Yu-gi-oh
No Limits
By Kevin Jones
Turn 12- Janus has infiltrated Sector Security
I parked my Duel Runner in the ally next to The Golden Plate, the restaurant where one is said to be able to find the infamous computer hacker Tony Sorrentino. Seeing as Kai's Duel Runner is also here it it's a safe bet that him and Damon got here as well.
I enter a dirty dining room with most of its occupants at the bar. I walk over and sit on an empty stool that makes sitting on a cactus seem comfortable, doesn't feel much better either.
"Excuse me but do you know where I can find…"
"If you're looking for Tony find the door outside, head up stairs, her family's apartment is the first one on the left."
It would appear I'm not the first person to ask the old lady bar tender where Tony is.
The hallway is dirtier than the bar was which tells me which part of Brooklyn I'm in. I knock on the door and wait for a response.
"Who's there?"
Sounds like Damon got here all right.
"It's me Chase."
"Prove it."
"Damon open the damn door or else."
"Yup it's definitely you."
I hear the turning of 2 or 3 locks before the door finally opens and he quickly pulls me in to a dark living room.
"Come on, according to Tony her parents are out of town so we have this hall place to ourselves."
We enter bed room that only has a bed, open window, Crow Hogan poster, and a wall that is composed completely of computers. Human wise the room contains Kai, some short skinny girl with an upside down round edged triangle facility mark on her right cheek; I assume this is Tony, Vanessa; I have no idea what she's doing here, and some old guy who looks like Santa Claus.
"What's going on here?" I ask.
"You tell me," Starts Tony, "First Red over here shows up and wants me to hack the most complicated computer network in the city, granted I've been looking for an excuse to do that for a while, but after we got in we somehow got shutdown and I've had to spend the past 9 hours trying to fix everything only to have these 2 clowns show up and claim that I broke them out and that you told them about me; you better have an explanation for all this!"
"I do, but first of all who's he?" I point to the old man sitting on the bed.
"Oh allow me to explain this one."
He begins with a thick Irish accent.
"My names Wilfred Aaronson, you already know my granddaughter."
Great now I'm even more confused.
"What exactly are you and your Granddaughter doing here?"
"Who do you think told her about Tony, yeah, I play cards with…"
"Yeah, yeah, yeah I get it; but what are you doing here?"
"I can explain that," Says Vanessa, it doesn't take much to see how these 2 are related.
"Naturally my parents are pissed at me over everything that happened, when my Grandpa came over to check up on me I told him everything."
"I take it he believed you," because god knows I wouldn't.
"Yup he told me how to find Tony and covered for me while I was gone."
"And in that time I called your school and asked for this Benigni guy who helped you and from what he told me you've definitely had some adventures in your day."
"Again how does all that equal you being here?"
"Well naturally I'm here once a week so I knew where to go, so when I was sure neither of Vanessa's parents was going to try and talk to her I came over here."
"Fine than, now is there anybody else coming or can we please figure out what's going on here." Says a clearly agitated Tony.
"No that should be everybody; Now Damon while we were escaping you started to tell me about something called "The Plan" now tell us what that is."
"I'm not sure, no one at school is quite sure either but Principal Ivanov talks about it a lot."
"How so?"
"Well according to her Arcadia boarding school is dedicated to people with super natural powers learning how to use dueling to control them-"
"Wait a minute did you just say Arcadia?" Asks Tony, Damon nods and with that Tony swings her chair around and starts working with her computer. In a matter of seconds the large screen shows an open file marked "Arcadia Movement 2020-2027". Upon clicking the file a Pandora's Box basically opens in front of us revealing articles, videos and pictures.
"Damon does any of this mean anything to you?"
Tony now seems happy after saying that. Damon looked closely at everything in front of him before staring at a picture of a man with large red hair, Topaz eyes, wearing a green suit and a large trench coat.
"I've seen this guy's picture before, in Ivanov's office; I think he's like her husband or something."
"Not likely." Starts Tony. "This man disappeared over 10 years ago."
"Than what does he have to do with any of this?" I ask.
"The man pictured here is called Divine."
"Divine?" Says a confused Kai.
"Divine, Sayer, no one knows his true name, well I'm sure the CIA knows."
