Before I get started on this chapter, for those of you who scrutinized the Duel in the last chapter, I forgot about the Extra Monster Zone rule when writing it. It was the very first time I've written in a full Duel, so thank you for pointing that out. I also fixed the Linkuriboh typo. I'll try to do better in the future as well. Also, Naito Writer's cooking something up as well. I hope you enjoy it and this chapter.

The New Partnership

At the Fountain Plaza, Kolter got finished with serving his latest customer. He saw that the sun was about to set, so he was going to close up shop and head back to the garage. He closed the window, drew back the awning, and retracted the ledge before heading out the back and into the driver's seat. He saw Yusaku approaching but was also shocked to see Skye with him. Naturally, he got in the seat, put on a hat that covered his eyes, and waited for the two to pass. "It's okay, Kolter," Yusaku said. "Skye knows."

"Man, I hate when this disguise fails," said the oldest of the three, who took off his hat. "So, you told her everything, huh? You must really trust her."

"I figured out when Yusaku Dueled earlier to get this punk off our backs," said Skye.

"You…Yusaku!"

"Don't worry, Mr. Kolter. He was disguised."

"Had the hoodie, the voice filter, and a different Duel Disk," Yusaku said. "We're covered."

"You know, you worry me sometimes," said Kolter, prompting Yusaku and Skye to look at each other and laugh. "Just get in the truck." The two teenagers did as they were told. Once they were in, Kolter took off to the garage. "Okay, so you figured out that Yusaku and Playmaker were the same person, right, Skye?"

"Correct," Skye answered.

"You should've seen the look in her eyes," Ai said. "You can tell that there's a spark between the two."

"I knew having you off mute was a bad idea," said Yusaku, who put him back on mute while he and Skye were blushing. "Hey, Kolter, can you stop by the Starlight Hotel? It's where Skye's staying, and I don't want her seeing Blister's place."

"What's wrong with me staying with you guys? Is it because you're scared to have a woman in the group?" Skye asked, mainly teasing Yusaku.

"No. Instead, there are three reasons why I don't want you to see this hideout: 1) You're a woman who's been shaped by the tragedy you and your brother suffered ten years ago. You deserve to have the best accommodations; 2) Zaizen would kill me if he found out you and I slept in the same room, even if we didn't get involved; and 3) We have roaches and the couches are quite musty. Blister didn't bother to upgrade his furniture before moving to set up shop in the Satellite."

"Oh. So, you're thinking of my well-being?"

"That's correct."

"We're here," Kolter said. "Are you sure you don't want to spend the night with her, Yusaku?" The cook's comment only got a glare from the two teenagers. "Okay, okay. Before she gets out of the truck, though, what was that picture you wanted to show me?"

"Oh right." Yusaku got his phone out and showed Kolter and Skye the picture of the Stardust Dragon statue. Kolter whistled at it.

"I don't know who designed this, but he did a bang-up job. Those guys at SOL Tech can't make a statue in Link VRAINS that great. No offense."

"None taken, Mr. Kolter," Skye said.

"It was designed by a junk sculptor named Mr. Bashford," Yusaku said. "According to Yusei's foster mother Martha, he designed that after Yusei and Crow Hogan convinced him to move into Martha's place. Of course, Crow had to beat him in a Duel first, one that Yusei, Jack Atlas, and apparently Blister watched."

"Awesome," said Kolter. Yusaku got out and helped Skye out of the truck. He stood and watched her go into the hotel, sharing a smile with her as well. When she went inside, Yusaku turned around and saw Ai and Kolter with a teasing look on their faces.

"Not one word out of you two."

"~Yusaku and Skye, sitting in a tree…~" Ai began, getting on Yusaku's nerves.

"~…K-I-S-S-I-N-G~" Kolter finished.

"Should I tell Ai about your little discussion with Emma, Kolter?" Yusaku said, getting the older to can it. "It seemed to me like you two were having a blast discussing hot dogs."

"Sorry, bud. She's not my type. I like girls who actually know what a sandwich is." Yusaku smirked and got back in the truck.

Meanwhile, in a part of the Satellite, Blister was heading towards an abandoned subway tunnel. He checked to make sure he wasn't being followed before heading downstairs. He came across a group of people that he wanted to meet there. One had blue hair, a pair of glasses, a white shirt, green vest, and a pair of khakis. Another had light brown hair in a blue bandanna, a green shirt within a blue shirt, and a pair of blue jeans. A third one had brown hair, a green T-shirt, a brown vest, and black jeans. He was also overweight. As for the fourth one, he had red hair, a black shirt, blue jeans, and a brown vest, as well as a small mark on his face. "Good to see you guys are still here," Blister said.

"Hey, Blister," the fat one said.

