Author's Note: Quick shout-out to Cyberbee15 for stimulating ideas to include a certain Xyz monster in my OC's arsenal in the non-dueling action a little sooner than planned. Enjoy!
Picking up where we last left our tale, Athena Fujina and Astral continue their journey through the Dragon's Den as they try to track down the former's enemy, Janko Trilos...
Unfortunately, thanks to a few technical tricks from the enemy, the search is proving to be a bit more trouble than its worth.
"I think I see a cart up ahead!...Hm..."
The girl with amber red eyes checks the duel coaster map.
"Yep. It corresponds with one of the jackass's icons."
"But as Tiffany said, there is no way to tell for certain if that truly is Trilos."
"I know, (squints) and it doesn't help that it's so dark in here...Huh?"
Suddenly, the cart the duo is chasing stops right in front of the northern direction of the upcoming fork in the road!
"Ah shit!"
Athena is forced to jerk the steering joystick to the left, barely avoiding a collision as she and her partner swerve down a large spiral heading past a few large stalagmites...
"Hah, hah, that was too close!...What was that about? I thought the asshat wants to fight me, not crash me."
Straightening up in his own seat, the celestial being makes a slightly bitter but educated guess.
"Probably another part of his strategy to prolong the chase for as long as possible...Hm?"
He then spots a large structure lower down, namely, a mossy green dome with various tree flora decorating most of the outer border...
"It seems we have reached one of the fields."
"Yeah, the Jungle Field, looks like...Uh! There!"
Athena points to another cart spiraling into the dome's entrance...
"That could be him...or it might be a decoy..."
"Only one way to find out...Let's go, Astral!"
...
At the same time our leading duo changes course, inside the Jungle Field, Dextra makes her intentions clear to giggling blond. Her milk chocolate irises blaze with a near-unbreakable desire to stand as a wall between her opponent, and her wayward comrade.
"I don't know what your goal in this tournament is, Vetrix, but there's no way I'm letting you duel Kite."
"Aheheheheh, oh really? And why do you care so much about what happens to him?"
"...Because I care about him. That's why."
Another chuckle escapes the closed lips of the masked individual opposite of the young woman.
"Well isn't that, precious."
Though I'm sorry to say that your concern for your friend, will be your downfall.
Back in the World Duel Carnival Stadium, our massive audience prepare to watch the fight brewing within the greenest duel field of the Dragon's Den. Their MC leads them into the action with the following commentary:
"Looks like we got a face-off in the Jungle Field! It's Dextra, a former member of our tournament organizing committee, and the mysterious young duelist known as Vetrix. Remember, each field in the Dragon's Den has its own unique active Field Spell. Let's find out what the Jungle Field's is-"
(Fzzzzzzz)
"Huh?"
Suddenly, the visuals for the mentioned dome are cut off!
"Wha-What happened to the video feed? What is the meaning of this?!"
A wave of disappointed sounds echo from the crowd as their MC tries to keep their spirits calm, despite being upset himself.
"It seems we're having some technical difficulties. Sincerest apologies. (Calls leftward) Someone get on this and fix it immediately!"
...But if one were to zoom in on Heartland's face, they'd see a sneaky smirk form in time with the inaudible chuckle that rumbles in his throat.
Not that you'll be able to. I've made sure that no one will see this duel.
Little did the smug mayor know that thanks to various levels of shady activity, a certain group of youths sitting within the wide sea of people before him were already suspecting foul play. Jamal is the first to comment on it:
"Hrm...Anyone else besides me feeling their bullcrap alarm goin' off?"
He receives a nod of 'mmm-hm' from his friends, each one sporting their own glare of suspicion.
"It's gotta be a ploy..."
"But to what end?"
"Yeah, why would he deprive his 'fans' of an action-packed duel?"
"...Well whatever his reasons are, I think I know a way we can skirt around his blockade."
Caswell leans leftward and holds out his duel disk, showing the others a mini version of the duel coaster map. On a somewhat unrelated note, we see that the seating arrangement for the big group has him at the far left of a section within the second row from the bottom, joined by Flip, Caden, Hart and Akira (in that order), while the rest sit above them in the third row from the bottom.
"Athena and Astral are heading inside the Jungle Field."
"Ah! You're right!"
"But how come?"
"(Points) They appear to be chasing one of the several Trilos carts. Most likely a decoy, but, it's not like they have a choice at present."
Tiffany wastes no time in pulling up the contact app on her own duel gazer.
"I'll see if I can page her."
(...Bee-beep, bee-beep, bee-beep-Ping)
[Yo.]
"Addy? It's me, Tiffany."
...
Wandering over to stand at either end of a large, swampy pond nestled within the tall greenery of the Jungle Field, the duel between Vetrix and Dextra begins. They cry out the iconic 'Let's Duel!' shortly after drawing their starting hand...and that's when the blond notices the towering amount of Life Points his opponent possesses.
