First, I hope you guys had a fun and safe Halloween! Second, I deeply apologize for the site not showing this chapter when it should have. That should not have happened, and hopefully won't happen again. Finally, you have all waited for this since the previous story, and now your patience has paid off.
It is time for the match you've long been anticipating: Yugo vs 5D's Jack Atlas! Please enjoy!
Yugioh: The Hope of Six
Chapter 4 – Yugo's Dream Match
The atmosphere in the apartment couldn't be any more depressing. Everyone was quiet, very worried for Aki. Carly left earlier to meet the headline on time. After she had gone, Yugo and Rin were both told about Divine and his history with Aki and Yusei. They each tried, but no one present was successful in trying to cheer Aki up. Learning of Divine's escape from prison had made her very afraid. Not just for herself, but also for those he might target… including her friends. She was especially afraid that he might be searching for Yusei, to kill him.
During their Duel in Maiami City, Divine became convinced that Yusei had "poisoned her mind" and that he would "help her remember her true self". Aki had no doubt Yusei would be his primary target now. 'Yusei… I have to protect him. I must. But how?' She was just pondering this when the young man who's life she became so concerned of returned in a flash of gold light.
"Yusei!" Aki called out.
"You're back!" Yugo said with glee.
"What did you learn? Are the others okay?" Rin asked, sounding worried. Yusei nodded, smiling.
"Everyone is fine, including Yuya and Yuzu. They are all on their worlds now." Everyone breathed a sigh of relief.
"Thank goodness." Ruka said softly.
"I'm really glad that they all got home safe." Rua said.
"So am I." Kiryu said.
"Me too." Sherry added.
"Did Ray had anything to say about our would be killers?" Jack asked. Yusei frowned.
"A lot was discussed. First things first, I brought someone back with me you guys should know about." Yusei said as he raised his Duel Disk.
"Like who?" Crow questioned. In that instant, the small green form of Windy had risen from Yusei's Disk, surprising the group. He waved at them.
"Hey there. I'm Windy. Nice to make your acquaintance." The Wind Ignis greeted.
"Wait, Windy? Isn't that the name of one of the Ignis you told us about?" Rin asked Yusei.
"Yes Rin. He will be living with us temporarily." He replied. After everyone introduced themselves, a curious Yugo walked over and examined Windy very closely.
"Huh. So this is an Ignis, eh?" He said, studying every angle of the little guy. Windy didn't seem to mind. "An actual A.I.. Just how smart are ya anyway?"
"My intelligence is more advanced than most computers." The Ignis replied.
"Cool!" Yugo exclaimed.
"It's nice to meet you Windy." Rin said. Windy nodded.
"The pleasure is mine, Rin." He replied.
"So why did Yusei bring you here? What about the other Ignis?" Rua asked. Windy looked down.
"It was Ray's idea to separate us, for our own protection." He replied sadly.
"From what?" Kiryu asked.
"I'll explain." Yusei said. And so he did. He revealed everything that was talked about on Cyberse World and what everyone was told to do. When he was done, hardly anyone could believe it all.
"No way! So the Airship was destroyed?!" Rua yelled in shock.
"Yes Rua. That Storm Protocol had done so to fool Zarc, E'Rah, and Lightning. Hopefully it worked." Yusei said.
"I don't freaking believe it! We never even got to ride inside it!" Yugo complained. He actually looked forward to traveling in it with Rin after seeing it days ago. Rin glared at him.
"Good grief Yugo. If Yusei hadn't told us that this Numeron Code could bring back the Airship, I would scold you about how being stuck here forever would be a much bigger issue!" She shouted. Yugo turned to her.
"We wouldn't be stuck here, Rin. Not with the Crimson Dragon! It brought us here, so it can take us back!" Rin sighed.
"Clearly you didn't hear Yusei saying that that wasn't an option. The Crimson Dragon only did that because we were about to die!" She countered. Yugo winced and chuckled embarrassingly.
"Oh yeah, I forgot about that. Sorry." He apologized. Rin snorted, still finding herself hard to believe that she loved that idiot.
"I don't get something. This Revolver helped all of you escape. Why would he want to destroy the Ignis, who are on our side?" Sherry questioned.
"We did not a get a clear answer about that." Yusei told her. He then looked down at Windy, who didn't really want to discuss the matter.
"This Ignis, Ai. He's the one we need to count on now, right?" Mizoguchi asked.
"He is." Yusei answered.
"How reliable is he?" Jack questioned.
"Ai has his faults, but he knows how important his job is. He will come through with the Numeron Code." Windy said with confidence.
"I hope you're right." Crow said.
"What about Yuri? Will he cause trouble for Judai, Flame and their friends?" Ruka asked, concerned.
"If he has truly changed after being with Yuya, then there shouldn't be any problems." Yusei said reassuringly. Yugo snorted.
"After how he nearly captured Rin, I wouldn't bet on it. I still want to kick his ass for that." Rin looked over at him.
"He already got his punishment from Yusei. Besides, Yuya seemed convinced that Yuri can change. Let's trust that he can." she told him. Yugo didn't say anything, but he still appeared certain that the prick was still a trouble maker.
"And you have no idea how he came to be there in his own body again, or why Masumi's there with him?" Rua asked. Yusei shook his head.
"No. Not even Ray had an explanation for that." He too wondered how this event could've taken place. Perhaps Yugi would get some answers from Yuya on this. He would have to remember to ask him when they meet again. It was then he noticed Aki looking very worried.
"Aki? Are you okay?" Yusei asked, getting his girlfriend's attention. She looked up at him.
"No. I'm not okay at all." Yusei was surprised by how upset she sounded.
"What is it?" He asked, now sounding worried himself. Aki hesitated before she gave her shocking answer.
"It's Divine. He's gone. He escaped from the Detention Center just recently." Yusei gasped.
"What?! How?!" Rin took over.
"Carly stopped by while you were on Cyberse World and told us about it. She said that Divine used some kind of "dark card" to break out of his cell and take down all the guards. No one was able to stop him. Once he broke through the outer walls of the Detention Center, he fled before the Neo Domino City Police Department could arrive to assist."
"They have been trying to find him, but so far no leads have turned up. Not even Ushio and Mikage have found anything. The bastard just vanished." Crow added. Yusei now felt worried for Aki's safety.
"Who is Divine?" Windy asked.
"A very dangerous man." Aki told the Ignis as she moved to Yusei. "Yusei, I do not believe Divine could have escaped on his own." Yusei shook his head.
"Me neither. Lightning had to have assisted him somehow. Perhaps he gave Divine that "dark card" he used to break out." He guessed. He then held Aki by the shoulders. "Listen Aki. I promised to protect you from him, and I will keep that promise." Aki then held her boyfriend's face with both hands.
"I know. The thing is… I'm actually much more worried about you." She admitted.
