Chello, everybody! As I said in one of my other active tales, I'm finally back for more storytelling!
My apologies for leaving you in suspense for this particular tale considering where we left off, but as I said already in similar author notes, I've been in a 'write-be-not' funk for the last few months. Plus, between work, COVID and moving into a new home, there's been alot of factors stealing away the energy to really motivate me to get behind the keyboard.
I have, however, been trying to stay as stimulated as I can so I wouldn't completely lose my edge. I've been tweaking around with written ideas, some of it new material I wanna eventually share on this site. I may even post a few new summaries to check out on my profile ;)
Anyway, let's not spend anymore time gabbing and get to the action! Big shout-out to Cyberbee15 - whom by this point has become a part of what I'm calling our 'Zexal Think Tank' - for making sure I stay grounded. This and the next chapter are for you!
Oh, and big warning: these chapters will be touching onto heavier subjects like mental health and drugs. Hopefully nothing too heavy that it'll warrant a higher rating down the road, but, this is where my main OC's mentality and character really begins to unravel. I also don't argue myself to be a complete expert on the subject, so I apologize for any probable inaccuracy. You have been warned thus.
Oh dear lord, here she goes again, dueling to save another soul from hate...
Seems lately that's all Addy's been doing: rescuing people from falling into darkness.
...But sometimes I wonder, if maybe she's lost her own sense of self-preservation.
So were the thoughts of our poor worrywart Tiffany Quen as she watches her best friend Athena Fujina ignite the duel between her and Trey Arclight, the former being one soul among a large eleven-member audience standing on one side of the unfinished raised highway...Yet despite her worries, the girl wearing lemon yellow glasses over her cornflower blue irises feels a half-smile carve through as she concludes,
Well, if she won't think about fully taking care of herself, I'll just have to be there to remind her...
And, not just me, but all of us, her friends.
At the same time Tiffany reminds herself of her role as a companion, Trey begins taking hold of his role as an enemy.
"I'll draw first, Athena...and I won't show you any mercy!"
First I'll see if the powers I received from Vetrix paid off.
Using his newly-amplified crest power, the pinkette stares intently at the areas of open air beside his opponent...until a glowing outline of Astral suddenly melds into view!
It's incredible! I can see Astral clearly!
He must be helping Athena during her duels, but that won't be enough to keep Athena from losing this time.
...Hm?
He then senses a second presence on the girl's left side...and would be forced to bite down a gasp when he sees a tall, eerie shadowy silhouette in a guarding position.
Wh-What, is that?!...It's nothing like, the original Number...
Could it be...?
On the other side of the battlefield, Adreus smirks the slightest upon noticing the rise of confusion and fear in his mistress's opponent.
Huh. So the boy's acquired a new depth in his sight?...No. There's something else.
Regardless, whatever powers he's attained will not protect him. If anything, they shall be his undoing.
"You sense it as well, correct, the new level of perception?"
He turns to nod at Astral, forming a more serious expression.
"Yes. He must have received an upgrade of sorts from his benefactor...He's clearly determined to do whatever necessary to defeat the mistress."
"I was afraid of that..."
"I think it best we keep a sharp eye on the boy incase he tries something to harm Athena in ways beyond what this duel may attempt to."
"I agree."
Sensing a rise of tension in her celestial companion, said girl with ember red irises turns to ask,
"What's wrong, and who are you talking to-uh-h!"
She freezes up when she locks stares with her XYZ monster, a card she previously thought could merely appear only on the dueling field...Adreus himself would also became stock-still, his dark red irises widening at the fact that his mistress was actually perceiving him, an action that he was preventing out of concern of scaring her.
"...A...Adre-us...?"
"...Mistress..."
"But...how...?"
They're forced to snap out of this stupor temporarily when Trey gets on with his turn, brushing off the Keeper of Armageddon's presence.
"I activate a field spell, Chronomaly City Babylon!"
The card's effect activates, recreating the surrounding area so it reflects the iconic city of name, the battlefield itself acting the part of the infamous Hanging Gardens. It certainly left a few of our audience members impressed, Hana and Calli murmuring in wonder,
"Whoa..."
"Looks like something out of history class..."
Athena - though still partially distracted by the appearance of Adreus - isn't as awed as those two, gazing around the ancient city and scoffing to herself,
Geez, how much more dramatic can this get?...It's strange though.
I got this, feeling...Something about this setting is, familiar, like a distant ring...
"You don't seem impressed by our new battlefield."
She locks eyes back with Trey and replies honestly,
"I'll be blunt: I've never been a big fan of field spells. They just feel like an unnecessary add-on to an otherwise great duel."
On the sidelines, Kite felt his eyebrow raise at such a remark.
Is that really something she should be confessing to her opponent?
Caswell had similar thoughts, muttering for Flip to listen,
"Addy really needs to be careful with sentences like that. She could be giving away her strategies."
"Eh, I wouldn't worry. That remark was so neutral, I'd be surprised if Trey can flip it against her."
Speaking of the pinkette, he humphs at his enemy with a half-smirk,
"I doubt you'll think like that for long, since now I can special-summon this: Chronomaly Tula Guardian!"
Said Level Five monster bursts forth, encompassing the body of a stone warrior with 1800 Attack Points...
"I'm free to summon this card when my Babylon Field is active. It gives me a gigantic advantage! And to add to all your troubles, I'm summoning Chronomaly Golden Jet!"
The Level Four monster with 1300 Attack Points comes soaring onto the battlefield on Trey's command...
"I then activate Golden Jet's ability! Once per turn, I can increase its level."
In which case, the solid gold jet becomes another Level Five monster...
Astral immediately senses the intent in such a move, and warns,
"Athena, get ready!"
She nods firmly just as her opponent prepares to bring out a heavier contender.
"I overlay my Level Five Golden Jet, and Tula Guardian!"
The monsters transform into their own respected streams of yellow and orange light, and they fly upward into the galaxy vortex that opens in the skies above.
