Breaking Boundaries
Shun grunted as he slowly came awake. There was a presence to his side, one he knew well.
"…Yuto?"
"Hm, you're finally back."
There was no missing the bitterness of his comrade's voice. Yuto wasn't happy – well, he was never happy, not anymore, but his mood was even fouler than usual.
"You messed up, Shun, and not just a little."
The green-haired man breathed. Having turned eighteen a few days before Heartland's invasion, Shun was legally adult. But physical and emotional maturity weren't the same.
"The Synchro user proved stronger than I thought." He hissed between his teeth. "Much stronger. I didn't expect his ace monster to have such a deadly effect. My Raidraptors were helpless before it. But then, his teammate used Synchro summoning to evolve his own ace…"
"I know." Yuto said grimly. "The entire city knows, Shun. Someone recorded your duel, tweaked it so the Synchro user's face wasn't shown and sent it to the news. Worse still, they recorded your conversation before the duel. Everyone knows you assaulted an LDS teacher. Leo Corporation is looking for you."
"That was the plan…"
"Not anymore."
Shun froze. Yuto's voice suffered no argument.
"You are going to lay low, Shun, and I do mean low. Fusion taught us stealth, and we are both going to be very sneaky. This city is officially hostile to us. So, we stay quiet. We watch. We wait until we know exactly how close LDS and Academia are. Then, we act. But not before. Am I clear?"
There was only one answer to that.
"Understood."
Sora, meanwhile, was sucking his favorite lollipop. He was watching the news broadcast the duel between Yuya, his lookalike Yugo and the Xyz loser with a satisfied smile. Of course, Leo Corporation had sent the footage to the news because, let's be honest, it was a great duel!
Nah, it was totally his doing.
Hey, it turned public opinion against the Xyz user while bolstering Yuya's popularity! Two birds in one stone! It was a great move, if he said so himself. After all, PR was an integral part of warfare, right?
The blue-haired boy giggled to himself, grinning like the cat who caught the canary. Messing with Xyz users, be they from Standard or their native Dimension, would never get old. The Synchro native was admittedly a different story. As the saying went, the enemy of your enemy is your friend, if only for now, and it helped that Yugo looked like he could be Yuya's twin. So, since he was Yuya's friend, Sora had helped him by protecting his anonymity. He owed him that much.
Twirling the lollipop stick between his fingers, the boy focused on his next project: teaching Yuya how to Fusion summon.
The next day was a perfectly ordinary day at You Show Duel School. At least, until shortly before the end. Yuya, Yuzu, Sora and Gongenzaka paused as the LDS trio entered. This time, however, Hokuto and Yaiba stayed behind as Masumi went directly to Yuya.
"I saw your duel with Professor Marco's aggressor." The girl told him. "Professor Marco is the one who taught me how to Fusion Summon. They still won't tell what that bastard did to him, but whatever it was, you avenged him by beating that guy."
"Ah, that's the man he was talking about." Yuya understood. "To be honest, I was looking for Yuzu by the docks when I saw Yugo about to fight that masked man. Yugo said he attacked someone from LDS, so I decided to help."
They had seen the news' broadcast of the duel. They were all wondering who had recorded it, but the redhead was silently grateful they had protected Yugo's anonymity. Masumi offered him a smile.
"In any case, I have a debt toward you. Since you used Synchro summoning during the duel, I thought I could thank you by teaching you Fusion Summon…"
A sharp snap made everyone turn to Sora. Slowly, his teeth grinding the remains of his lollipop, the blue-haired boy turned to Masumi and glared in a way that warned of cold, premeditated murder.
"There's only one person who's teaching Yuya Fusion Summoning and that's me. Back off."
Masumi took a step back. She wasn't the only one.
No one in You Show School, least of all Yuya, knew cute and fluffy little Sora could look so deadly.
Shuzou raised his hands and tried to calm the boy.
"Hey, easy here! If you have an argument solve it with a Duel! This is how we resolve conflict instead of murdering each other!"
Sora slowly nodded.
"You have my word that I won't kill her, Sensei, nor will she need the emergencies. But, if we duel, she may need a Blue Medicine or two after I'm done."
Yaiba hissed.
"Sheesh, why are you so protective? Masumi's the best in LDS's Fusion course. She's perfectly capable of teaching Yuya, and she owe him in the first place. What's the problem?"
