It was a silent night as we took our attention to a card shop. It appeared unguarded yet it was anything but. Off to the side, a few security cards were set up in the cover of darkness, officers standing beside them, the red coated Number Hunter standing up front, a confident smirk on his face.
"So…" an officer spoke, grabbing Nistro's attention. "What are we waiting for?"
"The Number Thief of course!" he answered. "It's simple. We wait for him to attempt a robbery of this card shop, and when he does, we'll ambush him, and take him off guard!"
It was a simple yet clever plan… somewhat. Too bad they waited pretty much all night and not even a peep from the dreaded thief. Nistro was certainly not happy about it and upon the morning sunrise he stormed off in a huff. Had any of them been more observant, they would've seen the very person they were looking for hours ago on a nearby rooftop, snickering at the pitiful attempt to capture him before heading off to the other side of the city.
They tried again the next night and the night after, but to no avail. The Number Hunter was starting to lose his patience while the Number Thief would laugh at his sad attempts, like a sly fox watching a brutish wolf fail to catch its prey.
It had been 9 days since Yuma's time at the Duel Sanctuary with Roku. A few days after that was his duel with that Kite fanboy, something that due to Alex's 'job' wasn't around to witness.
"You know we were in life threatening danger right?" Tori said with a scowl, the black haired teen sweat dropping in response.
"Hey, on the bright side I got a cool new monster!" Yuma added with stars in his eyes. Astral meanwhile appeared next to the young duelist with his usual plain expression, witnessing the conversation before him.
"Good for you Yuma," Alex replied, placing a hand on his shoulder. "Anyways, class is about to begin, so we gotta go."
It went as normal as one would expect, learning about math, writing, history and science, with Yuma sleeping through it all, but at the end of class Mr. Kay had an important announcement.
"Alright students, as you may or may not already know, tomorrow is school spirit day, so please be sure to bring your relatives to join us. Class dismissed!" As everyone got up to leave, Tori pinched Yuma awake.
"Ow! I'm up, I'm up! What the heck Tori?!" he exclaimed.
"You fell asleep in class again. Did you not hear about what's happening tomorrow?" Tori responds with a huff.
"Why? Tomorrow's Saturday so there shouldn't be any school?"
"Tomorrow's school spirit day, Yuma."
"Hey Tori! Have you decided on what parents you're gonna-" Bronk interrupted before noticing Yuma standing beside them. "Oh shoot! Sorry Yuma…"
"Nah, it's fine Bronk," Yuma responded with a forced smile.
"Ya sure?" His big friend asked.
"Yeah!"
"Umm… alright… uh… Hey, Alex! We haven't really met your parents yet! Maybe we'll finally meet 'em tomorrow!" Bronk said, turning his attention to the said teen a few desks away. Alex wasn't really being talkative since the announcement (well, less talkative than usual). Upon hearing Bronk's question, he too gave a forced smile.
"Actually… My parents aren't really around right now, so…"
"Oh! Sorry, I didn't know."
"Nah… it's fine. Well, I oughta go now. See ya!"
Later Alex is up on a rooftop watching the setting sun. "Wonder how everyone is doing now that I'm gone…" He thought as his thoughts drifted back to his surrogate family. Sure, they weren't the ones to give birth to him, but they were the ones who raised him since he was a baby. They were the closest thing to a family he'd ever had. "Ma's probably searching frantically, Dad's alerted the authorities I'm sure. John and Lisa are probably taking it the hardest. They were my siblings and practical guardians all at once. Leo and Emily are sure to be upset that their best brother is now gone… I wish I could see them again…" A small roar was then heard as Dark Rebellion appeared beside Alex with a bittersweet gaze. "Yeah… can't hope for something that most likely won't happen… Besides, we've got a job to do…" And with that, the Number Thief made his way to his hideout.
Upon entering, we find it somewhat similar to how it started, with a bit more of a mess as new gadgets were seen in the middle of being constructed. Now Alex is no mechanical genius, but it helps to have a duel spirit inventor such as Perpetua to help guide him in creating these new gadgets. After grabbing his suit, he ran for the hidden door panel as it activated, and ran through the sewer to his next destination.
"Grah! Damn it!" Nistro was beyond mad. Three nights in a row, the thief had ignored his trap. "How are we gonna get that squirt! He's so slippery that comparing him to a snake would be an understatement!"
"Well… we have been trying to catch him in the same place using the same tactic," an officer spoke up. "Maybe we try another approach?"
"Oh? And what do you suggest?" the Number Hunter, replies in a threatening tone.