"How's it going, man?" asked the one in the bandanna.

"I've been well," the hacker answered. "It looks like Rally grew and got a haircut."

"Well, I was long overdue," said the redhead. "So, what brings you here?"

"I don't suppose you heard, have you?"

"Heard what?" the blue-haired one asked. "Wait, you mean Yusei?"

"Ah, so you do know. That's good. I won't have to explain the full story then. Yusei sent a coded message that managed to attract attention from Den City. A contact of mine from there is here and he brought a friend who's been asking around about him. If there's any way you can help him, do it. We need Yusei back."

"Of course," said the one in the bandanna. "We'll help in any way we can."

"Well, you can start by cleaning up the place," said a female voice. Blister shone his flashlight and saw Emma standing nearby. "I know this isn't where you're set up, Blister."

"Nope," said Blister. "Afraid not. I didn't even know you were here, Emma."

"I pulled in last night. So, you guys must be Yusei's friends. You could clean the place up a bit. Have some better lighting at least."

"Sorry, but I'm afraid they patched up our skylight," the fat one said. "We're almost done with the roach problem, though."

"Guys, this is Emma Bessho," Blister said, introducing them to the girl. "Emma, these are Yusei Fudo's friends. The one with the glasses is Nervin, the one with the bandanna is Blitz Boylston, the fat one is Tank, and the one with the mark is Rally Dawson. Emma's from Den City, but she's not the contact I was talking about."

"About that contact," Emma said. "Is he a hacker who runs a food truck in the Den City Plaza?"

"Normally, yes. Pretty skilled too."

"Better than you?"

"I wouldn't go that far. He does have a friend with him as well. From what I've seen, this kid's pretty bright. He managed to get away from some thugs after knocking them out."

"Hold on, Blister. Does this kid have blue hair with pink highlights and stand about yay tall?" Emma asked, using her hand to figure his height.

"Yep."

"Yusaku. That means that Kolter's here too. What are they doing here?"

"Obviously, they're looking for Yusei just like us, and most likely for the same reason."

"Then we had better help Yusaku out," Rally said, determined to meet the secret hero. "Where can we find him?"

"I brought a little friend with me who happens to like him. For obvious reasons, her brother has expressly forbidden her from coming to the Satellite. Chances are, she had a reunion with him. If anyone knows where he and Kolter are, it's her."

"Well then, it sounds like you better meet up with her," Blister said.

"I was going to. I had to look for you first. Later." After she left, the guys got back to talking.

"She's cute, but she's got quite an attitude," said Blitz.

"Yeah well, she might be one of the reasons we find Yusei," Blister responded. "I have to get back to Martha's place and check and see how Kolter's doing. You guys go see what you can find to help Yusaku, got it?"

"Roger that."

Meanwhile, at the Starlight Hotel, Skye was getting ready for bed. After the exciting day she had, she needed the rest. The downside was that Yusaku wasn't with her, but they both knew that Akira wouldn't be too happy if he was. She checked her messages and got one from Yusaku wishing her a good night's rest, to which she responded in kind. She decided that it was about time she checked in with Akira, so she gave him a call. "Hello, Skye," he greeted warmly, happy that his sister was alright. "I'm glad to see you're still alright."

"Of course I am," she said. "Emma's a good partner to have, even if we did split up."

"You two split up? I take it she went to the Satellite sector then?"

"That's right. I was told not to go there. I did get a contact, though. A reporter by the name of Carly Carmine agreed to let me know if she found anything. After Emma and I split up, I wasn't alone for long. Yusaku managed to get me away from a mugger."

"What!? Yusaku is there!?"

"Not so loud, Akira," Skye said, mildly teasing her brother. "You don't want your bosses finding out about Yusaku, now do you?"

"Very funny, Skye," said the older Zaizen. "I don't know what Yusaku is doing in New Domino City, but I must look at it as a blessing. Form a partnership with him and use that to find Yusei."

"Already formed, but it's not just a partnership. Yusaku and I already trust each other, so we'll have each other's backs. Of course, if he goes to the Satellite, I'll have to stay at the hotel or at the Café Nom with Mr. Kolter."

"That sounds like a plan. If Emma finds out that Yusaku is there, then both teams will need to form a partnership. The more people we have to look for Yusei, the better."

"Just what I was thinking."

"That's good. Anyway, get your sleep, Skye. You need it if you and Yusaku are to continue your search tomorrow."

"Got it. Goodnight, Akira."

"Goodnight." After they hung up, Skye was about to head to bed before she heard a knock on the door. She looked through the peephole and saw Emma waving at her, so she opened the door.

"Hey, Emma. What did you find?"

"I happened to have found Yusei's friends at his old hideout while looking for an associate of mine and apparently Kolter's," the older girl answered. "But enough about that. Why didn't you call and tell me that Yusaku was here?"

