Chapter 23: The King That Rules Minus! Zeman The Ape King!
Already-dead trees spring from the ground around the duel, coiling up from the ground from small to large within seconds, reaching toward the sky.
From the top of a semi-collapsed building, Ushio, Usagi and Sakura watch, anxiously. Subaru and Velvet are cowering into their mother, clinging to her very closely. Grim's blazing red eyes are locked on Demak as he stands at Sakura's side. "He activated the Field Spell! He now has everything he needs to summon an Earthbound Immortal!" Sakura says. "Lua!" Says Ushio.
Lua's life points currently stand at 3200.
Demak's at 2500. "Due to the Field Spell 'Closed Forest's' effect, Zeman the Ape King gains one hundred attack points for every monster in my graveyard. There are five monsters in my graveyard." Demak says. Zeman's attack points rise up to 3000.
"Three thousand attack points?" Asks Lua.
Meanwhile, in the spirit world. Regulus is growling at Luca and Torunka, viciously, a sinister-looking object attached to his hind leg. "Regulus, I can't believe you continued to fight alone even though you're badly hurt." Luca says. "Rrrgh!" Regulus growls. "Don't be scared. We won't hurt you." Says Luca, calming. "Rrraaaghh!" Luca freaks and hides behind Torunka. "Please stop! This child came from an alternate world to rescue Ancient Fairy Dragon." Torunka says. "What?" Asks Regulus. "It's true, so please calm down." Says Luca. "Stop messing around!" Regulus says. He roars, and pounces. Luca and Torunka dart out of the way and cower behind a nearby tree. "It's no good. Let's flee for now!" Says Torunka, aside to Luca. "Please believe me! I promised Ancient Fairy Dragon that I would protect the spirit world!" Luca says. "Just like I thought! You want to capture me so that you can use Ancient Fairy Dragon's power for evil." Says Regulus. "Huh?" Luca asks. "We're failing to communicate." Says Torunka. Luca sees the thing on Regulus' back ankle and gasps. "Torunka, look at that!" Luca says. "That's a cursed needle! The needle is pointing towards minus." Says Torunka. The staff portion is short and sticks out like a thorn, the arch at the top attaches the device around Regulus' ankle, over his armor. "That means he hears the opposite of what we say!" Luca says. "Oh no! That's why Regulus was going crazy!" Says Torunka. "Rragh!" "Huh?" Both Luca and Torunka ask. "You villains are harming the spirit world! I'll stop you!" Says Regulus. "It's a misunderstanding, Regulus! I'm not your enemy!" Luca says. "Rrrrr."
As Regulus listens to Luca, she appears to have a face like a skull, he hears her say something else. "That's right, Regulus! We conquered the spirit world!"
Regulus roars and pounces, Luca and Torunka run away. He chases them through the forest. "Torunka, you're a spellcaster! Can't you do anything?" Asks Luca. "It's impossible. As long as I'm a child, I can't use spells." Torunka says. "What should we do?" Asks Luca. "I have a good idea! If Regulus hears the opposite…" Torunka says. He turns around and stops running. "I really hate you! Regulus, you're an idiot! You're an ugly lion! You're a fraidy cat!" Says Torunka. He makes a funny face and sticks his tongue out at Regulus. Luca laughs, nervously. Regulus growls, and pounces. Torunka yelps and ducks behind Luca. "Agh! Did you really think flattery would work?" Regulus asks. "I failed!" Says Torunka. Luca grins, nervously. "I wonder how it sounded…" Luca says. She looks once more at the minus shackle on Regulus' leg. "I have to find a way to move the minus needle back to normal." Luca thinks to herself. "Rrrrr. Huh? Someone's coming." Says Regulus. He turns to face the threat.
Luca and Torunka run and duck behind a fallen log. They hear some monkey soldiers approaching. "There he is!" "Over there!"
Monkey soldiers surround Regulus, each carrying a minus staff. "It's you again!" Regulus says. "We finally found you." "By Zeman's orders, we'll capture you this time!"
Luca and Torunka peek out of their hiding place.
As a monkey turns the hands on his staff. "Become minus!" "You fool! Don't do it! Did you forget that he has a minus cursed needle in his leg?" "Oh yeah. If two minuses touch, it changes into powerful plus energy." Regulus roars and charges them, they duck to the side and he runs through the forest, with the monkeys in hot pursuit. "He's escaping!" "After him!"
Luca and Torunka are left alone in the clearing. "If two minuses touch, then it changes into powerful plus energy!" Says Luca. She dashes after them, Torunka struggles to climb over the log. "Huh! Luca! Wait up!" Torunka says.
