Chapter 19: Return of the Parasites

The proximity alarm in the Resistance Base goes off. "Sir, the sensors have picked up an imperial ship – Light Class." The aforementioned ship flies over the forest.

"The Time Stones Emperor Shade is seeking not only contains duel energy of those within its boundaries, but they also contain energy obtained from historic events that are linked to Duel Monsters," Miki spoke of the Stones' power. "Such objects containing such power are no doubt incredibly dangerous to anyone who does not fully understand it. That is the reason why the Emperor's brother and their father chose not to pursue it. They believed that it would bring about the destruction of anyone who would possess them."

"Then why does Emperor Shade have such a lust for the Time Stones?" Caro asked.

"He believes that he could harness the Stones' power and use them to his advantage," Miki told Caro as she recalled her encounter with Shade.

(Flashback)

"Surely, you realize that my father and brother were superstitious fools, Miki," Shade told her. "There is no reason to fear the power of the Time Stones. Rather, we should embrace it and create the ultimate duel warrior." He cackles with malicious intent for his enemies.

(End Flashback)

"Then what about you, Mistress? What do you believe?" Caro queried. Miki simply stared out into the blue sky above the forest.

With the Resistance, they recap the events at Cassiopeia City. "Thanks to the power from the Emperor's Key, the restored Cassiopeia City shield is stronger than ever," Zack reported. "The Light Ship that was recently spotted is likely just a scout. Otherwise, we'd be under attack now."

"Cassiopeia City's battlements are rebuilt so now what?" Shay questioned.

"Maybe we could send out some of our scouts," Luna suggested.

"We need to be cautious," Moon Shadow spoke.

"I say we send out some teams and reinforce some of the cities the imperials haven't taken yet, we can do this," Yuma proposed. "The Zenovians have retreated for now, so it'll be easier to sneak in right under their noses."

"So, I'm guessing we have a plan of attack then, Yuma?" Erica inquired.

"Hmm…" Yuma pondered for a good minute. Everyone else was expecting an answer.

"Let me guess: You're clueless, aren't you?" Astral asked. Yuma nodded with a simple "Mm-hmm."

Everyone had a different response to that. Luna giggled, Moon Shadow shook his head in disbelief, and Shay face-palmed, feeling annoyed.

In Shade's Fortress, Minato reported the scout's findings to Shade. "Our scouts have reported that Cassiopeia City's shield is operating at increased power. Tell me you have some kind of strategy for this, Minato."

"If we amplify your Duel Armor's power to that of a Level 10 monster, then regardless of a shield's strength, I am certain that your dragon will rip it open like it was made of paper."

"Those are some strong words, Minato," The Doktor spoke up. "How long will it take to give the Duel Armor the required overhaul?"

"Hmm… given the armor's current condition, I would say three days minimum."

"Are you serious!? Who knows what the rebel forces are doing while we sit here twiddling our thumbs." Aidan spoke. "Emperor Shade, as your most trusted advisor, I suggest we strike back immediately."

"Was I not clear earlier?" Minato questioned. "Cassiopeia City's shield is stronger than before. It would be a struggle for our forces to breach it, should they attack."

"True, but who's to blame for such an act?" Aidan glared. Minato growled annoyed that he knew about the mission Miki failed in.

"Aidan makes a fair point. Every second we give those rebels provides them with an increased advantage which we cannot afford. The fact is, we must be ready to attack at any given opportunity and we will do so, Minato. Do you understand?"

"Yes, emperor," Minato nods.

"I want you to lead a reconnaissance mission so you can advise us on our first strike point," Shade commanded. "Take Miki with you."

"Me, sir? But wouldn't it be better if…" Minato attempted to argue but was cut off from Aidan's counterpoint.

"Are you questioning the emperor's orders? Why don't you leave the strategizing to us grownups, little boy?" Aidan taunted. Minato snarled but went along with the mission.

Back at the Resistance base, the alarm blares again. "Hey, what's going on?" Yuma asked.

"Status report! Talk to me!" Zack commanded.

"The planetary radar has picked up another ship approaching! It's imperial in origin." A Trooper reported.

"That's an Earth ship," Erica noted its appearance.

"Minato," Zack confirmed its owner.

Inside Miki's ship, she is contacted by Minato. "Miki, Emperor Shade has ordered us both to lead a reconnaissance mission on the surface."

"Very well, then."

"Aidan better not have any ideas about being second-in-command. That will never happen." He turns to two hypnotized duelists: Sophie Davison and Max Daniels. "Sophie, Max, I hope for your sake you prove to be more useful than Primo, Weevil, and Sayer. Head to Calypso City and get me some results!"

"Yes, Master Minato." Sophie and Max bowed.

