Chapter 2: Hunting the Bird

Back again, anyway, now that we're back, prepare to see Yuri take on Ruri and how he captures her. A small thing will be changed and I also ask you guys to speculate on Yuri and what's going on through his head, as well as what his motivation might be.

(Xyz Dimension: Heartland City)

As a read haired teenager stared down at the ravaged city, a violet light appeared, and someone in a cloak now stood right next to him. Smiling, the teen said, "Yuri, finally here, ready to go?"

"What do you think, now where's the girl?" Yuri replied, wanting to get this done quickly.

"Over there," he pointed at the center of the city, "The resistance has set up camp there." The 2 silently made their way to camp until they came near a water fountain where a young lady with dark purple hair and a cream colored vest was getting water. "That's the girl, the one with the bracelet. Isn't it strange how she looks a lot like Serena, right?" Dennis joked, only for Yuri to not reply, having only a scowl on his face. "She's a member of Academia, don't you know her?"

"Whatever, I don't really care, now lure her away from here, I can't take her in front of so many." Yuri replied impatiently.

"Okay, I'm on it." He made his way up to Ruri and gave her a smile. "Hey Ruri, it's been a while, hasn't it." Dennis had met Ruri while he was spying on Heartland, in fact, finding her was the reason he greenlit the invasion, not that she or anyone in Heartland knew.

The girl turned around and smiled, "Dennis, glad to see you weren't carded. I haven't seen you in a while."

"I know, what with those psychos invading and all, hard to keep track of everything… so do you want to see a trick?" Dennis asked.

Ruri rolled her eyes slightly, "Really Dennis is now really the time? I have to get water for some people."

"Okay, why don't I help you, then I can show you. Please Ruri, with everything that's happened we need a good laugh around once in a while." Dennis implored with the signature puppy dog eyes.

"Okay Dennis, but can you help me with this?" She beckoned him to the fountain and they filled the container with water, then taking it to a tent for some wounded duelists. After that, she turned to Dennis, "Alright, so what's this trick you wanted to show me?"

"Come with me," they made some distance from the campsite and stopped, "Okay, I'll be right back, a friend of mine and I are going to do a double act, I just need to get something I left behind, I'll be back in a second. Be careful and don't go anywhere." With that, Dennis ran back.

Though a bit perplexed by Dennis's actions, she waited, having no reason not to trust him, yet felt he was acting a bit strange. "I wonder who he's bringing with him." She stated while gazing at the sky, hoping that Heartland would soon be saved.

"Why don't you turn around and find out?" A voice whispered right behind her, causing her to jump back as she turned around. The figure was around her age and was clearly a guy, but she recognized his face all too well.

"Yuto, what are you doing here? Don't scare like that." She placed her hand on her chest before seeing a smirk rise on her 'boyfriend's' face, "Yuto, what's wrong?"

"I don't know who you're talking about, I know I am no Yuto, if you need more proof then," he revealed his duel disk and activated it, the purple blade signifying his origin, "I believe this 'Yuto' doesn't have a duel disk like this, or am I mistaken?"

Ruri took a few steps back before breaking into a sprint, trying to run back to the camp, but she was eventually outpaced by her assailant. Having nowhere to go, she took out her own Duel Disk.

"Oh, what's this, you don't want to play tag." Seeing her activate her duel disk, he chuckled, "So you want to duke it out, how unruly, but very well. If you can defeat me, I will leave you here, return to my dimension, and never step foot in Heartland again. But if I win, you come with me. Now let's duel."

Yuri LP: 4000 Ruri LP: 4000

"I think I will start my turn if you don't mind. I'll begin by summoning Predator Plants – Skid Drosera in Attack Position." An ugly plant like being with numerous eyes sprouted on the field. (ATTR:DARK/LV:2/ATK:800/DEF:400). "I'll place 2 more cards facedown and call it a turn," Yuri set 2 cards before smiling, "now why don't you show me what you can do?"