"Me?" Yusei asked, surprised. Aki nodded.
"He blames you for me turning away from him, that I'm no longer the person he wished me to be." She paused before going on. "Yusei, I think he plans to kill you to get me back." Yusei leaned his forehead on hers.
"Aki, I'm not going anywhere. Whatever Divine plans to do, we both need to be ready. We will protect each other. Agreed?" He said. Aki then kissed him firmly.
"Agreed."
"So will we." Crow said. Everyone present nodded in agreement.
"I'll get in touch with Mikage and see if she can give Aki's parents protection." Jack said, walking away to make the call.
"Knowing that Lightning may have had a hand in Divine's escape gives me all the more reason to get involved." Sherry said before turning to Kiryu. "We should both be here for them." Kiryu nodded to his woman.
"Absolutely. We will definitely keep them safe from that maniac." He told her.
"I shall be of any assistance I can as well." Mizoguchi added.
"Hell, anyone who's got a beef with Yusei is gonna have to take it up with me!" Yugo declared, pointing at himself.
"I don't want anything bad to happen to Yusei or Aki." Rin said firmly. "I'll do whatever I can to help too."
"I also wish to assist in this matter." Windy said determinedly.
"Don't leave me and Ruka out!" Rua said, wrapping an arm around his twin sister.
"We won't leave you guys." Ruka told the couple.
"Thank you." Yusei told them, looking at all of them fondly. Jack then came back.
"Mikage just said that extra security will be added to the Izayoi mansion." Aki was very pleased to hear that.
"Thanks Jack." Aki said gratefully. He nodded with a smile.
"So, what will we do in the meantime?" Rua wondered after a minute. Yugo had a surprising solution.
"You guys have all had a rough time lately, and hearing this Divine person is on the loose only made things worse. I'd say we should try to relieve some of that stress."
"How Yugo?" Rin asked. Yugo then turned to Jack and gave a big smile.
"By watching me and Jack having an incredibly awesome Riding Duel!" Jack widened his eyes and stared at the younger boy.
"So then, you finally decided to have our match?" He asked, now sounding more businesslike. Yugo nodded.
"Definitely! Let's have it at that same track where I dueled Crow! We can head there now! Can we have our Duel now, Jack Atlas… King of Riding Duels?" He asked as he bowed before the man he believed to be the King. Kiryu, Sherry, and Mizoguchi were confused as to why the boy called Jack the King. They knew he didn't have that title anymore. One look from Jack told the trio to not say anything. Though confused, they wisely kept quiet. They would be told later. As for Jack himself, he appeared to have thought over about the match and looked over at everyone.
"I think this will be good for everyone, Jack." Yusei said. Jack smirked before he turned back to the boy that challenged him.
"Very well, Yugo. Get your D-Wheel and your cards ready. Today will be your biggest and most challenging Duel yet! I, Jack Atlas, shall be your opponent!" Yugo couldn't take contain his excitement any longer.
"Alright! Finally! This is going to be SO awesome!" Yugo shouted happily. The group also believed it will be a great match. As everyone started to head out to the racing track, Rin asked Yusei if they could talk alone for a bit before going. Yusei nodded and told the gang to go ahead and that they will catch up. Knowing the rest of her friends would keep her safe, Aki left her boyfriend and Rin.
Yusei then attached his Duel Disk to his D-Wheel and told Windy they will leave once he and Rin finished talking. The Ignis agreed as he returned inside the Disk, giving the two remaining humans some privacy.
"What's on your mind, Rin?" Yusei asked once they were out of earshot. What she wanted to discuss caught the older man unprepared.
"Yusei, I know that you are the "real" Riding Duel King here, not Jack Atlas. Carly told me while you were gone, and Rua knows that I know but no one else does. Yugo still doesn't know, since you just heard him calling Jack "King" before he left with everyone. Why did you keep that hidden?" She demanded, hands on her hips. Yusei didn't reply right away. "Well?" Rin insisted. Finally, Yusei responded.
"Rin, I'm sorry. I know how much you and Yugo look up to Jack, seeing him as a great champion. I didn't want you two to think any less of this world's Jack Atlas since he no longer has his championship title. It had always meant more to him than to me. Jack and the others were fine with that. Are you planning to tell Yugo?" Rin hesitated before she gave a big sigh.
"No. He's so hyped up for dueling Jack that it wouldn't feel right to do this to him now. So, I'm keeping my mouth shut. But Yusei…" Rin stared at him hard. "Yugo has a right to know the truth… and it should come from you." Yusei nodded.
"You're right. I'll tell him when the time comes." He promised. Satisfied with his answer, Rin headed out with her protector and the Ignis he brought with him.
/\/\/\/\/\/\
Yusei, Rin, and Windy arrived at the track not long after the rest of their friends got there. Aki and the others were sitting on the stands nearby. Yugo and Jack were both getting their D-Wheels into position when they showed up. "Hey!" Yugo called out once he spotted them.
"Hey yourself!" Rin called back as she and Yusei met up with him and Jack. Windy had also reappeared.
"Is your Duel about to start?" The Wind Ignis asked. Jack nodded.
"Yugo and I are pretty much ready to go. We were just waiting on you three." Yusei then smiled at the younger boy.
"Good luck and don't hold back. Jack is a much tougher opponent than Crow." Yugo smiled back.
"Oh, I don't doubt that Yusei."
"I am very eager to witness this event. I have never seen a Riding Duel before." Windy said. Yugo chuckled.
"Well, you're in for a treat Windy! It's gonna be a blast!" Windy felt warm from hearing those words.
'Yugo… he reminds me so much of him.' The Ignis thought sadly. He wish "he" was here with him…
"By the way Rin, what were you and Yusei talking about when we left?" Yugo asked curiously. Rin shook her head.
"Oh, nothing important." She smiled while placing a hand on Yugo's shoulder. "Now go out there and show Jack Atlas what you're made of!" Yugo nodded with determination. As he headed back to the track, Rin sighed. She meant what she told Yusei. She had no intention of ever telling Yugo the truth about Jack's former championship status. But, there was one thing she definitely planned on telling him after the match. 'I don't really care anymore at this point. I've been patient long enough. As soon as this is over, I'm telling that moron how I really feel about him.' She confirmed to herself.
After returning to the track, Yugo had put his helmet on and got onto his D-Wheel, with Jack doing the same. Yusei and Rin moved to the stands and both sat on either side of Aki. Crow, Rua and Ruka sat a row below Yusei, Aki, and Rin. Kiryu, Sherry, and Mizoguchi were a row behind. Yusei had set his Duel Disk on Rua's lap so that Windy could have a better look.
Down on the track, Yugo and Jack were warming up their D-Wheels. "Yugo, I expect nothing but the best of your abilities in this Duel! Do not disappoint!" Yugo nodded.
