AN: Hey everyone, I have the next chapter here. This one I thought was going to be a lot more duel focused than it really was. However, it does offer a lot of character moments, references, and backstory for our cast. As well as the big reveal as to what Blake's deck is here. Of the four RWBY members, I would make the argument that her deck is the strongest archetype between them. Some may say it is a little too on the nose, but it is also one of my favorite archetypes as well. Hope you enjoy this chapter, leave a review with your comments and questions, and have a nice day.
See Datasheet Chapter for cover art details.
Chapter 10 – The Black Shadow Rider Pt. 1
A couple of days later, the gang of eight duelists gathered in the empty Ra Yellow cafeteria during sunset. They sat at a round table with their scrolls displaying a map of the island. However, at the center of the table was a piece of paper with writing on it, "I found this on my dorm room door." Alexis said as she glanced at what was written on the paper.
I will take the remaining keys tonight. Starting with you. Meet me in the forest.
"Well, that's ominous." Yang commented before looking to Ruby and Jaden, "You think it's the one who tried to steal your keys?"
"It's hers." Atticus answered from them, "That's Blake's handwriting. But, it's a bit odd."
"Blake?" Chazz said before realizing something, "Do you mean Blake Belladonna?"
"Yeah, you know her?" Atticus responded with Chazz looking to Weiss.
"More the last name than the first," The heiress Obelisk Blue said as she crossed her arms, "Her parents are members of the Peace Core. They have been working with companies around the world to give jobs to unappreciated citizens." She said before sighing, "I remember overhearing a call with my father and her father over work conditions at my family's company. Needless to say, it was not a pleasant chat."
"Despite her parent's recognition, their daughter was barely ever mentioned in news articles." Chazz continued, "I just remembered the name because she was in one press photo, but she was standing in the shadows, so it was hard to see her face."
"She didn't want her family background to be used to judge her status in Duel Academy. Blake wanted her skills as a duelist to speak for her." Atticus responded, "Unlike most privileged students who come here and are immediately placed in Obelisk Blue, she wanted to have the entrance exam put her in Ra Yellow at the start of her semester." He said before sighing, "And that year; Adam, Blake, and Zane were known as the Guard Dogs of Duel Academy." He then ad a slight chuckle, "But, Blake hated that name, so people started calling the three of them The White Fang as a compromise."
"The White Fang!?" Bastion responded, "If I recall, that's how they referred to the three best students in the school. One for each of the three divisions the academy is broken into."
"So, Zane was for Obelisk Blue. Yeah, that makes sense." Jaden commented, "And if Blake was Ra Yellow, then this Adam guy was."
"The best Slifer Red student." Atticus responded with his momentary joy fading, "But he hated being put in such a low class upon arriving. So much that he took his anger out during duels against fellow students, landing him in hot water with the headmasters all the time." Alexis then looked to see a feeling of remorse in her brother's eyes, "Blake thought she could help him, but he just used her as another target." Suddenly, the rage returned to his eyes, "He kept caller her 'My Darling,' as if he owned her. It seriously was pissing me off how someone could treat a nice lady like that." His hands then gripped each other as his body trembled, "I knew I had to stop it, and I was going to speak with him during a class trip. But…"
"That class trip was the day you and the other students went missing." Alexis finished her brother's story, who was still trembling with regret.
"Look, I get why you feel sorry for this girl." Yang spoke to him, "But why is she helping that creep now as a Shadow Rider." She then looked back to Ruby, "Was she possessed like the others?"
"She didn't look possessed," Ruby responded, remembering the moment after she woke up, "She looked…scared." The hooded Slifer Red said as she felt her chest pounding, "Like she wanted to avoid fighting altogether."
"Well, her actions seem to be a bit contradictory right now." Weiss said as she looked at the note, "She wants a fight, and we're going to give it to her."
"Yeah," Jaden said with a smile, "I'll be fun to go up against the best of the best in each section."
"Jaden, you remember when you dueled Zane and lost." Alexis responded, "These two won't be any easier and will be played for higher stakes."
"I know," Jaden responded while smiling, giving a thumbs up with his right hand, "So, I'm going to make sure to give it my all." He said with Ruby having a slight smile. However, noticed his left hand under the table, trembling as he tried to hide it.
"If I had to guess, she wants to duel me thinking I still have three keys." Alexis said before looking to Ruby and Jaden, "But I gave them back to you a while ago." She said with them nodding, each taking out the key tied around their necks.
