"The special match commemorating the eve of the Friendship Cup! It goes without saying that the winner is our Duel King, Jack Atlas!" Multiple pictures of Jack and the word WINNER in front of him appeared, causing multiple cheers to erupt from the audience.
Jack got off his now stationary d-wheel and looked at Yuto, who lying down on the ground.
"Jack's seriously strong…" Yugo trailed off, still in shock that Yuto was beaten. Snapping out of this thoughts, he suddenly realized Yuzu wasn't with him. He looked ahead of him to see Yuzu running down the stairs, who was calling out Yuto's name.
The downed Yuto was about to be put on a stretcher. However, he started to mutter something. "He was indirectly calling the bonds with my friends weak! We...have gone through so much...I am not about to let him make fun of us like that!" Yuto clenched his fist as he slowly rose to his feet.
He had tried to walk a few feet, his anger rising at Jack even further. However, eventually, he had collapsed. And everything went black.
The Next Day-Yuto's Quarters
When Yuto opened his eyes, he found himself back in his quarters. He looked around confused. "If I remember correctly, on the eve of the Friendship Cup, I was…" He remembered being beaten by Jack.
He looked down at himself and found him in the clothes he wore as a Resistance member. He got off the bed and walked towards the closed curtains. He opened them as a glaring light attacked his eyes, causing him to close his left eye. He realized where he was, somewhere he didn't recognize.
"Where am I?"
"You're awake." A voice spoke behind him.
Yuto jumped as he faced the owner of the voice, which was holograms of the Executive Council.
"I'm sorry. We did not plan to startle you." White Taki closed his eyes in an apologizing manner, slightly bowing his head forward.
"Holograms…" Yuto noted as he looked at all of the members.
"Correct. You can see us, and we can talk to you. Yet, you cannot touch, punch or hit us, as we are not actually here in person." Gael said with little to no emotion.
"The Friendship Cup's participants…" Gray started.
"Are our guest, and at the same time…" Followed Azul.
"Under our surveillance, isn't that correct, Chairman?" Boredaux finished as he asked for confirmation.
"Yes." White Taki affirmed. "This is a penthouse situated atop the Executive Council building. It's equipped with facilities akin to that of first-class hotels. Do you feel comfortable here?"
"I'm more concerned about where the rest of my comrades are. Shun, Ruri, and everyone else." Yuto told the Executive Council.
The Executive Council spoke in the order of Gael, Gray, Azul, and Boredaux.
"You need not to worry."
"Everyone is here."
"In the same building."
"Although they're in separate rooms."
"Everyone else is here? So Ruri and Shun…" Yuto let out a sigh of relief. He didn't want to be separated from his comrades again so soon.
"All 16 participants will live in this penthouse during the tournament." Gael stated.
"However, you can only stay if you keep winning." Gray added.
"If you lose, you are then disqualified immediately." Azul said.
"Since I lost to Jack, that means I'm disqualified from the tournament. No, that was an exhibition! So I'm still in, right?" Yuto questioned the council.
"Correct. The exhibition match are distinct from the official matches. If you lose in the exhibition but you are in the actual tournament, then you get a pass. And you will not be thrown out. Correct, Chairman?"
"Yes. Only losers in the Friendship Cup have to leave. That does not apply to you, so do not worry." White Taki assured Yuto with a kind smile.
"However, if you lose the next time…" Gael trailed off, bringing a negative tone to the conversation to imply that things would not be good, and Yuto would not get a pass.
"In any case, if you want to remain here…"
"Keep winning." Azul told Yuto.
"This is all we want to tell you."
"Now, since our business is done…" With that, the holograms disappeared.
"Wait! Ryoga and O'Brien…they're...not in the tournament…"
Yuya appeared next to Yuto. "If I remember correctly, Akaba Reiji had them stay with him. As for Yuzu and the others, if they are participating in the Friendship Cup, then they should be in the same building." Yuto nodded his head in response as he ran over to the door to his room. He tried opening the door, but the door seemed to be locked.
"I can't open the door!" Yuto tried again a few more times out of desparation, but to no avail. "Hey, somebody! Is anyone there?! If there is someone out there answer me!" Outside the door, was the same person who escorted Yuto to the grounds, he had a depressed look on his face.
Meanwhile-With the Executive Council
"I am sorry to say that you will have to be moved there as well." White Taki apologized.
"Chief Roget of the Security Bureau seems to regard you with hostility." Gray said.
"We don't know hen Security will attack if it's an average hotel." Azul spoke.
"This is an order to ensure your safety. Correct, Chairman?"
"Yes. You may feel a little restricted, but please conduct yourselves freely in this building."
"Thank you for your concern. We will have no complaints about living in the same lodging as the other Duelists." Reiji answered calmly.
