Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh! ZEXAL.
Chapter 12: The Talented Mr. Gizmo
After the duel against Anitak, Kotori took Alit back to the Kamishiro mansion. Kotori could tell that whatever Alit had experienced after the duel had shaken him up a bit. When they arrived at the mansion, Kotori was surprised to find that Vector had let himself into the house, which he had done by picking the lock. Alit was in any sort of mood to throw him out, so Vector was allowed to stay. While they waited for the rain to let up, Kotori told Vector about everything that happened with Anitak. When it finally stopped raining, Kotori decided it was time to go and Vector showed her to the door.
"You think Alit will be okay?" Kotori asked Vector as she stepped out.
"Trust me, he'll be back to his old self by tomorrow." Vector assured her. "But I think you should be more worried about your own problems. In case you've forgotten, both you and Yuma are quickly running out of time."
"I haven't forgotten that." Kotori told him. "But I think there's some hope. Before Anitak showed up, Yuma and I took a little walk. He doesn't fully remember who I am yet, but I think he's starting to. If I can just spend a little more time alone with him…"
"I'll back you up any way I can." Vector told her.
"Thanks Vector." Kotori replied. "Well, I better be getting home now."
"Hey Kotori." Vector called, causing her to turn back around.
Vector then threw a card to Kotori, which she managed to catch and took a look at. "Rank-Up-Magic Limited Barian's Force? This is the card you gave Yuma."
"I had a spare lying around and figured you could probably use it more right now." Vector explained.
"Thanks." Kotori told him. "Well, I'll see you later then." And with that, she headed off.
The hour had grown quite late as Samantha arrived at the Wonder Cloud Toy Factory of Heartland. Moe's family owned the place, and the redhead knew that for the past few days Moe had been using the factory for some kind of project. Samantha found that the front door was unlocked and went on inside. After a short elevator trip, Samantha arrived at the basement level and went to one of the research labs that she knew Moe was using. Upon entering, Samantha found Moe wearing a white lab coat typing at a computer.
Moe quickly noticed Samantha's arrival. "Hi Sammy. Glad you came. Did you have any trouble getting in?"
"Nope. You said you had something to show me." Samantha reminded her as she walked up. "So what is it?"
"The solution to all our problems." Moe cheerfully answered as she turned her chair around.
The blunette got up and went over to a wall where she flipped a large switch. A small chamber in the lab suddenly lit up, revealing what looked like a dark-blue robot sitting in on a bulky metal throne. It was quite large and had a humanoid build. It's head was box-shaped and had a single red eye in the center of what would be considered its face, while on the sides of the head were brass-colored antennas. On the center of its box-like torso was a large green letter G. Its hands were grey and glove-like, and mounted on its left forearm was a duel disk. It had a red bowtie with yellow polka dots on its neck, and plugged into the back of the robot's head were several thin black cables. Mounted right next to the robot's right shoulder was a yellow and brass laser cannon.
"What the hell?" Samantha asked.
"I'd like you to meet Mr. Gizmo." Moe introduced. "I've been working on him on and off for the past several months. This seemed like the perfect time to finish him up."
"Okay, and how's this bucket of bolts supposed to solve everything for us?" Samantha asked.
"I've been programming him to be the perfect duelist." Moe explained. "Plus I gave him a little bit of weaponry. My plan is to send Mr. Gizmo to duel Mizuki and hopefully kill her. And while she's busy with him, I'll…." At this, Moe's face turned a bright red. "Well, let's just say I'll get what we need from Yuma."
"Okay, not bad." Samantha admitted. "And at this point, I'll try just about anything. You really think this plan will work?"
"Trust me, Sammy. I've got everything under control." Moe assured her. "The Numeron Code will be yours before you know it."
Yuma had not slept well during the night, and it wasn't simply because of the troubling dreams he had been experiencing. He had been up late trying to figure out the situation with Kotori and Anna. He didn't know why, but Yuma realized he just couldn't get Kotori out of his head. Yuma realized that there was only one solution. He had to break things off with Anna. The question was how to do that without Anna ripping his head off.
As Yuma arrived at his shoe locker, he found a note sticking out. Yuma pulled the note out and read the contents.
'Yuma, you and I need to talk. Meet me at the place I've marked on the map I put in with this note after school. ~Kotori.'
Yuma looked at the small map that was in the envelope with the note. There was a red X over the spot where the Wonder Cloud Toy Factory was. Yuma had no idea why Kotori wanted to meet with him at an old toy factory, but he didn't care. He found that he was quite eager to meet with her. Yuma put the note and the map in his pocket and headed for class. He wanted to get the school day over with as soon as possible. As Yuma walked off, he was completely unaware that Vector was watching him.