"Believe me Jack, I won't! I've been really looking forward to this!" Jack nodded back. Yugo had been dreaming of dueling Jack Atlas for years, and now that dream was now becoming a reality. Sure, it may not be the Jack of his world, but it did not matter. He was still going to face off against the King himself! He would show the King just what he was up against and make Rin proud.
The two revved their dueling vehicles and gripped their handles. "Speed World 2, Set on!" Said both Duelists, right before they took off at a burst of speed. Yusei, Rin, and all of them watched the anticipated Duel finally unfold before their eyes.
"Riding Duel: Acceleration!"
(Yugo: 4000; Speed Counters: 0) (Jack: 4000; Speed Counters: 0)
"If you don't mind Yugo, I shall take the first turn." Jack said to his eager opponent. Yugo smiled.
"Go right ahead!" He said. Jack nodded.
"Let us begin. My turn! Draw!" The former King wanted to give the boy the Duel of his life, and he had the cards to get it started. "First I activate Speed Spell – Overboost! Playing this allows me to gain 4 Speed Counters, but they will be reduced to 1 during my End Phase!"
(Jack: 4 Speed Counters)
'What's Jack planning to do?' Yugo wondered. What Jack did surprised him.
"Next I play Speed Spell – Speed Fusion! When I have 4 or more Speed Counters, I can Summon a Fusion Monster from my Extra Deck using Monsters in my hand or on my Field as Fusion Materials! I Fuse Big Piece Golem and Mid Piece Golem in my hand! Fusion Summon! Come to me, my servant! Multi Piece Golem!" (EARTH; Level 7; ATK: 2600; DEF: 1300) A huge creature made of solid rock stood before it's master.
"A Fusion Monster?!" A stunned Yugo shouted.
"Jack can Fusion Summon?! I thought everyone here only played Synchro Monsters?!" Rin said, equally surprised.
"They do. Fusion Monsters are a rare sight these days." Crow told her. Then he suddenly chuckled. "I just realized something. "Fusion", when written in another way, kinda sounds like Yugo's name. I'd love to see how he reacts to it." Rin gave him a deadpan look.
"I don't think he'd like that." She told him, who shrugged in response. They both returned their attention to the Duel.
"A King must always have more than one weapon in his arsenal to catch his adversaries off guard! I Set two cards facedown and end my turn!" Yugo then threw in a surprise of his own.
"I got something for you too, Jack! During the End Phase of the turn my opponent Special Summons a Monster from the Extra Deck and I control no Monsters, I can Special Summon Speedroid Glass Skull from my hand to my Field!" (WIND; Level 7; ATK: 0; DEF: 3000) What seemed to be a skull faced toy marble shooter appeared on Yugo's Field in Attack Mode.
"Why did he Summon it in that position? It has no Attack Power." Rua asked.
"Perhaps he wants it to be attacked." Windy guessed. Rin smiled. She knew what Yugo was doing. Jack was just as curious.
"Interesting, but you made a mistake of not having it as your defense! Due to the Effect of Overboost, I am left with only one Speed Counter! Now boy, come at me!" Jack said, ending his turn as his Speed Counters dropped to only one.
(Jack: 1 Speed Counter)
Yugo was more than willing to do so. "Get ready! I'm coming at you hard and fast! My turn! Draw!"
(Yugo: 1 Speed Counter) (Jack: 2 Speed Counters)
"What will he do?" Kiryu asked, interested to see Yugo's skills.
"First up, I Summon Speedroid Double Yoyo!" (WIND; Level 4; ATK: 1400; DEF: 1400) A big, green mecha Yoyo with sharp blades appeared next to Glass Skull. "Since I now control a "WIND" Monster, I can Special Summon the Tuner Monster, Speedroid CarTurbo, from my hand!" (WIND; Level 3; ATK: 800; DEF: 1200) A flat white square with a popped up blue center appeared on the Field with the other Speedroids. "For the rest of the turn, I can't activate Monster Effects except for "WIND" Monsters!"
'He's bringing it now.' Jack surmised.
"I am now Tuning my Level 4 Speedroid Double Yoyo with my Level 3 Speedroid CarTurbo! Spread those wondrous and beautiful wings, and strike down your enemies at the speed of light! Synchro Summon! Appear now! Level 7! Clear Wing Synchro Dragon!" (WIND; Level 7; ATK: 2500; DEF: 2000) The black and white dragon with see through wings made its appearance at last.
"Nice looking dragon." Sherry noted.
"It certainly looks ferocious." Mizoguchi said.
"You brought out your Ace already, I see! However, it does not have the power to take down my Golem!" Jack pointed out. Yugo smirked.
"I wouldn't say that! My Speedroid CarTurbo has another handy effect! By banishing it and a "Speedroid" Monster from my Graveyard, I can increase the Attack Points of all "WIND" Monsters I control by 800 until the end of the turn! I banish CarTurbo and Speedroid Double Yoyo to make both Clear Wing and Glass Skull stronger!" Both of Yugo's Monsters roared as their power went up.
(Clear Wing Synchro Dragon's ATK: 2500 + 800 = 3300)
(Speedroid Glass Skull's ATK: 0 + 800 = 800)
"He's planning to attack with both Monsters." Kiryu said, realizing Yugo's plan.
"Your Fusion Monster has got nothing on my Synchro one now! Battle! Clear Wing Synchro Dragon, attack Multi Piece Golem! Helldive Whirlwind Slasher!" Clear Wing whirled around in green energy as it flew toward Jack's Golem. He wasn't going to make it that easy, though.
"Don't get cocky, boy! Trap card open, Level Enforce! When an Extra Deck Monster I control is being attacked, I can change it's Level to any of it's Materials! I change the Level of Multi Piece Golem to 4, same as Mid Piece Golems!"
"Why would Jack do that?" Kiryu wondered. Yugo was puzzled as well as Jack's Fusion Monster's Level dropped from 7 to 4.
"That won't protect your Monster from my dragon's attack!" The boy pointed out.
"This will! Trap card open, Waboku! This card not only protects my Monster from being destroyed in battle, but I also take no damage from said battle!" Clear Wing was bounced back from Jack's other Trap, unable to touch it's target. Surprisingly, Yugo didn't seem upset his attack had failed to connect.
"I figured he had some kind of protection for that." He said to himself. Jack looked over his shoulder at his much younger opponent.
"I assume that since your other Monster cannot attack because it is too weak, that your Battle Phase is over?" Jack asked confidently. Yugo said nothing, only smirked. "I will take that as a yes! At this time, the Effect of Multi Piece Golem activates! At the end of the Battle Phase, if my Golem attacked or was attacked, I can return it to my Extra Deck and Special Summon it's Fusion Materials from my Graveyard! Appear, Big Piece Golem (EARTH; Level 5; ATK: 2100; DEF: 0) and Mid Piece Golem!" (EARTH; Level 4; ATK: 1600; DEF: 0) The first Golem was a grey rock face with little arms and legs, while the other was a lighter brown humanoid version. Now Yugo understood why Jack went through the trouble of changing the Level of his Fusion Monster.