"Umm… maybe we lure him out with something he can't ignore… like someone being possessed by a Number?" Nistro looked at the officer in front of him with an analytical scowl, before smirking.
"Ya know what? That's not a bad idea! But where are we gonna find a Number Holder?"
"Can't we just… I don't know, fake it?"
"If he's smart enough not to fall for this, I'm sure he'll know a fake holder from a real one. No, it has to be a real holder!" Then, in a stroke of convenience, an officer ran up to them.
"Sir! I just got word that there's a duelist wreaking havoc downtown! He appears to have a Number on his left cheek!"
"Perfect! Alright men, let's get there before the Number Thief does!"
"YES SIR!"
"Attack him directly, Redoer! Quantum Strike!" The thief flew towards the opponent knocking them down. It only took two turns to beat them, and in a violet flash, they were behind the holder and holding their Number card. As the Number tried to possess him, Dark Rebellion's roar echoed, silencing the card's call. "Well that's another Number down. Time to find ano-" He was then cut off by spotlights being directed to him.
"Number Thief! This is the head of Heartland Security! Stand down and surrender, now!" The thief merely looked at the officer with a smirk.
"You ask too much of me Mr. Officer. Now, I think it's time to test one of these new babies out." Holding his hand up, Vixen's duel disk then showed a bright light, blinding everyone looking at him. When it died down, the thief was gone.
"What?!" the head of security exclaimed. "Find that thief! I will not let this mission be deemed a failure!" And with that, the security team spread out searching for Vixen, who was currently hiding upon a rooftop. Once the helicopters had left to the other side of the city, he sighed.
"Guess I'll have to call it early tonight…" He then proceeded to walk away, until he sensed a presence up on the roof with him. A red cable then tried to grab his arm, but like before with Kite was nimble enough to dodge it. "Hmm… looks like I may have spoken too soon." Leaving the cover of darkness was none other than Nistro himself.
"Hey there thief. Pleasure to finally meet ya!"
"Oh I'm sure the pleasure is all mine, Nistro," Vixen replied with a smirk. "So, here to duel for my Numbers?"
"Oh… it's more than that!" the Number Hunter said, taking his duel disk out and putting it on his arm. "Mr. Heartland didn't very much appreciate you beating his best duelist, so he wants me to take you down!"
"Oh? Is that so?" the Number Thief responded in turn, activating his own duel disk as Nistro did the same. "Well, once I've beaten you, you can tell that Mr. Heartland that as long as I'm around, those Numbers shall stay out of the hands of those unworthy to wield them, and I'm afraid that he and Dr. Faker are very unworthy!" Nistro was taken aback by that.
"You know of Dr. Faker?!"
"I have my ways Nistro, for there are many things you don't know about me. But enough talk!"
"Yeah! Let's…"
"DUEL!"
"I'll go first! I draw!" Vixen started, taking his sixth card from the top of his deck. "Now I'll start by setting this card face down, and as I control no Trap cards in my graveyard, I can activate it the turn it was set. The trap card Phantom Knights of Shade Brigandine, which summons itself as a monster! (ATK: 0, DEF: 400, LV: 4)" The piece of haunted metal then appeared onto the field in defence mode. "Now I'll summon Time Thief Winder, (ATK: 1800, DEF: 1300, LV: 4) and when he's summoned, I can add one Time Thief card from my deck to my hand! I'll be adding Time Thief Retrograde!" Upon the thief's summon, the counter trap was then ejected from Vixen's deck, much to Nistro's annoyance. "Now I'll overlay my two monsters in order to build the overlay network! Master of thievery across the temporal plane, appear before us with your masterful craft! I Xyz Summon! Time Thief Redoer! (ATK: 2400, DEF: 2000, RNK: 4)" Redoer appeared onto the field with a grand flare in attack position. "I'll set two cards and end my turn."
"My turn! I draw!" Nistro then drew his card and smirked at seeing what it was. After Redoer took his deck's top card, he made his play. "Alright, first, since I control no cards while you do, I can Normal Summon Hammer Bounzer without tributing! (ATK: 2300, DEF: 2000, LV: 6)" A lycanoid type of creature that had hammers for hands then appeared onto the field with a mighty howl.
"Oh… an impressive monster if I do say so myself," Vixen commented.
