Disclaimer: I do not own YGO 5D's
"Remind me to never come back to this place again," Yuki mumbled as she ate the frosting off of her donut and stuffed the rest into a trash can beside the sidewalk, "I don't think there's any chocolate in their chocolate donuts."
That's something else Jack never would have done, throwing out perfectly good food. That's something Mina wouldn't even do, Mina thought as she bit into her own donut. Mina had gotten into a habit of mentally comparing the old and new champions of Domino City. Both were proud, assertive, aggressive to the point of being hostile, but the similarities end there.
It's the tiny habits that gave them away. Yuki never eats the crust on her pizza. Jack would wear the exact same outfit for a week if he could (and as she had explained, that's not something he could do anymore as a public figure representing Domino City). Yuki believes wifi is a basic human right. Jack believes earning a basic living wage (admittedly, by Mina's standards) should require at least 12 hours per day and a seven-day work week. More fundamentally, Yuki has an inexplicable sense of security, in her own ability if not in the world. Jack was much more guarded and tend to strike preemptively at anything that might resemble a threat. Mina didn't know which, if either was better, but both seem to be equally adored by the Domino populace as long as they never lose a game.
"You seem used to this," She commented, trying to pretend like Goodwin didn't feed her the question and failing miserably.
"What, you mean a job that can pay for adequate food, clothing and shelter? Yeah I'm sort of used to that. I do get the same in the Satellite, at least I get the same in the Satellite."
That's not quite accurate though, Mina reflected, even given Yuki's situation, her life in the Satellite must have been very different from Domino City. When Jack first came to Domino, it had taken him months to get used to the conveniences of daily life (Hot water, decent roads, grocery stores, healthcare access should have been the first things to come to mind, but the first thing she thought of were duel shops. Shame on Mina), the casual wastefulness of city life, and the unlimited access to every non-essential item under the sun, only possible in a metropolis. Yet everything was like second nature to Yuki. She integrated seamlessly like she was born here, and maybe she was.
"So I'll go to the spa then," Mina smiled playfully, that's something else Jack never would have done- getting her a spa day on Goodwin's account. She wasn't really worried about Yuki running away, why would she leave the fame and money in Domino to go back to the barren wasteland of Satellite? They don't even have donuts! "Are you sure you're gonna be safe? You're becoming quite the celebrity."
"Don't be ridiculous, this city worships me, I'm as safe here as I will ever be."
That's not too far from the truth, Mina secretly agreed. Yuki has taken Jack's place at Domino City as its new 'ruler'. (Please note the quotation mark, quotation marks are very important.) She has won 29 games in a row in the past week. 29 games because, according to Yuki, 29 is a good number. Everyday five thousand people from the City's population of two hundred thousand would come to see her play, the arena would be filled with an equal number of tourists. Or in Yuki's words, WHY. She later elaborated to describe it as a gross and unacceptable waste of human resources.
Yuki could probably meet a fan on every street corner to help her out if necessary. Director Goodwin had built a city that revolves around and worships duel monsters, Mina sometimes wonders if that plan hasn't backfired.
"Alright, I'll see you in a bit." Yuki wave goodbye, merging seamlessly into the Domino crowd.
Mina noticed the crowd that naturally parted for their new hero and couldn't help but be reminded of Jack again.
Unlike a Jack, Yuki has fit in very well in Domino City. She wore a white leather bomber jacket with a blood-colored Z in the back, over dark blue tank tops, a matching pair of blue jeans and dark brown riding boots. She would have stood out, except a third of the kids her age are now wearing the exact same outfit.
X
I waved goodbye to a gullible Mina and set on my way, still wearing that frankly ridiculous outfit. The truth is I had chosen this outfit specifically for its ostentatious nature. The original plan was to distract the audience with my outfit so hopefully they won't notice my face when I make an escape in something less attention-grabbing.
For better or for worse I don't need to do that anymore. Unlike Jack, I willingly released the rights to those clothes so my exact outfit had flooded the streets of Domino, down to the red Z covering half of the back of the jacket.
It's been a little over a week since my stay in Domino City and I had won 29 games in the meantime. It really wasn't difficult. Backed by Goodwin's resources, I finally built a Shaddoll deck. For those not familiar with the game, Shaddolls came out about 5 years after 5Ds did, a lifetime by YGO standards, and could naturally trounce pure synchro decks from this era. I even tried what Goodwin did in his final duel, standing still while dueling people who turbo dueled. Personally, I thought I had an unfair advantage in that game, seeing as I could actually concentrate and not worry about dying in a fiery crash.