"With these two monsters, I build the Overlay Network, and XYZ Summon Number Thirty-Three: Chronomaly Machu Mech!"
Said Rank Five Number Monster gradually drops down from the above portal, revealed to be the embodiment of a gigantic, floating gear-themed city with the numerical symbols for Thirty-Three printed in the bottom right corner of the base. Once more, they had a fairly strong amount of attack power, clocking in at 2400 to be precise...
"So you had another Number Card this whole time, huh? I should be surprised you summoned it this quickly, but, then again, I've faced opponents before who use that kind of strategy."
At least this one fits his deck theme...
"Just wait until you see what they can do. You'll be sorry you ever had to face Thirty-Three!...I place a card face-down and end my turn."
Looking up from his duel disk, Trey then says to the girl yonder,
"Your skills are no match for my new power, Athena...I will out-duel you!"
"Tch, you keep telling yourself that, but just like I told the previous holder of Force Focus, there's no way to predict the future in full!"
Athena then makes her move:
"(Swipe) My draw!"
"Be careful. Attacking Trey recklessly, may cost you the duel."
She sends a slightly indignant glare at Astral and argues,
"I know that, but I also can't afford to get too defensive, or I won't be able to land a decent hit."
"If I may make a suggestion?"
They turn to meet eyes with Adreus, who offers an idea for a first move.
"Since our opponent has no qualms over summoning a strong monster during his first turn, perhaps we should as well...while at the same time, (little smirk) offer a little handicap."
"Huh? A handicap?"
"Yes...with help from a certain fiend hunter from my attribute."
Athena thinks on her XYZ monster spirit's hint for a moment...before it clicks.
"Oh! Now I know who you mean...Yeah, that could work."
She then turns to meet eyes with Adreus and asks,
"Uhm, this is probably the wrong time for such a question, but, how long exactly have you been...you know..."
The latter's expression softens a little as he replies,
"I began appearing by your side a few days after you bought my card from that shop a year and a half ago."
"...Oh...And, how come I'm just seeing you now?"
"Hauh, because I was a little concerned my presence might scare you. I especially did not want to reveal myself back when your mentality was at its most fragile...You've grown stronger since those darker days, mistress, and I did not want to threaten that."
"Adreus..."
A small smile forms on Athena's face as she chides,
"I, appreciate your worry for me...but you don't have to be now. I'm, actually really glad to meet you properly now."
"Mistress..."
"We can talk about this more later. For now, let's all combine our brain power and outwit Trey."
Astral and the Keeper of Armageddon stare at the girl in surprise by her willingness to continue on past this new development with no real inquiries...before forming their own determined smiles.
"Right."
"As you say."
Nodding back, Athena then focuses on her current hand, grabbing a copy of Volcanic Shell before conducting her inspired plan.
"Alrigh'. First, I'm discarding one card from my hand, and because you special-summoned a monster, I've met the conditions to summon this fierce fiend...Come forth, Chaos Hunter!"
The iconic summoner hex circle forms, and rising from its depths is a Level Seven DARK attribute monster with 2500 Attack Points and 1600 Defense, their appearance being an androgynous warrior dressed in head-to-toe black and red armor, their sweepingly long lavender hair left free and as wild as the long whip they carried as a weapon.
The friends of this monster's summoner found themselves gaping slightly, Jamal going as far as exclaiming,
"Where's Addy been hiding this monster?!"
Seriously, I can name like, a dozen duels where they would'a been useful...
She replies with a little smirk upon hearing her childhood guy friend,
"Well actually, they're a more recent addition. I got it from the same shop I procured Adreus before the Carnival started. I just hadn't found the right duel to bring them out...Come to think of it, alot of my cards have been getting the short end of the stick in recent years..."
Shaking her head, she reaffirms herself on her new dueling direction.
"But I'm working towards stopping those lack of skill fake-outs. They aren't doing me or my deck justice...Anyway, getting back to the present, I've got a little bad news for you, Trey: now that Chaos Hunter's out to play, you can no longer banish any of your cards."
The pinkette found himself gasping a little in disbelief.
Uh! She's already trying to block my movements!...I didn't expect her to pull off such a move this quickly.
Then again, after witnessing that crazy duel between her and that gang leader, I knew what was getting into.
"I then place another card face-down, and end my turn."
Glancing at the card in question, Astral thinks to himself,
She's chosen the Half Shield Trap. Not a bad card to add to Chaos Hunter's defense, considering it will allow her to cut any incoming damage in half...
I think I see what direction her strategy is going. I just hope it will be enough.
On the other end of the field, Trey grunts determinedly and continues the duel forward.
"My draw! (Swipe) Ha! And I'll kick things off by activating my Palenque Sarcophagus Spell Card!"
A stone sarcophagus bursts from the ground, opening slightly as it gives their wielder the effect needed.
"I can use this whenever I have a Chronomaly card on my field. It permits me to draw two more cards from my deck, and beyond that, there's a specific monster I can summon from my hand whenever I activate a Spell. Meet the mighty ancient warrior, Chronomaly Aztec Mask Golem!"
The Level Four monster with 1500 Attack Points rises to the field, reflecting the image of a stone warrior with the head shaped like the mask type in question...Adreus found himself staring at the monster for a moment, sensing something, off in their eyes.
That golem...I can feel they are very fond of the boy...
Is that why I sense this hesitation? Do they know something is wrong with their master?
"Next, I summon Chronomaly Cabrera Trebuchet!"
A strange beast comes forth, having the headless body of some sort of...dragon-like launcher made from limbs and chains. Once more, they're on the weaker end of most Level Four monsters, as noted by Calli on the sidelines.
"Huh? Only zero Attack Points?"
Hana wonders aloud in her own confusion,
"Why go to the trouble?...Unless..."
Akira nods with narrowed irises,
"It's gotta have a wicked ability to make up for the lack of strength."
Staring at the beast for a moment, Hart then huddles closer to his older brother while casting a worried gaze at his dueling friend.