"Just wait cause you've seen nothing yet! Since I summoned a Bounzer monster, I can summon Shadow Bounzer from my hand! (ATK: 0, DEF: 2800, LV: 6)" This threw the Number Thief for a loop as a never before seen monster was then summoned. It was a blacked out lycan figure that had glowing red eyes. Anything else it had was hidden in shadow as its name suggested. "Now I'll-"
"Hold it right there Nistro! I'm activating Redoer's ability! By detaching a trap card as an overlay unit I can return one card you control to the top of your deck! I choose Hammer Bounzer! Phantom Reversal!" An overlay unit was absorbed into Redoer's device as a time vortex appears below the said monster, dragging the lycanoid into it. Expecting an angered look, Vixen was shocked to find Nistro with a cocky grin.
"Ha! I hoped you'd do that! I activate Chain Bounzer's effect from my hand! When an Xyz Monster's effect is activated, I can Special Summon it from my hand and negate your Xyz Monster's special abilities! (ATK: 100, DEF: 2000, LV: 4)" Another werewolf appeared in defence position holding a chain that it then threw around Redoer, tying it up and negating its effects, much to Vixen's chagrin. "And as long as Chain Bounzer is on the field, those effects will stay negated. Now back to what I was doing earlier! I overlay my level 6 Hammer Bounzer and Shadow Bounzer in order to Xyz Summon Photon Strike Bounzer! (ATK: 2700, DEF: 2000, RNK: 6)" A red lycanoid with glowing blue streaks on its skin then appeared. "Now we get to the fun part. I'll have Photon Strike Bounzer attack your Time Thief Redoer!" Strike Bounzer then charged at the thief with the intent to destroy it only for Vixen to play his little trick up his sleeve.
"I activate my trap, Storming Mirror Force!" The said card then revealed itself to the shock of Nistro. "Your attack position Photon Strike Bounzer is now returned to your hand, or in its case, the Extra Deck!" The wall maelstrom blocked the path for Strike Bounzer, pushing the monster back, but before it could return to Nistro's hand, he made one last play.
"I activate the quick play spell, Bounzer Break! By targeting a Bounzer I control and a monster you control I can destroy them both! I target my Photon Strike Bounzer and your Time Thief Redoer!" The lycan then began pushing against the wind as it started to crack and glow, of course, Vixen was already prepared for it.
"I activate my counter trap, Time Thief Retrograde! While Redoer may not be able to activate its abilities, I can still use him for my trap cards! This card negates your spell and attaches it to Redoer as an overlay unit!" The other face down then revealed itself, shooting a beam at Strike Bounzer, causing its glow and cracks to fade as it finally left the field, and the beam turned into an overlay unit. However instead of annoyance, Nistro smirked.
"Heh… I was hoping you'd do that too," he said as he played another card. "I now activate the spell, Bounze Back! This card lets me summon up to two Bounzer monsters with the same level from my graveyard as long as they were sent there this turn! However, they can only be summoned in defense mode and they're destroyed during the End Phase! I'll bring back my Hammer Bounzer and Shadow Bounzer! (ATK: 2300, DEF: 2000, LV: 6)(ATK: 0, DEF: 2800, LV: 6)" The two lycans appeared in defense positions. "Now I'll overlay them once more to Xyz Summon back Photon Strike Bounzer! (ATK: 2700, DEF: 2000, RNK: 6)" The Photon monster reappeared onto the field with a mighty howl, standing before its opponent in defiance. "So, you tried to get rid of it but you failed, so ha! I'll end my turn with a face down!"
"True, but you ended up exhausting nearly every card in your hand," Vixen said, drawing his next card. "Now I'll start by activating the spell Allure of Darkness. This card lets me draw 2 cards, but I must banish a dark monster from my hand afterwards or discard my entire hand. I draw!" After gaining his new cards, he smirked, liking what he saw. "I'll banish The Phantom Knights of Ancient Cloak from my hand! Now, since Redoer's effects are negated, I might as well put his overlay units to better use. By detaching an overlay unit from Redoer, I can summon my second copy of Time Thief Winder, (ATK: 1800, DEF: 1300, LV: 4) and with his effect, I can add any Time Thief card from my deck to my hand again!" As the second Winder appeared, Vixen then began to search his deck for a new card, only for Nistro to intervene.
"If you think I'm gonna let you add another Retrograde to your hand, you're dead wrong! I activate Photon Strike Bounzer's ability! By detaching an overlay unit, I can negate Winder's effect and deal you 1000 damage!" The Bounzer then absorbed one of its overlay units as it then howled at the monster that was just summoned, negating its effect and dealing damage to Vixen.
Vixen's LP: 3000
"Ha! Ya tried butcha failed!" Nistro taunted, only for Vixen to smirk.
