Ice Queen Cometh

by Nox Barian

Rio Kamishiro never expected her life would become so chaotic in such a short period of time. First her brother, Shark is set on fire and put in the hospital by a psychopath. Then, she is dragged into the War of the Number Cards alongside her friends. but when familiar faces from the past arrive on Earth, she will begin to question whether she is even human at all. (REMAKE)

14. Enter the Sparrow

Welcome Back Everyone!

A bit of a longer wait this time, but life has a way of throwing curve balls, including a brand-new job!

The good news is that we have now reached the part of the remake that I am most excited to write about.

Seriously, the next five or six chapters are the reasons why this remake exists. I've been looking forward to reaching this far and now we are finally here!

I hope you all enjoy it!

---

Chapter 14: Enter the Sparrow

Yuma was growing frustrated as to how often sleep eluded him as of late.

It seemed that the longer this war for the Numbers dragged on, the more restless he would grow, which in turn meant more sleepless nights. Tossing and turning in his hammock bed, he struggled to get comfortable, but while his body was exhausted, his mind continued to race around in circles.

To think, while he was spending another ordinary day training at the sanctuary without a care in the world, a seemingly ordinary day for him, Kotori and Rio had been fighting for their lives the whole time at the docks. Not only did Rio reunite with IV, the very man responsible for the attempted murder of her brother, but he was after the Numbers as well, and he hired Anna Kozuki of all people to help him and his family acquire them.

Anna Kozuki, someone he never thought he'd ever see again, never wanted to see again, was flying around Heartland City with a cannon capable of blowing up buildings, and less than twenty-four hours ago, she was possessed by a Number.

And here Yuma thought getting his soul stolen by Kaito was the scariest threat he could possibly face.

Truth be told, when it came to Anna, Yuma wasn't sure what to think. Part of him felt guilty, not being there to protect his friends from the cannon wielding duelist, wanting to face his fear of his former bully and show Anna he could stand up to her, perhaps even defeat her in a duel as payback for all those horrible pranks she pulled on him, but another much smaller part of him felt sorry for her. If what Rio told him was true, that Anna was now a homeless runaway, there was no question she needed help, but even if Yuma got the chance to meet Anna, he wouldn't know where to start. If Rio couldn't get through to her, what chance did he have? In fact, Yuma had a feeling that if he had been at the docks, Anna would have only grown more volatile, given what happened the last time they saw each other. He remembered how Anna was reduced to tears all those years ago after he mistakenly believed she was pulling another prank on him.

The least he could do the next time he saw her was apologize for hurting her feelings, even if it put him at risk of her wrath. Even if she never apologized for what she did to him, he would rather be the better person and extend the olive branch.

Then there was the matter of IV, by far a deadlier threat than Anna would ever be. His sudden return revealed deeper and darker plots in motion. If what he told Rio was to be believed, he had been ordered to attack Ryouga by this mysterious new foe, Tron, who was also after the Numbers.

So now, in addition to a soul stealing Number Hunter, a race of aliens with mind controlling powers, and a bully-now-turned bounty hunter, there was a mysterious masked man who had the National Champion in his pocket and wanted the Kamishiro twins out of the way for unknown purposes.

Even worse, all of them would undoubtedly participate in the World Duel Carnival.

"Come on…. Hold it together…." the young duelist muttered, still trying in vain to get comfortable.

"Carnival's only two weeks away, but it's fine. You can handle this," he reassured himself, a quiet but firm mantra of meditation. While he wasn't foolish enough to believe his newfound growth as a duelist meant he could effortlessly defeat every future threat, his time at the sanctuary gave him a lot to be proud of. His eyes, finally getting heavy, drifted towards one of his most prized possessions, a picture of his parents.

He smiled, knowing if they were here to witness his progress, they would be proud of him too.

The longer he stared at the picture, the more his anxiety seemed to drift away, and finally, Yuma was able to fall into a relaxing sleep.

That's when the shrill cackle of a woman snapped him back to reality, the sudden noise making him jump and fall out of bed, landing on the floor with a loud thud.

"Sparrow, you were a fool to refuse my offer! You could have joined forces with me, and we could have ruled the galaxy together! Now you shall feel the unstoppable wrath of the Dark Emperor's Curse! Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha!"

"Not again…" Yuma grunted in annoyance, immediately realizing what was going on. He was beginning to regret teaching Astral how his television worked. He wasn't even sure how the spirit managed to turn the TV on by himself, but there he was, his floating body fixated on the screen, captivated by the scene unfolding in front of him. On the screen, a young teenage superhero with spiky silver hair wearing a red masquerade mask and an elegant blue cloak was suffering a torturous electrocution at the hands of a beautiful, but villainous looking woman. Cackling like a witch, the villainess pointed her staff at the young hero again, firing a bolt of dark lightning as her dark blue dress bathed the entire battle field in the glow of a galactic aurora.

"You could have served me willingly as my apprentice, but now you are nothing more than my puppet, just like your precious Puma! Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha!"

She intensified her torture, but just when it appeared that the hero would break, the Sparrow reached for his weapon strapped to his belt, a shorter gold scepter, which opened to reveal a glowing retractable whip.

The whip shot forward like a snake, snatching the queen's staff out of her hand and ending her evil spell.

"What? Impossible!"

"Nothing is impossible when you fight for the side of justice, Galaxy Queen! I have journeyed through time and space, trained in the most hostile environments, and faced overwhelming odds to fight the forces of evil! I am the Sparrow, and in the name of justice, I shall defeat the Dark Emperor and set you free!"

"Now, take this! Mega Punch Surprise!"

The Sparrow leaped into the air, his fist encased in brilliant white energy as he charged towards the Galaxy Queen. Astral perked his head up, fully invested in the climactic battle of good and evil…

Only for the television to turn off, as Yuma had finally found the remote.

"Man, that Galaxy Queen's laugh is creepy," Yuma mumbled as he crawled back into his hammock bed and tried once again to fall asleep, but Astral wasn't about to let his partner sleep just yet.

"You need to wake up," he said bluntly, floating upwards to Yuma's bed until he was inches from his face, only for Yuma to roll over and face away from the spirit.

"No I don't…." Yuma grunted. "Leave me alone, Astral. I thought I already explained why it's important for humans to sleep."

"I am afraid this cannot wait until morning," Astral insisted. "Did you know there is a young man from another dimension just like me? He is called the Sparrow, and he travels to different worlds to fight the forces of evil."

"Yeah, he's from the planet Vortexia or something…. I don't know…" Yuma mumbled, yawning.

"Where is that?" Astral asked, oblivious to how his questions were pestering his partner. "Is that far away? Yuma, please! I must know more!"

"Fine! I'll turn it back on!" Yuma groaned before reaching for the remote again. Unfortunately, when he turned the TV back on, it seemed the episode was already over, with the narrator instructing the audience to tune in next week to watch the epic season finale, where the Sparrow's destiny will continue to unfold.

"Why do we have to wait a week?" asked Astral. "Are there technical difficulties with the broadcast?"

"No, Astral. That's just how TV shows work. They divide the story into episodes, and then they release each episode once a week unless there's *yawn* holidays. Now lemme go to sleep!"

"I apologize, Yuma, but now I am even more confused. Why would the humans in charge of broadcasting such an important battle that could decide the fate of multiple planets, possibly even this one, split up the broadcast into weekly segments?"

This time, Yuma only replied with snoring, having gone back to sleep. Astral sighed, resigned to the fact that any further questions would have to wait until morning. He glanced back at the television before deciding not to turn it back on. Not only would Yuma likely wake up, angrier than ever, but it seemed there was no point, as he would have to wait until the broadcast of the Sparrow's destiny appeared on the air again.

"If the Sparrow truly arrived here from another dimension, just as the television program described," Astral mused to himself. "Then perhaps he has at least heard of the conflict between the Astral World and the Barian World. Perhaps he could fill in the gaps surrounding my missing memories, or at the very least prove a valuable ally in the battles ahead."

The Spirit knew it was a long shot, as the hero he had grown to respect since he began paying attention to the television likely had his own battles to fight, but Astral still couldn't shake the feeling that he and Yuma still were not ready to tackle the greater threats on the horizon. Their inevitable rematch with Kaito would happen soon. He was certain of that, and on top of that, they had still only faced mere minions of the Barian World, not its leaders. The power of the Chaos Xyz monsters the brainwashed minions wielded likely paled in comparison to whatever weapons of war their masters had at their disposal.

It was in times like this that Astral wished somebody like the Sparrow was there to help, as he feared even with Rio's help, the odds were still stacked against them.

"Observation Number Seventeen: In times of hardship, it is quite uplifting to believe in the stories of great heroes."

---

The next day was a blur for the pair. School ended as quickly as it began, with the only noteworthy event being the scolding Yuma received for falling asleep in class, to which Yuma scolded Astral once again for keeping him awake all night. The moment classes ended, Yuma was determined to head for home.

"Are we not going to the sanctuary today, Yuma?" Astral inquired, having taken note of the direction Yuma was heading towards the moment he reached the school grounds.

"Too tired…" Yuma groaned. "No thanks to you…"

"My apologies…." Astral replied sincerely. "It was not my intention to keep you awake all night and deprive you of sleep. I was merely invested in watching the Sparrow's destiny unfold. Speaking of which, I have been meaning to ask if you knew of a way to contact him."

"Eh? Contact him?" Yuma mumbled. "What are you on about now?"

"I was merely wondering if we could ask the Sparrow for assistance against the many threats plaguing the city. Even if he holds no further answers regarding the Number cards or my missing memories, surely a warrior as powerful as him would prove an invaluable ally."

"Ask him for…. Are you serious?!" Yuma snapped, his temper finally reaching a boiling point. "Astral, you really need to learn the difference between fiction and non-fiction TV!"

"Fick-shawn?" Astral pronounced the word rather poorly. "I do not know this word."

"It means it's not real! Fake, phony, made up! The whole story about the Sparrow that you've been obsessing over, it's not real! It's just a story for entertaining people! There is no Sparrow, and he's not coming to help us! We are on our own!"

"Not… real? The… the entire story was a lie?"

Yuma suddenly stopped as he realized how hurt and disappointed Astral sounded. He was about to apologize and attempt to explain it more gently when he heard his friends calling him.

"Hey, Yuma! What's all the yelling about?" Tetsuo's voice made him turn around, spotting him exiting the school alongside Kotori and Cathy, with Rio trailing behind him, a noticeable frown on her face, a stark contrast to the more upbeat demeanors of the others.

"Oh, it's nothing, Tetsuo," Yuma explained awkwardly as he rubbed the back of his head.

"It's kind of a funny story, actually. Astral is apparently hooked on the Sparrow. He's been watching the show at night while I'm trying to sleep."

"Well then this will definitely put him in a good mood!" Kotori gushed. "The Sparrow is here in the city!"

The despondent Astral immediately perked up upon hearing that. "He is where?"

"Eh? What do you mean?" Yuma asked, only half-interested, as he was starting to grow tired of all this sudden Sparrow-Mania. First Astral, and now Kotori.

"The film crew who works on the show rented out a building down by the seaport. They're apparently going to use it as a studio or something to film all their scenes for the next season right here in Heartland City, and get this!" Kotori exclaimed, with Yuma growing slightly disturbed by how excited she sounded. "The Sparrow is doing a meet and greet tomorrow morning, and that means he'll sign autographs! Oh, to have him print the Gold Star of Justice on anything I own would be a dream come true!"

"Gold star of what-now?" Yuma asked.

"The Gold Star of Justice," Astral explained, "Is the secret token used by supporters of the Sparrow, especially those who remain under the dominion of the Dark Emperor. Each star contains a small trace of the Esper Aura, the cosmic force in which the Sparrow draws his power from, allowing those who receive them to call on the Sparrow for aid, and even defend themselves should the Emperor's minions attack them."

Yuma's jaw dropped. A detailed explanation from Astral was part and parcel by this point, but hearing the spirit describe something like a TV show was downright surreal.

