Crystal
Once she saw the gates d'or of the Martinetti Estate, Crystal felt as though someone had dropped a giant block of ice into her stomach. Instead of a revered guest, she felt more like she was an inmate about to dropped off into prison. Might as well have been a prison with the way the rest of the guests were dressed. Instead of orange jumpsuits, they comically wore all-black outfits suited for the dinner party being held tonight, honoring Brett's cousin, Fran, getting the honor roll...again. Brett hated having to celebrate her achievements and listen to his uncle and his guests give her praise, but he couldn't deny the food being served at the party. And on top of that, he had to collect his pay for successfully smuggling the shipment of new Berettas for their private army.
How Crystal wished for the scales of justice to weigh on the other side here in Aquarius. The corruption here was extreme, and the Martinetti Family were smack-dab in the thick of it all. The mercenaries from RAPTOR were given enough compensation to look the other way when trouble involved the Martinettis. Even Yuri's father dared not mingle with their affairs. After all, Aquarius was big, so what was a little smuggling now and then. Especially if a large cut of the business went to him to keep quiet. Crystal knew Mr. Montgomery was caving-in to their power because he wanted to keep his children safe, especially Yuri, who was the only one who accepted the responsibility as President of Phobos Corp. If he did anything to anger the family, it would be those he loved who would pay dearly.
She looked out the window and stared at the bright lights of the Phobos Tri-Towers shining against the pitch-black sky.
"I'm going to be up there soon, babe," Brett said, slapping his hand on her exposed thigh.
Crystal jumped when she felt the impact. She brushed some hair off her face and said: "When last I checked, it was Yuri, not you, who was the son of Jacob Montgomery."
"If you think Jacob is the one running the show here, Crystal, then you're even dumber than I thought." He laughed with a leer and squeezed her cheeks with one hand. "That's what I love about you, Crystal. You think you know how the big boys play in Aquarius. It's so cute." He kissed her hard on the lips. "In time, you will learn how things REALLY work around here. Yuri's never going to be president of the company. And I'm going to see to that when I become the Duel Monsters World Champion at the games this summer. You'll see."
Crystal thrust her head to the side to release herself from his fingers. She smiled at him and gave a defiant chuckle. "You underestimate Yuri so much, Brett. You're so sure about your cockamamie plans and your own skills that it blinds you to see how strong he really is. I don't know how else I'm going to spell it out for you, Brett. Yuri's good. And I'm going to laugh my head off when he kicks your ass."
Brett leaned forward until the tip of his nose touched hers. "You're such a bad girl. In the tournament, I'm going to humiliate him when I destroy him in front of the whole world and take both the World Championship title and his Black Tyranno. And then...I'm going to give you such a spanking. Now, do me a favor. Shut up and do what you do best. Shine bright like a beautiful diamond for me tonight."
Crystal giggled as he pulled away. "Sure. I'll shut up and look pretty if you want, babe. Oh, by the way, diamonds don't shine, dumbass. They reflect. That's what I love about you, Brett. No matter how many times you call me dumb and stupid, I always prove you wrong."
The limo pulled into the driveway in front of the mansion. At the entrance, they were wanded down by security before being allowed in. Crystal was greeted again and again by the guests, sometimes even stopping to take a picture with them. Santiago greeted them both by the fountain in the atrium, which Brett was quick to show off.
"They finished installing it yesterday. Ain't it beautiful?" he said, telling them to admire the black marble, which accented the attire of the guests. Santiago shook Brett's hand, congratulating him and telling him how incredible it was. Crystal, however, suppressed a giggle behind their backs and stealthily rolled her eyes at Brett's boasting and Santiago's blatant pandering. The fountain in the entrance of Yuri's mansion was much grander and bigger than this little pond. Just then, a bald guard approached the three youngsters. He told Brett that his uncle was waiting for him upstairs.
"Come on," Brett said, leading Crystal upstairs. Santiago and the rest of Brett's personal escort followed them to a room, whose walls were grand aquariums with colorful reefs and tropical fish. A group of five men stood in a neat row behind a sickly man wearing all black. Uncle Lucio. He was sitting in a black and gold wheelchair, which was being pushed by a young lady wearing a sparkly red dress. Her long brown hair was curled and went down to her back with curled bangs that went past her chin.
Brett feigned a smile at the girl. "Cousin Franny. Congratulations on making the honor roll again. We're all so proud."
Fran smirked. "Someone has to make the family proud, Brett," she said. "Can't afford to have two disappointments in the family."
Her uncle held up his hand to silence her. "Don't waste your breath on him, Franny." He said. His voice was hoarse and weak. It was like it took every bit of strength he had just to say a few words. He looked at Crystal and held up his arms. "Crystal!" He praised her beauty in Italian and said: "Ah, it's so good to see you. Your album is on the top 10. My congratulations to you."
"Thank you, Mr. Lucio," Crystal said, nodding her head respectfully. "You're looking well."
"Bah," Uncle Lucio cursed in Italian. "I'm not doing as good as I did when I was a' your age. Look at me. I'm stuck in this stupid thing. It doesn't matter how pretty they make it look. But don't 'a flatter me, my dear. I know my time is a' coming. I'm ready to die. But I'm not sad. It a' warms my heart to know I've got you and Franny who are going to keep this family strong. Unlike 'a this fool here." He reached into his blazer and tossed Brett a vanilla envelope with his pay. "Good work getting the guns, Brett. Try not to spend all that at once, eh?"
"Really, Uncle Lucio?" Brett said. "Franny's a bookworm and Crystal sings a few songs and they're your pride and joy. Have you forgotten? I'm the one who brings in the most money around here. You wouldn't have those new Berettas if it wasn't for me. Ten mill, Uncle Lee. Ten mill, that's what I got us. I worked my ass off getting those guns to Aquarius."
"Ten mill? Top earner? Ha! You a' think I'm impressed with that? Crystal brings in a hundred mill with her career. Franny? She's a' no bookworm. She owns several businesses and brings in a' fifty mill. You're nothing but a smuggler. I can get smugglers. What I need is someone to keep the family legacy strong. You were the closest thing this family had to a son, and you ruined everything when you beat a' the shit out of Yuri."
