Yu-Gi-Oh/RWBY Season 2 Chapter 12

Fly or Die

Tyrian suddenly found himself not dead, which, considering the last thing he remembered, was somewhat surprising. He looked up and saw a tall man in a white robe pointing a sword at him. "Tyrian Callows. You followed the darkness willingly. How would you like a second chance against the light?" Tyrian smiled. Weiss Schnee wouldn't know what hit her.

...

Ruby suddenly woke up with a start. What was that sound? She got up and noticed something out the window. As Ruby got closer, she gasped in terror. The city was in flames! Yang ran into her room in a hurry, but as soon as she saw that her sister was okay, she breathed a sigh of relief. "Contact the others." Ruby said. "Let's find out what's going on."

...

"This is Velvet Scarlatina, reporting live on the scene from our special news chopper. What appears to be a small army of turbo duelists has invaded the New Domino City Colosseum. It is currently uncertain who they are or why they are doing this, but we will be here to keep you at home informed. On that note, Security Director Neo Politan has declared a state of emergency, urging all citizens to stay away from the Colosseum and off the streets until further notice."

...

The signers ride out across the highways, joining up with Trudge. "What's going on?" Ruby asks. "You got me." Trudge replies. "These guys popped out of nowhere, attacking duelists involved in the WRGP. Since that includes you, I would normally advise you all to go back home, but I could use the help right now." "We're on it." Yang proclaims.

"I'd suggest fighting your way towards the leader over there." Trudge continues, pointing towards Placido, who is leading the front of the pack. "AHAHAHAHA! We've entered the survival round of this little battle royale! Anyone who lives, wins!" Several of the riders split off from him to pursue other duelists, seeming to obey his commands without him even giving them.

"Let's go." Ruby says as the rest of the team follows her. "We'll each have to take a few of them on at once. I'll try and take out the leader." "Good luck, Ruby!" Weiss says as she and Whitley lead a few of the riders away. Blake and Yang do the same for other riders, but there are still too many for Ruby to confront the leader. As she's contemplating how to break through, she hears an unfamiliar sound behind her. Ruby turns around and sees Coco racing up behind her with Chevalier De Fleur. "Hang on!" Coco warns as her monsters attacks and defeats many of the riders, revealing their robotic parts.

Just like that prototype robot I fought weeks ago, Ruby thought. Is this guy the one behind it all? "Ruby, hurry. More are coming, and I can't buy you any more time." Coco warns. "Take that bastard down for me." Ruby nods and races through the new opening to face the leader, who looks at Ruby with a knowing smile. "Ah, Ruby Rose. My name is Placido, and I've been waiting to fight you for a long time." As Placido says this, the other robots make way, so as not to interfere.

"Why are you doing this?" Ruby demands. "To cleanse this city and prevent disaster." Placido explains. "If you want any more than that, you'll have to beat me!" Ruby steels herself and activates her duel disk on her duel runner. "Placido, what do you think you're doing?" Jose contacts Placido through a mental link. "First I hear that you have stolen some of Lucciano's cards, and now you interrupt the WRGP? What are you up to?" "What you don't have the spine for!" Placido spits back. "And when I have Ruby Rose's head on a spike, we'll be doing all of this very differently." And we don't have to worry about the Majestic Dragon. I've taken care of that.

...

Weiss was attempting to join the others in facing off against the riders, but she was cut off by a face she shouldn't have been seeing. "Hello, Weiss." "Tyrian Callows. You're supposed to be dead." "Change of plans. Now it's time to cut you down to size, or maybe just cut you." Tyrian readied his duel disk with a sadistic laugh, and Weiss followed suit. She didn't know how he was alive, but that just meant she'd have to kill him again.

...

"Now, Ruby Rose," He shifts his attention to his opponent. "It's time we began. I draw! Then I summon Wise Core in defense position!" Ruby gasps, recognizing the monster, which earns a mocking laugh from Placido. "Yes. I was the one behind the hijacking of Ghost, and the one who took your precious Crescent Rose Dragon away. I think it's time I finished the job. I set a card and end my turn."

Despite her trepidation, Ruby steels herself. "I draw!" (Placido 0-1, Ruby 0-1) "I summon Thorn Lancer!" (Level 4/1700) "Thorn Lancer, attack Wise Core!" The knight attempts to pierce the robotic core, but Placido laughs dismissively. "Simplistic fool! Do you think you can get around my core's effect so easily? I activate Twin Vortex, destroying both of our monsters." Two bolts of lightning ride out, destroying the two monsters. "And you know what happens next, don't you? I summon Wisel Top," (Level 1/500) "Wisel Attack," (Level 1/1200) "Wisel Guard," (Level 1/1200) "Wisel Carrier," (Level 1/800) "and Machine Emperor Wisel Infinity!" (Level 1/0-2500)

...

