Chapter 22: Psychic Revelations

The next day, Akiza saw Yusei off on his way to Satellite. Originally, she had wanted to go with him, but they felt it would be better if someone stayed to keep an eye on things in the city.

"Be careful, Yusei."

"I will. Don't worry, those Dark Signers won't know what hit them!"

Akiza smiled. It was rare to see Yusei as excited like this, and she liked it. With that, Yusei boarded a heliplane headed for Satellite. Akiza watched it take off and disappear over the horizon, hoping this would all be over soon.

Though she had a bad feeling it wouldn't be.

The next morning, she went out for a walk, trying to clear her head. As she rounded a corner, she saw a strange man approach her. He had long, green hair, with bangs that hid his eyes from view. He was dressed in a long white cloak, embedded with a strange green symbol.

"Who are you?"

"My name is not important, but yours is. Are you Akiza, the runner up of the Fortune Cup?"

"Why do you…"

"I'll take that as a yes. If you'll please stare into this for me…"

Before Akiza could say anything else, the man took out a Mesmeric Control card and placed it in his duel disk. The card image appeared in front of her, the hand swaying its pendulum hypnotically.

"You…you're a…a psychic…"

But Akiza couldn't say anymore, as the hypnotic movements put her into a deep sleep.

"Hey, what's the big idea? Let me out of here!"

When Akiza came to her senses, she heard someone shouting. Opening her eyes, she found herself on a duel field, a chain connected to her duel disk keeping her from fleeing. Looking over, she found Leo in a similar situation, with a strange device on his head that she could only assume was also on hers.

"Leo? What's going on?"

Leo ceased his shouting to turn to Akiza, equally as shocked to see her.

"Akiza? They got you too?"

"Ah, good, you're both awake."

Out of the shadows stepped a man in a green suit. His red hair covered one eye, and he had a suspicious smirk on his face.

"What's the big idea? I thought you were going to help us, not kidnap us!"

"But I am here to help, Leo. You see, your sister has a magnificent gift. And given that your her twin, I want to see if you have any special powers of your own."

The man then turned to Akiza.

"As for you, the one who got away. Akiza Izinski."

Akiza's eyes went wide. He knew who she was?

"Did you really think we wouldn't find you? When the daughter of a senator goes missing, that tends to turn up headlines. Sector Security may have given up, but I have spies everywhere. We've been keeping very close tabs on you Akiza, and we know you're exactly the kind of person we want on our side."

"Senator's daughter? Akiza, what is he talking about?"

Akiza ignored Leo's question. Instead, she took a brave step forward.

"Look, whatever you want with me, they have no part of it! Let them go and we can talk all you want!"

But the man just laughed.

"Come now, talk is cheap. I prefer actions, which is why all of us are going to duel!"

"Now hold on…"

But their duel disks sprung to life, forcing them into duel mode.

"I never said you had a choice in the matter, did I? If you win, you're free to go. But if I win, you'll both be here until I get everything I want from you!"

Akiza sighed. It appeared she didn't have a choice.

"Leo, I promise I'll explain everything later, but for right now I could use your help. Do you trust me?"

Luckily, Leo nodded.

"With my life!"

Akiza breathed a sigh of relief. At least there wouldn't be any drama between them.

"Here's how this duel will work: I'll have 8000 life points, while you two will share your own 8000 and field.

None of us can attack on our first turn. The turn order shall go Leo, Akiza, then me. Deal?"

"Sounds good to me!"

"Before we begin, who are you?"

The man chuckled.

"Forgive me, where are my manners? I am Sayer, head of the Arcadia Movement."

Arcadia! Akiza thought. That's where Misty's brother went! Does he know something?

DUEL!

Leo/Akiza: 8000

Sayer: 8000

"Get ready, because I'm about to school you! And to start, I'll summon my Morphtronic Radion (1000/900) in attack mode! But don't let his low attack points fool you, because as long as he's in attack mode all of my Morphtronics gain 800 attack points (1000-1800)! I'll set one card face down and end my turn."

"I'll start things off with Botanical Lion (1600-1900) in attack mode! Next, I'll set one card face down and end my turn."

Sayer silently drew his card, eyeing it for a moment before making his play.

"I summon Krebons (1200/400) in attack mode and end my turn with one card face down."

Akiza eyed the cybernetic jester suspiciously.

A weak level 2 monster in attack mode? Did he get a bad hand? Or is he planning something else?

"Come on, is that the best you can do? I summon Morphtronic Boomboxen (1200-2000/400) in attack mode! Morphtronic Boomboxen, attack Krebons!"

"Krebons's effect activates! By paying 800 life points, I can negate one attack on him!"

Sayer: 7200

"That's cool and all, but Boomboxen has an effect too! When he's in attack mode, he can attack twice per battle phase! Attack Krebons again!"

"Krebons, block!"

Sayer: 6400

"I hope you didn't forget about Radion, because I didn't!"

"Again!"

Sayer: 5600

"And we don't want Botanical Lion to feel left out!"

"The definition of insanity is doing the same thing again and again and expecting different results. Again, Krebons!"

Sayer: 4800

"I'll end my turn there. You know, that was pretty foolish paying all of those life points to save your monster. You gave us a huge lead, and now all Akiza has to do is summon another monster and you're good as dead!"

"I'll pass this turn."

Leo nearly fell to the floor in shock.

"What? But Akiza, we have him right where I want him!"

