Hello everybody! Your nutty buddy has been working furiously over the past few days to get this chapter finished. Then my editor had to do a bit of a rush job on editing (though he still did a fantastic job as usual). I know some of y'all are anxious to see what happens next but first things first, tonight, January 22nd, is the five year anniversary of me publishing the first chapter of Chaos Unleashed. It's amazing how far this story has come along over the years, and how much my writing has improved for that matter. 418 reviews, 158,500 views, 286K words, this story becoming the best in the 5Ds/Original series crossover category, thanks to all you guys. Seriously, y'all have been great. Thank you again for reading my story and giving me the support throughout these years, it's partly why I've been inspired to start streaming ( (forward slash) nuttybuddy792 for those who're curious, I'm 17 followers away from 100 followers, so don't be afraid to come say hi) Now then, on with the story!
Crow: The following is a non profit fan-based fanfiction. Yugioh, Yugioh GX, Yugioh 5D's, Yugioh Zexal, Yugioh Arc-V, and Yugioh VRAINS are all owned by Konami, 4Kids Entertainment, Toei Animation, and Kazuki Takahashi. Please support the official release!
Chapter 38: Eulogy of the Blackwings
Yusei was anxious as he led their little convoy down the roads of the Satellite. He couldn't help himself as he glanced to his left, where the kanji for potential burned in the sky, its red flames a stark warning to those who would dare approach. His Mark of the Crimson Dragon was burning brightly on his arm, a strong warning heat emanating from it. Crow was Dueling, and he was in danger, but at the moment he wasn't on the brink of a loss. All Yusei could feel from Crow was anger, and the Head Signer feared that it was disrupting his friend's ability to Duel. The loss of Dani had wounded him badly. Yusei knew Crow was hurting and desperate for revenge, much like he had been when he'd lost his young ones to the Dark Signer mist. Painful memories from just four months prior flashed across his mind, when Crow challenged Greiger to a Dark Turbo Duel. He'd managed to snap Crow out of it then, but since Crow was currently moving away from them and their group was headed into the belly of the beast, Yusei wasn't going to be there to break the Tail Signer's rage. Yusei could only hope that his friend would at least come to his senses.
His comm buzzed. Yusei checked it and saw it was a private call coming from Jack. "What is it, Jack?"
"I can feel you worrying about Crow," the Wings Signer said bluntly. "I can feel it more than Crow's rage right now. You're going to have to have faith in Crow. That knucklehead has gotten himself into and out of more tight spots than I care to count. He'll pull through. Start putting your thoughts towards how you're going to take down the Master, or at least one of his minions, because if you're not up for taking down the Master, then I sure will be. He's run wild for long enough."
"You make it sound so simple," Yusei said with a small smile, the first he'd cracked in a while.
The former Turbo King scoffed. "Because it is simple! Crow beat Greiger's Flying Fortress Skyfire several times, whereas you struggled to take it down once. You heard him go on about it while we were building the Daedalus Bridge. He wouldn't shut up until you beat him in that friendly Turbo Duel. He can handle himself, Yusei. Crow took down a Dark Signer and held his own against Goodwin. He can handle some punk using a Red-Eyes Black Dragon. And if he can't, well, then it'll be up to me, Jack Atlas, to put that punk in his place!"
Yusei was silent for a long moment. There were times where he wished he had Jack's confidence. Crow was a strong Duelist, and defeating him had taken nearly every trick Yusei could think of, but that was when Crow wasn't blinded with rage. That he and his fellow Signers could feel some of Crow's anger spilling through their bond at this distance was cause for concern. The Head Signer closed his eyes for a moment, hoping that he could send a message to Crow through their bond. Dueling in anger was only going to bring him to ruin. He couldn't feel whether Crow got the message or not, but he had to have faith. "You're right Jack."
"Of course I'm right," the Wings Signer stated. "Now let's go put an end to this Chaos Movement once and for all!" His white Duel Runner zoomed ahead of the group, leading the way back to where it had all gone so wrong so quickly. A click ended the private call and left Yusei to his thoughts.
Akiza could sense Yusei's thoughts darkening and yet she felt helpless to aid him. She had too many issues of her own at the moment. Her dark side was currently rather vocal. 'I'm telling you, we need to go full force now. Take out that ridiculous stabilizer in your hair, it's only holding you back!'
'I am impressed that despite my several arguments against such a foolish strategy you still maintain your position,' her submissive side replied. They'd been going back and forth ever since Akiza had sat down in the passenger seat of her car, and it was driving her mad. Every attempt she'd made to quiet the voices in her head had been brushed aside like it was nothing. Even mental techniques that Sayer had promised would help her control her power had been quickly overcome.
"Akiza?" Leo asked, tapping the Foot Signer on her shoulder, getting her focus away from her mind.
"Yes, Leo?" Akiza looked back, trying not to let the boy see the worry in her eyes.
"Luna says you're scared," Leo said simply. "She didn't say why, but it's scaring her. She doesn't want me to tell you this, but I don't want to see Luna scared."
'Well maybe if someone didn't want to waste our power by causing needless chaos, our host might not be so scared,' Maid Akiza grumbled.
'Maybe if someone didn't want to cower on the sidelines like a scared little bitch I wouldn't have to be so forceful,' Dark Akiza snapped back.
'WILL YOU TWO BE QUIET!?' Akiza shouted in her head, looking away from Leo to prevent him from seeing her irritation. She looked back with a smile to reassure Leo. "It's okay to be a little scared, Leo. Everyone's allowed to be scared. It's part of what makes you human."
'Even though you could argue that us Signers are superhuman, especially me,' her dark side pointed out. 'We aren't exactly ones who follow conventional rules.'
"It's what you do with that fear that matters," the Foot Signer continued, running an old mental pattern to keep her thoughts positive. It wouldn't stop her dark side for long, but it would keep it quiet while she consoled Leo. "This is where people can show they're brave."
Leo took a second to think about it. "You mean like when I stood up to Devack?"
Akiza nodded. "You fought in your sister's place for so long, even though you aren't a Signer. You're very brave, Leo. Don't ever doubt that."
