【01 - Heidi Hirazumi and the Dimension-Travelling Creep!】

A young girl was dreaming, but it was unlike anything she'd ever dreamt before. The teenager was used to dreams of her late parents or happy childhood memories. Instead she was floating in space; this was more like a vision, a premonition. Before her appeared a planet, and then it exploded. Power and shockwaves rippling out into space, the gravity seizing her. She shielded her face and when she looked through her arms the scene had changed. Now she was looking at a far-off sun, it too exploded into a nebula of fire that raced forward to consume her.

You have been chosen.

Heidi woke with a shout and fell out of bed. From downstairs her sister shouted "Heidi! Come on, you're gonna be late for school!"

"I'm up!" she shouted back. It took a few deep breaths to calm down before Heidi could relax, looking around her room. She sat on the floor in full pajamas, around there were shelves of toys, model airplanes and action figures. Posters of Duel Masters, martial arts and race cars. A karaoke box and PlayStation. Her bedroom was rather large, it'd been shared by her three older sisters when they were her age.

The familiar setting displaying her hobbies and interests finally calmed her enough to stand up. What a crazy dream, she thought. That exploding star, that supernova, Heidi could've sworn she saw something within the fire that resembled a phoenix. The Phoenix duelist, that was the title she'd chosen for herself as a fire duelist.

"That's it, no more action movies and soda before bed." The girl shook her head.

"Heidi Hirazumi!" her sister's voice made her jump. "I'll come upstairs and drag you down myself!"

"I'm not gonna be late!"

"You're always late!"

Heidi glanced at the kitty-clock on the wall and realized she really should get moving. Tromping out into the wooden plank walkway she went to the bathroom. Daydreaming in the shower before getting yelled at again from downstairs, angrily scrubbing her chin-length black hair dry so it stuck up in all directions. She brushed her teeth just as angrily, pouting through the froth.

She hated being treated like a kid, but it was unavoidable. She was small for her age of sixteen, and while her sisters were each one year apart, she was ten years the youngest and had always been the baby of the family. She was the only one who'd not known their mother and father well enough before they died. Heidi stormed out in a towel, went to get dressed for school. The Hirazumi girls had different interests, though Duel Masters and a passion for the fire civilization was something they all shared.

Natsu had set up the kitty-clock and horse posters that Heidi ripped off the walls to make room for her action ones in later years.

Tailee was responsible for the glow-in-the-dark comet stickers on the roof and amateur space telescope.

Summer, the only sister home but going away on a Duel Masters archeological dig in a few days, was responsible for the multitude of dinosaur-themed toys amidst the army of plastic figurines.

Stomping downstairs with her backpack over her shoulder. She saw porridge waiting for her at one of many circular tables in the wide space downstairs. Behind a counter an old man with her likeness was drying glasses with a rag.

"Morning grandpa."

He shook his head at her lateness "It's like the gods are making a mockery of me… Four granddaughters and not a single grandson to carry my legacy… and not one of them is the least bit lady-like…"

Summer slid into view with a beaming smile "Come on baby sis, I made breakfast."

Morning light streamed in from the wall-windows, the open countryside. Their house doubled as a card shop, which is why downstairs was so open and big. Heidi was used to customers filling their house, kids from school dueling at the little tables, trading or showing off the new cards they'd bought from her Grandpa. She remembered years ago it'd been Natsu and then Summer behind that counter. The Hirazumi Game Shop.

Their Grandpa had been a champion fire civilization duelist in his day, though wasn't too familiar with the latest DM-12 set. Both their parents had been duelists, both had perished dueling together on a boat cruise. Everyone in their family played with some variation of mixed fire decks, Heidi was the only one who consistently stuck with mono fire. The Phoenix duelist, she daydreamed of herself wreathed in glorious golden fire. She daydreamed a lot, it was probably why she was always late for everything.

"Okay baby sis, as you know I'm going away Tuesday."

"Don't remind me… I'll be seeing you off at the station anyway, right?"

"Sure." Her raven hair cascaded past her shoulders and back in loose waves. They had the same black eyes. "You need to promise me you're gonna start making a better effort in school."

"Not a lecture!" Heidi mouthed around the spoonful of hot porridge in her mouth. If her sister thought this pretty honey and berry meal would negate the explosive three-day-long arguments the Hirazumi girls often fell into, she had another thing coming.

"If you want to get into a good college you're going to have to. You're failing four classes."

"It's not my final year! It's okay for you to say this now you've graduated!"

Summer's eyebrow twitched and her body stiffened, instead of punching the table she held herself back. Heidi would've also hated if their last days together were ruined by a fight. All four siblings had always been thick as thieves, but each had tempers and the fights themselves were extreme.

