Accelerating Courage

Chapter 25: Fortune Cup Day 3-1: Black Rose Blooms

Akiza looked out the glass of the pod she was in, deep in thought. She slowly held her arm up, where the wretched mark first appeared.

"No, stop thinking about it." Akiza told herself. Today was the day she dueled Yusei, something for once, Akiza didn't think she could win. Being in her pod, Akiza couldn't hear Sayer growl with anger.

"What is it about Yusei that makes him so special?" Sayer demanded his subordinate next to him.

"Sir?" The man asked confused.

"Some insufferable brat from the junkyard has incredible dueling prowess, and has caused Akiza's powers to dwindle." Sayer shot back.

"We have no knowing that's true." The Arcadia movement stooge reminded.

"And what of that Kamiya kid?" Sayer demanded. "And you better not say anything about you can't find anything past three years."

"Uh, he has a sister." The man said, bringing up several pictures of Kari on his tablet. "We've detected some weak psychic readings coming from her."

"Now that, I can use." Sayer said darkly.

"Alright Guilmon, you have to stay in your digivice until I get back, ok." Yusei explained to the large red lizard.

"OK." Guilmon said with a smile. "Good luck."

"Thanks buddy." Yusei held up his digivice and transferred Guilmon into it, then gave it to Kari.

"So that thing has all its shots right?" Tanner asked nervously. Both he and Yanagi were rather frightened at the idea of Digimon, but the aged treasure hunter warmed up to the idea rather quickly. Tanner blamed the prison food on that one.

"Still, you're dueling Akiza, that's not going to be easy." Kari pointed out.

"Don't worry, I have a plan," Yusei said firmly. "In the meantime, one of you has to talk to Tai, and get him up to speed." Kari nodded in agreement.

"So you play this game on a motorcycle?" Agumon asked confused. Both he and Tai were in the waiting room, ready for Yusei's duel with Akiza.

"With cards too." Tai chuckled with a smile. "But it's not always using a duel runner."

"I know you're going to beat your next opponent." Agumon said.

"Just because I'm a quarter finalist doesn't mean anything." Tai pointed out, "I've still got one more opponent to go through, and he's no amateur."

"I heard someone down here." Lazar said, coming down the hallway.

"Uh oh." Tai held up his digivice and put Agumon in it.

The clown man walked in accompanied by several members of Security. "I thought there was someone else in here with you?"

"Does it look like it?" Tai asked rudely.

"No matter, you are to be relocated to a more suitable area." Lazar said, as the security goons took Tai away. Not long after, Kari walked in.

"Tai we need." Kari began, only to see him missing. "Oh no."

Kari went back to the booth from yesterday, only to hear jeers after jeers aimed at Akiza.

"They're just scared of Akiza, that's all." Kari said to herself, not wanting to believe the hurtful things that were said.

"Alright everyone, it's time for the first Quarterfinal match to decide who will go on to duel Jack Atlas!" MC shouted triumphantly. "In the red corner, it's Satellite's Shooting Star, Yusei Fudo, in the blue corner, the Black Rose herself, Akiza Izinski!"

Both Akiza and Yusei were raised onto the field, neither opponent was certain they could defeat the other. Just then, Kari locked eyes onto Yusei's chest, seeing an all too familiar blue glow coming from under his shirt.

"Is that, Matt's crest of friendship?" Kari asked confused, keeping her voice down. If Yolie wasn't thrilled about Yusei being a Digidestined, this would surely infuriate her. Unaware, she wasn't the only one who noticed. From his spot in the cell, I mean box seat, Tai noticed the same thing. Presently, he had about six members of security outside, making sure he wouldn't go anywhere. Agumon however, was helping himself to the buffet.

"At least there aren't any cameras." Tai said with a sigh, having given the room a full look over, so he could let Agumon back out.

