Duel Terminal
By 7th Librarian

Chapter 6: A Ramblin' Gamblin' Duelist

"You plum run out of moves there, pardner?" The thick Southern drawl was only augmented by the ten-gallon hat the woman wore on her head, spurs chinking as she tapped her foot. "Or are you just willing to call it quits?"

"Sorry, miss, but I'm doing nothing of the sort." Leon Von Schroeder replied. "Even against the likes of Savage Farewell, I can't do anything more than my best!" (LLP:3600)

"Well, it looks like your best has gotten you into a heap 'o trouble, boyo." Farewell replied. She had four cards in her hand, three copies of Gene-Warped Warwolf on her field as well two cards set. Comparably, Leon's field was bare and he only had two cards in his hand. "Seein' as how I've got the lead in every respect." (FLP:3900) (2000/100x3)

"I think that's about to change." Leon said and grabbed one of his remaining cards. "I summon the Curse Witch in attack mode." A hunched-over old crone wrapped in a thick cloak appeared in front of him, her cackle dry, raspy and frightening as she kneaded bony fingers together. "And when I summon her, I can add one of three specific cards from my deck to my hand." (500/200)

Catching the card his deck spat out, he slid it into his disk. The ground cracked near him and a house rose out of the broken cement. It was made of gingerbread, decorated in cheerful frostings, gumdrops and other sweets that made it look like it was giving Farewell a big smile. "I activate Gingerbread House. Then I set one card and end my turn."

"Place looks good enough to eat, but it won't save you the duel." Farewell said as she drew. Then she started as Gingerbread House's door opened and a great toffee tongue unrolled itself like a carpet. "What in tarnation-Hey!" Her protest erupted as the tongue licked each of her Warwolves in turn and judging from their growls and sticky fur, they didn't like it either. "That ain't appropriate!"

"Gingerbread House gives your monsters a sugar rush in the form of six hundred more attack points, though!" Leon said with a chuckle as the wolves all began to turn red with rage. (2000-2600x3)

"Eh? That's…" Farewell frowned at him. "Where's the catch at, pardner?"

"Well, since your monsters all got above twenty-five hundred, they learn the hard way too much sugar is a bad thing." Leon said, lifting a finger. The Warwolves all suddenly froze in motion before exploding into dust. "They all are destroyed and I get five hundred life points for each one." (LLP:5100)

"Tch-! Not bad, not bad! But you got me right steamed and that just means I'm gonna run roughshod all over you!" Farewell grabbed one of her cards. "I activate the ritual spell Earth Chant, getting rid of my Big Koala to summon the real king of the beasts!"

A shadow flashed overhead, the cement of the playing field cracking apart as a large figure landed. It was a bipedal lion, covered in corded muscle and armor in equal measure. Claws glinted like swords and fangs like knives as it roared at Leon. "Say howdy to my Ultra War King Lion!" (2300/2100)

"He certainly looks the part." Leon agreed, watching as the lion stood up to its full height, towering over his Witch. Even his Gingerbread House fell under its shadow, the house slamming its chocolate shutters shut in fear. "But with stats like that, I feel like his bark is worse than his bite."

Farewell just grinned widely. "Izzat right? Then you're just going to learn how wrong you are the hard way! I activate Ultra War King Lion's special ability! If he's the only monster I have, his attack is doubled!" Her monster roared, flexing and unsheathing his claws as his mane flared with energy. "And don't go thinking your set card will save you! He can't be destroyed by card effects! Now crush that Witch! War Savagery!"

Leon watched as the lion charged, every clash of his claws on the cement gouging out trenches, mouth open wide to swallow his small witch whole. "I activate my trap card - Witch's Curse! This card has a different effect depending on which of her curses is in play or in my graveyard."

"You think that'll matter to my Lion?" Farewell crowed in delight as her Lion snared the feeble witch in one hand and chomped down, tearing in her two. But her delight become bewildered surprise as cookie crumbs dribbled out her monster's maw, the blood sprays were actually trailing licorice and everything else was just goops of frosting. "What?!"

"You remember the story, right? How did those kids kill the witch in the oven in her gingerbread house?" Leon said with a chuckle. "Well, this witch is a bit smarter. Not only did you not kill her in a fight, but now you take all the damage I would have!"

"I take what!?" Farewell gawked, but her protest was lost as her Lion staggered back, clutching his stomach. He twisted and fell, facing her - "Ah, no, no, no, no!"

The inevitable didn't happen and the duelist was buried in a pile of frosting, cookie crumbs, sweets and candy, only the thick strains of her accent audible as she struggled. (FLP: 0)

A few minutes later, the two duelists were going their separate ways, Farewell swearing up a colorful storm and Leon staring down at the four clear plastic cards in his hand. "That wasn't too hard. She's a character, though. I hope everyone I face in this tournament isn't going to be so crazy…"

TTTTTTT

Explosions shook the street, sending sprays of pixels into the air and causing the observing crowd of Berliners to cheer wildly, Jessiebelle skidding out of the resulting smoke with an arm raised as she was pelted by debris and heat. "Dammit! How did I not see that coming!?" (JLP:4500-2500)

"It is kind of in the name! What, with the field spell calling itself Eruption Kiln." Her opponent mocked as the smoke cleared to reveal him as well. He was dressed casually, a smoldering stick dangling out of a corner of his mouth. "Or my monsters have names like Mine Golem, Detonation Golem and Tripwire Golem…"

"Your stuff blows up on purpose, Richter - mine's not supposed to!" Jessie argued, wiping some of her hair out of her face angrily.

Richter just wiggled his stick over to the side of his mouth. No matter how long it burned or how he sucked on it, it never seemed to get any smaller and for some reason, Jessie found it really irritating. "You're welcome to stop attacking my monsters. Hasn't done a good job so far." (RLP: 5900)

"Not in your life! I told you when we started, I aim to win!"

"Then prove it." Richter said with a shrug. "Or has The World Traveller hit her last stop?"

"I'm just getting started!" Jessie said brusquely, glancing down at her situation. Her playing field was bare, Richter's Minefield Detonation having blown up his Golems and taken out her Don Zaloog and Ancient Gear Gadjitron Dragon along with a good hunk of her life points. "I set two cards face-down and end my turn!"

"You can't stop me with those - I'll blast my way right through them!" Richter snapped up his card. His field spell, Explosive Kiln had morphed his part of the playing field into a fiery, cratered expanse. "During my Standby Phase, my Kiln activates and bakes me a new golem! I will bring back Tripwire Golem!"

One of the craters rumbled and spat something into the air. It crashed down heavily in front of Richter, revealing it to be a squat, barrel-like stone monster. Strings dangled from its body, all of them hissing and sparking intermittently as they tried to light. (1000/1600)

Richter pointed another face-up spell card on his field. "Blackpowder Rock gained some counters when you took damage from my golems last turn! Now it has five! Meaning my monster gains a powerboost!" (1000/1600-1500/2100)

Tripwire Golem's fuses all light at once as the monster stood up and produced a pair of stone grenades out of nowhere. "And since it's attacking you, my field spell lets me swap its attack and defense! Bomb Bomb Barrage!" (1500-2100)

Jessie shrieked as the Golem's two grenades were hurtled at her, detonating right in her face and sending her stumbling again. But even as she landed on her butt, she lifted a hand. "I activate one of my set cards!" (JLP:2500-400)

The card flipped up, crackling with energy that cut open a portal in reality. "Damage Condenser! I discard one card and summon a monster from my deck whose attack is less than that damage! I summon Red Rose Dragon!" In a flurry of rose petal, her new monster appeared. It was a dog-sized dragon whose wings were the leaves of the twin red roses growing out of its back. (1000/1800)

Richter just chuckled. "Too little, too late. If you blow up my Golem, you'll take five hundred damage and loose. And if you do anything else to it, Tripwire Golem will summon either Mine or Detonation Golem and you'll still take damage. That fancy Rose Dragon Synchro you used earlier proved that, remember?"

"Don't worry about me, worry about yourself because when I'm through with you, it'll be like your whole world exploded!" Jessie said defiantly as she got to her feet. She was conscious of the crowd, the phone cameras and her career all pressing around her. She let out a breath, forcing the tension to go with it. This was a duel, just like any other.

It was a duel she was going to win.

"I draw!" She pulled the card from her deck and glanced at it, trying not to frown. Gorg The Strong wasn't the card she wanted to see. The other cards in her hand were more useful - she could even Synchro Summon if she wanted. And while there was a monster available, it wouldn't do any good. Just like Richter had said, going over his golem would just wipe out the last of her life points.