Some distance away, the monkeys run into an open clearing. "We lost him." "He couldn't have gone far. Split up and search!" They disperse.
One unsuspecting monkey comes hopping and hooting up the trail somewhere.
Luca jumps out from behind a tree a distance away. "Try to catch me!" Says Luca. "You're that girl from Shubank City! Why are you here?" It bounds toward Luca. "Torunka, now!" Luca says. She runs.
The monkey is approaching the tree, behind which Torunka is crouching next to a minus staff with its prongs stuck into the base of the tree. "Right!" Says Torunka. He turns the hands and runs after Luca.
As the monkey runs past the tree, his world suddenly inverts, and he goes flying upward into the branches, dropping his staff.
Luca catches it. "Hm. We can use this." Luca says. "That worked great!" Says Torunka.
A swift river races through stony cliffs somewhere in the forest.
A log has fallen across the cliffs, and Regulus is crossing, via this makeshift bridge. He leaps off of the log on the other side, and turns around. "They're no longer after me. Hm?" Regulus asks. He's spotted Luca and Torunka approaching the other side of the log.
"Regulus!" Says Luca.
Regulus holds his ground, snarling.
Luca moves the hands on her minus staff and climbs onto the log, using it as a balancing pole to cross. Torunka follows, tentatively. "Regulus, listen to my real voice! Let's rescue Ancient Fairy Dragon together!" Luca says, loudly declaring. In the background, Torunka almost loses his balance.
Regulus jumps up onto the log, facing her. "Stop! If you come any closer, I'll take you down!" Says Regulus.
He once again hears something different. "Regulus, if you don't want Ancient Fairy Dragon to die, then you'll obey us!"
Regulus rushes Luca, his eyes glowing red, and leaps to land on top of her and Torunka. She holds up her staff. "Aaahh!" "Luca!" Torunka says. Luca's minus staff touches Regulus' anklet, both sets of hands change to align, and the resulting explosion forces the two parties apart and demolishes the log, dumping all three of them into the river.
"Let's battle. Zeman the Ape King attacks Power Tool Dragon. Cursed Flare!" Says Demak.
"Power Tool Dragon's effect! By sending the equipped 'Break! Draw!' to the graveyard, the destruction is negated!" Lua says.
"But you still take damage." Says Demak.
Lua's life points stand at 2500. "Aa-aa-aaagh! Huh?" Lua asks. Power Tool Dragon is standing between him and the rest of the attack. "Power Tool Dragon's protecting me." Says Lua.
"Lua!" Ushio says.
"I'll also protect her. Luca!" Says Lua, forlornly.
Meanwhile. Luca, Torunka and Regulus are trapped in the fast-moving current of the river.
"Luca!" Torunka says.
"Torunka!" Says Luca.
They swim to each other and cling together. "Luca!" She hears Lua's voice. "Lua? Lua is also fighting." Luca thinks to herself. "Regulus!" Luca says.
Regulus turns, his strength enabling him to fight the current.
As she waves her arm, Luca's sleeve has fallen away to reveal her sign.
"That's the mark of a Signer!" Regulus thinks to himself. He looks ahead.
Luca and Torunka are already looking. "It's a waterfall!" Says Torunka. "Regulus!" Luca says.
Regulus swims to her and Torunka, and grabs the back of her collar in his teeth. Then, they go over the waterfall, screaming, yelling and roaring, flung apart. And it's a long drop. This is one of those really tall, thin waterfalls that gets misty at the bottom. As Luca falls, she keeps her head and changes the hands on her minus staff. They freeze in midair for a moment, then fall upward, still yelling.
At the placid edge of the creek that turns into this roaring river, Regulus steps out onto the bank, spilling Luca and Torunka off of his back. He lies down on the ground, and the other two lean against his side, all three are exhausted. "I thought I was going to die." Says Torunka, weakly. "Regulus, are you okay?" Luca asks. "We finally meet." Says Regulus. "Huh?" Luca asks. Regulus stands up and walks in a circle to face her before sitting down again. "Signer, I was waiting for you to come to this world." Says Regulus. Luca smiles, brightly, starting to cheer up. "Regulus!" Luca says.
Lua's starting to get weak in the knees, breathing heavily.
"Lua!" Says Sakura. "Are you okay?" Ushio asks. Subaru and Velvet are watching, eyes wide in awe.