Leo nodded. "Thanks Aki. Guess I'll just have to be brave for both you and Luna!"
"You do just that," Akiza said with a smile.
'That way you can focus on serving the needs of Yusei and Yugi,' Maid Akiza pointed out. The Foot Signer sighed. If her dark side was quiet, it was her submissive side that spoke up. If she focused on quieting Maid Akiza, then her dark side would rise up again. Akiza knew it was a cycle that was only going to end up with her giving in, but she had to stay strong. For Yusei.
'Exactly.'
Akiza stifled a growl.
Chaos Movement HQ
Allana Hikari, for the first time she could remember, saw nothing but darkness. She felt the Master's power within her, giving her strength, restoring her vision, and opening her eyes to a new power she'd never felt before when she basked in the light. A small giggle escaped her lips as she twirled about the room she and Draco were currently occupying. Her cape had been turned a dark purple, but it wasn't merely her attire that had been changed by the Master's dark power. Her hair had been unbound in the rush and raven streaks permeated throughout her blonde hair. A glance in the mirror on the way to the special room the Master had provided for both of them had revealed some more changes brought by the darkness. The most noticeable of these changes was that the white of her left eye had been turned black. Her nails had turned black as well; ragged at the edges, if one looked closely. Allana didn't care. She had been born anew!
Draco watched Allana prance about like a doe, seemingly uncaring how silly she seemed currently. He was rattled by the sudden change in both her appearance and her demeanor. Was this another punishment for Thomas? He knew the Master liked to push his buttons, but this seemed a bit much. He glanced at his surroundings. Normally this room was but another Dueling chamber, a big Dueling arena that even Seto Kaiba would have accepted as good enough for him, but the Master's power had warped reality and now…now Draco wasn't entirely sure what was going on. His side of the room looked like a dragon's lair, golden coins and jeweled relics scattered across the floor. A small pool of lava bubbled about ten yards away, no doubt more aesthetic flavoring for his dragon themed Deck.
The self-proclaimed Master of Dragons flipped a coin he'd picked up and caught it. It was unlike any coin he'd ever seen, a wyrm exquisitely detailed gracing each side. The Master was going all out for this final battle. He'd wanted to inspect the lava pool, but the intense heat radiating from it had dissuaded him. It suited a dragon user like himself, but Allana's side of the room was as red a flag as the gaze of his Dragon Ruler of Infernos. When Draco had learned that he was to team up with Allana when the Signers invaded, he'd expected her side to be one of light, of purity, and of hope. Yet it was as though light and darkness were in conflict with one another.
A forest bordered the edge of Allana's side, at first glance bright and vibrant; yet the tree's shadows were too dark, deep pools of impenetrable black. The light trying to pierce the darkness even had a sickly tinge to it, a hue making it seem false, a poor caricature of the real thing. Corruption was evident in both of them, unnatural and ominous, a poison which resulted in perpetual twilight. It was a fitting parallel for whatever the Master had done to her.
Allana twirled a few more times, as though enjoying the feeling of her cloak swirling about her, until she noticed Draco's observing gaze. "Tell me Draco, do you like what you see?" She sauntered over to him, the sway in her hips exaggerated. Her clothing was normally modest enough, but the outfit she wore definitely emphasized her womanly curves. Her jeans were lavender, so tight they could've been painted on. Her blouse clung tight to her frame, far more cleavage than what she normally would deem appropriate. It was Allana, but at the same time it wasn't.
Draco narrowed his eyes. The Allana he knew would never have done that, not for him. "Physically, yes, I'll not deny that. I already know you're committed to Thomas though, so save it. You don't interest me."
The Lady of Light pouted. "And there's nothing I can do to change that? It's true I may be committed to Thomas, but he's not here right now and I've never felt so free!" She took another step forward, a darkness in her eyes that sent a shiver down the Ruler of Dragon's spine.
Draco didn't want to incur the wrath of the Black Dragon. He'd made that mistake once before and did not wish to make it again. He drew a card from his Duel Disk and played it. "Redox, Dragon Ruler of Boulders, appear!" A large, sturdy brown dragon reminiscent of a rocky ankylosaur rose up from the ground between them, blocking Allana's path with a low growl. "I do not wish to strike you, Allana. Thomas would have my head. However, he'd do much worse if I took advantage of you in your current state." His stare met Allana's oddly colored eyes. "You need to control the dark power that is inside of you, only then will I even consider your offer. Until then, leave me to my thoughts." With that, Draco spun around, his teal cloak flaring dramatically as he strode off, Redox snorting at Allana before fading from existence.
Allana frowned. She felt the power within her. It was true that she wasn't quite in full control of it, she'd barely had it for ten minutes. No longer was she merely the Lady of Light. The Master had opened her eyes to the truth. Chaos was a natural part of life. Light and darkness, life and death, there was no need for balance. Only chaos.
Satellite Highway
Crow LP: 3700
Crow Speed Counters: 3
Blackwing – Armed Wing: Atk 2300, Def 1000, LV 6
Blackwing – Shura the Blue Flame: Atk 1800, Def 1200, LV 4
Blackwing – Silverwind the Ascendant: Atk 2800, Def 2000, LV 8
Thomas LP: 3600
Thomas Speed Counters: 3
Red-Eyes Flare Metal Dragon: Atk 2800, Def 2400, Rank 7, Overlay Units 2
Red-Eyes Darkness Metal Dragon: Atk 2800, Def 2400, LV 10
Crow looked at the new Red-Eyes monster. It certainly appeared to be an embodiment of hatred, as Thomas had declared. It wasn't stronger than his Silverwind the Ascendant, nor was Thomas' Red-Eyes Darkness Metal Dragon. Crow's other Blackwings were vulnerable, but he could withstand this assault easily enough and strike back harder. "Bring it on, you bastard!" he shouted as they zoomed down the highway, passing by a group of Satellites who were trying and failing to put out the red flames that served as their Turbo Track.