A brief, awkward silence passed before Yuma turned back to face his friends. "Why doesn't the actor sign with his name?"

There was a pause from Kotori and Cathy.

"Do you know what his name is?" Kotori asked.

"I don't recall," Cathy admitted. "Actually, I don't know if he's ever made a public appearance out-of-character or out of costume. His agents are pretty strict with preserving his image."

Yuma blinked. "I didn't… Realize you two were such big fans…"

"And guess who got us all guest passes?" Cathy spoke in a sing-song voice as she proudly flashed five tickets in her hand. Yuma was initially shocked that she managed to get that many guest passes on such short notice, as they must have been very expensive, but then he remembered what the inside of Cathy's mansion looked like, reminding him just how wealthy Cathy's family was, meaning acquiring five guest passes was likely as easy as ordering takeout.

"Maybe the actor who plays Beast-Warrior Puma will be there too!" Cathy continued, a blush forming on her cheeks. "Oh, I hope so! I posted an entire essay on the Sparrow fan forums about why Beast-Warrior Puma should get his own show, and it's finally getting attention! I even wrote a concept pilot episode for the spin-off. Oh, I wish I could get him to read it!"

"I mean, it sounds like fun!" Tetsuo admitted, shrugging his shoulders.

"Of course it will be fun! It will be amazing!" Cathy exclaimed, before stopping herself and growing flustered as she realized how obsessive she sounded.

"I mean… you know… I thought… It was something nice we could all do together…." she said in a much quieter tone, wilting from her shyness. "You and Rio must be exhausted from…. Well… you know…"

Another moment of silence passed, before Tetsuo finally broke it, speaking out in support of the Cat Girl.

"Honestly I think Cathy has the right idea. I think we could all use a well-deserved break from dueling and Number Hunting, especially after everything that's happened over the past couple of days. Come on, Yuma. You've been going to the Duel Sanctuary non-stop. I get that you're eager to get stronger, but you could really use a day off."

"I was going to spend that day off today…" Yuma grunted in annoyance. "...Sleeping."

"Well, that's fine. Now you get two days off!" Kotori huffed. "Get your rest today and then wake up bright and early tomorrow so we can all spend the day at this new studio!"

Yuma was still unconvinced, and his annoyance only grew when Astral decided to side with Kotori.

"We cannot pass up an opportunity like this, Yuma. It seems you were incorrect about the Sparrow being… fick-shawn. If he is real after all, and we can actually speak with the Sparrow, we could potentially secure an alliance with him."

"What is with everybody today? It's just an actor playing a superhero on TV. It's not that big of a deal, and you know what? It's not even that great of a show!"

The two girls turned to glare at Yuma as if he just made the most offensive statement in the world.

"What? It's overrated! Yeah, I said it! Tetsuo, back me up here!

"Oh, I'm staying out of this." Tetsuo raised his arms in the air and backed away with four big steps.

Panicking, Yuma turned to the one member of the group who had stayed silent throughout the entire conversation. "Rio, help me out! You agree with me, don't you?"

"Nice try, Yuma, but you're already outvoted three to one, four if you count Astral." Kotori rebuffed playfully.

"Besides, Rio's as much of a fan of the Sparrow as I am, so you won't get any help from her."

"Actually, I do agree with Yuma. This sounds like a complete waste of time," Rio spoke up, her hostile tone of voice catching her friends off guard.

"The three of you might have the luxury to spend the day gushing at superheroes, but Yuma and I have targets on our backs. We can't afford to take a day off."

"Well, I mean… One or two can't hurt." Tetsuo mumbled, but that angered Rio even further.

"Have the three of you forgotten just how many threats are roaming around this city as we speak, looking to target Yuma or myself at any second? There are Numbers everywhere. We've had to deal with a brainwashed minion of Barian World almost every day for the past week and a half, and not to mention we still don't know where Kaito is! Yuma, if you want to rest today, that's fine, but afterwards, I'd recommend you keep training until the World Duel Carnival, which is going to start very soon by the way!"

Rio intended to continue her angry rant, when a soft whimper prompted her to stop.

She turned to face Cathy, who looked quite shaken up, immediately feeling remorseful. "Cathy, no. I didn't mean to yell."

"No, it's… It's my fault. I get it." Cathy whimpered, her voice having never sounded as quiet and timid before. "I… I… I know you and Yuma have a lot going on, and that's… that's why I wanted to cheer you guys up…. I wanted to spend time with my new friends, since… you know…. I have friends now…."

"Cathy, no," Rio pleaded, feeling increasingly guilty. "You didn't do anything wrong. I just…. I can't even think about taking a break now. Not after…"

Rio's voice trailed off, and she looked away, prompting Kotori to fill Cathy in on what happened yesterday.

"We ran into IV yesterday," Kotori explained, and Cathy let out a shocked gasp.

"IV…. you mean?"

"Yeah, him!" Tetsuo nodded, his expression grim and full of hatred for the man who caused Rio and her brother so much pain. "That bastard should count himself lucky I wasn't there. I would have given him something to remember!"

"Well you weren't there, and there was nothing you could have done anyway because he got away!" Rio shouted, making Tetsuo flinch, while Rio herself grew increasingly disturbed at how quickly her temper was flaring up again.

Taking a deep breath, she apologized again. "Look, guys. I'm sorry I was rude, but I'm not in the best mental state right now, and I don't think taking a break from Number Hunting is going to help. I'm just going to spend the whole day thinking about IV anyway. I just….. I just need to be alone….."

"No, if you need to be alone, go right ahead. We don't blame you for that," Tetsuo answered sympathetically.

"If you change your mind…." Kotori began, but she already knew the answer to that.

The four friends silently agreed to let Rio go, and they watched as the Ice Queen marched over to her motorcycle, where she hopped on, revved up the engine and sped away into the distance, leaving Yuma and the others quite concerned about her.

Yuma sighed, realizing there was nothing they could do about her, and also beginning to lean towards accepting Cathy's invitation.

After thinking it over, Yuma agreed they had to do something about all this tension in the air. Besides, if he refused now, he would never hear the end of it from Astral, and that would mean kissing another night of sleep goodbye.

"Alright, fine. I'll go," he finally gave his answer in a state of surrender.

"But I'm not waking up early for this! We're not lining up at the crack of dawn to see him like a bunch of rabid fans!"

With Astral and his friends somewhat appeased, Yuma turned around and made a beeline for home, desperate for his head to hit the pillow of his hammock bed so he would at least have the stamina to endure hours of non-stop Sparrow talk tomorrow.

---

The next morning, Yuma awoke to the sounds of his friends screaming at him from downstairs to wake up and get a move on, having arrived at his house to come and get him when they realized he had slept in. Groaning in annoyance, Yuma begrudgingly got dressed, a part of him wanting to pretend to be sick so he could cancel their plans, but even if he wasn't a fan of the Sparrow, he could at least sit through it to take his mind off the stresses of Number Hunting.

Unfortunately, Yuma would soon give his friends yet another reason to give him a hard time, as due to him sleeping in, combined with missing their train downtown, they arrived several hours late. By the time they reached the seaport studio, the Sparrow had already gone back inside, and in his place was a swarm of mostly female fans swooning and begging for him to come back outside and grace them with his presence once again.

Yuma and Tetsuo exchanged a nervous glance as they saw the crowd.

"Are we the only guys here?" Tetsuo asked, unable to see a single male attendant besides Yuma and himself.

Kotori was jumping up and down, frantically trying in vain to peek over the crowd to see if the Sparrow was still there.

"Oh, Yuma! You had to pick today of all days to sleep in!" she scolded. "Now we'll never see the Sparrow!"

"And now I'll never be able to show Mr. Kajiwara my concept script for the Puma Spin-off series!" Cathy whined in disappointment.

"Mr. Who?" Yuma inquired, the name completely unknown to him, which surprised Cathy.

"Naoki Kajiwara? The actor who plays Beast-Warrior Puma, also known as the greatest actor of modern day?" Cathy acted as if Yuma just asked the most obvious question in the world.

"Not ringing a bell…" Yuma answered awkwardly, and Cathy huffed in frustration.

"Come on. I have an idea," The cat girl motioned for her friends to follow her, escorting them to the back entrance. Unfortunately, there were two security guards on duty, but it seemed Cathy was expecting that.

The four friends hid behind some cargo containers as Cathy explained her plan, reaching into her purse and pulling out an expensive looking pair of sunglasses and a red sun hat, which the others noted looked oddly similar to the hat worn by her favorite xyz monster, Cat Girl Magician.

"Uh… what exactly are we doing here, Cathy?" Yuma asked.

"I've watched my parents mingle with high society all the time. They throw lots of parties in my mansion, and sometimes they drag me along to galas and charity balls. I've picked up on how to imitate them to an extent. You have to act like you are above anybody who tries to intimidate you, that you can buy out the whole building if you want to, and I am the only one here who looks the part. I'll distract the guards, and you three can sneak right in to see the Sparrow."

Cathy gestured to the rest of her outfit, as while the others dressed more casually, Cathy wore the same expensive gothic dress that she wore when she dueled Kotori, with the hat and sunglasses making her look even more extravagant, like somebody who flaunted their wealth.

"That's… Awfully bold of you Cathy." Kotori confessed.

"Well…." Cathy stuttered with a blush on her face. "I… mean… It's worth a try."

She shook off the nerves before she would be too flustered to go through with her plan. Putting on her hat and sunglasses, she strutted forward, her swagger causing the cat tail attached to her dress to wag behind her. She waltzed towards the guards, waving at them dismissively and acting like she already had permission to enter the building.

"Good morning," Cathy spoke, her voice sounding like a pompous diva. "I trust refreshments are inside?"

Unfortunately, the two guards were not fooled at all and stepped in front of Cathy.

"Hey! You're not supposed to be here!" one of them interrogated Cathy, who tried her best not to look nervous.

"Uh… do.. Ahem…" she corrected herself, readjusting her sunglasses. "Do you know who I am?! I am one of the newly hired actresses! I'm supposed to shoot a scene with Mr. Kajiwara, and if he finds out you two made me late, then I'm afraid you won't be working here for very long."

"Oh? And just who exactly are you? Mrs. Okudaira never informed us of any new arrivals."

Cathy, having not thought of an alias, grew flustered and began stuttering once again.

"Uh…. Kitty…. Kitty NotaFakeName…. Yes! That's right! That is definitely my name. Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to….

"Hold it!" The guard stopped Cathy again, this time grabbing her by the collar of her dress and hoisting her up, which prompted a fit of hissing and angry meowing from the cat girl.

"Nice try, but Mr. Kajiwara doesn't arrive to do his scenes until next week, so you've got one chance to explain why you tried to sneak by us."

"Next week?! No! Nooooo! MEOW! HISS! RAWR!" Cathy flailed around in the guard's grip, scratching and clawing at the air. "PUMA! Where are you?! Save me! I'm your Number One Fan!"

"Hey! Now's our chance." Kotori whispered to Yuma and Tetsuo, and while the guards maintained their focus on Cathy, the three rushed past them, making their way through the gate and into the building.

"Kitty Not a Fake Name?!" Tetsuo exclaimed in disbelief. "What was she thinking?"

"I guess she panicked," Kotori replied, shrugging her shoulders. "But at least we did get past the guards…"

"Which means we can finally meet the Sparrow!" her tone of voice immediately switched to one of giddy excitement. "He probably walked down these very halls just an hour ago! I'll never take these shoes off again!"

Yuma shook his head in annoyance, having never seen Kotori act this way before. As the three friends navigated their way through the building with Astral floating close behind him, he silently tried to figure out why Kotori's gushing over the actor bothered him so much. However, his thoughts were interrupted by a familiar voice shouting from behind one of the many doors in the hallway.

"You lowly minions think you can defeat me? Think again!"

