Yello! Back from the dead at last!
Near back-to-back work and a new university year's been keeping me busy and exhausted, plus my imagination's been finding new inspiration for probable new stories (may or may not post a few new plots on my profile; we'll see where it goes).
But, I'm finally starting to get back on track with my current fics. The updates will more than likely be slow-going due to real world assignments and projects coming up, but I'm getting there, I promise.
Thank you for exercising patience, and please enjoy the aftermath of the great Duel Fist battle.
...It's over...The battle. It's finally over...
But the war...How long will this war persist...?
These are the words pondered by our leading duelist Athena Fujina as she fights to draw some well-deserved oxygen into her beaten body. Her violent Duel Monster match between she and her enemy Janko Trilos had finally reached its end despite the grueling tests of her own grit and mentality...
Smoke from the ashes of Deranged Roulette continue to billow soft streams into the air as the gang leader fought to contain his pained grunts, his upper body smudged with black and marred with a few burn marks thanks Inferno's final blow.
"D-Dnh...H-hh!..."
No...No, this...this has to be a trick, an illusion...
How could I have lost to that punk...?...How?!
As for the rest of the souls in the old art gallery, not a one of them dared to cut through the silence of the AR, some too stunned by the display to utter a word while others hid their comments for the sake of respecting the calm after the storm. Tiffany herself is frozen between breaking down into tears or fainting on the spot after being forced to watch her childhood friend go through so much angst in just a few short days.
...I think I'm starting to understand why Addy never talked about where she went to back in late middle school.
...This duel...The pain...so heavy with pain and violence...
And yet, she's able to press through it like, a soldier, so unlike the girl I knew years ago.
...Suddenly, all that fear drops with a single dip of the bespectacled girl's chin, her bobbed black tresses covering her eyes and leaving just enough room for her lips to be seen as they curve into a near-stoic frown.
...Have you really changed that much, Athena?
Unbeknownst to her, Akira was watching her movements with a calculated expression before turning to face ahead with a puff of pity.
Damn, Tiff...So you've been trying to hold onto an illusion tighter than Terry could ever do...
And here I thought a policeman's daughter would be more observant than that.
"No...No, I won't accept this!"
"Hm?"
His aqua irises dart rightward to the sound of Trilos's gritted mutter, and several pairs of eyes watch the young man with acid green hair struggle to stand upright, the rage previously stamped down by his enemy's resolve sparking embers for one more round.
"I, won't, be bested...by some bitch, who thinks she can act all self-righteous, and get away with it...!"
(Shing)
A flash of silver cuts through the air, courtesy of a long knife slipped out of a hidden pocket of his black jeans, his brunt orange irises practically glowing with murder. Gasps emit from about half of the audience members while a few chose to remain silent and emotionless, Athena included...
"I won't let you get away! Now die!"
With an almighty battle cry, the gang leader charges forward with the intent of stabbing a hole into the younger teenager's flesh!
...However...
(SWIPE)
"Gh-huh!"
He's forced to screech to a halt by his heels or else risk getting cut by the dagger of a certain XYZ monster whose very name stresses caution...Adreus, Keeper of Armageddon.
...
The temperature of the room drops a few degrees as dark blood red irises glare down at the threat to his master's life, she herself maintaining a calm if stern front.
"Tch, you really don't know how to let go...do you?"
The shuffled steps of the girl's runners echo ominously through the air as she starts wandering forward, her own amber red irises locked onto her defeated opponent.
"I'll admit, I've been makin' some rather half-baked claims about letting it go and moving on, but at least I'm working on being more honest about my troubles...You just keep letting it boil over and allow it hurt everyone within range. You simply don't care...Any other situation would've allowed me to ignore your issues...But."
(Kick, whap, crrrack)
"Yah-aaah!"
Athena sends the sole of her shoe forward to knock the bladed weapon out of Trilos's hand, before reaching down to whirl him around by his right arm and pinning him on his knees, locking the limb in place between his shoulder blades and causing bones to rub aggressively against eachother! The gang leader does his damnedest to bite down a few yelps, failing to stifle a rasped hiss as he's pulled up to his feet by the younger soul.
"Like I mentioned before, I won't tolerate any innocents being thrown into the crossfire. So, here's what you're gonna do: swear on your life that you and the rest of the Fallen Stars will not lay so much as a skin cell on Hart again, or his brother for that matter."
The Tenjo brothers let out matching breaths of surprise for the girl's defense on their livelihoods, while Astral shivers slightly at the deadly undertone in his human partner's voice...But after all the time he's spent with the girl, a part of the celestial being expected this to happen.
Athena...
There's no response at first, until the blackette in the tattered white tube top and ripped black pleated skirt tightens her grip to the point where she could break her enemy's arm.
"Well?!"
"Alright!...A-Alright!...Dh-rh...I swear. The kid and fly-boy are off-limits."
The gang leader's subordinates widen their eyes in shock that he would give into the girl's demand.
"He really just..." "Boss..."
The female with the mysterious pendant nods firmly, confident of her enemy's word, and shoves the male away just as the AR field finally fades away.
"Now get your sorry hide out of my sight while you can still walk on two legs."
"Trh!...Mph."
Trilos rips his dueling gazer off and shoves it into the other pocket of his pants opposite his knife, then turns to stomp away for the doors while stiffly gesturing his cohorts Viper and Spears to scramble up to their own feet, rushing past the Tenjo brothers to catch up with their boss...
"Don't think this over."
The teen with acid green hair tipped black whirls around to point straight at Athena with a threatening glare.
"You may have won this round, but this is only the beginning of the beatdown I'm gonna dish out in the Carnival."
Reaching down to one of the chains hanging off his belt loops, Trilos unfastens a certain accessory to brandish out...revealing it as a completed Heart Piece! A sharp gasp escapes the lips of Tiffany and Akira, and Astral comments in narrowed surprise,
"He has already obtained all five Heart Pieces required for the finals...!"
...And something tells me has had them for quite a while.
Up atop those twin marble statues, Trey and Quattro glance at one another with semi-matching expressions of mixed shock and awe, before silently agreeing to making themselves scarce, realizing that any attempts to complete their mission for Vetrix would be fruitless so long as Athena stood in the way...As they activate their crests to assist their subtle escape, each brother thinks respectively,
...We'll leave this to Quinton.
Forget Kite and Hart; there's no way we're gettin' the kid past her.
A celestial portal opens up behind their bodies, the energy causing them to seemingly break down into bursts of light that stream inside like shooting stars...
"I may not have gotten my victory in the match...I still got t' see what I wanted to see."
A sardonic grin curves its way onto the bruised form of Trilos as he sneers out,
"You've managed to discipline that wild side of yours more than ya did back when, turning it into the perfect weapon against your enemies...A part of me almost respects you for it, actually..."
Athena shifts back with a defensive growl, making the boy with dusty orange irises emit a closed-mouth chuckle before turning around to continue his way out of the area.
"I'll be seein' you during our next round in the ring, kid, and I'd set your affairs in order before the finals, if ya know what I mean! Hehahaha..."
With that warning in the wind, Janko disappears into the dark of the night...A beat of silence passes through the air, cut by the sound of the girl with amber red irises clicking a curse under her breath.
"Sadistic bastard..."
"U-Um...should I, you know...call up Dad and, let him know about...?"
Glancing over Tiffany's way, Athena then releases a tired breath before muttering bitterly,
"No...By the time your old man and his cop buddies show up, Trilos will be off the streets and playin' incognito...That's one of the traits that I hate above everything else: he always finds a way to dodge the legal system."
Akira hums in agreement, his aqua irises catching sight of the blank spaces where Trey and Quattro used to be.
"Speakin' of dodging, looks like the dynamic duo cleared out too."
