The Tag Team Combo!
"A month had passed since the massacre at the Phillip Vulcan autograph signings. A few more massacres like that had happened, however a few had survivors. They were aged many years in a matter of seconds and the only thing they could mutter was about a large being who absorbed the life of all but the people who were dueling. Security had been scouring the streets looking for the missing people and whoever was behind this, but with them abandoning other missions, bounty hunters and criminals had taken to the Duel Tracks.
"Yusei, Jack, the other Signers, and I tried to pick up the slack where Security is thinnest, but it was still hard. Luckily, we weren't on our own at this." Mateo said. "It all started with a typical patrol."
"Eurgh!" The criminal's Duel Runner came to a sudden stop as Mateo's Piercing Storm and Crow's Blackbird stopped next to it. "Hey, man, the Securities are busy! Can't you catch me a break?"
"No can do, buddy boy! You're coming with us!" Crow stepped out of his Duel Runner when the sound of several Duel Runners on the track below cuts him off and the criminal that Mateo and Crow were apprehending hits his accelerator and speeds off. "Damn it!"
"Ha! Now we got him! You're coming with us, Bengo!"
"Crow, go. I've heard that someone was helping us named Bengo, so I'll lend him a hand." Mateo looked up, and back to Crow.
"Are you sure? How are you even gonna get up there?"
"Very dangerously. Now get him. I'll stop them." Mateo replied, pointing to the upper track. Crow nodded and hopped back into his Duel Runner, speeding off. Mateo put his hand onto the break and slightly accelerated until he was aimed in at the edge of the track. He held the break and accelerated as he watched through the glass of the upper duel track as four Duel Runners approached. Just as they were about to approach overhead, Mateo released the break and accelerated forwards. As he drove around the side of the track and launched himself into the air and flew over the heads of the other Duel Runners as they shot by and rolled down the siding of the other track. He sped up and watched as all three of the Duel Runners following the lead one threw wires with claws at it, hooking on to it.
"You're gonna duel, and you're gonna like it!" One of them said. "Preparing to initiate an All or Nothing Turbo Duel!"
"All or Nothing?"
"You lose, you lose your freedom and your Duel Runner! You win, and we lose our Duel Runners, and, if Security cared, we'd lose our freedom!"
"Sounds fun! Mind if I barge in?" Mateo asked as he caught up.
"No, it's fine, I have this." The driver of the lead Duel Runner replied. "Who are you guys, anyways? Don'tcha know that your actions are illegal?"
"Oh, we do. What you don't seem to realize is that we don't care!"
"Hey! Bengo guy! Let me help you!"
"No. I know your type. Offensive playstyle." He replied. "I'm not like you."
"You're outmatched three to one. I'm helping, whether you like it or not!"
"Damn it, I said no!" The lead Duel Runner reached for his Duel Initiate button, but Mateo hit his, first.
"Turbo Duel engaged. Duel Mode active. Autopilot standing by." All five Duel Runner CPUs announced. "Activating the Speed World 3 Field Spell."
"I said I could handle this!"
"Shut up. Name?" Mateo asked. The man was silent for a second but Mateo asked again. "Name?"
"Shiho Bengo. Yours?"
"Mateo Yurigaya."
"Yurigaya? We lucked out! You're on our list as well! Anyone got an extra hook?" One of the bounty hunters asked, looking to his two comrades, who shrugged.
"Who do you think we are? Overachievers? We barely prepared to find one target, much less two!"
"Ugh! Fine! Let's duel!"
Mateo and Shiho: 4000 LP SPC 0
Bounty Hunters: 4000 LP SPC 0
"I draw!" Mateo called, drawing one card from his deck.
Mateo and Shiho: 4000 LP SPC 0-1
Bounty Hunters: 4000 LP SPC 0-1
"I summon Galaxy Serpent from my hand! Then, when I control a Dragon-type monster, I can banish it in order to special summon my Red-Eyes Darkness Metal Dragon!" Mateo called as his metallic dragon appeared to the field. "With his special ability, I can special summon one Dragon-type monster from my hand or graveyard, and I choose my White Stone of Legend! I'll place three cards facedown to end my turn!"
"Then I'll make my move, mate!" One of the bounty hunters drew a card from his deck.
Mateo and Shiho: 4000 LP SPC 1-2
Bounty Hunters: 4000 LP SPC 1-2
I summon Gate Blocker from my hand, and then, with the effect of a monster in my hand, I can release it!" The barrier-shaped monster that appeared started to glow and then grew in height as a new monster took to the field. "I special summon Gate Blocker 2 in attack mode! I'll place two cards facedown to end my turn!"
"I'm up, then! I draw!"