"Someone had to show him who's boss around here, Uncle Lee. He was getting too close to Crystal. You said I had to defend her at any cost, so that's why I knocked him up a bit to teach him a lesson."
"Knocked him up?" Crystal said. "Brett, you broke his jaw, the bones in his wrist stuck out of the skin, and he was in a vegetative state for weeks. It's because of you that he went crazy and went underground at such a young age to fight in cage matches like an animal."
"Yuri did some bad stuff to those other fighters," added Uncle Lucio, who saw Yuri fighting in the streets under Aquarius. "He was like a man possessed. Lemme tell you, that boy I saw sure didn't look like a' Yuri to me."
"He's a nutcase," said Brett. "Imagine a guy like him being with Crystal. What would he do to her?"
"He'd treat me better than you," Crystal said.
"Girl, say one more word, and I'll..."
"You'll do what!" shouted Uncle Lucio. "You hurt Crystal again, Brett, and I'll have you thrown over the city wall."
"You won't do that. You need me."
"Not after we make the Montgomery family proposition we won't."
"What proposition?" Brett asked.
Fran smiled.
"We're going to arrange a marriage between my beautiful Franny and their son, Yuri."
Crystal and Brett both went cold. Crystal didn't know what to see. Words failed her, that's for sure. The Montgomerys and the Martinettis? Uniting? What would that do to the city?
Brett, however, stepped forward at once, his face beet red. "Uncle Lee, you can't do that? When last I checked, he's going out with the RAPTOR commander's daughter, Pamela."
"RAPTOR is in my pocket, Brett. I can always toss Troy a big sum of money to buy his daughter off."
"Mister Lucio," said Crystal. "You'll be wasting your time. Yuri is a guy who doesn't falter. He loves Patty. He will never leave her. Never. Especially not for money."
"Everyone's got a price, even little Yuri. And once he and Franny get hitched, I won't have to worry about this waste of space staining my family legacy anymore. Now, kids. Enough of this. Dinner is a' served. So eat up."
He snapped his fingers. Franny wheeled him out, and they were followed by their security escorts. Crystal was about to follow until Brett grabbed her by the arm.
"Ow! What —"
Brett leaned his face close to hers, his cheeks and brow twitching with anger. "Hold on a second, little lady, I'm not through with you yet."
Yuri
"What is this place?" Ser Norman wondered as Patty took Yuri to a club downtown where Carter was said to be performing tonight. "Why are people dressed like this?" He looked at the crowd around him. It was hard to determine who was a man and who was a woman, for this was a place for people to go and be who they were. Patty sure didn't falter in that department. When Yuri picked her up, he was shocked to see her cosplaying as the new Duel Monster in her deck, Light Bringer Lucifer. It took everything in Yuri's power to keep Ser Norman strong. He was ready to spring into action, for he thought Patty was an actual monster ready to attack him.
It took forever to get inside the club, for almost everyone they ran into wanted a picture with Patty and Yuri. Oftentimes, for the attempt of making a spectacle of the two, the gatherers asked them to embrace in a kiss as they chanted: "Kiss! Kiss! Kiss!" But seeing as how they were no longer together anymore, they couldn't comply with their wish.
"Hey, Yuri, I'm glad you didn't forget about me," Patty said.
"Yeah, well, don't get too close is all I'm saying. We can be friends, but even that's a bit too bold. My parents don't want me anywhere near you after what happened."
"I understand. I hope one day I can regain their trust in me."
"I doubt it."
Finally, Yuri and Patty entered the showroom and saw Carter dressed up as Marie Antionette, complete with a wig and face paint. Yuri broke into a smirk. He leaned against the wall and said: "What a goof."
Carter jumped down from the stage and started waving his arms, trying to get everyone to follow along with him and the song to get them off their seats and filling the room with fiery and passionate energy. But, there were some there who were not happy with the performance. A group of men was sitting on the front row staring at Carter as though he were a creature from another planet. They were hoping to see girls dancing on the stage tonight.
One of the men, in their disdain, waited before he got up on stage before he cupped his hand over his mouth and shouted: "Nice outfit, dork! Did your daddy give it to you before or after he took ya to bed?"
Carter stopped moving at once. He slowly turned to look at the fool who shouted those words. It wasn't hard to find him since he and his buddies were sitting on the front row. He slid his hand across his neck multiple times, signaling for the DJ to cut the music. Then, he swung his hand around, demanding a microphone. A girl clad in a red outfit handed him one. It rang as he flipped it in his fingers like an assassin would a knife.
"I'm sorry, I couldn't hear you on the count of the music," he said, his voice sounded fruitier than usual. "What was that you were saying, hon?"
"I'm saying your daddy love ya a little too much, freak!"
The crowd booed and groaned in displeasure at the man's intolerant remark, but Carter was as calm as cool as ever. Yuri wasn't surprised. Carter had been laughed at for his identity all his life. Whether he was a boy or a girl, whichever he preferred to be, Carter had been teased since he was small. But he had now grown to an age when things like this no longer bothered him anymore. In fact, he was more than ready to deal with people like the ones in this group.
"No! No! No! No!" he said out loud to get the crowd to calm down. "Now, now, everyone. Let's not get our panties in a bunch. Lord knows I speak for most of us here."
Patty whooped. Yuri couldn't help but laugh at his humor. He waited for him to stop feeding off the crowd and continue with his speech.
"Let the man say what he wants to say, everyone. This city is a place where we all can express ourselves freely. Ain't that, right? You can right or left!"
"YEAH!"
"Black or white!"
"YEAH!"
"Gay or straight, angel or demon. It doesn't matter. You have a voice, you are free to use it any way you want. Unlike our buddies in the mainland to the west, we have backbone. Right?"
The crowd cheered. Patty jumped, shouting: "Yeah!" before clapping her hands. "You tell him, Carter!"