"Did you hear that? That's his voice!" Kotori shrieked with blushing cheeks as she quietly opened the door and peeked into the room where the voice was coming from. Hiding behind what appeared to be a collection of alien costumes, they took in the sight of the ornately designed movie set. Astral's stoic face momentarily broke as he realized the room looked identical to the very scene he watched the other night.

"The Galaxy Queen's throne room…" he muttered in disbelief. "How did we get here? Was that door some sort of portal to another dimension?"

"Dark Emperor, Furious Maximus, your reign of terror ends here!"

There, high atop the stairs of the throne room, was none other than the Sparrow himself. The actor was flailing his whip around, likely practicing his lines and his fight choreography, and while the three humans understood that, Astral still believed otherwise.

"The Dark Emperor, Furious Maximus. Is this the great evil I was sent to defeat? Does he command the forces of Barian World?"

Yuma gave a loud sigh as he heard what Astral said. "Astral, I thought I explained it to you already. The Sparrow isn't…."

"Yuma! Look out!" Astral interrupted him, pointing at one of the costumes. "One of the Emperor's minions is right behind you!"

Yuma turned around, awkwardly staring at the black reptilian alien, knowing it was harmless and lifeless. "This is just a costume, Astral."

He placed a hand on the alien's shoulder and tapped it several times to prove it was not alive.

"Costume?" Astral tilted his head. "Yet another word I am completely unfamiliar with. You need to articulate your explanations a lot better, Yuma."

"A costume is like a disguise," Yuma tried to explain. "When it's time to film a scene, the actor puts on the costume and pretends to be the Emperor's minion."

Yuma gave the costume a hard shove. "See? Not real!"

Unfortunately, Yuma realized the mistake he made too late, as the costume bumped into a hidden switch that controlled the rope and hook it was attached to. Having accidentally pressed the switch to raise the hook into the air, Yuma, who was still holding onto the costume, was taken for an unwelcome ride into the air.

"Yuma!" Kotori and Tetsuo shouted at the same time, which caught the Sparrow's attention, making the actor realize he was unknowingly performing in front of an audience.

"Help! Somebody! Get me down!" Yuma screamed, and while Astral floated up towards him, there was little he could do, not that he was willing to try.

"I thought you said that humans were incapable of flight. Why did you not tell me you learned how to fly?"

"Turn it off! Turn it off! Make it stop! I want to get off!" Yuma ignored Astral's questions and continued to panic, but everything seemed to just get worse as the costume began to swing about mid-air. The sudden force caused Yuma's deck box to fall out of his pocket, where it landed on the ground, scattering his cards everywhere.

The rope and pulley system, now going completely haywire, sent the costume with Yuma still holding on, flying towards a fake door display, causing the still screaming teenager to crash into it, shattering the display to pieces and finally putting an end to Yuma's chaotic aerial ride.

"Ouch…" Yuma groaned as he lay on the ground next to the destroyed set piece, but things only grew worse from there as the commotion attracted the attention of studio security.

"I knew it! I had a feeling there were more intruders sneaking around!" Yuma, Kotori, and Tetsuo recognized the two guards as the same ones who interrogated Cathy. "You kids are in so much trouble! Get out! Get out right this instant, or we'll detain you here for trespassing!"

Kotori and Tetsuo, lowering their heads in shame as they realized there was nothing they could do, reluctantly allowed the guards to escort them off the set. Yuma was about to follow, but he was stopped by none other than the Sparrow himself.

The young actor landed behind him and placed a firm hand on his shoulder.

"Not you," he spoke in an intimidating whisper. "You're coming with me."

His tone of voice told Yuma that the actor wasn't about to take no for an answer, and so with little options, and not wanting to face the wrath of the security guards like his friends, he reluctantly nodded, agreeing to follow the actor.

He took Yuma to a brightly lit dressing room with Sparrow memorabilia decorating the walls. Yuma was confused, wondering what the actor wanted with him, when the Sparrow revealed something in his hand that Yuma immediately recognized.

"Is this yours?" The Sparrow asked, handing over a red-and-white deckbox.

"My deck!" Yuma shouted, his hands instinctively reaching down to his waist, having not even realizing it was lost until now. "I must have dropped it when I was flying around."

Astral gave Yuma an incredulous glare. "The heart and soul of a duelist, and you drop it just like that? Unbelievable. I would have thought your time at the Sanctuary would have taught you to take better care of your cards."

Yuma returned Astral's glare with one of his own, holding his tongue and refraining from arguing as they weren't alone. He shifted focus back to the Sparrow, smiling and expressing his gratitude.

"Anyway, thanks! I really appreciate it. I don't know what I would have done had those guards forced me out of there and made me leave my deck behind."

"It is no trouble at all," The Sparrow replied. "Although, I have one small favor I would like to ask of you. Seeing as you are a duelist, I, the Sparrow, would like to challenge you to a lavish and exciting duel!"

"Wait, really?!" That was all Yuma needed to hear to get him excited. "You're a duelist?"

"Well, when I'm not out saving the galaxy and fighting evil, I do like to indulge in a few personal hobbies," The Sparrow explained, the actor still not breaking character just like the rumors suggested. "And dueling just so happens to be one of my favorites!"

"Well then, what are we waiting for?! Let's duel right now! My name's Yuma by the way."

While Yuma was always in the mood for a duel, Astral had other ideas.

"We have more important things to worry about. Yuma, you must ask him what he knows about the Numbers. Ask him if he knows anything about me or my mission."

This time, Yuma could no longer resist the urge to snap at Astral.

"Oh for… He doesn't know anything!"

"He might." Astral rebuffed. "There is no harm in asking."

"If I ask him, he's going to think I'm crazy! Could you just drop the whole…" Yuma argued back, only to stop himself from continuing any further, as he realized his mistake. If the Sparrow, who couldn't see Astral, saw Yuma arguing with thin air, he certainly would think Yuma was crazy. Even worse, if he found Yuma's behavior off putting, he might change his mind about wanting to duel Yuma and instead ask him to leave. The Sparrow, however, had other things to worry about, as he noticed a small spider descend from the ceiling and dangle tantalizingly close to his face.

"AHHH! SPIDER!" The actor screamed at the top of his lungs and frantically dove underneath a nearby desk, the noise catching Yuma and Astral by surprise. They were both baffled by the sudden change in demeanor from the formerly suave and fearless sounding hero.

"What's wrong?" Yuma asked. "It's just a spider."

"That's just it!" The actor shrieked. "I hate spiders! I can't stand them! Get rid of it! Please!"

Yuma, still bewildered, decided to grant the Sparrow's request, grabbing the thread the spider was attached to and opening a nearby window to throw the spider out.

"There. It's gone now. You can come out now," Yuma coaxed, while trying not to laugh at the irony that the most fearless superhero on television, showcased as someone capable of fighting monstrous alien creatures and the most evil of supervillains, was scared of a tiny little spider.

"Thanks," The Sparrow sighed, emerging from his hiding spot and standing back up.

Yuma noticed him blushing and looking down at the floor in embarrassment.

"Hey, don't worry about it. Lots of people are scared of spiders. Even superheroes are allowed to be afraid of something.

"Oh, I'm not really a hero," the actor replied in humility before surprising Yuma even further by taking his mask off, revealing a boy close to Yuma's age underneath, perhaps even younger. The boy fixed his spiky silver hair back to a normal flattened down style and gave Yuma a soft humble smile.

"My name's Fuya, and to be honest, I'm just a normal kid like you. Well, I mean… I guess being a child actor means I'm not even close to having a life that normal kids can relate to, but… Well… When I'm out of the costume, I like to do what most normal kids like to do. I play video games, I read manga, and of course, I love to duel."

"So, how come you don't show this side of yourself to your fans?" Yuma asked, causing Fuya to wilt.

"Well, the Sparrow is one of the most popular shows on air right now, and my moth…er… my manager says that it's important to keep the fans invested at all times, so she insists I keep up the act even when I'm out in public."

He sighed, growing even more forlorn.

"Besides, it's not like anybody wants to get to know Fuya Okudaira. All anybody cares about is the Sparrow."

"Don't be ridiculous! I want to get to know the real you!" Yuma insisted, causing Fuya to perk up.

"Really? You mean it?"

"Of course I do! Funny story. I'm actually not that much of a fan of your show. The only reason I came here was because my friends love it, but the moment you told me you like to duel, that changed everything! It made me feel like there was a real person underneath that mask, a person I'd like to get to know better, maybe even call my friend."

"You…. you want to be friends?"

"Sure! Now what do you say we get to know each other better with that duel you asked for?"

Unfortunately, before Fuya could answer, the door to the dressing room swung open, and a rather unfriendly looking face interrupted their conversation.

"There you are!" The newcomer called out, and both boys turned to face the source of the angry voice, a beautiful middle-aged woman with long purple hair wearing a blue business blouse and a matching blue skirt. She glared at Yuma with contempt. "Who is this boy, Fuya? I've told you several times that you are forbidden from interacting with anyone outside of authorized personnel?"

"But… Mom… I…." Fuya fumbled with his answer, quivering with fear, while Yuma's eyes grew wide with recognition.

"That's your mom?!" He exclaimed, realizing where he had seen her before. While her name escaped him, he realized he was staring at the actress who played the Galaxy Queen.

"It's her…" Astral whispered, also noticing the uncanny resemblance despite the actress being out of costume.

"Do you have any idea what would happen if people found out who you really are?" Fuya's mother snapped. "The illusion of the Sparrow would be completely shattered. I can't believe you would be so selfish as to go behind my back like this and expose your secrets. It's not just about you, Fuya. Think of all the people out there who are depending on you being the Sparrow. I would have thought you'd realize by now that you're part of something much bigger than yourself."

"But…. He's not gonna tell anyone…" Fuya whimpered. "We were just going to duel, that's all. He's not even a fan of the show…"

"This again? I told you twice already!" The woman thundered. "We can't afford to waste time sending you off to participate in the World Duel Carnival, even if you do it dressed as the Sparrow. We have too many scenes to film, and we are already behind schedule."

Yuma, seeing Fuya barely fighting the urge to cry, rushed to his new friend's defense.

"Hey! I don't know what's going on between the two of you, but why do you think it's a bad thing if people found out who Fuya really is? I think they'd appreciate knowing that the actor who plays the Sparrow is somebody they can relate to! I certainly do!"

The woman whipped her head around to face Yuma, directing her wrath at him.

"I suggest you mind your own business and forget you ever stepped in the same room as my son! I'm going to have to ask you to leave, and if you even think about telling anyone that you met Fuya, I will make sure to not only have you banned from the World Duel Carnival, but also from ever dueling in this town again! Don't think I'm bluffing. I have several connections to very powerful people. One phone call, and any future you have as a duelist will go down the drain. Now, let's go!"

She took Yuma's left arm in an iron grip and forcefully escorted Yuma out of the dressing room.

"Ouch! What is your problem, lady? Let go! I can show myself out! Hey!"

He wrestled his way out of the woman's grip once he was out the door, and he turned back around to face the heart-broken boy. "Fuya! Listen to me. We're going to have that duel some day! You can count on it, but you should never let anybody tell you that you can't be yourself. I guarantee that if people knew who Fuya Okudaira was, you'd have tons of people lining up to be your friend!"

Fuya, however, felt far too defeated to listen.

"I… can't do that, Yuma. Mom's right. Being the Sparrow is too important, and honestly, I've been the Sparrow for so long that…. I don't even know who Fuya Okudaira is."

"He's my friend. That's who he is!" Yuma shouted, trying one more time to get through to him, but Fuya turned his head away.

"You wanted to duel the Sparrow, Yuma. That's what got you interested. That's the only reason anybody wants to get to know me, because I'm the Sparrow. Fuya Okudaira just…. Doesn't matter."

As the door closed behind him, Yuma tried to call out to Fuya one more time, but his mother grabbed Yuma once again, tighter this time.

"Ouch! Watch the arm!"

