"You lost?! How are we supposed to get dueling now, Luna? It's not fair!" Leo screamed at his sister with tears in his eyes.
"Well, just look who's talking. At least I didn't lose my match like you did," Luna pointed out, oblivious to her unhappy brother.
"Well, yeah...but..."
'I guess because Leo passed out he doesn't remember my duel was about a lot more than this tournament. And what power was the Professor talking about? Could he have meant that mark on my arm?' Worriedly, Luna clutched her right arm and stared at it expectantly.
"What's wrong Luna? Hurt your arm during the duel?" Yanagi asked, concerned.
"Yeah, you keep looking at it like you're expecting to see something," Dexter chimed in.
"My arm's fine; I promise," Luna told them all firmly.
"If you say so," Yusei said slowly, keeping an eye on all three of them. "Now I think it's time I get you two home." with that he informed the twins to their immense pleasure.
"Have fun babysitting them.~" Tanner joked.
"All right! We'll have an all-night dueling sleepover!" Leo cheered.
"Ladies and gentlemen, listen up!" the MC announced. "The second round has been announced. Check out the competition brackets! Who knows what excitement awaits? Who will win? Who will lose? Five duelists, two rounds, one champion; who will it be? Things are gonna get crazy! See you tomorrow!"
Holo screens depicting the competitors next match up hovered high above the crowd. Yusei versus Griger, Akiza vs Koda, Clarice vs.....
?????.......
Unknown.....
"Yusei vs Greiger," Leo gasped. "Oh no, not him! Griger's super tough! He even beat me!" Leo observed. "But what about that goth girl, who she gonna faced...?"
Yusei has a theory that Akiza will beat Koda and then she will be dueling Clarice an all out battle.
"Looks like you'll be turbo-dueling," Tanner informed Yusei.
"That bad?" he asked.
"You bet, because rumor on the circuit says that Griger has a brand-new duel runner he's gonna be using. It's supposed to be unbeatable."
That caught Leo's attention 'I can't let Griger win. If I can sneak into his garage before the match; I could see what he's got planned and tell Yusei!' Leo planned. Agent Leo on the case!
"Uh, are you okay?" Luna questioned. She knew that scheming look on her brother too well.
"Huh? Oh yeah, fine! I just um...left something...somewhere else...be right back," Leo stuttered suspiciously as he backed away.
"Where are you going?"
"To um...you know...that place with the...Oh look at the time! Buh-bye!" Leo scurried off without another word.
"But LEO!" Luna called but it was too late as Leo ran off. "This can't be good."
/
A cargo ship docked at the island of Satellite. A plank was lowered to connect the boat with the island. The three passengers stepped off the ship. One of them was Blister. The boat's captain handed a notepad and clipboard to a nearby man. "The manifest shows that you had three passengers onboard. Okay, so everybody's all paid up?"
The captain nodded. "Hey, now get moving before you get picked up by Sector Security!"
Blister ignored the people around him. Two sniggering boys ran past him.
A plump man and a slightly thinner man stood outside a van. The plump one was trying to rustle up some customers. "Step right up; we're the fastest ride to the Satellite markets! The place to get the best recycled electronics around! They've got encryptors, decryptors, recryptors; all makes all models!"
"Room for one more?" Blister questioned.
"Hey Blister; it's been way too long buddy!" the plump man greeted. "Aren't you based in the city now? What brings you back here?"
Blister threw in his gear and settled himself in for the car ride. "A favor for a friend."
"I thought you gave up friends?"
"So did I."
/
Meanwhile, it was now dark and Leo finally made it to the garage in the warehouse. The building number 0123 he found that's gotta be where Griger's duel runner kept in. "Greiger's garage! Time to check out that super secret runner of his."
Checking to left or right the cost is clear, he climb some of those boxes to sneak in through the window. Which this is a bad idea to sneak in someones stuff is stupid.
"Almost there. Just a few more inches an I'm in." Leo suddenly slipped an got inside the garage and fell on his face first on the floor. "Next time, I'm packing a parachute. Now to find that runner so I can help Yusei."