As their duel progressed, Weiss couldn't believe what she was seeing. Tyrian somehow still had his Dark Signer powers, and had summoned a Dark Synchro monster that had seemed unbeatable. Luckily, she had powers of her own. She summoned the Majestic Dragon and began her play.

...

Ruby's eyes widen at the metallic monster, a fear that Placido is all too ready to exploit. "Run all you like, Ruby Rose, but Wisel will find you all the same!" Ruby tries to summon her courage again, but is less successful. "If you control a monster and I don't, I can summon Dryadic Destroyer." (Level 6/1800) "I set two cards and end my turn." "Pathetic. Now is the time to quake in fear! I draw!" (Placido 1-2, Ruby 1-2) "Wisel, destroy her destroyer!" Wisel slices the Dryad apart with its sword. "I set two cards and end my turn."

Ruby found herself wondering what she could do. Wisel could tear through her deck like tissue paper, and using her synchro monsters would only put her more at risk. "Ruby Rose." A familiar electronic voice echoed in Ruby's helmet. "Visor?" "I told you, if you continue as you are, you will never beat the Machine Emperors. You'll have to let go of this childish fear if you wish to achieve Clear Mind." Ruby looked over at her friends, still fighting the duel bots. She's right. My friends are still fighting despite the nearly impossible odds. I can't let them down!

"I draw!" (Placido 2-3, Ruby 2-3) "I summon Red Lotus!" (Level 4/1300) "I then activate its effect, summoning Crimson Thorn from my hand!" (Level 4/0) "I now tune my level 4 Crimson Thorn with my Level 3 Red Lotus! The bloom of evolution blazes forth. Grow and grow ever stronger! Synchro Summon! Crescent Rose Dragon!" (Level 7/2400) Placido displays a somewhat unshocking level of confidence. "Like an animal following its instincts, you can't help but use synchro monsters, even when you know it will lead to your destruction!"

Ruby ignores his taunting. "Crescent Rose, take out his Wisel Infinity with Petal Shot!" The dragon fires a shot from its tail, but the robot deflects it with a kick. "I activate my face-down, Divergence! Since one of my machine-type monster was targeted by your attack or effect, I can redirect the target to another machine I control. I choose Wisel Carrier, since it can't be destroyed by card effects." "Then I activate my own face-down, Synchro Spare! Since I just synchro summoned this turn, I can banish a tuner from my graveyard to summon another from my hand or deck with the same or lower level. I summon Ouroboros Willow!" A black plant with two snakes eating each other's tails resting on its petals appears. (Level 3/100)

"I then use Ouroboros Willow's effect. Once per turn, I can break off one of its levels into a Willow token!" A petal from the plant breaks off. (Level 1/0) (Ouroboros Willow Level 3-2) "I now tune my level 1 Willow token with my Level 2 Ouroboros Willow! Jewel of my eye, soar into the unknown and provide the path of evolution! Synchro Summon! Appear, the tuner monster, Ruby Dragon!" A crystalline dragon appears. (Level 3/1300)

Placido realizes what Ruby is trying to do, and smirks. "I see. You're attempting to evolve into Accel Synchro, completely ignorant of the consequences of your arrogance. How very much like your mother." Ruby glares at him. "What did you say?" "Summer Rose was so wrapped up in what she could accomplish that she never stopped to think about the consequences of her actions, and the whole city paid for it. You're shaping up to be just like her. Even without your psychic powers, you would be a threat to everyone you love, and look how much worse you are with them, Black Rose Witch!"

"Shut up! You know nothing about her or me! I banish Dryadic Destroyer to power up Crescent Rose Dragon! Crescent Evolution!" (Crescent Rose Dragon 2400-4200) "Crescent Rose Dragon, attack Wisel Infinity! Red Rose Flare!" The dragon lets out a salvo of psychically enhanced might, but Wisel blocks with its shield. "Wisel Guard intercepts the attack." After the dust settles, Ruby realizes her blunder and admits she still can't achieve Clear Mind just yet. "I end my turn."

...

Weiss unleashes the power of Majestic Glass Dragon, taking down Tyrian for the second time. Her victory is short-lived, as she sees how bad the situation has gotten in her absence. Coco and the other signers keep fighting the riders, but for every 1 they take down, five more take their place. The night has only just begun, Weiss thinks to herself.

...

