Mindscape
Yuya sat on his bed from three years ago. Knowing why the bed was there, he also knew who was waiting for him. He turned to his old study chair and saw him sitting in it.
Anti-Yuya looked at Yuya with an annoyed expression. "Even after all the trouble he put us through, you're still defending him." Anti-Yuya pouted, emphasizing "him", Yusho to be precise, with evident resentment.
"I don't hate him. He had to have a good reason for doing so." Yuya meekly said, though his dark personality noticed a tinge of sadness when he said it.
"He did... but he left at the worst possible time." His dark self reminded.
"I guess..." Yuya trailed off, unsure about the fact. Despite trying to defend his father, his dark personality made some points clear. And to his dismay, he couldn't help but wonder them too.
"Good reason or not, he needs to answer for them..."
Yuya shook his head vigorously, completely rejecting the idea. "The past is past, and beating Dad up for it won't make it better."
Anti-Yuya stood up from the chair and stopped right in front of his usual self, hovering over him with a cold gaze. "That may be case, but you can't forgive him. You and I are one and the same."
The room started to distort, as did Yuya's dark self as light overcame them.
Detention Level - Duel Academy - Fusion Dimension
Yuya's eyes fluttered open as he woke up. When he recovered his vision, he found that Declan was carrying him on his back with Riley walking beside him while his father was helped by Zuzu and Lulu to walk.
"Declan... I'm alright now..." Yuya told his leader who carefully put him down, realizing he had woken up. "Sorry if I made you guys worried."
"Yuya, are you sure you're doing okay?" Zuzu asked in concern as she handed him back his goggles.
"Yeah, I'm alright." Yuya smiled in assurance as he put his goggles back on. "So... what'd I miss?"
Training Facility - Duel Academy - Fusion Dimension
Iggy, Moon Shadow, and Crow stood on a moving platform as they were moved to the area in the center of the room. "What is this?" Iggy asked as he and the other two Lancers looked around them. Soon, they were connected to the stage in the center of the room.
"This here's Duel Academy's training ground." Sanders informed them. "It has given rise to our greatest duel warriors!"
"You must be proud." Crow remarked as the three of them looked at Sanders.
"Just what are you up to?" Iggy asked.
"If you really want those to be your last words, that can 100% be arranged!" Lady Minerva told them as she joined Sanders, making her presence known to the Lancers. Her declaration caused the Lancers to gasp.
"Lady Minerva!" Moon Shadow recognized the woman.
"We meet again, ninja boy." Lady Minerva acknowledged him. She then pointed at them with her tome. "To put it simply, you three Lancer losers will face off against five of Sanders' elite in a no-holds-barred Survival Duel until only one of you is left standing!"
"Just wait a second here. We didn't agree to do anything." Iggy interjected.
"This ain't no democracy!" Sanders yelled. "What we say goes!" "Besides..." Lady Minerva added. "The only exit out of the arena won't open until one side defeats the other in the Survival Duel."
"So the losers are gonna to be turned into cards?" Iggy asked.
"Exactly." Sanders replied. "Tough lessons to toughen up my troops."
"Huh?!" The Lancers wondered.
"That's right!" The chosen five Duel Academy students, Bernie, Emma, Theo, Ethan, and Jacob, arrived on a platform opposite of the Lancers' side of the arena. Sanders then turned his attention to them. "Now, you soldiers, listen up! Duel Academy wants more than students with perfect grades! It wants focused fighters who will stop at nothing to win! One great warrior will achieve glory! The others will fall in defeat!" Sanders then saluted his students. "Duel Academy for life!"
"Sir! Duel Academy for life!"
"Now, warriors, get set! I activate the Field Spell Predaprimal Jungle!" The moment Sanders activated the Field Spell, the arena was covered with a dense wild jungle. The astonished Lancers then looked at their Duel Disks as the activation of the spell also triggered their Action Field: Crossover.
GENERATING ACTION FIELD: CROSSOVER
"It's on! Good luck, maggots! You'll need it!" Sanders declared as he pointed at the combatants with his riding crop.
"Well, we're in for it now. We gotta battle Duel Academy's best in this jungle." Crow commented on their situation. "And if we lose, we're getting turned into cards. I prefer to be three-dimensional, thank you very much." Iggy told his team. "Yeah, me too. But if we want to get out of here, then we'll just have to play along. Remember, you're the only one who has a Duel Disk that can turn people into cards." Iggy closed his eyes and looked away a bit, acknowledging that fact.
"Time to get those Lancers." Theo told his four classmates. "That's only if I don't get them all myself." Emma retorted. With that, the five Duel Academy elite students moved from their platform and into the jungle. "Move it out now!" Following Jacob's command, the five of them split up.
"We got to face the facts, guys." Crow told his two friends. "If we wanna be able to find the others, then our first priority has to be making it out of this jungle by beating those Duel Academy snakes."
"I will survey our enemy's maneuvers." Moon Shadow offered. "No." Crow told him sternly. "Birds of a feather flock together, and considering we only have three to their five, we'd just make it easier for those Duel Academy snakes to pick us off."
Somewhere in the arena, a pair of eyes flashed in a bush, as a mysterious figure grinned widely.
Sanders and Lady Minerva watched as the Survival Duel began. But strangely, the monitor that displayed the signals of the combatants was not eight, but nine. Although, the students watching didn't seem to notice.
