#crystal wing is basically what if suletta and eri were the same person XD

[anthurak]

Crystal Wind Rin AU/Yugioh Arc-V Rewrite Ideas: Part 2

(See here for Part 1 of this little series.)

So this is the part where things start getting pretty gay XD

Like Yugo, Rin also ends up getting Clear Wing’s ‘evolved’ form, Crystal Wing Synchro Dragon. However, the context of this event is EXTREMELY different, with both the creation and existence of Crystal Wing being FAR more significant to Rin.

Going into the Synchro arc of the story, Rin has continued to be gripped by her fear and uncertainty towards Clear Wing Synchro Dragon, as well as her recurring dreams and visions of fighting the mysterious girl.

Until Rin finally realizes (perhaps unsurprisingly to the audience) that this mysterious girl IS Clear Wing. And that in truth, Clear Wing doesn’t so much hate Rin, but rather that she is just as afraid of Rin as Rin is afraid of her. Leading to an all-important moment where Rin and Clear Wing stop fighting, sit down and, if not ‘talk’, at least CONNECT.

Which takes the form of a whole lot of cute and awkward hand-holding and reminiscing and maybe an intimate forehead bump.

This all leads into Rin’s Friendship Cup duel against Celina much like Yugo had. With Rin not only summoning Clear Wing with no issue for the first time, but also having the subsequent moment of synchronization not with Yuya, but SOLELY with Clear Wing, leading to her summoning Crystal Wing by tuning Clear Wing with Windwitch – Snow Bell.

In this version of events, Crystal Wing Synchro Dragon is FAR more than just a cool upgraded form of Clear Wing. Her creation represents Clear Wing and Rin finally bonding and becoming true PARTNERS, with the ‘Crystal’ part of her name and appearance representing the snow and ice crystals of Snow Bell and the other Windwitch monsters. Indeed, this version of Crystal Wing has additional effects that tie her into the Windwitch archetype; if she is summoned using a ‘Windwitch’ monster, she is treated as a ‘Windwitch’ monster, and when negating an opponent’s monster effect, she can forego gaining an ATK boost to instead burn the opponent’s lifepoints by the same amount.

Basically, Clear Wing might have been Yugo’s card, but CRYSTAL Wing Synchro Dragon is RIN’s monster. To the point where Rin even notices that the strange square-cap marking that once appeared on Clear Wing’s card has now apparently transferred to the new Crystal Wing card.

This also leads to Rin and others referring to her dragon partner as simply ‘Crystal’ from then on, as the Syncho Dragon makes it clear that she prefers that name now. Crystal also starts making a habit to of appearing to Rin in classic Yami Yugi-esque spirit form (though I suppose the better comparison here would be Winged Kuriboh or Yubel) to chat, either in her dragon form or human form.

Character-wise, Crystal Wing is generally rather shy, introverted and nervous, particularly when she still goes by ‘Clear Wing’. However, she always becomes extremely focused and determined during duels, even before she’s summoned. This leads to some amusingly awkward/adorable moments when she and Rin first start talking as Rin has a hard time wrapping her head around the fact that her big scary dragon is also an awkward, nervous dork.

This does change a bit after Clear Wing becomes Crystal, with Crystal having very much broken out of her shell and become much more excitable and energetic, though still fairly awkward and dorky. She’s also become one-hundred percent ride-or-die for Rin at this point and clearly adores her partner.

For Rin’s part, she’s often rather flabbergasted or annoyed at some of Crystal’s antics in very tsundere fashion, though also quite clearly adores her right back. And definitely seems to be falling for her pretty hard and quickly.

And if this dynamic is sounding quite a bit like Suletta and Miorine in Gundam: The Witch From Mercury… yeah, that is pretty deliberate at this point. Like Crystal Wing’s dragon form probably uses crystalline attack drones now XD

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After winning the duel against Celina and getting her new form, both Rin and Crystal are riding pretty high off their victory and are generally feeling like there’s nothing that can beat them.

