"Looks like your thief's luck just ran out. Galaxion, finish him! (ATK: 4100)" Kite roared as the warrior then vanished in a flash of light as it slashed through the attack position Redoer (ATK: 2400), causing the thief to explode in a shower of pixels.
Vixen's LP: 2300
"Hrgn!" Vixen grunted as his monster was destroyed, until a little robot dog took its place in defense position. "Since an Xyz Monster was destroyed in battle, I can resummon Time Thief Regulator! (ATK: 600, DEF: 200, LV: 4)"
"T-That little mutt i-is back?!" Orbital shouted in anger.
"Well, it won't stay for long! I remove my Dimension Switch to bring back Galaxy-Eyes Photon Dragon!" Dimension Switch shattered as Galaxy-Eyes re-emerged with a mighty roar. "Now Galaxy-Eyes, attack that little dog with Photon Stream of Destruction!" The dragon then shot out its blast of energy at the robot dog.
"I activate my face down! Storming Mirror Force!" Vixen's face down then revealed itself, causing Kite to curse under his breath. "This trap returns all your attack position monsters to your hand!"
"Galaxion might be unlucky, but I can still use Galaxy-Eyes' ability to banish itself!"
"No you won't! By activating my other set Breakthrough Skill, I can negate the effects of one monster on the field, and I choose Galaxy-Eyes!" The trap appeared from a portal and shot a beam at the dragon nullifying its effects. After that, a wall of storming winds pushed the dragon and warrior of the field and vanished, an extra card then appeared in Kite's hand. "So what now, Kite?"
"I end my turn," was his answer.
"My turn, I draw!" Vixen drew his card, and saw it was his new friend D.D. Crow. "Hello you."
"O-OH NO! M-Master Kite! Your field is wide open! You're gonna l-lose again?!" Orbital screamed.
"Quiet, or else I'll disassemble your rotors!" was the master's response. Orbital rolled away on its wheels, optics looking at the floor. Kite then turned to his opponent with a smirk. "Now that your Redoer has been destroyed, I'd like to see you bounce back."
"I shall Kite, because thanks to Redoer's ability to draw a card, I was able to add this to my hand. I summon out another Time Thief Chronocorder! (ATK: 1000, DEF: 1000, LV: 4)" The thief's second copy of the monster appeared onto the field. "And now with both Regulator and Chronocorder, I build the overlay network to Xyz Summon! A true duelist wouldn't carry only one copy of a monster in their deck, now would they? Welcome to the field, my second Time Thief Redoer! (ATK: 2400, DEF: 2000, RNK: 4)" A second version of the master Time Thief appeared onto the field, launching from the portal with style, surprising his opponent at the unexpected play. This Redoer looked about the same except that it had blue where there would be red. "Now both my Redoer and Moonlight will attack you directly!"
Both the dragon and thief flew toward Kite with the intent to finish him off, but the opponent was well prepared. "I activate Kuriphoton's ability! By discarding this card and paying half my life points, I take no damage this turn!" The photon version of the cute little furball appeared onto the field and conjured a barrier that protected its user from Redoer and Moonlight's attacks.
Kite's LP: 2000
"Hmm… I'll end my turn with that."
"My turn then, I draw!" Kite drew his next card, and smirked at seeing it. After Redoer used its effect, he began his turn. "First, I'll discard my Galaxy-Eyes in order to add Kuriphoton back to my hand!" He then discarded his ace monster, but Vixen wouldn't have it.
"That monster will prevent damage as long as he can add it to his hand, so I'd better get rid of it," he thought before D.D. Crow made a caw of agreement. "I discard D.D. Crow from my hand to banish a card from your graveyard! I choose Kuriphoton!" Before the said monster was added to his hand, D.D. Crow flew into a portal on Kite's side of the field and back out holding onto Kuriphoton who was panicking as it was banished. Looking back, Vixen saw his opponent breathe a sigh of relief.
"Fine by me, because now I activate the Quick-Play spell card, Gift of the Dark Ruler! Since a monster was just discarded from my hand, I can activate this card to draw a card for every 2 levels that monster had! Galaxy-Eyes had 8, so I can draw 4 cards!" The unheard spell card was then activated, allowing him to draw 4 new cards, much to the thief's shock, and upon looking at his new hand, Kite smirked in confidence. "Due to Gift of the Dark Ruler, I'm not allowed to draw anymore cards from my deck this turn, but I won't need to. First I'll play the Quick-Play spell card Book of Moon! This lets me put a monster into face down defence position! I choose Black Rose Moonlight Dragon!" The spell then activated, forcing the dragon to become a set monster. "Now I activate the spell Return of the Dragon Lords! This card will bring back an old friend, Galaxy-Eyes Photon Dragon!" Galaxy-Eyes had returned once again as it roared at Vixen, who held his hat in place as the wind nearly blew it off. "Next I'll activate Photon Trident! This gives a Photon monster I control 700 more ATK and it can deal piercing damage! Galaxy-Eyes! Acquire your new boost!" A trident appeared next to Galaxy-Eyes, the dragon then grabbing hold of it as it roared with might.
