CW/TW: hallucinations, assisted h/nging (kinda, just thought I'd warn)

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(3rd Person PoV)

The kaleidoscope light coming from Ancient Fairy Dragon's wings was blinding and had completely dissolved the Earthbound Immortal. Dimark let out a loud cry as his life points went down and his hood fell off, revealing his bald head.

2100 —> 0 LPS

WINNER: Ruka

As soon as Dimark's life points hit zero, the monkey geoglyph disappeared and the Signer marks stopped glowing. "You did it, Ruka!" Rua cheered and she let out a happy sigh. "Now the spirits are safe," she said. But then, Dimark slowly started to walk towards them, his pitch-black eyes showing no emotion.

"Impossible," he said and Rua got in front of his sister, acting like a shield but even he was scared of Dimark. "I cannot believe I lost. Rutger...forgive me. I failed," Dimark said and reached over to grab the twins but Yusei, (who raced down towards them when Dimark was walking towards the twins), scooped them up and got them to safety.

"Glory to the Dark Signers," Dimark then turned to dust, leaving no trace of the Dark Signer that posed a threat to the Spirit World. Everyone watched as this happened, filled with anxiety even if some didn't show it. This is...what happens when you lose a Shadow Duel, Joel realized.

Later in the Spirit World, white beams of light flew over to the stone tablets and as soon as they hit them, a Duel Spirit came out all happy that they were free.

"She did it! Ruka did it! She saved the Spirit World!" Torunka cheered.

Back in the Real world, Ushio said, "that was one tough battle. Glad you persevered." "I'm proud of you, both of you. Especially you, Rua. You improved," Yusei said and Rua wiped some tears away.

"Ruka."

They all looked up to see Ancient Fairy Dragon and Regulus standing there. "Huh? A-are we seeing this right? Is the Solid Vision still going on?" Ushio asked, referring to the holograms used in a regular duel. "No, we are not illusions nor holograms," Ancient Fairy Dragon explained. "Then it's real?!" Ushio then fainted. "This is why some adults are lame," Rua deadpanned as he glanced at him.

"Ruka, I must thank you. Thanks to you, the spirits have returned safely and the Spirit World is no longer in danger," Ancient Fairy Dragon explained. "Really? I'm so glad but it wasn't just me who did it. Rua helped out a lot and Yusei was here to support me. Joel too," Ruka said. "I didn't do that much," Joel looked away, embarrassed. "You were still a big help so thank you," Ruka told him.

"Thank you, Rua, Yusei and Joel," Ancient Fairy Dragon bowed her head. "Will you help us in our fight against the Dark Signers?" Yusei asked and she nodded. "I will fight alongside you even at the cost of my own life. I will not sit in the sidelines while my friends risk their lives fighting this great evil," Ancient Fairy Dragon said. "And I too will fight alongside you," Regulus said. Ancient Fairy Dragon then turned to Joel.

"I see that mark on your arm and I understand that you may have many questions about it but now isn't the time for that. Once that happens though, I will answer any questions that you may have," she told him and Joel went quiet for a moment. Clearly there were other issues at hand like literally what Rua and Ruka were fighting against and while Ancient Fairy Dragon is making a promise, he couldn't help but wonder more about the mark on his arm and why did it appear to him? And why wasn't it a mark that was seen on the Crimson Dragon?

"...alright," Joel nodded and the two monsters disappeared into cards that landed in Ruka's hands. She held them close to her. "So now what?" Etho asked and Yusei turned his head to look at the looming tower where Dimark had stood throughout the whole duel.

"Ms.Mikage did mention something about power controls. Do you think that tower is?" Ruka asked and they all, minus Ushio, walked over there. Yusei held his hand up and the door opened like an automatic one. They walked in and saw a stand with the carving of a monkey on it and an empty spot that was big enough for a Duel Monsters card.