"Because I didn't know until he got off the bus that came from the Satellite. Yusaku saved me from a mugger earlier today and I couldn't be more grateful. His friend Mr. Kolter is here as well."

"Trust me, I know. Kolter and I have a common contact in a man named Blister, who apparently met Yusaku himself. So, where is Yusaku? I thought with you two dating, he'd be sleeping with you."

"As if I'd give you the satisfaction of knowing my sex life if I had one. We're not dating. We formed a partnership based on the trust we already established with each other. It's to find Yusei and bring him back to Domino City."

"Keep telling yourself that. You like him."

"Just go back to your room," Skye ordered, shoving Emma out the door.

"I'm just saying!" Emma exclaimed. "Don't be surprised if Yusaku shows up at your door with flowers in his hand!"

"Go to sleep, Emma!"

"Sheesh. Can't take a joke, can she?"

At Blister's hideout, Kolter was looking on the computer for more information on Yusei and Team 5D's. Naturally, he needed this to narrow the search, but so far, he didn't know where he could find any beyond what they already know. He then got an idea that he would need Yusaku's help for, so he looked at the couch, but couldn't find his teammate there. The only thing there was his Duel Disk, which Ai popped out of. "Hey, where'd he run off to?" Kolter asked.

"He stepped out," Ai said. "I know Yusaku is, well, Yusaku, but he could've brought me along at least."

"I think that's why he stepped out. Something's on his mind."

"It might begin with an 'S' and end with an 'e', if you catch my drift."

"Good one. There might be hope for him yet."

"Thank you. I'm here all week."

On the rooftop, Yusaku decided to get some fresh air. It was dark out now, so that means that the crazy ones were out and about. He took a deep breath and looked up in the sky. He saw several stars, an unusual sight for a large city. He took a closer look and found himself in awe. A formation of stars formed what looked like the head of a dragon. Another formation took the form of the Millennium Symbol from Ancient Egypt. Soon, it was clear to Yusaku that Domino City was home to legends…and he was standing in the middle of it. When he thought about it, it made him feel insignificant.

It was overwhelming to him that he felt like it could be fate that the stars were out. "I knew Yusei and Yugi were born here. I had no idea that I'd be overwhelmed by a cluster of stars in the sky, though," he said to himself.

"…Yusaku…" a bold voice said, getting Yusaku's attention. He looked and saw that he was in a dark room with stars surrounding him. A figure appeared behind him, having magenta hair pointing in five directions with several blonde bangs, five of them lining up with the magenta. He had purple squared eyes, a black shirt, blue pants, black pointed leather boots, and an upside-down triangle with the Millennium symbol on it. "Ah, you heard me. That's good."

"Yugi?" Yusaku asked. "No wait. You're the Pharaoh, aren't you?"

"Someone's done their homework. However, Yugi's proven to be the more skilled Duelist between the two of us. He was my very last opponent and he won in our Ceremonial Duel. You may call me 'Pharaoh', 'Atem', or 'Yami Yugi'. That's not why I have appeared to you, though."

"Then why have you appeared to me, Pharaoh? If this is about Yusei, I'm already on it."

"That's good," said Atem. "But Yusei's not the only reason I'm here. I'm here to warn you that you and your friends will be facing a grave threat, one that has a history with him, or more specifically, his father. You must trust your friends to help you deal with this threat, even if you don't see them as such."

"New threat? Worse than Lightning, SOL Tech, or the Hanoi?" Yusaku's question went unanswered as the Pharaoh turned around with a smile on his face. He disappeared and Yusaku found himself still standing on the building he was on. "Pharaoh, what kind of threat are you talking about? What do you mean?" Before he could mull on it for long, his phone rang. "Hello?" he greeted.

"Hello, Yusaku," a familiar voice said.

"Is that you, Zaizen? What's up?"

"What's up is that I know you're in Domino City and I know you've been looking out for Skye as usual. I called to thank you and to help you on this mission. Perhaps it might be a good idea to help look into Yusei's present location by checking another place I do not wish for Skye to be at."

"Where do you think I should look?"

"Have you tried checking the Maximum Security Facility? As you can probably tell with that mark on his face, Yusei's been there for a few days and has had quite the impact. He defeated ex-Pro Duelist Bolt Tanner without attacking using an Ancient Treasure Deck belonging to one of the inmates. He also defeated the previous warden using a clustered Deck containing the cards of the inmates. Perhaps you can check there for clues."

"Thanks for the tip, Zaizen. I was going to check with Tanner anyways once I found him. A contact that Kolter and Emma have in common pointed me towards him and several others, one of which is in Crash Town and four in the Satellite. A local waitress also pointed me towards a few others as well, one of which is Carly Carmine, whom I'm sure Skye told you about, and two are with Sector Security."