With Yuto
Yuto laid down on his bed, having a weird feeling in his chest. He quickly jumped out of bed after feeling something. He looked behind him to see him Deck on a table. It was emitting a white light...or was it vibrating?
Meanwhile, Yugo was saying something about how great the rooms and the bed were. He was too engrossed in it that he didn't notice his Deck doing the same thing.
Yuto had two Cards in his Hand. Yuya's Odd Eyes and his own Dark Rebellion.
"Thinking back, our two dragons were calling out to each other when we Dueled. I think they are doing it right now. It could be calling out to Yugo's dragon. My Odd Eyes was calling out to Clear Wing." Yuya said.
"Yeah. If Yugo is here, than Yuzu is nearby also." Yuto deduced as he started to pace around the room.
With Yuzu, her bracelet was shining even more. "Are Yugo and Yuto even closer now than in the evening?"
Yuto punched the door as hard as he could. His fist stung, but he paid no heed to the pain.
"Jack set Reject Reborn on his first turn. After that, I played right into his hands! To think that some of the soldiers of Academia could be like that...to think that the Professor could be stronger than that…" Yuto grit his teeth out of anger. Suddenly, he saw at the bottom, a Card being slid through the opening of the door,
Yuto reached down and picked up the Card. He glanced down, it was a girl with pink hair with a magician-like appearance.
Yuto got back up and called out to the person on the other side, who finally gave in and spoke.
"...it's me. Your guide at the Duel Palace yesterday…" The boy murmured through the door.
"My guide?" Yuto gasped when he remembered the boy. "What's your name?"
"Sam."
"Sam, why did you give me this Card?" Yuto asked the boy whom he could not see.
"Please return it to Jack! When you win the Friendship Cup and Duel him again…"
"You want me to return this Card to Jack? What do you mean?"
Sam's head sunk as he spoke. "Jack as the star of hope for us Commons. He was born and raised in the same slums as us before he entered the Friendship Cup. I really admired how he defeated the Tops Duelists one after another. When he won as a Commons and became King three years ago, I was as happy for him as if it were myself. But Jack changed after that…"
"He changed?" Yuto repeated in confusion.
"After becoming King, Jack soon became the City's number one star. In the City, wealth flocks to the winners. He kept succeeding, so companies and rich individuals got close to him. Jack soon amassed his own immense wealth." Sam paused momentarily, before continuing. "And before we knew it, he was looking down on us a Commons."
Flashback
Jack had came out of his limo, there was a red carpet in front of him with guard rails barring him off from the enormous crowd around the carpet. As he took his first step, a boy was pushed onto the carpet by a guard.
"King!' The guard widened his eyes at the King. Jack held up a sign to let him take care of it.
"Umm…I've always been your fan. Ever since you were called the best Duelist in the slums. I want to be like you too! But right now, I have neither money, nor Cards...so I'll support you! From now on too, as a representative of the Commons…" Sam proposed. He froze when Jack held out a Card to him.
"If you have nothing else, take this. This Card is most suited for you." Jack informed Sam.
Now
"That was...this Card?" Yuto asked.
"A Monster with a low Level and no Attack. He said it was...most suited for me. Making fun of me, despite being a Commons himself! Jack changed! Jack Atlas, who became King and gained wealth, is a traitor who sold his soul to the Tops!"
"Traitor…"
At the Stadium
"Following Shinji Weber, Crow Hogan here is also from the Commons! Will one of them follow Jack Atlas' footsteps and become stars?"
"Jack? He's a traitor who sold out to the Tops!" A Commons said with a bitter tone.
"Huh!? Watch it! Jack is still the hero of the Commons!" Another person exclaimed.
An outburst among the audience occurred as Melissa began to panic.
Back with Sam and Yuto
"Jack gradually became arrogant, looking down on everything other than himself. There are fans who say that's cool, but I...that's why I want you to defeat him in my place."
"Why me out of all people?" Yuto asked Sam.
"Because you said not to make fun of your bonds with your friends or something like that! Your loss to Jack must have been frustrating, so you must understand my frustration, too…" Sam trailed off as he left.
Yuto walked to the window and looked at the Card.
"We should answer Sam's feelings. Besides, that isn't a useless Card if you really think about it." Yuya told Yuto.
"I know. I want to answer Sam's feeling, but he misjudged the use of this Card. Unfortunately, this Card does us no good, we have no Synchro Monsters."
"We can worry about it later, turn on the TV, I think the first match is going to begin."
"I can't turn the TV on, it turns on automatically when a match starts."
Friendship Cup Stadium
"That's all for the introductions of our 16 participants, but…" She became ticked when she still heard the crowd yelling. "Hey, are you even listening! Come on, everyone! Remember this tournament's slogan? The City is one! We are all friends! Isn't it? Geez...we're running out of time, so I'm just going to move on! And so, it's time for the Duels to begin!"
