"AAAAAAAAAA! JAAAAADDEEEENNNN!?"
Wilona groaned as her veined eyes snapped open. She wiped her eyes and got up from her slightly damp pillow. It took her a minute to remember last night before she realized she was going to deal with the fallout.
Syrus, Hassleberry, and everyone else in the Red Dorms started to look around for Jaden. Chazz didn't seem to mind, but by him looking around, he was showing he cared in his own way. It didn't take long for everyone to notice Wilona leaving her room.
"Wilona! You gotta help! Jaden's gone!" Syrus yelled out.
"I am aware, Truesdale." The green-haired girl wiped her eyes again. "Yuki left the island."
Everyone froze before turning to the girl on the second floor. Chazz was the first to process that information. "What!? He's gone!?"
"Considering what you did when you first lost to Misawa? If anything, it's your bloody fault for inspiring him to do that." Wilona sighed.
"Wait, Wilona. You saw where Jaden went?" Alexis asked. "Why didn't you stop him?"
"... He was gone before I could catch up," Wilona answered. "Besides, it's not like he hasn't done something like this before. If he's copying Princeton, he'll return in the most obnoxious way."
Syrus looked around, scared. "But Chazz got washed ashore! Wh-What if it happened to J, and he's back on the island hurt and alone!?"
"Hmm, I did not think of that." The green-haired girl forgot about that possibility. But seeing how the brunette survived other things that would thrice scare any other sane people, Wilona didn't see much harm.
"Not to worry about that! I'll go search and rescue him this instant!" Hassleberry huffed his chest before racing out of the area. "I'm coming, best pal!"
"Hey, wait! No, I'm gonna find Jaden!" Syrus also ran, but this time, in a different direction.
"Look at those idiots: running around for their final stooge." Chazz rolled his eyes at the dolts.
Wilona yawned. "You used to have goons as well, Princeton. But unlike Yuki, yours are far more low quality."
Chazz instinctively huffed and opened his mouth, only for his mind to think back to Regi. "Tch!" He turned away and started to walk towards the woods.
"Oh." Wilona blinked. "I was talking about his goons in the first year. I may have reminded him of Reginald."
Blair looked to where Chazz left. "Huh. If Chazz said that he and Regi were like Jaden and Syrus, would the same thing happen to them?"
Alexis was the first to answer. "Of course not. Right, Wilona?"
"Yeah," Although the green-haired girl said this. A small part of her subconscious didn't feel confident about that.
[Tag Force: Heroes and Villains]
Syrus called out for Jaden even as the sun started to set. He groaned as the light receded from the island.
"Jaden, if you're too injured to speak, say something!" Syrus whined aloud before realizing what he shouted. Yet, the Slifer Red didn't give up.
At that moment, he heard the sound of what felt like a duel. Syrus knew that Jaden loved dueling and quickly ran toward the sound.
"J-Jaden!?" Syrus swatted a leaf away as he entered a clearing.
However, instead of seeing a red uniform, he saw a white one. Reginald Von Howell III looked back in confusion as he seemed to be dueling a computer projector.
"What are you doing out here so late?" Regi asked before he pressed something on his wrist that deactivated the dueling bot across from him.
Syrus frowned as he realized it wasn't his friend. "Oh. Sorry. Uh? Did you see another Slifer Red around here lately?"
"No. Why are you looking for him?" Huh. Syrus noticed how chill Reginald seemed when he wasn't dueling Chazz or anyone else.
"Well, he disappeared! And," Syrus began to tell Regi that he was worried for Jaden.
"Wait," Regi asked as Syrus finished. "The Wilona girl said he left the island, so why are you still looking for him here?"
"Cause he's my best friend! I'm worried about him!" Syrus responded.
"Has he ever done anything like this for you?" Regi realized how bitter he sounded before shaking his head. "Sorry about that. You reminded me of something that still stings."
Syrus knew. Chazz and Wilona mentioned a while ago how Regi and Chazz were the same as him and Jaden. But... if that was the case... did that mean Jaden and Syrus would also be the same as those two? It can't be!
Right?
Syrus decided to stray away from thoughts like that. "So, why are you dueling out so late? Aren't you already Obelisk...Blue?"
"Right," Regi looked at his new white coat. "Well, Principal Kumar is opening a new program for elite duelists where we will learn private lessons from Pro Duelists. He offered me the first spot, so I wanted to keep my skills sharp when the guest teacher properly reveals himself."
"A pro duelist is going to be a teacher!?" Syrus had to admit that sounded interesting.
Regi looked to Syrus. "Why don't you give it a try? The White Society is open for people from all dorms if they can get past the initiation tests."
"Wait. You think I can join!?" Syrus pointed to himself.
"You're out here looking for a guy who already left when things went rough. If you ask me, you don't need him." Regi scoffed.
Syrus could take insults at himself, but he'd stand up for his best bud. "Jaden was there for me when I needed it! I'm not abandoning my best friend!"
Regi sighed before he put his hand on his head. "Right. Sorry about that. Hearing you talk so great about a best friend... I guess not everyone's like me." Regi fished a piece of paper, revealing it to be a flier. "Look, I know we just met. But I feel you and me have more in common than we think." He handed it over to Syrus. "Just give the tryouts a go. You can't just hide behind someone else's shadow forever."
Syrus took the flier, seeing the time and place of the open tryout in the Blue Dorms. As Regi left, Syrus couldn't help but linger on what he was told.
Regi thinks Syrus can become his own person? Come to think of it, before he came to Duel Academy, the smaller Truesdale was always seen as Zane's younger brother. And even in Duel Academy, he always stuck by Jaden's side. But even though Jaden was nice, nearly everyone called him Jaden's sidekick; Syrus was never his own person. It was odd Reginald was the first to flat-out say he saw something in Syrus that not even Zane did. Jaden believed in Syrus, but Jaden saw the best in everyone, especially Wilona when they first met and even as she tried to destroy the world. (A thought made Syrus think that the two have been spending more time together.) Reginald didn't look like the type to go out of his way to help anyone he came across, so he must have seen something in Syrus that the Slifer Red or anyone else didn't see in himself. Not to mention that Chazz admitted that Regi was once like Syrus himself. Did that mean that Syrus had the potential to be a duelist great enough to defeat Jaden one day? (Hopefully, without the falling out the other two had.)