"Then you are making progress? Good. The faster you and Skye find Yusei, the faster you two, Kolter, and Emma can get back to Den City. But try not to rush things. Take all the time you need but let me know how the search goes."

"Roger that, Zaizen." With that, they hung up, but Yusaku was mulling on the words of both Zaizen and Atem's spirit. 'Zaizen and the Pharaoh are right. If we're going to find Yusei, then we're going to need all the help we can get.'

Back in the makeshift living quarters, Kolter saw Yusaku come back in. Saying no words, Yusaku sat in front of the other computer and got to work. "You know we're hacking Sector Security's databank, right?" asked the older of the two.

"I know," said Yusaku. "We need to look into Yusei's history if we're to find any clues to his whereabouts."

"Well, it's not like you can go in as Playmaker like you did with SOL Tech," said Ai. "Sector Security has even more security and it's nowhere close to the same pattern."

"I agree, Ai, but we have to get through. It's not just Yusei's history we need to look into; It's his father's as well. I wound up doing a little stargazing and meeting the spirit of the Pharaoh Atem, the side of Yugi Muto that was called 'Yami Yugi'. You won't believe this, but he warned me of a threat that knew Yusei's father before that Zero Reverse incident happened. Yami wouldn't go into more detail, but I know he knew something."

"You spoke with the Pharaoh?" Kolter asked, skeptical at Yusaku's claims. "The day I believe that is the day Seto Kaiba gets reincarnated and retakes KaibaCorp."

"Then you had better hope that he does because it's true. I also got a call from Zaizen telling me that he wants to help. He also gave me another place to check out."

"Where at?" asked Ai.

"At the Maximum Security Facility, another place I can't bring Skye. Okay, it looks like we're in." They looked into the files on both Yusei and Professor Fudo and found a scientist that was under the latter's employ during the Ener-D Research Project. "It says here that Professor Tala was a scientist who worked for Yusei's father. He was caught multiple times using Ener-D to control other scientists multiple times and was reprimanded for it. After the final time when Professor Fudo and Rex Goodwin caught him, he was fired. He hasn't been seen since then."

"He's probably still alive as well," said Kolter. "It says here that when Zero Reverse happened, he wasn't among the victims."

"Uh, do either of you mind letting me know what Zero Reverse is?" Ai asked.

"Zero Reverse is a tragedy that happened seventeen years before Yusei stepped foot in New Domino City," Yusaku explained. "There was a large number of casualties because of the incident. It also separated the Satellite Sector from the main city, which also caused discrimination towards anyone from there."

"Really? There's no sign of it."

"That's because of the Daedalus Bridge," said Kolter. "It wasn't always there. In fact, it wasn't built until Goodwin was beaten by Yusei, Jack, and Crow in a Turbo Duel that determined the fate of the world."

"That's all well and good, but how is that supposed to help us find this guy?"

"It adds more clues for us to find," said Yusaku. "Like I said, I'm going to check out the Facility, but I'll have to do it on my own. I can't bring Skye with me."

"Well, it looks like you've managed to get more info on Yusei and didn't know it."

"Good eye," Kolter said.

"It says here that Yusei used to be on a Duel Team other than Team 5D's. He was a member of the Enforcers, a four-man team that dedicated themselves to clearing the Duel Gangs out of Satellite. In addition to Yusei, there was also Jack, Crow, and Kalin Kessler. Now I know why Blister recommended him: Kalin is Yusei's best friend."

"It also says that Kalin currently resides in Crash Town, which isn't exactly a Skye-friendly place either. For that one, you'll want to make sure you're on Kalin's good side."

"Damn. I really hate the fact that Zaizen placed the limits he did on her. No Satellite, no Facility, and no Crash Town."

"You two really are getting chummy. You better catch your Z's, Yusaku. Maybe the Pharaoh will appear in another vision."

"Very funny. I think Skye and I will meet up with Sector Security tomorrow. Maybe we'll meet your friend Officer Trudge." With that, they turned off their computers and hit the hay, unaware that the blonde woman from earlier was keeping an eye on Yusaku.

The next morning, Kolter drove the truck to the Fountain Plaza to set up shop while Yusaku waited for Skye. They looked around and saw the different couples all around again, as well as the businesses that were also opening their doors for the day. They heard a motorcycle approaching, so they looked and saw one approaching them with a familiar driver – Emma. "Hey, boys," she said. "Long time no see."

"What are you doing here?" Yusaku asked. He got his answer when he noticed Emma's passenger. Skye took off the helmet to reveal a disgruntled look on her face. "Figures. It appears that wherever Blue Gal is, Ghost Gal's not too far off."

