A/N Thanks to Rom for the idea for this duel, as ever full credit to him. Also thanks to him for ideas last chapter as well including that moment.

Martha's

"Mina and the others still are not here!" Yuzu said.

"I'm sure they're fine, they have Yuto with them." Ruri said.

"We don't know where they are." Tsukikage replied. "It could be dangerous."

"Damnit!" Yuzu slammed her hand onto the table.

"I'm sure they will return soon." Yuya said. "We should search the Commons."

"Fine…. they better be safe….!" Yuzu said.

"They have Yuto, Yuzar, Mina and Shingo… they'll be fine." Rin said.

"Shingo… that makes me worry even more!" Yuzu said.

Ritual Dimension

"We're doomed!" Shingo yelled. "This place is a dump, I'll never be found here!"

"Enough moaning!" Yuto said.

Yuzar, Yuto and Shingo were within the ruins of Ritual. The three teleported to Ritual when they were ambushed by Security and Mina was taken back to Roget. The ruins of Ritual looked exactly like Xyz but still with a bright sky. It was empty and silent.

"Why don't we just teleport to Standard?" Yuzar said.

"Because that fool Reiji only gave our duel disks enough power to hop dimensions once every few days." Shingo said.

"Well Yuto and mine can." Yuzar said.

"Good, since I brought us here, I'll go first!" Shingo replied. Yuto sighed as he hit his duel disk to Standard…. nothing.

"What's going on?" Yuzar said as his duel disk didn't work.

"No clue, Standard isn't working…" Yuto said.

"Well let's go back to Synchro?" Shingo said.

"Nothing either." Yuto said. "Something is jamming the signal."

"Well unjam it?!" Shingo said.

"Do I look like I know everything?!" Yuto hit back, Shingo and Yuto locked eyes.

"Okay guys." Yuzar said as he placed his arms around them both. "Let's find a campsite!" Yuzar was trying to prevent a fight.

"You're awfully calm about seeing your home world in ruins?" Yuto said.

"I know but I know a lot of residents were able to escape and find refugee in Standard… it'll rebuild soon." Yuzar said.

"I wish I had the same optimism." Yuto said.

"A lot wish they were like me!" Yuzar said with a grin. Yuzar could see he was showing off his ego again and quickly stopped. "I mean once we're done with this war, I will help rebuild your world, Yuto."

"But first we need to find your friend Ray." Yuto said.

"Yeah….." Yuzar walked away from Yuto. "Ray was taken… and I couldn't do anything about it… I went into this dragon mode and I was at fault for wasting her lifepoints…. I won't forgive myself but I know I can and will get her back."

"It's nothing to beat yourself over… I was worse…." Yuto said. "I went into "dragon mode" against that Fusion version of us…. it was horrible…. then I got captured…." Yuto said.

"But you're safe now! That's what matters!" Yuzar said trying to cheer him up.

"Also being merged with Yuya… it was… scary. It felt like something I can't describe…. I don't want to have that happen to us again."

"And we won't! These dragons inside of us can't control us anymore now we know about that!" Yuzar said. Yuzar held out his fist to bump it with Yuto, Yuto reluctantly did it while turning away at the same time.

"Wait where's Shingo?" Yuto asked as he and Yuzar looked around.

"He's like a dog…." Yuzar said.

"I heard that!" Shingo yelled from afar. "I found something!"

The two made their way over to a damaged building and they saw Shingo. Shingo pointed to an arrow on the wall.

"So what, it's graffiti?" Yuto said.

"Around here… I don't recall any." Yuzar said.

"Well let's follow it!" Shingo said as he ran off in that direction.

"Damnit, wait!" Yuto said as the others followed.

"He is a dog!" Yuzar said.

A little while later, the group came across another arrow and Shingo followed it, Yuto and Yuzar could only follow.

The group made their way to one more arrow and Yuto and Yuzar rested against a wall.

"This is stupid!" Yuzar said. "Nothing is around here!"

"Well what about him?" Shingo pointed to a man who Yuzar looked shocked to see.

"No way…. not you!" Yuzar said.

"What are you doing here?!" said a man who wore an American flag on his head.

"Bandit Keith!" Yuzar yelled.

Later

Inside an empty building, the three walked in. Inside was not much but a few needed objects that Keith had gathered to survive.

