Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ Duellist League ❯ Battle Stage 17; Seperate Journey's! The Fire Brand ( Chapter 17 )

Author's Note: Thank you to everyone who reviewed the last chapter. Also for everyone reading this, hang about ok? The story may not be taking the turns you may wish, if it isn't I apologise but this is all apart of a bigger plan, so, stick with it if you can.

 

Battle Stage 17: Separate Journey's! The Fire Brand

 

Finally, Anzu and Jyoonouchi were alone. Anzu was curled into a ball in a corner of her tent while Jyoonouchi remained on his knees attempting to comprehend the events of the previous hour. In only a single hour everything had fallen apart, a man he admired, a man he respected, a man he loved, had struck him and worse now hated him. Jyoonouchi decided it might be better to sleep now, he hoped things would be better in the morning, this is what he hoped.

 

After several hours of restless sleep Jyoonouchi awoke, the sun was already rising over the horizon. Jyoonouchi was walking back to camp after bathing at a nearby stream when he saw Anzu emerging from her tent. It struck Jyoonouchi how suddenly conservative her attire had become. Gone were the stockings and shorts, replaced by jeans and a belt, also gone was the tight teal sleeveless shirt now replaced with a long sleeve turtle neck sweater. As she glanced over tom him he could see the puffiness around her eyes, and the broken soul within them.

 

“Ah, hi Anzu, how are you?” He asked gently, Anzu didn't respond in words, she simply glared at him and walked to the ashen remains of the fire. Jyoonouchi sighed as Anzu stoked the embers to re-invigorate the fire, unfortunately the fire had been dead to long. Anzu gathered some kinderling and a log soon the kettle was bubbling away.

 

“Coffee, great can I have some?” Jyoonouchi said sitting beside her, Anzu stood and moved to sit on a log farthest from him. Jyoonouchi sat for almost ten minutes in silence rolling the cup between his hands, “You can't blame me for this…” He said in response to her glare, Anzu's expression changed and Jyoonouchi frowned, “This wasn't my fault, we're both victims!”

 

Anzu shook her head and started walking back to the tent, as she passed, Jyoonouchi grabbed her arm, she looked down into his eyes, “Please Anzu, I need someone too…”

 

“If you're looking for absolution, you won't get it from me.” Anzu whispered hoarsely.

 

“I don't, I don't want absolution, I just want to know someone doesn't hate me…” He whispered.

 

“To bad.” Anzu replied shaking Jyoonouchi off walking back to her tent.

 

“Are you staying?”

 

Anzu paused, “I have no where else to go, yes Katsuya, I'm staying.”

 

After quietly packing up they left the camp. Two hours of walking later they reached the edge of the forest. Jyoonouchi examined the map tracing the route from their position to Suzaku. He pointed out the route to Anzu, who simply turned away. He thought about trying to talk to her again, but decided it might be better if he tried later.

 

Anzu looked up from the path as they continued and was slightly taken a back. Anzu knew they were heading to Suzaku, but she hadn't anticipated that the city would be at the base of a volcano. Anzu sighed wrapping her arms around herself, she watched Jyoonouchi walking ahead of her. Anzu wasn't sure why she was staying with him, all she knew was that he was the last link to Yuugi, her Yuugi.

 

“We're here.”

 

Anzu and Jyoonouchi passed through the gates and into the city. Inside the two were presented with a city from a lost time in Japanese history. The buildings were classical Kantei designs from the area of the shogunate. Jou decided not to stop at the Duellist Centre; he was ready for a fight. The events of the previous night had left him angry, he wanted to blow off some steam.

 

Jou and Anzu wandered around the city for at least an hour searching for the gym. They had little success, Jou sighed, “Where is it?” Anzu tapped him on the shoulder, as he turned to look at her she pointed to the volcano to which he nodded.

 

Anzu and Jyoonouchi approached the base of the volcano and were met by another wall. They traced the route around the mountain going the complete three hundred and sixty degrees around. Jou announced they must have missed the entrance and they should go around again, which they did, four more times.

