A/N: Hellooooo. Wow it feels like forever since I posted. Still, welcome to the new chapter in which Miki Ken Ryoga and Rio face off. And we get some info on Ken's background before he was bought into Mother Grace's care. And Ryoga is getting all concerned. Because he does have feelings really. And we're using Aero Shark's anime effect not the real effect, shhh. Anyway, thanks for reading, enjoy and review. Thanks.
"This is going to be so cool!" Akina cheered, bouncing up at down. "Yuma! This is so cool! Miki and Ken get to duel Shark!"
"And Rio," Tetsuo pointed out.
"Yeah, her too," she muttered. "But Shark is so cool."
"Rio's pretty cool," Nico said. "She knows the Asian Champion you like so much."
Ryoga glanced over as Akina's eyes widened. Rio knew Thomas? Well, of course she knew him but knowing him as more than just an acquaintance? Rio glanced away and Ryoga clenched his jaw. It was true then. She'd better not have told him anything. He'd deal with that later though. There was a duel to win. No matter what he thought of Miki and Ken, no one insulted his sister.
Miki sighed and ran her hand through her hair as she took her position and Ryoga frowned. This competing with Hibiki for attention didn't suit her. He preferred the sharp girl he'd met the past few nights. Ken laughed watching her and patted Akina's head before running over. Akina laughed and cheered for her siblings and Nico folded her arms.
"I'm sorry about this, Rio," Ken said, leaning against Miki's side. "But you do bring it on yourself. Perhaps I'll finally get to see you soul warming duelling. Of course, soft and cute doesn't make you a threat."
Rio huffed, dragging Ryoga over to their place across the field. "I'll show you soft and cute! Don't think just because you and Ryoga have got some stupid relationship going on I'll go easy on you."
"There's nothing go on," Ryoga snapped. "Stop saying things like that."
"That's why she should just be ignored," Miki said, folding her arms. She sighed and pushed off Ken's side to stand straight, pacing away a few steps. "Do combined life points suit you or should we go separately?"
"I can't share life points with her," Ken said, shaking his head. "Don't make me share. The way she throws away life points is ridiculous. You have no idea how much it pains me. I don't know how she got to be so good when she just chucks life points down the drain."
"Oh shut up and deal with it. You know it's for the best."
Ryoga had seen Miki's deck, he had to agree. There were several cards in there that wasted life points for the sake of speed and power. Which was fine if it worked, but such high prices made her easy pickings if things went wrong. Especially when it came to the burn damage Ryoga could inflict. He first turn Aero Shark damage was hardly a secret, but there was little to be done to defend against it.
"Fine," Rio said. "Whatever. Let me prove to you I don't need your babying, Ryoga."
"Let's get on with this then," Ryoga said, taking his own place.
"Duel disk, set!"
The four duel disks appeared on their wrists. Ryoga paused for a moment to see Miki's an elegant sapphire blue, almost a mirror decorated with waves. Ken's was more like a knight's gauntlet, like armour but in a matching blue and white.
"D-Gazer, set!"
Miki put her hand over her eye, and drew it back to reveal a green D-Gazer, lined with a fiery black rim. Ken pushed his matching dark blue D-Gazer into place and Ryoga frowned the sudden realisation hitting him. Miki hunted souls. Her brother and sister hunted souls. Ken certainly knew about it. Was it possible… was Ken a hunter too?
No. That wasn't possible. No matter what Ken knew about it, he couldn't be a hunter. He knew Miki and Hibiki were hunters but he'd never kissed them. He'd never held them like he had Ken earlier. They didn't stir up the same feelings. Ken had been honest. He would have told him.
"AR vision link established. Duel!"
Miki & Ken – 8000
Rio & Ryoga – 8000
"I'll take the first turn," Miki said. "Draw." She frowned and glanced down, tilting her head. "I activate the spell, Trade-In. So by sending a level eight monster from my hand to my graveyard, like Evigishki Soul Orge, I can draw two new cards." She smirked and tilted her head once more. "Well, let's go on as we mean to continue."
Ken sighed. "You're going to waste life points, aren't you?"
"It's not a waste," she snapped back. "And I don't know what you're complaining about, we've got plenty."
"Glory requires sacrifices, I suppose," he muttered.
Ryoga started at the words. Glory? Was that just coincidence or did he really know that much about her hunting? He shook his head. This was all in his mind. He'd started thinking about Ken hunting and now he was seeing clues everywhere. Miki laughed and shook her head.
