Heeey everyone! An update has finally managed to traverse the roads of work, COVID-19 and moving preparation (I'd include school, but it's kind-of in the background at the moment until I figure out my class situation)!
I have warned previously that I like to take my time with my writing, but I of course never mean to make my delays this long. With everything going on in my life right now, I'm trying to divide my time so I won't be too tired to do what I love, including writing here :)
Anyway, I thank you for your patience, and hope you enjoy the latest installment in this adventure!
Oh, and a quick shout-out to my PM buddy Cyberbee15 for once again helping me in developing more awesome ideas :D
(...Crreeeak)
The door to Vetrix's screening room opens at Trey's push, and the early-mid teen walks inside towards the royal-inspired seat where his employer sits, already accompanied by the stoic statue that's Quinton. Letting out his childish laughter while clapping his hands at the multiple cartoons on display, the masked youth exclaims,
"Too funny," before focusing on the new arrival.
"So, Trey...you wanna meet with Athena Fujina?"
The pinkette replies,
"Yes I do. I have questions. Because of her, neither I nor my brothers were able to get close enough to even touch Hart, let alone bring him to you. Her intuition was too sharp to trick...But what really caught my attention, was her fierce battle against that gang leader. I wanna know how she learned to duel with such, beast-like ferocity, what the secret is behind her power."
He narrows his emerald irises as he punctuates,
"I won't rest until I discover the truth for myself."
There were pieces missing from what she said about her darker history. Something drove her to that former life in the underground...
"Alright, Trey."
Both brothers look at their leader in surprise for the lenience.
"You mean I can go?"
"Since you find Athena so intriguing...I encourage it."
Sensing a more serious meaning behind Vetrix's sentence, Trey dips his head with a hum of acknowledgement before turning to take his leave...Quinton watches him go with a wary expression, already wondering what his youngest sibling will uncover, while the seated blond grins and laughs through his teeth...
...
...
"God dammit, there's gotta be a fellow contender somewhere! How much more ground do I need to cover?!"
Catching up with the girl of subject, we head for a section of Heartland City incorporating nature and concrete, spotting the copper red-tipped blackette peering to and fro from the middle of a rare dirt path between the upper street level and some greenery running along the man-made river. Her expression reflects one who's about to blow up faster than Mount Vesuvius.
"How the hell did this turn into a needle in a haystack search?! The preliminaries are only three days; we shouldn't be at the bottom of the barrel this fucking quick!"
(Yank)
"Yea-agh!"
Athena's anger immediately dissipates and is replaced with a child-like grimace, courtesy of her best gal pal Tiffany harshly pinching the top of her left ear with a scolding glare. On a side note, we finally get a visual of the bob-cut girl's day outfit, consisting of her light blue t-shirt with the embroidered sleeves, mint green dolphin shorts matching her ballerina flats, and tan orange knee-high socks. In her hair is a lemon yellow kerchief matching her glasses.
"Addy, language; there are little kids nearby!"
"Aaah, not the ear, Tiff! Anything but the ear!"
Standing nearby them next to a tree are Calli, Hana, Caswell and Akira, the second boy seen wearing dark gray carpenter pants, a white t-shirt under a dark-washed jean jacket, and black hightops. As they watch their two other friends bicker, the young lady with white-blond hair asks with slight unease,
"Uhm, does Addy cuss on a regular basis like this?"
The older male with aqua irises shrugs and replies with an amused smile,
"Eh, she usually remembers to control herself in open settings like this, but once her temper flares, we can say sayanora to her profanity filter."
Calli comments with a wary expression on her caramel-complexioned face,
"Still, it might just be me, but it feels like she and Tiff have been arguing more frequently as of late..."
The boy with the bright blue bowl cut hums and suggests a possible theory.
"It could just be the pressure of the tournament getting to them. Out of all of us, Tiffany is the most determined to see that Athena makes the finals...Not to mention that the girls have this Ying and Yang tenancy: whenever Athena's anger rises, so too does Tiffany's more serious irritation."
He smiles with a sweatdrop as he concludes,
"In the end, it's a miracle that after all the years they've known eachother, one of them hasn't tried to kill the other out of sheer frustration."
Similar thoughts seemed to run through Astral's mind as he watches his human dueling partner and her close friend argue from a few feet back.
"Instead of blowing your top, how about you concentrate on narrowing down who your final opponent's gonna be?!"
"Whaddo you think I've been trying to do?! We've been at this for four hours and covered a good half of the city, and no competition's showed themselves!"
"That's no reason to scare the heck out of passersby!"
"Aoh, what do they know?! They're not the ones scrambling like a jack rabbit to find a Heart Piece!"
The celestial being found himself facepalming with a quiet groan at the continuous cycle of shouts.
This is not going to get us anywhere closer to the next round of the Carnival.
Why must humans choose the most inconvenient of times to let their emotions cloud their judgment...?
(...Brrriiiing)
"Hm?"
Suddenly, a duel gazer starts ringing - Tiffany's specifically - and cuts through the spat like a knife. Said girl pulls it out with a puff of air, relaxing her expression into something more passive.
"Okay, debate on hold due to caller interruption."
(Beep)
"Hello?"
"Hey, Tiff? It's Jamal. Is Addy and everyone with you? We've got a problem."
"Huh?...Yeah, we're all here. What's wrong?"
The boy shifts his device so it shows the receiving end the following: Caden and Flip holding up a badly injured male duelist around their age with a brunette mullet, natural skin and wearing a purple-blue shirt over a white t-shirt, black slacks and brown sneakers. The nameless boy's clothes are scuffed and hiding the bruises littering his body, and his left cheek sports a medium scrape.
"Hh! Oh god, what happened to him?!"
Tiffany's gasp prompts the other six in her group to gather round as Jamal relays the details.
"I'm not entirely sure myself, but according to he and four others we found in an alley nearby, they were all doin' some intense dueling against Shark."
Athena's attention is immediately caught.
Shark...?!
"But, why would he-?...Did they say anything about why he's suddenly dueling like this?"
"Not a clue, but this one here described Shark's eyes having a murderous gleam. Nothing related to Numbers...least I don't think, but still."
Caden calls from behind Jamal,
"He's been doing this bull-charging for a while now. In fact, he went to duel a couple other guys up in an unfinished building near us."
"Uh! That's right; about fifteen minutes ago. Here, I'll show you the place."
The boy with beige-almond skin re-positions his gazer again, pointing at a familiar construction site that two certain girls on the receiving end of this call remember from one duel against a fellow Heart Piece carrier.
That place again? How ironic...
"We're on our way."
