A/N: Oops. Going over the source material again I realize that the consolation match between Professor Frank and Luna took place at the end of the First Round, not in the second. So I'm skipping it. For the record, it will fall under the many matches last chapter that where hinted that Koyou didn't see during the time it was happening. Where was he? Hmm... I wonder. Anyway, revisions are thus needed but will come later.

Episode 16: Bonds and Betrayal

"You're all green Yusei, and I managed to optimize this time."

"Thanks, Koyou."

I gave him a thumbs up, "Anything to help make sure we get to throw down in the finals."

"Like I said, I won't let you down." Yusei smiled and started his runner, "Can't let you have all the fun you know."

Yusei got on his runner and as a sign of friendship we bopped our fists together. It wasn't long after that that I was watching from the lounge via that screen I'd been spending so much time with. The announcer introduced Yusei first, and he took his place on the starting line. Soon after, I was astounded by the massive three wheeled runner that somewhat resembled a harley. Adding to the intimidation was the cow skull on the front wheel. It wasn't like his runner mattered past the first turn anyway. This was a circuit duel, not a race.

"Duel!"

Yusei: 4000 vs Bommer: 4000

"Crush him Yusei." I quietly cheered, "If I know your luck you probably already have my card in your hand. Crush him with it!" I'd analyzed his strategy and it had one glaring weak point.

Bommer seized the first turn, which probably meant Yusei had given it to him given the size of the runners, "I summon Spell Reactor RE, then end my turn with three face downs."

He had it already. The situation was perfect if Yusei had the right hand. With the right hand, Bommer was going to be pretty much helpless. Yusei drew, and smiled. I could tell. He'd drawn the monster I'd given him, "I summon... Ancient Gear Knight!" The robot with arms consisted of a shield and a lance took to the field. Its effect made it very handy in turbo duels, and godly against Bommer.

Speaking of Bommer, "I activate Hidden Soldiers! When you summon, I summon a level 4 or lower dark monster from my hand. I summon Trap Reactor Y FI in attack mode."

Yusei proceeded, "I have two speed counters, so I activate Speed Spell – Duo Summon. This spell grants me one more normal summon."

Bommer's Spell Reactor triggered, "You used a spell, so you take 800 points of damage."

Yusei flinched but knew it was worth it, "I use that normal summon one Ancient Gear Knight, transforming him into an effect monster."

The crowd gasped at the unexpected gemini monster. Bommer made the connection, "That card... that's the one he gave you. Let's see if it really pierces my strategy!"

Yusei smiled, "I attack Trap Reactor Y FI with Ancient Gear Knight!" the robotic knight charged shield first into battle."

Bommer thought himself covered. "I activate-" the trap started to flip up, but slammed back down, electricity coursing through it, the standard visual effect for a negated activation, "What?"

Yusei explained as Trap Reactor fell to our monster, "When Ancient Gear Knight attacks as an effect monster, you can't activate traps until the end of the damage step!"

Bommer gritted his teeth, his eyes open in not only shock, but in the grim realization that two of his key traps, which were probably set, were completely useless. The whole in his strategy was low attack monsters being needed components and depending on traps during the battle phase to avoid losing them AND to get out his ace. With Ancient Gear Knight keeping the traps sealed, he couldn't protect the parts and his entire strategy folded like a cheap card table. With so much of his hand expended, apparently to achieve the now impossible, the chance of him having the cards to recover was slim.

"Bastard!"

Yusei placed no face downs, "Turn end."

Yusei: 3200 vs Bommer: 3000

Bommer drew, and made his counter move, "You may have blocked my startegy, but this isn't over yet. I still have this: I tribute Spell Reactor RE to summon Summon Reactor SK!" the third components just happened to have 2000 attack, 200 more than Ancient Gear Knight, "Summon Reactor SK will destroy your monster!" The knight shattered, "I end with a face down."

Yusei: 3000 vs Bommer: 3000

Yusei went to work, drawing another card that made him smile, "You can't win, Bommer, I have too many friends who have my back in this duel. Our bonds aren't so easily overcome! I summon Fortress Warrior." a massive many-legged beast wielding a chunk of a building's helipad as a shield appeared.

"Summon Reactor inflicts 800 damage."

Yusei: 2200 vs Bommer: 3000

Yusei ignored that part, "Next, since I summoned successfully, I can special summon Turbo Booster in defense!"