"Yeah, but I know that it can only use it's effect once per turn. Now I shall Normal Summon Time Thief Bezel Ship, and then I'll overlay them in order to Xyz Summon once more! Come four the rifleman of the air! Castel, the Skyblaster Musketeer! (ATK: 2000, DEF: 1500, RNK: 4)" A violet feathered avian creature in musketeer clothing appeared holding a civil war age rifle at its side.
"Huh? What's with the giant chicken?"
"This chicken is going to be my key to victory! By detaching 2 overlay units from it, I can return one card you control back to your Deck! Zephyr Shot!" Castel then took aim at Chain Bounzer, preparing to fire as its two overlay units were absorbed into its gun, but Nistro wouldn't allow it.
"I don't think so! I activate the trap Bounzer Guard, targeting my Chain Bounzer! Thanks to this trap, during this turn it can't be targeted by other card effects and it can't be destroyed by battle!"
"Hmm… alright, I choose your Photon Strike Bounzer to target instead." Castel then re-aimed its weapon at the larger monster, and fired, the bullet piercing through its chest making it vanish back into the Extra Deck.
"Grrr…" Nistro grumbled.
"I'll end my turn there with a face down, seeing as attacking your Chain Bounzer is pointless," Vixen finished as Nistro drew his next card.
"I activate Xyz Treasure! Now I can draw a card for every Xyz Monster on the field! I count two so that's how many I'll draw!" Seeing the cards, Nistro's eyes widened in glee. "Hahaha! Who would've thought that this would happen?! I'll activate the effects of the two Swift Bounzers I just drew, letting me Special Summon them! (ATK: 1800, DEF: 1800, LV: 6)" Two blue colored lycans then appeared next to each other in defense mode. "Now I'll overlay them to Xyz Summon Photon Strike Bounzer for a third time! (ATK: 2700, DEF: 2000, RNK: 6)" The said monster appeared onto the field again with a mighty roar. "And that's not all. When My Swift Bounzers are used as overlay units for the Xyz Summon of a Bounzer monster, I can draw a card for each of them!" He then drew two new cards to his hand. "Now, I could attack Castel to deal you more damage, but I think we both know that thief is more troublesome overall! Strike Bounzer, attack that Time Thief Redoer!" Strike Bounzer then charged at Redoer and slashed it to ribbons.
Vixen's LP: 2700
"I'll set a card and end my turn!"
"Then it's my turn, I draw!" Upon seeing his card, the Number Thief gave a foxy grin and played it. "I activate the spell Xyz Rebirth!"
"What?!"
"This card brings an Xyz Monster back from the grave and attaches itself to that monster as an overlay unit! I'll bring back Redoer, effects returned and out of that Bounzers chains! (ATK: 2400, DEF: 2000, RNK: 4)" The thief returned to the field as Xyz Rebirth became an overlay unit. "Now I'll use Redoer's ability! By detaching a spell card, I can draw a card!" The said overlay unit was absorbed into Redoer's wrist device as the top card of his deck glowed, but Nistro wouldn't allow it.
"Did you really forget about Photon Strike Bounzer's ability?! By detaching an overlay unit to negate Redoer's ability and deal you 1000 damage!" The lycan absorbed it's overlay unit, about to let loose a howl, only for it to let out a hacked cough. "What?! What happened?!"
"I activated my face down, Breakthrough Skill. This trap card negates your monster's abilities for the rest of the turn!" Vixen explained, his set card now revealed. "So your Bounzer's howl is now a whimper. Now, I draw." After drawing his new card, Vixen smirked. "Alright, I'll activate the equip spell, Power of the Guardians, and equip it on Redoer!" A blue aura surrounding Redoer as the spell was equipped to it. "Now I'll switch my Castel to defense mode and have Redoer attack your Chain Bounzer! Quantum Strike!" The thief then charged at the defense position monster, causing the blue aura to glow brighter.
(ATK: 2400 - 2900)
"Huh?" Nistro responded in confusion before his monster was destroyed. "What happened? Why did your monster's ATK change?"
"Power of the Guardians gains a Spell Counter every time the equipped monster battles, and for every Spell Counter it has, the equipped monster gains 500 ATK and DEF," Vixen explained.
"Then why didn't you attack my Strike Bounzer?"
"I wasn't sure about your face down. Now I'll end my turn with another face down."
"In that case, I'll draw!"
"And during your Standby Phase, Redoer takes the top card of your deck as an overlay unit! Quantum Thievery!" The thief's grappling hook shot out as it latched onto the top card of Nistro's deck, only for the said duelist to stop the thief in its tracks.
"I don't think so! I use Strike Bounzer's ability! By detaching one overlay unit your Redoer's effect is negated and you take 1000 damage!" The lycan then prepared another howl, only for Vixen's set card to flip up and shoot a beam at the monster. "What?!"
