//------------------------------// // Turn 18: Fall // Story: Crossover Into Chaos // by dabestgamer //------------------------------// “This Duel is starting to get interesting,” Celena remarked. “He must be really torn up from seeing his former ally tear down his friend like that.” “Sadly, we cannot afford to simply enjoy the Duel, even if they both are high-class Turbo Duelists,” Callos replied. “I don’t see why not. If everything goes according to plan, this will be the most entertaining Duel we’ll be able to witness for quite some time.” “We may have to act sooner than we think.” “How come?” “Crow is the test subject. He was the first to be administered the fluid. Although we have an estimate as to how long the effects will last, we cannot assume that he’ll remain in this condition as long as expected.” “So we might have to go and handle it ourselves. More fun for us,” Celena grinned. Footsteps were heard from a nearby corridor. “Ah, it’s you,” said Callos. “I was sent to check on your progress,” said the man. “Have you managed to capture the princess?” “We’ve made considerable progress these past few days and we’ve almost completed our objective.” “You’re taking quite some time to get it done, Callos.” “That would be because the princess came into contact with the Signers. They are quite troublesome. However, it seems they are engaging in their final Duel.” Callos pointed towards the screen. “That wretched bug was invaluable as it has allowed us to turn the Signers against one another.” Celena stepped forward. “While it is true that we weren’t able to capture the princess that easily and quickly,” she said, “we still have the upper hand in this situation. If Yusei is defeated here, Princess Twilight is ours. If not, we still only have one less Signer to worry about. Being the last one, he’ll be an easy target.” “How do you figure that?” asked the man. “Simple,” answered Callos. “The Signers’ are strong when they’re together. Alone, they are nothing. The measures we’ve taken here weren’t just to take the city, but also to separate the Signers as much as possible.” “Which makes it easier for us to pick them off,” Celena sneered. “I do hope the effects of your experiment last long enough,” the man stated. “It would be a shame if they began to wear off before this Duel ended.” “Don’t worry about that. We were just about to head out. Once we’re done, we’ll have all the Element of Harmony and their bearers. Not to mention the Signers, as well.” “After that, we can begin to expand our operations in both worlds,” Callos added. “That reminds me… what of the two remaining princesses?” “Princess Celestia is still at large, and combating our forces as we speak,” the man answered. “Tough one, isn’t she? And the other?” “We have yet to advance to her location, due to the weather in that area. On top of that, we still have to consider the magic defending the city. Furthermore, we will have to deal with the magic that’s wielded by her and her husband, who I’m told is the older brother of Princess Twilight and captain of Princess Celestia’s guard. With all this in mind, the city’s defenses are quite formidable. There’s no doubt that they’ve already caught wind of our activity there and have begun preparations for our arrival.” “A defense with up to five layers… all the more reason that we succeed in capturing Princess Twilight here,” Callos stated. “Our leader expects to hear from you soon.” The man turned towards the dark corridor and vanished. “Looks like that’s our cue to get ready,” Celena said. “Yes, indeed,” Callos nodded. Yusei, with Twilight sitting behind him, hurried down the Duel Lane, with Crow in close pursuit. “You may have Stardust Dragon, Yusei,” Crow said, “but it can’t beat my Black-Winged Dragon!” Stardust Dragon LV: 8 ATK: 2500 Black-Winged Dragon LV: 8 ATK: 2800 “I activate the effect of Stardust Xiaolong in my Graveyard!” Yusei declared. “When I Synchro Summon Stardust Dragon, I can Special Summon it in Attack Position!” The small dragon appeared at Yusei’s side. Stardust Xiaolong LV: 1 ATK: 100 “Next, I activate the Speed Spell – Speed Energy! Since I have at least two Speed Counters, I can increase the ATK of a monster on my field by 200 for each one until the End Phase!” 