"Consider it brought!" Thomas said, his black draconic Duel Runner not far behind Crow's Blackbird. "Red-Eyes Flare Metal Dragon, unleash hell's flames upon his Blackwing – Armed Wing! Hellfire of Hatred!" The demonic looking Red-Eyes monster shook the track with its screech, black flames frothing around its mouth as the Red-Eyes Flare Metal Dragon inhaled deeply.
"I activate my Blackwing – Silverwind the Ascendant's ability!" Crow said quickly, his Blackwing Synchro monster holding up his now glowing blade. "Once per turn, he can prevent a Blackwing monster from being destroyed!"
Crow glanced back in time to see a triumphant smirk on Thomas' face. "You're so predictable. You just triggered my Red-Eyes Flare Metal Dragon's special ability! While it has Overlay Units, every time you activate a card effect, be it Spell, Trap, or Monster, you take five hundred points of damage! And while you saved your monster from being destroyed, you'll still take the damage!"
"Say what?!" Crow gasped. The implications of what that meant chilled his rage for a moment. He used a lot of effects, and didn't have many counters to burn damage. The next thing he knew, he was being bathed in black flames from the XYZ monster. He couldn't hold back a cry as the flames licked at him, feeling as though he was being burned alive. The pain ended in time for him to see Red-Eyes Flare Metal Dragon fire a blast of black and dark red flames at his Blackwing – Armed Wing. The Blackwing Synchro took the blast head on, letting out a cry as the flames licked at the birdman before Silverwind the Ascendant rescued Armed Wing from the blaze.
Crow LP: 2700
"Now then, let's get rid of that Silverwind the Ascendant," Thomas continued, no mercy or mirth in his tone. "Red-Eyes Darkness Metal Dragon, attack Blackwing – Silverwind the Ascendant!"
"But why?!" Crow asked, peering back at Thomas. "They have the same attack points!"
"I have my reasons," Thomas said simply. "Go Red-Eyes! Darkness Giga Blast!" The Darkness Metal Dragon roared and fired a crackling dark sphere of flames at Crow's Silverwind. Crow's monster saw the blast coming and threw Armed Wing out of the line of fire whilst simultaneously flinging his long katana at Red-Eyes Darkness Metal Dragon. The blade pierced the Red-Eyes monster's heart while its blast disintegrated Blackwing – Silverwing the Ascendant at the same time.
"They were both destroyed!" Crow noted grimly. He saw why Thomas had attacked his Armed Wing first. Thomas knew about Silverwind's effect and had known Crow would use it to save one of his Blackwings if they were attacked, but Crow hadn't counted on Thomas' willingness to sacrifice one of his monsters to take out one of Crow's stronger monsters. The Tail Signer felt the spark of anger reignite in his heart. Not only did he work for the Chaos Movement, but he disrespected his own monsters like that just for a small chance at the upper hand. No way was he going to let him get away with that. "You'll pay for that!"
"Then let's see you try to collect!" Thomas countered. "I now activate my Red-Eyes Flare Metal Dragon's ability! By removing an Overlay Unit, I can Special Summon any Red-Eyes monster from my Graveyard!"
"You what?!" Crow could only watch as one of the black spheres orbiting the Red-Eyes XYZ monster broke away from the orbit and became a portal, through which the Red-Eyes Darkness Metal Dragon flew and announced its presence with a roar.
Red-Eyes Flare Metal Dragon Overlay Units: 1
Red-Eyes Darkness Metal Dragon: Atk 2800, Def 2400, LV 10
"I then activate my revived Red-Eyes Darkness Metal Dragon's special ability!" Thomas continued. "Once per turn, I can Special Summon any Dragon from my hand or Graveyard! Return to me, the anger of my soul, Red-Eyes Black Dragon!" It was the Darkness Metal Dragon's turn to create a portal, this one of red and black flames through which the famous Black Dragon flew and screeched a challenge at Crow's Blackwings.
Red-Eyes Black Dragon: Atk 2400, Def 2000, LV 7
"I place a card facedown and end my turn," the Black Dragon finished, looking up at his array of dragons with pride, particularly his Red-Eyes Black Dragon. He loved his great-grandfather's card, as it had rarely let him down in Duels. He could only hope that Great-Grandpa Joey could forgive him for opposing Yugi and his friends. "Make your move, Crow!"
"It's my turn!" Crow announced. "I draw!"
Crow Speed Counters: 4
Thomas Speed Counters: 4
He glanced at the card he'd drawn. He didn't smile, but was still glad that his Deck had responded to him once again. This was going to sting, but it would be worth it. He had a way to turn this around. "I Summon the Tuner monster, Blackwing – Blizzard the Far North in Attack mode!" A white pudgy bird with black feathers along its head and wings appeared, gliding next to Crow's Runner.
Blackwing – Blizzard the Far North: Atk 1300, Def 0, LV 2
"Now Blizzard the Far North's ability activates!" the Tail Signer announced. "I can bring back a Level four or lower Blackwing from my Graveyard!"
"Because you activated a special ability, my Red-Eyes Flare Metal Dragon will now burn you again for five hundred points of damage!" Thomas interrupted. "Go Flames of Hatred!" His XYZ monster roared and flapped its wings, black flames striking Crow on the side. The attack elicited a gasp of pain from the Blackwing Duelist, who glared sidelong at the offending dragon. Somehow, its unreadable face was smug.
Crow LP: 2200
Crow grimaced as he felt his now tender side. Good. This was supposed to hurt. He wasn't going to stop until the Chaos Movement was no more. He owed that much to her. "I bring back my Blackwing – Bora the Spear in Defense mode!" The birdman wielding a large lance appeared next to Blizzard the Far North, lance held protectively.
Blackwing – Bora the Spear: Atk 1700, Def 800, LV 4
"I now Tune my Level six Blackwing – Armed Wing with my Level two Blackwing – Blizzard the Far North!" the Tail Signer continued. The white feathered Blackwing let out a squawk before turning into two bright stars. Those stars expanded into green rings, into which the Blackwing Synchro monster flew and transformed to six more stars. "Darkened gale, become the wings that soar from resolved hope!" Crow's Mark of the Crimson Dragon shone as brightly as the light that came from the rings. "Synchro Summon! Soar to power, Black Winged Dragon!" Crow's face was stony as his Signer Dragon appeared, the roar coming from Black Winged Dragon sending a chill into Thomas. It was a roar of vengeance, as evidenced when the white wings of the Black Winged Dragon turned black, red highlights along each feather.