And just as Leo turned on his flashlight, in front of him was a skull-like bull.
Leo screamed!
The reaction was priceless, the alarm flashed red and all Leo can do was cower in fear AND PASS OUT, to troubled to admit this was a stupid idea to sneak into somebodies garage.
"THIS ISN'T HAPPENING! IF I CAN'T SEE THEM, THEY CAN'T SEE ME!" he wailed.
//
An array of nicely prepared food lined a table. Luna and Yusei sat at the table while waiting for Leo to come home. Luna seemed preoccupied. "Leo's never late for dinner. I' mean, he likes eating food almost as much as dueling. Maybe even more. And he knows eight PM is curfew."
"I'll go out and find him. I have a feeling he's in trouble." Yusei announced, getting up from his seat.
"I can help!" Luna parted company with her chair as well.
"You should stay here. It's late." Yusei suggested.
"Come on, please! He's my brother! What if he's hurt? And we can cover twice the ground in half the time!"
"You got a point." Yusei admit. "But be safe out there okay."
"Okay." Luna nodded.
Yusei,sped across New Domino, red runner blurry to stationary civilians. He pulled up near an alleyway close to an intersection. Luna ran up as he took off his helmet.
"So did you find Leo." he asked Luna.
Luna shook her head. "No, I'm getting scared."
"Don't worry, Luna. Your brother's out here and we'll find him," Yusei tried to be comforting. A small beeping noise interrupted the conversation. Yusei pressed a button on his runner and a friend's image appeared on his screen. "Blister?"
"Yusei, I went to your friend's bunker, but the place has been totally trashed!" Blister informed them.
"Trashed? But they're okay, right?" Yusei hoped. And good thing Clarice was not there since she going to duel tomorrow after him.
Blister shook his head. "They're missing. I can't find a trace!"
"What happened?" Yusei pressed. "Did Goodwin take them in?"
"No idea and here's where the trail goes cold; after I hacked into security I couldn't find a trace of them. It's like they just vanished. And if Goodwin's got ahold of them, they could be anywhere by now. They're tracking my signal. I gotta sign off quick. I'll call you back if I find anything."
"Thanks." Yusei said. The video feed cut off and turned to fuzzy static. To end the transmission, Yusei pressed the button again.
"I'm sorry. Are you friends missing too?" Luna asked tentatively.
"Yeah," Yusei said, his voice hard. 'And I blame myself...'
A slight disturbance in an adjoining alleyway grabbed their attention. A tall figure shrouded in darkness approached. "Yusei, someone's in the alley." Luna said quietly.
Griger came into view, carrying the still sleeping Leo over his shoulder. "He's got Leo!" Luna cried. Mixed feelings churned through her; happiness for finding her brother, but terrified to find him in Griger's clutches.
'And he doesn't look too happy about it.' Yusei thought with a skeptical look. "Griger, what're you doing with Leo?" Yusei's voice had an edge to it.
"Relax, he's all right Yusei. He broke into my garage. I found him sleeping on the floor," Griger told them.
//
Now safely tucked in bed, Leo snored away. Griger's smile of fondness revealed a sensitive side. Sleeping a little bit more quietly than her brother, Luna dozed in her own couch. Yusei pulled the covers over her and walked back into the other room.
"The boy is sound asleep," Griger walked in quietly and stood on the other side of the couch.
"He sure can snore, can he?" Yusei joked, rising from the table.
"Yep."
They both gone outside the pool house to have a serious conversation. "Thanks for bringing Leo back. I owe you one." Yusei thanked him.
"Forget it. The boy was just trying to help you out," Griger dismissed the offer.
"Help me out?" Yusei asked, with a straight thin line confused.
"He wanted a sneak peek at my new duel runner like everyone else out there. In fact, I had to install five new alarm systems just to keep it under wraps."
"You gonna call security?" Yusei thought.