But Syrus was so deep in his thoughts that he didn't realize he returned to the Slifer Red dorms.
"Honestly, Truesdale," Syrus looked up to see Wilona walking up to him, holding a thick blanket. "If you're going on these outdoor excursions, at least have the decency to plan accordingly. A second jacket will not kill you, especially after school hours." She scolded him, but her tone was warm as the blanket she put over the smaller teen.
"Wilona? What are you doing out here?" Syrus asked.
"Waiting for you. I told you Yuki left the isle, but you were adamant in driving yourself to exhaustion. Even Hassleberry went to sleep before the sun dropped." Wilona sighed. "Come on, it's late, and it's cold. I prepared some cold medicine as soon as I realized you'd return late, if not at the crack at dawn."
Syrus appreciated the fact Wilona helped him. But another part of him couldn't help but see it as someone babying him. Regi's words of standing on his own went deeper than Syrus thought.
"Hey, Wilona?" Syrus asked as the two went towards his room. "Do you think...I'm too reliant on others?"
Wilona turned on her heel. "What makes you say that?"
"W-Well, I'm just curious." Syrus looked away.
Yet, Wilona spotted a piece of paper in Syrus' hand. "What did you find?"
Syrus winced as he knew he couldn't hide anything from Wilona. The green-haired girl eyed the flier after she received it.
"Go for it."
Syrus blinked a few times to process what he heard. "What?"
"It looks interesting. And seeing you interested in applying yourself is wonderful, Truesdale." Wilona was calm as she said this.
"R-Really?" He asked.
"You lose nothing if you fail. And if you were to join this group, it may make our nights easier so you don't have to spend it exhausting yourself. I'm sure Yuki can handle himself wherever he is." While Wilona said this, Jaden Yuki barely avoided alien flames from a giant eye-less serpent. "And it does fit in nicely with what I..."
The girl said nothing more when she noticed a twig in Syrus' hair and pulled it out. "Maybe shower before you go to bed."
And so, Wilona helped Syrus back into his room. With Wilona supporting his idea, maybe Syrus could...
[Tag Force: Heroes and Villains]
"So, why are we heading towards the Blue Dorms, mam?" Hassleberry asked while he and Blair followed the girl.
"We're going to support Truesdale. Tryouts for this new Obelisk... White group are open for everyone. Truesdale wanted to join."
"I thought he was searching for the Sarge!" Hasselberry folded his hands. "Why is he suddenly joining some fancy Obelisk group?"
Wilona turned back to the teen with large biceps. "I encouraged him to. Do you have a problem with that?" She narrowed her eyes.
"N-No, mam! No, sir!" Hassleberry stood up straight as the Monarch Duelist glared at him.
Wilona knew the two had a bit of a rivalry going on. She let it slide as Hassleberry seemed to value loyalty to the point of forgetting about common sense. She supposed there were worse traits to value, but wished more of her friends didn't impair common sense so easily. "There's a second reason I'm going to the Obelisk Blue Dorms, so I can do two tasks in one go."
Blair was about to ask what that second task was until they saw the group of people gathering at the entrance of the Obelisk Blue dorms. As they made their way to the dueling fields, Wilona saw someone she recognized walking up to her. But it was not the younger Truesdale.
"Huh, so he did know the Empress." Wilona blinked as she saw Reginald Von Howell III walking up to her.
"Empress?" Wilona asked aloud.
"We all saw how you dueled twice. It's hard not to notice you duel like one." Regi said before his eyes fell on Blair. "Oh. You're here."
"Regi." Blair returned the glare before the third person in the group was far less subtle about it.
"It's you!" Hassleberry pointed over to Regi with a grunt of his own. "I want payback for the last time!"
Regi turned to the muscle-bound dino duelist. But unlike his reaction to Blair, the white-themed duelist raised his brow. "Payback for what...whoever you are?"
The teen named Tyranno dropped his jaw as his eye twitched. He shook his head before shaking his fist at the Chazz-clone. "Don't give me that! We dueled in the semi-finals!"
Regi's eyes widened...before he tilted his head. "You were there?"
Wilona had to admit that Hassleberry was deeply committed to the dinosaur theme as he made a sound that felt akin to a lizard snarl. But seeing a fuming Hassleberry held back by the much smaller Blair made her realize she should change the subject now before a duel broke out that didn't involve cards. "May I ask why you approached me?"
Reginald blinked as he started fishing for something inside his coat before handing Wilona a letter. "I met Syrus when he came here earlier. He said to give you this when you arrive."
Wilona opened the letter, but the girl found a single card inside instead of something written.
It was Power Bond.
"... I see." Wilona quietly put the card back as she realized what lending her this card meant: stepping out of a family's shadow? The green-haired girl could respect that. "Did he say anything else?"
"Not really, but he was called to his initiation after giving it to me." Reginald put his hands down. "I'll explain what you have to do."
The white-cloaked duelist moved past the group, walking past people dueling in the sides. "It's pretty easy to join on paper. First, you duel three other participants who joined the initiation too. But you have to defeat three of them in a row, and the overseers make sure you duel someone who either has an advantage over your deck or is more skilled than you. So it's impossible to get 3 lucky wins. And if you win three in a row, you duel and defeat someone who's already in like me."
Regi looked to the side. "Seeing as I haven't lost today, Principal Kumar asked me to take the rest of the day off so people would actually have a chance of joining in."
"The skill ceiling for Obelisk Blue must be low if they can't handle you." Regi turned back to leer at Blair for her comment.
Wilona didn't know how she suddenly became the only one trying to stop three people from fighting each other but fought the urge to sigh. "How is Truesdale doing?"
Regi turned back to the green-haired girl. "He struggled against his first opponent, leading to a loss. But after that, he won two games before I left on his third..."
Up ahead, Wilona spotted a familiar Roid monster attacking an Obelisk Blue Student directly. She didn't see how big the life points were but saw the other person's hit zero.