"Be on your way. I will send your orders soon," Sophie and Max leave. "I will knock down that shield and prove to Emperor Shade that I am the only one worthy of being his right hand."

The resistance members see the ships. "It's like their scout ship has picked up a friend." Yuma glared.

"Well, Yuma, it's not an attack force yet, but it is safe to say they're gearing up for something." Moon Shadow said.

"Yeah, but what is it is the question," Shay noted. "It just makes me want to blow my stack."

"Well, instead of waiting around guessing, why don't we take a look for ourselves?" Luna suggests.

"It's worth a try. In the meantime, I've sent Zuzu, Kylie, and Echo to Calypso City in the north to gather any materials and if possible, find any other duelists hiding there," Zack said.

In Calypso City, Zuzu, Echo, and Kylie are searching the city for materials and if possible, any wandering duelists that could aid them.

"This place is like a ghost town," Kylie commented.

"Don't say that, Kylie. Zack said there should be some duelists hiding here." Echo assured.

"I just hope they don't turn out to be imperial spies if we do find them," Zuzu said with worry. One of the city's security cameras focuses on the three girls. Watching them was a woman in a lab coat. Her long auburn hair is tied in a low ponytail that reaches down below her shoulders. With her lab coat, she is clad in a crimson dress suit and white high heels. Her most noticeable traits are her cybernetic left arm and right eye. The Doktor walks in the lab and sees the video feed.

"What's the status, Darkstar?" The Doktor asked her.

"Our scanners have detected three duelists entering Calypso City: Echo, Kylie, and Zuzu Boyle." Dr. Darkstar confirmed her findings.

"Zuzu Boyle… I happen to remember using my parasites to control her and those other three girls." The Doktor recounted.

"You speak of Rin, Celina, and Lulu, correct?"

"Exactly. And though they are now merged into Zuzu, we may still use them to our advantage."

"Perfect, because Sophie and Max are on their way here on reconnaissance."

"Excellent. Have them lead the girls to the lab. We can use them to lure a certain someone here." The Doktor smirked maliciously as he walked out. "Soon, Yuya Sakaki, you will pay for obliterating my beautiful parasites!"

Zuzu, Echo, and Kylie continue searching Calypso City when they come across Sophie and Max. "Sophie! Max! I'm so glad we found you." Echo said. "What happened?"

"Those imperials managed to snatch us, but we escaped," Max told them.

"Did you find anyone else?" Kylie asked.

"No, but we can show you the place we were held," Sophie reported. "Follow us." She and Max led the others to the tunnel entrance in the city. "This tunnel leads to the laboratory we were held in."

"Who had the nerve to hold you here?" Echo asked.

"There's only one way to find out."

The five duelists enter the tunnel. They walked for about 30 minutes, but they soon reach the lab. They enter some kind of incubation room.

"This looks like some sort of incubation room, but what's it for?" Zuzu asked. That was when the door leading out closed behind them. Then a cage dropped down above them. Kylie quickly moved out of the way, but the cage trapped Zuzu and Echo.

"Zuzu! Echo!" Kylie shouts. She spots two shadows within the innermost part of the room.

"Ah, I wasn't expecting you to arrive, ladies."

Zuzu shuddered when she heard that voice. It was then that the Doktor and Dr. Darkstar walked out of the dark corner in full view. "Long time no see, Zuzu."

Zuzu scowled when she saw the Doktor. "You!"

"Is that any way to greet an old acquaintance?" The Doktor smirked.

"You're no acquaintance of ours! You used your parasites to brainwash us and attack Yuya!" Zuzu yelled. Then the spirits of Rin, Lulu, and Celina appeared beside her.

"Your parasite made me attack Yugo!" Rin yelled. "And I should know; I always hated bugs!"

"You drove Yuya to beat me and Celina out of rage!" Lulu barked.

"Our minds are not your playthings!" Celina glared.

"You think my parasites are what Yugo called "slippery slugs", but to me, they're my greatest scientific achievement." The Doktor snickered. Then with a snap of his fingers, the lights in the room turned on, revealing incubation tubes full of parasite eggs. "When Yuya destroyed my lab, I lost nearly everything. He destroyed my parasites and left my old lab a smoldering mess. But then, everything changed when I met Emperor Shade."

"You what!?" Echo glared.

"He offered me this new laboratory and freedom to create new, more powerful parasites, provided that I obtain some special stones for him."

"The Time Stones."

"Exactly. With the Time Stones in Shade's possession, we will usher in an era of union and prosperity," Dr. Darkstar spoke.

"All Shade's spouting is nothing but a pack of lies!" Zuzu accused. "He seeks the Time Stones to erase all of space and time so that Duel Monsters doesn't exist!"

"You are the liars! You've proven that when you joined that old mage Koga!" The Doktor barked.

