A/N: I OWN NO PART YU GI OH 5DS! ALL RIGHTS GO TO THE CREATORS!

Chapter 53: The Team of Catastrophe

Era's POV

The next morning, Yusei and the others return to the stadium with. We however looked over only to find that Andre and Jean had both crashed with Breo beside them in a state of shock. I looked to the side followed by Yusei and saw their opponents, Team Catastrophe standing by in silence but with grins on their faces like nothing had happened.

"Our next opponent is Team Catastrophe, right?" Jack asked. I nodded.

Yusei walked up to Breo. "Breo, what happened?" he asked as I came up to him.

"We're not sure. But we're not the only ones that Team Catastrophe has had crash. Every one of his opponents has crashed," Breo answered.

"We should probably figure this out," Yusei stated.

"I'll try to give you some of our data from their runners," Breo said. They helped Jean and Andre into the booth and Bruno started to analyze the data.

"Both runners had experienced a rapid change in functionality during their duels. Both duel runners had crashed because their rear wheels jammed," Bruno concluded.

"But what would cause the same malfunction over three times?" I asked. "It doesn't add up. And I didn't feel any demons present at the time." Andre and the others seemed a bit confused but shrugged it off for the time being.

Carly came running up. "I have this tape I made of Team Unicorn's duel with Team Catastrophe. Maybe it has something," she stated.

"Why didn't you not mention this earlier?" Jack asked sternly seeming a bit angry.

"It doesn't matter. As long as we have it now," I intervened. As they watch the tape, with it slowed down just before the crashes, nobody could see anything unusual but I had a feeling it wasn't good.

"There isn't anything wrong with the duel runners," Andre commented.

"Something else is there though. Just before every crash, the same monster was on the field," Yusei noticed.

Bruno typed through a bit and located its name. "It's called Hook the Hidden Knight," he informed the group.

"Well, it's a start," I stated.

"I know you were our opponents but just be ready since you're dueling them next," Andre mentions. "We don't need another crash in this tournament." I and Yusei nodded with Jack giving a determined face.

"We need to get out there," Yusei stated.

"Right," I agreed before looking around not hearing a friend. "Wait, where's Akiza?"

Third Person POV

Akiza was on the highway working hard on practicing her skills. She passed under a bridge and was shocked as her duel runner locked up. As she was thrown from the crash, she summoned Rose Tentacles. But as its vines reached for her, she passed right through them.

'My psychic powers aren't working!' she thought before she hit the pavement.

Era's POV

"Era, you need to get to the hospital," I heard Mina contact me mentally.

"Why, Mina? What's happened?" I asked.

"She got into a serious crash and is in the hospital," she explained. "A couple citizens called for it."

"Wait, what?!" I exclaimed, both out loud and mentally. The others looked at her. "We'll be right there."

"What's going on?" Yusei asked.

"It's Akiza. She's in the hospital," I answered. They gave me a shocked look as we took off, with me behind Yusei.

"Who told you that, Era?" Leo asked.

"It was Mina. She said that they found Akiza in a crash after a couple citizens called for it. She's being taken to the hospital right now," I explained. "Mina's been talking to me telepathically in case of emergency situations like this. Especially since it seems demons have been getting involved in this tournament."

"Did she say what caused the crash?" Yusei asked.

"She said that her runner seemed to have locked up," I explained.

We arrived at the hospital just to see Akiza being rolled in. She was unconscious with a breather mask on her and was in an obvious critical state.

"Who did this?" Crow asked mad.

"I don't know," Yusei answered.

Bruno phone rang. "We have to get to the stadium. It's almost our time," he informed.

"Bruno, can you stay here and watch Akiza?" I asked. "This way you can keep us informed of her wellbeing."

"Right," he agreed. "Be careful."

"We will," Yusei agreed and everyone but Bruno ran off to duel.

. . .

As they arrived, they looked at Team 5D's they gave subtle shocked expressions. Mostly when they looked at Era.

'Did they want me to be the victim?' I thought. 'I don't even drive a duel runner, though.'

The MC called for everyone's attention as he exclaimed, "Alright everyone! It's time for the next duel! We have Team Catastrophe versus Team 5D's!" The entire crowd cheered enough for Team Catastrophe but when Team 5D's was called out they went ecstatic.

"Let's get this done," Jack stated as he boarded his runner.

They took off as the duel started and Hermann took the first move having him draw his card. "I summon Hook the Hidden Knight (Attack 1600/ Defense 0) in attack mode. Then I set one face down and end my turn," he declared.