"What does he have to do with Arcadia?" Asks Vanessa, considering that's what we're all thinking right now.
"This man started Arcadia only he called it The Arcadia Movement. He had people all over the world, each one with psychic powers trying to look for more people like them; you guys ever heard of the plant duelist Aki Fudo."
Everyone except Vanessa and the old man nod.
"Up until she showed up at the 2027 fortune cup she was The Arcadia Movement's top member. These guys had everything going for them and were close to starting their world takeover when their main headquarters in Neo Domino City collapsed under unknown circumstances, in fact the body's of Divine and most Arcadia movement members were never even located, I've always thought that the Japanese government took the body's and used the brains for experiments, but what if when The Arcadia Movement fell this Ivanov lady took over, moved Arcadia here and turned into a school so she'd have access to kids with psychic powers and not arouse as much suspicion!"
This girl's crazy.
"Now hold on a second," I begin, "Don't you think you're taking this a bit too far?"
"Are you crazy? Damon proves everything; we got a get his story on the internet now!"
"A couple of things, first of all Damon do you even have any psychic powers?"
"I don't know about psychic but a lot of times my deck talks to me, that's how I knew where to find it back in the facility."
"Which brings me to my first point; you want to put that on the internet." Obviously I'm pointing Damon.
"Why shouldn't I?"
"Because here's what he'd say, my school is planning something I don't know about, then I dueled a guy and the next day I woke up by a pretty girls swimming pull!"
"Chase."
Remarks Vanessa, I look over at her to see her blushing.
"You're the one who used the words pretty girl," Says Tony with a hint of laughter in her tone.
"Damon kept calling, it's not like I." Damn it why can't I complete a sentence? "Not important, what is important is that Damon's story sounds like complete bull shit."
"But it's the truth"
"Doesn't matter who'd believe it."
"Lots of people!"
"Damon if you didn't live it would you believe it?"
"Not really."
"Kai if you weren't involved would you believe any of this would you believe it?"
"I still can't believe any of this."
"Vanessa if you weren't involved in this would you believe it?"
"Alright I get it."
Good thing to, Vanessa probably would believe this.
"We have to do something," says Tony.
"I already thought of that, tomorrow morning I'm going to head back up state and wait for a chance to sneak into the school and I'll take care of this."
"What about me?" Asks Damon.
"Vanessa, Mr. Aaronson would you to mind hiding Damon for a little while?"
"Now hold on a sec," starts Vanessa, "you aren't actually considering doing this on your own are you?"
"Yup."
"How on earth is that a good idea?" Asks Kai.
"Last time I was there Ivanov threatened that if I dug any deeper she'd do something to Vanessa; if I do this alone she won't be able to hurt her."
"Wait a minute so you wanna go in alone to keep me safe."
"Actually I don't want anyone getting in my way but you can keep your idea why if you want."
"Chase you can't do this alone," says Kai.
"You want to help, this morning you told me that you try to keep your nose out of anyone's business except your own."
"And once word gets out that I'm out of the facility there will be some people after me, I'm sticking with you until my ass is safe."
"Suit yourself."
"Wait a minute 2 days ago he tried to make us bitch's, why does he get to go?" Asks a now annoyed Damon.
"Kai are you ok with the idea that you might be killed by ESP duelists?"
"If I stay here I'm going to get killed anyways, might as well go with the smaller chance."
"See that's why I'm willing to bring Kai with me he has nothing to lose."
"So does that mean you have nothing to lose to?" Asks Vanessa, I personally think that's self explanatory but for some reason that makes everyone quiet and there looking at me like they expect me to answer.
"Oh yeah I almost forgot that Benigni met me at a café before I got here and told me to give you this."
The old man pulls a small blue flash drive out of pocket and hands it to Tony. She puts it into her computer but the only thing on the screen is a tab that says password and below it the sentence
"Only Chase Can Solve The Riddle Of The Two Face."
"It's a riddle," Says Tony.
"So I take it we need a password," says Kai.
"I got it," Damon says as he jumps up, "Batman!"
"Where on earth did you get that from", asks Vanessa.
"Simple both 2 Face and the riddler are Batman villains plus Chase Duels Elemental Hero's and one of them is based off of Batman, although I can't remember which one, but either way it makes complete sense."