2 * 200 = 400 Stardust Dragon LV: 8 ATK: 2500 + 400 = 2900 “Battle! Stardust Dragon, attack Black-Winged Dragon!” Yusei commanded. “Shooting Sonic!” His dragon fired a burst of energy from its mouth towards Black-Winged Dragon, vanquishing it. 2900 – 2800 = 100 Crow LP: 4000 – 100 = 3900 SPC: 2 “Go, Stardust Xiaolong! Direct attack!” The small dragon bit Crow’s arm. Crow LP: 3900 – 100 = 3800 SPC: 2 Yusei LP: 2400 SPC: 2 “So… is that it?” asked Twilight, studying Yusei’s screen. “Not yet,” he answered. “But you got rid of his monster, didn’t you?” “Yeah, but that doesn’t mean it’s over.” Yusei grabbed two of the three cards in his hand. “I Set two cards face-down and end my turn!” Stardust Dragon LV: 8 ATK: 2900 – 400 = 2500 “Yusei? Is something wrong? I’ve never seen you like this,” Twilight commented. “It’s because of Crow,” he replied. “Well, you did say he wasn’t himself and his eyes weren’t right.” “Yeah, but I saw something else just a moment ago.” “You did?” “Crow…” Yusei’s head hung. “Why didn’t you help her…?” Crow was silent. “Answer me! Why?!” “She was in the way. It’s my job to bring you both down.” “‘In the way’…?” Yusei looked up at Crow. “She’s our friend! Why would you—” Something about Crow had caught Yusei’s attention. He couldn’t help but notice Crow’s eyes. The blank expression alone was more than enough, but now there was something else to it. “His eyes… underneath his helmet… they were green,” Yusei observed. “Green eyes? You mean he doesn’t normally have green eyes?” asked Twilight. “No. And I’m certain whatever’s causing that is making him behave this way.” Twilight placed her hoof on her chin. “He’s not himself and his eyes are green? Why do I feel like I’ve seen something like that before?” she wondered. “It’s my turn!” Crow declared, drawing a card. Yusei LP: 2400 SPC: 2 + 1 = 3 Crow LP: 3800 SPC: 2 + 1 = 3 “I activate the Speed Spell – Angel Baton! If I have two or more Speed Counters, I draw two cards and discard one! Next, I banish the Dark Wing Uem I just discarded to activate its monster effect!” “What?” Yusei responded. “This turn, while I control a face-up Tuner Monster, you can’t activate your Set Spell or Trap Cards!” Crow grinned. “Now I Summon Dark Wing Galee!” Dark Wing Galee LV: 4 ATK: 1600 “That monster…” Yusei thought. “Now I see. That’s why.” “Galee’s effect activates!” Crow continued. “When it’s Summoned, I can Special Summon a Level 4 or below DARK Winged Beast from my Deck! I Special Summon the Tuner Monster Disharmony Feathers!” Disharmony Feathers LV: 1 DEF: 100 “Now I activate the Trap Card Feather Rise!” “That card again?!” Twilight exclaimed. “It’s just like—” “I Tribute Dark Wing Galee! Now revive, Black-Winged Dragon!” Crow’s dragon reemerged onto his field. Black-Winged Dragon LV: 8 ATK: 2800 – 2800 = 0 “Due to the effect of Feather Rise, half of Black-Winged Dragon’s original ATK is added to your Life Points.” 2800 / 2 = 1400 Yusei LP: 2400 + 1400 = 3800 SPC: 3 “Here it comes,” Yusei mumbled, feeling a powerful pulse in his right arm. “And now I tune Level 1 Disharmony Feathers with Level 8 Black-Winged Dragon!” 