"What was the point of Jack changing his Monster's Level?" Kiryu asked again. Yusei turned to him.
"Yugo's dragon can negate the Effects of a Level 5 or higher Monster and destroy it once per turn, then add that Monster's Attack Points to it's own until the end of that turn." He explained.
"That's a really powerful Effect." Sherry said, sounding impressed.
"Multi Piece Golem was a Level 7 Monster. Clear Wing could have negated and destroyed it, leaving Jack with no Monsters, even if Yugo couldn't attack anymore this turn." Aki said.
"Jack had seen Yugo's dragon in action before, so he knew what to expect." Rin added.
"He changed his Monster's Level so that Clear Wing's Effect would be unable to activate. Now he isn't defenseless." Windy finished.
"I see." Mizoguchi said. Yusei turned back to the Duel.
"Jack has no intention of giving Yugo the upper hand." He deduced as the match proceeded.
"Next I activate the Effect of Mid Piece Golem! When this Monster is Summoned while I control Big Piece Golem, I can Special Summon Small Piece Golem from my Deck and negate it's Effects while it is face-up on the Field!" (EARTH; Level 3; ATK: 1100; DEF: 0) A smaller, brown wooden creature appeared beside it's fellow Golems.
'He's gotta be setting up his own Synchro Summon!' Yugo thought excitedly. He had a strong feeling that the Ace Monster of this Jack Atlas had to be different from the one on his world. Whatever differences it may have, Yugo wanted to be ready. "I Set one card facedown and end my turn! During my End Phase, the Effect of Speedroid CarTurbo wears off!" Yugo said as the Attack Points of Clear Wing and Glass Skull return to 2500 and 0 respectively.
"You will have to try harder than that to defeat me! My turn! Draw!" Jack declared as he started his next turn.
(Yugo: 2 Speed Counters) (Jack: 3 Speed Counters)
'Will Jack Summon his Ace now?' Rin wondered. She didn't have to wonder for long.
"Time for me to be serious! I Summon the Tuner Monster, Dark Resonator!" (DARK; Level 3; ATK: 1300; DEF: 300) A little imp in tattered clothes and held two sonic forks appeared next to the three Golems.
'It's coming!' Yugo thought with high anticipation.
"Prepare to face my dragon, Yugo! I am Tuning my Level 5 Big Piece Golem with my Level 3 Dark Resonator! The ruler's heartbeats will now file through here! Take witness to its creation-shaking power! Synchro Summon! My very soul, Red Daemon's Dragon!" (DARK; Level 8; ATK: 3000; DEF: 2000) Yugo and Rin stared in awe at the red and dark horned dragon that roared onto the Field.
"That dragon… it's so similar to Red Daemon's Dragon Scarlight in my world! But this one looks… whole." Rin noted, seeing that this Red Daemon's didn't have a cast on it's right arm or have a broken horn. Yugo began to shake from seeing the demonic beast, but not from fear.
"Oh wow! It looks like Scarlight in it's prime!" He said aloud. Jack smiled.
"I am glad you appreciate my dragon's appearance, but do not be distracted!" Jack berated the boy. He then began to question something else. 'Yugo didn't switch his weaker Monster to Defense Mode before ending his turn. With 3000 Defense Points, even Red Daemon's wouldn't be able to tear it apart. Yet, the boy kept it in it's most vulnerable position. Does it have another Effect that would trigger by attacking it, or would Yugo's facedown card protect it?' Either way, Jack believed it would be too risky to attack it with his dragon, so instead… "Battle! Small Piece Golem, attack Speedroid Glass Skull!" The weakest Golem slammed both it's fists onto Glass Skull and smashed it to bits. Yugo smirked.
"By attacking my Glass Skull, you triggered it's Monster Effect! Any damage I would take from battles involving it gets inflicted to you instead!" He revealed.
"What?!" Jack yelled as he took the damage meant for Yugo.
(Jack: 4000 - 1100 = 2900)
"Jack was smart to attack it with his weakest Monster, otherwise he would've taken even more damage." Windy said. The twins with him nodded in agreement. Jack wasn't about to let that slide.
"You will pay for that cheap shot! Red Daemon's Dragon, attack Clear Wing Synchro Dragon! Crimson Hell Flare!" Jack's dragon sent a blast of hellfire from it's mouth that headed toward Clear Wing. Yugo was also prepared for this.
"Not this turn! Continuous Trap card open, Burning Sonic! When a Monster I control is targeted for an attack, that attack gets negated and the Monster it protected gains 500 Attack Points!" Clear Wing roared as it's power went up again and forced Red Daemon's Dragon back.
(Clear Wing Synchro Dragon's ATK: 2500 + 500 = 3000)
"Nice one Yugo!" Rin cheered. Jack grunted.
"Not bad." Jack reluctantly admitted to himself. Still, he wasn't quite finished yet. "I banish Level Enforce from my Graveyard! If I have a Monster that is Level 8 or higher, I can halve that Monster's Level until the End Phase! I chose my Red Daemon's Dragon!" Jack's Dragon then became a Level 4 Monster. "After that, I can take a number of cards from the top of my Deck equal to a Level 4 or lower Monster I control! I choose my Level 4 Mid Piece Golem, so I take four cards! Next, I add one of those cards to my hand while the rest are shuffled back into my Deck!" Jack took the top four cards from his Deck and picked the one wanted in his hand before shuffling the rest back into his Deck. "Then I Set one card facedown and end my turn! At this time, the Effect of Red Daemon's Dragon destroys any Monsters I control that did not attack this turn! My Mid Piece Golem is destroyed!"
Yugo watched as one of Jack's Monsters disintegrated and Red Daemon's Level returned to 8. 'Jack found another way to avoid Clear Wing's Effect. He's definitely not taking me lightly.' He thought.
"Yugo's doing well against Jack so far." Sherry said, impressed by the younger boy's skills.
"That he is." Mizoguchi said.
"Jack is sure to be harder on Yugo before long." Crow said. Rin hoped her friend could keep it up. Although, she suspected Jack may still be testing him before he comes down hard. She and Yugo would find out soon.
"Alright, I'm up again! My turn! Draw!" Yugo said, eager to make his next move.
(Yugo: 3 Speed Counters) (Jack: 4 Speed Counters)
Jack had to plan this one out cautiously. "Trap card open, Nightmare Daemons! By Sacrificing a Monster I control, I can Special Summon three Nightmare Daemon Tokens to your Field! I Sacrifice my Small Piece Golem!" (DARK; Level 6; ATK: 2000; DEF: 2000) Three black dancing demons then popped up next to Clear Wing.
