Author's Note: I'm not really having the best week so far, and it doesn't look like it's going to get better anytime soon. So I'm not sure when the next update is going to be this week. Heck, I almost didn't get this chapter up today. Anyway, the opening scene for this chapter is one that I've had envisioned for this story for quite some time, but I'm still not really sure about it. So I hope everyone keeps an open mind.
Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's, and the character of Raven is the creation of sammycrusinix.
Chapter 16: The Darkness Moves
Carly was busy preparing a large if not somewhat meager breakfast. Her hair was a little messed up, and the only thing she had on besides her glasses and an oversized black sweatshirt that went down past her waist was a large grin. There were parts of the previous night after her duel with the Skeleton Knight that were a total blank to Carly. She remembered the Fortune Fairies evolving and dueling Jack. And of course what she and Jack ended up doing when they ended up back at her apartment. Beyond that though, she recalled nothing. And quite frankly, Carly didn't care at the moment. Though there was one question that had been nagging at her since she woke up.
"Good morning." A very familiar voice greeted. Carly turned to see Jack walking into the room wearing his usual pair of pants and a white buttoned up shirt that was a bit open in the front.
"Oh, good morning." Carly greeted back. As Jack sat down at the table, Carly noticed what looked like red scratch marks on Jack's chest peaking through the shirt. "Uh, I guess things got a little rough last night."
"Don't be." Jack told her with a small smirk as he took a sip from the cup of coffee Carly had set out for him.
Carly sat down at the table near Jack. "So… where exactly do we stand?"
"What do you mean?" Jack asked.
"I mean… was last night it, or is there something more?" Carly explained.
Jack put down his cup and looked Carly straight in the eye. "I've never met any girl like you before. And while I don't know where any of this is going either, I am sure of one thing." He suddenly pulled Carly in closer. "I really am in love with you."
"Oh Jack." Carly smiled as her face went red. Just as the two of them were about to kiss, a loud knock came at the door. Carly scowled. "I'll get it." She walked over and opened the door. Sanding on the other side was Mikage with her arms crossed. "Oh god, not you again!"
Mikage stormed past Carl into the room. Yusei, Aki, Sect, Kiryu, and Greiger followed close behind.
An amused smirk came to Jack's face as he saw them walk in. "Well Yusei, I certainly never expected you to find me here. I'm guessing Mikkage brought you with."
"Jack, we need your help." Yusei began seriously.
"Dude, are those scratch marks?" Sect asked, noticing the marks on Jack's chest.
"So what if they are?" Jack asked indifferently.
"Were you in a fight or something?" Kiryu asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Something." Jack smirked.
Carly walked back over, wrapped her arms around Jack's shoulders, and kissed him on the cheek. Suddenly the implication of what happened to Jack the previous night became clear. Yusei and Aki exchanged somewhat wide-eyed looks.
"So… does that mean the two of you…?" a shocked Mikage began to ask.
"What does it look like?" Carly replied with a triumphant grin.
"Can, uh… can I use your bathroom?" Mikage requested on the verge of tears. Carly pointed her thumb in the direction of where the room was. "Thank you."
Mikage walked into the bathroom as quickly as she could and locked the door behind her. Just as Yusei opened his mouth to speak, loud sobbing suddenly came from the room. It stopped for a moment, only to start up again a moment later. The sobbing went on for what seemed like five minutes before it finally stopped.
"What the bloody hell is wrong with her?" Jack wondered.
"Are you really that clueless?" Aki asked.
"Look Jack, there is something you should know about Carly." Kiryu cut in. "She's connected to a very dark power, and Earthbound Immortal. And if that power goes out of control, she'll be consumed by it."
"Last night she ended up tying two people to a crane and was preparing to kill them." Yusei added.
"Oh, is that what I did last night?" Carly tried to recall. "You know I do remember something about breaking up Angela's date, now that I think about it."
"I already know about all that." Jack informed the group. "You don't have to worry about Carly, believe me."
"It does look like she's in control." Greiger admitted.
