Wind Underneath Your Wings Ch 3

A/N: I took some creative liberties with Crow's cards and the duel overall.

After the team's lost against team 5D's, their next battle was against the dreaded team catastrophe.

Two of team Unicorn's members had crashed causing them to end up in the hospital. This meant that they were out of the tournament.

Not believing for single second that his friend's would crash like that, Breo did some investigating and produced some interesting information. Bruno look over the data showing that the wheels locked on both duel runners. Crow made the connection to his accident with Blackbird telling that it was the same for his duel runner. Bruno quickly pulled up the data on Blackbird from that day and both graphs were the same.

"This means they caused Blackbird to crash!" Crow grips his injured arm trembling with anger. "I won't forgive them!"

"Calm down, Crow." Yusei said. "This isn't enough evidence that team Catastrophe is to blame."

Crow hated that Yusei was right. The wheels on their duel runner's all locked up, but it could have had different causes. Bottom line is they needed to figure out how team Catastrophe locked the wheels on team Unicorn's duel runners. Doing something like this without their opponents noticing is an impossible task.

"Oh yeah! I have a video of the duel between Unicorn and Catastrophe, so let us look at it!" Carly reached into her bag to bring out the flash drive with the video footage. "We might learn something."

Carly set up the video player and everyone looked at the screen hoping to catch anything that explains the current phenomenon. They had six pairs of eyes watching the screen, no one could find anything suspicious. Yusei points out that the monster team Catastrophe is using was out when both crashes happen. When Andre attacked it, he crashed. When Jean was being attacked, he crashed. Everyone came to the same conclusion; that monster had something to do with the wheels locking.

"Yusei and Jack, be careful. They already attacked Crow. You don't know who they'll attack next." Carly warns them.

The three looked at each other realizing that one person is not here. Their faces traveled through all the steps of anxiety, panic, and horror as they realized who was not present.

"""Akiza is in danger!""" Yusei, Jack, and Crow shouted.

Akiza was riding around on the empty road. She had decided to go on for a few more laps before returning home just when she felt a strange power. She could not dwell on it for too long as her duel runner started going out of control. The back wheel had stopped working correctly sending Akiza flying into the air.

"I summon Rose Tentacles!" Just in time she had used her powers to summon a monster to catch both her and the duel runner safely. "Thank you."

She had showed her gratitude as she was gently put down. Akiza had looked around for the source of the mysterious power but found nothing. Just what was that? Feeling a bit freaked out and confused, she made a slow trek back towards the city. Something in her mind told her it was best to not ride for the time being. She had her monster carry Bloody Kiss as close as possible to the city before she had to ride on it again.

She arrived at Poppo Time just as Yusei and Jack were gearing up. They all turned their heads towards the entrance as she walked into the building. Worry and relief was etched on their faces. Once everyone had calmed down, Akiza explained what happened to her and Carly caught her up on the entire fiasco that is team Catastrophe.

"During my accident, I felt a strange power. Could that have been them?"

Bruno ran a diagnosis on Bloody Kiss and compared the findings. The exact same readings as Blackbird and team Unicorn's duel runners.

"It is all the same readings. I am positive that they are the ones who caused Crow's accident too." Bruno said.

Crow all of a sudden started clawing at his cast removing the offending thing from his arm. He could not hide his frustration any longer.

"Crow! What are you doing?!" Yusei said.

"What does it look like. I am gonna find them and beat them up!" It was a very strange idea considering he had no clue where they were.

"I know how you feel, but I you do that, you're no different from them!" Yusei said.

"But we have to do something!"

"We'll deal with them in a duel." There was a beat of silence between the two.

"Fine. And I will be the one to deal with them!"

"Crow what about your shoulder?" Akiza spoke up. I do not want you to duel while still injured. I can fight fine. Besides…."

She remembered her duel against Andre. She wanted a chance to redeem herself after such a loss. Now clearly was not the time for that.

"I want to get back at them for attacking me and Crow! I refuse to back down!" She stares them all down. She left no room for debate. Her participation was decided.

"I am dueling no matter what." Crow managed to finally get the restricting cast off his arm. He heard Jack began to say something, but Crow went onto speak over him. "You two better figure out who is getting benched!"

Jack was ready to say something until Yusei put a hand on his shoulder. "We will discuss it."

It was clear the red head duo were not budging an inch on their stance.

Akiza had to get home but not before having a talk with Crow. She brought him outside to Bloody Kiss. "I fully thought you were going to side against me back there. Thank you for having my back."

"Of course! We want the same thing. Let us work together to get our revenge." Crow gripped his shoulder.

"I am worried about your shoulder."

"I'll be fine." He tried moving his shoulder to show he was fine. Only to wince in pain proving the opposite. "Don't worry about me."

Akiza and Crow shared a look of determination before she rode home.

The day of the match arrived. As they entered the stadium, the group waved to the audience.

"Heh, they don't realize that we'll crush them." Hermann scanned the group and saw Crow amongst them. "Why is he here? Isn't he supposed to be hurt?"

"We'll just crush them again." Nicholas said.

