GX Month Day 4: “Swing of Memories”
Ah, yes, those sweet, precious memories shared with siblings...and a few you’d rather forget. Explore the bond between Asuka Tenjoin/Alexis Rhodes and Fubuki Tenjoin/Atticus Rhodes today! A sweet sibling hug? A heated argument? Show us!
Yes, I summarized and skipped over parts of the actual duel. This thing would have been so much longer if I hadn’t. Cheese and crackers this monster. O_O
This is not how Alexis expected this night to go. She almost regrets her idea for all of them to crash together when they are now standing on a magic platform above lava that will destabilize with every turn that passes. Syrus already looks ready to pass out, clinging to the back of Jaden’s jacket for dear life.
“Isn’t this counterproductive for you?!” Alexis yells at the shadowy creep. The way the darkness clings to him makes it impossible to distinguish any features, beyond the fact he wears black and that creepy mask. Even his voice sounds distorted. “If we die, you can’t duel us for the keys!”
A dark laugh like shadows on the walls. “Do you know why the Keys cannot simply be taken?” the man asks instead of answering.
“Because the Keys form a bond with whomever holds them,” Bastion snaps. Of course they already asked the important questions when Chancellor Sheppard told them about this crazy shadow war. “Therefore that bond must be broken through ritual combat.”
“Mmm, well you’re half right.” The man tilts his head, sounding smug under the layers of shadows that mask his real voice. “There’s more than one way to break a bond. A Key holder could give their Key to another- a simple, painless transfer. But I don’t expect you lot to do that. You’re far too good.” For a moment his voice is viscous, deadly, and sends a shiver down Alexis’ spine. The next he returns to almost mockingly light-hearted teasing. “However, if a Key holder dies, there’s nothing for the Key to bond to, now is there? A Key without an owner is free for the taking.”
Great, just great! So much for ‘can only be won in a duel’. If this wackjob figured out a loophole, then how many of the other Shadow Riders know about it?
Bastion inhales sharply, eyes darting back to the dark platform under their feet as Christina snarls a curse and Syrus and Chumley wail.
“Of fucking course!”
“I don’t wanna die~!”
“Don’t you worry about that.” That shadows-on-the-wall laugh again. “I’ll win this match long before you can fall. I want the pleasure of taking you all out myself.”
“Certainly confident,” Bastion grumbles, but there’s genuine fear in his eyes.
“Not gonna happen!” Jaden yells with all of his usual bravado; Alexis shouldn’t be surprised.
The duel starts to everyone’s dismay but it’s not like they actually have a way off this volcano. Alexis still doesn’t know how they got here beyond falling through the magical darkness that overtook Jaden’s dorm room. The first round isn’t anything special, the most excitement comes from Chumley’s leg falling through the platform as he tries to convince himself it’s still stable. Syrus and Chumley both scream as they all yank him back up and stare in horror at the brand new hole in the only thing between them and certain death.
“-Red-Eyes Black Dragon!”
What?
Alexis’ attention snaps back to the duel as the familiar monster takes the field in a blaze of glory and proceeds to blast Jaden back several feet. Syrus goes tumbling with him, and Christina shrieks as they come dangerously close to the edge, but Jaden skids to stop with a foot to spare, one hand braced against the platform and the other fisted in Syrus’ jacket.
Barely able to breathe, Alexis turns back to Nightshroud and Red-Eyes Black Dragon. “Why do you have that card? What did you do to my brother?!”
“Your brother?” Bastion yelps but Alexis can’t focus on anything but the man in front of her.
Nightshroud pauses, head tilting. “Who? Sorry, I don’t know what you’re talking about. This card has always been mine.”
“Liar!” Alexis screams, voice raw, chest heavy. “That card is a tournament exclusive!” Atticus gushed over it for weeks, showed it off at school, more excited about the card than winning the tournament. This is the first sign she’s seen of her brother in two years! This man has to know something!