"Is that the control unit?" Rua asked. "It seems like it," Joel said and Ruka held Ancient Fairy Dragon's card close to her. "Lend me your power," she murmured and placed the card on the control unit. At first, nothing happened.

But then, an alarm went off and the ground began to rumble. "Uhh, mate. We need to go, like now," Joel told Yusei who nodded. "Let's go!" He called out and Ruka grabbed her card and followed everyone out before the doors closed and the tower went down, leaving no trace that it was there in the first place. "Thankfully we got out of there quickly or else who knows what would have happened," Etho sighed.

Then that was the moment that Ushio decided to wake up. "Huh? What? What happened and where's that dragon?" He asked, looking bewildered. "What are you talking about?" Rua asked, faking surprise. "Man, I know it was just in my imagination," Ushio sighed while the twins just giggled.

"That's one down and now it'll be my turn. I need to face Kiryu," Yusei said and looked at yonder where the tower of the Giant was at.

(Meanwhile)

In the Dark Signers' lair, Rutger was staring at a three pronged candlestick (for some reason) as one of the flames went out suddenly. "Dimark...so you were the one who got defeated. ...a shame," he said. He picked up the candlestick and hurried out of the room that he was in. "I will make the Signers pay," he said.

He made his way to a cell where someone was sitting down while looking at the floor. Rutger opened the door to that cell and said, "Let us go...Bommer." It was Bommer, who was picked up by Dimark when the building of the Arcadia Movement was previously at.

Bommer followed Rutger who led him onto a platform above a gooey, kaleidoscope colored substance. "I heard that you tried to assassinate Rex Goodwin of the Public Maintenance Department during the Fortune Cup. The punishment for that...is death," Rutger said. Bommer didn't immediately respond but he merely looked at the substance that was below the platform.

"Bommer...I will act as your executioner today. I can feel the darkness in your heart and I have determined that you must die and be reborn as a Dark Signer. But first, you must remember how you felt back then. At your failed assassination attempt and at the destruction of your village," Rutger explained, turning around and letting his hood down.

"My village?" Bommer asked and remembered the bright light that was brought upon it and the flames of destruction that came after. How there was nothing left but a crater. How angry he was at the fate of his brother and sister.

He wanted to win the Fortune Cup so he could expose Goodwin at the awards ceremony but since he lost to Yusei, he couldn't do so and instead, exposed him right there and then after his duel against Yusei. And how Yusei stopped him from killing Goodwin.

"Goodwin! All of this is his fault! He's the reason why my village is gone! The reason why my siblings are dead!" Bommer shouted. "Indeed so that means that the Crimson Dragon and the Signers are your enemies! You are ready," Rutger lowered a level and underneath Bommer was a trap door that suddenly opened, causing him to fall.

A large spider on the wall aimed its webbing towards Bommer and shot it at his neck. The webs wrapped itself around Bommer's neck and suspended him in the air while being surrounded by the kaleidoscope substance, cutting off his air supply from his neck.

"Dying soul, hear my words. Channel the darkness in your heart and pour it in your revenge! You shall seek revenge against the servants of the Crimson Dragon. I wanted you to be Yusei Fudo's opponent but since Kiryu already claimed him as his opponent, I shall assign you a new opponent. Defeat the newest member of the Signers and wilter the hatchling so he's rendered useless to the Crimson Dragon. That Dragon will not have new weapons in their arsenal!" Rutger laughed, already aware of the new Signer.

"De...feat...new Sig...ner. I must d...efeat the new Sig...ner," Bommer said, hoarsely. Then a beam of the kaleidoscope substance shot up, engulfing him.

The squad was making their way towards the tower of the Giant, unaware of a new enemy that was tracking them on a large and modified Duel Runner. "I must find that new Signer and defeat them," Bommer said, a purple line on his face and his eye sockets were pitch black with a purple iris in the middle.

(Meanwhile)

On one side of Satellite, a black Duel Runner was on its side but it was somewhat facing an untouched fridge. The fridge's door opened and someone tumbled out. It was Crow and he was alive????