Everyone else looks up that way to confirm for their own thoughts, and the teen comments with a wry smirk,
"Keh, maybe they got scared by the idea of being taken down by a little girl next."
The somewhat lame attempt at humour is enough to stimulate a dry chuckle in the winning duelist, immediately shifting into a tired moan when the girl feels a wave of that numb ache hit her full force, causing her to falter her stance!
"Rgh!"
"Addy!" "You okay, kid?!"
Struggling to keep herself from falling on her front, Athena huffs out,
"I'm...hah, I'm fine. Just the second wind...I...I refuse to pass out, after all of this."
Astral felt his heart go out to the girl as she stubbornly fights her current physical weakness, floating closer to her side.
"Be careful you do not push yourself, Athena."
"I-I know..."
He wasn't the only male watching her with a careful eye: Hart too had his focus locked on the older soul with a near-analyzing expression similar to his brother's calculative looks.
...I swear...I know her from somewhere...but how-
(Ba-bump)
"Uh!"
Suddenly...the memory comes rushing back to him.
Flashback
Based on what his fragile mental state would allow him to recall, the boy is able to attain a semi-clear image of himself a few years prior to now, back when he looked less gaunt and retained some form of life in his eyes...
The scene depicts himself, Doctor Faker and about three other faceless individuals dressed in white scientist coats walking down a hallway of steel and glass. There's a chatter in the air between his father and the other three figures, but it's murmured and unintelligible as his attention continues to wander throughout the pathway. Dark shadows are visible within the cloudy glass squares he passes, making him shiver in his steps while also curious of their contents...
Hart pauses his steps with the rest of the small group, waiting to continue to wherever Doctor Faker and these suspicious acquaintances were taking him...when a light tapping sounds catches his ears.
"Mm?"
He turns his gold brass irises towards a seemingly empty room with the same glass viewing point as several others, and steps over so he's just a half foot way...
(SLAM)
"Guh!"
Hart then stumbles backwards as a skinny figure suddenly lunges to plaster its hands against the clear surface in a near-threatening manner!
...
But zooming closer, we see not a monster, but a haggard, torn-clothed Athena giving the younger child a half-crazed expression of both fear...and warning.
"R-R-R...R-un...Run, a-away. G-Get, away, f-f-f-from here...while you still can...!"
End of Flashback
...I remember now...She was the girl, from that weird dream.
"Hart?...Are you alright, little brother?"
"...It was never a dream. It was real."
"Huh?"
To say Kite was befuddled would be an understatement, more so when he feels his younger sibling gently shift away from his hold to begin wandering over to the teenager who now holds a more significant place in his damaged memories...
"Athena."
"Hah...huh?"
She looks up to see Hart standing about a foot in front of her bent form, staring at her with an expression of revelation.
"...What's up?"
"...I remember who you are."
Athena furrows her eyebrows in confusion...until it hits her like a ton of bricks.
"Uh-hh!"
He...he remembers-?!
Sucking in a shaky breath, she asks,
"A-And...who, am I to you...?"
"...You're the girl from that laboratory my, father, took me to a few years ago...The one with the pained eyes."
Another stuttered inhale sharply wracks the girl's lungs around the same time a more controlled gasp escapes Kite's lips.
So then...they really do share a connection...
But how much do they know about the other?
(Lunge)
"Uh!"
Suddenly, before Athena could prepare herself, she's tackled by the young boy with periwinkle blue hair and falls on her behind, the latter engulfing his thin arms around the injured torso of the former!...At first, the girl could only sit frozen, startled by the gesture from the smaller child...but slowly comes back to reality as her ears register the hushed, jittery sniffles from Hart as he buries his face into her chest.
"I-I...I'm sorry, I didn't remember you until now...But even before, when you were j-just a weird illusion...I still wished...t-to help you. I...I wanted to take away that pain."
Fisting the material of the white tube top in a desperate manner, Hart confesses,
"It was, actually thanks to those night terrors of, that place, I became all the more determined...to prevent Kite from falling that deep. I...I couldn't save you...but I wanted to at least try and save him."
"...Oh, Hart..."
A bitterly sad smile curves onto the exhausted duelist's lips, and she gently curls her arms around the emotional boy while chiding bluntly,
"I appreciate the thought, and I'm glad I somehow brought a little of you back...but, there was nothing you could've done back then. Even if you got me out of that cell...I was, too far gone for help. I...I had to find my own way out of the darkness, whatever that way was...And as for Kite, the best way you can help him is by holding onto what makes you who you are. You're too young to exhaust yourself too close to Death's door...plus, how can he protect you like an older sibling should if there's nothing for him to protect?"
"Uh!...Mm..."
Athena draws herself back so she could look the other in the eyes.
"It's cool that you wanna be brave in front of everyone, Hart, but take it from me: there's a fine line between acting brave and acting reckless. Do me a solid and don't confuse the two. (Wry smirk) Make sure there's at least one level-headed brother between you and Kite."
"I heard that."
They look over and see the said blond approach with Orbital Seven rolling behind him, a somewhat annoyed expression etched onto his face for the discreetly cheeky comment. The pair giggle slightly before making their own motions to stand on their feet again, the blackette watching that she didn't rise too fast and invoke dizziness to come out and play...
"I'll admit this much: you're not that half-bad a duelist, at least in thug settings like this."
Turning to meet grey irises with her amber red, Athena humphs with a half-smile,
"Comin' from you, I'll take that as a compliment."
"Right..."
"I must admit, I was rather impressed as well."
"Rh!" "Hh!"
The room's atmosphere tenses come the introduction of a new voice, and eyes dart upward to the back balcony to lock onto the form of none other than Quinton!
"You kept your cool despite the underlying dangers of this particular style, and displayed the skills required to compete among more qualified duelists."
Shifting Hart's position so he's nestled between herself and Kite, Athena informs the other Tenjo,
"That's him! That's the man who tried to take Hart in the turbine district, using some strange hypno trick on the kid before I clocked him and got the others to escape with your brother."
Stiffening considerably, the Number Hunter quickly places a protective hand on his sibling's shoulder while glaring up at Quinton.
"...Who are you, and why were you after my brother?"
"...That's a simple question with a very complex answer."
"Doesn't have to be that way."
The eldest of the brother trio fixes his eyes on Athena, she in turn staring at him with a firm expression.
"All you gotta do is quit skirtin' around the details and give it to us stra-...Hang on..."
She then narrows her eyes in thought and peers at Quinton up and down in a searching manner...before gasping out in light surprise,
"Uh!...Christopher...?"
The latter's dark blue irises widen a bit with shock at the sudden address...before averting his gaze and telling the girl outright,
"...That's not the name I go by anymore. It's Quinton."
Everyone else was more confused if anything, and Astral would be the one to ask,
"Athena...you recognize this individual?"
"I wasn't able to before...but, now it's coming back to me."
(Flash)
"His name is-or, I guess he was once known as Christopher...Ark, something. His last name escapes me. Anyway, he was one of my brother Adam's college buddies..."
We turn back the clock to a random everyday of several years back before the main events, back when Athena's personality was considerably lighter-hearted and innocent...
Zooming inside the kitchen, we find her older brother with the black tamed mullet of hair, and Quinton - back when his long, silver-blue hair was a little shorter and constantly tied into a loose side braid - sitting at a small table in the corner near the entranceway to the living room, skimming through several notes and a few textbooks with somewhat tired smiles on their faces.
"They used to have these study sessions at our house, and, I remember that I sometimes peeked in to watch them..."
(Flash)
"...But once graduation came and went, I never really saw Christopher again, nor did Adam receive any sort of contact. He just, vanished...until now."
Athena tilts her head back up to face Quinton - formerly known as Christopher - again and inquire an answer for herself.
"...What happened, Chris? Why'd you stop talking to my brother, and what's the deal with this sudden shift from mentor to kidnapper?...We may not 'ave interacted much, but I remember you as a kinder man than this, always ready to help Adam when Charlie couldn't provide the advice he needed...What changed?"