Black Winged Dragon: Atk 2800, Def 1600, LV 8
Thomas glared at the angry Black Winged Dragon. "I'm looking forward to destroying that beast."
"I'm not going to let that happen!" Crow countered. "I activate the Speed Spell – Angel Baton! Now I can draw two cards but only if I discard one!"
Thomas watched his XYZ monster begin to move again. "That triggers Red-Eyes Flare Metal Dragon's special ability! You would take five hundred more points of damage, except…"
"Nice to see you didn't forget the last time I kicked your butt," Crow growled. "My Black Winged Dragon will absorb your effect damage and gain a Black Feather Counter, which will lower his Attack by seven hundred! Go Damage Drain!" Several of the red highlights on the lower part for Black Winged Dragon's wings turned pitch black after the Signer Dragon intercepted the stream of black fire Red-Eyes Flare Metal Dragon had launched at Crow, signifying the addition of the Black Feather Counter.
Black Winged Dragon Atk: 2100
Black Feather Counters: 1
"I then activate my Trap card, Blackboost!" the Tail Signer continued. "Since I control a Blackwing monster, I now draw two cards! You'll try to burn me with your Red-Eyes, but my Black Winged Dragon will just absorb the damage!" He drew two cards as his Dragon intercepted the XYZ monster's attack once more, the bottom half of his wings now fully black.
Black Winged Dragon Atk: 1400
Black Feather Counters: 2
Crow glanced at the two cards he'd pulled. Perfect. "I place two cards facedown, then activate Black Winged Dragon's special ability! By removing all the Black Feather Counters on my Black Winged Dragon, I can inflict seven hundred points of damage to both you and a monster I choose!" He looked back at Thomas, an angry smile on his face. "Since your Red-Eyes Flare Metal Dragon's ability activates automatically, it gives me one more Black Feather Counter on my Black Winged Dragon, so you take twenty-one hundred points of damage and your Red-Eyes Flare Metal Dragon will lose twenty-one hundred Attack points! Go Black Winged Dragon! Black Burst!" Crow's Signer Dragon roared, the feathers on his wings regaining their red highlights as it created a crackling orb of black electricity between its legs.
"You may think you've turned my dragon's power against me," Thomas began, meeting Crow's gaze as he pulled up beside him. "But I came prepared! Your anger is but a candle compared to mine! I activate my Trap, Damage Polarizer! Now the damage you're sending my way is negated and we both get to draw one card from our Decks!" Red-Eyes Flare Metal Dragon let out a roar of pain as the Black Winged Dragon hit it with the Black Burst, but the black lightning avoided Thomas altogether.
Red-Eyes Flare Metal Dragon Atk: 700
Crow scowled at that. Once again he let his monsters take the fall for him. It infuriated the Tail Signer to no end. "Black Winged Dragon, attack Red-Eyes Flare Metal Dragon! We'll show Thomas just how powerful this 'candle' can be! Noble Stream!" The Signer Dragon fired a blast of red tinged with black, striking down the XYZ monster and knocking Thomas off his Runner with the backlash of the attack. Given the high speeds they were going, Thomas skipped along the ground a few times before rolling to a halt.
Thomas LP: 1500
Crow slowed to a stop as soon as he saw Thomas fall off his Runner. "Get up, you asshole! I'm not going to let you off that easy! You and your friends are going to pay for what you did!"
Thomas laid still on the ground, assessing the damage. His left arm was definitely dislocated, judging by the pain that would have had nearly any other man howling in agony. His biker jacket had helped prevent the pavement from tearing the skin off his arms. Turbo Duels were always fraught with risk, especially Shadow Turbo Duels, and he'd accepted the risks from the start. Anything to save Allana. He pushed himself up with his good arm, trying to think through the pain on how to reset his shoulder. Crow's mad barking wasn't helping matters. 'Alright Thomas, thumb inwards, clench your hand, ignore the pain, breath deep, aaaand.' He let himself fall to the ground, shoulder slamming to the ground and he couldn't hold back the shout as he felt a white hot lance shoot up his shoulder before the pain lessoned in a merciful rush. 'Ow.'
Crow watched the man reset his dislocated shoulder. He couldn't help but feel a grudging respect for Thomas. He'd been similarly injured against Grieger and had managed to get back onto his Runner, now Thomas was doing the same. "Let's go!"
Thomas' red eyes glared at him. "If you knew what was about to come, Crow, you wouldn't be so eager. I'll send you to your beloved Dani soon enough."
"Don't you dare say her name!" Crow shouted, "You didn't hold her as she died in your arms, powerless to save her!"
'He's right in that regard,' Thomas thought with a pang of guilt. 'I should be there for Allana, but at least I'm giving her a fighting chance through me. That's why I can't fail. I will save you!'
"So I'm going to make you all pay, first with you, then with your Movement. You aren't going to stop me!" Crow declared. He watched Thomas gingerly remount his Runner before revving his engines. Unable to contain his energy, he punched the hull of his runner. A trickle of blood seeped out from under his gloves, down between his fingers. "Let's go!"
"You're going to wish I'd stayed down soon enough," Thomas growled, more to himself than to Crow.
"I place two cards facedown, switch Blackwing – Shura the Blue Flame to Defense mode, and end my turn," Crow finished as the aforementioned Blackwing crouched down. 'I'd like to see him try and take down my Black-Winged Dragon with that same stunt he did to take down Silverwind.'
Blackwing Shura the Blue Flame Def: 1200
"It's my turn!" Thomas shouted, drawing a card.
Crow Speed Counters: 5
Thomas Speed Counters: 5
The Black Dragon reached for his Graveyard. "I activate my Red-Eyes Darkness Metal Dragon's Special ability! Once per turn I can bring back any dragon from the Graveyard or from my hand! Return to me, the embodiment of hate, Red-Eyes Flare Metal Dragon!"