Jack drew his card. "I summon Mad Archfiend (Attack 1800/ Defense 0) in attack mode and have it attack that Hook the Hidden Knight!" he declared.

"I activate Hook the Hidden Knight's effect! This switches both battling monsters to defense mode," Hermann declared. "Then his second ability kicks in which inflicts 800 points of damage to you."

As Jack's life points drop to 3200, Hook the Hidden Knight appears from his shadow and tried to grab Jack's duel runner to made him crash. Jack managed to avoid it while everyone else in the booth was surprised by the appearance of the hook.

"Will he be alright, Era?" Leo asked as he and Luna looked at me.

"He'll be fine," I answered, but I knew I was also trying to reassure myself.

"I set two face downs and end my turn," Jack declared.

"My turn!" Hermann shouted drawing his card. "I switch Hook the Hidden Knight to attack mode and summon Dark the Hidden Knight (Attack 800/ Defense 0) in attack mode," he declared. "Next I'll have Dark the Hidden Knight attack you directly thanks to its effect!" The attack was made and forced Jack's life points to 2400. "Now I'll let Hook the Hidden Knight attack your Made Archfiend!"

"I activate Ray of Hope! When I take battle damage that is 1500 point or higher, I can halve the battle damage," Jack declared. Though Mad Archfiend was destroyed, Jack only took 900 points of damage giving him 1500 life points total. The shadow hook tried to get his duel runner again but Jack swerved to avoid it.

"I set one face down," Hermann declared.

"Draw!" Jack exclaimed. "I activate Powerful Rebirth! This lets me revive a level four or below monster from my graveyard with its level increased by one and it gains 100 attack and defense points," he declared. "And I'll summon back Mad Archfiend (Mad Archfiend: Attack 1900/ Defense 100) in attack mode! Now I summon Dark Resonator (Attack 1300/ Defense 300)! Next I activate Fiendish Chain! This allows me to target a monster you control. Its effects are negated and it can't attack and I choose Hook the Hidden Knight! Now I'll have Mad Archfiend attack Dark the Hidden Knight!" The attack was made and Dark the Hidden Knight was destroyed and knocked Hermann's life points from 4000 to 2900! I activate Urgent Tuning from my hand allowing me to tune during the battle phase. So now I tune my level three Dark Resonator and my level five Mad Archfiend to summon Red Dragon Archfiend (Attack 3000/ Defense 2000)!" The dragon appeared on the field ready for battle. "I activate Half Seize halving Hook the Hidden Knight's attack (Hook the Hidden Knight: Attack 900). Red Dragon Archfiend, attack his Hook the Hidden Knight!" Jack ordered his dragon. Hook the Hidden Knight was destroyed with Hermann's life points dropping to 800. "Now I activate Sonic Buster allowing me to target one of my monsters, and dealing damage to you equaling half that monster's attack. I'll choose Red Dragon Archfiend for this effect." The final blow was made and Hermann's life points dropped to zero making Jack the winner for the first duelist.

As Jack made laps around gaining speed counters, Hermann passed the baton to Nicolas. He drew his card and only set a card face down before ending his turn.

Jack drew. "I send Dread Dragon from my hand to the graveyard to summon Power Giant (Attack 2200/ Defense 0) from my hand in attack mode but Power Giant's level is lowered by the level of Dread Dragon (Power Giant: Level 4)," he declared. "Now, Power Giant, attack him directly!"

"I activate Doom Ray which deals 800 points damage to both of us for every card in my hand!" Nicolas declared. "Which means we both take 4000 points of damage."

'He wants to destroy Jack's runner with that shadow effect of Doom Ray. He doesn't realize Power Giant's effect and that he and Team Catastrophe will be taken out too by the blast,' I thought.

"I activate Power Giant's effect which turns the effect damage to zero until the end of the damage step," Jack retorted.

While Jack took no damage, Nicolas took it all making his life points drop to zero and destroyed Nicolas' runner due to the shadow effect of his card.

An explosion occurred due to the card. Yusei and I grew concerned it was Jack but I was completely relieved when Jack rode out of the flames carrying Nicolas. Due to Nicolas' destroyed runner, Team Catastrophe lost by default.

"That's it, everyone! Team 5D's has beaten the powerful Team Catastrophe and are moving on to the finals!" the MC exclaimed with cheers following from the entire crowd.

Jack delivered Nicolas to the other two members of Team Catastrophe before riding over to his team.

"Nice work, Jack," Yusei complimented.

Yusei, Era, and Jack looked out at the sky while it began to get heavy, dark cloud cover. "Something's coming, guys," I comment as I felt demonic energy in it. "Something you won't like."