 

“Ahhh! Where is this place?” Jyoonouchi growled pacing back and forth in front of Anzu who was sitting against the wall. As Jyoonouchi paced the ground crunched beneath his feet, his feet crunched until they hit something that resounded with a thud. He looked down to find a metal hinge beneath his foot, Jyoonouchi squatted and brushed away some of the dust and looked up to Anzu, “It's a hatch.”

 

Anzu shrugged and stood dusting herself off. Jyoonouchi brushed away dirt from the hatch until he found the handle. The hatch was heavy wooden, with steel plates bolted into the food, the steel was worn and rusted. The open hatch revealed a set of stone stairs leading down under the ground towards the volcano, Jou glanced at Anzu and extended his hand, “After you.”

 

They descended into the opening, the light fading quickly, the oil lamps hung on ornate hooks weren't lit, Anzu fished out her torch and led them down. About halfway Jyoonouchi lost his footing for a moment and had to grab a wall to steady himself, the step beneath him depressed and suddenly the torches on both sides and either end came alive, lighting the corridor. Anzu put her torch away, looking back she found the light from the surface had completely disappeared forcing them forward. As they continued down the stairs the heat rose, steam gathered at their feet and sweat condensed on their brows.

 

“Finally…” Jou sighed mopping his brow, they had arrived at the other end of the corridor, now deep under the city, and the volcano. The heat was now making Anzu regret wearing a sweater. Deciding as they approached the charcoal steel bolted door that it would be better to remove the sweater than collapse she pulled the sweater over her head. The other thing Anzu regretted about her choice of attire was the plain white shirt she was wearing underneath.

 

Jou glanced back from the door to Anzu and grinned, “Hey Anzu, great t-shirt.” Jyoonouchi commented, but his fun was cut short by Anzu's contemptuous glare. They approached the door, even without touching it they could feel the intense heat radiating outward. As Jyoonouchi reached for the door a creak rumbled through the floor and the doors parted.

 

The room they found explained the heat. Lava flows ran down the walls directed by reservoirs into a riverbed which flowed around a large stone slab. Jou and Anzu stood on a ledge drowning in sweat, Anzu grabbed Jou's arm out of instinct. Jou glanced down at her hand which she quickly withdrew.

 

“I'm here to…” Jyoonouchi announced to no one in particular, until he was interrupted.

 

“Challenge me for the badge of Suzaku, I accept!” A voice finished and responded.

 

“Yeah, who are you?”

 

In response flame erupted from the slab, but as soon as it appeared it was extinguished. In the flames place stood a tall attractive woman with long flaming red hair, she had a small long sleeved crimson jacket and tight crimson jeans, under the jacket was a strapless, backless black top with a plunging V-neck secured at the neck and waist. “My name is Amy, I am the leader of this gym.”

 

“Whoa… I keep running into the babes…” Jou whispered.

 

“Are we going to duel, or are you going to keep drooling at my breasts?”

 

Anzu elbowed Jyoonouchi in the ribs, he glared and stepped forward onto the slab, Jou felt the heat through his shoes. The humidity became almost stifling and his breathing became laboured, “Let's duel!”

 

Amy Life Points: 8000

Katsuya Jyoonouchi Life Points: 8000

 

::Amy::

 

“I draw;

 

1. I play Incandescent Ordeal (Ritual/Spell);

 

2. And send Infernal Flame Emperor (Fire/Pyro/Effect/9 ATK/2700 DEF/1600) from my hand to the graveyard;

 

3. To summon Legendary Flame Lord (Fire/Spellcaster/Ritual/Effect/7 ATK/2400 DEF/1600) in attack mode;

 

4. I'll play Great Angus (Fire/Beast/4 ATK/1800 DEF/600) in attack mode;

 

5. I'll add one card face down and end my turn.”

 

::Jou::

 

“I'll draw;

 

1. I summon Dark Blade (Dark/Warrior/4 ATK/1800 DEF/1500) in attack mode;

 

2. I'll add Kiryu (Dark/Dragon/Union/5 ATK/2000 DEF/1500) as an Equip/Spell card to increase its attack and defence nine hundred points (ATK/2700 DEF/2400);

 

3. I lay one face down card and end my turn.”

 

::Amy::

 

“I draw;

 

1. I'll send Infernal Flame Emperor from my graveyard to summon Inferno (Fire/Pyro/Effect/4 ATK/1100 DEF/1900) to the field in defence mode;