I remembered that card. It was the one Rally gave Yusei as a good luck charm right before he left for the city. Apparently it was useful as Fortress Warrior hopped onto the living launchpad, "This card can be tributed to destroy a monster that has battled one of mine."

"Fortress Warrior has no attack! You'll take 2000 damage!"

"Fortress Warrior cannot be destroy by the first battle of a turn, also he negates the battle damage. Now go!"

Suddenly, a tornado of wind broke apart the deadly duo, "Once per turn, when his damage effect has been activated, he can negate a battle. Where are those bonds you were talking about?"

Yusei almost growled. "One face down card. Turn end."

Bommer drew, "I activate Chariot Pile!" suddenly, part of his back wheels flew off revealing wicked spikes, "Once per turn I can inflict 800 points of damage to my opponent. You can negate this damage by tributing a monster!"

Yusei grimaced, "I'm sorry Rally... I tribute Turbo Booster to negate the damage."

Bommer smiled, "Now I summon Black Salvo." a smiling bomb appeared on the field soon joined by another monster, "Trap Reactor Y FI is revived through Salvo's effect. It's my win! I tune my level three Black Salvo with my level 4 Trap Reactor! Synchro summon! Dark Strike Fighter!" A humanoid jet plane joined the field, "Both my monsters attack Fortress Warrior. You take no damage, but it's destroyed with all your hope! Next I activate Dark Strike Fighter's effect. Any number of times I can tribute a monster and inflict damage to you equal to 200 times it's level!"

I wringed my hands together... only one card could save Yusei in this situation. I knew he had it, I suggested he put it in. It was clear Bommer ran a lot of burn strategy, so it made sense to have a counter for it. It was simply that matter of if that counter was his face down.

Bommer began the assualt, "I tribute Summon Reactor to inflict 1000 damage to you!"

The crowd was in an uproar.

Yusei: 1200 vs Bommer: 3000

Bommer struck again, "I finish this by tributing Dark Strike Fighter to inflict 1400 points of damage!"

The plane monster dive bombed, time seeming to slow down as Yusei extended his arm and activated the perfect card for the situation, "Trap card: Barrel Behind the Door! This card negates effect damage and inflicts the same amount to you!"

A cannon sprouted from the card and sucked in the diing monster, firing it back at Bommer as an energy beam. He couldn't believe it, "What? No!"

Yusei: 1200 vs Bommer: 1600

Bommer had nothing on his field he could use and nothing to defend him, and apparently nothing in his hand to place on the field, "Turn... end."

Yusei drew, "I summon Junk Synchron! His effect brings a level 2 monster from my grave in defense mode. I revive Fortress Warrior. Now I tune my level 3 Junk Synchron with my level 2 Fortress Warrior! Clustering stars will call upon a new force! Become the path its light shines upon! Synchro Summon! Show yourself, Junk Warrior!" The blue and white (actually it was more of an eggshell color, but I digress) warrior machine appeared with 2300 attack and nothing stopping him from launching a direct attack, "You're wide open! Junk Warrior, finish this with Scrap Fist!"

The jet pack on the warrior's back fired, propelling the monster fist-first into Bommer's life points, "Gyaaghhh!"

Yusei: 1200 vs Bommer: 0

The huge runner rolled to a stop and Yusei hit the breaks to check on him. However, when Yusei approached to check on him, Bommer merely shoving him aside, grabbing the duel mic from his runner, "I've lost. I admit that, but I will not fail in my mission!" Suddenly, pictures appeared on the various displays around the stadium, and on the screen I was watching from. It was the charred reamins of a field, which seemed to once have some houses on it, "I intended to show this after I had won the tournament and dethroned that puppet king, but ow that will never happen! This is my hometown after Goodwin's experiments in reviving the Crimson Dragon! Everyone I know was taken from me by that man's lust for that kind of power! Yusei, Jack! Don't play his game! You can't win if you play his way!"

The display cleared and Bommer hopped on his runner, revving it to full sppeed and building up even more speed by lapping the course again and again and putting his booster systems through hell. Seeing his intent, Yusei did the same in the opposite direction. When Bommer launched himself straight for Goodwin's sky box, Yusei was there to ram him off course. Unfortunately, what seemed like a piece of Bommer's runner (I couldn't tell it was the spike from Chariot Pile at the time) flew into the window. Apparently it missed or something, because Goodwin appeared on-screen moments later and quieted the crowd simply by saying he had their best interests in mind. He didn't even bother addressing the claims, and the sheep cheered for him.

