Hey, guys! I know it's been a few months, but hey, I've gotten better. I know this chapter's not as long as the previous one(s), but hey, I had a lot of fun with it.
Yet again, I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh! Though I do own the OCs the appear in this chapter. If I did own the series, I would have given Zane more people to hang out with.
Chapter Twenty-Four: The Pro League
Atem smirked as Cyber End Dragon vaporized the Perfectly Ultimate Great Moth, cinching Zane's victory over Haga Underwood. The crowd cheered, amazed at the Cyber duelist's one-move turnaround.
He exited the seating area and headed for the waiting lounge reserved for the participants. Atem's next duel was in a few days, so he hoped to catch up with Zane or Haga in the meantime.
"Good game, Truesdale," Haga extended a hand to his opponent just outside the lounge.
"Thanks," Zane shook it. "You're not bad, Underwood."
"And you're as good as I'd heard," Haga smirked. "The Cyber Kaiser of Central Academy."
"Didn't North call you the Master of Insects?" the Cyber duelist asked.
"Yeah," the insect duelist shrugged. "But to be fair, the school picks a new duelist to worship almost every month. They never got over that Princeton kid leaving."
"I'd say Chazz had his reasons though," Atem chimed in.
"Hey, Muto!" Haga grinned. "Good to see you! And I definitely agree. After seeing those brothers, I get all too well what that kid was going through."
"Right," Zane nodded, his mouth tightening into a hard line.
"So what did North do after the duel?" Atem asked, changing the subject for Zane.
"When I left, they were going through a gem phase," Haga rolled his eyes. "Some new kid showed up and beat Czar, so he's now got the top slot. Those were some good freshman we had. Ah well, can't win them all like the Prince of Games here."
"Hey, I don't win every duel," Atem shrugged.
"Yeah, I beat him all the time," Zane smirked.
"We're tied, Zane," Atem deadpanned.
"No wonder I didn't stand a chance," Haga rubbed the back of his head. "Does anyone keep up with you two?"
"My sister almost beat me at graduation," Atem shrugged.
"And another freshman got me in a draw," Zane admitted.
"Man, I gotta get Missy to write me more," Haga drooped. "Sounds like you had all the fun at Central. And I don't even know what she's up to."
"Last I heard she lost to Zane's brother," Atem said. "It earned him a dorm promotion."
"That explains the silent treatment," Haga sighed, rubbing his forehead. "Missy's never taken her losses well—she either sulks or explodes. Hopefully she's sulking. Congratulations to your brother, Truesdale. I know Missy didn't make it easy for him."
"Syrus has come a long way," Zane gave a half-smile. "I'm sure his friends will push him even more."
"I just hope they stay out of trouble," Atem rolled his eyes. "Atticus and Mana don't have us to supervise them."
"Are they that bad?" Haga asked.
"They specialize in trouble," Atem sighed. "Though so do a couple of my sister's friends."
"Ah," Haga nodded.
"Yeah," Atem rubbed the back of his head. "You guys want to get Burger World? My treat—they're sponsoring me, so I get a good discount with them."
"I'll take you up on that!" the insect duelist grinned.
"Sure," Zane nodded.
The three of them left the stadium—with Zane and Haga letting their managers know where they were going—and headed to the Burger World around the block. They ordered and found a booth by the window to wait for their food.
"So when's your next duel, Muto?" Haga asked.
"In a few days," the warrior duelist answered. "I think I'm up against an East Academy graduate."
"We all seem to be pitted against recent graduates," Zane commented.
"Well, we're the noobies," Haga shrugged. "Personally, I'm glad to start small. Pretty sure I don't stand a chance against the top-rankers just yet. I mean, if I can't even beat you two, I'm definitely not going to win against The D or other champs."
"You got a point," Atem said as their food arrived. "I don't know how many times my dad or aunts and uncles have beaten me."
"What I'd give to see you smothered with Kuribohs," Zane smirked as he munched on a fry.
"Hey, the Kuriboh isn't what beat you," Atem pointed out. "That was your own spell."
"Very funny," the Cyber duelist rolled his eyes.
"Something tells me there's a story here," Haga grinned.
"Just one of Zane's more memorable defeats," Atem took a sip of his milkshake. "But to be fair, if I didn't do that, I'd have lost that one."
"Is that Yugi Muto?"
"No way. What would Yugi be doing here?"
"Doesn't he live in Domino?"
"That guy's too young to be Yugi."
"But he's got the hair."
Atem winced as the conversations around them turned towards him. "You think I'd be less conspicuous if I walked around in a big dark cloak with a purple eye on the hood?"