"Let's go!" The woman insisted, and Yuma finally gave up, allowing Mrs. Okudaira to escort him outside. Once he was outside the studio, she continued to glare at Yuma, not taking her eyes off him so she could make sure he would leave. Once the studio was out of sight, Yuma finally stopped. He looked around for any of his friends, but they were nowhere in sight. Assuming they either went home or were waiting for him somewhere else, Yuma rested his arms on a balcony overlooking the ocean, unable to put Fuya's words out of his mind.

While he already assumed that being a child actor was a very demanding job for someone that age, and Fuya was likely under a lot of stress every single day, he never imagined that a boy loved by thousands of strangers would be treated so callously by his own mother. He remembered at one point during their conversation, Fuya made a verbal slip, where he was about to mention his mother but corrected himself and referred to her as his manager, and now he knew why. It seemed to Yuma that whatever relationship Fuya and his mother had before, it had now transitioned from mother and son, to actor and agent.

"It seems that the Sparrow was an imposter after all," Astral spoke up, sounding disappointed. "Do you think there is any chance we could find the real one?"

"Astral, I really meant it when I said there was no Sparrow," Yuma explained, his quiet tone of voice unnerving the spirit, finally making him understand. "It's just a story, a character invented for the purpose of entertaining people. That's what fiction means."

"So, he cannot help us after all."

Astral, disappointed, joined Yuma in staring off into the distance, a long silence between them.

"Yuma? Is it possible we could help him?"

"Huh? While Yuma was not against the idea, he never expected to hear it from Astral.

"While he may not be the real Sparrow, and he may not know anything about me or my mission, I believe I can… What is the phrase? I can relate to him?"

"Really? How?" Yuma inquired.

"You heard what Fuya said, how he felt that he does not know who he really is, yet he feels pressured to do what is expected of him. I believe I can relate to that. I still have no idea who I really am, and yet I am under a great deal of pressure to collect the Numbers in time. That is why I was wondering if we could help him."

Yuma sighed as the two friends watched the horizon together.

"Honestly, I don't know if we can help him. Don't get me wrong, that crazy lady has no right to treat her kid like that. How could she exploit him like that and not even let him have a life outside the career she forced him into? What kind of mother doesn't want other people to know what her son is really like? It's like she wishes the Sparrow was her real son, not Fuya."

"Is there truly nothing we can do for him?"

Yuma tried his best to sound optimistic.

"You know, in a way, maybe we helped him already. We're likely the first ones to see the real Fuya in a very long time, so maybe that will help Fuya feel better. Maybe he'll feel more confident in showing the world who he really is now that he knows he's got at least one real friend in his life."

---

"Tune in next week to watch the Sparrow's destiny unfol—"

Girag sighed as he changed the channel, his massive body laying down on the bed in the hotel room he was currently staying in, his big-lipped frown deepening by the second. Failure after failure, it was almost too much. He accepted this mission knowing it would be difficult, but if he pulled it off, he could return to Barian World having single handedly eliminated the greatest threat to his people and guaranteed a Barian victory in the war of the Numbers.

Instead, the opposite happened. No matter which human he picked, no matter what Chaos Xyz monster he created, somehow Astral and his host would emerge victorious. The definition of insanity was doing the same thing repeatedly and expecting different results, and the sinking feeling in his stomach told him that if he just found another duelist to brainwash tonight, then Yuma Tsukumo and Astral would find some way to defeat that one too. Sending normal minions after the great enemy of Barian World was no longer working. He knew that, but unfortunately, it was the only strategy he had at his disposal. Durbe was still not finished with the cubes, so Girag still could not confront Yuma Tsukumo himself, not at his full strength at least, and Girag wouldn't dare challenge Astral without the ability to hit him with everything he had.

So here he was, resigning himself to wait for his illustrious de facto leader to provide him with the tools he needed to do his job properly, at least until he could fabricate a new method of improving the chances of success any of his hypothetical future minions would have.

It wasn't entirely a bad thing, waiting around in his makeshift lair and watching TV. Girag missed his home deeply, but he had to admit, living in the human world had its perks. Humans, despite their flaws, were a creative bunch, going to grandiose lengths to bring the stories of their imaginations to life. It was all too easy to grow invested, despite knowing it wasn't real. As such, despite initially viewing fictional television programs as a distraction, Girag quickly found himself enjoying the science fiction series, The Sparrow, and much to his embarrassment, by the time he finally changed the channel and stopped watching, he realized he spent the entire day binge watching the whole series instead of doing his job. He was grateful his comrades weren't here to catch him indulging in his new guilty pleasure. They would never let him hear the end of it.

Still, it was a well deserved period of escapism for the Barian, a chance to witness a story where a single hero could save an entire galaxy and inspire hope and courage in everybody he encountered, a stark contrast to the grim reality the Barians faced.

"Hmph, too bad the Sparrow isn't working for us," Girag muttered to himself. "If I had someone like him at my disposal, Astral would be dead by now."

With his mood growing sour, no longer in the mood to continue watching his new favorite show, the Barian started mindlessly flipping through channel after channel until he came across a news report which gave him pause. The female news reporter spoke with a sense of urgency, which piqued Girag's interest. If there was something going on in the city that the Barian could use to his advantage, he would be a fool not to listen.

"Heartland City Police have finally apprehended escaped convict and black market weapons dealer, Hiroshi Goto, who was found unconscious earlier this evening on the banks of the Hebo River, just underneath the City Limit Bridge. Unfortunately, his cellmate, convicted attempted murderer and domestic terrorist, Kenji Ketsumatsu, is still at large, and it is possible he has succeeded in fleeing the city. The two men were both facing life sentences for the attempted assassination of our beloved mayor shortly after his inauguration, and had it not been for the brave actions of Mr. Heartland's bodyguards, they would have succeeded. Authorities are still baffled as to how they escaped from Shitsuren Prison less than twenty-four hours ago. Eyewitness reports show Mr. Ketsumatsu supposedly smashing his way through the walls of his cell with his bare hands, while Mr. Goto melted a hole through the fence so that both convicts could escape, all the while bathing their cell in a strange glow of blue and yellow lights. Detectives are currently pursuing an investigation at the possibility of explosives being smuggled into the prison, which could indicate an accomplice from the outside, while Heartland Tower remains under heavy guard in case Ketsumatsu decides to finish what he started. Residents are to be advised to keep their distance and immediately contact local authorities should they see any sign of Ketsumatsu. This man is extremely dangerous."

As Girag studied the picture of the criminal, he placed a hand to his chin, the report replaying itself in his head as he quickly realized the truth behind this criminal's extraordinary escape. The report of seeing strange glowing lights as they displayed superhuman abilities all but confirmed it. There were no smuggled explosives at all.

No, this was the work of Numbers.

Two Number cards must have found their way into the prison, drifting along in the wind looking for ideal hosts, and once they entered the prison and possessed the two criminals, they used their newfound power to make their escape.

The fact that the police had successfully caught one of the two criminals was no coincidence either. While the two men were willing to work together in order to escape, once they evaded the police, Ketsumatsu must have turned on Goto in order to take Goto's Number Monster for himself.

Now, there was a madman running loose in the city who was dangerous even before he discovered his Numbers.

Girag's frown deepened, mental gears turning as he quickly deduced the madman's intentions.

The news footage showcasing Goto's arrest depicted a drainage pipe near the spot where Goto was apprehended, large enough and wide enough for a grown man to walk through, the perfect place for an escaped convict to hide.

The Barian now realized the police had either overlooked the pipe, or they failed to perform a thorough investigation. Under the assumption that Kenji Ketsumatsu would either flee the country or try to go after Mr. Heartland again, they were sending their officers to look in the wrong locations. If Girag's hunch was correct, the possessed criminal wasn't fleeing Heartland City at all. He was hiding underneath it.

His deep frown curled upward into a malicious smile.

It was past midnight already. Yuma Tsukumo was likely fast asleep and therefore, would not have seen the news report, meaning he and Astral would not attempt to hunt down Ketsumatsu and take his Numbers, at least not tonight.

"If I got there first…" he muttered to himself.

The moment the words left his mouth, he stood up, his muscular limbs flexing with purpose. He was tired of failing. Even if obtaining two Numbers was nothing more than a small victory in the grand scheme of things, it was still a victory, something to show Durbe and the others that he was making some form of progress.

Even better, once he took Ketsumatsu's Numbers, he could then brainwash him with Barian's Force and sick him on Yuma.

"And if I gave the Numbers back to him after he becomes my next assassin…" he continued thinking out loud, his plan developing even further. Astral and his host may have defeated multiple chaos Xyz monsters, but they had no idea the kind of power a Barian soldier could unleash by using Barian's Force on a Number Monster, a power that could make even the strongest Chaos Xyz monsters seem pathetically weak by comparison.

The taking of Goto's Number, which could have only been done through victory in a duel, was more than enough proof that Ketsumatsu at least knew what he was doing when it came to the game of Duel Monsters. He would have plenty of time to gauge the criminal's strength when he tracked him down and faced him. Even without the cubes, unable to fight at his full potential, Girag was confident he could easily defeat the Number Holder, a nice warm-up match before the cubes were ready and he could finally duel Yuma Tsukumo himself.

As he left his hotel room, slamming the door behind him with a loud thud, the Barian Emperor chuckled at the irony of his new plan. Yuma Tsukumo, the naive little brat who saw himself as the hero in the War for the Numbers, was fast asleep while a threat to the entire city was at large. Meanwhile, a Barian Emperor, someone viewed as the villain by Yuma and Astral, would step up to the plate and save Heartland City from danger.

---

Subterranean Heartland was massive, a labyrinth of underground tunnels with deep currents of water flowing in between the two walkways like a raging river hidden in the darkness. The water seemed clean enough, a storm sewer rather than a waste sewer, full to the brim from a recent downpour. As Girag continued to turn, navigating his way through the maze, the tunnel system began to expand in size, the roof leading to the surface now high above his head. The only sources of light were the occasional manholes, with drainage cracks that introduced a barely visible glimpse of the moonlight above. That, and Girag's eyes, two rose colored lanterns which flickered in the dark. Sight was no issue, and it only took just under an hour of delving deeper and deeper into the underground before Girag noticed two other sources of light, peaking just around the corner of the next right turn.

His glowing eyes lit up even further with excitement when he noticed the colors, Blue and Yellow, and accompanying the lightsource were the barely audible ramblings of a madman.

There he was, Kenji Ketsumatsu, looking just like his picture on TV. His middle-aged face was bald and covered in scars with a long unkempt black beard hanging down from his chin like a dead cat. His grey prison jumpsuit was stained, soaked, and torn from navigating his way through the underground and likely hiding in rather unsavory places to avoid the police. More importantly, two Number markings lit up the area around him, one on each shoulder, a blue 51 and a yellow 58.

With a manic grin on his face, Kenji's athletic arms continued to pull on a chain leading down into the water like a fisherman reeling in a catch, and when he finished pulling, the end of the chain revealed a weighted down water-proof box. A duel disk lay at the criminal's feet, likely also hidden here so Kenji could avoid having his deck and his hidden stash confiscated by the police.

Peeking out from the corner, Girag studied the criminal's behavior with curiosity as Kenji opened the box, hugging it tight when he saw the contents inside were still intact, his ramblings growing louder.

"I knew it! Knew it, Knew it, Knew it!" the criminal growled with excitement. "Knew it would still be here. They would never think to look for fire in a source of water, no, no, no! Now I can finish! At last I can finish it! The sheep up above will be set free from the wolf disguised as their shepherd. No more corruption. No more bureaucracy. No more lies! Down the mayor! Down with the government! Down with Heartland City! Burn it all! Finish it completely! Sink it into the earth itself!"

Girag grew shocked as he realized the box contained a supply of explosives, and if Kenji's mad ramblings held any truth, he possessed enough to completely level the city, provided he placed it on key support structures in the underground.

While Girag cared little for the humans of this city, destroying it outright and ending the lives of thousands or potentially millions of humans up above was not part of the Barian Emperors' plan. The goal was infiltration, not destruction, a quiet assassination to eliminate the threat of Astral with the humans none the wiser.