Lua looks up at Power Tool Dragon. "Power Tool Dragon, are you okay?" Asks Lua. Power Tool Dragon nods. Lua sighs, content and relieved.
"You somehow managed to survive. I set two cards. I end my turn." Demak says.
"The real battle is only beginning! My turn. I draw!" Says Lua. His draw is a trap card. "I have to find a way to get a card that will defeat Zeman the Ape King." Lua thinks to himself. "Power Tool Dragon's effect activates! I add a random Equip Spell in my deck to my hand." Lua says. "Please let me draw it!" Lua thinks to himself. He draws and looks at it, huge smile on his face. "'Megamorph'! All right! I equip the Equip Spell 'Megamorph' on Power Tool Dragon! How's that? Power Tool Dragon's attack points are doubled…" Says Lua. The card goes into effect and Power Tool Dragon starts to glow, and then, nothing happens. "Huh? Its attack points didn't change. Why?" Lua asks.
"You fool! 'Megamorph' doubles the equipped monster's attack points when you have less life points than me. Right now, our life points are equal. The effect doesn't activate." Says Demak.
"Oh no!" Lua says. He's getting upset. "This would've been an incredible combo that would've turned the tables, but I don't have any strategies left!" Says Lua.
"Destiny doesn't smile upon non-Signers. You lose. Like I told you, a normal person like you could never defeat a Dark Signer like me!" Devack says.
"Nnngh." Says Lua.
"Lua!" Sakura says.
"Huh?" Asks Lua.
Subaru and Velvet look up at their mother, still clinging closely to her. "Don't forget that you have cards in your deck that you trust! If you believe in your cards, then the cards will answer you! You must believe! Your cards will not betray you!" Sakura says. Subaru and Velvet are taking in her words, exchange looks with each other, and then look down at Lua. "You must believe, Lua!" Says both Subaru and Velvet, perfectly in sync with each other. Grim barks, as if in agreement.
"Sakura… Subaru… Velvet… Rrgh!" Lua says. He looks back at his hand, spell 'Pot of Avarice', trap 'Urgent Tuning', the trap card he just drew and a monster card that might be Gadget Hauler. "That's right! Power Tool Dragon can negate its destruction by sending its Equip Spell to the graveyard." Lua thinks to himself. "I switch Power Tool Dragon to defense position and end my turn." Says Lua. Power Tool Dragon has 2500 defense points.
"Focusing on defense in a shadow duel is a foolish maneuver." Demak says.
Lua faces him, poker-faced, he is not afraid. "As Sakura suggested, I'll believe in my cards and wait for an opportunity." Lua thinks to himself.
Luca, Torunka and Regulus are still sitting on the riverbank. "Regulus, you're the one who brought me to this world?" Asks Luca. "Yes. I heard about you from Ancient Fairy Dragon. As I continued to battle, I used my abilities to cast a spell that would guide you to the spirit world. Please forgive me. Even though the curse confused me, it doesn't change the fact that I believed that you were the enemy." Regulus says. "Totally! I thought you were going to eat me, Regulus." Says Torunka. "It's fine now. When we were falling down the waterfall, he saved us. Thank you, Regulus. Let's rescue Ancient Fairy Dragon." Luca says. "Zeman the Ape King's curse sealed Ancient Fairy Dragon in a mountain. If we invade Zeman's castle and defeat him, we will break his curse. Then the ones who have become minus will return to normal. Oh, and would you happen to have Cynder the Black Dragon with you?" Asks Regulus. "Cynder, why would I have her? She's not my dragon." Luca says. "It doesn't matter whose dragon she is, you have her with you right now, I can sense it." Says Regulus. "What?" Luca asks. Suddenly, her pocket starts glowing, she reaches into it and pulls a card out from her pocket. The card stops glowing and Luca can finally see what creature it is. "Huh? It's Cynder, but how?" Asks Luca. The card goes dark and disappears.
Luca is then standing within a large shadow she's been in before. She looks up and sees Cynder towering over her. "Cynder." Luca says. "Hello, Luca." Cynder's voice sounds beautiful, yet menacing. "So you can talk, Ancient Fairy Dragon said you could." Says Luca. "Well, she was right. I'm talking to you right now, aren't I?" Cynder asks. "Yes, but how come you never talk in my world? I mean, does Sakura even know that you can talk?" Asks Luca. "Indeed, she was just about your age when I brought her to the Underworld with me." Cynder says. "Well, will you help us?" Asks Luca. "Of course I shall, little one. When you need me, just whistle." Cynder says. She then extends out her wings and flies off.