"...I could ask you a similar question myself."
"Huh?"
Quinton comments,
"You've changed quite a bit from the innocent little shadow I remember...but, you're still just as persistent as your parents were."
"Gh!...And how the hell do they have any relevance to this?"
His answer would not be one the girl expected to ever hear.
"Your father and mother are alive, Athena...They're in Astral World."
Athena's POV
...
Of all the things this stranger from yester-years could have told me...this information, was nothing I could be prepared for. It feels like every vein in my body suddenly froze over to the tune of my heart skipping a beat.
...My...My parents...alive...?...In Astral World...?
I can feel multiple sets of eyes on my form as I fought to contain a multitude of emotions threatening to crack through my skin...before settling on one reaction that most wouldn't...Denial.
...No.
"Athena...?"
Relaxing out of my stony stance by way of my choice of emotion and the sound of Tiffany's voice trying to coax me to speak, I form a glare of near-indignation to send up at the man who dared to make such a claim.
"...No...You lie. You must be lying."
Chris-no...Quinton seemed a bit surprised by my lack of faith in his word, despite the vagueness of any expression change, while my friends had no trouble in expressing their shock in my rather negative reply.
"Addy..." "Athena..."
Ignoring them, I say to the man above us,
"Look, I dunno what the frack's been goin' on since you went and played the Houdini card, and quite frankly, I don't think I wanna try coming up with an idea as to how Hart fits into the equation...What I do know, is this: I'm not about to fruitlessly get my hopes up for something that at this point, will probably never come to pass."
They've been gone for so long now...they may as well be a fading memory...
"Is that truly what you believe? You no longer have any faith in the return of your parents?"
"...Let's just say my faith's run rather sparse these days...but I don't need to stand here the rest of the night explaining myself to you."
Turning away from Quinton's eyes, I then bend down to gently hoist Hart up onto my back piggyback-style, much to his surprise.
"Uh!...Athena...?"
"C'mon, kiddo, let's you, me and the rest of us blow this joint. Party's over."
With that, I start my slow and miraculously steady walk out of this ghostly art gallery, the rest of my posse trailing behind me in an almost awkward manner...
"You are aware of the multiple targets on Hart's back as well as Kite, are you not? How long do you expect to keep them safe from harm as well as yourself?"
I reply simply with no room for argument,
"For however long it takes...Oh, and Chris? Tell your bros I said hi, and whoever sent you three to go suck a lemon."
...
...
A little while passes before the lot of us near the border between greenery and concrete, just exiting a somewhat woodsy path to the first park-like area near one of the main roads. Not a one of our mouths has dared to open on account of aftermath processing...but I think I've had enough time to think over my next next set of moves. First thing on the agenda: prevent the Number Hunter and his brother from walking back into their cages.
"...You're not goin' back to Heartland, by the way."
Kite knew I was talking to him more so than Hart.
"What's that mean?"
"Your hearing skills shot? I said you're not going back to Heartland, you or your brother...You two are comin' back to my place, oh, and I guess the bot is too."
A few breaths of surprise sound from my three friends as well as Orbital Seven.
"Wh-Wha-Whaaaat?! Yo-You can't be serious!"
"Can and am, mini mech...All this parading around with the bad guys stops now. I've made my first move against my demons, so now it's your turn, Kite."
"Grh!...Even you should know that's impossible. My hands are tied."
We stop our walk so I can turn around and face him, watching I don't whirl too fast and accidentally chuck Hart off my back.
"Wrong. You just think they are, but look down and you'll see no signs of twine."
"Dammit, Athena-"
"No! Stop the arguing for a second and just listen to me, would ya?!...Kite, I know deep down, you know all this Number Hunting's been helping the wrong people, and in the end it's gonna do jack for Hart's health. It's all been an exercise of exploitation...But still, it's not too late."
I hold my right hand out in a gesture of building ties, firm expression set.
"This is the opportunity to finally walk away and start fighting for yourself and Hart. Don't play the stooge; play them back...You've got a fair arsenal of Number Cards now thanks to your activities, unconventional they were, an army that Heartland has no chance of beating, and you're just gonna trade it for a pair of shackles? That's ludicrous! Not to mention you're only prolonging Hart's danger to his well-being by continuing to work with the enemy!"
"And what gives you the right to tell me that, huh?!...You don't know how much I've had to sacrifice to keep my brother safe, how many gambles I could've taken but passed because I didn't want to risk the odds. What makes you so sure Heartland won't try a counter this round?"
"Because to do so would be unwise for his image regarding the Carnival."
That seemed to shut Kite up for a minute, and I argue,
"Thanks to Trilos and his Fallen Stars, as well as other instances of unsportsmanlike conduct, Heartland and his cohorts already got their hands full trying to keep the peace while he himself fights to keep his cool. If he were to step in and play the dark game by his own hands at this point, Heartland's risking a disturbance with the public...He's a showman that likes to maintain shadow distance."
"She's not wrong."
Our eyes focus over on Akira as he adds in his own two cents.
"From what I've been learning, Heartland's a master manipulator who's careful not to let his true facade be seen in the sun...Almost reminds me of Trilos, actually, only more dramatic and less crude."
"Couldn't have said it better myself...Hm?"
That's when my eyes fall on Tiffany, noticing a new slump of sadness in her being that seemed...outside current conversation.
Tiff?...What's up with her...?
"Okay...let's assume you are right and somehow, this is the opportunity to break away...Is your family really just going to let my brother and I, stay with you?"
It almost made me laugh to hear that touch of uncertainty in Kite's tone, but I fight it down with a half-smirk.
"You'd be surprised how open my gramps and bros are to housing strangers...Look, I get it, I really do: Hart's your whole world and you just wanna keep him safe. I basically do the same with my own loved ones, keeping as much to myself as possible to prevent others from getting hurt...But, I've come to learn that housing secrets, or simply being as stubborn as a bull doesn't always guarantee. In fact, it can be more harmful than opening up the dialogue."
My expression falls into a soft frown as I downright plead,
"Please Kite, for your sake as well as Hart's...don't send yourself back to the wolves...Come with me, and we can figure out a more feasible plan, something that benefits all of us."
...
...
Time seemed to slow down for the next two minutes, and Kite stares at my hand like it's a sharp pointy object, still unsure if he should finally stop dealing with the devil...
"Let's go with her, big brother."
"Huh?"
Eyes land on Hart as he speaks up from over my left shoulder, his voice gradually getting stronger with each sentence.
"I'm...I'm tired of being used, and watching you get used by people, who don't want to help us. We're only tools to Mister Heartland...and to Doctor Faker. Whatever promises of finding a cure to this power I possess...I stopped believing them a long time ago."
"Uh!...Hart..."
"I'm ready to stand up to them, fight for us...What about you?"
The older brother of the pair gazes at Hart with awe at his show of bravery...before relaxing into an expression...of reluctant compliance.
"...Alright, Hart. If you're sure...we, don't have to go back to the tower...We'll go with Athena."
Kite...
I almost wanted to smile, but, somehow it didn't feel very appropriate for this time...
"Well, since that's settled, guess we better motor to your place and get whatever shut-eye's available, right?"
"Right, Akira...Let's go, everyone."
On that note, the march continues...
"You are aware of course, this doesn't change the current stand between us regarding the Numbers."
"Hm?"
Kite glances at me with stern eyes and says,
"Maybe they really can't help my brother, but that doesn't mean I'm just going to hand them over to you and the envoy that easily...Unconventional my methods may be, as you so put it, I still earned the cards."
"...Yeah, I know...which is why I'm offering this proposal: until the Carnival's over, we leave the Number Card issue alone and keep battling with what we got."
