Disclaimer: The following piece is in no way a claim to ownership of the depicted characters. Yu-Gi-Oh, Yu-Gi-Oh R, Yu-Gi-Oh GX and Yu-Gi-Oh 5D's are owned by TV Tokyo, Konami Corporation and Kazuki Takahashi. This story as presented is strictly for entertainment purposes, both for its owner and readers.

Chapter 6 – Avenging Friendship, Dark Signers vs. Stardust and Neos

Hell Kaiser seemed pleased with himself as he stepped out from the basement room of the Bootleg Tavern. Reaching the concrete sidewalk of the road above, he looked up into the open sky at the dark clouds above. Walking a few blocks in the darkness of the night, he said nothing and kept a dark look of success upon his face. However, that changed when he came upon a figure in the shadows; a figure wearing blue and black robes.

"What have you been up to?" The figure asked slyly.

"None of your business," Hell Kaiser replied, starting to sound defensive.

"All I want to know," the figure stated, trying to sound more submissive, "is whether you've been messing with the Signers."

"Listen closely Kiryu!" Hell Kaiser snapped at the figure, sounding outright hostile. "I don't want you meddling in my affairs. When the time is right I'll join with the rest of you in our goal, but for now…" Hell Kaiser reached out and grabbed the Dark Signer by the throat, causing him panic, "I'll do whatever I want, whenever I want, to whomever I want! Count on it!" Releasing Kiryu, Hell Kaiser rubbed the knuckles on his talon duel disc.

"Alright then." Kiryu said, seemingly undaunted by the threat. "I guess I'd better stay out of your way." Kiryu seemed sarcastic in tone, but Hell Kaiser ignored it.

"What exactly is your feud with Yusei anyway?" Hell Kaiser asked, seeming intrigued by the answer.

"I want revenge for being sold out," Kiryu replied, looking darkly into Hell Kaiser's eyes. "He cost me my life."

"And you almost cost him his already," Hell Kaiser pointed out. "Did piercing his heart with shrapnel not make your point?"

"How do you…"

"I know a lot of things." And with that Hell Kaiser started off into the night. Kiryu remained in place as he rounded a corner, delving further into the shadows, until he noticed two young, green-haired people walking in the night…

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Jack thrust his fist into the wall of the blackened bar room, hard enough to cut himself. Yusei tried to comfort him by saying, "Don't get so worked up."

"Why not?!" Jack yelled back, frustrated by how events had unfolded. "I couldn't protect you from Kiryu, and I couldn't protect Johan from Hell Kaiser."

"I don't think it's that simple," Judai replied as he and Johan stood up from a nearby booth, having stepped aside to think. "Hell Kaiser didn't just show up here by chance."

"What do you mean?" Jack asked.

"I could see it in his eyes. He knew we were here. He followed up here, or tracked us here. And he wasn't alone."

"What?" Yusei questioned.

Turning his eyes into Yubel's different ones, he replied, "I could feel the presence of another person, another… Dark Signer."

"Kiryu," Yusei muttered silently.

"Why didn't you mention this earlier?!" Jack bellowed, enraged more than he should have been by this not mentioning said information.

"I couldn't confirm that it was really someone else, but once I thought about it… coupled with him finding us so easily, it makes sense." His explanation was cut short by a ring on Judai's cell, showing he had received a picture message. Clicking the button, he looked at the image and was shocked by what he saw.

"What is it?" Johan asked gravely.

Flipping the phone around, Judai showed the picture to the group: the twins Rua and Ruca, tied back-to-back against a steel pole.

"You miserably bastard," Jack mouthed before punching Judai in the face, knocking him against a nearby wall and causing the phone to drop to the ground. Blood poured down Judai's mouth from his nose as Jack moved closer, pushing his lower arm against Judai's throat. "You son of a bitch! You let all this unfold and you said nothing! You let Johan get brutalized! You let that asshole get to the twins!"

"Jack, let him go!" Yusei ordered, but to no avail.

"Jack!" Johan continued, again with no effect.

"You're nothing but a worthless bastard," Jack snarled as Judai gasped for air. "I bet you led him to us, you told him to attack us!"

"That's… absurd…" Judai choked out, starting to turn blue.