 

2. Since Inferno was special summoned I can now summon Ultimate Baseball Kid (Fire/Warrior/Effect/3 ATK/500 DEF/1000) in attack mode;

 

3. Now its special ability activates increasing its attack one thousand points for every Fire Type monster on the field apart from Ultimate Baseball Kid (ATK/3500);

 

5. Ultimate Baseball Kid destroy Dark Blade;

 

6. Great Angus and Legendary Flame Lord ATTACK!”

 

Ultimate Baseball Kid's attack destroyed Dark Blade; Great Angus and Legendary Flame Lord inflicted 4200 points of direct damage to the opponent.

 

Amy LP: 8000

Katsuya Jyoonouchi LP: 3000

 

Anzu crossed her arms frowning, `Come on Jyoonouchi, fight back!'

 

::Jou::

 

“I draw;

 

1. I play Pot of Greed (Spell) to draw two cards from my deck;

 

2. I'll summon Red-Eyes Black Chick (Dark/Dragon/Effect/1 ATK/800 DEF/500) in attack mode;

 

3. Red-Eyes Black Chick's special ability allows me to send the monster from my field to summon Red-Eyes Black Dragon (Dark/Dragon/7 ATK/2400 DEF/2000) in attack mode;

 

4. Now I can activate the special ability of the card in my hand to sacrifice Red-Eyes Black Dragon from my field to summon Red-Eyes Darkness Dragon (Dark/Dragon/Effect/7 ATK/2400 DEF/2000) in attack mode;

 

5. Monster Reborn (Spell) revives my Red-Eyes Black Dragon in attack mode;

 

6. Red-Eyes Darkness Dragon's special ability increases its attack three hundred points for every dragon sub-type monster in my graveyard which is two (ATK/3000 DEF/2000);

 

7. Red-Eyes Black Dragon destroy Great Angus;

 

8. Red-Eyes Darkness Dragon destroy Ultimate Baseball Kid (ATK/2500)!”

 

Red-Eyes Black Dragon's attack destroyed Great Angus; Red-Eyes Darkness Dragon destroyed Ultimate Baseball Kid.

 

Amy LP: 6900

Katsuya Jyoonouchi LP: 3000

 

::Amy::

 

“I draw;

 

1. You've forced my hand Katsuya, I play my own Pot of Greed (Spell) to draw two cards;

 

2. Now I can activate Legendary Flame Lord's special ability removing three Spell Counters from Legendary Flame Lord to destroy all monsters on the field except that card;

 

3. Then I'll play Monster Reborn (Spell) to return Ultimate Baseball Kid to my field (ATK/1500);

 

4. I'll sacrifice Ultimate Baseball Kid and Legendary Flame Lord to summon…”

 

“I activate my face down card Adhesion Trap Hole (Trap) this card halves the attack of the monster you're about to summon.”

 

“That would work except for Trap Jammer (Counter/Trap) which negates your card and destroys it;

 

5. Now I summon Ultimate Obedient Fiend (Fire/Fiend/Effect/8 ATK/3500 DEF/3000) in attack mode.”

 

The lava bubbled behind her and the slab shook as out of the lava came a large hand which grabbed the slab pulling itself free rising behind her, 6. “Now Ultimate Obedient Fiend that I don't have any cards in my hand or on my field you may ATTACK!”

 

Ultimate Obedient Fiend's attack inflicted 3500 of direct damage to the opponent.

 

Ultimate Obedient Fiend's fist struck Jou hard ripping the ground apart beneath the teen.

 

Amy LP: 6900

Katsuya Jyoonouchi LP: 0

 

“Jyoonouchi!” Anzu screamed running to his side, Jyoonouchi gasped clutching his chest, his skin had suffered large burns but through the pain he smiled, “See, I knew, you'd talk to me… again eventually.” Jyoonouchi responded, his sentence punctuated by a rasping cough and shortness of breath.

 

“Shut up…” Anzu muttered helping him to his feet.

 

Jou rose supported by Anzu to face Amy, “You lost.” She said with a smile.

 

“I'll be back…”

 

“I'll be waiting.”

 

To Be Continued…