Chapter 2: A Cocky Challenger
NOTE: this chapter along with prologue by Blazer Dude
Balthasar Clyde tightened his tie as the plane began to land. It had been a long trip and he was glad it was over; hopefully it would be the last time he would have to make it in a long while.
It was necessary for his current venture that these trips are made as he had needed to tie up the loose ends corresponding to his parentage and his right to run for the post he was now chasing.
He was average height and build with brown hair, that was almost ginger, sleeked back smartly. A blue suit and tie draped his form and white shirt giving him a strictly business air. His face was the most interesting feature. He had a slight beard and moustache in the same colours as his hair and his nose was crooked from being broken, possibly repeatedly, in the past and his grey eyes shone with inner emotion, a form of benevolence and acceptance that shouldn't have been there, considering his past experiences.
The plane was well furnished but minimalist in design. He wasn't yet a VIP so expenses were lowered...for the moment. As the plane skidded, rather ungracefully, to a stop he got himself and a breathed out, straightening his clothes as he made his way to the exit stairs. It was early morning but the airport was very busy all the time causing heavy noise which muffled his thoughts slightly. When he got there he was met by four men.
Three of them were what looked like bodyguards, black suits and shades, while the third looked like he had just escaped the circus. He was diminutive and wore a red cape like blazer and his face was akin to a clown. Not the sort of appearance he wished to emulate if he got his way with his plans.
"Mr Clyde, welcome back to the city, I hope you had a pleasant flight he-he." Squeaked the man rather slyly as he extended a hand which Clyde took rather reluctantly. He hated this man and his laugh and his mocking manner. He just wished he could put his hands round his little windpipe…
"Fine Mr Jaeger." Said Clyde calmly in an American accent that seemed to originate somewhere in the west. "Shall we?"
Jaeger was already walking away however and led the way to a car that shuttled the new American to his destination in the Tops residential area. As he sat in the back with his head looking out the window he reflected on his surroundings and his ambitions.
It was a bright but windy day in the city and the temperature gauge was showing normal temperatures. All in all it was all rather normal. Quiet. Stagnant. Oppressive.
"I'm here to change that." He mumbled quietly with a grin as he stroked his beard thoughtfully. "Rewrite the rule book as it were."
The driver dropped him off at his destination and in his abode he set about with his plans and his overall campaign to change the way this town worked and indeed looked at itself.
Yusei awoke early, as usual. He wasn't one to sleep in late after years of living in a slum where anyone could come in and nab your possessions while you 'caught some zees'. Besides he found it to the freshest time of the day, when the air tasted best and you could see through the smog in the more extreme areas most easily.
There was also always work to be done.
He leaned forward and stepped up off his dirty mattress. He was a small underground enclave he had found to base himself at while he and Crow began their search of the generator. He had been here two days and they had made good progress finding things in the generator and any evidence as to how or why it went up. Almost all how.
There was machinery, the odd computer stick and a few journals. One interested Yusei a great deal however. It was written by a Professor Hakase Fudo aka his father. Well, ex-father. Yusei stood up and walking past Crow who was dozing on the floor arrived at the old table where the things were resting. He picked up the tattered book and flicked through, it, A lot of pages were missing or burnt but there were some intact entries in which he detailed how the project was going and in some cases what he was up to or thinking.
There was one entry he had read numerous times already which he couldn't help reading again. He flicked to it and absorbed it again despite his near perfect recollection of it already.
"Generator Log: Date: 4/16/2045
Things are moving smoothly here, the Prototype is warming up nicely and if we are lucky we can begin energy generation in a week or two, I had a hell of a time going over the figures for the Overseer Mainframe but I'm sure, I hope, I've seen the last of them. It's an honour to be part of this project but my mind keeps wandering back home. I haven't seen my wife or my son in months. I'm sure they're fine but that isn't what bothers me. It's just that I'm not there. I can't change Yusei's nappies or feed him or loose sleep at night over him. I've lost a god deal of the first year of my child's life here. My wife is angry and is right to be, I'm missing it and she may get other thoughts if I'm not careful. That I'm being unfaithful. Of course I'm not in the conventional sense but, in a way, I'm being unfaithful to my family just by working here, by albeit temporarily turning my back on them. Once I've done though we can get back to normal life and hopefully there will be a Nobel peace prize in my life by then. 2 weeks or so...I promise.