"I guess the same applies outside of Link VRAINS," said Kolter. "So, how'd you figure out?"

"From a shared contact," Emma answered.

"Sounds like Blister gets around then. Alright."

"Alright, that's enough loitering, people. Time to clear," said a gruff voice. They looked and saw Trudge getting out of his patrol car. His passenger was a beautiful bluenette with hazel eyes, a blue jacket with a matching skirt, a white shirt, blue earrings, and brown heels. They could tell that Trudge was cracking a joke because of the smirk on his face. "How's it going, Kolter?" he asked.

"Hey, Officer. Care for a hot dog?"

"Maybe later today when you're still open. I'd like you all to meet Mina Simington. She and I are the main officers behind the search for Yusei."

"It's good to meet you all," Mina said.

"Guys, I'd like you to meet Officer Trudge," said Kolter, surprising Yusaku, Emma, and Skye. "Trudge, these are Yusaku Fujiki, Skye Zaizen, and Emma Bessho. Yusaku's the one who met up with Blister in the Satellite."

"Blister said that there'd be two of you, not four," Trudge said.

"We had no idea that Skye and Emma were even here, Officer," said Yusaku. "Apparently, they were sent by Skye's older brother Akira Zaizen, the Security Manager at SOL Technologies."

"I'll be damned."

"Great. The more the merrier," said Mina. "Who else have you made contact with?"

"Stephanie at the Café La Geen and Yusei, Jack, and Crow's foster mother Martha," Yusaku answered.

"Her cooking's great, isn't it?"

"I never got the chance to try it."

"You're missing out. Skye?"

"Carly Carmine," said the girl. They noticed that Mina was looking slightly ticked at the mention of Stephanie and Carly's names. Yusaku and Skye looked at each other with a confused expression.

"Well…good contacts…" Mina said. 'Great. Jack's on the pro circuit and I still have to put up with those two.'

"As for me, I got to meet Yusei's friends at his old hideout," said Emma.

"You mean Rally, Blitz, Tank, and Nervin?" Trudge asked, getting a nod from the hacker. "Good choices there. By the way, I saw Tanner at the docks earlier today. He said he wanted to meet Yusei's potential rescuers in private. Since Kolter's working, how about you three go to meet him?"

"Us?" asked the three that weren't in the stand.

"Why not?" Mina asked. "You might get more information that'll lead you to Yusei."

"I suppose it's worth a shot," said Yusaku.

"You two go ahead," Emma said. "I know you caught up yesterday, but you might be more effective if you spent more time together. Find Tanner and get what you can out of him."

"Right," said the teenagers, who took off towards the docks.

"And save the baby-making until after the wedding!"

"EMMA!" Skye shouted, getting a laugh out of both Emma and Kolter. "Can you believe her? I'm not ready for that yet."

"Neither am I, but I think you'd be a great mother," said Yusaku.

"Really?"

"Yes, and for three reasons: 1) You're kind and caring. Those are essential to parenthood, especially in this day and age; 2) You'd risk your neck for those you care about without thinking about your own well-being; and 3) You're beautiful, but not vain. Whoever you end up with will be extremely lucky."

"You know, those same three reasons could apply to you. You saved me more than once and even checked up on me, you risked your own life to take down Varis and Bohman more times than I can count, and you clean up real nice, even though you don't care what others think about you. Whoever gets you is lucky, Yusaku."

"If she can get past my PTSD, then I'd consider myself lucky." What Yusaku didn't know was that a small part of Skye hoped that the one she hoped he ended up with was her.

After a while, they got to the docks. There wasn't anyone around, so they continued searching. Yusaku and Skye found an old warehouse, so they decided to explore it. They found several wooded crates stacked neatly, but no sign of Tanner yet. "Well, we're here," Yusaku said. "No one else is, though."

"No kidding," said Skye. "This place would make for a nice house, don't you think? I mean, you have to remove the crates, but…" Yusaku saw what she was getting at with her creativity, so he kept it up, thankful that Ai was still put on mute.

"Not all of them. Put some together and get a television and couch and you can watch the Pro Duel League matches or even a movie."

"Glad you two have quite the imagination," said a voice. They looked in the rafters and saw a man standing on the beams. He jumped down and joined them on the ground level. It was a well-muscled man whose turquoise hair spiked in several directions. He had grey eyes, criminal marks on both sides of his nose, a black shirt, a brown vest, blue jeans, and brown boots. "You need to get out of here. It's dangerous for you kids to be here."

"Sorry, but I'm afraid we can't do that. Officer Trudge sent us to look for Bolt Tanner."

"Trudge sent you?" Suddenly, it clicked with the man who he was talking to. "So, you're Yusei's rescuers, huh? I didn't expect someone to be so young."

