I do not own Yugioh 5DS, Yugioh GX, or any of the characters.
Within a week I had met with former gang leaders who we had beaten, and gang members who had lost. I had met with Gushizawa and a few others the day after I beat him and started a new gang of my own, the Steel Militia. We got things set up so that people could support themselves with legitimate jobs, then we established a hierarchy thing. We got people set up in old gang hideouts and miscellaneous homes as extensions of the militia, each base with a small time team leader for squads of two to four. Each cell was under orders to only duel each other unless someone challenged them, and instead to devote all of their time to public service.
It was surprisingly easy to get the former gangs to sign on quickly, mostly because they had never really stopped hanging out as friends. I made sure to make it clear that we maintained high standards, and if word ever got to me that someone had acted in a way unbecoming of a gentleman soldier I would personally duel them and cut them out. A lot of gangers felt ostracized because they hadn't been accepted into the militia where a friend of theirs or a few of their friends had, but I maintained very strict policies. So far, at least. The first week was easy, we were still building the force and letting members spread the idealism. The infrastructural parts had been easy as I had been dreaming of someday organizing the Enforcers in the same way, but Kalin had always been of the opinion that we could do it entirely on our own, without needing more people.
Anna hadn't been happy, not for the first few days at least. The local cell had stopped a robbery just down the street from her, and handled the whole thing legally, even working with Sector Security instead of against them. It was a major boost to the morale of the militia, in addition to its being an immediate projection of a good image, and we used the event to rally even more to the cause. She liked that, and from that point she wholeheartedly approved of what I was doing.
Itsuki, with his new deck, was a junior member in my personal cell, sort of like being my assistant for managing the initial flood of paperwork. In addition to maintaining my custom disk front, I now had to deal with questions from the new members of the Militia, and make all sorts of policy decisions and establish precedents, only a few of which I'd ever prepared for. Having someone help me out with it, even if only to shuffle around the papers and make sure that they weren't cluttering my desk, was extremely useful.
Two weeks passed since I left the Enforcers, and the surprisingly explosive growth of the militia had slowed, thankfully. The militia was handling ten cells, each managed by a lieutenant, who in turn reported to a captain, one captain for each three cells, except for Gushizawa, who was handling four. The captains in turn reported to me, the colonel. All of the bureaucracy that I had set up with the help of Gushizawa and Anna hadn't sufficiently prepared me for the surge of people who wanted to join, and the personal meetings and interviews were long and arduous.
And then Jack and Crow knocked on the frame of my door.
"Mind if we come in?" Crow asked. I turned from the disk that I had been working with to see them, and they both looked haggard, disappointed, and tired.
"Come on in, take a seat somewhere, I picked up a few folding chairs recently. What can I do for you guys?" I asked in return. Crow sat down on my bed, and Jack pulled out a folding chair.
"You know, Wil, Kalin has been extremely jealous of you, and he's pretty mad at you. You've actually got the manpower to take on Sector Security and 'free all of Satellite' but you won't do it." Jack started.
"I figured as much, but I always thought that fighting against the Securities was the wrong way to go about doing things," I said.
"So Wil, what exactly was your reason for leaving us behind like that? The only word we've gotten of you is from the street or through Martha." Crow said.
"I lost faith in following Kalin. He grew too power hungry for his own good, enough so, apparently, that he was willing to lie to me so that I would fight his war. You all saw it, how he wanted me to destroy Gushizawa, not just beat him." I sighed, scratching my head.
"It got worse, Wil. He's grown angry too, and he's been taking it out on innocent, anybody who even comes by HQ. This morning we caught him trying to duel a kid off the edge of the cliff, make him fall." Jack explained.
"I ran into him and told the kid to run. Thankfully, that's just what he did. But the possibilities of Kalin getting even worse while we were still associated with him were getting too terrible. We left." Crow added.
"Is Yusei still with him?" I asked.
"Yeah, but even he is growing worried. I think that he just pities Kalin, and thinks that no one deserves to suffer alone, especially friends." Crow sighed.
"Who was the kid?" I asked.
"Do you remember the kid who was the leader of Team Black'n'Blue?" Jack said.
I sighed. "I do, though his name escapes me. Do you guys have any idea where he is?"
"I saw him running off towards the card shop, I think," Crow said.
I turned to Itsuki, "Go get him, and your sister if you would please. If you see any other kids with duel disks on bring them here too."
