Sdrive: Sorry about the delay all, especially to the Dude of Doom. A family issue got in the way of the update, and then preps for this semester, and then the start of it, I just haven’t had the chance to do it yet. Still, I hope you all have a Happy Halloween.

Ra Yellow:

Chapter 50

Return of Raburomansu

In a dark chamber, the dark man sat before Peaches, whom was waiting impatiently. “When can we begin the next phase?” Peaches asked annoyed. “I haven’t had any satisfying victories as of late.”

“Patience,” the tired voice said. “If we cannot obtain what we seek easily, the attack will follow. In the mean time, I’ve got plans.” He snapped his fingers and a dark vortex opened in front of him and a hooded figure emerged from it. “I want you to go and test our friend.”

“It would be my pleasure,” the figure said as the vortex re-emerged swallowing him.

The figure looked up at a dark cloud hanging in the ceiling and chuckled. “Soon, with your help, all shall understand…”

“Silent Swordsman LV5, wipe out his Life Points!” Mia called out as her swordsman jumped up and slashed an Osiris Red knocking him to the ground. “You’ve been leveled up!” she said giving her peace sign.

“Fair game,” the boy said smiling. “You’re strong.”

“I do my best!” she grinned. “Thanks for the duel,” she waved as her counter went up on her duel disk. She started heading off when she heard clapping. She turned to see Raburomansu, the owner of the clapping noise.

“Raburomansu!” she gasped looking at him. “I haven’t seen you in a while.”

“Too long if you ask me,” Raburo said chuckling. He pushed himself off the tree and walked over to her. “You seem to be holding your own in the tournament.”

“Yup,” she said. She tried to sound cheerful but was secretly a little cautious around him.

“You’re holding back,” he frowned. “You think I’m still after you don’t you.”

Mia’s eyes widened, she knew she was caught. Meekly she nodded her head, “I’m sorry, I know I shouldn’t assume anything…”

“It’s fine,” he said laughing. “I’d be worried about it too actually.”

“Really?” she asked.

“Totally,” he said pulling a card from his deck. “I mean, can you honestly trust a guy with this dude in his deck,” he said holding up Saggi.

“You’ve still got that in your deck?” she asked laughing.

“Of course, he’s my trump card,” he laughed.

Mia could imagine Saggi standing behind him, looking over Raburo’s shoulder and laughing insanely, and evilly.”

“I guess he is,” she said a chuckling.

“Come on, let me buy you a drink, as a friend,” he said.

“I suppose one drink wouldn’t hurt,” Mia said agreeing.

The two headed to ‘The Simple Spot’ where Ami worked. Mia asked about her but found out that she was given leave to participate in the tournament. Raburo bought them each a drink and they sat out on the patio.

“It’s a nice day,” he said looking out at the ocean.

“Yeah it is,” she nodded.

“Hey, I have an idea, let’s have a duel,” he said looking at her.

“What for?” she asked cautiously.

“A higher rank in the tournament of course,” Raburo said laughing. “I’ve been looking for a strong opponent to test my deck against anyway, and I figured you’d be the perfect duelist. You’re strong, so I know it wouldn’t be a waste of my time.”

“I guess a bit of friendly competition never hurt anyone,” she said smiling. “Alright, let’s do it.”

They set up on the beach, and shuffled their decks sliding them into their duel disks. “Ladies first,” Raburo said allowing her the first turn.

“Alright,” She said drawing her opening hand. “This should work. I’ll summon Silent Swordsman LV3!” she announced as her tiny warrior with green skin appeared on the field. (1000/1000) “I’ll set one card under the table and that will end my turn.”

“My move,” Raburo said drawing his card. “I’ll set one card under the table,” he announced. “And now I’ll summon Saggi the Dark Clown!” Raburo announced as Saggi appeared on the field. “I activate Negative Energy doubling Saggi’s attack and defense strength! (600/1500 – 1200/3000) “Saggi, attack Silent Swordsman!”

“I reveal Waboku!” Mia announced as three monks protected the Silent Swordsman from Saggi’s attack.