"With pleasure, I draw." Ruri drew her card and smiled, "Since I have no monsters on the field, I can summon Lyrical Luscinia - Turquoise Warbler from my hand," (ATTR:WIND/LV:1/ATK: 100/DEF:100), "and due to its effect, I can also special summon Cobalt Sparrow from my hand as well," (ATTR:WIND/LV:1/ATK:0/DEF:100), "I'll add another Cobalt Sparrow from my deck to my hand due to the fact that I just special summoned a copy of it." A card jutted out from her deck which she took quickly.

"Now since I control a Lyrical Luscinia, I can special summon Sapphire Swallow and another level 1 Luscinia from my hand," Sapphire Swallow and Cobalt Sparrow took the field, adding a new Sparrow to her hand which she then normal summoned.

"I overlay my 5 monsters to build to build the Overlay Network," a portal appeared and her 5 birds turned into waves of green light before entering the portal. "Birds with beautiful wings! Gather on the battlefield and take brilliant flight! Xyz Summon! Dance in the sky! Rank 1! Lyrical Luscinia – Assembly Nightingale" (ATTR:Wind/Rk:1/ORU:5). "Her attack and defense points are equal to her number of overlay units *100, meaning she has 500 ATK/DEF."

Yuri raised an eyebrow, 'My plan was to use my face down, Compulsory Evacuation Device to return Drosera to my hand, that way its effect would place Predator counters on all her special summoned monsters and turning them level 1, but since she already uses level 1 monsters that's pointless, but what can she do with a monster that can't even best Drosera.' This was answered in a second.

"My nightingale's special ability enables it to attack you directly, and she can attack up to the number of overlay units she possesses," Ruri grinned confidently, while Yuri's eyes widened, "now attack Assembly Nightingale!" With that the large bird maiden sent 5 slashes of wind at Yuri, bringing his life points down by 1/8 each slash (Yuri LP: 4000 – 500 – 500 – 500 – 500 – 500 = 1500. "Turn end."

Yuri's face turned into a snarl before it twisted into a sneer, "My turn, I draw, and now I summon Predator Plants – Darling Cobra in Attack Mode" (ATTR:DARK/LV:3/ATK:1000/ DEF:1500), "When this card is summoned, I can add a Fusion card from my deck to my hand," a card appeared from his deck, "And now I'll activate it, I use Fusion to merge my Cobra with my Drosera," the spell appeared on the field and the two cards merged into its light, "Alluring plants that invite despair, come together to form the parasite that feed on life! Fusion Summon! Level 7! Predator Plants – Chimera Rafflesia!" From the fusion portal, a voracious flora combo of a flower with jaws and a suction hole appeared.

"Thanks to Drosera's effect, since it left the field, all you special summoned monsters gain a Predator Counter," a green leech-like being materialized and attached to the nightingale, "and now I'll use Dark Eruption to take Drosera from my graveyard and add it back to my hand." Yuri licked his lips with fervor, "Now for the hunt to commence, Chimera Rafflesia, attack Assembly Nightingale! Support Bind! At this moment, Chimera Rafflesia's effect activates, now your monster loses 1000 attack points while mine gains 1000 attack points until the end of this turn!"

As the monstrous plant let loose its vine like mouths at the bird Ruri raised her hand, "I activate Assemble Nightingale's special ability, by using an overlay unit I can prevent it from being destroyed by battle and take no damage!" One of the rotating orbs surrounding her bid collided with it, forming an aura that blocked the vines. "Once your turn ends my Nightingale will have 400 points, and with 4 direct attacks that will end you."

"Oh, is that so, well it's a good thing I added Drosera to my hand, so I can activate a new effect of it, by sending it from my hand to the graveyard I can target a DARK monster I control that's just attacked and now I can have it attack all monsters you have with Predator Counters. Let her rip!" Rafflesia launched a new volley of vines at Assembly Nightingale, who absorbed another overlay unit to protect herself at Ruri's command. "I place one card face down and call it a turn, and while our monsters may return to normal attack power you won't be able to end me."

Drawing a new card from her deck, Ruri smiled, "Sorry about that, but that won't be the case, I activate the spell, Overlay Regen! Now I can target an Xyz monster I have and attach this card to it as an overlay unit!" The spell changed into a new orb of light rotating around the Nightingale, bringing its ATK back to 400.