"You've been lying to us from the start." Jack released his arm from Judai's throat, but before Judai could draw breath Jack threw him up against the bar counter. Then he picked up a bar stool and broke it over Judai's chest, knocking the wind from him. Jack then reached for Judai to throw him again, but his arm was gripped by an invisible force.

"What's this?" he asked, confused. Turning around, he vaguely saw the image of Yubel against the darkness. "Damned bitch, sticking up for your bastard master!"

"Can't you see this is what he wants?" Yubel questioned. "He's trying to turn us against each other. If you continue to beat on Judai, he gets what he wants."

Jack stood there, staring at her as though considering her message. However, he turned back to Judai and said, "You lie as poorly as he does." Then he thrust his fist into Judai's chest, winding him again. Before Yubel could react, Jack slid him onto the floor and kicked him in the crotch.

"That's enough!" Yubel screamed, grabbing Jack by the shoulders and pulling him back away from Judai by the arms. Yusei and Johan moved in to help the beaten Judai while Yubel forced Jack to the ground in a 'you're under arrest' pose. Moments later Jack burst into a yellow aura that sent black energy flying from his body out into the darkness around them. "If you won't get along, I'll make you get along!"

"What happened?" Yusei inquired.

"This darkness," Yubel replied as she stood up, "seems to evoke negative emotion within people it infects. I suspect it got to Jack because of the anger he showed against Amon and Misawa."

Starting to get to his feet, Judai staggered weakly as he wiped blood from his nose and mouth. His breathing was ragged, but he managed to say, "I'm… going after him."

"You can't," Yusei replied. "You're too badly beaten."

"A true warrior… fights through the pain… through the agony…" Judai cringed at the pain in his chest from the beating, and Johan had to catch him before he collapsed.

"You're in no shape for this!" Johan insisted.

"I don't care…" Judai stuttered as he got up from Johan's grasp and shuffled toward the door. "Even if it takes my last breath…"

"Don't dare imply that!" Johan shot back.

"Let him do this," Jack uttered as he stood back up, getting Yusei and Johan's attention.

Yubel nodded at this. "Judai is a great warrior, and he can handle the strain of battle." Smiling, she started across the room toward him, and said "But like I said before, you'll never fight alone. I'm always by your side, and so are your friends. We will help you fight." Reaching him, she put her hand on his shoulder and glowed bright yellow for a moment. Her form disappeared as Judai's eyes flashed back to the orange and green pair.

"Who's with me?" Judai barked, almost commanding instead of asking. Not caring, however, all the others raised their fists in triumphant valor, showing their readiness to fight.

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"Ruca?" Rua whispered, stirring his twin sister. "Where are we?" In fact the two of them were within a stone utility room on the roof of an apartment building.

"I don't know," she replied softly.

"Hey, you two," Hell Kaiser's voice yelled sharply at them from behind a stone wall. "I suggest you keep your mouths shut, if you want to make it out of here alive. Scared by this, both twins resigned themselves to silence.

"That's what I thought," he said in a vile tone.

"Are you sure you want to go through with this?" Kiryu asked Hell Kaiser from the shadows.

"Judai is the only one who stands in my way," he replied flatly, "And Yusei and Jack are the only ones in your way. I don't see your objection."

"Involving innocent children."

"You killed a security in order to avoid being ticketed for a minor offence," Hell Kaiser pointed out, again catching Kiryu off-guard. "And yet holding children hostage bothers you?"

"It's you doing it that bothers me. I know you better than that. You'll hurt them for your own enjoyment.

If only you knew, Hell Kaiser thought. Pulling a card from his pocket, it became consumed by a black aura instantly. He threw it into the streets below as the aura leapt off to everywhere in sight.

"What was that about?" Kiryu asked.

"Let's just say…" Hell Kaiser replied, "Judai and the others won't be showing up very soon.

----------------------------------------------------

"I summon Red Daemon's Dragon!" Jack yelled as his red and black dragon appeared behind him and roared. The phone had told them that the twins were held at the Tops, and has falsely assumed they just needed to get there.

However, after a half hour running along the city streets, they had discovered several Duel Zombies, similar to the ones from the desert realm, blocking their path. So, their only option was to burst through.

"Red Daemon's Dragon, attack! Absolute Power Force!" The dragon formed a fireball in its left hand and chucked it at some Zombies, knocking them aside. The crew advanced a few steps, but was then blocked off by more Zombies. "Damned pests!"

