albeit much more conservative than one would expect from such an outfit. She looked up and Akiza could see the lack of personality behind her eyes, a stark contrast to what she was used to seeing. This new Akiza, this timid Akiza, was apparently the one who had taken control.
"I am Akiza," this new personality of hers answered, "Sworn to obey whoever I belong to."
Dark Akiza snickered at that. "I don't think Yusei would know what to do with you even if you were in control! Haha, he'd probably set you free or something. He's not into that kinky stuff like I am."
"That's what my last master did," Timid Akiza said sadly. "Which is why I'm here."
"Well, that's nice and all," Akiza began nonchalantly, edging towards the Eye of Wdjat hovering in the middle of the room. If she could just get out of her mind and get back to Yusei and the others, she could escape this nightmare.
"Oh no you don't," Dark Akiza interrupted, using her pool stick to block Akiza's path. "You've had your fun, now I'm taking over again."
"Over my dead body," Akiza muttered as she tried to push past.
"If that's what it takes," her dark side said with a grin as she advanced, shadows beginning to swirl about her frame.
So, there we have it. Akiza isn't out of the woods yet, but at least she isn't being commanded by LJ anymore. And before you complain about Yusei being supposedly OOC, I'm trying to explore parts of his personality that we couldn't quite see in the show. We always see him as this cool, calm, and collected person, I'm trying to explore what happens when someone can actually get under his skin. Anyways, Akiza isn't going to have her psyche fully healed until the Divine arc I have planned in my 5D's sequel to this story, still thinking of a name for that one, something like the Chaotic WRGP or something. I dunno, it'll be season 2 of 5D's with them dealing with the repercussions of the Chaos Movement's actions. I'm definitely looking forward to getting that going. Hope you all enjoyed the chapter!
The Legendary Dark Magician Girl is not my card, it belongs to a fellow named Batmed on Deviantart, I strongly recommend checking out his galleries as he has a ton of cards that are just begging to be played. Trust me, you won't regret giving his page a look over.
Question of the Chapter: I've known this for quite a while now, having researched 5D's extensively, but for those of you that didn't know, Crow was supposed to be a Dark Signer and take Wiraqocha Rasca as his Earthbound Immortal, but due to the popularity of Blackwings in Japan, those plans got scrapped and it was Goodwin instead. Other changes that would've gone with that plotline is Leo becoming a Signer, Life Stream Dragon emerging sooner, and Akiza playing a bigger role in season 2. So my question for youse guys is, would you have enjoyed a Dark Signer Crow arc? As much as I like Crow's character, I wouldn't have minded him being the big bad Dark Signer, although if I were in charge, since Blackwings were so popular in Japan, I'd have found a way to bring Crow back in 5D's Season 2, maybe have him have regrets similar to Kalin. Eh, it is what it is, but would y'all have enjoyed a Dark Signer Crow storyline?
No guest reviews this chapter. Huh. Well, moving on.
The GX Poll is currently up on my profile, for those of you that haven't voted yet, and I'll bring back the Zexal poll to my main page come August.
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Until the next chapter my friends!
From your Nutty Buddy,
The Eagle Nut