"Not this time!" Crow interrupted as the Red-Eyes Darkness Metal Dragon opened its maw to create another portal. Thomas hesitated. "I activate my Trap, Blackbird Close! I have to sacrifice a Blackwing monster to activate it, but in doing so, I can negate your Darkness Metal Dragon's special ability and destroy it! I sacrifice my Blackwing – Bora the Spear to take down your Red-Eyes Darkness Metal Dragon!" Bora the Spear transformed into a lance of black light and speared the Red-Eyes Darkness Metal Dragon, causing it to disintegrate into nothing before it could create its portal.
Thomas scowled, in both pain and annoyance. "So you stopped one of my Dragons. See if I care!"
"Oh I'll make you care," Crow said, rage undercutting his tone. "My Trap would have another effect of bringing out my Black Winged Dragon from my Extra Deck, but seeing as it's already out, there's no need to worry about that."
"Your Black Winged Dragon will be in the Graveyard soon enough," Thomas said. The flames serving as their Turbo Track suddenly seemed to become agitated, shapes of dragons leaping from the flames.
Crow saw one flame dragon flit across his windshield. "What the…"
"My dragons hunger for vengeance. They rage against their untimely demise," Thomas said slowly, allowing his own anger to grow. The darkness was a powerful ally, and he knew how to control it with his rage. "And so this new beast I'm about to unleash upon this Duel will hear the cry of the fallen souls of dragons and use them to obliterate you, Crow!"
"Bring it on!" Crow shouted.
"I sacrifice my Red-Eyes Black Dragon," Thomas said. His famous black dragon turned into black flames that disappeared into the wall of flames. "The dragon of darkness shall evolve, from the shadows it will rise to bring about your demise, the souls of its brethren shall fuel its fury as it leads me on the road to victory! I Special Summon the Red-Eyes Darkness Dragon!" There was an explosion in the sky above the Duel as red and black flames came together, hardening into scales and claws. The dragon that appeared reminded Crow of the Red-Eyes Darkness Metal Dragon, only with flesh and blood instead of pitch dark metal.
Red-Eyes Darkness Dragon: Atk 2400, Def 2000, LV 9
"Now my Red-Eyes Darkness Dragon's ability activates!" Thomas explained as several more dragons appeared in the flames, flying next to the two Duelists. "He gains three hundred Attack points for every Dragon in my Graveyard!"
"For each one?!" Crow repeated, seeing two Red-Eyes Black Dragons, Keeper of the Shrine, Red-Eyes Flare Metal Dragon, Red-Eyes Darkness Metal Dragon, and Assault Wyvern appear in flame form, getting drawn into the Red-Eyes Darkness Dragon, the red jewels on its being glowing dangerously.
Red-Eyes Darkness Dragon Atk: 4200
"Now go Red-Eyes Darkness Dragon, attack Black Winged Dragon!" Thomas shouted, pulling ahead of Crow.
"I won't let you do that!" Crow yelled, "I activate my Trap, Black Wing! By removing Blackwing – Bora the Spear from my Graveyard, I can negate any attack from monsters with two thousand or more Attack points this turn!"
"How naïve," Thomas said, triumph in his voice. "I activate my Trap card Wiretap! Now instead of your Trap activating, it gets returned to your Deck! That'll leave your Black Winged Dragon open to attack! Go Inferno Darkfire!" It was the Tail Signer's turn to spin out of control, as the explosion from the Red-Eyes Darkness Dragon's Attack completely wiped out Black Winged Dragon. With the skill brought from years of riding, Crow managed to stay upright, but barely.
Crow LP: 800
"Let's see you come back from this!" Thomas taunted. "Or you could just surrender, either way you're going to see Dani soon enough! I doubt she'll be happy to see you after your failure, though."
Something snapped inside of Crow. How dare this man presume to know what Dani thought. How dare he use her name. How dare he endanger the world he loved, the kids he took care of!
Something in the recesses of his mind told him that this was the path of self-destruction, but he didn't care. This was supposed to hurt. Crow could feel his fellow Signers through their bond.
He felt Akiza's grief, amidst the chaos surrounding her mind. She'd mentioned how she needed another female friend around, one who wasn't as obsessed about Jack as Carly was, but still loved Dueling as much as Akiza did.
He felt Luna's sadness. A girl that young dragged into a war this intense, it wasn't right in Crow's eyes. She was being forced to mature long before she should have, and that only increased his rage.
He felt Yusei's guilt. He felt responsible for Dani's death. She'd died saving him, he better feel some guilt. Crow knew Yusei would get over it eventually, but for now, the Tail Signer just wanted to take in the pain.
He felt Jack's anger. Anger at being left out of an important Duel. Anger at the Chaos Movement for putting people through all this madness. Anger at being away from Carly. It wasn't much, not compared to Crow's rage, but it was better than nothing.
He operated on instinct, drawing in the negative emotions from his fellow Signers. His Mark of the Crimson Dragon burned, but he didn't care. Nothing else mattered anymore, other than destroying the man facing him, and all who worked for him.
Outside Chaos Movement HQ
The gang had just arrived at the site of their last battle, where victory had been turned into such a resounding loss, when Crow snapped. The four Signers grabbed at their arms, feeling the pain that Crow felt.
"Yusei!" Yugi exclaimed, trying to help however he could.
"It's Crow," the Head Signer gritted out, feeling some of his guilt leaving him as Crow somehow absorbed their darkness into himself. "Something's going horribly wrong!"
"That idiot better not lose his Duel," Jack growled, doing his best to bear the pain stoically. He hated showing weakness, especially in front of someone like Kaiba.
Kaiba's attention wasn't on the Wings Signer though, but on the Claw Signer. Ever since Luna had grabbed her arm in pain, he'd been at her side, offering to help alongside a frantic Leo. "It hurts!" she gasped out before her Mark flared up brightly, then faded from sight.
"The Crimson Dragon's power!" Akiza exclaimed, glad for the relief from the pain. Even her other selves were quiet for the moment, contemplating what this turn of events signified.