"What the hell are these things? Why did you give them to me?!" Yugo shouted, freaked out by the little maniacs. Jack gave no indication of telling him.
"You will know soon enough! Now boy… do you think you have what it takes to strike down both my powerful dragon and myself?! If so, then show me!" Jack challenged. Yugo smirked.
'This is too perfect! If I attack with Clear Wing now, both dragons will be destroyed since their Attack Powers are the same! Then I'll finish him with two of these Tokens! Not only that, Jack's got no other facedown cards or any cards in his hand! I've totally got him!' "Here it comes! Bat…!" Suddenly, he stopped before he commence his Battle Phase.
"Yugo? Why did he stop just now?" Rin asked herself. Yugo then began to shake again, this time he really was starting to feel afraid.
'This doesn't feel right. Jack wouldn't leave himself so vulnerable like this. Not a chance.' Yugo looked over the three Tokens again. 'Could these Tokens have some Effect that would prevent me from damaging him? If so, Clear Wing could simply negate and destroy it since their Levels are all higher than 5 and become stronger. But what if that's what Jack wants me to do?' Yugo looked at Red Daemon's Dragon again, and as it roared, the boy actually felt a shiver down his spine. He then looked at Jack, still waiting for Yugo to make his move. The stare he gave him a cold sweat. Yugo then gritted his teeth and shut his eyes.
"I… I Set one card facedown and end my turn." He said pathetically. This stunned everyone except Jack.
"What? Why didn't Yugo attack?" Rin said, not knowing her friend to not take advantage of something like this.
"Maybe he felt that attacking wasn't the best option." Ruka guessed.
"I think there was more to it than that." Yusei said as he observed. He had an idea of what was going through Yugo's head.
Yugo felt ashamed for his lack of resolve. He simply couldn't bring himself to attack. This had never happened to him before. Then again, he had never dueled against Jack Atlas, the King of Riding Duels, before. He would have to try again on his next turn. Jack snorted. He expected Yugo to back down from his bluff, but not acting like a coward in the process.
"How disappointing. I expected more from you, boy! My turn! Draw!" Jack scolded as he drew his next card.
(Yugo: 4 Speed Counters) (Jack: 5 Speed Counters)
"I don't think I'm going to like this." Rua said nervously.
"I activate Speed Spell – Attack Failure! When I have 5 or more Speed Counters, I can switch all opposing Monsters that are in Attack Mode to Defense Mode!"
"Huh?" Yugo questioned as his dragon and his Tokens switched battle positions. "Why do that?" He asked. He then realized he couldn't use Burning Sonic's other protection Effect on Clear Wing since Jack's card didn't target it.
"After that, I can draw a card for each Monster whose battle positions were just switched! Since there were four, I get to draw four cards!" Jack then drew four cards, all of which pleased him. "Now I, Jack Atlas, will show you how ruthless I can be! Battle! Red Daemon's Dragon, attack Clear Wing Synchro Dragon! Absolute Power Force!" With a fist covered in flames, Red Daemon's Dragon punched right through Clear Wing Synchro Dragon, destroying it.
"Clear Wing!" Yugo lamented. He hated that his Ace got roasted just like that. When Clear Wing was destroyed, so was Burning Sonic.
"This is only the beginning! With Clear Wing gone, I have no fear of my dragon's Effect being negated and destroyed!" Jack said with certainty.
"W-What Effect?" Rin asked, afraid of what this version of Jack's Ace was capable of.
"When Red Daemon's Dragon destroys a Defense Mode Monster in battle, all other Monsters in Defense Mode you have are also destroyed! But that is not even the worst part!" Jack said ominously.
"It isn't?!" Yugo said fearfully.
"With each Nightmare Daemon Token that gets destroyed, you take 800 points of damage!" Jack revealed, shocking Yugo further.
"What?!" He blurted out.
"But that means the damage Yugo would take is…" Rin started.
"2400 preciously." Windy finished, feeling sorry for the younger Duelist.
"Feel the punishment for being a weak coward! Demon Meteor!" Yugo watched in fascinated terror as a devastating meteor shower struck his three Tokens, reducing them to nothing.
"Yugo!" Rin shouted.
"Ahhh!" Yugo lost a little speed from the tremendous impact.
(800 x 3 = 2400)
(Yugo: 4000 - 2400 = 1600)
Yugo definitely looked pretty shaken, and it was not just from the damage he took. He was starting to understand that maybe he wasn't ready to take on the King after all. 'Dammit. One time I chose not to attack because I got cold feet, and this is what I get. Jack Atlas really is strong… stronger than I could apparently ever be. Man, I made a mistake in challenging him to a Duel. He totally had me from the start. There's just no way I stand a chance of beating him now. Maybe… I never did.'
Up on the stands, Rin started to feel something was wrong with Yugo. He seemed out of it. She didn't know how, but she could feel he wasn't himself. In fact, he seemed to be on the verge of quitting. 'No way. That can't be! Yugo would never give up! I won't let him!' She thought stubbornly.
Jack observed Yugo's change and was not pleased. 'Yugo… your moment of hesitation brought this upon yourself. How pathetic. Perhaps I should just end this quickly for him…' He was about to end his Battle Phase and move on when…
"WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU?!" Both Riding Duelists looked up at the stands. Just like when the boy she secretly loved dueled Crow, Rin had jumped to her feet and shouted as loud as she could. "THE YUGO I KNOW WOULD NEVER GIVE UP LIKE THAT! GET YOUR HEAD OUT OF YOUR ASS AND FIGHT BACK! DON'T LET JACK GET TO YOU LIKE THIS! I NEVER DOUBTED YOU BEFORE AND I'M SURE AS HELL NOT STARTING NOW! I WANT MY MAN TO BE STRONG AND CONFIDENT, AND THAT'S WHAT I KNOW YOU ARE! NOW FIGHT YUGO!"
Everyone stared at her in surprise, especially Yugo. "Rin…" He said softly. He didn't just hear Rin's words. He also felt the feelings behind them. She wanted him to keep going, to fight with everything he had no matter how bad his predicament was. She was right; this wasn't how he dueled. Yugo smiled, letting Rin's tough love speech giving him renewed strength. 'Thanks Rin… I needed that.' He then turned to Jack with renewed confidence. "Jack, I'm not letting myself to lose to you! Not now, not ever!" Jack raised an eyebrow, noticing his change in demeanor again... this time he approved.
"Then prove it!" He demanded. Yugo nodded.
"Definitely! Since I took damage either by battle or a card effect during the Battle Phase, I can Special Summon a helpful Tuner Monster from my hand! I Special Summon Speedroid OMK Gum!" (WIND; Level 1; ATK: 0; DEF: 800) A white and grey figurine with a big pack on it's back now appeared on Yugo's Field. "Then if a Monster was Special Summoned to my Field, I can Special Summon Speedroid 5-6-Plane from my hand, but it can't attack!" (WIND; Level 5; ATK: 1800; DEF: 0) A toy red fighter plane materialized next to Yugo's new Tuner. "Now I activate Speedroid 5-6-Plane's Monster Effect! When it is Special Summoned, I can make one Monster on the Field lose 600 Attack Points! I choose Red Daemon's Dragon!" Jack was annoyed that his dragon lost some of it's power.