Yuri smirked, "I've always felt birds belonged in cages, don't you, that's why I took the liberty of bringing one with me. I activate my trap, Grisaille Prison! Now until the end of your next turn, neither of us can Xyz or Synchro summon, nor are the effects of Xyz and Synchro monsters active now! Time to clip your bird's wings Ruri!" Yuri laughed as metal bids clamped Assembly Nightingale's Wing to her body, falling to the ground and disabled completely.

"I – I'll switch my Nightingale in Defense mode and call it a turn." Ruri said nervously.

"My turn, I draw! Now Rafflesia, rip apart her Nightingale!" The mouths at the ends of the plant's vines proceeded to rip apart the bird before retreating, sated. "Now I'll also activate my trap Predator Planet, since a monster with a Predator counter left the field, I can add a Predator card to my hand," a new card jutted from Yuri's deck which he added. "I place another facedown and call it a turn. Now Ruri, what will you do now?"

Ruri shivered slightly, she had an idea, but she needed to draw the right card from her deck to do it. Praying for a miracle, she drew and repressed the urge to smile at what she drew. "I activate the spell, 'Birds of a Feather,' now by discarding one Winged-Beast type monster I can summon 2 Winged-Beast monsters of the same name in my grave, so come on back my Cobalt Sparrows!" Two female birds returned to the field in def. mode. "Now I summon Emerald Canary in Defense Mode," (ATTR:Wind/LV:1/ATK:0/DEF:0). "I'll place one more face down and call it a turn, now bring it on creep."

"I will, I draw! Summoning monster, Predator Plants – Orphrys Scorpio," A plantlike scorpion materialized next to Rafflesia (ATTR:DARK/LV:3/ATK:1200/DEF:800), "I now activate Scorpio's ability, by sending a monster from my hand to the grave, I can special summon a new plant from my deck, so come on out Spinodionae!" A light shot from Yuri's deck and onto the field, materializing into a dinosaur/flytrap hybrid (ATTR:DARK/LV:4/ATK:1800/DEF:0).

'Now everything is set, all I need to do is banish one of hero monster's with Rafflesia's other effect, then attack the other 2 with Scorpio and Dionae, then with Dionae's ability, I can special summon Moray Nepenthes from my deck and attack her life points directly with it and Rafflesia, too easy.' He proceeded to do this, banishing one of the Sparrows with Rafflesia's effect, but before he could declare an attack, Ruri had other ideas.

"I activate the trap, Robin Strike, now during the battle phase I can overlay 2 or more monsters and Xyz summon and Winged – Beast monster, which you then have to attack with your strongest monster. Emerald Canary and Cobalt Sparrow Overlay!" The two birds entered the portal below them in flashes of light. "Come Forth! Rank 1! Lyrical Luscinia – Recite Starling!" A female avian with blue wing rose out from the portal, 3 orbs of light circling it (ATTR:Wind/ Rk:1/ORU:3/ATK:0/DEF:0). "Too bad, now Chimera Rafflesia has to attack it and no one else, and the best part is that due to its special effect you'll take damage equal to the damage I take."

"Finally a little excitement, but no matter, I'll counter trap with trap, I activate, Ruthless Fusion!" A face down on Yuri's field revealed itself, "With this card, whenever my enemy summons a monster from the Extra Deck, I can now fusion summon using monsters I control, so I think I'll merge my Rafflesia and Dionae." The two monsters entered the fusion portal, "Fused parasitic plant of death, merge with the carnivorous beast to create new horror! Fusion Summon! Appear! Level 8, Predator Plants – Dragostapelia!" A horrifying humanoid dragonlike being crossed with that of a plant appeared before the bird.

"I know you said the damage I'll take will be equal to you but that won't be the case, I activate Dragostapelia's effect, allowing me to place a Predator counter on one of your monsters," from its arm the beast shot the counter at the bird, perplexing Ruri of its purpose. "In case your lost, thanks to Dragostapelia's special effect, monsters with Predator counters have their effects negated! Now end her bird Dragostapelia! Acid breath!" The beast breathed acid on the bird, causing it to shrivel and dematerialize while Ruri took the blow (Ruri's LP:4000 – 2700= 1300).