He closed the book and slipped it into his pocket and looked up through the hole in the ceiling toward the open sky. His thoughts his own as he put on his jacket and helmet as he prepared to go for a ride. Crow opened a stray eye as Yusei climbed the stairs to leave but thought better than to follow his lifelong friend. He could tell when he wanted to be alone and besides it wasn't as if there were any pressing matters as of yet…yet.
Meanwhile
Jun initiated the starting sequence on his D-Wheel and cannoned out of the garage in the ruins of his home. He had spent an hour configuring his bike for the encounter he was looking for and was eager to earn his pay.
He was used to odd jobs and requests so this seemed normal. Only difference was he had to modify his bike, temporarily, in order to fulfil the conditions of the 'contract'.
The Bike was not very streamlined and the yellow paintjob was scratched all over with signs of rust. On the front of the bike was a very out of place steel orb with a small flashing red light. Another two were on the sides and one more at the back.
He shot down the street, almost hitting two pedestrians as he pressed a few buttons lazily on his onboard computer to bring up his target and the info of the job. It wasn't easy but neither was life on Satellite. The morning haze and smog, smelling of half burnt industrial crap that clogged the lungs and burnt the eyes, was beginning to fall down as the industrial plants began to turn on and the antiquated petrol fuelled vehicles began to move as noisily as ever. The wind however was still a comfort, amplified a few times by his speed.
"I will escape this pit." The rider spat as he rode, glaring at the derelict warzone-esque architecture and the distant and ugly factories. "Even if I have to completely destroy you, of all people, Yusei Fudo."
The picture of one of the most famed Satellite duellists flashing on his screen as well as his current location. He was surprised when his benefactor told him he could get him this at anytime anywhere but his benefactor was a very powerful man…or so he imagined. He hadn't a clue to who he was. Just that he used, in his words, a pseudonym.
Yusei pulled up at his spot. He removed his helmet and breathed in heavily the last of the fresh air that the island could grant him and looked out over the vast expanse of the bay toward the city where he had found his fortunes, the heavy wind billowing in his hair.
When he had lived here a few years a go he came to this spot almost every other day to just look. To ponder what would happen when he met Jack again and how he would reclaim Stardust.
Yusei narrowed his eyes slightly. Strangely he had never actually thought about what would happen afterwards. How he would return without being captured, how he would escape if he was captured, most of all how he would survive.
He had though and he lived in the present not the past, so reflecting was not what he did…despite the fact he couldn't get that journal out of his head. He breathed out and took the book out and just stared at the cover sternly before replacing it.
As he stared out over the water he heard the familiar noise of a D-Wheel engine. He turned round and saw climbing the ramp to the top floor of the old warehouse where he was now a yellow D-Wheel. He narrowed his eyes as it pulled up around 20ft away from him. The rider was rotund but not in a way that made it look like he was fat. I looked more like muscle that rippled under his black biker suit. A yellow helmet sat on his head which now removed to show a man was stereotypical thug, buzzed hair, gold tooth full works. He raised a hand and pointed at the Duel King.
"Yusei Fudo." He said in a surprisingly soft voice. "I challenge you to a Riding Duel."
Yusei narrowed his eyes. The guy chuckled.
"They told me you weren't a talker." He smirked. "Maybe I can loosen your tongue and get you to at least cry out in pain."
"Who are you?" Asked Yusei suspiciously. "How'd you find me?"
"I'm Jun." He fitted his helmet back on. "And I don't want to tell you how I found you so lets just say you can't hide anywhere. So, you want to play ball?"
Yusei stared at him hard, tossing his thoughts over before turning away. "No."
"Too Bad." Thought Jun as he got out of his D-Wheel and from a compartment in his bike grabbed a wired device and tossed at the red bike opposite. A manacle clamped onto the Duel disk now imbedded on the wheel, fixing it to the wire. Yusei turned and glared, witnessing the challenger fix the other end to his own duel disk.