I hear Astral make a noise of protest, but I silence him with a subtle gesture before continuing.
"Furthermore, we keep eachother informed of any new Number activity, and don't offer our current tallies to anyone outside of our circles, especially Mister Heartland and Doctor Faker. Once this tournament's over with, that's when we can have a more civil conversation on the matter...Does this sound like a reasonable agreement?"
"Hmph...I accept your terms, so long as you don't slip up your end."
"Keh, I won't if you won't."
We break eye contact and face forward, leaving me to sigh through my nose while commenting to myself,
Haah, something tells me forming a better bond with him's not gonna be easy...
No POV
While everyone of the rather mixed-opinioned group of youths makes their way back to the Fujina Residence, we head to the inner city of Heartland and deep inside the central tower as the mayor speaks with Doctor Faker about recent events...
"They have not returned to the tower?...Can it be that they've finally decided to rebel? And after all this time..."
"Rest assured, Doctor Faker, my people are doing everything they can to pinpoint their latest location...Though if I may be frank, I actually have doubts in their compliance."
The man with the strikingly-styled blond hair raises an eyebrow.
"Oh? And why is that?"
"Apparently, according to a few individuals in tech support, there's been reports of an anonymous hacker attempting to break into our more private databases. Previously, they had little success...but recently, the hacker managed to acquire copies of some our more classified files...including the ones about Astral World, and our agents."
"Hh!...Is that so?"
"Unfortunately, yes, sir."
"...Who's responsible for all of this, Mister Heartland? Tell me: who swayed my sons away, and what is the identity of this anonymous hacker?"
"Those questions are still in the works for answers, I'm afraid...but I can offer information regarding a secondary factor that may have helped trigger Kite and Hart to make their escape..."
Mister Heartland pulls up a digital file acquired from his other two young agents.
"According to a report from Nistro and Dextra, there was a group of people bearing powerful crests that appeared a few times this evening to try and steal away Hart, one of which having stolen one of our private helicopters."
"...A crest..."
If the man with the turquoise suit noticed the pause in his colleague, he didn't comment on it.
"Whoever they are, they will no doubt show themselves in the World Duel Carnival Finals...Even so, those people proved as incapable as Nistro and Dextra in simply touching Hart, all because of one young individual."
"Just one, you say?"
"Yes, Doctor...and I have a feeling Nistro was referring to this young lady."
An image of Athena during the afternoon before the first day of the WDC is pulled up for viewing, showcasing a momentary pause in the skirmish she undertook against the city guards after practically tearing apart the rogue LitterBot that stole her deck. Her body is shaped in a slight bent forward with her fists balled and ready for action, expression set in frustrated fury...
Doctor Faker found himself struck silent as his eyes lock onto the teenager.
"Uh!"
...Can it be...Orion's daughter...
"Doctor Faker?"
He snaps out of his daze with a strange sort of closed-eyed frown, his mind caught between thoughts.
"Mph...If the group bearing the crests dare reveal their faces in the Carnival, be sure to show them what happens when they attempt to meddle in our affairs."
"Of course."
"...As for the girl...keep a close eye on her activity as you search for my sons."
So, Fujina...once again, you found a way back into my troubles even so indirectly.
"Yes, sir."
...
...
About thirty-five minutes pass, and we find Athena and her small group making their way up the side stairs to the front door of her home...Well, all expect one.
"I'm a little surprised Tiffany decided not to join us, but, then again, I guess she doesn't wanna give her parents more reasons to worry...Still, she kind-a looked a little, dejected and beside herself..."
The blackette doesn't comment on the manner like Akira, choosing to contemplate within in her own mind as a concerned frown forms.
...Tiffany...
Tiffany's POV
Rather than join my friends - and strangers among friends - at Athena's house, I chose to break away from the group about halfway and head back to my home. Waiting for me were a pair of parents surprised that their own daughter was out for so long without a feasible explanation...I obviously couldn't tell them about what went down these last couple hours, so I reluctantly chose to lie by saying Athena and I were hanging with Jamal and Akira at the Axel Cafe and just lost track of time...Thankfully, they bought it.
I would've gone to sleep by now...but, recent revelations have been keeping my brain active. Currently, I'm sitting on my bed in my favourite green babydoll nightgown with matching light-material bathrobe, staring at a couple different objects representing...a time that made more sense.
The first one is a framed picture capturing a moment back in grade school, first grade to be precise, during one of mine and Athena's frequent playdates in the park. Our smiles...they held alot more in common then, which surprises me.
We were such polar opposites, her a wild loud thing while I was more gentle and reserved...
But, somehow, we made it work...Why does it feel so hard now...?
The next one is a card I bought a couple years ago that bares the same name as my BFF, which is subsequently one of the strongest monsters I have in my deck currently...Such a revered appearance...like how I look up to Athena now and again.
Both Athenas have an indescribable strength...and yet, I feel like this one, is becoming the only good one I know.
My last object doesn't bear much of a positive memory...a fragment of the darker friend I knew distantly more than a year and a half ago. It's a piece of leather from what I'm sure was either a pair of pants or a vest she used to wear constantly to mirror the gangster girl Athena had become. See, as a way of symbolically saying farewell to her old personality, we burned the remains of the last outfit she wore and shredded by her own hands - I don't wanna try and imagine how she did it, but it must've been an emotional experience - and sent it down river...
I dunno why I stole a piece out from the bag back then...but now...I think an answer's coming clear.
...Berserker...corrupted the Athena more than we knew...
Athena's not the same, and never will be.
A tear escapes my right eye as I whisper sadly to myself,
"She's become someone...I'm not sure I can relate to anymore..."
No POV
"...So how exactly are you going to explain these current events to your grandfather and brothers?"
Snapping out of her worries for her female friend (which unknown to her were spot-on), Athena turns her attention to Astral and replies through their telepathic link,
No other way around it but to tell the truth...and possibly the whole truth. It'll really depend on how persistent they are in getting the full story, Terry especially.
"...I see."
The celestial being focuses his eyes away, causing the girl to raise an eyebrow in puzzlement.
Huh. Haven't seen him act closed off like this since the early weeks in our acquaintanceship...
What's wrong with him now...?
Reaching the front door, she shakes her head slightly and says to herself,
Whatever. I'll interrogate him about his attitude later...
Need to focus on the big discussion comin'.
(Knock, knock...ka-chank)
"Huuah, yo, what's-Uh-hh!...Addy...?"
Standing in the doorway is the young man with the asymmetrical haircut and five o'clock shadow, who takes one look at his youngest sibling's battered and beaten form before staggering back with mild horror mixed into a scolding anger.
"Where the hell have you been, kid, and what happened to you?! You look like you just got out of a dogfight!"
"Wouldn't exactly call it a dogfight, but...Hah, Terry, listen, there's something you, me, Adam and grandpa need to discuss, pronto."
They stare at one another for a moment...before his face relaxes into a serious reflection.
"Alright, I'm listenin', or I will be once we get you inside. Boy, Adam's gonna have a field day with the first aid kit..."
Athena's POV
As soon as we're all ushered inside, Terry calls our brother and gramps to attention from the living room and kitchen. One look at me sent Adam into a tissy before practically ordering me to go wash up in the shower - simultaneously cleaning my wounds - and change into a set of loose clothes that won't get in the way of him playing nurse...Once those tasks are accomplished, I wander back down in my gray pajama shorts and tank top to sit on the couch between Akira and Terry, while Kite and Hart took one of the chairs near the front window and grandpa sat in the chair opposite.
...I didn't skip a beat as I explain pretty much everything that's happened since the entrance of Astral and his Number Cards, or at least the main events that include a couple examples of a Number Duel. I also talked about Astral some (being careful I didn't mention his memories out of respect), when I met Kite and our, 'interesting' encounters up to tonight, and all the information my friends in the Number Seekers Anonymous and The Supernova Network have been uncovering regarding Astral World, Heartland, this Doctor Faker person and anything else inbetween. I was a little scared about going deep with the truth-telling...but let's face it: how long was I really gonna keep bullshitting my own family after all we've been through?