"Now thanks to Predator Planet, I can add one Predator card from my deck to my hand, which I'll now place facedown. Nice try Ruri, but it'll take more than that. Turn end." Yuri smirked in triumph."

Sweating, Ruri began her turn and drew her card, but at that moment Yuri called, "During the Standby phase after it was sent from the field to the grave, Rafflesia lets me add a new Fusion card from my deck to my hand", a new card appeared from Yuri deck which he added to his hand, "Please continue, my dear swan." With a mocking bow, he let her continue.

Ruri grinned, I will, Magic Card Activate, Xyz Flock Summon, now I can special summon an Xyz monster from my deck whose rank is equal to the number of Xyz monsters in the my grave with the same rank, then attach those monsters to it, along with as many monsters up to the rank of said monster, with this summon treated as an Xyz Summon! Appear now! Rank 2! Lyrical Luscinia – Concert Nightingale!" A new avian feale in a dark blue dress and dark blue rings rise from the Overlay Network, gaining 4 orbs of light as the 2 Sparrow's, Recite Starling, and Assembly Nightingale attached to it from the graveyard (ATTR:Wind/Rk:2/ORU:4/ATK:0/DEF0).

"Thanks to my new Nightingale's effect, if an effect target's it once during either of our turns, I can detach an overlay unit to negate that effect and destroy the card, and due to its other effect, it can deal to you 400 points of damage to you a turn depending on the number of overlay units it has." Ruri smiled with grace, ready to win the duel.

"In that case… what happens if I target your bird twice, I activate my trap, Predator Plants Reborn, now I can revive a Predator Plant from the graveyard, so return Spinodionae!" The familiar beast returned to the field. "Now I'll use Spinodionae's effect, so when it is summoned, it can place a Predator counter on a monster you control, and in case you've forgotten Dragostapelia can also place one on your monster." Yuri let out a warped chuckle as Ruri began to sweat, "Since you monster can't negate them both, might as well take one and leave it at that, go Spinodionae!" The Jurassic plant shot a counter at the bird from the plant on its back, and the bird seemed to slowly descend to the ground as its powers were stunted by Dragostapelia. "Anything else Ruri."

Ruri smiled, "Actually yes, by banishing Xyz Flock Summon from my graveyard, I can detach all the overlay units from an Xyz monster I control, and then that monster gains 1000 points for each overlay units it's lost this duel, bringing it to 4000 points!" The bird flapped its wings and rose into the sky, "Attack! Destroy his Scorpio and end the duel! Nightingale's Crash!" The bird sent a gale of wind at the scorpion when all of a sudden it was redirected at Dragostapelia and destroyed it (Yuri's LP: 1500 – 1300 = 200). "Wait, what happened?"

Yuri smirked, "I banished Ruthless Fusion from the grave to use its final effect, meaning all monsters you controlled had to attack a fusion monster on my field and no other monster, so it looks like I live to win on my next turn."

Ruri clenched her fist, praying that Yuto or her brother Shun had noticed her absence and were on their way, "I won't lose, not to Academia."

"Sorry my dear, my turn, I draw. Now I activate, Fusion Substitute, to fuse Orphrys Scorpio and Spinodionae! Two beautiful flowers with insect-alluring fragrance! Now become one, and from the hell beneath your petals, give birth to a new terror! Fusion Summon! Appear! Poisonous dragon with hungering fangs. Level 8! Starve Venom Fusion Dragon!" With that an abominable serpentine beast appeared, its fangs dripping with venom (ATTR:DARK/LV:8/ATK:2800/DEF:2000).

Suddenly, back at the camp, Yuto was at the camp with Shun trying to get all the main heads of the Resistance together to form a plan, when his card, Dark Rebellion Xyz Dragon, began to emit a bright blue light. Inspecting this, he stared at the card, "What is it Dark Rebellion?" Suddenly, he received a vision of Ruri dueling someone along with 3 chilling words.

'Fusion… is here.'