Yusei locked eyes onto the Black Rose, while Akiza locked eyes onto Satellite's Shooting Star. Yusei was concerned for the girl, she was constantly pushed people away because of her past. Something that was beyond her control. Now he had a chance to show her, not everyone was afraid of Akiza. Akiza's own thoughts were the polar opposite, in the form of rage. What was it about Yusei that infuriated her so much? Was it because of that accursed mark? No matter, this would lead to answers.

"Let's Duel!" The two shouted, despite their fears.

(Both LP: 4000)

"I'll start this duel." Akiza began, drawing. "By playing my Wall of Ivy in defense mode (LV 2 300/1200) and a card face down."

"Alright, here goes something." Yusei said, taking a look at his opening hand. "And I'll summon my Speed Warrior in attack mode." The grey armored warrior took to the field and gave itself its attack boost. (900/400-1800) "Now thanks to its special ability, my Speed Warrior's attack doubles this turn. "Now go." Speed Warrior got on his hands and spun, legs extended. Akiza kept a straight face as her monster was destroyed. As it did, a lone seed went to Yusei's field, blossoming into a piece of poison ivy. (LV 1 0/0)

"An Ivy token, these things can be a real problem for me if I don't uproot it soon." Yusei thought worried. "They have the ability to take away 600 life points each time their destroyed."

"Are you going to do anything else?" Akiza demanded rudely.

"No, I end my turn." Yusei said with a sigh.

"Fine," Akiza said, drawing.

"She's rude." Guilmon pointed out, seeing the events from the Digivice.

"That's one way to put it." Kari agreed. But deep down, she kind of saw what Luna was taking about, regarding pain.

"And I'll start this turn, by playing Cursed Ivy, which not only brings my wall back, but also puts an extra token on your field, should you destroy it." Akiza revealed her trap, and brought her monster back.

"It's my move then." Yusei said drawing. "And I'll start it by kicking my Speed Warrior to the curb to advance summon Turret Warrior in attack mode. (LV 5 1200/1200)" A humanoid castle like monster took to the field. "And because of its special effect, Turret Warrior gains Speed Warrior's attack points." The ghost of Speed Warrior appeared, empowering Turret Warrior. (1200-2100) "Go, Revolving Shot Blast." The castle fired a barrage of bullets, mowing down Wall of Ivy as two more tokens took to the field.

"I end at that." Yusei said, realizing he had to clear his own field.

"Not bad." Akiza drew her next card, smiling wickedly. "But not good enough."

"This is not going to end well for Yusei is it?" Davis asked concerned.

"What gave you that idea?" Tanner scoffed sarcastically.

"I'll start my turn by activating Seed of Deception, to special summon Dark Verger in attack mode. (LV 2 0/1000)" A twin leaf sprout with eyes took to the field. "But don't worry, this weed's the least of your problems for I sacrifice it to summon Rose Tentacles in attack mode." (LV 6 2200/1200) A ferocious rose with an assortment of tentacle like roots stood above the two players.

"Lovely." Yusei groaned, seeing the beast leer at him.

"Oh and it gets better, for every plant type monster you have on the field is one additional attack my monster gets, plus it slams you with 300 life points each plant it destroys." Akiza brought up as the monster swung its arms.

"Oh that even looks like it's going to hurt!" Yusei gulped as Rose Tentacles destroyed the four tokens and Turret Warrior.

(YLP:1500)

As the attack hit, Yusei was hit by four shockwaves. Kari could feel Guilmon getting restless, seeing how badly Yusei was hit.

"Calm down boy." Kari whispered, horrified if Guilmon got out now of all times.

"I end with that, so come at me." Akiza shot back.

"She's back to normal alright," Sayer thought, however he continued to scowl. "But for how long, and what kind of power does Yusei Fudo have that Goodwin's so interested in?"

"I draw," Yusei said, slowly taking the top card from his deck. "I summon Shield Warrior in Defense Mode, (LV 3 800/1600) and end with two cards face down."

"Is that all," Akiza drew her next card, then felt a strange pulse at her chest. "Now what?" She growled to herself.