"Listen… Heidi…" she took another breath and 'caring sister' was back. "None of us were ever failing four classes. Now I know none of us girls ever liked someone else telling us what to do, but we are worried about you. A hero would want to do her best, right?"

"Ahhhh not that again!" Heidi stooped forward and put her hands on either side of her head, elbows banging the tabletop. "You guys all forgot what you were like as young kids but you all remember my most embarrassing days, totally not fair."

"You were so cute, Heidi." Summer laughed "You in your 'hero' days, remember? 'Heroes don't have bedtimes', 'Heroes aren't afraid of monsters in the closet'. You got in fights at school sticking up for bullied kids. You'd help old ladies cross the street and run around in a red cape." she laughed harder "I thought for sure you were going to grow up to be a vigilante!"

"Alright, alright." Heidi looked away before her nervous expression was seen, but Summer was still too busy laughing. "Fine. I'll try harder in school. I'll start studying, the mid-term exams are still a few weeks away..."

"Promise you will, baby sis?"

"Yeah, yeah."

"Great! I'm proud of you!" Another smile of beaming warmth, even Grandpa's lip twitched upward from where he dried off a metal tankard behind the counter. "Now you better finish that up or you'll be late!"

Heidi checked her watch before scoffing down the rest of her meal. She raced out the sliding glass door, out into the fresh air and then running down the countryside toward town. Despite what she'd said to her sister, she had no idea how to get her marks up. She didn't pay attention in class and she didn't do her homework… something about school was just so demotivating. And now she'd promised… dammit. School was stupid. Though honestly it was probably just her, she was stupid.

Of course she was still late despite running, again. Ikebukuro State High was enclosed, white tile floors and long windows. Trading cards were confiscated on sight. Heidi always forgot just how much she hated it until she was there. She was too independent and uninterested. She had to battle and plead with the hook-nosed office administrator for another tardy pass, made her way into first period just as her class was settling in.

Heidi had a lot of friends to talk to, despite not liking school. Her optimism and adventurous spirit attracted a lot of people to her, plus she knew a lot of classmates from her Grandpa's store.

"Yo Heidi,"

"Late again, I see."

"Hey guys…" she found a seat at the back-edge of the room amidst the class of fifty. When the teaching started their talk died and Heidi found herself daydreaming about that breakfast conversation. She had been utterly obsessed with heroism as a young child. Swooping in to save fallen baby birds, help a crying junior find her lost frog, standing up to and getting punched by the bad boys in primary school. That burning passion wasn't so obvious anymore, but it was still aflame within her. The Phoenix, that was supposed to be her superhero and dueling name alike. Saving the day sounded so much more exciting than being in school…

After having to stay back and attempt study, Heidi was finally let out of that hellhole of boredom. She trudged the street in orange sunlight, the evening fast approaching. Staring blankly ahead until she heard a scream and shout. Stopping with a jolt before running around the corner to the commotion. Maybe she'd get to play 'hero' after all.

"Billy!" she recognized a boy from the year below her, a regular at the card shop. Squatting down amidst his cards in the dirt.

"H-he cheated! His cards were way too powerful, and they weren't even registered cards! He beat me in like three turns, my duel stats went all the way down, I'm not going to qualify for the next tournament…"

Heidi looked up with a scowl to see a figure disappearing around the other end of the street.

"He hacked the duel stats system aye? Don't worry, I'll get him!"

She sprinted off, leaving the flabbergasted boy behind her. Running to the alley, jumping off a bin and swinging off a drainpipe to get over the fence. Panting as the adrenaline rushed through her body, muscles working, the same determination that used to possess her in the hero moments she had as a child. Running faster along the dirt and gravel, jumping and pushing off a brick wall to swing over another gate, cutting across the miniature park. Skidding through leaves and sticks, onto the walkway and in front of a top-hatted man in a white suit with emerald eyes.

The two blinked at each other in surprise.

"Are you a cosplayer?"

He looked momentarily offended before his face turned mean "Best watch that tone with me, girlie. I'm Kaido, underling mob boss for the gatekeepers of the outer path." Surely enough there were two black-suited men behind him, they wore sunglasses like FBI agents.

"Oh… you're live-action role-players?"

"We are not role-players you stupid girl!" he erupted furiously. Heidi paused before bursting into laughter. The security guards stepped forward but Kaido raised a gloved hand to stop them. Heidi stopped laughing, regarding the men more seriously. The top-hatted one sneered down his nose at her "Why are you here?"

"Billy said you cheated, is that true?"