...Fifteen minutes will pass before the six teens reach the construction complex where Shark was supposed to be, while Caden, Flip and Jamal take the responsibility of helping the injured duelists they found to the nearest hospital...Unfortunately, there may be more bruised bodies to follow.
"Aaagh, stop, please! I give uuup!"
The small group reach the top of the stairs of the fifth floor just as another young man - dressed in dark clothes and with a thick flat-cut of brown hair - goes flying to the ground, joining about five other groaning souls who met their end in a rather vicious duel...Staring down at the teens with a gape of disbelief, Athena then turns a stern glare ahead to the one behind this brutality.
"...Shark!"
Cerulean eyes turn upward to meet gold/silver-flaked ember red after he pulls off his duel gazer, the latter wandering forward some steps until she's standing about ten feet away.
"What the hell's going on here; you having some psychotic breakdown or something?"
...No words are spilled, and Shark starts to slowly make his way towards the stairs...but would be blocked by the other five humans. Tiffany takes a step forward from the rest to exclaim while pointing an accusing finger at the guilty party,
"Oh-hoh no, you're not going anywhere until you explain yourself!"
"Explain what? There's a tournament going on and I'm dueling in it."
Gesturing to the unconscious duelists who lost their battles, Athena asks incredulously,
"You call this dueling?! It's a wonder you haven't killed anybody yet!"
"Some duelists like to talk trash, but I decided to start trashing my opponents directly...And besides..."
Shark turns to the girl and asks with his own near-accusing tone,
"How is what I'm doing any different from how you used to duel?"
Ember red irises narrow dangerously.
"Oh don't you dare, think you can turn this back at me. I've sobered up from those days, and currently, you're the one actin' like a violent drunk."
A few shivers run through the spines of the small audience standing to the side at Athena's tone...
"I thought we had enough discussions about you keeping your temper in check as you went forward in this tourney...But it seems you're allowing your anger against Quattro to control you again."
(Swing, SLAP)
Gasps escape the lips of the three other females at the same time the three males grit their teeth in surprise, when Shark suddenly tries to throw a punch against the one lecturing him, only to be blocked by Athena's palm...Expelling a short breath in a rather failed attempt to calm himself, the boy with blue-violet hair grinds out,
"That bastard's got nothing to do with this."
"Oh really? Then why'd you take a swing at me just now, hm? Can't just be 'cause you're annoyed."
"How'do you know? Not like you've been tailing me."
"Maybe I should since you're acting like a lunatic!"
"What I do is my business...and if you try to interfere, (retracts his fist) I'll make you regret it."
A growl rumbles within the copper-tipped blackette's throat, prompting Astral to send a telepathic message to help his companion stay calm.
Athena, be careful. Do not give into your own anger...
He may be an ally, but if he refuses to listen to reason, he is not worth losing your emotions over.
I know...but I also know it'll be worthwhile to try this.
Focusing away from the celestial being, Athena sends a challenging gaze at her friend with the sea-themed duel deck.
"The only one who's gonna regret anything will be you, Shark...I challenge you to a duel."
"What? Right here and now?"
"Why not? You didn't have any problems dueling these poor souls earlier, and I won't let you walk away until you realize the wrongs you just dealt."
...A small grin curves onto the boy's face.
"You're on. I'd never turn down the chance to make this the worst day of your life."
We notice a familiar purple and magenta aura emit from his body, a phenomenon unmissed by the two partners trudging through this growing war for Numbers.
Tell me I'm not the only one seeing that damn aura...
No. I too see it...It is possible that Shark may not have completely conquered Number Thirty-Two's control.
Dammit...
Athena...I know you well enough that I will not be able to persuade an alternate course of action, but I implore you to be cautious going forward.
Astral glances with a trace of worry in his mismatched irises at the healing bruises on Athena's skin.
Your body is still recovering from your battle against Trilos.
Right...I'll do my best to keep the injuries to a minimum...but I can't make any guarantees.
With that, the two teens wordlessly prepare their duel disks and gazers, the smouldering glares speaking for them as the virtual atmosphere sets in...
Augmented Reality Vision Link Established.
"(Both duelists) Let's Duel!"
...Across the way atop a finished building, Trey arrives to witness the battle about to commence. He's visibly surprised by the rival match-up:
"Athena is dueling against Shark?...The last time Shark dueled, a Number fragment entered his body, filling him with hate...Perfect. I can learn alot from watching this duel. Athena...soon, all of your dueling secrets, will be revealed."
...
...
...
"Now, Big Jaws: polish off Gagaga Magician! Go, Grind Attack!"
Barely a turn or two passes, and Shark is already gaining a fair lead in building an army, having summoned two strong monsters in Attack Mode to stand against Athena's two defense-positioned monsters. Big Jaws swims through the air to whip its teeth in a bite against the sorcerer, destroying him and leaving a familiar pyro-based royal all by herself, much to their wielder's dismay.
"Grrh, Gagaga!"
"Next, Hammer Shark is comin' for your Fire Princess! Hammer Shark, attack!"
"...Not so fast! I activate the Spell, Horn of Light!"
A tusk-like horn with a string of prayer beads manifests into Fire Princess's hand, which she uses by thrusting it forward to block the charging Hammer Shark!
"This card allows me to add 800 Defense Points to any one of my monsters...so now Fire Princess has 2300 Defense Points, 600 points higher than your Hammer Shark's Attack Points."
A spark of energy ignites from the collision, erupting into a flat shield which repels Shark's monster backwards, the said duelist fighting against the wave of energy as his Life Points roll downward to 3400...
"I thought you were supposed to be a former champion, Shark. What's with the caveman routine?"
"Shut up! I was just takin' it easy on you since we're 'friends'...but if you insist, I'll start bringing my A-Game."
Focus turns to the male duelist's current line-up.
"First, I'll need a bigger fish. I overlay Level Three Hammer Shark and Big Jaws! With these two monsters, I build the Overlay Network and XYZ Summon, Submersible Carrier Aero Shark!"
Said Rank Three monster with 1900 Attack Points comes smashing its way out of the ground with a deafening roar, causing the spectators closest to the action to grab onto eachother to steady themselves from the mini earthquake.
"Whoa-whoa-whoa!"
"A-A-A-An XYZ already?!"
Shark wastes no time in sending his creation forward on the offensive.
"I activate Aero Shark's special ability, so now you're gonna get hit with 400 Points of Damage for every card in my hand, and I've got three of 'em! Torpedo Takedown!"
An onslaught of missiles containing 1200-strong direct attack flies through the air, sending a wallop of power to knock the wind out of Athena. Her friends on the sidelines cry out her name, and her opponent asks in a half-taunt,
"Ready to call it quits? It's only going to get worse."
"...Funny, I was about to say something similar to you."
"Huh?"