Alexis did the same, followed by Yang and Weiss, "We're got five keys left and three opponents remaining." Bastion commented, "By the end of today, let's hope those odd are still in our favor." He said as the group nodded. "Then, let's get going." The smart Ra Yellow said before standing up.
"You do realize you don't have to come along." Yang offered to Bastion, "Even without a key, it's still going to be dangerous." She said with him smirking, "But that's not gonna stop you, it is?" She said with a grin.
"I'm coming too," Chazz said looking to the nice Obelisk Blue, "There's no way I'm going to let anyone hurt M-" He was saying but paused himself.
"Hm?" Alexis turned to Chazz in confusion, "You say something?"
"N-no, nothing." Chazz responded, "Sorry, Alexis." He said with a feeling of remorse at his prior declarations, "Let's just go."
"I'm coming too-" Atticus said while he got up but fell back into his seat.
"Oh no, you see need rest," Alexis ordered with her hands on her hips. "Just stay safe at the infirmary. The Headmaster said he up security for you, just in case." She said with a look of worry in her brother's eye, leading to the nice Obelisk Blue to smile, "Don't worry, I can handle this." She said her brother smiling back.
Atticus watched everyone leave as he stayed behind. He waved goodbye with his smile remaining. However, after they were gone, he lowered his hand with his full of worry, "Please, be safe."
An hour later.
The sun had fully set as night shrouded over Duel Academy; a full moon now hung in the sky. Each member of the group held a flashlight to illuminate their path. Yang, Alexis, and Weiss were at the spearhead of the formation. Followed by Bastion and Chazz.
Lagging behind the group were Ruby and Jaden. The hooded Slifer Red looked to the flashlight in Jaden's right hand, his left hand trying to hide his shaking. Jaden then looked to her with a smile, "Brrr, it's really cold tonight."
"Y-yeah," Ruby responded before the two continued walking. However, Ruby stopped, "Jaden." The hooded Slifer Red said with him stopping. He looked back to see Ruby with a forced smile, holding her flashlight in her left hand, "I'm cold too." She said as her left hand was shaking.
"Ruby…" Jaden responded, his expression changing to sorrow.
"You know, I thought being heroes would be a lot more fun." Ruby said with a slight giggle, looking down at the ground, "But now, I'm so afraid of losing and letting everyone down." She said with her forced smile hurting, tears forming in her eyes, "Also, I'm afraid of losing more people I care about."
"More?" Jaden softly said before remembering the one Ruby lost before coming to Duel Academy, "Ruby, I feel the same way." He said with the hooded Slifer Red looking back to him, "But it's something that all heroes feel." The spunky Slifer Red responded, "I don't think heroes fight because they're fearless. They fight because, despite their fears, it's what they need to do to protect people. When they smile in the face of danger, it's not to hide their fear." Jaden said with a smile forming, "It's because the hero knows they are fighting to save the people they care for. And at the end of the day, that's what a hero does."
"But what if we all lose?" Ruby responded, "And the Shadow Riders unlock the Sacred Beasts and-"
Jaden cut her off, "Then we duel against the Sacred Beasts. They can't be that hard to beat." He said with Ruby looking dumbfounded, "If somebody told me a duel was unwinnable, it just means the opponent is a really really really tough duelist. But a duel is never unwinnable, unless you give up." He said as his smile grew as he talked with the hooded Slifer Red, "A hero doesn't give up against a bad guy, no matter how impossible the odds are."
"I…I…" Ruby said before giggling, a natural smile on her face forming, "You're right, A hero doesn't give up." She said while wiping the tears away from her face, "Jaden, thank you." She said with him smiling back.
The two then ran to catch up with the group, the blond Ra Yellow having a look of irritation, "Come on, where is she already?" Yang said as the group shined their flashlights.
Bastion heard a snapping noise from the high branches of the trees. In looking up, his eyes widened at the sight, "There!" he said with the group seeing the Black Shadow Rider standing on a large branch. Blake glared down at the group, her yellow eyes reflecting in the moonlight.
Weiss smirked as she looked up, "So, you finally decided to-" The heiress Obelisk Blue was saying until Blake ran, jumping from branch to branch, "Hey, get back here!" Weiss responded in anger before running after the Black Shadow Rider. The rest of the group followed as they watched Blake jump from tree to tree. Her body swung without making a noise as she landed on the next branch.