"It's no fun if it's not a crush defeat against all the odds," Miki said quietly. "I activate Gishki Photomirror. This ritual spell lets me ritual summon a Gishki ritual monster by paying life points instead of monsters. So I pay 2000 life points, 500 for every level, and summon Gishki Psychelone!"
A woman in black scale-like armour and a strange squid like creature at her side appeared in a splash of water. She smiled and summoned up a staff like bow, sitting on the creature and using its tentacles to play a tune. 4/2150/1650. The musical score appeared in blue and hovers back, turning into a red aura around her and causing her to double over in pain.
Miki & Ken – 6000
Rio & Ryoga – 8000
"Wait… why give up half her life points for that?" Yuma mused. He frowned and folded his arms. "I don't get it."
"Shhhh!" Akina hissed, glaring up at him.
"This is where things get ridiculous," Ken muttered. "I'm going to have to defend you over and over, aren't I?"
"I look after myself," she snapped. "I activate Gishki Psychelone's effect. Once per turn I can pick a random card from you hand and call say… monster and WATER and if matches you're forced to shuffle it into your deck, Ryoga." She glanced at the cards that appeared and Miki pressed the touch screen of her D-Pad. Psychelone played a tune and the middle card glowed. Ryoga hissed. "Bingo."
Hammer Shark was sent to his deck and Akina cheered. Yuma tilted his head. "So…"
"It reduces the damage he can inflict if he gets out Aero Shark," Tetsuo said. "That move is legendary."
"Giving up so many life points for her she has to protect her remaining points as best she can," Nico said. "She knows what she's doing though. Before her soul was stolen she was incredible."
Miki smiled and ran a hand through her hair again. Ryoga wished she'd stop doing that. It reminded him too much of Hibiki. She wasn't like Hibiki. She was supposed to be sharp and brutal and rebellious. Like Fate said when talking about the monsters; Hibiki was a lady, a polite, charming, elegant woman and Miki was the wild, rebellious bad girl. Not this.
"I set one card and end my turn. Let's see what you guys can do. Not that I expect much from someone like you. You rely on your brother and need his constant instruction after all."
"My turn," Rio called, clenching her fists. "I draw!"
Ryoga had faith in Rio, mostly. He knew that she was a good duellist, he'd taught her how to duel after all. The problem was he didn't know how Miki and Ken duelled. Miki was said to be a strong duellist, a soul hunter. He figured she was one of the strongest given Hibiki- or Destiny, he liked to keep the two sides of her separate- and Fate were the strongest two hunters. And with Ken and Miki's connection, he must have been decent.
Rio frowned and looked over her hand and Ryoga glanced over. Why was she hesitating?
"I activate Ice Fire World," Rio said.
The world shifted and icy cracks formed in the ground, putting the four of them on separate plates. Ryoga's frown deepened. What was she doing? Was she letting her anger get the better of her? He was all for emotions in a duel but letting Miki's words get to her would do no good.
"And next I summon Aurora Wing!" The greeny blue bird flew onto the field with a shrill cry. 4/1200/1600. "And when Ice Fire World is on the field a WATER monster is used in an XYZ summon, it counts as two."
"Oh, how predictable," Miki yawned.
Ken laughed and shrugged. "Shh, Miki, let the girl duel. It's a cute little birdie, don't you think?"
"Perfect for a cute little decoration girl," she replied.
There was almost an aura of fury radiating off Rio by now. Ryoga wasn't exactly please, but they were so obviously doing it just to annoy her. Not that he wasn't guilty of letting people rattle him either, but he'd grown up. Sort of. He'd even been responsible for rattling people up himself, even Yuma. He knew Miki and Ken, at least he liked to think he did, enough to believe they weren't really that cruel.
"I use my Aurora Wing to build an overlay network! XYZ summon! Ice Beast Zerofyne!"
There was a cold blast and the icy woman appeared. Miki and Kan exchanged glances and Ryoga frowned. 4/2000/2200. Rio was rushing into things and letting her temper get the best of her.
"Rio," he said quietly. "Calm down."
"I am calm!" she snapped. "Don't tell me what to do."
"Right…"
He'd just have to win this duel himself then. Rio tossed her head. "I set one card and end my turn."
"My turn then," Ken murmured, drawing slowly.