Allowing this man to get away with his plan would draw too much attention from higher authorities of the planet, potentially leading to his cover being blown. He could not allow that, but no sooner had he taken a single step around the corner to face the madman that a newcomer interrupted Kenji's malicious speech, as a glowing whip-like tendril emerged from the darkness, snatching the box away from the criminal.

"HEY!" Kenji shouted. "Who's there?!"

"Stop right there, criminal scum!" a voice bellowed from the darkness. The first sight to come into view was a third source of light, and as the shape grew closer, darting from wall to wall like an acrobat, the light source became clearer, a green 83.

Girag couldn't believe his luck. A third Number came right to him just moments before he attempted to acquire the first two, but just when he thought tonight's events couldn't get any more bizarre, Girag's jaw dropped to the floor completely when the figure came into view.

"Sparrow!" Girag exclaimed quietly to himself.

The Sparrow, or at the very least a young boy dressed like him, emerged from the darkness, the Number marking on his hand acting as a heroic signal of his arrival as he hoisted his glowing fist into the air, carrying Kenji's box in the other hand.

"Your worst nightmare has finally arrived, foul villain!" the young hero announced in an overly dramatic tone of voice. "I have journeyed through time and space to battle the forces of evil and restore justice to the galaxy! I am the bane of villainy! I am the light of hope! I am the Sparrow!"

"And you!" he pointed at Kenji. "Your foul deed has been thwarted!'

Before Kenji could even move, the Sparrow tossed the open box into the air and struck it with his whip so hard that it shattered. Without the weights to secure it, the unarmed explosives fell into the water, swept away by the current.

"NO!" cried Kenji. "You… you miserable little brat! Do you realize what you've done?! Without the fire, I cannot cleanse the city! I cannot set the sheep above free!"

"Death is no form of freedom, you monster!" The young hero scowled, angering Kenji further.

"I'm not the monster! You want to hunt down a monster, look at the shepherd who rules over his cesspool you call a city! These people, like fat livestock, they feed and feed on the plentiful bounty the shepherd provides, complaining only when their gluttony is interrupted, and constantly whining for more. They do not look up! They do not see that the food and shelter provided by the shepherd is merely a distraction as he poisons the land around him and sends any sheep who uses their eyes to the slaughter house! I know the truth! I saw him for who he was long ago! I had to stop him!"

"If the leader of this city is as corrupt as you say," The Sparrow argued. "Why condemn those who know nothing of his deeds to an early grave! What have they done to deserve what you plan?"

"People? Ha ha ha ha! People?! All I see are zombies!" Kenji rambled, completely lost in the twisted perspective of his own mind, his two Numbers only fueling his madness. "Drones, puppets, sheep! Whatever you call them, their ignorance makes them guilty! They could have set themselves free had they merely looked up from their grazing, but they are content to grow fat on ill-gotten bounties. Not like me, and…"

The criminal suddenly stopped, his eyes locking onto the 83 shining on the hero's hand.

"And not like you…"

"What?!" The Sparrow took a step backwards. "What trickery do you speak of? I am nothing like you! Only a servant of the Dark Emperor would view people as sheep to slaughter. I, on the other hand, was taught of the sacredness of all life on every planet, and so I have sworn to protect all life from scum like you!"

"But you bear the mark of enlightenment, one of the Numbers," Kenji pointed at the mark, his twisted excitement growing by the second. "You're not using it right! You're like Goto. He wasn't using his right either, so I had to take it. I had to, and now… Now I can take yours! My enlightenment will reach new heights and my power will continue to grow! If I collect enough, I won't need the fire any longer! I can bring judgement down on this wasteland all on my own!"

"Not if I can help it!" The Sparrow activated his duel disk and pointed a challenging finger at Kenji.

"I challenge you, foul villain! If you want to take my mother and deliver her to your evil master, you will have to duel me for it!"

"Yes, of course! I accept!" Kenji agreed, picking up his own duel disk from the ground and strapping it to his arm before activating it as well.

"You will be the first, the first that I set free. I spared Goto. Goto was my only friend during my time behind bars, but you? You took my fire from me, and so I will show no such mercy! Once I take your Number, my power will grow and my work will continue!"

Girag inched his way back from behind the corner, staying hidden as the two Number Holders were too distracted by each other to notice his presence. After seeing the mark on the Sparrow's hand, he grew somewhat disappointed. It was growing increasingly likely that this wasn't the real Sparrow at all, just some child dressing up like him, a superfan most likely, a bright-eyed boy with a desire to be a hero just like the real Sparrow, brought to life by the power of his Number. Even so, real or not, the arrival of a third Number changed nothing about the Barian Emperors' plan. Now all he had to do was watch the duel and challenge the winner, and then he could take all three Numbers for himself.

He stared intently at the two duelists, eager to watch the showdown unfold, the only witness to a battle of good versus evil completely unknown to the civilians above. While the people of Heartland City slept peacefully, none of them had any idea that a duel to decide the fate of the entire city was happening right underneath their feet.

Duel Gazer Set

Augmented Reality Vision Online

Fuya Okudaira: 4000 LP

Kenji Ketsumatsu: 4000 LP

DUEL!

"The first move is mine!" Kenji announced. He studied his opening hand for a few seconds before giving his opponent a sly smirk.

"One Monster face-down, and three cards face-down in the back row. You're up, kid!"

"Cowering behind hidden surprises. Typical of a villain!" The Sparrow scoffed. "My turn! Draw!"

"For my first move, I will activate the continuous spell card, Trion Battery! Once per turn, I can discard a monster from my hand to draw a card, but it has to be a level one monster with a light attribute. I shall discard my Triple Star Trion to do so now!"

The Sparrow drew his card and smiled when he saw what his extra draw gave him.

"Now, I shall conduct my normal summon. Your hidden monster is no match for this warrior of justice, my Kaiser Sea Horse!"

The Sparrow's first monster emerged in a flash of blue light. Despite its name, the monster was an imposing humanoid clad head to toe in intimidating spiky armor, resembling the blue and violet carapace of a mysterious deep sea creature. The creature's red eyes flashed menacingly as it brandished its weapon of choice, a golden double-edged spear with downward curving prongs on both ends, ready to skewer any monster Kenji dared to summon.

Kaiser Sea Horse: Level 4/LIGHT/Sea Serpent/1700 ATK/1650 DEF

"Now, my Kaiser! Feel the power of my Trion Battery! When I declare an attack, my battery will give my monster an additional three hundred attack points for every level one light monster in my Graveyard! Now Battle! Kaiser Sea Horse attack that face-down monster!"

Kaiser Sea Horse: 1700 + 300 = 2000 ATK

The oceanic warrior let out a frightening bellow before charging forward with its spear. The assault forced the sideways card to reveal the monster underneath, a massive golden stone golem with a cylindrical head, its single cyclopean eye staring the monster down. The golem was easily destroyed, the spear smashing it to pieces, but to the Sparrow's surprise, the creature's head remained intact. Even more surprising, the head flew towards the Sparrow before landing right underneath the young duelist's feet.

The Sparrow grew alarmed when he saw the cylindrical structure begin to glow, the orange jewel on top of the stone blinking rapidly.

"Ha! Stupid kid, you walked right into my trap! You just destroyed my Mine Golem! When this monster is destroyed, you get hit with five hundred points of damage, but the fun doesn't stop there! Now I can activate my trap, Broken Blocker! Since you destroyed a monster whose defense points are higher than its attack points, this card lets me summon two copies of that monster, so here comes two more Mine Golems!"

The cylindrical stone, now revealed to be a deadly landmine, exploded, knocking the Sparrow backwards, who winced from the shockwave, and when the smoke cleared, two more stone golems had appeared to replace the one Kenji lost. To make matters worse, Kenji quickly revealed that he wasn't done.

Mine Golem: Level 3/EARTH/Rock/1000 ATK/1900 DEF

Fuya: 4000 - 500 = 3500

"Now for my second trap, Minefield Eruption! This destroys every Mine Golem I control, dealing you a thousand damage for each one. I'll destroy both golems and hit you with two thousand points of damage!"

The eyes of both golems suddenly began blinking just like the first, their bodies shuddering violently before cracking and exploding, the resulting shockwave knocking the Sparrow off his feet as his life points plummeted.

Fuya: 3500 - 2000 = 1500

"And now for my final trap, Minefield Deployment! This lets me bring back a level three rock type monster from my Graveyard, along with any monster in my Graveyard that has the same name, so all three of my Mine Golems are coming back!"

Once the Sparrow regained his footing, standing back up, he saw to his frustration that the three golems had returned, assuming defensive postures, as if daring the Sparrow to attack them again.

"I should have expected someone whose soul is twisted by evil to fight so dirty!" The young hero scoffed. "No matter! I'll set two face-downs and end my turn."

Girag, despite his preference for the Sparrow to win the duel over the criminal, was surprised at how meticulous this madman was when it came to strategy. In just one move, he had annihilated over half the Sparrow's life points, using an intricate combination of traps to ensure that not only would his field presence remain, but now he had enough materials to summon his Number Monster.

As he drew his card to begin his turn, Kenji did exactly that.

"You wanted to pick a fight with me kid, well you got your wish! I overlay my three Mine Golems! With these 3 Level 3 Monsters, I build the overlay network! Let your power overwhelm and deliver true justice through victory! XYZ SUMMON! APPEAR, NUMBER 51: FINISHER THE STRONG ARM!"

The three golems vanished, diving into the overlay unit as compressed comets of energy before summoning forth the sealed form of the Number. It was a twisted, gnarled structure, two muscular arms clasped together at the hands and bound together at the elbows, creating an ugly idol-like form standing vertically like a malformed tree. The binding broke, separating the arms apart from each other and allowing the rest of the creature's body to take shape. The two arms were now attached to the body of a hideous muscular bronze skinned ogre. With beady yellow eyes, thick curved horns on its head, and a grin showing razor sharp teeth, the monster leered at the Sparrow before beating its chest like a gorilla in a bombastic display of intimidation.

Number 51 - Finisher the Strong Arm: Rank 3/EARTH/Rock/Xyz/2600 ATK/0 DEF

Spotting the Number marking on the knuckle of the ogre's right fist, the Sparrow immediately reacted to its presence, having awaited the Number Monster's arrival.

"There it is! The creature Mother warned me about! Have no fear, noble sea horse! I shall deal with this Number Monster myself! I activate my trap, Free Range Monsters! This allows me to summon a monster even though it's my opponent's turn. More importantly, it lets me take advantage of my monster's special effect! Kaiser Sea Horse can be treated as two tributes when I use it to summon a light attribute monster, so I will sacrifice Kaiser Sea Horse to call myself to the field!

Both Girag and Kenji were taken aback by this declaration.

"Yourself?!" The criminal exclaimed. What are you talking about?"

The young hero was all too eager to explain.

"From the darkest reaches of space, there emerges a hero to crush the forces of evil and restore justice to the galaxy! Come forth , D.D Esper Star Sparrow!"

There was a loud bang from above, as if somebody had smashed through the roof of the tunnel. Descending slowly with his cape billowing from the fall and landing dramatically on the field, the Sparrow's new monster was the spitting image of himself, albeit with a few striking differences. This version of the Sparrow was far more alien in appearance, his skin and hair jet black from head to toe and his eyes a striking scarlet, devoid of pupils and concealed behind a purple masquerade mask. His cape was red instead of blue, and two thick brown leather belts strapped tightly around his waist and shoulders. The hero's doppelganger aggressively cracked the whip in his right hand, posing dramatically and mirroring the duelist who summoned him.

D.D Esper Star Sparrow: Level 10/LIGHT/Warrior/3000 ATK/1500 DEF

Kenji, shaking off the initial shock of his opponent summoning his namesake, stood his ground.

"That monster doesn't scare me, and I'll prove it by attacking! Finisher the Strong Arm, attack the Sparrow! STRONG ARM HAMMER!"