Then she remembered what her other set card was - and she had the spell card Ancient Brilliance - those two monsters -

"I got this!" Jessie crowed in delight and slapped a card down. "I normal summon White Rose Dragon!" White rose petals piled up on her field, scattering as something in them shook loose. It was a monster in the same vein as Red Rose Dragon, though its roses were white and it was more slender and adorable. "And since I normal summoned her, I can bring back Silver Rose Dragon from my graveyard!" (1200/1000)

Richter watched as a silver version of her other two monsters appeared, this one giving the other two a haughty look and then preening its shimmering silver rose wings pointedly. "Going for another Synchro Summon?"

"I'm going for more than that! I tune my level three Red Rose Dragon with my level four White Rose Dragon! Ageless grace, eternal beauty and ancient power mingle together! Bath the forest in light and drive out all darkness! Synchro Summon Level 7!" Jessie grinned as her monster appeared. A slender body kept aloft by ephemeral butterfly-esque wings and an angular soft face covered in a crown-like mask. "Ancient Pixie Dragon! (2100/3000)

The crowd oohed and aahed at the dragon flared her wings, letting light shine through them and refract across the ground in a myriad of stained glass patterns. "I sent White Rose Dragon to the graveyard, so now I can send a plant monster from my deck to the graveyard." Jessie did so and then gestured to Ancient Pixie Dragon. "Since there's a field spell in play, my monster can destroy one card on the field per turn!"

"So what? You can't go for my Golem and my spells and traps won't do anything to-" Richter's eyes widened as Pixie Dragon's tail lashed around and pierced through Jessiebelle's set card like it was a spear. "Your own card!"

"Yep! And that was Basal Rose Shoot! Since it was destroyed while face-down, I can revive one Rose Dragon monster from my graveyard! Return, Black Rose Dragon!" Lashing black vines and sharp rose petals heralded her monster's return, a darkly melodic roar issuing out of the dragon as it spread rose wings. (2400/1800)

It's arrival drew another wild cheer from the crowd and Jessie grabbed another card from her hand. Ancient Pixie Dragon took skyward, spreading her wings as wide as possible and refracting the sunlight so that Black Rose Dragon was bathed in the pure sunshine. As it was, the dragon seemed to grow, the rose petals shading from red to white and gold. "Now I activate the spell card Ancient Guidance!"

TTTTTTT

"Umm…you realize this is all kinds of evil overlord, right, Sumire?"

"Evil is a subjective term."

"That's not exactly a denial…"

"I thought it was." Sumire sitting in front of a low table, a holographic representation of Berlin cast entirely in blue sprawling in front of her. The streets were littered with little dots moving about here and there. When the dots collided, a dust cloud would start around them and the words 'Duel!' would flash above them for a moment.

"You look like a god casting her judgmental gaze down upon the minions below and finding them unworthy." Chloe was seated across from Sumire, watching the map as well. Though she couldn't help but note that Sumire's chair was just a few centimetres higher than her own. "I mean, you can literally reach down there and pull a duelist's profile out of there."

Sumire held up a gloved-hand that was covered in sensors and diodes. "That is what the shape glove is for."

"What's the point of this tech? Can't you track them with a standard map?"

"Yes, but this map provides both elevation and more accurate locations. Furthermore, this kind of technology is a result of my improvements to the Bleeding Edge Technology. The original designs could render things based on thought, but they had to be simple. Tetris blocks stacked together, in a way. This one-" Sumire touched the slender eyepiece mounted to the side of her head. "Enables me to manipulate the 3D image of Berlin however I want with merely a touch."

Chloe let out a low whistle, impressed despite herself as Sumire made a 'come hither' gesture and the map zoomed in on itself, switching to a eye-level side view of the street that showed a dot labelled 'Jessiebelle Wheeler-Valentine' moving down a street. "Okay, that is kind of impressive. Trying to market this for Christmas or something?"

"No. The entire table has to be a very powerful holographic projector and equally powerful processor." Sumire said simply. "The cost of this table is several million dollars. The average family would not be able to afford it."

"But millionaires with too much time on their hands, and a thing for spying on people?" Chloe gave her a side eye. "I mean, it is a little concerning now you mention it. You could use this to spy on your employees. Or stalk people. Are there cyber security laws against this kind of thing?"

"Excuse me a minute." Sumire cut Chloe off and reached into the holographic Berlin. She pinched some of the street like it was paper and then 'tugged' it free, tossing it back into the mess so that it became a zoomed, street-level view of what she wanted. It was a duelist icon moving down some side streets at an erratic pace. Tapping it, a small profile popped up alongside it. To her annoyance, Chloe found she couldn't read it backwards despite it being see-through; the lines were just squiggly to her. She really does think of everything and that kind of bothers me for a reason I don't get…

Sumire made a noise of satisfaction and tapped the dot again. A row of boxes appeared in place of the profile icon and she tapped one. The dot stopped moving and the words 'DISABLED!' flashed above it.

"What…did you just do?"

"I have incapacitated someone who triggered my watchdog program via their Duel Disk."

"You did what?" Chloe asked in mild shock. "Like, a taser through the Duel Disk or something?"

Sumire gave her a confused look. "No, that is not possible and highly unethical. I merely disabled their Duel Disk and ensured it cannot be removed. They cannot hide no matter where they go in the city."

Curious now, Chloe leaned to get a better look as if the dot were to suddenly start speaking. "They some kind of Rare Hunter? What kind of watchdog program did they trip?"

"The one concerning the series of monsters called 'The Numbers'."

TTTTTTT

Jessie had seen a lot of valuable things glint in the sunlight - expensive jewellery, gold, gemstones and even a particularly awesome belly button piercing. But none of those were as satisfying as the glint of the four Locator Cards she was holding up. "Alright! Over halfway there!"

There was something special about owning a specific tournament's complete set of Locator Cards. The last tournament she'd been in - Las Vegas - had its Locator Cards add up to a picture of the famous skyline that your Duel Disk could project. Another tournament had its finalist's cards get modded to project themselves in front of a famous landmark.

She currently had eight different completed sets framed and hanging off her wall. And getting to the finals here in Berlin would be set number nine. Possibly the most important set of her career. The top three members of this tournament qualified to take place in the World Cup next year. The tournament was one of the biggest events in Duel Monsters because it crowned the World Champion.

World Champion. One third of her dream alongside becoming Pro League Number 1 and King of Games.

Her heart thudded in her chest at the idea of achieving the first ever Triple Crown in Duel Monsters history. It was an achievement that no one would ever be able to catch up, because she'd have done it first. And as her Dad liked to say, there was only ever one first place in the history of anything.

The World Champion was the easiest peak to climb - all that required was winning a tournament. Pro League Number 1 was harder, though. You had to get past Number 5 to earn the right to challenge the Top Three and at the moment, Daniel Pilkington seemed content to just beat all comers who wanted to get past him.

King of Games was the hardest. There was only one at any time and all the public knew was that Yugi Mouto had surrendered the title nearly a decade ago to a challenger who wished to remain anonymous. Jessie had spent a lot of time pestering Lero to reveal who it was, but he had remained stubbornly silent. But if she could get that name, it could very well be a one-and-done.

She mulled over the issue as she shuffled her Locator Cards back together and stowed them in her Duel Disk. Maybe there was another avenue now that Sumire was involved. Her bestie would probably love to have some tips on how to bond and connect with Lero as a person and more intimately, as a husband. All it would take in exchange was a little favor that Sumire could probably access in her sleep…

"Jessie - Earth to Jessie - please return our calls, we really need that rent." A dry voice interrupted as a hand waved in front of her face. "You can stop daydreaming about the screaming crowds when you become World Champion. Or are the screaming fans the King of Games and World Champion having the wild after party?"

Jessie flushed with embarrassment and swatted the hand away. "Hush up, Raymon - some of us have dreams worth living in!"

Her boyfriend's rakish smile went well with his cargo shorts and Hawaiian shirt, meaning he was adorkable enough that she couldn't stay mad at him. "My dream of running the family business and having a quiet life is just as liveable as your wild imaginings."

"Yeah, but my 'wild imaginings' are actually coming true." Jessie stuck her tongue out at him. "I'm well on my way to winning this tournament and then beyond! Didn't your Dad ask on that last Skype call when you were coming home?"

Raymon's grin just grew. "Hey, someone's gotta keep you from running wild. And getting into danger. Remember the last tournament you were at?"

Jessie's good mood fell and she frowned at him. "The Bride Tournament went fine. It was the aftermath that went a bit cray-cray, but it worked out."

"Jess, the castle became an Escher Painting and you dueled a dead man-"

"And it all worked out, Raymon." She insisted firmly.