"Mm? Nh! You saved up 8000 Life Points?! Looks like someone was a busy bee! What are ya, scared of me or something?"
"I'm not scared at all, Vetrix, but you should be. In the Jungle Field, if you don't summon or place a monster face-down during your turn, you take 1000 Points of Damage...This jungle will be your end!"
The young woman makes the first move:
"Now let's go! I Draw!...First, I activate the Spell, Dance of the Butterspy!"
The card in question has a pair of Butterspy archetypes hovering against a sunrise-coloured backdrop showcasing what appears to be a hex circle...
"This Spell grants me the power to summon Morpho Butterspy and Swallowtail Butterspy directly from my hand."
Said Level Four monsters waste no time in making their appearance, their strength being 1200 and 1800 Attack Points each...But they wouldn't stay on the battlefield for long.
"Now I Overlay Morpho Butterspy and Swallowtail Butterspy...With these two monsters, I build the Overlay Network! I Xyz-Summon, Photon Papilloperative!"
The Rank Four monster soars out from the bright red summoning portal, their beauty as strong as their 2100 Attack Points. Vetrix is impressed by the quick power play:
"An Xyz already?!"
"And there's alot more where that came from. Three Spell Cards to be exact!"
Dextra slaps them onto the field, and wastes no time in informing her opponent of the coming doom from this perilous new combo she started.
"I hope you didn't forget how dangerous this Jungle Field is, Vetrix."
"Yeah, I know. You mentioned there's a high price to be paid if neither of us summons or sets a monster."
"Correct...but, there's more bad news. One of the Spells I just played is Butterfly Charm, so now, if you don't attack with your monster, it will be destroyed."
Vetrix scoffs,
"Big deal. So then I'll always attack."
"Be my guest, 'cause the second Spell I played is Elimigate. Whenever a monster that isn't an 'Assassin' archetype like my Photon Papilloperative tries to pass through this gate to attack, that monster is instantly destroyed."
"Rrrh! So then there's nothing I can do...!"
"That's right, Vetrix. Every path in this jungle leads to damage and destruction."
The short blond waves his fists through the air while crying out in frustration,
"This isn't faaaaair!"
"I'm not done."
"Huh?"
"There's still one more Spell card to play, which is Butterfly Swarm! I have to pay 2000 Life Points in order to activate it..."
Dextra pauses her explanation to focus on standing her ground as a golden whirlwind swirls against her as penalty for her Spell. But, even as her Life Points drop to 6000, her confident smirk doesn't waver.
"But once it's activated, whenever a monster on the field is destroyed, the player controlling that monster gets slammed for 1500 Points of damage."
"So if I don't summon a monster on my turn, I'll take some serious damage!...But if I do summon a monster on my turn, they'll be destroyed, and I'll still take damage!"
"Way to summarize your demise, fool...With the power of this combo, you'll be swallowed up by the jungle in just three turns!"
...I promised I would protect you, Kite, and that's what I'm going to do.
...Just as I swore to years ago.
Her mind pools with memories of a time back when she, Nistro and Kite were training to become Heartland's soldiers. She grits her teeth slightly, remembering all too well how brutal the exercises were for everyone involved...Her expression then gives way to sadness, recalling how far Kite would push himself forward, even despite the physical toll...all for the sake of protecting his little brother.
All of that pain, that, loneliness...If only I could've helped him shoulder that weight...
I can't change the past, (looks ahead) but I can still try and do something in the present.
"Just as Kite protects his little brother Hart, I swore that I would protect Kite. (Narrows eyes) This is something I do alone, for him."
Vetrix isn't moved by her words, at least not in the way a more sympathetic soul would be. In fact, he finds her plight rather comical.
"So you got it in for me because of a school-girl crush? Dextra, that is the lamest thing I have ever heard in my life! Ahahahaha!"
Astral's POV
Athena and I roll into one of the dueling field's entrances, and stop almost directly behind the coaster cart we were chasing...
But when we get out and wander over for a closer look, we discover that it is indeed a decoy. Once more, no one is even inside to drive it, which tells me that someone is operating the controls from another location.
"Dammit! A blank cart."
"Then this means Trilos is hiding elsewhere..."
Just as we conclude our suspicions, Adreus suddenly materializes in his translucent form, casting a glare at the empty coaster cart.
"That may be, but he was inside this cart not too long ago."
"Adreus...!"
"How can you tell?"
"Let's just say his soul carries a rather, distinctly potent stench of darkness and leave it at that. I'd rather not bore you with the details; some of us from the duel monster realm are simply that good at tracking human souls."
Both Athena and I gaze at the Xyz monster in confusion, but ultimately decide to concentrate on our enemy's movements rather than our ally's tracking methods.
"Uuh, sure...Wait, does that mean the bastard's jumping carts? (Facepalms) Greeeat, as if this search wasn't already annoying..."
