The sunlight seeps through my thin curtains into my face. I groan, a sign that I have to get up. A night plagued with dreams finally over. I can only vaguely remember the last dream. It's a strange feeling, to know you have dreamt but having no memory of that dream. My last dream involved Kiryu. There were bright lights everywhere like a rainbow, lighting up his face which was gaunt and deathly pale. Then everything became dark, and I was running. It felt like I couldn't breathe, and then I just woke up. I stare at my hands in front of me as I try to figure what that dream means. I guess that it's just a bunch of random imagery and get up from my bed to get ready.
I search my wardrobe for clothes that would be appropriate for my 'disguise'. After several minutes of deliberating, I choose a blue-and-white striped dress, a cropped jacket and a pair of high heels. I curse my 'past self' as I do this. I have a habit of leaving things for 'future me', which I really should kick, but old habits die hard I guess. As I contour my cheekbones as much as possible, I can hear my phone sounding off with a text from Reika. I sigh as I put down my makeup brush to check my phone. She asks they, meaning Reika and Shinji, will meet me in front of the stadium in thirty minutes. I guess that's enough time for me to walk there in heels. I quickly finish my makeup and take a good look at myself in the mirror. With the long black wig, I'm fairly unrecognisable, but my eyes stand out. That magenta colour of mine is fairly unusual, which might give me away. I stare at my dresser. Sunglasses might work. I root out the biggest pair I can find. Bingo, the sunglasses complete the outfit as well as obscuring my eyes. I grab my phone, deck and keys before leaving.
I haven't told Reika or Shinji about my disguise, I'm curious to see how they'll react. Though admittedly, this isn't the first time I've done this, so I'm half expecting them to just sigh and shrug their shoulders. The city seems more alive today, the bustle is fascinating. I suppose this city's love of dueling is really showing. It only became more apparent as I got closer to the stadium. Yusei is supposed to be dueling the favourite, Bommer, in the semi-finals. He better win, I think to myself, I placed what little money I have on him to beat Jack. I managed to get decent odds despite it being the semi-finals. As I approach the stadium doors, I spot Shinji and Reika off to the side talking. Shinji glances at me, his facial expression seems to indicate that he knows it's me.
"So this is your solution. Reika reckoned you wouldn't actually show up." Shinji calls out to me as he approaches.
"I find your lack of faith disheartening Reika." I joke. "I need to support my people, you know me."
"I suppose so." Reika chuckles.
"Did you put money on Yusei like you said you would?" Shinji asks as we walk up to our seats.
"Yeah, the odds weren't as bad as I thought. Though, they're a lot worse than those before his first duel." I reply, a little peeved that I didn't act quick enough yesterday.
"Ah well, if he wins, you still get more money than you had." Reika tries to comfort me, not really her best suite but I roll with it.
"I suppose you're right."
"Wait." Shinji disturbs the conversation, "If you're hiding from your brother with that disguise, how is Yusei going to recognise you when he inevitably comes looking for you? Judging by the look on his face when he saw you, he will." My face says it all. I sometimes don't think all of my plans through. Shinji knows this. "Of course you didn't think of that. Which is surprising given your face when you saw Yusei, it was almost like seeing Cupid's Arrow striking in front of us."
"Shut up, okay! I know I'm not the best at decision-making. As long as I get through to the Title Match without getting recognised by my brother, I'll be fine. After that, I can take the wig off and go find Yusei." We approach the stairs leading to our seats. I gesture to them to kill this conversation.
"It's finally the second day of the tournament! Whether you like it or not, the King's challenger will be determined in today's duels!" The MC's voice booms out before we've even reached our seats. "In the first battle of the semi-finals, it's Satellite's Shooting Star Yusei Fudo versus the Black Storm Bommer!" Yusei once again shoots out from the pits in a cloud of smoke. As he drives to the starting line, the crowd begins cheering for him. I genuinely have to look around to see if they're seeing the same thing I am. Oh, I suppose the crowd now likes Yusei because he put on a good show yesterday. How typical of this city. I can feel the loathing rise up inside me. As the crowd is cheering, a scraping noise fills the stadium. Then Bommer flies out into the stadium on his own D-Wheel.
"What's that? Is it an elephant? Is it a dinosaur? No, it's Bommer's D-Wheel!" I resist the urge to hold my face in my hands from second-hand embarrassment. Now, both D-Wheels are at the starting point.
"I might accidentally squash your D-Wheel." Bommer says to Yusei as they wait for the duel to start. Now if he squashes Yusei, Bommer and I are going to have a little discussion.
"Just because a D-Wheel is bigger doesn't mean that it's better." Now I'm holding my face in my hands from second-hand embarrassment.