The smoke clears to reveal the lightly battered teenage girl standing up, a smirk on her face all the while.
"Truly, is big damage all you have for tricks? I'm almost disappointed...if I didn't understand where you're coming from."
She then plucks a card from her hand, reducing the amount from two to one.
"But you clearly need to be retaught about counters...I special-summon Damage Mage from my hand!"
The Level Three Spellcaster rises from a hex circle, the light shining off the creamy white feathers of the one visible wing protruding from underneath her dark cloak.
"I'm allowed to do this anytime I take damage from a card effect. Once more, I recover Life Points equal to the damage I just took."
In which case, the attack from Aero Shark is null and void, restoring the girl's strength back to her starting 4000, much to her opponent's surprise.
"What?! No!"
On the sidelines, The girls cheer,
"Awww yeah!"
"Good one, Addy!"
"If she keeps this up, Shark won't stand a chance!"
...But while they were feeling positive for a quick victory, Akira notices a shift in his friend's expression as she evaluated her hand and field.
Hmm...I'm not so sure that's her plan...
"My turn now! I Draw, (swipe)!"
...Alright. That'll provide a decent wall.
"I banish Joe the Pixie from my Graveyard, which allows me to Special-Summon Ghost Ship to the field!"
Said Level Five monster in the guise of a long-abandoned wrecker from the sea rises from the depths of an eerie fog...
"Excellent work. Now all you have to do is play Ancient Rules and we can summon-"
"That's all for this round. Make your move, Shark."
Astral is among several souls shocked by such a nonchalant move, with Shark and Caswell exclaiming,
"What's that?"
"Addy, what are you doing?!"
The celestial being hovers closer to the girl's side to inquire an answer.
"Is this wise? If you use Ancient Rules, you can special-summon another Level Five monster to join Ghost Ship, and then Overlay them both to summon Adreus. With him on the field, victory would be assured...Do you have some other plan in mind?"
"Not exactly...I just think summoning Adreus now would mean ending this fight too quickly."
Athena glances over at her out-worldly partner and adds,
"I wanna keep going until I can hit the root of Shark's issues this time. Besides, luck seems to be favoring me, so who's to say I don't get a card even better than Ancient Rules?"
"Hm...I do hope you are right, for if not, your decision may cost us greatly."
They focus back in front of themselves as the blackette dryly jokes,
"Hey, feel free to yell at me if it turns out I'm wrong. For now though, just trust me."
"Very well..."
Barely fighting down a snarl while feeling cheated out of what he'd deem a real challenge, the boy with blue-violet hair obliges in moving the duel along.
"Alright then. I'll go!"
...Back up high and a distance away, Trey becomes all the more puzzled by his subject of observation's choice of strategy.
"What is Athena up to?...This is quite a contrast to the last battle I witnessed. Though still playing a level of unpredictability...the ferocity has diminished to that of an almost, teachable determination...She doesn't want to simply win, but reach out to her opponent."
So if vengeance isn't your motive, what is?
...
...
Returning briefly to the suite where the pinkette's brothers and their employer call home, we see Vetrix and Quinton in the same positions from before Trey left on his personal mission...a permission the tall silverette was surprised by.
"Are you sure it was a good idea to let Trey go?...I am worried, Vetrix. Athena's powers are far greater than you may realize...She's already managed to gain Kite as a silent ally. What if Trey falls under her influence and doesn't come back?"
The masked blond replies with a calm smile,
"Don't be concerned. Your brother is going to return."
"And you're sure of that?"
"Yes. While I admit I find it impressive the girl was able to cohere Kite and Hart...Trey is too trusting and loyal to ever leave us. That's just the way he is."
...
...
"I summon out, Black Ray Lancer!"
Getting back to the action at the unfinished building, Shark has managed to summon out one of his trump monsters, much to his opponents' dismays.
"This is serious...!"
"I know that, but how did you expect me to stop him from summoning Don Turtle?!"
"Lancer, take down that mage! Go, Shimmering Spear Slash!"
The monster twirls their weapon before swiping the arrow-tip in a diagonal cut against the smaller entity, causing her to cry out before disappearing in a cloud of pixels. Cringing a little from the dust and energy blacklash, Athena mutters internally as her Life Points drop to 2500,
Sorry, Damage Mage, but at least you aren't going down for nothing...
"Next, I activate De-Spell from my hand! This card allows me to destroy one Spell my opponent controls...so I'm getting rid of that Horn of Light!"
A gold and purple lock suddenly appears around the base of the horn in Fire Princess's hand, before a key of similar make manifests to unlock it, and fade away altogether with the target object. With the horn gone, the monster's Defense Points retract back to their original 1500 total...
"There's no way Fire Princess can dodge me now. Submersible Carrier Aero Shark, attack with Devouring Dive!"
Said double-headed sea entity does as their commanded, charging down from above to smack the pyro-user off their feet and fly backwards before blowing up in a cluster of pixels. Hana gasps,
"Oh no, not Fire Princess too!"
Calli reasons with a little worry in her tone,
"At least Addy won't be taking damage since her monster was in Defense Mode...Still, at the rate this is going..."
Caswell nods,
"Indeed. In the end, while Addy may have had a strong start, it looks like Shark may steal this win."
"Maybe so, maybe not."
Eyes turn to Akira, who notes while narrowing his aqua irises in thought,
"I don't think Athena has any intentions in losing this match...but at the same time, she's not fighting so hard to win either. This is about something bigger and beyond the duel."
"You think so?"
"We all know Addy well-enough by now that there's usually some sort of hidden motive behind her actions, even when they seem reckless and poorly executed...A long while back, she hardly cared about giving her A-Game, not because she wasn't good...but because she had little to nothing to actually fight for. She kept being pulled into the wrong kind of challenge."
A slight smile curves onto his lips as he adds,
"But since Astral and these crazy Number Cards came crashing in, Addy's been slowly regaining what she never could grasp in the underground."
"And what's that?"
"...Reasons to fight, and reasons to live."
Tiffany awes at Akira's prediction, and turns her gaze to the subject themselves while thinking,
...He's right. As much as I worry these Numbers may be changing Addy...maybe, just maybe...it can be a good change.
"So that's all you can thrust my way, huh?"
Athena focuses a glare at her opponent before making her judgement.
"Considering how fucked up you've left your more recent opponents, I was actually expecting you to push me into a corner with tough monsters alot sooner than this...Instead, here I am hanging on with a little more than half of my Life Points, and hardly a scratch on my body. Why is that?"
Shark gives no reply other than a silent growl, and Astral wonders to himself,
"What is Athena doing? Is she trying to provoke him into following such a strategy?"
"Humph. Somehow, I doubt the boy will go through with it."
