A/N: Speed Spells will generally be using their most recent video game effects rather than anime effects. For instance "Summon Speeder" will only require 2 Speed Counters rather than 4 like it did during its first appearances in the anime.

Episode 11: Road to the Truth, A Destined Showdown

Voices floated into my dreams, again with the improper image of tubes, chambers, and a plain white runner. Some sound I couldn't identify, slightly wet (like dipping a brush in paint), would occasionally happen, but the voices overrode them. Familiar voices, one new to me in my amnesic state.

It was a girl's voice, deep for a girl but whimsical and teasing, "That looks nothing like Neos Alius! If you can't paint any better than that just buy your costume for the Spirit Festival!"

"I can't help the paint on the eyes keeps running." I snapped back.

"Why are you even putting red near the eyes?"

"Look near the eyes on the card! There's a bit of red there."

"That's just an anomaly in the art. Stop being so detailed if it causes problems."

A familiar female voice I was certain I'd heard recently chimed in, shy and uncertain, "Well... I think it looks ind of nice like that."

The past me sighed, "Then here. You can have it. I give up."

I woke up to the sounds of computer blips and the sight of Yusei tuning the electronics of his duel runner. He probably wanted to tune the engine as other things as well, but of course I was sleeping on the couch almost right next to him. He was so engrossed in his task that he didn't notice I was awake, not that I was making a parade out of it. Doing a quick look around the room, we seemed to be in a garage the had been converted to double as living quarters. My runner, Black Chariot, was parked awkwardly near the door, as the place clearly couldn't fit both our runners in, at least during maintenance.

Sitting up I rubbed my head, still feeling a bit dazed. Who was that woman? She seemed to know me, and there was something so familiar about her. That distinct hair color, the smell of roses, the sadness in her voice, all were so nostalgic. Then there was the mark. Looking down, the strange mark was gone. If I had a mark like Yusei's, did that make me a Signer as well? It all seemed too convenient. Plus that girl, that I apparently knew, had recognized the mark and acted like she had one too. It was all too convenient.

I decided to announce my new found consciousness to my friend, "Hey, how long was I out?"

Yusei turn to look over his shoulder at me. He didn't smile, at least not visibly. He instead had what I like to call an 'invisible smile' where he wasn't smiling full on, but all his facial features had shifted slightly like at the very start of one. Most people likely wouldn't even notice it. Regardless, his happiness at my waking was soon replaced with concern, "All night. Are you okay? Does this happen often?"

I shook my head, "Come to think off it, the last time you saw me I had passed out." I chuckled at the minor irony, "But no, it only seems to happen when I get overloaded trying to remember something."

"That woman did act like she knew you." he mused.

"She also claimed she killed me." I said factually, "If her face hadn't been covered, maybe I could have discerned whether it was deliberate or not from her expression."

Yusei gave me a strange look. I knew why.

"Yeah, I know. The whole 'resurrection' thing is more important at the moment. If she killed me, how am I not dead?"

"Perhaps this 'Crimson Dragon' business has something to do with it. Your mark could have something to do with it? Your mark may have protected you."

"So I didn't imagine that."

Yusei stood, walking over to a bookcase and retrieving a paper. When he unfolded it and handed it to me, I saw it was a poorly drawn picture of a dragon, "Old man Yanagi made this. Its not that well drawn, but it's the mark of the Crimson Dragon. Signer marks apparently resemble parts of it." He pointed to the claws, "Yours vaguely resembled the claw. I think I might have the head but its hard to copare when they keep vanishing."

"Yours too?" That aside, "Too bad I didn't get a good look at mine. But this begs the question, if being near other Signers triggers it, why haven't ours reacted to each other before?"

"It's not the Signers, its the dragons they react to."

"That's right." Recalling the event and Yusei's story about when his mark first appeared, they were all when dragons had been around, "Come to think of it, neither of us summoned a dragon around each other."

I pulled Black Brutdrago out of my extra deck, and Yusei pulled something out of his, I was surprised, "Stardust Dragon? You got it back?"

He nodded, "Yeah. I must have forgot to mention it. Jack returned it a bit before a came to meet you. He said the only way to settle this would be fighting me at full strength."

"Huh." I studied the dragon, looking at it's abilities, "Our dragons are total opposites, but a little similar."

He read my card and nodded in agreement.

"Mine destroys and resurrects a comrade when destroyed by outside effects. Yours protects by destroying itself and is reborn when it does so. They're like two sides of the same coin." Strategically speaking, Stardust was the bane of my dragon, but Brutdrago could kill Stardust through battle and even when slain by Stardust's effect could revive something else to avenge it. Depending on use, they were each others' worst enemy. "Not sure how I feel about our dragons being opposing forces."

Yusei shook his head, "Doesn't matter."

I nodded, "I guess not."