"No, he reminds me of my own little brother," Griger assured him. "I'm not gonna punish him just cuz' he's trying to help you win our duel tomorrow. It won't make a difference. You're still going down. I may be a good guy off the track, but trust me when I say that you don't wanna mess with me when I'm turbo dueling." he proudly smirked. "After all, these are the big leagues, Yusei, and there's quite a bit riding on this tournament for me and my future."
"What, like a big trophy?"
"Big trophy? No, the future I'm talking about is for my family. They're far away, waiting, hoping I bring them some help. We used to count the stars together. Here, there's only smog. And you, why are you dueling here?"
"My friends." Yusei stated. "I don't have a choice about it."
"Lemme guess; Goodwin made you an offer that you couldn't refuse. Sound right?"Grigor concluded.
"How'd you know? He come to you too?"
Griger nodded. "He offered me a chance to rebuild my family's village. My people believe that our forefathers were the servants of the people of the stars, and our village has a deep hidden power."
"Hidden power? Are you talking about the legend of the Crimson Dragon and the Dragon-Phoenix's?" Yusei eyes narrowed. 'How much does he know?' Yusei wondered, getting a little suspicious.
"That's right," Griger's eyes slid down to a small photo on the table of Clarice for a half second. "The legend has it that whoever controls both the dragon and the hybrid also gets to control the destiny of the world. I haven't been back to my village in years, but after I complete my mission here, I'll head back to rebuild my home."
Yusei had noticed Griger's glance at the photo of Clarice that he accidentally forgot to put back into his pockets. 'He does know! ' "You can't trust Goodwin's word, Griger."
"Easy for you to say, but I need his power to help rebuild my village. I heard it was consumed with fire and destruction unlike any natural disaster ever seen. Then Director Goodwin came to me. He said that he'd help, but not until I promised to help him with his quest."
"Griger, don't you see you're being used?" Yusei expressed adamantly.
"If it's the only way to rebuild my village, then I'll let him use me all he wants, Yusei. Sorry, but tomorrow I have to win no matter what."
"And my friends need me and Clarice." Yusei narrowed his eyes.
"Her?" Griger pointed. "Goodwin told me she's the Dragon-Phoenix of Light."
Yusei stiffened, clenching a fist as subtly as he could. "So what if she is?"
"I'm not going to hurt her, relax," Griger eyes fell on the photo of Clarice's arm and the deck in her duel disk. He subconsciously reached to see the photo better.
Yusei stopped Griger's hand with his own. "Don't touch that."
"I wasn't going to-"
"I don't care," Yusei's voice was like iced stone. "No one touches her."
Griger withdrew his hand carefully. "I apologize. My actions were uncalled for. I guess we'll leave it at that. May the best man win." Grigor went pass Yusei before he he told him, "You're a good guy, and in a perfect world we'd both get what we want in the arena tomorrow. But the world isn't perfect. One of us has to lose, and tomorrow it's going to be you."
"We'll see about that." Yusei confidently said.
"Oh, and one more thing," Griger leaned slyly on the edge of the widow jamming his thumb to the photo of Clarice. "Does she know?"
Yusei cocked his head in confusion. "Know what?"
"That you're in love with Clarice Ng, of course."
"Wha? No! I mean I'm not!" The Satellite boy is as red as a tomato, even in the dim lighting. Sure, he has feeling for her for a very long time back when he was The Enforcers...with Kallen...but he wasn't going to admit right now.
Griger chuckled at Yusei's deer-in-headlights look. "Good luck." he waved and exited, leaving uncertainty and determination in his wake.
Yusei is so gonna die out of embarrassment. He never looses his composure, but mentioning Clarice is beyond him.
Though he did and still wondered, did Clarice ever stop to feel the same way as he is right now?
///
Today is now the second day of the Fortune Cup simi-finals as Yusei prepared his duel runner to face his opponent Greger.
"Yusei, I'm really sorry about yesterday," Leo apologized. "I was just trying to help."
"I understand, but cheating's never the answer. Besides I don't need to cheat to beat Griger," Yusei's expression turned stern. "Now if you'll excuse me I have a turbo duel to win."
Leo will take that as a compliment. "Go for it! And take him down!"