"Those manacles." Sighed Yusei in a frustrated tone as he realised that losing or rejecting the duel now would mean losing his duel disk and deck via a piece of explosive in the manacles. Machines of his own design back when he had been trapped on Satellite. "Fine, I'll duel you."
He walked over and released his duel disk from its holder and clamped it onto his arm as Jun laughed at the turnaround. As he did this he slipped a hand into his pocket and pressed a small remote. This caused the orbs on his bike to activate, the red light on them now blue, unnoticed to Yusei.
Yusei: 4000
Jun: 4000
As Yusei drew his first 5 cards he saw something happen however. His LP Counter flickered violently and flashed on and off before settling again as if nothing had happened. He looked hard at the disk with a feeling of grim before looking up and drawing his sixth card without as much as a word to his opponent.
"I summon Bolt Hedgehog (2/800/800) in defence position." He summoned the monster and a small mousy creature with many steel bolts sticking out of it where quills should have been scuttled into play, changing to a dark blue colour to signify its defensive operandi. He the silently set a facedown card and ended his turn, allowing Jun to snap a card from his duel disk violently. He chuckled at his hand.
"I may not have to win, but who wouldn't pass up an opportunity to crush Yusei Fudo." He thought to himself as he began his move. "I activate two spell cards; Goblin Thief! This spell lowers your lifepoints by 500 and increases mine by that amount. Since I've got two that doubles"
He grinned as his LP counter increased by said amount and Yusei's fell.
Jun: 4500
Yusei: 3500
"Next I'll summon Goblin Attack Force (4/2300/0)." A group of eight green goblins with clubs and primitive armour trod forth with very little organization, grunting, squealing and belching with each other. "Now attack Goblins!"
The goblin leader pointed at the rodent on Yusei's field and the horde roared in delight before clubbing it to death savagely. As they returned to their side of the field they sat down, apparently tired from their battle. The goblins turned blue signifying they had changed position.
"My Goblins change mode after they attack and can't be changed until next turn." Explained Jun as he set 2 cards facedown behind his goblin force. "End turn."
Yusei drew a card from his deck and it happened again. His LP counter fluctuated except this time so did the holograms of Jun and his field before settling again.
"What was that?" demanded Yusei to which Jun laughed.
"Wouldn't you like to know?" Yusei looked back at his hand, reasoning his opponent knew but wouldn't talk. He looked at Juns set card.
"Attack Force has no chance of surviving an attack on its own so that cards got to protect it somehow. I can risk waiting until next turn but its high attack power will be a problem if I do. I'll attack." He thought to himself as he picked out his next play. "I activate One for One!"
The card appeared on his field and shone.
"By discarding a monster I can special summon a level one monster in turn from my hand." He executed the process as he explained. "Special Summon; Road Runner (1/300/300)."
A small Pink bird monster in red galoshes burst into play, chirping in what was meant to be an intimidating manner before taking its place in attack mode. Yusei continued.
"Activate trap card! Angel Lift!" the set card on his field flipped up showing a skeleton being dragged from its grave by a heavenly being, this being flew onto the field and flew straight down through the ground, disappearing. "This card special summons a level two or lower monster in my grave into attack mode. I choose Speed Warrior (2/900/300)."
The armoured and sleek grey warrior was then dragged from underground onto the field with gratitude to the angel which had reappeared from its cemetery search.
"Now I normal summon Road Synchron (4/1600/800) in attack mode." His third monster was yellow armoured with orb like shoulders and large wide tires for legs. Yusei flicked another monster card round in his hand to show Jun. "One-Shot Booster (1/0/0) is now special summoned from my hand as I normal summoned. Finally I use Bolt Hedgehogs effect. As a Tuner is in play I can now special summon it from the cemetery."
A jet like platform in yellow paint flew onto the field, a small panel at the back functioning as a sort of robotic face as well as the familiar rodent which had dug out of the ground representing a monster zone. Jun looked at Yusei, impressed with his opponent. A loom of fortitude and resolve was in his eyes which glared down at Jun, backed by fierce ability and natural talent.