"Tsk." I rolled my eyes, "This is the world dad helped save? Hardly seems worth it."

"I find myself thinking that a lot too, but it was worth it for you kids to be born and for the Yuseis, Leos, Lunas, etc. that are bound to be among the ignorant masses." I turned to see dad behind me. I hadn't heard him come in, but he was certainly there, "Can I talk to you for a minute?"

"How did you even get back here? This area's restricted?"

He shook his head, "That's not important. I need to talk to you about-"

The MC suddenly blared an announcement over the speaker system, taking our attention, "Everyone, I am sorry to announce some grim news, but its appears that Sir Gill deLauncebow is no longer with us. I have a report here that says he was killed in an apparent traffic accident en route to the hospital yesterday. May the rest of our duels in this tournament be dedicated to his proud memory."

Dad walked over and activated a nearby terminal, accessing the news search function, quickly pulling up a report on the incident. There was a picture, the area was severely damage, as if some psychic duelist had torn the area apart. "All the people in the ambulance were killed, and some civilians are still unaccounted for, perhaps having fled their cars during the chaos. It says a blue runner was seen at the scene, but wasn't found with the other wrecked vehicles. They are going to seize the owner today for questioning." He tensed up suddenly.

"What?"

"They posted the runner's ID... it's your sister's!"

"What was Mei's runner doing on the scene of that wreck?"

Dad seemed to be trying to fit some pieces to a greater puzzle in place in his mind.

"Dad!"

He turned, "I'm going to stay with Mei and make sure the police don't get too rough with her."

"I'll come with you."

He turned, "No. You stay. I'll tell Mei you wanted to come, but there's no telling how long this will take. You should watch Aki-chan's match and get ready for the next round. It's this evening after all."

"Screw the tournament! This is family we're talking about!"

"Aki needs you more than Mei does. What do you think those peons out there are going to yell at her now that one of her 'victims' has mysteriously died?"

He was right. They would probably blame her. "Fine. I admit you're right. I'll stay."

"Good." On that note, dad simply walked out.

There was a brief intermission. I watched as Mei got up, probably to go to the bathroom or something and my dad following her. Neither returned by the time the wind-up for the next duel had started, so I assumed (correctly) that it was then that securities had taken the chance to take her in without a fuss. At least I hope they had the courtesy to do in without making a scene of it. When the announcer started his usual bells and whistles tomfoolery, I was watching from the sidelines of the duel so I could run to Aki or shout to her if she needed me.

"At last the final duel of the quarter-finals is underway. First, we have the duel profiler Kodo Kinomiya!" the duelist in question rose from beneath the field, "He goes up against the duelist whose impact from the first round is still fresh in our minds, the Black Rose Witch, Aki Izayoi!"

Did he really need to tack on that bit? As he expressionlessly rose from the area beneath the field, the crowd started shouting at her, but I noticed a lack of projectiles. The organizers had apparently had the foresight to close the snack bar before the match to avoid issues. Still, they threw comments like "WITCH! MURDERER! WHAT DID YOU DO TO THOSE PEOPLE!" and "GO BACK TO YOUR WITCH'S DEN, MURDERER!"

The announcer tried to move on, "This will be a standing duel. Now! Let's get the center attraction underway!"

The duel field selected Aki for the first turn, "Duel!"

Aki: 8000 vs Kinomiya: 8000

"My turn. Draw." Aki drew coldly, "I summon Violet Witch" a flowery witch dressed in all purple arrived on the field. It was familiar, the sight of it made my head throb at the failure to remember, "And now I'll activate the field spell, Black Garden!" the field was soon entangled with an arena of dark rose vines.

Kodo still had his arrogant grin, "Ans so it begins. All you do is seclude yourself in this world of yours."

Aki ignored him, "I place one card face down, and the I end my turn."

The announcer was impressed, "Already, Izayoi has brought out her field spell. How will Kinomiya, on the opposition, respond?"

He drew, "I know why you use that card. You desperately want to make friends with others, but here is the attitude every eventually takes." he set on face down card, "I set a face down and end my turn."

The announcer gasped, "Amazing, he only placed a single face down card."

"This face down symbolizes all the people who have turned their backs on you up until now. No one would ever want to be friends with a witch. They are all afraid of those eyes that burn a whole through others!"