He turns his vision left to see,
"Uh!...Adreus."
The DARK-fiend then comments,
"Have you not noticed the lack of focus in his strikes since the beginning of this duel? He has power but uses no control...It's likely been deteriorating since he began this rampage, a fact the mistress is well-aware of."
"...Because she can relate to what Shark is feeling..."
He nods, and turns his dark salmon red irises downward at the girl in question as he concludes,
"In which case, victory and defeat are of little importance to her at present...Not while there is much more at stake than a simple game."
Though Astral was beginning to understand what Adreus was saying, the former is nonetheless concerned about how close Athena was to throwing the duel. In which case, he floats back over to the girl's side and gently warns,
"I think I see where you are going with your inquiry, but I advise you to be careful. You are teetering towards losing this match."
"And who says I care?"
"Uh!"
"Like I said before, this tourney's been going to the dogs since day one...and right now's a perfect example for how."
Keeping a steely gaze on the boy several feet away from her, Athena says to him,
"Whether you beat me or not, Shark, it's not gonna change the fact that I'm gonna knock some sense into you! Hell, if you're so angry at the world, why waste it on our monsters and use it where it can really count?"
She lowers her arms to her sides, and walks past her Ghost Ship until she's halfway across the battlefield.
"Go ahead: punch, kick, whatever you have to, and as hard as you can. Use me like you used those other helpless victims."
"Grrrh, be quiet!"
"Is this the kind of duelist you wanna be remembered as, Reginald Castle?! The kind without compassion, without humility?!"
Something in the girl's tone and the way she used his full name struck a chord in Shark, his voice getting caught in his throat as his eyes bulge...
"I guarantee that if you keep using this style, you'll grow to hate the game as much as you'll hate yourself!...You're my friend, Shark, and I don't wanna see you implode like I nearly had. Don't turn into your own 'Berserker'...I may have recovered...but not all the wounds healed, and likely never will."
Ember red irises will have welled up with unshed tears by this point, the sight alone tugging at the heart strings of the people present...including that of the one under fire.
(...Ba-bump...)
Suddenly, the dark aura around Shark begins to slowly dissipate.
...No. This...This isn't the kind of duelist I wanna be remembered as. I know it isn't!
Who wants to hang around someone so hateful?...Athena...
Trey notices the drop of antagonistic emotion from his vantage.
"Wait: Shark's heart freed itself by getting rid of the anger from that Number...?"
But how?
The level of surprise would only increase for all the eyes watching...when the boy with the sea-themed deck pulls off his gazer to indicate a forfeit.
"I'm stoppin' the duel. It's clear who's gonna win."
"Huh?"
Tiffany mutters to herself confusingly,
"He's, surrendering the match? That's not like him...or is it?"
Shark doesn't look as mean as he did earlier...Did Addy get through to him?
Said girl pulls off her own gazer as the AR fades away, forming a knowing smile all the while.
"Heh, so your common sense came knocking, huh?"
"Something like that. I just don't want anyone, least of all you to think they can get away with calling me a caveman."
A smirk carves onto Shark's lips as he adds,
"I'll show you why it's not a good idea to tease me in the finals."
"Uh! (...Smile) Sure. 'Til then."
With nothing else holding him back, the teenage boy with the cerulean eyes takes his leave, passing Jamal, Caden and Flip on the way down the stairs. The former sends them a subtle nod, while the latter three just stare blankly as he continues on his way.
"Huh..."
"Shark looks, calmer than what we heard from those other guys..."
"You think Addy snapped him out of it?"
"Let's go find out."
Clambering back up to the high floor, the girl with the black bob of hair and lemon yellow glasses wanders closer to her friend with the waist-length black hair tipped copper red as she puts away her dueling equipment.
"...You did a good thing just now."
"Think so?"
"Mhm. It was risky considering our time crunch for that last Heart Piece...but then again, if you hadn't taken the moment to help Shark calm down, you probably would've been facing a bigger problem in the finals."
"That was not the only factor at risk."
"Huh?"
Ember red irises turn to lock with the mismatched gold and silver, the latter stating,
"Had you have lost the match against Shark, I would have faded from existence along with all of the Numbers we have gathered."
...Shit!
A similar curse would slip from between Athena's lips as she fully contemplates Astral's words.
"Aaaaeeh! How the hell did I blank on that?! Dammit!...I'm so sorry."
It was around this time the last three boys of this big group of friends catch up, filing in near Akira and Caswell.
"Hey."
"Hey, you missed the action."
"So we notice...Is Tiff chewin' Addy out on taking risks again?"
Akira nods at Jamal and adds,
"I think that Astral fella's doing the same. Not sure what he said, but it must've been important..."
We turn focus back on the girls as the one with cornflower blue eyes then mentions,
"Still, while this may have been a good thing morally...didn't it also risk going against your dream to become a dueling champion like your parents?"
"...I thought I already made my case the day before the WDC started."
A straight line forms on Athena's face as she argues,
"I'm staying focused on keeping my eyes out for Numbers and makin' sure my allies don't lose more than their duels. I don't really care if I do win the whole thing or not. I'm leavin' that up to fate...Besides..."
A new sadness clouds her eyes as she mutters more to herself,
"It's not like being a champ will, bring 'em back..."
Tiffany mutters her friend's name with sympathy in her expression, and Astral felt a sad frown form as he thinks,
A part of her still yearns for the safe return of her parents...but she is afraid of becoming too hopeful...too afraid of getting hurt...
Back atop that far-off building, Trey felt his thoughts shift when he caught the part about the Fujina child's missing mother and father.
Hm...There's a strange denial in her tone, but clearly, her parents have some sort of influence...
"Maybe they're the key to her motivation."
Small Time Skip, Hart's POV
It's getting close to about one-thirty in the afternoon, a couple hours since my brother, Orbital and Addy left the house to continue competing in the World Duel Carnival. Addy's brothers have since gone because of work-related emergencies but will be back later this evening, so now it's just me, Grandfather Fujina and LillyBot. I've tried keeping myself busy by watching TV...but I quickly became tired of the programs.
I'm now laying on my stomach looking through these two albums that Addy uses to store some of her extra cards, most of them once belonging to her parents and some from a deck she got from a place called the Dueling Sanctuary...
"Wooow, these are all good cards. Kind-of reminds me of Kite's...I wonder why Addy decided not to use some of them, though."
I frown sadly as a possible answer comes to me.
Maybe using alot of her mom and dad's cards was, too painful for her heart to handle...
(...Clack-click)
"Hm?"
That's when I suddenly heard footsteps up above me.
What was-...It came from the attic.
Getting up as quietly as I can, I then climb up the ladder until I could peek into the room...I barely stifle a gasp when I see,
Oh no! It's him!...One of those brothers who wanted to take me away.