"So it begins! An actual battle is playing out in real time before our eyes." Sanders then turned to the students watching the Survival Duel. "Any miscalculation or failure will prove catastrophic. Remember all you see today and learn from it!" Sanders ordered the students as he pointed at the screen with his red riding crop.
"Sir!"
Detention Level - Duel Academy - Fusion Dimension
"So that's all that happened..." Yuya mused. "Not only do we have to beat the Shadow Flame captain here in the detention level to set everyone imprisoned here free, but we also need to find our friends. Still, it is great to hear that Dad was able to make some new students here and that Dennis and the Tyler Sisters are now on our side. Speaking of which, where are Gloria and Grace?" Yuya asked upon noticing that from the update he got that they weren't with them.
"They told me they had some other business to deal with. I'm not exactly sure, but they did mention it had to do with something about the former chancellor." Declan answered.
"I hope it means that they're going to help him find a way to restore everyone that was turned into cards on a mass scale. They seemed nice, kinda."
Zuzu stiffened when she saw Yuya smile while talking about the sisters. "So something did happen between Yuya and those girls."
"Yuya... what exactly happened with you and the Tyler Sisters...?" Zuzu asked curiously, but quite hesitant in asking.
"Nothing. Other than them bringing me, Rin, and Mr. Sheppard food and Grace trying to spoon-feed me." Yuya answered without any unusual reaction.
"... Did you... have her spoon-feed you...?" Zuzu asked while looking away.
"No. Grace offered to, but one of the Shadow Flame captains stopped her before she could." Yuya said, scratching his head, embarrassed by the thought of someone spoon-feeding him when he was too old for that sort of thing.
"I see..." Zuzu sighed in relief.
Seeing Zuzu giving out a relieving sigh, Lulu could help but giggle. She patted Zuzu's shoulder, turning the pink-haired girl's attention to her.
"Isn't that good, Zuzu? You still have plenty of chances!" Lulu said with teasing tone, causing her pink-haired counterpart to blush.
"L-Lulu!" Zuzu scolded quietly.
Yuya was obliviously watching from behind his pink-haired childhood friend. "I'm glad that Lulu and Zuzu are getting along so well. I just hope that the others are too. And that goes especially for Shay and Sora." Yuya thought of their terrifying duel in the Arc League Championship, where they tried to destroy one another in a cruel duel. "I know that they aren't exactly the best of friends, but I hope they will someday work together on much friendlier terms..."
? - Duel Academy - Fusion Dimension
Shay and Sora walked down the dark corridor that didn't seem to end. They both were wary of each other due to their past interactions.
"Are you sure that wasn't part of Duel Academy when you were last here?" Shay asked, accusingly.
"For the umpteenth time, yes! I'm sure that teleportation area wasn't there when I was last here!" Sora answered, annoyed by how many times Shay had interrogated him on something that he did not know.
After that inquiry, they continued for what seemed like forever, walking down the dark corridor.
"Seriously, whose sick idea of a joke was it to stick me with him?" Sora asked in dismay. "I'm not letting my guard down just because he was vouched by Yuya and Zuzu, not ever." Shay thought as he briefly glanced at Sora beside him.
"Hey! Look there!" Sora pointed ahead of them. There, was a square-like doorway that shined from the light that was casted from it.
"That's gotta be the exit!" Sora exclaimed. He and Shay then sprinted toward the light.
When the two of them emerged, they then found themselves in the center of an arena of a stone stadium with high tech equipment and monitors.
Sora instantly recognized where they were. "We're in Duel Academy's battle coliseum!" "What exactly happens here?" Shay asked. "Students duel here for training purposes, tournaments, among other things."
"And it's where you'll meet your ends!"
The two Lancers turned to the owner of the female voice. There, beside a female Shadow Flame captain wearing a shoulder cape with a vibrant green border color, was Barrett.
"Welcome home, Sora dear." The female Shadow Flame captain greeted the boy.
"Hello, Storm." Sora greeted the Shadow Flame captain.
"I take it she's one of the captains of the Shadow Flame that Celina told me about?" Shay asked.
"Yeah. She's the one who leads the Epsilon Squad. Storm's kinda the energetic one." Sora added as he remembered how Storm was more energetic than the other captains he met.
"Well, someone's gotta lighten up the mood for the others." Storm shamelessly said with energized enthusiasm.
"Enough." Barrett scolded the captain, obviously annoyed with her attitude. "The Professor has ordered that we destroy you two. I've failed twice in my duties; I won't stand for a third one."
"Well, you're up for disappointment." Shay said as he activated his Duel Disk. Sora also did the same.
Barrett and Storm activated their Duel Disks as well. "If you want to get out of here and find your friends, you're gonna have to beat us first!" Barrett declared as generators arose and created an electric fence that covered the top of the arena. "By the by, this Tag Duel is pretty much like the Tyler Sister's, meaning all fields, graveyards, and life points are shared." Storm added. "Fine by us!" Sora agreed.
[Let's duel!]
GENERATING ACTION FIELD: CROSSOVER
"The first move's mine, 'cause I'm the only girl here!" Storm declared. "For my first move, I'll just place these two cards face-down." After Storm ended her turn, Shay and Sora had suspicions about her.