"I draw!" (Placido 3-4, Ruby 3-4) "Now, it's all over. Wisel, absorb her Crescent Rose and punish her for her arrogance!" The robot launches out several tendrils of energy, attempting to ensnare Crescent Rose. Ruby races away, keeping the tendrils at bay. "Stalling? How pathetic! You'll never win this way, Ruby Rose!" Ruby blocks him out and focuses herself again, reminding herself of what's important, what she's fighting for. Yang, Blake, Weiss, Whitley, everyone…

Red sparks of lightning start to crackle off of Ruby's duel runner as she picks up speed. Placido speeds up to try and stop it, but it's too late. Ruby disappears in a flash. From her perspective, Ruby finds herself in a world of pure energy, with a blank card right in front of her. She reaches out for it, but more of the red lightning appears, shocking her hand away. Undeterred, Ruby keeps reaching out, despite the pain, and eventually grabs the card.

"The next branch of evolution appears! Blaze forth, my greatest power! Accel Synchro! Be Born, Silver Eyes Rose Dragon!"

Ruby appears behind Placido with her new monster, a streamlined, faster version of Crescent Rose. (Level 10/3500) "Impossible. How?" Placido protests. "My psychic powers aren't a curse, they gave me the power I needed to summon my card. And my friends will always be by my side, no matter what, because they know I'll always do the same for them!" Ruby points behind herself, and Placido sees that all the duelists from the WRGP have rallied together with Security, and are driving his army back.

Placido groans in frustration. "Then I'll just tear those precious bonds of yours to shreds! I summon Skiel Attack!" The cannon of Skiel awkwardly attaches itself to Wisel. (Level 1/1000) (Machine Emperor Wisel Infinity 2500-3500) "I then activate my face-down Attack Upgrade! By tributing Skiel Attack, I can summon Skiel Attack 3!" The cannon reassembles itself into a more advanced form. (Level 3/1200) (Machine Emperor Wisel Infinity 3500-3700) "Wisel Infinity, destroy her Silver Eyes and show the folly of her evolution!"

The robot fires at Silver Eyes, but the dragon dodges so fast it shifts out of reality. "When Silver Eyes is targeted by your monster, I can banish it to negate that attack or effect." "...I end my turn." Placido begrudgingly acknowledges. As he does, Silver Eyes returns. "I draw! Ruby proudly declares. (Placido 4-5, Ruby 4-5) "I activate the effect of Silver Eyes, revealing the top 5 cards of my deck. For every tuner revealed, I can destroy one card on your field." Before Ruby does, the five marks of the dragon disappear from their owners and reappear on her back.

Ruby reveals Glow-Up Bulb, Power Seed, Copy Plant, Unlocked Mind, and Rose Synchron. "Rose Barrage!" 5 orbs of energy appear from Silver Eye's wings before flying off and destroying every last piece of Wisel and Skiel, as well as Divergence, leaving only Wisel Carrier, which destroys itself without the rest of Wisel. "The power of the Crimson Dragon again!" Placido whispers in awe. "You thought that by separating us, we couldn't help each other?" Ruby mocks. "Think again. I activate my face-down Crash Impact! When your monsters are destroyed by my monster's effect, my monster gains your monster's attack points!" (Silver Eyes Rose Dragon 3500-6400) "Silver Eyes, attack directly with Silver Burning!" The new dragon fires a stream of black and white energy that tears Placido apart. "Impossible! I am perfect! I can't be defeated by any human! Even one like you! Noooo!" (Placido 4000-0)

As he falls off his duel runner, Placido's body is torn apart, revealing his robotic parts. He was a robot as well? Ruby wondered as a bright light appeared from the sky, pulling in Placido, his cards, and his duel runner. As this happened, all the duel bots stop dead in their tracks. Above them all, the images of Jose and Lucciano appear on the horizon. "Congratulations on your victory, and apologies for our associate's behavior. He will not do that again, I assure you. Rest assured, the WRGP will continue as scheduled without delay." "Wait. Who are you?" Ruby demands, but the three disappear.

...

"Wow. Even with MY cards, you still lost." Lucciano taunts over the body of Placido, as various machines put him back together. As Jose approaches, Lucciano quickly backs off, knowing not to get in the way now that Jose's wrath has been incurred. "Jose, let me try again. Now that I know what she can do, I will win this time!" Jose quietly picks up a remote held by one of the machines and presses a button, causing agonizing pain to course through Placido's body. "Your reckless actions tonight nearly jeopardized our entire plan. You speak of destroying Ruby Rose before she can grow strong enough, but thanks to the pressure you gave her, she has evolved ahead of schedule. You're lucky they didn't discover the Grand Design or this would be a very different conversation." He presses the button again, relieving Placido of the pain. "On that note, while you were making a fool of yourself, our god rewarded me for my faith." He shows a notification of the third and final tablet falling to earth. "We will crush Ruby Rose and the rest of the signers, but in good time and as Zone has designed." Jose and Lucciano leave their associate to contemplate his failure.