Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's, and the character of Raven is the creation of sammycrusinix.
Chapter 17: Something To Fight For
"You're true power, eh?" Ushio chuckled. "Fine. I'd like to see that. Defeat me with the so-called power of yours."
"You asked for it! I activate the effect of Hundred Eyes Dragon!" Kiryu announced. "By banishing Infernity Archer from my Graveyard, Hundred Eyes Dragon gains its effect to attack directly until the end of the turn!"
Appearing on the field was the ghostly form of a large archer covered in black armor. It was quickly sucked into the central eye on the chest of Kiryu's dragon.
"Hundred Eyes Dragon, attack him directly!" Kiryu demanded. "Infinity Sight Stream!"
The dark dragon reared back its head and blasted Ushio with a stream of purple light. But just before the attack could hit, a small light-blue spider with very long silver legs appeared in front of the blast. The spider sucked in the energy and its skull-marked abdomen grew to five times its original size.
"What just happened?" a surprised Kiryu wondered.
"Because you attacked me directly, I was able to summon Skull Spider-Damage Sucker to negate the attack." Ushio explained. "Furthermore, Damage Sucker's ATK becomes equal to the damage I would've taken. Which means right now its ATK is equal to your dragon's!"
"Damn!" Kiryu cursed. "I end my turn."
"This is what you get for recklessly rushing in." Ushio remarked as he drew his card. "You made the same mistake as Crow when he faced me in Satellite. So eager to strike me down that you don't take the time to think that perhaps I've set a trap. Ah, to be young and hot-blooded again."
"Just make your move!" Kiryu told him.
"Very well." Ushio replied. "I summon the Tuner monster, Skull Spider-Resonance Weaver!" The skull-marked black and orange tarantula materialized on the battlefield. "I now activate Resonance Weaver's effect and raise its level from two to three! Now I tune the level three Resonance Weaver into the level one Damage Sucker and level four Savage Wolf for a level eight Synchro Summon!"
Resonance Weaver changed into three rings of purple light that encircled the other two spiders. Savage Wolf and Damage Sucker quickly transformed into five balls of crackling black energy.
"The threads of darkness shall be woven together to create the web of pain! Take witness to the ascension of its solitary ruler!" Skeleton Knight chanted. "Synchro Summon! The queen of pain and death, Skull Spider Queen-Black Widow!"
The dark lights exploded into a massive pillar of black energy. The energy quickly dissipated to reveal the six-armed raven-haired spider queen that Kiryu had fought the last time he had dueled the Skeleton Knight controlled Bandit.
"I now activate Black Widow's effect and change Hundred Eyes Dragon to Defense Mode!" Ushio announced. The spider queen snared Kiryu's dragon with her webs and pulled it off its feet. "Black Widow, destroy Hundred Eyes Dragon! Web of Pain!"
Black Widow electrocuted the dragon with crackling black energy from the webs that still bound it. In moments Hundred Eyes Dragon shattered to bits.
"I'm sure you remember that when Black Widow destroys a monster in battle, she deals damage equal to half that monster's DEF." Ushio reminded him.
The spider queen struck Kiryu with a silken whip from her upper right wrist. The lash reduced his life points to 950. At the same time, a card popped out near the bottom of Kiryu's deck.
"Since Hundred Eyes Dragon was just destroyed, I can add Earthbound Immortal Ccapac Apu to my hand." Kiryu calmly announced as he took the card.
"I'll set a card on the field and end my turn." Ushio announced. "You seem more accepting of your Earthbound Immortal. Perhaps you've finally realized how easier things will be for you once you give into its power."
"I'll never give into the darkness of my Immortal, and certainly not to you!" Kiryu declared.
"Come now, Kiryu. It'd be much easier on everyone if you just cooperated." Ushio told him. "Believe it or not, you have a promising place in the new world order."
"What are you talking about?" Kiryu asked.
"You and your friends already know part of what's going on from the Infinity Triad, or rather Aporia." Ushio reminded him. "The one called Z-one is planning to destroy this city and all who live here in order to prevent the human race from being destroyed. But we have found a better way."