"You must be Tanner. Well, judging from my meeting with Blister yesterday, I expected an attitude like this."

"Well now, I like your style," said Tanner. "Let's see how you can handle yourself in a Duel."

"Be careful, Yusaku," Skye said. "Dueling against a punk is one thing. An ex-Pro Duelist is a whole different story. You may have beaten Gore but compared to someone who faced-off against Jack Atlas, he's nothing but a rank amateur."

"Understood. Thanks for the tip," Yusaku said, getting his temporary Duel Disk out.

"Time to see how you stack up," said Tanner.

"LET'S DUEL!" They both exclaimed.

Tanner: 4000 LP; Yusaku: 4000

"Seniority rules here!" Tanner said. "I summon Jirai Gumo to the field!" Soon, a giant spider appeared in Tanner's Main Monster Zone, frightening Skye to the point where she hid behind Yusaku.

Jirai Gumo
LVL: 4 EARTH
[Insect/Effect]
ATK: 2200/DEF: 100

"Are you okay, Skye?" Yusaku asked.

"Y-Yeah," Skye said. "It's just that Jirai Gumo is a card that scares the daylights out of me."

"It's okay. It's still the first turn. Besides, when Jirai Gumo attacks, Tanner would have to flip a coin and if he calls it wrong, then he loses half of his Life Points. He keeps it, though, if it's called right."

"Well then, I guess it's a good thing I took the first turn!" Tanner exclaimed. "I place two cards face-down! Your turn, kid!"

"And I'll gladly take it!" Yusaku said, drawing his card. "Since I don't have a monster on my field, I can Special Summon my Level 5 Linkslayer." Yusaku placed the card on his Duel Disk and a Warrior-like monster with energy blades coming from its fists emerged in Yusaku's Main Monster Zone.

Linkslayer
LVL: 5 EARTH
[Cyberse/Effect]
ATK: 2000/DEF: 600

"Next, I activate Linkslayer's special ability! By sending two cards in my hand to my Graveyard, you lose your two face-down cards!" As Yusaku sent two cards to his Graveyard, Linkslayer dashed and slashed Tanner's two cards. However, a worm-like monster popped up in another of Tanner's Main Monster Zones. "Who would've thought one of those cards was Statue of the Wicked?" Yusaku asked.

"And who would've thought that I'd be facing the legendary Playmaker in New Domino City?" Tanner asked, shocking Yusaku and Skye that he figured it out. "It's no coincidence. Playmaker's the only human Duelist who uses Cyberse cards. Those LIGHT and WIND AIs? They're just that."

"You got me. However, Tanner, I'm not the only human who uses Cyberse cards. I happen to have a teammate in Link VRAINS aside from Blue Gal and Ghost Gal. I won't say his name whether you win this Duel or not, but his alias is Soulburner."

"The Salamangreat user? I forgot about him. You might need him for backup in case you go to Link VRAINS while you're here."

"Dually noted. Now, I summon Dotscaper to my field!"

Dotscaper
LVL: 1 EARTH
[Cyberse/Effect]
ATK: 0/DEF: 2100

"And since I have at least one Cyberse-type on my field, I can Special Summon Backup Secretary as well!" What came up in a third one of Yusaku's Main Monster Zones was a female monster in a dress, stockings, and cape. She had blue hair and a visor over her eyes and a tablet in her hand.

Backup Secretary
LVL: 3 LIGHT
[Cyberse/Effect]
ATK: 1200/DEF: 800

"Now, it's time to build the ultimate circuit!" Yusaku exclaimed, much to Tanner's shock.

"Be prepared, Tanner," Skye said. "You're about to see a Link Summon up close and personal."

"The requirement is at least two Cyberse-types! I place Linkslayer, Dotscaper, and Backup Secretary in the Link Arrows!" The three aforementioned monsters turned into tornados and entered the top, bottom, and bottom-right Link Arrows. "Link the Circuit! I Link Summon Link-3 Encode Talker!" Standing at the Extra Monster Zone was a monster with white armor with green linings. The shield it wielded shared the same color scheme, as well as a green diamond in the middle.

Encode Talker
LIGHT
[Top Arrow] [Bottom Arrow] [Bottom-Right Arrow]
[Cyberse/Link/Effect]
ATK: 2300/LINK-3

"So, that's a Link Summon, huh?" Tanner asked. "I never thought I'd see one up close."

"If Dotscaper's been sent to the Graveyard for any reason, I can resurrect it using its special ability!" Yusaku brought Dotscaper back and placed it right behind Encode Talker. What Tanner took notice of was that his opponent put Dotscaper in Attack Mode. "Now, Dotscaper! Attack Jirai Gumo!"

"You keep this up and I won't even have to attack!"

