"Yusei, accomplish your own mission."
I nod at him. Bommer is taken away by the authorities following Godwin's short speech.
Pinoko doesn't leave my side, nor I hers. The walk back to my garage is muted, the only sound the sniffling of my companion. I push the bike while she walks along its other side. She only calms down once we start tuning it back up after the duel having something to focus her mind on.
She's more quiet than she normally is, sitting mum at the laptop while I retighten a few bolts on the wheel wells. The only time she speaks is to tell me she's done checking the program.
"All clear."
"How's your D-Wheel?" Himuro had walked in behind us, making himself known with the question.
"It's fine," I respond, keeping my eyes bouncing between my work and the girl. She's probably just exhausted from her episode. I guess I really worried her.
"What do you think of the witch?"
"I'll find out in this duel."
Himuro and I watch the duel from the screen, Yusei behind us on his bike. I'd done my job, allowing him to double check the functions on his own.
"That equip spell is troublesome. When the equipped monster is destroyed, the opponent takes damage equal to half its attack points."
Himuro is right on the money. Destruction Insurance is a powerful card and in the situation the duelists are in right now, even more so. Aki has no monsters and her Black Rose Garden had been been obliterated by Mad Profiler's monster effect. I'd had enough rest to feel more like myself, adding to Himuro's observations of the duel.
"Yeah, Mad Profiler has 2600 attack points. Half that is 1300, so if she takes it as damage, she's done." Aki has only 1000 life points left. I don't know the younger girl, but for some reason I'm rooting for her. The man she's facing, Kinomiya, has been nothing but cruel to her, calling her a freak whenever he finds the time.
Kinomiya activates another equip spell, Lightlow Protection.
"He's being extremely careful. With that equip spell, if the opponent's monster effect changes the attack points of the equipped monster, that card is destroyed."
"He's clearly trying to counteract her monster effects. He's cunning."
"Black Rose Dragon."
"Got it in one, Yusei." I turn to look at him. His eyes are dark, knowing what's coming down the line. The two men in the room have an insane amount of duel IQ.
Once her turn comes around, Aki places Night Rose Knight on her field, using it to tune her Rose Tokens. One level three and two level two means she can only be summoning the monster Yusei predicted.
"Black flower, bloom! Shychro summon! Appear, Black Rose Dragon!"
The man sitting on his D-Wheel makes a small grunt. I watch as he grabs his forearm. The mark. It appeared again?
"The witch's ace in the hole. Bring it! I'll counter it! You're a freak whose parents abandoned you!" The wicked smile on Kinomiya's face speaks volumes. This isn't just a duel for the right to battle Jack anymore, they're really duking it out.
"Stars, what an asshole. Not that he deserves this, but how can you expect her to be anything but hurt by that?" More and more, I feel for her. The way he speaks, it sounded like Aki had these powers since she was only 5. What if she can't control them? What if she's being led into using them?
Her hair accessory unwinds itself, tinking as it hits the duel field. I grow more sure of my assessment with her next words.
"I won't forgive someone like you who stomps on a person's heart. I'll carve pain into your body!" She proceeds to remove a plant monster from her graveyard to activate Black Rose Dragon's effect, making Mad Profiler's attack points zero. "Rose Restriction!"
"She has a set card," I start. "She has to know that her dragon will be destroyed by Lightlow Protection. Does she plan on using it?"
Her oppent activates the equip card, demolishing Black Rose Dragon as I'd thought. That's when she uses her trap card.
"I activate the trap card Curse of Rose. When the attack points of a monster on your field changes, you take damage equal to the difference between that monster's original attack points and its new attack points." Red petals swirl around Kinomiya, dancing in the air around him and waiting to pounce. "Do it."
"Mad Profiler had 2600 attack points. That's more than enough to end him. This duel's over." I watch as the flowery tornado subsides, revealing Kinomiya laying face down, craters in the field surrounding his body.
"It's over! Hurry and bring the paramedics!" the emcee shouts. "Aki Izayoi is the winner! She successfully defeated Kodo Kinomiya, so she advances to the finals to face Yusei Fudo!"
No one cheers, not a single voice raising from the stands. I keep quiet, listening to Himuro's follow up.
"What did you learn from her cards?"
"Rejection and anger." Yusei grips his arm still, though the mark is surely fading with the duel being over. "However, she's still hiding something."
Yusei wouldn't ket me leave on my own, still trying to defend me from the percieved danger. I think he's going a bit overboard, but with our friends seemingly captive, I don't have the heart to stop him. We move through the hallways easily for a time.
Passing an intersecting corridor, though, the winner of the last duel nearly bumps right into us. Aki glares at my protector, grasping her forearm. He mirrors her, holding his own. For as much as believe she's innocent, she is certainly still a danger. The rage inside her eyes relays just that.
"Why is it a detestable mark? What does the mark mean to you?" he says, staring back at the female duelist.
"I hate people who have this mark. I hate them."
It's all time permits, as two little rascals run up behind us. "Yusei!"
"So this is where you two were!" Ruka and her twin are there, looking up to him with starry eyes.