"No."

"You're dueling for stat points to qualify for the next tournament? Well even if you found a way to hack the duel stats system you won't be able to fool me! Kettou da, I challenge you!" the short, black-haired girl pointed.

"…I'm looking for competent employees, but no one in this entire town seems to have any skill." Dipping his chin he adjusted the brim of his top-hat. There was something weirdly evil about this guy. "You think you can insult me and my men, then challenge me to a duel, girlie? Yoshi, I accept. You're gonna get destroyed…"

As he lowered his hand Heidi noticed with shock that it was glowing red, a stream of energy swirling upward.

"You- you're a Kaijudo duelist?"

He gave a smug grin in response. Heidi's resolve returned, she clenched her fist and it also burst with red energy, wisps trailing up her arm "Well so am I!"

The security guards both stepped back in unison. Kaido lost his smirk "This pipsqueak? Well fine, it's a Kaijudo duel then. It's a good thing we have this park beside us, a nice setting for a true Kaijudo duel." The guards looked at each other before following their boss as he stepped into the trees. Heidi was still determined as she turned to walk in after him.

Beyond the trees was a clearing, a tall metal slide and a children's spin carousel. There were vines creeping up the old swing-set.

"You ever played a Kaijudo duel before, kid?" Kaido taunted while his guards took several steps backward.

"Of course I have… with my sisters." Heidi stood at the appropriate distance and waited. The dark dueling tables materialized into place with a ghostly haze. Reaching into her backpack she fished out her deck. She should've been nervous but she wasn't. Dueling her sisters like this had been nerve-wracking, but in this serious match she could go all out and something about that made her brave. She shuffled her deck while grinning, setting it down and raising her hand.

"Ikuzo, deploy shields!" with great satisfaction she saw the five blue panels spring to life. Wow, a real Kaijudo duel.

"Koi, shields up." Likewise her opponent summoned his shields as well. The power they both possessed, glowing in their dominant hands had made this magic possible.

Five cards had slid off Heidi's deck and onto the tabletop, reaching over she drew her hand. Her opponent did the same. When she was younger she'd always played with humanoids, filled her decks with them. But now she loved fire birds, it was how she'd come up with her dueling name, the phoenix duelist. Her deck was mostly composed of those two races. She looked up from her hand, smirking.

"Let me show you why they call me the phoenix duelist…"

He raised an eyebrow "Okay, twerp."

"Fire mana!" she set a card upside-down excitedly and it flickered red "Your turn."

"Nature mana." Her opponent was more serious, there was a little green glow from his table. "Your turn."

"More fire mana, and now: Mini Titan Gett!" A youngster on rocket-powered roller-skates burst forth into the real world, skidding to a stop. Heidi marveled at it in the scarlet glow, so much detail!

Kaido scoffed "A kid summoned a kid, how appropriate. Now I'll add fire mana and tap to summon Burning Mane!" His cards turned themselves and there was a burst of green light, the brown werewolf leapt up with a frightening roar. It had the same tribal markings as its card depiction, only now living and breathing. The real deal.

With cool confidence Heidi whip-drew a card, set mana and summoned "Pippie Kuppie!"

An orange chicklet arrived in the battlefield in a burst of fire, the edge of its feathers changing green and blue. Heidi looked between her two monsters to the enemy side. "Time to get the ball rolling! Mini Titan Gett, ike! Break his shield!" she twisted the card sideways. It was burning with red light, a ripple of power surging out as the humanoid blasted forward on its roller-skates, leaping and spin-kicking through a panel of blue glass. Kaido shielded his face and a shard ripped the arm of his coat.

These Kaijudo duels are no joke!

"Seeing as that's all you can do… I'll add mana then summon Bronze-Arm Tribe, affording me even more mana." He surveyed the field before grinning wickedly "Burning Mane, break her shield, ike!" As a green staff-wielding fighter landed the furry beside him jumped and slashed Heidi's shield with savagery, she turned her body away and felt sprinkles of glass bouncing off her clothes. A card from the table bounced off from a flash of green and she caught it, no shield trigger.

"These games are intense… just the way I like them!" she straightened. "So who are you anyway? Who are these dark gatekeepers you mentioned?"

"Not to be known about by a brat like you, make your turn!"

"Alright, alright." Her hand flashed to her deck, she smiled at another fire bird. "I add more mana!" then Heidi surveyed the field. We both have four mana now, I have the strongest creature in play. "I tap three mana and summon Totto Pipicchi!" A glowing sparrow with goggles swooped into play, now her roller-skating humanoid was flanked by two fire birds. "Mini Titan Gett is a power-attacker! Should've got rid of him when you had the chance! Ike, destroy Burning Mane."