The afternoon was starting to get late as Kotori waited at an old abandoned playground for Yuma to show up. She had gotten a note from him earlier that morning asking her to meet him there after school. Kotori didn't know why Yuma had asked to meet with her in such a place, but she found that the fact Yuma wanted to meet with her at all to be a very good sign. Even so, Kotori couldn't help but find the note to be a little suspicious. For one thing, notes weren't exactly Yuma's style.
Before Kotori could try and figure things out further, she suddenly heard a heavy mechanical thumping noise coming towards her. She looked and saw the seven-foot-tall robot that was Mr. Gizmo walking towards her. Before Kotori could make a move, the robot fired a shot from his shoulder cannon at her feet, leaving a small crater in the ground.
"Kotori Mizuki." The thing spoke in a mechanical monotone. "You are not permitted to leave. Any attempts at escape will result in your elimination."
"What do you want?" Kotori asked.
"I have been directed to challenge you to a duel." Mr. Gizmo explained. "If you win, you will be allowed to leave. If not, you will be eliminated. There are no other options."
"Did Mitaka send you after me?" Kotori asked.
"I have no information pertaining to your inquiry." Mr. Gizmo replied. "Prepare to duel, or you shall be eliminated."
"Guess I have no choice." Kotori realized. "You're on!"
With that, Kotori activated her D-Gazer and duel disk. Mr. Gizmo activated his own duel disk in response and all at once the color of the surrounding area changed.
"I'm going first!" Kotori declared as she drew her first card. "I set two cards on the field! Then I play the Field Spell, Gagaga Academy!"
Suddenly the abandoned playground totally transformed into the front yard of a school resembling Heartland Academy, only it had a red and black color scheme. A large metal sign showing the symbol of the Gagaga monster was displayed above the front door.
"While Gagaga Academy is on the field, all Spellcaster and Warrior monsters except for Xyz, Fusion and Synchro Monsters are treated as Gagaga monsters!" Kotori announced. "Next I summon Magician's Valkyria in Defense Mode!"
Appearing on the battlefield in a kneeling position was a young woman with long brown hair and striking green eyes. Her had on a light-blue outfit similar to Magi Magi Magician Gal's that had gold trim and a short pink skirt, along with a conical hat that curved forward and had a gold wing with a green gemstone on the side. In her right hand she carried a short lavender staff that had a large hooked top adorned with three green gems. As soon as Valkyria appeared, her costume changed blue with gold trim to dark-grey with pink trim, and her skirt had turned orange. The green gem that adorned her had was replaced with a metal pink version of the Gagaga symbol.
"That ends my turn!" Kotori announced.
"Commencing turn." Mr. Gizmo announced as he drew his first card. "Analyzing… analyzing… strategy complete. Action 1: I activate Mystical Space Typhoon. Target of Mystical Space Typhoon's effect: Your right face-down card."
A small twister appeared on Kotori's side of the battlefield around one of her set cards. In seconds the large card shattered to bits and the twister disappeared.
"Destroyed card identified as Gagaga Shield." Mr. Gizmo continued. "Deduction: You were planning to combo the effects of Magician's Valkyria with Gagaga Shield to stall for time until you could summon a more powerful monster. Your strategy has been neutralized. Action 2: I summon Wind-Up Solider in Attack Mode."
Materializing on the robot's side of the field was another white and green human-shaped robot that looked like a toy. Its head split into a sleek pair of horns at the top, and each of its hands was a pair of red hooks. On its back was a large golden wind-up key.
"Action 3: I play the Continuous Spell, Wind-Up Factory." Mr. Gizmo continued. "Wind-Up Factory's effect: When I activate the effect of a Wind-Up monster, I can add another Wind-Up monster from my deck to my hand. Action 4: I activate Wind-Up Soldier's effect. Until the End Phase of this turn, Wind-Up Solider gains 400 ATK and his level is increased from four to five."
"So Wind-Up Soldier's ATK is now 2200." Kotori realized.
"Action 5: I activate the effect of Wind-Up Factory and add Wind-Up Dog to my hand." Mr. Gizmo announced as he placed a card from his deck into his hand. "Action 6: Initiate Battle Phase. Wind-Up Soldier, attack Magician's Valkyria. Wind-Up March."
"I activate my face-down card, Gagaga Dimension!" Kotori quickly announced.
Just as Wind-Up Solider headed towards Kotori's side of the battlefield, a burst of smoke went off and obscured Valkyria. When the smoke cleared, Valkyria was sticking through the middle of an ornate sarcophagus suspended by chains in the middle of a square frame.
"Since I have another Spellcaster on the field, Gagaga Dimension lets me summon another Spellcaster from my hand!" Kotori announced. "I summon Gemini Elf!"