(Red Daemon's Dragon's ATK: 3000 - 600 = 2400)
"All that just to make my dragon slightly weaker?" Jack questioned. Yugo chuckled.
"Nope! I got another surprise for ya right here! Continuous Trap card open, Speedroid Shuriken Hurricane! Once per turn, if a Monster on the Field has it's Attack Points changed, you take damage equal to that same amount! Red Daemon's Dragon just lost 600 Attack Points, meaning you now take 600 points of damage!"
"What?!" Jack exclaimed in surprise as he took the unexpected damage.
(Jack: 2900 - 600 = 2300)
"Yes! That's the Yugo I know and love!" Rin shouted, and immediately turned red from she just said. 'Wait! Did… did I just out loud that I… love Yugo?' She thought as she covered her mouth. She prayed Yugo didn't hear it (he didn't thankfully). However, those around her did catch every word. Nobody said anything to her, only smiled. She was fortunate about that.
"Now that is the spirit! You may have dented me a little this time, but you are still at a disadvantage! Let us see if you can overcome it! I Set two cards facedown and end my turn!" Jack replied, finishing his turn.
"Yugo's acting like his old self again." Crow noted, sounding pleased.
"That's good. He needs to keep himself together if he hopes to defeat Jack." Kiryu said.
"How do you think he'll do that?" Rua asked.
"Perhaps we are about to see." Windy said. He also was pleased that Yugo regained his confidence. He was reminded more of the boy he was created from, his partner. This made him feel sad, for he remembered his partner's fate. 'If only Lightning hadn't tampered with my programming, my partner would still be alive today.' Windy wished that damn car accident never happened and that he would be enjoying life once more. He pushed those thoughts aside and focused on the Duel again.
Yugo felt pumped after hearing Rin encouraging him. He had no intention of disappointing her now. "Watch this Rin! I'm making my big comeback! My turn! Draw!"
(Yugo: 5 Speed Counters) (Jack: 6 Speed Counters)
'How do you plan to turn this around?' Jack asked in his mind. The answer not just surprised him, but nearly everyone else.
"First, I switch my Speedroid 5-6-Plane to Defense Mode! Then I play Speed Spell – Angel Baton! When I have 2 or more Speed Counters, I can draw two more cards before sending one to the Graveyard!" Yugo hoped to draw a certain Speed Spell, and he had done so. "Next is Speed Spell – Speed Reborn! When I have 4 or more Speed Counters, I can Special Summon a Monster from my Graveyard to my Field in Attack Mode! Come on back, Clear Wing Synchro Dragon!" Yugo's Ace returned with a great roar.
"It won't be enough to defeat me!" Jack told the boy, who smirked in response.
"Maybe not, but this will be! I am now Tuning my Level 7 Clear Wing Synchro Dragon with my Level 1 Speedroid OMK Gum! Shine the wings that store the holy light, and strike down your enemies with its radiance! Synchro Summon! Come forth! Level 8! CRYSTAL WING SYNCHRO DRAGON!" (WIND; Level 8; ATK: 3000; DEF: 2500) In the place of both Monsters was a version of Clear Wing having wings and armor made entirely from bright crystals. Everyone marveled at the new dragon.
"Wow! It's so pretty!" Ruka said in awe.
"I'll bet it's also very dangerous." Aki surmised, with Yusei nodding.
"That's it Yugo!" Rin cheered.
"Your upgraded dragon is quite a sight, but it is still not enough!" Jack said.
"This should take care of that!" Yugo said before moving on. "When Speedroid OMK Gum is used for a Synchro Summon, I can draw a card from my Deck, reveal it, then send it to the Graveyard! If that drawn card is a "Speedroid" Monster, the Synchro Monster that used Speedroid OMK Gum as a Synchro Material gains the Attack Points of that Monster! Here we go! Draw!" Yugo glanced at his card for second before grinning and revealing his card. "Yes! I've drawn Speedroid Ohajikid! Now Crystal Wing gains it's 1000 Attack Points!" The crystallized dragon roared as it's Attack Power went up.
(Crystal Wing Synchro Dragon's ATK: 3000 + 1000 = 4000)
"It's even stronger now." Mizoguchi said.
"Yes, and that's not all Yugo did." Sherry said, knowing what's coming next.
"Because a Monster on the Field had it's Attack Points changed, Speedroid Shuriken Hurricane activates again!" Yugo reminded Jack as he once more took damage from the former's Trap.
(Jack: 2300 - 1000 = 1300)
"Yugo's on a roll!" Rua shouted.
"Yeah, he is." Ruka said.
"Now, I'm coming right at ya Jack! Battle! Crystal Wing Synchro Dragon, attack Red Daemon's Dragon! Crystallos Edge Gale!" Yugo's dragon shined brighter as it soared toward it's target. "Now Crystal Wing's Monster Effect activates! When it attacks a Level 5 or higher Monster, my dragon gains the current Attack Points of the targeted Monster during damage calculation!"
"What?!" Jack shouted in surprise as Crystal Wing grew even stronger.
(Crystal Wing Synchro Dragon's ATK: 4000 + 2400 = 6400)
"If Yugo's attack succeeds, the rest of Jack's Life Points will be wiped out!" Windy said excitedly.
"Do it Yugo!" Rin yelled at her childhood friend. Jack grunted.
"I will not allow it! Trap card open, Synchron Reflect! When a face-up Synchro Monster I control is targeted for an attack, I can negate that attack and destroy your Monster with the lowest Attack Points!"
"Damn!" Yugo should frustratingly as Crystal Wing's assault was stopped and his 5-6-Plane disintegrated. "When I no longer control a "Speedroid" Monster, Speedroid Shuriken Hurricane is also destroyed!" He said as his Trap was also lost. "With the Battle Phase over, Crystal Wing's Effect wears off and I end my turn!" Yugo's dragon's Attack Power dropped back down to 4000.
"Yugo almost had him that time." Rin said while sighing. "This Jack Atlas really is every bit as tough as the one back home."
"That he is." Yusei told her, having dueled both versions himself. Back in the Duel, Jack smiled from Yugo's latest effort.
"A most impressive comeback! I shall have to respond in kind! My turn! Draw!"
(Yugo: 6 Speed Counters) (Jack: 7 Speed Counters)
"I wonder what Jack plans to do now." Windy said thoughtfully as he continued to watch the back and forth match.