"Your dueling style reminds me of how Yuto duels. I don't know what you're planning, but I'll tear it apart, either way." Shay told her as he surveyed Storm's field.
"Don't underestimate her, Shay. Storm is known for being unpredictably vicious..." Sora revealed to the Raidraptor duelist.
"So I'd better strike before she has a chance to!" Sora said as he drew a card, starting his turn. "I am summoning out Patchwork Fluffal(ATK: 0/DEF: 0/LV: 1)! And now I'll fuse it with my Edge Imp Sabres(ATK: 1200/DEF: 800/LV: 3) with Polymerization." The two monsters were sent into the Fusion Vortex as Sora began his summoning chant.
"Edge of sharpness and fury of bear! When the two come together, you had better beware! I Fusion Summon... Frightfur Bear(ATK: 2200/DEF: 1800/LV: 6)!" Sora brought out one of his most frequently used fusion monsters.
"Frightfur Bear, attack! Send those two packin'!" Sora waged a direct attack, deciding to take a risk of falling into a trap.
"I play... the spell Emergency Teleport! Now the only thing you're sendin' packin is Raremetalfoes Bismugear(ATK: 0/DEF: 0/LV: 1/PS: 8)." Sora gritted his teeth in frustration as Frightfur Bear was forced to destroy the low level Psychic-Type monster that screeched to a stop in front of it.
"I set a card face-down and end my turn."
"And because your turn's over, Bismugear's special ability activates, which lets me add a monster to my hand." Storm drew and gave a silent pleased sound as she looked at the card.
"Sora, you and Shay here have stained my honor with defeat. In retribution for our duel in the Synchro Dimension, I will annihilate you!" Barrett declared as he started his turn.
"I can't afford to fail three times. There aren't more than three times you can fail the Professor. After all he's done for me, I can't disappoint his expectations!" Barrett began to remember how life was like before he became a duel warrior.
Barrett remembered the actions of the frontlines when he was a soldier of the military. "I was a soldier, even before I agreed to help the Professor. It was my calling, my purpose in life.
After so many years, serving my people the only way I could, I was forced to retire. I had nothing after that." Barrett remembered how he aimlessly wandered around without purpose after he was retired from the military.
"That is, until I met him. The Professor." Leo Akaba had offered a hand to him, who had lost all hope, when he wandered into town.
"I see something in you. Something special." The Professor had told him. "Why don't you come and work for me?"
"He took me in, introducing me to his Arc Project. He saw that my experience in real life combat could help him in his ambition. It didn't take me a second to say yes. For the first time since forever, I had found a new purpose in life. I owe the Professor everything, that is why I cannot lose. Why I cannot disappoint him."
"I will not fail the Professor! Deny me, and you must once again face the merciless fury of my Beastborg monsters!
I activate Beastborg Fusioner, so I can summon one immediately! I fuse Panther Warrior(ATK: 2000/DEF: 1600/LV: 3) and Dark Sentinel(ATK: 1500/DEF: 1800/LV: 4) to mix the savagery of a jungle hunter with the attack strength of a high-tech combat machine! I Fusion Summon... the most dangerous mercenary you've ever faced! Beastborg Panther Predator(ATK: 1600/DEF: 2000/LV: 6)!
Next, I'll set one card face-down before I'm call out the heavy artillery! Move in, Carrier Sentinel(ATK: 1000/DEF: 1600/LV: 4)! As you know, Carrier Sentinel allows me to bring additional backup by letting me draw a monster from my deck for aid." Barrett added a monster from his deck to his hand.
"My Pitch-Black Warwolf(ATK: 1600/DEF: 600/LV: 4) will prove crucial in implementing my strategy when I activate Polymerization!" Barret revealed the card he had just set down before special summoning Carrier Sentinel. "This allows me to fuse Pitch-Black Warwolf with Carrier Sentinel to summon a second Beastborg! A Beastborg that rules the battlefield with shock and awe! I Fusion Summon! Advance to the frontlines, Beastborg Wolf Kampfer(ATK: 2200/DEF: 1500/LV: 6)!
If you could barely handle one Beastborg, how can you handle against two? Especially when my ferocious feline has set its eye on you! Panther Predator, lock and load! Fire your Quazer Beam to inflict damage equal to half your attack points!" Panther Predator snarled before it fired its chest laser. The laser engulfed Sora and Shay, causing them to wince in pain.
SORA AND SHAY LP: 4000 = 3200
"I end my turn. Now, let's see what you've got." Barrett said as he set his last card, leaving his hand empty.
Shay observed the gentle movements that Storm made to Barrett, as she was signaling something to him. The one-eyed man saw the gestures and seemed to understand what they meant. "Those two are up to something. Considering that they have two face-downs right now, it can't be good. And since Barrett saw how I duel in the Synchro Dimension, they must've come up with a plan."
"It's my move!" Shay declared as he drew. "First off, I summon Raidraptor - King Lanius(ATK: 1600/DEF: ?/LV: 4)! And now King Lanius can call upon some royal subjects to join his army and serve him because its special ability let's it summon another Raidraptor!" King Lanius screeched before purple lightning shot out of its forehead.
"So joining the fight is Napalm Dragonius(ATK: 1000/DEF: 1000/LV: 4)! And since I successfully summoned Napalm Dragonius, I can deal 600 points of damage." Napalm Dragonius then shot a blast of flame from its beak at Storm and Barrett, inflicting 600 points of effect damage.
