Now for the Zexal cast to take the scene! Will a certain someone let his sister and best friend date? And how will he take out his frustration? Should be interesting to see!
So sorry for the delay. The invisible chapter issue and recent late work nights threw my schedule out of whack. I think I should re-evaluate my update schedule to compensate. I'll let you know about that later. For now, enjoy the fun this chapter brings!
Yugioh: The Hope of Six
Chapter 5 – Brothers and Sisters
"They've been in there a long time. Do you think everything's okay?" Luna asked, worried for her new friends. She wasn't the only one. Yuto and Ruri were still in the cabin with the latter's older brother, Shun. When the group had "hurriedly" left the trio alone, Shun had just discovered his sister and best friend were now a couple… something the older Kurosaki didn't seem happy about. None of them had come out yet, though there was no more shouting.
"Relax, Luna. I'm sure nothing's wrong. Yuto and Ruri are just straightening things out with her brother, that's all." Akari said, trying to calm the younger girl. She was sure Shun wouldn't go as far as hurt Yuto. She herself was a bit worried, but not nearly as much. Still, Akari kind of understood Shun's position. Just recently her own little brother got himself a girlfriend too, in the form of Shark's younger sister, Rio. Akari felt he was still a bit too young for dating, but she knew her brother was a good kid and wouldn't do anything to hurt Rio's feelings. Otherwise, he would have to face Shark's wrath as well as her own. 'Maybe I'm being just a bit overprotective. Regardless, I should give Yuma a talk about this after he gets back.'
No sooner had she thought this than that same little brother reappeared. "I'm back guys!" Yuma called out. The group was glad for his and Astral's return.
"Yuma!" Rio replied happily.
"Astral!" Kotori added.
"About time you two got back." Shark said impatiently.
"What's the scoop, little bro?" Akari asked, eager to hear any news.
"There's a lot to tell." Yuma said, noticing Astral wasn't making eye contact with anyone. He could tell that his partner was really troubled by what he and Ray saw on the Astral World. He then noticed that three people were absent. "Hold up. Where are Yuto, Ruri, and Shun? They should hear everything too." Akari sighed.
"They are still in the cabin, having a very awkward chat. Apparently, Shun had no clue his sister and Yuto were a thing. I kinda blurted it out while you were gone without realizing he didn't know anything. He uh… didn't seem to take it well." She said with a nervous chuckle.
"Believe me, I understand just how the guy feels." Shark said, still giving Yuma the "I'll kill you if you mess with my sister" stare. Yuma flinched from the look. Rio groaned.
"Ryoga, What is it going to take to convince you to drop this?! I like Yuma, and Yuma likes me. We want to be together! Just accept it and move on already!" She demanded angrily. Her brother turned away, not bothering to answer. Rio shook her head in frustration. "Brothers." She muttered in annoyance.
Before another word can be spoken, the Xyz trio finally exited the cabin. Yuto and Ruri were walking hand in hand, fingers entwined. They seemed to be okay. Shun, however, definitely didn't appear to be in a happy mood. He looked like he ate a whole bunch of sour grapes at once. "Remember Yuto. You do one thing to hurt or upset Ruri in any way… your ass is mine." Shun warned in a very strict tone. Yuto nodded.
"I won't forget Shun." His best friend said. Ruri sighed.
"Don't be so hard on him, Big Brother. We both know he won't hurt me." She told him. Shun grunted. They all gasped when they saw that Yuma and Astral had returned. "Look! They're back!" She pointed excitedly.
"Yes they are." Yuto said.
"Yuma, Astral. You two returned just now?" Shun asked. Yuma nodded.
"Yep. I heard you know about Yuto and Ruri dating now." Shun growled, making Yuma back away a few steps.
"Perhaps it would be best not to discuss the subject with him for the time being." Astral advised, with nodding vigorously in agreement.
"So… uh, Yuma." Kotori said, trying to change the subject. "What did you find out on Cyberse World?"
"Quite a bit. First off, everyone aboard the Airship besides us is all okay, including Yuya and Yuzu." This relieved the group, especially Yuto and Ruri. Yuma went on. "There's more, but I have a friend I want you guys to meet first." Yuma said.
"What friend?" Haruto asked, seeing no one else that came back. Yuma then raised his Duel Disk.
"Okay, come on out." He said. At once, the bulky form of Earth emerged, surprising everybody. He didn't say anything right away. He just kept quiet.
"What the hell is that?" Shark asked. The rest of the group wondered the same thing.
"Everyone, this is Earth. He's one of the friendly Ignis that's been hanging out with Ray. He's going to be with us for a while." Yuma then looked down at the Ignis. "Go on Earth, say "hi"." He encouraged.
"Hi." Earth finally said in his usual neutral tone.
"Not much of a conversationalist, are you?" Akari asked.
"I am socially awkward." Earth told her. The gang sweat dropped after hearing that.
"People don't usually say that out loud." Kotori said with a forced smile.
"I am not "People". I am me." Said the Ignis.
"Good point, I guess." Kotori said.
"Anyway, welcome Earth. It really is nice to meet you." Ruri said sweetly.
"It is nice to meet you too, Ruri Kurosaki." Earth replied. The girl chuckled.
"Just call me Ruri. You don't need to sound so formal." She said.
"I am socially awkward." Earth repeated.
"We've heard." Kaito said.
"You're sure that thing isn't dangerous Yuma?" Shun questioned, eyeing the digital being with suspicion. Yuma gasped at the accusation.
"Of course I'm sure! I just said Earth was friendly! He's nothing like Lightning!" Yuma said, defending the Earth Ignis.
"I believe him, Shun. Remember, Earth is part of the reason Yuma came to help us on our world." Yuto reminded his best friend. Shun sighed.
"Very well." He conceded.
"So Earth, what brings you here with Yuma?" Rio asked.
"Ray said we needed to be protected, so she had us go to different worlds with the Duelists chosen to protect her fragments. I chose to come here with Yuma." Earth replied.
"Protected from whom?" Luna asked.
"Revolver." Earth answered simply. This shocked everyone.
"Wait a minute! I thought Revolver was one of the guys that helped us get away from Zarc!" Gauche said heatedly.
"He was." Earth said.
"Then why do you and the other Ignis need to be protected from him?" Droite asked. Earth didn't answer that question.
"We really don't know about that. The Ignis and Ray won't talk about it. But I can explain everything else." Yuma said as he took over the conversation. After all the introductions, he explained all that was discussed. Everyone was especially shocked about Yuri and the Astral World.