"You might want to check again, Tanner!" Skye said, having the same smile on her face that Yusaku had on his.

"Because it's right next to Encode Talker's Link Arrow, Dotscaper's protected!" Yusaku explained. "And so are my Life Points! As for Jirai Gumo, it's in big trouble now since its Attack Points get added onto Encode Talker's! (Encode Talker: 2300 ATK - 4500 ATK) Now, Encode, time to say goodbye to JIrai Gumo! Attack!" Encode Talker jumped up and slammed Jirai Gumo with its shield, destroying it. (Tanner: 4000 LP - 1700 LP) "I place one card face-down and end my turn!"

"Not bad, kid! It's my draw!" Tanner exclaimed, drawing his card. "I sacrifice my Wicked Token to summon out a beast with a bit of bite! Come on out, Ushi Oni!" When Tanner played the card, a jar appeared in his Main Monster Zone. What came out of it was a monster with a bull's head, a blue body, and a set of tentacles on its back.

Ushi Oni
LVL: 6 DARK
[Fiend]
ATK: 2150/DEF: 1950

"Don't worry, though, because he won't be around for long. I sacrifice Ushi Oni to Special Summon Giant Ushi Oni!" After Tanner sacrificed the original monster, a new one came out that had the lower body of a spider and the upper blue body of Ushi Oni. Its head was also blue, and it had four eyes.

Giant Ushi Oni
LVL: 8 DARK
[Fiend/Effect]
ATK: 2600/DEF: 2100

Skye covered her mouth in shock at the sheer size of the new monster. Ai was so shocked that it widened its eye. Yusaku just stood gaping at the monster itself. "I've never seen a monster like that before," said the hacker. "Ai, what do you think of this?" He heard nothing, so he looked at his original Duel Disk and remembered something. "Oh yeah, I had him on mute this whole time. No wonder I was having so much fun."

"Well, can you please unmute him?" Skye asked, worried about what Tanner had in mind.

"It…may be jammed." Skye noted Yusaku's smirk, seeing that he was merely joking. "Besides, whether Tanner knows or not, he can be a bit distracting. Remember when he wouldn't shut up during my Duel against your brother?"

"Good point."

"If you two are done talking amongst each other, I activate the Mystical Space Typhoon!" Tanner exclaimed, playing the Spell Card. It destroyed Yusaku's face-down card, revealed to be Cybernetic Ricochet. "Now, Giant Ushi Oni, attack Encode Talker using Specter's Bite!" Giant Ushi Oni destroyed Encode Talker using its legs. (Yusaku: 4000 LP - 3700 LP) "Next up comes Giant Ushi Oni's special ability! When it destroys a monster, it gets to set its sights on Dotscaper and attack again!" Giant Ushi Oni fired a web from its mouth, wrapped it around Dotscaper, picked it up, and slammed it down, destroying it. (Yusaku: 3700 LP - 1100 LP) "I place one card face-down and end my turn. So, kid, what do you have in mind now?"

"Stopping your Giant Ushi Oni!" Yusaku exclaimed, drawing his card.

"Before you make a move, though, I activate Disappear!" The trap flipped face-up and caused Yusaku's Dotscaper to leave the Graveyard. "With your Dotscaper out of the way, he won't be causing any more trouble!" He then heard Yusaku laugh, which frightened Skye and Ai both, knowing that Yusaku, as neither himself or his alter ego, almost never laughs, especially during a Duel. "What's so funny?"

"For someone who supposedly keeps up with Link VRAINS Duels and Duelists, you apparently haven't seen Dotscaper in action nearly enough. That effect of his also works when he's banished." To demonstrate his point, Yusaku summoned his Dotscaper back to the field. "Now I summon Cyberse Synchron!" Cyberse Synchron appeared in another spot on Yusaku's field.

Cyberse Synchron
LVL: 1 DARK
[Cyberse/Tuner/Effect]
ATK: 100/DEF: 100

"Once per turn, Cyberse Synchron can double the level of a monster on my field, so long as it's Level is 4 or below! I double my Dotscaper's Level!" (Dotscaper: LVL 1 - LVL 2) "Now, my Level 1 Cyberse Synchron tunes with my Level 2 Dotscaper! I Synchro Summon Level 3 Cyberse Integrator!" As he said this, Cyberse Integrator appeared in the Extra Monster Zone.

Cyberse Integrator
LVL: 3 DARK
[Cyberse/Synchro/Effect]
ATK: 1000/DEF: 1000

"Thanks to Cyberse Integrator's effect, I can Summon a Cyberse-type Tuner Monster from my Graveyard, so I resurrect Cyberse Synchron!" Cyberse Synchron reappeared in the Main Monster Zone in Defense Mode. "And with that said, the once-per-turn part of his effect resets, so I use it to double my Cyberse Integrator's Level!" (Cyberse Integrator: LVL 3 - LVL 6) "Now, Cyberse Synchron tunes with my Level 6 Cyberse Integrator! I Synchro Summon the Cyberse Quantum Dragon!"