STORM AND BARRETT LP: 4000 = 3400
Now I overlay my two Raidraptors in order to build the Overlay Network! I Xyz Summon, Raidraptor - Force Strix(ATK: 100/DEF: 2000/RK: 4/OU: 3)!" Shay summoned his Raidraptor owl-like xyz monster in Defense Mode.
Sora raised his brow. "Wait, you're not attacking them? You're not so cautious when it comes to dueling against Duel Academy."
"Those cards they have face-down and their movements have me worried that they're trying to set us up." Shay explained, tilting his head toward the face-down cards.
"I place this card and end my turn." Shay concluded his turn.
"My draw!" After she drew a card, signifying her turn, Storm chuckled softly. "No doubt you think that strengthening your defenses would keep you safe from a ploy we set to destroy you, but there's a slight miscalculation. I can trigger it myself."
"What?" Shay said with confusion.
"Let me show you what I mean! With the help of these two cards, Scale 1 Metalfoes Goldriver(ATK: 1900/DEF: 500/LV: 4/PS: 1) and Scale 8 Metalfoes Steelen(ATK: 0/DEF: 2100/LV: 2/PS: 8)! And with them, I set the Pendulum Scale!"
This caught Sora and Shay completely off guard. "Since when did you guys start using pendulum monsters?!" Sora asked.
"Since after we diagnosed your friend Yuya's memories! Now we know everything about Pendulum Summoning, all its ins and outs! Just like how we found your other friend, Zuzu Boyle!" Sora's info seemed to shock Sora, his eyes widening in shock.
"And now, I activate the Pendulum Ability of Metalfoes Steelen! I can destroy one of my face-up cards so I can set a Metalfoes spell or trap from my deck. And the card I choose... is my Goldriver!" Following her monster's destruction, a brand new face-down appeared on the right of her current one.
"She destroyed her own Pendulum Scale without Pendulum Summoning." Sora observed. "She's planning something." Shay agreed.
"And I now play my face-down, Metalfoes Counter! Since a card I controlled was destroyed, I can summon a new Metalfoes from my deck! So I'm summoning another Metalfoes Goldriver!" Goldriver rushed onto the field with a loud roar and a streak of flame trailing it before coming to a screeching "Akira slide" stop.
"Now I reset my Pendulum Scale with the Metalfoes Silverd(ATK: 1700/DEF: 100/LV: 3/PS: 1) I got when your teddy destroyed my Raremetalfoes Bismugear! And now I Pendulum Summon! Welcome back, my first Goldriver!" The first Goldriver skidded to a stop in an opposite direction from the second one.
"Now I play Polymerization to fuse these two speed-burning powerhouses into a single fury! Combine to unleash glorious, legendary power! I Fusion Summon Metalfoes Orichalc(ATK: 2800/DEF: 2200/LV: 8)!" After transforming from Metalfoes Goldriver, Metalfoes Orichalc charged onto the field while swinging his fiery energy axes as the exhaust pipes on his lower back spewed fire.
"Orichalc, fire up your powertrain engine and cut down the competition with sheer horsepower! X-treme Cleave!" Metalfoes Orichalc charged at full speed and cross-cleaved Frightfur Bear, creating a fiery "X" on it before it exploded.
SORA AND SHAY LP: 3200 = 2600
"There's more." Barrett added. "Since we dealt you damage, Beastborg Wolf Kampfer's special ability orders up a tactical strike that blasts away 300 of your life points!" Wolf Kampfer fired a couple of missiles from the missile launcher on its shoulder that exploded on Sora and Shay's side of the field. They barely missed them, both missiles landing on the sides.
SORA AND SHAY LP: 2600 = 2300
"Looks like it's your end." Storm smugly said. "Panther Predator! Attack them directly!"
Sora and Shay nodded to each other before they jumped to the platforms to grab Action Cards.
"I don't think so!" Storm said in a condensing, singsong voice. She then thrusted both her hands at Sora and Shay, unexpectedly, hitting the platforms they were jumping across and shattered them with blasts of lightning. This caused the two of them to crash to the ground.
"Woah!" "What the?!" The two Lancers and Barrett were shocked by Storm's action.
"You can do that?" Barrett asked his comrade.
"Of course I can! Why do you think I'm called Storm?"
"I don't know how, but that cheap trick didn't stop me from getting this!" Shay revealed the Action Card he picked up before the platform was shattered. "The Action Spell Big Escape! Which means your Beastborgs can't attack us this turn!" Panther Predator was forced to stop its attack and jump back to Storm and Barrett's side of the field.
Shay's comment insulted Storm, getting her angry. "Cheap?! It's not cheap! It's the power I got from the Doktor!"
"Who?!" Sora and Shay asked, looking at Storm with confusion and curiosity, halting their movements.
"The Professor's right-hand man, a master of mind manipulation. I'm the ultimate creation of his Project: Dynamokinesis, Subject EW31. The goal of that particular project was to create an all-powerful, energy-wielding duelist to serve the Professor through cybernetic enhancements."
Barrett shuddered at the mention of the Doktor. "I've heard that the Doktor could manipulate the mind, but I didn't think he would get those results by using inhumane methods. And the Professor just lets him do this?" Barrett quickly brushed away those thoughts, via head shake. "No! No matter what, I swore that I would serve him!"