“I wouldn’t expect anything less from you,” Raburo said smiling. “I set another card under the table and I end my turn, and Negative Energy’s effect ends; bringing Saggi back to his original attack strength.” (600/1500)

“My move,” Mia said drawing her next card. “And now my Silent Swordsman LV3 turns into Silent Swordsman LV5!” she announced as her swordsman grew and got stronger in the process. (2300/1000) “Now I’ll summon Shining Angel!” she announced as an angel with bright wings appeared on the field. (1400/800)

“I didn’t know you had that in your deck,” he said.

“I gave my deck quite a modification,” Mia grinned. “Now then it’s time to attack, Silent Swordsman LV5 attack Saggi!”

“You’ve revealed my Trap Card,” Raburo said darkly as his trap was flipped up. “Crush Card Virus!”

“Crush Card!” Mia gasped as Saggi grew sickly and exploded, revealing multiple germs into the field. Silent Sworldsman LV5 was instantly hit by it, and fell to the ground dead.

“Your angel is safe, but how about the cards in your hand?” he asked. Mia revealed Hane Kuriboh, Silent Swordsman LV7, Silent Magician LV8, and Interdimensional Matter Transporter. “Discard your two Silent monsters,” Raburo said as Mia did as she was told.

‘He just got rid of my best monsters…’ she thought horrified. ‘But…where did he get Crush Card?’

“What now?” he asked smirking.

“I attack with Shining Angel!” She announced. Shining Angel rose up and flapped his wings sending quills down upon Raburo.

“Reveal Mirror Force!” he announced as his second trap appeared and a multicolored mirror appeared reflecting the attack and destroying her monster.

“No!” she gasped.

“Since I don’t think…no, since I know there’s nothing left you can do, I’m going to begin my turn.” He said drawing. “And what a draw! I summon the Bistro Butcher!” he announced as an evil chef appeared on the field with a large butcher knife. (1800/1000) “It’s pretty sad isn’t it?” he asked her.

“What is?” she asked.

“Getting crushed by someone with better cards, I mean, Crush Card is just one of many cards I’ve obtained thanks to this tournament, think of how many rare and valuable cards your friends have gotten.”

“I’m sure they got quite a bit,” she replied.

“Exactly, and every single one will be used against you.”

“What do you mean?” she asked.

“Both of your closest friends are eliminators,” Raburo pointed out. “Do you honestly think that your friendship with them is going to stop them from targeting you?”

“They would never!” Mia yelled at him.

“Can you be so sure?” he asked. “I’m your friend, and I’m targeting you as a test for my deck. Besides, your friends are competitors also, not just eliminators. They know you’re strong, and they know you could probably make it to the finals, so why wouldn’t they stack a couple cards in their side deck, or even their main deck, specifically to hit you with. Sonomi did it to you once if I recall.”

“But they’re my friends…” Mia said.

“And what about Yaku?” he asked. “Yaku’s in this tournament, and he challenged you for the right to date you on Parent’s Night, don’t you think that maybe he had a surprise or two waiting?”

“How did you know about…?”

“Let’s face it, no matter how much we care about someone, we have to succumb to the feelings we can never face, even if those feelings are those of betrayal. I’m simply trying to warn you, before you get hurt.”

“I know that my friends would never hunt me down,” Mia shot back. “I appreciate your concern but you don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“We’ll see,” Raburo said snapping his fingers, “Bistro Butcher, attack her points directly!” The butcher ran up to her and slashed her with his butcher knife knocking her down.

Mia: 2200/Raburo: 4000

“Bistro Butcher forces you to draw two cards from your deck, and Crush Card allows me to see them,” Raburo said grinning. Mia drew the two cards from her deck, and was upset to see that they were Silent Swordsmen LV’s five and seven. She discarded them into the Graveyard and looked helplessly at Raburo. “A pity,” Raburo said. “They were both strong cards.”

“Just end your turn,” Mia said annoyed.

“Don’t get mad at me,” Raburo said. “It’s just a friendly duel, but as we were going at it I thought about your friends and thought I should warn you that they could be after you.”

“I assure you they won’t.”

“If you say so, but ask yourself, have they ever kept any secrets from you?”

“Perhaps you’ll find out what’s in here someday. Until then, I think I’ll keep it a secret, just because you decided to snoop through my things.”