"It's almost time for the finals!" cries Rua, but his smile turns upside down when he spots the girl. "It's the witch!"
She turns her enraged eyes to the little ones.
Faster than lightening, I step in front of the children. "I'm sorry, Aki. He didn't mean to be rude." I nudge his shoulder lightly. "Rua is sorry, too, right?"
"Yeah! I'm sorry if I offended you."
"Good boy." I give him a smile before turning it to the psychic duelist herself. "Sometimes he has no filter."
After a moment, it softens and she looks away. She doesn't seem so bad. Sure, she's angry, but how much of that anger is her own?
The laugh that follows is eerie. It didn't come from any of us. "Hi there, Izayoi." Turning to its source, I see the little jester that took our friends, lavender hair frozen in place as he walks up. "Your duel was impressive. Before the finals, Director Godwin wants to talk and thank you. Can you please come with me?"
His request is refused, but not by Aki herself as three strangers come up behind us.
"Aki is tired." The speaker is a tall man, auburn hair coiffed into a sweeping curl on his forehead. The trench coat only makes him appear more nefarious when paired with his uniformed followers. They surround the girl.
"And you are?"
"Let's just say I'm Aki's guardian. Even though you've most likely already investigated everything about me. Aki has to regain her strength before the finals. Excuse us." The only movement he makes is a short salute, the four of them retreating to the hall at our back.
"Huh. They're such a phony organization."
Yeagers words tear a laugh from me. "Ha! And yours isn't? Is grabbing little kids off the streets of Satellite part of your business model?" For him to act so above them grates on my nerves.
"Where did you take Rally and our friends?" He stands over the clown. Yusei is mean-mugging him in a way I've never seen him before, furor written in the curve of his brow.
"You should think about the position you're in. And the position she's in." Yeager turns to me, the same fiendish smirk twisting his profile. "Or else..."
The clown walks off, his giggle echoing in the corridor. It spurs me to grab Yusei's arm, fear sinking in. I hadn't thought he would make good on his promise before, but now I'm not so sure. He glares after the two groups that walk away, both Yeager and Aki had given him something to think over.
"That witch is scary." Rua breaks the silence, turning to his little sister.
"She's not scary," she argues, hand on her arm.
It draws our attention away from the receding backs ahead.
"Are you alright?" I ask her, crouching to give her a cursory look over.
"It hurts and throbs. My arm and soul feel like that when I look at her."
The both of us take in a breath at that.
Yusei had gone back to the conestant's room, but not before strictly ordering me not to go anywhere alone. This time, I wasn't able to protest. What Yeager said earlier was still fresh in my mind.
Although the next duel would be tough, I know Yusei will win.
"Beat the witch!"
"I'll root for that Satellite garbage!"
The audience in the arena are conflicted between their two least favorite contestants, but they've decided on the lesser of two evils in their mind.
"They say such horrible things."
"That they do, Yanagi. It's nothing new to us, but imagine being in Aki's shoes right now. She's just a kid." I look down at my lap, thinking of the hurt she's experiencing.
"However, she's instilling fear using her mysterious power," Himuro protests. He's not wrong, but he's not right either.
Rua speaks up, curious. "But if so many people are afraid of her, why is there such a large crowd?"
"Humans are cruel."
"He's right," I second. "They want to see the destruction of the ones they hate, so much that they'd risk their own safety."
"It's going to be a heartbreaking duel." Tenpei looks back at the faces of savagery lined up in every row behind us.
"It is, but let's not forget what we're here to do. Yusei is going to need us to cheer for him, but don't take any shots at Aki. We aren't going to be like the rest of the audience. Got it?"
"Yes!" Rua consents immediately, going to hold up the sign I brought. His excitement is contagious, but I have to remind him this won't be a riding duel.
"We have to use this side for standing duels, alright?"
"It's finally time for the finals! The winner of the finals gets to challenge the King!" The announcer puts a foot on his desk, posing for effect. "Which one will get the chance to gain an audience with the King? The first challenger is the black rose witch, Aki Izayoi!"
Her entrance to the stage reinvigorates the ire of the crowd.
"Defeat the witch!"
"Sacrifice the witch!"
"Next is Satellit's shooting star, Yusei Fudo!"
Our friend appears opposite the young psychic duelist, spurring us into a cheer.
"Yusei, do your best!" Rua holds his hands up to his mouth, hoping to amplify his voice.
Tenpei even joins him. "Yusei!"
But as Yusei claimed before, I'm loud. I easily drown them out, shouting above the rest. "Fight, Yusei! You've got this in the bag! Only two more until you're the King!"
Beside me, Yanagi comments, "I'm getting excited."
"Yusei, be careful." Himuro is the quietest of us all. It's true that Aki is no pushover, but she would be no match for Yusei.
"Every moment has led to this!" the announcer begins anew. "Duel of Fortune Cup finals! Start!"
A/N: Can I just say it's ridiculous that Yusei keeps Stardust dragon in his pocket? Thing would crumpled as all hell lmao.
