Yu-gi-oh/RWBY Chapter 17
Glory to Arcadia
Ruby was incredibly happy to see both Weiss and Whitley again. As soon as she saw Weiss upon entering the room, she ran up and hugged her. "Weiss! It's so good to see you again!" Roman's entrance was far quieter in response. He gave a gentlemanly bow and said "A pleasure to meet you, Ms Schnee. My name is Roman Torchwick, leader of the Arcadia movement. I believe you have already met Ruby Rose." Weiss struggled out of the hug for air. "We've met. Pleasure to meet you."
After they had introduced themselves, including Yanagi and Tanner, who came along to protect the Schnee siblings, they sat down at the table and began eating. Yanagi and Tanner stuffed their faces, having never seen so much food before, or such high quality food. Weiss and Whitley were more refined in their eating, using table manners that made even Roman feel uncouth in comparison. Ruby was about in the middle of the extremes, remembering to keep her arms off the table and not eating like a pig, but she still had trouble knowing which fork was which or what knife to use.
Once everyone had their fill, Roman asked "So I imagine you didn't come here just to eat our food." Weiss finished using her napkin and answered "Yes. We were hoping to ask you for your help in the battle against whatever it was We saw in that vision during Ruby's duel with Yang." Roman raised his glass to his mouth. "Ah, yes, Ruby told me about that. I'm not sure what all of it means, but I'm certain that Cinder Fall has something to do with it." He took a sip, then set his glass down. "I do believe that combining our forces is the correct strategy." Ruby smiles at this, happy that those two are getting along.
This makes it a surprise when she sees Roman look at his watch and say "Ah, something just came up, though. Ruby, would you come with me for a second?" They both got up from the table and left the room. When Roman just stopped at the door, Ruby was further surprised. "What are you doing? What's going on?" Her answer would have to wait, as she heard a hissing sound come from the room they just left. Ruby attempts to open the door to investigate, but Roman gets in her way to stop her. She looks at him, befuddled at his unexpected change of character.
After a few minutes pass, Roman opens the door, revealing that the four visitors were unconscious. Ruby rushed to them, attempting to wake them up. As she does, she turns to Roman. "What's wrong with them?" A thought occurs to her. "What did you do?" Roman places a hand on her shoulder. "What needed to be done. For all psychics." Several members of Arcadia walk in and start picking up the unconscious bodies, carrying them away. Ruby couldn't look away, but kept trying to assure herself that Roman was right. This was what was best for Arcadia.
Whitley woke up in a strange room that reminded him of one of those tennis courts he practiced on in his spare time. There were several white markings on the floor, corresponding to the field of Duel Monsters. Roman Torchwick was standing on the other side, his own duel disk ready. Whitley noticed that he had a duel disk on his own arm, complete with his personal deck that he brought with him just in case. He felt a strange weight on his head and raised his arm to inspect. Some odd helmet was strapped to his head, with two spikes sticking out from either side. The last detail Whitley noticed on his person was a chain keeping him to a spot on the floor.
He got up and looked over at Roman. "I admit I'm unfamiliar with the customs of Arcadia, but this all seems like a bad joke. What is the meaning of this? Where's Weiss?" Roman chuckled. As if this boy could tell him what to do. "I meant what I said about combining our strengths. But it will be on my terms. As for Weiss, she's perfectly fine." He gestures up and to the side, and Whitley looks in that direction. He spots a window showing Weiss, banging her hands against the glass and shouting.
Weiss, realizing that Whitley couldn't hear her, turned to Ruby. "Tell Roman to let us go, now!" Ruby had her arms up, trying to calm Weiss. "Please, if you both just cooperate, this will all go over a lot smoother." Weiss marched towards Ruby, which caused Ruby to walk backwards in panic. "We asked for your help, and this is how you answer? Gassing us? Putting Whitley in some Saw ripoff? What is wrong with you?" "This is a chance to see how strong Whitley is. It's for his own good!" Weiss shook her head in surprise. "What are you talking about?" Ruby answered "There's a chance he could be a psychic duelist like me and Roman. Then, he can be taught how to train and strengthen his powers. That will help in the fight that's coming!"