"This will complicate matters slightly, but no more so than present obstacles are..."
(...Bee-beep, bee-beep)
"Hm?"
That is when my partner's duel gazer begins ringing, indicating that someone is calling her.
"Now what?"
(Bee-beep, Ping)
"Yo."
[Addy? It's me, Tiffany.]
"What's up?"
[Something weird just happened in the stadium. The video feed for the Jungle Field's been cut off.]
Huh? Cut off? Does she mean something malfunctioned?
I float closer to Athena's right side - Adreus her left - as she asks our friend,
"Like, totally cut off?...Hang on. (Narrows eyes) I know that look. You guys think someone did it on purpose, don't you?"
[Mhm. We think it was Heartland himself...because of the duel that started a few minutes ago, between Dextra and Vetrix.]
I feel my expression give way to surprise at the same time Athena's does.
"Whoa, seriously?! Dextra and Vetrix?!...Well there's a face-off I didn't expect..."
[Listen, I know you're busy tracking down Trilos, but-]
"Say no more, Tiff. (Glance) We'll check things out."
I nod in agreement with her statement, turning my own gaze to the thicker vegetation ahead of us.
Dextra may be a skilled duelist in her own right...but Vetrix could be more of a challenge than she knows.
Adreus and I follow Athena as she leads us all into the tropical forest, just as Tiffany makes another request.
[And Addy?...I don't think this'll be the last time we'll have 'technical difficulties', so maybe we should keep the chat on.]
"Good idea...I'm actually a bit surprised Heartland would do this to the audience, but, then again, considering what we've seen in terms of Vetrix's power..."
[...Right. He's probably worried about stirring up controversy and being forced to stop the carnival.]
Akira scoffs from nearby Tiffany,
[Like there isn't enough controversy going on? I say he's already dug a hole deep enough to bury him and his staff.]
Athena does not disagree:
"No kidding. Makes me wonder how many asses he's kissed to keep the non-ignorant quiet."
Adreus snickers at the subtle, sarcastic joke hiding between the words of her statement. I did not, but that is simply because I am taking the remark with a more serious mind. That being said, however, thanks to the time I have spent in the company of my growing circle of friends, I have learned to recognize certain sentences that are meant in a more metaphorical if not a joking sense as opposed to the literal. In this case, it's the former...I then ask out of sheer curiousity,
"Are all city leaders this, underhanded?"
"Heh, no, thank god, but some days I think our city was cursed with the shadiest mayor in history...Ah! Found 'em."
We reach the clearing where the duel is taking place, and I see that Dextra already has an Xyz Monster and a few Spell cards in effect.
Oh my. It seems she wasted no time in fortifying her field...
And in her first turn too.
I snap out of my thoughts when she and Vetrix take notice of our presence, or rather, when the latter calls out to my partner.
"Hey, Athena! Check out how much my life sti~nks! I've been caught in a deadly combo from which there's no escape!"
She forms a frown and raises her eyebrow in befuddlement over his confusing and, somewhat childish demeanor.
"Uh, yeah, and you certainly 'look' terrified...Oh, right!"
She then kneels down on the grass and sets her duel disk on an angle, before pushing a few buttons to activate its own camera.
(Pi-Ping)
"There...Can you guys see things okay?"
[Yep! We have clear visuals.]
[Whoa...!]
[Dextra already has an Xyz out?!]
Though she most likely cannot hear the chatter of our friends (who by this point have joined Tiffany and Athena in what is known as a 'conference chat room'), Dextra does becomes curious about Athena's actions.
"Hm? What are you-...Is there something wrong in the stadium?"
"Yeah. The video feed got cut off, and we suspect Heartland did that on purpose, (glance) because of him."
"I see..."
Vetrix is amused by our inquiry:
"Hehahahahaha, really? He's that scared of my abilities? (Shrug) Guess I can't really blame him; I suppose I have been a little excessive as of late..."
Athena calls back with an incredulous glare,
"A little excessive?! Hello, you made a cake erupt and nearly fried my friend Flip at the party two days ago!...But from what I can see, it looks like you'll be getting your comeuppance."
She smirks as she oversees the cards on Dextra's side of the field.
"Not only does Dextra have a strong monster out, but she's got you pinned in a super-strong combo of Continuous Spells which'll keep your field clean and knock you around like a training dummy. If things go according to plan, keh, I say this duel's gonna be extremely short."
"Oooh~, you think so, do you? Heh, sorry to disappoint you, my dear, but that's a really big if."
"Huh?"
I move a little closer to my friend and inform her,
"Unfortunately, he is not wrong, Athena. Powerful though this combo is, there is a way to escape it."
"(Grin) Of course there is."
I jump, realizing that he in fact heard me!
He has a complete perception of my presence! But how?
...Unless...His crest! It must have a similar power to that of Trey's...only stronger.