"Just ignore them," Haga eyed the other customers. "People are going to talk no matter what you do. Trust me; I know."
"I do too," Atem sighed. "Doesn't mean I like it."
"It's not any different from the beginning of the school year," Zane pointed out.
"I didn't like that either," the tricolor-haired duelist rolled his eyes.
"At least Atticus isn't here to set fangirls loose on you," the Cyber duelist smirked.
"You hated that just as much as I did," Atem took a bite of his burger.
They let the conversation wander away as they finished their food, ignoring the chatter of the other patrons. As they left the restaurant, Zane's phone buzzed. "No way," he said as he read the message.
"What?" Atem asked.
"They scheduled me to duel Aster Phoenix next week," Zane held up his phone as proof.
"Dude, that's awesome!" Haga clapped him on the back. "You're moving up if you get to duel Big Hero Phoenix!"
"Is that what people seriously call him?" Atem raised an eyebrow at the insect duelist.
"Nah, just me," Haga grinned. "I just call him that because he uses Elemental Heroes."
"Heroes, huh?" Zane pondered the information.
"Yep," Haga put his hand behind his head as he walked ahead. "How did you score such an awesome opponent?"
"Probably my current win-rate plus my KaibaCorp sponsorship," the Cyber duelist answered.
"You got a KaibaCorp one?" Haga spun around to face them. "Dang! When Muto said he got Burger World, I thought they were near impossible to get."
"Not necessarily," Atem chimed in. "They do have high standards, and they push product testing and demos over advertisements. But I didn't apply for KaibaCorp's."
"Why not?" Haga stared bug-eyed at him. "I'd have taken it in a heartbeat if they offered it."
"Because I grew up seeing the president and his wife as family," Atem answered with an eye roll. "I'm not going to be seen as a duelist in my own right if I just ride the coattails of my family."
"Good point," Haga winced. "I'm still figuring out how to get out my dad's shadow."
"All right, punks, hand over your wallets!"
The trio turned around to see a large guy all dressed in black, including a black stocking hat over his hair. He waved a knife in front of them. "Come on, hand 'em over!"
"Dude, are you trying to rob us?" Haga stepped back, fear filling his dark blue eyes.
"I've got this," Atem stepped forward, keeping his eyes on the knife and the guy's torso. He shifted his weight to better balance himself, watching for the small tells on where the would-be thief would strike. With what Joey and Tristan had taught him, all Atem needed was an opening.
Something flew past his ear and struck the guy in the forehead. Taking advantage of the distraction, Atem struck the guy's wrist, knocking the knife out of his hand. Atem kicked it away, and the blade disappeared into the alley.
"You little—"
The guy was cut off as a red and black figure kicked him in the chest, knocking him back. The guy charged the newcomer, and she flipped him over her shoulder. "Care to try again?" the girl held her hands up, ready to strike. Recognizing her, Atem stepped next to her, also ready.
"Grr…" Realizing he was both outnumbered and likely outmatched, the guy took off running the opposite way.
"And don't come back!" Haga yelled after him.
"Not bad, Temmy," the girl turned to face them. She wore a knee-length red Chinese-style dress with black trim and white buttons, and her black hair was tied in pigtails with white scrunchies. Her jade eyes lit up as she looked over the other two guys.
"Lianne, didn't I ask you not to call me that?" Atem rolled his eyes.
"I don't know; did you?" she shrugged.
"You know her?" Zane raised an eyebrow at him.
"Hey, are you going to introduce me to your hot friends?" Lianne grinned.
Atem sighed, rubbing his forehead. "Guys, this is Lianne Devlin. Lianne, Zane Truesdale and Haga Underwood."
"Hi!" Lianne waved. She spotted something on the ground by her foot and scooped it up. "Ooh, can't forget that."
"What is it?" Haga stepped closer to get a better look at the white cube.
"Her throwing die," Atem rolled his eyes. "You know you almost hit me with that thing."
"Oh, please," Lianne flicked her hand at him. "I could have knocked off your pendant."
"So you live around here?" Haga asked.
"No, I'm just in town with Dad and Rebecca for a project," Lianne shrugged. "I was just wandering around with… uh-oh."
"You lost Arthur again, didn't you?" Atem groaned. Not only was Rebecca likely to kill Lianne, but now he was on the hit list by association.
"Maybe," the girl winced.
"Again?" Zane repeated.
"Freaking again?" Haga echoed.
"Yeah, again," Atem rolled his eyes. "Lianne, just call him."
"Dad took away my phone after the last time I lost him."