“Kokuro did keep what was in that box a secret,” Mia said aloud thinking back to earlier.

“See,” Raburo said. “He doesn’t trust you. If he was such a good friend he would tell you. Instead he’s hiding it from you, because just like everyone else, he can’t trust you.”

‘He was also upset about me reading his letter, and he said that I was ‘snooping through his things,’’ Mia gasped. She shook her head, ‘No, he was right to reject me from doing that. I shouldn’t have been going through his stuff; that was my fault not his.’ “He has every right to some privacy, just as much of a right as you or me does!”

“I suppose that’s true,” Raburo said shrugging. “Still, what I said could also still be true.”

“For someone claiming to be my friend, you’re not acting like one.”

“My apologies,” He said putting up his hands in defense. “Maybe I am taking this too far. After all, you know your friends better than I do. It’s your move.”

“Yes, it is,” she said drawing her card.

“Let me see it,” he said of her.

She flipped it over, revealing it to be a Marshmallon. “Not going to get hurt by Crush Card,” she grinned placing it face down on her duel disk. “One under the table and that ends my turn,” she announced as her other card appeared face down as well.

‘That face down is her Interdimensional Matter Transporter,’ he thought. ‘In case I can get rid of Marshmallon after I’ve flipped it up. Unfortunately for her I have other plans for that.’ He drew his card and smirked. “Nobleman of Crossout!” he announced as Marshmallon’s monster card was immediately destroyed.

“No way!” Mia gasped.

“Now, Bistro Butcher, attack her Life Points once more!” Bistro Butcher jumped forward and slashed Mia again.

Mia: 400/Raburomansu: 4000

“Draw the next two cards of your deck,” Raburo commanded her. She drew into Silent Magician LV4 and Wings of Evolution. “Nothing huh?” he said sliding a card into his Duel Disk. “One under for later and that ends my turn.”

“My move,” Mia said drawing and revealing Level Modulation. “I set one monster face down and two cards under the table!” she announced as the two cards appeared face down. “End turn.”

“My move,” Raburo said drawing. “And I summon Giragado!” he announced as an evil looking machine creature appeared on the field. (1700/1000) “Giragado, destroy her Hane Kuriboh!”

Mia twitched for a moment, ‘He knew what was in my hand, everything…he should have seen this coming!’ “Reveal my face down Wings of Evolution!” she announced as her spell card flipped up. “I ditch two cards in my hand,” she said discarding Silent Magician LV4 and Level Modulation, “And Hane Kuriboh is going to get a huge boost!”

“That’s what you think,” Raburo said revealing his own face down. “Magic Jammer!”

“No!” Mia gasped. ‘He did see it coming!’

“I only drop one card,” Raburo said ditching it. “And your Wings of Evolution will not take effect!” The Giragado destroyed Hane Kuriboh without much difficulty once its wings stopped glowing. “Your Kuriboh’s ability stops me from being able to do any other battle damage this turn so I’ll simply end it.

“My move,” Mia said drawing.

“Let me see it,” Raburo said.

“Nope,” Mia grinned.

“Why not?” Raburo asked.

“Because you activated Crush Card during my turn, and the countdown timer is during my turn. So technically, my last turn was its last turn as well,” Mia grinned. “But if you really want to see my card…I play Pot of Greed!” Mia said drawing twice. “Go Revive Dead!” she announced as her Silent Swordsman LV5 reappeared on the field. “And now Level Up!” she called out as she slid in her other spell card. Her swordsman instantly began to shine and grow as its attack power rose. (2800/1000)

“No!” Raburo gasped.

“This is the strength of my friends,” Mia said glaring at him. “Just like my Level Monsters, my friends will always be there for me, and they’ll always come through for me in the end!”

“It’d like to see that set in stone,” Raburo said glaring at her swordsman. “For you see, I know your little secret.”

“And what secret is that?” Mia asked.

“The secret behind you and your swordsman cards,” Raburo said.

“Impossible,” she gasped.

“Tell me, do you keep that little secret from your friends?” Raburo asked.

“O…of course! They wouldn’t understand!”

“That’s what you tell yourself,” Raburo said. “But even as you know Kokuro’s keeping a secret from you, that he thinks you wouldn’t be able to understand, you’re doing the same, even though you tell him that you’d be able to help him with it.”