“You dare call me a liar?” A dark bolt darts out at Nightshroud’s command and sends Alexis careening back. Her foot slips off the edge.
“ALEXIS!”
Jaden yanks her back by the arm with a grip hard enough to bruise, and Alexis startles at the absolute terror in his eyes. “Hey, not cool!” He swings back around to face Nightshroud, the bravado back in full force, but this time Alexis knows what it hides. “You’re dueling me! Leave them out of this!”
Nightshroud only snorts, a derisive sound. “Then duel me, since you want to save them so badly.”
Alexis is still close enough to see the cards as Jaden draws Polymerization and fusion summons Rampart Blaster to deal Nightshroud damage even from defense position. The shadows shiver as Nightshroud suffers the pain of his own shadow game, momentarily revealing brown hair.
“Feel like talking now, buddy?��� Jaden taunts with a grin.
Nightshroud’s legs shake before he stands tall once again. “I already told you! This card has always been mine! I don’t know anything about the girl’s brother!” For a moment, the shadows obscuring his voice part and it sounds almost familiar.
Rampart Blaster’s defense proves futile as Nightshroud hits Jaden directly with the spell Inferno Fire Blast. The flames that engulf Jaden are far too real for any hologram, and Jaden sinks to his knees and nearly through the platform as it gives way beneath him. Christina and Syrus scramble to drag him back up as Bastion checks him over for serious injury.
“‘M fine.” Jaden tries to brush them off and stand on his own but immediately winces and sways.
“Fine my ass!” Christina hisses.
“I’m inclined to agree!” Bastion pushes up Jaden’s sleeve to reveal an angry red splotch. “You’re covered in blisters if not more severe burns!”
“We can worry about that later!” Jaden pries his hand free with another wince as Nightshroud uses his next monster to force Rampart Blaster into attack mode.
“Wait. No.” A cold spot appears in Alexis’ chest as she takes a step back. She recognizes more than one card Nightshroud has played. “It’s not just Red-Eyes... I think he has Atticus’ whole deck.”
“What?” Christina spins from where she stands to act as Jaden’s support.
“But how is that possible?” Chumley stammers.
“I don’t know!” Alexis snaps, shaking. She has this horrible, horrible feeling. No matter what Nightshroud claims, he must have done something to her brother and taken his deck. She never once let herself consider the possibility, because it meant giving up, it meant letting her grief win, but what if... “I-”
Syrus shrieks as the platform gives way underneath him, stumbling forward as Chumley catches and hauls him back to safety. Their safe places to stand are dwindling quickly. Jaden finishes his combo by fusion summoning Thunder Giant. The two monsters’ clash ends in a draw as both are destroyed, setting up Burstinatrix for a direct attack.
“Let’s see how you like it!”
Nightshroud barely flinches against the assault of flame as the shadows around him flicker and swell as if fending off the attack. Pouting, Jaden moves onto his next play then passes the turn to Nightshroud. Mirage Dragon takes the field and Alexis startles as Nightshroud refers to the dragon with feminine pronouns. That’s how Atticus always referred to that card. Most duelists default to masculine pronouns unless the card art is obviously feminine, but Atticus was different.
-“She just gives me, ‘cranky old lady’ vibes, ya know?”- Atticus said when Alexis asked. She hadn’t known, not all, what Atticus meant.
Atticus’ deck was one thing, but this particular quirk... It couldn’t be.
Jaden goes down again as Mirage Dragon takes out Burstinatrix; Christina drags him back to his feet and away as a new hole opens up in the platform. His next turn sees Elemental Hero Tempest take the field and obliterate Mirage Dragon. This time, Nightshroud flinches as the shadows scatter off his form; and even with that mask on his face, Alexis knows what she sees.
“ATTICUS?!”
“Hold on whut?” Jaden jerks, gaping at her.
Alexis starts forward and stumbles as her foot falls through another hole.