Kylie attempted to duel him, but Echo stopped her. "Don't bother. He's too cunning for you to duel. I need you to head back to the base and warn Yuya and Zack."

"I can't leave you two behind," Kylie argued.

"We'll be fine. Now go! That's an order." Echo commanded. Though hesitant to leave them, Kylie complies and left the lab.

"She's getting away!" The Doktor glared.

"Let her go. A duelist like her is no trouble compared to the more experienced members of the Resistance." Dr. Darkstar told him. "Besides, I believe our test run was a complete success."

"Test run?" Zuzu asked. Sophie and Max turned around, revealing their lifeless eyes.

"Why do you think we had these two lead you here?" The Doktor smirked. Zuzu and Echo realized that Sophie and Max were among those that were captured and brainwashed.

At the base, Yuya and Zack stare out into the open plains.

"To think this was once a peaceful world." He mused to himself.

"What I would give to bring life back to this place," Yuya added before hearing Kylie's voice.

"Yuya! General Zack!"

"Kylie?" Zack spoke.

"Zack, Yuya, something terrible has happened!" Kylie spoke to him.

"What is it? What happened?" Yuya asked

"It's Zuzu and Echo, they..." But before she can finish, she felt a sinister force.

"They're what? Spill it! Kylie? Answer me, Kylie!" Zack snapped his fingers in front of her face, but no response. What he heard next shocked him.

"I'm afraid Kylie is unavailable at this time." Kylie droned, but her voice sounded like it was mixed with a different voice.

"Huh? What's up with your voice?" Zack questioned.

"I am Dr. Maia Darkstar. I am one of Zenova's greatest scientific minds and I bring to you this message on behalf of my superior, Emperor Shade." Darkstar spoke through Kylie.

"Shade!?" Zack gasped.

"I was afraid of this," Yuya added.

"We have your friends, Zack Kendo. If you wish to rescue them, come to my laboratory in Calypso City. It is there that we will duel. Should you refuse my request, they will suffer greatly. I'll be waiting." Darkstar challenged Zack before releasing her control over Kylie. She falls forward before Yuya catches her. She wakes up.

"What happened? Did I blackout or something?" Kylie yelped.

"Do you know where that lab is? I need to get there right now." Zack asked.

"I think so. Follow me." Kylie began to lead Zack but Yuya was skeptical at Darkstar's intentions.

"Zack, wait!" Yuya spoke up. "I don't like the sound of this. For all we know, she could be setting up some kind of trap!"

"Well, what can we do? Zuzu and Echo are in trouble and it's up to us to rescue them!" Zack argued. "Commander Echo is as important to me as Zuzu is to you! Who are we to turn a blind eye in their hour of need!?"

With a sigh of defeat, Yuya nods. "Lead the way, Kylie."

With a confident nod, Kylie leads them to the lab in Calypso City. They go in through the tunnel. "You sure this is the tunnel that leads to the lab?" Yuya asked.

"It was the only tunnel we found in the city," Kylie told them.

"Who told you about this?" Zack asked.

"Sophie and Max. We found them while we were looking for materials." Kylie admitted. "Of course, something was off about them."

"We'll figure that out once we find them." Yuya, Kylie, and Zack enter the lab's control room, where they see Dr. Darkstar.

"Yuya Sakaki and Zack Kendo." Dr. Darkstar greeted them.

"Cut the small talk! Where are Zuzu and Echo!?" Yuya barked.

"Ah, those two. Do not worry - they are safe, for now." She turned on the live feed and found the two girls in a cage dangling over a pit of hazardous fluid.

"Zuzu! Echo!" Yuya shouted. Yuri's spirit appeared briefly.

"Okay, even I wouldn't go this far!" Yuri commented.

"Shout for them all you want – these walls are lined with a mercury-based alloy. They cannot hear you." Dr. Darkstar informed them. "If you still wish to save them, I will kindly allow you to duel me and if you win, they go free. However, that will be impossible – for I have analyzed your dueling strategies and I have constructed my deck solely to counter them."

"If it's a duel you want, it's a duel you'll get!" Yuya raised his Duel Disk, but Zack stopped him.

"No, Yuya. She's mine." Zack told him. "I'll hold for as long as I can. You go and find the girls." Yuya nods in compliance and leaves to search the lab. "You want me, Darkstar? You got me!" Zack activated his Duel Disk, which has a futuristic blue body and projects a yellow blade.

"A wise decision, Zack Kendo, but this will be one duel you will never win." Dr. Darkstar's Duel Disk blade protrudes from her robotic arm.

While Yuya rushes to find Zuzu and Echo, Zack takes on Dr. Darkstar to buy him enough time. Unbeknownst to Yuya, he will be heading into a surprise he will not be expecting.