Adreus must have sensed my discomfort, for he moves behind Athena and I before curling one of his wings near my shoulder in a protective manner...
"Adreus...?"
"Don't worry, master. (Reassuring smirk) While I may have been late to action last time, I won't be today."
I did not understand his statement at first...but then I realize he is speaking about his role during the battle between Athena and Trey, and that he wishes to do better. With that in mind, the anxiety in my spirit tampers out like a fire with low fuel, and I could better concentrate on watching the battle in front of us.
"My turn! I Draw!...I summon a monster face-down in Defense mode. Then I place one card face-down, and end my turn...Whew! Lucky me, I was able to tip-toe around your scary combo this turn."
Athena mumbles,
"Now I get it," and her friends hum in a similar manner through her gazer,
[Looks like he found a flaw...]
[Yeah, but even Vetrix can't play defense forever.]
[And if Dextra is able to attack him when she can, she still has a chance of beating him.]
Dextra seemed to mirror those thoughts when she remarks,
"That was pretty clever...but I've got news for you: it's gonna take alot more than being clever to beat me."
She then makes her next move:
"It's my turn! I Draw! First, I pay 2000 Life Points to keep Butterfly Swarm on my field."
Her Spell releases a golden vortex against her in accordance to the penalty, her Life Points dropping to 4000...
It is quite remarkable that she was able to accumulate enough Life Points to keep this particular card in play.
Had this been a more standard duel, Butterfly Swarm would not be quite as useful...
Even so, this Continuous Spell is still a risky gamble, so for her own sake, Dextra must end this duel quickly.
"Next, I activate Papilloperative's special ability!...By using one Overlay Unit, one monster is forced to switch to Attack Mode, and then that monster loses 600 Attack Points."
As soon as the light radiating off of her Photon Monster reaches Vetrix's face-down, it is forced to flip face-up, revealing it to be a monster called Heraldic Beast Aberconway, a Level Four monster with 1800 Attack Points. Though thanks to Papilloperative's ability, that strength is instantly reduced to 1200...
"Photon Papilloperative: attack Vetrix's monster with Vivid Swarm!"
An almost-literal rainbow of Photon Papilloperative clones emerge from them, which then burst into a massive swarm of pure white butterflies that lunge against the Heraldic Beast. They explode upon contact, easily destroying the opposition, and cause Vetrix's Life Points to drop to 3100...Then came the second part of her attack.
"And now, Butterfly Swarm descends on you for 1500 Points of Damage!"
The golden white whirlwind rises from her Spell Card, but this time, Vetrix would be the target.
He is sent flying to the ground as his Life Points drop once more, stopping at 1600...
"Your time in the tournament ends here, in this jungle!"
Athena is impressed by the other's strength:
"Ha! So much for dodgin' the combo. You got 'im on the run, Dextra!"
Though I wanted to be as excited as my partner, the more calculating part of my mind reminds me,
Yes, but for how long is the question...
"I place a monster face-down in Defense Mode...Your move."
Vetrix staggers to his feet, muttering something under his breath...and that's when Dextra says something rather, odd.
"I will not allow you to harm Kite."
Huh?
"Aah~, now I see: this isn't just some school-girl crush. You seem like you're willing to sacrifice anything for him...He's really got a special place in your heart, doesn't he?"
I tilt my head in confusion, then turn to ask my friend about this strange information.
"What are they talking about, Athena?"
"Erm, I'm, not too sure myself...but if I were to hazard a guess, I think Dextra might be head over heels for Kite."
"Head, over, heels...?"
Tiffany is aware of our conversation, and chimes in with Hana,
[She means that Dextra loves Kite romantically!...Though, given what we've seen regarding Kite's emotions and priorities, it's possibly an unrequited love.]
[Hah~, the most tragic kind of love there is...]
"Tragic?"
Athena explains,
"The thing about love, Astral, is that it's as much of a gamble as life. You're just as likely to find heartbreak - metaphorically speaking - like you do happiness. Whether it's 'cause that person you're fawning over ends up being bad for you, or, simply because they don't have the same feelings you have for them. It varies...but what stays the same is that the truth isn't always easy for people to accept."
Adreus nods,
"Well put, mistress," and she adds mentally in a half-joking manner,
That's at least what I've learned from watching Terry and Yoko's on and off relationship. Now those two definitely can't make up their minds on what truth they want to believe.
Is that so?
"If you and your friends are done gossiping over there!"
We turn our eyes to Dextra, her expression serious though with a touch of irritation in her eyes, likely because of our apparent, gossiping.
"Whether my love for Kite is one-sided or not, it doesn't matter. It won't stop me from being a good friend and putting my life on the line to help him."
Dextra...
"Anyway, (looks at Vetrix) rather than be concerned with my feelings, you should be concerned with my inescapable combo."
"Inescapable, eh? We'll see about that. (Swipe) I Draw!...I summon, Heraldic Beast Berner's Falcon!"