"Look Jack, this stuff with Carly aside, we could really use your help right now." Yusei told him. "Goodwin is planning to destroy Satellite."
"Yeah, and he could be working with that jerk, the Skeleton Knight too!" Sect added.
"Wait, the Skeleton Knight?" Carly asked.
"Have you heard of him?" Yusei asked.
Carly's expression turned serious as she removed her glasses. "I'm going with you guys. Give me a few minutes to get changed."
As Carly walked out of the room, Mikage emerged from the bathroom. Her eyes were red and bloodshot. "Um, if anyone doesn't need me, I'll… be heading home now."
"You okay?" Aki asked.
"Yeah, I'll be fine." Mikage replied. "I'm just going to go lie down, rethink my life… maybe clean out all the ice cream in my freezer. Goodbye."
After Mikage exited the apartment, Yusei turned back to Jack. "Jack, we could really use your help right now. Goodwin is planning to destroy Satellite."
"Why on earth does Goodwin want to do that?" Jack asked.
"I don't know. All we know for sure is that he's planning to reactivate the old Momentum Reactor." Yusei explained. "If that happens, everything on Satellite will be destroyed, including the orphanage where we grew up."
After a moment, Jack finally stood up from his chair. "Fine, I'll help you. I've got a few things to settle with Goodwin anyway."
It was proving to be another dull patrol for security officer, Tetsu Ushio. Crime seemed to be at an all time low. Even litterbugs were scarce. It was at times like these that Ushio missed his old beat in Satellite. Sure the city was safer, but Satellite was where all the action was. Back there, Ushio would usually bust a person at least once a day. He cursed that city council and the Infinity Triad had decided to use an automated security force in Satellite. Meanwhile the human security force had all been transferred to the city.
Still, his beat in Neo Domino wasn't too bad. The only thing that had been bothering him recently was the city's new champion. Ushio didn't care that Yusei was the long lost son of the man who invented the Momentum Recator, or that his girlfriend was the daughter of some dead senator. All Ushio knew was that Yusei was from Satellite, and that he was marked. Which meant nothing but bad news. He didn't know what kind of trick this Yusei kid pulled to get into the city and duel Jack, but he was going to try and keep an eye on him. Ushio was sure it was only a matter of time before Yusei did something illegal, and he would be there to bust him when he did.
As Ushio turned the corner down an alley, a cold fog suddenly rolled in. It was a strange fog, especially since before there hadn't even been a cloud in the sky. As Ushio brought his D-Wheel to a stop, the fog cleared somewhat to reveal the Skeleton Knight sitting atop his undead steed.
"What the hell?" Ushio exclaimed.
"Good day, officer." The Skeleton Knight greeted. "I was wondering if you could give me some assistance."
"I don't know who or what the hell you are, but you look suspicious! Get off the horse now!" Ushio ordered.
"Please officer, there's no need to get anxious." The Skeleton Knight assured him.
Unbeknownst to Ushio, a small black spider dangled down from a silk thread and headed straight for the back of Ushio's neck. In moments the spider landed and bit down hard. Afterwards, Ushio's mind went blank and his arms went limp.
"Now then, my puppet. Let's get to work." Skeleton Knight decided.
Yusei and the others headed straight for the Goodwin mansion on their D-Wheels. Carly had dressed in the same black outfit she had worn last night. As they neared the intersection, Yusei saw a Security D-Wheel heading towards them with its siren blazing. The rider was a muscular man with a large vertical scar on his cheek.
"Damn!" Yusei cursed. "Looks like we have to pull over."
"Wait a minute!" Kiryu told him. "Something's wrong. I think that might be the Skeleton Knight."
"What? Are you sure?" Yusei asked.
"Yeah, I can sense the dark energy coming from him." Kiryu replied. "He's probably using that officer like a puppet, just like he did with Bandit."
Yusei looked closer as the guard came nearer. His eyes were black with purple irises, and a purple spider-shaped mark was burning on his arm.
"Hello Yusei. It's been a while." The Skeleton Knight greeted through Ushio as he pulled up to ride alongside them. "Don't worry, I'm not here to kill you. But I'm afraid I can't let you and your friends proceed any further."