Sora bit back a sharp retort. The girl may be LDS's best Fusion summoner but he was a Fusion native. If his very first friend was going to learn how to Fusion Summon, it would be from someone who knew the method. The real one.
The Solid Vision machine suddenly came alive. However, it wasn't a spinning wheel that appeared on the screen. Rather, it was a very simplified cowrie shell.
"Action Field: on."
"Field Spell – Heaven of Fire: engaged."
Everyone paused. Sora and Masumi shared a look.
"Just like last time. Alright, fine, duel settles it. Whoever wins teaches Yuya." The boy glared. "But it won't be you."
"We'll see." Masumi glared back.
The area was somewhere between a bank and a temple, chests loaded with riches lining the rooms as desks covered with scales, abacuses and paperwork stood in all offices. The wide windows showed a city of white stone and golden rooftops, soaring spires reaching for the sky as the sun shone brightly. There were two statues. One depicted a beautiful angelic woman holding a fan as she watched over a balance as tall as she was. On the right scale was a diamond. On the left scale was a teddy bear. The second statue depicted a masculine angel with multiple fiery horns on his head, but his navel had another face that was wearing a hood and some kind of crown.
The masculine statue came alive and the dominant head spoke.
"I am Nald, keeper of the realm of the living."
The navel-head spoke in turn.
"I am Thal, keeper of the realm of the dead."
The torso shifted and Thal was the dominant head, the crown becoming a halo of blue flames.
"Children, we shall be the judges of your skills."
Everyone shared a look. This time, they were going to do things the proper way.
Yaiba drew his bokken and swung it.
"Locked in a battle…"
Hokuto snapped his fingers as sparks danced around him.
"Duelists and their monsters are kicking against earth and dancing in the air!"
Shuzou raised his fist, burning with passion.
"They storm through this Field! Behold!"
Yuya and Yuzu joined hands and gave thumb-ups to Sora and Masumi.
"This is the newest and greatest evolution of Dueling! Action…"
Sora and Masumi faced each other on the field.
"Duel!"
A song began to play, jubilant and warm.
(Music: Endwalker – In the Balance)
Sora Shiun'in (Fluffal/Frightfur Beatdown): 4000 Life Points
Masumi Kotsu (Gem-Knight Assault): 4000 Life Points
"I'll take the first turn!" Sora snarled. "Let me show you what a real Fusion duelist is about! I use Polymerization using Edge Imp Sabres and Fluffal Bear! Edge of sharpness and fury of bear! When the two come together, you had better beware! I Fusion Summon! Here it comes, the most unbearable monster you've ever seen, Frightfur Bear!"
The two monsters mixed in a swirl, the scissor demon tearing and slicing through the stuffed bear to become a creepy-looking toy bear twice the boy's size. Masumi gave it a baffled look.
"How comes someone as cute as you got monsters that come straight from a nightmare?"
Sora wasn't done.
"Wouldn't you like to know? I use Fusion Recovery to recover Polymerization and Edge Imp Sabres, then use the Continuous Spell – Toy Vendor. By discarding a card, I draw another card. If it's a Fluffal monster, I can Special Summon it. Otherwise, I discard it."
He discarded Edge Imp Sabres and drew. The machine activated, releasing a sphere from which a cute stuffed lion appeared. Sora nodded.
"Jackpot! Come out, Fluffal Leo!"
The stuffed lion jumped next to Frightfur Bear. The boy crossed his arms.
"Turn end. Try to make this entertaining."
The balance tilted toward the teddy bear. Masumi huffed.
"I will make you eat those words. My turn! Since you showed me your Fusion, allow me to return the favor. I use Polymerization using Gem-Knight Lapis and Gem-Knight Lazuli! The blue and green stones that hide mysterious power, become a new colossus of light! Fusion Summon! Shine, Gem-Knight Zirconia!"
Sora paused at the size of the massive knight that towered over Frightfur Bear and Fluffal Leo. It didn't help that the balance began tipping toward the diamond.
"I use Lazuli's effect to return a Normal monster from the Graveyard to my hand." Masumi frowned. "Now, Zirconia, attack Fluffal Leo! Prismatic Pylon!"
Sora bolted away. As he ran through the corridors, Leo roared at him from an office. It was in one of the chests that the boy found an Action card. After quick consideration, he decided to use it.