Despite my recent victories, my non-existent mark has yet to be activated and Goodwin is becoming impatient. I don't know how much time I have left, or what would happen (especially to me) if Goodwin's patience runs out before the Momentum is complete. I did promise I'd act as the diversion, so I can't leave yet. But it doesn't hurt to look for an escape route now.
I darted into an alley to slip on a large sun hat that hid most of my face, then made my way back into the crowd and towards the Pier.
X
"Ms Tono!"
I didn't make it more than five feet before I heard my name called out in a shouting whisper, like its owner was trying to keep my identity a secret. I didn't recognize the voice, so kept my head down and walked faster. Maybe they had the wrong person, I thought hopefully.
"Ms. Tono! You are Ms. Tono, aren't you?" The voice caught up. It belonged to a man with blue hair and blue eyes dressed in a sector security uniform. He took off his helmet as he approached me, fidgeting with his own duel disk.
"Can I help you, officer?" I turned around to focus on the empty space beside his right ear, offering a practiced media-ready smile. Looking at 'armed' officers armed with a gaming device gives me a headache every time.
"Ms. T-Tono-sama! I'm your biggest fan!" He stuttered, unbuttoning the collar of his security uniform to reveal 'my' outfit underneath. No wonder he looked so stuffy, he's gonna get a heat stroke in another month or two. "I'm your biggest fan! Can I get your autograph?It's Wade, W-A-D-E." He fumbled a bit looking for a pen, then held up his duel disk for me to sign.
"Sure. You can call me Yuki." I took the pen unenthusiastically.
"Yes Yuki-sama!" He clutched the duel disk close, careful not to smudge the ink on his uniform. "Can you tell me when your first turbo duel's going to be? I've only been to half of your games because of work, but I'll definitely go to your first turbo duel!"
"We'll see." I replied with even less enthusiasm. I had little respect for people who skipped work to go watch a card game, even if that card game was my own. "Wait, how did you know it was me?" I asked, wanting ideas to improve on my disguise.
"I recognized your duel disk, of course!" He said matter-of-factly.
I looked down at my standard-issue, mass-produced, completely non-descript duel disk and back up at him, he looked back at me with a wide-eyed innocence. '
Whatever.
X
I had managed to get away from Wade in the afternoon, but didn't really make it to the pier. People crowding me for autographs marked a clear trail, so it might be difficult to find a secret escape route. I needed some way to get out of Domino when the time comes, but I'm out of ideas. I had fans, and therefore influence. But that's meaningless when faced up against somebody who had an army. Even if that army is armed with duel disks.
A black duel runner roared to a stop beside me, the eighth to have done that today. I barely looked up, wondering if they wanted an autograph or a duel this time.
"I may be the last and only person in the Satellite coming for you, are you coming?" Chaos had been sure before he came, now he was no longer sure if Yuki would want to come back at all. The teenager in front of him was barely recognizable, she seemed to naturally fit into the high class lives of Domino City (again, insert Yuki's sobs here), more than she ever did fit into the Satellite.
"The Momentum?" I asked tentatively.
"It's done, Fudo finished it this morning." Chaos replied.
"Then of course." I hopped on, clutching the back of his jacket. "What's the plan?"
"That's just like something you'd ask," Chaos laughed, "I happen to have a great plan this time- We ride!" He revved up the engine and raced out of the parking garage, cutting corners to evade security that's already getting on our tails.
"That's it?" I muttered disapprovingly. I'm no longer under 24-7 surveillance by Sector Security, but even they can't fail to notice a duel runner racing by to pick me up.
"This time, Yuki, you have to get used to doing things the Satellite way." Chaos grinned, handing me a duel disk electronically linked to his duel runner, and activating his own. "Before you came along, we used to duel our way out."
Looking at the three security duel runners catching up to us, I banged my head into Chaos' back, "I don't think this is a great plan!"
That might have been an understatement, we didn't even get out of the parking lot before we got locked into a duel.
"Ah-ha! I knew you Satellite scum didn't belong in Domino City!" Trudge laughed, "No matter how many duels Lazar set up for you! Now let's see how you do against the best of the best!"