“And who the hell is that supposed to be?” Nightshroud growls, and it’s Atticus’ voice now that the shadowy echo no longer obscures it.
“You!” Pulling herself upright, Alexis watches the floor for holes as she continues forward. Her friends call after her but she ignores them. “I know that’s you, Atticus! You really think a dumb mask would make me not recognize my own brother?!”
“My name is Nightshroud-”
“Why are you doing this? Why are you a Shadow Rider? What happened to you, Atticus?!”
“Lexi!!”
She manages to duck this time before the darkness strikes her, elbows banging hard against the platform. The breath shudders out of her and she realizes she’s crying.
“I don’t know you, little girl.”
It hurts. It hurts so much. She found him but like this and he doesn’t even know who she is. A hand on her shoulder alerts her to one of her friends, unsurprised to find Christina kneeling next to her. “It’s him...” Alexis whispers brokenly as Christina pulls her up.
“I know.”
“Why is he...” she hiccups, unable to finish the sentence. Christina squeezes her finger as she leads Alexis safely back to their friends.
Atticus summons Red-Eyes back to the field with Red-Eyes Chick’s ability then trades it in for a card Alexis has never seen before - Red-Eyes Darkness Dragon. Darkness. Nightshroud. That thing has her brother and she needs to figure out how to get him back from its clutches. Jaden ends the turn with Negate Attack, surviving to the next round. He hesitates as he draws his next card, then plays Wroughtweiler in defense and switches Tempest to defense.
“Jay?” Christina sends him a look.
“I honestly don’t have any other plays right now,” Jaden says, voice low as he glances back at her. “Besides, if that’s Lexi’s brother... Doesn’t the loser of this duel die?”
Alexis breathes in sharply. Christina hisses through her teeth.
“But what if winning gets rid of whatever is controlling him,” Bastions says. “Assuming he’s been possessed by some sort of dark power.”
“Yeah, maybe, but-”
“Jaden.” Alexis forces the words out as he turns to look at her, those eyes so full of compassion and concern. “If you lose, we all die. We can worry about the rest of it later.”
Jaden flinches. “Are you sure?”
“Of course I’m not!” Alexis loses the battle against her emotions as a fresh wave of tears overtakes her. “But what other choice do we have?”
Jaden stares at her a moment longer before turning back to face his opponent as Atticus attacks Wroughtweiler with Spear Dragon. He activates Wroughtweiler’s effect and goes down with a scream as his Life Points drop because Spear Dragon deals damage even if the monster it battles is in defense. Still, Jaden gets to add Sparkman and Polymerization back to his hand and gets back to his feet with a little help. Not that it does much good. The force of Tempest’s destruction sends him reeling back into Bastion, and Bastion yelps as the ground threatens to cave under their combined weight. Between the four of them, they manage to keep their friends on stable ground, but Jaden looks like he’s barely conscious at this point. With 600 Life Points left and their safety net looking like swiss cheese, Alexis glances at the lava below and turns back to her brother.
“Enough! Enough, Atticus! This duel is over!” she declares with all the fire she can muster. “You want a Spirit Key so badly, then you can have mine!” Ignoring the startled outburst from her friends, she pulls the object from its place around her neck and holds it out. “You said it works if it’s given freely, right? Let my friends go, and you can have it!”
“Alexis...” Jaden rasps, held upright by Christina’s arm. Alexis never looks away from her brother.
Atticus scoffs. “While I’m flattered that you’d give me your Key willingly, I’m afraid just one Key won’t do. I want them all.” His voice darkens, distorts into something unrecognizable again as the shadows rise up and cling to him. “Wait your turn, little girl. I’ll duel you next.”
“Atticus!” Alexis pleads, except this time she knows she’s not talking to her brother anymore - if she ever was - but this thing that’s taken over him.
“Make your move, Key keeper. If you can.”
Pulling his arm off Christina’s shoulders, Jaden glares his opponent down. “Oh, I can. And I’m winning this duel!”