"So the bastard that tried to kidnap my sister and carded me is back in his body and is on one of the other protector's worlds?! And everyone is just okay with that?!" Shun shouted angrily. He could never forgive Yuri after their encounter back in his Heartland.
"Ray and the others believe Yuya softened him up. If he does cause some mischief, I'm sure Judai and his friends can handle him, even more so with Masumi there with them. Still, I don't think we should worry." Yuma said, trying reassure the battle hardened Duelist. The older man growled.
"I should be there to take him down myself." Shun said, still not buying Yuri being "softened up".
"There is nothing you can do about it, Shun. We just have to believe in Judai, Serena, and those with them to keep an eye on Yuri." Ruri told her upset brother. Shun didn't reply.
"Besides, we have a much bigger concern." Yuto said as he turned to Astral. "Astral, please tell us what you and Ray saw on your home world."
Astral grimaced and did not look Yuto in the eye. "I'm sorry. I am still unable to discuss it at this time." He said.
"It's really that bad?" Kotori asked, feeling immense sorrow for Astral. He merely nodded.
"Astral…" Yuma said, feeling just as sorry. He wished he could help him feel better.
"But you said the Numeron Code, the only thing that can bring back the Airship, is there on the Astral World, right?" Shark asked, concerned about it being compromised.
"It is. We must believe in the Ignis, Ai, to retrieve it before it can be found and misused." Astral said.
"Misused? Wait. I thought it could only be activated with Numeron Dragon? It is the key to use it. Plus, it's in your possession, making you the only one that can use the Numeron Code." Kaito pointed out. He himself discovered that connection during the war against the Barians. Astral nodded again.
"That is true. However, that only applies to the laws of our world. If forces from outside our universe try to tamper with the Numeron Code, a card that can alter reality itself, the results would be… catastrophic." The whole group gasped in horror.
"That… definitely sounds bad." Rio said in a shaky voice.
"It does." Said Earth in agreement.
"So you're saying there's someone or something on the Astral World that would try to misuse it?" Kotori asked.
"The fact that nothing of the sort has happened yet means the Numeron Code is still being protected. We must pray that will continue until Ai completes his mission." Astral replied. Kotori noticed the energy being didn't directly answer her question.
'Could it be that the Astral World has been taken over by some otherworldly tyrant? Maybe enslaving all it's people?' She felt that had to be the case. She also wondered if E'Rah was the one terrorizing the Astral World. And then there was that one Astral being, Enna… "Yuma, your friend Enna is one of the beings on the Astral World, right?" She asked. Yuma nodded.
"She is. We still don't know how or why exactly Lightning forced her to fight in Maiami City. We only know that she did it to protect her world."
"Protecting a world that is already in big trouble from what we're hearing? That sounds pretty fishy to me." Akari said.
"Enna wouldn't lie. I'm sure there had to be a reason for what she did." Yuma said, defending her.
"Regardless of Enna's reasons, until we learn something from Ray and Ai, all we can do is wait." Astral said, ending the discussion.
"Well, at the very least, Zarc, E'Rah, and Lightning were deceived into thinking you guys didn't survive their attack." Yuto said after a moment.
"Yeah. Let's hope it stays that way." Shun said.
"Me too." Droite said before risking a glance at Kaito. She was very grateful that he, along with the others, were saved and got home alive and well. She wasn't sure she could handle it if Kaito hadn't returned. She loved him too much to even think about it. 'Kaito… I wish I could just tell you how I feel. But I don't think I can do that.' She thought, depression slowly sinking in. Sure, she recently learned that Rio had the guts to tell Yuma her feelings and it paid off. Now she was happy. Droite herself wanted that same happiness, but Kaito didn't seem to be the type to reciprocate those types of feelings.
The woman quickly looked away when Kaito noticed her staring at him. She hoped he wouldn't see her blushing. As for Kaito himself, he questioned why Droite was looking at him the way she did. He figured it had to be nothing. What neither of them noticed was that Luna did see how Kaito was being stared at by Droite. She smiled at the thought that someone was crushing on one of her close friends (or rather, an alternate version of the one she knew).
"Hey Shun. Can we talk for a bit?" Shark asked a little bit later. The older man shrugged, not seeing a problem with that.
"It's fine." He replied as the two walked a short distance away where no one could hear. Once on their own, Shark got the conversation started.
"Listen, I know what you're going through… as in, your little sister having a boyfriend now and all that." Shun looked sour again, but didn't say anything. Shark continued as he looked away. "I wasn't thrilled myself when I learned Rio had hooked up with someone, even though it is Yuma. I know Yuma and I trust him, yet I still want to strangle him every time I look at him. Rio keeps telling me to let it go, but I just can't." Shun was silent for a second before he replied.
"You've been watching over your sister and protecting her your whole life, and you can't deal with the fact that another guy has taken that role. That fact is eating you up from the inside. You don't know how to vent out your frustrations, making it worse. I take it that's your situation?" He surmised. Shark nodded. The older teen had indeed hit the nail right between the eyes. No doubt Shun had to be tough to protect Ruri during the war against Academia.
"Exactly." Shark then looked up at him again. "How are you dealing with Ruri being with Yuto?" He asked. Shun crossed his arms and sighed deeply.
"Honestly, I haven't had a chance to figure it out before Yuma and Astral returned. It is killing me, though." He said. Shun thought for a moment before he spoke again. "Usually when I'm mad about something, I focus my anger in a Duel and beat my opponent into the ground. I find it helps me somewhat with my issues." He then stared at the younger boy. "Would you like to duel me? It could benefit both of us." He offered. Shark surprised him with a smirk.
"Actually… I was just thinking the same thing." Shun nodded.
"Then it's settled." He said, cementing the matter.
"A Duel between a couple of frustrated older brothers? That sure sounds like fun." Shark and Shun turned to see Gauche smirking at them.
"What point of a "private discussion" did you not get?" Shark said in annoyance. The big man shrugged.
"What can I say? Eavesdropping is kind of a bad habit." He told them. The two sighed before heading back out and announced they were having a Duel. They explained it was to relieve themselves of their "younger sister stress" as they called it. At once, Akari opposed to this.
"Hold it. Shun may not know about this, but you definitely know about the "no tech" rule!" She scolded Shark. The younger boy shrugged.
"Like I care about that." He told her, annoying her.
"No tech rule?" Shun asked, clearly confused. Ruri provided the answer.
"Before the rest of us came up to this campsite, we all agreed to not use any kind of technology while we're here. That includes Duel Disks."
"The point is to enjoy everything Mother Nature has to offer without any modern conveniences to distract us." Akari explained further.