Atem felt the urge to just softly and repeatedly bang his head against the nearest tree. Why didn't Lianne ever learn? How hard was it to keep track of a twelve-year-old? "Has he changed numbers?"
"No," she shook her head.
"Good," Atem took out his phone and pulled Arthur von Schroeder from his contacts. Please answer.
"Hello?" a confused and slightly out of breath voice answered.
"Arthur, it's Atem Muto," the warrior duelist let out a breath of relief. Now Rebecca might not kill him. "I found Lianne. Where are you?"
"At a Burger World," Arthur answered. "The street sign says Magnolia."
"My friends and I were there not too long ago. Stay put; we'll meet you there."
"Thanks, Atem."
He hung up the phone and put it back in his pocket. "Sorry, guys," Atem apologized to his friends. "Lianne and I have to head back to Burger World."
"That's fine," Zane shrugged.
"Hey, I got nothing better to do," Haga led the way.
At the restaurant, a boy with dark magenta hair stood with his arms crossed. He wore a pastel pink blazer over a pastel blue shirt and dark blue pants. Red-rimmed glasses framed his bright green eyes. "Really, Lianne?" he glared at the older girl.
"Sorry, Art," Lianne plastered an awkward smile on her face. "I thought you were right behind me."
"I was, 'til you took off running!" the boy snapped, hints of an accent coming through. "What was so fascinating you had to ditch me?"
"Cute boy," she admitted. "But he was taken."
"There's a surprise," he huffed. "Hohlkopf."
"What'd you call me?"
"You heard me."
"You know I don't speak German!"
"Is this normal?" Zane asked.
"For them, yes," Atem sighed as the two bickered. "Meet Arthur von Schroeder. Lianne, Arthur!" he interrupted the two before they escalated further.
"Wait, like SchroederCorp?" Haga raised an eyebrow. "Isn't that in Germany?"
"Yes," Arthur rolled his eyes. "My onkel Zigfried is the president and CEO, and my dad is the VP. But my mom, in addition to being a duelist, is an independent programmer. Right now she's working with Lianne's dad to better utilize holographic technology for Dungeon Dice Monsters."
"Wait, DDD has holograms? Since when?" Haga's eyes widened as he tried to process the information.
"Since it was first released," Lianne answered. "The original prototype was compatible with the duel arenas in use at the time."
"But then KaibaCorp released duel disks the next year," Atem added. "With those becoming mainstream, the arenas were phased out."
"And with it DDD's holographic support," Arthur finished. "The Duel Monsters field is compact, which made it easy for Seto Kaiba to downsize from arenas to the more portable duel disk. But the DDD field is not nearly as simple, and there's the extra element of moving the monsters. There's no real practical way to use the same equipment like with the arenas.
"Wow," Zane commented.
"Yeah, I can't believe all that came out of a kid who's still in middle school," Haga said.
"I'll have you know that while I may be in middle school, I have been studying holographic technology far longer than any of you," Arthur glared at him. "And—"
"Don't get us wrong," Lianne pressed her hand over the boy's mouth, muffling his indignant tirade. "DDD has become a classic next to Monster World, Monopoly, and other board games, and we're always releasing new dice and figures to maintain interest. "But we do want to fully break into the hologram game. We just need to find a practical set-up."
"Cool," Haga grinned.
After getting Arthur to calm down, the group made their way towards the cluster of hotels they were staying at. They were almost there when a scream drew their attention.
"What was that?" Haga paled.
"Arthur, stay behind us," Lianne instructed the kid and charged towards the source: the alley not far ahead.
"Lianne, don't go on your own," Atem chastised as they followed her.
They found a large guy dressed in black on the ground. Over him stood a shadowed figure with claws over its hands and wings protruding from its back. "You can't hide from Destiny," it said.
"Try some of this!" Lianne threw her die at the figure.
"No." It avoided the attack and melted into the shadows, disappearing from view.
"Are you okay?" Zane knelt to help the guy.
"Isn't this the guy we ran into earlier?" Haga checked the thief's pulse. "Did we just walk in on Batman?"
"Not Batman," Atem caught a glimpse of the figure on the roof of the nearest building before it disappeared again. "More like Ra's al Ghul." (1)
"Either way, this guy needs help," Arthur pushed his glasses farther up on his nose.
"I'll call for an ambulance," Zane pulled out his phone.
ΩΩΩΩΩΩΩΩΩΩΩΩΩΩΩΩΩΩΩΩΩΩΩΩΩΩΩΩΩΩΩΩΩΩΩΩΩΩΩΩΩΩΩΩΩΩΩΩΩΩΩΩ
"So is Zane really as good as you?" Lianne asked as the Cyber duelist appeared onstage in a flash of blue fire.