“But you can barely sta-AAAAAA!” Syrus screams as he falls entirely through the platform. Alexis dives, catching his hand as Bastion grabs the other. Together they haul him back up while Jaden watches, pale as a sheet.
“Whatever you’re about to do, do it fast!” Chumley clasps his hand together, legs shaking so hard Alexis is surprised he still stands.
“Right!” With Christina’s hand on his shoulder, Jaden draws his card.
The combo he gets off next is a spectacular comeback. Atticus hits his knees with a scream as darkness rolls off his form in waves, and Alexis runs for him without a second thought. She doesn’t get far before the dark platform vanishes completely from beneath her feet. She has a single terrifying moment to think, This is how we die, before a bright golden light engulfs her.
When she opens her eyes again, she pushes herself off the cold, rocky ground of the mountainside while Syrus and Chumley cry over not being dead.
"What was that light? It looked like it came from your deck," Bastion murmurs, and something glows faintly as Christina shuffles through her cards with a frown, Jaden slumped against her.
Alexis spares them only a glance as she continues straight for her brother, collapsed face down on the ground feet in front of her. “Atticus!” She drops to her knees and rolls him to face her.
His eyes flutter briefly open. “Who...?” he mumbles weakly before his head lulls again, and Alexis fears the worst as she searches for his pulse. It flutters under her fingers, slow but strong, and she finally releases the breath she’d be holding. It comes out a sob.
“Is he...?” Bastion ventures closer, not daring to finish the inquiry.
“He’s alive...” Alexis breathes, cradling her brother close as another voice breaches the mountain air.
“Heeeey! What’s going on over here?!”
Alexis looks up as Zane and Chazz come running. “Zane. Zane!” she calls, heedless to how broken her voice is and doesn’t miss the way Zane immediately speeds up. “It’s him! It’s Atticus!” She holds her brother closer as Zane freezes in his tracks, face flooding with shock. “I found him...”
“What-” Zane croaks as he kneels next to them slowly, and reaches out like he expects Atticus to disappear under his fingers. The emotions that play out over his face when his hand lands on Atticus’ shoulder are too complicated to name. “What happened?”
“I don’t know.”
They sit in silence like that for another moment, just soaking in that Atticus is back. Then Zane shifts to slide his arms under Atticus’ limp form. “Here.” Nodding, Alexis moves aside to let Zane lift Atticus into his arms. Some distance away, her friends hoist an unconscious Jaden onto Chumley’s back.
“If he looks this bad after winning, I don’t wanna know what losing looks like,” Chazz gripes.
“That?” Syrus points hesitantly at Atticus.
“What?”
Zane sends Alexis a sharp look. “He was a Shadow Rider,” Alexis whispers, and glances away as Zane’s expression breaks again. “He didn’t recognize me. That’s all I know.”
“Okay,” Zane says at length and they begin the long trek down the mountain.
Alexis still has so many questions...and fears. She once thought finding her brother would make everything okay again, but now... Now she’s scared this is only the beginning rather than the end she sought. What if he wakes up and still doesn’t recognize her? Can she handle that? Can she handle learning what turned him into a Shadow Rider? Her hand fists itself into Zane’s coat tail. If he notices, he doesn’t comment.
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Since I Found you
Be forewarned that this fanfiction is written in a spur of the moment by someone who normally doesn’t write nor post their work. An Anikishipping au story with inspiration from the anime/manga Happy Sugar Life.
The Lonely One
It wasn’t what Wroughtweiler found that surprised Haou, the Supreme King. It was what he heard that made him stand in disbelief.
“Hello, nice to meet you!” Greeted the young boy in front of him, with a Hane Kuriboh floating next to him. He was short in stature, with thick, wild light blue hair and large grey eyes gazing behind his small glasses. His garments were slightly frayed and covered with bit of dirt yet he stood out from the villagers he had captured just moments ago.