1 + 8 = 9 “Let the limitless chaos pour into your soul as you soar through the dark skies! Synchro Summon! Appear now, Disharmony – Dark Wing Serpent!” Disharmony – Dark Wing Serpent LV: 9 ATK: 3300 “That thing’s back again,” Twilight said, with a grim tone. "The monster that beat Akiza..." “Except you no longer have any Tuner Monsters on your field, Crow! I activate the Trap Card Shooting Star!” Yusei declared. “Since there’s a “Stardust” monster on the field, I can destroy any card on the field!” Crow chuckled. “Go, Stardust Dragon! Destroy Dark Wing Serpent!” Yusei’s dragon rammed into the flying reptile and destroyed it. “All right! Now that snake is gone!” Twilight exclaimed. “Not bad,” Crow smiled. “I’ll Set two cards face-down and end my turn.” “My turn!” Yusei drew a card. Yusei LP: 3800 SPC: 3 + 1 = 4 Crow LP: 3800 SPC: 3 + 1 = 4 “Stardust Dragon, attack Crow directly!” Yusei commanded. “Shooting Sonic!” Another blast from Stardust Dragon’s mouth struck Crow. Crow LP: 3800 – 2500 = 1300 SPC: 4 “Just a little more,” Twilight remarked. “Uh, Yusei?” Yusei briefly stared at Crow before speaking again. “It’s still too early to relax. There’s no way he’d let Dark Wing Serpent be defeated that easily.” “What do you mean?” “I switch Stardust Xiaolong to Defense Position.” Stardust Xiaolong LV: 1 DEF: 100 “I Set one card face-down and end my turn.” “My turn, then!” Crow declared with a grin. Yusei LP: 3800 SPC: 4 + 1 = 5 Crow LP: 1300 SPC: 4 + 1 = 5 “I activate the effect of Dark Wing Serpent!” “What?!” Twilight shouted. “But… it’s gone! Yusei destroyed it!” “That’s exactly it.” “Huh?” “During my Standby Phase after Dark Wing Serpent is destroyed, I can discard a card from my hand to Special Summon it. Revive, Dark Wing Serpent!” A vortex appeared in the sky above Crow, with a pair of glowing red eyes inside it. “No way…” “I won’t let that happen!” Yusei declared. “I activate the Trap Wave Rebound! When you activate an effect that would Special Summon a Synchro Monster, this card negates that effect. Then, you take damage equal to that Synchro Monster’s ATK!” A powerful gust blew through the area, causing the vortex to shrink. “I expected as much,” Crow smiled. “What?” “I activate the Counter Trap Forced Wing! I banish three DARK Winged Beasts from my Graveyard—Galee, Feathers, and Kochi! Now your Wave Rebound is negated!” “No way!” The image of Yusei’s Trap Card was shattered. “Now return to the field… Dark Wing Serpent!” The enormous snake emerged from the vortex. Disharmony – Dark Wing Serpent LV: 9 ATK: 3300 “Just one more… I activate the Trap Dark Wing Barrage!” Crow continued. “This lets a “Dark Wing” monster I control attack each of your monsters once! First, I’ll go after Stardust Xiaolong!” A burst of darkness shot out of the reptile’s mouth. “Your Xiaolong may not be destroyed in this battle, but due to Dark Wing Barrage, my Dark Wing Serpent inflicts Piercing Damage!” “What the?!” exclaimed Yusei as his dragon was struck. The smoke from the resulting explosion briefly smothered Yusei and Twilight. Yusei LP: 3800 / 2 = 1900 SPC: 5 “Twilight, are you all right?” asked Yusei. “Yeah... I’m fine,” she answered. “How did you…?” Crow spoke. “I activated my Trap Card Iron Resolve,” Yusei answered. “By halving my Life Points, the battle damage I take this turn becomes 0, then the Battle Phase ends!” Crow scoffed before suddenly placing the palm of his hand over his face. “Crow?” Yusei called out. Gazing at his friend, Yusei came to a single conclusion. “Is it possible… that whatever’s afflicting Crow is starting to fade?” “Affliction…” Twilight thought. “The more I think about it, the more I’m certain I’ve seen this before.” “Dark Wing Barrage’s other effect,” Crow continued, “By banishing it from my Graveyard during the End Phase, you take damage equal to half of Dark Wing Serpent’s original ATK!” “What?!” exclaimed Yusei. Another explosion occurred. He and Twilight pierced through the smoke. 