"I'm just saying, everytime you and Lero get together, things go a little off the rails. Heck, there was that visit just the other day and you got trapped in that funhouse." Raymon insisted.

"That was not my fault; that was Kaede's." Jessie huffed and started down the sidewalk, eyes scanning the roads for an opponent she could actually duel and not try to out-argue. She never seemed to be doing well these days at those.

There wasn't anyone obvious, but there was some faint swearing and clanging coming down a side street. Curious and hoping it was someone hoping to avenge a loss with a win, she started after the source.

It was a man who looked like he'd stepped off an Indiana Jones set piece. Tattered leather jacket, long trailing scarf, fedora and a satchel stuffed with something. He was tugging at his Duel Disk, banging it against the wall, a bike rack and anything else that seemed appropriate to try and get it off. It was testament to the durability of the new models that the thing didn't have so much as a scratch.

"..Jessie, no-" Raymon started behind her.

"Hey!" Jessie ignored her boyfriend and waved her hand to get the man's attention. "You need some help, buddy?"

The man only spared her a vague passing glance before wrenching at his duel disk again, threatening to pull his arm out of the socket. "Supposed to be over, but it's not, it's never over, just keeps getting hungrier and hungrier and hungrier-"

"Okay…you know the button to take your duel disk off is just under the wristband," Jessie was pretty certain already that all was not alright upstairs with this one, but he was clearly in some distress and she knew she should at least attempt to help, even if it was fruitless.

"Doesn't come off, stupid girl!" the man pulled his attention away from his duel disk enough to hiss at her angrily. "Just clings to me, sucking and feeding. It needs more. More fights. Duels. Wins-" His eyes darted back and forth with each statement as though having an argument with himself.

"Jessie," Raymon's anxiety was palpable. "Leave him alone - the guy's clearly high."

He was probably right, and Jessie knew it, but she didn't feel right about just leaving him, as he snarled in anger as his duel disk failed to respond to being smashed against a dumpster. She wondered if this was an appropriate time to use the emergency hotline set up by the tournament organizers.

"You think your duel disk is…feeding off you?"

She scrambled a few steps back in alarm as the rage and frustration in the man's eyes seemed to zero in on her completely, and the man wiped spit away from his face before answering.

"It's all a flip of the coin, y'see. Heads, I get some, tails I get less." The man dragged a hand through his ragged hair. It looked to be a smooth, practiced motion that had become so much less about suave and so much more about coping with something. "Take a gamble - big risk, big reward, but the risk is so big and the payout is just snake-eyes…"

"Okay…and what's the reward?" Jessie could not help but back up another step.

"Barian." The man said firmly as if this was obvious. "Barian power." He took a step forward as his gaze settled on her Duel Disk. "And you're going to give me some, missy."

"Let's not and say we did." Raymon cut in, stepping in front of Jessie and pushing her back further. "Jessiebelle, we're going. There's other opponents around."

It was true, and while Jessiebelle Wheeler-Valentine didn't need a man to defend her, she was grateful for Raymon's presence as the man continued to advance. "Yeah, sorry bro. I don't just give things away for free."

Squeezing Raymon's hand she pulled him away with her, her heart racing in panic as she heard the footsteps behind her picking up, getting louder and closer with each second.

"You will give it to me, girl!" the man snarled. "This is a tournament! No real duelist backs down from a fight!"

That stung, and caused her to pause, but only for a moment. "No, but we do back down from your smell, buddy."

"You're a coward! You will not escape your fate of losing to me!"

Now she froze, every sense in her body suddenly heightened. She could feel Raymon's palm sweating in her hand, and see his frantic expression as he silently begged her to just move. But she was not moving now. And he knew it.

She yanked her hand away and rounded on him.

"I'm Jessibelle Wheeler-Valentine - I laugh in the face of fate!" Her duel disk activated. "If it's a fight you want, it's a fight you'll-"

There was a roar of engine turbines as a sudden wind made Jessie shield her face. The engine whine died down, as did the wind, but a shadow fell over her instead. She looked up and her eyes widened.

"Dragon!" Raymon blurted out, staring up in shock and looking ready to bolt.

"Dragon jet." Jessie corrected, staring in confusion as the jet banked around and descended on the man's other side. Standing atop the nose like a trenchcoat-clad angry goddess was Sumire, arms folded and clothing billowing as the jet landed.

The CEO didn't seem to notice Jessie, her attention focused entirely on the man. "Blackjack. You have entered my tournament under false means and are in possession of a card that Industrial Illusions has deemed illegal. You have no recourse but to submit yourself to my custody." She held out her arm and the bracer there activated, emitting an angular version of a Duel Disk tray. "One way or another."

Jessie stared at her in total shock, her mouth working for a moment. "...not cool!"

Sumire lifted her head, blinking as she caught sight of the speaker. "Ah. Jessiebelle. Hello. Have you been having a good time?"

"No! First my boyfriend and now you are trying to cockblock me!"

"...you can have sex with the strange man after I have defeated him in this duel."

Jessie's eye twitched. "Not that kind of-"

Blackjack coughed awkwardly. "Flake off, missy! I ain't got time to play little girl games! I want some big fish!"

"And you have landed yourself a shark, instead." Sumire stepped down from the nose of her jet, hard-light steps forming under her feet with each stride. "You not only entered my tournament illegally, you are a Duel Spirit draining my competitors of energy. I will not have it."

"Screw what you want, missy!" Blackjack whirled and ran, Jessie and Raymon jumping apart to avoid getting run over. Only for a mass of whirling blue cubes to spring into existence and bar his way, spreading out until the formed a cage-like structure that encompassed him and everyone else. "What the hell is this!?"

"A cage." Sumire's booted feet hit the ground and Jessie could see her Duel Disk glowing faintly as well her eyepiece. And to her surprise, so were the eyes of the Blue-Eyes Jet. "Specifically designed to entrap those like you. My willpower keeps it functioning, Blackjack. So the only way out is to defeat me." Her eyes glittered ruthlessly like cold sapphires as a harsh smile appeared. "Which means that there is no way out!"

Blackjack turned to face her, his frustrated expression twisting into anger. "So you want it like that, lady? Fine, you're forcing me to play all in! But don't blame me when I take everything from you!" He activated his Duel Disk, the air around him flickering red a few times like a spark trying to catch.

Jessie squawked, startled as a sudden wave of air swept through the backstreet that sent her hair flapping and trash flying. Her spine tingled as she raised her arms in a reflexive defense. Duel Spirit? And now some kind of magic? What is going on?

"Jess-Jess?" Raymon's hand wrapped around her upraised wrist, concern evident in his tone. "You okay? You look like a startled cat."

"Startled- Raymon, don't you feel that coming off that guy?" Jessie demanded in shock.

Raymon shook his head. "Feel what, Jess-Jess? All I feel is a bit of panic because we're trapped in the cage with him."

"The cage lets people through fine. Just walk through it."

Jessie twisted in surprise as she saw a raven-haired woman standing on the other side of the cage, watching them casually. "Um…Chloe, right?"

"Yes. But like I said, the cage lets people through. You should probably get out." Chloe thrust her arm through the blue, the hard-light cage not even slowing her. "Before the magic starts flying."

"Magic?" Raymon's eyes widened and he immediately half-pulled, half-pushed Jessie out of the cage alongside himself. "I hate to say 'I told you so' but-"

"Then don't say it, unless you want to sleep in your own room." Jessie warned and turned back to look at the rising conflict. "What's going on, Chloe?"

"This guy is a Duel Spirit, like Sumire said. And she also says he's got something called a 'Number' on him." Chloe shrugged. "That's all I know."

"You've bitten off more than you can chew, missy! If you know about 'Numbers', you know that a human using them is just a waste!" Blackjack declared as he drew his opening hand. "You'll choke on their power!"

Sumire made a dismissive noise. "And if you knew anything about humans, Blackjack, you would know that we strive, adapt and overcome." She thrust her Duel Disk arm into the air. "Photon Change!"

White light pulled itself seemingly off the air, coating her body and soaking into her clothing. Everything from her hair to her socks gained an off-white coloring that seemed to almost glow. At the same time, a blue tattoo flared over her left eye.

Chloe let out a low whistle. "That's really cool. Maybe being married to Lero is rubbing off her."

"Could be." Jessie agreed.

Sumire cocked her head at them. "How is this cool? I am literally using photons to create a positive charge to counteract the negative magic Numbers use."