Weiss walked back and faced the window. "Are you trying to convince me of that, or yourself?" Ruby had no idea how to respond to that. She went to the window as well to watch. Weiss continued. "So that means that if Whitley isn't a psychic duelist, you'll let us go?" Ruby crossed her arms and scratched the side of her head. "Well, he might be let go. I'm not sure about you." "What?" Weiss objected. "Roman has had his eyes on you for a while, what with your ability to see spirits." "I do not see spirits!" Weiss reflexively said, but as she said it, her own mind began to doubt. After her duel with the professor, there were some things she couldn't explain.
"Whether she continues to be fine is up to you, Mr Whitley." Roman lowered his arm and readies his duel disk. "And how you do in this duel." Whitley readied his own duel disk, deciding that if it's a fight Roman wants, it's a fight he'll get. "I'll go first. I draw!" Roman says. "I summon Krebons in attack mode!" A futuristic jester appears, juggling several glowing shapes (level 2/1200). "I set a card and end my turn."
Whitley draws a card without a word. He didn't want to give Roman the satisfaction. "I summon the tuner monster White Pawn!" A white pawn appears, as though from a giant chess board (Level 1/100). Roman laughs dismissively. "Seriously? What good will that little thing do?" Whitley smirks. "Many, when starting chess for the first time, dismiss the pawn as nothing more than something in the way for the bigger, flashier pieces behind it. But any expert will tell you that pawns are the basis of any great chess strategy. For instance, I can now summon White Knight from my hand!" A porcelain statue of a knight riding on a horse appears (Level 3/1700).
"I then tune my level 3 White Knight with my level 1 White Pawn! O little foot soldier, grant your power to the noble knight and advance against all opponents! Synchro Summon! Appear, White Knight's Advance!" A larger knight appears, this one surrounded by three pawns (Level 4/1900). "With White Knight's Advance, I can summon one of my chess pieces from my hand each turn. So I'll summon White Bishop!" Another porcelain statue, this time of a priest in fine robes, with his hands outstretched in prayer (Level 4/1400).
"White Bishop, attack Krebons!" A white energy ball appears in the statue's hands, and flies towards the jester. "I activate Krebon's effect! By paying 800 life points, I can negate the attack." (Roman 4000-3200). The shapes gather together and form a barrier, blocking the white ball. "Then I'll attack with White Knight's Advance!" The knight readies his lance and charges towards Krebons, with the pawns following closely. "I use Krebon's effect again!" (Roman 3200-2400). Another barrier blocks the knight, and the pawns are knocked aside. Whitley felt a touch of arrogance in himself. "You can't stop me forever. I set a card and end my turn."
Unbeknownst to Whitley, a small charge leapt from one of the spikes on his helmet to the other. Roman did not fail to notice this, however. Perhaps he does have potential, he thought as he drew his next card.But a little more pressure couldn't hurt."I summon Psychic Snail!" A large thing like a centaur but with a shell where the horse part should be crawled forward (Level 4/1900). "I'll then use Psychic Snail's ability! By paying 300 life points, Psychic Snail can give its attack to Krebons." An electric charge gathered around the snail before leaping into Krebons (Roman 2400-1600). "I then equip Krebons with Psychic Sword!" An energy blade appears in Krebon's hands. "While my life points are lower than yours, my Krebons gains the difference as attack points, up to 2000." (Krebons 1200-3200).
"Krebons, destroy White Knight's Advance!" The jester danced forward and sliced the knight into pieces. (Whitley 4000-2700). (Krebons 3200-2300). "Now attack White Bishop!" Krebons turns around and destroys the statue. (Whitley 2700-1800) (Krebons 2300-1400). Whitley, in response to both attacks, was shocked by the chain keeping him to the ground, causing him to scream in pain. Despite getting knocked to the ground by it, he managed to regain his strength. "Do you understand now, boy? This kind of dueling and the dueling you were used to are dimensions apart. You'll have to try a little harder if you want to save your sister."