The monster that enters the battlefield is a Level Four with only 1000 Attack Points, which is not nearly enough to stand a chance against Photon Papilloperative, never mind the trio of deadly Continuous Spells.
What is he thinking...?
"It looks like you've accepted you fate. Since you summoned a monster in Attack Mode, the Butterfly Charm Spell activates!"
A large swarm of white butterflies engulfs Vetrix's monster...
"Due to the power of this card, Heraldic Beast Berner's Falcon is forced to attack...Next, Elimigate's effect activates!"
A large symbol resembling the sun forms on the field, and the Heraldic Beast is dragged over to it, before hardening into stone, then exploding!
"Your monster is automatically destroyed, (...grin) and then, because of Butterfly Swarm, you take another 1500 Points of Damage."
Vetrix is thrown back by the vortex once again, landing on his front around the time his Life Points drop to 100...
[Alright!]
[Just one more blast and he's through!]
[In the end, this is Dextra's game,]
[And Vetrix is toast!]
Athena forms a smirk at everyone's cheers over her video chat, and she calls to Dextra,
"Hey! Just so you know, my friends are rooting for you...and so am I. Take 'im out, Dextra."
"Athena...hm, (nod) right."
Dextra then calls to her opponent,
"You're finished, Vetrix! Just one more turn is all it will take!"
...
...
But rather than become worried, Vetrix lets out a series of giggles instead as he pushes himself off the ground.
"Ahehahahahahaha! Ahaha-hahahe-haha, th-that's, that's a good one!...I'll say this much: you're good at crafting powerful strategies, better than some of the other poor saps I fought in this carnival thus far."
He rises to his feet once more, and turns to sneer at Dextra.
"And I'm willing to bet that those precious memories of Kite are what's keeping you so confident, am I right?...I look forward to seeing them."
"Mh! What are you talking about?"
"Oh you'll find out soon...but first, (holds up a card) I activate the Advanced Heraldry Art Spell Card! This allows me to use Heraldic Beasts that are in my Graveyard to Xyz-Summon! So glad you put them there!"
My eyes widen as I realize,
So that's why he set his Berner's Falcon in Attack Mode. He wanted them to be destroyed so he can summon it back with Aberconway...
This is bad...!
"I Overlay Aberconway and Berner's Falcon!"
The vortex that forms at his command is a very familiar one, and not just to me, if Athena, Jamal and Caden's outcries are any indication.
"Oh crap...!"
[We all know what that colour means...!]
[It's gotta be a-!]
"With these two monsters, I build the Overlay Network, and Xyz-Summon, Number Eight: Heraldic King Genom-Heritage!"
This new Number is quite the imposing figure, that being a slender four-legged beast dressed in fine clothing and a white mask on its equestrian-like face, and four thick tendrils of white-blond hair! It currently stands in Defense Mode, 1800 points to be exact...
Athena, Calli, Jamal, Flip and Tiffany each say almost exactly what we are all thinking.
"Ooooh, this is a problem..."
[Aw come on, seriously?!]
[I thought for sure Dextra had 'im...!]
[Then again, should we really be surprised? Trey and Quattro had Numbers too.]
[Point taken, but still...]
All I can do is stare at Number Eight, the rest of my own calculated confidence in how this duel will end wavering.
This, changes the situation...If Dextra cannot combat this Number, her celebration for victory may be premature.
"Ahahaheha! Well, now that I have that on my field, I end my turn."
"Drh! You think I'm scared of a Number Card? Better think again...I Draw!"
Dextra is hit by the penalty of Butterfly Swarm once again, her Life Points dropping to 2000...
"This ends now, Vetrix! I activate Photon Papilloperative's special ability!...By using one Overlay Unit, it forces your monster into Attack Mode, and they lose 600 Attack Points. Go, Mystifying Menace!"
So rather than 2400, Number Eight now has 1800 Attack Points...
"Photon Papilloperative: attack Heraldic King Genom-Heritage with Vivid Swarm!"
...For a moment, it seemed like Vetrix was about to lose...
But then...
"Now so fast, little hero! By using one Overlay Unit, I can choose one of Genom-Heritage's three special abilities...and the one I choose lets me steal your monster's name!"
Steal their name?...Wait a moment! Of course!
I decipher Vetrix's intentions just as the two thicker tendrils of hair on Number Eight lunge forward to grapple Photon Papilloperative, and they begin absorbing their energy...Soon, they metamorph into a near-exact copy of Dextra's monster!
"What is this?!"
"My monster has a new identity. Whaddo you think? From now on, my Genom-Heritage shall be known as Photon Papilloperative!...And your little butterfly loses its name completely, which means it's no longer an Assassin archetype...and you know what that means..."
He has turned Dextra's combo back at her.
"This can't be happening...!"