"Sir," Sayer paused to see one of his subordinates walk up. "Akiza's psychic powers, they've-" The man began only to be cut off.

"Diminished again?" Sayer asked angered.

"Uh, no replaced," The Arcadia Movement member showed Sayer his tablet confused. "The energy readings, they're unlike anything we've ever seen."

"What?" Sayer grabbed the device, and looked at the readings. "They're almost identical to those of the Kamiya girl." He then turned to see Kari looking intensely from the crowds. "Get me his sister, now."

"Yes sir." The stooge left to get his job done, unaware a mysterious black blob had begun to follow the psychic.

Akiza shook her head, then played her newest spell card. "I play my Ivy Shackles." A dark assortment of thorns covered the field and did something to Shield Warrior. "Now so long as this card remains on the field, your monsters are now considered Plant Type monsters during my turn only,"

"Oh no, this is bad." Davis grimaced.

"Have a little faith, Yusei won't lose that easily." Kari pointed out.

"But because of that plant's effect, Akiza can wipe him out." Cody reminded as Rose Tentacles destroyed Shield Warrior.

(YLP: 1200)

"Now Rose Tentacles, end this duel." Akiza ordered.

"Tell that to my Card Defense Trap card." Yusei declared, revealing his trap. "By sending one card to the graveyard from my hand, I can block your direct attack, then draw again." A wall of duel monsters cards blocked the attack, saving Yusei for another turn.

"That's our boy." Tai said with a smile.

"Alright, I end with that." Akiza scoffed angered.

"Fine then," Yusei drew his next card and smiled. "I summon Junk Synchron in attack mode. (LV 3 1300/500)" Yusei's iconic tuner took to the field, then waved its arms. "And thanks to his effect, I can now summon Speed Warrior back to the field in attack mode." The grey armored warrior type took to the field. "But don't worry, I'm not done yet, because now I tune my two monsters together to synchro summon Junk Warrior. (LV 5 2300/1300)" Yusei's purple jet powered warrior took to the field.

"Just enough attack points to destroy her monster." Davis said excitedly.

"Knowing Yusei, he's not stopping there." Tanner said with a smile.

As if to prove the former pro correct, Yusei placed another card into his duel disk. "Next I play Junk Barrage and equip it to my Junk Warrior." A mysterious energy covered Junk Warrior. "Now each time my monster destroys one of yours in battle, you lose life points equal to its Attack."

"Do it." TK said excitedly.

"Junk Warrior, show Akiza what a real bond is with scrap fist!" Yusei ordered, as Junk Warrior slammed its fist into the garden of evil. Akiza remained still as her life points dropped, almost as if she was infuriated even more.

(ALP: 2700)

"It's your move Akiza." Yusei said firmly.

"Bonds, bonds, what would you know!" Akiza demanded, her anger rising. As she did, the faint glow beneath her pendant vanished almost instantly. Akiza practically ripped the top card of her deck off. "Bonds have gotten me only heartache and sadness, with only Sayer knowing how I truly feel."

"That's my girl." Sayer thought darkly.

"I summon to the field Copy Plant in attack mode. (LV 1 0/0)" Akiza root like tuner took to the field. As it did, Copy Plant reshaped itself to look like Junk Warrior. "Now because of its effect, my monster now borrows Junk Warrior's level." (CP LV 1-5)

"And because I have a plant type tuner on the field, I can summon Dark Verger back in attack mode." Akzia's plant resurfaced. However before she moved any further, Akiza pulled something out, her Black Rose mask. Slowly she slipped in on.

"She wouldn't." Leo gulped horrified.

"She would." Kari nodded, equally frightened.

"Now, I tune my two monsters together, in order to synchro summon the very reason I earned the name Black Rose, The Black Rose Dragon!" A massive gust of wind pushed the audience back as the dragon was summoned. (LV 7 2400/1800)

"It's like she was cranked up to eleven!" Mimi shouted in fear. As she did, everyone noticed Guilmon had escaped the Digivice, clearly ready to burn Akiza to ash.