Be careful, Addy...
"I know what you're thinking: why summon a monster with no strength to attack? Well, it has quite the powerful special ability."
Trey holds up the gauntlet-enclosed hand that had his crest printed on it, and it glows a light sea green while he grins.
"By getting rid of one monster on my field, Cabrera can then chain up one of your monsters, and wipe out their Attack Points for this turn!"
Athena watches as Aztec Mask Golem is seized by the giant clawed hands of their 'teammate', suddenly feeling a little sorry for the opposition creature.
Man, this is bad, for both my monster...and that one.
"Wrap up Chaos Hunter!"
The golem is then thrown by Cabrera to go slamming against the Level Seven hunter, who lets out a large gasp of air before landing on their back hard. Insult piles onto injury quickly enough when glowing purple chains shoot up like weeds to pin the normally strong contender in place, leaving them to struggle as their Attack Points drop to zero...
"Crap, my hunter's become the prey...!"
"Now I'll activate Machu Mech's special ability! When a monster's Attack Points are changed, Machu Mech can use an Overlay Unit once per turn to deal damage to you, and that's gonna be a big deal to you, 'cause the damage equals the total change in Attack Points. Say goodbye to 2500 of your Life Points, Athena!"
The loading docks of Number Thirty-Three begin charging up...
"Machu Mech, take aim and fire! Go, Infinity Cannon!"
(Ka-POW)
"Look out, Addy!"
"If that connects, she'll be knocked down to 1500!"
Thankfully for the panicking souls that are Jamal and Caswell, Athena was prepped for such an attack.
"I activate my trap, Half Shield!"
The card flips upward to display a heart made of a left-bound, gold-leafed dark half and the right made from blue-white crystal, the whole structure highlighted against a shining background...
"This card allows me to slice any incoming damage down the middle, so sorry to disappoint, but I'm only taking 1250!"
In which case, a larger version of the heart shifts in front of the duelist, filtering the bulk of the firepower shot the girl's way. Nevertheless, she struggles to remain upright as the rest of the energy escapes through the shield to hit their target, her Life Points sinking to rest at 2750...On the sidelines, Tiffany and Hana let out the breaths they were holding and mutter,
"That could've been way worse..."
"Yeah. Good thing she had that trap."
Caden reminds them,
"Still, that Number's power is gonna overwhelm her unless she pulls another smart dodge."
She's saved her paw from being bitten off, but that dog's still ramming to snap their jaws...
Meanwhile, Trey emits an insulted growl over having his plan to land an early heavy hit disabled slightly.
"Grh!...You got lucky. And now that Cabrera Catapult has done its work, it switches to Defense Mode...Still, you won't be able to prolong the inevitable for long. I'm gonna keep this up 'til you're beaten."
To further prove that the catapult's ability was done for this turn, Chaos Hunter feels their strength return and breaks out of the chains, sending a glare at the monster responsible for trying to restrict them...
"I may not know Trey that well...but comparing his skills against Shark, then how he acted before he left the house, even I can tell something in him has changed."
I mean, I get he's harping over the shit-drama that's his family right now, but, I'm getting an almost frigid vibe...
What the hell happened in the time he was gone?
"Remember: there are ways of defeating any strategy, even Trey's."
Nodding at Astral, Athena then moves forward with her next turn.
"My draw, (swipe)!...Hm..."
I gotta find a way to get rid of that catapult. With it gone, Machu Mech won't be as menacing...
Hang on...
"Aha!"
Noticing a sneaky smirk appearing on the girl's lips, Astral felt both hopeful if concerned by the rise of confidence.
Oh dear. I know that look. What is she scheming now?
"Chaos Hunter, I think it's time for a little revenge, don't you? Attack Cabrera Catapult!"
The Level Seven monster cracks their weapon against the air twice before doing as their wielder commands, charging forward towards their opponent...
"I saw this attack coming. Too bad for you, I had a card ready to block it!"
...But just as Trey's trap flips up...
"Neeeh, denied!"
The young Fujina quickly stores a card in the area of her Duel Disk reserved for the Graveyard.
"By sending my Gemini Imps from my hand to the Graveyard, I can stop you from activating your Trap. Once more, I can also destroy it."
"Auh! No way!...Nh!"
The young Arclight recoils in surprise as two tall imp-like beasts - one a light pink and the other light blue - suddenly pop onto the field in a cluster of pixels on either side of his paused trap card. They each send an evil grin from their pale white faces to their target duelist, before seizing the larger card and pulling it apart from the sides.
(Rrrrrrip)
"As an added bonus, I get to draw one card for my hand."
One swipe of the hand later...
"Now as I was saying...Chaos Hunter!"
(Wh-chk)
"Take out that catapult! Go, Hunter's Wild!"
The androgynous warrior of fiendish darkness continues their trajectory, diving down in a spin and sending a torrential beat-down to their target. Cabrera Catapult is destroyed almost instantly, the impact nearly giving Trey whiplash and sending his Life Points back to rest at 1500.
"Rrrrrrh!"
How?! How can she already be in the lead?! It's gotta be Astral; it has to be!
Though he's understandably miffed beyond words, the audience for this duel was feeling reasonably more optimistic for the one they want to win.
"Alright; Addy's in the lead!"
"You got this, girl!"
Even Hart gets in on the action, forming a small smile and calling,
"Nice one!"
Wow. The only other person I know who duels this good is my big brother...
I wonder what a game between them would look like?
His older sibling meanwhile, feels a calculated expression form on his face as he gazes at Athena.
Hm...I dunno if I'll ever fully understand this girl.
During our own duel, her cards could barely keep up with mine...
But now, I'm actually witnessing a good level of strategy.
(Flash)
"Come to think of it, alot of my cards have been getting the short end of the stick in recent years...But I'm working towards stopping those lack of skill fake-outs. They aren't doing me or my deck justice..."
(Flash)
Is that it then? She's been half-assing her true skills?
...But why waste that potential, and why change now?