"Get on my back." Says Regulus. He kneels down. Luca then turns to Torunka. "Torunka." Luca says. "Right!" Says Torunka. They both climb onto Regulus' back. "Hold on tight." Regulus says. He then takes off running.
Dark, menacing clouds swirl above a sinister-looking castle, and blue lightning tears the sky.
Inside. Two ranks of monkey soldiers, one on each side of the glimmering pool in the center of the room, kneel down. "The sky, the land, the flow of time in the spirit world! I am the great conqueror Zeman the Ape King! I'll turn everything in the world into minus and make it mine!" The glimmering substance in the pool balloons upward and bursts into a huge column of glistening light. The stone walls full of duel spirit cards seem to frost over. The column of light ascends into the menacing clouds above, turning them whitish-purple, blue lightning pouring from all directions around it. This is decidedly not a good thing.
Regulus, with Luca and Torunka on his back, stops at a vantage point over a green meadow, dotted with trees.
Mountains and hills in the distance complete the idyllic landscape. Then, blue lightning crashes in the distance.
Regulus looks around, suspicious. "What's wrong, Regulus?" Asks Luca. "Luca, look at that!" Regulus says. They all look at the sky. Unnaturally black clouds drift near the sun. "There's something wrong with the sun. Huhh!" Says Luca.
As she watches, the silhouette of a minus staff has appeared across the surface of the sun.
"That's…" Torunka says.
The hand on the giant minus staff moves, slowly.
Luca and Torunka hop off of Regulus' back to look up at the darkening sky. "What's going on?" Asks Luca.
Around them, entire trees wither instantly, the meadow becomes a barren wasteland, the river dries up. Within moments, the lush plain they were standing on is rocky and bare.
"Hm. Nature is reverting into a primeval world." Regulus says. "This is bad! The spirits will no longer have a home!" Says Luca. "Aaaahh." Torunka screams. "What's wrong, Torunka? Your clothes are baggy." Luca says. "No, my body has shrunk again. At this rate, Luca and I will turn into babies and vanish!" Says Torunka. "Oh no!" Luca says. "We don't have a moment to waste! We have to defeat Zeman while we can still fight! Let's hurry, Luca!" Says Regulus. "Lua, lend me your strength! The strength to fight Zeman the Ape King!" Luca thinks to herself.
Meanwhile, Lua's probably thinking the exact same thing. "Nnnngh." Lua says.
"My turn." Says Demak. He draws. "Let's battle! Zeman the Ape King attacks Power Tool Dragon. Cursed Flare!" Demak says.
"Bring it on! Power Tool Dragon is in defense position, and its Equip Spell will be its shield!" Says Lua.
"It's pointless. I activate the Continuous Trap 'Roaring Earth'! When a Beast-Type monster attacks a monster in defense position, you take piercing damage!" Demak says.
"Ohh! Aaaagh!" Says Lua. His life points 2000. "By sending Power Tool Dragon's Equip Spell to the graveyard, its destruction is negated. Huh?!" Lua asks. Power Tool Dragon has once again shielded him from the brunt of the attack. As Lua watches, Power Tool Dragon begins to fall apart, part of an arm hinge snaps off and something explodes inside a knee hinge, leaving a thin trail of smoke. "Power Tool Dragon is hurt! Why?" Asks Lua.
"Due to 'Roaring Earth's' effect, your monster loses three hundred attack and defense points." Demak says.
"What?" Asks Lua. Power Tool Dragon has continued to sustain damage, the most visible is that one of its shoulder plates has fractured, the left side is whole and round, but a third of the right one has fallen away, and the rest is cracked. Power Tool Dragon is steaming around the edges, and its defense points are now 2000.
"I set one card and end my turn. How pathetic. You and your monsters remain on the field looking miserable." Demak says.
Lua looks up at his dragon. "Power Tool Dragon, thank you. No matter how hurt you are, you still protect me." Lua thinks to himself. He's deeply moved, he turns back to Demak, all fight, if Power Tool Dragon's fighting for him, he's got to do the same. "So no matter how lame I look, I'll still protect Luca!" Says Lua.
Ushio, Usagi and Sakura continue to watch, gravely. Subaru and Velvet are watching, in awe. Grim's blazing red eyes are fixed on Demak, growling deeply and dark fur standing on edge.
Zeman the Ape King's castle stands on a rocky peak.
"Zeman the Ape King is there." Luca says. "There's heavy security." Says Torunka. "Yes. If we're not careful, they'll capture us." Regulus says. "What should we do?" Asks Luca. "There's only one way to infiltrate the castle." Regulus says. "Huh?" Asks Torunka.