"Yeah," Atem nodded. "He's pushed me more than anyone else at Duel Academy."
"Even more than Mana or Airi?" Arthur asked from the other side of him.
"Technically Airi and I were never at the school together," Atem pointed out. "But yes. The others push me too, but every win I got on Zane was by the barest of margins. And the same when he beat me. In any of our duels, the outcome could have been different with just a single card."
"Wow," Lianne turned her attention back to the arena.
"What about Phoenix?" Arthur kept his eyes on the silver-haired duelist as another flare of blue revealed him. "I've heard he's one of the highest-ranked duelists. He's not even that far below Mom or Dad. Can't say I know much about him though."
"Best I've heard is that he uses Elemental Heroes," Atem said. "Hard to say if that's going to work in Zane's favor or not."
"How so?" Lianne asked.
"Mana's best friend at the Academy uses them," he explained. "Jaden managed to get a draw against Zane during our graduation matches, and that was the best he got. Towards the beginning of the year, Zane defeated Jaden, but one more turn could have changed that."
"So Zane having faced Heroes before, he'll have an idea what to expect," Arthur reasoned. "Meanwhile, Zane's made a bit of a name for himself with his Cyber Dragons, so Phoenix will likely have some strategy in mind."
"It may come down to how they react to each other," Atem nodded. "Zane's faced Heroes, but Jaden is the definition of unpredictable. It's not likely Phoenix is going to use them the same way."
"I've heard a lot about you," Zane eyed his opponent as he readied his duel disk. "Thirty straight wins, and not a single loss. Not too shabby, Big Hero Phoenix."
"Heh, did you come up with that on your own, or did you have help?" Phoenix glared at him. "Let's see if the Cyber Kaiser has anything left to rule after this."
"Let's do this," Zane inserted his deck.
"Bring it on!" they yelled.
"All right, beauty before age!" Phoenix took the first turn. "I think I'll start by summoning this guy: Elemental Hero Avian (1000/1000)!" The familiar green Hero with white feathered wings flew onto the field. "And then I'll throw down a couple of face-downs and call it a turn. What do you think? Remind you of your old buddy Jaden?"
"Hmm…" Atem eyed the duelist in silver.
"What is it?" Lianne noticed his line of sight. "Something wrong?"
"It's how Phoenix phrased his move," Atem explained. "The only other person I've heard use 'throw down a face-down' is Jaden."
"So? It's not like he copyrighted the phrase," Lianne raised an eyebrow.
"It could be a coincidence," Arthur agreed.
"Perhaps," Atem kept his eyes on Phoenix. "But the coincidences are piling up. In the last letter I got from Mana, she said Phoenix showed up on move-in day and challenged Jaden to a duel. He used a deck made of spare cards, and he implied his intention wasn't to win."
"I'm not following," Lianne twirled the ends of her hair around her fingers.
"What are the odds that the only two Hero duelists we know would use the exact same phrase?" Atem asked. "Especially since they dueled not that long ago, and Phoenix knows Zane dueled Jaden."
"Mind games," Arthur concluded. "Like what you said earlier, he could acting like the impression of this Jaden to throw Zane off. Or convince Zane that he's going to play like Jaden does and use a whole different style."
"Hey, Phoenix, check this out!" Zane started his move. "I play Cyber Dragon (2100/1600) in attack mode!" The metallic serpentine dragon materialized next to him. "I can summon him when all the monsters in play are on your side. A little trick I've picked up. All right, Cyber Dragon, Strident Blaze!" The dragon fired its electric breath at the feathered warrior.
"You just triggered my Draining Shield trap card!" Phoenix revealed one of his face-downs. A translucent barrier formed around him, tinging blue as it absorbed the attack. "Isn't that special?" he smirked. "But not only did it block your dragon's attack, it also raises my LifePoints by the amount of its attack points."
"That's not good," Lianne leaned forward to see better.
"Give him a second," Atem commented.
"Nice move," Zane pulled a card from his hand. "But here's a better one: it's a spell card, and it's called Trap Booster! So that means after I ditch a card, I get to play a trap card from my hand." He discarded and inserted his trap. "I choose my Trap Jammer, and it cancels out your trap card, Junior."
"That's your move?" Phoenix scoffed. "Come on, Zaney. Don't you realize a card like that is a dime a dozen?" He revealed his own Trap Jammer. "And my Trap Jammer cancels out all your hard work." His LifePoints rose to 6100.