"Crow's taking it, but at what cost?" Yusei asked quietly, looking off into the distance at the kanji in the sky.
Satellite Highway
The Tail Signer could feel the completed Mark of the Crimson Dragon burning its way onto his chest. This was wrong, but it felt so right. The top card on his Deck began to glow a sickly purple color. A glance down saw the Mark of the Crimson Dragon glow a black glow. Maybe this was the path to evil. Crow didn't care. He just wanted to take down the Chaos Movement. He was no longer a mere Signer. He was an avenger, sworn to destroy his enemies by any means necessary.
Thomas looked back and saw the glowing black Mark. He gasped. "What does that mean?!"
"It means you're done for you, sonuva bitch!" Crow snarled, placing two fingers on the top of his Deck. "It's my turn, I DRAW!"
Crow Speed Counters: 6
Thomas Speed Counters: 6
Crow looked at the new card he'd drawn. It was the manifestation of his rage. Just like Majestic Dragon had been a savior for his friends, this dragon was now going to be an agent of destruction.
Chaos Movement HQ
The Master stood in his room, face impassive as he observed this turn of events. He didn't say anything. He didn't feel the need to. This was the final turn, either way. Thomas would either die, or he'd live long enough to see what he'd done to Allana. Personally, he really hoped Thomas would live to see what he'd done.
Satellite Highway
"I activate my Trap, Descending Lost Star!" Crow shouted. "I can bring back any Synchro Monster from my Graveyard in Defense mode, but it can't change battle modes, it loses all its Defense points, its level is reduced by one, and its special abilities are negated!"
"Then it's useless to you!" Thomas exclaimed.
"Not quite," Crow growled as his Signer Dragon rose up in front of him, wings held up to guard its body. "It's going to help take you down once again!"
Black Winged Dragon: Atk 2800, Def 0, LV 7
"Since I control a Blackwing with a different name, I can Special Summon Blackwing – Harmattan the Dust to the field in Defense mode!" Crow announced. A black stork-like bird with a green belly and red feathers ringing its head appeared, guarding itself well.
Blackwing – Harmattan the Dust: Atk 800, Def 800, LV 2
"I choose not to activate his special ability," the enraged Tail Signer continued, holding up the glowing purple card, "and instead Summon the Tuner monster Destroyer Dragon to the field!" Thomas had seen images of the Majestic Dragon when it had appeared in other Duels against the Chaos Movement, so he wasn't surprised to see a familiar shape emerge, but it was as though someone had taken the Majestic Dragon and twisted it, turned it evil. Where it had been pink before, it was a deep purple color and had several wicked spikes growing from its body.
Destroyer Dragon: Atk 0, Def 0, LV 1
"You're going to pay for all that you've done, right here and now!" Crow declared. "I Tune Level seven Black Winged Dragon and my Level two Blackwing – Harmattan the Dust with my Level one Destroyer Dragon!"
"What could he be bringing out?" Thomas murmured to himself, watching the Destroyer Dragon swell in size and engulf Crow's other two monsters, who appeared to be in a bit of pain.
"Darkened squalls, become the avenger born from rage and show our foe the true meaning of fury!" Crow chanted as darkness erupted from the summoning. "Synchro Summon! Unleash your hate, Destroyer Black Dragon!" Much like how Destroyer Dragon had been a dark version of Majestic Dragon, this Destroyer Black Dragon that emerged from the black mists looked like an evil version of the Black Winged Dragon. Its wings had turned into six bat-like wings, each tipped with spikes. Its legs had thickened into sturdy black spiked legs, strong enough to walk on compared to Black Winged Dragon. The beak on Black Winged Dragon had shortened and turned red with black highlights, gaining a razor sharp curve to it that made it look lethal.
Destroyer Black Dragon: Atk 3900, Def 2000, LV 10
Thomas snorted. "Good effort Crow, but you're three hundred Attack points short."
Crow glared at the Black Dragon, no mercy in his eyes. "Destroyer Black Dragon's ability activates! It can negate the ability of one monster on your side of the field and deal damage to you equal to half of the original Attack points of all monsters on your side of the field! Go, Black Hatred!" His newest Synchro monster roared, dark lightning emanating off its body and shocking both Thomas and Red-Eyes Darkness Dragon.
Red-Eyes Darkness Dragon Atk: 2400
Thomas LP: 300
"I'm not done!" Crow continued. "Destroyer Black Dragon gains Attack points equal to the amount of damage it just inflicted!" His dragon roared in response, drawing in power from the environment.
Destroyer Black Dragon Atk: 5100
Thomas met Crow's gaze, red eyes locking with grey. "Then unleash your hate upon this Duel and see if you can stop me!"
That set off an alarm bell in the back of Crow's mind, but he was beyond caring at this point. "Destroyer Black Dragon, attack Red-Eyes Darkness Dragon! Blackheart Stream!" Destroyer Black Dragon roared, darkness gathering in its mouth.
Thomas grinned. "I activate my Trap!"
"Traps won't work on my Destroyer Black Dragon!" Crow roared, eager for the taste of revenge.
"I'm not using it on your Dragon," Thomas explained. Crow's blood ran cold when he saw the card flip up just as Destroyer Black Dragon fired its blast. "I activate Dimension Wall! Now you take the damage I would have taken!" A mirror appeared in front of his Runner as his Red-Eyes Darkness Dragon was obliterated by the Destroyer Black Dragon's blast. The attack reflected off the barrier and back to Crow, who'd frozen, knowing he'd been played. The explosion swallowed him and his Runner, while the completed Mark of the Crimson Dragon shattered off of Crow's chest.
Crow LP: 0
Chaos Movement Entrance
"No," Yusei gasped, feeling his Mark burning its way back onto his arm. This felt just like when Akiza lost. "Crow!"
"That idiot," Jack muttered. Crow could take on a simple Red-Eyes user. Jack was sure of it.
Kaiba rolled his eyes. "If your friend couldn't defeat a Red-Eyes Black Dragon, then he's even more pathetic than Wheeler."