"I can sort of understand that." Shun said. Ever since the Invasion, he and everyone else in the Xyz Dimension had lost all technology aside from Duel Disks, used only by those in the Resistance to fight back against Academia. The unarmed civilians were resorted to more primitive means of survival. Shun, Ruri, and Yuto were among those that had become used to live without relying on non dueling tech.
"Come on Akari! Can't we bend that rule just once? Aside from Yuto and Ruri, no one here has seen Shun duel. Pretty please?" Yuma begged. Akari scowled at her little brother.
"We can see him in action when we get back home. It's not exactly an urgent matter." She told him. Yuma scowled back.
"I don't quite agree." Rio said, to the surprise of the older Tsukumo.
"Meaning what, Rio?" She demanded. Rio glanced over at her brother, who still looked rebellious.
"I honestly don't think I can handle another day or so of Ryoga being in a lousy mood. Anything that helps him, and by extension Shun, feel better about me dating will be a real blessing. So Akari, please allow my brother and Shun to duel now."
"I'm siding with Rio. Please Akari? I think it will be good for my brother too." Ruri said, supporting her friend. She also didn't want Shun to be a jerk because she decided to start dating as well, even if she was dating her brother's best friend. Akari didn't respond. She still didn't look like she would cave in to their demands. However, she looked over at Shun… and suddenly had gotten an idea, making her smile in a mischievous way.
"Okay, fine. You guys can have your Duel. But in exchange… Shun has to take me out on a date. It will be a time and place of my choosing, and he has to pay for the meal. Those are my terms. Take it or leave it boys." Her offer stunned everyone present, especially Shun.
"A… date?" He asked, totally bewildered by Akari's words. He had not expected this. The young man had never once dated in his life. Shun pretty much spent most of his time taking care of Ruri and fighting Academia. He never once considered the possibility of finding a girl to be with. He had more important priorities at the time.
"That's right. You're not afraid of spending some quality time with a girl like me, are ya?" Akari asked, trying to sound intimidating. Shun then hardened his face.
"I'm not afraid of anything, or anyone. I accept your terms, Akari Tsukumo." He responded in a strong fearless tone. This definitely pleased her.
"Great. And you, shark boy?" Akari asked the younger boy. He didn't seem to like being called "shark boy".
"If Shun's agreeing to this to duel, then so am I." Shark declared. Akari nodded.
"It's a deal then." She said, satisfied her little scheme had worked. 'Now I have something to look forward to in the near future.'
"Finally! Let's get this started!" Shark gratefully stated. He then looked around at Yuto. "Hey Yuma. Can Shun borrow your D-Gazer for this, since he doesn't have one himself?"
"A what?" Shun asked, never having heard of a device like that before. Yuma took out his little device and showed it to him.
"This is called a D-Gazer. Duelists here use them for a unique type of dueling called Augmented Reality Duels. When Duelists engage in an Augmented Reality Duel, a virtual copy of everything around the Duelists appears. This allows Monsters to appear to directly interact with the environment, but without actually damaging the environment. Although, the objects created in the Augmented Reality field appear to be solid during the Duel." This really fascinated Shun.
"Incredible. It sounds like a non lethal version of how Academia fought." He said. Yuto and Ruri nodded.
"It is. Both Yuto and I each got to have an Augmented Reality Duel, and they're really amazing! Now it's your turn, Big Brother!" Ruri said, excited for her brother to experience this himself. Shun nodded.
"This should be very interesting." He said. Shun was about to take the D-Gazer Yuma was offering when Astral stopped him.
"Wait, Shun. There is no need to borrow Yuma's." Before Shun could ask why, Astral literally handed him the answer. It was a bright purple D-Gazer with a red lens, which was coincidentally shaped like a falcon's eye. "During our last voyage on the Airship before it's destruction, I made this D-Gazer in the off chance you somehow got restored here… along with this." In Astral's other hand was a black and red D-Pad with a falcon's head pictured on it. "Now you should have all that you need." An amazed Shun took the gifts.
"Thank you Astral." He then turned to his opponent. "I am ready now, Shark!" Shark nodded in total agreement.
With all matters now closed, Shark slipped on his D-Pad and switched it to it's Duel Disk mode. After that, he took out and put on his D-Gazer. Shun followed suit.
"Duel Disk Set! D-Gazer Set!" Both Shark and Shun declared.
"AT Vision, Link established." Said a computer voice from both Duel Disks as a new virtual environment then surrounded both Duelists. Everyone else had placed on their own D-Gazers as the match began.
"DUEL!"
(Shark: 4000) (Shun: 4000)
Shun was amazed that the area around him looked exactly like how it does in the real world. He wondered how the Duel itself would be like. He put that thought aside when Shark got things started.
"I will go first! My turn! Draw!" Shark smirked at what he held.
"You drew a card on your first turn?!" Shun shouted in disbelief.
"It's okay, Big Brother. Duelists in this world are allowed to draw on the first turn of the Duel." Ruri said.
"Yes, Shark isn't breaking any rules. Everything is fine." Yuto added. It took a moment for Shun's shock to wear off and understood. That rule confused him, but he accepted it.
"Alright, thanks for telling me." Shun said before turning back to his opponent. "Go on."
"Thanks, I shall. First up, I Summon Killer Rabca!" (WATER; Level 3; ATK: 700; DEF: 1500) A long yellow shark appeared in front of it's controller. "Since a "Fish" Monster was Summoned to my Field, I can Special Summon Shark Sucker from my hand!" (WATER; Level 3; ATK: 200; DEF: 1000) On Shark's Field now was a purple shark with something flat with red spots stuck on top of it's head. "Now I Overlay the Level 3 Killer Rabca and Shark Sucker! With these two Monsters, I build the Overlay Network! Xyz Summon! Rise! Underwater Mothership Aero Shark!" (WATER; Rank 3; ATK: 1900; DEF: 1000) Replacing those first Monsters was now a pair of sharks that seemed to be wearing some kind of apparatus to make them look like twin submarines joined together.
'He didn't waste time to Xyz Summon.' Shun thought to himself, wondering what it was capable of. He didn't have wait long.
"I activate Aero Shark's Monster Effect! Once per turn, by detaching an Overlay Unit, I can inflict 400 points of damage to my opponent for each card in my hand! I hold four cards, which means the damage you take is 1600!"
"What?!" Shun shouted in surprise. Aero Shark then fired four torpedos, each of which split into four smaller torpedos, and headed right for their target. Shun grunted from the impact.
(Shun: 4000 - 1600 = 2400)
"I hope this shows you that I always mean business when I duel! I Set one card facedown and end my turn." Shark said as he finished his first move.