"Who? Us?" The Sector agent beside him asked incredulously, I recognized his voice as belonging to Wade, the sector guard I had met earlier this afternoon. "Against Yuki-sama? You'll get destroyed, Ushio."
"Yes, us!" A third duel runner moved in from the left, trying to edge Chaos' duel runner off the road. "We can defeat any satellite! If you don't think so, you can just watch from the sidelines."
"You said it, Dean." Trudge shouted over the rumblings of the duel runners, "Now let's duel these satellites back into the gutters!"
"Speed World Activate." Came the voice that sounded suspiciously like Kaiba's computer, locking Me, Dean, Chaos and Trudge into a duel.
"Make your move!" Trudge said smugly, obviously noticing my discomfort and attributing it to the duel. "I know you never were in a turbo duel, so I'll crush you!"
Obviously I'd be uncomfortable. I'm sitting on the back of a motorcycle going 200 miles an hour being chased by the police force. There'd be a problem if I were comfortable right now.
"Go Yuki-sama!" Wade rode alongside us, holding up his phone as a camera (the newest Zephyrs' 'innovation'). He looked ecstatic, "Let's see how your crush Sector Security!"
He received a disparaging look from everybody else.
Turn 1: Yuki's turn.
Yuki 4000; Dean 4000; Chaos 4000; Trudge 4000
"Alright," I shrugged, directing my attention to the upcoming duel, and immediately recognizing what a mistake that was. Chaos' duel runner made a sharp turn as I was drawing, and I promptly lost three of the six cards I just drew.
"I knew you can't take the speed of the game!" Trudge snickered.
"Yuki-sama!" Wade called out from the sidelines, "You can still do this."
"I know." I replied, unfazed, placing the remaining three cards facedown in the trap card zone. I say 'trap card zone' because I didn't have a turbo deck, as such, my normal set of spell cards would automatically be removed from the deck in a turbo duel, leaving my deck with 44 cards from its usual 60.
Turn 2: Dean's turn
Yuki 4000; Dean 4000; Chaos 4000; Trudge 4000;
"My move!" Dean drew, dodging Wade's attempts to bump him off the road.
"Come on buddy, if you have that much faith in your hero, let me duel her! I summon Marauding Captain (lv3, 1200/400), in attack mode. Being the leader, my captain's effect let's me bring out another fighter to the field, so I summon Jutte Fighter (lv 2, tuner, 700/900) onto the field. I tune my level 3 Marauding Captain with my level 2 Jutte Fighter to synchro summon, Goyo Chaser (lv5, 1900/1000)."
I looked unimpressed at the giant man-shaped beast that appeared on the field, looking very much like it was wielding a small-appliance. Or I would have looked unimpressed if I weren't so impressed by the fact that these people were playing a card game while riding a motorcycle like it was the most natural thing in the world. I found it surprisingly (or maybe unsurprisingly) hard to play a card game while on a motorcycle. Even though I'm not driving, I still feel like I could fall off at any second. You know, gravity and wind resistance and all.
"Goyo Chaser, attack Yuki directly!" Dean commanded. He couldn't attack Chaos yet, since Chaos didn't have a turn.
"I activate Shaddoll Core (lv9, 1450/1950), in defense mode." I commanded without bothering to look at the field. If my duels in the past week are any indication, 5D era decks would be eviscerated by my light and dark Shaddoll deck.
"I set three cards and end my turn." Dean announced.
Turn 3: Chaos' turn
Yuki 4000; Dean 3950; Chaos 4000; Trudge 4000;
"My turn!" Chaos laughed as he took us from the empty road onto the busy highway.
The next thing I saw was a bright light, the headlight of a apparently uninvolved truck, the driver swearing loudly as she swerved out of the way.
'What the hell?' I had meant to say, but all I managed was a quiet eep when I realized we were going against the traffic.
"I play-" Chaos was actually reaching for his duel disk, while going at 200 miles per hour, against the traffic, during rush hour.
"What? No, you're not playing anything!" I protested as soon as I could speak again. "Let me worry about the duel. You just focus on the road and not get us killed."
As evidenced by Chaos' most recent mistake, people need to concentrate when driving.
"This is all your fault, you know." Chaos complained, realizing I was going forcing him to skip his turn.
"How is this my fault?" I rolled my eyes even though he couldn't see it.
"I got used to driving on the right side of the road in the Satellite thanks to you." He continued, darting in front of another car to bring us a little closer to the correct (left) side of the road. "In case you haven't noticed, the rest of the country drove on the left side."