Miki glanced over and Ryoga frowned. He didn't know how they'd work together. They said people's duelling reflected their souls. Miki seemed reckless with her life points, seeming to not where her life went. Ken seemed to be the one protecting her and fighting for her. He doted on her. Neither he nor Ryoga should have been involved in their girls' duel really. It seemed they were both a little too devoted to their sisters.
"Miki…" Ken said, glancing over. "You're going to keep playing with our life points, aren't you?"
"Would it be any fun otherwise?" Miki replied.
Ken frowned and turned away. "Uncaring as always, Miki."
"You don't get places holding back," she said, tilting her head. "All or nothing, you know that."
"You look worried," Ryoga commented.
He wasn't usually on for small talk during a duel but Miki and Ken were still such a mystery, he wanted answers. Maybe it would give him more of an insight into how much Ken knew. And whether they were trustworthy.
"Miki is Miki," Ken replied with a fond smile. "I've always had to hold onto her and have her back as she lives on the edge. She'll throw her life away in an instant for the sake of a rush and going down in a blaze of glory if I let her. But I won't. I never would."
Ryoga's frown deepened. There is was again. Glory. And that description on Miki. She would throw her life away if he let her? Ken laughed and shook his head.
"I wouldn't expect people to understand, Ryoga. Maybe you're closer to it than anyone. But without my support Miki would be worse than soulless and without her…"
On the side lines, Nico sighed. "Miki and Ken always insisted on sharing everything. Their fates have always been one and the same."
"Mother always said they were two halves of the same whole," Akina whispered. "But she never says anything more."
"You guys don't know anything about them?" Kotori asked.
"No," Nico replied. "Akina and I were the last two in the family. Ken never talks about what happened before Mother brought him into the family."
"He gets a sad look whenever we ask him," Akina said.
Ryoga watched Ken quietly. Miki and Rio were too busy trading insults to even notice them it seemed but Ryoga saw the pain flash through Ken's eyes at the mention of his life before Mother Grace. Perhaps that was something to talk about when it was just the two of them alone together.
"It doesn't matter," Ken said, tilting his head. "None of that matters. Oi, you two pay attention." Miki and Rio glanced over, finally stopping their bickering. "I send Mermail Abyssgunde and Abyssdine to the graveyard to special summon Mermail Abyssmegalo from my hand and when he's summoned like this I get to add an Abyss spell or trap card from my deck to my hand."
Water tore up from the crevice in the ground and from the bubbling water exploded a strange red humanoid in golden armour. Ryoga, of course, recognised a shark when he saw one. A big one. It let out a deep roar and clasped a jagged saw like weapon. 7/2400/1900. Ken smirked and took a card from his deck.
"And when Mermail Aybssgunde is sent to the graveyard her effect activates, meaning I can summon another Mermail monster from my graveyard to the field. So I summon Mermail Abyssdine to my field."
A tiny little mermaid appeared on the field, pinky hair floating around her and plated blue armour covering her to her stubby blue tail. 3/1000/200.
"Next, when Abyssdine is special summoned by a Mermail effect she can special summon a level three or lower Mermail monster from my graveyard. So say hello to my Mermail Abyssgunde too."
The little Abyssdine reached into the crack in the ground and pulled out another mermaid, this one with short brown hair and an orange tail with black and white patterning. A clown fish, Ryoga supposed. 3/1400/800. Ken smiled and Ryoga frowned. It was an interesting deck. He smiled and tilted his head.
"I set two cards and end my turn."
Ryoga frowned and looked over the field. Abyssmegalo was a strong monster and Psychelone could be difficult. Still, there were one or two things he could do. He didn't have the monsters to take on Abyssmegalo head on right now, but if nothing else, Ryoga considered himself good enough to switch strategy at a second's notice. Of course, he couldn't attack on the first turn anyway.
"My turn," he called. "Draw!" He glanced down. He'd had better hands but never mind. "I summon Big Jaw to the field!"
The shark appeared on the field, opening its mouth to show off its huge fangs. 3/1800/300. Well, if they already knew what was coming why not let them have it? Rio's might have acted rashly by using Ice Fire World when Miki had already shown her deck to be full of WATER monsters, and things got even worse when you factored in Ken apparently using the same attribute, but Ryoga could use it to his advantage too.
"Using Ice Fire World's effect, Big Jaws counts double," he called. "And I use my Big Jaws to build an overlay network! Xyz summon! Submersible Carrier Aero Shark!"