"The Duel just started and Shun already took a lot of damage." Ruri said in a stunned voice. Her boyfriend nodded.
"Yes. Shark seems to be a vicious adversary." Yuto then smiled. "But your brother can handle worse than that."
"He will need to be strong to win against him." Earth said. Shun brushed the dust off his jacket like it was nothing.
"I see you don't take it easy on anyone. Neither do I! My turn! Draw!" He saw a way to even the score. "I Summon Raid Raptors - Vanishing Lanius!" (DARK; Level 4; ATK: 1300; DEF: 1600) What looked like a black and dark green bird mech with a noticeable red mark on it's chest flew out onto the Field. "Vanishing Lanius' Monster Effect activates! If it is Normal or Special Summoned this turn, I can Special Summon another Vanishing Lanius from my hand!" Shun then brought out his Monster's second copy.
"Two Level 4 Monsters. Is he going to Summon his Ace now?" Kotori asked.
"Not just yet." Yuto said, confusing her.
"Next I activate a Continuous Magic card, Raid Raptors – Nest! If I control two "Raid Raptors" Monsters with the same name, I can take a third "Raid Raptors" Monster with the same name from my Deck and add it my hand! I add my third Vanishing Lanius to my hand, then I Special Summon it with the Effect of my second copy!"
"Now Shun has three of those." Rio said.
"I feel he will use them for his big play." Kaito guessed.
"Next I play Raid Raptors – Sanctuary! Since I control three "Raid Raptors" Monsters, I can draw two cards from my Deck!" Shun was pleased with what he drew. "Now I Overlay all three copies of my Level 4 Raid Raptors - Vanishing Lanius! Obscured falcon! Raise your sharpened talons in front of adversity, and spread your wings of rebellion! Xyz Summon! Appear! Rank 4! Raid Raptors - Rise Falcon!" (DARK; Rank 4; ATK: 100; DEF: 2000) A green and purple falcon mech materialized before it's master to confront it's target. It had the same red symbol on the side of it's neck.
"That's his Ace? It only has 100 Attack Points." Akari said, surprised by how weak Shun's Xyz Monster was.
"Maybe it's stronger than it looks." Luna said.
"I guess." Haruto added, also confused.
"I'm not impressed by your robot bird." Shark taunted. Shun grunted.
"I'm not looking for your approval. I activate the Effect of Rise Falcon! Once per turn, by detaching an Overlay Unit, my Ace gains Attack Points equal to the total Attack Points of all my opponent's Special Summoned Monsters on the Field until the end of this turn! Your Aero Shark is Special Summoned, so it's Attack Points are added to my Monster's this turn!" Shun revealed to a surprised Shark as Rise Falcon's power increased.
(Raid Raptors - Rise Falcon's ATK: 100 + 1900 = 2000)
"Now Shun's Monster is stronger than Shark's!" Yuma exclaimed.
"In addition to increasing it's Attack Power, Rise Falcon can only attack Special Summoned Monsters and can attack all Special Summoned Monsters my opponent controls, one at a time! You're fortunate your Xyz Monster is the only one you have, but not for long! Battle! Raid Raptors – Rise Falcon, attack Underwater Mothership Aero Shark! Brave Claw Revolution!" The robotic falcon swooped down towards it's watery adversary.
"Trap card open, Zeus Breath! When my opponent declares an attack, that attack gets negated! Not only that, but since I control a "WATER" Monster, you take 800 points of damage!" Shark declared, stopping Shun's attack and damaging him more at the same time.
(Shun: 2400 - 800 = 1600)
"That did not work at all." Earth said.
"Shark is someone that cannot be damaged so easily." Astral said.
"Shun's not doing too well against Shark." Gauche said.
"Not for the moment. He will need to step up his game if he hopes to win." Droite said.
"Nice try, but it will take much more than that to reach me!" Shark said. Shun didn't seem too disappointed his assault had failed.
"Maybe. I Set three cards facedown and end my turn. At this time, Rise Falcon's Effect ends and it's Attack Power returns to normal." Shun said as his Xyz Monster's Attack Points went back down to 100.
"You better step it up if you plan to beat me Shun! My turn! Draw!" He tried to finish the Duel with his next play. "I thought you would be more challenging than this. I'm just going to put you out of your misery now. I activate Aero Shark's Effect! I detach it's last Overlay Unit to inflict another 1600 points of damage to you since I hold four cards again! It's over!" Shark said as his Monster fired more torpedos.
"But Shun has exactly that many Life Points left!" Luna pointed out.
"Don't count out my brother just yet, Luna." Ruri said confidently. Back in the Duel, Shun proved the Water Duelist wrong about his claim to finish him.
"Do not underestimate me! Counter Trap card open, Raid Raptors - Silent Roar! When my opponent activates a card or Effect that would inflict damage to me while I control a "Raid Raptors" Monster, that Effect is negated! Since I control Raid Raptors - Rise Falcon, your Trap doesn't touch me!" Shun countered as a protective barrier blocked all the torpedos before they could reach him.
"He managed to save himself." Kotori said in relief.
"Hopefully he can sink his talons onto Shark's fins on his next turn." Akari said.
Shark smirked. 'I knew he wouldn't give up that easily.' "Hope your defense is better than your offense Shun, because I'm about to test it! I activate Surface! It allows me to Special Summon a "WATER" Monster from my Graveyard in face-up Defense Mode! Return, Shark Sucker!" Shark's purple Monster returned to the Field. "Because I played a Normal Magic card this turn, I can Special Summon Big Jaws from my hand!" (WATER; Level 3; ATK: 1800; DEF: 300) A dark green/blue shark with a big mouth full of sharp teeth now floated next to it's fellow WATER Monsters.
'This is it. He has to be bringing out his true Ace now.' Shun thought. If he was right, he would be ready.
"Now I Overlay the Level 3 Big Jaws and Shark Sucker! With these two Monsters, I build the Overlay Network! Xyz Summon! Rise! Black Ray Lancer!" (DARK; Rank 3; ATK: 2100; DEF: 600) A black warrior with finned wings and holding a double red bladed weapon now showed itself next to it's fellow Xyz Monster. Shun saw his chance and took it.
"Continuous Trap card open, Raid Raptors – Lock Chain! When my opponent Special Summons a Monster to their Field with more Attack Points than the total Attack Points of all "Raid Raptors" Monsters I control, I can change that Monster's battle position! I switch your Black Ray Lancer from Attack Mode to Defense Mode!" Shark grunted.