Truth is, I noticed. But while technically both are perfectly legitimate, the alternative just felt so strange to me, so naturally, when I (had first Nervin, then Kalin) designed the road system in the Satellite, I set lanes on the right.
"Just shut it and drive." I grumbled. It was not a mistake, not exactly. I didn't want to have to get used to driving on the 'wrong' side of the road, in case I forgot and ended up driving against the traffic.
"Are you two done chatting?" Trudge interrupted. Somehow, all three sector agents had followed us through traffic and the thus the duel continues.
Wade gave me a thumbs up, still holding his phone in his other hand. I worry for him.
"Chaos." I warned, Chaos hmmphed but relented.
"I forfeit the game." Chaos disconnected his duel disk from his duel runner, the light representing his lifepoints in the game went dark.
"Don't think we're gonna do the same!" Dean shouted (its the only way to be heard), "If you think you can defeat the two of us, then so be it!"
I didn't respond because I was too busy clinging to Chaos and not falling off.
Turn 4: Trudge's turn
Yuki 4000; Dean 3950; Trudge 4000;
"It's my move!" Trudge drew a card. "First, I play the spell card Count Up, and I'll send Stygian Street Patrol (lv4, 1600/1200) to the graveyard to special summon Stygian Security (lv1, 100/600) from my hand. Next, I summon Fortress Warrior (lv2, 600/1200), in defense mode! I tune my level 2 Fortress Warrior with my level 1 Stygian Security to synchro summons Goyo Defender (lv3, 1000/1000). By his special ability, I can special summon 2 more Goyo Defenders from my extra deck!"
A total of three Goyo Defenders took up Trudge's field. By the rules of this turbo duel, he could also control his partner's monsters during his turn.
"Goyo Chaser gains 300 attack for each Earth-Warrior type Synchro monsters I control, increasing his attack to an earth-shattering 2800. Now my warrior, destroy Shaddoll Core!"
My monsters was sliced in half and disappeared back into the shadows.
"Now, Goyo Defender, attack!"
"I activate Needle Bug Nest." I said, glad my duel disk was voice-activated. "This card sends 5 cards from the top of my deck to my graveyard."
In order, the five cards were Shaddoll Beast (lv5, 2200/1700), Scrap Iron Scarecrow, Electromagnetic Turtle, Shaddoll Falco (lv2, tuner, 800/1400) and Shaddoll Squamata (lv4, 1800/1000).
"Shaddoll Beast allows me to draw a card, Shaddoll Falco brings itself back onto the field when discarded, and Shaddoll Squamata lets me discard another Shaddoll to the graveyard, so I choose Shaddoll Hedghog, which lets me bring Shaddoll Beast into my hand."
Seeing as Shaddoll Falco had 1400 defense and Goyo Defender only had 1000 attack, Trudge stopped his monster.
"Yay! Yuki-sama 1, Sector Security 0!" Wade cheered from beside Dean.
"You're an embarrassment to your uniform, Wade you know that?" Trudge complained. "I'll place two more card face-down and end my turn."
Turn 5: Yuki's turn
Yuki 4000; Dean 3950; Trudge 4000;
"Now let's see," I looked at my hand, pleased. It shouldn't be too hard to get rid of at least one of them this turn, how which synchro monster should I use?" "I set one card facedown," Just in case I forget at the end of the turn. "And flip summon Shaddoll Falco to bring back Shaddoll Beast from the graveyard."
Trudge must have seen the look of victory in my eyes. He raced towards our duel runner. The sector runner hit the side of our front wheel. Chaos barely managed to keep his duel runner straight. I was pressed flat against Chaos. At least this time, I didn't lose either of the two cards I had.
"End turn." The voice of Kaiba's computer said unexpectedly.
I looked up in confusion.
"I can't believe you were dumb enough to press the End Turn button on your duel disk!" Dean taunted, "I've heard of it happening, but I never believed it!"
"Huh, didn't know that was a thing." I admitted. "Oh well."
Turn 6: Dean's turn
Yuki 4000; Dean 3950; Trudge 4000;
"Now let's see how your deck stands up to an onslaught of warriors! I summons Jutt Fighter (lv2, tuner, 700/900) and tune him with two of Ushio's Goyo Defender (lv3, 1000/1000) to synchro summon, out of the reaches of justice is order, come forth your majesty and claim your throne, Goyo King (lv8, 2800/2000)."