"I don't believe you!" Shay told her. "That's not possible!"
"And yet, here I am." Storm calmly presented herself.
The atmosphere then had a chilling feeing to it along with a surge of powerful cruelty. "And all I had to do I order to get it..." Storm then took off her helmet, shocking the other duelists.
Revealing her black hair that was streaked with electric green lightning bolts on the sides wasn't what caused them to be shocked. It was because on the woman's face, cybernetic plates in the shape of horizontal lightning bolts that reached to her temporal lobes, covering where her eyes should be. The bolts were mirrored, the narrow ends pointing inward. A thin, glowing vibrant green line cut right through the middle of each of the plates, replacing what may have been her eyes.
"... Was to exchange my pieces of my body for cybernetics." Storm finished her sentence with a sinister, insane smirk.
"That's insane!" Sora exclaimed. "You gave up your body just to gain power?!"
"Yeah, I did. However, goal of the first ten was to create a duelist that could eat existing energy to power-up. The second were to manipulate energy. The final ten gained the ability to infuse energy into anything they wanted to. I, however..." Storm then suddenly blasted one of the machinery areas of the colosseum with her lightning, setting it ablaze. She then took a deep breath. To the astonishment of the others, the flames were mysteriously redirected toward Storm's mouth and were promptly gulped down by her. Once she finished eating all the flames, she finished her sentence, with a rejuvenated look on her face as she glowed with energy. "... Can do all of the above.
In fact, we used a bit of that tech on your friend Yuya. So even when you find him, I can't guarantee that he'll be the same person you remember."
"Why you..." Sora gritted his teeth and clenched his hand into a fist in anger.
"By the way, that man has an interest in your friend Yuya. I must admit, I'm eager to see what he plans to do with him." Storm continued, being amused by the growing evident fury on Sora's face as she ended her turn. "Too bad that you'll never see it! So make your last move count. It will be your final act."
"Shay. When this is over, you can do whatever you want with me." Sora told his tag partner, whom he disliked, without looking at him.
"You sure?" Shay asked without looking at him, already knowing the answer.
Shay shared Sora's anger. Perhaps not at the same level, but both were furious at Duel Academy doing harm to a friend who had done so much for them. Sora, the friend who had taught him what really was important in life, while Shay was angry about the friend who had freed his dimension being stolen away by the creeps who destroyed it in the first place.
"A fitting punishment for someone whoever believed in Duel Academy!" Sora angrily told him, furious at the school and himself.
"Only after we beat these two."
"Fine. It's my turn now! Hah!" Sora then looked at the card he drew and let a smug smile out at Storm. "Listen, Storm. I don't care what you say, we're getting out of here and you're not stopping us!"
Storm let out a boisterous laugh. "Yeah, right! You've got nothin'. While we have three powerful monsters at our beck and call." Storm extended her arms to the three monsters on her and Barrett's field, who looked at Sora in an intimidating way.
"No matter how big the difference is, we aren't giving up!" Shay said with determination.
"We're getting outta here, all of us with Yuya!" Sora vowed.
"And to help us, I'm activating the effect of Album of Memories from my graveyard. By banishing this trap and a monster from my graveyard, I can draw two new cards!" After Sora banished his Edge Imp Sabres along with his trap to draw two cards, he revealed two of the three that were now in his hand.
"It's my turn to Pendulum Summon, and I'll set mine with Scale 1 Fluffal Fusionist(ATK: 500/DEF: 2400/LV: 5/PS: 1) and Scale 8 Fluffal Angel(ATK: 600/DEF: 1200/LV: 2/PS: 8)!" Sora set two new Fairy-Type Fluffal monsters, one that looked like an angel and the other a devil, in his Pendulum Zones. "I Pendulum Summon... the fluffy, but viciously sweet, Edge Imp Cotton Eater(ATK: 2400/DEF: 1600/LV: 7/PS: 1)!"
"Gotta remember to thank Declan again for giving me these on the ship-ride here."
"When this guy's summoned, you take a 100 points of damage for every Frightfur in our graveyard."
STORM AND BARRETT LP: 3400 = 3300
"A measly 100 points? You disappoint, Sora dear."
"Good thing I'm not done! 'Cause I'm activating Fluffal Angel's Pendulum Ability! I can bring back Patchwork Fluffal from my graveyard." Sora brought back Patchwork Fluffal from the graveyard in Attack Mode.
"Now I play Fluffal Fusionist's Pendulum Ability. And boy, is it sweet. I can Fusion Summon without using Polymerization. So I fuse Patchwork Fluffal with Edge Imp Cotton Eater! Harvester of fluff, compelling deceit of play! When the two come together, you will have the absolute worst day! I Fusion Summon! Frightfur Daredevil(ATK: 3000/DEF: 2400/LV: 8)!"
Sofa then declared his Battle Phase. "Frightfur Daredevil, show that panther why it's on the endangered species list!" Daredevil opened its mouth and let out an ear-piercing scream at Panther Predator. The shriek shook the coliseum, causing some of the equipment to malfunction and become unstable; sparks and electrical energy spewing from them. Soon, Panther Predator was shattered apart.