A referee in white raised his hand as he pointed to... "Syrus Truesdale has won his third match in a row! You may have a five-minute rest to rearrange your deck before we call your final opponent."
Syrus exhaled before he walked out of the dueling square. Regi was first to head to the Slifer Red with a genuinely excited smile.
"See!? I knew you were ready for this! Just one more, and you're in!"
Syrus smiled before he turned to Wilona and the others. "Oh! Wilona, you made it!"
"Truesdale, good to see you in top form," Wilona said as she flashed the envelope she received. "So... this is a bold statement from you."
"Well, yeah." Syrus rubbed the back of his head.
"What do you mean by that?" Hassleberry asked with all the grace of broken fine china.
"It's a personal thing and somewhat complicated manner, but all you need to know is that Truesdale here is attempting something that's making me quite proud of him." Wilona looked back at the shorter teen. "I'm sure if both of them were here, they'd be cheering you on in their own way."
"I-I guess," Syrus scratched his chin.
That made Wilona raise her brow. Why did Syrus seem unsure about having support from Jaden and Zane? Well, Zane might not outwardly show it, but Jaden would.
Syrus turned to Reginald. "Hey, what can I expect from someone who already got in?"
Reginald folded his arms. "I don't exactly know. I barely remember the people I beat."
"You don't say!?" Hassleberry shouted over to Regi.
"... Seriously, what is your beef with me? We've never even met before today!"
What probably ticked off Hassleberry wasn't the fact that Regi somehow forgot him. Even though that did play a factor. But the fact the other rich heir seemed to genuinely not know him made the Dino Duelist's blood boil.
Wilona pinched her nose as an argument started to break out between Hassleberry, Regi, and Blair after Regi made a snide comment toward her. It took the Monarch Duelist half a second before realizing that those three were technically the top duelists of their year and their dorm, making her come to a realization that made her pale.
"Are all the best duelists bloody stooges?" The three in front of her reminded her eerily of Jaden, Chazz, and Bastion.
But that changed when Syrus got called back to the field.
"Good luck, Truesdale," Wilona told the teal-haired teen.
"Thanks, Wilona." Syrus nodded as he walked back in and saw someone else in the same uniform as Reginald.
"Syrus Truesdale," The Referee motioned to the man in white. "Defeat Taiyou Torimaki to join the Obelisk White classes."
Wilona recognized that guy. That was one of Chazz's old lackeys when the Princeton heir was still in his...wait no... Chazz still had a deck shoved far up his. Still, Taiyou seemed like a pushover who only gravitated to those stronger than him. He must have had some skill to join the Obelisk White group.
"Well, if it isn't the Slifer Slacker's underling?" The goon laughed as he pushed his glasses up. "I'm surprised you even got this far in the first place."
Wilona realized something. "Howell, you never mentioned what happens if Truesdale loses against a White member."
"He'll have to win three matches again straight. But for nearly everyone, it'll be too demoralizing to win another three matches straight before the tryouts end." The spiky-haired brunette explained.
It was about keeping momentum or building it back up after losing it. That sounded taxing to Wilona, so she hoped Syrus would win now. Syrus's chances of joining this elite class would diminish if he lost this duel.
Syrus seemed to silently groan but prepared his duel disk.
Syrus: 4000 LP
Taiyou: 4000 LP
Turn 1.
"The first turn goes to Taiyou." The referee motioned to the opposing side.
"This'll be over in a flash!" Taiyou drew his card and smiled. "I set one monster and end my turn!"
Turn 2. Syrus. Cards: 5.
Syrus had to admit that compared to his other opponents, he wasn't expecting such a simple move. Nor did he understand why Taiyou was so confident over it.
"Is that a flip monster?" Blair asked aloud. "I don't see any other reason to leave a monster facedown."
Regi held a hand on his chin. "That can't be right. I don't think I heard of someone winning with a flip deck yet."
Syrus looked at his hand and saw a card that could help him in this situation. "I summon Patroid in attack mode!" As he placed the card on his duel disk, a cartoonish police car drifted into Syrus' field, with sirens blaring.
Patroid [Type: Effect Monster/Sub-type: Machine/Attribute: EARTH/Level: 4/ATK: 1200/DEF: 1200]
"I activate his special ability! I can have him flip up an opponent's facedown card before returning it to its original position! Search that card, Patroid!" As soon as he said this, the cartoon police car ran up to the facedown and flipped it over, revealing a monster that Wilona and Syrus had not seen before.
[ATK: 100/DEF: 1000] It was bulky and red. It also looked like a humanoid robot. Yet, it had low points while it had no flip effect.
Syrus took another card from his hand. "I now play March of the Roids! I can now special summon another roid monster from my hand if I already have one on the field! I'm bringing out Steamroid!"
Steamroid [Type: Effect Monster/Sub-type: Machine/Attribute: EARTH/Level: 4/ATK: 1800/DEF: 1800]
Syrus' train monster appeared on the field before Syrus pointed over to the monster on Taiyou's side of the field. "Go, Patroid! Police Drift!" The cartoon car ran over the downed card, making the odd robot appear briefly before exploding into holographic dust.
Taiyou only smiled. "Ha! I now activate SuperHeavy Samurai Gigaggloves' effect!" He threw out his hand as he revealed the name of his monster. "If this card goes to the grave, and I don't have any spell or trap cards in there, I can look at the top 5 cards of my deck and rearrange them in any order I want!"
The white-clad duelist looked at his next cards and only smiled. "You're in for it next turn, buddy," Taiyou said as he placed the five cards back in the order he wanted.
Syrus winced as he realized that was why he let a weak monster try to defend him. However, Taiyou's field was wide open to his next monster! "Go, Steamroid, attack him directly! When Steamroid attacks, he gains 500 extra attack points!" [ATK: 1800→2300]
The train rushed for Taiyou, intending to knock out half of the opposing duelist's life points. However, the other bespectacled duelist swiped his hand. "Gigagloves has another ability! If my opponent declares a direct attack, I can banish him from the graveyard and excavate the top card of my deck! If it's another SH Samurai, your monster's attack drops to 0! If not, well..."