The humanoid charged up before scooting out, its power became 3000 before it jump-kicked the now weaker beast folk. Landing somewhere behind it and waiting as it fell forward dramatically and fizzled out. "Yes!" Heidi jumped and punched the air. "Pippie Kuppie break his second shield, ike!" the bird on the right burned hotter before flying off, looping and blazing a trail through another shattering blue panel.

"Tch! I'm just getting started, girlie!" the top-hatted man shouted as he took another card to his hand. "Believe me you have no idea what I'm capable of, I'm stronger than any duelist in this pitiful dimension!"

Dimension? Is he serious?

His cards untapped as Kaido drew. He added fire mana before four of the upside-down cards tapped themselves "Speed attacker Mezger, Commando Leader!" An armored figure wielding a huge metal mallet stalked forward.

"He duels with humanoids too…"

"Mezger, ike! Suicide with Mini Titan Gett! Bronze-Arm Tribe, ike! Suicide with Pippie Kuppie! I want that rocket-kid and dumb bird out of my sight!" His two monsters leapt forth, one agile in swinging its staff from the side, the other throwing its mallet overhead in a jump. There were shouts and chirps as the monsters connected and vanished in bursts of bright light, four cards flying off the tabletops.

"I don't know how you managed to cheat against Billy, but you're not going to be able to cheat in a Kaijudo duel." The magical energy from the overlapping creature world was palpable. "I add mana and then" Heidi set down the last card in her hand "tap three and summon Cocco Lupia!" An orange bird wearing a crown spun into view, flapping its wings. Heidi stood between her two flapping fire birds and pointed across the field "Totto Pipicchi ike, break a shield!"

The burning sparrow became a thin line of fire, shattering glass but this time the pieces paused mid-air, fusing back together while Kaido stretched out his arm. He presented the glowing green card "Shield Trigger Great Blessing! Now my three fallen creatures are added to my mana zone!"

A swirling portal of green light opened overhead and Heidi stared with wary confusion.

"A nature spell that gives you a boost of three extra mana? How could I have never heard of a card like that?"

Kaido laughed before dipping the brim of his top-hat "because it's from the DM-20, stupid girlie."

What the hell is he talking about? On all of planet Aurellia, the latest release is DM-12… Sometimes rich guys get access to the newest set early, but the only way he could possibly have a DM-20 card was if…

"I came from another dimension." He drew, unusual emerald eyes sparkling. He added mana "I cast the spell Mana Nexus which lets me send a card from my mana to the shield zone!" Another blue panel reassembled so he had three again. That one's probably a shield trigger. "Then I summon another Burning Mane and Ahni, Assault Hero! With all this mana and cards in my hand you're doomed girlie, not that you ever stood a chance against me!" He started laughing pompously.

Heidi clenched her fists, eyebrow twittering in confusion – a nervous tick. She had four shields but much less mana than her opponent. He had three shields again and both his monsters were stronger than her two little fire birds. But the most disturbing part was…

"Ahni, Assault Hero…" she studied the red-armored humanoid, a 3000 power-attacker. "I know all the fire civilization humanoids that were ever released from Grandpa's game shop at home… maybe you could've hacked the duel stats system, but this is a Kaijudo duel. There's no way you hacked real magic…"

"This fellow is from the DM-27, if I recall correctly." Kaido stared up at him appreciatively.

Heidi stared at the unknown figure with intimidation. She couldn't prepare strategies against cards from the future! This strange guy's deck was packed with cards from sets that hadn't even been released yet!

"I'm not giving up… a hero doesn't quit!"

"Hero? A pipsqueak like you?" he laughed but something about his opponent's presence made him stop. Her hand was blazing with red energy again, she swiped for her deck. This energy was just like the fire civilization: it was all about power and being powerful, chaotically and overwhelmingly so. For a moment it almost seemed like her whole body was giving off that scarlet glow, and Kaido wondered if this girl could possibly, remotely ever be one of the prophesized chosen duelists that arose whenever dark forces began using the game's magic for evil. The awaited enemies of his masters.

Her five mana cards tapped and she slapped a card onto the field "I summon Astrocomet Dragon!"

A furious wave of red energy made the trees shake and Kaido reached up to keep his hat on. An enormous dragon in red armor rose up, fire in its serpentine mouth, stretching those enormous wings.

"An armored dragon…"

"Cocco Lupia reduces his cost while Totto Pipicchi makes him a speed attacker! Fire birds are the ultimate allies of the strongest race in the fire civilization! Astrocomet Dragon is a double-breaker and has 10,000 power while attacking!" From beside her dragon, towering above the surrounding trees, the two fire birds flapped their wings either side of him. Heidi pointed "You only have three shields! This game is over!" she reached down "Astrocomet Dragon ike!"