They all witnessed Akiza survive by summoning a monster to catch her. They had no counter for that, so they just had to leave her be. The group figured that they should not have any problem against Akiza. But Crow was baffling. His arm should not be healed.

"He's coming this way." Hans warned his teammates.

"Shouldn't you be in the hospital?" Hermann said. "What do you want?"

"I just wanted to say 'hi'." Crow said. "I will get my revenge for you did to my friends. I do not know what magic you are using, but I will not fall for it twice! Prepare yourselves!"

"We should the same to you. Your body just healed so you should take care of it." Hermann could not hide the nervous sweat falling down his face.

"Thanks for the warning." Crow bid his farewell and returned to his friends.

"He's making fun of us." Hans says getting worried.

"No. They are suspicious, but they don't know its identity." Nicholas kept his cool. "Their only chance of finding out id when they die."

Crow and Hermann ready themselves at the starting line.

Crow took deep breaths as the pain surged in his shoulder. He had to focus.

"Will Crow be, okay?" A worried Luna asks. "His shoulder hasn't healed yet."

"We have no choice because he won't listen to us." Jacks says.

"That sounds like Crow." Akiza did hope that Yusei and Jack would convince Crow to sit out and let them deal with it. Deep down she knew that Crow was not going to sit this one out no matter what.

"Crow will be okay." Leo reassures his sister.

The timer ticks down to zero and both duelists sped towards the corner.

'I can withstand this pain.' Crow shoulder began to hurt as he accelerated. It was causing him to have a slow start. He had to take the corner. Crow used the throttles for a boost of speed that got him past Hermann.

"Nice try."

Hermann rammed his duel runner into Blackbird to cause Crow to lose control. When that did not work, he dug his elbow into Crow's injured shoulder. This gave Hermann the upper hand and allowed him to take the corner first.

Turn 1: Hermann 4000 Life Points.

Crow did not have to wait long to meet his target. Hermann had summon Hook the Hidden Knight on the first turn. Hermann sets one card in the spell and trap zone and ended his turn.

"I was waiting for that crooked monster. I will defeat you!" Crow declared.

He had not told them this, but he had no intention of letting Akiza or Yusei deal with this card. Crow would go down in flames if it meant dragging down that monster with him.

Turn 2: Crow 4000 Life Points.

Crow draws his card accompanied by pain from his shoulder. That jab did a lot more damage than Crow would have expected. If he could manage dueling with broken ribs, he can duel with this.

"I summon Blackwing - Sirocco the Dawn!" Crow yells.

Sirocco appears in attack mode.

"I'll figure out how you lock wheels! Sirocco! Attack! Dark Wing Slash!"

Sirocco attacks Hook the Hidden Knight.

"That attack can't defeat me!" Hermann activates Hook the Hidden Knights effect.

Attacking this card while in attack mode will force both monsters into defense position. Thereby negating the battle. When Hook the Hidden Knight switch from attack to defense, it will inflict 800 points of damage to the opponent.

Crow Life Points: 4000 3200

Crow felt a strange sensation flutter through his body. He was being hurt; the damage was real. It was causing him to lose balance. During it all, he felt it. A presence crawling towards him from behind. He looks behind himself to the left and there it was. A hook raising out of the shadow. Crow quickly maneuvered Blackbird out of harm's way.

It was a fast moment, but he got a good look at the hook. It was the same as the one on Hook the Hidden Knight.

On the sidelines, Akiza also felt the strange energy. It was the same from her accident. She could not see it properly; she defiantly knew that the monster tried the same trick. 'Crow be careful….'

Crow felt a ping of pain in his shoulder. That movement really did a number on him. Regaining his composure he studied the field.

'So that is how he does it. If it locks my wheels, I am done for. The pain is back. I cannot let this go on for much longer.' "I set four cards and end my turn!"

Turn 3 – Hermann

After taking his draw, Hermann switches Hook the Hidden Knight back to attack position.

"I summon Dark the Hidden Knight! This card can attack you directly!"

Dark the Hidden Knight deal 800 points of direct damage to Crow.

Crow LP: 3200 2400

"Then Hook attacks Sirocco! Devil Hook!"

Since Sirocco is in defense position, Crow takes no damage.

Crow looked back at the shadow and there it was, a hook raising from the ground. This time it wanted to finish the job. The shadow was much bigger so this time it will not miss. Crow launched Blackbird into the air in order to dodge.

"Ugh!" The impact of landing surged the pain in his shoulder again. He could feel tears pricking at his eyes. It was getting increasingly difficult to move his arm.

"He can't battle with that shoulder." Akiza was growing worried about Crow's condition.

"Make him a pit stop!" Jack told Leo.

"Got it!"

Leo held out the sign for Crow to pull over.

"Crow lets switch!" Akiza yells. "Leave the rest to me!"

"No! I will at least get rid of this monster!" Crow says and ignores the pit stop sign.

Turn 4 - Crow

Crow draws a card.

"I activate the trap Blackback! I can special summon a Blackwing monster from my graveyard with 2000 or less attack points!" Crow said. "I summon Blackwing - Sirocco the Dawn!"