...
The only thing I couldn't seem to talk about, was my own resurfacing memories related to my disappearance two years ago. I'm not sure why I can with my friends, Astral in particular and not my own related flesh and blood...but maybe I'll revisit the conversation again on a later date...
"And, that's pretty much it. My friends and I have been caught up in one important battle after another, all linking back in some shape or form to the Number Cards."
...At first, neither my brothers nor my grandfather could speak, having a tough time processing all of this new information...But then, Adam breathes out a deep sigh with an exhausted smile, finishing with the bandage around my right knee - surprisingly, I didn't require as much patchwork as I initially expected - before responding,
"Well, sounds like you've been keeping busy...Or rather, that's the most sane sentence I can say on the matter. I almost want to be mad for only just being told about all of this...but, considering the circumstances, I think I understand why you chose to delay. The less ears, less danger."
Adam...
"I agree with your brother. While you could've taken a smarter route, I am glad you're choosing to open up now rather than later."
I look up at gramps and ask in a rarely quiet tone,
"So...I'm not, in trouble or anything...?"
"Athena, you've been in enough trouble as it is. I seriously doubt something like grounding you will slow it down...All I will say on the subject is to keep your wits about you, (slight smile) and do your damnedest for this Astral fella."
He then looks towards the area I pointed out beforehand where my alien friend's currently hovering, sending a stern gaze the other's way.
"And as for you, young man, whether we meet in person someday or not, I will make the following clear: if I find out my granddaughter's been harmed in any way on your watch, there will be dead reckoning in your future! Understand?"
I cringe at the subtle threat, and look over to see Astral widen his eyes almost fearfully before nodding vigorously, a reaction very rare for his usual stoic nature.
"Uh, he got the message loud and clear, gramps."
Hoh geez...
"On a different but not unrelated topic...Kite."
He looks up to meet eyes with Terry as the latter double-checks,
"Because of what's been going on between you, Heartland and this Doctor Faker person, you and your younger brother currently have nowhere remotely safe to go, right?"
"That's right..."
"Hm...Well, (looks at Adam and gramps) whaddo you two think?"
My other two family members form warm smiles and reply,
"I say open the door."
"Yes. Kite, Hart, consider our home your home for as long as you need it."
To say that the Number Hunter was shocked could almost be considered an insult.
He nearly slumped in his seat as his body went rigid with surprise, eyes wide...Hart, meanwhile, is ecstatic.
"Really?! We can stay here?"
"Of course. We wouldn't dare leave you and your brother stranded in your troubles. Athena certainly isn't."
They turn their eyes to me, and I smirk while quirking,
"Told you. Now you definitely can't say no."
"Ur-hh...Hah..."
Pulling himself together and relaxing somewhat, Kite breaks our stare and focuses on my family.
"...Thank you, for allowing my brother and I to stay here."
Grandpa replies,
"You're welcome, son...Now then, I think it'd be best if we all have one last snack before heading to bed. And I guess that's another thing we'll need to decide: who's sleeping where."
...
One more discussion over tea and mochi later, we come to the decision that Orbital Seven would bunk with LillyBot in the garage (after introducing them to eachother, of course), Akira will take the couch, and Kite and Hart would share my bed while I rolled out a sleeping bag up in the attic...
"Athena...I do not know if I can fully agree with the decisions you've made tonight."
I pause in fussing with my makeshift bed to meet Astral's eyes.
"You're talking about Kite, aren't you?...Don't tell me: you're still distrusting him that much even after all this."
"Yes. I suppose from your perspective, I should not be...but you seem to be forgetting that Kite has offered more trouble as the Number Hunter rather than help as an ally. As much as a part of me does sympathize with his situation, how is it you can be sure that he won't revert back to his old ways?"
He floats over to stare out the window before bringing up the issue that bugged him more.
"But...that isn't the action which truly concerns me."
"Hmph, then spit it out: what's the real problem?"
"My 'real problem' is the proposition you made with him regarding the Number Cards. You are allowing him to hang onto some of my memories, and blindly trusting that he will not antagonize us until after Carnival, to which you said would be a more, 'civilized conversation'."
He turns to send a glare my direction, again, another somewhat rare expression.
"Exactly when were you going to run this plan by me?"
"Uh! Grrh, I don't understand why you're getting so upset."
I stand up to properly meet his eyes with a glare of my own, feeling a little pissed he's being so critical.
"Can't you see that it's better to form an alliance rather than let things continue to run their course?! Kite makes a better ally than an enemy, and from what we've learned these last few days, we all share a connection or two we can't deny out of spite...Why are you being so difficult about it?"
"Because one of us needs to use caution, and you are clearly not using enough."
"Not usi-!...Agh! You know what? Fine, whatever; I'm not gonna waste my breath while you're too stubborn. I'm goin' to sleep."
With that, I plop down on the futon and crawl into my sleeping bag, ignoring Astral's soft repeated calls of my name...
...
...
Unfortunately, I barely get three hours in before my old frenemy Insomnia returns to hassle me.
"...Uuugh, dammit."
I blink awake with bleary eyes, running a hand over my face while grumbling,
"Stupid wired brain won't shut up..."
Glancing around the room, I see no signs of Astral anywhere.
Must've took off for the inside of the key...Man, that was a terrible talk.
Why did he, I...why did both of us have to get so defensive?
Groaning quietly, I flap the blanket off me and get up to wander over to the attic opening.
Maybe some apple-cinnamon camomile will help calm my nerves...
As soon as my feet touch my bedroom floor, I ready to head for the door...only to notice a singular brother in the bed rather than both.
Huh...Where'd Kite get to...?...Downstairs?
Fueled with a new curiousity, I quietly steal my way out of the room for the hall (but not before tucking the blanket over Hart a bit more snugly), and head downstairs to see where the Number Hunter had gotten to...
Hm, he's not in the living room, otherwise Akira might be awake...
That only leaves one place.
Padding my bare feet along, I enter the kitchen...and spot a familiar figure sitting out on the back porch...
Guess I'm not the only one having trouble sleeping...Hm.
A half-smile curves into my lips, and I move to find the tea kettle, pot and two mugs.
Several Minutes Earlier, Kite's POV
"M-mh...Nh...Hh-h-hh...!"
(Flash)
...What is this place?...Where am I?
"Kiiite Tenjooo..."
"Jh! Who's there?...Who are you?!"
"...Do not stray off the path that's opened to you, Kite Tenjo...You do not want to invoke my wrath...Betraying my master's trust will come with consequences. Do not forget."
(...SHING)
"(Jolt) Guh!"
I barely got so much as a few hours of sleep, when I'm forced awake by a short but disturbing nightmare. I'm surprised Hart didn't wake up from how fast I sat up in the bed...but, I'm glad he's at least getting some rest...Clutching my chest as I try to steady my racing heart, I think to myself in a rare moment of fear,
...What the hell was that?...I couldn't see a damn thing in that fog...
And that voice...Why did it feel like I knew that voice...?
What's even stranger is that even though I'm awake...I can still feel the nightmare's presence in the room, like, something is watching me.
And I know that it's not Astral...The expressions he displayed during our duel weren't this piercing...
Ugh, I need to get out of the room for a bit.
Being careful not to wake Hart, I slip out from under the blankets and plant my feet on the floor, readjusting the black t-shirt over the matching pants I was given by one of Athena's brothers as a form of sleepwear...I almost hesitate in leaving my own sibling alone in the room, but I reassure myself,
He's safe here...more safe than he ever was in Heartland Tower.
...