As she was talking, there was still fighting and a little whispers about Aki entering the tournament.
"Among these 16, the ones who have the honor of the opening match...Crow Hogan and Kurosaki Ruri!"
The doors to both of the contestants opened up. Each of them having their own thoughts.
Don't worry, Yuto. I will the clear the stain on your name.
I don't want to put on a show for the Tops, but…Crow looked at a picture he had in his hand of him, Tanner, Amanda, and Frank.
"Jack is watching, right?" Crow asked his guide, who nodded his head in confirmation.
Then let's show that traitor...the strength of the bonds between us Commons!
"Now, the opening match Duelists make their entrance! Crow Hogan and Kurosaki Ruri!" The televisions that the other participants had switched on at that moment, so they heard the match-up.
"Ruri!" Yuto exclaimed out of shock.
"Ruri!" Shun spoke with wide eyes, reacting in a very similar manner to Yuto.
"It's Ruri, huh?" Dennis spoke with a smile, not fazed by the news at all.
"Wait, Ruri is here!?" Yuzu froze. "Kurosaki's sister is here...did she escape from Academia?"
"It's not me?! I should be the one in charge of spicing things up for the opening! Me!" Sawatari boasted.
On the grounds, Ruri and Crow came riding on their d-wheels. Crow had his usual one, while Ruri's was purple with black linings and black handlebars.
Crow wore his normal attire for the Duel.
On the other hand, Ruri had a riding suit in place of her normal clothes. It was like Serena's. However, the colors were different. Ruri had a form-fitting purple jumpsuit. It had black markings, and like Serena, she had joint pads, however Ruri's was blue. She black gloves, purple helmet with an orange visor.
Yuto merely stared at Ruri in awe, forgetting about all of his problems completely at the time.
She looks sooooooo pretty in a suit like that! Yuto gushed over Ruri in his thoughts.
Yuya merely looked at Yuto, and back at Ruri. Back to Yuto, back to Ruri. He snapped his fingers in front of his counterpart's face in order to get him out of the trance, but to no avail. Yuya sighed out of defeat.
Ruri was still handling how to ride a d-wheel, but she seemed to be getting the hang of it. She looked straight ahead, far ahead, there was a building, where Jack Atlas was watching.
I don't want to put a show for the Tops, but...I'm doing it, so I'll win. I'll win and show the kids that even we can do something! Crow thought to himself, fortifying his resolve. He parked his d-wheel next to Ruri.
"Well, at least the Duel I have is against someone I know." Crow smiled at Ruri.
Ruri nodded her head in response, returning the smile with one of her own. "To a good Duel!"
"It's finally begun! The City's largest Duel event, the Friendship Cup! Who will be the winner, Crow, or Ruri?" Melissa asked rhetorically. However, her announcements went unheard to the ears of the angry audience.
"Atlas-sama is the hero of the Tops. Please don't lump us, okay?" A woman with a hat told some Commons behind her.
"What King?! He's just a traitor!" Someone yelled out of anger.
"Jack is the hero of the Commons!" A Commons protested in response.
"Hey, listen to me! GEEZ! I'm just gonna start this shindig off! Action Field, on! Field Magic, Crossover Accel!" A clutter of Action Cards appeared before the sphere containing exploded, scattering the Cards.
Duel mode, on! Auto-pilot! Standby!
As soon as the clock started ticking, Crow noticed something.
"Frank! Amanda! Tanner!" He recited the names of his kids, witnessing them being chased. "Those kids…" He was to engrossed in seeing the kids that he ignored the countdown.
"Riding Duel! Acceleration!" Melissa exclaimed as the d-wheels rode off, much to Crow's surprise.
"DUEL!" Both Duelists bellowed in unison.
"Crow Hogan had a delayed start!" Melissa commentated.
Ruri glanced behind her, something wasn't right about Crow right now. He seemed distracted.
"They came to cheer me on...those kids are so reckless…" Crow muttered.
"Will Ruri take the first corner?"
Ruri sped up her d-wheel, Crow tried to pass her, but he was too late.
"Taking the first corner and the first move, Kurosaki Ruri!"
"Ruri's Deck works best when she goes first in a Duel. So she immediately made a break for the first move." Yuto spoke to Yuya and himself.
More jeering came from the audience about Jack occured.
Hearing this from the television, Yuto narrowed his eyes. Yuya also noticed.
"Looks like the Friendship Cup really isn't fulfilling its real purpose." Yuya scoffed. "From the beginning, there were almost all cheers. Peace cannot be kept forever in a corrupt and divided society. There will be fighting, and there will be no way to stop it. It's just fate. Trying to entertain the audience is just going to get in the way."
Yuya recalled having nightmares after his dad had disappeared. In those nightmares, he remembered Yuya himself trying to entertain the crowd during his father's absence.