"Not only that, I'll activate the speed spell Final Attack. At the cost of two of my speed counters, I double his majesty's attack for this turn. He'll be send to the graveyard at the end of the turn, but you won't last that long. This is the end!" Dean proclaimed, activating one of the face-down cards on the field.
"Goyo King (lv8, 5600/2000), destroy Shaddoll Falco (lv2, tuner, 800/1400) and wipe out her life points!"
I felt Chaos' muscles tense.
"Oh no!" Wade's hand on his duel runner tightened, the other hand instinctively moved away so he wouldn't film the fall of his hero.
"Activate trap, Dark Renewal." I flipped over my trap card, "This card let's me tribute one of my own spellcasters and your monster to summon a spellcaster from my hand. So I'll tribute Shaddoll Falco and your attacking Goyo King to summon Shaddoll Beast."
"Activate trap, Interdimensional Matter Transporter!" Dean proclaimed, obviously having thought the combo through, "I remove Goyo King from play for the rest of the turn."
"Fair enough, but my Shaddoll Falco is still sent to the graveyard, and when Shaddoll Falco is sent to the graveyard by a card effect, he comes back face down on the field."
"Not for long, Goyo Chaser, destroy Shaddoll Falco!"
"I activate Shaddoll Games to flip over Shaddoll Beast and send Shaddoll Hound to the graveyard. Shaddoll Hound changes Chaser into defense mode, and Beast lets me draw two cards, then discard one of them. I'll discard Shaddoll Dragon (lv4, 1900/0) to destroy a face-down card."
The face-down card I destroyed was Call of the Haunted, which shattered and disappeared.
"It's the end of my turn, so Goyo King comes back to the field. It's all up to you now Ushio." Dean ended his turn with a flourish.
Turn 7: Trudge's turn
Yuki 4000; Dean 3950; Trudge 4000;
"You got lucky, but now you don't have a single face-down card left. This is the end of the line!" Trudge gloated.
"Didn't Dean just say that?" Wade reminded him, his phone now firmly trained on the duel again. "I'm sorry Yuki-sama, I never should have doubted you!"
"Maybe you'll worship me from now on when you see my moves," Trudge mused. "I summon Phantom King Hydride (lv3, tuner, 1500/300) to the field. Tuning my level 3 Goyo Defender with my level 3 Phantom King Hydride, I bring about another fearsome Goyo Synchro Warrior to the field, Goyo Guadian (lv6, 2800/2000)."
Trudge looked at his field gleefully. He, Ushio Trudge, would be the one to bring down this new champion of Neo Domino City, finally, he would get the recognition and respect he deserved.
"Given her field, you wouldn't be able to cause any damage." Wade pointed out reasonably. Trudge decided to ignore anybody who rained on his parade. The truth is, even if he doesn't win, as long as he did some damage, that'll be enough to make a name for himself and put him on the short list for the next promotion.
"Goyo Chaser, attack!"
"By banishing my Electromagnetic Turtle from the graveyard, I can bring an end to your battle phase." I could let him attack, but I would like my monsters on the field so I could finish the game next turn.
Turn 8: Yuki's turn
Yuki 4000; Dean 3950; Trudge 4000;
"Your driving's gonna be okay?" I asked Chaos skeptically. We have now exited onto the duel runner-only route riding towards the pier. I must admit, the empty roads were very soothing, in reminding me that we were much less likely to die from an unexpected crash.
"Just duel." Chaos responded flatly, using my words against me.
"In that case," I freed my right hand to draw a card. I was finally getting the hang of 'not falling off a moving motorcycle without using your arms', "I'll place one trap card face down and flip Shaddoll Falco face up to bring another Shaddoll Falco back onto the field," Not that it matters anymore. "I flip summon Shaddoll Beast to draw two more cards, and discard Effect Veiler(lv1, tuner) from my hand."
"Effect Veiler?" Trudge asked, "That's a great card."
"It is, but it won't be very useful if I end the duel this turn. I banish Shaddoll Hound from my graveyard to summon White Dragon Wyvernbuster (lv4, 1800/1000) from my hand, which also brings Black Dragon Collapserpent (lv4, 1700/1000) to my hand."