Unfortunately, their next duel is against an ARC-V version of Aki Izayoi, which as I detailed in this Roseknightshipping post, goes rather BADLY for the pair. Well, badly for Rin certainly, whether or not getting seduced by a sexy rose dragon lady was a ‘bad’ thing for Crystal is left a bit ambiguous XD

Later during her talk with Aki, it becomes clear that Rin has become much too reliant on the burn-strategy and basic Windwitch monsters, having only supplemented her strategy with a single powerful beatstick in the form of Clear/Crystal Wing without having any real counters to a number of different strategies. Like Crystal Wing Synchro Dragon summoned with Windwitch – Snow Bell might be basically impossible to destroy via battle or effect, but there are also plenty of ‘non-destruction’ forms of monster removal, as Aki demonstrated by taking control of Crystal with her Mark of the Rose spell.

This talk is what leads Rin to start expanding her deck with more specialized WIND and Spellcaster support to help her deal with more varied threats, with cards like Pilica, Descendent of Gusto, Wynn the Wind Channeler, Ghost Mourner & Moonlit Chill and eventually the more advanced Windwitch cards like Blizzard Bell and Diamond Bell.

Rin’s talk with Aki also finally gives her some answers, or at least hints, as to what’s going on with her and Crystal. Because it turns out that Aki has her own dragon-mark much like she did in 5Ds, though rather than having been chosen by the Crimson Dragon, the mark represents Aki’s bond with Black Rose Dragon. Aki explains to Rin what it means to have been chosen and bonded to a powerful monster like Crystal Wing, and how this can be both dangerous and wondrous.

Also, as I brought up in the Roseknightshipping post, because Sherry and Celina also happen to be present, the conversation includes Rin and Celina getting an introduction to the fact that girls can like girls. And after an awkward experimental makeout session with Celina, Rin is forced to awkwardly apologize to Crystal for giving her a hard time after their loss to Aki.

Because Rin definitely gets the whole ‘girls are hot’ thing now XD

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Rin’s role in the later events of Academia’s invasion of New Domino City and the simultaneous uprising against Roget is fairly different than what happened with Yugo, with Rin working and coordinating much more closely with the other Lancers. Basically, Rin is a lot more professional and level-headed than Yugo and at this point is more focused on stopping Academia with the knowledge that this will lead to Yugo’s rescue. Rather than just chasing after Yuri at the first opportunity.

It also helps that Yugo just so happens to SHOW UP in New Domino at the same time as the attack starts, having managed to escape Academia in order to reunite with Rin.

Of course what actually happened is that Yugo got implanted with the mind-controlling fusion parasite and was sent out by the Professor to retrieve Rin. Though the fact that Yugo possesses that classic shonen trait of being about as smart or subtle as a box of rocks means that even while mind-controlled he blows his cover almost immediately, which leads to a duel against Rin.

One interesting wrinkle to this is that Yugo actually manages to steal the Clear Wing Synchro Dragon card beforehand and uses it against Rin in the duel. Except Rin immediately realizes that the ‘Clear Wing’ Yugo is using feels entirely hollow and lifeless. Which in turn leads to a triumphant affirmation that the spirit of the ‘Synchro Dragon’ ISN’T ‘Clear Wing’ anymore, but Crystal Wing. Leading to Rin declaring proudly and triumphantly that Yugo, or whoever is controlling him, DOESN’T have Clear Wing, but that “she’s right here with ME! And her name is CRYSTAL WING!” as she summons Crystal Wing Synchro Dragon, who easily dispatches her old form.

This leads to Yugo’s defeat, though he still manages to flee Rin and the Synchro dimension, notably still in possession of the Clear Wing Synchro Dragon card. On the one hand, this actually means little  to Rin and Crystal, as ‘Clear Wing’ is now nothing but an essentially empty shell. On the other hand… this will still have some ramifications later XD

However, the battle for New Domino still has one final wrinkle for Rin and Crystal.

Towards the end of the battle, possibly directly following her duel with Yugo, Rin is ambushed by Academia forces, with one particular Obelisk Force goon trying to get a cheap shot off at her. Only for Crystal Wing to intervene in full dragon form.

Specifically, with an Aeriel-brand SLAP.

She then proceeds to traumatize Rin further by tearing through the other goons before popping back into human form and cheerfully ask Rin if she’s alright, clearly seeing nothing wrong with having just ruthlessly slaughtered some dudes with a cheerful smile.

Thus giving Rin and the audience the biggest indicator so far of just how ruthless the dimension dragons can be, and that there is something SERIOUSLY wrong with them.

Yeah remember how I said I was using Suletta as a character-template for Clear/Crystal Wing? Turns out there are some VERY nice potential parallels that can be worked in XD