"We? So you really are working with Goodwin!" Kiryu quickly realized.
"Very good. I knew you and the others would figure that out." Ushio grinned. "Rex and I plan to eliminate Z-one and guide the human race to a more perfect future, one where everyone will play a role."
"And just what role do you have planned for me in this grand plan of yours?" Kiryu asked.
"You would be an enforcer, one who would eradicate any disorder that may lurk." Ushio answered. "It is the life that you always wanted! I've kept my eye on you for a long time, Kiryu. I know that you live to fight others in order to satisfy a need for battle. I'm offering you a place where you can fulfill that need. All you need to do is give in to the power fate has given you."
"…There was a time when what you said was true." Kiryu admitted. "Back when I ran Team Satisfaction, I lived to fight the other Duel Gangs just for the thrill. Because that thrill filled a void that was inside me. But now I'm fighting for something else much bigger than that! I'm fighting for my friends!"
Suddenly the mark on Kiryu's arm began to glow, and the top card of his deck glowed with a blue light. As it was his turn, Kiryu drew the card from his deck. The light quickly faded to reveal a card he had never seen before, but he knew that it was just the card he was waiting for.
"I summon the Tuner monster, Spirit Cleanser Fiend Exorcist!" Kiryu announced.
Materializing on the track was a small semi-humanoid figure clad in blue robes. The only part of its face that was visible was a pair of large round yellow eyes. Atop its head was a simple silver helmet with a small spike on top and a blue cloth hanging down around the sides. On the front of its chest it wore a silver plate of armor.
"When Fiend Exorcist is summoned to the field, I can Special Summon Earthbound Immortal Ccapac Apu!" Kiryu announced. A column of blue light erupted from the ground and faded to reveal Kiryu's shadowy giant. "I now tune the level two Fiend Exorcist into the level ten Ccapac Apu for a level twelve Synchro Summon!"
The eyes of Fiend Exorcist flashed before it turned into two large rings of white light. The rings encircled Ccapac Apu and closed in around the giant. Once the rings entered Ccapac Apu's body, it began to glow with a brilliant white light.
"A holy resonance reverberates through the land! Its power casts away the darkness to reveal the light within!" Kiryu chanted. "Synchro Summon! Reveal yourself, Earthbound Guardian Ccapac Apu!"
After a blinding flash, Ccapac Apu had turned white and had taken a more muscular and benevolent appearance. Its head had gained an actual neck and a broad chin. Its face had a single large eye consisting of a blue circle around a small blue dot.
"What… what on earth is this?" a shocked Ushio demanded to know.
"This is the form Ccapac Apu had before he was corrupted by darkness!" Kiryu explained. "And now I use his effect on Black Widow!"
Blue lights began to fly out of the spider queen, causing her to bend down and grasp her neck with her right upper hand. The lights flew up into the center of Ccapac Apu's eye.
"What have you done?" Ushio demanded to know.
"In his guardian form, Ccapac Apu can negate the effects of an opponent's monster until the end of the turn." Kiryu revealed. "Not only that, Ccapac Apu gains half the ATK of the monster this effect was used on, meaning its ATK has gone up from 3500 to 4900!"
"What!" Ushio exclaimed.
"That's not all." Kiryu continued as he pointed his thumb at the giant. "Take a look at Ccapac Apu."
Ushio looked and saw Fiend Exorcist sitting inside the semi-transparent torso of Ccapac Apu. "What is that creature doing inside the giant?"
"Because Fiend Exorcist was used to summon Ccapac Apu's guardian form, Ccapac Apu gains another effect." Kiryu revealed. "When Ccapac Apu destroys a monster in battle, it deals damage equal to that monster's ATK!"
"But then that would mean…" Ushio quickly realized.
"This duel is over!" Kiryu finished. "Ccapac Apu, destroy Black Widow! Guardian Fist!"
Just as Ccapac Apu raised his fist to attack, Ushio grinned. "I'm afraid this duel won't end the way you think! I activate my Trap, Mirror Force!" But just as he pressed the button to activate the card, nothing happened. "What!"
"Sorry, but when Ccapac Apu attacks, my opponent can't activate Spell or Trap cards until after the battle." Kiryu revealed.