"So you survived Academia?" Yuzar said.

"Yes I did…. my skill set is quite impressive…. and why is a celebrity you still here?" Keith replied.

"Why thank you." Shingo said. "I don't kno-…. oh you mean Yuzar." Shingo said as he dusted himself down trying to change the subject.

"It makes no difference why." Yuzar said.

"Who is he?" Yuto asked.

"Bandit Keith… a known criminal in Ritual. Last in prison for trying to rob Kaiba Corp…."

"All in the past, I'm a reformed man!" Keith said. "I found myself lost in the wreckage after the prison was opened."

"Then we should leave, a known criminal isn't someone we need." Yuto said.

"Why didn't you leave with the rest of the citizens?" Yuzar said to Keith.

"I wasn't told." Keith said. "Plus many more couldn't escape."

"What?!" Yuzar said.

"What did you think would happen? A whole city escaping?" Keith said.

"Where are they?" Yuzar said.

"If I knew that, I wouldn't be here." Keith said.

"Anyway, we should go!" Yuto said.

"I understand you don't trust me but I have food." Keith said.

"Food?! You have a deal sir!" Shingo said.

"Seems we're staying…." Yuto added.

As the three ate, they sat down with Keith. Shingo begun speaking about himself to Keith.

"So you're the best duelist from this Standard Dimension?" Keith said.

"Of course, I am winners of many awards and trophies." Shingo said.

"Amazing." Keith replied. Yuzar tried to hold in his annoyance at the lies.

"Yeah, I'm the best. Shingo Sawatari, ruler of the Standard Dimension!"

"If you would excuse me, I need to… go outside." Keith said as he left the room.

"Where is he going?" Yuto said.

"Probably to… um…. I don't know." Yuzar said.

"He is amazed by me." Shingo said.

"You're a liar." Yuto said.

"Well… more like… telling the truth in a different way?" Shingo replied.

"Which is lying." Yuzar said.

"I am a champion!" Shingo said.

"In what? What have you ever won?" Yuzar said. "I worked hard to get to where I am!"

"I don't need to justify myself to you!" Shingo said. "Your win was a fluke against me! Reiji wanted me to lose so he could gain Ritual energy."

"I think you look for excuses!" Yuzar replied. "I think you're scared of people knowing who you truly are… just like I was… filled with ego!"

"I don't need you two!" Shingo said as he walked out. Yuzar was going to stop him but Yuto wanted him to calm down.

"Annoying fools!" Shingo said.

Outside Keith got out a phone.

"It's me… I found those two… now about my reward…." Keith said.

"Not until you have captured and brought them to us." the male voice said.

"Fine!" Keith said. "Need to do this the old fashioned way…. like they do in America."

Outside Shingo kicked a rock as he was annoyed with the two.

"How dare they… I am the best… how dare they not see my skill!" Shingo said in annoyance.

"GET OFF!"

Shingo heard the screams from inside the house, Shingo quickly ran back.

Inside Keith had tied Yuzar and Yuto together, each unable to move.

"What's going on?!" Shingo said.

"Ah, you brat!" Keith said. "I will be giving these two to Academia!"

"I knew something was dodgy!" Yuto said.

"Academia…. I got these two in this….?" Shingo stuttered.

"You led them to me perfectly!" Keith said. "I thought there was no chance of these "dragons" coming but you proved me wrong! How stupid are you!"

"Damnit…." Shingo said as he activated his duel disk.

"Guess I'll need to bypass you!" Keith said as he activated a Ritual duel disk with a blue blade which had patterns at the end of each side.

"Shingo, it's not your fault! You can do this!" Yuzar yelled.

"I don't need your fake praise!" Shingo replied.

"LET'S DUEL!" both yelled.

Turn 1

Keith LP: 4000 Hand: 5

Shingo LP: 4000 Hand: 5

"I shall send you into the dirt and claim the rewards! I set a Monster and set a facedown. I end my turn!" Keith said.

"Such big words for rubbish dueling!" Shingo said.

"We're doomed." Yuto said.

"We have no choice but to trust him." Yuzar replied.