"So this is the duel Kings power?" mumbled Jun at Yusei's summoning blitz and knowing a duel king, he wasn't done. He could retaliate however.
"Activate trap card! Just Deserts!" Juns card flipped. "This card does 500 points of damage to you for ever monster you control so you loose 2500!"
A ghostly hand emerged from the card and wrapped its fingers tightly and painfully round Yusei's head. He clenched his teeth and closed his eyes to block out the assault. Uttering a groan at the pain. When he recovered however he just continued with his move as if nothing had happened.
Jun: 5000
Yusei: 500
"Road Synchron effects activate!" He lashed a hand out at his Tuner which glowed brightly. "I tune it to Road Runner, Bolt Hedgehog and One-Shot Booster to Synchro summon a level eight card!"
The named cards dissipated into glowing stars and clashed together high above the windy playing field, a bright light enshrining the field briefly before the product of the summon was revealed, landing on its steel feet with a mighty crash.
"Synchro Summon; Road Warrior (8/3000/1500)!" Cried Yusei as a futuristic armoured blue and gold like metal plated warrior stood upward with a yell of pride. Its head crowned with a spiked helmet and staring glass placed a card in his jacket pocket. "Bolt Hedgehog by the ay is removed from play via its effect after it leaves the field once special summoning itself. Road warrior's effect! I can once per turn special summon a level two or lower warrior or machine from my deck!"
He unfurled his deck and picked a monster. "Massive Warrior (2/600/1200)."
A great stone juggernaut stomped out after materializing. It was four footed and had four arms surrounding its grimacing head of sorts. It was clutching above itself, almost defiantly, a stone helicopter platform. Yusei then began his offensive.
"Massive Warrior attack Goblin Attack Force!" The goliath walked forward slowly with thundering steps which caught the goblins attention. It was too late however as a huge foot found its way on top of them. Yusei continued by pointing at Speed Warrior.
"Attack!" As the warrior ran forward its attack double to 1800. "Its effect lets it's double its attack points the turn it is summoned when it attacks." Explained Yusei.
Before the hit landed however Juns facedown flipped. It showed Zombrya of the Dark striking a dramatic pose.
"A Hero Emerges." Muttered Yusei.
"That's right. Pick a card in my hand, if it's a monster I can special summons, luckily I only have one card and it's a monster so no choice required." Explained Jun he flipped it round to reveal a monster card.
"I special summon Goblin Recon Squad (4/1700/0) in defence mode." 3 high tech equipped goblins appeared in a flash of light, scanning the field for attackers but missing the renewed attack of Speed warrior which took them down via a fast moving spinning kick. Saving Jun from the damage however.
"Road warrior! Direct attack!" Ordered Yusei with a fist clenched. The Warrior Shot forward and punched with great force all aimed at Juns screaming face. It knocked him back a good 9ft and caused him to fall down.
Jun: 2000
Yusei: 500
"Turn end." Declared Yusei confidently.
Jun pulled himself up with a chuckle he muttered. "Good Job, lucky I don't have to win here."
He spat a bit of blood out of his mouth and drew his next card.
"I set a facedown card and end my turn." He groaned in a disappointed manner as the card appeared and Yusei drew. Once again the flickering happened but this time something else happened which caught his attention. His dragon Birthmark lit up in its usual crimson show, not for long but it did cause a throbbing pain in his arm which caused him to grab it tightly. He glanced at Jun who didn't seem to have noticed the event.
"What is going on?" He thought. "What caused that? What's this guy doing?"
Yusei pointed at Road Warrior, silently as he was still contemplating the scenario, again and the monster charged forward. Jun activated his new facedown card.
"Negate Attack." The cards effect stopped all his attacks and ended the battle phase so Yusei was done for the moment.
Yusei said. "Turn end."
His only card in his hand now facedown. The holographic representative appeared in front of him.
Jun rolled his shoulders and drew his next card, eyeing Yusei before even looking at his newest card. His eyes quickly flicked to his D-Wheel and the metal flashing orbs. With satisfaction he looked down at his newest card and nodded.