My friend stashed his card and went back to work on his runner. Meanwhile, I looked at the second copy I had of my dragon. It struck me as odd. A "Signer Dragon" seemed like It should be a one of a kind card. Yet I had two of it. Come to think of it, if my dad also used gemini, he could logically have two or more himself. It was odd, but I simply dismissed it for the time being.

Yusei motioned over to my runner, "I tuned your engine and hardware, but I'll leave the software to you. I'm almost done here, so you can use my laptop in a little while."

"Yeah, thanks." putting away my cards, I went over to check on Black Chariot, "In all the chaos I nearly forgot the final match of the Invitational was today."

"Good luck with that by the way. I'll be there cheering for you with Tanner and Yanagi. Leo and Luna will probably show up too."

"What about that Blister guy?"

"He's making arrangements to go to Satellite to see if Rally and the others really were taken."

"Oh. Good." I scratched my head, "Why did they even have to bother? I thought you'd jump at the chance to get another shot at Jack."

"True, but like I said, there's something fishy going on. I was just going to eliminate the middle man."

"Ah." I smiled, then joked, "Well, when I'm done winning the Fortune Cup and dethroning Jack you can have what's left of him. I doubt he'll be a tournament prize after that."

I glanced at Yusei as he 'invisible smiled' and gave me a look that said, "You won't get by me easily"

Later that day, Yusei gave my runner a final check as we waited for the cue to exit the garage for the starting line. I was already feeling the pang of discrimination as the staff hadn't even bothered to get the Satellite Champ's name. They had already written this off as a loss. I was confident that wasn't the case however. My runner was at least above average and my deck was certainly powerful even for a deck from the city. I patted my runner and my cards, running over the Speed World strategies I'd needed to relearn and incorporate into my deck.

Yusei unplugged his computer and started putting it away, "Your runner is ready. How about you?"

I nodded, "As ready as I can be. Thanks for lending me the speed spells by the way."

"No problem. They're just my spares. Keep 'em."

As the time neared, Yusei bid me luck a final time and departed for the stands.

The announcer was excited, apparently loving every moment of his work, "Everybody listen! This is the final match on the golden road to glory! These two duelists are on a track that leads to destiny in the Fortune Cup. First, the Ice Queen with the fiery skills, the dominant maiden who crushes all before her! The City Cup champion: Mei!"

A runner rolled by my garage, sounding smooth and fast. I couldn't see her or her runner because the door was still closed, but I was a little surprised the champ was a girl. Not because I'm sexist (I'm not), but because none of my previous opponents had been.

The announcer continued, "There is but one roadblock in her path, one obstacle to overcome before the grand stage! A duelist that has risen from Satellite chasing a single shining beacon of hope! Introducing," he paused, probably looking for my name, which he wasn't given. My door slid open and I revved my ride, the beast roaring out of the cage and onto the track, "The Satellite Cup Champion!"

I tuned out the booing crows and took my place on the starting line. I was on the inside, so I was starting slightly behind to compensate. It gave me a good chance to look at my competition. She was a little shorter than me, but still tall for a girl. She was clad in a black and white skin tight riding suit that complemented her curvaceous figure, but didn't at all match her dark blue runner. The runner itself was a fairly simple sporty model that was certainly not stock parts, but valued function over form. It was no nonsense, so it would certainly be an issue in going for the first turn.

"Good luck out there." I called over.

She ignored me, retrieving a card from her runner and playing it, "Speed World, set."

There was something familiar about that voice, but I shrugged it off and took out Speed World, "Speed World, set."

The track became tinted purple as the field spell kicked in and the MC explained it to the crowd. We both revved our bikes in perfect time to the signal, readying our starts and drawing our starting five cards. When the starting signal went green, we shot off the starting line with identical timing. And our speeds were pretty much the same. I poured on more speed, desperate to get neck and neck. Not for the first turn, but for the psychological impact. When I got there, she didn't even bother noting my prescence. She really was an Ice Queen.

With the turn approaching, I cut my speed, giving her the first turn. The announcer noticed, 'Oh! The sattelite champ yields the first turn! What strategy will we see him employ come the time?"

"Duel!"

"It's my turn, I draw." Mei drew

Koyou: 4000, Mei: 4000

Speed Counters: 1 – 1

"I summon Vairon Charger!" A winged pillar surronded by metallic rings appeared on the field with only 1000 attack. As expected she followed with, "Two face downs, turn end."

I drew (Speed Counters: 2-2), going quickly to work with the combination I had given the first turn for, "I have two speed counters, so I can activate the Speed Spell – Summon Speeder! This card lets me special summon a level 4 or lower monster from my hand, but it can't attack this turn. I special summon Gemini Soldier in defense mode!"