Turn 2

Keith LP: 4000 Hand: 3

Shingo LP: 4000 Hand: 5

"I draw!" Shingo yelled. "I set my Pendulum Scale with scale one Abyss Actor - Evil Heel and scale seven Abyss Actor - Curtain Raiser!" The demon looking Pendulums arose above Shingo. Evil Heel 1 - 7 Curtain "Pendulums hey? Not bad!" Keith said. "I could do some of them in my deck!"

"You're filthy fingers are going nowhere near my cards!" Shingo yelled back. "I Pendulum Summon! Appear my Monsters and dazzle on my field!" A Pendulum portal opened and two Monsters shot down."I Pendulum Summon, level four, Abyss Actor Sassy Rookie and Leading Lady!" A blue haired figure in grey dungarees appeared. He had one eye and wore a yellow jester hat. A female with green hair also appeared.

Abyss Actor - Sassy Rookie ATK: 1700 DEF: 1000 Dark/Fiend/Pendulum/LVL 4 /Scale 2

Abyss Actor – Leading Lady ATK: 1500 DEF: 1000 Dark/Fiend/Pendulum/LVL 2/Scale 2

"I attack your set card with Leading Lady!" Shingo yelled. Leading Lady went into punch the set card. The card flipped up and there was a red metal ball with claws.

Blast Sphere ATK: 1400 DEF: 1400 Dark/Machine/LVL 4

"What is that thing?!" Shingo said.

"Before it gets destroyed, if this set card was attacked, it can equip itself to your Leading Lady!" The red sphere clamped down onto a panicking Leading Lady.

"What is it?!" Yuto said.

"No idea." Yuzar said. "Keith likes to change his decks."

"Regardless, Sassy Rookie, direct attack!" Shingo's other Monster hit Keith in the face as he was knocked back.

Keith LP: 4000 – 2300

"Next up I play the Quick-Play Spell Abyss Quick Performance! This allows a normal Abyss Script Spell Card in my hand to be treated as a Quick-Play! I use Abyss Encore which allows a second attack from Sassy Rookie!" Sassy Rookie punched Keith once more.

Keith LP: 2300 – 600

"That was too easy Keith." Shingo replied. "I end my turn!"

"Huh… maybe we're not so doomed." Yuto said. "I don't think Keith is out of this yet… the guy is a clown but a smart one." Yuzar added.

Turn 3

Keith LP: 600 Hand: 3

Shingo LP: 4000 Hand: 0

"Fool, you used up all your hand! Now I draw!" Keith yelled. "I summon BM-4 Blast Spider!" A robotic spider with rocket launchers on its back emerged.

BM-4 Blast Spider ATK: 1400 DEF: 2200 Dark/Machine/LVL 4

"Next I play Double Summon and I bring out another BM-4!"

BM-4 Blast Spider ATK: 1400 DEF: 2200 Dark/Machine/LVL 4

"I use Blast Spider's effect! I can destroy one Dark Machine I control and destroy it and then destroy one card you control! Academia filled me in about Pendulums… and how they count as Spells… I wipe out my other Blast Spider to destroyCurtain!" One of the Spiders launched a missile to the other Spider and the other to one of the Pendulum scales, both were wiped out.

"Annoying!" Shingo said.

"Next is the fun part! If a Dark Machine was destroyed, Desperado Barrel Dragon can appear!" A mechanic dragon emerged. It had a long face which was a gun along with barrel cannons on each arm.

Desperado Barrel Dragon ATK: 2800 DEF: 2200 Dark/Machine/LVL 8

"Great…" Yuto said.

"Now fire away Barrel!" The dragon aimed at Sassy Rookie, quickly hurting it.

Shingo LP: 4000 – 2900

"Sassy Rookie isn't destroyed once per turn!"

"Now for Spider's effect! If a Dark Machine Monster inflicts damage, you take halve of the destroyed Monsters attack as damage!"

"WHAT?!" Shingo said BM-4 fired missiles at Shingo and all Shingo could do is try and avoid them by running. The missiles were locked on though and quickly landed around him, causing a dust cloud.

"SHINGO!" Yuzar yelled.

As the dust cloud faded, Shingo took damage.

Shingo LP: 2900 – 2050

"My turn ends there!" Keith said with glee.

Turn 4

Keith LP: 600 Hand: 0

Shingo LP: 2050 Hand: 0

"Well you just used up your hand, not very smart either!" Shingo said with confidence.

"He has a set card!" Yuto yelled.