Athena's POV
I stop my inner gloating over out-maneuvering Trey's strategy for this instant, feeling a searching stare on my person...I turn my eyes their way, meeting with the piercing eyes of a certain Number Hunter.
...Heh, so you figured it out, huh Kite?
...Yeah. What you're seeing is the version of me I'm trying to work towards.
"So then you really have been purposely acting almost incompetent in your duels."
I turn back to my own circle and half-smile in a guilty fashion to Astral.
"Well, I wouldn't say I was being incompetent on purpose...but, I certainly didn't have a great reason to avoid being serious. Like I said before, until recent weeks, I just haven't had the motivation to really give it my all unless my life was threatened...It's weird: as much as the Number Cards have been offering back-to-back trouble...it's been the right kind of trouble to light my inner fire."
I add with a wry smirk,
"You've been the trouble I needed."
For a second, Astral looked insulted by my comment...until he realized I meant it in my own endearing way. In that event, he huffs with a smile,
"If either of us is to take the title of trouble in our growing relationship, it would be you."
"What, meee? You jest."
"I do not. Despite your growing seriousness, you still offer no end to your tomfoolery, which forces me to act as the voice of reason."
"Bullshi-"
"Ha! If you ask me, you're both as bad as eachother."
We focus on Adreus as he further comments with an inquisitive but mischievous smirk,
"But at the same time, you're each as good as the other...Almost reminds me of a fallen being saved by the divine."
W-What the hell?!
Before I had a chance to retort to my monster over such a, bizarre characterization, my ears pick up on the sound of my opponent groaning as he struggles to his feet...Turning to watch, I almost pity the poor boy at his attempts to continue this duel.
He's so lost in the desire to beat me that his cards are suffering...
Somehow, I doubt he'd be as willing to admit his faults like I am my own.
"Y'know, I'd never thought I'd go as far as saying this...but there's no shame in surrendering now while you still have your dignity."
Trey snaps his glaring eyes up at me.
"Gh! What did you just say?"
"You heard me, and I try to avoid sentences like that out of respect if I can help it...but come on. How'do you expect me to take you seriously if you're not dueling like the real you?"
I send a stern gaze to emphasize my next point.
"There's a difference between sacrificing to protect and sacrificing to hurt, and what I'm getting from you is the latter. I'm willing to bet that if your Trap worked, you would've tried to use your catapult again...But you'd fail, and you wanna know why? Because this kind of strategy is too cutthroat for your hands. (Softens expression) You're not the kind of person to do that, Trey, especially not to your monsters. You can try to claim that this is for the greater good of your family, but how's that gonna help you when you become too disgusted to eye your own reflection?"
...For a split second, it looks like I might've broken through to the real boy with pink hair...But then, a new glare is created by Trey, one that had frustrated tears threatening to fall.
"You...Just who do you think you are lecturing me?! Gh!...When my family was torn apart, I was completely alone. Without my father or brothers, I felt lost...Then when I did get them back, everything changed for the worst."
"Why? Who screwed up? What, happened, Trey?"
"Why should you care?! You're the one happily surrounded by the support of family and friends! How can you possibly understand my pain?!"
...He thinks I'm happy? Me?
I couldn't help it: I had to let out a bitter laugh, because the thought of myself being as happy as Trey's claiming feels...so shallow.
"Grh! What's so funny?"
"...You actually think I'm that positive? Wow...I dunno whether to call you dumb or wishful."
Removing my hand from my face from when I went into that humourless fit of chortles, I send the boy a rueful smile.
"You're not wrong: I am surrounded by people I've reached out to for some sort of guidance and moments of happiness...Still, someone as thick-skinned as I am can't absorb alot of good vibes."
"Huh?"
"You talk a big game, but don't act like you're the only one with problems...Some of us are just better at hiding them."
I've become a master of camouflaging my own inner pain, something I'm still struggling to really hash over with my loved ones...
Except, Astral.
I glance over at the blue being and muse,
For some reason, he's becoming the easiest to talk to whenever I feel my depression try to knock me around...
I, haven't even needed that bottle.
(Flash)
"Athena...what is that?"
The night in question was after the gnarly conclusion of that duel against Kite, back when he was more enemy than ally...Feels like so long ago, but was really only a couple days...
Anyway, the drama I've been experiencing for the last while had finally gotten to me that evening, to the point that I was actually, willing to open up something I thought I was finally able to ditch. Something that had been prescribed to me by my-ugh, psychiatrist during the early days of our sessions to help curb my especially low points...Something that arguably made me more numb before giving me a moment of feeling 'normal'.
"...It's called Lithium."
I remember showing him the little prescription bottle that still had a fair amount of the medication inside.
"It's a kind of, psychiatric medication used to help people with mental disorders...In my case, it's an antidepressant."
"So then, it is a catalyst to your depression?"
"Yeah...or at least it's supposed to be."
I ran a hand over my face in frustration as I thought over how effective, yet, ineffective this stuff is for me.
"I dunno; in the beginning, it did its job and kept those suicidal thoughts at bay...But then, according to my friends, my personality had begun taking a major drop. It was like, I was back in that mad house run by the Fallen Stars, only worse...It felt...It felt like my soul was leaving my body."
"Hh!...If that is the case, why are you considering taking it now?"
"...That's a good question, one I have a really weak answer for."
I remember clenching the little bottle hard as a few tears blurred my vision.
"It's jus-...All this pressure's getting to me. The tourney, the Numbers, the looming threat of Trilos and everything else in-between...I might be immune to physical pain, but, the others; mental, emotional, spiritual...I'm still as weak as any other human, which is why a part of that weaker me wants to just, end it, even if its temporary and doesn't guarantee."
"...Athena..."
Thankfully, while there was still alot for Astral to understand concerning, my many flaws, he wasn't about to let me open that bottle of stuff that would only numb me in more ways than needed. He only had to move so he was directly over my laying form on the bed, before reaching out to hover a hand over the one holding the object he deemed dangerous, or at least that's what his eyes said...