"I tune my level 2 Shaddoll Falco with my level 4 White Dragon Wyvernbuster to synchro summon Orient Dragon (lv6, 2300/1000). My dragon automatically banishes one synchro monsters on your field, I think your King should go first."
"Discard Effect Veiler," Dean sent his own Effect Veiler into the graveyard, "This would negate your dragon's effect, and he's too weak to do any damage."
"Don't speak so soon. I summon Summoner Monk (Lv4, 800/1600)," The card I've had since my last turn, "To special summon Raiden, Hand of the Lightsworn (lv4, tuner, 1750/1000) to the field, so that I could tune my two level 4 monsters to bring forth Crimson Blader (lv8, 2800/2500).
"Yuki-sama on the counter-attack!" Wade zoomed in further onto the duel.
"You have much more devote supporters in the Satellite," Chaos reminded me, as though afraid a single supporter in Domino City would stop me from going back. I responded by hitting him on the head.
"I banish Effect Veiler and Shaddoll Dragon from my graveyard to special summon, Black Luster Soldier-Envoy of the Beginning (lv8, 3000/2500)."
Chaos coughed as he choked on the wind gushing into his throat, he almost reached into his own deck to see if his trump card was still there. Of course, this copy of Black Luster Soldier was mine. I had asked Goodwin for another copy of the card as part of my new deck, and he duly obliged the new Domino Champion, probably still believing he could turn me into his puppet like he did Jack.
"That'll be all for now." I decided, now having Orient Dragon, Shaddoll Beast, Black Luster Soldier, Crimson Blader on my side of the field.
"Let's wipe all of monsters out first." I decided as was my habit.
Black Luster Soldier attacked twice, destroying both Goyo King and Goyo Guardian, dealing 200 damage each to Dean and Trudge. Crimson Blader attacked next, destroying Goyo Chaser dealing Dean 900 damage.
"Who should I attack next," I turned my eyes to Trudge. "Shaddoll Beast, attack Trudge directly."
Dean nodded, Trudge understood the signal and flipped over their last trap card, "Pin Point Guard. I use this card to bring back Stygian Street Patrole to the field in defense mode. During this turn, he cannot be destroyed by battle or card effects."
"I'll finish Dean off first then." Trudge's trap card could only defend one player, so Dean's remaining life points (2850) were easily wiped out.
"Your turn." I gestured with a smirk. Trudge had an empty field and only two cards in his hand.
Moreover, given Crimson Blader's effect, he can't summon any level 5 or above monsters this turn. Even I would be in a bind in his shoes.
Turn 9: Trudge's turn
Yuki 4000, Speed counter 9; Trudge 4000; Speed counter 11
"I play Angel Baton!" Trudge played the card as soon as he drew it, "At the cost of 2 speed counters, I draw two cards and discard Speed spell- High Speed Crash."
"Sector Security never gives up, I'll give you that much." Chaos admitted. "Much more endearing now that we're about to win."
"You know Yuki," Trudge ignored Chaos' jab, he looked at his hand and gloated. Actually gloated. "You've played an admirable duel, one might even say that not all of your duels in Neo Domino had been staged. But you can never escape the clutches of justice! You've never played a turbo duel in your life, you don't have a single speed spell in your deck, and that's going to cost you!"
"I activate, Synchro Defuse! At the cost of a measly 2 speed counters, I can take control of one of your synchro monsters, so I'll take Crimson Blader!"
That's a really good card, I made a mental note to add it to my deck if I ever turbo duel, then immediately scratched the idea out from my head. Victory in a children's card game might be difficult if I lost half of my head in a crash.
"That won't make a difference to the game, you're still losing next turn." Wade commented.
"Not unless I play this, Speed spell- Brain Control. By removing 6 more speed counters, I can take any of your monsters I like, so come to me, Black Luster Soldier!"
My warrior struggled in vain as he was dragged to the opposing side, I thought I could see the resistance in every part of his body language.
"Now with your Black Luster Soldier and your Crimson Warrior, I can defeat you this turn!"
"Black Luster Soldier can attack twice, so that's 800 plus 700 plus, uh, 2800," Chaos counted out loud,
"That Is over 4000."
"Remind me to add you to our grade 4 math class." I rolled my eyes. "After I win this duel."
"Black Luster Soldier, attack!" Trudge commanded, after about a three second delay, my Black Luster Soldier moved towards my side of the field, charging towards Shaddoll Beast."