"Now, isn't this the part where your Elimigate activates? Yes it is! Since your Papilloperative is now nameless, it can't attack, and even better, it's destroyed!"
Just as he says, thanks to the Continuous Spells in play, Dextra's Xyz monster is automatically destroyed...
"No, he's broken up my combo!"
"And now, 'cause of your own Butterfly Swarm Spell, you take 1500 Points of Damage!"
The spell does as what's spoken, and Dextra is thrown back mercilessly by her own card's power as her Life Points drop to 500. Athena and some of our friends cry out Dextra's name in worry, just as Vetrix suddenly activates his crest...A light pink symbol in the shape of a shell emits from the back of his right hand for a split-second, before the jungle's atmosphere shifts, showcasing various hues of orange normal for what is known as a wildfire!
Oh my...!
Embers dance before our eyes, and Dextra barely manages to get to her feet as she sputters helplessly,
"How? H-How could I have allowed him, to get through my defenses...?!"
"...Oh wait. I almost forgot!"
"Hn?!"
We all turn to Vetrix, his grin carrying a more sinister undertone.
"Your memories. I'm going to take them, all of them, and in turn, your soul!"
The red eye of his mask glows, and another copy of his crest radiates outward, hitting Dextra full blast! She's encased in a series of vivid purple chains shaped similarly to what I learned is that of a DNA double helix, and she lets out a silent scream.
Oh no!
"I don't think so!"
(Swoom, sla-sla-sla-SLASH)
Suddenly, Adreus leaves our side and hurries over to Dextra, destroying the chains in a few swift strokes of his dagger!...But while he was able to free her, Dextra's frightened expression indicates that Vetrix's power did in fact do something...
"What's this? Hm...Oh. Ooh! Hehahahahaha, so there's a third player in your little team, huh? Interesting."
Adreus returns to our side as Vetrix looks our way, or more specifically, at the former.
"I believe Quattro mentioned you the day after that failed attempt to seize Hart. Adreus, Keeper of Armageddon, is it?"
"That's right, and while my master and mistress are my main concern, (glare) I refuse to stand by and allow a greedy little devil like you take advantage of your own kind."
"(Sneer) Well aren't you the self-righteous one? Heh, and what's even sadder is that your actions came a tad late."
"Excuse me?"
"You may have prevented me from fully seizing her soul, little soldier...but, my crest still penetrated her memory."
"You mean...!"
"That's right~. (Glance) The second this duel's over, every memory she has of Kite will be in my possession."
There is a sadistic quality to the enjoyment in is Vetrix's tone, making me glare at him in distaste.
What a cruel human...
"Dextra, hang in there!"
I snap out of my thoughts to the sound of Athena's exclaim as she steps forward to try and remind the other of their reason for being here.
"Don't let that creep's power overwhelm you!...If you lose, Vetrix will have free reign to keep hurting people, including Kite!...Isn't that the whole reason you even took up this challenge? To protect Kite?"
Athena...
Much to my surprise, my friend's words seem to reach her, and she manages to mutter,
"Kite...Yes, I remember. I...I have to keep fighting, (swipe)!"
She fought off his control...!
"I summon Moonlit Papillon!...And for my next move, I'm flipping over my face-down card, Blue Mountain Butterspy!"
Two Level Fours...
"Now, I Overlay my Blue Mountain Butterspy and Moonlit Papillon!...With these two monsters, I build the Overlay Network! I Xyz-Summon, Photon Alexandra Queen!"
Similar to her Photon Papilloperative, this Rank Four monster bears semblance to a large humanoid butterfly, but with more red and silver in their colour scheme. Rather than summoning in Attack Mode, however, she summons it in Defense Mode, showcasing 1200 Defense Points...
"Photon Alexandra Queen uses all of its Overlay Units to return every monster on the field back to our hands!...And for every monster that we get back, we take 500 Points of Damage!"
Athena gasps,
"But, that means...!"
I finish for her in my own shock,
"She is hoping to tie...!"
"Go, Butterfly Breakdown!"
Hundreds of rainbow shards shower from her monster's wings all over the battlefield...
"This will finish us both...but surviving this duel doesn't matter to me! The only thing I care about is stopping you!"
"Well that's too bad, Dextra, because I'm afraid there's nothing you can do to stop me, ahehaheheha! I activate, Heraldry Record! This trap can negate any special ability that uses Overlay Units!"
With that done, Alexandra Queen's attack is negated! Athena and I are just as stunned as Dextra:
"Auh! No way...!"
"He has overtaken her final move...!"
...I cannot see any other way for her to attack...
Dextra, has lost.
Athena's POV
I fight down the urge to yell a couple F-Bombs after Vetrix plays his Trap Card, countering Dextra's final gamble.
She was so close. So fucking close...!
"Aheheheh, anything else?"
"...I end, my turn...I'm sorry, Kite. I...I failed you."
Dextra...!