"I have an idea," Yusei blurted, pulling a card from the top of his deck and playing it. "I activate Buster Mode, and transform your dragon!" The trap formed and created a dark red aura on the dragon, which consumed it and blocked out its form. Soon, a larger version of the dragon that was armored with crimson segments (on its chest in the shape of a skull).

"Meet Red Daemon's Dragon/Buster!" Yusei yelled, tossing Jack the dragon's card from his deck. Jack read it quickly and slapped it on the disc.

"And when Daemon's Dragon/Buster attacks, it instantly destroys all other monsters on the field! Now, Red Daemon's Dragon/Buster, attack! Absolute Buster Force!" Streams of fire erupted from the dragon's palms and hands, but a moment later they consumed the beast and flares shot out at every angle.

"Get back!" Judai ordered, setting his orange and green eyes aglow. He created a barrier in front of his friends and himself while a stream of fire struck every duel zombie in range, knocking most of them out.

"They're still not down!" Johan said, beginning to fret.

"They will after this!" Judai pulled three cards from his and Johan's deck – Johan's Rainbow Dragon, Fusion and Neos – and held them to the sky. "I summon Rainbow Neos!" Behind the dragon, the enormous white warrior from his duel with Jack ascended from the ground, letting out a guttural bellow that got the attention of every standing zombie.

"I send my Necro Darkman from my deck to my grave, and send the fallen zombies away!" The white warrior tossed rainbow energy upon the fallen zombies, and all of them disappeared.

"Why did you send them away?" Yusei asked.

"Simple: duel zombies don't stay down," Judai explained. "But there's no time for chat; I play Wormhole, and exclude Rainbow Neos until my next turn." The white warrior turned to rainbow particles and disappeared. "Now Jack!"

Jack nodded before simply yelling, "Absolute Buster Force!" Once again the dragon's fire rained on the remaining zombies in range, and once again Judai stopped the crew from being burnt.

"Return Rainbow Neos!" Judai's warrior returned behind him from rainbow dust, and Judai flipped another card. "I send Card Excluder to the graveyard, and eliminate the remaining zombies!" The warrior released its dust again, sending away the zombies as they groaned in their semi-conscious states.

"Alright!" Johan declared as both the red dragon and white warrior faded away. "But… where did you send them?"

"Into the darkness of the Bootleg," Judai replied as he handed Johan back his card. "I doubt they'll find us by the time we get there."

Judai wished to say more, but was cut off by the sound of a bionic roar. In the distance, they saw the image of Cyber Dark Dragon at the top of a nearby apartment building, showing them the way.

"Gee, I wonder where he is," Jack said sarcastically.

"Only question is how to get there," Yusei said.

"Hand me your Stardust Dragon/Buster," Judai replied, and Yusei complied. Setting his eyes aglow again, Judai held up the card and said, "Come forth, Stardust Dragon/Buster!" The blue and white dragon appeared before him, and crouched down before the crew.

"I guess we get on," Johan stated.

"You think?" Jack replied.

The entire crew got on the dragon, and it took flight into the skies above. No one took time to admire the view, for everyone had a solemn and serious look on their faces. Due to its size it crossed over to the large building where the bionic dragon was, as that beast disappeared. Stepping off the beast, Judai waited to let everyone else off before recalling the dragon and handing it to Yusei.

"Hell Kaiser! Kiryu!" Judai yelled, showing his anger as he spoke. After a few moments the two figures appeared from behind the stone utility room, arms crossed. Hell Kaiser held a cruel smile on his face.

"We can hear you," Hell Kaiser said coyly.

"Don't screw with me you miserable emo bastard!" Judai cursed through gritted teeth, saying the phrase 'miserable emo bastard' in Engrish. "You messed with my friends, and you messed with the city. And I won't let you get away with that, God damn it!" Judai held up his duel disc and reactivated it. "You two versus me! If I win, you release the zombies from your control!"

"Zombies?" Kiryu asked, sounding sincerely confused. Seeing Hell Kaiser's smile he asked him, "what did you do?"

"That doesn't matter, because it won't happen," Hell Kaiser responded to Judai, ignoring Kiryu completely. "You'll never beat the both of us."

