DISCLAIMER: Yu-Gi-Oh! was created by Kazuki Takahashi.
Darren King laughed triumphantly as he sped through the streets of New Domino City, all who saw him retreating in fear. To him, fear and respect went hand in hand, so from his perspective, he was already well on his way to becoming King of this city. When he first came to New Domino, he had the feeling of becoming a big fish in a small pond. Now, however, he was a whale in a teardrop. This city was his personal kingdom.
"DUEL MODE, ON!" Darren's Runner's screen declared, bringing up a display showing Speed World MAX.
"Hmph, so she's caught up," King muttered, taking a glance back to see Ikenami speeding after him. "Come to avenge the cadet, officer?! I think you'll find that more of a challenge than you think!"
"This isn't revenge," Aoi declared, gripping the handles of her Duel Runner tightly, "it's justice!"
"Come, then!" Darren challenged, speeding up. "Chase after your King if you can! Turbo Duel..."
"ACCELERATION!" Ikenami finished, pouring on the speed as they came around a corner. Darren came out of the turn first, all the while their screens showed a path that the city's central computers planned out for them. Traffic up ahead immediately got out of the way as the two loaded their decks.
"DUEL!" the two called, drawing their opening hands.
"Ugh, my head," Yudai moaned, rubbing the back of his head as he glanced around at the massive forest spread out around him. "Could this be some sort of hallucination from that attack? Or, it could be...No, I can't be dead! I'm sure my parents would be here waiting for me, then!"
"I can assure you, you aren't dead," a voice declared from behind Yudai, causing him to spin around to face the source of it.
Yudai felt his throat go dry at what he saw. Touching down on the ground were four women, each with different coloured dresses, and with hair and eyes to match their chosen colour. And all four of them had translucent wings and a somewhat angelic look to them. They smiled at Yudai as they approached him.
"...This coming from the group of angels?" Hikaru pointed out.
"We are not angels," the teal-haired and palest one corrected, stepping up close to Yudai. "...Hello. I've been waiting to meet you."
"Wait..." Yudai muttered before realization hit him. "You're...Neo-Fairy Teal!"
The apparent Fairy smiled, nodding. "Yes, I am. We're all Neo-Fairies. I'm the newest member. The others are Neo-Fairy Vermilion, Neo-Fairy Violet, and Neo-Fairy Magenta."
"You're...Duel Monsters?" Hikaru inquired.
"Spirits," the dark-skinned and tallest of the group, Magenta, corrected. "However, yes, we are among the many Duel Spirits who have been made into cards in your game."
"We exist in a world parallel to your own," Vermilion, the shortest and most muscular-looking Neo-Fairy, added. "We're only allowed to directly interact with your world on some really special occasions."
"That is, assuming we don't try to bend any of the rules of existence," Violet, the thickest-bodied of the team, pointed out. "Which we unfortunately had to do to make contact with you."
"Then you're the ones who gave me the card?" Yudai asked. "Why?"
Magenta sighed. "...We need your help."
"The King goes first! Draw!" Darren yelled, drawing his sixth card and then immediately slapping it to his Duel Disk. "I Normal Summon Archfiend Soldier (1900/1500)!" With that, the holographic form of a Fiend-type monster wearing a cape and wielding a sword appeared, floating alongside the Wheel of Fortune Duel Runner. "Then I set one card face-down and end my turn!"
A clear beat-down monster, Aoi considered, looking over the field. His Duel against Yudai suggests he's not the type to allow defensive playing, so...
"My turn!" Ikenami shouted, drawing a card and placing one face-down on her disk, all the while she and Darren both received a Speed Counter. "I set one monster face-down!"
Darren scoffed. "Such a weak play will not go unpunished! Trap card, open: Acid Trap Hole! If your face-down monster has 2000 or less DEF, it is destroyed!" Darren's face-down card flipped over before a trap hole filled with acid materialized under Aoi's face-down monster, who was flipped up to reveal a vermarine tortoise. It then fell into the hole, instantly destroyed by the acid.