"Gentlemen, I praise you for coming out here tonight. Men with a way of thinking like yours coming to a place like this. That takes guts. Now, color me curious, fellas. Which one of you are the ones who came out of the closet? Who's buying who the drinks to get them drunk enough for a little ping-pong later tonight? Or is it all of y'all?"
None of the men answered. In fact, they were getting rather furious.
"Come on, no need to be shy. Hey, everyone, let's make our new friends feel special. Can I get a round of applause for our new gay friends?"
"I'm about to mess you up, freak!" shouted one of the men as he got up.
"Oh, goodness me! He didn't even buy me dinner yet."
Yuri sprinted through the crowd and got to the man before he got to the stairs toward Carter. Yuri punched him twice. As Carter came down, Yuri pushed the man up so Carter could slap him across the face. He smashed the guy's face on the metal railing and kicked him off the stage, where the poor guy fell to the ground. He grunted a bit then lay still, for he was out cold.
Carter gasped like a damsel saved by a great danger placed his hand on his chest. "Oh! Yuri! My knight in shining armor! Give a hand for tonight's hero everyone!"
"Yuri!" shouted one of the guys at the table. "Yuri Montgomery! I never thought I'd find you in a place like this."
"I can say the same about a person like you," said Yuri.
"We've been looking all over for you. There's a big, juicy, bounty on your head that I'd definitively like to cash in."
"Oh, good job," said Patty from the back of the room. "Another goon Brett Martinetti sent in because he's too much of coward to face Yuri himself."
"Ooooo!" hooted Carter and the others.
"Call Brett whatever you like," said the young man. "I'm kicking your ass tonight, Yuri."
"I don't Duel with people who are intolerant. You're not worthy of my time."
"You better Duel me now, pretty boy, otherwise things are about to get ugly."
"Hold it! Hold it! Hold it!" Carter said on the microphone. "First off, for you, honey, things are already ugly." The crowd jeered. "But I'd loooove to see my friend Yuri take you on. However, he's a stubborn one and I hate violence. So why don't we do this? You face me first. Beat me and you will have your Duel against Yuri no questions asked. Is that cool with you, Yuri?"
Yuri breathed through his nose and nodded. "Yeah, yeah, it's cool."
"All right, let me just get into some comfortable clothes. You, big boy, wait right there." He pointed to one end of the stage then walked to the dressing room. He came back moments later wearing a black dress shirt and black jeans.
"Is that you, freak?" said the young man.
"Yes. Yes, it is," Carter said, losing the feminine tone in his voice. "Now, take a step back and let the magic begin." He pressed a button on the wall and the floor opened to reveal a green pool lit up with lights at the bottom. Two black and gold platforms rose out.
"Do they build these things everywhere?" Yuri asked.
Patty slapped him on the shoulder as she laughed. "They could have them in the girl's bathroom for all I know. Woo! Get 'em, Carter!"
Carter blew Patty a kiss then got on his platform. He took his deck out of his pocket and set it on the playing mat.
LP 4000
"I'm gonna make this quick!" shouted the young man. "Once I beat you, Yuri's all mine!"
Carter snapped his fingers up and down in a sassy way. "You're not going to Duel my friend. And I'm going to make damn sure of it. Right, well, let's first start things off with an introduction. I'm Carter."
"I'm Hank! Now, hurry up! I'm not here to make friends!"
"Hank? Oooo, I was expecting something much more intimidating like Sheldon or something like that. Anyways, I'll go first. For my opening move, I activate the Moray of Greed. I shuffle two Water monsters from my hand to the graveyard and draw three cards. Oooo, now this is what I call a line-up. I activate Unexpected Dai. When my field is bare naked, I can summon a level four our lower monster from my deck. Water Dragon Fairy, you're up baby girl!"
From the water, elegant fountains formed and the water underneath them lit in a spectrum of bright colors. From the center of the formation of fountains emerged a beautiful water sorceress dressed in revealing green-colored attire. Her hair was dark pink and tied into two long pigtails that were almost the length of her body. She spun gracefully, the water fountains moving with her in a beautiful alluring dance. She held her arms up in the air and shook her hips, dancing to the beat of the club's music. The water bubbled underneath her and then took an almost solid form, slithering all around her. The trail of floating water formed a head with red glowing eyes. It was the water dragon, which she summoned to do combat. She kissed the aquatic creature in the head and pet it lovingly.
ATK/1100 DEF/700
Yuri let out a wolf whistle, to which Patty playfully punched him in the arm.
"Now, I activate Double Summon, which allows me to make two Normal Summons this turn. Come on out Water Girl and Maiden of the Aqua!"
Two more fountains sprouted from the pool. The one on the right beside Water Dragon Fairy was glowing in a bright aquamarine color and the one to the left of her was bright blue with bubbles coming out of it. The right one dispersed to reveal an alluring blue-haired woman clad in a skimpy swimsuit and a sash that flowed in her arms like water made into cloth.
ATK/1250 DEF/1000
The fountain on the left elegantly bent away to reveal another blue-haired young woman, who as fully clothed in aquatic-themed clothes. And she wielded a large trident with a polished gold handle
ATK/700 DEF/2000
"I set two cards face-down and I end my turn!"
Hank laughed at him. He looked down at his table to see if his friend was okay. Except for a bloody nose and a throbbing head, he was okay. Hank gave his friend a thumbs-up and assured him he was going to beat Carter and Duel Yuri, where he would claim the bounty.
"You're going to pay for this, man! Nobody attacks my friends and gets away with it! My turn! Your troop of water divas is going to be no match for my monsters. Time for them to feel the heat! First, I activate Graceful Charity! I draw three cards and throw away two. Now, I activate the effect of my Spirit of Flames! I can banish a Fire monster from my Graveyard and special summon him to the field. But he's not going to stay long! I sacrifice him to summon Thestalos the Firestorm Monarch!"
"Oh no!" Patty said as a pillar of flames burst from out of the water. "Monarchs! I HATE those guys!"
Yuri looked up at the towering monstrosity clad in layers of thick red-enameled armor. "I hope Carter can hold his own. Just look at that thing!"