"Annoying, but nothing has changed. My other Monster can still take you down! Battle! Underwater Mothership Aero Shark, attack Raid Raptors – Rise Falcon! Twin Sub Crunch!" Shark's other Monster swam ahead to take a huge bite out the mechanical bird of prey.
"Can Shun stop this too?" Akari asked herself, hoping the guy can hang on. Shun actually was prepared.
"I activate the Effect of Raid Raptors – Booster Strix in my hand! When my opponent's Monster attacks a "Raid Raptors" Xyz Monster I control, I can send Booster Strix to the Graveyard to give that Xyz Monster an additional Effect until the end of the turn! Now, when the "Raid Raptors" Xyz Monster I've chosen is targeted for an attack, I can detach an Overlay Unit to negate that attack!" Aero Shark was forced back when a shadow of an owl mech blocked it's path.
"Not bad." Shark admitted. His opponent had another surprise.
"I'm not finished! There is more to my Rise Falcon's new Effect! If I was successful in negating your Monster's attack, I can detach it's last Overlay Unit to destroy that Monster! Your Aero Shark is now fish scraps!" Shark snorted.
"Don't bet on it! I activate the Effect of my Black Ray Lancer! By detaching an Overlay Unit, I can negate the Effect of a face-up Monster on the Field until the End Phase! I'm negating the Effect of your Rise Falcon! Now you can't destroy my other Monster!" Shun narrowed his eyes.
"Not this time." He said admittedly.
"Damn right. I Set one card facedown and end my turn." Shark said, ending his turn.
"Shun avoided defeat that time as well." Earth said.
"Can he win against Shark?" Kotori asked.
"I know my brother. He won't lose." Ruri said assuringly.
"My own brother is strong too." Rio pointed out.
"Let's just see what happens." Yuma told the girls, with Yuto nodding with him.
'Shun, if there is time for you to shine it's now.' He thought. Shun himself felt he now had a good idea of what kind of Duelist Ryoga Kamishiro was and how best to beat him. He just needed the right cards.
"My turn! Draw! I play Raptor Ammo! This allows me to draw cards from my Deck equal to the number of "Raid Raptors" Monsters in my Graveyard! There are four, so I draw four cards!" Shun's eyes widened when he drew his cards. 'Now I've got him!' He thought excitedly. "Next I activate Raptor Overlay, which will let me take a "Raid Raptors" Monster from my Deck and attach it to an "Raid Raptors" Xyz Monster I control as Xyz Material! I attach Raid Raptors – Avenge Vulture to Rise Falcon!"
"Planning to attack with your pet bird again?" Shark taunted. Shun smiled.
"Not the one you think." He said, confusing Shark and mostly everyone else.
"Meaning what?" Shark asked, now feeling weary of Shun's next move.
"I'll show you! I activate Rank-Up-Magic Skip Force! This allows me to Special Summon a "Raid Raptors" Monster from my Extra Deck that is 2 Ranks higher than the Xyz Monster I'm using as Xyz Material!"
"A Double Rank Up?!" Kaito said in surprise. Shark was also surprised, as well as concerned.
"I Overlay my Rank 4 Raid Raptors – Rise Falcon! Prideful falcon! Spread your wings, dyed in the blood of heroes, and charge through the path of revolution! Rank Up Xyz Change! Appear! Rank 6! Raid Raptors - Revolution Falcon!" (DARK; Rank 6; ATK: 2000; DEF: 3000) Shun's new Monster was bigger black and blue falcon mech with red markings on each side of it's head.
"That is one mean looking bird." Gauche said, glad he wasn't facing it.
"I'll say." Droite added.
'That thing is strong enough to destroy either of my Monsters in battle. Good thing I've got that part covered.' Shark thought, expecting Shun to attack now with his new Monster. However…
"Revolution Falcon's Monster Effect activates! If it is Xyz Summoned by using a Rank 5 or lower "Raid Raptors" Xyz Monster as Xyz Material, I can target a Special Summoned Monster my opponent controls and destroy it! After that, my opponent will take damage equal to half the destroyed Monster's Attack Points! I destroy Black Ray Lancer!"
"What?!" Shark yelled in shock as Revolution Falcon flew up high, opened up the main portions of it's wings, and dropped dozens of bombs on Black Ray Lancer. It was obliterated within seconds.
(2100 / 2 = 1050)
(Shark: 4000 - 1050 = 2950)
"That seemed a little extreme." Akari said nervously of Revolution Falcon's Effect. She was glad this was an AR Duel or there would really be a mess.
"Damn!" Shark cursed, clearly not expecting that. "You're not getting away with that one! Trap card open, Hate Crevasse! When a Monster I control is destroyed by an opponent's card effect, I can destroy one Monster my opponent controls and inflict damage equal to that Monster's original Attack Points! I destroy your Revolution Falcon and bite away the rest of your Life Points!"
"You won't! Counter Trap card open, Raptor's Storm! When my opponent activates a Magic or Trap card while I control a "Raid Raptors" Monster, that card is negated and destroyed!" Shun declared, protecting his Monster from destruction.
"Dammit!" Shark cursed again. 'He seems to be prepared for anything I throw at him!' He thought frustratingly. Fortunately, he still had a means to keep his other Monster safe from an attack… an attack that was still not coming just yet.
"This is it Shark! Time to show you my true talons! I now activate Rank-Up-Magic Raid Force!"
"Another Rank Up?!" Shark shouted incredulously.
"What is Shun Summoning now?" Rio wondered, worried what her brother may be up against this time.
"Raid Force allows me to Special Summon a "Raid Raptors" Monster from my Extra Deck that is 1 Rank higher than the Xyz Monster I'm using as Xyz Material! I Overlay my Rank 6 Raid Raptors – Revolution Falcon! Armed falcon! Aim your heavy artillery at your enemies, and let hell fire rain down on them until nothing left is standing! Rank Up Xyz Change! Appear! Rank 7! Raid Raptors - Arsenal Falcon!" (DARK; Rank 7; ATK: 2500; DEF: 2000) Facing Shun's opponent now was a giant grey and green bird mech the size of an aircraft carrier. Shark actually trembled within it's shadow.
"Holy crap! Look at the size of that!" Gauche shouted, amazed by Shun's newest Monster.
"I definitely do not want to be Shark right now." Yuma said, fear in his voice.
"Be glad you're not, Yuma." Ruri said. She could tell Shun was about to finish the Duel in a not very subtle way.
"Ryoga…" Rio said softly.
"Wh-What the hell?!" Shark finally managed to say.