"Activate spell card; Staring Down the Odds!" The card materialized on his field and its art showed a man standing bravely with a rake raised above his head, in front of his farm, while an army of raiders charged at him wielding cruel looking blades and crossbows. "Staring Down the Odds allows me to draw cards for every monster you control as long as I have less than you. This means I gain three." He drew his cards and with a grin he began his manoeuvre.
"I can still win this it seems!" He chuckled as his monster appeared. A group of 4 goblins with various pieces of equipment, I say equipment, like drums and trumpets and rattles which they shook loudly. An annoying effect being the result. "Goblin Diversion Force (4/1000/0). Now I activate Nightmare Steel Cage!"
As the card was played a cage suddenly built itself up around Yusei and his entire field, he didn't flinch however and patiently waited for Juns next play.
"That card, it stops me attacking for two turns." He thought as the cage had sprung around him.
Jun continued by pointing at Speed Warrior. "Attack Speed Warrior Goblins!"
Yusei frowned. He hadn't taken the bait of Massive Warrior. It may have been weaker but he must have known he couldn't take damage from it being in battle and that once per turn it could avoid destruction. Regardless the goblins began making a terrible noise with their 'instruments' directed at Speed Warrior. After a while they stopped, rubbing tired arms and huffing with tired lungs. Speed Warrior still standing. One goblin growled angrily and picked up a small stone. It tossed it at the warrior and it hit it on the head, knocking it to the floor. The goblins cheered.
Jun: 2000
Yusei: 500
"When I destroy a monster with these goblins I draw a card!" he explained as one of the fiends picked a card off the top of his deck and handed it to him happily. Jun was happy as well seeing it
The crew turned blue and sat down, tuning their instruments and equipment. Jun smirked at Yusei. "I set a card and activate the magic card Necromancy!"
As he played the card the ground churned on Yusei's field causing him to look down slightly. From the ground arose the forms of One-Shot Booster, Speed Warrior and Road Runner in defence mode, filling his monster zones. "This card special summons 4 random monsters in your grave in defence mode, when one is destroyed all the monsters present before they were summoned loose 600 attack points , also the special summoned monsters cannot change position unless by another card effect. I set a card and end my turn. Take yours and get ready to loose Yusei Fudo!" He boasted loudly, thumping his chest with a meaty hand.
Yusei looked down as did Jun at his set card.
"Labyrinth of Nightmare. My continuous trap changes the position of all monsters a player controls when they end their turn. I can use it to change all his weak monsters to attack mode and then when I get to my turn I can attack One shot Booster to win, no fear of Road Warrior because his effect can't activate due to the full field and he can't attack cos of the steel cage, and if that isn't enough he only has a one card hand and I'm sure he's packing nothing with that set card!" he smirked as Yusei slowly drew his next card. Yusei flipped it round and looked at it with a small smile; nevertheless he activated his Labyrinth trap card and explained the effect quickly. Yusei didn't even blink.
"How can you be so confident!?" Cried Jun in exasperation which was ignored.
"Activate Advance Draw! I sacrifice a level 8 monster, Road Warrior, to draw 2 cards!" Road Warrior dissipated into light and he did just that. "Activate spell card; Tuning. I pick a tuner in my deck and add it to my hand."
He flicked open his deck again and selected a card. He then took two cards off the top of his deck and placed them in his grave slot. "I send cards equal to the monsters level to the graveyard. Now I summon Nitro Synchron (2/300/100)."
A small cartoonish gas tank with arms and a face popped forth, squeaking in what was meant to be an intimidating manner.
"Now I tune Massive Warrior, Speed Warrior and One-Shot Booster to my card for a level seven summon." The said cards turned to stars and flew upward like before leaving Road Runner temporarily alone. A flash resonated and Yusei named his Synchro.
"Summon! Nitro warrior (7/2800/1800)!" A Minotaur like green and black monster stood proudly on his field roaring in delight at being summoned, or set loose. He then drew a card from his deck. "When Nitro Synchron is used to synchro a Nitro monster I can draw a card. Activate equip spell card; Junk Attack!" A flaming aura surrounded the Minotaur. "When Nitro Warrior destroys a monster you take half of its attack as damage now and that's not all. When Nitro Warrior is in play and I play a magic card I can increase his attack by 1000 in the damage step."