I eventually found myself sitting outside on the back porch of Athena's home, attempting to still the thoughts running through my head over...well, pretty much everything that's happened since Doctor Faker...my father, began stretching his desperateness for a cure for Hart's waning health. I've yet to figure out just how he got my little brother that power...but it still makes me question his judgement and just how much he really cares about his own sons.
He may have had some sort of noble intent, that much I can admit...but how could he be so willing to gamble with Hart's life like that?
What if the power had been more potent than now, and made Hart's health so bad that he-...
...No. I can't think like that...But still, why did Faker have to go out of his way to make our lives worse before they got better?
...We were fine back in the cabin. We didn't need anything more.
(...Slide)
"Yo."
"Hm?"
Breaking away from my mental rant, I look back over my shoulder to see my apparent new ally with two mugs in her hands.
"Athena..."
"Boy, you look as haggard as I probably do...I'm guessin' insomnia's a frenemy of yours too?"
As she moves to sit on my left with about a foot and a half of space between us, I answer with a huff,
"You have no idea...One of those mugs suppose to be for me?"
"If you want it...It's apple-cinnamon chamomile, a favourite of mine for sleepless nights."
...I take the mug a bit reluctantly, the sweet scent of the tea hitting strong but not unpleasantly.
"(...Sip) Hm. Not bad, I guess."
"Heh, thanks...So what's keeping you awake?"
"...You really expect me to tell you?"
"Not really...but what I've come to learn is that it's good to hash things out with someone every once in a while. Keeps you from going insane."
...There's a beat of silence between us for a few minutes...before I expel a sigh and say,
"I've just been thinking about how, screwed up everything's become for Hart and I in recent years...Ever since Doctor Faker obtained that power for Hart, it's been one confusing disaster after another."
"And where did the power come from?"
"I'm not sure exactly...except that it might be related to Barian World."
"Barian World?...You mean there's another world outside this one mixed into this crap?"
I almost laugh at the way she described it, answering,
"Yes, there is. Not much is known about that dimension in comparison to the information on Astral World, but Orbital's power source comes from what's known as a Baria Crystal."
"Huh...Wish I could say this is surprising info, but, everything's been one surprise after another this week...So, before you became a Number Hunter, what sort of person were you? I can't honestly believe you were this, ruthless and mission-oriented."
Why is she asking me these questions?...And why am I answering them so easily?
Sighing, I ignore my confusion and keep this strange conversation going out of having nothing better to do.
"...You're right. I wasn't, always this cold...I used to smile alot more, and was more open to the world around me...But that was when the world wasn't so hostile, when, Hart and I actually had a chance of a normal life."
"...I get that."
Turning to stare at her form, Athena then says with a rather sad smile,
"That used to be my life as well: normal and boring. Or at least as boring as it can be with Duel Monsters...All it took was one day for everything to flip on its head inside out...I try to remember the more innocent version of me now and again...but the memory looks more like a fantasy these days, pretty and fleeting."
I'm somewhat taken aback by her characterization...before asking a question of my own.
"I'm assuming it's because of your kidnapping and the injection you received from those scientists?"
"Mhm...On a related note, do you know anything about when Hart was, apparently taken to that place while I was still in captivity?"
"Not that I recall...Doctor Faker might have taken Hart there without my knowledge."
"I see...Well, in any case, based on what I've been remembering so far, whatever those bastards did to me messed me up something horrible. I'm shocked that I can speak sanely these days, because I'm pretty sure I lost my marbles somewhere along the way..."
...She's suffering alot more than she lets on...
"And what about your parents?"
"Hm?"
"Quinton said something about your mother and father being alive somewhere in Astral World...but you brushed it off like a common lie."
...Athena lets out an uncomfortable sigh before confessing,
"Well, they've been gone for a couple years now since that one global adventure they never returned from...I've just, come to accept that it may be permanent. I mean, why get your hopes up only to have it crushed like a grape without so much as a 'howdo you do'?...It's easier for me to let it go rather than hang on by a thread."
Analyzing her form for a minute, I wonder mentally,
But has it really been that much easier for you, Athena?
Small Time Skip, No POV
After about half an hour, the blackette with amber red eyes leaves Kite to his own thoughts, convinced his state of mind has decompressed even just a little...But rather than go back to sleep, she quickly steals away to her room long enough to dress up in one of her workout outfits - the black halter top and capris with red lining and her monochrome sneakers with dark blue laces - before sneaking out of her bedroom window...
Her destination would be an area near the artificial riverside none too far away from her neighbourhood, and as the night sky very gradually allows the first few hints of the red sunrise to come in, Athena found herself busy trying to figuratively and literally punch and kick away her frustrations.
"Hrh! Ha! Gyh! Hah, (twist) this, is getting, (kick) hiya, ridiculous...!"
It was simple in the beginning: find the Numbers, restore Astral's memory and maybe get a few clues to my own damaged mind.
Then came Kite who wants the Numbers as a bartering chip to keep his little brother alive, which turned out to be a bunch of bullshit lies cooked up by his own father and Mister Heartland.
Not to mention Hart's connected to my captivity in some twisted fashion.
...Oh yeah, and let's add on the problem of my old Fallen Star demons comin' back at me with a vengeance. Why not?!
"Hh! Hh!...Aaaargh!"
Giving up on the offensive exercises, Athena drops to her knees and fists a clump of her hair in each hand, recalling a more recent fact learned this evening...assuming it is true.
...And then there's what Chris said...Can, my parents really be-
"No...No, don't you dare, Addy."
Shaking her head, the young teen scolds to herself,
"Don't you dare go to dreamer's land...Not when you know how harsh reality is...Haaah..."
Whaddo I do now?...Seems like no way I look at it, everything's gonna go boom with no warning of any kind.
"Sounds like you've once again come to a multiple fork in the road."
"Whoa!"
Jumping two feet into the air, the blackette whirls around to meet the smirking eyes of a very familiar dueling instructor...
"Long time no see, Athena."
"Uh! Master Roku! (Light smirk) Heh, yeah it has been quite some time since you knocked some sense into me and off my feet...How are things; Kaze doin' better?"
The girl's family members, Akira, Kite and Hart wander into the area - having been informed by LillyBot and Orbital Seven that she suddenly took off out her bedroom window a while earlier - as Roku answers,
"He's coming along...You on the other hand seem to be falling back into a similar state from when you first entered my sanctuary."
"Uh!...mm..."
"What has you troubled, my dear?"
Puffing out a big breath, Athena confesses vaguely,
"Alot of things that are threatening to tear me limb from limb, and almost too much to talk about in an hour."
"Hmm...I wanted to see what my promising young pupil was up to, so I came down from the mountain. I expected that you would be giving the World Duel Carnival all that you got. Little did I know that you would be facing such a difficult situation."
"No kidding...I dunno what else I can do besides push forward blind. I feel like if I try to focus on one challenge, I'm gonna neglect everything else."
"Hm...Perhaps you need a different form of exercise."
The girl with amber red irises tilts her head in confusion...only to recoil back in surprise when Roku suddenly springs his duel disk to life!
"Whuh?!"
"I hereby challenge you to a duel!"
"A duel?!...You're serious, aren't you?"
The elder gentleman with balding grey hair and bushy eyebrows curves his lips into a teachable smirk.
"Quite so. I am your dueling master, and my request will not be denied...If you truly feel assured that charging like a raging bull's the best strategy, then prove it to me."
"Rh!...Mph..."
But do I really have enough strength for another duel after that freak match with Trilos?
"Athena?"
Despite any doubts rising within her heart, the young teen decides to follow through her dueling teacher's request.
"Hah...Alright. I accept the challenge, Master Roku."
"I cannot lend you any assistance."
"Uh?"
She pivots her head right to meet Astral's mismatched gold and silver-white irises.
"I think you need to do this, alone."