Despite this play, Aoi smiled. "When Crystron Prasiortle (500/2000) is in my Graveyard, I can banish it to Special Summon 1 'Crystron' Monster from my hand!"
"What?!" Darren demanded as Aoi removed her card from the game.
"I Special Summon Crystron Rion (500/500)!" Ikenami declared, a smoky quartz robot appearing on the field. "I set two cards face-down! Turn end!"
Darren growled at this play. "So, you lured me into using my Acid Trap Hole early! I'll make you pay for that!"
"The only one paying around here will be you, for property destruction and assaulting an officer!" Aoi countered.
"My turn!" Darren roared, drawing his newest card while he and Aoi's Speed Counters increased to 2. "Archfiend Soldier, destroy Crystron Rion!"
"Crystron Rion's effect activates!" Aoi shouted as Archfiend Soldier drew its blade, ready to cut down Rion. "During your opponent's Battle Phase, I can target 1 of my banished non-Tuner monsters and Special Summon it with its effects negated! Return to the field, Crystron Prasiortle!" Crystron Rion held out a hand to its side, opening a portal for Prasiortle to leap through as it was brought back to the field. "Furthermore, immediately after this effect resolves, I must Synchro Summon 1 Machine-Type Synchro Monster using only that monster and this card, and then shuffling both Synchro Material Monsters into my deck!"
No, this was her play all along! Darren realized.
"I tune Level 2 Crystron Prasiortle with Level 3 Crystron Rion!" Ikenami called, Crystron Rion's body glowing bright green before exploding into a trio of green rings for Crystron Prasiortle to leap through. "Brilliant ametrine, shimmer and sparkle with the life-giving might of water! Empower the graceful machine!" Prasiortle growled as twin stars began to glow within its body, a brilliant line of light shooting through it and the rings. "Synchro Summon! Arise, Crystron Ametrix (2500/1500)!" The light faded, revealing Aoi's ace monster standing in attack position.
Darren grit his teeth hard, waving his arm dismissively. "I cancel my Battle Phase, but you'll wish I hadn't! While I control an 'Archfiend' card, once per turn, I can Special Summon Archfiend Commander (2500/1200) from my hand!" Darren slapped a monster card onto his disk, creating the image of a larger, more evil-looking Fiend next to Archfiend Soldier. "However, by doing so, I must destroy one 'Archfiend' card I control, so I destroy Archfiend Soldier!" With that, Archfiend Commander reached down and grabbed Archfiend Soldier so tightly that it exploded into bits of data.
"For you to use that effect, it must mean you plan on using your Normal Summon for this turn on something else!" Aoi guessed.
"Yes, my Gene-Warped Warwolf (2000/100)!" Darren answered, bringing a four-armed Beast-Warrior to the field. "I set one card face-down! Turn end!"
Aoi looked over the cards in her hand, coming to a realization. His monsters are too powerful for Ametrix on its own...which means it's time to use my TRUE power...
"So, the card you gave me," Yudai pondered aloud, rubbing his chin, "it WASN'T a card of darkness?"
Teal shook her head with a smile. "No. But it wasn't like any ordinary card, either. You haven't noticed it yet, but having that card will grant you abilities. Specifically, it will allow you to tell when an opponent you're facing has a card of darkness. Defeating said opponent will also return their card back to whence it came."
"And where DO they come from?" Yudai inquired. "Who's behind all this?"
"Rogue Spirits," Violet explained, crossing her arms. "They've broken the rules of our universes and sent cards of darkness to those they know would let themselves be consumed with their power."
"We couldn't cross dimensions ourselves, but we COULD send you Teal's card to make contact with you," Vermilion continued. "We needed someone on the inside to help track 'em all down."
"But why me?" Hikaru asked, confused. "I'm just a cadet."
"We don't fully understand it ourselves," Magenta admitted, "but you seem to be attuned in such a way that making contact with you is much easier, like we're doing right now. In addition, we gathered from you that you were the type to do all you could to protect your city from the havoc these cards of darkness would cause. You...have a personal stake in its continued peaceful existence."