"Activate trap, Purushaddoll Aeon. This trap increases my Shaddoll Beast's attack by 1000 to 3200, making it the most powerful monster on the field this turn."
Trudge's face twisted it anger.
"Face it, there's nothing more you can do." I smirked, though the victory was not at all a surprise, I enjoyed it nonetheless, "You have nothing in your hand, nothing on the field and nothing in your graveyard that you can use."
"End turn." The voice that sounded oddly like Kaiba's computer announced again. I think it's safe to assume Trudge didn't press it by accident.
Turn 10, Yuki Turn
Yuki 4000, Trudge 4000
"Black Luster Soldier, finish the game." I commanded as my monsters returned to me. The warrior dove forward eagerly, along with the rest of my monsters, quickly dropping Trudge's life point to 0 and his duel runner spun out of control towards the side of the road.
"Hurray!" Wade cheered.
"You can stand to look a little less excited you know," Dean commented, but leaned towards him to watch the replay of the duel.
"Perhaps there's something I can do."
I looked up in alarm. I have largely neglected my environment during the duel, it's not like I'd recognize where we were going anyways. Now I found myself on top of the pier across from the Satellite. In the anime, this is where Goodwin had convinced Yusei to 'fight for the greater good' and defeat the Evil of the Dark Signers. I don't think he would believe me to be as gullible.
Goodwin stood at the side of the pier waiting. It wasn't hard to anticipate our destination given his surveillance of the city.
"Let me handle this," I told Chaos as he slowed down, "And don't have any more great plans."
"I'm a simple man, Yuki, but even I'm beginning to have doubts. I find it difficult to believe your mark was not activated even in the challenging duel you just had."
"Psh," I replied immaturely.
"Why would you run if you were the real Signer? I would have to let you go to the Satellite to defeat the Dark Signers in due time." Goodwin ignored me and continued.
Actually, Goodwin probably wouldn't have let me leave the Satellite at all if Yusei could defeat the Dark Signers in a children's card game, which Yusei could, because he's Yusei. But that'a moot now, so I didn't bother debating the point.
"Perhaps I might be interest you in another game, against me this time." Goodwin stood beside the dock overlooking the ocean. "If you win, only your friend dies. If you lose and still doesn't have your mark, I would have no more use for you."
My brain raced to find the alternative that would keep Chaos alive.
"You have few options here, unless, of course," He gestured to the ocean behind him, "You would like to repeat the actions of the other Satellite who rode into the ocean 10 years ago?"
"I can get you the fifth Signer, as long as you let him go." I trained my eyes on him. "As you may have suspected by now, that's not me."
Goodwin hesitated and so lost the time to respond.
"You don't need to do that, just hold on tight!" Chaos zoomed past Goodwin towards the ocean.
"I'm never going along with your great plans again!" I yelped, instinctively clutching onto him as Chaos' duel runner left land.
Goodwin looked on with his mouth agape, not believing somebody was actually repeating his famously unsuccessful feat.
A dragon dove down from the clouds to grasp me in its talons.
No, that's not a figure of speech. A dragon, previously hiding between the clouds, dove down and caught Chaos and I with its claws. Its red-headed rider leaned her head over the wings.
"Hey Yuki, what's up?" Akiza smiled down at me.
"See, I told you you'd get crushed." Wade commented as he uploaded the duel onto Sector Security's internal server.
"Yeah, but I got crushed by Yuki Tono, it was amazing!They're gonna be so jealous." Dean smirked, "I can't believe you didn't get in on the action!"
"I'll never stand in her way," Wade replied indignantly, while mentally kicking himself for missing the chance of having the best duel of his life
"I hope Ushio feels the same way." Dean looked over towards Trudge, who was taking out his frustration on a nearby garbage can.
"He doesn't." Wade replied flatly. "Forget about it, he's always had his head stuck you-know-where. You know, I wonder if I would get a change to duel Yuki if I went to the Satellite."
"To the Satellite!" Trudge must have overheard the last part of that sentence. "That's right! Then I can get my rematch."
"Forget it buddy," Dean patted him on the shoulder, "We still have the Director to answer to, remember?"
A/N: I really wanted to post this on March 4th, which was the one year anniversary for this story. :(
I probably could have split this chapter into two, but I wanted to post something longer as we hit the one-year mark- I can't believe I've been writing this thing for the past year.
Special thanks to DarkWarriorIncarnate for helping me write the duel.