"Sparrow, counter that attack with MEGA PUNCH SURPRISE!"

With a thunderous roar from the ogre and a valorous battle cry from the alien superhero, the two monsters clashed, each rearing their fists back and then unleashing a forceful punch, their fists colliding with each other and sending a shockwave across the entire tunnel. With the Sparrow's higher attack points and the strong arm's immunity to being destroyed by any monster that wasn't a Number, the ferocious clash allowed both monsters to survive, with only a small amount of damage to Kenji's life points. However, once the battle ceased, the Sparrow took notice of a golden wrestler's belt with three red jewels in the center wrapped around the ogre's waist. One of the jewels changed from red to blue, creating an eerie glow that matched the blue 51 on the Number Monster's knuckle.

Kenji: 4000 - 400 = 3600

"What are you planning, villain?" The Sparrow asked, his suspicion evident. "While I am aware that Number Monsters can only be destroyed in battle by other Number Monsters, you would not have wasted four hundred of your life points for no reason. Surely you must have sent your monster into a losing battle to serve a greater purpose."

Kenji shrugged his shoulders, seeing no point in denying it.

"Okay, you got me. I am planning something. You see, Finisher the Strong Arm can activate its effect each time it battles a monster. Win or lose, I can place a counter on it after the battle is over. I need three counters for my plan to work. After that? Well, I don't want to spoil the surprise, so I'll just set one more card face-down and end my turn right there."

The Sparrow, both duelist and duel monster, grunted in annoyance, their eyes narrowing sharply. Whatever their enemy was planning, they would have to defeat Kenji before he acquired three counters, as it was more than likely this unknown effect could win Kenji the duel by itself.

"I draw, and I'll activate the effect of Trion Battery again! I'll discard a level one light monster, my Magician of Faith, to draw one card. Next, I'll summon my Mystic Piper to the field! By tributing him immediately after I summon him, I can draw another card, and if I just so happen to draw a level one monster, I can draw yet again!"

Mystic Piper: Level 1/LIGHT/Spellcaster/0 ATK/0 DEF

A new monster appeared next to the alien hero, a tall male elf with blue hair wearing a red waistcoat and a matching pointed hat. The elf played a joyful tune with the flute in his hands, and just like that, he vanished as quickly as he appeared, providing the Sparrow with his extra cards.

"As you can see…" the Sparrow announced, revealing one of his cards. "The card I just drew is a Level One Monster, another copy of Triple Star Trion, which means I can draw a second card."

"Draw as many cards as you like!" Kenji rebuffed with a cruel sneer. "It won't save you from my trap, Minefield Decoy! This card Special Summons a Mine Golem from my Graveyard to your side of the field in attack position, and not only are you not allowed to get rid of my little gift, but your new Mine Golem has no choice but to attack Finisher!"

The two Sparrows, both duelist and monster, jumped in surprise as one of Kenji's golems appeared next to him.

"You fiend!" The Sparrow exclaimed. "If Finisher the Strong Arm successfully destroys that Mine Golem, I'll lose the duel!"

"Exactly! So, what are you going to do, little hero?"

Girag, watching from the shadows, felt the beat of his Barian heart quicken. Despite technically having no personal stake in this duel, he couldn't help but root for the Sparrow, and now the hero's back was against the wall. It was just like an episode from the show, where it appeared it was all over for the Sparrow, leaving the audience on the edge of their seats, wondering how the Sparrow could possibly get out of such dire circumstances.

"Come on, Sparrow," Girag muttered under his breath. "You gotta have a way out of this. I know it."

Fortunately for the Barian, he was right. Just when it seemed like the villain would win, the cunning hero revealed one final trick up his sleeve.

"I discard the monster, Hanewata, to activate its effects! Now I take no damage from my opponent's card effects this turn!

Hanewata: Level 1/LIGHT/Fairy/Tuner/200 ATK/300 DEF

Kenji scoffed at the seemingly pointless effect.

"But that won't save you from the battle damage, which is still more than enough to wipe out all of your life points."

"A hero always comes prepared!" The Sparrow rebuffed. "Now, I'll attack with Esper Star Sparrow! I hope your Number Monster is ready for round two because this attack will be more painful than the last! Now, go my doppelganger! Attack Finisher the Strong Arm with Mega Punch Surprise! With four level one light monsters in my Graveyard, Trion Battery gives the Sparrow an additional twelve hundred attack points this turn!"

The two monsters clashed once again, their fists smashing into each other just like before, sending a shockwave twice as violent as the first towards Kenji who fell on his back, grunting in pain. However, the criminal wasn't bothered by the damage, as he still believed victory was in his grasp. He smiled wickedly as he got back up.

D.D Esper Star Sparrow: 3000 + 1200 = 4200 ATK

Kenji: 3600 - 1600 = 2000

"Nice punch, but now my Finisher gets his second counter, and you still have to attack with the Mine Golem I gave you!"

"Oh, I'm well aware!" The Sparrow replied. "But did you forget? My Trion Battery will power up my Mine Golem by twelve hundred points, and since Hanewata nullifies the damage I would have taken from your Golem's effect, now I will only lose four hundred lifepoints when your Finisher destroys the golem. Now go, Mine Golem! Attack Finisher and be free of your evil master's commands!"

Its single eye blinking, the golem charged forward, only for the Number Monster to raise its fists into the air and slam them down onto the rock monster's back, smashing it into the ground and reducing it to a pile of rubble.

Fuya: 1500 - 400 = 1100

"It looks like your plan to defeat me has failed!" The Sparrow exclaimed, his lips curling into a victorious grin.

"I end my turn, and now the Sparrow's attack points return to their original value. Make your move, villain!"

Kenji however, was undeterred, his own grin widening as he began his turn and drew his card.

"I think my plan to defeat you is working just fine because now Finisher has three counters, meaning I can use its final effect! All of the violent conflicts it faced in the past shall now pave the way for my victory as it uses the power it took for itself to destroy everything in its path!"

The gems on the ogre's belt bathed the tunnel in blue light. Then, as if the Number Monster was tapping into the magic of the stones, the veins in its muscular arms became visible, glowing with the same eerie blue light. Its muscles bulging with strength, Finisher began bellowing like a raging bull, eagerly awaiting its host's command to unleash its newfound power.

"With three counters on the field, I can destroy every single card you control, including your Sparrow Monster, the only card protecting your life points!"

"GO, STRONG ARM EARTHQUAKE!"

With one final roar, the Number Monster smashed its arms into the ground, cracking the very earth underneath its feet. The violent earthquake thundered towards the young hero, ready to swallow his monster whole. Kenji, thinking he had won, descended into a fit of maniacal laughter, only for his premature celebration to be cut short when the shockwave smashed into an invisible barrier and the glow of his Number Monster began to dim and fade away.

"What?! How did you stop my effect? Your monster should have been destroyed!"

"I activate my trap card, Breakthrough Skill!" The Sparrow announced triumphantly. "This negates the effects of your Number Monster, so now my cards are safe!"

"Oh, you think you're safe, huh?" Kenji snarled. "You're even more delusional than I thought! I think you're wearing that little blue cape too tight around your neck! You might have stopped Finisher, but by using your trap card on him, you forgot about my second Number Monster!"

Kenji turned to the side, showing off the second Number Mark on his left shoulder, the yellow 58 glowing just as bright as the blue 51 on his right shoulder.

"I activate the spell card, Foolish Burial! This lets me send one monster from my deck to the Graveyard, like my Revival Golem. When this monster is sent from my Deck to the Graveyard, I can Special Summon it!"

A new monster burrowed its way out of the earth, a dark grey granite golem, its body muscular, but its head malformed and devoid of a neck, nothing more than a mound sprouting from its shoulders. Cracks in its stone body acted like the veins of its muscles, illuminating its body with white light.

Revival Golem: Level 4/EARTH/Rock/100 ATK/2100 DEF

"Next, I'll use my normal summon to bring out a second Revival Golem, and with two on my field, I can overlay them together and bring out my second Number Monster! With these 2 Level 4 Monsters, I build the overlay network! XYZ SUMMON! Come on out and set this duel on fire, NUMBER 58: FLAME PRESSURE DEMON, BURNER VISOR!"

The overlay network appeared again, pulling the two golems into the swirling vortex. The Number's sealed form emerged, a perfectly spherical blue ball. However, instead of transforming into a new shape, a jagged red crest appeared on one side of the orb. Finally, the orb broke open, the crest splitting in half and belching out a massive wave of fire. The hole in the orb, glowing with intense heat, now created a pattern of fire that crudely resembled a face, with the crest now serving as the sharpened jaws of the bizarre but aggressive looking Number Monster.

Number 58 - Burner Visor: Rank 4/FIRE/Pyro/Xyz/1000 ATK/1000 DEF

"Well, that's not what I expected," a perplexed Sparrow confessed.

"Appearances can be deceiving, little hero!" Kenji replied. "Good people can turn out to have lots of skeletons in their closets, and seemingly weak monsters can turn out to have devastating effects! Now you're about to find out just what Burner Visor is capable of. It's here to help my Finisher finish what it started by attaching itself to him as an equip card. Now, with Burner Visor firmly attached, Finisher gains the ability to attack you directly, even if you control a monster!"

Finisher, grinning wickedly, caught the flaming orb in its right hand and squeezed it with its palm. The orb settled into place, its flames dancing across the ogre's back and empowering it with its violent heat.

"You coward!" The Sparrow shouted. "To think I thought you were at least brave enough to face the Sparrow head on in a fair fight!"

"That's the thing, little hero," Kenji explained, his tone suddenly quiet and serious. "This act you're putting on, the costume, the speeches, the ideas about good always winning in the end and bad guys getting what's coming to them? That only happens in the movies, the fantasy world the Sparrow belongs in. Out here, life isn't fair. Good doesn't lead to good, nor bad to bad. Some people steal, but they don't get caught and live a wealthy lifestyle. Others…."

Kenji tightened his fists as the glow of his Number markings intensified.

"Others lie, cheat, even kill… And they get elected…"

"No, in this world, the real world, there are only the sheep and the wolves, and I am no sheep! I will be the reckoning this city needs so the sheep can finally wake up, even if I have to burn their fields to do so! Battle! Finisher the Strong Arm, attack him directly and end this duel! Combination Attack! BURNING STRONG ARM METEOR!"

Growling aggressively, the ogre threw Burner Visor as hard as it could like a baseball, the flaming orb sailing through the air with open fiery jaws towards the young duelist, who gritted his teeth and unleashed his last line of defense.

"I activate my second trap card, Trion Barrier! This negates your attack and switches Finisher the Strong Arm into defense mode! Afterwards I can Special Summon Triple Star Trion, one from my hand, one from my deck, and one from my Graveyard for a grand total of three!"

A giant golden star appeared in between the duelist and the incoming attack, causing the fireball to ricochet and return to Finisher's palm. The blinding golden glow from the star forced the ogre down on one knee before shattering, and in its place stood three tiny gnomes, each wearing different colored robes and matching pointed winter hats, one blue with a single star on its chest, one green with two stars, and one red with three stars.

Triple Star Trion: Level 1/LIGHT/Fairy/100 ATK/100 DEF

Kenji growled in frustration, having once again been thwarted.

"You think that will keep you safe? You might have stopped my attack, but Burner Visor isn't done with you just yet. Burner Visor has another effect! For every card I discard from my hand, you lose five hundred life points! I have two cards left in my hand, so I'll discard both of them to use its effect twice! GO! INFERNO VICE!"

Burner Visor suddenly disappeared from Finisher's hands and reappeared behind the Sparrow before belching a jet of flames at the young hero's back, forcing out a cry of agony. He dropped to one knee, gasping for breath as his life points dropped down to a mere one hundred.

"Come on, Sparrow…." Girag whispered. "You got this."

Fuya: 1100 - 1000 = 100

"I end my turn."

"Good…" The Sparrow wheezed as he got back up. "Now…. I can end this duel and unleash justice upon you!"