STORM AND BARRETT LP: 3300 = 1900
"When my Daredevil shatters your monster, you take an additional 1000 points of damage!" Frightfur Daredevil's eyes glowed completely red before it became enveloped by red energy. Then it shot a red lightning bolt at Storm and Barrett, dealing them 1000 points of damage.
STORM AND BARRETT LP: 1900 = 900
"And with that, I end my turn." Despite the now obvious advantage they had over their opponents, Sora did not show his usual cocky, satirical attitude. It was a serious one, focused on his two opponents.
"It's my turn!" Barrett then drew to start his turn. "I activate Pot of Greed! Now I can draw two additional cards!" Barrett then looked at his two new cards and had a look that said, "just what I need.".
"With our life points below 2000, I'm now able to activate Beastborg Chaos Fusion! I banish all of my Beastborgs, so I can Fusion Summon their commanding officer! A Beastborg that has no equal on the battlefield! Report for duty, Beastborg Jaguar Kaiser(ATK: 2800/DEF: 2200/LV: 8)! And you do remember what his special ability is, don't you? He gains 200 attack points for every Beastborg that was banished!"
Beastborg Jaguar Kaiser(ATK: 2800 = 3200/DEF: 2200/LV: 8)
"And to ensure his victory, I play Beastborg Medal of Power. With it, I can steal half of your messed-up toy's attack points and give it to my Beastborg!" Barrett used the only face-down he played to power-up his monster.
Frightfur Daredevil(ATK: 3000 = 1500/DEF: 2400/LV: 8)
Beastborg Jaguar Kaiser(ATK: 3200 = 4700/DEF: 2200/LV: 8)
"Looks like the advantage is ours." Storm mused.
"Jaguar Kaiser, move in for the kill!" Barrett ordered, directing his monster to destroy Sora's Frightfur Daredevil.
Jaguar Kaiser slashed its swords at Frightfur Daredevil, easily destroying it. Sora and Shay were covered by the smoke as Sora's monster was destroyed, causing Storm and Barrett to believe that the Lancers had been defeated. However, when the smoke cleared, Sora and Shay were revealed to be unharmed and that their life points hadn't changed at all.
"But how?!"
"Simple." Sora revealed his face-down that he had activated just before the damage had landed. "My trap Frightfur Mesh. Not only don't we take any damage this turn, but we can also destroy one of your monsters! Which means your Jaguar Kaiser is deep-sixed!" Jaguar Kaiser was suddenly bound by an energy net, which wrapped around it, squeezing it until it was destroyed, leaving Metalfoe Orichalc the only monster on Storm and Barrett's field.
"Then we'll just have to get rid of all your monsters!" Storm declared. "Barrett!" Understanding his tag partner, Barrett did as implied. "Right! Metalfoes Orichalc, wipe them out and avenge your comrade!" "And when your monster is in Defense Mode, Metalfoes Orichalc deals you double damage!" Storm informed the Lancers, causing them to scramble for an Action Card to avoid the damage. However, they were met resistance from Storm and her energy blasts, preventing them from getting any Action Cards.
As the duelists scrambled about, Metalfoes Orichalc engaged Raidraptor - Force Strix in combat. Force Strix was first able to dodge by escalating higher into the air, but Orichalc quickly changed direction and leapt above it, and brought down one of his energy axes on the Raidraptor's back, crushing it into the ground.
SORA AND SHAY LP: 2300 = 700
Unable to prevent his monster's destruction, Shay used his face-down. "I activate this! Rank-Up-Magic Doom Force! Not only does it bring back my Force Strix, but I get to overlay it into a monster that's one rank higher! Terror of the sky, predator of blazing force, with wings that slash and talons that tear! Go! Rank-Up Xyz Evolution! Rise up, Raidraptor - Blaze Falcon(ATK: 1000/DEF: 2000/RK: 5/OU: 1)!"
"Sorry, but we already know full well of your Blaze Falcon's special ability. I'm not letting you attack directly! So I'm playing my face-down, Metalfoes Savior! This trap allows me to negate your monster's special ability by destroying Metalfoes Silverd!" Silverd left the Pendulum Zone and took on an energy form that flew right at Blaze Falcon, negating its special abilities after crashing into it without harming it.
"You'd better have a way to beat them this turn, Xyzian. Otherwise, I may have to put you outta commission myself." Sora smiled confidently as he said his threat.
Shay returned the confident smile to his tag partner. "I'd like to see you try. It's my turn now! It's time I swing into action! I activate the spell Raidraptor Reinforcements! It lets me summon the two level 4 Raidraptors that are roosting in our graveyard. And you remember what happens when Napalm Dragonius is successfully summoned, don't you? You lose 600 life points, further diminishing your already weakened life points!"
STORM AND BARRETT LP: 900 = 300
"I tribute my King Lanius to summon out this! My Wild Vulture!" Shay exchanged his Raidraptor King Lanius for his level 6 Raidraptor - Wild Vulture(ATK: 1600/DEF: 2000/LV: 6) in Attack Mode.
"I now play Raptor Selection. By tributing Napalm Dragonius, I can change Wild Vulture from level 6 to level 5!"
Raidraptor - Wild Vulture(ATK: 1600/DEF: 2000/LV: 6 = 5)
"And there's more! Next, I activate the spell Cross Xyz! It lets me Xyz Summon using a monster that has a rank instead of a level."