ATK/2400 DEF/1000
"You're in for it now!" jeered Hank. "When Thestalos is tribute summoned, I'm allowed to choose a card from your hand and send it to the graveyard. And if it's a monster, I can inflict damage to your Life Points times equal to its level times 100. Oh, well, seeing as how you have nothing in your hand, I guess it doesn't matter. But wait till I give those girlies the spanking they deserve! I choose the pink-haired one. Thestalos the Firestorm Monarch, blast her away!"
Thestalos conjured fire from his armored hands and tossed them at Water Dragon Fairy. The crowd screamed; for they wished not to see such a pretty monster get turned to cinders, but Carter was ready.
"I activate my face-down card! Poseidon's Wave!" A wall of water rose in front of Water Dragon Fairy, deflecting Thestalos's fire attack. "Not only can this card negate your monster's attack on my aqua, sea serpent, or fish monsters, but it will deal eight-hundred points of damage back at you for each one I control!"
"NO!" shouted Hank. "I'll get you for that. I set a card face-down and end my turn!"
Hank LP -1600
Carter LP - 4000
"All right, let's see if luck's on my side," said Carter. "I draw. Hmm. Pot of Greed, my man. My deck just never lets me down. I draw two cards. And it looks like just the ones I need. I set a card face-down. Your move, jerk."
"Luck, huh? Well, we'll just see about that." Hank slapped his next card on the playmat and shouted: "Now, I summon Solar Flare Dragon! I'll attack"
Carter waited for the flaming serpent-like dragon maned with fire to finish showing off before activating his trap. "I activate my face-down cards! Tornado Wall and Aegis of the Ocean Dragon Lord!"
"Hold on!" shouted Hank. "I know what that Tornado Wall card does! It only works if you have Umi on the field! You don't have the Umi card out!"
"I do actually. Before you go acting like a smart ass, why don't you slow down and understand what's going on? See my Maiden of the Aqua?" The maiden batted her eyelashes and giggled, sticking her finger on her lip as if she had done something mischievous. "Well, so long as she's out on the field, she counts as a Umi spell card, so my Tornado Wall can activate and protect me from any damage I receive from battle. And now for my second trap card, Aegis of the Ocean Dragon Lord! As the name implies, the powerful Ocean Dragon Lord unleashes his fury to save his loyal subjects. Well, low-level ones anyway. From now until the end phase, they cannot be destroyed by battle or by effects. I'm saved, fool, so don't even bother attacking with your Monarch. Your flashy fire monsters are gonna prove no such luck in this match. I draw!"
He kissed the card. "Oh, baby, where have you been all my life? I sacrifice Maiden of the Aqua and Water Girl to summon my sweet baby-boy, Levia-Dragon Daedalus!"
The lights in the club flashed and the partiers cheered as a massive creature rose out of the pool and flew around the club roaring and snarling. Steam hissed from the walls and around the perimeter of the arena as the blue-armored serpent rested over the battlefield and roared at Hank.
ATK/2600 DEF/1500
"Now, Hanky-Hank, I activate the spell, A Legendary Ocean, which counts as Umi. And when Umi is on the field I can activate Daedalus's effect. He can destroy all other cards on the field."
And that was it for Hank. Levia-Dragon Daedalus summoned a tidal wave that washed the Firestorm Monarch away and then, thanks to the new rules, Levia-Dragon Daedulus fired a watery-blue beam from his mouth and blasted the rest of Hank's Life Points to 0.
The doors at the back entrance to the club swung open as Carter, Yuri, and Patty walked out feeling victorious for what went down in there. "Oooooo yeah!" shouted Carter. "I am feeling goooood to-night!" He grabbed Patty and Yuri, putting his arm over their shoulders. He then kissed Patty on the cheek and leaned to the right to kiss Yuri's, though it was a struggle before he finally planted one on him. "What would I do without you, my loves? I can't help but get this feeling that whenever we're all together anything can happen? Don't y'all agree?"
"I sure think so," said Patty. "Damn, Carter, for a second there, I thought you were going to lose."
"Well, serves me right for thinking I can run a deck full of water girls. I mean, it's good for a little pizazz or a casual game or for looking at some holographic booty, but in situations like this, I think I'm using my real deck next time." He began to chuckle then suddenly stopped. "Hey, Yuri. Ain't that your pretty friend, Crystal over there?"
"Crystal?" Yuri looked around the dark sidewalks. Walking in the grass and through the palm trees, Crystal was sulking around in the dark, rubbing her shoulders to warm them from the chilly ocean breeze. Once she stepped under the light of the paper lanterns hanging underneath them, he could make out a bruise on her cheek.
"Oh no," Patty said. "What happened to her?"
"Hey!" Yuri shouted. He ran after her, but Crystal shook her head and sprinted into the darkness. Even from where he was, he could hear her sobbing as she ran for the beach. Yuri knew who had harmed her, and the thought of him doing this again made his blood boil. "You guys follow her. I'm going to find Mr. Martinetti."
"Be careful, Yuri," said Carter. "You're dealing with some bad dudes. Even with your fast punches, I don't think you stand a chance."
"I'm coming with you," said Patty.
Carter held up his hand. "Uh-uh, baby, do you know the kind of scum that hangs out in the lower levels of the central island? The moment they see you, they're going to go after you and do who knows what."
"I'm not letting Yuri go alone. Carter, tend to Crystal, okay."
"Patty no," said Yuri. "You can't—"
"—Don't talk me out of this hotshot!" Patty said, ramming her palm against Yuri's chest. "If anything happens to you—"
"—And what exactly are you going to do to protect me if I can't?"
Patty opened her purse to reveal the handgun she had inside.
"That's not going to be enough."
"It will give us a chance if things get heavy. You forget, my old man is the commander of RAPTOR. I know a few friends in the company who brought me to the range to practice. I'm much keener and more accurate than those thugs who think that dressing up sharp and holding a gun makes them pro. Trust me, Yuri. I'll be your eyes and ears."