"I will win this duel! Actually, I must win this duel!" No Bommer, Yusei must win this duel if I want to eat tomorrow.
"Set on the Field Spell Speed World! The field is now controlled by Speed World. The only spells that can be activated are Speed Spells!"
"Here I go, Yusei!" The countdown begins.
"Riding Duel..." The countdown reaches zero. "Acceleration!"
"I go first." Bommer claims the first turn. "I draw! I summon a monster from my hand! Appear! Magic Reactor-AID (ATK:1200)! I set three cards and end my turn!" Finally, a deck that doesn't match a duelist's aesthetic or appearance, at least for now anyway. At this point, both Yusei's and Bommer's Speed Counters become 1.
"My turn. I set one card. Then I summon Speed Warrior (ATK:900)!"
"At this moment, my trap activates! Hidden Soldiers! With this trap, when you summon a monster, I can Special Summon a Level 4-or-below Dark Attribute monster from my hand. I Special Summon Trap Reactor-RR (ATK:800)!"
"Speed Warrior's attack points are doubled on the turn that it's summoned. (ATK:900-1800) Go, Speed Warrior! Sonic Edge!" The attack causes Bommer's life points drop to 3400. However, Bommer's monster was not destroyed. "What?"
"That was weak, Yusei! I've already activated the trap card Fake Explosion! This card protects my monster from your attack, and I can Special Summon a Level 5 monster from my hand. Appear, Summon Reactor-AI (ATK:2000)!" I'm noticing a theme in his monsters here. "I activate the new trap card Delta Reactor! This card sends Summon Reactor-AI, Trap Reactor-RR and Magic Reactor-AID from the field to the graveyard. Appear, Flying Fortress SKY FIRE (ATK:3000)!"
"Bommer summoned his ace monster on the second turn!" A good ace monster at that.
"With Flying Fortress SKY FIRE, once during the opponent's turn, if you Normal Summon, Special Summon or set a card, that card is destroyed and you take 800 points of damage. Yusei, now you won't be able to do anything! I'll win and accomplish my mission!" I cringe at that effect; it will be interesting to see how Yusei gets around it.
"It's now the third turn of the duel! And now Bommer's attack now begins!" Why is the MC announcing the turn number? Surely this doesn't add anything of value to this commentary. I don't know, maybe there was a commercial break in the televised broadcast or something.
"My turn." Both of their Speed Counters increased to 2. "Flying Fortress SKY FIRE attacks Speed Warrior!" Yusei's life points drop to 1900. I shudder as he takes the damage, causing him to spin out.
"Yusei has spun out! He's managed to regain and is chasing Bommer! With Speed World, for every 1000 points of damage you take at one time, you lose one Speed Counter! Since he took 2100 points of damage, Yusei's Speed Counter has returned to zero!"
"You're going to lose already? Bring it, Yusei! I set one card and end my turn." Yusei takes one attack so he's going to lose? Good logic there Bommer.
"My turn." Bommer's Speed Counter becomes 3, while Yusei's goes up to 1. "From my hand, I summon Shield Warrior(DEF:1600)."
"Flying Fortress SKY FIRE monster effect now activates! When you summon a monster, that card is destroyed and you take 800 points of damage. Sharpshooting!" Yusei's life points drop once again, going from 1900 to 1100. The attack causes Yusei to spin out once again. I clench my fists in fear.
"Yusei spins out again!"
"I set one card and end my turn." I stare at Yusei's set card. Could that be why he summoned the monster first and let Bommer destroy it, so he could set that card successfully? Given what I've seen of Yusei's dueling so far, I feel that I'm right.
"This battle is one-sided! Bommer is too strong! Yusei has zero monsters on his field! If he takes a direct attack on the next turn, the duel will be over!" I wouldn't give up on Yusei so quickly, I have faith in his set card.
"My turn!" Bommer declares as his Speed Counter increases to 4, while Yusei's is now 2. "Yusei! I attack you directly!" No surprise there.
"Attack me directly? I activate the trap Wild Tornado. This card destroys one spell or trap card. I'm destroying this card!" He gestures to his own set card.
"You're destroying your own card?" He clearly has a strategy Bommer, gods.
"When this card is destroyed, I can Special Summon Speed Warrior from my graveyard(DEF:400)." See? Yusei knows what he is doing.
"So you withstood my attack. However, all you have left now are the cards in your hand! I set one card and end my turn."
"My turn." Yusei's Speed Counter increases to 3, while Bommer is 2 ahead on 5. "I summon Fortress Warrior from my hand(ATK:600)!" I wonder is Yusei attempting the same strategy as last turn.