(ATK: 3000 - 3700)
"Now Galaxy-Eyes, attack that face down Black Rose Moonlight Dragon!" Galaxy-Eyes then charged out to the face down dragon, which then flipped face up as Kite's Dragon threw the spear it held, piercing through Moonlight and destroying it.
Vixen's LP: 400
"I'll set one card and end my turn. And during the end phase Photon Trident's effect ends, returning Galaxy-Eye's ATK to normal. Your move."
(ATK: 3700 - 3000)
"I've never been pushed this far before! He has made this duel a memorable one, but all duels must come to an end," Vixen thought as he drew his card. "My turn, I draw, and Redoer's Quantum Thievery activates!" Redoer then took the top card of Kite's deck, and upon seeing both it and the card he drew, Vixen saw the path to victory in his head. If the cards played right, he would win this turn. Before he played he heard Dark Rebellion roar, begging to be brought out. "So you wish to fight him then? Very well, after forcing me this far, he's earned it." He then snaps out of his thoughts as he finally speaks to Kite. "I must commend you for bringing me this far, Kite, but I'm afraid this is where the duel ends for you."
"H-Ha! Y-You must be d-delusional!" Orbital comments.
"Am I? We shall see! First, I'll summon out The Phantom Knights of Ancient Cloak! (ATK: 800, DEF: 1000, LV: 3)" The old haunted, tattered cloak floated onto the field with a ghostly wail. "Next, since I control a Phantom Knights monster, I can summon the Phantom Knights of Silent Boots! (ATK: 200, DEF: 1200, LV: 3)" The fallen warrior in brown boots appeared next to Cloak with silent grace. "Now I'll overlay them in order to build the overlay network! I Xyz Summon The Phantom Knights of Break Sword! (ATK: 2000, DEF: 1000, RNK: 3)" The ghostly horseman appeared with a ghostly howl and neigh, its giant sword held forward.
"H-Huh? B-But that monster's attack points are lower than Galaxy-Eyes?" Orbital points out.
"It's attack points don't matter as by detaching an overlay unit I can destroy a card on each of our fields! I'll destroy my Break Sword for your card!" An overlay unit was absorbed into the knight's sword as it began to charge at Galaxy-Eyes. Seeing this, Kite prepared a counter.
"Go ahead and try it, because due to Return of the Dragon Lords' ability, I can banish it to prevent the destruction of a dragon type monster I control!" Galaxy-Eyes then crossed its arms in a defensive stance, awaiting Break Sword to crash into it, which will never come.
"What makes you think I was targeting Galaxy-Eyes?" At the last second, Break Sword jumped over Kite's dragon as it turned its sword at a downward stabbing motion, flying at his set card. "I choose your face down!"
"What?!" After the ghostly knight stabbed the set card, they both exploded into flames as blue as the fire that emitted from Break Sword's body. "You destroyed your monster to destroy my face down? But my dragon is still stronger than your Redoer so it was pointless!"
"No it wasn't," Vixen responded as the blue flames swirled into two small raging blue fires. "Because once Break Sword is destroyed, 2 Phantom Knights in my graveyard are returned to the field and become 1 level higher! So say hello again to Ancient Cloak and Silent Boots! (ATK: 800, DEF: 1000, LV: 3 - 4) (ATK: 200, DEF: 1200, LV: 3 - 4)" The two fires burst into the two said monsters in defense position, their levels raised by 1.
"I-Is he going to Xyz Summon a-another monster?!" Orbital wonders aloud.
"...Kite." The said opponent responded by looking at Vixen with curiosity. "You are the first person to ever get me this far. I am truly honored that you trained yourself this hard to beat me, and in doing so, you are the first duelist to ever get me below 1000 life points. For that, I shall reward you before I beat you."
"Beat me? Sure, you got rid of my set card, but my dragon has 3000 ATK to your thief's 2400." Kite said with a smug grin. "You're delusional if you think you can beat me now."
"I'm not delusional, and I'll prove it," he then takes a card out from under Redoer, and reveals it to be… the trap card Mirror Shade. "It would seem luck was in my favor this time." Kite stared shocked at Redoer's overlay unit as it was detached and absorbed by its device. "By detaching a trap card from Redoer, I can return one card on your field to the top of your deck. Phantom Reversal!" A time vortex appeared beneath Galaxy-Eye's feet as they fell into it, returning to the top of Kite's deck.