"No way! You can actually Xyz Summon now?" Storm and Barrett were taken by surprise by Shay's move. "Looks like someone took a page from Yuya's playbook." Sora said with an impressed smile.
"I overlay rank 5 Blaze Falcon and level 5 Wild Vulture to build the Overlay Network! I Xyz Summon! Raidraptor - Stranger Falcon(ATK: 2000/DEF: 2000/RK: 5/OU: 2)!" Stranger Falcon unfolded itself and screeched like all the other Raidraptor xyz monsters.
"I use one overlay unit to activate Stranger Falcon's special ability! It'll destroy your Orichalc and deal you damage equal to his... attack points!" Shay pointed at Metalfoes Orichalc as Stranger Falcon's shoulder cannons unlatched themselves from their upright positions and charged up as it took aim. It then fired a yellow blast from its cannons, which headed straight for Metalfoes Orichalc.
Raidraptor - Stranger Falcon(ATK: 2000/DEF: 2000/RK: 5/OU: 2 = 1)
"I activate Metalfoes Savior's effect from the graveyard! By banishing this trap and returning Silverd from my Extra Deck to my hand, I can summon Steelen to rush in and save Orichalc!" Metalfoe Steelen jumped from the Pendulum Zone he was in and in front of Metalfoes Orichalc, taking the blasts instead. Taking a hit in the chest, and one in the shoulder, Steelen was destroyed with a cry as he was thrown off his bike.
"Since Steelen had zero attack points, we don't take any damage. Which means you failed." Storm smiled as she explained.
Sora then made a dash for a nearby Action Card, once again receiving interference from Storm. Despite the electrical blasts, Sora was able to pick up a card, just before Stranger Falcon's attack connected. "I activate this! The Action Spell High Dive! This will boost Stranger Falcon's attack by 1000!"
Raidraptor - Stranger Falcon(ATK: 2000 = 3000/DEF: 2000/RK: 5/OU: 1)
"Raidraptor - Stranger Falcon, attack!"
Stranger Falcon's markings glowed as it coiled and the ends of its wings produced dark lightning that formed a ball of dark purple energy, which it then shot as a beam with the same markings it had at Metalfoes Orichalc.
STORM AND BARRETT LP: 300 = 0
The destruction of their only monster threw the two Duel Academy soldiers back: knocking Barrett to the ground and sending Storm flying into a piece of equipment in the bleachers. The machinery was already sparking with electricity when she smashed into it, her hands still full of electrical energy.
"GAAAH! I'M OVERLOADING!" Storm shrieked as she started to glow from the buildup of energy she was receiving.
Soon, there was an explosion from where Storm was. When the cloud of smoke cleared, Storm was revealed to still be alive, albeit burnt, groaning, and twitching from the overcharge of power that she received from the technology she collided with.
The discharging net that covered the top of the arena during the duel then disappeared.
"Looks like we've won." Shay announced after watching the generators that created the electrical fence shut off.
"Yes. You have."
Shay and Sora turned and looked at Barrett, who had pushed himself up from the ground. He looked at them, creating a moment of silence between the two sides.
"We swore... that the losing duelists... wouldn't leave this arena... I'm honoring that promise..." Barrett weakly told them as he turned his Duel Disk toward himself.
"Barrett!" Sora exclaimed as he and Shay realized what he was going to do.
"Stay back!" Barrett ordered. "I failed thrice, and there is no fourth time with the Professor! This is something I must do as a soldier!"
Barrett then stood, his form and look unflinching from what he was about to do to himself. "My enemies trying to save me from my own choices only adds insult to my pride as a warrior! Let me do what needs to be done!"
The two youths couldn't argue with the determined warrior. Seeing the conviction in his eyes, they knew that this was something that he wanted, and they couldn't dissuade himself from it.
They watched grimly as Barrett activated the Human Sealing Technology on his Duel Disk and turn himself into a card. The card that was once Barrett fluttered to the floor, Barrett's image appearing on it once it landed. His remaining eye closed as he did the deed with a contented face.
The two Lancers then took their leave, riding Shay's Rise Falcon out of the coliseum. Sora looked at Barrett's card as he held it in his hand as they left.
"I'll keep soldiering on, Barrett. Just like you."
Training Facility - Duel Academy - Fusion Dimension
Bernie was alone, looking for the Lancers. He then heard a rustle in a nearby bush.
"Hey Lancer! Come on out!" Looking more closely, Bernie was shocked at what he found instead. He then screamed in terror, his shriek echoing through the artificially created jungle.
"Woah." Iggy agreed with Crow's worry. "That didn't sound good." "Come on! Let us see what happened." The two of them followed Moon Shadow's suggestion and ran in the direction of the scream.
"Sounds like one of us captured a Lancer already." Ted commented. "Already? I got work to do." Emma then ran off. "Me too." Jacob agreed.
"There's nobody here." Crow said to Moon Shadow, both confused by the fact. "But if that's true, then who was it that screamed?"
"Hey, guys!"
The two Lancers then ran over to Iggy, who had picked up a card off the ground. They were surprised when they looked at the carded form of Bernie.
"I do not believe my eyes." Moon Shadow said with astonishment. "That's one of Duel Academy's cadets!" Crow exclaimed.