Yudai looked downward, fidgeting slightly. Just from the tone of their voices, he could tell exactly what Magenta meant by that, but that they didn't want to just come right out and say it. He didn't blame them. In fact, he felt appreciative to that. However...
"...So, in so many words, you needed someone to handle the work you couldn't do yourselves, and chose the best piece on the board to do it with," Yudai summarized, looking up at the Neo-Fairies as they opted not to answer, even though their silence did for them. "...Alright. How do we get started?"
Wataru looked on as fire fighters went to work putting out the flames set by Darren's relentless attack and doctors looked over Yudai, Ross, and himself. As they were about to load Yudai and Ross into the back of a pair of ambulances, however, Yudai's Duel Disk started to glow a strange teal light. The emergency response workers immediately backed off, the glowing engulfing Yudai's entire body.
"W-Wh-Wh-What's going on?!" Wataru demanded, sitting up in shock.
To everyone's amazement, Yudai's body actually lifted up off of the ground, hovering in the air for a few moments before touching the ground feet first. As he stood there, the light began to fade, revealing the complete erasure of all his wounds. Finally, the teal shimmer stopped, just as his eyes slowly opened, taking in everything around him.
"...Y-Yudai?!" Wataru asked, astonished. "What happened?!"
"Wataru..." Hikaru muttered before his eyes snapped open wider. "...Ikenami! Where is she?!"
"Sh-She chased after Darren," Wataru answered, causing his older cousin to make for his Duel Runner. "Wait! You can't go after them! You're hurt!"
"I'm fine, Wataru," Yudai replied, putting on his helmet before addressing the workers present. "Contact the New Domino City Police Department! Tell them I'll need a car to bring Darren in once he's defeated!"
Everyone just watched with stunned expressions, but nodded in agreement, leaving Yudai to fire up his engine and take off after Aoi and Darren. Darren, I'm coming for you! This time, it's MY turn for payback!
"My turn!" Ikenami shouted, she and Darren gaining new Speed Counters as she drew her new card. "I play Speed Spell - Angel Baton! While I have 2 or more Speed Counters, I can draw 2 cards, and then send 1 card from my hand to my Graveyard!" Drawing two additional cards, she then discarded the Crystron Thystvern (1500/1500) in her hand. "Next, by banishing Crystron Thystvern from my Graveyard, I can add 1 'Crystron' monster from my deck to my hand!" Removing Thystvern from the game, she then pulled a new 'Crystron' from her deck.
"Adding more monsters to your hand," Darren observed with a sneer. "Are you that afraid?"
"YOU'D be afraid if you knew what I had planned," Aoi replied as she flipped her face-down card in the Spell/Trap Zone face-up. "Trap activate: Crystron Impact! I Special Summon 1 banished 'Crystron' monster and reduce the DEF of all my opponent's face-up monsters to 0! Return, Crystron Thystvern!" With that, Ikenami summoned Thystvern to the field, which roared as it materialized. "Next, I Normal Summon Crystron Quan (500/500)!" A milky-quartz Machine-type monster appeared on the field next to Thystvern, leaping up into the air. "I tune Level 3 Crystron with Level 1 Crystron Quan!"
"Another Syncho?!" Darren inquired, watching as Quan's body erupted into a single glowing ring.
"Quantum Quattro Silica, shimmer and sparkle with the speeding current of water!" Aoi chanted as Thystvern flew through the ring, three shining stars appearing in its body. "Empower the war machine! Synchro Summon! Come forth, Synchro Tuner, Crystron Quandax (1800/2000)!" A burst of light blasted through the ring, consuming it and leaving behind a new Machine-type monster in defense position in its place.
Synchro...Tuner? Darren wondered. Where have I heard that term used before? Wherever it was, I can't help but feel that leaving that card on the field would be a critical error...
"Battle!" Aoi shouted, breaking Darren out of his thoughts. "Crystron Ametrix, attack Gene-Warped Warwolf!" At this command, Ametrix leaped into the air, throwing both feet down hard at Darren's monster.
"Trap, activate: Negate Attack!" Darren yelled, revealing his face-down card and creating an invisible barrier around his Beast-Warrior to protect it. "I negate the attack and end the Battle Phase!"