Haou, along with his army, were about to return to the castle when he saw Wroughtweiler dart into the forest. Thinking some prisoner or duelist had managed to escape, he went to follow the robotic canine. When he finally caught up to it Haou saw Wroughtweiler not attacking his prey but being gently petted by the child.
In response to his greeting Haou fixed a cold stare from behind his mask.
“You dare speak to me so casually? Do you not know who I am?”
The boy frowned and looked at him questionably. “No, have we met?” Haou was taken aback at the boy’s ignorance. Even a child younger than him who had never seen the Supreme King before would instantly know the armored duelist’s identity on sight.
“Are you from the village just outside this forest? Haou asked. The boy glanced down in uncertainty. He then closed his eyes in thought, strangely appearing as though he was trying to remember. Hane Kuriboh fluttered closer to the child, staring at him expectantly. “I…I’m not sure,” he finally answered. Haou was now frustrated at the boy’s responses and utter disrespect. Seeing as his questions were getting him nowhere, he decided to summon Inferno Wing to finish him off. The child was no duelist in his eyes and his sacrifice wouldn’t be much contribution but it would still bring Haou closer to finishing his ultimate card, Super Fusion.
Just as Haou reached for his duel disk to summon his monster, the boy unexpectedly pulled out a card from his pocket and thrust it as close as he could to his face. At a glance Haou saw it was a magic card, Power Bond. “Here! This is for you!” the boy cheerfully exclaimed. Haou paused in confusion before placing his focus back on the child. “This card serves no purpose for me” Haou coldly responded, not caring for the boy’s reasons and still refusing to believe he was a duelist.
“But it might help fill the card in your soul,” the boy explained. “The card in my soul?” Haou asked, now wondering what boy was going on about.
“Your card, it’s blank but it’s not damaged or torn,” he elaborated. “You’re working hard to fill it, maker it stronger so you can be a strong duelist.” Behind his mask Haou’s golden eyes widen with each word the child spoke. The boy’s face brightens into a hopeful expression. “I hope I can help you finish it, so you’ll become a duelist that will never ever lose a duel.” Suddenly Haou dropped to his knees, numbed by the child’s supportive words.
How was this plausible? They had only just met yet somehow the boy sensed his ultimate goal. As he dwelled on the boy’s inexplicable kindness, a strange feeling began to swell inside his chest. Placing a hand over his heart he tried to understand what this feeling was. It was far from anger, yet he couldn’t say if this pleasing sensation was considered happiness. But looking at the child again Haou no longer saw him as an insignificant peasant.
Before he could think any further Haou heard footsteps approaching from behind. Almost without thought he stood up, placed a hand next to the child’s head and released a small burst of energy from his hand, knocking him out cold. After he caught and gathered the child in his arms, he turned around and saw two of his Death duelists, Skilled Dark and Skilled White Magician approaching.
“Is everything alright, Haou-sama?” Skilled White Magician asked. They then noticed the small boy in Haou’s arms. “I see you caught one of the unfortunate humans. I shall gladly take him ba-“
“No,” Haou sternly responded, cutting Skilled Dark Magician off. “I’ll take the child back with me.” He proceeded to walk back to his army, passing the two shocked magicians with Wroughtweiler and Hane Kuriboh following behind.
It should be fine. As Supreme King he will create Super Fusion and rule this world, ridding it of every evil. Sparing one child shouldn’t make a difference.
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Posted Cards Master Post - 18
July 2018
Destiny HERO - Dystopia
Destiny HERO - Fear Monger
Destiny HERO - Malicious
Destiny HERO - Plasma
Destiny Mirage
Destiny Signal
H - Heated Heart
E - Emergency Call
R - Righteous Justice
O - Oversoul
Hero Flash!!
E☆HERO Pit Boss
Xtra HERO Wonder Driver (Japanese)
Wroughtweiler
Get Your Game On!