"Leave it to you to take all the fun out of it…"

"Enough!" Blackjack was practically spitting in frustration at this point. "We're dueling! And I'm winning!" He ripped his hand free. (BLP: 8000)

"Believe what you want. I will show you the truth of the matter." Sumire replied curtly as she waved her hand, pulling five holographic cards out of the air. (SLP: 8000)

"I'm first, draw!" Blackjack drew his sixth card and plugged it into his disk. "I activate the continuous spell card Dark Room of Nightmares!" Shadows stretched across the playing field, flickering and twitching as if they were alive. "Then I summon my Achacha Archer!"

The new monster was a Japanese-themed archer, though the most notable thing about him was that his arrows were on fire. Blackjack grinned. "And when I summon this guy, you take five hundred points of damage!"

The archer knocked an arrow, the flames spreading to his hands and prompting him to yell 'Achachachca!' as he fired the arrow at Sumire. She grunted as the hit slammed into her midsection, leaving a black smear across her front. Though she easily just brushed it off like the ash it was and waited for Blackjack to continue his move. (SLP: 8000-7500)

"Tch - if that didn't warm you up, let's talk about my next move, ice queen!" Blackjack jeered as the shadows from Dark Room of Nightmares began to crawl towards Sumire, peeling themselves off the ground and swirling around her. "My spell would deal you an extra three hundred damage, but in this case, I can negate that - to summon out this guy!"

The shadows around Sumire froze as a new figure leapt down to land on Blackjack's field. Like the Archer before, he was vaguely Japanese-themed with a long scarf and twin katanas. The swords were also on fire and he slashed both through the air to launch razors of flame at Sumire. "And he deals you four hundred damage when he's summoned! And Dark Room of Nightmare will deal more atop that!"

As before, the magic crashed against Sumire and left an 'X' of burn marks. Moments later, the shadows danced and laughed around, raking claws against her body. Narrowing her eyes, she swept out of one her hands and the action emitted a wave of light that sent the shadows scurrying away and cleared her coat of the ash. (SLP: 7500-7100-6800)

Blackjack scowled and pointed at his field. "Take this, then! I overlay my two level three monsters to summon Achacha Bolter!" His two monsters were consumed by flames that combined together and then were scattered by his new monster leaping out of them. Clad entirely in black ninja garb, he would have been unremarkable if not for the two crossbows he had in his hands that were belt-fed from the giant drum of burning bolts on his back. "I use his effect! I expend one Xyz Material and you take eight hundred damage!" (2200/800)

With a cry of 'Achachachacha!', the ninja opened fire. Crossbow bolts slammed into Sumire, exploding on impact and wreathing her in smoke. The shadows also attacked again, swarming in and out of the smoke. Only for a second wave of light to disperse them and the smoke easily. (SLP:6800-6000-5700)

"Sorcerer's black bones, do you feel anything or are you just some kind of machine?" Blackjack growled as he grabbed another card. "I activate Generation Force as I have an Xyz monster, so I can search for a card that has 'Xyz' in its name! Then I set one card face-down and end my turn, ice queen!"

"Did she turn down the settings or something on her Duel Disk?" Raymon asked. "I've seen weaker attacks than that knock around Jessie all day." He yelped as his girlfriend socked him in the arm.

"That's for being obnoxious! And for thinking Sumire's scared of a little pain!" Jessie huffed at him, crossing her arms as he stuck his tongue out at her. "That girl once stepped on a Lego brick and didn't even blink!"

"I think it has more to do with her nifty light armor." Chloe interjected. She was staring at the duel, particularly Blackjack, intently. "The more I spend time next to him, the more I think Sumire was right. He's not a human, he's a Duel Spirit. If he's got some kind of magical ability, then her Photon Change is probably interfering with it."

"He's a what?" Raymon twisted his head, staring at her in confusion.

Jessie, on the other hand, felt her jaw drop in surprise. "A Duel Spirit!? You mean I was about to duel a magical entity for a tournament win and she stole my kill! Aghh!"

"Why does that excite you!?"

"It's my move." Sumire swept her fingers over her Duel Disk and a holographic card appeared there. "I activate the spell card Fishing Lure, letting me special summon one Fish monster from my hand or graveyard." A fishing rod appeared in her hand and she twirled it above her head before casting it. Suddenly, hanging off the hook, was a horse-sized demonic fish. Covered with corded muscle, blue skin and bone plates, it looked particularly nasty as it spat out the hook and hissed like a snake. "I summon Infernalqueen Salmon." (2400/1000)

The cement nearby swirled into a small water vortex, a dark shape visible in its depths. "When I summon Infernalqueen Salmon, I can summon a level five normal Fish monster from my deck. I choose her partner, Terrorking Salmon." The dark shape erupted from the vortex, a massive red-scaled salmon with far too many fangs. (2400/1000)

"I'm not afraid of some oversized goldfish!" Blackjack crooked his fingers at her. "My Bolter will fry them up with a side of butter!"

"Then it is a good thing I am not going to attack with them." Sumire thrust out her hand. "With my two level five monsters, I open the Overlay Network!" Her two monsters sank into the swirl of light that opened beneath them. Her new monster rose out, a hulking armored dinosaur that was covered in magma spikes and steamed with the raw heat of the Earth itself. "I summon Number 61: Volcasaurus." (2500/1000)

Blackjack's eyes widened. "You've got a Number, too?" Then his gaze narrowed sharply in dark glee. "Then you're about to get a rude awakening, girlie!"

"Is that so?" Sumire just watched him flatly, even as Blackjack's expression twitched in irritation. "Yet you are the one who is dreaming he can defeat me."

"What does he mean by 'rude awakening'-" Raymon started, then his eyes widened as Volcasaurus roared loudly as a vaporous red glow billowed around it. All three of the duel's observers shielded themselves from the shockwave of air it kicked up. "Christ on a bike, this is supposed to be a card game!"

The aura sprang to life around Sumire as well, though it was tighter and thicker. It oozed like malicious syrup as it clouded around her body, Volcasaurus rumbling as its own aura grew. Blackjack just laughed. "The Numbers don't like being bossed around, lady! So see what happens when it…it...it..."

His mockery ended as Sumire just swept out her hand again, the white of her outfit glimmering sharply before it all flared. The red mist surrounding her evaporated away, leaving Volcasaurus staggering and rumbling in apparent exhaustion. "But…but...how…it was supposed to possess you! It was supposed to!"

"She's using a monster that'll possess her?" Raymon gawked. "Is she nuts?"

"Sumire! Did you take the wrong thing from being a Pegasus!" Jessie demanded angrily. "Lero's Dad had those things in the Vault for a reason!"

Chloe just chuckled, drawing looks from the other two. "So that's it. She's a lot more clever than I realized." Seeing the other two just continue to look at her, she continued. "I've encountered Numbers before, too, and they can amplify the effects of a duel to dangerous levels. I needed my Signer Dragon to deal with it. But if she's managed to create a way to do the same with the Bleeding Edge system, then she can not only defend herself against Numbers and Darkness Games, but she can turn them back on the enemy."

"I activate Volcasaurus' effect. By detaching one Overlay Material, my monster can destroy yours and deal you its attack as damage." Sumire watched as her monster chomped down on one of the orbs circling it, some of its horns shifting position on its body to become cannons. They fire twin streams of magma at Achacha Bolter. He could only scream 'Achachacha!' again as he melted into pixels.

"Blast, blast!" Blackjack clutched his body as molten fragments of his monster pelted him, leaving him steaming and hissing like burnt wood. (BLP:8000-5800)

"Volcasaurus attacks you directly!" Sumire pointed and her monster obeyed with another roar, this time breathing a swath of fire over Blackjack. The Duel Spirit emerged whole and mostly unhurt, but he was smoldering in various places and was gulping down air. "Are you ready to surrender?" (BLP:5800-3300)

Blackjack thumbed his chest, coughing out a cloud of black smoke. "Nope! I can't wait to steal your Barian energy when I win!"

"Whatever Barian energy is, you will have none of it." Sumire flicked her wrist, a holographic card supersizing itself in front of her face-down. "I set this card and end my turn."

"My move!" Blackjack drew and a card fell out of his graveyard. "Since you killed my Achacha Bolter last turn and he still had a material, I can shuffle him back into my Extra Deck during my Standby Phase and then pick up two Achacha monsters from my graveyard!" He held up Achacha Archer and Chanbara. "Look familiar?"

Sumire's eyes narrowed. "You are going to repeat the combination from your previous turn."