"Action Spell activate: Life's Price! By paying 1000 Life Points, I cancel Zirconia's attack!"
Fire burned through his veins as a wall of golden flames blocked Zirconia's blow, shielding Leo.
Sora: 4000 – 3000
At the same time, Nald'thal spoke.
"All things have a price, especially life. Is preserving it worth the cost? Or is the price to pay too high? One must always weight the risks and the rewards. So, tell us, child: was your life worth your monster?"
"I'd have paid a steeper price if I let Leo be destroyed." Sora answered. "Better 1000 Life Points to keep Leo alive than 1300 Life Points and losing it."
The deity chuckled but didn't speak. The balance tilted toward the teddy bear. Masumi huffed.
"Fine. I Set a card face-down and end my turn. You go."
"Yeah." The burning sensation was gone. "My turn! Draw! And this is why I protected Fluffal Leo. I use the Spell – Frightfur Fusion by banishing Fluffal Leo on my field and Edge Imp Sabres in my Graveyard! Claws of the demon and fanged beast! When you two come together, your heart will skip a beat! I Fusion Summon! Hold on to your pirate hat, 'cause you're about to face a seafarer's worst nightmare! It's Frightfur Kraken!"
The big purple toy kraken with blades at the tentacles' end looked slightly out of place in the temple-bank. Sora wasn't done.
"Next, I discard Polymerization to activate Toy Vendor's effect. What did he say, already? Risk and reward? And my reward is… yes. I Special Summon Fluffal Owl!"
The toy owl looked adorable. Frightfur Bear and Kraken were proof that it could stop being cute really fast, much like Sora himself.
"Fluffal Owl's effect lets me add a new Polymerization from my Deck to my hand. Next… Kraken's effect: it destroys Zirconia, but cannot attack you directly. Not that it matters. That's what Owl and Bear are for. Kraken?"
The scary toy summarily hacked Zirconia apart. Sadly, Masumi was prepared.
"Trap activate: Brilliant Spark! Take Zirconia's ATK as damage!"
Rather than crumbling, Zirconia suddenly exploded. The blast sent Sora flying all the way back to the main room.
Sora: 3000 – 100
Fluffal Owl caught him before he could crash. Still, the boy was groggy. He turned to the Traders.
"Risk… and reward… uh?"
"People always calculate risks. Some are worse at math than others."
"Still worth it. I'd be dead without that Action Spell."
Masumi strolled toward her opponent.
"Now, who's gonna need a Blue Medicine, brat?"
Sora glared.
"I'm not done with my turn, and the answer will be both of us. Owl, Bear, she's wide open! All-out attack!"
Frightfur Bear sent the girl flying before she could find an Action card. Fluffal Owl flew to her face and harassed her with her wings.
Masumi: 4000 – 800
"Turn end." Sora grunted. "I'll give it to you, you can hit hard when you want. But I'm still better than you."
And, indeed, the balance was tilting toward the teddy bear. Masumi huffed.
"Diamonds don't break so easily. Do you know how they're made? By applying volcanic pressure to carbon. I am no different. My turn! Draw! And I use Gem-Knight Fusion using Gem-Knight Lapis and Gem-Knight Tourmaline! Gem of blue and gem of lightning! Meld your might to make your light blinding bright! Fusion Summon! Say hello to Gem-Knight Topaz!"
The orange bejeweled knight appeared in a flash of light. At first, it didn't look like much. Sora refused to be fooled. He couldn't afford it when he was at 100 Life Points.
"Attack!" Masumi ordered. "Topaz, go after Fluffal Owl! Lightning…"
Sora ran. Fluffal Owl guided him to one of the rooms where an Action card laid atop a thick dossier. The boy paused at its effect.
"…Are you sure?"
Owl nodded and nudged him. The boy scratched it.
"As you wish. Action Spell activate: Blood Price! I send Fluffal Owl to the Graveyard and gain its highest stat in Life Points. Since they're both 1000…"
Fluffal Owl burned into golden flames that washed over Sora; This time, it felt pleasantly warm.
Sora: 100 – 1100
Nald'thal nodded.
"Few sacrifices are more honorable than a life for a life. Fewer still are the people willing to pay it. Your teammate cares for you, child. Make it count."
"I will." Sora promised.