"That is assuming your Number Monster is strong enough to defeat Finisher!" Kenji remarked. "Yes, I know what you're up to. You summoned those Trions so you could finally call your Number to the field, but I doubt it has what it takes to defeat both of mine."

"Oh, really? Let's find out shall we? If you wish to see my Number Monster, then I am more than happy to grant you an audience! I overlay my three Triple Star Trions! With these 3 Level 1 Monsters, I build the overlay network! XYZ SUMMON! BOW DOWN TO NUMBER 83: GALAXY QUEEN!"

Jumping up and down with excitement and surprising levels of energy for creatures so small, the three trions bounced off the walls of the tunnel before diving into the overlay network. From the golden vortex emerged a golden crown-like effigy with a blue jewel at the top and a black curtain twirling underneath it. The idol continued spinning until the curtain pulled back to reveal the Number Monster underneath, a woman of resplendent beauty and a regal attire that left no doubt of her royal lineage.

She wore an indigo dress of the finest quality, inlaid with golden spades and beautiful pearls on her waist, while dozens of emeralds formed an ornate pattern like a constellation in the night sky. Her radiant skin was pale like the whitest of pearls, her face adorned in purple eyeshadow and matching purple lipstick, highlighting her haughty smile and dazzling green eyes. The only visible flaw in her beauty was a jagged scar creeping down her right cheek before curving around her neck, partially hidden by her gold and pearl necklace. The scar was colored an ugly shade of red as if the wound was fresh, yet the queen seemed to act as if it wasn't there at all. On her forehead rested a golden tiara, its centerpiece a golden rhombus with thin prongs that parted her shiny maroon hair, and in her hands lay the symbol of her royalty, a golden scepter with a large sapphire at the tip.

Stretching her arms like she had just awoken from a long slumber, the Galaxy Queen towered above her summoner, looking down upon her host's opponent with an air of superiority.

Number 83 - Galaxy Queen: Rank 1/DARK/Spellcaster/Xyz/500 ATK/500 DEF

"The Galaxy Queen…" Girag whispered in awe as he stared at the Number Monster. Of course the child would have a Number that took the form of another character from the show if he was walking around dressing and acting like the Sparrow. Although, why it would take the form of the secondary antagonist of the series, he wasn't quite sure. Then again, if his theory about the true identity of the Galaxy Queen was correct, which he was hoping to find out when he had time to see the next episode, then that would explain everything.

"HA! I KNEW IT!" cackled Kenji. "That's weak! She can't do a thing to me with an attack power that low, and I know what you're thinking. It's not going to matter since Finisher is in defense mode with zero defense points, right? Wrong! You may think she can destroy my monster, but let me let you in on a secret regarding Finisher! He's not like other Numbers! He can't be destroyed in battle at all, even if the opponent he's fighting happens to be a Number Monster!"

The Sparrow took in every word from Kenji's bombastic speech about the seemingly impossible odds he was about to face….

And he smiled.

"Oh, I didn't summon the Galaxy Queen to destroy your Number Monster. I summoned her so that my Esper Star Sparrow can wipe out the rest of your life points."

Kenji slowly went pale when he realized how serious the Sparrow sounded.

"What are you talking about?"

"Do you remember what you said about appearances being deceiving, how weak monsters can sometimes hide devastating effects? It seems you should have listened to your own advice, as the Galaxy Queen's effect is quite devastating indeed. Allow me to demonstrate! By using one overlay unit, Galaxy Queen can grant all of my monsters the ability to inflict piercing battle damage!"

"NO!" cried Kenji. "She can't!"

A haughty laugh from the Galaxy Queen made his blood run cold, confirming his impending defeat as she absorbed one of her overlay units into her scepter. Raising it high into the air, she summoned a storm of violet stars, which rained down atop the alien duel monster, empowering it with her blessing.

"Now battle! Esper Star Sparrow, attack Finisher the Strong Arm and end this duel! Feel the stinging taste of defeat, villain! MEGA PUNCH SURPRISE!"

Channeling all the power he received from the Galaxy Queen into his fist, the doppelganger of the Sparrow charged forward, a smile beaming on his face as he, like the duelist commanding him, already knew he had won. Finisher, in a defensive posture, could only stand his ground as Kenji's defeat grew closer, both he and Burner Visor snarling with anger. Rearing his glowing fist back, the Sparrow delivered a battering ram of a punch into Finisher's gut, knocking Burner Visor out of his hand as both Number Monsters were sent flying into the air. The concussive force of the punch continued past the Numbers, knocking Kenji into the air as well, and the duelist collapsed onto his back, knocked unconscious, while his two Numbers lay defeated next to him.

Kenji: 2000 - 3000 = 0 (LOSE)

WINNER: FUYA!

"And now, my queen! You may claim your prize!" The Sparrow announced, pointing at Kenji's unconscious form as both Finisher and Burner Visor vanished from the field.

"The Markings of the Dark Emperor are yours! May you purge the evil within this criminal!"

The Galaxy Queen, nodding, extended her ethereal arms forward until her hands reached Kenji's chest. Sticking her hands through his body like a ghost, she pulled out the two Numbers before turning around and presenting them to Fuya. The glowing orbs in the queen's hands changed back into cards, trophies for the Sparrow's latest victory.

"Now to deal with you!" The Sparrow growled at the unconscious Kenji. He quickly got to work, tying him up with the very chains he used to hoist his now destroyed box of explosives out of the water.

"That should hold you." The Sparrow said, satisfied with his handiwork. "Now the only problem is getting you above ground again so the police can place you back where you belong."

Hearing the Sparrow's dilemma, Girag decided now was the time to finally make his presence known, he was about to step outside of his hiding place when a seemingly innocuous detail made him freeze.

The Sparrow's Number Monster, the Galaxy Queen, was still on the field, having yet to vanish even though the duel was already over. The regal monster rested a hand on the young boy's shoulder, face beaming with pride and affection as her lips moved-

-forming words?!

"Well done, my little Sparrow," her voice was an enchanting yet haunting melody.

"Don't worry about the criminal, sweetie. I'll take care of him later. Right now, we have another problem to deal with."

She turned and looked right in Girag's direction, paralyzing him with shock as he now realized she had known he was here the entire time.

"You can come out now, little spy."

Girag hesitated, wondering if he ought to run, but no. He had committed himself to this mission, talking Number or not. Besides, even without the cube, he was still a capable duelist, and he held the advantage of having studied the Sparrow's deck along with the abilities of his Number Monster. Surely he could defeat this… Unusually talkative Number… if it came to that.

He stepped into view, his large intimidating frame making Fuya jump, cracking his whip and pointing an accusing finger at the Barian.

"A spy?! Of the Dark Emperor?! Coming to ambush us and succeed where your first minion failed?! Unless you wish to end up like him, I suggest you run back to your master and tell him he will have to do better than that if he wishes to capture me, the Sparrow!"

Girag ceased his forward motion, the boy's rambling accusations giving him pause as a new idea formed in his mind. Much to his disappointment, he concluded beyond a shadow of a doubt that this wasn't the real Sparrow. The boy's mind was clearly clouded by the delusional belief that he was the Sparrow, a delusion likely brought on by the influence of the Number Monster.

He realized he could use this to his advantage, and perhaps even get what he wanted without having to duel the boy at all. As he now possessed extensive knowledge of the TV show the boy was imitating, if he played along, he could potentially get the boy on his side.

Using his memories of every episode he watched, Girag began to spin a story that could mesh with the boy's beliefs.

"Uh… Oh Sparrow, no! You've got it all wrong! I would never dishonor myself by working for that vile monster! My people have suffered under the iron fist of the Dark Emperor too! And, uh….. We need your help! Yes, uh…. My people are mighty warriors, but sadly we can't defeat him ourselves! We need a brave hero like you to tip the balance of this war! With you fighting at our side, uh…. Mighty Sparrow, Furious Maximus won't stand a chance!"

"Really?!" Fuya exclaimed, still distrustful of the Barian. "What planet do your people hail from? You bare the appearance of one of the humans of Earth, yet you describe warriors from a different planet altogether. I've never seen your face among any resistance fighters, nor have I seen you attend any of the meetings of the Galactic Council. This wouldn't happen to be a ploy to get me to drop my guard, would it?"

"No! Of course not!" Girag insisted. "Barian World hasn't officially joined the uh… Galactic Council! We initially tried to stay neutral in the war between the Galactic Federation and the Dark Empire, but you know how Furious Maximus is. If you're not with him, you're against him, so when he came to our world demanding our allegiance, we said no, but he wouldn't take no for an answer. Now my people are dragged into this conflict whether we like it or not! Please, Sparrow! You have to help us! We can't hold out much longer!"

"Hmmmmm, normally I would not hesitate to help a planet in distress," The Sparrow answered, still suspicious. "Yet I have never heard of this…. 'Barian World'. Where in the Galaxy does your planet lie? On one of the unexplored territories of the outer reaches, perhaps?"

"Uh….. yeah! We're sort of… uh…. Far away from where your star ships normally travel."

"AH HA!" The Sparrow pointed his finger at the Barian once again.

"Your deception is revealed, minion of Maximus! I have explored the outer reaches of the galaxy extensively! I created an entire map of it myself! Why, I bet this so-called Barian World doesn't even exist! Your tricks won't fool me, villain! I defeated your ally, and now I will do the same to you! Ready your duel disk! Your days of upholding the Emperor's tyranny are at an end!"

Girag frowned, growling with frustration as his attempt to trick the boy ended in failure. As the Sparrow jumped forward, activating his duel disk, Girag raised his arm to prepare for battle, when….

"Hold."

A single wave of the Galaxy Queen's hand immediately ceased the Sparrow's charge. Girag gave pause as well, lowering his arm and locking eyes with the Number.

"Barian World?" The Number spoke, her voice haughty, yet inquisitive. "That wouldn't happen to make you a resident of Barian World, would it? Are you telling me you are not a human, but a true Barian?"

"You…. know of us?"

"Of course! I knew of your kind before you came to be known as Barians. We all did, all one hundred of us, though most would not remember the first war like I do. Some lucky few still retain their memories, but the rest…. Lost… Reduced to nothing more than tools for that... Thing…. To use…"

Girag listened to the Number describe Astral with such venom and hatred.

This was a curious development. He would never have imagined hearing a Number actually give its opinion on not only Astral, but the entire war between their planets as a whole.

"But… we thought you were…"

"Pieces?" The Number finished for him. "Pieces of Astral's power, perhaps, but we were not always a part of the creature. We may have played a role in bringing it to life, but once, long ago, we had lives of our own…"

"Lives… That were taken from us… By Him, just so he could use It to destroy all of you!"

"Mother, what's going on? What are you talking about? Who is this man? Who is Astral?"

The Sparrow snapped the Number out of her bitter and venomous remembrance. The Galaxy Queen immediately turned her attention back to her host, her face instantly switching to one of tenderness and motherly love.

"Awwww, sweetie! Look at you! You're so exhausted after fighting that villain! You deserve a good night's rest after all that hard work you've done keeping this city safe."

"Come on, little Sparrow! It's bedtime now. Off to bed with you."

"But mom…" The boy yawned, suddenly growing dizzy. "I'm not…. I'm not tired."

"No buts, young man." the Number gently insisted. "Every little hero needs their rest. You just rest your little head and let mommy handle this, okay sweetie?"

"Okay…" the boy mumbled quietly, his tone becoming softer and delicate. "Goodnight, mommy."

"Sweet dreams, my little Sparrow."

Despite not truly caring for the boy, Girag nevertheless found himself feeling a great deal of unease watching this bizarre interaction. True, Numbers controlled their hosts, so there was nothing particularly strange about it being able to put the boy to sleep, but this was more than just an act to keep the boy in line. This seemed a genuine reciprocation of the maternal relationship the boy had established with the Number.

"I've never met a Number with as much… personality… as you," Girag hesitantly remarked. "How are you so… different?"