"Yeah but that's not an issue!" Shingo yelled as he drew.

"Now you'll suffer even more!" Keith yelled. "Since it's your Standby Phase, Sphere will explode!"

"What?!" Shingo said in shock. "What do you mean?!"

"Just watch kid!" The sphere on Leading Lady begun to slowly tick down like a bomb, Shingo and the others could only watch with nerves. As it got closer, the ticking speeded up.

"No way…" Shingo said.

"Yes way! Now… KABOOM!" The sphere stopped ticking and exploded instantly creating a dark dust cloud. As it cleared, Yuzar and Yuto saw Shingo on his knees.

Shingo LP: 2050 – 550

"Shingo?!" the two yelled. Leading Lady had been destroyed.

"I'm fine! I'll show this punk!" Shingo yelled. "I set scale eight Abyss Actor - Funky Comedian, and rebuild my Pendulum Scale!"

"What?!" Keith said as a bulky green demon with multiple arms arose in the other scale.

Evil Heel 1 – 8 Comedian "Yes, he can Pendulum Summon!" Yuzar said. "You bet and here it comes!" Shingo's Pendulum beacon opened and shot down all his Monsters which were in his extra deck. Leading Lady was in attack while Curtain in defence. Abyss Actor – Leading Lady ATK: 1500 DEF: 1000 Dark/Fiend/Pendulum/LVL 2/Scale 2 Abyss Actor - Curtain Raiser ATK: 1100 DEF: 1000 Dark/Fiend/Pendulum/LVL 4/Scale 7

"I use Evil Heel's effect! I return a Monster on my field back to my extra deck, then I reduce your Monsters attack by that returned Monsters attack! Return Sassy Rookie!" Shingo returned the card back and Keith's dragon lost attack.

Barrel Dragon ATK: 1100

"Now! I attack with Leading Lady!" Shingo yelled as his Monster went into attack.

"Not happening! I use Barrel's effect! During either Battle Phase, I toss three coins! And for every heads I get, I destroy that many Monsters!"

"What?! Now you're using coin flipping?!" Shingo said in surprise.

"Yes!" Keith yelled. "But first my set card! The Continuous Trap Proto Blast! Now I flip three coins!"

"Damnit… come on…" Shingo thought.

Three coins appeared and they flipped at the same time, one landed first. It was heads.

"No!" Shingo said.

"Next one!" Keith yelled, as it landed, it was tails.

"Thank goodness." Shingo said in relief.

"Last one!" Keith declared, it rolled on the ground before landing.

"TAILS!" Yuzar said.

"Lucky punk!" Keith said. "I destroy the attacking Leading Lady, and via the Continuous Trap Proto Blast, if I gained one head flip this turn, you take 500 damage!"

"Give me a break!" Leading Lady was wiped out and quickly after, Barrel Dragon fired bullets at Shingo which hit him.

Shingo LP: 550 – 50

"I end my turn!" Shingo said.

Barrel Dragon ATK: 2800

Turn 5

Keith LP: 600 Hand: 0

Shingo LP: 50 Hand: 0

"Time to end this punk and your friends will belong to Academia! Draw!" Keith yelled.

"I won't let you have them!" Shingo said.

"But they lack confidence in you, they're not friends!" Keith replied.

"What do you expect, he's Shingo!" Yuzar said. "But we are his friends! No matter how much we joke, Shingo has shown himself to be a brave, strong person!"

"Don't feed his ego!" Yuto replied.

"I know people love to tease me…. I know it's all in good faith!" Shingo said. "You see Keith I know I like to get ahead of myself at times… but I know I got these guys into this trap and I'll get them out!"

"Pathetic." Keith said. "I play the Field Spell Heavy Metal Raiders!" The field begun to change to a scrap yard made of different destroyed Machine Monsters.

"A Field?" Shingo said.

"It's only just in case, but you'll lose long before I'll need to use it! NOW! BM-4, ATTACK!" The spider fired missiles at the defence position Curtain Raiser, quickly destroying it.

"Do something!" Yuto yelled.

"It's too late! GO Barrel!" Barrel fired rapid shots at Shingo who smirked.

"As if that'll destroy someone as good as me! I banish Abyss Quick Performance! When I do this, I can set a Spell from my deck and it's treated as a Quick-Play!"