"There is more than one solution to a problem. That much you have taught me already...I do not know who gave you this, antidepressant...but if it truly has not performed in the manner it should, I see no reason for you to swallow these pills again."
"Astral..."
"You do not need this medication. Just continue to do what you have been since my arrival...Talk to me. Vent to me your troubles like you encouraged me to."
(Flash)
It's so funny how it took only one night of temptation for us to suddenly become closer than before.
...I don't know where I'd be without him.
But, I would soon find out just how lost and dare I say, broken I'd be had Astral not appeared that fateful day...And all it took, was one boy with short pink hair and bright green eyes to make the fatal mistake in trusting whatever shady power upgrade he was given.
"Aaaaa-gyaaaah!"
"Uh! Trey, what-?!"
"It's nothing...except that my new power is finally coming to fruition!"
Suddenly, in but a few blinks of the eye, Trey's crest glows and overtakes his body, granting him gladiator-styled armor, before he blasts a larger copy of the symbol from his hand to knock the wind out of me before I even had a chance to dodge!
...I remember everyone crying out my name with worry, Astral and Adreus being the loudest...Then, as I sat up, my pendant began to glow a sickly grey.
"W-What's...GUH!"
(BA-bump...)
Finally, a pulse of power ripples through my body, my vision clouds...
and I'd leave reality, only to become entrapped within a cyclone of nightmares.
No POV
At the same time Trey busts out his most devious trick to prevent his opponent from defeating him, back at his residence, Vetrix explains to Quinton the full extent of what was granted to his youngest agent.
"Having a deck filled with powerful Number Cards won't be enough to defeat Fujina...Athena's father and mother, Orion and Sarina, were an unstoppable pair of cultural explorers, and it would be unwise to underestimate their daughter. (Grin) But the crest given to Trey will rob Athena of everything she inherited from them. She will sink into despair and never recover, and will no longer be a threat to our plans."
The silver-haired youth recalls what he witnessed in the abandoned floating art gallery...
"But what if she's already deep in despair because of other forces?"
"Huh?"
"...I did not want to show you this because I had hoped you would see through that man's deception...But given current circumstances..."
Quinton then pulls out his duel disk and pops open an email he was sent by an anonymous source...Well, anonymous to everyone but him.
Why you sent me this and how you got it, I don't wish to know...but after reading it, I think I understand why.
"I was sent a copy of records recently about Athena from an anonymous source...and what I read was greatly disturbing."
Curious, Vetrix takes the disk to read said files for himself...The eye visible from within his strange mask widens with every word.
...This girl...My so-What have I...Who did I make a pact with?!
Leaving the mad youth to come to grip with his latest errors, we return to the action taking place on the unfinished raised highway in time to watch Athena...wade into the depths of a distorted reality.
What...What's goin' on?...I feel like I'm inside a fog...
I can't, see-
(Rattle...)
Huh?
She looks down...and her dueling equipment is suddenly replaced by a set of strong chains, much to her startled confusion.
"Hh!"
W-Why am I chained up? Where am-...Oh, no...!
The fog dissipates slightly to reveal clear walls...Walls made of translucent glass...
"This place...Don't tell me-!"
A series of screeches and roars diverging between human and beast begin echoing through the area, making the ember-eyed teen cringe and cover her ears with fright.
No! No, not again! I can't-I can't be here!
(Hiss...)
"Uh!"
She suddenly darts her head up, spotting several small rifle green entities floating in front of her, their bodies emitting shadows and shaped to either look like parasites or barely humanoid, while wearing pure white grins riddled with malicious intent.
Oh, fuck...They're back...I thought I got rid of them...!
"(Teary glare) Why can't you sick fucks leave me alone?!"
...What the teenage girl didn't understand was that she was merely trapped in a very dark illusion created by Trey's crest. Meanwhile, her allies would jump in surprise from the acidic and desperate exclaim, and only become increasingly worried when she struggles to her feet and continues engaging with the monsters they couldn't see.
"Haven't you tortured me enough?! Isn't it bad enough that I saw you every other week?! Gh!...Those pills...You bastards are proof that those damn pills did jackshit!"
She takes a swing at one of the parasitic entities, which would trigger an unpleasant if still distorted memory to surface.
(Flash)
We see a younger Athena thrashing atop a medical table as a figure approaches to inject her with a needle, which judging by the piercing scream she emits, would be the same needle that started the beginning of the end.
(Flash)
"Aaaaaaaah!"
A similar outcry would burst out of the current Athena's throat, and her friends would immediately feel their concern climb all the higher.
"Addy!"
"Athena!"
"Oh my god, what's happening?!"
"What's wrong?!"
Astral's would trump all of the humans in the vicinity, and he tries to call out to the panicking girl as she shook her head like a dog with rabies.
"Athena! What is the matter; what's wrong?!"
"Fuck, fuck, fuck-Why?! Why am I back here?!...Oh my god...Did I never escape?"
The girl suddenly goes limp, her eyes brimming with tears as she wrongfully wonders,
"I-Is that it? Am I still in that torture chamber?...Was I living a dream? Am I never going to be free?"
"What are you talking about? Where do you think this-Uh!"
Wait...Could she be seeing...
That's when he sees it: a familiar crest symbol shining briefly from the middle of the human's neck...
"Trey used his crest to change Athena!"
She must be trapped in an illusion of sorts...and not a good one if she is acting out like this.
The armored teen would confirm the celestial being's worries.
"Her unwavering spirit no longer exists, and once more, Athena cannot see you!"
"Hh! No!"
If her courage has been severed...She might-!
"Athena! You must not give into your fears! Listen!"
Astral tries to reach to the girl and literally shake her back to reality, but because they weren't inside the golden pendant, his hand merely went right through her, much to his frustration.
"Rgh!"
Curses! If only I had the ability to be tangible...!
"It's too late! You can't help her anymore!"