"Sir, yes, sir!" Itsuki smiled with a salute.
"What do you think you're doing, Wilhelm? You can't bring the children into all this, they don't belong in the gangs!" Crow yelled at me the moment Itsuki had left.
"Protecting them from Kalin, that's what. I'll probably ask them to join the militia as aids to the captains and lieutenants. If they refuse that's totally ok, I've got enough cells to protect where they live." I replied.
"So our friend is the enemy now? We've been together since we were all kids!" Crow kept yelling.
"We're still kids, Crow." I said.
"And we left him behind this morning for a reason, Crow." Jack put a hand on Crow's shoulder.
Crow sighed and calmed down, "Yeah, because he forgot what we started it all for, protect the game from the corrupt, protect the weak from the bullies."
I had an idea, "Crow, Jack. I need to know if there is anything that I can do for you."
"We came because we had nowhere else to go. More than that, you've gathered good people to do good things, and we want in. The Enforcers haven't done a service project in the last two weeks. Not for lack of stuff to do, because there is always something to help with in Satellite, but because Kalin hasn't been letting us. We're done with that. We want in." Jack said.
I stood up and offered my hand, "Welcome to the Steel Militia, gentlemen. I'm adding both of you to my personal cell. Unless, of course, you'd like a different assignment, because if you do I've got something in mind."
Jack raised a wary eyebrow as he shook my hand, "And what assignment would that be?"
"Protect and teach the kids that Itsuki brings back. He, of course, stays with me, and I can hand you each a commission as a lieutenant. Train the kids as you will, just don't be mean to them." I said. A gleam flashed in Crow's eye.
"I'll do it." he said as he shook my hand. "Hand me the first group of kids, I'll make sure that they get taught right."
Jack seemed far less enthusiastic, "I like kids and all, and I don't doubt that some of them have enormous skill, but I don't much like teaching or raising them. I'm not one for coddling or babysitting."
"Fair enough. Stick with my cell then. We're supposed to be the elite in the militia." I shrugged.
"Who exactly is in your personal cell?" Jack asked, again with a raised eyebrow.
"You and me, and Itsuki as an assistant to me."
"You mean to tell me that you don't have anyone else who you consider elite?" Jack said.
"No, I was just hoping that you guys would eventually defect from Kalin, and we're the team that literally took down everyone who I recruited." I sat back down.
"So what exactly am I supposed to do, just hang out with you?" Jack asked.
"No, I'm thinking that you'll function as more of an MP."
"A what?"
"Military Police, though in this case it would just be militia police. The current policy is that people who misbehave as members of the militia get to meet me and my disk. I can extend that to you as well. You'll be making sure that people behave. Hopefully, I won't need to dispatch you very often. I'll have to run the idea through my captains, though. Until then, you'll just be hanging with me."
Jack grinned, "Still an Enforcer then?"
"In a manner of speaking, yeah." I smiled right back.
"Great. I've got this black trench coat that I always wanted to wear in a duel, and now I've got an excuse." Jack said.
Crow raised his hand, "Umm… Excuse me, Wil, what exactly are the uniforms for the militia?"
"You haven't figured it out already? We don't have any. Individual cells and their lieutenants are given full authority over uniforms if they even want that." I answered.
"Cool." Crow leaned back on the bed and started whistling. Then Itsuki walked in with half a dozen preteens.
"Hey Wil, I brought all of my friends!" Itsuki was beaming.
"Just your friends? Didn't I ask you to bring everyone?"
"Ever since I became an M&M everyone's been my friend!" He flashed a thumbs up at the assembled children. "Right guys?"
"Yep!" they all shot him a thumbs up with bright smiling faces behind them.
"The candy?" Jack asked Itsuki.
"No, Jack, Militia-man, M&M." Itsuki shrugged as though it was obvious.
"All right, kids, how many of you want to join the Steel Militia?" I asked with an amused eyebrow raised. They all cheered while screaming, "ME! ME! ME!"
"Jack, get down some paper and a few pencils so that these kids can take notes," Crow said. I nodded and Jack complied, passing around the paper and pencils.
Crow took the assignment in stride and started talking immediately, "We are a junior member cell, so we won't be doing any of the things that the older cells do for a while. We'll be meeting at Martha's orphanage on Tuesdays and Thursdays, maybe more if we need to. Those of you who have parents or guardians, I want you take home this piece of paper and get a signature on it to bring back to me. Those of you without parents or guardians, just show up. We'll start meeting tomorrow. We'll be going over strategies for Duel Monsters, showing off our favorite cards, and near the end we'll start scouting a location for a clubhouse. You all got that?"