I normally don't believe in divine intervention but damn, he thought as he glanced at the fridge before crawling towards his Duel Runner. He gripped onto it with trembling hands and used it as a crutch to get him on his feet. As soon as he got himself composed, he then pulled it up and set it up right.

He then remembered what Yeager told him. Something about running away but he thinks it may be too late for him. Then he remembered the black smoke coming towards his direction.

"!"

"Everyone!" He cried and got on his Duel Runner. He placed his helmet on and drove off. As he drove onto the empty streets of Satellite, he started to see the fading figures of the people who were once there. He was getting more and more scared of what he would see once he got back at his hideout.

Crow made it to the hideout and called out, "kids!" Suddenly, a couple of kids poked out from their hiding places and called out, "Crow is back!"

"Crow?"

"He's back!"

"Big Bro Crow is back!"

Crow smiled, relieved to see that the kids that were under his care were safe. "Everyone...I'm so glad you're ok," he said and reached out to hug them but as soon as he could touch them, they suddenly disappeared. "Huh?" He looked around to see that the hideout was actually empty.

It was a hallucination. Crow looked at his trembling hands and flashes of screams from people getting absorbed by the black smoke appeared in his mind. Over and over again.

He collapsed to his knees and let out a scream of pain as he gripped the sides of his head. NO! THEY CAN'T BE GONE! He thought. His scream echoed through the junkyard with no audience to hear.

Crow then pulled himself up to go on the incomplete bridge while looking at the sky. He was waiting for something...just what?

The sky flashed and the Giant geoglyph appeared. "There you are...Dark Signers," he said. Crow was angry and he figured on who could have done this. He got on his Duel Runner and raced off.

On his way, Crow spotted a huge Duel Runner and accelerated faster and onto a ramp of junk which made him fly up and landed in front of the Duel Runner. The driver stopped and asked, "are you that new Signer?"

"New Signer? Yeah no, sorry. Whoever that is, I'm not them but I know who you are. Damn it, Bommer! Why did you join the Dark Signers?" Crow asked. "...who are you?" Bommer asked. "I'm Crow Hogan and I challenge you to a duel," Crow replied.

"I wonder if you're a Signer," Bommer said. "No I'm not but who cares about that! I'm still challenging you to a duel! I will get revenge for what you have done!" Crow shouted. Bommer was taken aback at this before saying, "I do not understand what you mean since I don't know you." "Don't pretend that you don't know! You stole the souls of innocent children!" Crow shouted.

What? Bommer thought as he thought about his brother and sister. In fact, Crow here is reminding himself about how angry he was at Goodwin about the lost lives of his siblings. "How ironic. You're here on a revenge mission for children that you knew while I'm also on a revenge mission for my siblings whom Goodwin took the lives of. It's my fate to be driven for vengeance by any means necessary even if it leads to bloodshed," Bommer said.

"Tch! There's no use discussing this so let's duel," Crow said. "I refuse. I will not duel a non-Signer like you," Bommer shook his head but Crow took out something small. It was a timer and it was slowly counting down. Crow attached it to his Duel Runner. "Know what this is?" He asked and Bommer's eyes widened.

"Exactly. Once the timer reaches zero, it'll kill both of us. I will not hesitate to chase you down unless you accept my challenge," Crow said and stared him down. I see. There's no other way of getting around this. Maybe if I duel him, I'll be able to lure that new Signer in, Bommer thought. "Very well, I accept," he said.

As they drove off to duel in a place where there wasn't too much debris to interfere with their duel. "Remember, once this Shadow duel starts, there's no going back and one of us will lose their soul," Bommer explained. "I don't need concern from people who took the only place I could go home to!" Crow snapped.