Sirocco comes back to the field. Then Crow special summons Blackwing - Gale the Whirlwind. It can be special summoned from the hand while Crow controls a Blackwing monster. Crow's feathered friend joins the battle.

"Next, I activate Wing Requital! If all monsters I control are winged beast and have different original names, I can pay 600 life points to draw 2 cards."

Crow LP: 2400 1800.

Crow paid the cost and drew two cards.

"I special summon Blackwing - Harmattan the dust from my hand!" Crow shouts as Harmattan entered the fray. "I'm not done yet! Since
I control exactly three Blackwing monsters, I can activate this card from my hand! Delta Crow - Anti Reverse!"

"He can activate a trap card from the hand!" Leo exclaimed.

"A trap from the hand? That is brilliant!" Akiza remarks.

"Activating a trap card from the hand is only something Crow can think of!" Jack smirks.

"What!? How is that fair!?" Hermann had the look of terror etched his face.

"Quite! I don't want to hear you say anything about fairness." Crow spat. "This card destroys all face down spell and trap cards my opponent controls. Say goodbye to your back row!"

Hermann's two face downs were destroyed. With Hermann's line of defense gone, Crow went all in.

Gale uses its effect to halve the attack points of Hook the Hidden Knight. Now the monster has 800 attack points.

"Now, I tune Gale with Harmattan and Sirocco! With hopes and dreams on your wings, soar to the skies to forge a new path! Fly high! Blackwing Full Armor Master!"

Crow's ace monster arrives to the field. Crow fulfilled the conditions to activate another card.

"I activate Black Return. It allows me to send one face-up monster the opponent controls back to the hand, when exactly one Blackwing monster is special summoned. And I also gain life points equal to the attack of that monster." Crow explains. "I send back Dark the Hidden Knight!"

Dark the Hidden Knight was returned to Hermann's hand and Crow regained 800 Life Points.

Crow LP: 1800 2600

"Then I flip over 'Against the Wind' to bring back Gale the Whirlwind from my grave! I take damage equal to the selected card attack points." Crow said.

Crow LP: 2600 1300

Gale returns to the field.

"You're finished!" Crow declares. "Gale attack Hook the Hidden Knight!"

"Huh? Are you forgetting its effect?" Hermann shouts.

The second he activates Hook the Hidden Knight's effect; Crow activates a trap card in response.

"Got you. I activate 'Dark Illusion'. It negates effects that targets a face-up dark monster and destroys the card."

"What!?" Hermann watches in shock as his monster is destroyed.

"I will make you pay!" Crow's expression grew dark. "You have nothing now! I will never forgive those who hurt my friends! How dare you hurt Jean, Andre, and Akiza! Gale! Continue your attack! Black Scratch!"

Hermann LP: 4000 2700

"End this now, Full Armor Master!"

Full Armor Master deals the final blow.

Hermann LP: 2700 0

Winner: Crow Hogan.

The pain was becoming too much to bear with. He returns to the pit stop, forfeiting his remaining life points.

"I got our revenge." Crow said handing his sticker to Akiza.

"Leave the rest to me." She says heading to the track.

"Lets battle, Akiza Izayoi!" Nicolas said.

"You go out of your way to hurt others with the use of a shadow card…. Whatever the reasons that drove you to such an evil tactic, I will not hear it!"

Duel start: Akiza vs. Nicolas

Turn 5 – Nicolas

Nicolas set one card and ended his turn.

Turn 6 – Akiza

Akiza was baffled at the move it made her all the more on guard. Weirdly enough she felt the same odd power coming from that card as Hook the Hidden Knight. 'Could it be another shadow card…?'

She took her draw. "I summon Lone Fire Blossom! Then I tribute it to special summon Gigaplant from my deck to the field! I play Moister Fertilizer, a continuous spell, and set one card face down! Now, Gigaplant attack directly!"

"I activate the trap Doom Ray! When your monster attacks me directly, we both take 800 points of damage for every card in my hand!"

"What are you doing?" Akiza could not wrap her head around the plan. Why would he want a tie? "Unless… is that another shadow card!?"

"There is more than just one shadow card. You and your duel runner will crash due to the power of the shadows" Nicolas laughed as the effect went off.

Akiza felt the power of the shadows. It felt like the grim reaper had finally come for her. She could hear her friends calling for her. This is not how she will meet her end!

Akiza activated her powers to make Gigaplant real in order to push through the bombardment. Next to her she could also see Nicolas in despair. It was as if he had been betrayed and abandoned. If nothing were done, he would die.

"Gigaplant, get him!" She orders right before the explosion sets off.

From the smoke Akiza appeared unharmed with Nicolas on board. Nicolas's duel runner was now out of commission due to the explosion. Because of that team Catastrophe is disqualified from the tournament.

"Why did you save me?" His whole demeanor had changed.

"I want to use my strength to help people. You should rely on your own abilities to achieve your future."

Her words seemed to resonate with Nicolas, as he looked to be taking her words to heart.

Team 5D's won and was moving onto the next round. However the celebration was cut short when the host made an announcement.

"I have received breaking news! There are accidents on highways where we are holding the preliminaries!"

After the announcement, the project showed the accidents across the highways.

"What is happening?" Yusei said.