Though I never actually saw all three of them at once, Addy and Kite gave me a detailed description of the other two guys who are with that Quinton person incase we ever saw them again in the future...Anyway, I quickly and quietly jump back down and run for Addy's closet, cringing at the door creak before shutting it behind me.
There's no time to warn Mister Fujina and LillyBot...and big brother said to call him or Addy if anything went wrong.
I pull out the duel gazer Addy gave me from my shorts pocket, a spare one she has incase her current one gets damaged.
Good thing I vowed to keep this with me at all times.
I decide it would be safer to text instead of call, and made sure the SOS was sent to both my brother and Addy. Pulling my knees to my chest, I take a few deep breaths and say to myself,
Alright. Now I just gotta stay calm. I'll be fine as long as I stay quiet in here...
Please hurry back to the house, you guys.
Athena's POV
With Shark back to his usual self (I hope...), my friends and I hurry down off the unfinished building to continue the hunt for an opponent with a Heart Piece...But just before we could get the search going again, another problem erupts.
(Bee-bee-beeep)
"Huh?...Who could be texting me now of all times?"
Pulling my gazer out, I open up the message...
"Uh! It's from Hart!"
My friends - save Hana and Calli who have a limited amount of information about all the chaos that's been my life - immediately become concerned.
"Hart?"
"What's it say?"
"Is he alright?"
I read the text aloud for all of them to hear.
"'Kite, Addy. One of those brothers, the one in pink, is in the attic! Please come back before he finds me! - Hart.'...Damn, this isn't good."
No other words are spoken, and I turn to run for the quickest route back to my house.
"I gotta get home!"
Jamal and Akira tail behind me:
"Wait!"
"We'll back you up! Tiff, can you lead the search from here?"
"U-Uh, sure! Be careful and let us know what happens!"
...
...
Thankfully, it didn't take long before the three of us - excuse me, four of us including Astral - make it back to my place, and remembering the locale Hart mentioned in his text, I lead the way to the back windows...where Kite would already be waiting.
"Uh! Kite. That was fast..."
"The second my little brother's in trouble, I'm on it."
"Right..."
We all look up towards the point of destination as Jamal asks,
"So how'do we wanna do this? It sounds like Trey hasn't found Hart yet, otherwise there'd be alot of noise comin' from up there..."
I think for a minute...before a very devious idea comes to mind.
"We~ll, we do have the element of surprise on our side...so there's one plan that could work."
Jamal instantly recognizes that particular smirk on my face, making him cringe and prompting Akira to ask for himself and Kite,
"Uuuh, should we be concerned...?"
"Yep...but not for Hart."
We spare another minute or two to dish out the details (which by the end had all the men with me looking at me like I was a nutcase...), before executing the plan. Basically, Kite and I are going to ambush Trey through the attic window, while Akira and Jamal hurry to my room to secure Hart and act as backup incase our intruder tries to make a run for it...
Athena, are you sure this is a good idea?
Grabbing this large stick I planted on the roof near the attic window for situations like this (...yeah, don't ask me about the logic; my paranoia's just been attempting to make me more prepared for the near-impossible), I pipe back to Astral through our mental link,
'Good', might not be the best descriptor, but it's better than making a racket storming upstairs and prompting valentine here to run...
Besides...I have this feeling he might be here looking for something more besides Hart, and it wouldn't be smart to let Trey think he can get away with stunts like this.
I, suppose that is a fair point...Just try to avoid becoming, too violent.
Smirking the slightest, I murmur mentally as I focus on the half-open glass,
Don't worry; it'll be quick and painless...mostly.
I feel a pointed stare against the back of my neck, but ignore it and signal Kite to get ready...Like we talked about, I'd make the first move, silently slipping into the room and ducking into the shadows where Trey can't see me...
"These artifacts are so fascinating...Athena's parents must have spent alot of time to collect these..."
Yeah, they did...by spending time away from home and from the family...
I realize that's a little bitter of me to think, but at the same time...it's, kind-of become hard to feel guilty about those thoughts these days...But anyway, Trey sets down one of two Aztec masks that calls the attic home, and turns around to the window, only to bulge his eyes at the sight of Kite.
"Uh! K-Kite!"
"Hello. Trey, was it?...What brings you here to the Fujina residence?"
Trey starts stuttering nervously, clearly taken off-guard by the confrontation, which is what we planned on.
Perfect.
I do a tuck and roll from my shadowy corner, stopping behind the thankfully-unsuspecting intruder...before-
(WHACK)
I clonk him on the back of his head with the stick, knocking him out cold and causing him to crumple to the floor...
"How hard did you hit the kid, Addy?"
Finishing my work in tying the unconscious Trey's wrists up with one of my old bandanas, I reply to Akira from atop my bed,
"Not hard enough to kill 'im if that's what you're worried about...though it might be a while before he wakes up..."
We move the party downstairs just outside the kitchen sliding glass door (appointing Orbital to keep an eye on our 'prisoner' if he decides to wake up early), and Jamal starts our new conversation from his casual lean against the clear surface.
"See, this is why I don't try to wake you up when we have sleepovers anymore. You're like the dragon from that 'don't poke the eye' proverb. I still don't know how Tiff's brave enough to do it..."
I send a sly smile his way from my spot on the lowest step and retort,
"She has childhood friend immunity developed from shared moments of roughhousing, which my brothers can take credit for developing."
"...Okay, the brother influence I believe, but I have a hard time seein' you girls actually roughhousin'."
"I can grab the photo album and show you. There's pictures."
"Maybe we can do that when we're not dealin' with tourneys and people busting into your house...Oh, that reminds me."
He pulls out his gazer and starts texting fast.
"Better blurb the team some good news...Well, as good as it can be."
Hart pipes up from his semi-cling to his brother on my right,
"Sooo, do we just wait until Trey wakes up?"
"That's the idea, kiddo."
"...But what about your final Heart Piece problem?"
"That's not important at the moment, plus Tiff and the others promised to keep looking for any contenders. (Smirk) But worse comes to worst, I'll just sneak into the ring and beat the crud outta Heartland until he coughs up all he knows."
Astral exclaims my name in a scolding manner, while the others laugh save Kite who opts for an amused half-smirk.
"Not the most sophisticated plan, but somehow, I feel like you'd make it work."
"Is that a compliment or an insult?"
"I'll let you figure it out on your own."
Tch, playin' the cryptic, are we?
"M-Master Kite! Master Kite!...and, others..."
We all look back into the kitchen as the mini mech comes speeding our way.
"Th-The boy; he's waking u-up!"
Already? That was quick...Must have a hard head...