"If you insist."
While Carter went to the beach to look for Crystal, Yuri and Patty took a train to the central island, which took them all the way down to the industrial levels of the city where ships docked to unload their cargo. It was strange seeing the underground world of Aquarius. This part of the city was like an entirely different world. Like they walked into a post-apocalyptic fantasy with rundown buildings lit with neon lights and lanterns hanging from lines that went from rooftop to rooftop. Once they got off the train, they smelled the scent of fish, sea salt, oil, and other pungent stenches. Above them, there was no sky. Just a giant iron plate that held up the gleaming towers of steel and glass full of luxury. As soon as Patty and Yuri left the walkways of the station, they heard people cat-calling and whistling. Patty stayed close to Yuri and he held her tight. The wind blew fiercely down here and the waves crashed with great force against the stone walls of the flood gates, which barely contained them. Even down here the seagulls flew about, looking for scraps.
Yuri was sure about one thing. He was never going to set foot down here again. The people didn't seem as nice or well-dressed as the people above ground.
"You don't seem nervous," said Yuri.
"I've been down here lots of times. Just stick close to me."
"Huh. And here I thought I was the one protecting you."
They approached an establishment built into a wide and deep niche that served no purpose. Probably it had once been used to hold supplies during the days when the city was being built. Now, it had been refurbished as a high-class restaurant reserved for the mob who worked the streets under Aquarius. No surprise, it was guarded by two off-duty officers from RAPTOR, probably earning extra pay to serve as muscle for Mr. Martinetti. Patty and Yuri walked in without incident since the guards no doubt knew who they were. The daughter of their former commander and the son of their city's founder. They looked the other way and let the two teenagers through. Inside the restaurant, it was warm and dry. The people here were dressed quite dapperly as they sat in long tables having laughs and smoking cigar. A group nearby saw Patty and whistled to her, beckoning her to their table to sit down for a drink.
Yuri then saw Uncle Lucio sitting at a table all the way at the back having pasta with some trusted associates of his. One of them was Patty's father, Troy, who recognized her at once.
"Dad?" Patty said.
"What the hell are you doing here, Pamela?" he shouted.
"Yuri, Yuri, little Yuri," said Lucio. A man sitting at another table stood up and smashed his fist against Yuri's chest, stopping him before he was patted down. Pamela was frisked as well. The guard quickly found her gun in her purse. He took it away and shoved her in the booth nearby while Yuri was dragged to the seat in front of Mr. Lucio's.
"Ha! You have the broad bring the gun? What is this? I thought you were a man." He shook his head, muttering insults in Italian as he scooped up some pasta. "It's been a while, eh? What's it been? Two years? You've grown. I must say, you a' look much taller on TV."
Yuri smirked at him, trying to seem collected and still. "Didn't you just come from a dinner party already? Look at you. You dumb slob. That's why your body is shutting down. Because you can't control your appetite!"
Lucio pulled out a nickel-plated pistol from his blazer and aimed it right at Yuri's head. Yuri flinched for a moment, then his eyes peered to the left to look at Troy. "Well, well, well, the famous Troy McKnight reducing himself to working with cockroaches under the city. You threw away such a distinguishing career. Hitting Patty and neglecting her the way you did was a big mistake."
"It's my wife giving birth to her that was the mistake!" said Troy. He looked at Patty. "Look at her. She's useless. She's a damn junkie and a floozie who will go from one rich guy to the next. I thought better of you Yuri. I really did."
What's going on? Ser Norman asked. Are these men a threat to you?
"I got this," Yuri muttered. "Just sit back and shut up will you?"
"Oh, talking to yourself now?" Troy asked. "Has Patty been giving you some of the stuff that fried her brain, too? Oh, wait, she never had one, to begin with. She's a retarded little bitch. Trash. Useless. Just like her mother." Patty's face twitched. She narrowed her eyes and looked away from him. Troy let out a cruel laugh and took a long gulp of his beer. "What a waste of good semen."
"I'll deal with you later," said Yuri. He looked back at Lucio. "The grown-ups have a lot to discuss. I want you to let Crystal go — now! And I'm not asking. Do it. Do it or I swear I will unleash hell upon you. You and your whole family! I can have you all locked up!"
Lucio and his men started to laugh.
"You got spunk," said Lucio, still holding the gun close to Yuri's head. "A gun right to the kisser and you're still acting like the tough guy. I can say I respect that."
"You will let Crystal go. I'm not afraid of you, Mr. Lucio."
"It's easy for you to say that. But you haven't thought things through, little Yuri. Every cop, every big shot, and every internet personality knows who you are. And I wouldn't think twice about poppin' your pretty face with two shots and then carving you up to feed the sharks. And you know what I would do after that? I'd go on Aquaris City News and brag that I did it — What? What's with the laugh? You don't think I 'ma do it? I can and I will. I've bragged about killing bigger people than you, you spoiled brat! I can get away with it because I have this whole city in the palm of my hand. This city and everyone in it! RAPTOR! The Dueling League! The City Council — all of whom are close personal friends of mine — the board of directors in Phobos, too! Yeah, I pulled a few favors and capped a few asses to get my pals in those seats. And your father! Yeah, I've got him under my thumb as well. He's a spineless old man. You should have seen how much he begged to keep his family safe. He begged. Like a little bitch. So when you think about it, Yuri. I own your ass."
He sat back and took a drink. "Not afraid. Ha! You don't know what afraid is. You don't know hardship, little Yuri. My mama — bless her soul — had to work a' three jobs to keep me and my brothers fed. One of those jobs forced her to be going in the red light, I think that speaks for itself. My papa, he died in the war. And even with the money my mama brought home, it wasn't enough to make soup for all of us. So we had to go out there and do things no ten-year-old boy should do. While the rich boys, who are blessed with a mama and papa and a good life, went to the beach to play or flew kites in the park, my brothers and I were forced to wash the windows of cars in the streets from sunrise to sundown making barely enough to buy a bar of chocolate at the candy store. You tink because a few men kidnapped you and defiled you as a child that you've seen a' the ugly face of life? You think because you saw your two friends getting hurt that you know the dark side of the world? You're kidding yourself! You're Yuri Montgomery! The Trillionaire Playboy! The Prince of Aquarius! The Heir of Phobos Corp and Duel Monsters! The whole damn world knows who you are! What did you hope to accomplish by coming all the way down here in the ass-end of the city? Trying to prove something? To who? I told you once and I'ma tell you one last time. This city and everyone in it is mine! Now you best remember that before everything you know and everything you love is taken away from you. I got Crystal. And I can take so much more." He nodded as his associates. "Get him outta here."