Trey then pulls out a familiar decagon that was given to Vetrix previously by the man from Eclipse Laboratories, and it immediately emits that vermilion-violet glow.
"What, now...?!"
What is that thing?!
"I'm removing you from the equation, Astral. My crest gave me the ability to separate you and Athena, and now..."
He tosses the decagon to go tumbling to a stop on the other side of the sidelines, and it unfolds to reform as a platform with three thin towers of about ten feet tall protruding from its edges...
"I'll be using this to physically keep you two apart! Prepare yourself!"
(...Pow)
A beam of that vermilion-violet energy shoots out from each of the towers, reforming into one which streams fast towards their target. It connects, causing the being from another world to cry out before he's dragged away by the light to the platform, only to become encased within an upright cylinder made up of a dozen individual rings of that same energy!
"All of Athena's fearless nature has been wiped from her memory, leaving her vulnerable to whatever demons continue to prey on her mind. She can't see the key, or you...which means you're harmless to me!"
"No! This cannot be! Athena...Athena!"
(Bzzzzzt)
"Aaaaa-uuuuuh!"
The second Astral's fingertips came into contact with the rings of energy, a shock-wave of that same power would course through his veins, forcing him to stay still...What made this gesture even worse was that the action would cause Athena's fragile mind to roll through more punches from her damaged memory fighting to regain clarity.
(Flash)
A more strangled outcry is heard by the imprisoned young tween...and a sickening thud echoes afterward...Then just before she could begin to feel the tiniest bit safe, the girl is forced to witness from her clear cell as a...shape is dragged by a human silhouette to parts unknown.
(Flash)
The present Athena feels her lungs tighten and her breath become wheezy as her fears continue to climb, and she starts to beat her clenched fists against her skull.
No! No! No! No! NO! NO! NO!
"Now, let's see if you have what it takes to defeat me."
Trey sets a card down, ending his turn.
"Come on. Make your move, Athe-...Huh?"
He cuts himself off when he really notices her erratic behaviour.
Hold on...She's displaying more fear than I thought she would...
It's like she can't even see the field.
On the sidelines, the girl's friends begin questioning similarly, while also noting the fact that Astral was both visible and stuck in his own fix.
"This just took a seriously bad turn...!"
"No kidding! What was that thing Trey used?!"
"Whatever it was, it looks like Astral's going nowhere fast."
"And Addy...Oh god, Addy...!"
Having not seen Astral previously, Hana and Calli were especially freaked.
"S-So that's-!"
"Holy crap...!"
Akira, meanwhile, was feeling more concern as he watches Athena throw another punch to thin air.
The way she's moving now...It's like back in the early days in the ring before she shut all her emotions away. Those moments outside the fights when she was willing to be vulnerable...
Oh god...Did Trey...
He turns to glare at the teen, and demands answers.
"What the hell did you do, Trey?!"
"Hm?...I merely took her confidence and ability to fight. (Glance) Meanwhile, I used the device that gave my crest further power to immobilize Astral, preventing him from waking her up."
"You did what?"
It would be Tiffany who beats Akira to going ballistic over Trey's confession, her cornflower blue irises brimming with unshed tears of anguish.
"Are you insane?! Do you have any idea how fragile Athena's mind was before you did that?! She...She was on the brink of suicide!"
Trey felt his smug expression give way to honest surprise.
"What?"
"She's been through so much torture in only two years! Kidnapping, experimentation, being used as a gang club's puppet...She was suppose to get better through therapy, but...but the psychiatrist..."
Jamal finishes for her, wrapping an arm around the crying girl's shoulders while finishing bitterly,
"The psychiatrist wasn't prepared for a case like our friend's, and after some failed sessions, they offered something that only made her pain go away for a while...before creating something worse. We thought...We shouldn't even be saying any of this, but-gh!...We thought...Athena was, gonna die."
A murmur of woe passes through the souls surrounding the two young teens, and the boy with dreadlocks struggles to add,
"Luckily, we, and her brothers, managed to get her away from those pills before anymore damage was done. It took alot of time, but, we were finally starting to see a healthier Athena come back. Sure, most of her smiles are fake and she still struggles, but...I thought she was finally reaching a stable place...But then you..."
He snaps angry aqua-green irises on Trey and shouts,
"Someone like you just had to come along and force her back into her nightmares! Someone just had to rip her away from the people she was counting on for moral support...You just had to tear her away from the one person who, even though I don't know how he did it, became her pillar of sanity! Why, Trey?! Why do you hate one girl so much that you'd kill her from the inside?!"
The others were feeling just as pissed, with Caden, Flip and Caswell exclaiming,
"Yeah, Trey, why?!"
"This is underhanded and toxic!"
"In the end, your actions will not only turn you into a monster, but scare away the ones who are trying to help you!"
Trey could say nothing to defend himself, and turns to watch the girl he broke with a new conflict shining in his eyes.
...Oh god...What have I...?
Even so, he shakes his head and thinks to himself,
No! I...I can't start feeling guilty. I mean, she's in the way...So what if she's been broken before?
...I have to do everything I can to protect what hasn't been broken, (glare) even if I have to shatter someone else.
"Say what you will...but I've come too far to stop now!"
Realizing that his victim is too far into her nightmare to actually perceive the duel, Trey decides to go ahead and skip what would've been her turn.
"I Draw!...I summon, Chronomaly Mud Golem!"
Watching the Level Four monster with 1700 Attack Points rise to the field, Hart then complains,
"Hey! Addy hasn't even taken her turn yet! How can he-"
"Because she can't see the field."
"Huh?"
He turns confused eyes up to his older brother, who grimly comments,
"I'm not entirely certain what's going on through Athena's head right now...but if she's too busy interacting with things that aren't there, it's more than likely she can't see what's really in front of her."
"You mean, she's hallucinating?"
"Big time."
"Oh no..."
Such a fact wouldn't be of prime importance to the one who inflicted the mental damage.
"Chaos Hunter may be stronger than my golem...but not after I play this! Chronomaly Pyramid Eye Tablet!"