Akira's the first to jump to his feet (having previously been sitting on my left), proposing semi-casually,
"Well, shall we meet up with our, 'guest'?"
The rest of us nod, and quickly steal our way through the house and up the stairs to my room, filing in so we're standing in a semi-circle near my bed where Trey's slumped body sat. My ears pick up on a muffled groan, telling me that Orbital was right.
Still, being able to come out of dreamland early's not gonna give him an advantage.
(Dark smirk) You're in my house now, Trey, and if you wanna get out with just that bump on your head, you better pray for mercy.
No POV
"Mh-mrh, uuhh...Huh?"
The young man with short pink hair slowly blinks his emerald irises open, feeling a prominent throb at the back of his skull.
Ow, my head...What happened?
"Well, look who's up early."
Huh?
Confused, he looks up, only to cringe slightly at the sight of Athena and several others - Kite and Hart included - staring at him with a mix of wary and dark-humoured expressions.
"Hello, Trey."
Oooh, this isn't good...Guh! Wait a second!
That's when Trey notice the bindings around his wrists, and fruitlessly tries to wriggle out of them.
"H-Hang on; why'd you-?!"
"I'd be grateful that I used one of my bandanas and not something that could cut into your skin if you struggled too hard."
Athena's face then narrows into a more serious expression complete with an arm fold.
"Furthermore, if it were anyone else but me, they would've called the police by now for breaking and entering, not to mention the possibility of attempted kidnapping."
"Wait...you think I'm here to-"
"Why else would you have come here? As much as my place can be considered a good neutral locale, I also knew there'd still be the chance of someone making another attempt against Hart. I just prayed you lot would be smart like our 'dear mayor' and Faker and not do anything stupid during the more heated part of the tournament..."
Trey's eyes seemed to darken slightly at the mention of Kite and Hart's father, a fact that Astral took into account from his place near his human partner's side.
There was a spark of anger behind his irises just now...
Perhaps there is more to the brothers' interest in Hart besides his power...
The celestial being snaps to attention as Athena steps forward to grip Trey's shoulder in a firm and slightly painful manner based on the wince escaping the captive's lips, and she says to him,
"You and your brothers watched my duel last night, so you're well-aware of how far I'll go to protect Hart and others I hold dear. You better give me a good reason not to dish out that same treatment to you that I gave to Trilos."
Taking a few steps back, Jamal and Akira whisper to eachother with matching sweatdrops,
"Am I the only one who finds it scary when Athena's 'mama bear' side comes out to play?"
"Nope, and I can't blame you either. It was even around back in the dark days, and though she didn't show alot of emotion, anyone who messed with a little kid with her nearby quickly got the message to back off thanks to a few threatening gestures."
"How threatening?"
"Mainly dark looks and a raised fist...Sometimes cracking that fist against a concrete support and making it crumble slightly..."
The image alone was enough to make the poor academy student with dreadlocks shiver.
I don't wanna think about where that strength comes from, (half-smile) but thank god she's my friend and not my enemy.
Getting back to the targeted enemy of the hour, Trey manages to stutter past his fears and blurt,
"W-Wait! Before you do anything rash...I'm sorry."
"Huh?"
"I feel truly sorry for mine and my brothers' transgressions against Hart, (glance) and to another extent, Kite..."
Said elder Tenjo brother makes a sound between a hum and a growl as he gently pulls his younger sibling closer, and Akira asks with a less stern gaze upon seeing a spark of sincerity in the pinkette's expression,
"Then why were you after Hart? Who's pulling the strings behind your actions?"
"...I can't tell you their name...All I will say is that I, don't fully agree with their motives and how far they're willing to go to meet their goals."
Trey looks back over at the Tenjos and adds,
"And while I can't go into every detail...it, has something to do with a falling out they had against Doctor Faker, and because of their grudge against him, Kite and Hart became secondary targets."
Jamal pipes in with one of those obvious tones,
"Yeah well, incase your 'employer' didn't get the memo, these two and Faker are about as chummy as water and oil."
"Yes, I know that now...and I plan to tell them that so they might redirect their fury away from the pair."
"And how do we know you're good for your word?"
The pinkette locks his emerald irises with Athena's ember-red and replies simply,
"Truthfully, you can't, but unlike my brothers, I've avoided using manipulation to get under my opponent's skin. Shouldn't that count for something?"
"Maybe...but then again, you could be trying to manipulate us now..."
"...You have to be one of the most confusing girls I've ever met."
Such a random topic shift threw the young Fujina off slightly.
"What?"
"I've seen you go from caring about the well-being of your friends to punching Quattro out of anger, then using rage as a weapon in one duel, only to change tactics and use the demeanor of a stern teacher...The only thing that hadn't changed was how selfless you can be on and off the battlefield..."
Trey's eyes seemed to sparkle with the curiousity emitting from his being, despite his current position.
"Is that the secret to the power you have?"
"Power? Whaddo you mean power?"
"The way you duel is unlike anything I've ever seen. To fight so hard, as if losing means losing your very life..."
"...Well I won't indulge everything to you 'cause I have no real reason to..."
A half-sad, half-nostalgic smile forms on the blackette's face as she states,
"But the reason I duel that way is, because it's one of things that keeps my demons at bay."
"Huh? Demons?"
"Yeah. The ones you try to chase away on your own, which usually makes for a rather pathetic novella...The cards..."
She glances at the friends with her, then down at her golden pendant.
"And, other things...They helped me scrap those novellas and restart a bigger, better book that'll document me at my best after powering through the worst."
Trey could only stare at the girl in awe, feeling all the more intrigued by her spirit.
She conveys herself like a battered samurai amongst the sea of despair after a great battle...
"Athena!"
It was then Adam pokes his head into the doorway.
"Oh hey bro, you're home."
"Yep. The emergency turned out to be a simple organization issue. Anyway, grandpa and I are almost done preppin' a late lu-..."
That's when the young man with the mullet notices the scene within his sister's room (somehow missing the fact that Trey's hands were bound).
"...Uuuhm, am I interrupting something important?"
"U-Uh actually, we were just about to wrap things up. We'll be down shortly."
"...Alright."
Though a little wary of the light tension he could feel in the atmosphere, Adam exits from his spot to head back downstairs...After a couple more minutes, the whole lot of young souls - including Trey - will have filed down from Athena's bedroom and into the dining room.
"...Uhm, Addy, are you sure letting Trey go was a good idea?"
She whispers back to Jamal as they approach the table,
"If he's as genuine as he claims to be, he won't make any dumb moves while he's in our company...Besides..."
They glance over at Kite as he pulls out a chair for Hart, the former sending a subtle glare at the pinkette.
"Having our resident Number Hunter here's already enough protection for the kid."