"Now Flying Fortress SKY FIRE's monster effect activates! When you play a card, that card is destroyed and you take 800 points of damage! Sharpshooting!" Yusei's life points drop to 300. This loss of life points and speed allow Bommer to lap Yusei.
"Bommer has finally passed Yusei!" He was technically in front of Yusei the whole time but okay.
"I activate the Speed Spell Zero Reverse!" The name of the card makes me cringe. "When I have three or more Speed Counters, I can Special Summon the monster that was destroyed this turn due to an effect and it returns with 0 attack points(ATK:0)." Fortress Warrior returns to the field.
"With 0 attack points, you can't defeat me!" When you will learn that Yusei will always have a strategy?
"That's right, Bommer. I also have people I need to protect. When I successfully summon a monster, I'm allowed to Special Summon this monster. Here we go, Rally!" Who is Rally, I wonder. "I Special Summon One-Shot Booster(ATK:0). Fortress Warrior attacks Flying Fortress SKY FIRE."
"Why would you do that with 0 attack points?" You never learn, do you?
"One-Shot Booster's monster effect. By releasing it, your monster that battles against my monster is destroyed." Rather than using effects to negate SKY FIRE's own effect, Yusei plans to simply destroy it. Interesting to say the least.
"However, due to battle damage, you'll take 3000 points of damage!" Must I reiterate myself again, Bommer?
"Once per turn, Fortress Warrior can make battle damage become 0. I release One-Shot Booster." As Flying Fortress SKY FIRE, a big cloud of black smoke surrounds the two D-Wheelers.
"Yusei destroyed Flying Fortress SKY FIRE!"
"I activate the Continuous Trap Chariot Pile!" Spikes come out from the hub of Bommer's wheels. "Until I accomplish my mission, I can't lose to you! My turn." Bommer's Speed Counter increases to 6, with Yusei now at 4. "Chariot Pile's effect activates! Once per turn, you take 800 points of damage! You can negate this effect by releasing a monster. What will you do, Yusei?"
"I release Fortress Warrior to negate the damage!" A nasty effect by all standards, good thing Yusei's deck seems to have a high monster ratio.
"You managed to block it by releasing a monster. I end my turn."
"My turn." As Yusei declares his turn, his Speed Counter becomes 5, while Bommer's becomes 7. "I summon Junk Synchron(ATK:1300). When this card is successfully summoned, I can Special Summon a Level 2-or-below monster in my graveyard. Resurrect, Speed Warrior(DEF:400)! Then Junk Synchron tunes Speed Warrior!"
"A Synchro Monster?" Yes, this is how most people play this game nowadays.
"Clustering stars will call upon a new power! Become the path that light the way! Synchro Summon! Come forth, Junk Warrior(ATK:2300)!" Junk Warrior once again makes an appearance. "Attack Bommer directly! Scrap Fist!"
"Not good enough, Yusei! Chariot Pile has another effect. When your monster attacks me directly, I can pay 800 life points to negate that attack and destroy it!" Bommer's life points go from 3400 to 2600, and Junk Warrior is destroyed.
"I set one card and end my turn." I feel slightly disappointed that Yusei Synchro Summoned Junk Warrior for basically nothing.
"It's my turn." Both Bommer's and Yusei's Speed Counters increase, becoming 8 and 6 respectively. "I summon Black Salvo(ATK:100)! When this card is successfully summoned, I can Special Summon a Level 4 Dark Attribute monster in my graveyard in defence position! Appear, Trap Reactor-RR(DEF:1800)! Level 3 Black Salvo tunes Level 4 Trap Reactor-RR!"
"A Synchro Summon?" I genuinely confused as to why Yusei is surprised right now.
"That's right! You're not the only one who uses Synchro Monsters!" But doesn't practically everyone use Synchros nowadays? Ugh, I give up. "Appear, Dark Strike Fighter(ATK:2600)! Dark Strike Fighter attacks you directly!"
"I activate my trap. Synchro Spirits. By removing a Synchro Monster in my graveyard from play, I can Special Summon the monsters that were needed to Synchro Summon it from my graveyard. I remove Junk Warrior from play! Resurrect, Junk Synchron and Speed Warrior(DEF:500/DEF:400)!"
"What? Why can't I destroy it?" Bommer cries out.
"By removing Shield Warrior in my graveyard from play, I can prevent it from being destroyed due to battle." It's nice seeing Bommer's own monster effect eventually working against him.
"However, Chariot Pile's effect now activates! Once per turn, it deals 800 points of damage!" Here we go again.
"I release Speed Warrior to negate the damage!" He's clearly saving Junk Synchron here, he must be planning to Synchro again.