A large stone tablet with an Egyptian eye carved into it rises onto the field, and glows in time with Machu Mech and Mud Golem...
"This spell allows me to grant 800 Attack Points to all of my Chronomaly monsters on the field, which brings Machu Mech's total to 3200, and Mud Golem to 2500, the same as your Hunter."
Tiffany gasps,
"That means even though his golem will be destroyed, so will Chaos Hunter!...Addy! Addy, wake up!"
Her warnings would go unheard by her troubled friend, leaving her monster vulnerable to its awaited fate...
"Mud Golem! Destroy Chaos Hunter!"
Both monsters put up a valiant effort to stop the other in their tracks, the golem using their swords and the hunter using their whip...The weapons collide with their intended targets, destroying them both simultaneously...
"That may not have added to any true damage, but now that Athena's monsters are gone, I can do this! By using one Overlay Unit, I can inflict damage equal to any change in Attack Points!...Machu Mech: attack with Meteor Meltdown!"
Though the coming attack would again not amount to anything too devastating to the girl's Life Points, nevertheless, the storm of power released from the floating city would serve as a nasty jump-scare to Athena's already impaired psyche.
"Hh!"
(Ka-pow)
"Aaaaaa-hhhhhhh!"
She crouches down and braces herself for the strike, barely staying rooted to her spot as her Life Points tumble down to rest at 1950...
Tearing his vision between both his human mistress and celestial master, Adreus thinks to himself frantically,
I have to do something, now!
Knowing that he didn't stand any better of a chance in awakening his mistress, the duel monster spirit tries to free the other soul he's sworn to protect.
"Master!"
He barrels against the contraption keeping Astral confined, swinging his dagger against the energy...
(Bzzzzt)
"Grrrh-Hyrrrrrgh!"
But he too would be unsuccessful, and is thrown back by the resisting power.
"Adreus!"
"Hrgh...Just, hang on, master."
Adreus manages to get back up without any real issues, and smirks grimly while stating,
"It will take more than a lousy man-made barrier to stop me."
...Unbeknownst to either being, one soul on the other side of the sidelines was beginning to see this new development.
"Wha-...Is that...?"
It couldn't be...Is that...Adreus?!
But, how-...Unless...
(Flash)
"...Uh! Mom!"
"What is it, hon?"
"Th-There's something hiding behind the blender!"
"...Oh, heheheha, you mean Watapon!...Yes, they like to pop out every now and again."
"You mean, you can see them too?"
"Of course. Actually, alot of people can see certain Duel Monsters...You see, Akira, if a duelist makes a special bond with a particular card, their spirit will sometimes emerge from their card to interact."
"Ooooh...But, isn't Watapon your special friend? How come I can see them?"
"Well sometimes a person can see other people's duel monster spirits without having to form a bond with one themselves. It's a rare occurrence...but it seems you've inherited our family's quirk, little man."
(Flash)
...I get it now. Adreus must've become Athena's duel monster guardian. I'm, actually surprised I'm not seeing a Number Card.
The boy continues watching the Xyz monster fight hard to try and break the being from beyond the stars out of their prison...before forming a determined glare and concluding,
But if they're fighting hard to break Astral out...maybe they could use an extra hand.
"What's going on, 'kira?"
He turns to answer Jamal,
"It'd take too long to explain, but...I can see Adreus trying to cut down that thing keeping Astral in place."
"Wait, what?! As in, Keeper of Armageddon Adreus?!...You have the dueling sight."
"Yeah."
"...Okay. I won't question it, but follow you instead."
With that, the boy with dreadlocks hands the weepy Tiffany over to Caswell and Caden.
"You two, watch her."
"Jamal?"
"What're you...?"
With that, he and Akira don't waste anymore time, and begin running around the perimeter of the dueling field to where the celestial being would be, much to the confusion of their friends.
"Guys!"
"What're you doing?!"
Astral's POV
If I was not surprised by the unwavering spirit of Adreus, I would certainly be shocked by the courage displayed by my human allies Jamal and Akira. They wasted no energy in their sprint to my proximity, and hurry onto the platform of this dangerous contraption.
"Hah, hah, Astral!"
"Hang on! We're getting you outta here!"
Jamal, Akira...!
They reach out to the rings which were preventing me from moving, and were nearly electrocuted by the power, barely flinching back in time to avoid complete damage.
"Agh!"
"Yow!...Geez, this thing's packin' power."
Jamal then turns his attention to the towers attached...
"Maybe if we can take even one of those things out, it'll lose enough juice for Astral to float free."
"Worth a try."
The two hurry to the structure closest to the dueling field, and began to literally throw as much of their weight against it in an attempt to break it off the platform.
"Hrrrrrrhhh!"
"C'mon, c'mon...!"
This apparatus seemed to sense the change in intent, and began to radiate a less prominent but just as dangerous spark of power with the goal of stopping the foreign threat from destroying it. Seeing them cry out in pain but continue to try and fulfill their plan made something inside my chest ache, and I call out,
"Please stop! Do not hurt yourselves for my sake!"
"D-Don't, worry about us!"
"Worry, about Athena!"
What?
They each turn my way and grit out,
"Addy, n-needs you now more than ever, Astral! We can only do, so much for her!"
"Meanwhile, you've done what n-none of us, have been able to! You're connecting with her, in ways we can only dream to!...It's like I said: you're the one person who became her pillar of sanity. Without you, she wouldn't be where she is now."
So then Jamal was speaking, of me...
"But, surely you or Tiffany could have-"
"Not the way you did. I don't know how you did it...but-mph, Astral, you're the one person she can't live without! You're filling a void that neither Tiff or I could ever reach. I'm almost, jealous, actually...but my own friendship with you's curbing that jealousy. I want to save you just as much as the others do, Athena the most. Why the hell do you think she's-gh, been fighting so hard?"
...Athena...
"S-S-Someone...please...!"