The mechanical armoured creature burst up from the ground and Ryoga smirked. 3/1900/1000. Not strong enough to defeat high level monsters but it would do damage. Still, if they were aware of Aero Shark's damage effect, would those face downs be something to counter it? He paused, considering the decks and what he knew about them. Both recycling in a way. Gishki's were focused mainly on ritual summoning and getting a hand advantage. And Mermail… that was focused on special summoning while the higher monster restricted their opponents. He was sure that was right. So, were the face downs counters or support?
"Let's risk it," he muttered before raising his voice. "I activate Aero Shark's ability! By dethatching one overlay unit, I can inflict 400 points of damage for each card in my hand! And I have four!"
Yuma cheered. "That's 1600, right? Even with them trying to lower his hand he still got loads of damage in!"
Aero Shark lifted its head and fired out the torpedoes. Miki smirked and Ryoga frowned as the pair remained calm and unmoving, letting the torpedoes hit the ground and force them back a few steps.
Miki & Ken – 4400
Rio & Ryoga – 8000
Miki swept her hair over her shoulder and Ken's hair had fallen from its tie, hanging around his face as they straightened up. Akina was wailing for Ken and Nico snapped at her to be quiet. Rio was sneering.
"So much for defeating Aero Shark's effect," she said.
"Stop that, Rio," Ryoga muttered. This wasn't like her. Miki must have really wound her up for her to be acting like that. "I activate Aqua Gate!"
The ice melted and they ended up on two platforms, the gate slowly rising up in the middle of the field. Rio was glaring at him, probably for getting rid of her field spell, but if she thought it through it was safer. With both their opponents using WATER decks they'd be able to use Ice Fire World's effect too.
"With this, attacks can be negated equal to the number of face downs we have," Ryoga explained. "And I'm setting two before I end my turn."
Now the real battle started. The field was all set for some huge battles if Aqua Gate didn't protect them. Time to see what Miki could do with the odds against her. She glanced at Ken's face downs and he smiled softly, nodding a little.
"My turn then," she said. "I draw." She smirked. "I'm going to borrow your monster, Ken."
"What's mine is yours," Ken replied.
"Mermail Abyssmegalo," Miki called. "Attack Zerofyne."
Megalo roared and leapt forwards only be knocked back by the gate of water. Rio smirked. "We have three face downs on our field, Miki."
"We have four monsters on ours," Miki replied. "Let's go, Psychelone, Abyssgunde!"
The women played her tune again but again it was bounced back by the gate and Abyssgrunde was pushed back by the current too. Ryoga frowned. Something was wrong. Why attack with the strongest monsters knowing that they'd be bounced back? Miki smiled as the waters over the gate parted.
"Mermail Abyssdine, attack Zerofyne."
"Do you want to lose this duel?" Rio said.
Little Abyssdine dove into the water and Ken smiled as Zerofyne blasted the little mermaid with ice. Rio smirked but Ryoga wasn't sure she should be pleased. Miki and Ken seemed very calm about it all. A shard of ice came flying from the smoke of the explosion and cut across Rio's side, knocking her onto the ground.
Miki & Ken – 4400
Rio & Ryoga – 6000
"What was that?" Rio cried as Abyssdine jumped out the water on Ken's field again. "Why did we take damage?"
"Their face downs," Ryoga replied.
"Well done," Ken said. "Like I told you, Miki would throw her life away in an instant. She doesn't seem to care about the pain. It makes her strong, I guess. She pushed it down like it doesn't matter how much she hurts as long as it turns out alright."
"Shut it," Miki muttered. "It doesn't matter what I do."
"But you won't let her?" Ryoga said.
"Precisely," he said, lowering his head so his hair fell over his face. "I won't let Miki suffer."
"She's trouble," Rio said. "Shouldn't you let her suffer if she wants to?"
"Shut up! You don't understand any of this so stay out of it! I won't let her suffer again!" Ken yelled, glaring over. Miki closed her eyes and tilted her head back, apparently not at all surprised by the outburst. "I'll do anything to protect her! No matter what it takes anyone who hurts Miki will pay. I'll destroy anyone who hurts her. I'll destroy anyone who hurts her no matter what the cost and who gets in my way." He turned his gaze on Ryoga and smiled sadly. "You do though. You understand, don't you?"
Ryoga nodded as everyone fell into a stunned silence. He did. He'd wanted to tear apart the Arclights for what they'd done to Rio. And the Barians too. Anyone who hurt Rioi would pay for it. He understood the need to protect his sister. But… Rio was his twin. Miki wasn't even a blood relative of Ken's.