"Sharks may rule the seas, but falcons are lords of the sky! I now Equip Arsenal Falcon with Raid Raptors – Iron Heart! The "Raid Raptors" Xyz Monster Equipped with this gets 500 more Attack Points!"
(Raid Raptors - Arsenal Falcon's ATK: 2500 + 500 = 3000)
'This is it.' Yuto thought before Shun finally did something Shark expected.
"Here I come Shark! Battle! Raid Raptors – Arsenal Falcon, attack Underwater Mothership Aero Shark! Bombs of Revolution!" One flap of it's mighty wings and several bombs popped out, which headed down toward Shark's remaining Monster.
"Don't get ahead of yourself! I activate the Effect of Killer Rabca in my Graveyard! By banishing it from my Graveyard, I can negate your attack and lower your Monster's Attack Points by 500!" Shun watched as his Monster's Attack was deflected and it's Attack Power dropped back down to 2500.
"He stopped his attack again." Haruto said. His brother had a feeling Shark was only prolonging the inevitable.
"I'll give you an "A" for effort Shun, but an "F" for actually landing a blow. Better luck attacking on your next turn." Shark said confidently. Shun smirked.
"Who said my attack was over?" He questioned, setting off alarms in his opponent's head.
"What do you mean?" Shark asked nervously.
"Arsenal Falcon can attack a number of times each Battle Phase equal to how many "Raid Raptors" Monsters are attached to it as Xyz Materials! Since three "Raid Raptors" Monsters are attached, Arsenal Falcon can attack three times! You've only succeeded in stopping it's first attack!" Shun revealed to Shark's horror.
"It can attack multiple times?!" Yuma shouted in disbelief.
"Shun Kurosaki has the advantage now." Earth noted.
"Oh boy." Akari said.
"Ryoga." Rio said softly, knowing her brother was truly cornered.
'He… he had this planned from the very start!' Shark realized. He braced himself for incoming onslaught.
"Here comes the second strike! Arsenal Falcon, attack Aero Shark again!" Once more, Shun's Monster unleashed a barrage of bombs. This time they hit their target, blowing Shark's last Monster apart.
(2500 - 1900 = 600)
(Shark: 2950 - 600 = 2350)
"The next attack will be it." Yuto said. Ruri nodded. Shun prepared for his last attack.
"You fought well Shark, but victory is mine today. Raid Raptors – Arsenal Falcon… finish it! Direct Attack!" One more set of bombs were unleashed and struck the Water Duelist himself, resulting in him getting blasted to the ground on his back.
(Shark: 0)
Once the Duel was over, Shun walked over to his fallen opponent. Shark struggled to get back up but he managed to do so. The two Duelists looked at one another, and then smiled. "Damn. You are as tough as they come." Shark said. Shun nodded.
"As part of the Resistance, I have to be strong and resilient to stay alive and fight back. Still, you are strong yourself." He said as the two Duelists shook hands.
"So, you two feeling better now about your issues with your sisters?" Akari asked. The two looked over to the two couples. Shun at Yuto and Ruri, and Shark at Yuma and Rio. Shun sighed deeply.
"I trust Yuto with my life. Now… I'm trusting him with my sister's heart. I know that he will treat her well." Yuto and Ruri smiled at one another, glad to hear Shun being more accepting.
As for Shark, he walked over to his sister's new boyfriend and gave him an intimidating stare for a long minute. This made him more nervous than he ever felt. "Yuma… you really like my sister, don't you?" He finally asked.
Yuma glanced at Rio, who gave a warm smile. "Yeah, I do." He told his rival and friend with a smile of his own. Shark stood silent for a second before he softened up his features.
"In that case, treat Rio with the love and respect she deserves. If being with you makes her this happy, I shouldn't butt in." Yuma nodded.
"I definitely will." He said. Satisfied, Shark walked away. Yuma and Rio then smiled at one another, glad that Shark finally accepted their relationship. This made them look forward to their first date later tonight even more…
/\/\/\/\/\/\
It was an hour later when Droite gave the word. "Gauche, we're heading back to Spartan City. Let's move." She called out. Gauche, who was chatting with Yuma and Yuto for a bit, turned to her in surprise and disappointment.
"Hey. What's up? Can't we stay a little a longer?" He wined. His manager was adamant in her choice.
"I think we need to get back. Your vacation time is just about up and you have an important match coming up." She reminded him. Gauche sighed.
"Oh alright, party pooper. Well, you guys enjoy the rest of your camping trip." He said to everyone.
"We will! Also, thanks for your help in Maiami City!" Yuma told him. The bigger guy said it was no problem as everyone said their goodbyes to them. Kaito and Haruto weren't around. After Shark and Shun's Duel, Haruto told Kaito he saw his favorite butterfly and asked his big brother if he could help him try and find it. He agreed and the Tenjo siblings went out to find that butterfly. As Gauche began to walk, Droite halted him.
"Wait. What about that Number you borrowed from Astral? Did you return it?" She asked.
"Yeah, yeah I gave it back. But Astral said I can keep the chest strap that protected me as a souvenir. I agreed to that, since it looks pretty cool on me." Gauche told her as he showed off the strap he had on during the Duel against Luna, making Droite groan. The former returned Number 86 to Astral during the return trip, along with the other borrowed Numbers, before the Airship attack.
Gauche and his manager then started walking away, back to the parking lot where their transport waited. Before they got too far, Luna had caught up with the pair.
"Miss Droite, can I talk to you alone for a minute?" She asked. This surprised her, but she saw no problem with that.
"I guess not. Gauche, go on ahead. I'll catch up. Don't cause any trouble on the way, would you?" She said sternly, making the guy frown.
"Fine, fine." He complained before resuming his walk. The two women were alone now.
"What is it you want?" Droite asked. Luna hesitated before she got to the matter at hand.
"Does Kaito not know how you feel about him?" She asked. Droite was shocked.
"W-What are you talking about?" The older woman demanded, turning slightly red in the face.
"I saw the way you looked at Kaito earlier. It was the same of how the Ryoga of my reality looked at me. You love him and you never told him, is that right?" Luna asked. Droite didn't answer, looking away instead. "Don't you think you should tell him?" Luna persisted.
"What I feel or not feel about Kaito is none of your business!" Droite snapped, making Luna step back a little. "Why are you even bothering me with this?!" Luna frowned.
"I just… want you to be as happy as I was…" She said timidly. "Don't you want that, to be with the one you love?" Droite turned her back on Luna. What the pink haired girl couldn't see was a tear running down Droite's cheek.