My attention diverts to the girl in question when I hear that haggard cry for help, and I watch her twitch on the spot while hugging her kneeling form as tightly as possible.
"A-Anyone...I...Hh-I don't care, if I live...I don't, care if I die...J-Just, please, come...Hh-Save us!"
She suddenly grips her head and cries out fearfully in the most broken tone I have ever heard her use,
"N-Nothing, can be worse, than th's hell...Nothing...!"
I felt my own eyes brim with tears, feeling so utterly useless as my closest human companion falls deeper into insanity, while my other allies struggle to either combat their own emotions, or in the case of Jamal, Akira and Adreus, continue to fight harder to do something that might change the situation.
"Just, break already, you stupid machine!"
"Dammi', come on!"
"Hrrrr, (swipe) gyah!"
...They are fighting so hard...and yet I can do nothing.
Athena...Athena...!
...Then just as suddenly as they came, the tears cease, overshadowed by a new glare of determination I have seen my partner perform many times.
No! I cannot give up, not when Athena needs me!
"I'll use, the last of my strength, to help you...Athena, I will save you!"
Once I summon enough power, I release the energy to blaze forth and engulf Athena's writing form.
"Uh-h!"
Athena...You must remember who you really are. Remember how far you've come.
Do not let the uncertainty of the past beat you!
...A beat of silence passes...but then, I hear a faint whisper from Athena's mind, signalling that our telepathic connection was repairing.
Wha...What, happened...?
The copy of Trey's crest that I saw shining in the middle of her neck begins to dispel...
"Where was I?...Why, do I feel like I just came out of a haunted house?"
I let out a sigh of relief, knowing that she would be alright now.
Athena...
"Astral!"
My attention turns to Trey, who looked infuriated that I had managed to break through his seal.
"I have had enough, with you interfering!"
Hh! Oh no! He would not dare!
But my fears would be confirmed, when the boy creates another larger version of his crest to blast my way!
"Be gone!"
...However, there was one factor he did not take into account.
"Astral!"
"Look out!"
Trey did not perceive that Akira and Jamal would stop their previous actions, and hurry to stand as literal human shields to protect me!
(Bzzzzzzzt)
"Aaaaaaaaah!"
"Aaaarrrr-rrrrrhhhh!"
"Noo!"
Akira, Jamal!
The others yonder would actually cry out their names, watching helplessly as the boys are electrocuted...before dropping to the ground face-down, not dead but dangerously close...Adreus would not be pleased.
"Rrrrrh, you cowardly human!"
Thankfully, he chose to focus his power on something less destructive and unforgiving, and finally manages to concentrate enough strength to cut down all three of the towers powering this strange barrier almost instantly.
(Slash-slash-SLASH...Ka-boom)
The apparatus implodes on itself, the impact colliding with my body as it loses power.
"Agh! Aaah!"
I am ultimately thrown to the ground next to where Akira and Jamal dropped, weak but alive...
"Master."
I look up to see Adreus gazing down at me with guilt and concern.
"I am sorry I could not break you free sooner...If I had, perhaps..."
"Do not, blame yourself...They made the choice to be my shield, even though I did not ask them to."
I glance their way and muse,
"I have come to learn, that this is the way of most humans...They will, go to any length to protect the ones they care about...Hh."
I feel my strength deplete further, and sensing this, the duel monster spirit hurries to help me up.
"We should get you inside the pendant."
"Y-Yes...but, Athena..."
"I will come back out here and help her, but right now, you're in no condition to stay outside...You need to heal."
"Very well..."
I sense a stare, and turn to see the very girl on my mind staring at me with confusion...I smile faintly at her and reply through our link as I fade into the key,
Athena...I am sorry, but you will have to carry the duel on without me.
Athena's POV
One second, I'm fighting off a bunch of shadows dressed in white coats and punk gear...and the next, I'm suddenly swallowed by a bright but very familiar blue light...before blinking back to the middle of a duel.
What...What, happened...?
"Where was I?...Why, do I feel like I just came out of a haunted house?"
"Astral!"
My attention turns to whoever I was dueling.
...That's, Trey...Oh! Now it's all coming back to me!...Wait, where's Chaos Hunter?
"I have had enough, with you interfering!"
Who's he-?
I look over where he's glaring...and widen my eyes when I see,
Astral-?!...Wait...No!
Next thing I knew, a huge version of valentine boy's crest manifests and goes flying in my friend's direction!
"Be gone!"
Astral!
...But then...
"Astral!"
"Look out!"
(Bzzzzzzzt)
"Aaaaaaaaah!"
"Aaaarrrr-rrrrrhhhh!"
"Noo!"
Akira, Jamal!
I had no idea when Jamal and Akira left the others to go where Astral was, but the next thing I knew, they went and played the human shield tactic and took the full blunt of Trey's attack! My voice is caught in my throat, too terrified to scream with the others as they're electrocuted...before dropping to the ground face-down, not dead but close enough...I could almost taste the fury from my duel monster guardian.
"Rrrrrh, you cowardly human!"
But instead of getting revenge for Jamal and Akira, he decides to use his dagger to cut down all three of the towers powering that weird contraption.
(Slash-slash-SLASH...Ka-boom)
It's destroyed in an instant, leaving poor Astral to go flying to the ground next to where Akira and Jamal dropped...
Guys...Astral...
I couldn't hear whatever conversation he and Adreus had, but instead watch as the latter lifts the former up, telling me that Astral's been through a world of hurt while I was...I dunno where I was before.
Where's he...?
I guess he must've sensed me looking his way, and the strange boy turns his eyes to me...before smiling faintly and sensing me the following message.
Athena...I am sorry, but you will have to carry the duel on without me.
W-Wait...Astral? Astral!
But before I could stop him, he was gone...
Why, did he leave? What happened? Who-
"Looks like you'll have to survive this duel without him, Athena."
"Hn?"
I turn to meet eyes with Trey...before forming a glare of accusation.
"You...What did you-What did you do to Astraaal?!"