“How do you know all this?” she demanded of him.

“That doesn’t concern you,” he grinned. “But I know the secret behind your swordsman, you might even be able to say that I can see it clearly.”

Mia thought back to how she thought of Raburo and his Saggi, and instantly glared at him, “That’s how you know,” she said angered.

“We’re a lot alike you and I. I always knew there was something that attracted me to you,” he chuckled. “But only recently have I realized it, with a little help.”

“Well allow me to knock that help away! Silent Swordsman LV7, destroy Giragado!” she announced. Silent Swordsman LV7 leapt forwards and slashed Giragado destroying it instantly.

Mia: 400/Raburo: 2900

“It’s your move,” Mia glared.

“I give up,” he said shrugging placing his hand over his deck.

“Why!”

“Because, I have nothing but spells in my hand, I can’t come back from that,” Raburo said shrugging. “So you win. But your victory only means that you come closer to having to face your deceitful friends. But I’ve said enough. Go ahead and run away.”

“You realize you’ve lost your only chance with me right,” she said backing up.

“I’m sure I’ve got another,” he grinned.

“No, you don’t,” she said turning around and running.

Raburo grinned evilly and a black vortex emerged around him swallowing him up.

Raburo exited the vortex in the pitch black room where the dark figure sat. He bowed down and smirked. “I dueled her just like you asked. And I got her to start doubting her friends.”

“Excellent,” he said semi-pleased. “But tell me, why didn’t you finish the duel?”

“Like I told her, I had nothing but spells in my hand,” Raburo said.

“Then you force her into a position where she has to retreat her monster,” Peaches said from a dark corner of the room. Raburo could only see his silhouette and his sick yellow eyes.

“Excuse me?” he asked.

“The girl had four hundred points, and you had a Hinotama magic card in your hand, you force her into a position with a trap card that would have forced her to use her Interdimensional Matter Transporter to save her monster and then blast her with your spell card. You could have completed your mission in its entirety!”

“You told me that all I had to do was mess with her mind!” Raburo said.

“And you did,” the master said in his tired voice. “But you took the easy way out.” He waved his hand and the cloud above them spit out two dark chains. They shot through Raburo’s body making him shriek in pain. After a moment his body vanished and the chains retreated back into the cloud which grew slightly.

Mia ran through the island back towards the main entrance to the academy. She caught her breath and looked around for someone she thought she could trust. She was tapped on her shoulder and she turned around and saw Kokuro standing behind her. “What’s up?” he asked. “You look exhausted.”

“Raburomansu challenged me to a duel…” she said gasping for breath. “And then he started acting like a total freak. He forfeited the duel and I ran as fast as I could, afraid he was going to try something.”

“Don’t worry,” he said putting his hand on her shoulder. “If he comes after you, I’ll protect you, and I don’t mean in just a duel.”

“Thanks,” she said leaning into him. Her body was shaking, and Kokuro wrapped his arms around her and drew her into a comforting hug. He shushed her and let her cry into his chest. After a moment she wiped away the tears. “I think I want some lunch.”

“Come on, I’ll buy for you, my treat.”

“Thanks,” she replied solemnly. They started into the academy when Mia asked, “Would you ever try to eliminate me from the tournament?”

“Why would you ask that?” Kokuro asked.

“I just…I just need to know.”

“Of course not,” he reassured her.

“Good,” she said breathing a little easier.

“What brought that on?” he asked.

Mia thought about telling Kokuro about Raburo, but decided against it, “You know, don’t want you’re power going to your head.”

“Not against you,” he smiled. “Come on.”

“Right,” she nodded, but even then she wasn’t totally reassured.

Hikari: It sounds like the weather’s getting harsh, or it could just be from a duel though.

???: You would only be so lucky.

Hikari: Who’s there!

???: Come now, you don’t remember me?

Hikari: Wait a minute, I remember this voice. It can’t be…you’re…

???: Next chapter, Hikari Vs. ???. Be prepared.

Hikari: You’ll pay.

Kokuro: Today’s key card is Crush Card Virus. It’s a devastating trap card used by Seto Kaiba himself. It can greatly change the flow of a duel, so be careful if facing it.