Overcome by a sense of panic, he turned to Shun, "We need to find Ruri, I think she's in danger." That was all he needed to say, with that he and Shun took off to find Ruri, Dark Rebellion guiding them.

Back over at the duel, Yuri's face grew malevolent is he laughed, " I activate Starve Venom's effect, when this card is fusion summoned, it can gain attack points equal to that of all of your special summoned monsters until the end of you turn! Go Venomous Feast!" With that the flytrap heads on its back opened and absorbed the nightingale's power, Starve Venom now bathed in a pinkish aura as its power grew.

"An attack power of 6800?!" Ruri eyes widened in fear.

"Yes, now end this Starve Venom! Toxic Roots Blast!" From the flytraps on the dragon sprouted a great many roots, and the orbs on them blasted the bird with energy, destroying it along with Ruri life points (Ruri LP: 0).

As she was blasted to the ground, she attempted to rise up, only to be punched in the gut by her assailant, causing her to pass out. With that, Yuri lifted her up with one arm before activating Violet Flash, teleporting back to Academia… just a second later, Yuto and Shun arrived where they were, only to be too late."

"RURI! Where are you!?" They both shouted in desperation, when Yuto once again felt the glow of his dragon, hearing its voice.

"Gone…with Fusion."

Yuto's heart sank as he realized that Ruri had been kidnapped, before falling to his knees and letting out a scream.

(Fusion Dimension: Academia)

As the Professor sat on his throne, a light appeared in his chamber, disappearing with Yuri in its place with a girl on his shoulders. "Mission completed Professor."

"Excellent work Yuri, you may hand her to the Obelisk Force, and they'll take her to the East tower to be held." At that moment a squad of Obelisk Force members came, taking Ruri away from the chamber and to her tower. "You are free to leave now Yuri." He turned around when –

"Professor, may I ask a question?" Leo turned around as Yuri continued, "Over the last week you had me spy the Synchro Dimension for that girl Rin, who I have yet to capture, and Ruri bears a great resemblance to her…as well as Serena. Also, I both saw in Synchro, and heard of in Xyz, of people who shared my face. Is there anything concerning me I should know?" Yuri asked with a curious face.

"There is nothing of your concern Yuri, you already know of everything. As for the girls, well it won't affect you in the least. I hope you understand." The Professor replied in an authoritative voice that made clear that the conversation was over.

Yuri bowed, "I understand Professor." I understand that you're lying to me anyway. Yuri thought as he exited the chamber to return to his room.

Upon entering, he sat on his bed and took out his deck, before placing his dragon on top of it, "What do you think Starve Venom, can I really trust the Professor?" In response, the card emitted a pink glow. "Yeah, didn't think so, not that I could ever trust people…learned that lesson 5 years ago."

Yuri then left his room and began to stroll through the halls of Academia, before finally reaching the Arc Area Project control room. That was where the tech division of Academia prepared the device that would supposedly merge the dimensions together. "Time to finally get some of those answers."

Fanmade Cards

Lyrical Luscinia - Emerald Canary (ATTR:Wind/LV:1/ATK:0/DEF:0) - During your turn, if you control no monsters, you can special summon this card along with one Level 1 Lyrical Luscinia from your graveyard.

Robin Strike (Trap:Normal) - During your opponents battle phase you can use 2 or more monsters you control to Xyz summon one Winged - Beast type monster from your Extra Deck, then the monster your opponent controls with the most ATK must attack it, then end the battle phase.

Ruthless Fusion (Trap:Normal) - When your opponent special summons a monster from their extra deck, Fusion Summon a monster using monsters you control, then begin the battle phase of that turn. During your opponent' battle phase, you can banish this card from your graveyard, then target one Fusion monster you control, all monsters your opponent controls must attack it, if able.

So...that's the end of this chapter, next one will include his duel with Rin and how Yugo and Yuto are tricked into facing one another. Like I said, there is room for speculation. Also, in case anyone's wondering what the control room is remember those people Leo was talking to when he started the Arc V process. This is the place they were. How Yuri's going to get in, simple, he's the Professors right hand and he's terrifying enough to get his way. See you next time:)