"It will do you no good!" Keith said.

"Watch and see!" Shingo set a card on the field. "And since it's a Quick-Play, I can use it during your turn! I activate Abyss Bouncer! I bring an Abyss Actor back from my extra deck and then your Monster must battle it! If my Monster has less attack, your Monster is destroyed!"

"What?!"

"I bring back Leading Lady in defence!"

Abyss Actor – Leading Lady ATK: 1500 DEF: 1000 Dark/Fiend/Pendulum/LVL 2/Scale 2

"Now your dragon must attack!" The dragon locked onto Leading Lady and fired. A green shield formed around Leading Lady which knocked the bullets back into the dragon. Keith's dragon exploded.

"He did it!" Yuzar cheered.

"Yes… he did well I admit." Yuto said.

"Damn you kid. When Dragon is destroyed, I add a level seven or less Monster with a coin tossing effect to my hand. I add Barrel Dragon. I end my turn."

Turn 6

Keith LP: 600 Hand: 0

Shingo LP: 50 Hand: 0

"Time to win this! DRAW!" Shingo yelled with style. "I Pendulum Summon back my Rookie and Curtain Raiser!"

Abyss Actor - Curtain Raiser ATK: 1100 DEF: 1000 Dark/Fiend/Pendulum/LVL 4/Scale 7

Abyss Actor - Sassy Rookie ATK: 1700 DEF: 1000 Dark/Fiend/Pendulum/LVL 4 /Scale 2

"Your Field is now irrelevant as I use my Mystical Space Typhoon to wipe it out!" A blue storm destroyed the field and the ruins of Ritual returned. "Next I shall return to my script from last turn which you ruined! I use Evil Heel's Pendulum effect to add Sassy Rookie to my extra deck and reduce your Spider's attack by Rookie's!"

"Yes!" Yuzar cheered as Yuto also looked slightly impressed at the turn around. Rookie returned while Spider dropped its attack.

Spider ATK: 0

"Now Curtain Raiser, END THIS!" Curtain Raiser launched into BM-4 Blast Spider, the spider exploded and sent Keith flying.

Keith LP: 600 – 0 Shingo Wins

As Keith was on the floor, Shingo was able to go over and untie the two.

"Shingo, I was wrong." Yuto said.

"Yeah, no need to joke now! I knew you guys believed in me all along!" Shingo said in an embrassed manner as he rubbed the back of his head.

"Sure, let's go with that." Yuto said.

"What about Keith?" Yuzar said as he went up to him.

"We should ask him questions." Yuto said.

"Then what do we do with him?" Yuzar said. As the two were about to continue speaking, Shingo saw something from the distance.

"Um… guys!" Two cloaked figures walked towards them.

"Who is it?" Yuzar said. Yuzar's body fell cold. "No…."

The two walked up and there Yuzar and Yuto could see faces they knew. One was Ray, the other Shark.

"Ray….." Yuzar said worried.

"Ryoga?" Yuto added. "They dare send us people we care about….!"

"Care? I don't care about you Yuto, never did!" Shark added.

"And you Yuzar, you're an irreverent waste of space who wasted my time." Ray added. Ray held out a blue Academia duel disk and aimed it at Keith.

"No… NO RAY!" Yuzar quickly tried to stop her but Ray hit the duel disk and Keith was turned into a card before Yuzar could reach him.

The card dropped on the field and Ray looked at Yuzar.

"Ray?..." Yuzar felt heartbroken.

"Duel me Yuzar! NOW!" Ray yelled as she activated her duel disk.

"And you Yuto, you'll be dueling me!" Shark activated his. Yuzar and Yuto looked at each other with rocked faces.

A/N

Okay so just to say Yuzu V Ray will be coming soon… just saying.

Veracity – Wowie! Thank you, I'll take a good look at this in the next few days, thanks a lot.

Exelion Heart – I understand and take that on board, of course I will say that given the cast, it's sometimes not always possible to have Yuzu in it.

Samueljoo – Thanks dude, as I said in the PM, I'll look at this as well in the next few days.

Guest/Royal 2 – Thank you.

ThePLOThand - I would need to have a look at that question, Thanks for pointing it out.

Bridgey – Thank you for the very kind comments again, and I've passed them onto Rom who I write with as well and he appreciates them.