All he heard from the crowd was booing. And people saying Yusho, Yuya's father was a coward who was not willing to face a challenge.
Truth be told, Yuya is glad he gave up Entertainment Dueling now. No burden to entertain the audience, no chance of the people hating on you. So what if he was a nobody in the world? He didn't care. He didn't care about the audience's satisfaction anymore. Why should he take his time to risk getting hated on, just to make people smile.
It was a foolish ideal. Not everyone will smile. Look how this dimension is. It is a total mess. The Tops will smile at their life of luxury, while the Commons will frown at their life of poverty, with no except themselves to help.
Yuto felt a rush of hatred and a cold feeling emitting from Yuya. But still, he had to admit, the former Entertainment Duelist was right. The society was corrupt. He heard Ruri announcing the start of her turn, and he turned his attention to the television.
"When I don't control a Monster, I get to activate the Magic Card Lyrical Luscinia - Gathering! By discarding two Cards in my Hand, I get to Special Summon five Level 1 Lyrical Luscinia Monsters from my Deck!" Ruri discarded two copies of Lyrical Luscinia - Cobalt Sparrow. She Special Summoned Lyrical Luscinia - Black Canary (totally not a reference to the DC superhero,) Lyrical Luscinia - Cobalt Sparrow, Lyrical Luscinia - Bronze Bee-Eater, and two copies of Lyrical Luscinia - Turquoise Warbler.
Black Canary: Level 1, 0 Atk, 200 Def
Cobalt Sparrow: Level 1, 0 Atk, 100 Def
Bronze Bee-Eater: Level 1, 200 Atk, 0 Def
Turquoise Warbler(s): Level 1, 100 Atk, 100 Def
"Those Monsters don't even have 300 Attack!" Melissa exclaimed, shocked at how Ruri's Monsters lacked when it came to the offensive department.
"Five Level 1 Monsters." Yuya murmured, knowing what was going to happen next.
"I overlay the five Level 1 Lyrical Luscinia Monsters! Birds with beautiful wings! Gather on the battlefield and take brilliant flight! Xyz Summon! Dance in the sky! Rank 1! Lyrical Luscinia - Assembly Nightingale!" Ruri recited the chant for her ace Monster as she flocked to the Field.
Assembly Nightingale: Rank 1, 0 Atk, 0 Def
"Assembly Nightingale gains 100 Attack for every overlay unit!" Assembly Nightingale gained 500 Attack, due to the Monster containing 5 overlay units.
Assembly Nightingale: 0-500 Atk
"An Xyz Summon! Just like the one who fought against our king in the exhibition match!" Melissa noted. "However, what can that Monster do with only 500 Attack?"
"Next, I activate Black Canary's effect! When this Card is used as Xyz Material, I get to inflict 500 damage to you!" Ruri revealed.
"What?!" Crow widened his eyes as an image of Black Canary appeared. It was a girl dressed in a bird costume with black feathers and gray wings. The Monster opened its mouth and shrieked. The shirek let out shockwaves that damaged Crow's life points. "AHHHH!"
Crow: 4000-3500 LP
"I set a Card and end my turn." A set Card materialized in front of Ruri as she ended her turn.
"Alright, I got to make this quick! My turn, draw! If I control no Cards on the Field, I am allowed to Special Summon this Card! Come forth, Black Feather - Gust the Backblast!" A slightly obese yet small bird appeared, it had brown wings and a yellow beak.
Gust the Backblast: Level 2, 900 Atk, 1400 Def
"If the only Monster I control is a Black Feather Monster, I am allowed to Special Summon this Card! Appear, Blast the Black Spear!" A bird holding a spear with black wings appeared above Crow.
Blast the Black Spear: Level 4, 1700 Atk, 800 Def
"I'm gonna bring out another Monster while I'm at it! When I control a Black Feather Monster, I am allowed to Special Summon the Tuner Monster, Black Feather - Gale the Swift Wind!" Crow swiped his desired Monster onto his Duel Disk.
Gale the Swift Wind: Level 3, 1300 Atk, 400 Def
Crow paused and gazed at the audience, trying to look for Frank, Amanda and Tanner. But it was no use, he could still not see them.
Ruri noticed Crow looking at the audience. What is he looking for?
"Kgh!" Crow averted his from the audience and continued his turn. "I Normal Summon Black Feather - Elphin the Pitch Black!" A raven that had black wings and dark gray feathers appeared.
Elphin the Pitch Black: Level 6, 2200 Atk, 1200 Def
"What?! How did you Summon that Level 6 Monster without Advance Summoning?" Ruri asked Crow.
"Easy, when I control a Black Feather Monster, I am allowed to Normal Summon this Card without the need to release a Monster! Now, battle! Gust the Backblast, Attack Assembly Nightingale!" Crow declared as his Monster took the offensive and charged.