"No way," Arthur's eyes widened behind his glasses.
"He countered the counter," Atem watched both duelists' reactions carefully. It took a lot of skill to maneuver around Zane's surprises. He knew that better than anyone.
"I haven't seen two pros go at it like this since Kaiba and Yugi!" one of the announcers said.
"Don't know if I'd go that far," Lianne rolled her eyes. "Maybe Kaiba and Zigfried."
"Don't make fun of Onkel Z," Arthur glared at her.
"I play Pot of Greed!" Phoenix's turn drew their attention back to the duel as he drew two more cards. "Now I'll kick it Polymerization-style!" He held up the fusion spell. "I'll be fusing the Avian on my field with the Burstinatrix in my hand!"
"Flame Wingman?" Atem leaned forward, trying to read Phoenix's strategy.
"So give a big Kaiba Dome welcome to Phoenix Enforcer (2100/1200)!" A black and red clad warrior with a thick red tail, white wings framed in green, a clawed gauntlet on his right hand, and a green mask over his face landed on the field. "Pretty rad outfit, don't you think, Zaney?"
"Hey…" Lianne paled at the monster. "Is it just me, or does that almost look like what we saw last week?"
"Now that you mention it…" Arthur examined the Hero. "It was really dark, but there's definitely a resemblance.
'Blake, what do you think?' Atem silently called on his partner.
"I did not sense any other spirits that night," Black Luster Soldier answered.
'Let me know if you sense anything unusual.' Atem kept his eyes on the silver-haired duelist.
"Now, attack!" Phoenix commanded his monster. "Phoenix flame!" The Enforcer charged forward and slashed Cyber Dragon with its claws, shattering the hologram.
"Shouldn't it have been a draw?" Lianne asked.
"Guess I forgot to mention Phoenix Enforcer's special ability," Phoenix smirked. "He can't be destroyed in battle!" He shrugged. "Oh well. I'll throw this down and end my turn."
"So it's like a defensive alternative to Flame Wingman," Atem reasoned.
"What do you mean?" Lianne turned to him.
"I've seen the other combination of Avian and Burstinatrix a lot," he explained. "Jaden favors using Flame Wingman. His special ability is to inflict damage equal to the attack points of any monster he destroys in battle. He's great for offensive tactics."
"I see," Arthur adjusted his glasses. "And on the flip side, Phoenix Enforcer doesn't have that, but its protection from being destroyed in battle makes it easier to defend against attacks."
"I think I'd pick the Wingman," Lianne commented. "Just get strong and swing really hard."
"And that's why I beat you last time," Atem rolled his eyes.
"All right, kid, settle down," Zane drew his card. "What do you know? Pot of Greed!" he held up the spell. "I'll draw two cards…" he smirked at the result, "and play a favorite: the spell card Power Bond!"
"And there's Zane's signature spell," Atem commented.
"I'll send two machines to the graveyard," Zane held up two Cyber Dragons, "in order to summon a whole new machine! So meet my Cyber Twin Dragon (2800/2100)!" Two Cyber Dragons entwined themselves until they became one two-headed dragon. "But my Power Bond's not done yet; it doubles my dragon's attack points." Twin Dragon's strength rose to 5600. "Now attack his Phoenix Enforcer!" Both heads roared, smothering the hero with electrical energy. Phoenix's LifePoints dropped to 2600.
"That's awesome!" Lianne's eyes lit up as she watched him. "Your friend is so hot, and he's a good duelist. Is he single?"
"Down, Lianne," Atem rolled his eyes at her. "He doesn't take well to fangirls."
"Verzweifelter Fräulein," Arthur muttered just loud enough for the warrior duelist to hear.
"And I have one more surprise for you," Zane continued his move. "It can attack again! Double Strident Blaze!" The two-headed dragon launched another attack. Smoke surrounded Phoenix as the attack struck.
"If this attack connects, then Zane wins," Arthur calculated.
"Go, Zane!" Lianne yelled.
The smoke cleared, and Phoenix stood unfazed with 100 LifePoints. "He's still standing!" the announcer cheered.
"But how?" Arthur scanned the field. "That attack should have done it.
"Ever hear the expression the Duel Monsters card is quicker than the eye?" Phoenix smirked, tilting his head toward his revealed trap. "I just played my Elemental Recharge gave me a LifePoint boost—in fact I got a thousand points for every Hero on the field. And now your Power Bond comes with a price."
"That's not good," Atem saw the dark look crossing the Cyber duelist's face as his LifePoints dropped to 1200.