"It would," I start, "except Benigni doesn't know anything else accept conspiracy theories and history. Up until a week ago I only knew about the ladder."
"What ladder?"
"Damon forget it, the riddle has a historic answer and something I'd know."
Problem is I don't know the answer, but I'm not going to tell everyone else that.
"Wait a minute," oh shit Toni's about to start complaining again I just know it, "who put you in charge?"
"Nobody; but this is my problem and frankly Benigni doesn't know any of you."
"Yeah somebody knows you, big deal, what do you think this is ancient Rome, knowing somebody doesn't help you get in charge!"
Ancient Rome that's it!
"Type in Janus, J a n u s."
"Why Janus?"
"Simple every letter in the riddle is capitalized which means the answer has to involve something that begins with one of those letters, that's also why he put my name in there, Benigni thinks people want to kill him which means someone who stole this would imagine the password is something Benigni would remember like say the name of a student, but why stop there, Benigni takes everything to the extreme and he knows I know that so most likely it's not a student's name or any name for that matter but it still has to relate it to me so it's going to be about what were studying in class, ancient civilizations."
"But with all the other letters it could easily be the Ottomans, Chinese, Celts, Sumerians, or the Thracians?" Asks an apparently knowledgeable Vanessa.
"Simple no other ancient civilization has a 2 faced god. Janus he's the roman god of gates, doors, doorways, beginnings and endings and I bet none of you can guess what his most notable physical feature."
"2 faces," says Tony as she types Janus into her computer.
Holy crap, there's dozens of pictures popping up, each only containing a women who doesn't appear to know she's being photographed.
"Hey look its Principal Ivanov," says Damon.
"And that there that's former Mayor Tina Johnson," says the old man.
"This one over here looks like the judge at our trial," says Vanessa.
"I know this lady over here," starts Tony, "She's a Detective named Tate who arrested me a few months ago."
Toni's right one of the pictures is definitely Detective Tate but a lot of these women don't appear to have anything in common except that they all appear to be in their late 30's, other than that all of these pictures are different including the dates, the earliest ones appears to be from the early 1990's and newest one is from a month ago it makes no- oh my god.
"Guys the woman in every photo is the same person."
As unbelievable as it sounds everyone sees it to, the ultimate example of someone with 2 faces, well what appears to be 100 faces.
"This doesn't make any sense," Started Vanessa, "These pictures are almost 60 years apart but the woman in it looks exactly the same."
"I'm sure there's a reasonable explanation for all this." Says Kai.
"Your half right Mr. Rodriguez."
We all jumped and started looking in all directions only to find the voice having no visible owner.
"and as for you Ms. Aaronson I'll have you aware that my boss has been 40 for a very long time."
"Show yourself," I say; seriously what else could go wrong tonight!
"Wait a minute I know that voice," says Damon.
"Mortimer is that you?"
"Well if it isn't the school retard."
I don't believe this; right in the doorway there's a guy no older than us materializing from nothing.
"Well looks like you managed to screw everything up again." He says this to Damon but I can't possibly imagine someone like this knowing Damon; where Damon's street clothes include a short sleeved orange and white striped jacket with, I think a white t-shirt under that, green scarf and blue jeans this guy's in nothing but black, black shoes, jeans, denim jacket, long black hair that pretty much covers his eyes, although his shirt does have blood red on it, but as far as I'm concerned the only important thing is that he has an Arcadia School issued Duel Disk.
"Tell me Damon you were given one mission and one mission only and that was to keep Rhodes in one place long enough until we could figure out the best way to drain him of his shadow energy, how the hell were you able to screw that up!"
"I don't remember being told that!"
Mortimer, at first, looks puzzled but I think he knows what's going on here.
"Of course," he starts, "tell me has Damon told you all what his special power is?"
"He sees duel spirits," I say.
"That and our school studies show that Damon has the ability to erase people's memories."
This puts a shock on everybody's face including Damon's.
"This would be a great tool for our plans if it wasn't for the fact that the only memories Damon knows how to erase are his own!"
"Well that explains a lot, but tell me are you guys planning?"
"It's a miracle that Damon didn't erase that as well; either way I don't particularly feel like telling you that so I think I'll just kill you all instead."
"I'd like to see you try," said Kai.