"I activate Assembly Nightingale's effect, by detaching an overlay unit, the destruction is negated and I take no damage!" One of the overlay units orbiting Assembly Nightingale dispersed as the Monster took the attack.
Assembly Nightingale: 500-400 Atk
"Then I'll keep attacking so I can drain those overlay units! Gale! Black Spear! Attack!" Both of the declared Monsters struck Ruri's Monster, who lost two overlay units and remained on the Field due to Ruri negating the destruction with the effect.
Assembly Nightingale: 400-200 Atk
"One more time! Elphin, attack Assembly Nightingale!" Crow declared his last attack as the Monster pounded on Ruri's Monster. Ruri negated destruction once again.
Assembly Nightingale: 200-100 Atk
"Alright! Time to inflict some damage! When your Monster remains on the Field after a Black Feather Monster has battled with it, I can send this Card from my Hand to the Graveyard to activate its effect!" Crow revealed as he showed a Card in his Hand.
"What? A Card activated from the Hand!" Ruri exclaimed out of shock. She was not expecting that.
"Etesian of Two Tachis effect activates! I now inflict damage to you equal to the Attack of the Black Feather Monster that battled! Elphin had 2200 Attack, so take 2200 points of damage!" Crow thrusted his hand at Ruri. Ruri widened her eyes as a portal to the Graveyard opened. Out came a dark ball of energy that rushed towards Ruri, enveloping her and the d-wheel. Ruri let out a scream of pain as her life was reduced.
Ruri: 4000-1800 LP
"And just like that Kurosaki Ruri has lost half of her life points! How will she respond on her turn?" Melissa questioned, interested to see how the Duel will continue.
"Not only has she lost half of her life points. But Assembly Nightingale only has 1 more overlay unit." Yuto narrowed his eyes.
"Come on Ruri…" Shun softly rooted for his sister as he watched the Duel from his room.
"Now! I tune the Level 4 Blast the Black Spear with the Level 3 Gale the Swift Wind! Spread your jet-black wings, and storm forth in tandem with the roaring thunder! A slash of lightning! Synchro Summon! Cascade, Assault Black Feather - Raikiri the Sudden Shower!" Crow recited as he Synchro Summoned his Monster.
Raikiri: Level 7, 2600 Atk, 2000 Def
"I activate Raikiri's effect! Once per turn, I am allowed to target Cards you control up to the number of Black Feather Monsters I control! I get to destroy those targets! I target Assembly Nightingale and your set Card!" Assembly Nightingale remained on the Field while the set Card was destroyed. The set Card was Lyrical Luscinia - Defense.
Assembly Nightingale: 100-0 Atk
"Crow made Ruri detach all of her overlay units!" Melissa pointed out the obvious.
"With this, Assembly Nightingale can't negate destruction." Yuto muttered to himself.
"I set a Card and end my turn." Crow concluded.
"What's wrong, Crow?" Shinji asked rhetorically, knowing that his friend couldn't hear him. But something was off about Crow, he seemed very distracted. "Why are you in such a hurry?"
Where? Where are they? They haven't been caught, right?! Crow panicked.
"He's looking at the audience once again. Crow, where are you looking? Is something wrong?" Ruri questioned the Black Feather Duelist out of concern.
Crow merely looked back at Ruri.
"My turn!" Ruri drew her Card and glanced at it. "From the Grave, I activate Bronze Bee-Eater's effect! By banishing this Card from my Grave, I am allowed to add a Rank-Up-Magic Card from my Deck to my Hand! I add Rank-Up-Magic Whole Step Force to my Hand, which I will now activate!"
"Kurosaki Ruri has activated a Rank-Up-Magic Card! Wait, what is that?" Melissa paused, confused.
"Rank-Up-Magic?" Aki repeated the name from her own room.
"Using this Card and a Lyrical Luscinia Xyz Monster I control, I am allowed to Xyz Summon a Lyrical Luscinia Monster whose Rank is 1 higher!" Ruri exclaimed the effect of her Card.
"What?! Ranking up an Xyz Monster? This is a new one folks!" Melissa exclaimed out of shock.
"Birds with wonderous and beautiful wings! Evolve into a new bird and go on the path to victory! Rank-Up Xyz Change! Fly onto the Field before us, Lyrical Luscinia - Evolved Nightingale!" Ruri chanted as she evolved her ace Monster.
Evolved Nightingale: Rank 2, 0 Atk, 100 Def
"Evolved Nightingale gains 200 Attack for every overlay unit…" Tokumatsu murmured from his room, remembering the Monster at the end of his Duel with Ruri.
Evolved Nightingale: 0-400 Atk
"Another low Attack Monster! Will this one have similar protection effects like the other Monster?" Melissa wondered.