"Right in one, woman! I summon Achacha Archer!" Blackjack slapped the card down, watching as the archer reappeared and fired on Sumire. As before, her photinized coat shielded her from the damage though her life points weren't as lucky. "Then I negate the damage from Dark Room of Nightmare and summon Achacha Chanbara!" (SLP:5700-5200)

The samurai also reappeared and slashed his blades, Sumire not even flinching as the fiery 'X' washed over her along with the swirling dark spirits. But her expression never changed even as her life points ticked down further. (SLP:5200-4800-4500)

"Toughing it out, are you? Then let's see how tough you are in the face of this!" Blackjack held up a spell card, his two monsters glowing. "I activate Numbers Arrival! I pick one Number in my Extra Deck and then my monsters gain levels, types and attributes to match its own!" Level stars appeared above both monsters, doubling from three to six for each one. "So now with my two level six monsters, I open the Overlay Network!"

The monsters erupted into flames that consumed them before a shower of sparks exploded out of it as a massive hammer slammed down. The hammer heads weren't metal, but two halves of an oversized dice. There was a growl of eagerness as a large hand seized the haft, its owner a large red ogre who lifted the weapon easily and slung it over his shoulder. "Gambling is a certainty with you! Smash down bad luck! Rank Six! Number 67: Pair-a-Dice Smasher!" (2100/2100)

"Well, it's not as powerful as Sumire's, but…" Jessie said with an air of annoyed approval. "He's certainly got more pizzazz."

"He's a weird magical guy beating up on your friend!" Raymon objected, aghast. Jessie shrugged.

"She's fine. She can take it."

"I'm not done! I activate my set continuous trap - Xyz Enhance!" Blackjack crowed as his card flipped up. "When I Xyz Summon, I can give that monster one more material monster from my hand! So my Smasher gets my Gorogoro Booster!" He slapped the card into play and Pair-a-Dice Smasher gained a third glowing orb circling it. "But wait, there's more! I can detach two materials from Smasher to force us both to roll a die! The loser of the roll can't attack or use monster effects next turn!"

Sumire's eyes flicked to a large, palm-sized that die appeared in her grip. "Very well." She flung out the die at the same time Blackjack did. The two die collided in mid-air and bounced around each other, clattering around the field until they rolled to a stop.

"Yes! Alright!" Jessie pumped a fist in the air. "Sumire got a six and he only got two! She wins! Don't play against the house, Blackjack!"

"You only play against the house if you know you can win!" Blackjack didn't seem upset by his low roll; in fact, he looked rather pleased. "Smasher! Go and give my die a smashing!"

The ogre charged forwards, bringing down his hammer on the die. The blow cratered the ground and Jessie stared in disbelief as the weapon lifted to reveal a new number on Blackjack's die. "A seven! That's not even possible with six-sided dice, you cheater!"

"It is with my Number." Blackjack laughed, crossing his arms. "If Smasher has at least one material, I can make the result of any die roll equal seven once per turn! Which means little miss ice queen can't use her monster abilities or attack me on her next turn!"

Smasher rumbled in agreement, a glow surrounding him suddenly as he gave his hammer a few practice swings. "And I gave him Gorogoro Booster, too! Which gives him a new power! He gets one hundred attack points equal to the result of whatever dice we roll! Smasher, smash up that dinosaur and make it extinct!" (2100/2100-3400/3400)

Sumire braced herself this time as Smasher charged, his hammer doubling in size as he slammed into Volcasaurus and drove the dinosaur into teh cement like it was a cheap toy. (SLP:4500-3600)

"Bet that shook you up!" Blackjack chuckled. "End turn!"

"Damn, these Numbers are more dangerous than I thought…" Raymon said slowly. Then he started. "Wait a minute - he summoned a Number! Why didn't it possess him!"

"Must be because he's a Duel Spirit." Chloe suggested.

"Yeah, but he was acting pretty weird before you got here." Jessie put in, eyeing Blackjack again. "Like a druggie needing a fix. His thought process was all over the place and he wanted that Barian stuff for a hit."

"Whatever that stuff is, Sumire doesn't seem too keen to provide it." Raymon put in. "She looks like she's (something here)"

"I draw." Sumire pulled another holographic card free. "I activate the continuous spell card Whitefish Salvage. Using this card's effect, I can discard one card to add a Fish monster from the graveyard to my hand." One of her hand cards dissolved into pixels before a new one appeared in a swirl of digital cubes. "Then I activate the effect of the monster I just discarded - Luring Shark lets me banish it to special summon a level five Fish monster from my hand. Return, Infernalqueen Salmon." In a spray of digital water, her demonic fish appeared.

"That monster let her set up her summon, but she can't use its effect." Raymon said in frustration. "So why put it in attack mode?"

"'Cause my girl's got a strategy." Jessie said and pointed at said girl as Raymon looked at her with a frown. "I keep telling you, stop focusing so much on the field and focus on the duelist. That's where the action is!"

Sumire's expression was impassive, but there was a gleam of resolve in her blue eyes. "I equip my Salmon with the card Aqua Mirage." The air next to Infernalqueen Salmon, rippling like a pool of water until it reflected a ghostly image of the Salmon. "This card allows itself to be used as copy of the equipped monster when I Xyz Summon. So I now overlay my two level five monsters! I Xyz Summon Number 73: Abyss Splash!"

Her monsters dissolved into water that twisted and spun itself into a tornado. That tornado was shredded apart as a trident burst through the wall, its owner revealed to a towering armored merman who regarded Pair-a-Dice Smasher with disdain. (2400/1400)

"Another one?" Blackjack stared in disbelief. "You're nuts, human!"

Sumire didn't respond to the statement, Abyss Splash apparently not even bothering to try and control her like Volcasaurus had. "I end my turn."

"My monster's stronger, you realize?" Blackjack asked as he drew his card. When Sumire's cold gaze was his only answer, he frowned at her and her monster. "I bet that one's got some kind of tricky battle ability - you don't seem like the kind to bluff. So I'll just get rid of it! I activate another Generation Force, letting me add Xyz Import from my deck to my hand!"

Sumire's eyes widened slightly in recognition and then flicked to Abyss Splash. "I activate my monster's ability - by expending one of his materials, I can double his attack points until the end of the battle phase." One of Abyss Splash's orbiting lights was sucked into his trident, a powerful glow of energy rippling around his body as his power rose. (2400-4800)

"Ha, figured!" Blackjack cracked a grin as he added a card to his hand. "You may have gotten out of that trick, but I've got more coming. I activate Seven Store, tributing my Smasher!" His Number was swallowed up by a pillar of golden light. "Now I draw one card, plus one more for each material he had!"

Drawing two more cards, his grin spread wider. "Got it! I summon Gorogoro Dealer in attack mode!" In a flash of light, his monster appeared. It was a simple looking man, his robes covered in dice and he was rattling around a pair of them in a cup in his hands. (1300/1300)

"And since I've got Dealer, I can special summon Gambler from my hand!" The new monster was dressed like Dealer, though his robes were decorated with playing cards, dice and other gambling instruments. He was shaking one hand slightly, shaking some dice therein, his expression cocky and aggressive. (800/800)

"I activate Gambler's ability! I roll one die and then I revive one Gorogoro monster from the graveyard whose level is less than that roll! Go, Gambler!" Blackjack watched as his monster flung out his hand, sending a die that grew as it bounced over the playing field. It landed on a five and the duelist clapped his hands once in delight. "Perfect! I revive the level four Gorogoro Booster!"

The monster appeared. Like his fellows, he wore gambling themed clothing, but his was decorated with money of all kinds and he was waving a sign that seemed to be cheering on both Gambler and Dealer. (1000/1000)

"Now I activate Dealer's ability! I roll two dice and then I can make my monsters have a level so long as that level is less than the number rolled!" Blackjack watched as Dealer slammed his cup down, the other two Gorogoro monsters watching intently as he moved the cup away. The dice showed three and five, all three men cheering slightly. "There we go! The total is eight, so now all of my monsters become level seven!"

He thrust a finger into the air as all the men stood up, becoming wreathed glows of light. "The luckiest luck, the boldest fortune and the greatest chance all spin on the slots of life and land on you! Rank 7! Number 7: Lucky Straight!" (700/700)

It was perhaps one of the oddest monsters Jessie had ever seen. It was a thin, angular harlequin wearing an obnoxious black outfit striped in green zig-zags. It twirled a staff topped with a music note and most annoying of all, it had a laugh that reminded her of an old cartoon. And not in a good way. "That thing makes me want to slap it and I'm not even the one dueling."

"It's weaker than Smasher, but he had to use more monsters at a higher level." Chloe said, studying Lucky Straight with intent. "And I get a greater sense of power from it, too. It's definitely more dangerous."

Raymon looked worried. "Yeah, but the question is how?"