Yusei smiled, putting some shades on in his helmet and and saluting with two fingers on his way out. A blast of theatrical smoke filled the entryway, and Yusei shot into the stadium.
"Ladies and gentlemen, let's hear it for Yusei!" Circling the duel arena, Yusei awaited Griger's entry. A sound similar to a plane engine revved up in the wings.
"What's that sound, an earthquake?!" Yanagi squealed. Griger and his three wheeled style monstrosity of a runner burst onto the track.
"Will ya look at that? It's the most incredible duel runner I've ever seen! It's a whopper of a chopper. It's the wheels with appeal. Ladies and gentlemen, it's Griger and his beast!"
Griger joined Yusei, circling the track. The larger of the duelists smirked.
"That's some duel runner! Yusei's gonna have his work cut out for him," Tanner observed, sweat drops falling across his brow.
"What'd I miss!" Leo asked, reclaiming his seat.
"Just that," Luna pointed. "Griger's runner!"
Leo followed his sister's finger to Griger's runner. The shiny part up front resembling a bull's skull gleamed in the sunlight. "That's where I saw in Griger's garage! No wonder he had an alarm! That thing looks so cool!"
Yusei and Griger parked at the starting line. "You call that thing a duel runner, Yusei? Did it come with training wheels for ya?" Griger taunted.
"Just cause you're bigger, doesn't mean you're better, Griger." Yusei defended.
"Yeah right, talked to me after the duels done. Good luck....Cuz you're gonna need it."
"And now take out your speed world field spells - LET'S ACTIVATED THEM!"
*'Duel mode: Engaged'*
'*Autopilot; standing by'*
"Get ready to eat my dust." Grigor countered.
*'Coundown: initiated'*
Ready
...Set
...Duel!
Yusei: 4000
Griger: 4000
Andd they took off! "I'll make the first move, Yusei. I draw! And I think I'll start with this: Spell Reactor RE! And next I'll throw down three facedowns! You're up!"
"I summon out my-" Yusei was interrupted by the sound coming from Grigor's engine.
"Now how's Yusei supposed to concentrate when he's got 3000 decibels of horsepower blaring in his ear huh?" Tanner complain.
"Who says he can?" Leo asked.
Yusei shook it off. "First I'll throw down a facedown, and then I'll summon my Speed Warrior!"
"In that case I activate my facedown trap card Hidden Soldiers! Now yours truly gets a level four monster from my hand. And I got just the one for you; he goes by Trap Reactor Wi Fi! And with this card on my field, Yusei, I only need one more for a big surprise!"
Yusei wasn't the one to back down in the face of adversity though. "For the first round Speed Warrior's on the field, he gets double his attack points! Now, send that Reactor back to the shop!" The monster skated in for a powerful attack.
Yusei: 4000
Griger: 3400
When the smoke from the attacked cleared, Spell Reactor wasn't destroyed!
"No way!" Yusei exclaimed.
"Don't tell me you're shocked!" Griger said. "I had two facedowns on my field, and one of them was Fake Explosion. And not only does this trap knock out your low level attack, but I get a bonus. As in, a level five monster from my hand! Bringing you your surprise early, Summon Reactor SK, join the party!"
All three reactor monsters joined Griger's field.
"Now I'll activate my Delta Reactor! This card sends Summon Reactor, Trap Reactor and Spell Reactor to the graveyard! I hate to do this to you, Yusei, but like I told you last night; one of us has to lose and today it's you! I summon Flying Fortress Skyfire!" The colossal flying military weapon of a monster hovered above Griger.
(Flying Fortress Skyfire: Atk: 3000 Def: 2500)
"It looks like that bad bikes not just for show! Greigor brings out the big bang beast in the second round!"
"If you thought it was loud in here before, just get a load of this! You lose eight hundred points of damage if you ever summon a monster, or place one card facedown, and if that weren't enough, the card you just played will also be destroyed," Griger explained.
His monster covered Yusei and his monster completely in shadow. "Just face it, friend, you can't make a move without getting hurt! My family needs me which means that you're going to have to lose this match, Yusei!"