"Batte! Evolved Nightingale is allowed to pass your Monsters and Attack you directly! Go!" Ruri declared as her Moneter flew over to Crow and scratched him the back, causing him to wince out of pain as he closed an eye. "Unfortunately, the damage dealt is halved.
Crow: 3500-3300 LP
"Now I activate her effect! When this Card inflict damage by a direct attack, I am allowed to detach an overlay unit to destroy a Monster on the Field. Then, the Attack of that Monster is deducted from your life points! I destroy Raikiri!" Ruri pointed at Crow's Monster. Evolved Nightingale turned around and slashed the Monster, destroying it as an overlay unit orbiting Nightingale dispersed.
"AHHHHH!" Crow yelled out of pain as he took damage.
Crow: 3300-700 LP
"Crow only has 700 life left!"
"I set a Card and end my turn." Ruri concluded.
"My turn, draw! I activate the Trap Blackboost! When I control two or more Black Feather Monsters, I am allowed to draw 2 Cards!" Crow drew more Cards as he eyed them. "I Summon the Tuner Monster Black Feather - Blizzard the Far North!" A white feathered bird with wings with black lining flew to the Field.
Blizzard: Level 2, 1300 Atk, 0 Def
"When this Card is Normal Summoned, I can target a Level 4 or lower Black Feather Monster in my Grave and Special Summon it! I revive Gale the Swift Wind!" A portal to Crow's Graveyard opened as Gale soared out of it. "I tune the Level 2 Gust the Backblast with the Level 3 Gale the Swift Wind! Pitch-black gale, become the tailwind that ties our bonds! Synchro Summon! Take flight, Assault Black Feather - Sohaya the Summer Shower!"
Sohaya the Summer Shower: Level 5, 1500 Atk, 2000 Def
"When this Card is Synchro Summoned, I am allowed to Special Summon an Assault Black Feather Monster from my Graveyard! Revive, Raikiri!"
"Crow revived his ace Monster. But how will Ruri respond?" Aki whispered to herself. "AHHHH! Who the hell do I root for?!"
"I activate Raikiri's effect! I destroy your Evolved Nightingale!" Crow yelled as Raikiri unleashed a lighting bolt at Ruri's Monster, clashing with it.
"I use Evolved Nightingale's additional effect! By detaching an overlay unit, I can negate destruction of any Lyrical Luscinia Monster!" Evolved Nightingale screamed in pain as she was struck, but she endured the attack.
Evolved Nightingale: 400-200 Atk
"Damn it!" Crow cursed under his breath. "This is only going to make things longer! Battle! Elphin, attack Evolved Nightingale!" Elphin swooped down at Ruri's Monster in an attempt to destroy it.
Ruri rode her d-wheel over to an Action Card on the ground and activated it. "Action Magic, Miracle! With this Card, my Monster isn't destroyed and the damage I take is halved!" The Monsters clashed, Elphin attacked the enemy as Ruri's Monster flew backwards to retreat. Elphin then managed to scratch Evolved Nightingale once. Particles came from Nightingale, which then rushed into Ruri, causing her to wince.
Ruri: 1800-800 LP
"Ruri!" Both Yuto and Shun gasped out of concern.
"Much worse, Crow has two more attacks left! And if she takes either one of them she's finished!" Yuya spoke as he narrowed his eyes.
"Persistent…I need to finish this quickly!" Crow mumbled as he continued his assault. "Sohaya, attack!" Crow pointed at Ruri's Monster.
"Ruri managed to escape one attack! But Crow keeps up his assault before she can breath!" Melissa commentated.
Ruri Eyes yet another Action Card. She grabbed it and used the effect of her Monster.
"You still take the damage! It's over!" Crow proclaimed as the attack connected. A large cloud of dust appeared.
"Ruri!" Ryoga widened his eyes as Shun punched his open palm while Yuto looked at the television, hoping that Ruri was alright.
When the dust cleared, Ruri was still riding.
"What?!" Crow exclaimed out of shock. How did she survive?
A Card appeared next to Ruri. It was called Damage Banish.
"Kurosaki Ruri uses yet another Action Card to survive!"
Evolved Nightingale: 200-0 Atk
"Damage Banish reduces the damage I take to 0." Ruri revealed the effect of the Action Card.
"Grrr!" Crow growled. He couldn't waste anymore time. "Raikiri, end this Duel!" Raikiri let out a bolt of lightning at Evolved Nightingale.
"From my Hand, I activate the effect of Lyrical Luscinia - Swift Skua! When a Lyrical Luscinia Monster I control is target for an attack, I can send this Card to the Grave to halve my life points and take no damage! Also, my Monster is not destroyed!" Evolved Nightingale outlasted yet another attack as Ruri and Crow completed a lap of many since the beginning of the Duel.