"What is she doing?" Yang asked the others, "Does she want to fight or run?" She said before Blake dove in a thick branch of leaves. The group shined their light on the last place they saw her, but no sign of the Black Shadow Rider remained. Suddenly, Yang heard a branch snapping to her right. Without needing to shine her light, the blond Ra Yellow saw Blake's eyes through the darkness of the tree. The Black Shadow Rider turned around and ran as Yang's eyes went red. She jumped off the path as she ran after her soon to be opponent, "You're not getting away!" Yang declared as Bastion and Chazz followed her.
However, Weiss had her eyes focused on the leaves. Suddenly, Blake jumped out and resumed her fleeing, "No way am letting you get away!" Weiss called out as she ran down the path.
"Huh?" Ruby said as she saw Yang and Weiss chasing after two different Blakes, "What's going on?"
Suddenly, Alexis heard a branch snapping to her left. She turned to see Blake glare at her from a different treetop. She jumped down to the ground before running away. Alexis gritted her teeth before running after the Black Shadow Rider.
"Another one?" Jaden commented, "Which one is the real one?"
"Doesn't matter, nobody should be alone out here with a Shadow Rider." Ruby responded, "I'll follow Alexis, you go after Weiss." She said with him nodding. Jaden ran down the path as Ruby ran through the trees.
Suddenly, a few seconds in her sprint, her heart pulsate with pain. The hooded Slifer Red had to stop, her breathing becoming too harsh and forsed. She fell to her knees with her left hand resting against a tree. However, Ruby gritted her teeth as she looked ahead, "I'm…not giving up!" She said before getting back on her feet, running through the forest.
On the other side of the path. Yang ran after Blake, "Will you slow down already!" She called out the Blake Shadow Rider, "How do you expect to duel me while running?" Suddenly, Blake stopped running. Yang caught her breath as she stood a few feet away from the Black Shadow Rider, "There, that's better." She said before readying her duel disk, "Now, Time to see who really is the best Ra Yellow." She said with a smirk as Chazz and Bastion caught up.
However, Blake did no turnaround. She remained motionless without speaking a word.
"…Uh, hello?" Yang said as Bastion and Chazz had a look of confusion as well. "You gonna face me or what?" She said with no response from the Black Shadow Rider. Suddenly, Yang's eyes turn red as she walked over to Blake, "Hey, turn around-" Yang said as she placed her left hand on Blake's right shoulder. However, the blond Ra Yellow's hand went right through The Black Shadow Rider's body, "Huh!?" Yang said in shock.
Suddenly, the three Ojama Brother spirits shot out of Chazz's deck, "AAAAAAHHHHHH, She's a ghost!" They screamed with Chazz covering his ears in pain.
Suddenly Bastion noticed a light coming from inside on the tree's trunks. He walked over to see an old model academy duel disk. "My word-" He said as he noticed the device was on. In turning it off, the image of Blake vanished before Yang's eyes. She turned back to Bastion for clarification, "She hacked the duel disk to make holograms of herself." He said as he looked at the other trees, noticing a few more with duel disk inside them, "We've been played."
"Why would she do this-" Yang said before realizing the size of their group had shrunk, "Where are Ruby and the others?" She said with Chazz and Bastion having a look of remorse on their faces. Suddenly, Yang's eyes flared red as she reeled back her right fist, "DAMN IT!" She said before punching a tree, the force almost knocking it down.
On the other side of the forest.
Alexis followed Blake into a large clearing. The area almost looked like a grassy field in the middle of the forest. Blake stood with her back to Alexis, who slowly caught her breath, "Well, are you done running?"
Suddenly, Blake turned around, "Yeah, I'm done running." The Black Shadow Rider said as she reached behind her back, pulling out what looked like a massive black cleaver. However, the edges were dull, and frame detailed with five indents, and a slot with a deck already loaded. She placed it on her left arm, the frame changing into that of a duel disk, "And I promise to make this quick." Alexis gritted her teeth as she readied her duel disk.
"Duel!" Both said at the same time, started the shadow game.
Blake: 4000 Life Points
Alexis: 4000 Life Points
"I'll go first." Blake said as she drew, taking three cards out of her hand, "I set one monster and two cards face down." She said with an emotionless scowl, "You're turn."
"Draw," Alexis said as she saw her result was a spell card, causing her to smile, "I play Polymerization, fusing my Blade Skater and Etoile Cyber to make Cyber Blader!" Like in her duel with the Criminal Shadow Rider, a vortex of red and purple merged two cards in hand, forming figure skater with long blue hair and a red visor, (2100 ATK / 800 DEF). "Cyber Blader, attack her face down monster!" Alexis declared as her monster dashed forward, cutting the set card in half.