"Since I just Xyz Summoned, Xyz Enhance activates! My trap lets me put Gorogoro Roller to my Lucky Straight as an Xyz Material!" Blackjack tossed out the card and his monster laughed again as the card became a fourth sphere of light circling it. "Now I detach one of the materials and roll two dice! C'mon, Lucky Straight, show me some love!"

The harlequin laughed again and produced a pair of dice he began to juggle, tossing them back and front, over his shoulders and more before finally catching both and holding them out. The dice gleamed, their revealed sides showing a four and a three. "Nice! Lucky Straight's attack becomes seven hundred times the highest roll!" (700-2800)

"And now your Gorogoro monsters activate their powers as its materials." Sumire noted, watching as Lucky Straight glowed with energy.

Blackjack nodded. "First, Booster gives him seven hundred more atack. And then Roller goes off - you take one hundred damage for every result! So take this!" The glow around his monster sharpened, launching tendrils of lightning towards Sumire. (2800-3500)

"No, I will not be taking it." Sumire snapped her fingers and a shark erupted out of the cement below her. "Defense Shark activates its effect while it is in my hand. When I take effect damage, it summons itself and absorbs that damage as attack points." The shark's armor-plated body absorbed the lightning without even noticing, the predator growling as its power rose. (0-700/1800)

"That's fine, 'cause it doesn't matter." Blackjack smiled as Lucky Straight split into two more copies of itself, all three of them striking a pose. "See, I rolled a seven on my die rolls. Which means my monster can activate its greatest ability - everything else on the field is sent to the graveyard! Lucky Sevens!"

All three harlequins laughed into their microphones, their laughter so loud and terrible that all of the cards on the field shattered apart. Sumire covered her ears, glaring in annoyance as the two extra monsters faded away.

"Lucky Straight! Hit her life points directly! Deadly Slot Roll!" Blackjack commanded as Lucky Straight danced across the field, pirouetting and slamming a pointed heel into Sumire's chest with enough force to send her staggering backwards. "Finally! Got to shake you out of that rut!"

Sumire straightened, brushing off the damage physically and mockingly. "I could agree with you - I actually felt that one. It only took you long enough." (SLP:3600-100)

Blackjack growled in anger. "You're one to talk with only one hundred life points left! Not that you'll be talking at all when I win and suck you dry of Barian energy! I end my turn!"

"My move." Sumire drew and gestured, an image of Fishing Lure appearing in front of her. "I banish Fishing Lure from my graveyard to add one Fish monster from my deck." The card blew apart as she yanked the card she wanted out of the ether. "I summon that monster - Lantern Shark." Like Defense Shark before it, this monster was armored up. But as it swam through the air, slots on its sides opened to expose searchlights. (1500/400)

"When Lantern Shark is summoned, I can all out another Shark from my hand, thus I summon Eagle Shark. And if Eagle Shark is in play, I can special summon Panther Shark from my hand as well." The first of the new sharks was large, red and had four angled fins that vaguely resembled wings. The other one was smaller, sleek and yellow, the simple flowing motions giving off the impression of a jungle cat. (1000/1800) (1100/2000)

"Now that my preparations are ready, I activate a spell card." Sumire gestured and the card appeared in front of her. "My own copy of Numbers Arrive. My monsters now become level four and thus, I overlay all three of them. I Xyz Summon Number 91: Thunder Spark Dragon." The monsters morphed into lightning bolts that slammed together, twinning and twisting to become a serpentine dragon who sparked and crackled with lightning. Even its roar had the electronic warble of increasing voltage. (2400/2000)

"A third Number!" Raymon protested. "I thought these things were rare and dangerous! How many does she have?"

"Umm…we all dueled at least one during the Bride Tournament, so probably all of those." Jessie said thoughtfully, tapping her chin.

Chloe cocked her head at the blonde duelist. "Didn't you trade her the one you got for early access to Synchro Monsters? Sumire said you were kind of insistent on keeping it."

"Jessie!" Raymon glowered at her as Jessie laughed awkwardly with a hand behind her head. "You wanted to keep the crazy, dangerous magical card that possesses people!? Seriously!"

"Hey, I didn't know it did the possession thing - I just knew that monster nearly killed me and was really cool…" Jessie let out an 'eep' as Raymon glowered harder. "Yeah, I know! Not the smartest idea, but I got some awesome cards out of it…?"

"That's not a good reason to keep the dangerous magical artifacts!"

"I activate the spell card Overlay Shroud. Now, when my Thunder Spark Dragon detaches an material, it will gain one counter. And I detach all three materials to activate my monster's power." Sumire watched as her monster sucked in the glowing spheres, the electricity on its body exploding into a raging thunderstorm. "All of your monsters are destroyed and my monster follows up with a direct attack."

"No!" Blackjack's protest was drowned out as the lightning danced across the field. Lucky Straight was still laughing as it was shredded apart by the bolts and then the duelist himself was being picked up off his feet and hurtled into the side of the cage so hard the wind was knocked out of him. "Dammit!" (BLP:3300-900)

"My turn is over and soon, so will this duel." Sumire declared, watching as Blackjack got back to his feet shakingly. Then her coat reacted, the white glow sharpening briefly. What? He did not do anything, did he?

"This…is not done…not until I get that Barian energy from you!" Blackjack snarled and reached for his deck, tearing his next card free.

Jessie flinched as she felt that gust of energy and wind again, the hairs on the back of her neck prickling. This pressure - where's it coming from? How's he doing this?!

"Sumire, be careful!" Chloe called in warning, her eyes narrowing. "His whole aura changed! He's about to do something bad!"

"Oh, 'bad' isn't nearly a good enough word! How about 'crazy'?" Blackjack said as he held up two cards. "I summon Gorogoro Dealer from my hand, special summon then another Gambler as well!" The gambling men appeared, bouncing their dice and talking to each other in gibberish, clearly already placing bets. "Then - I overlay my two level four monsters! A box that holds equal hope and equal misery! Let's gamble with their lives to get the greatest prize! Xyz Summon! Rank Four! Number 85: Crazy Box!"

The monster was just what it said, a black box of interconnecting cubes. But the moment it appeared, it began to shift and change, the cubes detaching and rearranging themselves over and over in an incomprehensible order that left the box's true shape only vague. (3000/300)

"I activate Crazy Box's effect - I roll one die!" Blackjack watched as the box rearranged itself some more, then spat out a single die that landed on a two. "That means I draw one card." He put his hand onto his deck to draw, red sparks flickering over him again.

Sumire, Jessie and Chloe all tensed the moment he pulled the card free, all three women's fight-or-flight instincts kicking in.

This feeling - ! It's just like when I dueled that Rare Hunter! Chloe whirled, tackling both Jessiebelle and Raymon. They went down in a tangle of limbs and wild cries of surprise. "Get down, get down now!"

"I activate Rank-Up Magic Barian's Limited Force! I now rank up my Crazy Box with Barian energy!" Blackjack laughed as a vaporous red aura erupted around him and his monster, both flaring and swelling as power seemed to fill the dueling field. "With new power comes new rules! Twist and bend them all for the love of luck and thrill of the game! Rank-Up Xyz Summons! Rank 5! Number C85: Crazy Rubik!" (3500/0)

Sumire braced herself as Crazy Box was swallowed by the red vapor utterly. The mass roiled and swelled into thick fog, energy sparking and dancing within its depths. Blackjack laughed again as the same energy lashed out and slammed into him. He staggered from the blows, but they just seemed to invigorate him as his eyes darkend with redness and his veins bulged and pulsed irregularly against his skin in a manner that suggested he had multiple hearts and they were all out of sync.

The blasts were wild, crashing against the cage and making it twist and strain to contain it. Sumire grit her teeth, forcing herself to remain focused and the cage strengthened - only to flicker out of existence for a millisecond as one of the blasts caught her in the torso. Pain radiated across her entire body and she dropped to one knee. Her eyes flicked to her coat, staring as the whiteness was gone to reveal the now smoldering green of the real coat underneath. Photon Change wasn't enough to stop this!?

Jessie was shaking. I can't believe I was about to duel this guy! There was no way for her to tell if the thought was derived from panic or desire.

"This is nuts! I told you, Jessie, I told you -" Raymon protested as he tried to get Jessie off him. He moved her enough to try and wriggle by - only to shriek in terror at the being standing above them. "Holy shit!"

Chloe either didn't care or just didn't hear. She was standing over the two protectively, a faint rainbow aura keeping the stray energy piercing the cage from striking them. But her hair was black, thorny brambles, her face monstrously leonine and she was baring needle-like fangs as her skin coated with jagged bark.