Weiss glared at Ruby, who looked away. She hated those sorts of tests, but they were the push needed to help budding psychic duelists grow their powers to fruition. Still, Ruby could hear Yang in the back of her head, telling her that this was wrong and cruel. Ruby tried to push that voice down, not wanting it to be true.
Whitley got back up, his breath labored. "I activate my face-down, Pawn Swarm! When my White Pawn or a monster that mentions it is destroyed, I can summon 2 more pawn tokens." Two pawns appear, replacing the knight and the bishop (Level 1/100). Roman is impressed. Whitley seems to be reacting well to the testing conditions. Now it was time to see how he'd respond. "I end my turn. Go ahead, show me what you can do."
"I draw!" Whitley looked back up at his sister, hoping he would be strong enough to protect her. "I summon my second White Bishop!" (Level 4/1400). "I then use its effect. If I control a White Pawn, I can add a spell or trap that mentions White Pawn to my hand." He adds just the card he needs to his hand. "I then activate my spell, Piece Rebuild! This special summons a White Pawn or a monster that mentions it from my graveyard in defense position. I choose my second White Bishop!" Rubble appears, before reforming itself into the previous bishop. "I'll then use its effect to add a card as well." He adds another card.
"I tune my level 4 White Bishop with my level 1 White Pawn! O little foot soldier, aid the blessed one and cast down the heathens and heretics! Synchro Summon! Take the field, White Bishop's Flank!" A Bishop in a checkerboard pattern appears, with various pawns attending to him (Level 5/1600). "When White Bishop's Flank is summoned, I can choose for it to either be able to destroy attack position monsters or defense position monsters when it attacks them, but then it can't attack the other. I choose attack position monsters!" The pattern of the bishop's robes is changed to be all white.
"I then tune my second level 1 White Pawn with my other White Bishop for a second White Bishop's Flank!" Another bishop appears, with the same number of pawns attending. (Level 5/1600) "This time, I'll choose defense position monsters." The bishop's robes become black. "Now, my first White Bishop's Flank, attack Psychic Snail!" The bishop casts his hand forward, preparing an energy beam, and the pawns near it also charge up. The beam is released, destroying the snail. "I end my turn."
Roman was certain he felt a warmth from the beam, and he noticed some rubble on the ground and wall where the beam made contact. He was sure, now. Whitley was definitely psychic. The power was small, to be sure, but that would be grown with time. Or else. "Thank you for indulging me, Mr Schnee. I'm most pleased with these results." Whitley was thoroughly unamused. "But let me guess. You won't let us go." "I only said that your cooperation would ensure your sister's safety, and it surely has. But I promised nothing about your freedom. My efforts are far too important to simply let you go."
"It's time to end this little game. I draw! Since I control a psychic-type monster, I can summon Armored Axon Kicker without tribute!" A man in a green and purple power suit appears with several wires plugged into its back (Level 6/2200). "I tune my level 6 Armored Axon Kicker with my Level 2 Krebons! Surge my Black Mist of Vengeance! Synchro Summon! Come, Thought Ruler Archfiend!" A hulking black and orange monstrosity appears, its wings outstretched (Level 8/2700).
Whitley almost laughed at Roman's arrogance. "I bet you think that one will walk all over my defense-destroying White Bishop's Flank, don't you? Well, that's too bad. I activate my face-down, Zugzwang! Now, while I control a synchro monster that used White Pawn, not only can I choose it to be the attack target, but your monsters must attack! So go ahead, crash into my attack-destroying White Bishop's Flank and lose already!"
Roman admired the boy's anger. It would serve them both well. But it needed to be controlled, and that required discipline. "I activate my face-down, Battle Teleportation! Now, my Thought Ruler Archfiend can attack you directly!" The demon disappears before reappearing behind Whitley, and unleashes a psychic assault on him, which also triggers an electric shock from the chain, both causing Whitley to cry out in agony (Whitley 1800-0). Weiss glares at Ruby again before sitting down on a chair, deliberately making it so she couldn't look at Ruby. Ruby tried to put her hand on Weiss, but the girl shrugged her hand off. Ruby looked over at Roman. Please, Roman. Let this all be worth it. Show them that there's some purpose to all of this.