"When'd you get out he-...Mph, if that's your belief, then fine. I'm cool with going solo this time."
Athena focuses back in front of her with a more or less determined expression.
"Let's get it on, Master Roku!"
"Bring it!"
She snaps out her own equipment...
"Duel Disk on! Duel Gazer, show me the impossible, and guide the way!"
Augmented Reality Vision Link Established.
"(Both duelists) Let's duel!"
As our little audience watches the fighters prep themselves for the battle ahead from the sidelines, Kite feels a tug on his sleeve and looks down to meet his younger brother's eyes.
"Hm? Hart?"
"...Do you think this duel will help Athena at all, big brother?"
The blond's grey irises widen slightly at the innocent question...before they fall into a neutral state as he focuses in front of himself again.
"...That'll depend on if she'll actually accept the help."
She may have persuaded me into withdrawing my barriers...but can she do the same with herself?
"I'll be makin' the first move. I Draw!...First, I summon Obnoxious Celtic Guard to the field."
A portal of light opens from the ground up, and a figure springs out with a wave of a long sword, revealed to be a warrior with shoulder-length, straight blond hair dressed in green and brown metal-leather garbs with creamy white pants and a sweeping dark blue cape. His Level registers at Four with an Attack strength of 1400...
"Then by discarding one card in my hand, I can special summon The Tricky!"
A similar portal opens once again, blowing out a small dust bowl of wind which quickly dissipates to show a rather bizarre-looking monster, with elements of both a jester and a spellcaster and a question mark drawn onto their face matching the one on their chest. They're considerably stronger than Athena's first monster, Level Five and with 2000 Attack Points...
"Finally, I set one card face-down. That's all for this turn. Your move, Master."
Back at the edge of the battlefield, Terry tilts his head in confusion in response to his sister's choice of play.
"Huh. I'm surprised she didn't attack outright with a combo. Those are some pretty decent monsters she summoned."
His brother replies,
"She probably wants to wait and see what Roku will do before making the first offensive."
Still...I'm sensing a bit of hesitation...
"Alright, my turn. I Draw!"
Roku looks down at his cards, and hums with a calculating smile before deciding on his course of action.
"I place one monster face-down in Defense Mode, then set another card face down."
"...That's it? That's all you're going to do?"
"Heh, I don't need to do anything more...Now then, do you dare attack, Athena?"
The girl furrows her eyebrows as she goes into thought.
Hmm...Is he trying to bait me, or is this some sort of scare tactic?
...Agh, there's so many possibilities. So many ways it could go wrong or right.
"You know what? Act now, ask questions later. Celtic Guard: attack Roku directly!"
Said earth warrior starts a run towards the steady-aging dueling master...who merely smirks before making his counter.
"I activate my trap, Mirror Force!"
Once the card flips face-up, so too would it's unique battle scenario: an exact stone copy of Obnoxious Celtic Guard springs from the illuminated area, before charging to meet his sword with the true monster's.
(CLANG...)
The result is both are thrown back by an explosion of power, before disintegrating in their own pixel cluster...
"Uh! Celtic Guard!...Dammit, that should've done something at least!"
"I'm afraid the only thing that move accomplished is exposing your doubts."
"Hm!?"
Athena snaps her eyes forward to meet Roku's, who says to her,
"Your thoughts were so clouded and full of uncertainties that you did not fully strategize."
"Grh...yeah well, I'm feelin' some clear skies up ahead in this duel. I end my turn."
"Hm~, but will that clear sky be above your head, I wonder. Let's have a look. (Draws a card) Interesting...Seems I'll be switching Queen's Knight to face-up in Attack Mode."
The card on the latter's side of the field flips over in accordance to the new position, allowing the Level Four monster portrayed as a blond female knight in red and silver armor reflecting playing card elements to rise up, her 1500 Attack points displayed for all to see...
"And now I'll be summoning the King's Knight to join her Queen."
Another Level Four monster rises, they being a male warrior 100 points stronger than the other regal figure, also blond and dressed in yellow-orange and silver armour while wielding a lean-built sword...
"Now the virtuous couple is reunited, but the royal court is not yet complete! When Queen's Knight and King's Knight are both on the field, I can summon another card directly from my deck! Time to make way for Jack's Kniiight!"
This monster would be a level stronger than the previous two, standing as another male with blond hair but younger than his king with 1900 Attack Points and dressed in blue and silver armour...Astral immediately knew what Roku's next move would be.
"Not, good."
"I activate Polymerization!"
The trio of playing card-inspired knights raise their blades to cross over one another, before they're swallowed by a whirlwind...!
"With this spell, their powers fuse together to give rise to the defender of the Imperial Throne! Arcana Knight Joker!"
When the dust bowl dissipates, we reveal a very strong Level Nine warrior monster with 3800 Attack Points, in the guise of a heavily-armoured man with long dark purple hair and a sharp triangle-shaped sword in his right hand.
"Aw, geez...!"
"You thought the storms of uncertainty were beginning to clear, but that was just the calm before the true release of its wrath...Arcana Knight Joker: attack The Tricky!"
Roku's fusion monster follows through, diving forward to bring his sword down in a side-slash against the spellcaster and destroying them in a cloud of pixels and smoke, leaving the girl with long black hair to recoil with a cringe at the impacting energies.
"Rrrgh!"
Tricky...
As her Life Points settle downward to 2200, the teen's brother Adam cries out her name while Akira mutters,
"Man, that must've felt like a slap to the face..."
Come on, Addy, get it together...!
Roku had similar thoughts:
"...What has you so rattled, Athena? In your current state, I find it a miracle you were able to last this long against me. Right now, you're a fool vulnerable to impulse and fear."
"Uh-hh!...Hah...As much as I want to say you're wrong...you aren't. I just...I feel like my current affairs have become crazy monkeys on my back that have no intent in leaving me alone. I want to help Astral first and foremost...but, I also want to put my own brain back together, help Kite and Hart, and find a way to end things with Trilos and his gang once and for all...The problem is that they're now so interconnected, I'm...I'm scared of a possible crossfire and getting the people I care about hurt."
"So then you're trying to shake them off like a raging steer at a rodeo, as a way to start over?...I suppose that isn't the worst reaction to a situation like this one...but have you considered the consequences in throwing a fit in one place while blocking out the rest of the world?"
That caught Athena's attention, and the aging dueling instructor smiles with a wise twinkle in his eyes.
"Venting out your negative emotions to clear your mind may be a sign of balancing your health, but one must not get so fixated that they forget their goals. If you continue to allow your aching heart to control your reasoning, you'll be abandoning all that you hold dear: your dueling, the Carnival, your friends and family, everything you've been fighting for and training for."
"Roku..."
"Athena, I want you to look at your fists and your feet."
The girl does as her teacher advises, noting the healing abrasions on her hands and scuffs on her shoes...
"Each of those appendages are firmly rooted in dueling, whether it be the traditional gameplay or otherwise...You know from past experience that walking away from Duel Monsters is impossible for someone with your spirit. You're too stubborn and passionate, even on your weakest days...A trait you share with your mother."
"Uh!...My mother...?"
"Yes. I know that your thoughts these days regarding your parents are not overly positive...but I can sense deep inside, you don't want to give up on the hope of seeing their faces again."
...Athena breaks eye contact with Roku, choosing to stare off at the riverside in distant thought.
Is it really possible?...Do I, still believe we'll meet eyes again...?
"You must trust that the path of the duelist will lead you to the answers you seek."
"...Maybe you're right, master."
She turns to face the elder again with a somewhat lighter expression than before, a half-smile on her lips.
"Maybe, I should just stop jostling around like a bull and enjoy the little things this multi-layered road has to offer...And as for my issues, I'll just wing it and make sure I'm prepared for what may come."