Mortimer waves his hand and suddenly Kai starts staring at his arm with a look of shock on his face.
"My arm, my arm it's gone, my arm is gone!"
"Fascinating isn't it; my power is to essentially erase myself from being noticed by people, if I'm right in front of you can't see me, here me, smell me or even feel me. After a while I discovered a new ability."
He waves his hand again and Kai calms down however Kai's arm now appears num.
"My second power allows me to place a barrier around parts of a person, they don't turn invisible but instead there body believes that body part is now gone and that part of the body begins to shut down. However Chase you are to powerful to full for a trick like that so I've devised a little gamble."
He turns his gaze to Vanessa and waves his hand again but it doesn't look like anything's happening.
"You and I are going to duel. Through dueling your shadow energy will weaken, when you lose I will be able to turn you off, so to speak."
"And if I refuse?"
"Then I turn the Ginger girl off instead, but by all means say no and watch her die."
Oh shit this is what I was afraid of. "Very well than lets duel."
Chase
"First move goes to you," he says.
"All right than my draw!" I got to make this quick, I have a bad feeling there's more on the line here than just my ass.
"I summon Elemental Hero Voltic (ATK: 1000/DEF: 1500) in defense mode and set 1 card face down. Now make your move."
Mortimer
"Gladly I summon Phantom Beast Cross-Wing (ATK: 1300/DEF: 1300) in attack mode! Next I play the equip spell Axe of Despair giving Cross-Wing 1000 ATK points (1300-2300) Now attack phantom wing slash!"
His large gold bird struck down my hero and fell straight into my trap.
"I activate a trap card Hero Counterattack! Now select 1 card in my hand and if it's an Elemental Hero I can destroy your overgrown chicken and special summon that it, now make your choice!"
"I select the card on the far left."
"Excellent choice well for me anyways because now say goodbye to your chicken and hello to Elemental Hero Avian (ATK: 1000/DEF: 1000) in attack mode!"
In a way only a hero can Avian fly's down on the field and cuts his chicken in half.
"Not bad I set one card face down and end my turn!"
Chase
Alright I got rid of his monster and now I can get him with a direct attack.
"I summon Elemental Hero Lady Heat (ATK: 1300/DEF: 1000) in attack mode now Avian feather quill cascade and Lady Heat heat kick!" (4000-1700)
"Alright Chase another round like that and you win," I'd have to agree with Damon on this one.
"Oh no I'm done for, not! I activate a trap of my own, Apple of Frigg! Now because you attacked me directly I gain life points equal to the damage I took! (1700-4000) Also now I get a Wicked Spirit Token and his ATK and DEF points are equal to the damage I took (ATK: 2300/DEF: 2300)!
I don't believe this. "I place one card face down and end my turn. Also during my end phase you take 200 points of damage for each hero I control, heat flare!" (4000-3600)
Mortimer
"I draw and next I tribute my Wicked Spirit Token in order to summon Berfomet!"
Oh no I know this move and I played right into it.
"Now because I summoned Berfomet I can add Gazelle the King of Mythical Beasts straight to my hand."
"Wait a minute," starts Kai, "He isn't going to do what I think he's going to do is he!"
"Oh yes I am; I play polymerization allowing me to fuse my Berfomet and Gazielle in order to summon Chimera the Flying Mythical Beast (ATK: 2100/DEF: 1800) in attack mode and thanks to the fact that Phantom Beast Cross-Wing is in the graveyard all Phantom Beast monsters gain 300 ATK points and guess what kind of a monster Chimera is treated as!" (2100-2400)
One of Yugi Moto's oldest strategies and thanks to me this guy just pulled it off.
"Now Chimera destroy his Avian, phantom fang!"
This isn't good; Chimera is too fast for Avian to fly away from. (4000-2600
"Oh yeah, I may have left something out when I explained our wager."
What does he mean by- "Vanessa!" everyone yells this at once. I don't know why but she's on the ground, wait a minute this guy said before that when he tries to use his power on someone else that person, oh no.
"My legs," Vanessa starts, "my legs are gone," she says with a voice full of fear."
Next Time: "Elemental Heros vs. Phantom Beasts
"I admit your friend has a strong will but she can't hold my powers back forever and with no cards in your hand or on your side of the field I don't think we'll have to wait long at all."