Suddenly, the girl whipped her bike around and started driving backwards. She wanted to face me as she spat venomous words at me, "You dare use that kind of deck! I'll crush you!"

Huh? "My deck is none of your business!" I activated Gemii Soldier, "I second summon Gemini Soldier to grant his effect, then end my turn with two face downs of my own. Try and crush me!"

She drew, turning her runner back around in unison. Her grace on that thing was impressive (Speed Counters: 3-3), "Very well. I'll show you how unworthy you really are! Trap card: Quick Draw! This trap circumvents Speed World, activating an equip spell in my hand. I equip Charger with Malevolent Nuzzler, increasing his attack by 700 points!" instead, Charger's attack rose from 1000 to 2000.

"Wait a minute, that-"

"Humph, Charger increases the attack of every light monster I control by 300 for every equip card he has."

"Oh."

She seemed satisfied, "I'll add Vairon Soldier to the field and activate this: Blast with Chain! This trap equip to Soldier for a-"

"500 attack point boost, I'm familiar with it."

"Pfft." the legless mechanical angel had 1700 attack, turned to 2000 by Charger, and 2500 by the Blast with Chain. It already looked a bit intimidating, but it's attack made it even worse. "I have the two monster I need to destroy Gemini Solider, but you'll bring two Gemini's to the field if I do. So I make the most of it!"

Wait... how was she so familiar with gemini monsters? I was under the impression they were rarely used.

"I attack your Gemini Soldier with my Vairon Soldier. Soldier's effect activates. When he declares an attack I can switch the battle positions of as many of your monsters as he has equips. I only need the one. Gemini Soldier is switched to attack mode!"

Crap! If she did that she's reduce me to 500 life points right off the bat!

"Taste my power!"

I extended a hand, "I activate Kunai with Chain. Like your Blast with Chain is can equip for a 500 point boost!" Gemini Soldier's attack rose to 1000.

Mei shifted Soldier to defense, "And you can shift my attacking monster into defense. You've got some nerve! Either way You monster is still in attack mode. I can't destroy it, but I can still punish you. Charger attacks!"

"Gah!" I lost some speed, and a speed counter from the impact. (Speed Counters: 2)

Koyou: 2500 vs 4000

My monster effect triggered, "When my Gemini Soldier battles I can summon a level 4 or lower monster from my deck, I choose Dark Valkyria!"

She sneered at the card, "One face down and I end my turn!"

I drew (Speed Counters: 3-4). Looking at the field, I was struck by deja vu. Certainly I hadn't dueled this kind of deck before. Had I? Why was this so familiar? I studied the field for clues. It hit me then. Wait... I know how to beat this. "I second summon Dark Valkyria to gain her effect."

My foe looked back at me, looking down on me. She didn't think I knew how to make the right play. If I went for easy monster destruction the situation was still helpless. That wasn't what I was doing though.

"I add a spell counter worth 300 attack, increasing Valkyria's attack from 1800 to 2100. Nest I attack Charger with Gemini Soldier!"

"What?" she went wide-eyed, somehow she seemed to know what I was doing and she was stunned.

Koyou: 1000 vs Mei: 4000

I lost life and speed counter, but I had to take the hit to make this work. "Gemini Soldier's effect not only prevents his death, but special summons Tuned Magician from my deck. Now Dark Valkyria overpowers Charger!"

The pillar and its boosting effect shattered. Mei took 100 damage, "Ack! You can't be serious. You can't be using this on me!"

"On my second Main Phase I activate my face down. Seems we have similar decks because I have a Quick Draw too. I equip Supervise to Tuned Magician, turning her into a tuner!"

"No!" she eyed the two cards in her hand.

"I tune my level four Tuned Magician to my level two Gemini Soldier and my level four Dark Valkyria!" The monsters flew behind me. For the monster I was bringing out was so big it would only fit there.

"You've gotta be kidding me!"

"Assembling forces forge a weapon to preserve all hope. An overwhelming siege awakens! Synchro shokan! Ally of Justice – Decisive Armor!"

The crowd gasped as a sphere-like, blue, white, and gold machine, big enough the take up the width of the entire track, loomed behind me. It floated on a single glowing hover pad and boasted not only a huge main cannon, but two smaller but still massive secondary cannons. "Supervise revives Dark Valkyria in attack mode." I held up the lone card in my hand, "You control a light monster, so I discard my entire hand," I discarded, "Now you reveal your entire hand and send all light monsters in it to the grave."

Mei grimaced, revealed a Vairon Vanguard and a Soul of Purity and Light, "You bastard! My entire hand is light monsters!"

"Now you take damage equal to the sent monsters' combined attack! Go! Anti-light Battery!" the golden chestplate of the machine shot out a beam that removed the cards and created an explosion, hitting Mei for 3500 damage.

"YAAAAAAAHHH!" She cried out in surprise and from the force of the virtual blast to the face.