They then reached a track that seemed fine to duel in. "Oh, one last thing. No autopilot in this duel," Crow said and Bommer seemed relatively surprised at this. I saw Yusei's duel against Kiryu and I know that the attacks will be real. I'm going to need to use all my driving skills, not just my dueling skills, Crow thought. "Alright," Bommer nodded

"I activate the Field Spell, Speed World!" They both said at the same time and not just the regular purple came from the field setting for the Turbo Duel but also the purple flames appeared to signify that this was also a Shadow Duel.

Up in the sky, a new geoglyph appeared and it was of a killer whale. "Hey look!" Rua pointed to the sky and everyone else looked up. "Huh? But there's no Dark Signer with the Killer Whale mark," Ushio said. "That must mean there's a new Dark Signer," Yusei said, worried. "And whoever is dueling them isn't a Signer since our marks aren't glowing," Ruka added on and Joel made a fist.

"I should be the one dueling this new Dark Signer. I don't fully understand what this mark means but I can try to figure it out by dueling this Dark Signer," he said. "Well there's nothing we can do now. Should we make a detour and go to where this duel is taking place?" Etho asked. "I feel like we should," Yusei agreed.

Back at the duel, Bommer's and Crow's Duel Runners were standing side by side. "Let's set the rule that whoever can pass that corner first, gets the first turn," Bommer said. "Yeah, yeah," Crow waved him off, itching to go. "So, when should we start?" Bommer asked and Crow detached the timer.

"Relax," he said upon looking at Bommer's face, "it was just an alarm clock." He then tossed it on the ground and said, "when it hits zero is when we'll start." Bommer nodded and they waited for a couple of seconds.

5...

4...

3...

2...

1...

0...

The alarm went off and both duelists raced off.

"DUEL!"

Crow - 4000 LPS

V.S

Dark Signer Bommer - 4000 LPS

I got to get to that corner first! Crow thought. Going first in a duel is crucial and he cannot afford to mess this up. Looking at his current situation, Bommer's Duel Runner is bigger and takes up a lot of space but his Duel Runner is smaller and more nimble. Even if he doesn't have the horsepower as Bommer's Duel Runner, there are other ways to pass a faster Duel Runner.

He speeds up and Bommer speeds up as well. Bommer reached the corner first but drifted due to the size. Crow was waiting for this exact moment and took the inside lane which made him pass Bommer. "Ha! I'll take the first turn!" Crow declared.

"You were waiting for me to drift so you can take advantage of the cushion of space," Bommer said. "Gotta take advantage of the field," Crow said and drew a card.

"I summon Blackwing-Shura the Blue Flame (ATK: 1800. DF: 1200)," he started and a black feathered humanoid with a blue plumage appeared. "I set this card down, turn over," Crow said. "Then I shall go," Bommer drew a card.

"I summon Trap Reactor RR (ATK: 800. DF: 1800). Next I discard Dive Bomb (ATK: 0. DF: 0) to switch the attack and defense points of all the monsters on the field," Bommer said. "Switch the attack and defense points?" Crow asked, shocked.

1800 —> 1200 ATK

1200 —> 1800 DF

800 —> 1800 ATK

1800 —> 800 DF

"Now attack!" Bommer shouted and Crow flinched as he sped up. Bommer's monster then shot at Crow's, destroying it and lowering Crow's life points.

4000 —> 3400 LPS

The impact of the attack was intense and knocked Crow's Duel Runner off course, taking its driver with it. He sailed off and fell off the side of the high road.

Meanwhile, the squad was heading over there. Hang tight, whoever is dueling. Don't make any hasty decisions, Yusei thought as he worried for the duelist dueling the Dark Signer.

A/N: hello, it's been a while. I somewhat moved to AO3 so that's mostly why I haven't been writing on here as much and I got myself into a Warrior Cats command game and dealing with school stuff for the next year. It's been a hassle for me but hey we're here now.

I can't promise frequent updates (like I didn't do that anyway for this book) but I have no plans on stopping. Just slowing down most likely. I'm excited to share with you what I have in store even after this arc!

Cya in the next one -Flare

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