The evolved monster lived up to its name, a larger-than-life Rubik's Cube that was constantly shuffling and twirling its pieces to get them to line up. But despite innocuous appearance, there was a edge to it that filled the field with the idea that they were on a timer to solve it; and failure would mean death.

"I activate Xyz Import, targeting your Thunder Spark Dragon because it has less attack points than my monster! It becomes a material for mine!" Blackjack sneered as the Thunder Dragon screeched in terror as it was forcibly compressed into a tiny sphere of light that was dragged over to Crazy Rubik. "Now Crazy Rubrik attacks you directly!"

The Rubik Cube shifted enough to open a gap in the center of the side facing Sumire, spewing out a torrent of red energy. Sumire threw up her arms to block it, actually holding the sheer force of it back with her body before her footing gave out. With a cry of pain, she crashed into the side of the cage hard, bouncing off it and the ground below in quick succession. Red tendrils of energy smoked off her body, her pristine coat now jagged and torn everywhere. The cage flickered once, twice, and then resolved back into solidity. Though with not nearly the same permanent presence it had when the duel started.

"Lucky for you, Crazy Box can't deal damage through battle. And none of its effects can damage you. But the Barian power it has now…that's more than enough to beat you!" Blackjack sneered at Sumire, his voice distorted with his power with a resonating edge that was simply monstrous.

"Sumire!" Jessie tried to squeeze past Chloe, but the banshee's clawed hand pushed her back. "Let me go, dammit!"

"And what are you going to do? Sumire and I are protected from that energy and we're both nearly overwhelmed. You have nothing between you and that radiation." Chloe said, the normal melodic tones of her voice now low and beastly. "You're better off keeping your boyfriend from freaking out."

"Freaking out-?" Jessie turned, startled to find Raymon staring at the duel and more importantly, Chloe, with enough raw fear that his eyes were locked wide and his fingers were shaking. Jessie opened her mouth and nothing came out. What…what do I say?

Sumire got to her feet smoothly, clearly forcing herself to do so despite the pain she was in. She strode back to her side of the field, her coat's white light slowly stitching itself back together like something out of a moving. "This duel is not over. And you have not broken my will, Blackjack."

"That's fine if I don't - I'll settle for breaking your body." The Duel Spirit said, his sneer a bit too wide and revealing some sharp teeth. "I end my turn."

"I draw." Sumire pulled her card free. "I activate another Fishing Lure and this time, I special summon Superancient Deepsea King Coelacanth!" This time, her fishing pole didn't land a monster - the monster pulled it out of her hand. It was a literal whale of a monster, floating over the playing field and almost drawing the Blue-Eyes Jet behind it in size. (28000/2200)

"I said it the first time - I'm not afraid of some oversized goldfish! I activate Crazy Rubrik's effect!" Blackjack watched as the monster spat out a die and it landed on a two. "Now all your monster's attack is halved for the rest of the turn!" (2800-1400)

Sumire grabbed another card and snapped her fingers over it, the holographic card shattering into dust. "I discard a card to activate Coelacanth's effect! I summon as many Fish monsters as I can from the deck, but they cannot attack or use their abilities!" Coelacanth's mouth opened, letting four sharks swim out of it. Two of them were Lantern Sharks and two were Defense Sharks.

"Then I activate my second copy of Numbers Arrival! All my monsters become level four Warriors and so I overlay all five of them! I Xyz Summon!" Sumire watched as all five of her monsters flowed together into a single pillar of blazing white light. An armored figure resolved into existence from that light, heroic of build and wielding a golden lance that looked as powerful as he did. "Number 86: Heroic Champion - Rhongomyniad is summoned!" (1500/1500)

"Like that matters. Even a new Number can't stop Crazy Rubik!" Blackjack laughed. "I activate my monster's effect again!" The cube spat out a new die that landed on a five. "ANd now your monster can't even attack! So not only is he weak, he's useless!" (1500-750)

"No, Blackjack. He is exactly what is needed. By having five overlay material, Rhongomyniad has unlocked his greatest power. He can destroy all cards on your field!" Sumire pointed and her monster obeyed, twirling his lance and slamming it into the ground. Power exploded from the impact point, tearing away the crimson shroud of Barian energy around Crazy Rubik before disassembling the monster itself like so many bad Lego bricks.

Blackjack himself was screaming in frustration and pain as his own energy was ribboned from him, the power wave treating him like a windsock. Then he was staring in horror as Rhongonmyniad loomed over him, his body suddenly jerking. He looked down, staring at the lance impaling him. And instead of blood, vaporous red energy oozed out of him. "N-no…!"

He sagged as the weapon was withdrawn, his body going limp against the ground. The energy flowed out of him as he feebly tried to grab it. A weak protestant noise came from him as Sumire walked over to him and pulled his Numbers out of his graveyard slot.

She studied all three of them, only seemingly to remember Blackjack was there when he managed to snare the hem of her coat. She looked down at his body, watching as the fingers clasping her began to gray out. They became brittle and inflexible as he heaved for breath.

"D-Don't..I-I…need…I need them…I need..the B-Barian energy…just a little b-bit." He wheezed, dragging himself forwards by his grip on her coat so he could clutch at her ankle. "B-barian…!"

Sumire stared down at him, expressionless. Then her lips lifted in a cruel smirk. "You're getting ash on my coat, weakling." She tugged her foot free and then slammed the booted heel down on his hand. The limb erupted into ash and dust like it was nothing at all, Blackjack protesting wordlessly as his body began to follow suit.

"Sumire!" Jessie stared in shock as her friend kicked away the other grasping hand, sending an arc of dust across the ground. Blackjack had tried to kill her and stolen people's energy, but this was too far. "What the hell do you think you're doing!?"

"Reminding the weak that they exist to be stepping stones for the strong." Sumire slammed her other foot down through the hole Blackjack already had in his toros, the Duel Spirit expiring as the rest of his body ran out of the vaporous red energy and he crumbled into dust.

"Screw that noise!" Jessie shoved her way past Chloe and the barrier, charging through the cage. Or at least, she tried to. The cage stretched and bent against her like she was pushing against plastic wrap.

"Hnnn?" Sumire's gaze tilted towards her, blue eyes glimmering with white. "Are you upset at me? That's fine - we can duel over it." She lifted her arm, her Duel Disk reactivating. "Energy is energy…"

"Energy? Duel me? This is not you-!" Jessie's breath caught as she realized it, her eyes flicking to the white armored monster standing behind her friend. "It's the Number! It's controlling you!"

"Numbers don't control anyone. They're not alive, they're programmed. Some kind of drone, you see. They stoke a duelist's combat instincts, bring them to a blaze. And the resulting conflict allows them to collect Barian energy." Sumire smiled, but it was hollow and Jessie swore Rhongomyniad was smiling as well under its armored face. "I'm doing nothing wrong beyond giving people what they want. To fight, to grow, to learn, to embrace the conflict that proves they're worthy to keep living."

"Let her go or-"

"You can do nothing, except duel me." Sumire held up her hand, fanning out several black-bordered cards. "If you're feeling scared, then I can even let you have some Numbers. I'll be taking them back soon enough.." A cruel chuckle escaped the Egyptian woman, something that was so unlike her that Jessie felt a shiver run down her spine.

"Sumire, I'm gonna save you-"

An impossibly loud scream drove nails into her ears, but Jessie couldn't move to cover them. She couldn't move at all, the noise making her body seize up in a painful panic that left her breathing shallow and chest tight.

Sumire reacted only slightly better, her body tensing as she shook her head jerkily in an effort to shake out the noise. When that failed, Rhongomyniad lifted his weapon - only for a blast of power to punch into and through his chest. He stared at the wound and then a second blast tore off his head. The armored body fell apart, clanging to the ground with hollow noises.

Jessie found herself able to breathe, to move, but she still wasn't fast enough as Chloe swooped in to grab a stumbling Sumire. Behind her, a beautiful white dragon flew in and spread those gorgeous rainbow wings. Then shed a soft, warming light and she felt all her fear, panic and pain drift away. "What-what?"

"Just doing my job. Duel Priestess." Chloe said in that bestial voice, examining Sumire with care. "And secret surprise waifus gotta stick together."

"Does everyone have freaky magical powers now?!" Raymon was retreating, but it was hard to tell whether from the dragon or from Chloe. "What are you?!"

Jessie snapped out of her shock to splutter, whirling on her boyfriend. "That's a really rude thing to say to the person who just saved our friend!"

"She has claws where her fingers are supposed to be!"

"He can be afraid, Jessiebelle. That's the natural reaction to everything he's just seen." Chloe said patiently. Sumire was looking woozy and she helped the CEO sit down against the wall, checking her vitals. "But please, Raymon, don't open your mouth unless you're willing to move past that fear. It's not helping."