"Think, Leo! He spent all of those life points just to keep his monster on the field. Meaning either it has another effect we don't know about, or his face down is a trap waiting to be sprung. We have to be careful."

"How very perceptive of you, Miss Izinski. But that will only get you so far! I'll begin with the spell card Graceful Charity, giving me three new cards for the price of two. Next, I activate Emergency Teleport! This allows me to special summon a level 3 or lower Psychic from my hand or deck, but it'll be removed from play during the end phase. Come forth, Mind Protector (0/2200)! Now, my level 2 Krebons will tune with the level 3 Mind Protector to Synchro Summon! Come forth, Magical Android (2400/1700)! Next, I'll summon Psychic Snail (1900/1200) in attack mode and use his effect! By paying 800 life points, Magical Android can attack twice this battle phase.

Sayer: 4000

"Lastly, I'll equip her with Psychic Sword! This gives a Psychic type monster attack points equal to the difference between our life points when mine are lower (2400-6400)."

"Akiza, I'm scared."

"It'll be okay, Leo."

"No, it won't. Magical Android, destroy his Radion!"

The humanoid robot swung the huge sword, sending a slice of psychic energy out that cut Leo's monster clean in half.

Leo/Akiza: 3600

As their life points dropped, a huge electric current ran through the bodies of Leo and Akiza, making them scream as their bodies were racked with pain, collapsing to the ground from the strain.

"What…was that?"

"Come now, didn't I say this was a test? Every time your life points drop, you'll find the difference to be…quite shocking, to say the least."

"Yeah, well it's not so bad! Now that you have more life points than us, your Android's power bonus is gone (6400-2400)!"

"Maybe so, but so is your Boomboxen's (2000-1200). And thanks to Psychic Snail, my Magical Android can attack again! Destroy their Boombox!"

Leo/Akiza: 2400

Leo and Akiza screamed as the electricity hit them once more. Not willing to give in, they forced themself to keep standing.

"Leo, are you alright?"

"Just…peachy…"

"I've torture you enough for now, so I'll end my turn. And thanks to my Android's effect, I gain 600 life points for every Psychic monster I have on the field.

Sayer: 5200

Leo wearily drew his card, hoping for a miracle. Fortunately, his prayers were answered.

"Awesome! Akiza, mind if I borrow your Lion?"

"He's all yours!"

"Sweet! I summon the tuner monster Morphtronic Scopen (800/1400) in attack mode! Next, my level 3 Scopen with the level 4 Botanical Lion to Synchro Summon Power Tool Dragon (2300/2000)!"

"Impressive, but your 100 points short."

"I can do math, thank you! But Power Tool Dragon has an awesome effect! Once per turn, I can equip him with a random equip spell from my deck!"

A card popped out of Leo's deck, which he immediately grabbed and slammed into his duel disk.

"Alright, I got Megamorph! SInce our life points are lower than yours, his attack points are doubled (2300-4600)! Power Tool Dragon, attack Magical Android!"

Sayer shielded his eyes as Power Tool Dragon rammed Magical Android with his drill arm, shattering her into pixels.

Sayer: 3000

Akiza smiled, thankful that Leo recognized the smarter play.

"I'll end my turn with that! How do you like us, now!"

Sayer just growled furiously.

"FInish him off, Akiza!"

"With pleasure! Power Tool Dragon, attack Psychic Snail and end this duel!"

The mechanical dragon screeched, zooming towards the humanoid snail with the intention of destroying it…

Only for a robotic turtle to appear and take the hit, surprising Leo and Akiza. Sayer grinned, and took an Electromagnetic Turtle card out of his pocket.

"You didn't think it would be that easy, did you? By removing this card during your attack, I can end the battle phase."

Akiza sighed, not having any other plays.

"I end my turn."

"Don't worry Akiza, we'll beat him next turn and get out of here!"

"I'm afraid there won't be a next turn, Leo! This duel ends now!"

"Yeah, right! What can your slug do to our suped-up dragon?"

"Wait and see. First, I activate the continuous spell Psi-Station! Next, I summon Psychic Commander (1400/800), and activate my spell's effect! First, I'm required to pay 500 life points."

Sayer: 2500

"Now Psychic Commander gains 300 attack points and a level (1400-1700/3-4)! Now, my level 4 Psychic Commander tunes with my level 4 Psychic Snail to Synchro Summon your worst nightmare! Come forth, Thought Ruler Archfiend (2700/2300)!"

Akiza and Leo could only gasp in horror as the skeletal demon appeared, stretching his bony wings before giving a chilling laugh.

"S-So what? Power Tool is still stronger!"

"You're right, not that it matters! I activate Battle Teleportation! This trap allows my Thought Ruler to attack you directly! Finish them!"

The demonic Psychic vanished from view, only to appear right in front of them, opening its maw to unleash waves of purple energy.

"I activate Sakuretsu Armor! This will…"

"Do nothing! By paying 1000 life points, Thought Ruler negates and destroys any Spell or Trap that targets a Psychic monster!"

Sayer: 1500

Akiza could only watch in horror as the purple energy raced towards them, engulfing them as their life points hit zero and the electricity ran through their body once more.

Leo/Akiza: 0000

Akiza struggled to stay awake, but her body wouldn't let her. The last thing she heard before she slipped unconscious was the sound of footsteps approaching and Sayer's voice.

"Throw them in a holding cell, along with the girl. I have plans for them…"