Ruri: 800-400 LP
"Now, after the attack, I am allowed to add a Card in my Graveyard that lists Lyrical Luscinia in its text. I add Rank-Up-Magic Whole Step Force to my Hand!"
"Damn! She made it through all of that! I end my turn." Crow announced.
Meanwhile, multiple cheers were coming from the audience at Ruri's plays.
"She's really good!" Some people said.
"My money is on her!" Someone said confidently.
"She is so cute in that suit!" Some male people gushed over Ruri. Ruri waved to the audience with a smile on her face. She was getting on their good side. Good, she made a good first impression.
Meanwhile, Yuto's ears perked up.
"Did I just hear people in the audience say that she was...cute? Because if so, I am going to murder them!"
"I believe in you, Ruri. Don't you dare lose!" Shun formed a fist with his hand.
"As expected of Ruri." Ryoga said with a smile.
"That one is good." White Taki complimented Ruri
"Frank...guys...RUN!" Crow suddenly bellowed as he finally noticed the kids being cornered. Frank pushed someone trying to apprehend them down the stairs as the 3 kids continued to run away.
"The kids!" Ruri knew now why Crow was so distracted. He saw the kids being chased. "I see now...Crow, I'm just curious. But...what are those children to you?"
Crow looked forward, silently hesitating before deciding to tell the story. He let out a sigh as he began to tell the tale of how he met the kids.
Flashback-An Unknown Amount of Time-Commons
Crow drove his d-wheel back to his house. It was raining, and he was soaking wet. He slipped off his wet helmet. He turned to his right due to hearing a girl whimpering.
He saw three kids tucked in a corner, in between a wall and two boxes.
A girl and a boy were both hugging another boy as a means to keep him warm.
Crow looked away from them, before looking back at them.
"At first, I thought I'd just let them have some food before chasing them out, but…"
Later-Inside Crow's House
The three kids Crow had found were munching down on some food.
Crow put his hands on his hips and scolded the kids. "Eat slowly! You'll choke like that!" The boy named Tanner didn't listen, and he accidentally gulped his piece of bread whole. "Ah! You ok?"
"Tanner!" The girl with red hair spoke out of concern as the boy named Tanner took his bowl of liquid and gulped it whole. The boy had a smile on his face. There was some of the yellow liquid left on his face. "You look like you've got a mustache!"
"Amanda, you have one too!" The boy named Frank informed the girl with a grin.
"Well, same to you Frank!" Amanda replied as she pointed at his face.
"Me too?" Frank hadn't realized until he crossed his eyes.
"Hahahaha!" Frank and Amanda laughed out loud.
"It's a mustache, a mustache!"
"Don't laugh! You got one too!" Frank reminded Amanda.
"A mustache, a mustache!" Amanda continued as all three kids started to laugh.
Crow merely looked on as the scene unfolded. The frown present on his face soon turned into a smile. "You guys…"
"How many years had it been since I last laughed...so we ended up staying together like this."
Now
"If I didn't have them, I don't know what would have become of me. That's why I want to set an example for them. And why I agreed to join the tournament. I want to win, and show them that even we can do something!"
Ruri remained silent as she remembered the days back at Heartland before Academia attacked. She saw Kaito and Shun duking it out with some kids watching them Duel. Hell, sometimes she and Yuto joined in on the fun.
Those were good times. But they were gone now.
"Ruri, hear me out!" Crow suddenly called out to the girl.
"Huh?"
"I want to win. I want to show the kids that we can do something. But...if you or one of your friends were to win...well I guess that would be ok too." Crow spoke, indirectly saying that he didn't care if he lost at this point.
"Crow…" Ruri whispered as she placed a Card onto the top of her Deck.
Don't worry Crow. I'll make sure that I'll win the tournament. For you and the kids.
"My turn, draw! Once again, I activate the Magic Card Rank-Up-Magic Whole Step Force! Using this Card and Evolved Nightingale, I Xyz Summon a Monster whose Rank is 1 higher than Evolved Nightingale. Bird of evolved beauty! Pierce your claws into the path of destiny and unfold your wings! Rank-Up Xyz Change! Appear, Lyrical Luscinia - Prime Nightingale!" Ruri Xyz Summoned a new Monster.
Prime Nightingale: Rank 3, 300 Atk, 300 Def
"This Card is allowed to attack directly! Go, Prime Nightingale! Attack Crow directly!" Prime Nightingale flew over Crow's Monsters and kicked on the back, causing him to cry out in pain as he swerved his d-wheel from left to right, trying to stay balanced.
Crow: 700-400 LP
"Now, I activate Prime Nightingale's effect! When this Card deals damage, I am allowed to once per turn destroy all Monsters you control and inflict 200 points of damage for each Monster destroyed! The Duel...is over." Ruri closed her eyes as Prime Nightingale let out a screech that destroyed Crow's Monsters. Crow's d-wheel let out steam, signaling that he lost.