"Not everyone is meant for love… or happiness. Kaito is better off without someone like me. I have accepted that. You should be more concerned about your own love life." Droite said no more as she marched away. Luna sighed deeply and felt great pity for the older woman. It saddened her that Droite refused her heart's desire out of fear of being rejected. She figured that had to be why she behaved that way.
Also, Droite's last sentence struck Luna harder than she expected. She still loved the Ryoga Kamishiro she knew, and she was beginning to feel the same about this world's version of him. Maybe she shouldn't get so emotionally involved with him while she was here. She still hoped, and expected, to restore her reality and be with "her" Ryoga again someday soon.
As Luna turned back to the campsite, she failed to notice Kaito hiding behind a nearby tree. He was searching for that butterfly Haruto really liked when he heard the women talk and kept out of sight. Unlike Luna, he did see Droite cry as she stormed off. What Kaito saw really shook him. He truly had no idea a girl like Droite felt that way about him. Kaito didn't know how he himself felt about this. Perhaps he should think about reevaluating his personal life a little…
/\/\/\/\/\/\
Later that night, Yuma and Yuto arrived at the lake in their swim trunks. They each brought a towel and dry clothes to change into later. The girls would be showing up anytime. "Are you nervous?" Yuto asked the younger boy. Yuma tried to look tough while snorting.
"Me, nervous? Are ya kidding? I saved this world quite a few times and fought lots of dangerous bad guys! What the heck do I have to be nervous about?" Yuto smiled. He was about to respond to that when…
"Perhaps, but you have never actually been on a date with a cute girl, have you?" Yuma and Yuto turned and blushed at the beautiful sight approaching them. Rio and Ruri both wore one piece bathing suits that matched their respective hair colors. Rio giggled at Yuma's reaction. "Come on, Yuma. You've seen me in a bathing suit before and you've never blushed then." She said. Yuma snapped out of his daze to reply.
"Well yeah, but back then… we weren't a couple." He said. Rio nodded.
"I'll give you that." She then showed off her appearance, one hand on her hip and the other behind her head. "So, am I as pretty now as I was before?" She asked. Yuma somehow found it hard to talk while staring at his date.
"Um… actually Rio, I think you're the prettiest I've ever seen." He eventually managed to say. Rio blushed in return.
"Thank you Yuma. You look great too." She said, smiling. Yuma chuckled nervously.
"What do you think, Yuto?" Ruri asked, both her hands behind her back, smiling shyly.
"Ruri, you're perfect no matter what you wear." He told her. Like Rio, the purpled haired girl also blushed furiously.
"Thanks. So are you." Ruri told her boyfriend. The two couples stood in awkward silence for a long moment. Yuto then cleared his throat.
"How about we do some swimming races? The boy and girl in a couple swim about across the lake until the other couple say it's time to turn around, then the first couple swims back. The other couple will watch and stand by incase something goes wrong. The one who reaches the shore first wins. After that, we switch." He suggested. Everyone agreed.
"I love that idea. Who goes first?" Ruri asked. Rio immediately grabs Yuma's arm.
"How about me and Yuma?" She suggested.
"Is this okay with you?" Yuto asked. Yuma nodded.
"Sure!" A short time later, Yuma and Rio got deep enough in the water to start swimming. Yuto and Ruri stood on the sandy beach, able to see the younger teens. "You ready Rio?" His girl nodded.
"Oh yeah." She said eagerly. She then turned back to the other couple. "We're all set!"
"Okay. Ready… GO!" Yuto shouted, beginning the race. At his signal, Yuma and Rio swam furiously across the water. Yuma caused a ton of splashing as he moved. Rio, on the other hand, swam much more gracefully as well as fast. Yuma kicked a lot to keep up.
"Go Rio!" Ruri cheered.
"Swim like you mean it Yuma!" Yuto added. The younger couple kept at it for a minute or so before Yuto told them to turn around. Yuma and Rio swam back toward them. The boy actually came neck and neck with his swimming partner. That didn't last long as Rio unexpectedly pulled out a burst of speed at the last second, touching the shoreline first.
"Rio wins the first race!" Ruri declared. Rio stood up and took a bow. Yuma collapsed as he also made it ashore.
"Aw man! I thought I had you near the end!" Yuma complained as he breathed heavily. Rio smirked.
"That's what I wanted you to think." She said while winking. She didn't seem nearly as tired as he was. Yuma didn't retort as he huffed and puffed with his back on the sand. Rio then sat down next to him. "Still, you swam very well." She told him sincerely.
"So did… you." Her boyfriend said with a bright smile. Rio smiled back. Once Yuma recovered, Yuto and Ruri took their positions for their race. Yuma and Rio stood where the other couple were.
"Don't expect me to go easy on you." Yuto warned.
"I was about to tell you the same thing." Ruri responded. The two smiled at one another. They were going to enjoy this. "Call it out Rio!" The blue haired girl did just that.
"Ready… SWIM!" Yuto and Ruri then took off like motorboats. Yuto was a swimming powerhouse as he quickly took the lead. Ruri wasn't going to have that, as she kicked harder to pass him.
"Look at 'em go!" Yuma called out excitedly. "Win Yuto!"
"Don't let him Ruri!" Rio shouted. They must have heard them, because both swam faster. After getting the call to turn around, the couple headed back to land. Now, both Yuto and Ruri seem to be evenly paced. One wasn't able to overtake the other. This evenness maintained itself for the remainder of the race. By the time they reached the shore, Yuma and Rio couldn't quite tell who won.
"So, is this a tie? Cause, I couldn't tell which of you came in first." Yuma said while scratching his head.
"Me neither. You both swam so evenly, it was hard to tell who was winning." Rio added, just as surprised by the results as Yuma was. Yuto and Ruri looked at one another, both slightly out of breath, and smiled.
"Shall we call this a tie?" Yuto asked his girl. She nodded.
"Sure. That's fine with me." After a quick break, they did the next round of races. This time, it was Rio vs Ruri with Yuma vs Yuto. Rio won her race as well, while Yuto easily beat Yuma (who complained that Yuto was in much better shape than he was). Once those races were settled, both couples decided to rest.
"Yuto, can we move a little over there?" Ruri said a moment later, nodding toward the left. Yuto said it was fine, though he didn't know why. Ruri took Yuto by the hand and led him a little into the water. Not too deep that their feet wouldn't touch the bottom, but enough that they could sit with the water halfway up the chest. Yuto and Ruri then sat across from one another.
"Lets do the same Yuma." Rio said, pulling Yuma onto his feet and had him follow her.
"How come?" He asked as they walked.
"You'll see." She said. After a short distance, they too sat in the water across from each other. "Isn't this romantic? You and me, sitting in the water under a bright night sky?" She said as she gazed upward, smiling. Yuma looked up and saw lots of shining stars surrounding a bright full moon. He smiled too.
