The press was swarming all over Neo Domino Hospital. Somehow, word had gotten out that someone had been brought in who was a victim of the infamous Black Rose Witch. After her performance at the Fortune Cup, the press were hoping for any more information regarding the vicious duelist. Sector Security had been doing it's best to keep them out.
Having been flown there by Trudge, Yusei and Issac had to squeeze through a near suffocating crowd of reporters just to get near the front of the hospital. Once they were in, Yusei had managed to explain why they were there, and were lead to Hunter's room (Yusei guessed that being the current King afford a number of privileges).
"He's been in and out of consciousness ever since he got here." The doctor explained. "So whatever you want to ask, you'd best make it quick before he passes out again."
Yusei nodded, and went into Hunter's room. Hunter was laying in the bed. Yusei started walking up to him, and Hunter turned to look at him.
"Hey, it's the new king!" Hunter said. "Didn't think I warranted this kind of treatment. I'd duel ya, but I'm not feeling up to snuff."
"I heard." Yusei said. "You told the doctor you dueled the Black Rose Witch?"
"Yeah, it wasn't like any duel I'd been in." Hunter said. "But it was like what I saw with your duel against her. All those attacks felt so real." He raised his arm to show rips on his sleeve, and faint scars on his arm through those cuts. "When her monster destroyed mine, the shards actually cut me! If more duels were like that, tournaments would be so much more fun!"
"I doubt it." Yusei said. "Did she summon Black Rose Dragon?"
"No. Actually, her deck wasn't what she dueled you with." Hunter said. "They were actually hurtin' her! But she still smoked me."
"Hurting her?" Yusei asked.
"Yup. She said somethin' about two of her monsters having effects at 500 life points." Hunter explained. "And geez, the muscle chick she Synchro Summoned had one nasty effect!"
'Sounds like a self-burn deck. But why did she switch decks' Yusei thought. "Anything else?"
Hunter thought for a moment. "Yeah, right at the end of the duel, a purple fire ring appeared. And I might have been hallucinating, but I think she had some glowing lizard mark."
Yusei's eyes went wide. Without a word, and before Hunter could react, he bolted out of the hospital room. He ran right past Issac, quickly left the hospital, and went right for his Duel Runner. Getting on, he turned on the screen. After a moment, Mina's face was on the screen.
"Yusei, what's wrong?" Mina asked.
"Mina, I need a meeting with Goodwin now!" Yusei said. "I think I know why you have Akiza's mark!"
"Really? Why?" Mina asked, concerned.
"I think Akiza's become a Dark Signer." Yusei replied.
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Within the main meeting room of the old Ener-D reactor, Akiza was once again taking a look at her deck. Her duel with Carly was in just a few minutes. And just the thought of the girl made her angry.
When she had seen the girl back in the Arcadia Movement building, back before both of them died, Carly looked innocent. Sure, she had snuck into the building disguised as a janitor (for what reason Akiza wasn't sure), but she didn't seem like the type to kill. And yet, she did. And of all the people it could have been, it had to be the one person Akiza cared for and relied on.
If it hadn't been for Sayer, Akiza would have just hidden herself away and died, unloved and forgotten. But Sayer saw her potential, and gave her a home. An outlet for her power. A place to feel accepted. And now...
Akiza was just barely holding back her tears when she heard footsteps behind her. Turning, she saw it was Devack.
"I've been instructed to bring you outside. It's time for your duel with Miss Carmine." Devack said. He paused for a moment when he saw her. "Were you about to begin crying?" Akiza said nothing to him.
"...as I said, the first day is the hardest." Devack said. "When I first came back, I was disoriented and..." He seemed to trail off. It was like there was something he wanted to say, but it was too painful to. "...follow me." He then turned for the door.
Akiza quietly got up and followed Devack out of the meeting room and, eventually, outside the Ener-D reactor. The others were waiting for them.
"All I ask is that neither of you summon your gods in this duel." Roman said as soon as Carly and Akiza took their places. "This is merely to gauge your skills. We hadn't yet seen Carly's deck before being informed of you, Akiza." With that, he walked over to where the other 3 were standing. Akiza was about to activate her duel disc when Ccarayhua stopped.