"Impossible…" he muttered in disbelief.
"Your field is now wide open Kite, with no cards in your hand. I think it's clear I've won," Vixen said. "Anyways, onto your reward. As congratulations for bringing me so close to defeat, I shall defeat you with my ace monster."
"Y-Your what?!" Orbital exclaimed.
"I overlay level 4 The Phantom Knights of Ancient Cloak and The Phantom Knights of Silent Boots!" The two ghosts turned into two purple wisps as they were overlaid. In a bright burst of violet energy, Dark Rebellion's mighty roar was heard, just as chilling to its opponents as before.
"Orbital?!" Kite shouted, shielding his eyes from the bright energy.
"S-Scanning sir… Scanning c-complete! M-Master Kite, the energy being emitted is similar to that of a Number Monster!"
"So is this his Number card?!" Kite wondered aloud as Vixen continued.
"Blackened Fangs cloaked in shadows, and relentless in its objective! I call upon the embodiment of my rebel's soul! I Xyz Summon, appear!" When the energy subsided, Vixen's ace dragon stood proudly behind its owner, two overlay units floating around it. "Dark Rebellion Xyz Dragon! (ATK: 2500, DEF: 2000, RNK: 4)"
Kite and orbital looked in confusion at the monster before them. They were expecting a Number card, but this wasn't a Number, and yet, it emitted the same energy as one. "What's going on?"
"What's going on is your second defeat by my hands Kite!" Vixen answered, flinging his arm out to his opponent. "Dark Rebellion, attack Kite directly and finish this duel!" Violet lightning formed on the black dragon's fang and wings as it charged forward. "Revolt Lightning Disobey!" He could do nothing but stand as the black dragon charged forward, preparing to finish Kite off in one fell swoop, but before the attack hit, Orbital changed into glider mode and flew towards Kite.
Kite's LP: 0
Vixen Wins!
When Dark Rebellion struck Kite's location, heavy smoke clouded the area, and before Vixen could run in to grab Kite's Numbers he flew out the top of the smoke cloud being carried by Orbital 7.
"You may have won again, but I'll be back with a new strategy, and I will defeat you! That I promise, Vixen!" he said as he left for Heartland. The Number Thief then smirked, as he then followed.
Later in Heartland Tower, Mr. Heartland had just returned from his little confrontation with Yuma, giving him a Heart Piece to enter the Duel Carnival. In the room he had entered, all his Number Hunters were awaiting his arrival. He looked at them with a very displeased look on his face.
"You all had one job. Defeat that thief, and acquire his Numbers. A job that each and everyone of you FAILED!" Kite, Nistro and Dextra flinched at their boss' shouting. "You Kite, I harbor great disappointment in you most of all. Even after acquiring new cards to improve your deck, to counter his strategy, YOU STILL LOST!"
"Sir! If I may be so bold," Nistro spoke up, turning their boss' attention to him. "It seems for every strategy we have against him, he has another one to back him up. He's got back up plans for his back up plans, unable to give us a chance of a comeback!"
"So then why didn't you all just team up on him at once!? He wouldn't have had a chance of victory then!"
"Are you sure about that?" came a familiar voice that would haunt these hunters forever. Looking up to the rafters above, they saw none other than Vixen, one leg swaying over the edge with a cocky smirk on his face. "You think all three of you can take me down in a 3 on 1 duel? I suppose it'll give me the challenge I've been looking for, but…" He then jumped down, using his grappling hook to slow his fall. "...I'm afraid that I'm here for other business."
"So you're the arrogant trickster that's been a thorn in our side these past couple weeks?" Mr. Heartland said with a sinister smirk. "Pray tell, what business were you hoping to accomplish?"
"Well, when you say that you'll grant the winner of the Duel Carnival and 1 wish no matter what, does that also include bending the law?" the thief asked, causing the group to raise a few eyebrows.
"So you're saying you wish to enter the Duel Carnival?" Dextra asked.
"Depends on Mr. Heartland's answer." After a few seconds, the said man then asked what the other hunters were thinking.
"If you were to win the Duel Carnival, what would you wish for that would require me to manipulate the law?"
"That all acts I have, and will commit as the Number Thief are to be pardoned," was the answer they got, causing their eyes to widen. "I'd rather not have the police trying to arrest me for doing my job of course."
"You expect us to let a thief do as he pleases without any conse-" Nistro started before his boss cut him off.
"Certainly! If you win it shall be done!" This caused the interrupted underling to gawk at his employer's response.
"Sir, you can't be serious?!"
"This is the Number Thief we're talking to Nistro. If we are to accomplish our plans, we must acquire his Numbers too."