"That's right, you failed him. Poor little you~. It's over, you've lost."
That evil little hobbit dares to let out another giggle, his body gaining a light red aura similar to flames...
"It's my turn! I Draw! Time for you to go to sleep! Night-night~! Photon Papilloperative will sing you a lullaby and attack Photon Alexandra Queen! Vivid Swarm!"
Just like with the real deal, that Number sends out a copy of the stolen identity's attack, which lays waste to Dextra's Alexandra Queen...
"And now, thanks to Butterfly Swarm's effect...this duel is MINE!"
All I can do is scream Dextra's name as her body is engulfed by her own card's attack, her Life Points going with her...
But that wouldn't be the worst of it.
As the duel AR digitizes away, I hurry over to catch the older woman before she falls, and hear her mutter,
"P-Please, promise me...he, won't end up like me. Don't, l-let, Vetrix, hurt...Kite."
With that, she closes her eyes, succumbing to the power of the tiny crest symbol I see briefly flash above her heart...
"Dextra...Grrh!"
I whip my eyes up to send a seething glare at the one responsible for this wicked turn.
"Vetrix! How could you do this?!"
"Oh I'm afraid she's only the start."
"The start...?"
He flashes me a devil's smile just as a portal opens behind him.
"That's right, my dear, and you'll be next if you're not careful, so best keep your wits abound~, ahahahahahaha!"
And with that, he disappears in a cluster of light streams...
[Addy...?]
[You okay, girl...?]
I barely register Tiffany and Calli's soft calls for me, my mind racing with a new rage begging to be released.
That, sonofabi-
I let an outcry slip past my lips and slam my free left fist into the ground, my eyes stinging with tears of anguish for someone that, despite being less than a friend...wasn't really an enemy. She was just doing her job, like Nistro...and now she's being unfairly punished for attempting to do some good.
"I, swear, I'm gonna slug that little demon, into the dirt...!"
"Athena."
Astral snaps me out of my little tirade, grabbing my fist and speaking to me with a mix of calm and stern tones.
"I understand you are angry, but giving into your rage will not help matters...I am sorry to say this, but there is nothing we can do to help Dextra at present."
"Mph!...I...I know."
I unfurl my fist and take his hand as I try to come back down from my outburst, keeping my hold on the poor young woman who had her memories stolen away...and remind myself that it could have been much worse.
"Really, thinkin' about it...Dextra could've been dealt a crueler hand."
I look up to meet eyes with the duel monster responsible for preventing that worse fate.
"If it wasn't for you, Adreus, her soul might've been taken away, so...thank you, (slight smirk) and don't you dare try to blame yourself for what was taken. You did only what you could, and that's a hell of alot better than doing nothing."
"Mistress...hm, (nod)."
I'm interrupted out of the semi-pep talk when Hart asks me over the gazer chat (using the spare one I gave him a couple days ago),
[Are...Are Dextra's memories of my big brother really gone, Addy?]
"Hart...Mm, (nod) if Vetrix's powers are anything like Trey's, I'm afraid so. Either that or he sealed them away."
[Oh...]
Seeing him so sad made my heart ache...and that's when Akira tries to offer up some hope.
[But, if that's the case, then we can break that power, can't we?]
"Huh?"
[Astral ultimately broke Trey's control over your mind, and Adreus was able to block some of Vetrix's crest power, so, doesn't that mean it's just as vulnerable?]
The others hum in thought,
[Maybe...]
[It'll probably take a bigger punch,]
[Like him being defeated in a duel completely and without fail.]
[But even the most powerful abilities have an Achilles Heel...]
[Maybe Dextra can be saved...!]
I let their words sink in as I think to myself with a more resolute air,
They're right. If Trey's crest can be defeated, so can its original source!
...I then double-take on what I just thought, remembering a few things.
Wait...Original source...
(Flash)
"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..."
(Flash)
"-my brothers and I simply do as Vetrix orders."
(Flash)
...Oh my god...Why didn't I piece it together sooner?!
Vetrix is their-
I snap out of this new and, quite frankly sick revelation to the sound of Akira's voice when he tells me,
[Addy. I just sent word to Shayna about what's going on. She's got Mater and one of his bros coming your way to pick up Dextra.]
"Mh...Right. Thanks."
It doesn't take longer than a few minutes before Mater and Ozzy arrive on one of their hoverbikes, and they take the unfortunate and unconscious Dextra off of my hands, setting her between them so she doesn't fall off...
"Don'chu worry, Addy."
"We'll get her somewhere safe and take good care of her."
"I appreciate this, you guys, truly...Will the place be off-grid?"
They parrot a drawn-out 'duh' back at me, making me half-smile.
"Alright, just checking...See you later."
With that, they take off in one direction out of this dueling dome, while Astral and I head back into our coaster to speed out the opposite direction...
"This is where I take my leave, for now at least. Keep your wits sharp, both of you."