"What do you mean again?" Yuma said.
Ken's fists clenched and he tilted his head away again, hiding his face. "This is the first time she's been happy since Hibiki left."
"You worry too much," Miki whispered, opening one eye to watch him.
"I'd be nothing without you," Ken replied.
"That's not true," she said. "You're strong. You always were, right? That's why you survived. Why you were chosen?"
Ken shook his head. "I survived because it's all I knew how to do. But when you found me I got something else. Something better. I didn't have to be that person anymore."
"What are you two talking about?" Rio said. "Hurry up and duel."
"They're talking about how Ken used to be hunter too." The group whipped around, all except Miki and Ken, to find Hibiki and Hiro watching from a little way back. Hibiki smiled, her arms linked with Hiro's. "Right, Ken?"
"Ken was a hunter?" Akina wailed.
Ryoga's stomach churned. "You… were…"
Ken nodded slightly, seemingly ashamed, but Ryoga was sure he saw a cruel, twisted smirk on his lips through the strands of his hair. It was just his mind, wasn't it? Everything pointed to Ken being ashamed of himself, not wanting to be like that again and not wanting to remember what he'd done. But it hit Ryoga hard. The kisses they'd shared and the way they'd spoke still made his stomach churn and his heart race. He hated admitting he was that weak, but it was true. And now the thought that all these feelings were being stirred up by a hunter? It was made him want to be sick and at the same time he wanted to forgive him.
The mix of emotions was something he'd never experienced. How could he be mad at someone who seemed to repentant? Someone who'd been nothing but kind and gentle towards him?
"It doesn't matter," Miki said suddenly. Ken's head snapped up and she smiled. "Because you're not like that anymore, right? You and me together, we can do anything. We're stronger than anything as long as we're together right?" Ken stared at her for a moment before nodding and laughed. "That's why I saved you and why Mother took you in. Because together we're the perfect balance."
"And together we win!" Ken laughed. He grinned and pointed at one of the activated face downs. "I activated Bye Bye Damage. With this card, when a monster is about to be destroyed by battle, I can negate the battle and take double any damage we would have taken!"
"But Shark and Shark's sister are still winning," Yuma called.
"For now," Miki said.
"We activate Abyssmegalo's effect," Ken said. "By tributing Mermail Abyssdine a WATER monster is allowed to attack again!"
"Let's go!" Miki cried as Abyssmegalo roared, brandishing its weapon. "Abyssmeglo, tear apart Zerofyne!" Abyessmegalo moved through the gate and plunged into the water. Ryoga frowned. His Aero Shark was weaker. Why was she attacking Zerofyne. "Sharp Tooth Slash!"
The saw like weapon tore up as Abyssmegalo burst out the water and the shockwave knocked Rio back again. Ken and Miki exchanged smirks as Akina cheered. Rio hissed, climbing to her feet again
Miki & Ken – 4400
Rio & Ryoga – 5600
Miki smiled. "Before I end my turn, I activate Gishki Psychelone's effect and target your hand, Ryoga. So, let's search out another WATER monster!"
Psychelone began to play again and Ryoga's hand appeared again. This time he only had one card though. And when it was revealed, it was his Drill Barnacle. He clenched his jaw and sent it to his deck. They were trying to lock down his hand. Did that mean they thought he was more of a threat?
"I end my turn," Miki said.
"My turn," Rio called. "Draw!"
"You're Ryoga's famous twin?" Hibiki called over. Rio turned and Ryoga frowned as she nodded. Hibiki laughed and held her hat against the wind. "How disappointing?"
"Like I'd take anything you say seriously," Rio snapped. "You're-"
"Now now," she said, flicking out her hair. "Ryoga used to tell me all about you. How he'd save you. I'm glad he finally did. For his sake at least."
"Don't be rude," Hiro murmured, even though he was smiling.
"I hope you win this time, Ryoga," she continued. Ryoga's fists clenched. "Don't disappoint me again, will you?"
"Stop distracting them," Miki snapped. "Hurry up and duel!"
In the Next Chapter: The duel continues and Miki and Ken's duelling style keeps Ryoga and Rio off balance along with their argumentative words and revelations. Ryoga is forced to come to terms with the fact that Ken isn't all he thought he was.
From the Dark Abyss, Ken's True Past