The children all nodded their heads vigorously, even while a few of them were still trying to copy down a few notes from what he said.
Crow smiled, "Then go home, all of you. If you ever need me I'll probably be around here somewhere." The children cleared out, but only to bench outside that Itsuki and I had set up a few days ago. They were already chatting about everything that they were going to do. It was a wonderful sight, up until Jack ran out after them, screaming, "Hey, you still have our pencils!" The kids all laughed, dropped the pencils, and dispersed, coming back around to jump on Jack or otherwise play with him.
Then I noticed the time.
"Slifer!" I jumped out of my seat and started running.
"Where are you going?" Asked Crow.
"To pick up Anna before I'm late!"
X
Anna was waiting outside the bike shop when I finally got there.
"You are five minutes late, Mr. Jernigan. I expect a foolproof excuse and an apology for this." she tapped her foot impatiently.
"I was starting a kids club with Crow. He and Jack left the Enforcers to join up with me." I tried to embrace her.
She refused it, "That isn't foolproof, and you forgot the apology."
"I was getting to that part princess, and I know it isn't foolproof but it is the truth. All I'm asking for is a little slack for my first offense, at least until I grab you some chocolate from the card shop." I sighed.
"Then we'd better start going towards the card shop because you're not getting anything until I have a bar of chocolate in my hand." there was a glint in her eyes as she started walking.
"Seriously, Mi'lady?" I sighed, defeated and eager to get to the shop.
"Nope!" she turned around and kissed me, nearly forcing me to stumble over. "Now you don't get anything else until I have chocolate."
"Let's get there quickly, then." she and I both smiled wide, then we raced each other to see who would get there first.
We got into the card shop wheezing for breath as I slapped one hundred DP on the counter and said, "Chocolate." Two large bars were handed to me by the laughing clerks, one of which I immediately handed to Anna. We stepped outside to a nearby bench, tore off the wrappers, and started chewing on the bars.
I reached my left arm around her as we were finishing the bars, and she found a comfortable position, leaning her head on my shoulder.
"Now what do we do?" I asked.
"We'll think of something, I'm sure. A walk back to your place, perhaps. Maybe a duel?" she sighed.
"No, princess. I don't duel people unless they truly deserve to lose either a limb or a deck. The risk with you would be too dangerous." I replied.
"Don't be daft, Willy. We could do it on a table or something, besides, I've got an idea." she grinned.
"May I ask what that idea is?"
"The Militia is a giant boys club, and some of the girls want in. I was thinking that I could remind you of just how powerful women can be," she whispered into my ear.
"You don't need to remind me, princess. I am well aware of what women can do. I was raised by Martha, after all." I said nervously.
"And yet we haven't dueled, Willy." she tossed her wrapper into a nearby trash can and slid both of her arms around my neck. She looked up at me with her Obelisk-given gray eyes.
"I don't duel unless I have to. I've already told you that, and if I let up even once from my duel disk, especially for you, I'll be accused of favoritism." I stammered. She pouted and looked entirely unimpressed.
"Tell you what, pick someone in the militia, anyone, and if you win then you're in."
"And if I beat one of your captains?" she asked.
"Then you can start a cell of your own, or three, make your own requirements and uniform for the cell, or don't, the same rights as would befit any captain. Just run appointments for lieutenants through me for approval." I said, taking the opportunity to kiss her.
When she came up for air she said, "Gushizawa, then. I'll beat him."
"Are you sure about that?" I asked. "I'm still fairly certain that I only beat him through luck, and I'm not certain that fairies can take down his Samurai."
"It's only a matter of strategy," her gray eyes twinkled. "And when it comes to strategy, I can assure you that I am the best there ever was."
"Strategy and resources, princess."
"Resources are less important than you'd think."
"They are what allow for strategy to exist, Princess," I responded.
"Then my resources will just have to work, won't they?" she said, stretching her legs out over mine.
I sighed, "Alright then, when do you want this duel to happen?"
"Tomorrow works just fine for me." she smiled.
"But isn't tomorrow Tuesday?" I asked hesitantly.
"Yes, which means that I'll have all the girls with me when I wipe the floor with your most powerful captain. Don't worry, they'll be excited to watch, and they'll probably bring snacks," she said.