Aki was unaffected, at least on the surface, "My turn, I draw. Battle. Violet Witch attack the player directly."

Extending its wand, the monster shot bolts of energy at Koda, inflicting real damage. The announcer thought no one noticed, "AH! As expected, Izayoi's attack literally inflicted damage on Kinomiya!"

Kodo, meanwhile, was aiming at mind games, "Once again, you hurt others through dueling. Psychic duelist, Aki Izayoi."

I'd known of this, but apparently, Aki was surprised to hear Koda was aware of what she was.

Kodo capitalized on that surprise, refreshing my memory, "Three years ago, on May 16th, you injured a classmate using that card during dueling practice. It was the first time you used you powers at the school. After that, you were feared and hated by almost everyone, and started on your path of seclusion!"

He was wrong. I remembered that happening. It wasn't even her fault. She'd been egged into a duel by an arrogant obelisk named Satoshi, a notorious girl harasser. She's just wanted to teach him a lesson by beating him, and hurt him by accident. After that, she was an outcast, but she still had friends.

Kodo pushed the issue, "You had friends that still wanted to help you even then, but you turned your back on them as well, like this face down! Your powers are sinful ones that shouldn't be! Your abominable powers and actions must be punished. I activate this trap: Crime and Punishment! When I am attacked directly, this card destroys the monster that dealt the damage!"

Aki extended one hand, "When Violet Witch is sent from the field to the grave I may add a plant with 1500 or less defense to my hand and the card I've selected in Phoenician Cluster Amaryllis."

Koda smirked, "You've chosen another card rich in significance to your life. Crime and Punishment special summons a level four monster from my hand during the end of the battle phase. I summon Hate Agent in defense!" The amoeba-like creature appeared on the field.

"Black Garden's effect halves its attack."

"Too bad! It doesn't have any attack or defense!"

"I still gain one Rose Token in attack mode." a large rose bloomed on Aki's field.

"Hate Agent's effect activates. One time per battle phase I gain life equal to the damage I took from one battle." Kodo's life returned to full.

Aki continued her turn, "I summon Phoenician Seed. Black Garden halves it's attack and summons a token to your field. I activate the continuous trap: Rose Flame. When a plant monster is special summoned to your field, you take 500 points of damage."

A swarm of roses assailed Kodo, and Aki looked at him with hatred as he took a knee. With a grunt, he continued his mind games, "Are we reenacting that incident from when you were five now?" Both Aki and I went wide-eyed. He continued, "The same day you first won a duel. I wonder what the thrill of your powers awakening and inflicting pain was like for you?"

Aki buckled a little, musing to herself, "My powers do more than damage what's around me... they damage people's hearts too. Despite that, they keep increasing." She stared at the hand she used to play cards with a pained expression.

I shouted from the sidelines, "Don't listen to his mind games, Aki!Those weren't on purpose! They aren't right to blame you! You didn't mean it!"

Shocked, she turned to me, then her surprised became pained glare. Casting me out of her line of sight, she ended her turn.

"Either way, you're a monster that brings destruction to the world! Monsters belong in their dens! This world is for humans!"

I yelled at him, furious, "Shut you mouth! Being ignorant doesn't give you the right to spout hurtful things like that. Aki isn't a monster!"

Kodo grinned, "Ah, so the witch has bewitched someone? I wonder how many men she had lured to their demise. Koyou Kou! You are buried in a cemetary plot in the east district! Slain by the very woman you defend! What fell power enables you to stand here today?"

"The hopes and dreams of a thousand fairy princesses!" I shouted sarcastically, "Shut your venomous mouth, you ill-informed piece of garbage!"

"I can't so that, it's my turn after all." he drew, "I activate the spell card Mind Monster. I declare a card, in this case Black Rose Dragon." Aki was caught off guard as Black Rose Dragon popped out of her extra deck, "If my opponent has that card they take damage equal to half its attack power."

A doppelganger of Aki's monster appeared, spitting fire and consuming 1200 of her life points. The crowd cheered with sharp and spiteful words. Koda seemed disappointed, "Too bad, if I had powers, that would have really hurt. Just look forward to next turn. I switch my Rose token to defense and end my turn."

Aki drew, but seemed lost in thought.

Kodo attacked with his mind games again, "What's wrong, doesn't the Arcadia Movement have the hopes set on that power of yours?"