"No, down boy, sit!" Davis ordered as he, TK, and Tanner jumped on top of the lizard to hide him from the other audience members. Leo and Dexter joined in, keeping his tail down while Tanner had a tight grip on Guilmon's mouth, in hopes he wouldn't shoot off his building pyro spear.

"Hang on, I dropped Yusei's digivice." Kari said, quickly retrieving the gadget in question as she hit the button.

The Black Rose smirked as her signature dragon took to the field. "Now I activate my monster's special ability to end this duel, I banish my Dark Verge to reduce your monster's attack to zero." Akiza pulled the card out of her graveyard as the vines of Black Rose Dragon covered Junk Warrior.

"Now end this duel!" Akiza roared enraged.

"I can think of two reasons why that isn't going to happen, Shield Warrior and Spirit Force." Yusei declared, pulling Shield Warrior out of his Graveyard and revealed his trap. "By Banishing Shield Warrior from my graveyard, I can prevent one monster from destruction, while Spirit Force negates all damage I take from one battle, and lets me take a Warrior Type Monster from my graveyard to my hand." The ghost of Shield Warrior and the trap protected Junk Warrior, while Yusei added Junk Synchron to his hand.

"Oh good, he survives another turn." Yuuko said with a sigh of relief.

"And you are lucky everyone was more focused on the duel to notice you." Kari said in a harsh whisper disappointed in how quickly Guilmon almost blew their cover.

"I got worried about Yusei." Came Guilmon's simple response.

"Fine, I'll end with two cards face down." Akiza said rudely, placing the two cards.

"It's my move then," Yusei said drawing. "Akiza trust me when I say you aren't alone out there, and I think I know just the monster to prove it by summoning my Junk Synchron back to the field and to summon Speed Warrior in Defense mode by its effect."

Everyone could tell Junk Warrior got an attack bonus by its effect. (JW 2300-3200)

"Alright, now he can take a gigantic chunk out of Akiza's life points with that kind of firepower and Junk Barrage." Davis pointed out.

"I don't think that's Yusei's plan." Tanner said, slightly unmoved by Yusei's tone.

"It's time for a tune up," Yusei said, as Junk Synchron turned into a trio of rings while Junk Warrior turned into five stars. "Glorious dragon from the cosmos, rise above and protect your allies, I synchro Summon STARDUST DRAGON! (LV 8 2500/2200)" The silver, green, and purple dragon took to the field, releasing an awe inspiring glow as it did.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, I'm going to level with you all and say I've never seen a monster quiet like this before, it's incredible." MC shouted excitedly into his mic.

"Why do that?" Leo asked confused, "Junk Warrior had more attack points."

Agumon asked the same question and turned to his partner.

"At a guess, Yusei needs its ability to negate card effects with all the destruction Akiza can cause." Tai suggested, grabbing his arm.

"Stardust dragon, cosmic flare!" Yusei ordered. As Stardust destroyed Black Rose Dragon: Tai, Yusei, Jack, Luna, and Akiza's arms lit up with their bizarre marks.

"Wow, is that the signer power you were talking about?" Agumon asked, seeing the claw mark on Tai's arm.

"Yeah, and I think Akiza's in on this." Tai groaned in pain.

As the blast destroyed Black Rose Dragon, the lower half of Akiza's mask broke off. "Why, why must you hound me?" She demanded, a few stray tears rolled down her face.

"Because I'm trying to help you," Yusei insisted, ending his turn. "I'm not your enemy."

"You, you," Akiza insisted drawing. "I play Magical Planter, so I send Ivy Shackles to the graveyard to draw two new cards." She tore the top two cards from her deck. "Now I play my facedown card, Wicked Rebirth," Akiza's trap was revealed, as a familiar assortment of black and red thorned vines appeared. "At a cost of 800 life points, I can revive Black Rose Dragon."

(ALP 1900)

The all too familiar flare of the Black Rose Dragon took to the field. Yusei knew what was coming next but he showed few signs of worry. He was prepared this time.