"Then I activate the trap card Ultimate Flare! Due to this card, I Special Summon an Ultimate Flare Token(DEF:0)!" That's not good. That token deals 800 damage to an opponent when destroyed. What's worse is that Dark Strike Fighter's monster effect allows you to release a monster to deal damage to the opponent equal to 200 times the monster of the released monster. Since the token has a level of 10, it will cause 2000 points of damage. Which means that Yusei would lose if he's not able to counter it.
"Now you won't be able to do anything again! On my next turn, your life points will become 0! I end my turn!"
"Now what will he do? Yusei has no cards in his hand! He's completely cornered! Everything depends on the next draw!"
"My turn." As he says this, Yusei's Speed Counters become 7, while Bommer's become 9. "I'm betting on this card. I summon Tuningware(ATK:100). Level 3 Junk Synchron tunes Level 1 Tuningware. Synchro Summon! Come, Armory Arm(ATK:1800)!" Just like I imagined, Yusei's deck has really good Synchro potential.
"What can you do with 1800 attack points?" This game is all about monster effects, my friend.
"When Tuningware is used to Synchro Summon, I get to draw one card from my deck."
"Yusei has managed to keep going, and this is the final draw of destiny!" The MC's voice booms over the sound system as Yusei draws. Though it's hard to see with my sunglasses, I believe that he just smiled.
"I activate the Speed Spell Synchro Return. When I have 5 or more Speed Counters, I can Special Summon a Synchro Monster that was removed from play. Come forth, Junk Warrior(ATK:2300)! Then I activate Armory Arm's monster effect!"
"What?" Monster effects, can you believe that they weren't all that common back in the day?
"Armory Arm equips onto a Synchro Monster and increases its attack points by 1000!" Junk Warrior's attack points increase to 3300.
"It has more attack points than Dark Strike Fighter!" Congratulations Bommer, you understand the concept of equality.
"Junk Warrior! Power Gear Fist!" Bommer's life points drop from 2600 to 1900. "Next is Armory Arm's effect. When the equipped monster destroys a monster in battle, you take damage equal to the destroyed monster's attack points!" With that, ladies and gentlemen, Yusei has won.
"What?" Bommer cries out as his life points hit 0. His D-Wheel spins out as smoke comes out from it, signalling defeat. He falls off his D-Wheel. It's faint, but I notice that Chariot Pile hasn't vanished from his D-Wheel.
"It's over! Satellite's Shooting Star Yusei Fudo versus The Black Storm Bommer! The winner of the Duel of the Fortune Cup semi-finals is Yusei Fudo!" The sheer volume of the MC's voice makes me shudder. On the track, I can see Yusei approaching Bommer. "The next battle will be..." The MC is silenced as Bommer activates a microphone. Okay, I'm confused.
"Yusei, well done. I lost. However, my mission isn't over! I planned to win this tournament so that during the ceremonies, I could publicly reveal what Godwin did." What did that corrupt scumbag do this time? "However, that's no longer possible. Therefore, I'll get my revenge now! Look at this!" An image of a village in ruin shows up on the projector in the middle of the arena. I'm in horror at the sheer level of destruction. "My village was completely destroyed! This is my village! My hometown! In order to resurrect the Crimson Dragon, Godwin used my village as a testing ground!" Crimson Dragon? What would Godwin want with such a thing? "And my village was..." The visuals now show Bommer's village being destroyed. It's a little too much for me, as I imagine the same happening to the Satellite.
"All the villagers are missing, including my brother and sister. Yusei! Jack! Don't trust him! You can't let Godwin have the Crimson Dragon!" I'm shocked as Bommer calls out to Yusei and Jack. How are they involved with Godwin? Why would they? He's in charge of that stupid Security force that plagued our years in the Satellite. Bommer moves to get back on D-Wheel. "I'll settle things with him with my own hands! For my hometown friends! For my dear brother and sister! For this sadness to never happen again!" Bommer manages to propel himself into the air towards Godwin's tower in the centre of the stadium.
"Bommer!" I hear Yusei call out as he also propels himself into the air. He manages to collide with Bommer, sending him off course and back onto the track. However, a large piece of shrapnel manages to come off the Chariot Pike on Bommer's D-Wheel. It is sent flying towards Godwin's tower and manages to break the glass with a mighty smash. The stadium is dead silent, in fear of what happened to Rex Godwin up in that tower. He's too far away for me to know if he's okay or not.
"Yusei! Why did you stop me? Why?" Bommer screams at Yusei, back down on the track.
"Bommer, I can't forgive him either. But if you try to settle things by force, then you're no better than him." I'm surprised that Yusei managed those wise words in chaos like this.
"Yusei!" Bommer screams at the top of his lungs. Despite the silence of the crowd, I can feel chaos and fear growing. This simple tournament may have a bigger impact on the city that I originally thought.