Koyou: 1000 vs Mei: 500

I had already battled so I couldn't go in for the kill, "Turn end!"

My opponent suddenly started laughing, "HahahahaHAHAHAHAHA!"

he audience, and I, was unsettled, "What's so funny?"

"You've got some nerve!" an ominous aura suddenly surrounded her. I couldn't see anything, but it was almost like she was enveloped in unseen shadows. There was a chill in the air, "YOU DARE USE THAT ON ME! I'LL FUCKING KILL YOU!" My head suddenly hurt as she drew. It felt like... it felt like her deck was crying out in despair, "MY DRAW!" She revealed the card, "Immediate spell: Drawing Shadows!" (A/N: An element from the GX fic that actually hasn't appeared yet. Lol spoilers.)

"Immediate spell?"

"This is a special kind of spell, faster than a speed spell. So fast it activates immediately when you draw it! Drawing Shadow reveals the top card of my deck. If it's a level for or lower monster it's special summoned to the field!" she flipped the top card, "Vairon Cube, a tuner monster is special summoned!" the cube-like monster appeared, wreathed in darkness.

"This can't be good."

"I tune my level three Vairon Cube to my level four Vairon Soldier! Synchro Summon! Vairon SIGMA!" A mechanical angel shaped like a Greek letter and wreathed in shadow appeared.

"Only 1800 attack?" There was something more to this, there had to be.

"The second effect of Drawing Shadows activates! Since Vairon Cube was brought to the field via the spell and used in a special summon, I can lower Decisive Armor's attack by Cube's defense! 800!"

Decisive Armor went from 3300 to 2500 attack.

"Now I'll crush your insolence! I won't let you spit on my memories anymore!"

Huh? She knew... what the hell were the odds of...

"Sigma attacks Decisive Armor and his effect activates, equipping Axe of Despair! FEEL THE PAIN OF MY SORROW!"

With suddenly 2800 attack, Sigma easily obliterated my monster. But it made no sense. If she'd just attack Dark Valkyria, she would have won just then. She was simply blinded by anger.

Koyou: 700 vs Mei: 500

"TURN END!" She yelled at me.

I felt a bit sorry for her, but I had know how she knew my cards and if she knew me or not. If she was goig to go crazy on me and throw away the duel, I'd slap some sense into her, "My draw." I didn't bother looking at it, "I second summon Dark Valkyria, using her effect to destroy Vairon Sigma."

She semed shocked, "Wait... you... DAMMIT!"

"Direct attack." Dark Valkyria ran in and ended it. There were no trap to stop her.

Koyou: 700 vs Mei: 0

We rolled to a stop and Mei sat there for several moments, hunched over her bike. It was pretty clear see was crying. Angry at herself, she hit her bike a few times. I got oof my bike, deployed the kickstand, and walked over, taking off my helmet. Without facing me, she took of her own helmet, freeing her long black hair and wiping her tears.

I placed a hand on her shoulder, "Calm down. What got you so riled up? Do you-"

She turned angrily, about to swat my hand away, but we both froze as we saw each others' faces, her tears stopped, "Koko?"

I staggered back at the sight of her face and the name, I grabbed the side of my head in pain. The nickname... that damn nickname poking fun at how my name sounded with our native Japanese order. With family name first, my name was... Kou Koyou. My family name: Kou, fnally returned to my mind. Koyou Kou, nicknamed Koko by his twin sister.

"Mei?"

She got off her bike at my distress, discarding her bike like it was nothing and grabbing me desperately, "Aniki! Are you okay? Is it really you? Please! Don't die again! Don't die!"

Memories were still beyond my reach but feelings came floosing back. As annoying as she was, she was my sister. I'd found at least one part of my family! I grabbed her suddenly and held her tightly, "I'm not going anywhere. Never again!"

She started crying again, "It's really you... you play the same way. How-?"

"Right now I don't care. I'll explain what I can later. Just hug me for now."

"Everyone's gong to be so happy!"

Everyone? I smiled, even though I was crying too. I'd found my whole family! Everybody in the audience was probably confused beyond compare a the sight of us, but I didn't care.

"I missed you so much, Aniki!"

"Me too, Mei, me too."

Next Chapter: Fate and Fortune

Set in stone events: The promised cameos, past revelations, and spoilers that I couldn't fit in.

Perhaps: The opening ceremony of the Fortune Cup.

A/N: We're almost there folks! The Fortune Cup looms and Koyou has his ticket! Sorry about not being about to work in that stuff I promised. Anyway, look forward to the next chapter, which will be delayed a little as a work on the aforementioned prequel fic, the first chapter of which shall be release alongside the next chapter. So anticipate: "YuGiOh! 1D: Crying Crimson", not to be confused with the other '1D' story that doesn't involve crimson crying.