3300 / 2 = 1650 Yusei LP: 1900 – 1650 = 250 SPC: 5 “I end my turn…ugh!” His palm covered his face once more. “Crow!” Yusei shouted. “What’s wrong with him?” Twilight gazed at Yusei’s friend. “Green eyes… strange behavior… I haven’t seen this since…” She gasped. “The wedding!” “Twilight?” “I remember now! It was at my brother’s wedding!” “What do you mean?” “I don’t know how it’s possible… but, regardless, I have to act now!” Twilight leaned out of Yusei’s Duel Runner. “What are you doing?!” “I can do this… it’s the least I can do for all your help, Yusei,” Twilight thought. She gulped as she glanced at the ground. “Just have to account for the speed…” Her horn glowed and a flash of light lit the area. Yusei turned his head to see Twilight holding onto Crow on his Duel Runner. Her horn glowed once more while a purple aura surrounded Crow as he screamed in pain. “Twilight!” Yusei called out. “Don’t worry… I’m using a spell… that will… counter the effects… of the mind control…” she grunted, struggling to complete her task. “Mind control…?” Yusei thought. “But when did Crow—” A shriek came from above. Yusei and Twilight looked up to see the giant serpent descending towards Crow’s Runner. Its arms reached out towards Twilight. “Twilight, look out!” he yelled. Twilight screamed. She leaned to the side, pulling the Duel Runner out of the way of the reptile’s arm. The pavement was ripped apart as the creature pulled its hand away from the bridge, preparing to grasp Twilight once more. Leaning in the opposite direction, she and the Duel Runner avoided contact with the serpent. Yusei watched helplessly as the Dark Wing Serpent continued to reach for Twilight. “Twilight,” he mumbled. “There’s gotta be something I can do. Maybe, if I can just defeat that monster, she and Crow will be safe!” He glanced at his Deck. “I have to,” he thought. “For Twilight’s sake… and the sake of my friends!” Yusei then noticed the Signer mark on his arm growing brightly. Dodging the serpent’s arms, Twilight saw Crow’s Signer mark glowing as well. “What’s this?!” Callos exclaimed, banging his fist on the computer screen. “What is it?” asked Celena. “It can’t be… something is breaking through from Equestria!” “Impossible!” Celena walked up behind Callos and gazed at the monitor. “We need to go now!” The two darted out of the room. Yusei looked up to see a light on the horizon. “What’s that?” he asked. Four small lights approached from the sea and, along with a fifth light from Crow’s right arm, flew into Yusei. “I can feel it. The Crimson Dragon’s power,” he thought. “Everyone’s power.” Twilight looked ahead at Yusei to see a glowing red mark on his back. “What’s that light?” she said. She jerked her head up, barely catching the arm extending towards her in time to avoid it. “Twilight!” Yusei yelled. He glanced at his Deck to see the card on top glowing and placed his hand on it. “I will save you! It’s my turn!” he declared, drawing the glowing card. Yusei LP: 300 SPC: 5 + 1 = 6 Crow LP: 1300 SPC: 5 + 1 = 6 “It’s here!” he smiled, glancing at the drawn card as its glow vanished. “I Summon Majestic Dragon!” A small pink dragon appeared next to Yusei. Majestic Dragon LV: 1 ATK: 0 “I tune Level 1 Majestic Dragon with Level 1 Stardust Xiaolong and Level 8 Stardust Dragon!” The pink dragon grew transparent as it expanded in size, with a single green ring inside it. Yusei’s remaining two dragons flew into its body and transformed into nine bright stars. A pillar of light engulfed the three dragons. 