The next thing Yuri knew, he was grabbed by two men and then thrown out of the restaurant.
Jon
The halls of Castle Vattefang were warmed with vents that all connected to a cavern below the mountain where there was an underground hot spring. A Kourmori Dragon added extra heat by burning coals in an iron furnace which sent more warmth to the residents above.
"Ahhh," Jon, Marcel, and Jaeyoung said together in relief once they got used to the steaming waters of the springs, bubbling, and spewing steam into the air dancing before their faces. The warm water embraced their skin weary, cracked, and scarred from battle and the stress of politics. Jon felt the hairs stick out the back of his neck, he was so relaxed. He felt as if the weight of his position as interim ruler of the Alliance just melted away into the springs. The vapors could be seen slithering off his arms and neck. His beard shivered.
These springs were reserved for the king and his sons and daughters, or any guest deemed worthy by the Lord Audun thought worthy to be in his company of fellows. There were tiles of blue, green, and white on the walls, murals of Nymphs dancing, and being fondled by the Satyrs of the Lesna Mountains in Aurelia.
The statues of Ana the Goddess of beauty, sex, and desire, were making Jaeyoung feel awkward since he was sitting in front of her sultry gaze. The Priestesses of Ana always claimed that if you sit in front of her gaze long enough, true love will find you. He hoped not, because he was partially naked in the hot springs with his two male friends. He coughed falsely while keeping his eyes on the chandeliers of iron and mammoth tusk which hung in the ceiling above granting them a dim orange-gold light.
"It sure was nice of your father to give us some time to relax before looking for those vaults," said Marcel. "Have you sent out the conscriptions yet?"
Jon had his arms stretched over the edge of the pool. The back his head resting on the edge of the pool, nose in the air, and a weary smile on his face. He felt sleep overtaking him. Even his ears stopped working, for he didn't hear Marcel until he raised his voice. It took him a while before he answered, but he did so with his head still arched back and his eyes closed.
"No, not yet," said Jon. "I'll do those when we establish our command center in that old fort father told me so much about."
Jaeyoung stared at Marcel in confusion. He cleared his throat to get his attention. "Forgive me for going off-topic but, Marcel, not for nothing, my friend, but aren't you just a little bit worried your sword will rust?"
"Ha!" Marcel laughed, leaning his head back and pulling his sword out of the water. "My friend, this is no ordinary steel. It was crafted by the best magical blacksmiths in all Sobek. These babies will never rust, nor melt. I would have to walk on the surface of the sun before causing them to liquefy. Only the best from Master Shadi."
"I guess but why bring a sword to the baths?"
"I almost got assassinated twice when I was bathing in the bathhouses back home. And once more when my girlfriend and I fell asleep in the tub after making love. Ever since those attempts on my life, I never took a bath without my weapon."
Jon lifted his head and looked at Marcel. "Shadi. I've heard stories about him. Are you comfortable with explaining how you two know each other?"
"I cannot say," said Marcel. "What goes on behind the doors of our House is our secret. I will reveal that we have ancestry in Akuuda."
"Well, that's obvious," said Jaeyoung. "All Sunbornes have some form of ancestry from Kalunga. And here I thought you were going to reveal a deep dark secret."
Marcel sniggered. His eyes still closed; his expression was carefree. "I could tell you all about my family and their involvement with the likes of Master Shadi, but then, I fear I'll have to kill you."
Jaeyoung scoffed and sunk deeper into the water, feeling a tad despaired that his friend threatened his life just for asking a question. But he quickly thought nothing of it. Marcel was from a Royal Termnnian House. Every one of these noble families had dark secrets behind the walls of their lavish estates or majestic castles. Playing the game of politics was a dangerous one, and one needed to have allies and secrets in all places to win the game and survive. One did not get into power without spilling blood or jabbing a knife in the back of a former foe. Still, Master Shadi was a well-known and mysterious figure. His lord father called him Gú Wan-Bu, or The White Ghost.
Jaeyoung had seen Shadi only once in his lifetime, and that was when he was decapitating a spy who almost poisoned his mother and father at dinner. Shadi had a way of seeing the deepest darkest thoughts of an individual. Perhaps it was the golden key he kept around his neck. A Millennium Item like the one Yugi wore and the eye Pegasus once had. Jaeyoung hated the Millennium Items. He thought of them as cursed things, which was why he kept his distance from Yugi at the academy.
Long ago, the Pharaoh Aknamkanon sacrificed an entire village in a dark ritual used to create the Millennium Items. Underneath all that gold was the blood, flesh, and bone of the villagers. Xi Feng always buried her face in Jaeyoung's shoulder when she saw it. She feared the spirits of the villagers followed Yugi everywhere. That mixed with the fact that an ancient spirit would sometimes take over for Yugi didn't make him feel any better.
Jaeyoung cupped some water with his hand and poured it down his shoulder to hide his true feelings for Yami, not that Jon or Marcel would notice since they were both half-asleep in their comfort. Deep down, Jaeyoung was scared of Yami Yugi.
"I never really asked," said Jon, eyes still shut in his serenity. "How is it House Walston came to be with the Red-Eyes Black Dragon?"
"I'm not giving a history lesson, Jon." Marcel rubbed his face leaving behind small trails of hot water droplets.
"Calm down, I was just asking. I was only curious as to why the dragon has graced your House."
"Are history books that hard to come by?" Marcel chuckled.