"Before you begin, Akiza, there is something I need you to do." The Immortal said. "As we are among the others, I feel it's better for you to... fit in, as it were. I would wait until later, but showcasing this ability may help sway Roman in in your favor. Simply concentrate."
Akiza wasn't entirely sure what Ccarayhua was talking about, or why he decided to do this now, but she did what he said. As she did, the lizard mark on her arm began to glow, and a dark aura surrounded her. After just a few seconds, it faded, and Akiza had changed.
Her corset had turned black with a red, ribcage-like design running down it. The front of the corset had black lapels with red vines on them. Her sleeves had turned black, with thorn like material at the end. Around her neck was a black collar with a black-and-red rose on it. Her skirt was black with a rose petal design. Her shoes, stockings, and gloves were unchanged. Attached her back was a short black cape, the same kind worn by Carly. On her face were two red markings similar to vines. The whites of her eyes had also turned black. Her lizard mark was glowing.
"There. A more fitting look. Though the red surprises me. Unless... something for another time." Ccarayhua said.
"Changing clothes isn't going to help you win!" Carly yelled.
Akiza still wasn't sure why Ccarayhua had her do this, but that was a thought for later. Right now, she had a duel to win.
"Before I start our duel, I want to know one thing." Akiza said. "Why?"
Carly was confused. "Why what?" She asked.
"Why did you kill Sayer?" Akiza asked. "You never met him, he never did anything to you, but still you-"
"Never did anything? HE KILLED ME!" Carly yelled.
"...you're lying." Akiza growled. "He's the one who gave me a home. He's the one who helps Psychic Duelists in their time of need. You took him away from me. The only person who ever cared for me. And it's time to make you pay for that!"
"DUEL!" Both Akiza and Carly yelled.
"I'll begin." Akiza said as she drew a card. "I'll set one monster face-down, and set two. I'll end my turn there." As she said that, all three cards appeared on the field.
"My turn!" Carly said as she drew a card. "First, I play the Field Spell Future Visions!" She placed the card on her duel disk, and the field suddenly took a magenta haze with small stars scattered around. "Next, I summon Fortune Lady Light in Attack Mode!" On the field appeared a young woman in a yellow and black outfit with a staff containing a sun-like object.
(Fortune Lady Light/LV 1/LIGHT/Spellcaster/? ATK/? DEF)
"However, she will not be staying for long thanks to Future Vision's effect. When a monster is Normal Summoned on either side of the field, it's banished to the next turn!" And almost as soon as she appeared, Fortune Lady Light vanished. "But that's not all. Fortune Lady Light's effect activates! When she leaves the field due to a card effect, I get to Special Summon another Fortune Lady from my deck. So appear, Fortune Lady Dark!" Carly yelled
In Fortune Lady Light's place appeared another woman, this time in a purple and black outfit. Her staff held an odd purple symbol.
(Fortune Lady Dark/LV 5/DARK/Spellcaster/? ATK/? DEF)
"And for one final effect, Fortune Lady Dark gains attack equal to her level times 400. And given that she's level five, she's about to become very dangerous." Carly explained as Fortune Lady Dark gained a purple aura.
(Fortune Lady Dark: 0 ATK - 2000 ATK)
"Miss Carmine's taking the offensive right away." Roman muttered. "Nowhere near the shy girl you said she was, Misty." Misty didn't reply as she stared at Akiza.
"Fortune Lady Dark! Attack Akiza's face-down!" Carly commanded. Fortune Lady Dark flew over to Akiza's facedown monster and fired a beam of darkness at it from her staff. Suddenly, an orange trumpet shaped flower covered in red spots appeared.
"Thank you for activating Jewelweed of the Hell Garden's effect." Akiza said. "When it's attacked while in face-down Defense position, both it and the attacking monster are destroyed, and we both take damage equal to half the attacking monster's Attack points."
Immediately, the flower exploded, with the blast obliterating Fortune Lady Dark. Seeds shot out and struck both Akiza and Carly.
(Carly Carmine: 4000 LP - 3000 LP)
(Akiza Izinski: 4000 LP - 3000 LP)
Carly growled in annoyance. "I'll set one and pass." She said as a card appeared.