"You can't mean," Yugi gasped, looking off into the distance. The Crimson Dragon appeared in the skies next to the kanji for potential and let out a keening cry, mourning the loss of another Signer. "We have to move quickly. We have to take down the Master!"
Chaos Movement, The Master's Chambers
"You can certainly try," the Master chuckled to himself, feeling some of his dark power moving towards Thomas. Now that Crow had lost, it was time to enact his own brand of ironic fate upon the Tail Signer. The ritual was almost complete. He didn't even care if the Signers entered the Movement. Hell, he wanted the Signers to see this. The Master pressed a button on his desk. Oh, how it amused him to see the looks of surprise on his foes faces when the wall that hid his Movement split in two, revealing the elevator that would take the Signers to their ultimate doom. Making sure his hidden speakers were working outside, he addressed his enemies. "Welcome to my humble abode! Your time on this planet is coming to an end, step inside and let us make it as painful as possible!"
There was a moment's pause as they appeared to be surprised by the new power behind the Master's voice before Jack spoke up. "Why don't you get your ass out here and face us like a man?!"
"HA!" Oh how Atlas tickled the Master. "I am far beyond the boundaries of a mere human being. You are nothing to a god! So step inside and come face your destiny!"
"You won't get away with this!" Yusei vowed, determination masking the fear the Master could sense from his being. "We will stop you, no matter what it takes!"
"Oh believe me Fudo, I'm counting on it! HehehehehahahahahaHAHAHAHAHA!" the Master ended the transmission, letting his laughter echo around his chamber and the courtyard.
Satellite Highway
Crow had spun out and crashed from the explosion, his Runner skidding several yards away. Thomas pulled up next to him, observing his fallen foe. The flames surrounding them died, unnoticed by either Duelist. Crow felt so weak, he could barely push himself up to meet Thomas' harsh gaze. "You beat me…just promise me one thing."
Thomas could feel the Master's power going to work on his former foe. "If I can manage it."
The Tail Signer could barely keep his eyes open. "Watch over the kids I was taking care of. Especially Kibo." With that, he passed out, darkness hiding his form as the Master's power went to work on Crow.
Thomas' gaze softened. Even after defeat with the stakes at the highest, Crow still thought of his loved ones. Perhaps he wasn't too different after all. "I will." Even after his victory, he still felt empty inside. Was this truly the path he should take? He simply wanted to make the world a better place. A sudden squawk got his attention. He glanced down at where Crow had fallen. Where the Tail Signer had lain, a crow now stood, orange feathers on its head. With a caw, the crow took off, flying for places unknown before it disappeared in a flash of purple and gold. The Black Dragon wasn't sure what to make of the irony.
He was about to message the base when an incoming call started ringing on his Runner. When he saw the caller ID, his heart soared for joy. "Allana," he whispered. The Master was true to his word. He accepted the call and froze in shock.
"Congratulations, Thomas!" Allana Hikari cooed, her voice sensual. "You've brought us one step closer to our goals! I'm so proud of you!"
"What did he do to you?!" Thomas gasped. The new look on his loved one sent quakes down him, fear and repulsion he'd never before known.
"Who, the Master?" Allana giggled. "He opened my eyes to your world! I had no idea that the darkness could feel this good!" Her voice quavered with ecstasy, tinged with something else, something foul.
Thomas felt his mouth go dry. This wasn't his Allana. Technically, it was, but she looked corrupted. "Please, Allana, think about what you're saying! The Master's using you! You're not a dark person, you're not me! You're my shining light Allana, my beacon of hope! You're my only path out of the darkness! What'll I do if you're down in the dark with me?"
Allana rolled her mismatched eyes. "Please, it's not like I've completely entered the darkness. I'm now a being of light AND dark, because the Master's shown me the truth! The world is chaos, Thomas! We are simply restoring the world to its natural state before humans came along!"
"Just hang tight, Allana," Thomas said, putting on his helmet. He had to get back to the Chaos Movement. "I'll be right there and we can set things right." His screen turned to static for a moment before the Master's face appeared. "YOU!"
"Yes, me, were you expecting maybe the Easter Bunny?" the Master began. "I must say, I'm actually pleased with your win. Tell you what, Tommy my dear boy. You win your next Duel and I'll set Allana back to her prissy little lightbulb self. I'll be disappointed, but that'd be the least of my disappointments, compared to everyone's failures the past couple of days."
"YOU CHANGE HER BACK!" Thomas roared, flecks of saliva spraying from his mouth, so great was his rage.
"DON'T YOU YELL AT ME, BOY!" the Master yelled back, the outburst shocking Thomas out of his anger. "You'll have another Duel soon enough. Just wait there and let the big boys settle things." With that, he cut the transmission and left Thomas stunned. This deal he'd made with the Master was getting worse all the time.
Chaos Movement Entrance
"You heard the freakshow, let's go!" Jack said, making for the now open entrance. "This guy wants to think himself a god, does he? Well then we'll just show him like we showed Goodwin!"
"Wait a second, guys," Yusei said, the Wings Signer halting in a huff.
"Make it quick," he growled. "The sooner we get in there, the sooner we can avenge Crow!"
Yusei looked at him. "But don't you see? Vengeance is what got Crow into his mess in the first place. We need to go in with clear heads. This is it, guys. We either win here, or we let the Master do to the world whatever he wants. Every card we've played so far has led up to this. If anyone wants to leave now, I won't blame you." His gaze lingered on Leo and Luna.
Luna's grey-gold eyes met Yusei's. "We're with you all the way."
"We're a team til the end," Leo added.
"I wouldn't be anywhere else but by your side," Akiza said.
Yugi glanced at Yusei. "Well, I guess that's that. Let's get going."
Kaiba's voice from the entrance got their attention. "If you dweebs are done with your little pep talk, then get in here and let's get a move on!"
Martha's Orphanage
Martha looked out the window, holding a little three-year-old girl on her hip. The skies had turned ominous in the past few hours, giving her an ache in her bones. Whatever Yusei and his friends were doing, she only hoped that they would stop it soon. Goodness knows how much more stress she could take. Blister was a great help in keeping the older kids entertained, but sometimes running an orphanage, especially in the middle of a crisis in the Satellite of all places, could be too much.