"That was a hefty cost," Arthur agreed. "That Power Bond certainly has its risks."
"It's more than that," Atem kept his eyes on the duelists. "Zane is exceptional at avoiding the side effect of Power Bond. It's pretty safe to assume he's going to avoid it when he plays it. But…"
"But what?" Lianne asked.
"I wouldn't call Zane superstitious," Atem answered, "but in the rare instances Zane does take damage from Power Bond, even if he doesn't outright lose from the effect, something gets in his head, and his performance suffers. I doubt anyone else has noticed, but I have just because of all the times we've dueled."
"Has anyone other than you managed to make him pay Power Bond's cost?" Arthur asked.
"Not that I'm aware of," Atem shook his head. "I hope Zane can keep it together."
"Hey, he's still got a 5600 attack point monster out," Lianne commented. "No way Birdbrain's getting through that."
"Tough break!" Phoenix mocked his opponent as he drew his card. "And now things are going to get tougher for you thanks to my Sparkman (1600/1400)!" A blue and gold hero flipped and landed next to the Phoenix Enforcer. "And next I'll play this card: Spark Blaster!" A pink sci-fi gun materialized in Sparkman's hand.
"That's really not good," Atem winced.
"What does that do?" Lianne asked.
"Spark Blaster let Phoenix switch the battle mode of any monster on the field," Arthur answered. "He can only do it three times, but once will be enough to get past Cyber Twin Dragon since the Power Bond only boosted its attack points."
"Oh," Lianne bit her lip.
"But I'm not done yet," Phoenix held up another card. "I play my Guard Penalty spell card! Now I can choose any monster on the field, and if it switches to defense, then I get to draw a card. So I think I'll pick… your Twin Dragon!" Sparkman aimed his blaster at the metallic dragon. "And what do you know? With Spark Blaster, I can switch it to defense mode." The Blaster fired, and Cyber Twin Dragon curled around to protect itself. "So while's he's taking a nap, I'll draw a card."
"A clever setup," Arthur observed. "Not only can he switch Zane's monster on command, but he can refresh his hand by doing so."
"Did you get that?" Phoenix mocked. "Maybe I should show you again by switching it back to attack mode." Sparkman fired again, and Twin Dragon raised its heads and roared. "Back to bed, little dragon." A third shot, and Spark Blaster dissolved as the dragon crouched once more. The crowd laughed at Cyber Twin Dragon's ups and downs.
Stay strong, Zane. Atem winced as the crowd showed their favor of the silver duelist. No one had ever laughed at Zane during a duel. Not even Atticus's antics went that far.
"Hear that?" Phoenix smirked as he drew another card due to his spell. "Sounds like the crowds on to you. They know you're a joke."
"Shut it," Zane snarled.
"I gotta say, I thought you'd be better," the Hero duelist shrugged. "'Cause I'm just getting warmed up. Ready?" He held up his spell card. "I play Polymerization in order to form Elemental Hero Shining Phoenix Enforcer (2500/2100)!" His monsters combined, upgrading the Enforcer. Silver coated its wings and claws, replacing all the black and red, and its tail vanished.
"Oh great," the Cyber duelist narrowed his eyes at it.
"The fun doesn't stop there, Zaney," Phoenix grinned. "My Shining Phoenix Enforcer gains 300 points for every Hero in my graveyard." His monster's strength rose to 3700. "Show him how you got your name," he commanded. "Shining Phoenix Enforcement!" The Enforcer blasted through Cyber Twin Dragon, vaporizing the hologram. "All right, I'll toss this face-down and call it a turn."
"It's hard to find flaws in that move," Arthur adjusted his glasses. "Does Zane have any way around that?"
"I can think of a few options," Atem answered. "The question is how Zane would pull any of them out."
"Sorry, Aster," Zane glared at his laughing opponent, "but the joke's on you. And it's time for the punchline." He drew his card. "I play Polymerization!"
"But he doesn't have anything to fuse," Lianne protested. "How can he fusion summon?"
"Give him a second," Atem smirked.
"I play Cybernetic Fusion Support!" Zane continued. "Here's how it works: I pay half my LifePoints, then I take some of my fusion materials and remove them from my field and grave." Three Cyber Dragons hovered behind him. "And now for the fun part—I'll fuse them together!" Golden light surrounded them as they combined into one. "Meet Cyber End Dragon!" Zane clenched his fist as his three-headed dragon finished materializing. The crowd cheered at the upset.
"There it is," Atem grinned. "Zane's signature monster, and probably the hardest to get rid of."
"Very impressive," Arthur observed.