"It is as I said. Some lucky few of us retained what the others have lost," The Galaxy Queen answered, clearly avoiding the question as it touched upon bitter memories.

"But that's the past!" she exclaimed. "Now I have a new life, with a new son of my very own that I've grown to love very dearly. He's such a good boy, protecting his mommy from the more…. Unfortunate members of my kind…."

"Uh, doesn't that kid have a mother of his own?" Girag inquired.

"Hmph, you wouldn't think so with the way his so-called 'real mother', treats him," the Galaxy Queen scoffed. "But she is no longer of any concern to me. There is a far more immediate threat that could take me away from my sweet little Sparrow, and it just so happens that we both want to be rid of it."

Her lips curled upward into a knowing smile. "You know who I speak of, Barian, our common enemy, Astral. You came to Earth to destroy it, did you not? If you have, then I think our interests are the same."

"Yeah, I suppose, but I have another job to do," Girag replied. "Unique or not, you're still a Number, and Barian World needs to have all one hundred members of your kind, no exceptions. As one of the Seven Barian Emperors, I can't just leave you alone just because you also want Astral dead, so why shouldn't I just take you and the other two right now?"

"You could…" The queen admitted, shrugging her shoulders. "But we both know that if you really wanted to fight, you would have done so already. I dare say a Barian Emperor of your caliber could have joined the duel and taken both Kenji and my son down at the same time, but you chose to observe, to watch, to search for any way to gain an additional advantage before charging into battle. You strike me as an opportunist, so why not act in accordance with your nature, and seize a golden opportunity?"

Girag, despite growing offended by the Number insinuating that he was a coward, decided to maintain an open mind. "Alright, I'm listening."

"I'll make it simple. What I offer is a trade. I have no further use for these Numbers, so if you want these two, then go ahead and take them. They are yours, and I only require one single thing in return, a single copy of your signature weapon, Rank Up Magic Barian's Force."

"How…. how do you know about that?!"

"Let's just say that I have a rather… Intimate history with its gifts…" The Number replied cryptically. "So, what's it going to be, Barian? Do we have a deal? Astral is gathering the other Numbers, growing stronger with each passing day. It will find me eventually, and I am not content to wait until it is too powerful to defeat. Besides, when it comes to dealing with Astral, this is a deeply personal matter. Allow me to rid you of your hated enemy, and the Barian World can easily win its war against the Astral World. Should you still require all one hundred Numbers afterwards, I suppose I could… Lend your people a hand."

"What happens after that? What do you gain out of this?" Girag inquired.

"What do I gain? I already have everything I want. I'm merely taking steps in making sure nobody takes it away from me. After Astral is destroyed, I will spend the rest of my days raising my little Sparrow as my son, watching him grow into a handsome young man. Perhaps in the future, he could provide me with a daughter-in-law and maybe even some grandchildren for me to spoil, and we shall all live together as one big happy family."

"That's… Really all you want?" Girag asked, more than a little skeptical.

"Is it so hard to believe?"

"Well… I mean… You are a Number. Girag fumbled with his answer. "Aren't you basically compelled to reunite with the rest of your kind?"

"Maybe the lost ones feel such an instinct, those who failed to retain their memories, but I shall no longer be compelled," The Galaxy Queen growled. "No, I have little interest in your war, only in protecting my new domestic lifestyle. Give me the tool I need to defend myself and my son, and I shall fight in one last battle before settling down. Now, do we have a deal?"

Girag scratched his head, at first not sure what to say. This was the last thing he expected to encounter when he made the decision to pursue the criminal into the underground, an intelligent Number, and she just implied she was not the only one to possess such sentience. How many others existed, and what would they think when he encountered any of them?

But those were questions for another time. Now, he was in agreement with the Number.

This was a golden opportunity, and he would be a fool to pass it up. If a Number Monster, an intelligent Number Monster, harnessed the power of Barian's Force, then maybe, just maybe, he would finally have the champion Barian World needed to destroy Astral and win this war.

In the end, what did he have to lose?

He reached into his pocket and pulled out a copy of Barian's Force, noting the hungry look in the Number's eyes as she saw it for the first time.

"Alright, you got a deal. Now all you gotta do is win the duel against Astral and his host."

"Wonderful!" The Galaxy Queen gushed with excitement. "And now all you have to do is point my son in the direction of Astral's human host. Who is this human, by the way?"

"Hmph, just some kid named Yuma Tsukumo," grunted Girag. "Brat's gotten lucky too many times, always weaseling his way out of trouble just when I think I finally have him beaten. Don't underestimate him though. That kid knows how to duel, especially when his back is against the wall."

"Yuma Tsukumo?" The Number repeated the name, surprised to hear it. "Yes… I know him… my son just met him today, shortly before I found him. This might require a more… Delicate touch… One moment please. I need to wake my son up."

She knelt down to the sleeping human, patting his cheek with her ethereal hands.

"Sparrow, oh Sparrow! Wake up, sleepyhead! Mommy needs to talk with you!"

The young hero began to stir, his eyes opening as he slowly regained awareness of his surroundings.

"Huh? What happened?"

"Don't worry about it, sweetie. Mommy took care of our little misunderstanding with the nice man. He is no minion of the Dark Emperor after all. In fact, thanks to his help, we might have found the key to defeating one of the deadliest minions the Dark Emperor has at his disposal, all thanks to the card in his hands."

"We… we have?" The Sparrow stood up, sizing up Girag and then gazing down at the card in his hands.

"Go on, my son. Take it!"

Without hesitation, the host of Number 83 snatched the card out of Girag's hands. As the Barian had not initiated the brainwashing process, no symbol appeared on the Sparrow's forehead. Thanks to his alliance with the Number, there was no need for that, provided this Number actually upheld her end of the bargain.

"Good boy, now hand over the two Number cards to the nice man, alright?"

"But… but mother! We worked so hard to acquire them, and you want us to give them away?"

"Just for safekeeping, sweetie." The Galaxy Queen reassured her host. "Besides, who needs them when you have me? Our combined strength is more than enough for our next mission, our most dangerous mission yet."

"Really? What kind of mission?"

The queen knelt down to meet her host at eye level. "Do you remember that boy you met earlier today? Yuma Tsukumo?"

Hearing Yuma's name seemed to stir something within the Sparrow.

"Yuma? Yes… he…. Saw me…. He saw behind the mask…. He saw…. Fuya…."

"Yes, he accidentally discovered your secret identity, but that's not important right now."

She pretended to feel despair, acting as the bearer of bad news.

"Sweetie, I don't know how to say this, but I'm afraid your new friend has unknowingly been led astray. While he thinks he is fighting on the side of justice, he is actually under the control of the worst of the Dark Emperor's minions, a disgusting phantom named Astral."

"Yuma's in trouble!?" The Sparrow exclaimed. "Then what are we waiting for? We must rescue him at once!"

He paused, the name Astral raising concerns in his mind. "Mother, you mentioned Astral before. Who exactly is he? You act like you've encountered him before."

Clenching her fists and shaking them violently, the Galaxy Queen gave a hate filled answer, barely holding in her rage for the spirit of the Astral World.

"Astral…" she began. "Astral is not a who, my son, he is a what. Not a person, but a thing, a monster, a mistake! He exists solely for the purpose of destroying entire planets, and the source of his power is the very Numbers we seek to collect."

She placed her hand just above her breasts, stroking the green 83 underneath her neck.

"I was branded with this marking myself, held prisoner for a very long time. While I managed to escape, just like all the others, it seeks to recapture me. Should Astral capture me, it will lock me away in a dungeon. It will use my power to finish what the Dark Emperor created it to do. Your friend Yuma seems to believe that Astral wishes to collect the Numbers for benevolent purposes, but that is a lie! You won't let him take me away from you, will you sweetie?"

The Sparrow cracked his whip on the ground, infuriated by the looming threat. As long as he stood, nobody would ever take his mother away from him.

"No, mother! Never! I will defeat this vile fiend, just as I have defeated all of the Dark Emperor's minions, and I shall rescue my friend from his clutches! That monster thinks he can take a hostage to get to me? Well, he is mistaken! Nothing can prevent him from facing the wrath of, The Sparrow!"

"Patience, my son!" The Galaxy Queen soothed her host once again. "Astral is cunning, and he does not yet know we are here. We cannot charge into battle. We need to lure him out. Once he falls into our little trap, he will force Yuma to duel on his behalf, but once Yuma is defeated, Astral will be destroyed, and your friend will be set free. He might not understand the good deed you have done, as Astral's hold on him is great, but I'm sure after I…. talk with him…. I can make him come around…."

"Thank you, mother," The Sparrow replied. "What would I do without you?"

"Why, I just can't fathom it." The Number chirped playfully. "And I can't even imagine what I would do without my sweet little Sparrow."

The Number wrapped her arms tight around the possessed boy, who melted into her embrace.

"I love you, mother…."

"I love you too, sweetheart, and I promise. I won't let anybody take you away from me."

As Number and Host, mother and son, continued to embrace, Girag observed the tender yet twisted union, allowing himself to chuckle darkly as his brand new plan came into fruition. Tonight turned out better than ever thought it would. Not only did he just receive two Number cards without even having to duel for them, but now he had acquired a powerful ally in the form of a third Number Monster.

"Oh, Astral. If only you knew what was coming. You've gotten lucky so far, but there's no way you and your pet human can handle the power of a Chaos Number."

"Tomorrow will be your last night alive."

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Author Made Cards:

Trion Battery: Continuous Spell Card

Effect: Once per turn, you can discard 1 Level 1 LIGHT Monster; draw 1 card. At the start of the damage step, if a monster you control declares an attack on an opponent's monster, it gains 300 ATK for each Level 1 LIGHT Monster in your GY. If a monster(s) you control would be destroyed while you have 3 or more Level 1 LIGHT Monsters in your GY, you can destroy this card; shuffle all Level 1 LIGHT Monsters from your GY into your deck, and if you do, your monster(s) are not destroyed.

Minefield Decoy: Normal Trap Card

Effect: Target 1 Level 3 Rock Monster in your GY; Special Summon it to either player's field in Attack Position. The monster summoned by this effect cannot change its battle position, and it cannot be used as Synchro or Xyz Material. Also, it must attack, if able.

Minefield Deployment: Normal Trap Card

Effect: If a Level 4 or lower Rock Monster(s) you control is destroyed and sent to your GY, you can Special Summon the destroyed monster(s) from your GY in face-up defense position. If you Special Summoned "Mine Golem" you can also Special Summon up to 2 "Mine Golem" from your hand, deck, or GY. You cannot Special Summon other monsters during the turn you activate this effect.

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AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAND DONE!

And I think now it's pretty easy to understand why I was excited to write this particular chapter.

In the original Ice Queen Cometh, I skipped over Yuma's duel with Fuya completely. Fuya didn't even appear in Ice Queen Cometh at all.

While it's true that in the original canon episode, Number 83 was just another Number of the week in an episode that really didn't add anything to the overall plot. Looking back on it, I felt like I missed a huge opportunity with Fuya, so when I started working on this rewrite, I knew I wanted to do something with Fuya that would let me elevate him as a character.

As for the Galaxy Queen herself, while she technically did speak in canon, it wasn't really the true sentience of a character, but rather the Number acting in accordance to the character she is based on, similar to how the other members of the Sparrow Family spoke during the duel. Here, she's 100 percent a threat quite similar to another evil talking Number.

I'm sure her cryptic ramblings about Astral is nothing more than the insane ravings of a power-hungry villain of the week, and totally doesn't contain any mind-blowing information that might cause a certain incorporeal duelist from another dimension to have a nervous breakdown if he realizes that she might be telling the truth.

When is that other talking Number going to show up? Wait and see, dear readers! Wait and see!

So, what did you think of the chapter? Did you like it? Did you not like it? Whatever your opinion may be, feel free to leave a review and let me know!

Until Next Time! THIS IS NOX! SIGNING OUT!