Mateo and Shiho: 4000 LP SPC 2
Bounty Hunters: 4000 LP SPC 2-3
"What? How come we didn't get any Speed Counters?"
"Ten years ago, this was a card that the Securities used while dueling." Mateo replied. "It prevents the opposing players from receiving Speed Counters. I assume you guys are ex-Security. I'm sure Trudge will be overjoyed to see you behind bars."
"I'm sure he would. But not today!"
"Whatever! I'll defeat all three of you without your help, Yurigaya!" Shiho replied. "I summon Azurian Secretary in attack mode! When an Azurian monster is on the field, its effect is based on its battle position! And when Azurian Secretary is in attack mode, I can add two spell or trap cards to my hand! So I'm gonna add Objection! and Civil Disobedience to my hand, and I set them facedown on the field!"
"I activate my facedown trap card, Raigeki Break!" A dark storm brewed above the battle field. "I can use this card to destroy one card on the field, all at the cost of discarding one card!"
As the bounty hunter discarded a card, a burst of energy flew out of it and into the cloud. Lightning started rumbling within it, and in a flash, an arc of lightning obliterated Red-Eyes Darkness Metal Dragon.
"Ha! Don't got your big scary dragon to hide behind anymore, do you?" Mateo smirked at the bounty hunter's remark.
"I have more than just that 'big scary dragon'. And I have no intention of hiding." Mateo responded.
"You better, cause I'm beating them on my own!" Shiho replied.
"There was something about Shiho besides his completely opaque helmet. Despite the obvious glare he gave me, there was some other strength residing within him. To be perfectly honest, I wanted to find out what it was, but his Duel Runner and freedom were at stake, so I wasn't about to just up and let him risk losing. At least, not for the first duel."
"It's my turn, buddy!"
Mateo and Shiho: 4000 LP SPC 2
Bounty Hunters: 4000 LP SPC 3-4
"I summon Beast King Barbaros to the field in attack mode!"
"You can't do that! Barbaros is a level eight monster!"
"He can." Mateo replied.
"What?"
"Your friend is right. I can normal summon Beast King Barbaros without tributing, but his attack is reduced to 1900." The bounty hunter replied. "Now, Beast King Barbaros! Attack Azurian Secretary!"
Barbaros lifted its lance and charged at Azurian Secretary, who stood fast against the approaching monster. It smirked as the sound of sirens pierced the area, forcing the Beast King into a defensive position. The Secretary bowed its head and kneeled, as the sirens stopped.
"What?"
"I activated my Civil Disobedience trap card. When you target an Azurian monster I control for an attack, I can activate Civil Disobedience." Shiho replied. "It lets me negate that attack, change your monster's battle position, and then I can switch up to two Azurian battle positions. Then the battle phase ends."
The bounty hunter growled as Shiho looked over to Mateo. "I told you I don't need help."
"Yet. It's my turn!"
Mateo and Shiho: 4000 LP SPC 2
Bounty Hunters: 4000 LP SPC 4-5
"I summon Delta Flyer! When I normal summon a monster, I can special summon Turbo Booster from my hand!" Mateo called as his monsters leapt to the field. "Now I can use Delta Flyer's effect to raise one monster on this side of the field's level by one, and I choose Azurian Secretary!"
"Don't you dare!"
Delta Flyer flew up and vanished as its level stars flew out. Azurian Secretary leaped into the air as the three level stars of Delta Flyer encircled it and created glowing green rings. The five level stars of Azurian Secretary appeared as it vanished, and aligned themselves in a straight line. "I tune my level three Delta Flyer to Shiho's level five Azurian Secretary!"
"Hey! I said don't you dare!"
"Clustering starlight, flow, and give form to this mighty creature! Illuminate the path of destiny!" Mateo threw his hand into the air as a green light pierced through the five level stars and then expanded to the innermost section of the synchro rings. "Synchro Summon! Take flight, Stardust Dragon!"
"Hey, I was using that! How dare you take that from me?"
"Now I tune my level one White Stone to my Turbo Booster!" Just like with Delta Flyer, the White Stone of Legend's single level star flew out of it and encircled Turbo Booster with its synchro ring. It vanished, leaving behind its single level star. "The light of the… No… MY future wavers! And when the past threatens the future, the might of all must gather to weave them together again! Illuminate the path of destiny!"
The single level star of Turbo Booster is pierced by an expanding green light that expanded to the innermost edge of the synchro ring. "Synchro Summon! Accelerate, my Synchro Tuner, Formula Synchron!"
"What the hell is a Synchro Tuner?"