The giant's fist made contact, shattering Black Widow to pieces. The force of the impact sent Ushio and his D-Wheel flying backwards and caused his life points to drop straight to zero. With the duel over, Ccapac Apu vanished and the landscape returned to normal. Kiryu turned his D-Wheel and pulled up in front of the fallen Security officer.
"I don't know if you can still hear me, Skeleton Knight. But if you can, I want you to know one thing." Kiryu told him. "That role you had planned for me in that new world of yours… would never satisfy me."
Just then Mikage pulled up in her car and got out. "What on earth is going on here?"
Ushio groaned and slowly sat up as he rubbed his head. His eyes had returned to normal. "What the hell happened?"
"Ms. Mikage, please look after this man while I go back and help Yusei." Kiryu requested before quickly driving off.
"Hey, wait!" Mikage called after him, but there was no use. She sighed and went over to tend to Ushio. "Are you okay officer?"
Ushio looked at Mikage and blushed. "Uh… yeah, I think so. I've got kind of a headache, but other than that I think I'm okay."
"C'mon, I'll take you to a hospital." Mikage decided as she helped Ushio to his feet. "I'll call someone to come get your D-Wheel."
"Okay, sure." Ushio agreed. "So… what was your name again?"
Crow and Raven waited by the front gates of the Goodwin mansion with Bruno, Leo, and Luna. At long last, Yusei and the others finally arrived.
"Took you guys long enough." Crow told them. "Looks like you were able to get Jack to come with after all."
"I'm here because Satellite is in danger and that's it." Jack told Crow.
"Whatever." Crow replied with a roll of his eyes.
"Hey, where's Kiryu?" Luna asked after noticing the former Team satisfaction leader's absence.
"The Skeleton Knight sent one of his mind-controlled goons after us." Sect explained. "Kiryu's taking care of him right now."
"Who's this girl that came with you guys?" Leo inquired.
"Hi, I'm Carly." The reporter greeted.
"Wait a minute. Is this the same girl who tried to kill that TV reporter and that other dude last night?" Crow suddenly realized.
"Oh yeah, sorry 'bout that. I wasn't really myself last night." Carly explained as she nervously rubbed the back of her head.
"Let's just get this over with!" Jack told them.
"Good idea." Yusei agreed. "Crow, can you pick the lock to the gate?"
"Already done." Crow answered as he tapped the gate with the back of his hand, causing it to swing open. "What do you think I was doing while we were waiting for you guys? Of course it only took me five minutes."
With the gate open, the group rode into the courtyard towards the mansion. But before they could reach the house, the ground suddenly shook. The sky above darkened and shooting out of the ground near by was what looked like a large Mayan pyramid. The earth became still again once the pyramid fully emerged.
"Jack, do you know anything about this?" Yusei asked.
"This pyramid is new to me." Jack answered.
"Welcome everyone." A familiar voice greeted. Everyone turned to see Rex near the pyramid riding a black version of Jack's D-Wheel. He had on a white riding suit with a black helmet and scarf. "I've been expecting your arrival."
"What are you up to, Goodwin?" Yusei demanded to know.
"All in good time, Yusei." Rex replied. "There's still one more person that we have to wait for. And he should be here at any moment."
Just then, everyone could hear a galloping sound approaching. They looked to see the Skeleton Knight ride past them on his steed and pull up next to Rex.
"So you and the Skeleton Knight really have been working together this whole time!" Yusei realized.
"I believe some proper introductions are in order." Rex decided. "Everyone, I'd like you all to meet my brother, Rudger Goodwin."
With that, the knight pulled off his helmet, along with the skull that was supposedly his face. His true face was that of a man who looked a bit like Rex, with tanned skin and spiked white hair. On his cheeks were long red tribal markings.
"Hello Yusei." Rudger greeted. "It seems that the time has come for you to learn the truth about what's really going on here. And about what really happened to your father."
Author's Note: Well, we're getting pretty close to the climax of this story. I know, kind of soon compared to how long Stardust and Roses was. But it just sort of worked out that way.
Please review and let me know what you think.