"Impressive?" Lianne gaped at him. "That was awesome! No wonder he can give Atem a run for his money!"
"It's been a blast, kid," Zane smirked. "But all good things come to an end. Nice knowing you." Cyber End Dragon charged its attack.
"I gotta say you talk a wicked game," Phoenix grinned. "But when you duel the pros, I'm afraid talk's only going to get you two things: beaten and fast."
"What's he got?" Lianne asked.
"There's still one face-down," Arthur realized. "Zane just walked right into it."
"Destruction of Destiny!" Phoenix revealed his card. "Nice try, Zaney, but thanks to this trap, you're about to lose. 'Cause now I can send five cards to the graveyard, and I choose Clayman, Bladedge, Wildheart, Bubbleman, and Hero Signal!"
"That's bad," Atem winced. "Now with more Heroes in the graveyard, Shining Phoenix Enforcer is even stronger."
Phoenix's hero shined with energy as his strength rose to 4900. "Who's got more points now, Zaney?" the silver duelist mocked. Shining Phoenix Enforcer charged forward to meet Cyber End Dragon's attack. It pushed through the electrical blast and burst through the dragon. Zane's LifePoints fell to zero.
"Unbelievable folks," the announcer stated. "Zane Truesdale has lost."
The defeated duelist knelt on the ground, his eyes hollow. "You can't hide from Destiny," Phoenix smirked, relishing in his victory.
Atem tore his gaze away from his defeated friend to stare at the Hero duelist. That was the same thing the assailant used when they saw it. Was it really Phoenix?
ΩΩΩΩΩΩΩΩΩΩΩΩΩΩΩΩΩΩΩΩΩΩΩΩΩΩΩΩΩΩΩΩΩΩΩΩΩΩΩΩΩΩΩΩΩΩΩΩΩΩΩΩ
Atem frowned as he spotted Phoenix talking to the press. "Impressive as always," the reporter said. "You're certainly the Hero of the Pro League."
"Well it's easy to win when Destiny's got your back," Phoenix smirked.
"So have you set your sights on your next opponent?" she asked. "It seems you have nowhere to go but up."
"I'll gladly face anyone who stands against me," he stated, glancing around at the crowd. He caught Atem's eye and as he said, "I'll even take on the Mutos if it comes to it." He radiated smugness as he turned his attention back to the reporter. "But there is someone in particular I want to face. See, I paid a visit to Central Duel Academy, and get this: there's a student there who totally copied my deck."
Liar. Atem scowled at the silver duelist. Anyone who met Jaden could tell he put his heart in his deck. It was why Yugi gave the Slifer Winged Kuriboh when they first met.
"I guess I can't blame him," Phoenix continued with a shrug. "I mean, who wouldn't want to be me, right? But this wannabe has a following among hardcore dueling fans, and the last thing I need is some prep school punk taking credit for my hard work. Whether you like me or not, there's one thing you can't dispute. I'm the best, and to prove it, I'm challenging this so-called Hero duelist. Jaden Yuki, if you're watching this, I'm coming for you. You think your rip-off Hero deck is so great? Then prove it by putting it up against mine!"
Atem ignored the chatter as the press asked for more details. He was not going let Phoenix's comment about his family draw the press to them. Let him have the limelight. Right now he had other things to worry about.
"Do you think that really was him?" Lianne asked next to him.
"He did use the same phrase," Arthur agreed. "But we have no way to prove it."
'Blake?' Atem called on his Spirit Partner.
'I can sense something, but I am not sure what,' Black Luster Soldier stated. 'It could be that Aster Phoenix is gifted like you, Mana, Jaden, and Chazz. But I could not sense him directly doing anything. And admittedly, Mahad has always been better at that than me.'
'Good to know.' Atem turned his attention back to his friends. "Either way we should be cautious around him," he said aloud.
"Well I don't plan to hang around him," Lianne glared at the Hero duelist as they walked away. "He may be cute, but he's a grade-A jerk."
"Do you hear that, Atem?" Arthur looked at her like she'd grown a second head. "She just said she wasn't going to chase a guy. Maybe the world is ending."
"I don't think the fate of the world hangs on Lianne chasing guys," Atem rolled his eyes.
"OW!" both boys yelped as Lianne struck their arms at the same time. She smirked as she headed down the hallway.
They found Zane outside the waiting room, his gaze hollow. "Hey, man," Atem greeted him. "You okay?"
"He made a fool of me," the Cyber duelist muttered, not meeting any of their eyes.
"It's just one loss," Lianne tried to encourage him. "I mean, Art and I lose all the time."