"Do you live under a rock or something? Okay, anyways! When the White Stone is sent to the graveyard, I can add a Blue-Eyes White Dragon to my hand! Then I can draw one card from my deck with Formula Synchron! And now for something that will end this duel right now!" Mateo revved and accelerated past the three bounty hunters and Shiho. The two level stars of Formula Synchron flew out and flew forwards. In the distance, Mateo could see two Accel-Synchro rings. He accelerates even faster. "Let's do this!"
"What the hell are you doing?"
"My clustering dreams, punch through the veil and reveal yourself as the miracle you truly are! Illuminate the path of destiny! Accel-Synchro!" Mateo reached out with his right hand as a card bursts into existence between his fingers. Mateo passed through the Accel-Synchro rings and vanished in a burst of light.
"Accel-what?"
"Where'd he go?"
"What's happening?"
A green circle appeared behind the four other duelists as Mateo burst through him, Shooting Star Dragon in pursuit. "Rise, Shooting Star Dragon!"
"You wasted my Secretary for that?" Shiho replied with anger in his voice.
"No, I borrowed your Secretary to use his special ability! I can look at the top five cards of my deck, and my dragon can attack once for every tuner monster in the top five cards!" Mateo drew the top five cards, and then revealed them. "In my hand is Alexandrite Dragon, Dragonic Synchron, Maiden with Eyes of Blue, Influence Dragon, and my second White Stone of Legend! This means my Shooting Star Dragon can attack four times this turn!"
"No way!"
"Shooting Star Dragon, attack Beast King Barbaros and Gate Blocker 2!" Mateo commanded. Shooting Star Dragon flew up and then split into four versions of itself. "Shooting Mirage attack!"
Two of the Shooting Star Dragon mirages flew down and obliterated the two monsters. "Now, Shooting Star Dragon! Finish them off!"
The final two mirages of Shooting Star Dragon flew down and smashed into the three bounty hunters at full speed. As their life points reach zero, a burst of energy overloads the CPUs on their Duel Runners. The hooks let go of Shiho's Duel Runner as all five duelists came to a halt.
Bounty Hunters: 4000 LP-0 LP
"I could have handled it."
"I couldn't take the chance!" A beeping sound on the three bounty hunters stopped Mateo and Shiho from starting to argue. Yusei and Jack pulled up behind them as Mateo looked to them.
"Mateo, my screens say you're in the middle of a duel." Yusei says.
"What? But it just ended!"
"Just before the duel ended, I sent some messages to our bosses of where to find you. They're good at hacking into things." One of the bounty hunters replied. On cue, a large splash echoes through the arena as a submarine peaked the water. A door opened on the top, and a platform rose up with a man on it, and locked in place, a screen and duel field emerging from the railing. From above, a small jet approached, and a door opened on the bottom, with two jet engines dropping down to allow the jet to hover.
"Land ho! Jet, looks like we've got ourselves some scurvy failures and a few of our targets. Let's see… Mateo Yurigaya, Shiho Bengo, Yusei Fudo, and Jack Atlas. Looks like Fudo and Atlas weren't a part of the duel. A shame." The man on the submarine called up to the man in the jet. "Jet! Is your deck primed for combat against Yurigaya?"
"You know it, Depp! Is yours?"
"Damn straight!"
"Then let's get it on! But I suppose it's not fair being two duel fields against one!" Jet pressed a button and a few hooks launched out and attached to Mateo and Shiho's Duel Runners. Depp pressed a button on his screen and similar hooks launched out of his submarine. "Same rules as before, but this time, it won't be tag-team! However, I can't just give you both four thousand Life Points. I think two thousand each will be sufficient."
"Two thousand? What do you want with us, anyways? Don't you know that being a bounty hunter is illegal?" Shiho demanded.
"Do you see Security anywhere around here, ye scurvy dog? I didn't think so! Two thousand it is!"
"Shiho, we have to work together this time. No arguing. Okay?"
"Don't steal my monsters and we won't have a problem."
"No, damn it, I'm serious. This won't be three weakling bounty hunters. These are the big wigs." Mateo commanded. "I am an offensive player, but you're a defensive one. Please. We have to work together."
"Ugh. Fine." Mateo nodded at Shiho's response and then turned back to Yusei and Jack.
"Deal with these yahoos. Shiho and I will take them on." Yusei and Jack nodded, and Mateo turned forward with his Duel Runner. "Let's do this, Shiho."
Shiho reluctantly nodded, and them he accelerated forwards with Mateo alongside him, Jet and Depp following quickly. All four of them drew the top five cards of their decks. "Let's duel!"
Mateo: 2000 LP SPC 0
Shiho: 2000 LP SPC 0
Jet: 4000 LP SPC 0
Depp: 4000 LP SPC 0