"And he set up his cards before Syrus called that second attack..." Blair felt worried for Syrus if they all knew what was coming.
Taiyou drew his next card and showed it, revealing a smaller red robot. "Looks like it's a SHS Samurai! You know what that means!"
Gigagloves came out from Taiyou's graveyard, its hands enlarging and stopping Steamroid in its tracks. [ATK: 2300→0]
Syrus picked another card from his hand. "I play two facedowns and end my turn there."
Turn 3: Taiyou. Cards: 6.
"Like I said! This duel's already over!" He exclaimed as he drew his next card. "When I have no spell or trap cards in my grave, I can special summon Big Waraji!"
SuperHeavy Samurai Big Waraji. [Type: Effect Monster/Sub-type: Machine/Attribute: EARTH/Level: 5/ATK: 800/DEF: 1800]
"Now, come on out, Fist!" As he slammed his card into his duel disk, a smaller yellow bot rocketed into the field.
SuperHeavy Samurai Fist. [Type: Effect Monster/Tuner/Sub-type: Machine/Attribute: EARTH/Level: 2/ATK: 900/DEF: 900]
As soon as the creature appeared on the field, Taiyou raised his hand upward. Fist was a tuner as it turned into rings while Waraji turned into a line of stars.
"Forging steel drenched in warriors' spirit, come forth the culmination of shinobi arts and unwavering metal! Synchro Summon!" The light shined as a bulky bipedal robot landed on the field wielding a staff weapon.
"Superheavy Samurai Stealth Ninja!"
SuperHeavy Stealth Ninja. [Type: Effect Monster/Synchro/Sub-type: Machine/Attribute: EARTH/Level: 7/ATK: 1200/DEF: 2800]
Syrus didn't like how he had to fight a synchro monster right off the bat. However, he and the sharper members quickly noticed something off about the way Taiyou summoned the monster.
"Why did he summon it in defense mode?" Blair spoke out what everyone was thinking.
"I'm not done!" Taiyou picked another card from his hand. "I'm going to show an interesting monster effect I have! Soulshield Wall can activate from my hand! Then, I can target a Superheavy Samurai and equip Soulshield Wall to it! While equipped, it gains 1200 Defense points!" [DEF: 2800→4000] Taiyou gripped his fist. "It's time to end this duel!"
"What? But you only increased your defense points! And your monster is still in defense mode! It can't attack!" Syrus cried out.
"That's what you think! Superheavy Samurai monsters have the ability to attack while in defense mode! And best of all, they can use Defense Points in damage calculations!" Taiyou pressed his hand forward as Syrus gasped in shock. "Go, Stealth Ninja! End this duel!"
The Syncro monster raised its armed gauntlet before rushing towards Syrus' weakened Steamroid. The synchro monster's punch made contact before gunfire exploded and consumed the roid monster and Syrus in a plume of dust.
"Haha! Better luck next time, Slifer..." Taiyou stopped his taunt as he saw an odd silhouette in the smoke. Steamroid was gone, but in its place was a trap card that created a barrier around Syrus.
"I played Defense Draw! I can negate battle damage on your turn to zero and draw a card after! Not only that, I link my other facedown! Supercharge! When my opponent declares an attack while I only have roid monsters out, I can draw two more cards!" The Slifer Red cried out.
Wilona and the other first-years sighed in relief as Syrus avoided the finishing blow.
"Tch!" The former Chazz goon clicked his tongue. "You're only delaying the inevitable!"
Turn 4: Syrus. Cards: 4.
Syrus drew his next card, and his eyes widened as he saw what card he got. "I play Polymerization! I fuse Ambulanceroid and Rescueroid to bring Ambulance Rescueroid!"
From a familiar swirl, Syrus's fusion monster appeared on the field.
Ambulance Rescueroid [Type: Effect Monster/Fusion/Sub-type: Machine/Attribute: FIRE/Level: 6/ATK: 2300/DEF: 1800]
Taiyou only laughed as he saw the monster. "Is that the best you can do? Those last three wins must have been a fluke!"
Blair and even Hassleberry seethed after hearing that taunt. Reginald and Wilona only narrowed their eyes as they heard Taiyou insult their friend.
But Syrus only held his ground as he exclaimed, "Next, I summon Drillroid in attack mode!"
Drillroid [Type: Effect Monster/Sub-type: Machine/Attribute: EARTH/Level: 4/ATK: 1600/DEF: 1600]
Only Wilona knew what that monster did and smiled quietly. "Who said newer is always better?"
Syrus pointed forward, "Drillroid, attack his monster!"
"Are you an idiot!?" Taiyou shouted as the cartoon drill rushed towards a 4000 Defense monster.
Yet everyone, aside from Wilona, was surprised to see Drillroid avoid the initial swipe of Stealth Ninja and pierce its drill through the chest of the synchro monster, destroying it.
"WHAT!? How did a lame monster like that defeat my synchro monster!?" Taiyou shouted.
Syrus pointed to his monster, who did a little smirk and pose. "When Drillroid attacks a defense position monster, that monster gets destroyed before the damage calculation!" The younger Truesdale made a crushing motion with his fist. "Now you're wide open! The rest of my monsters will attack you directly!"
Patroid and Ambulance Rescueroid rushed into a screaming Taiyou before breaking into a cartoon fight cloud.
Syrus: 4000 LP
Taiyou: 4000 →500 LP
"Way to go, Syrus!" Blair shouted as even Hasselberry and Regi cheered at the move.
"I'll put one card down and end my turn!" Syrus smiled as he landed a blow on his opponent. But as he did so, dust started to fly up before Stealth Ninja reappeared in defense position.
"When Stealth Ninja is destroyed by a card effect, he returns at the end phase." Taiyou seethed as his eyelid started to twitch in anger. "You're going to pay for that."
There was a tone shift in the air. No longer was Taiyou cocky and arrogant, but a look of focused anger pointed directly at Syrus in a way everyone understood as this duel being far from over.
Turn 5: Taiyou. Cards: 4
Taiyou tore the top card off his deck before taking one second to look at it before shouting, "I Special Summon SuperHeavy Samurai Trumpeter!"