Topaz, deprived of a target, stopped its attack. Masumi frowned.
"What will you do, now?" The boy taunted. "Bear and Kraken are both stronger than your partner and you have neither Spell nor Trap. You're stuck."
"You're right on every account but one." Was her retort.
And she dived in an office. Indeed, an Action card was lying on a scale. The girl hesitated when she read its effect.
"What do you think?" She asked Tourmaline. "Worth the risk?"
The Gem-Knight took the card and considered. Sora let them, watching from the room's entrance. Eventually, the Gem-Knight nodded. Masumi breathed.
"Risk and reward… Let's hope I don't screw up the math. Action Spell activate: Death's Price! I pay Life Points to increase Tourmaline's ATK by that number, and that number is 500!"
As blue flames engulfed Masumi and jumped to Tourmaline, the Gem-Knight's AK jumped from 1800 to 2300, enough to beat both Bear and Kraken.
Masumi: 800 – 300
Nald'thal nodded.
"To take a life can often be as costly as saving one. But, be it life or be it death, both come with a cost. Sometimes, taking a life can be as vital as saving one."
Sora frowned.
"Even if you beat Bear or Kraken, I'll still have 1000 Life Points left. Owl's sacrifice was worth it. Next turn, you're done for."
"There won't be a next turn." Masumi retorted. "Topaz, destroy Kraken and avenge Zirconia!"
Lightning jumped from the Gem-Knight's hands and fried the toy octopus. Yaiba licked his lips.
"Great. Now, I'm hungry for tempura."
"If I win, it's on me!" Masumi called.
"What makes you think you'll win?" Sora retorted.
Sora: 1100 – 1000
"This." The girl explained. "Topaz's effect: when he destroys a monster and sends it to the Graveyard, he inflicts you damage equal to its ATK. Kraken's ATK is 2200."
The boy blanched.
"Okay, I see where you're going."
And he ran away. Masumi chased him. By the time, she cornered her opponent, he had found an Action card. And, given his look, he was determined to use it.
"Action Spell: Life for Death." Sora glared. "If I receive effect damage, you receive the same amount. I told you: you aren't going to win."
"Neither are you!" Masumi retorted as Topaz's lightning filled the entire temple-bank.
Nald'thal spoke.
"Life for death. When death becomes a certainty and there is no way to escape, it costs nothing to try and drag your killer along. Sometimes, the attempt succeeds. Beware a soul with not even their own life to lose."
Sora: 1000 – 0
Masumi: 300 – 0
It's a tie!
(End music)
The area emptied. Sora and Masumi were both unconscious on the ground. Hokuto raised a brow.
"Guess they both need a few Blue Medicines, now."
Everyone agreed. The pair returned to consciousness as everyone gathered around them.
"Are you alright?"
"That… actually hurt." Sora admitted and turned to Masumi. "For a Fusion user, you're pretty good."
"So are you." Masumi acknowledged. "If anything, you're tenacious. Still, we tied. One more round, or…"
Yuya took a coin. The pair considered.
"Fair. If skills can't decide, let's leave it to luck."
Sora chose head. Masumi chose tail. Yuya flipped the coin. He got head. The boy cheered.
"Yay! I'm doing it!"
Masumi gracefully accepted her loss.
"Alright, you win." She turned to Yuya. "But I still owe you. If you need help for something, give me a call."
"I'll remember it." Yuya promised.
Shuzou breathed.
"Stake aside, it was a very instructive duel. Since every Action card came with a cost, you had to consider the risks of using them while managing your Life Points to make sure you could pay that cost."
"What was true for the duel remains true in life as well." Nald'thal's voice echoed. "Just as our actions have consequence, it is important to be able to assess a situation and calculate risk and reward. Will one venture prove profitable? Is it a fool's errand? In the end, what is the most important? Life, or death? The answer is that which weights heaviest in your heart's balance. But the way the scales tip is something only you know."
Everyone paused. Sora, especially, became thoughtful as the words struck a chord.
Which weighted heaviest in his heart? What mattered the most to him?
Before, the answer would have been Academia and his mission. Now, after his time at Yuya's side, learning at You Show School? He still wanted to answer Academia, but the thought of getting his newfound friends hurt made him flinch.