"I don't like to read about history. I like to make history," Jon boasted.
Marcel laughed out loud and Jaeyoung couldn't help but let out a chortle. "Oh yeah," Marcel said. He rose his head back up to look at his friend, not at all surprised that he was glaring at him with a nasty look. Marcel retained his humor and held out his hand as if displaying the headline of urgent news. "Yeah, you make history all right. Jon Jahangir the Crown Prince of Riftgaard ends necessary alliance for a nice piece of ass from the Summer Lands."
"Why you!" Jon lunged forward and started wrestling with Marcel, splashing water all over the place, putting out the scented candles on their sconces, moistening the bread, and burning Jaeyoung's face.
He shielded himself with his arm and doing all he could to keep his towel wrapped around his hips. Jaeyoung did all he could to get a hold of Marcel, but his massive steel limbs proved too much for him to contend with. Marcel laughed wrestling Jon off his back with ease as he called Summer more crude names. He dove underwater, taking Jon with him. Jon came rising out of the water as Marcel held him up with ease with his arms of steel.
"Woo-woo-WOO!" Jon cried out as he backflipped off Marcel's hands and went into the water with a splash. Jon resurfaced and climbed out of the springs. He ran for the cheese knife on the table and held it menacingly in his fist.
"Take back what you said about Summer, Walston, or I'll shish kabob you!"
Marcel sneered as he swam for the edge of the pool Jon was standing on. "Is that so?" he asked. He raised his sword from the water. "Put 'em up junior. Let's see if you can strike me."
Jon lunged at Marcel with murderous intent with the knife. Marcel blocked the mediocre weapon, each time it hit his sword, it created sparks.
Clink! Clang! Cling!
"Yeah, now that's what I'm talkin' about!" Marcel said, blocking the cheese knife with lightning-quick reflexes.
"I warn you, Marcel, this means war!" Jon shouted. "After this is over, I'm marching to Akuuda and taking over!"
He jabbed again. The knife could take the impact no more and shattered into a hundred pieces. As he stared at the broken weapon in awe, Marcel struck, ripping Jon's towel off his hips in the blink of an eye. Jon shouted in anger and shame standing naked before his friends. Jaeyoung's face went crimson. He shielded his eyes with his hands, rubbing them forcefully to wipe the sight from his memory, but it was forever burned into his brain. Marcel held up the towel triumphantly and pointed at Jon, laughing.
"HA! HA! Look at Jon's penis!" he vexed.
"YOU KNAVE!" Jon shouted, pouncing on Marcel. He put him in a chokehold which did not even phase Marcel. "Take it back! Take it all back! Or I swear to the Goddesses and all my ancestors that I will drown you right here right now!"
The door creaked open as a figure stepped inside to join them. Jon and Marcel stopped immediately when they saw who it was.
"Ser Xaxeras," said Jaeyoung in surprise.
The wolfman snorted, wearing nothing but a white towel to cover him from the waist down. His golden-brown fur shined in the candlelight. He looked like he was not pleased. Still, despite his ferocious look, Jon could not help but to tease him. He snatched his towel from Marcel's grip and tied it around his waist underwater. "Well, well, well. Romeo himself comes at last," he teased.
"Do not vex me, Jon," Ser Xaxeras growled as he stepped toward the hot springs. He disapprovingly examined the mess they made with their quarrel. He waded into the pool and growled with delight, but it sounded like he was angry. "I am not in the mood."
"So it's true?" said Marcel. "You're scared of flying?"
"I was wondering why we didn't see him during the trip," said Jaeyoung. "Sorry to hear you have a fear of flying Ser Xaxeras."
Marcel sneered, now moving on to annoy Ser Xaxeras. "So, behind all that muscle, fur, scars, and titanic armor, there is nothing but a scared little pussy cat."
"What the hell's your problem, Marcel?" Jon asked, leaning against a rock, a feat proving difficult as he was sliding up and down the slippery surface.
"And what of it?" said Ser Xaxeras, clearly not offended by Marcel's joshing. "Jon's father is afraid of the dark and Avi the Dragon Summoner's biggest fears are spiders so I hear. Now that's a phobia I do not comprehend, seeing as she conjures beasts worse than a little insect. And if I'm not mistaken, Lord Walston, your biggest fears are jesters."
"Hey, hey!" snapped Marcel. "We're not going to talk about those freaks while I'm here."
"Ho, ho!" Jon teased. "Big bad, Marcel is suddenly on the defensive. Really, you flabbergast me, my friend. After everything we've been through together, you're afraid of court jesters and street performing clowns? Ha! That's a hilarious fear coming from someone as battle-hardened as you."
Marcel's humorous countenance sank into a look of prevention and anger. His fists balled up and creaked from the pressure. "I'd rather join Norman the Conqueror in the Battle of Endless Pain than have to deal with a fucking clown."
Jaeyoung snapped his fingers when he realized something. "Hey, now that explains why he always sulked away every time Kaiba had his duel. He has the likes of Peten and Saggi the Dark Clown in his deck."
Jon and Jaeyoung laughed while Marcel began to bare his teeth at his friends commanding them to shut up. Ser Xaxeras clasped his hands together over his belly and shut his eyes, listening to the companions argue amongst themselves. It was music to his ears after listening to endless days of politics and war. When the bickering stopped, he helped himself to a slice of cheese and jabbed it into some bread that wasn't soaked by the battle Jon and Marcel had earlier.
.After calming down, Marcel apologized and told Jon the story of how the Red-Eyes Black Dragon became the main monster of his House. He told them of how his ancestors were a nomadic tribe of spice traders living in the Moloch Desert. One day, a boy named Abeeku, Prince of the Rock People, discovered an egg buried in the sands. He cared for it, and from it emerged a Red-Eyes Black Dragon, a distant cousin of the Termnnian Blue-Eyes White Dragon. When Abeeku became the king, called the Mol-Akumbu, his Red-Eyes, whom he named Ongai-Zamu (Black Wings of Death), grew into considerable size. With this dragon, Abeeku conquered the Zuzu, Yal-Katu, and Mbembe tribes at the foot of the Yasath Mountains which formed a barrier around their lands which they thought impenetrable.