Akiza grinned as she drew a card. "My turn." She said. "I'll start by activating the trap card Nightmare Regrowth. By paying half my Life Points, I can summon a monster from either Graveyard, and it becomes Plant Type. So resurrect, Fortune Lady Dark!"
On cue, Fortune Lady Dark reappeared on the field. Her skin had turned from pale blue to pale green, and leaves seemed to be sprouting from her hair.
(Fortune Lady Dark: Spellcaster - Plant)
(Akiza Izinski: 3000 LP - 1500 LP)
"And now I benefit from her effects." Akiza said as Fortune Lady Dark grew stronger.
(Fortune Lady Dark: 0 ATK - 2000 ATK)
"Next, I activate the effect of Allium of the Hell Garden. If there's another Plant Type monster on my side of the field, I can pay 1000 Life Points and Special Summon it". Akiza explained as she set another card down. On the field appeared a large dark purple flower that resembled a dandelion. Its stem appeared withered and covered in sharp thorns.
(Allium of the Hell Garden/LV 2/DARK/Plant/Tuner/500 ATK/300 DEF)
(Akiza Izinski: 1500 LP - 500 LP)
"Now, I tune my Level 2 Allium of the Hell Garden with the Level 5 Fortune Lady Dark!" Akiza declared. Allium of the Hell Garden turned into 2 green rings and circled Fortune Lady Dark, who turned into 5 rings.
"The Hell Garden awakens from its slumber! Synchro Summon!" Akiza yelled. "Arise in Defense Position Belphagor, the Hell Garden's Sloth!"
In a flash of light, the rings and stars were replaced by a woman. She had pale blue hair and skin, and was clad in a pale blue nightgown. She was laying on a bed of vines.
(Belphagor, the Hell Garden's Sloth/LV 7/DARK/Fiend/Synchro/0 ATK/3000 DEF)
"All that trouble for a monster with no Attack Points and only 500 Life Points left?" Carly asked. "Maybe I'll be the second person to defeat the Black Rose Witch."
"I wouldn't count on it. Belphagor will be just one part of your pain." Akiza said. "I set another card and end my turn."
"My turn!" Carly yelled as she drew a card. "On the Standby Phase, Future Visions effect activates, and Fortune Lady Light returns to my field. And she gains a level and attack equal to her level times 200!" A flash of light appeared, and Fortune Lady Light once again stood.
(Fortune Lady Light: LV 1 - LV 2)
(Fortune Lady Light: 0 ATK - 400 ATK)
"Next, I activate the Spell Card Fortune Lady Calling. If a Fortune Lady is on my side of the field, I can summon another from my deck. Appear, Fortune Lady Earth!" Carly declared. As she placed the card, another Fortune Lady appeared. This one wore orange and black and had opaque rounded glasses and a staff.
(Fortune Lady Earth/LV 6/EARTH/Spellcaster/? ATK/? DEF)
"And just like all my other Fortune Lady's, her attack increases based on her level. In this case, it's times 400." Carly explained as Fortune Lady Earth gained an orange Aura.
(Fortune Lady Earth: 0 ATK - 2400 ATK)
Carly grinned. "But I still have a trick up my sleeve. I play the Spell Card Time Passage. I can increase the level of one Fortune Lady on the field by 3 until my End Phase. And I choose Fortune Lady Earth! And when her level increases, you take 400 damage!" The aura around Fortune Lady Earth grew stronger as she slammed her staff on the ground. Wooden spikes rose up and struck Akiza.
(Fortune Lady Earth: LV 6 - LV 9)
(Fortune Lady Earth: 2400 ATK - 3600 ATK)
(Akiza Izinski: 500 LP - 100 LP)
"Now, Fortune Lady Earth, attack Belphagor!" Carly yelled. However, Fortune Lady Earth simply stayed where she was. Carly became annoyed. "I said attack!"
"I'm afraid Belphagor won't let that happen. You see, when I have 500 or less Life Points, and she's in Defense Position, you can't conduct your Battle Phase." Akiza said.
"...I end my turn." Carly muttered as Fortune Lady Earth's aura vanished.