"I-I-I…" Raymon trailed off, clearly thrown by Chloe's kindness and his girlfriend's glare. He settled for squeezing himself into a corner, watching everything warily.

Figuring that was the best she was going to get, Jessie turned back and rushed to Sumire's side. "Sumire? Hey, girl, can you hear me?"

"Please stop screeching, Jessiebelle." Sumire moaned softly, shielding her face with her hand. "I have the most brutal headache."

"She's not possessed by the Number anymore." Chloe said, ignoring Sumire's protest as she cupped her chin and twisted her head this way and that. "Between the end of the duel and my Stardust Dragon, whatever hold it has slipped away."

"Oh. Right." Jessie looked over, regarding the large white dragon standing there with her wings folded up, looking perfectly angelical and poised. "Signer stuff?"

"Something like that." Chloe said with a small grin. "Sumire, does your jet have autopilot?"

"Yes. It will return to the airport if you hit the right commands." Sumire said, still trying to shield her face from the light.

"Alright then." Chloe stood up and scooped Sumire bodily. "We're heading back to Verthy's to get her checked over. Jet's only got room for two, so you'll have to walk or get a cab."

"No, this is not worth stalling your rise in the tournament, Jessie." Sumire insisted before Jessie could speak. "I will recover and there are no more Numbers involved here. It is just a normal tournament. One I know you want to win."

"You just had-!"

"Jessiebelle!" Sumire clutched at Jessie's arm with surprising strength, lifting her head enough for the blonde to see the resolve in the blue eye. "Please. You almost died last time. This time, it is not about me or Bellerophon or anything else. This is about your dreams. I will not let you stall them any further for something so trivial. Do you understand?"

Jessie knew that look. It was Sumire's 'Seto Kaiba' look, though no one ever said that to her friend's face. Sumire wasn't going to budge an inch on this and if Jessie ignored her and went anyway, Sumire would be rather pissed with her and take it personally.

"Alright." Jessie said at last, pulling her arm free. "But you call me as soon as you know whether or not you're okay. And you and Lero both better be there to hand me that winning trophy!"

Sumire managed a faint smile. "Only if you win it."

"No 'ifs, ands or buts' about it, Sumire - I will win it!"

"I know you will, my friend." Then Sumire groaned again and buried her face in Chloe's shoulder. "The darkness, please…"

"Working on it." Chloe soothed. She nodded good-bye to both Jessie and Raymon and then two, quick, inhuman leaps carried over to and into the Blue-Eyes Jet.

Less than a minute later, Jessie's hair was billowing as the jet took off vertically. She watched it go and clenched her fist. "Let's go, Raymon! I need another opponent! I have a tournament to win!"

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A/N: Now everyone's had a turn to do something, it's time to take a break! Back at the Schroeder mansion, our cast regruops, compares notes and have several needed conversations. There may be no card games, but that doesn't mean it won't be exciting!

Next Chapter: The Roads We Travel

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Accessing…Accessing…Accessing…

File Accessed.

Password: **********

To K -

My friend,

I apologize for not having written in some time; we have been busy excavating further into the ruins of Skyscraper. Doomfire is certain Decisive Armor is here and he seems almost driven to find it as I am. Though for differing reasons; he wants to see it with his own eyes. He was not able to before its final battle and claims he wants to see the results of their old unity.

He talks as we work, explaining about the Dark Worlders. They were not 'evil', at least not directly. They were in fact strong allies, the Warlords Silva and Goldd leaping to defend refugees, Zure, Beige and more joining the front lines. But they never seemed to share the laments of the other tribes at the costs of the war and they almost seemed to possess an eagerness to do battle with both the Worms and the Lightsworn.

Doomfire was never able to verify it, but he feels that the Dark Worlders held a survival of the fittest mentality. Though he does agree with me if that was the case, why did they side with the Four Tribes when they were losing?

Brron and Pallette were the ones to suggest the Four Tribes launch the Ally of Justice Initiative and provided the basic technology needed for it. It wasn't from the Dark Worlders or any of the tribes; the metals and technology were just too advanced, too different. Doomfire got upset at this, clearly frustrated that no one pushed the Dark Worlders harder on where they got it from, but he understands why the leaders accepted it nonetheless. They were losing, after all.

I have to go, someone's found some kind of tunnel to a large crater.

To B -

My esteemed colleague,

Ahhh, yes. The Dark Worlders. Given that most of my research is based upon their strange magics and unique existence here in Terminus. Though I am surprised to hear they helped launch the Allies of Justice; you are correct in assuming that they could not produce such a thing on their own. Nor are you incorrect about their survival of the fittest mentality. In Dark World, the strong rule the weak. Though in their defense, they border several places like Pandemonium, Yami and more - strength is necessary to live there. But I have always known them to be cold, rather than cruel.

I will have to pry at my old contacts and notes, though. I am quite curious about where they acquired that technology…

CREATED CARDS

Curse Witch
DARK
4 stars
Spellcaster/Effect
500/200
Effect: When this card is Summoned, you can add one 'Spinning Wheel Spindle,'Gingerbread House' or 'Poisoned Apple' from your Deck or Graveyard to your Hand. If this card is in your Graveyard, you can banish this card and any two of the listed cards on it; Special Summon 'Wicked Witch' from your Hand, Deck or that is Banished.

Witch's Curse

Normal Trap Card
Effect: When this card is activated and you control 'Curse Witch' or 'Wicked Witch', activate and apply the following effects depending on the cards on the field or in the graveyard.

Spinning Wheel Spindle - Special Summon the targeted monster to your side of the field, ignoring the Summoning Conditions.

Gingerbread House - 'Curse Witch' or 'Wicked Witch' cannot be destroyed as a result of battle this turn and your opponent must attack with all monsters they control. Inflict any damage you take from battles involving 'Curse Witch' or 'Wicked Witch' to your opponent.

Poisoned Apple - Once per turn, 'Curse Witch' or 'Wicked Witch' can activate the effect of the monster equipped with 'Poisoned Apple' as its own effect.

Ultra War King Lion

EARTH

7 stars

Beast/Ritual/Effect
2300/1800
Effect: You can ritual summon this card with War Lion Battle Cry. If this face-up card is the only monster you control, apply the following effects:
1: Double this card's original ATK.

2: This card cannot be destroyed or targeted by your opponent's card effects.

NOTE: The Gorogoro cards have not made their full appearance, so those cards will be revealed later. They are part of the Syllable monsters, however, as 'Gorogoro' is the onomatopoeia used communicate the sounds of things like pens in a box moving, rattling objects and of course, dice.

Achacha Bolter
FIRE
Rank 3
Warrior/Xyz/Effect
2200/1000
Effect: 2 Level 3 monsters

You can detach an Xyz Material from this card, inflict 800 damage to your opponent. If this card with Xyz Material is destroyed, during your next Standby Phase, you can shuffle this card back into your Extra Deck; then add 2 'Achacha' monsters from your Graveyard to your Hand. You can only use each effect of Achacha Bolter once per turn.

Numbers Arrival
Normal Spell Card
Effect: Reveal one 'Number' Xyz monster in your Extra Deck. All face-up monsters you control become the Attribute and Type of the revealed monster and their Levels become equal to its Rank. During this turn, you can only summon 'Number' monsters from the Extra Deck.

Image: Gagaga Magician and Gagaga Magician Girl standing together in a pose, silhouettes of all the various forms of Utopia behind them.

Overlay Shroud
NOrmal SPell Card

Effect: Target one Xyz Monster you control. This turn, each time an Xyz Material is detached from that monster, place one 'Shroud Counter' on that monster. If a monster with a 'Shroud Counter' would be destroyed, you can remove one 'Shroud Counter' instead. You can only activate 1 'Overlay Shroud' per turn.

Image: Thunder Spark Dragon lashing towards an unidentified monster, its lightning bolts transforming into copies of itself.

Tripwire Golem
EARTH
3 stars
Rock/Effect
1000/1900
Effect: If this card is targeted for an attack or an effect, you can target one 'Mine Golem' or 'Detonation Golem' in your Graveyard; Special Summon that monster and switch the attack or effect to that monster. If this card is destroyed as a resul of your opponent's card, inflict 500 damage to your opponent.

Blackpowder Rock
Continuous Spell Card
Effect: Each time your opponent takes damage from a Rock 'Golem' monster, place one counter on this card. Increase the ATK and DEF of all Rock 'Golem' monsters by 100 for each counter on this card and increase the damage your opponent takes from the effects of Rock 'Golem' monsters by 100 for each counter on this card.

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