Chapter Text
Chapter 1: One Last Chance
Why…
She couldn’t believe the reality that was right in front of her.
How could I've been so weak?
Because they lost that duel.
Onii-sama.
Sitting inside a barely lit room, Aoi Zaizen could only stare at the unconscious form of her brother Akira. Sadness in her eyes, her body standing, almost motionless, and a single name in her mind, which belongs to the responsible for her brother distress.
Ai.
Just a few days ago, Ai, the Dark Ignis, former partner of Playmaker, or as she know now to be her fellow classmate Yusaku Fujiki; declared his intention to attack her brother, to claim the missing key code for the control of SOL Technologies, as both revenge for the actions of the company against his, now gone, friends, the Ignis, as well his other interest.
Despite the best effort of several of the best duelists in Link Vrains hired by her brother, including herself, Playmaker and others; as well a few stratagems provided by Revolver, the leader of the Knights of Hanoi and former adversary of them; Ai was able to breakthrough their security measures, cornered both her and Akira, them soundly defeated them in a tag duel.
All the other times she has lost, she would have her consciousness stolen, as it was usually done to get someone out of the way from the path of the winner, for whatever reason. But not this time. He wanted her to suffer.
Right in front was the consequences for failing to protect her friend, the now dead Water Ignis, Aqua, also friend of Ai. The consequences for now being strong enough to protect her older sibling when he needed her the most. And the consequence for not being able to uphold her desire to protect the ones beloved to her from the darkness and suffering.
Forgive me Yusaku-kun, but I will not let Ai get away with this.
"Hayami!" exclaimed Aoi to Hayami Risa, Akira's assistant and only other person in the room standing with her in the room, diverging the attention from her brother's comatose body. "Take care of my Onii-sama. I am going after Ai", she said, determination and anger in her voice.
"But Aoi, you already dueled against the Dark Ignis. I don't think Zaizen-sama would want you to go on a suicide mission trying to save him. Maybe it would be better leaving it to Playmaker and the rest of his team…"
"I won't sit here doing nothing! Playmaker might have a better chance to save him and everyone else whom had been taken away, but I cannot stay here waiting and being useless!" replied Aoi, frustratingly , interrupting Hayami without taking her eyes away from Akira.
"Ai left me behind to agonize in utter misery, while he plays his endgame, whatever it may be! I will make regret his decision by fighting with every last fiber of my living will, taking him down or, at the very least, going down being a torn on his side," said Aoi, venom in her voice.
One way or another, this ends with me together with you Onii-sama, and with that last thought, she raised her left arm to her chest, duel disk strapped to her appendage, and uttered into unconsciousness what may be her final words in the real word: "Into the Vrains".
***
There must be some lead somewhere.
Flying through the winds of Link Vrains, once upon a time a more enjoyable activity that complemented her days as the charisma duelist, Blue Angel, either by helping her move from a spot to the other, mostly with her angel avatar's wings, or to duel and entertain the crowds, usually with her D-Board.
However, during the last weeks it was mostly in the search of certain subjects of interest. Just less of a month ago she was helping Playmaker, Soulburner and their Ignis, Ai, Flame and Aqua to find Lightning's hideout. Now Aoi, as her newer avatar, Blue Maiden, was doing the same in the search of the last Ignis alive, with any joy left behind and only saving her dearest as something she looks forward to.
After Ai took over SOL Technologies he opened a new version of Link Vrains. While Blue Maiden really didn't know Ai well, she at least knew how he was personality alike, with one of his more apparent traits him being showboating. Considering all he had done so far, there must have been a reason for him to do so.
Therefore, right now, even if it almost a longshot, all that could be done by her was going through the data space, away from the city centers of the Vrains World, like the old days, trying to come by anything, even if it seems to be a fruitless endeavor with days of no result; which was, in the past, caused by Lightning more under the radar approach that prevented them from finding him until Revolver used the remains of the Tower of Hanoi.
He must have left something behind. He must… what is that?
Fortunately for Blue Maiden, when it comes to lay low, Ai was nothing like Lighting; as the sudden presence of a mysterious island emitting amount of lights attracted her eyes and movement to the new discovered place, eventually landing on it. And while exploring she met, along with several other robots that looked a lot of domestic appliances, a not so unfamiliar face of a tiny blue haired androgynous looking kid.
"Roboppi", she said, not exactly expecting to come across Ai' ally.
"Hello!" responded the robot, with a pleased face" that is right, it is I, Roboppi! You are Blue Maiden right?" asked the robot, to which Blue Maiden just nodded. "What are you doing in my wonderful fun home? Are you lost?"
Blue Maiden was a little taken aback by Roboppi suddenly welcoming, actually expecting a more hostile or at least defensive posture from the little robot boy; but still replied," don't you have any idea of why I am here? "To which Roboppi just shook his head."I am here searching for Ai. Is he here?"
"Oh! You are searching Aniki. Are you here to challenge him for a duel?" Didn't you already lost to him? Why do you want a rematch?" He inquired, genuinely curious about the intentions of his visitor.
Blue Maiden couldn't help to notice the way Roboppi referred to Ai. Did the little robot consider Ai an older brother? She could figure that one out later. "I wish to challenge him for a duel. He took away Onii-sama's data with him and I want to reclaim it", affirmed Blue Maiden, not revealing her other objective of taking him down, at least not now. "Can you tell me if he is in here or, if not, his current location?" she added to her request.
"Too bad! He is not here. This is the island that he gave to me as a gift for all my efforts and good behavior ", replied Roboppi, that then continued," and even if was here, I don't think I should point you in any directions of his current location." Blue Maiden, hearing those words, started to show a clear annoyance in her face. "I imagine you are not happy with my Aniki right now, and considering you are still our enemy, it easy to assume you would want to defeat him and eradicate him permanently."
The annoyance gave away to frustration to Blue Maiden, since that robot seemed to be smarter than she was anticipating. Then again, he did defeat both Ghost Girl and Blood Shepherd at same time, but also looking as innocent as a child; and while she known about younger people being just as good as duelists as adults, emotional and mental maturity were other thing entirely.
Under normal circumstances she would've be more polite and try to request again, but she was not in the mood right now and, to her, a way to end things peacefully was unlikely. "If you don't want to give the information willingly then maybe we should solve it with a duel, where If I win you will tell me everything you know about his whereabouts," she proposed.
"Whoa! Now you are making things cool!" answered Ropobbi, "very well. Aniki gave me a bunch of data when he gave me this island. If you win you can get it and maybe find something in there, but if I win I get to delete you like me and Aniki did to your other friends, and I get experience points in preparation to duel Soulburner, Revolver and my maste… I mean, Playmaker."
That was a mouthful. Experience points? Does he think this a RPG? And why did mentioned the data if he doesn't want me to find Ai? Aoi right now as was baffled with the way of Roboppi operating, but while irritated she couldn’t really complained right now since he was giving her an opportunity. Then again, she just noticed another detail in his words: Was he about to call Yusaku his master?
But time for anymore wondering would have to wait. Right now she heard what she wanted and responded, "I accept your conditions". To which Roboppi grinned, while she kept a stoic and determined face.
Both raised their duel disk wearing arms and shouted:
DUEL!