Elemental HERO Absolute Zero
Elemental HERO Air Neos
Elemental HERO Aqua Neos
Elemental HERO Avian
Elemental HERO Bladedge
Elemental HERO Blazeman
Elemental HERO Bubbleman
Elemental HERO Burstinatrix
Elemental HERO Captain Gold
Elemental HERO Chaos Neos
Elemental HERO Clayman
Elemental HERO Core
Elemental HERO Dark Neos
Elemental HERO Darkbright
Elemental HERO Divine Neos
Elemental HERO Electrum
Elemental HERO Escuridao
Elemental HERO Flame Wingman
Elemental HERO Flare Neos
Elemental HERO Flash
Elemental HERO Gaia
Elemental HERO Glow Neos
Elemental HERO Grand Neos
Elemental HERO Great Tornado
Elemental HERO Heat
Elemental HERO Honest Neos
Elemental HERO Ice Edge
Elemental HERO Inferno
Elemental HERO Knospe
Elemental HERO Lady Heat
Elemental HERO Magma Neos
Elemental HERO Marine Neos
Elemental HERO Mariner
Elemental HERO Mudballman
Elemental HERO Necroid Shaman
Elemental HERO Necroshade
Elemental HERO Neo Bubbleman
Elemental HERO Neos Alius
Elemental HERO Neos Knight
Elemental HERO Neos
Elemental HERO Plasma Vice
Elemental HERO Poison Rose
Rose Bud
Elemental HERO Prisma
Elemental HERO Rampart Blaster
Elemental HERO Shadow Mist
Elemental HERO Shining Flare Wingman
Elemental HERO Shining Phoenix Enforcer
Elemental HERO Solidman
Elemental HERO Sparkman
Elemental HERO Steam Healer
Elemental HERO Storm Neos
Elemental HERO Stratos
Elemental HERO Tempest
Elemental HERO Terra Firma
Elemental HERO The Shining
Elemental HERO Thunder Giant
Elemental HERO Voltic
Elemental HERO Wild Wingman
Elemental HERO Wildedge
Elemental HERO Wildheart
Elemental HERO Woodsman
Elemental Recharge
Evil HERO Dark Gaia
Dark Fusion
Evil HERO Infernal Gainer
Evil HERO Infernal Prodigy
Evil HERO Infernal Sniper
Evil HERO Inferno Wing
Evil HERO Lightning Golem
Evil HERO Malicious Edge
Evil HERO Malicious Fiend
Evil HERO Wild Cyclone
Fake Hero
Fifth Hope
Form Change
HERO's Bond
Hero Barrier
Hero Blast
Hero Counterattack
Hero Heart
Hero Kid
Hero Mask
Hero Signal
Hero Spirit
Kid Guard
Legacy of a HERO
Mask Change
Mask Change II
Mask Charge
Masked HERO Acid
Masked HERO Anki
Masked HERO Blast
Masked HERO Dark Law
Masked HERO Dian
Masked HERO Divine Wind
Masked HERO Goka
Masked HERO Koga
Masked HERO Vapor
Miracle Contact
Miracle Fusion
Miracle Kids
Mirror Gate
Over Destiny
Parallel World Fusion
Phantom Magician
Rainbow Neos
Skydive Scorcher
Vision HERO Adoration
Vision HERO Trinity
Vision HERO Vyon
Vision HERO Witch Raider
Chrysalis Chicky
Neo-Spacian Air Hummingbird
Chrysalis Dolphin
Neo-Spacian Aqua Dolphin
Chrysalis Larva
Neo-Spacian Flare Scarab
Chrysalis Mole
Neo-Spacian Grand Mole
Chrysalis Pantail
Neo-Spacian Dark Panther
Chrysalis Pinny
Neo-Spacian Glow Moss
Neo-Spacian Marine Dolphin
Neo-Spacian Twinkle Moss
Cross Porter
Cocoon Party
Cocoon Rebirth
Cocoon Veil
Common Soul
Contact
Convert Contact
NEX
Space Gift
Crystal Abundance
Crystal Beacon
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