It reared its head and fired a jet of flames, Kaido's two creatures leapt aside and two shields protecting the suited man were incinerated. He cried out from the power, the grass before his table was singed and smoking. When the impressive attack was done the young girl didn't miss a beat "Cocco Lupia break his last shield!"

"It's a shield trigger!"

"I thought so…"

"Phantom Dragon's Flame!" a swirling skeletal fire-being flew out from the red glow emitted by Kaido's card "Destroy Totto Pipicchi!" it snapped its jaws over her fire sparrow and he cooked before exploding.

"Well that's saved you for a turn… I still have four shields!"

"Not for long… I have nine mana, and finally the opportunity to use the card I've been waiting for." Kaido's hand glowed red "You're better than I thought, kid, but you're no match for my cards! I tap all my mana and summon Bolshack Cross NEX!"

There was blinding red light and the being that emerged Heidi had never seen before. It looked like a dragon… but it also looked divine, gold and blue with wings and a halo of fire. It stood upright, taller than her Astrocomet Dragon.

Kaido dipped his head with amusement at her jaw-dropping "Since you like to prattle off the stats of your worthless cards how about I give you an introduction? Bolshack Cross NEX is a speed attacker in his own right, he normally has 12,000 power unless he's attacking, then it becomes 17,000." Heidi wasn't blinking as she stared up at the impossible creature, hearing how impossibly strong it was. "It's a triple breaker and as long as it's in play nobody can summon a creature that costs four or less."

"Billion-Degree Dragon and Bolgash Dragon are the only fire civilization cards that can break three shields in one attack… Bolshack what? Bolshack Dragon can't do that…"

"This is Bolshack Cross NEX," he stated "from the DM-34. Attacking this dimension turned out to be a good idea. You can't even fathom how the game has evolved from where I'm from. It's like taking candy from a baby…" he cackled and rubbed his gloved hands together. "Alright! Even with four shields I'm taking you down in one turn! Witness true power!" His eyes were hungry "Bolshack Cross NEX triple-break her shields!"

The god-monster raised its palm and spewed fire that blazed out everything. The three shields broke one at a time, no triggers. Heidi raised her head to see the grass before her table alight, her clothes and skin were glowing with heat.

"Ahni, Assault Hero break her last shield!" The red-armored human fired a bolt that caused her last defense to shatter "Now Burning Mane-!"

"Not so fast!" Heidi's furious red presence was back. Kaido couldn't believe it, in the face of superior cards this girl was still determined. Is she a chosen duelist after all?

"No one from this world can beat my Bolshack Cross NEX!"

"Tornado Flame! Wipe out his untapped creature!" A swirling storm of fire spun forth in a vortex, Kaido winced and held his wrist as the card flicked off the table before he could turn it. "And now," Heidi drew and started her turn, eying down her incredulous opponent. This is a Kaijudo duel… finishing him off with Astrocomet Dragon could seriously hurt this guy… I still don't know for sure that he's evil… "Cocco Lupia todomeda!"

The fire bird blazed with energy, flying forward and turning, getting past her enemy's monster and barging into the white-suited man. He cried out as he flew, tumbling backward. The creatures fizzled out.

I attacked him with a 1000 power creature, he's probably alright. Heidi quickly gathered her deck together. The tables faded out of existence. Kaido was scrambling to get his hat, winded and ruffled, his guards trying to help him up "Get off of me you morons!" he shoved them angrily "You got real lucky girlie, to even think a mediocre talent in this dimension could beat me!" He hung onto the shoulder of his guard for balance, clutching his ribs. She couldn't tell how injured he was from his furious tirade.

"So that means you don't wanna hire me?" she tilted her head.

The strange guy whipped away from her, storming off through the trees and his henchmen followed, one of them lagging back to gather his boss's fallen cards. Heidi watched them go.

"…dark gatekeepers, dimension travelling, duel masters cards from the future? Who are these guys?"

『AN: Why hello, FanFiction says we're not allowed to have author's notes, so what am I gonna do? Have author's notes. My friend on here acumashindorballomu has written incredible Duel Masters fics so I'm going to see if I can complete one that is half-decent. In these fun spaces after chapters I'm going to thank followers, reviewers or whatever else it is I want to do. This chapter turned out longer than I meant it to, and writing duels can be hard. I can tell why acumshindorballomu has them all written before even writing the chapters. Anyway, please read and review!』

。