"Speak for yourself," Arthur glared at her.
"Not helping," Atem cut them off as his friend's expression darkened. "Zane, level with me. Are you going to be okay?"
"Why?" Zane snapped, scowling at them.
"Blake may have sensed something from Phoenix," Atem explained. "It could be nothing happened, but I—"
"You need to bail me out again?" the Cyber duelist snarled. "Isn't that what happened last time?"
"Zane," Atem faltered, surprised by his friend's venom.
"Hey, that's uncalled for!" Lianne stepped forward. "He's just trying to look out for you!"
"Lianne," Atem cut her off. He handed her his wallet. "Can you get me a thing of Dippin' Dots? And whatever else you and Arthur want."
"But—"
"Let's go," Arthur pulled her away, leading the way to the concession stand.
"Dippin' Dots?" Zane raised an eyebrow at him.
"Hey, I like them," Atem shrugged. "And as much as I appreciate Lianne trying to help…"
"She's not," Zane smirked.
"Exactly," Atem grinned. "In all seriousness, I'm not worried because you lost. It was bound to happen at some point. Everybody does eventually. I'm worried about what Blake sensed because we don't know what Phoenix is capable of. I don't want to lose my friend, especially after we lost Atticus for as long as we did."
"You don't have to worry about me," Zane crossed his arms.
"I hope not," Atem said. "Yet… Do you know why Jaden had to be the one to stop Amnael?"
"I presumed he was challenged first," Zane answered.
"Not entirely," Atem admitted. "After we found out Mana lost to Amnael, I was angry to say the least. To the point of irrationality. I almost punched your brother when he suggested we leave to protect the Keys. In hindsight, even though it was motivated by his fear, Syrus's suggestion had some logic. And Amnael even mentioning my sister's loss made me see red. If Jaden had let me duel, I might have lost because I couldn't keep my temper in check."
"I guess we're lucky Jaden doesn't get angry," Zane commented.
"True," Atem nodded. "But my point is Jaden had every reason to worry about Mana and others who were captured, but he still worried about me too, even insisting I stand down and let him fight. I have several things I can worry about, including the fact Aunt Mai is probably going to tear me to shreds next week."
"A week ago I would have been jealous," Zane rolled his eyes.
"You'll get your shot at her," Atem smirked. "Until then, I'm going to try to let Jaden know about what Blake sensed so he can be on his guard. He's now on Phoenix's hit list for using Heroes too. And once I'm sure it's nothing, I'll worry about which one of us is going to win our next duel. I'm coming for you, Truesdale."
"Bring it, Muto."
"We have ice-cream!" Lianne came running back, a cup in each hand. Arthur followed with the same load.
"We didn't know what kind you like, so we got one of each," Arthur held his out. "Choices are cotton candy, chocolate, banana split, and strawberry."
"I'll take the strawberry," Zane accepted the pink portion.
"I'm pretty sure Lianne wants the chocolate, so I'll take cotton candy," Atem took the blue one from her. Lianne immediately dug into the chocolate dish.
"Good thing I like banana split," Arthur rolled his eyes at her.
Atem chuckled to himself, glad the two hadn't descended into bickering just yet.
"Hey, Atem?" Zane said just loud enough for him to hear.
"Yeah?"
"Thanks."
Atem took another bite of his snack. "Anytime."
1. For the record, I don't own anything associated with DC Comics. Now for those who may not be aware, Ra's al Ghul is a Batman villain who leads the League of Assassins (or League of Shadows in some versions). His name means Demon's Head, which is what Atem is referencing when he comments on the appearance of the 'Demon' that attacked the stranger.
So there it is guys. This is going to be one of the few chapters that doesn't include the main DA cast. Haga originally wasn't going in this chapter, but he just kind of showed up for the first half, and he is surprisingly fun.
Lianne and Arthur were planned, though like with anything when I put words to paper, I found out more about them as I wrote. For the record, Arthur is bilingual; the phrases he uttered were in German. Now, I don't speak German, so a little bit of internet searching (mostly Google Translate) gave me what he was saying. The first thing he called Lianne was 'airhead' and the other thing was 'desperate miss' (I liked that better than the translation for desperate girl or just desperate). That being said, if you guys do know some fun German insults (since Arthur has inherited Rebecca's snark, especially to those who have annoyed him *cough* Lianne *cough*). As for Lianne, I'll give you one guess who her mom is. I haven't decided what kind of decks these two will have yet, but they will be recurring. I will say Arthur is the better of the two, but that's mainly because he's better at focusing than she is.
Anyway, let me know what you think.