"But none of us dueled him." Moon Shadow noted. "Moon Shadow's right. Which means this guy was done in by someone on his own team." Iggy summarized.
They then heard something move in the nearby foliage. "Who's there?" Crow called out.
Ethan emerged from a bush, screaming in fright before running off, away from the Lancers. "There's our culprit now! I betcha he's the one that did it!" Iggy then ran off after Ethan, causing his fellow Lancers to chase after him. "Hey! Wait up!" Crow called out after him.
A buzzer went off on the viewing screen map, a purple one that said "lost". Sanders closed his eyes as he mused the reason why. "One of my team. How absolutely pathetic."
"Hey, the system said it lost a signal. That can't be right." One of the spectating students observed. "There hasn't even been a single duel yet! Must be a glitch." "Yeah, there's still eight dots, so no one's gone down yet. It must be a glitch."
Lady Minerva chuckled in her mind in amusement at the students' obliviousness. "Yes, eight dots. But this is no glitch." She resumed watching the screen, as the dots moved around. "Not everything is as it seems, whether it's on the battlefield or anywhere else. And it was never said that there were only going to be those eight duelists participating."
Battlement - Duel Academy - Fusion Dimension
When Yuto and Kite came to, they found themselves out of the main building and on top of a rampart, alone. "Where are we?" Kite asked Yuto. "From the looks of it, somewhere outside of Duel Academy. And judging from Sora, Dennis, and Celina's reactions before we were separated, I don't think they knew about this."
Yuto thought in concern of his closest friends. "Lulu... Shay... everybody... please be safe."
"Look, over there!" Kite pointed to a coliseum that wasn't too far away from them. They saw Shay's ace monster emerge soar out from the top of the structure.
"It's Rise Falcon!" Yuto immediately identified his best friend's monster with the said person and Sora riding it before it descended back to the ground.
"Let's get going!" Yuto suggested, which Kite agreed to with a nod. Before they could get far to reunite with their friends, they were stopped in the tracks when they heard footsteps behind them. Quickly getting into battle stances, Duel Disks ready to be activated, they prepared to duel whoever was behind them.
"This is the end of the line for you two."
Yuto and Kite stilled when they heard that all too familiar voice they recognized, especially Yuto, who lowered his guard as they came face-to-face with the owner of the voice. The man showed no emotion, and yet Yuto and Kite felt as if they were being continuously stabbed by his cold stare. His blue eyes frigid and chilly as ice, devoid of compassion that once warmed them.
"Christopher Arclight!"
Frost190's OC Cards:
Frightfur Mesh(Normal Trap): When a Frightfur monster you control is destroyed, you can reduce battle damage this turn to zero, and destroy one monster that your opponent controls.
Frost190's OC Cards I Modified:
Beastborg Medal of Power(Normal Spell): Target one monster your opponent controls and one Beastborg monster you control. Your opponent's monster targeted with this card loses half of its attack points, while the Beastborg targeted with this card gains attack points equal to the amount lost.
Raidraptor Reinforcements(Normal Spell): Special summon two Raidraptors that have the same level from your graveyard, but they cannot attack this turn.
Official Cards Frost190 Modified I Modified:
Album of Memories(Normal Trap): If you are targeted for an attack, you can negate one attack for every Fluffal monster in your graveyard. If this card is in your graveyard, you can banish this card and a monster to draw two cards.
My OC Cards:
Rank-Up-Magic Doom Force(Quick-Play Spell): Target one Raidraptor xyz monster in the graveyard, that was destroyed in battle and sent there this turn; special summon it, then special summon an xyz monster that is one rank higher than that monster, using it.
Raptor Selection(Normal Spell): Tribute one Raidraptor monster you control and either increase or decrease the level of the other Raidraptors you control by 1.
Metalfoes Savior(Counter Trap): When your opponent special summons a monster from the Extra Deck, destroy one Metalfoe pendulum monster from your Pendulum Zone and negate that monster's special abilities. If a Metalfoe card is target by an opponent's card effect, banish this trap and return one Metalfoe pendulum monster in your Extra Deck to your hand and special summon one Metalfoe pendulum monster in your Pendulum Zone. The monster summoned by this effect becomes the target of your opponent's card effect.
The same thing for Odd-Eyes Elf and Abyss Actor - Wily Wizard were done here: I made up the stats for the card since Frost190 never made them up. Also, since the manga version of Fluffal Fusionist never gave the type of monster it was or its the attack and defense stats, I made them up based on trends on the levels and the Fluffal series.
I'll admit, I had a bit of a roadblock when writing this chapter. Mainly due to the fact that I had to incorporate the OC pendulum deck I made for the Shadow Flame and completely rewrite the some of the duel, rather than copy and slightly alter like I did for the previous chapters. Once again, I give full credit to Frost190 for the basis of this fanfic.
As for Barrett's Beastborg Wolf Kampfer, since its ability was used when it was the only one that attacked, at the time this chapter was posted, I decided that the ability could be activated whenever any monster that the controller controls inflicts battle damage.
At the time of this chapter's posting, I planned to have a Shadow Flame captain with animalistic powers, so I decided that that captain would use a Horus the Black Flame Dragon, Igknight, and Beastborg deck and that I would have Barrett card himself instead of upholding that R-rated demise Frost190 had him go through. Frost190's fanfic got darker somewhere at this point, becoming more adult than kids focused.