Revealing itself was a humanoid blue cat in a white dancer's attire, an orange mask over its left eye, (1600 ATK / 1200 DEF). The monster then broke apart as Cyber Blader returned to Alexis' side of the field, "Lunalight Blue Cat's effect activities." Blake said as a card ejected from her deck, "I can special summon Lunalight Tiger in defense mode." She said as a small black and yellow feline appeared in a blocking stance on her side of the field, with one with the mask over its right eye, (1200 ATK / 800 DEF).
"Lunalight?" Alexis thought to herself, "I haven't heard of that archetype. I need to play it safe." She thought as she examined her hand, "I set one card and end my turn."
Blake drew, seeing the result was a spell card, "I activate Polymerization," She said with Alexis gasping, "I fuse my Lunalight Tiger on the field with my Lunalight Wolf in hand." The Black Shadow Rider said as the same spiral appeared, "To make Lunalight Cat Dancer!"
Appearing out the vortex was a woman jumping to the moonlight. She wore a tight deep blue dancer outfit, but her toes and shoulders up were exposed, revealing her pink skin. Hoops of light decorated her ankles and wrist, her hips swaying as she moved in the light. Teal garb acted like a dress around her waist. A large purple headdress accented the cat ears in her hair. Of which was a long reddish magenta that matched her twin cattails. While orange and purple masked covered her upper face, she smiled while dual-wielding daggers in each hand. In striking a pose against the moonlight shadow, Blake's monster meowed before landing, (2400 ATK / 2000 DEF).
"A fusion monster!" Alexis gasped, ready for the attack.
However, Blake was not done yet. "I activate Call of the Haunted, bring back Lunalight Blue Cat." She said as the blue feline reappeared, now in attack mode, (1600 ATK / 1200 DEF).
"Ha, you misplayed." Alexis commented, "While you control two monsters, Cyber Blader's attack points double!" She said as her monster glowed in a light blue aura. (2100 + 2100 = 4200 ATK).
"How ironic?" Blake said with Alexis having a look of confusion, "I activate Blue Cat's second effect. When she is special summon, another Lunalight monster I control has its original attack points doubled." Suddenly a blue aura faded from Blue Cat into Cat Dancer. (2400 + 2400 = 4800 ATK). "Next I activate Cat Dancer's effect. By tributing Blue Cat, the first time your monster would be destroyed by battle, it is not." The Black Shadow Rider said Blue Cat faded away, returning to the graveyard, "And more importantly, Lunalight Cat Dancer can attack all monster you control twice."
"What!?" Alexis said as there was only one monster on her opponent's side of the field, causing Cyber Blader's attack points to return to normal, (4200 - 2100 = 2100 ATK). "But, if all the damage does through,"
"I told you," Blake responded as she pointed, "I would make this quick." She said before Lunalight Cat Dancer lunged at Alexis monster.
"Not so fast, I activate Spirit Barrier!" Alexis said, revealing her face down. The yellow forcefield then emerged around her perimeter, "So long as I have a monster on the field, I take no-" Suddenly, the barrier shattered, "What?" Alexis said before noting that Blake activated her other trap card, "Trap Jammer!" Alexis read as her last defense broke.
Cyber Blader skated to battled Cat Dancer. However, the Lunalight smiled as she dodged a spin kick. In the opening, she stabbed Alexis' monster in the chest with the right-handed dagger. Alexis felt a pain in her chest as her life points sunk below half, but the battle was not over yet. Cat Dancer then twirled behind Cyber Blader, stabbing her in the back with the left-handed dagger. Cyber Blader fell to her knees in agony, as did Alexis. However, while her monster faded away, the nice Obelisk Blue fell face-first into the grass. Her eyes closed with the last thing she saw being the key fading away.
Alexis: 4000 – 2700 – 2700 = 0 Life Points
Blake sighed as she looked at her defeated opponent, "That's one." She said before hearing someone approaching from ahead. She looked to see Ruby entering the clearing. Blake readied her duel disk but then hesitated. She looked to see Ruby's face dripping with sweat, clenching her chest as she struggled to breathe, "Hey, are you ok-?"
"Alexis!" Ruby called before she started to run over. However, she tripped part way and fell into the grass. Blake gasped in panic as she saw Ruby clenching her left arm in agony, "I'm…so sorry… I couldn't…" Ruby said before coughing. Blake's eyes widened as blood came out of the hooded Slifer Red's mouth.