The sarcophagus opened, allowing Valkyria to get out. Soon after, Kotori's two elf sisters emerged from the sarcophagus. Due to Kotori's Field Spell, both elf sisters went though a major costume change. The redhead had gained a purple conical hat with pink trim that curved forward, while the blonde had gained a blue conical hat with white trim. Both elves also had a pink bandanna tied around their upper arms, and on the backs of their dresses was the emblem of the Gagaga monsters.
"That's not all!" Kotori continued. "Gagaga Dimension also lets me destroy one of my opponent's monsters! And the monster I destroy is Wind-Up Solider!"
Valkyria pointed her wand at Wind-Up Solider and both elves placed their hands on it. A burst of pink light fired from the end of the wand and struck Wind-Up Solider in the torso. The toy robot exploded with a burst of fire and smoke and was gone from the field.
"Recalculating strategy…" Mr. Gizmo spoke. Kotori could hear a loud noise that sounded almost like someone typing coming from the robot duelist's head. "Recalculation complete. Beginning Main Phase 2. Action 7: I activate the Spell card, Zenmailfunction. Using this card's effect, I summon Wind-Up Soldier from the Graveyard in Defense Mode with its effects negated." The wind-up robot reappeared with a flash of green light. "Action 8: I set one card face-down. Turn complete. Your move."
Kotori drew her next card and thought for a moment about what to do. She knew she could easily summon Utopia using her two monsters, but that would leave her with only one attack. Kotori felt like she needed to end the duel with her mechanical opponent as quickly as possible, which left her with only one other option.
"I switch Magician's Valkyria to Attack Mode!" Kotori announced. "Then I equip her with the Spell card, Wonder Wand!"
Valkyria's staff glowed with a green light and changed shape. In moments it had become a slender polished black staff with a round green gem mounted on the top. The piece of silver that attached the gem to the staff was carved to look like it had the face of a skull on the front.
"Wonder Wand increases Valkyria's ATK from 1600 to 2100!" Kotori continued. "Gemini Elf, attack Wind-Up Solider! Rose Storm!"
"Counterattack: I activate the Trap, Overwind." Mr. Gizmo announced. "Overwind doubles the ATK and DEF of Wind-Up Solider until the end of the turn."
The key in the toy robot's back turned several times, causing it to stand completely upright and green spirals to appear in its eyes. The elf sisters raised their arms towards the robot and fired a blast of rose petal-filled wind. The attack merely bounced off Wind-Up Solider's chest and went back towards the elves. The sisters were knocked onto their butts and Kotori took the rest of the blast. Her life points took a slight drop to 3500.
"Observation: You can no longer make any attacks without doing more damage to your life points." Mr. Gizmo spoke. "You most optimal action at the moment is to end your turn."
'It's right.' Kotori mentally admitted. 'There's nothing more I can do right now.'
"Make your move." Mr. Gizmo ordered.
"I… I end my turn." Kotori announced.
"With the completion of your turn, the secondary effect of Overwind returns Wind-Up Solider to my hand." Mr. Gizmo announced. The toy robot vanished with a flash of green light. "Initiating turn. Action 1: I activate the Spell card, Card of Sanctity. Both players draw until they have six cards in their hands. Action 2: I summon Wind-Up Solider in Attack Mode." Wind-Up Solider reappeared on the battlefield. "Action 3: I activate the Spell card, Double Summon. This card allows me to conduct a second normal summon during this turn. Action 4: I summon Wind-Up Dog in Attack Mode."
Appearing next to Wind-Up Solider was a blue and white mechanical dog that looked like a sort of toy. On its back was a large golden wind-up key like the one in the back of Wind-Up Solider.
"Action 5: I activate the effect of Wind-Up Solider." Mr. Gizmo announced. "Wind-Up Soldier's ATK increases by 400 and his level rises from four to five. Action 6: I activate the effect of Wind-Up Factory and add a second Wind-Up Solider to my hand. Action 7: I activate the effect of Wind-Up Dog. Until the End Phase of this turn, Wind-Up Dog's ATK is increased by 600 and his level is raised from three to five."
"Now it has two level five monsters!" Kotori realized.
"Observation correct." Mr. Gizmo confirmed. "Action 8: I use my two level five monsters to Xyz Summon Wind-Up Arsenal Zenmaioh."
A green vortex appeared in the middle of the battlefield and pulled in Mr. Gizmo's two monsters as balls of yellow energy. Rising out of the vortex a moment later was a large humanoid robot with two balls of green light orbiting around it. The machine was mostly red in color and looked as though it was made up of multiple robots that had been combined together. Its right arm ended with a large drill that looked like the coil of a spring, while its left forearm was a sort of large claw attached to a pair of glowing green springs. Its head was green and white with glowing red eyes, and on the front of its torso were large pointed white plates with a pair of red and purple wings on the front of the chest.