We nod at Adreus, and he disappears for his card around the time we exit the dome...
[Where are those two taking Dextra, Addy, and what do you mean by off-grid?]
We enter the tunnels again as I answer the curiously-worried Hart,
"Sorry, but I can't say where, kiddo. That's top-secret. As for your second question, I was basically checking to make sure our friend will be invisible, digitally-speaking. (Frown) With everything going on and certain faces we can't trust with a hundred-foot pole, including our 'beloved mayor', it's best that Dextra keeps a low profile until she can recover."
[Oooh...That's smart.]
I smile slightly and thank the kid, and Akira nods,
[Very smart, especially considering that Dextra was once under Heartland's thumb like Kite.]
Flip asks,
[Doooes that mean Nistro will need protection once you find him?]
I answer,
"Probably, (smirk) but then again, with how he duels, he might have all the protection he needs."
If I know 'im well enough by now, Nistro likely went down kicking and screaming against that asshole...
[Uhm, speaking of my brother, do you know where Kite is right now?]
I hum with a furrow of my eyebrows,
"No, but I can try to check the map..."
Caswell cuts into the conversation and chimes,
[Allow me to check for you! You need to keep an eye on where you're driving.]
"Heh, alright, go for it, Cas."
I hear a few taps from his finger as he searches the grid using his duel disk.
[Let's, see...Aha! It looks like he's heading for the Space Field...Oh. And, it seems that, Quinton will be his opponent.]
Gh!...Did he say Quinton?
I wasn't the only one getting a bad feeling from such a face-off, and Hart's face immediately comes back onto the chat viewer.
[Addy, you gotta head to the Space Field, quick!]
"Hart?"
[I dunno why, but, I'm getting a really bad feeling about my brother taking on this Quinton guy. I know you're pressed for time, but-]
I hold a hand up and say to the panicking kid,
"I hear you, kiddo. I'll head that way...Besides..."
I spare a glance at my own copy of the map, noticing that those damn Trilos decoys are starting to move to certain areas of the track.
"It looks like Trilos is forcing me to take the scenic route anyway."
[Really?]
"Yeah...Halright, Astral."
I turn to my partner and ask him with a dry smirk,
"Ready for another round of swerving and dodging?"
"Not particularly, but it's not as if we have a choice in the matter."
"Heh, right."
We meet hands against the control stick, and prepare to set course for wherever the Space Field is...
Just hang tough for a little longer, Nistro. I'll be there soon.
...And Kite...I dunno what's going through your head, but you better have your own anger in check.
Kite's POV
It's been several minutes since Dextra blocked me from picking a fight with Vetrix, and I've since chosen to follow Quinton. Right now, we're closing in on one of the domes housing a dueling field...
"You're eager, Kite. Too eager."
"I promise, this ends, today."
You won't escape from me, Chris, or Quinton, or whatever you call yourself now.
...You're gonna answer for everything you've been doing since the day you left me and my brother.
This may come as a surprise, but a long time ago, the guy I'm chasing was actually a decent friend and mentor of mine...But then, he suddenly flipped a switch, and left without any explanation. I remember how, cold and seething his expression was, chilling me worse than the rain pouring over us that night...
Though looking at it now and taking into consideration everything that's happened since then, even the stuff that, Athena and her friends have helped me see...something in the back of my head is telling me it has to do with the man who used to be my father, Doctor Faker.
Then there was the way Vetrix looked at me at the party when he tried to threaten me and my allies...
It seemed like he was looking through me, at someone else...
Could that be it?
I snap out of my thoughts once I enter the dome, which is revealed to be the Space Field. Our coaster carts are directed to one side of a massive spaceship - or, satellite; whatever - sitting in the middle of this virtual environment mimicking the vacuum of space...Though it pains me to say so, I'll give Heartland some credit: he definitely put his money into an authentic design...
Anyway, Quinton and I meet on opposite ends of what will be our battlefield, his expression cold and serious.
"At last. I knew you and I would face eachother in battle someday, Kite...Ever since I learned the truth about your family and mine, I've been filled with the desire to get revenge. I swore that nothing would stop me from settling the score...Nothing, Kite."
My eyes widen slightly:
Our families?...That's what this is about?
I narrow them back into a glare and snarl out,
"Are you kidding me? That's why you and your brothers tried to take Hart, because of whatever grudge Vetrix has with Faker?!...You're out of your mind!"
I position myself at ready for the coming fight, but hearing him confirm my suspicions leaves a bad taste in my mouth.
"I can't believe you would endanger my brother, a child, just because your employer's got it in for that damn doctor! Tuh, so much for the strong and righteous teacher! What the hell, Chris?!"
He doesn't answer me, making me all the more angry.
"Drh! You...Fine. If you won't explain yourself, then I'll just have to beat the truth out of you."
"(Both) Let's Duel!"