Cyberse Quantum Dragon
LVL: 7 DARK
[Cyberse/Synchro/Effect]
ATK: 2500/DEF: 2000

"That thing's as powerful as Yusei's Stardust Dragon!" Tanner exclaimed.

"Glad you noticed! Since Cyberse Integrator was Synchro Summoned and sent to the Graveyard, I get to draw a card!" He looked at the card he drew and smirked. "My Cyberse Quantum Dragon attacks Giant Ushi Oni!"

"What!? Are you trying to give me this Duel!?"

"At the start of the Damage Step, Cyberse Quantum Dragon's special ability activates! This means that Giant Ushi Oni is sent back to your hand!" Tanner could only watch as his main monster was forced to retreat. "And here's the cherry on top, Tanner: Quantum Dragon can attack again! Go, Quantum Stream!" The Quantum Dragon fired a blast at the wide-open ex-Pro, sending him backwards. (Tanner: 1700 - LP 0 LP)

As Yusaku and Skye approached Tanner, they heard him laughing in joy, much to their confusion. "Oh man!" Tanner exclaimed. "That was one of the best Duels I've ever had!"

"Same here," said Yusaku. "I haven't had that much fun in a long time." Tanner saw that Yusaku was offering to pick him up off the ground. "Now, I understand that you'll be able to help us find Yusei."

"You got it, Yusaku. And hey, if you want, I can show you two a whole new world of Dueling like you've never seen before. You'll be able to hide your identity as well, so people will think that you and Playmaker are two different people."

"Wait, you don't mean…"

"That's right. If I get the okay from Trudge, you'll be able to see what it's like to experience Turbo Duels. If mine and Yusei's little buddy Leo could learn it, so can you. So, what do you say?"

"I'd be more than happy to learn. Maybe we can find some clues that we wouldn't be able to find otherwise."

"It'd cover more ground quicker," Skye said, getting a nod from the hacker. "I just want you to be careful, okay?"

"For you, anything."

"Then it's settled," said Tanner. "We just have to meet up with Trudge and Mina and have you authorized to train and try out for your license."

"Sure thing."

"YOU'VE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME!" Trudge exclaimed. Tanner, Yusaku, and Skye met back up with them at Blister's hideout and told him and Mina about the plan. Naturally, they were shocked to find out that Yusaku had beaten Tanner in a Duel. "Tanner, are you really getting rusty that he beat you!?"

"I'm not the one getting rusty here, Trudge," said Tanner. "Yusaku's skilled enough to give any of the Signers a run for their money, even Yusei, Jack, and Crow. He's an expert on Link and Synchro Summoning, but that's as far as I know."

"Well, I hate to say it, but with Yusei missing and the other five Signers out of town, Tanner's our most powerful Duelist. The fact that you beat him, Yusaku, was amazing as it is."

"Yeah, way to go!" Kolter exclaimed with a smile on his face.

"But beating Tanner is one thing. Turbo Dueling is a whole other story. Are you up for it?"

"I am," Yusaku answered

"Great," said Tanner. "Then I'll contact Blister and have him set you up. He'll get you a Duel Runner and you'll be ready to go."

"Get as much practice in as you can, Yusaku," Mina recommended. "The instructor for the Turbo Duel license happens to be Trudge."

"I will," said Yusaku. Trudge and Mina then went back to Sector Security HQ while Tanner left to head back to his place. "So, did you and Emma get any more contacts?"

"Nope," Kolter answered. "Though, word on the street is that somebody else is looking for Yusei as well."

"Friend or foe?" Skye asked.

"Beats me. While you and Yusaku went out to find Tanner, Emma went looking for more potential contacts. So far, she's come up empty."

"Well, that's a bummer."

"I have been listening around and found out that the unknown party that's looking for Yusei is a blonde with really long hair. You might want to check that out. And could you please get Ai off mute?"

"I will after I come back," Yusaku said. "Right now, I have to get Skye back to her hotel room."

"Well, have fun, you two. And keep it kid-friendly."

"Funny." With that, Yusaku and Skye left the hideout and headed for the hotel. 'I'm sure that if I can put myself in Yusei's shoes, then I'll be able to find him,' Yusaku thought 'If it includes Turbo Dueling, then I'll be up for it. I know I must prepare for challenges on the road. I also know I have the support of my allies, especially Skye, Ai, and Kolter.'

CHAPTER 2 END

Okay, and that's chapter 2. I think that Duel turned out better than the first one did.