The Black Shadow Rider lowered her duel disk as she ran over to help. She adjusted Ruby's position, seeing her silver eyes losing their light, barely able to stay open "Oh no, she's going into shock! I have to-" Blake was saying until she noticed the key around the girl's neck. She knew there would not be a better opportunity to take it. In gritting her teeth, Blake reached out her hand.
In the center of the forest.
Weiss tossed the hacked duel disk against a tree. "How could I be so stupid!" she said before Jaden caught up with her, "She tricked us into splitting up." Suddenly, her scroll began to ring, causing her to answer it immediately, "Ruby, what hap-" Weiss was saying until she was cut off. Jaden could not hear what was going on, but he saw the rage fill the heiress Obelisk Blue's eyes. However, it quickly changed to worry as the one-sided conversation went on. After a few seconds, "…Okay…" Weiss said as the call ended.
"What happened?" Jaden asked.
"Alexis lost her duel to Blake." Weiss answered, looking down at her scroll, "And Ruby's having a heart attack."
"What!?" Jaden responded, "But, the doctors didn't say anything about her having-"
"Listen, she already called a medical team for Ruby and Alexis." Weiss said as she sent Jaden a text with coordinates on it, "Go there and make sure both of them are fine."
"Where are you going?" Jaden said before having a realization, "Weiss, who were you just talking to?"
"…" Weiss did not respond, just looked down at her scroll, "Just, go to Ruby. Make sure she'll be okay." She said before looking back to Jaden, "I can take care of the rest of this." She said before running off into the distance.
"Weiss!" Jaden called out but looked back at his scroll with the coordinates. His mind then went back to the conversation with the hooded Slifer Red. With his eyes shut and teeth girt, Jaden turned around and ran toward the direction of his friend.
A while later.
Weiss made her way to a far-off clearing in the forest, approaching a cliffside. In the center, she saw the Black Shadow Rider, who sat on a lone tree stump, reading a book. "You came alone, right?" Blake said without looking to her opponent.
"Yeah," Weiss responded, "Just like you said."
Blake closed the booked back jumping off the stump, "If I had to guess, the paramedics should have shown up by now." She responded as Weiss scowled, "Both girls should be in safe hands."
"Why?" Weiss asked, "Why would you call me about what happened."
A gust of wind passed between the two as Blake looked towards the full moon, "I don't like hurting people." She said before focusing on Weiss, "And I don't want anyone to die when I can help them."
"She wouldn't have been in harm's way if it wasn't for you Shadow Riders." Weiss retorted, "You may act heroic, but you're working for the wrong side. You say one thing but do the exact opposite. It makes you a hypocrite and fraud." The heiress Obelisk Blue said before readier her duel disk, "That also makes you a coward."
Blake glared as she readied her duel disk, "Even if I explained it to you," The Black Shadow Rider responded, "An Ice Queen like you could never understand someone like me." She said with Weiss scowling back.
"Let's just do this already," Weiss responded.
"Duel!" Both said at the same time, begin the shadow game.
Blake: 4000 Life Points
Weiss: 4000 Life Points
AN: There you go, Blake is here and not messing around. Alexis had a good showing last chapter but gets destroyed by Blake's Lunalight cards. Of which, I really liked that archetype in all fashions. It's art, it's playstyle, it's series character from the Arc-V anime, (Until the writing…). Overall, it made sense for Blake to have an OTK deck because her fighting style in the show. As well as something to connect her faunus traits would have been a nice plus to the theme. The other option was the Fur Hire, but I didn't like those designs as much. Ninja's were also mentioned before, but I just didn't like them as much as Lunalight. This also means next chapter started with a battle of fusions as Weiss takes on Blake. But who will win that clash? That is all for now, thanks for reading, and hope to see you in the next chapter.
Now, to answer some questions I could not respond to. Regarding Anime only cards, I will type to stay away from them as much as possible. A thing I like about most of the duels I make here is that they are believable. While having situational cards would make writing a LOT easier, I think they take away from the tension of the duel at times. With that, I also try to make the duels a close to the real card game as possible in terms of accuracy. Regarding Duel Spirit Day, I absolutely want to do something like that after this arc. Not only would it be a lot of fun, but I do like the idea of the rwby characters cosplaying Duel Monster, (if you have suggestion of that idea, let me know an I will keep them in mind). If you have more questions, feel free to ask and I will either answer them right away with a PM or respond in the next chapter.