"Yusei! Let me handle this!" Kiryu requested. "You and the others just worry about getting to Goodwin's!"
"Are you sure?" Yusei asked.
"Don't worry, I'll be fine." Kiryu assured him. "Besides, it's time I put what I learned from Greiger into practice."
"Okay, be careful." Yusei agreed.
"Good luck Kiryu." Greiger told him.
"Thanks." Kiryu nodded. "Okay Skeleton Knight, let's do this!"
"If you insist." Ushio grinned.
The two of them broke off from the rest of the group as they neared the intersection. Yusei and the others continued towards the Goodwin mansion, while Kiryu and Ushio headed onto the highway. Kiryu made it onto the highway first.
"Track Field, activate! Infernity Wasteland!" Kiryu called out. The city immediately transformed into a vast desert under a burning sun. "I summon Infernity Archfiend in Defense Mode!" Kiryu's redheaded grey demon in blue robes materialized on the battlefield. "Next I activate the Continuous Spell, Wave-Motion Inferno! By sending Wave-Motion Inferno to the Graveyard, I can discard my entire hand!" The large Spell card that Kiryu played shattered as soon as it appeared. "That ends my turn!"
"Impressive first move." Ushio remarked as he drew his first card. "I summon Skull Spider-Savage Wolf in Attack Mode!" The Skeleton Knight's large grey wolf spider appeared on the battlefield. "Savage Wolf, attack Infernity Archfiend! Predatory Fang!"
Savage Wolf jumped in and tackled Kiryu's demon to the ground. With a bite of the spider's fangs, Infernity Archfiend shattered into bits of light.
"I'm sure you remember Savage Wolf's effect from our last duel." Ushio grinned. "When it destroys a monster in Defense Mode, it deals damage equal to that monster's ATK!"
On cue, Savage Wolf Sprayed Kiryu with a green acid from its mouth. The strike dropped Kiryu's life points from 4000 to 2200.
"Because you destroyed Infernity Archfiend in battle, I'm able to summon Infernity Avenger from the Graveyard!" Kiryu announced.
Appearing alongside Kiryu was a creature that looked like a sort of scarecrow. It had a single white head with red eyes and a large mouth in place of a torso. Atop that head was a tattered black hat. In each hand it held onto a large pistol.
"Infernity Avenger's level increases by the level of the monster that was destroyed." Kiryu revealed. "Which means his level goes up from one to five."
"Very well. I'll end my turn there." Ushio announced.
"I activate the effect of Infernity Wasteland and add an Infernity monster to my hand instead of conducting my normal draw!" Kiryu announced. "Next I summon Infernity Knight!" Kiryu's black knight appeared next to Infernity Avenger. "I now tune the level five Infernity Avenger into the level three Infernity Knight for a level eight Synchro Summon!"
Infernity Avenger fired his pistols into the air before turning into five rings of green light. The rings encircled Infernity Knight and changed him into three balls of white light.
"When the curtain of darkness descends down, the eyes of the underworld will open! Swoop down, darkness!" Kiryu chanted. "Synchro Summon! Show yourself, Hundred Eyes Dragon!"
The lights flashed and erupted into a pillar of black energy. The energy soon faded to reveal Kiryu's eye-covered dragon of the underworld.
"Not exactly what I was expecting." Ushio remarked. "After last time, I would've thought you'd play it safe and summon Void Ogre Dragon."
"I don't need to play it safe!" Kiryu declared. "I don't know what kind of game it is you've been trying to play with me, but before this duel's over, I'll show you my real power!"
Author's Note: Out of all the duels I've written, both for this trilogy and a couple of other Yu-Gi-Oh! related stories I've worked on, Kiryu's duels have been the hardest to write. It's been a challenge figuring out how he's going to empty his hand in the first few turns. Anyway, I hope I didn't go too far in the first scene with the implication of what went on between Jack and Carly. If I did, it's easily edited.
Please review and let me know what you think.