Jon began to jest, finding their names funny. He also found it amazing that Marcel could pronounce them, let alone remember them. Marcel took offense to Jon's taunting of his ancestral names. Ser Xaxeras was ready to snarl, for he wanted Marcel to continue with the story. He was about to complain when all went quiet and Marcel continued with the history of his House which left everyone quite fascinated.
When Abeeko took control of the majestic Sand Castle of Yasath, he discovered three Red-Eyes Black Dragons. They were sisters named Yasath-Arya, Nanette, and Alyu. Over the years, Abeeku bred an army of Red-Eyes and eventually grew so power-hungry that he sailed towards Termnnia and began a campaign to conquer it. His conquest was ruined when High King Tiberius Pendragon stopped his advances with Slifer the Sky Dragon who killed Ongai-Zamu and his two sons in the War of the Meetings. Tiberius and Abeeko were both pleased by each other's skills. They formed a pact and then Akuuda was declared an official kingdom of Termnnia.
Ser Xaxeras opened one eye, looking down at Marcel and the others. He cleared his throat to get their attention and asked: "Interesting story. While we're on the topic of dragons, any word on Avi?"
Marcel and Jaeyoung shrugged while Jon rubbed his beard. He looked at Ser Xaxeras, shrugged, and said: "Word on the street is there are legions and legions of mercenaries marching from every part of Naralia and even Balodrum. All of them contracted by the Covenant of Yeyu to take her out. But if what I hear about her dragons is true, they are all marching towards their deaths. Speaking of dragons how is the Dragonslayer doing? Is she secure?"
Ser Xaxeras nodded his head reassuringly and scratched one of his ears with his pinky claw. "Yes, My Lord, Dalaris Dragonslayer is still kept under heavy guard in her quarters," he confirmed.
"Good to hear," Jon said, a statement he always made when he wanted to drop the conversation and say no more. He helped himself to some grapes on a pewter plate resting by his side.
"You should be wary of her, Ser Xaxeras," said Marcel, a mouthful of cheese and bread. "I see how close she gets to you. I've heard her flirting with you when it's time to serve her grub. You have a thing for her, don't you?" He held out the hand holding onto his bread using it to point at Ser Xaxeras. Crumbs sprinkled onto the water causing Jon to raise an eyebrow and give an agitated sigh. He was going to get an earful from his father should he come down and see food floating in his precious pools.
"I?" demanded Ser Xaxeras raising his torso out of the water and placing a hand on his chest with incredulity. "Inconceivable!" he proclaimed.
Marcel folded his arms with a smirk on the corner of his mouth. "I don't know, Ser, a girl doesn't say things like that unless you've been complimenting her well. I heard your naughty talk through the door when Jon sent me to investigate why you were gone for so long."
"Aye, that I did," said Jon. "We were fearing the worst. We thought Dalaris stuck a knife in you. But from what Marcel told me, you two were like a couple in college."
Marcel gave a chortle when he saw Ser Xaxeras's eyes widen and his whiskers quivering. He bit into his bread again. "Now tell me, Ser Xaxeras," he said chewing. "What did you do to make her so amorous? Did you grab that ass or did you smack it?"
Ser Xaxeras stood on his feet, towering over the princes. His eyes were alit with a blaze of fury. His course gray fur bristled straight like a coarse brush and his whiskers shivered. "Watch your words, prince."
A round of laughter from Jon, Jaeyoung, and Marcel rang across the cavernous hot springs. Now, it was Ser Xaxeras's turn to get offended. He pointed at each of them and barked at them to stop their teasing at once. The laughing slowly died down. After Jon controlled his humor, he returned to Marcel's warning.
"He is right after all," he said. "Dalaris is not one to be trusted. With the names Dragonslayer and Kin Slayer to her name, I can't trust her as far as I can throw her."
"I am not falling for her trickery if that's what you think," said Ser Xaxeras, thrusting his arm to the right crossly. "She has grown into something of a friend. I was nothing more than her childhood hero; that is why she acts the way she does with me. Dalaris is a traitor. A murderer. She double-crossed the lot of you in Elleria. I would never fall for the likes of her!"
Jaeyoung scratched his head. "If that's the case, then why were you so hesitant in taking her with us to Riftgaard? She should still be locked in the tower."
Ser Xaxeras turned his head to look at Jaeyoung and gave a vicious roar. He did not like the princes insisting that he had feelings for her. "I can resist her feminine wiles. Have no fear. If she tries anything, I swear on my prince that I will not hesitate to kill her."
Jon nodded. "Good. You made a wise choice in bringing Dalaris into this matter. Imagine the info we can get from her."
"Do you think she'll talk? You'd need a silver tongue to get her to go against her kingdom."
Marcel nodded his head in agreement and looked at Ser Xaxeras with a cheeky grin. "But we don't need a silver tongue. When last I checked, she's got the hots for Ser Xaxeras. We could use her feelings for him as an advantage. If Dalaris truly is falling in lover with Ser Xaxeras, perhaps there is a way she can prove her worth."
"You really think so?" Ser Xaxeras asked. "You want to use her love for me as a means to keep her on our side?"
"You're a fool, Marcel," said Jon.
"She slew a dragon, Jon," said Jaeyoung. "At a very young age."
"She's young forever, remember? She bathed in that pool or something."
"Who cares? She slew a dragon, my friend. That's the kind of warrior we need fighting for us."
"He is right." Ser Xaxeras twirled his braided beard around his finger. "She has no reason to go back to Rassay. Antilles sold her away after the rebellion, and she and Princess Alexandra hate each other to death. Peter Dragonheart is not exactly one of her favorite relatives either. When you think about it, I'm all the poor girl has in the world."
Marcel scoffed. "Poor girl? Bah!"
"Don't get too attached, Ser," said Jon. "Remember, she's a crafty one. If we really are going to proceed with this plot, we should all be careful. Remember what her last name is."