"Good point..."
They sit down on the left side of the table with Adam while Akira sat on the right with the Tenjo siblings, leaving Homare and Trey occupying each end. On the flat surface is a meal consisting of two large platters of Nigirizushi, and two smaller plates filled with mochi...Peering at all of the people sitting down, Astral couldn't help but comment to himself,
This is one of the more strange gatherings at Athena's family table...
LillyBot would then come rolling in with two serving trays filled with cups of green tea.
"Tea is ready, tea is ready. Be careful, tea is hot."
We notice she is looking at Jamal in particular.
"Sip it slowly this time, Jamal."
"Ey! Would you get off that? I wasn't the only one who drank that tea too fast last time. So did Terry."
Athena retorts amusingly after swallowing some of her sushi,
"I almost wonder if we need to start giving you ice cubes again."
"Whaddo I look like, five? Plus you must've burned your tastebuds before."
Akira scoffs from his spot,
"Yeah, but she wouldn't have felt it."
"Not true! I can feel heat to an extent. I just, can't feel burning sensations..."
Both boys mutter,
"Close enough," making the red-eyed girl sigh in exasperation.
I swear out of all my friends, these two are the most bugged out by my abilities...
Well, them and Flip.
"So how's your search going for that last Heart piece, sis?"
She turns her head to meet eyes with Adam and replies,
"Not as well as I hoped, but the others are keepin' an eye out for any last-minute stragglers."
"Hm...I'm surprised you're not panicking, but then again, you've always been one of those keeping it cool kind-of kids."
Athena retorts with a weak smile,
"Who's to say I'm not panicking on the inside thanks to all the pressure?"
"Well in that case, you're doing a good job acting brave."
The two of them laugh, unaware of the emerald eyes staring at their interactions all the while, the irises reflecting a, longing for something so similar to the scene before him.
(Flash)
The sound of laughter from two young souls fills the previous home of the three brothers during a cold winter night, the siblings awaiting the return of their father from work. We see a middle-teen Quinton - known back then as Christopher - standing by the window watching the snowflakes fall, while a preteen Quattro and single-digits Trey bound onto the couch after chasing eachother around the living room in a game of tag...
"Oh, Thomas! I almost forgot to show you!"
The little pinkette pulls out his surprise from behind his back, revealed to be a duel monster card.
"It's an Aztec Mask Golem! Father gave it to me today!"
Unfortunately, while initially excited for his younger sibling, Quattro - known here as Thomas - felt a wave of jealousy spread through his veins like wildfire.
"How come I didn't get one too?! I, (swipe) want it!"
"Hey! Give it back to me! That's my card!"
"Oh yeah?!"
Before the new squabble could really take wing, however, Christopher would focus away from the image outside with a shake of his head and one of those smiles seen on every eldest sibling who works to keep the peace.
"Alright, that's enough, you two. Father should be home any minute, so you better behave."
They reluctantly settle down upon that possibility, and after plopping back onto the couch cushions, Trey opts for asking more politely,
"Can I please have it back?"
"...Okaaay."
Thomas hands his brother back the Aztec Mask Golem just as Christopher walks their way.
"You guys be on your best behaviour, and I'll teach you how to duel later."
That got his younger brothers excited, and the one with burgundy/yellow hair checks,
"That a promise?!"
"Sure."
The little pinkette says with a soft and hopeful smile,
"Thanks, Chris."
"You're welcome, Michael."
(Flash)
...My family used to be like that...but that was so long ago...
The boy once known by the name Michael lowers his chopsticks with a sad frown as he thinks,
And with all that's going on...it's hard to have any hope of those times coming back...
Homare notices a change in emotion within Trey, and asks him,
"Is something wrong, young man? Not feeling well?"
The latter doesn't answer verbally...and suddenly releases a few stray tears, prompting the concern of a few other souls, namely, Adam, Akira and Jamal.
"Uh! H-Hey, what's wrong?"
"Trey...?"
"You okay, dude?"
"...Please excuse me, (gets up) but I have to leave."
The young man turns and runs for the front exit, and Athena leaves her own seat to watch him run from the doorway with a semi-concerned frown.
Trey...
As he jogs on, the pinkette thinks to himself with a new weight on his shoulders,
Sorry, Athena...but I know what I have to do now...
"Trey, hold up!"
He stops at the bottom of some street steps upon hearing the voice of the subject girl, she pausing at the top after deciding to chase after him.
"What's going on now? Did...Did we upset you somehow?"
"...After spending some time with you, I think I'm starting to understand you, Athena...It's your, family, your friends. They give you power...It's not the same for me. My family is different from yours."
Narrowing her eyes a bit, Athena wanders a little closer while arguing,
"If you're implying that everything's all sunshine and rainbows on my end, you couldn't be anymore inaccurate. My brothers and I...we've just gotten past some strain that's been around for more than two years now, and our smiles still feel a little awkward...The three of us, gramps...we're all still hurting in our own ways since my folks never came back from that, one trip..."
She adds with a point forward,
"And I'm willing to bet something similar happened to you and your brothers...In fact...Would it be fair to say the one orchestrating your plans, is someone close to you and your bros?"
"...Yes."
Trey turns around to face the blackette with a somewhat subdued but serious expression.
"They once had the same role as Faker did for Kite and Hart, but, now...Hauh, I almost don't know how to look at them these days..."
Astral - who of course followed after Athena - felt his eyes narrow slightly in thought.
A role similar to Doctor Faker...Could he be referring to a parent?
"The day we swore revenge on our enemies, everything changed. It was like we became different people...Maybe, once we do get our revenge, we'll go back to the way we were."
Now Athena couldn't help but feel a little sympathetic towards Trey, she once having similar imagines regarding her own situation.
"Is that really what you believe?...Look, Trey, I may not be able to relate in terms of revenge, but I too used to believe in the idea that doing that one thing will somehow make life return to normal...But I gave up on that belief, and do you know why?"
Sucking in a deep breath, she attempts to convey a stern reality.
"Because nothing we do now can change what happened then."
"...Maybe that's what you're inclined to believe, but I haven't lost hope yet. If anything, (glare) you're in the way of my family's goal."
"Trey..."
"I will find a way to defeat you. For the sake of my family, I must!"
"The only thing you'll be guaranteeing is your own destruction! Come on, open your eyes, Trey!"
The boy remains stubborn to the girl's words.
"I have to remain loyal to my family!...I'll do whatever I have to, Athena."
"Even if it means forsaking all you know?"
"...Even at that. Here."
Trey then fwips out a small envelope to toss at the young Fujina, who catches it between her fingers...
"We'll settle this tonight, once and for all."
Astral hovers closer to his human partner's side so they can both see the message that melds onto the back of the envelope.