"I Summon Synchro Gunner!" (EARTH; Level 1; ATK: 0; DEF: 0) An armored warrior wearing a large pack and a some kind of sucking device appeared next to Red Daemon's Dragon. "I now activate the Effect of Synchro Gunner! By banishing one face-up Synchro Monster I control, I can inflict 600 points of damage to you! By doing this, I cannot enter my Battle Phase this turn! Then on my next Standby Phase, that banished Monster shall return! I banish my Red Daemon's…"
"Not so fast!" Yugo countered. "I activate Crystal Wing Synchro Dragon's Monster Effect! Once per turn, when my opponent activates a card or Effect during either of our turns, I can negate the Effect and destroy that Monster!" Jack's Synchro Gunner then exploded into pieces. "If your Monster had any Attack Points, they would've been added to Crystal Wing's until the end of the turn! Still, it's enough I stopped you from hitting my Life Points again!" Yugo pointed out. He was surprised when Jack smiled.
"I had a feeling your new dragon had an upgraded Effect of Clear Wing's. Now I won't have to be concerned about it for the rest of the turn! Since I control a Synchro Monster, I can Special Summon the Tuner Monster, Create Resonator, from my hand!" (WIND; Level 3; ATK: 800; DEF: 600) "Then I can Special Summon another Tuner, Synclone Resonator, from my hand since you control a Synchro Monster!" (DARK; Level 1; ATK: 100; DEF: 300) Jack's first Tuner looked like Dark Resonator with a flowery fan on it's back, while the second had gold and green shapes behind it.
"Jack Summoned two Tuner Monsters? Why would he do that?" Rin asked, both curious and concerned.
"I don't believe it means anything good for Yugo." Windy replied, sounding ominous.
"Now boy! You are about to witness the very limit of my power! Behold, my Burning Soul!" Jack should as he pounded a fist suddenly covered in flames onto his chest. "I am Double Tuning my Level 8 Red Daemon's Dragon with my Level 3 Create Resonator and my Level 1 Synclone Resonator!"
"Double Tuning?!" Yugo and Rin shouted simultaneously in shock as Jack's dragon became surrounded by flaming rings formed from his two Tuners.
"The King and the Devil, here and now shall become as one. Savage soul! Lift up the very cries of Creation itself! Synchro Summon! Come forth, SCAR-RED NOVA DRAGON!" (DARK; Level 12; ATK: 3500; DEF: 3000) The new Monster that emerged did indeed look as though it came from Hell itself. Scar-Red Nova Dragon was a dark red and black dragon with four wings, a blue stone on it's chest, and had a massive tip on the tail. It's horns were angled more downward, unlike Red Daemon's Dragon.
"A Level 12 Synchro Monster?!" Rin yelled in total shock.
"Holy Hell!" Yugo blurted out after seeing the thing up close and personal. Even it's roar gave of a more Underworld tone. "On the plus side though, that thing isn't stronger than Crystal Wing!"
"Wrong!" Jack told the boy. "Scar-Red Nova Dragon gains 500 Attack Points for each Tuner Monster in my Graveyard! There are three, so my dragon is now 1500 Attack Points stronger!" Yugo's jaw dropped as he witnessed the new dragon become stronger.
(Scar-Red Nova Dragon's ATK: 3500 + 1500 = 5000)
"Now it's strong enough to destroy Crystal Wing." Windy said.
"This looks bad for Yugo." Sherry said.
"He still has Crystal Wing's other Effect when it battles another Monster." Kiryu said.
"I doubt Jack would've forgotten about it." Yusei said to them. He was right.
"Continuous Trap card open, Scar-Red Cocoon! Once activated, I can Equip this to Scar-Red Nova Dragon!" Jack's dragon then became covered in a dark red aura. "Battle! Scar-Red Nova Dragon, attack Crystal Wing Synchro Dragon! Burning Soul!" The hell like dragon then folded up it's arms and legs and flew top speed at Yugo's Monster like a flaming comet.
"Crystal Wing's Effect activates, raising it's Attack Points by your Monster's!" Yugo tried to counter, but it was for naught.
"Afraid not! When Scar-Red Nova Dragon attacks while Equipped with Scar-Red Cocoon, the Monster it battles has it's Effects negated!" Jack informed.
"What?!" Yugo shouted.
"Yugo!" Rin yelled. Scar-Red Nova Dragon closed in on Yugo's now defenseless Monster… or rather, that's how it looked.
"I activate the Effect of Speedroid Tri-Eyed Dice in my Graveyard! By banishing it, I can negate your attack!" Just before the two dragons collided, a transparent form of Yugo's purple dice Monster blocked the attack and pushed the attacking dragon back. "Sorry Jack, but my dragon ain't going nowhere!" Yugo told his formidable opponent.
"No doubt Yugo sent that card to his Graveyard through his Angel Baton." Windy said, remembering that Yugo discarded a card when he played that Speed Spell last turn.
"Smart move on Yugo's part." Crow said, remembering how Yugo did it against him. Jack thought so as well.
"So you stopped my attack once more, have you? You truly are tenacious, Yugo. I activate the Effect of Speed World 2! By removing 7 Speed Counters, I can draw a card from my Deck!" Jack widened his eyes when he saw what he drew. He then gave a small smile. "I Set one card facedown and end my turn."
(Jack: 0 Speed Counters)
"Do you think Yugo can win on his next turn?" Rua asked Windy. The Wind Ignis shrugged.
"The way this Duel has been going, it could go either direction."
"Jack is an awesome Duelist, but so is Yugo." Ruka said.
"One way or another, I feel the Duel might come to a conclusion soon." Yusei said. As the two Riding Duelists sped past the starting line again, Jack turned to Yugo while they rode side by side.
"Yugo… I must say, you have shown to be both skillful and resilient against me in this Duel. No matter what I throw at you, you keep coming back for more! I look forward to seeing how this match turns out!" Yugo smiled from Jack's words.
"Same here Jack! I knew trying to take you down would be no picnic, but I never thought it would turn out like this! You really are deserving of the title of "Riding Duel King"!" Jack actually chuckled.
'If he only knew…' He then said "Alright, show me how you plan to finish this!" Yugo nodded.
"You bet I will! My turn! Draw!"
(Yugo: 7 Speed Counters) (Jack: 1 Speed Counter)
"Come on Yugo." Rin said quietly, holding her hands together. Yugo liked what he drew.
"This should turn things around! I play Speed Spell – Speed Typhoon! When I have 3 or more Speed Counters, I can destroy one Magic or Trap card on my opponent's Field! I'm blowing away your Scar-Red Cocoon!" Jack's Trap was obliterated in an instant. "Now my dragon's Effects won't be negated anymore!" Yugo was all fired up for his next move. "This is it Jack! I'm really intending on finishing you this time! BATTLE! CRYSTAL WING SYNCHRO DRAGON, ATTACK SCAR-RED NOVA DRAGON! CRYSTALLOS EDGE GALE!" Once again, Crystal Wing made a bee line toward the opposing Monster. "Crystal Wing's Monster Effect! By attacking a Level 5 or higher Monster, it gains the current Attack Points of the Monster it is battling during damage calculation!"