Her answer brings an approving smile to Roku's lips, while relieved and proud smiles spread to the other souls in the vicinity...excluding Kite, who chose to express a very small half-smirk.
Hmph, I'm actually, glad my ally/rival's got her head on straight...because if I'm going to accept her help, I don't want her mulling like a loser without a cause.
...
...
At the same time Athena began to put her priorities in an order that made sense to her, back in the hotel suite occupied by Vetrix and his three young agents, the child-bodied man sat on his throne in an attempt to ground his anger over recent failures.
"Agh, how could it have all gone so wrong?! So close to obtaining the ultimate power source, and what happened?!...We're blocked off by Kite and some young ally of his!"
The three brothers all bow in apology to him, feeling ashamed in their own right.
"...We're so sorry, Vetrix."
He glares from behind his mask for a moment...before letting out a breath of frustration and collapsing back in his seat in exasperation.
"...Damn it all..."
Now what will I do? Without Hart's power, I won't be able to enact my grand plans of vengeance.
"...There are an infinite amount of means to an end, my friend. You simply have to turn to the next best source."
"Uh!"
Snapping out of his daze, Vetrix turns his head upward towards the back windows, spotting a figure who wasn't there previously. Tall with the rectangular build of a male, the only discernible and distinguishing characteristic of this mysterious individual is the pure white laboratory coat worn over his body...
"I can offer a power greater than that of Hart Tenjo's, if you're interested."
"...Who are you, and how did you get in here?"
Ignoring the second question, the stranger answers the first.
"My name, is Alister, and I represent Eclipse Laboratories."
They walk forward, passing the frozen forms of Quinton, Quattro and Trey. The second brother makes a motion to start an argument with the apparent scientist, but is held back by the former...
"You wish to enact vengeance against Doctor Faker, correct, by any means within your reach?...Why chase after a youth with an untamed energy from outside this world, when you can accept the powers perfected by human science?"
Vetrix raises an eyebrow in confusion to Alister's cryptic speech, and the latter reaches into his left coat pocket to pull out a curious little device in a decagon shape. An ominous vermilion and poisonous violet glow emits from the object as the scientist presents it to the other antagonistic man in the room...
The second his gloved fingertips touch the decagon, Vetrix felt a strong, near-seismic beat grip his veins.
(Ba-bump, vrooaaaaammmm)
"Hh!"
Such, energy...!...My own crest feels pale in comparison...
"What do you say, Vetrix? Do you wish to discuss the matter further?"
...A cat-like grin spreads onto the child-like male's lips.
"...You have my attention, Alister."
He adds in his mind as his own crest - shaped like an ammonite shell inside a circle traced in the sand - glows a white-washed fuchsia on the back of his right hand,
Hope you're ready, Doctor Faker...
Soon, I will ruin you with the power you so desire! Your end is coming, ahahahahahahahaha!
Athena's POV
...Mm!
The lot of us had returned home about forty minutes ago (the duel ending with Roku as winner by 1000 Life Points), and I just sat down on the porch in my more comfortable t-shirt pajama dress with Terry, Akira, Kite and Roku when I suddenly feel this weird shiver down my spine.
...What was that?
"You okay, kid?"
Focusing back to reality, I reply to my older guy friend with a half-smile,
"Yeah, just a cold chill, I think...So then, Kite."
He looks up from watching over his little brother sleeping in his lap to indicate he's listening...
"Just askin' this for confirmation, but, it's Doctor Faker, your, father, that's the real brains behind organizing the WDC while Heartland's the pretty boy figurehead, right?"
His face contorts with a bit of tension, but he nods and replies,
"...Yeah, that's right. It was technically Heartland's idea, but Faker's the one who funded the resources and fueled organization."
Roku makes the following observation.
"Every light casts a shadow, every puppet a puppeteer. That's all my ears have perceived regarding Doctor Faker, the brilliant man said to have built Heartland City."
Akira scoffs,
"If by brilliant, you mean kooky recluse, then I agree. From what I gather, he's all mystery and wants to keep it that way...Though maybe not for long if Caswell has any success with those files."
That caught Kite's attention, as well as my brother's.
"What files?"
"What's he talkin' about, sis?"
I answer without skipping a beat,
"A friend through friends has a talent for hacking and managed to get a hold of some rather, interesting-looking information from the nerve center of the inner city. Most of it's still encrypted, but Jamal and Flip took the flash drive to Cas earlier this evening to see what he can do with it."
...They all stare at me like I've grown an extra head for a couple seconds...
"What?"
Groaning inwardly, Terry shakes his head and chides,
"Good god, you're gonna be the death of me, little rebel...Just remember to be careful and remove any possible trackers from the data so no one comes beatin' down our door."
"Roger."
"...If you do make any progress...show me."
I glance over at Kite with surprise at his request, but then nod with an expression of promise.
"Consider it done."
"...Back on the subject of Doctor Faker, I do recall one time he did leave the city."
Jumping in out seats, we turn around and see Gramps standing in the doorway, a serious expression on his face contrasting the accompanying Adam's worry brow.
"Your parents led him on an expedition, the very same one they took which led to their mysterious absence we all know now."
Adam adds,
"Not only that...but, I think Chris's dad went on that trip too. If he knew about what happened, he sure didn't talk about it...In fact, I remember he would get almost deathly quiet whenever I casually brought it up, back when we communicated that is."
Hm...
"Your parents, Doctor Faker, Mister Heartland and Quinton's father are all connected. This cannot be written off as mere coincidence here, Athena."
I make eye contact with Astral as I reply mentally,
I was just thinkin' that myself...I'm also wondering if maybe Faker, or even Chris's father might know something about what happened to me in that, strange laboratory.
"Hmm...I suppose the possibility is evident...and it would seem the only way we shall find our answers, is by pressing on in this tournament."
I nod in agreement, casting my eyes up to the stars above.
Yep...The ship's gotta sail on.
...
...
"Choosing that card makes choosing the previous one unnecessary."
"So you've told me already, but I still think my deck will benefit from both."
"Then at least protect it with that Trap Card."
"You mean this one?"
"Yes."
A little while later, Astral and I find ourselves sitting in the attic above my room planning out my-or, I guess our deck for tomorrow's final day of the preliminaries, me sitting on top a futon and sleeping bag while he illusions sitting in his float across from me. Like before, I've got Kite and Hart bunking together on my bed below...
"I see you are not using as many cards from your father's deck this time."
"Hm? Oh. Yeah, well...to be honest, lately I've felt like a little kid trying to fill the big shoes of their parents. I mean, they're great monsters, no doubt, but...I think it's time I get a bit more personal. More me."
"I think I understand. You wish to create a deck that feels yours."
"Exactly...But however I built it, the one thing that'll matter most is trusting my cards..."
I look up to meet his eyes while adding,
"And trusting my partner."
"Uh!...Athena..."
"Astral...let's you and me kick some major ass in this tourney."
He stares at me for about a minute...before forming a minuscule smile and nodding, the gesture alone warming my heart enough that as I fall asleep...I feel more assured with everything than I have in a while.
...But then, what's with this nagging feeling like there's more than what I'm seeing?
Alister's POV
"What?!...That girl?"
I nod and confirm to Vetrix,
"Yes. The child Athena Fujina is in fact the current host of the envoy from Astral World."
"...Did you say...Fujina? As in Orion and Sarina's daughter?"
"Correct again."
Vetrix seemed to have a hard time believing me, though given past relations and events, I cannot blame his skepticism.
"...It can't be!...That's impossible...But on the other hand...perhaps, I should have expected this."
His expression falls into a flat frown as he mutters,
"If they aren't around, it would have to fall to one of their children to carry their torch...But for it to be their youngest...truly amazing..."
Hm. Perhaps it would be best I don't tell him how precisely I know of Athena...
After all, (smirk) how would he have reacted if one of his own children were one of my experiments?