"That's pointless!" Exclaimed Jun. "You can't attack!"
Yusei ignored him again. "Activate magic card; Restrain release!"
It hit Jun like a freight train. "Not that card!"
"Restrain release sends one equip card I control to the grave and in exchange all spells and traps you control are destroyed!" As he said this nitro Warrior pulled itself into a foetal position and with a growl that slowly turned into a roar burst outwards, expelling the aura straight at Juns field. Annihilating Steel Cage and the labyrinth of Nightmares. The goblin squad quivered and babbled in lifted a hand and pointed at the goblins which Nitro Warrior dispatched in a rather brutal fashion. Yusei then ended his turn. Jun looked at his deck forlornly. He drew.
"I summon Goblin Recon Force (4/1700/0)" the high tech fiends returned and drew small laser-pointer hand guns. "Attack nitro Warrior."
Yusei realized his opponent had accepted his fate. The goblins fired at the thick hide of the Minotaur to no avail as the bullets bounced back into their heads rather comically.
Jun: 1000
Yusei: 500
"End turn." Jun huffed and tensed for the finishing blow. "Get it over with."
Yusei drew and the effect that had plagued the field happened again, his birthmark also flashed up and the pain doubled in intensity from before. He grabbed it and gritted his teeth hard. It was like his arm was falling apart. Jun had his eyes closed and was readying for Nitro Warrior so he had no knowledge of it. Yusei breathed out in relief as the effects stopped. That would definitely be in his conversation with Jun. He drew and declared the direct, and finishing, attack of Nitro Warrior who blew Jun away and felled him like a log. Game, Set and Match.
Yusei: 500
Jun: 0
The manacle beeped and loosened on his duel disk so he shook it off, Juns exploded in a flash of smoke, scorching the dazed and downed thug. He pulled himself up slightly and Yusei strode over and yanked him up by the collar.
"How did you find me?" He demanded toughly. Silence. "Tell me how you found me!"
"I don't know…" Spluttered Jun weakly. "This guy sent me a computer file and said he could track you, said all I had to do was duel for at least 3 turns. I'm starving I had to do the job and no one got hurt right?"
Yusei narrowed his eyes. "Who sent you?"
"No idea."
Yusei raised a fist threateningly and he spoke again quickly. "I swear, I get a letter with a number and I call see and he tells me about a job, I ask his name and he says he uses a pseudonym. That's it! I get the rest in an e-mail the next day with a file and that's it! Please don't hurt me, I'm sorry Duel King I-"
Yusei threw him down and returned to his D-Wheel and departed without peaking, leaving him alone and with a bloody nose. As he rode he stared at his arm.
"What was that? That guy didn't know what he was doing, I'm sure." He looked to his left as late morning began to set far away in the city. "How could he know where ever I am? He must have been lying. Only they can..."
And then it hit him. He blinked in disbelief a few times before accepting it. He had hacked their mainframe dozens of times; theoretically it was possible just discomforting that someone could have that level of knowledge over the people here, everyone in satellite at least. He raised a hand up from the accelerator and stroked the marker on his face. Feeling the slight bump as it protruded from his skin, he rode on faster. Tomorrow he was going back to the city with Crow and they would find who had control of the Marker Tracking system.
The next morning as Jun woke up he found a letter on his doorstep with a package. The letter told him he had erased the mainframe on his D-heel so it was useless and he had collected the steel orbs in the night. At first Jun was pissed but then the note told him he was being paid handsomely and he hoped he could enjoy it while he could. The package contained over four 100 credits. He grinned and with a happy laugh went out to buy some happiness.
A few days later several people, including Jun, were admitted to hospital. The event made the headlines as many were shopkeepers and bankers and such. The police didn't have a clue as to the exact details except they had found heavily irradiated credit notes in the shop keeper's possession and that they all had serious radiation sickness.
None survived and fear and paranoia spread on Satellite.