"Then he won't duel alone!" Yusei said, activating his own duel disc. "I have a score to settle with Kiryu anyway, so let's do this."

"Very well," Hell Kaiser said as his own disc activated. "But you'll both live to regret this. Or maybe you won't; I haven't decided yet." And as for you Kiryu, he thought to himself, I've not forgotten your insistence on getting in my way.

"Then let's do this," Kiryu said as his D-Wheel appeared from behind the stone building. His duel disc launched off of it, and strapped to his arm. Everyone moved to form a square formation between each-other; then they drew 5 cards and yelled out, (you guessed it)

"DUEL!"

Hell Kaiser: LP 4000

Yusei: LP 4000

Kiryu: LP 4000

Judai: LP 4000

"The first turn comes to me," Hell Kaiser said as he drew. "I summon Hell Dragon in attack position (ATK: 2000)!" The black dragon with frills and horns appeared before him again. "And I also set 3 cards. I end my turn."

"It's my turn," Yusei said. "I draw. And I summon Shield Warrior in Defence Position (ATK: 1600)." Yusei was joined by a black-clad warrior with a large shield and a halberd. The figure took up a crouching position. "I set 2 cards and end my turn."

"I draw!" Kiryu continued, placing a card on the field. "I summon Infernity Dwarf (ATK: 800)." Kiryu's monster appeared before him, a short ogre-like creature in flames. "I also activate Dual Summon, and Release my Guardian to advance summon Infernity Destroyer (ATK: 2300)." The dwarf gave way to a tall molten-looking creature. "I set 3 cards and end my turn."

"My turn," Judai said, the last to draw. "I summon Elemental Hero Airman (ATK: 1800)." Judai was joined by a blue-skinned, grey and green-armored warrior with two wing-shaped fans strapped to its back. "Since I summoned Airman, I can add 1 HERO monster from my deck to my hand. I select E-HERO Neos." Pulling the signature monster from his deck, he revealed it to the others and placed it in his hand. "I set 2 cards and end my turn."

"During your End Phase Judai," Hell Kaiser declared, "I activate my Blazes of Demise to produce 2 Demise Tokens (DEF: 0) (DEF: 0)." Hell Kaiser's dragon was joined by two flaming demonic figures. "For my turn I draw, and activate my Hand Severing instant magic." Revealing the card, he stated its effect. "Each player must send 2 hand cards to the grave and draw 2 new cards." Everyone did so.

Next I release my first token to advance summon Dark Tuner – Cyber Dark Amphithere (ATK: 0)." The token disappeared, being replaced by a dark-grey metal serpent with axe-like wings. "By summoning this beast, I add 1 Dragon from my Graveyard to it to increase its level by that amount. I select White Horn Dragon (LV: 6)." The metal beast closed its wings as a red dragon with a huge horn appeared in between the wings (LV: 12).

"I Dark Tune my Amphithere to my Hell Dragon, and in doing so I Dark Synchro Summon a new Dark Cyber Synchro monster!" The black frilled dragon changed into 4 red rings and shot over to the metal beast. Upon contact it changed into 12 black orbs, which fused with the rings to create a glowing silhouette of a serpentine figure. Soon the darkness faded to reveal a black metal dragon with bladed wings, a serrated maw, a tail that became two near the end, and a Gatling gun for each tail tip and its top jaw.

"Meet Cyber Artillery Dragon (ATK: 3600), and this creature can destroy a monster on the field once per turn. I select Airman." The Gatling guns began to spin as they fired black lasers at the blue-skinned warrior, destroying it. "And now Judai, you're all alone. Cyber Artillery Dragon, attack his Life Points directly!"

As Yusei stared on in terror, the dragon formed a laser blast in its jaws, and shot it at Judai, who looked sternly at Hell Kaiser and stood his ground. Soon the strike hit its mark.

Card of the Week: Hell Kaiser

Cyber Artillery Dragon

Level: -8

Attribute: DARK

Type(s): [Machine/Dark Synchro/Effect]

Effect: 1 Machine-type [Cyber] monster – 1 [Cyber] Dark Tuner Monster

In order to summon this card, you must subtract the Level of the Dark Tuner Monster from the Level of the non-Tuner Monster to equal this card's Level. Once per turn, destroy 1 card on the field. This card cannot be destroyed by battle.

ATK: 3600

DEF: 600