Crow: 400-0 LP
"Crow...lost!" Shinji widened his eyes out of shock
"It's settled! Decorating the opening match with a dramatic victory, we have Kurosaki Ruri!"
"Crow…" The kids looked on in shock as they couldn't believe what they saw.
"What will happen to Crow now?" Tanner asked the question the other kids were asking. Crow's d-wheel stopped next to the garage, and Ruri parked hers next to his.
"Even if he lost we still got to support him!" Frank suddenly started waving. "Crow!" Amanda and Frank soon joined.
Crow looked at the audience to see the kids safe and sound. His frown turned into a smile.
"Good...they're safe." Suddenly two people noticed the kids were in the audience and a chase began. The kids ran away, and the audience blocked the people chasing the kids.
"I'm sorry." Ruri apologized as she walked towards Crow. "You had a goal and I…"
Crow put a hand up as a way to say stop talking. "Don't sweat it. As long as the kids are ok, then I am ok."
"A splendid Duel." Someone said from the audience as people kept cheering.
Suddenly, two people came out of nowhere and grabbed Crow by both of his arms.
"Hey! What are you doing?!" Crow tried to free himself.
"You lost. So you get taken to an Underground Facility to work. Sorry, rules are rules." One person answered.
"You bastards…" Crow continued to struggle as the men walked away.
"Crow!"
"Don't worry about me, Ruri! Just make sure the kids are alright!" Crow's voice drowned out as he was taken away…
Card Catalog
Lyrical Luscinia - Gathering, Magic: You can only activate this Card if you don't control a Monster. Discard two Cards and Special Summon 5 Level 1 Lyrical Luscinia Monsters from your Deck.
Lyrical Luscinia - Black Canary, Winged-Beast, Wind: When this Card is used as Xyz Material, inflict 500 damage to your opponent.
Lyrical Luscinia - Bronze Bee-Eater: You can banish this Card from the Grave, add one Rank-Up-Magic Card from your Deck to your Hand.
Lyrical Luscinia - Swift Skua, Winged-Beast, Wind, Level 1, 100 Atk, 200 Def: When a Lyrical Luscinia Monster is targeted for an attack, you can send this Card to the Grave and halve your life. The Monster can't be destroyed by that battle and the damage you take becomes 0. After, add a Card from your Grave to your Hand that lists Lyrical Luscinia in its text.
Lyrical Luscinia - Prime Nightingale, Winged-Beast, Wind: This Card can attack directly. Once per turn, when this Card inflicts damage, destroy all Monsters your opponent controls and inflict 200 damage for each Monster. When a Lyrical Luscinia - Monster would be destroyed, detach an overlay unit, you take no damage for the rest of the turn, and the Monster isn't destroyed. If this Card is destroyed with no overlay units, Special Summon a Lyrical Luscinia Xyz Monster in your Graveyard, except Lyrical Luscinia - Prime Nightingale, attach this a Card to that Monster as material.
Welp! I am gonna get flamed for this chapter...I feel like this is where things go downhill for me...
So I know I said last chapter there would be two Duels. But this is long enough I would say, and I want to make sure the matchups that I made will be final. Furthermore, I don't want to rush the Synchro Dimension arc.
Now, if you wonder why I switched the matchup from Gongenzaka and Crow to Ruri and Crow is because Ruri could relate to Crow more with the kids aspect. I am having Gongenzaka face someone else.
Sorry for you Crow fans out there who wanted/expected him to win.
I also need to say something that I am going to change in the story. I remember saying in one chapter that Ruri and Rin never checked their Decks at Academia because they were scared of what Academia could have done to it or something like that.
Well, I am changing that. That was a very stupid reason on my part. Instead, I am going to have it to the Fusion related Cards implemented into their Deck appeared as blank Cards to them, but if they were being controlled, they would actually appear as an actual Card. This only goes for someone controlled by a parasite.
I will put that reason in at some point in the chapter where Asuka and Ryo go to save Ruri and Rin.
I won't being doing the previews since I am not 100% sure about the matchups.
Yuka Kuroshiro: Glad you enjoyed the flashback!
Skadi: Thanks for the offer.
Matrixnis: I think I have a plan for Ryoga and O'Brien. I kept the Duel the same because I wanted Utes to learn a lesson. I was originally thinking about having either Reiji and Jack Duel, either that or maybe Ryoga and Jack.
One last thing before I head out. If there are any matchups you guys would want to recommend for the preliminaries, then feel free to suggest. I will let you guys know, some of the preliminary matches will be the same as in the anime.
That's all for now guys, hope you enjoyed the chapter.
Take care, goodbye.