"Then why don't you do what you suggested and take him on 3 on 1 right now!" The boisterous duelist exclaimed, activating his duel disk, only for it to short circuit. "What the?!" After seeing this, Dextra did the same, only to get the same results. Kite then turned to Orbital.
"Orbital, activate the Time Stop Program!" ...No response. "Orbital! Did you-" Kite then realized that his robot companion was currently offline. "What's going on?!"
"It's as Nistro said," came Vixen's response. "I have back up plans for my back up plans." He then held up his left hand, showing his deactivated duel disk. "Currently my duel disk is emitting a continuous EMP wave. There won't be any dueling here today I'm afraid. So, back to me entering the Duel Carnival…"
"Didn't you already sign up online?" Mr. Heartland asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Of course not. For me to do so would require me to give out valuable information that could reveal my secret identity, and I would rather not like that, thank you." Everyone else in the room grumbled in annoyance at the thief's response.
"So you want me to give you a Heart Piece?" the head of the Number Hunters summed up.
"What if we don't give you one?" Nistro asked, Mr. Heartland giving the hunter a nasty glare.
"Well then I guess you'll never have the chance to get the Numbers I've collected. What was it clocked in at? I believe it was… 17 now." All but Vixen's eyes widened.
"He's taken that many in only a few weeks?" Dextra said.
"That's more cards than Kite has collected so far," Mr. Heartland adds. Vixen smirked in response.
"And there's more coming every night, and if your subordinate's losing streaks are anything to go by, you'll never see them again." Silence followed that declaration, until the hunter's head honcho left the room, and re entered a few minutes later, holding a Heart Piece in his right hand.
"Welcome to the Duel Carnival, Number Thief," he said, tossing the little object to Vixen.
"Pleasure doing business with you, dude," the thief said, grabbing the Heart Piece in his left hand, and dropping a smoke bomb with the other. A few coughs and gags later when the smoke cleared out, Vixen was gone, and Mr. Heartland had a vein popping out of his head.
"You didn't really let him go with an invitation to the Duel Carnival, did you?" Nistro asked his boss.
"Please tell me you at least put a tracker on that thing," Dextra adds.
"By the way things are going, I wouldn't be surprised if he made counter measures for a tracker," Mr. Heartland answered, before turning his attention to Kite. "Kite, you now have one final chance to defeat that Number Thief and acquire his Numbers. Do not fail me, or else…" The said hunter nodded his head, his eyes cast downward.
"I will not lose to you again, Vixen. I have too much at stake to do so…"
"Well, that went well," Vixen said, sitting atop another skyscraper looking over Heartland, Heart Piece in hand. "That EMP worked like a charm."
"Even though it took you several tries to make it," came Perpetua's voice, causing the thief to sweatdrop in embarrassment.
"Hey, I'm not an inventor like you are," he replied, Dark Rebellion growling in agreement. "Oh yeah, so how did it feel to finally enter a duel again?" The dragon roared in excitement, feelings of enthusiasm present in his voice. "Heh… I figured as much." Vixen then stood up. "Well, best to head home to prepare. The Duel Carnival will be way more challenging to beat."
Later in his hideout, Alex was looking over his deck, thinking up ways to improve, when he heard a knock at his door. Upon opening it, he found no one there, but on the ground was a letter. Upon opening it, he found a note and 3 cards.
Dear Alex,
Congrats on making it this far, I knew you could. As a special gift, I have given you these cards. I'm sure you'll use them wisely.
I/A
"It's these initials again." After putting the mysterious note down, Alex looked at the new cards. They were copies of the same card, a card that gave Alex a confident smile. "Just what my deck needed."
End of Part 1
Author's Note: And there it is ladies and gents. The end of the first arc of Yu-Gi-Oh! Zexal: The Number Thief. Thank you so much for the support. The reviews you leave on my story show me that you enjoy it. Now since the first arc is done, I want to take a break from this story for a bit and work on another. What it is, I'm not sure, but I will ask you this; during the Duel Carnival, I have already come up with at least 3 duels that will happen during it. I want you to suggest deck ideas you'd love for Vixen to duel against. You can PM me, or write your suggestion in the reviews section. There are some provisos, a few pre-proquos to this however.
Rule 1: No Pendulums or Links as those don't exist, I will except decks from those eras
Rule 2: No Rank-Up Magic decks or Xyz Change decks, such as Raidraptors or Zoodiacs (If I could, I would do Zoodiacs just to give Vixen a proper challenge)
Rule 3: No decks that were/would've been used by legendary duelists, such as Blue-Eyes, Red-Eyes, Dark Magician, etc. (And by would've used, I mean no decks that use support for a legendary duelist's ace monster)
Other than that, it should be it. Next time: A Thief's Carnival