SuperHeavy Samurai Trumpeter. [Type: Effect Monster/Tuner/Sub-type: Machine/Attribute: EARTH/Level: 2/ATK: 300/DEF: 600]
As the small robot appeared, Taiyou took another card from his hand without taking his eyes off Syrus. "Now, I Normal Summon SuperHeavy Samurai Prepped Defense in defense mode!"
SuperHeavy Prepped Defense. [Type: Effect Monster/Tuner/Sub-type: Machine/Attribute: EARTH/Level: 3/ATK: 100/DEF: 2100]
As a green robot appeared, Taiyou pointed up as his monsters jumped up with Trumpeter turning into rings.
"Come forth, the spirit of the samurai brought to life and forged in steel! Synchro Summon!" The stars exploded as a figure arrived on the field with a powerful explosion.
They heard what felt like a hundred steam engines roaring in tandem before a titanic train with an Oni Mask for a face appeared before Syrus and his roid monsters. Its presence struck fear even in Syrus' toonish monsters.
"Superheavy Samurai Steam Train King!" Taiyou shouted as the 'machine' unleashed a billow of smoke in tandem with the machine burning beyond what horsepower could achieve.
SuperHeavy Samurai Steam Train King. [Type: Effect Monster/Synchro/Sub-type: Machine/Attribute: EARTH/Level: 12/ATK: 2000/DEF: 4800]
"That's not good!" Syrus stepped back as he figured this Synchro monster could also attack in defense mode.
"I'm not letting you off that easily! First, I discard two cards, then destroy cards equal to the number I discarded! I'm destroying your Fusion Monster and that facedown card!"
Syrus' eyes widened as he saw two incoming fireballs heading toward him. "I reveal my facedown, Impenetrable Attack! I can choose one of two effects to activate: I take no battle damage for the rest of this turn!
"Tch!" Taiyou clicked his tongue as he missed his chance to end the duel now. "Alright, how about this!? I activate Steam Train King's second ability!" Syrus paled as he heard this new monster had more than the ability to destroy cards. Taiyou pointed to Syrus' duel disk. "
"This behemoth can banish all trap and spell cards from the graveyards! Since I don't have any, he'll banish all of yours! And for each one he sends packing, you take 200 points of damage each!"
Everyone watching looked on with panic as Syrus' graveyard started to glow. Syrus played a total of 5 spells and trap cards, which meant...
"You take 1000 points of damage!" Taiyou pointed as the locomotive unleashed a ball of flame at Syrus.
Syrus: 4000 → 3000 LP
Taiyou: 500 LP
"And just because you protected the rest of your life points doesn't mean your monsters are safe! I equip Steam Train King with Soul Horns! This monster card lets a Superheavy Samurai attack twice per turn!" Taiyou pointed forward as the four supporting Syrus panicked in varying ways. "Destroy that annoying Drillroid and Patroid!"
The opposing locomotive ran forward and turned Syrus' roids into rail tracks before being destroyed.
"Darn it!" Reginald yelled out loud. "Syrus needed Drillroid to destroy that monster!"
"And with that, I'll end my turn." Taiyou smiled wickedly as he saw his powerful monster overwhelm Syrus Truesdale. To the Obelisk White, this duel was as good as over!
Turn 6: Syrus. Cards: 0
With no cards on his field or his hand, Syrus looked at his deck. A part of him wanted to call it quits... but...if he did... would he forever be stuck behind someone else? Would he grow bitter and resentful as Regi would of Chazz one day? Syrus inhaled deeply.
No. Syrus needed a way out. Jaden always said to believe in his cards, while Zane embodied the phrase, "the difference between knowing how to play and use a card." Syrus believed that his deck would give him the cards he needed! Syrus only needed to know how to use them.
Syrus drew his card. "... I play Card of Adversity! If my opponent controls a monster, including a SPECIAL summoned monster, I can draw two cards!" As Syrus did, his eyes widened when he saw one of the cards he drew.
Syrus looked out to the field. For him, it was time to stop standing in other's shadows...
... And step into the light!
"I play my magic card, Ultimate Machine Union! I can fusion summon a roid monster by banishing roid fusion materials in my grave! I banish Patroid, Ambulenceroid, Rescueroid, Drillroid, and Ambulance Rescueroid! Come on out, my strongest monster!"
All five roids raced together out of the graveyard, brimming with newfound power. Their bodies transformed into different parts but started to interlock with each other as if they were always meant to be.
"Come on out, Barbaroid, the Ultimate Battle Machine!"
Barbaroid The Ultimate Battle Machine. [Type: Effect Monster/Fusion/Sub-type: Machine/Attribute: EARTH/Level: 12/ATK: 4000/DEF: 4000]
As Syrus shouted the name, the robot finished its transformation, lighting to life as it towered over even Taiyou's Synchro monster.
Taiyou instinctively stepped back before he shook his head and looked at the numbers. "You got me worried there! I still have more points than you!"
That didn't seem to deter the younger teen at all. "Barbaroid, attack!" Syrus pointed forward as the monster started to rush forward, prompting a counterattack from Steam Train King.
Many outside the two's duel stopped to watch a giant mech fight unfold. Their eyes watched as the two machines clashed against each other with force enough to blow away the dust in the area. Few spotted Steam Train King starting to gain ground over Syrus' monster.
Syrus could barely hear Taiyou trying to insult him for this move. But the Slifer Red could see him opening his mouth and trying to say something over the clash. Instead, he picked up his last card and shouted to the best of his ability, "Blind Spot Strike! This Quick-Play card lets my attacking monster gain attack points equal to the defense of a monster you have!"
Taiyou definitely heard him with how his eyes widened. [ATK: 4000 → 8800] The Obelisk White could only gape in awe as the numbers spiked upward. Barbaroid overpowered Steam Train King with a sudden push, bashing through the train's body with a horrifying sound of metal being crunched and destroyed.
That left only Barbaroid standing over the stunned Obelisk White.
"Barbaroid can attack twice in one turn." Taiyou's eyes felt his heart stop working as he heard those words from Syrus' mouth. "...In exchange, he can't attack directly."