Aki was surprised to hear that, but glared at him, "I've come here for those who believe in me, I have a power they need! I tribute Phoenician Seed to special summon Phoenician Cluster Amaryllis from my hand." The large flower appeared, bound by Black Garden and losing half its attack, going down to 1100. A token was summoned to Kodo's field, "Rose Flame inflicts 500 damage from the summon of the token. Battle! Amaryllis attacks the new token! A barrage of seeds took out the token and some of Kodo's life. Aki wasn't done, "When Amaryllis battles it is destroyed. Then its effect activates, inflicting 800 points of damage to you."

Kodo collapsed, not looking good, even though his his Hate Agent repaired the battle daage it wasn't repairing his health. "My life is being whittle away. At this rate, I'll die like that stupid knight."

"I set a card and end my turn. During my end phase, Amaryllis is special summoned from the grave in defense mode." Another token appeared, and Rose Flame inflicted more damage.

Kodo blared stayed on his feet, drawing a card, "Damn monster. It's my turn now. By tributing the three tokens on my field, I special summon Mad Profiler from my hand!" the monster's attack was halved to 1300 and a token was added to Aki's field. "Mad Profiler's effect! By removing a pell card from my hand, I remove from play Black Garden!" the Garden vanished,
I'm not done! By removing from play a monster in my hand I remove Amaryllis from play dealing it's effect! Battle! Attack rose token!" the token shattered. Aki was indifferent, the crowd grew emboldened and was even more hateful toward Aki, "How's that you monster? Stop defiling dueling and go make where you came from!"

The crowd backed him up. The bastard continued, "I activate the equip magic: Destruction Insurance, if Mad Profiler is destroyed, you'll take damage equal to half its attack. Next: Light Law Protection! If Mad Profiler's attack is changed, I can destroy one of your monsters!"

He was clearly trying to punish the use of Black Rose Dragon, but ending his turn put Aki into motion, "I draw. I summon Twilight Rose Knight!" My head started aching again, and my arm started aching. She was about to bring out her dragon, "I"m tuning my level three Twilight Rose Knight to my two reaming level 2 tokens. Chilling flames engulf the whole world. Pitch-dark flower set into bloom. Synchro summon! Appear now, Black Rose Dragon!"

The monster appeared and I clenched my arm in pain as it cried out. Kodo laughed, "The witch's trump! Bring it on! I'll turn the tables on you! You're just a monster whose been abandoned by her own parents!"

Aki snapped, her anger casting aside her hair band and she was suddenly surrouned by an aura of power, I nearly feel over from the pain of my mark, but she was nearly crying she was so angry, "You will not get away with trampling on the feelings of others! Engrave this pain on your very soul! I remove a plant from my grave and drop Mad Profiler's attack to 0."

"I was waiting for that! I destroy Black Rose Dragon through the effect of Light Law Protection!"

The dragon was slain, but Aki's mark glowed wildly, "I activate a trap card, Curse of Rose, when a monster on your field has it's attack modified, you take damage equal to how far it is away from its original attack!"

Kodo cowered, "But that's... 2600!"

A storm of rose petals erupted from the card, tearing Kodo asunder. There were so many ptals that I lost sight of him completely. When the effect cleared he was face down in a crater. He still had life points, but his hand slide slowly over to his duel dis and tapped it twice, indicating he surrendered. I'm pretty sure he passed out after that.

The announcer annouced, "e have an outcome! Kodo surrenders to the onslaught of the witch! Aki Izayoi proceeds to the final match! Somebody get the EMTs in here!" as the medics rushed in Aki turned away from me and started walking towards the other exit, where I could see Divine waiting. However suddenly, the screens lit up, "As the field is cleared and the damage is surveyed, let's determine the pairings for the final match! I just got an communication from the sponsor himself! Due to Yusei Fudo's heroic actions in thwarting Bommer's terrorist attack, he has been awarded the seed to the final round! Thus, the semi-final match to decide who will face him in the finals goes to..."

Mine and Aki's faces appeared on the screens.

"Koyou Kou and Aki Izayoi!"

I looked to Aki, who glared at me over her shoulder before walking away.

Next Chapter: Confrontation and Accusation

Set in stone events: Mei is interrogated, Koyou vs Aki, another murder, and the countdown to the end of the first arc begins.

The truth about Koyou's resurrection will be revealed by Chapter 20.