"I activated the face down I just set, another Breakthrough Skill, to nullify Strike Bounzer's abilities once more!" Strike Bounzer's howl once again came out as a cough as Redoer returned to swiping the top card of Nistro's deck and attaching it as an overlay unit.
"Grr…" Nistro grumbled in frustration, but his frown turned upside down however as he saw the card he just drew. "Hehehe… looks like I won't have to worry for very long. I activate the spell Lightning Vortex! By discarding a card from my hand, all of your monsters are destroyed!" Thunder boomed as Vixen's field was consumed in ravaging thunder, picking up smoke, and causing the thief to shield his eyes. "Ha! Now you're wide op-huh?!" When the dust cleared, Redoer was still standing, but his blue aura wasn't as bright as it was, also…
(ATK: 2900 - 2400)
"What? But your monster should've…"
"The Power of the Guardians has one other effect," Vixen then answered. "If the equipped monster would be destroyed, be it by battle or card effect, I can remove 1 Spell Counter from it instead."
"OH COME ON!" Nistro yelled in anger. "That's it! I activate the trap Metalmorph! This card boosts my monster by 300 ATK, and when it attacks it gains half the ATK of the monster it battles during combat!" Photon Strike Bounzer then gained a metallic shine to it as it was powered up.
(ATK: 2700 - 3000)
"Now! Photon Strike Bounzer, attack Time Thief Redoer!"
As the monster attacked Redoer, the blue aura flared as Power of the Guardians activated again. "I did mention that when Redoer 'battles', Power of the Guardians gains a Spell Counter, yes?"
(ATK: 2400 - 2900)
(ATK: 3000 - 4450)
The two monsters clashed, Redoer being pushed back as it was losing the battle. "And just like before, by removing a Spell Counter, Redoer is unharmed!" When the clash ended, the blue aura once again dimmed as its power was spent.
Vixen's LP: 1150
(ATK: 2900 - 2400)
(ATK: 4450 - 3000)
"...I end my turn," Bistro finished as his opponent then began his.
"My turn! I draw, and Redoer's effect activates once more! Quantum Thievery!" Out of overlay units, Strike Bounzer could do nothing to prevent this as the thief took Nistro's top card, and it was the very card Vixen needed to win, and he displayed that with a confident smirk. "Sorry Nistro, looks like I'll be taking home the game this time!"
"You're bluffing!" his opponent responded with a worried look on his face.
"Oh am I? I activate Redoer's ability! By detaching a Trap card as an overlay unit I can return 1 card you control to the top of your deck! Goodbye Photon Strike Bounzer! Phantom Reversal!" The effect swallowed the lycan up as it returned to the Extra Deck, unable to defend its master. "Now I'll Summon The Phantom Knights of Ancient Cloak! (ATK: 800, DEF: 1000, LV: 3) And by switching it to defence mode I can give its attack points to Redoer!" The tattered cloak then cast a ghostly aura around Redoer as it gained more power.
(ATK: 2400 - 3200)
"Lastly, by detaching an overlay unit from Redoer, I can Special Summon Bezel Ship from my graveyard! (ATK: 1000, DEF: 2000, LV: 4)" The little ship then appeared onto the field in attack position. "Alright boys, let 'em have it!" And all at once, the attack position monsters rushed at Nistro, who cried out in shock as his Life Points dropped to 0.
Nistro's LP: 0
Vixen Wins!
"Grr… No way…" Nistro said, getting up.
"Looks like I win, though I'll admit, that's the lowest anyone has gotten my Life Points to, so I'll give you that," Vixen replied, before turning around and preparing to leave, but before he could, Bistro decided to give a few last words.
"You'd better not underestimate Kite, you worm! He's improving his deck for the next time you two shall meet! I promise, your next duel with him will be your last!" Vixen then quickly left the Number Hunter, his words repeating in his head.
The next day was spirit day and as the students saw that Alex had no parents with him, they tended to give him either looks of pity or superiority, but that didn't matter to him. What mattered was what Nistro said.
"Kite's improving his deck? Does that mean that when he duels Astral, he'll be even stronger than he was in the anime? If that's true, I might have to duel alongside Yuma and Astral when that time comes!" he thought as the day went on.
Author's Note: I am SO SORRY this took so long to get out. I didn't know what to start the chapter out with, so I figured I'd write the duel first, and that took longer than it should've since I lost some steam halfway through and needed a break. Next time it will be Vixen's duel with Dextra, and it will be quite interesting (I hope). Until next time!