Aoi looked disappointed, but carried on regardless. "Turn end!"
"My turn!" Darren roared, pulling free a new card as his and Aoi's Speed Counters both hit 4. He looked over his hand, contemplating his next move. Before he could make a decision, however, Ikenami's remaining face-down card was activated.
"Trap card, open: Coast Guard!" Aoi announced. "For the rest of this turn, my opponent cannot Special Summon monsters!"
Darren harrumphed, but was undeterred, deciding on his next course of action. "I activate Speed World MAX's effect! By revealing any number of Speed Spell cards in my hand, and reducing my Speed Counters by 4, I inflict 800 damage to my opponent for each card revealed!"
"Damn!" Ikenami cursed, watching as Darren revealed a Speed Spell in his hand. A blast then fired out from his card and smacked her Duel Runner hard, causing her to lose 800 Life Points while she tried desperately to keep control of her vehicle. After a few seconds, she managed to regain control, calming herself, all the while Darren's Duel Runner slowed a considerable amount.
"Battle!" Darren hollered. "Archfiend Commander, destroy Crystron Quandax!" With that, Archfiend Commander raced toward Quandax, arms raised and ready to slam into it.
"I won't allow it!" Aoi yelled, suddenly speeding up her Runner as her monsters raced alongside her. "I see now what is needed to beat you, the power I learned from my teacher: CLEAR MIND!"
Darren's eyes snapped wide open. "Clear Mind?! Could it be...she really possesses this power?!"
"I tune Level 5 Crystron Ametrix with Level 4 Synchro Tuner Crystron Quandax!" Ikenami exclaimed as she continued to speed up, Crystron Quandax's body turning an emerald green before exploding into four glowing green rings for Aoi and Crystron Ametrix to power along through. "Red onyx, shimmer and sparkle with the racing rush of water! Empower the mighty phoenix of rebirth! ACCEL SYNCHRO!"
Darren watched on as Ikenami drew a Synchro Monster card from her Extra Deck, slapping it to her disk. Then, to his stunned amazement, both she and Ametrix vanished in a flash, only to reappear a few seconds later behind him, Ametrix replaced with a new, larger, red robot with mighty-looking wings.
"Rise through fire and water, Crystron Phoenix (2800/2000)!" Aoi announced, her robot standing by and ready for battle.
This Chapter's Fan-Made Yu-Gi-Oh! Cards
No new fan-made cards this chapter!
AUTHOR'S NOTES: ...Yup. In case you were wondering, that's a pretty good answer as to who it was that taught Aoi how to Duel as well as she does. She even possesses Clear Mind, thus granting her the ability to Accel Synchro Summon. It's part of what I was talking about before in the notes for Chapter 2, about how Crystron Monsters have different methods of Special Summoning themselves and each other. Hell, the Crystron Tuner Monsters all have the ability to Synchro Summon during the opponent's turn anyway, which actually isn't that far from what Accel Synchro is anyway, just with standard Monsters and not Synchro Monsters.
So, let's talk Darren's deck for a sec. Obviously, it's a Power Deck, not unlike Jack Atlas'. However, what differs from him and Jack, particularly Jack as we saw him over a length of time, is that Darren has an obvious preference for high-level Monsters with the ability to be brought out to the field without being Tribute Summoned. His lowest-leveled Monsters are Level 4, the highest you can summon without sacrificing anything unless they have a special effect, and are typically beat down Monsters like Gene-Warped Warwolf. He also has a very clear preference for Archfiend Monsters, as well as the Power Monsters Jack uses. And, as an aside, how that isn't an official archetype yet, I have no idea. I guess it's because then we'd have to include every card with Power in their name, like Power Tool Dragon, but then we have Yusei using the Warrior archetype, which can be just as problematic at times. Anyway, now that he has Power Emperor, Darren's also added Tuner Monsters to his deck so he can Synchro Summon it.
Anyway, check in next time as Aoi continues her Turbo Duel with Darren, all the while Yudai is on the way. Ja né!