Taiyou gasped in relief before he started to laugh. "Really? After all that?! Well, next time, I'm going to be sure to turn the tables!"
"But," Taiyou stopped mid-laugh as he saw Syrus narrow his eyes before smiling. "When Barbaroid destroys a monster, he can deal 1000 points of damage to my opponent."
Taiyou looked up as he heard the increasingly high-pitched hum of lasers charging up and pointed at him. Although the Obelisk White stepped back, it didn't stop Barbaroid from bombarding the smug duelist.
Syrus: 3000 LP
Taiyou: 500 → 0 LP
As soon as the dust settled, the referee raised his hand. "Syrus Truesdale has passed initiation! He is now an Obelisk White member!"
Everyone around the area cheered in applause for Syrus, making the boy laugh and shyly rub the back of his head as the others ran up to congratulate him.
"See, I knew you could do it!" Regi punched Syrus' arm.
"Not bad, private!" Hassleberry added in. "You even got me impressed! Why couldn't you duel like that all the time!?"
The cheering around them slowed down as a single clapping sound came closer to the group. They all saw Sartorius Kumar walking up to Syrus.
"Well done, Mr. Truesdale. I saw your duel, and it's an honor to have you join this prestigious project I have planned." The white-clad man said in a smooth voice.
Syrus blushed again. "T-Thanks!"
"Not only I, but our special teacher was watching your duel. He'd like to meet you personally before he makes his debut. I can bring you along to meet him."
"R-Really? Is this the Pro Duelist that Regi's been talking about?"
Sartorius looked to Reginald, who looked a little stunned. "W-What? I didn't say who it was!"
"But isn't it Aster Phoenix?" Blair asked aloud. "He's a Pro Duelist and technically a part of this school."
Sartorius gave a polite smile. "It's not Aster. However, I believe he would want to learn more about our new teacher when they meet." The Principal of Obelisk Blue moved forward, making Syrus and the others follow him.
Yet, Sartorius turned back and raised a hand. "Apologies. Only those in Obelisk White may enter. You're free to the tryouts if you wish." He eyed Wilona as he finished. "Ah. Right. I will be busy for the next few hours as the tryouts continue, Ms. Konami. Ms. Fontaine should be easier to reach from here."
"Thank you," Wilona relaxed her posture. "I was only here to support Truesdale here. Good job."
Wilona left, making Blair and Hassleberry curious and follow her out. That left Syrus and Reginald with Sartorius as the new Obelisk Principal led them to a special room.
The room itself was very bright to the point Syrus could barely see any shadows, but Regi seemed to stand up straighter than he ever did.
"Syrus Truesdale, right? That was one fun duel you just performed."
Syrus blinked as he saw someone walk out from behind a corner. He was a handsome young man, but why did he feel so familiar to the Roid duelist?
"Sir! It's an honor, as usual, sir!" Regi was so stiff that he ended up saluting as if he was Hassleberry.
"Regi," The guy laughed in a way that reminded Syrus too much of Jaden. "I'm just a regular teacher here in Duel Academy."
"But you were the FIRST World Champion! There's no way you're just a regular guy!" Regi shouted in almost adoration.
Syrus' sense of familiarity only grew worse, with even his head starting to ache. Who was this guy?
"Ah," Sartorius stepped in to ease Regi's excitement. "Let's do proper introductions first."
The Obelisk White motioned towards the man in a white professor uniform.
As Sartorius said the name, everything came into place for Syrus as he realized who he was standing in front of. There was absolutely no way the Roid duelist could ever be prepared to meet the one who inspired his best friend, Jaden Yuki.
"Syrus Truesdale, I'd like you to meet Obelisk White's personal teacher, the best Hero Duelist in the world, Koyo Hibiki."
Sartorius patted the stunned teen's shoulder.
"Welcome to Obelisk White."
[Tag Force: Heroes and Villains]
Aster Phoenix made sure to move privately as much as he could. The last thing he needed was to get swarmed by his fans in Duel Academy. Sartorius called him over to meet some new and old visitors, which was the only reason why Aster was there in the first place. Luckily, his manager and best friend was always shrewd: timing the call as he gave a formal ending speech for the newcomers in whatever project he was doing for Obelisk Blue, so everyone would be outside looking at the spectacle he gave so Aster could go to his office undisturbed.
At least, that was the intent.
"So you were here."
Aster mentally cursed his luck as he turned around to the obviously female voice. He expected to see some rabid fan girl screaming his location to everyone in the area.
What he did not expect to see was an oddly elegant young woman with flowing green hair that fell beyond her waist, purple eyes, red-framed glasses, and wore a red headband. The uniform she wore was different from the other Obelisk Blue females: she wore white pantyhose, a white skirt, and a white button-up collar under a deep blue overcoat.
Aster also noticed the disinterested look on her face. His mind spotted that she might not be a fan, but just in case... "If you want an autograph or something..."
"I'm not interested in that." The girl folded her arms and interrupted him. "I want to talk about Terra Firma."
Aster had a moment to think. The only ones who knew of that were Jaden's peanut gallery. But the only Obelisk Blue girl was blonde with blue eyes, not green-haired with purple...
Oh. There was someone that matched that description: the first person to run to that idiot when he lost.
"Weren't you wearing red a while ago?" Aster raised his brow.
"I got promoted a while back," Jaden's friend placed a hand on her hip. "I finished the papers to officially become an Obelisk Blue. But I want you to return Terra Firma."
"Fat chance," Aster responded before she finished the name. "We dueled for it, and your boyfriend lost."
"He's not my boyfriend—" The girl shook her head. "Look. I heard about your whole... thing... on why you're getting your father's cards back. But that card was also important to my friend. I heard you were trying to buy it off Yuki, so is there a way to buy it off you?"
Aster narrowed his eyes as he stepped closer to the girl. "These cards are more than just a memento of my father. And I'm not giving them up again!" He leaned over her to look into her eyes. "Got it?"
*Click!*
A flash made the two look to their right before they heard a squeak and someone running behind a corner.
"Now, now. Don't you know it's rude to take pictures of people without them knowing, Miss?" An older voice before the female student got pushed back into the hallway.