1 + 1 + 8 = 10 “Gathering starlights will enlighten a new miracle! Become the path its light shines upon! Synchro Summon! Arrive in light, Majestic Star Dragon!” Majestic Star Dragon LV: 10 ATK: 3800 The serpent reached for Twilight once more. She shut her eyes, unable to continue evading the creature. Opening her eyes, she looked above to see the serpent being pushed back by a new dragon. “Is that Stardust?” Twilight mumbled. “No. It’s different. This light…” she thought, looking ahead at Yusei. On his back appeared to be the image of a dragon, with the same glow as the marks of the Crimson Dragon she saw on his arm. Nodding to herself, she turned her focus to Crow. “I activate Majestic Star Dragon’s monster effect! Once per turn, I can negate the effect of an opponent’s monster! Then, only once this turn, I can activate the effect of the opponent’s monster as Majestic Star Dragon’s effect! Sublimation Drain!” Yusei continued. His dragon knocked the reptile away, with the latter surrounded by a dark aura. “Battle! Majestic Star Dragon! Attack Disharmony – Dark Wing Serpent! At this moment, I activate the effect Majestic Star Dragon gained from Dark Wing Serpent! When this monster battles, the opponent’s monster loses 1000 ATK!” Disharmony – Dark Wing Serpent LV: 9 ATK: 3300 – 1000 = 2300 “Go, Majestic Star Dragon!” Yusei shouted. “Shooting Blaster Sonic!” His dragon pierced through the serpent’s body, the resulting explosion shaking the Duel Lane. 3800 – 2300 = 1500 Crow LP: 1300 – 1500 = 0 SPC: 6 Crow’s Runner came to a halt. Twilight breathed heavily as her horn ceased its glow. After his dragon vanished, Yusei, with his back no longer glowing as well, turned his Runner around and stopped in front of them. “Twilight, are you all right?” he asked. “Yes… I’m fine…” she panted. “I just… took away… the mind control… although I don’t understand how it happened…” “What do you mean by that?” “Well, you see—” She was interrupted by darkness bursting out of the pavement beneath Crow’s Duel Runner. “Twilight!” He yelled, watching the Runner sink into the black abyss. “Yusei!” She called out. Crow’s body had already vanished. Hopping off his Runner, Yusei quickly sprinted towards the darkness, as it began to wrap around his friend and the alicorn. “NO!” A blinding light engulfed the area. Yusei looked up as it faded. Before him stood a large white alicorn with mane that seemed to flow in the wind, even in its absence. Twilight was arched over the alicorn’s back. “Who’s that?” he asked. Twilight opened her eyes, immediately recognizing the newcomer. “I’m sorry I took so long, Twilight,” she said. “Princess Celestia?!” Twilight exclaimed, stumbling onto the concrete and embracing her former mentor. “That’s Princess Celestia?” Yusei said. “Wait, where’s Crow?” Celestia turned to face Yusei. “Don’t move.” “What?” “Princess, it’s okay,” Twilight reassured. “He and his friends have been helping me ever since I got here.” “Is that so?” Celestia asked. “My name is Yusei Fudo,” Yusei introduced himself. “How do I know you can be trusted? Your kind has already invaded Equestria.” “My kind?” “I think she means those humans I mentioned before that attacked me and my friends.” Twilight turned towards Celestia. “Princess, don’t worry. He’s not like them. In fact, I even think he can help.” Celestia gazed at Yusei with uncertainty. “Let’s go. We can’t afford to stay—” She quickly turned around. “Princess?” Twilight said. Looking in the same direction, shadows rose from the ground to take the form of an alicorn covered in armor. The armor was dark gray and its eyes were glowing pure white. “Wait a second… that’s…” Now that she thought about it, the essence of this darkness that was being used to capture her had a faint sense of familiarity to it, although she couldn’t put her hoof on why. She then noticed another presence approaching from the direction the woman was staring. “That darkness… it’s just like from my dream,” Twilight stated. “Your dream?” Yusei asked. “Yeah. Uh, Princess?” Twilight noticed tears rolling Celestia’s cheeks as she approached the pitch-black alicorn. “Luna?” Celestia muttered, provoking a gasp from Yusei and Twilight. “Sister, what have they done to you?”