"I activate my monster's special ability, when I special summon Black Rose Dragon, I can destroy every card on the field." Akiza declared, as psychic energy began to build up from the monster.

"Not so fast Akiza, I activate Stardust Dragon's special effect, by send it to the graveyard, I can negate any card effect that would destroy at least one card." Stardust Dragon lit up and grabbed hold of Black Rose Dragon. The two wrestled for a bit before vanishing in a flash of light.

"No matter, I can work with that by summoning my Phoenixian Seed in Attack mode (LV 2 800/0)." Akiza placed the card onto her duel disk. "Now thanks to its special ability, I can send my seed to the graveyard to summon Phoenixian Cluster Amaryllis. (LV 8 2200/0)" The firebird inspired plant took to the field. "Now destroy his monster." The Cluster ripped Speed Warrior to pieces.

"Next I must now destroy my Amaryllis, but it's worth it to slam you with 800 life points in damage." A fireball nailed Yusei right into his chest, pushing Yusei back several feet.

(YLP: 400)

"Now I end my turn with a card face down and Overline Doom, which gives any monster summoned from the graveyard 1000 attack points." Akiza explained as both Stardust Dragon and Phoenixian Cluster Amaryllis (2200-3200) returned to the field.

"Here I go." Yusei said drawing. "First I'll switch my dragon to defense mode, and play Prevention Star, equipping it Stardust Dragon."

"What's that do?" Akiza demanded.

"I pick one monster on your field, and so long as Stardust remains on the field equipped to Prevention Star, your monster can't switch battle position or attack." Yusei explained, "And only one monster fits the bill right now."

A series of stars covered Phoenixian Cluster Amaryllis, preventing it from moving. "Easy fix, I play my trap card, Synchro Back, now I send a Synchro Monster in my Graveyard back to my Extra Deck, I can special summon a monster next turn." Akiza smirked victoriously, taking a certain monster from her graveyard.

"Black Rose Dragon, meaning Yusei loses next turn." Kari pointed out.

"I end my turn with one card face down, it's your move." Yusei said solemnly.

"Fine," Akiza drew her next card victoriously.

"Bye bye Fudo." Sayer smirked, as Black Rose Dragon took to the field.

"Now I activate my monster's special ability to destroy every card on the field." Akiza smirked as Black Rose Dragon turned into a familiar flare.

"I activate my Dragon's special ability." Yusei's moved confused everyone to say the least, as it took out Black Rose.

"Why do that?" Agumon asked confused.

"I think I know why, it's that trap card." Tai said, putting his fingers to his chin.

"Did you just throw the match?" Akiza scoffed.

"No, I just won it, thanks to Cosmic Blast!" Yusei revealed his trap card. "When a Dragon type Synchro monster leaves the field for any reason, you lose life points equal to its attack points."

"What?" Akiza demanded confused.

"I knew it." Tai smirked.

The blast from the trap card hit Akiza dead on. As it did, the remains of Akiza's mask split right down the middle. The crowd cheered in victory, not for Yusei's win, but Akiza's loss. Feeling numb, Akiza dropped to her knees, hands on the ground.

"I meant what I said, I really do want to help you." Yusei said, slowly walking towards her with a friendly extended hand.

"That won't be neccicery." Sayer reacted first, wrapping his coat around her. As Akiza was escorted out, she couldn't help but think:

"Yusei, thank you."

As Akiza was resting in her pod, Sayer turned to his subordinate with bad news. "What do you mean nobody's seen them?" Sayer demanded.

"I mean just that sir, the members you had to kidnap the Kamiya girl vanished." The goon said.

"This isn't Goodwin's work, he doesn't have the skill, but the better question is who?" Sayer demanded, unaware a blob of black ooze had latched itself to the undercarriage of the truck.

Wow, wow, I am so sorry this took so long to write up. But like I said before, this is a hobby of mine. Plus I developed a wicked bad case of writers block. Now if all things go well, I should have the next chapter up sooner than expected.