Aster's eyes widened as he saw the man walking with the girl and holding the camera that took a picture of him attempting to intimidate Jaden's friend.
"Kyle?" The Vision Hero Duelist was surprised to see his legal guardian here. "I thought you were in the Swedish Circuit."
"It ended earlier than everyone expected." The spectacled man walked forward. "I thought I trained you to never let your guard down with paparazzi and fans. And what do I see you doing?"
Aster sighed. "Look, it's not like that!"
"That's not what the press is going to think, and you know that." The taller man let go of the girl and gave her a stack of money. "Sorry, miss. But we can't let more rumors pop up than usual. I'll have Asty here make it up to you with a personal autograph later."
Kyle and Aster were unaware of the green-haired girl's eyes widening after hearing that nickname.
"R-Really!?" The Obelisk Blue girl looked delighted before Kyle sweet-talked the girl and sent her away.
Which only left...
"Now, why is this young miss here? Something tells me I might not be able to buy her off." Kyle turned to the green-haired friend of Jaden Yuki.
"I would like Asty," The girl stopped as she found out she slipped with the nickname. "I-I mean Mr. Phoenix here to give back a card that belonged to my friend."
However, Aster picked up the familiar and teasing tone of the way she said the nickname. His eyes widened in disbelief as he heard that tone for one summer straight. There was no way he'd forget that annoying voice!
"Ms. Speed?!" Aster found himself blurting.
"Ooooohhhh?" Kyle put a hand on his chin before eyeing the two. "You mean the same Ms. Speed that you talked about nonstop over the summer?"
"Don't say it like that!" Aster yelled at his guardian before looking at the girl. "You were the worst mascot ever!"
"You were the most daft brother I ever saw! And there are blokes I know who are top contenders for that award!" As the girl said this, Zane and Atticus sneezed for some unexplained reason, while Seika felt more validated than usual.
Yet, Wilona's eyes widened before her face crumpled in disgust. "Hold on! Is this related to... ugh! I want that card back now! Before you do... whatever you are going to do with them!"
Aster was confused until he remembered Allie called the Despair Uranus "Sad Private Parts" in front of Ms. Speed. He never got to defend himself.
"Whatever you think I'm using the cards for, it's NOT THAT!" Aster from a few minutes ago would never believe present him was currently shouting as loud as a fan girl would. Though in fairness, having his crusade for vengeance mistaken for something... inappropriate... would make many lose their cool.
Kyle, seeing the escalating emotions, put a hand on both teens' shoulders. "Alright, let's calm down. We should be going now after that little outburst, but we'll talk about this more later, Miss...?"
"Konami," The girl looked to Kyle. "Wilona Konami."
Kyle nodded before dragging Aster with him at a fast pace. "See you soon, Wilona."
As they turned the corner, Kyle couldn't help but laugh. "So she's the spitfire that's caught your interest, huh?"
"How do you keep misinterpreting me!? She's the annoying birdbrain who's been making my life miserable! And she's a student here!?" He pushed himself away from his guardian's hand. "Let's just get to Sartorius already. I'm getting a headache."
Aster walked ahead, leaving Kyle Jables to look at the phone he confiscated. If he didn't know any better, it would look like Aster was leaning in to kiss the girl.
Actually, did he know any better? They were oddly familiar with each other...
Kyle closed the flip phone and smirked... even as a flash of white swallowed his eyes for half a second.
[Tag Force: Heroes and Villains]
"~Try out our new Edo Phoenix! A brand new Kung-Pao chicken that packs a SUPER PUNC—" It took a lot of willpower for Aster to not throw the remote at the television instead of putting it off.
"Aster, please," Sartorius said while he, Kyle Jables, and Koyo Hibiki gathered around the table to sign documents. "You're going to pay for a new remote if you squeeze it any tighter."
Aster pointed to the television. "They're still on that Chinese Chicken crap! It's been weeks!"
"Why are you so upset about it?" Kyle looked up. "Honestly, you've had worse rumors said about you that you ignored."
"They're making fun of my name—my father's name like it's some marketable product! Can I sue them for that?" Aster pointed to the TV.
"Considering what you're named after? That's a disaster waiting to happen legal-wise." Sartorius looked at his friend. "I understand that you're upset for your father. But they don't mean any harm in it."
Aster knew his friend was right. But it still irked him to hear those maggots jump on his family name as if it was a profit. It hit too close to the idea of the bastard killing his father for money.
Every fiber of his being wanted this to stop. He didn't want to go through a lesser version of that nightmare again...
"You know how these gossips work. One scandal erases the other scandal." Kyle off-handedly mentioned. "Say if you had a secret girlfriend, the press would eat that up. Maybe then they'd shut up about the Chinese Chicken bit."
...
Aster turned around to the three and spotted the phone Kyle confiscated from the fan.
*Knock! Knock!*
Aster opened the door, seeing a delivery guy holding food before handing it to Aster. "Here you go, sir! One order of Edo Phoenix Chicken! That will be 7.89!"
The gray-haired teen stared in disbelief before looking back. Everyone else turned to... Koyo Hibiki coughing into his hand before racing nervously to pick up the food.
"Here's ten bucks. Keep the change." The World Champion said quickly before the man smiled and left. "S-So! Pretty fancy delivery system Obelisk Blue has, am I right? They even have chefs from Fast Food Restaurants!"
They all continued to stare at him.
"Okay, look! I was in a coma recently! How was I supposed to know that Chinese chicken boom was because of you! ... I'm not helping, aren't I?" Koyo turned to Kyle and Sartorius, who both blankly shook their heads. "Right. I'll... eat this somewhere else."
With that, Koyo left the office room, leaving Aster with an unreadable face.
Sartorius had a bad feeling about this as he saw Aster turn back to the cell phone. "Aster, what are you thinking?"
Even though he could see the future, Sartorius didn't need his power to guess the incoming outcome. He just wished it wasn't comming to fruition as he believed.
"Sartorius, you still have Terra Firma, right? And even though he's returned, Koyo Hibiki has said repeatedly he doesn't need it back, right?" Aster started to realize there was potential in the plane he brewed. After all, the girl he thought about wasn't a rabbid fangirl and seemed to have some level of common sense.
