Chapter 10: Black Rose

Rua rode down street in Midtown Neo Domino, sighing as he looked around for his brothers. 'I hope that they are OK...' He thought, 'Especially Leo.' He recalled their duel with Hilda and how they were separated. He also recalled that woman Jack sent with the invitation, looking at his Clear Wing and Leo's Life Stream Dragon. After a bit, he pulled out the deck he had edited from last night, "I'll need to step up my game..." He mumbled to himself.

He soon paused at a alley once he picked up on a couple of teenage girl students chatting. "Did you hear? People are saying they saw the Black Rose in the Daimon Area?." A brunette said, her blond friend responding, "Wait, you mean that witch duelist that somehow causes real damage during her duels!?" Rua blinked as he listened.

"Black Rose...?" He pondered for a second before he noticed a small light, but it faded as he blinked. "What was...? Never mind. Perhaps I can find Leo and Yusei if I look for this 'Black Rose'." He resolved as he revved up his runner and made his way toward the Daimon Area.

(At Carly's apartment...)

Carly sighed as she noticed Rua was gone, "I wish he would have at least said goodbye before he left." She rose and grabbed her camera, checking her laptop briefly. "Hmmm... OH! The Black Rose Witch! That would make a decent scoop. I believe the rumors said..." She talked to herself as she exited her apartment, running down the stairs with excitement.

(At the Daimon Area Park...)

Yusei and Leo were making their way to the same location with Bolt and Tenzen, "So, you say there's a duelist that makes damage real?" Yusei asked Bolt whom nods. "It's a rumor. Sounds like a story parents use to scare their kids if you ask me." He said before Leo noticed a small light.

"Hey Yusei?" He said, trying to get his older brother's attention before a scream sounded, the light moving towards the source before fading. Both Yusei and Leo grasped their arms, the faint glow of their marks showing ominously.

"The Mark of the Crimson Dragon..." Tenzen gasped, noticing only Yusei's arm.

"I hope Rua's OK..." Leo said as they quickened their pace towards the screaming.

(With Rua...)

Rua had hid his runner, making his way into the park to see if anyone fit the bill of this 'Black Rose'. Soon he heard the scream, turning towards the source: A large rose like dragon roaring into the air. Rua soon grasped his arm once the pain surged, hissing as the glow emerged, "Unngh... Looks like I found her..." He grumbled as he ran ahead.

After running around a bush, Rua was greeted with a horrifying sight: A young male laying on the ground covered in bruises and wounds. Standing over him was a woman dressed in black and red attire, a mask hiding her face as the dragon floated behind her. "Hmph... How weak."

Soon she grasped her arm once it started to glow like Rua's, the boy soon being called out by Carly, "H-Heeey!" She shouted as she ran over to him, camera in hand before another pair of voices called out to him, "Rua!"

The boy looked back as his brothers soon caught up with him, the Black Rose soon noticing the the glows on their arms, "You all have that same accursed mark!? Stay away from me!" She shouted at them as she raised her hand, her dragon roaring as it kicked up a blinding gust. Once it cleared, the group looked up to find she was gone, sirens sounding not far off.

"Crap, as much as this would make a nice reunion, I think we should scram before Security gets here." Bolt said as everyone agreed, running out of the park and off towards their runners. Sticking close to each other, the gang soon met a calming coffee shop to gather. Leo got off his runner before he was nearly tackled by Rua, "Leo!" The twin hugged for a while before Yusei joined and lifted them with ease.

Bolt chuckled at the scene as Carly commented, "I didn't know he had a brother." She said, happy Rua was reunited with his family.

(30 min. later...)

Everyone had caught up with what happened, Carly rather embarrassed having to recall the duel with Rua. Rua joked once he heard Leo lost to Yusei, commenting that neither of them beat him in a duel before. At that, Yusei soon brought up the invitation to the Fortune Cup.

"Huh, me and Leo got one too." He said, perplexing the brothers as he handed the note with Leo's card to Yusei. "So Jack invited you guys too. I don't think he knows of the others." The older male summarized,

"So, what will you guys do?" Tenzen asked, concerned for the trio as Yusei sighed.

"We'll have to participate in the Cup." He replied.

"Huh? You mean you, Yusei." Rua corrected, causing him to shake his head, "Nope, Jack invited you both as well. Would be rude to deny him like that.' He said with a warm smile, the twins grinning at each other as they cheered.

(With Jack...)

"Thank you, Mina." Jack calmly said before Goodwin appeared, "All invitations have been sent. This will be a interesting tournament for our champ."

"Cut the crap, Goodwin. What's this truly about?" Jack demanded, the Director chuckling, "In due time Jack..." He said calmly before Zigzix contacted him, "Sire, the Crimson readings returned. Though those unknown reading keep cropping up. Should I keep an eye out for them?"

"...Yes. The tournament may help us weed it out." Goodwin said, Jack raising a eyebrow. 'What are you up to Goodwin?'

(Elsewhere, in a penthouse home...)

A small girl entered the house, teal hair tied into two pony tails as she set the groceries on the counter, "Ruka, I'm home." She called out as another girl, looking like a mirror image of the first, stepped downstairs. They both wore the same thing, a white open shirt and white shorts with red and purple shirts, respectively, underneath.

"Welcome back Luna.' She said, watching her sister set to cooking dinner for the two of them. She frowned a little, wiping her face before Luna noticed, "You miss mom and dad too?" Ruka (purple shirt) nodded, "Three years since they passed..." She said in a sad tone, Luna pausing cooking the meal to walk over and give her sister a comforting hug.

"Shhh..." She soothed her sister with a song their mother sang to them when she was alive. After Ruka calmed down, Luna returned to cooking, "Hey, Luna? I got that invitation as well. Are we going to this Fortune Cup?" She asked.

Luna normally didn't want to go to these things, but this would be a good chance to do something fun with Ruka, "You know, why not? I bet we can win, since we are dueling prodigies." This made Ruka smiling, "Yeah! Let's win!" She said eagerly, the two soon eating and toasting to victory.

Luna paused for a sec, 'I wonder if the people that lady told us about will be there... People to mend our hearts... Whose powers that we 'need to control'...' She wondered as she giggled at the mess Ruka was. "We should prepare our decks. The tournament is tomorrow, so we need extra sleep tonight." She told Ruka, whom nodded and cleaned her plate, heading to their room to get ready afterward.