"Any for the guys?" I asked.
"Probably not, unless one of the girls takes a fancy to a guy under your command." she replied, still lounging on the bench while cuddling into me.
"I'll talk to him, then."
X
The entire militia came to watch the match, which didn't particularly surprise me. It doesn't take much hype in Satellite to make something a high-profile duel, especially one set up in a massive old garage that served as Gushizawa's base. Almost every member of the militia brought either a significant other or family member, so there were people filling every seat we could muster, and even more hanging out in the rafters. The aisles were massive and sweeping as people poured in, but there was a good reason for that. Thankfully, no one complained about the junior cell having reserved seats at the front of the action.
I hadn't quite been able to grab anyone in time to MC the event, so I had to do that myself. We were lucky to even be able to find an old parade float with the dimensions to work as a dueling ring and a few working microphones. We would put the microphones on the combatants as soon as they arrived.
And as soon as everyone had filed into the garage, Gushizawa and Anna both arrived in style. The audience could hear the sound of whirring machinery as garage doors opened and bright headlights flooded the room. Gushizawa rode into the room on a simple green motorcycle with his goggles over his eyes, reflecting all of the lights. He skidded to a stop just in front of the ring, dismounted, and pumped his fist toward the crowd. All of his fans and teammates cheered as he slid on his duel disk and stepped onto the ring.
Anna wasn't about to be upstaged. Just as soon as Gushizawa stepped onto the ring the room was flooded with the sound of a powerful engine revving up. Anna burst into the garage and through the crowds on a bright white motorcycle in a blue jumpsuit that accentuated her curves, but only just barely. I couldn't stop myself from smiling wide, I must've looked like an idiot. She dismounted and took off her helmet, shaking her hair away from her gorgeous face. As she blinked her eyes open and put on the disk I'd built her the crowd roared. Gushizawa was mildly taken aback.
"Hey, Colonel, you didn't mention how pretty your woman is," Gushizawa smirked.
"I don't let my personal life affect how I treat my subordinates. It's easier just to not talk about it at all." I replied, keeping the mic covered.
"Willie, are you saying that I'm not the object of your every waking moment and that you don't gush about me all day long to anybody who will listen?" Anna pouted as the microphones were being hooked onto the duelists.
"Sorry, Princess, only my every dreaming," I replied, still making sure to keep my mic covered.
She looked concerned for a brief moment before her pout returned. "You should fix that."
"Make me," I smirked and lowered my voice, walking over towards her.
"Gladly." she leaned forward and whispered in my ear.
"By Obelisk, get a room, you two!" Gushizawa's voice echoed throughout the room. I quickly turned back to Anna and saw her face red with fury. The mic technician looked incredibly embarrassed, but the crowd loved it. There were already cheers for the two sides, and with that comment from my captain, the tension in the air had grown so thick that I could cut it with the side of my hand. I nodded to Anna and took my place back in the center of the arena.
"Are you ready for the main event?" I spoke into the mic. The crowd kept cheering.
I turned to my captain, "Captain Gushizawa, due to that comment of yours, the choice of turn passes immediately to the lady Anna. Do you have any objections?" He shook his head with a definitive no, his face still flushed.
"Then I'll go first," Anna spoke softly but with a certain malicious edge. She drew five cards and waited for Gushizawa to do the same before she drew her sixth.
Anna: 4000
Gushizawa: 4000
Turn 1: Anna
"I'll set card and then activate the effect of Hecatrice from my hand. By discarding it to the graveyard I am able to add a copy of 'Valhalla, Hall of the Fallen' from my deck to my hand." her disk put a card out from the deck for her to pick up, and then it shuffled the deck for her.
"Now that I have it in my hand, I'll activate Valhalla. Once a turn, while I control no monsters, I can special summon a fairy type monster from my hand, and I'll choose Athena!" The ancient goddess rose on the field, lording her white dress, spear and shield over Gushizawa. She then settled into a combat stance, raising her shield and readying her spear behind it.
Athena: 2600/800
"And then I'll normal summon the Herald of Orange Light." the glint in Anna's eye matched the glint that shone in Athena's as a small orange light with wings burst onto the field.
Herald of Orange Light: 300/500
Athena immediately threw her spear at Gushizawa; the hologram pierced him straight through.
Anna: 4000
Gushizawa: 3400
"What the Ra was that for?" he shouted angrily at Anna.