(Crystal Synchro Dragon's ATK: 4000 + 5000 = 9000)
"9000 Attack Points?!" Sherry exclaimed.
"Yugo will definitely win with this." Mizoguchi said. Rin said nothing, waiting for the outcome.
"I got you now, Jack Atlas!" Yugo taunted as Crystal Wing and Scar-Red Nova Dragon locked claws… with the former quickly overcoming it. In that moment, Jack turned his whole D-Wheel around to look Yugo in the eye… and smiled.
"Yes. It would seem that you have. However…" Jack then pointed at himself with his thumb. "My pride will not allow it! I, Jack Atlas, shall not give you the satisfaction of victory! Trap card open, Shockwave! This can be activated when my Life Points are lower than my opponent's! It allows me to choose a Monster on the Field and destroy it! After that… we both take damage equal to that Monster's Attack Points! My target… is Crystal Wing Synchro Dragon!" Jack revealed.
"WHAT?!" Yugo shouted.
"But both Yugo and Jack will take 9000 points of damage! Which means…!" A disbelieving Rin said.
"The result… is a Draw!" Windy finished for her. Before it could destroy it's target, Crystal Wing exploded and the blast was felt by both Duelists, depleting all of their remaining Life Points.
(Yugo: 0)
(Jack: 0)
Within seconds, both D-Wheels came to a stop with steam spewing out. Yugo and Jack took off their helmets and walked toward each other. After a moment, Jack smiled as he held out his hand toward the younger Duelist, who took it. "Yugo… you dueled well. You truly were a challenging opponent. But NEVER hesitate to attack if you believe it is the right move, no matter who the opponent is or what they say. Heed that advice, and perhaps you just might prevail over my counterpart on your world." Yugo grinned appreciatively while nodding.
"Got it, Jack. Thanks, and thanks for giving me the best Duel of my life." Jack nodded back.
Yusei and the others definitely enjoyed the Duel, which really was what everyone needed after almost dying today and learning of Divine's escape. Yusei felt they would have to fight him again someday, along with Zarc, E'Rah, and Lightning. For now, the group was intent on living in the moment.
"Yugo!" The boy saw Rin run over and hugged him. "You were awesome out there! Truly awesome!" She said to him. Yugo smiled warmly at her as he held her by the shoulders.
"It was all thanks to you Rin. I never would've done as good if you hadn't been here giving me the wake up call I needed. So, um… thanks." Rin's smile was just as warm. It was right there and then that Rin was about to make her move… when he beat her to the punch. Right there, on the Dueling track with nearly a dozen people present, Yugo leaned in and kissed her. Rin's mind went blank from the shock of Yugo's act, but then relaxed as she closed her eyes and allowed it.
Everyone froze and kept silent, not wanting to disturb the pair. Even Rua kept his mouth shut. Yusei, Aki, Kiryu, and Sherry especially smiled at the scene, while Crow seemed highly amused.
After a moment, the kiss was broken with both teens furiously red. "Yugo…" Rin said very softly. It was then that Yugo realized what he did and started to panic.
"Oh crap! Rin, I'm so sorry! I got way, WAY too carried away! Please don't be pissed! Don't hit me where it REALLY hurts! Please!" Yugo begged like his life was on the line. His head was lowered, eyes shut, and cringed from the blow he was sure was coming. Instead of pain, he felt soft hands cupping his face and gently lifting it up. Yugo dared to open his eyes and saw, to his greatest surprise, the happiest face Rin had ever given him.
"About time you made a move, you dummy." She whispered. This left him flabbergasted. Yugo blinked several times before he finally comprehended what Rin was saying.
"Rin… you mean…?" He started to ask. The girl he knew his whole life nodded, without needing to say a word. Yugo then smiled like a total dork and gave a soft laugh. She then laughed with him.
"Isn't that nice." Crow said with a chuckle, getting the new couple's attention. They both were still very red.
"They're all gonna tease us about this, aren't they?" Yugo asked.
"Aside from Yusei… yeah, pretty much." Rin replied with a sigh as she took Yugo's hand, who didn't hesitate to grip hers back.
"Look on the bright side. We're staying with Rua and Ruka, who would probably do the least amount of teasing." Yugo said, with Rin agreeing. Rua and Ruka then ran over and nearly tackled the boy to the ground while Rin laughed.
As he observed this while Yusei held his Duel Disk, Windy saw how happy Yugo was. The way he smiled, laughed, how he interacted with those younger twins. To him, the boy seemed full of hope and life… like his partner did. He wanted so much to have a bond like that. He missed his chance after what he did as Lightning's manipulated minion. 'Then again…' The Ignis suddenly thought. 'Maybe I still can.' Windy then looked up at Yugo and Rin's protector.
"What is it Windy?" Yusei asked, noticing the Wind Ignis wanted to say something to him.
"Yusei, if it is alright with you… I wish to discuss my living arrangements while I'm staying in your world."
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\
1 Month later…
Divine went through this checklist again, just to make sure no one was left out. He was pleased to see that everyone had arrived. The evil Psychic Duelist sat in a cozy office room that also served as his personal living quarters. The checklist was on a computer screen in front of him. He was very pleased. Now that he had all his former loyalists back in his service, Divine could at last proceed with his bigger plans. Of course, there was one little matter of vengeance to settle first…
"Hello Divine. How goes the regrouping process?" Said a very familiar voice. Divine noticed that Lightning's face now occupied half the screen. Divine smiled at the Ignis.
"It took some time, but all former members of the Arcadia Movement have returned after heeding my call. Very soon, this world will witness the full might of an army of powerful and unforgiving Psychic Duelists." Lightning nodded in approval.
"I am pleased to hear that. How is our "chosen one?"" The Light Ignis questioned. Divine pushed a button on the keyboard to reveal a new image on the second half of his computer screen. It showed a lab with a large tube filled with liquid in the center. A small silhouette could be seen in the tube.
"He is stable." Divine replied with satisfaction. Lightning nodded again.
"Good. You do not waste time." Divine shrugged.
"World domination and revenge are not trivial matters." He said.
"Speaking of which, do you know how you will get your revenge on Yusei Fudo?" Lightning asked. Divine typed in a few keys on his keyboard before crossing his arms around his chest and leaned back on his chair. He smiled wickedly. On the other half of his screen now was a profile of a certain little girl with green hair in pigtails.
"As a matter of fact, Lightning… I do."
To be continued.
A.N. I know this "no update" issue is pissing everyone off, including me. Until this problem gets fixed, I suggest that all my readers download the app for this website and read and review it there. It seems to be the only way to read anything new for the time being.