Shaking his head, the boy put his thoughts aside. He had won the right to teach Yuya Fusion Summoning, and he was going to do it right. Then, he was going to grab a candy bag and watch his best friend crush his opponents with Fusion monsters. Fun times were ahead, and he intended to savor them.
Yes, savor the peace before war finally comes knocking. Hopefully, he could convince the Professor to spare You Show's people – if he couldn't convince them to join in the first place. You Show joining Academia would be optimal.
On an unrelated note, he was curious to know what Yugo was up to… and why he looked so much like Yuya.
In a different part of Maiami City, in a quiet hotel room, Yugo looked at his handiwork. It was a beautiful shrug, woven from sylph silk and dyed emerald green, with bright red gauze underneath that was just see-through enough to be artful without being indecent. It wasn't complete, however. He would need jewelry to decorate it, but goldsmithing was more Rin's expertise than his.
At the blonde's side was the rest of the outfit. The tight-fitting pants were the same red as the gauze, with a veil of emerald gauze. His first idea had been a flowing palazzo style but, after considering the acrobatics his counterpart would perform, Yugo had opted for a cut that wouldn't hamper his movement. The sandals were made of an extremely flexible sole, with the straps woven from sylph silk dyed gold. Finally, the veil was made of gold-dyed gauze. Each piece needed additional jewelry before they were complete.
Yugo wasn't a Weaver just because it was a way to honor Nymeia. Being a mage, it also let him craft his own gear. In fact, everything he wore was mostly hand-made, and his friends were grateful to have someone on hand who could patch their clothes.
His amulet warmed. The teen smiled, left his work and closed the curtains. He had done all he could. The rest was up to Rin. Holding the pendant, he spoke the words he had heard so often.
"Let expanse contract, eon become instant! My friends beyond the Rift, hear my voice!"
The room changed around him, space becoming a blue emptiness filled with crystals and stars. Before him, their silhouettes made translucent by the distance, Jonathan, Rin and Crow watched him and smiled. Rin was the first to speak.
"All done. The jewelry you requested is there."
She handed him a bag. Azem's Crystal shone in harmony with his amulet as the bag crossed time and distance to materialize in Yugo's hands.
"Great! Thanks, Rin."
"I hope your counterpart likes it." Jonathan smiled. "From what you said, he is a kind soul. I'm looking forward to meeting him in person."
"Me too." Yugo admitted. "I can't wait to introduce you. You'll get along like peas in a pod. In the meantime, I hope he likes the clothes. I based them on Thavnairian fashion, since it's the birthplace of Dancers. I'm sure he'll make a great one."
Crow hummed.
"Are you sure about it?"
"Certain. Yuya's a performer and a very nice guy. Dancer's the Job for him. That aside, how are you?"
"Fine, thanks." Jonathan nodded. "Business is the same. Y'shtola is still in the First Shard, Urianger has gone back to the moon, the Twins are finalizing things in Garlemald while G'raha and Krile are working with the Students of Baldesion to salvage what they can of Unsundered Etheirys. Thaliak is a great help. Estinien spends his time between Ishgard and Razd-at-Han and no one knows what Thancred is doing. As for Rydia, she's back in the Thirteenth Shard. Keeping a semblance of order in this place is anything but easy, especially with Golbez gone."
Yugo nodded. As he thought. He turned to Crow.
"Any newcomer from the Four Dimensions? And how's Ruri, by the way?"
"Ruri's doing fine." The Dark Knight reassured. "She and Rin get along, and she's even begun training as a Sage. She's concerned about her people and, since we got refugees from Heartland recently, it seems her concern's justified. We're giving the refugees all the help we can provide, and the Alliance has been informed of the situation so, if Academia shows up, they're ready to interfere."
He paused. Yugo frowned.
"Something wrong?"
"Some refugees brought carded people with them." Crow said darkly. "It required a significant amount of power to free them, but we were successful. Everyone agrees death is preferable. So, if Academia shows up? We kill them. Permanently."
The blonde mournfully closed his eyes. Death was more permanent than carding but, given carded people suffered in their prison, a quick death was more merciful.
"I understand. You reap what you sow."
"And what Academia sowed was war. Well, if they poke their nose around Etheirys, they will have a taste of our brand of warfare. Also, Ruri is worried about Yuto and her brother. Any new? She mentioned a letter."
Yugo winced.
"Well, about that…"