"Whenever a fairy-type monster is summoned to my side of the field Athena's effect deals 600 points of damage to my opponents life points." Anna smiled.
"Huh…" Gushizawa took another look at his hand, developing his strategy.
"And it gets worse." she said. "Because once a turn, using Athena, I'm able to sacrifice a fairy type monster on my side of the field to special summon one from my graveyard. Which means another 600 points of damage when I sacrifice the Herald of Orange Light to summon Hecatrice." Athena threw another spear into Gusizawa's life points as the winged orange light transformed into a golden metallic idol of an angel.
Hecatrice: 1500/1100
Anna: 4000
Gushizawa: 2800
"And now I end my turn." Anna silenced the crowd with her opening move.
Turn 2: Gushizawa
He drew a card before he said, "Alright then, I'll start off by activating two spell cards, Burden of the Mighty and Six Samurai United. Burden of the Mighty lowers the attack points of your monsters by 100 times their level. Then I'll summon The Six Samurai - Kamon, which puts a counter on Six Samurai United. When it has two counters I can send it to the graveyard to draw two more cards. When there's another Six Samurai monster on my side of the field Kamon will be able to use his effect to destroy a face-up spell or trap card you control." A samurai in orange armor holding dynamite rose onto the field.
Kamon: 1500/1000
"And I'll follow it up by summoning Grandmaster of the Six Samurai, which puts a second counter onto Six Samurai United." An old samurai in old armor rose onto the field.
Grandmaster: 2100/800
"Then I'll activate Six Samurai united, sending it to the graveyard to draw two more cards. Then I'll activate Kamon's effect to destroy Valhalla. While Kamon can't attack this turn, my Grandmaster will attack and destroy Athena before I end my turn." In a single motion the old samurai with scars and an eyepatch drew his katana and forced the goddess to shatter. Anna's eyes flashed with anger as her life points fell.
Anna: 3800
Gushizawa: 2800
Turn 3: Anna
Anna drew a card, then she switched Hecatrice to defense position and set a monster.
"Your move." she said, cold and angry.
Turn 4: Gushizawa
He drew a card and said, "I'll summon The Six Samurai - Irou. When there is another six samurai monster on the field, he can destroy a face-down monster without flipping it face-up. So without further ado, Irou and my Grandmaster will annihilate your field!" A dark samurai in shades and wielding a nodachi swung at Anna's set monster. Anna did not seem happy as her defense position monsters were shattered.
Irou: 1700/1200
Turn 5: Anna
She drew a card and smiled, "At least I get some decent luck. I'll activate Soul Exchange on your Grandmaster, sacrificing it to summon the Agent of Judgement - Saturn." A purple-winged angel descended onto the field.
Saturn: 2400 1800/0
"You're lucky that I can't attack this turn because of Soul Exchange, otherwise Irou would go too." Anna added.
Turn 6: Gushizawa
He drew a card and smiled, "I'll remove two Six-Samurai monsters in my graveyard from play to special summon Enishi, Shien's Chancellor, then I'll summon The Six Samurai - Yaichi and use his effect to destroy your facedown." A yellow samurai wielding a bow rose to the field and fired a shot at the set card on Anna's field while an older, oriental-looking man in long robes rose behind him.
Enishi: 2200/1200
Yaichi: 1300/800
"Then Enishi will attack Saturn and Irou will attack you directly!" The chancellor drew and slew Saturn in a single motion before Irou once again swung his nodachi.
Anna: 1700
Gushizawa: 2800
Gushizawa smirked and said, " I end my turn."
Turn 7: Anna
Anna drew a card, bringing her hand from zero cards to one. She took a hard look at her hand and sighed. She started raising her left hand with her one card. She opened her mouth and was about to speak when -
SLAM
Yusei had swung open the massive doors, dripping wet from the rain that no one had heard start outside. He was panting. Crow and Jack jumped from their seats to get to him, but Yusei looked up and yelled. "Wilhelm, Jack, Crow! It's Kalin! He, he he…"
I reached for my mic, I'd absentmindedly set it down somewhere, and then I said into the mic, "Show's over. A rematch will be rescheduled for next week. Good night." I nodded to both Gushizawa and Anna, and they complied, shutting off their duel disks. Gushizawa had a very noticeable smirk as I jumped from the arena and towards Yusei. Jack and Crow had already strapped on their duel disks, and Itsuki was ready with mine. I threw it on as the other enforcers and I ran out into the pitter-patter of the night.