The three-year-old she was holding spoke up. "Martha, where's Mommy?"
"She's out there helping Crow and his friends fight those bad guys that attacked earlier," Martha explained patiently. "I've told you this plenty of times already, Kibo." About an hour ago, Kibo had woken up from her nap crying, saying that her dragon friends were really sad because her Mommy had gone away, never to return. Martha had done her best to reassure Kibo that everything was alright, but the look in Kibo's eyes told Martha that she wasn't going to be sure until her mommy returned. She looked out the window again, out into the Satellite. "Please, Yusei, bring everyone home safe."
Chaos Movement Elevator
The elevator was spacious enough for everyone to fit in comfortably. Everyone had their Duel Disks ready. No one said a word. They all knew what was about to happen. Did they have doubts, any private, traitorous thoughts? Perhaps. Yet no one said a word, not when Yusei pressed the bottom button on the elevator, not when it started to move down into the bowels of the Chaos Movement, not as the floors started to slowly move by. Not a word. The elevator came to a slow stop, a simple ding their answer. When the doors didn't open, Yusei shared a wary glance with Yugi. Then the floor gave way and the silence was broken by everyone's shouts of surprise.
"Yusei!" Akiza shouted, reaching desperately for him.
Yusei reached back, felt her hand graze his before they were separated by tubes, each carrying a part of their group away. "Akiza!" He could do nothing to stop his slide, unable to see anything other than Yugi's spiky hair as the two legendary Duelists slid down the tube, finally being dumped onto a deep purple carpet. Yusei was on his feet instantly, taking stock of his surroundings. The corridor was lit by alternating black and white flames, the walls swirling with all the colors in the visible spectrum. Golden highlights on the purple carpet pointed towards a large door at the end of the hall, a twisted yin-yang symbol emblazoned on the door. The Head Signer could feel the power that rested behind that door. It was chilling.
"I think we're here," Yugi joked as he gingerly got back to his feet.
"Are you ready?" Yusei asked, glancing at his shorter companion.
The Eye of Wdjat appeared on Yugi's head briefly as the Pharaoh took over. "I am. Let's do this." Together, the two legendary Duelists walked towards the doors of chaos, hoping their friends were alright, and ready to fight to save the world.
The doors slid open with an ear-wrenching squeal. Impenetrable darkness lay behind. From within that mire of black came a voice, both softly seductive and immensely insane: "Noble duelists, patriots of your times, please, step inside…the violence."
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Aren't I the worst? The final battle is fast approaching! We'll see what the Master's final plan is next chapter, as well as where everyone who isn't Yugi and Yusei have fallen. Destroyer Black Dragon and Destroyer Dragon are owned by me, as I decided to explore something a little…unusual. Basically, what if the Crimson Dragon's power got used for evil, as we saw there, but Thomas had something to survive and defeat Crow's hatred. Next chapter is going to be the beginning of the climactic battle, Chaos Unleashed! Hope you all enjoyed the chapter!
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Question for the Chapter: Something has come up as I start to consider plot points for Chaos Incarnate, namely the use of Duel Gazers. GX and 5D's don't have Duel Gazers, Yugi and Kaiba have, I guess prototype Duel Gazers from Dark Side of Dimensions, and of course the Zexal cast has them. I'm assuming that Heartland City made the Augmented Reality system cuz people were complaining about Duel Monsters roaming the city, but it just seems weird to give the other people Duel Gazers (not to mention it seems weird to only look at the Duel field with just one eye), so I suppose my question to you would be do you like the idea of Duel Gazers for the other legendary Duelists? Me, personally, I'm not a fan, but I'm willing to do it for the story, as maintaining continuity is rather important in these stories, but at the same time, I do have a bit of a story to get rid of Duel Gazers as well, so let me know what you think in a review!
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Speaking of reviews, I will no longer be accepting guest reviews, due to some people who can't seem to take a hint. Talk to me when I'm streaming, or make an account to leave a proper review I can respond to, but I'm not doing guest responses anymore. Well, I'm going to respond to the one guest who left a really good review here, but otherwise, that's it.
Guest: Thank you for the well thought out review, I'm glad that you're enjoying the story. I'm sorry you're not a fan of Crow, as I've grown to love that little birdie over the years. I'm glad you enjoyed Dani's character, but I'm afraid that's the last we've seen of our favorite brown-haired female Blue-Eyes Duelist, at least in physical form.
Yusei is not going to get Shooting Star Dragon this story, unfortunately, the arc of Clear Mind and achieving Accel Synchro is a little too important for it to get a shortchanged version I could come up with. I did the Red Nova Dragon cameo because I'd really wanted to use that Dragon for a long time, but had written myself into a corner with where I'd taken the characters in their respective stories. Yusei won't be getting a rematch against Matthias or Bario, there'll be others to avenge that battle. I'm not sure about making him an Anti-Hero, because it's still Yusei, but that's stuff for later chapters of this story. As for Junk Speeder and the Stardust Warriors, well, I'm going to use what cards I can to make this story as great as it can be. Yusei is definitely not a torture device, at least not in my eyes, so you won't have to worry about that. He'll be hitting back hard soon enough. I am definitely better than I was before, so thank you for the well wishes. Hope to hear from you again, hopefully from a proper account so you don't have to wait for the next chapter for a good response from me.
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Now that that's out of the way, Thoughts? Questions? Concerns? Reviews are always welcome, as is any and all respectful criticism. As an author, I'm always trying to improve and I love hearing what you guys think.
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Follow me on twitter, at nuttybuddy792 for more nutty shenanigans
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Follow me on twitch, at nuttybuddy792 if you like seeing some older Nintendo and PlayStation games being played by yours truly. (twitch dott tv forward slash nuttybuddy792)
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I've set up a Discord server, I'll try to set it so Fanfiction doesn't kill the invite link, but you will have to type it in manually. The invite link is https (colon + 2 forward slashes) discord (dott) gg (forward slash) jf25tA2
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Until the next Chapter my friends!
From your Nutty Buddy,
The Eagle Nut