"He wants to meet you at these coordinates?"
"Seems like...and I think I know where that place is too..."
They snap back to Trey as he proclaims,
"We're gonna have a duel, Athena...and you're gonna lose!"
With that, he turns to walk away, ignoring one last cry of his name from the girl...
It wouldn't be long before the young man dressed in pink, red and white would return to his family suite, heading straight for the big screen room where the masked blonde and Quinton would still be. Trey's older brother is surprised to see the former back so soon, or at all.
"...You're back?"
"Welcome back, Trey. Was your mission a success?"
...The boy doesn't answer for a moment, his mind still hung over some words from his target of inquiry.
(Flash)
"...I too used to believe in the idea that doing that one thing will somehow make life return to normal...But I gave up on that belief, and do you know why?...Because nothing we do now can change what happened then."
(Flash)
She might be right...but I'm not ready to accept it. Not yet.
"...Is everything alright, Trey?"
"Uh! Mm...Yes. My, mission was more or less successful."
Though slightly concerned about the pinkette's drifting attention, the youth with only half a visible face just replies,
"You don't have to tell me a thing. I already understand...You're hungry for power. A power that can destroy Athena Fujina."
"Yes."
"Heh...then perhaps now's a good time to put our new toy to the test."
The blond then pulls out that mysterious decagon he received from Alister, his grin adding to the foreboding factor of the object's vermilion/violet glow.
I must remember to thank Alister for providing us this amplifier.
Now our crests will be all the more strong...which means no one, will stand in our way.
...
...
We return to the standing point of one of those someones, just around the time her companions from home and from elsewhere in Heartland find her and catch eachother up on recent details...
"So now Trey's challenging you to a duel just to get you to stay out of his family's way?"
Athena nods at Tiffany,
"Seems like."
"Oh wow..."
Caswell chimes after scrolling through a list on his duel disk,
"Well, if you're actually going to meet his challenge, he might be the only one left to claim a Heart Piece from."
"He's in the tourney?"
"Yep, listed right after his older brothers, Quinton and Quattro Arclight."
Kite snaps his neck up sharply upon hearing the last name.
Did he say Arclight?...Then that means...it really was him last night...
"Guys, I dunno about this. I mean, I know the options are really limited, but Trey's not exactly a pushover."
Jamal nods in agreement with Hana.
"Yeah. He even gave Shark a bit of a hard time during their duel..."
Calli dips her head up and pipes,
"As in former champ Shark Castle?"
"You know him?"
"Not personally, but we did compete in an exhibition tournament in Hong Kong once."
Tiffany exclaims,
"Oh! That's right; I almost forgot you used to do some dueling competitions yourself."
"Mhm, and I almost crossed paths with Quattro a few times...If his brother's as good as he is, this next duel won't be an easy stroll in the park..."
A collective hum of uncertainty passes through the dozen-large group, and Astral expresses his own concerns to the girl on the receiving end of this call to arms.
"Athena, I do not trust that boy. I advise you not to meet with Trey."
She replies in an address to everyone around her,
"I know, and I get you're all worried...but what other choice have I got? There's no time to find another competitor for the tourney...and Trey...he's not like his brothers. I can see he's honestly conflicted about following his family's lead in their grand scheme of revenge."
Clenching a free fist, Athena adds,
"And that's why it'd be worth it to duel him, as a last attempt to reason with how he really feels in his heart. He doesn't need to follow their lead and become consumed by a negativity that'll eat 'im alive. There's still an open window of opportunity."
"...Then I'm behind you one-hundred percent."
Tiffany steps forward and places her hands on her best friend's shoulders.
"I'll be honest: I've been having some, bad thoughts creeping into my brain for a while with regards to how you've, changed over the years...But, I think I'm starting to see that you're just, a new you. What's still the same is that you don't give up when it really counts."
"Tiff..."
"I want to remain behind you as you go forward, (glance) something I'm sure the rest of you want to do as well."
Nods are made by the other young souls, Caden and Flip going as far as to exclaim excitedly,
"We'll be there to watch as you pounce to victory!"
"Yeah; you've gotten this far, Addy! Nothing can slow you down!"
"You guys...Hm, (smile) right."
Small Time Skip
The hour of the match between Athena and Trey approaches all the closer, and as the sky becomes coloured in hues of light red and orange, we see Quinton and Vetrix overlooking the city from the suite's balcony as their thoughts continue to dwell over the pinkette...
"What's wrong, Quinton? You seem worried."
"Athena is more powerful than you realize. I'm certain she said something to Trey that has him questioning his motives."
"Don't trouble yourself. Trey's triumph is assured."
(Flash)
Moments prior, they and the boy had used the decagon from Eclipse Laboratories to grant a boost of power to Trey's crest through a ritual. We notice that the procedure itself involved the object almost piercing the symbol on the boy's hand, before sending tendrils of its vermilion/violet energy to wrap around his body and spread a portion of its power throughout.
...For a brief moment, Trey's eyes cloud over with that same vermilion-violet glow before fading back to their normal emerald, a fact that Quinton didn't miss in his observation, making him visibly worried...A contrast to Vetrix, who grinned like a madman.
(Flash)
"The procedure was grueling, but Trey's power has increased significantly."
"But will it be enough to defeat Athena?"
A crazed chuckle is all the response the silverette receives, doing nothing to quell his misgivings...
By this time, Athena and company will have taken off for the location Trey had proposed for the duel, the place itself being the very same unfinished highway complex that the girl had dueled Shark in long before the WDC began. As she jogged along on the pavement, she couldn't help but think with an ironically-humoured smile,
Seems like forever-ago I was duelin' up here for the sake of helping a friend, now I'm doing it again...
I just hope I don't pass out this time.
She stops when she finds the pinkette awaiting her a few yards ahead.
"...Trey."
He turns around to face her, a new hardness in his glare.
"Athena..."
"I can see you're still hell-bent on this duel...but I wanna remind you you're fighting for the wrong reasons. Can't you see you're not only hurting others but yourself as well?"
"Like I told you earlier, I'll take whatever steps I have to so I can see my family happy...And if it means crushing you, so be it."
Puffing out a sigh, the girl with copper red-tipped black hair replies,
"Fine. Stay stubborn. (...Glare) I'll just settle with literally knocking some sense into you!"
"Go ahead and try!"
Trey tosses up his duel disk to lock and load at ready.
"But I promise you won't succeed!"
She does the same:
"Oh yeah?! You'd be surprised what I can accomplish when I'm under pressure!"
They each lock on their duel gazers, the larger audience doing the same as the AR springs to life...
Augmented Reality Vision Link Established.
"(Both duelists) Let's Duel!"