"... Yes...?"
Aster smiled in a way that reminded the two remaining men of the Grinch realizing he could steal Christmas.
Kyle dropped his pen and looked at his ward. "Aster, please tell me you're not planning to blackmail a student."
"It's not blackmail." Aster walked over to the phone and opened up the picture. "Think of it more as a long-term business deal."
It was then that Sartorius realized his earlier prediction before Jaden and Aster's duel might not have been something he should have so easily dismissed.
[Tag Force: Heroes and Villains]
"You want me to what?" Wilona couldn't believe what she heard.
It was in the middle of the night, directly under the same lighthouse Zane used to frequent and before she saw Jaden off. Yet, instead of either of the previously mentioned, Aster stood in front of her with his arms crossed. And the sky wasn't clear as that night, but instead it was dark and cloudy with a more than likely chance of a storm brewing again.
Just like the day they 'first' met in Kaibaland.
"I'll give you back Terra Firma." Aster explained. "If and only if you agree to be my fake girlfriend."
"... So I didn't suddenly lose my mind a 3rd time." The girl referenced being mind-controlled by a witch and when she stole the Sacred Beast cards in anger. However, those occult happenings made more sense to her than the poor Shoujo Plot unfolding right in front of her!
Aster Phoenix raised his brow at the mention of the 3rd time, but moved the conversation forward. "Alright, fine. I guess you don't want Terra Firma after all."
"Wait!" Wilona cried out as Aster turned away. She quietly seethed. Why was she going through this again?
... Because she owed Yuki. And that idiot already proved he wouldn't let her down, maybe it was only fair to do the same.
"All we have to do is just hang around each other, right?" Wilona asked; the girl put a hand on her head to mitigate the headache she was starting to get.
"Just take a few pictures of you and me in supposedly secret places to get the Paparazzi talking. Do it for a while, and I'll give you Terra Firma back. It should be easy since you live in Obelisk Blue Dorms."
Wilona was actually going to try and live with Alexis and Blair back in the Slifer Dorms after getting her new uniform. But if she needed to stay in Obelisk Blue...
"You still haven't told me why you need a fake girlfriend." The green-haired girl sighed as she asked.
"The less we know about each other, the better both our lives will be." Was all Aster was willing to reveal.
"Fine. I'll accept the deal." Wilona said as lightning flashed behind her.
"Good." Aster responded as thunder boomed.
But that didn't mean Wilona wanted him to have the last word. "Great!"
Unfortunately, Aster was adamant to have the last word. "Wonderful!"
As the two shouted in agressive agreement, Sartorius, Kyle, and Koyo watched the two interact with... well... they didn't know how to describe their emotions either.
"You know... They say fake, but they're getting along very well." Kyle then turned to Sartorius his eyes turning pure white. "On a serious matter, this better not jeopardize our plans."
"They won't." Sartorius responded fast.
"We'll trust you on that." Koyo said from Sartorius other side, his eyes too swallowed with white light.
Kyle and Koyo spoke at the same time. "Remember what's at stake here, Sartorius."
The fortuneteller gripped his hands tighter. He only hoped things could work out well. But that didn't stop this bad feeling settling in his stomach the longer he looked at the girl Aster kept arguing with.
[Author Notes]
Well. It's funny how more 'productive' I get when I have nothing else to hyperfocus on. Anyway, welcome to the newest chapter! That's right, I said Chazz wouldn't be joining the Society of Light... buuuuutttt that didn't mean the rest of the cast wasn't fair game.
And, Wilona officially becomes an Obelisk Blue! (With a new (temporary?) uniform!) Her goal? Get back Terra Firma for her (boy)friend! But alas! What be that there on the horizon?! is that a Shoujo romance cliche storm brewing in the distance!? Who can say!? (I can. Oh god. I can.) (What!? Everyone else here can have cringe fanservice and escape fantasies, but I can't put bad romance cliches!? Double Standards!)
(In my defense, I thought it was clever to make Shoujo cliche integral to the fate of the dueling world. Wait. What did I just type?)
Let me re-introduce a character from the Manga, Koyo Hibiki! but what's this? He's with Sartorius? How did that happen? (I know of course, but I'm asking you guys to see how wild your theories might be.)
Oh right. If you don't know who Kyle Jables is, he's basically more synonymous with his monkier The D. *Fanfiction censors comming in hot.* Yeah. That guy. I just looked up his wiki if he had a name outside of what he's remembered for. (Which would be remembered more? An important plot point that created the events of this story or an immature nickname?)
Oddly enough, I don't really have much to say this chapter except that the boss monster I choose for Superheavy Samurai ended up denying a lot of play ideas I had. I had to scrap multiple ideas before I found something that looked good enough to use.
This ironically might be one of, if not the last 'filler' chapter for a while since there's somewhere I'd like us to go that isn't Duel Academy. I'm actually nervous but excited about this part. It might be even crazier than the season 1 finale in spectacle. So, fingers crossed I can pull it off!
Anyway. Hope you all enjoyed the chapter. Thanks for reading this far.
{Altered/Made Up cards}
March of the Roids: a Manga card.
Card of Adversity: An anime-only card. (Why didn't I use Pot of Greed? Curse my annoying want of NOT using that card as much as humanely possible.)
Ultimate Machine Union: a manga-only card that allowed Manga Syrus to summon his toughest monster. I tried to use this card several times in EDO Pro. I could never activate it. Odd.
{Omake: Disney Princess?}
Wilona: ~If there's a prize for rotten judgment, I guess I've already won that.~
~No man is worth the aggravation~
~That's ancient history; been there, done that~
*Bam!*
*The Neo Shadow Riders come in wearing togas.*
The Neo Shadow Riders: ~Who'd you think you're kiddin'? He's the earth and heaven to ya!~
Wilona: *Wakes from her bed in cold sweat* ... That was traumatizing. Blast... I really liked that song too.
[A/N]
I have always waited for an excuse to have Wilona sing that song. It was a bonus imagining the Shadow Riders act like the Muses, especially Judai and Yubel.