(Fortune Lady Earth: LV 9 - LV 6)
(Fortune Lady Earth: 3600 ATK - 2400 ATK)
"Now it ends." Akiza said as she drew a card.
Akiza grinned madly as she looked at the card she drew. "First, I'll activate one of my face down Trap Cards, Vines of Retribution. As long as it remains on my side of the field, you take 500 damage for every Plant type monster I special summon." She said. Vines shot up from the ground and wrapped around Carly.
"Next I activate the effect of the Dahlia of the Hell Garden I just drew. By destroying one Hell Garden monster on my side of the field, I can special summon in it attack position, but its attack is cut in half." Akiza explained as she placed the card down. When she said this, Belphagor slowly stood up from her sitting position, only to instantly destroy herself. As soon as that happened, a massive dark-red flower bloomed in her place. The petals looked sharp as knives, and it had a thorn covered stem with vines shooting out. In the center of the flower was a single red eye. Though due to its attack cut, its color was faded.
(Dahlia of the Hell Garden/LV 3/DARK/Plant/1200 ATK/1000 DEF)
(Dahlia of the Hell Garden: 1200 ATK - 600 ATK)
As soon as Dahlia of the Hell Garden appeared, the vines wrapped around Carly began to tighten.
(Carly Carmine: 3000 LP - 2500 LP)
"Now I can activate Dahlia's effect! When I Special Summon it while I have 500 or less Life Points, I can destroy one monster on the field!" Akiza yelled. "I target Fortune Lady Earth!" At that, Dahlia grabbed Fortune Lady Earth in its vines and crushed it.
"Finally, I activate my other face down Trap card, Endless Bloom! By paying half of my life points, I can summon up to two Hell Garden monsters with the same name as one on my field. I summon two more Dahlia of the Hell Garden's!" Akiza exclaimed. Sharp petals shot backwards from the Dahlia on the field and into Akiza's face, leaving small cuts. At the same time, two more Dahlia's sprouted on the field. Unlike the first, their colors were unchanged.
(Akiza Izinski: 100 LP - 50 LP)
The vines wrapping Carly tightened even further. For the first time in the duel, Carly felt worried. Was Akiza trying to crush her to a second death?
(Carly Carmine: 2500 LP - 1500 LP)
"Now it's time to end this. I'll have the first Dahlia of the Hell Garden I summoned attack your Fortune Lady Light!" Akiza said. The first Dahlia sent out it's vines and wrapped Fortune Lady Light. It then proceeded to crush the monster.
(Carly Carmine: 1500 LP - 1300 LP)
"Go my remaining Dahlia's! End this duel!" Akiza screamed. The two remaining Dahlia's shot their vines out and smashed them directly into Carly. The force was enough to send Carly flying backwards, tearing the vines she had been wrapped in.
(Carly Carmine: 1300 LP - 0 LP)
(Winner: Akiza Izinski)
"Impressive win. Though I was expecting that you would be more vicious, considering what miss Carmine did." Ccarayhua finally chimed in. Though he noticed that Akiza's monsters hadn't faded from the field yet. It was then that he noticed "...ah, I see."
"Dahlia, attack again! Don't stop until she's in the ground!" Akiza screamed. The three monsters shot their vines out again just as Carly was getting back up. They slammed into Carly's stomach, knocking her to the ground again. Carly looked up and saw the vines looming over her.
"Enough! The duel is over!" Roman yelled. Akiza blinked and shook her head, the Dahlia's finally fading from the battlefield.
"Misty, get Carly back to her room." Roman said. Misty nodded as she began walking over to Carly. Roman himself walked up to Akiza to speak with her. "I am impressed. I'd heard of Psychic Duelist's and their abilities, but haven't had the chance to see them myself. You will make a fine addition. However, I need all of us to complete our goal, so save your anger for the Signers." With that, Roman smiled and walked back towards the reactor door.
"It seems I was mistaken. You do still retain your Psychic powers. That might make things much more interesting going forward." Ccarayhua said. Akiza did not reply as she watched Misty help Carly to the reactor, Devack and Kallen following behind. She only had one thought:
'That felt... good.'