"Yeah, it really is." He said softly. When Yuma turned back to Rio, she was still staring at the sky. In his eyes, Yuma never saw anything more beautiful in his life. He still couldn't believe that Shark's sister was here, with him in a setting like this. 'She really is incredible. I hope I can continue to make her happy.' He thought to himself. Rio then looked back him.
"What?" She asked, wondering why he had such a dreamy expression. Yuma shook his head.
"Oh, um. I was just thinking that I must be the luckiest guy in the world right now… to be with you." Rio smiled happily.
"I feel the same way." She told him softly as she took Yuma's hands and entwined their fingers together. At the same time, Yuma and Rio leaned toward each other, closed their eyes, and shared a very sweet kiss.
Nearby, Yuto and Ruri observed the younger couple as they made out. "Look at them Yuto. They seem so happy… like us." Ruri said. Yuto nodded.
"I agree. And we are happy, aren't we?" He said, pulling a happy Ruri closer.
"Yes, we are." She said before she and Yuto also shared a romantic kiss, arms wrapped around one another.
Unbeknownst to the two couples, Shun and Akari were watching nearby from behind a large bush. Even though he no longer had issues with Yuto dating Ruri, Shun felt obligated to watch over the new couple. Akari felt the same regarding her younger brother and Rio. Shark declined to join them, knowing Yuma would never do anything Rio wouldn't approve of or else facing him later on. "Aw, look at them. They just look perfect, don't ya think?" Akari asked. Shun groaned.
"It would appear so. I'm just going to have to get used to my sister and my best friend doing this kind of stuff." He said. Akari nodded.
"Yeah, but I was actually talking about my little brother and his girl." She said, still watching the younger teens. Shun turned to her.
"You're not concerned that he may not be old enough for dating?" He asked. Akari looked back at him.
"I was at first. I mean, he's barely 13 and Rio is a year older than him. When I saw Rio kiss him for the first time, I was really thrown for a loop. I didn't want him to risk getting hurt or anything like that. But… when I saw how much Rio likes him, and Yuma really wanting to try dating, I had to shut down my "overprotective sister mode" and just trust them to know what they are doing."
"And you still feel that way now?" Shun asked. Akari nodded again.
"I do. I'm still planning to give Yuma "the talk" pretty soon. For now, I'm just going to let him and Rio enjoy their time tonight… as long as it doesn't go too far." Shun nodded back and smiled.
"You are a good sister to Yuma. Perhaps our own upcoming date won't be so bad." He told her. He couldn't see it in the dark, but Akari blushed from the comment.
"Perhaps not." She said as the two kept watch from their hiding spot.
/\/\/\/\/\/\
Back up in the cabin, Astral and Earth stared up at the full moon from the window. Earth was still attached to Yuma's D-Pad, next to Yuma's Key on the bed. "Tell me Earth. Do you plan to stay with me and Yuma during your time here on our world?" Astral asked as he turned to look at his companion. Earth shook his head.
"No. I think I will transfer myself to Ryoga Kamishiro's D-Pad." He answered.
"Why him?" Astral questioned, surprised by Earth's choice.
"After observing him, he seems to be socially awkward like myself. Perhaps we can learn from each other how best to socialize with others." Astral nodded. He believed their future interactions would certainly be interesting to observe… but not perhaps for Shark. Astral nearly laughed at the thought as he turned back to looking out through the window.
"This is a perfect evening for gazing up at the night sky." Astral noted. Earth nodded.
"Yes, it is. However, it is not the same as looking up at the moon Ray created on Cyberse World." Said the Earth Ignis. Astral smiled.
"Of course not. The moon on Cyberse World is artificial. The one we are looking at now… that one is real." Earth gave a faint hum.
"Aqua has told me through our link that she also sees a full moon on Yugi's world. She likes looking up at it as much I like looking at this one." He said fondly, missing Aqua very much already, even though it has only been a day since they separated.
"I have not doubt of that." Astral replied. After a moment, he looked down and frowned. "The Astral World doesn't have a moon." He said, sounding sad.
"I see." He said in a monotone. He was thinking about asking Astral about his home world, but his logic told him it would be unwise. So, he didn't bring it up. A minute of silence went by before Astral spoke again. When he did, Earth turned to see that the energy being was trembling and, to his surprise, shedding tears.
"Earth, when I saw what has become of the Astral World… I wanted to scream and rage to the heavens. I was so horrified by what has happened there that I almost convinced myself it had to be some kind of bad dream or illusion. I didn't want to believe any of it was real. But, I would be denying the truth. And the truth is…" He hesitated, still not quite able to get it out.
"What is the truth?" Earth prompted. At last, Astral turned his grief stricken face to the Earth Ignis and revealed what he had been hiding from Yuma and the others.
"The Astral World has become a nest for demons! And the ruler of those demons… is a true horror!"
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\
1 Month later...
On the top of Heartland Tower, a cloaked figure stood and took in the sight. It was the middle of the night so that it would be harder to be seen, not that the the figure feared of being seen anyway.
From it's dark green glowing eyes, the stranger observed everything from the buildings, streets, and all the people. A faint hiss could be heard from beneath the hood. "Humans... they stink. I can smell their foul stench from all the way up here. The people of the Astral World had a better smell than this." The figure complained.
Just then, an image appeared before the stranger in a green energy window. It was three individuals the stranger knew very well. "Well, it seems your arrival on Earth was successful." Lightning said. The cloaked figure nodded.
"Yes it was. I was just taking a look around, and I'm not impressed by this dump." The other two figures in the image chuckled.
"Humans are good for one thing and one thing only: Destroying each other." E'Rah said.
"Of course, we prefer to speed up the process by exterminating them ourselves. The humans of this world are yours to annihilate." Zarc added. The figure nodded.
"I'm glad I get the chance to do so. It has gotten boring sitting on my throne on the Astral World all day with nothing to do other than search for that Numeron Code thing." The figure said with disdain. The three nodded understandably.
"We don't blame you. You deserve a good change of pace from that." E'Rah said sympathetically.
"You will get your chance. Just complete your assignment for me first. After that, you will be free to do as you please with those disgusting humans." Lightning instructed. The figure nodded.
"I haven't forgotten. That kid is as good as yours." Zarc smiled.
"We know you won't fail us... daughter." With that, the image vanished, leaving the figure alone. The green eyed figure smiled evilly as she licked her lips.
"Father, Mother, and Master Lightning... I will take great joy in this."
To be continued.