Sometime later. "What? Regulus has finally been captured?" Zeman asks. There's a monkey soldier kneeling before him who responds. "Oh-oh-oh-aah!" "Well done! With Regulus, we can completely transform Ancient Fairy Dragon into minus." Says Zeman. "But it wasn't the retrieval squad who caught him." "Who did?" Zeman asks. "A wandering spellcaster." "A wandering spellcaster?" Asks Zeman.
The huge double doors open, and a procession marches through an aisle made of monkey soldiers with minus staves. They roll a large wheeled cage, in which Regulus is feigning sleep. Luca is leading the procession, cloaked in nondescript tan, including a turban and a cloth over her mouth and nose. She's carrying her minus staff with the head well wrapped in cloth. Torunka's walking next to Luca, his too-large hat effectively obscuring his identity. "Hehe. Thank you." Torunka says. The procession stops before the large reflecting pool in Zeman's throne room, and he and Luca bow, only slightly. "Great Zeman the Ape King, it is an honor to meet you." Says Luca. "An honor." Torunka says.
"Raise your heads." Says Zeman.
Luca opens her eyes, as she raises her head, seeing that she's praying this will work, she's playing with fire. "That's Zeman the Ape King." Luca thinks to herself. She hears a familiar coo and looks at the wall, Kuribon's there. "Kuribon!" Luca thinks to herself. She looks at the other wall, Sunny Pixie and Sunlight Unicorn are there. "Sunny Pixie! And Sunlight Unicorn! Everyone, I'll rescue you!" Luca thinks to herself.
"I hear that you're a wandering spellcaster?" Zeman asks.
"Yes." Says Luca. "I'm the apprentice. Hehe." Torunka says.
"How did you capture Regulus when my squads couldn't?" Asks Zeman.
Luca lifts up the staff and holds it in front of her with both hands.
"Huhh?" Zeman asks.
"The power to control the spirits, come to my hand." Says Luca. She turns on her knees and points her staff at Regulus. "Awaken!" Luca says.
Regulus opens his eyes, the monkey soldiers wince back, as he roars at finding himself in captivity, but she, the powerful spellcaster, holds her ground, the master of the fearsome beast. "Calm down!" Says Luca.
Regulus immediately settles back down to sleep.
"You control him so easily." Zeman says.
"Of course! My master's spells can control any spirit, no matter how wild he is!" Says Torunka.
"I don't believe you. Are you really using a spell?" Zeman asks.
Torunka looks nervous, Luca isn't afraid. "Do you doubt me? Then I'll have Regulus attack those soldiers." Says Luca.
"That's enough. As long as I have Regulus, that's fine. I will turn him into minus immediately." Zeman says.
The monkeys advance on the cage with their minus staves.
"Please wait, Zeman." Says Luca.
"What is it?" Zeman says.
"If you force the minus curse on him, then my spell will be removed. If that happens, Regulus will be out-of-control again." Says Luca.
"So what do you want me to do? There's no point in keeping him in a cage and performing tricks." Zeman says.
"With all due respect, I don't think you know how to transform Regulus into minus." Says Luca.
"What do you mean?" Zeman asks.
"Do you know that Regulus is Ancient Fairy Dragon's servant?" Asks Luca.
"I do. Ancient Fairy Dragon is sealed inside a mountain, but I'm having trouble because I'm unable to completely transform it into minus." Zeman says.
"Then this won't take long. If you temporarily remove Ancient Fairy Dragon's seal, and I cast a curse on Regulus at the same time, they will both turn completely minus and belong to you, Zeman." Says Luca.
"Remove the seal on Ancient Fairy Dragon?" Zeman asks.
Luca nods. "Yes. There is no other way." Says Luca.
"Hmmmmmm." Zeman says.
Luca lets out a nervous little whimper, Torunka's trying not to hyperventilate. Will Zeman buy it?
Long pause.
"Fine. I trust you." Says Zeman.
Luca and Torunka bow. "You did it!" Torunka says, aside to Luca. "Shh, stay quiet." Says Luca, aside to Torunka.
"Come to me, Ancient Fairy Dragon!" Zeman says. He points his minus staff at the pool in the center of the room, it starts to shine with light, and a big column of yellowish light appears.
Torunka winces back from it. The column recedes, and now the pool shows, Luca and Torunka get to their feet and look over the edge, it's Ancient Fairy Dragon's mountain. "Ancient Fairy…" Luca thinks to herself.