"Action 9: I activate the Spell card, Rank-Up-Magic Rune Force." Mr. Gizmo announced. "I use Wind-Up Arsenal Zenmaioh to rebuild the overlay network and Xyz Summon Rune Mystic Wind-Up Death Zenmaioh."
The glowing orange symbol of the Rune Mystic monsters appeared on the ground under Zenmaioh's feet and shot a pillar of orange light into the air. After a moment the light faded to reveal the robot in a new form. Its body had turned mostly black, and on its back was a pair of red plane-like wings with two large rocket engines mounted on the middle of each one. Its red chest was styled to look like the face of a demon with yellow eyes and a pointed face with small protruding white fangs. Near each shoulder was a large black pointed blade to make the face on the chest look like it had horns. The robot's head had become like a white skull with two large curved horns. The Rune Mystic symbol glowed red on the front of its waist. Orbiting around the machine were three balls of orange flame.
"Action 10: I activate the effect of Death Zenmaioh." Mr. Gizmo announced. "By detaching an overlay unit, Death Zenmaioh destroys all Spell and Trap cards my opponent controls."
One of the fireballs orbiting Death Zenmaioh entered the Rune Mystic Symbol on its waist. The large robot fired two beams of crimson light from its eyes that struck the ground and caused a massive explosion of white light. When the light faded, Gagaga Academy had vanished and both Kotori and her mechanical opponent were back in the abandoned playground. Both of Kotori's monsters had returned to their original forms, and Valkyria once again had her original staff.
"Action 11: When the effect of Death Zenmaioh is used, I am able to summon a Wind-Up monster for each destroyed card." Mr. Gizmo announced. "I summon Wind-Up Knight."
Appearing on the battlefield was a white and gold mechanical knight. On its back was a pair of white folded metal wings, in between which was a large gold wind-up key. Attached to the knight's right hand was a short sword, and mounted on its left arm was a round white shield with small golden gears attached to the sides and a blue gear-like symbol on the front.
"Due to the effect of Rune Force, all of your monsters have lost 1000 ATK." Mr. Gizmo reminded Kotori. "Action 12: Initiate Battle Phase. Wind-Up Knight, attack Magician's Valkyria. Wind-Up Sword."
The mechanical knight marched over to Valkiria and with one mechanical motion slashed her across the chest with its blade. Valkyria cried out before shattering into bits of light. Kotori's life points too a steep drop to 2300.
"Death Zenmaioh, attack Gemini Elf." Mr. Gizmo commanded. "Wind-Up Armageddon."
The mouth of the face on the giant robot's chest opened and fired several black missiles down at Gemini Elf. The resulting explosion vaporized the elf sisters and knocked Kotori onto her back. When the smoke cleared, she only had 100 life points left.
"Prediction: You are about to lose." Mr. Gizmo declared. "Your current hand does not seem to have any cards to counter my strategy. The odds of you drawing such a card are calculated at 3.1 percent."
"Just tell me one thing." Kotori spoke as she got back to her feet. "Has anything happened to Yuma? I was supposed to meet him here and ended up meeting you. Where is he?"
"Processing inquiry…" Mr. Gizmo responded. "Answer: Yuma Tsukumo has been lured to the base of my creator for the purposes of extracting the Numeron Code."
"So… that means Mitaka or one of her followers has him?" Kotori realized as a feeling of panic rose within her.
"Correct." The robot confirmed in his cold monotone.
"Then I have to beat you to save him!" Kotori declared.
"Statement: It is impossible for your to defeat me." Mr. Gizmo declared. "My databanks have been programed with your past duel strategies. Additionally, my deck has been configured to counter all possible strategies you might use. Summation: Your resistance is futile."
Author's Note: The whole reason for this chapter was because I realized a little while back that while Kotori is the main character of this story, she hasn't dueled all that much. So I came up with the odd little idea of having Kotori duel a robot built by Moe. The idea kind of stems from K.I.T.T. RIDER's original idea of Moe being a computer hacker of some kind. This duel was kind of a challenging one to right since I've never used the Wind-Up monsters before. I do have a bunch of Wind-Up cards in my collection though.
At this point I should also mention a change made to this chapter on May 16, 2017. It's the same change I had to make to Chapter 3 due to my whole Magical Dimension blunder. Because the Gagaga Dimension Spell I came up with as a replacement only worked with Gagaga monsters, I realized that caused kind of a major issue with this chapter because Kotori didn't use Magical Dimension with a Gagaga monster this time around. To avoid doing major surgery to this chapter, I came up with the idea of the Gagaga Academy Field Spell. To be honest, I've wished that such a Field Spell actually existed ever since that Gagaga Academy Emergency Network was revealed.
Please review and let me know what you think.