[center][img=http://i55.servimg.com/u/f55/16/30/82/24/yugioh10.png][/center] [center][b]*Kaiba Dome Arena*[/b] [img=http://static3.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20130514192843/yugioh/images/e/ea/KaibaDome5Ds.jpg][/center] “Ladies and gentlemen!” the MC bellowed over the intercom. Even in the airlock, Valin could hear every word the MC said, loud and clear. “Welcome, to the Kaiba Dome!” Valin could hear the applause resounding from the stands, but he knew it was only a fraction of the volume of the MC. Valin chuckled to himself. [i]That MC can get these guys prepped for anything[/i], he thought as he tightened the straps on his boots. “We have a special treat in store for you today!” the MC continued. Valin grabbed his gloves and pulled them on as the same introduction was voiced, with the same applause. [i]A treat is right. With the Satellite Circuit coming up and my two-year anniversary as their King…[/i] “Before I get too deeply into detail about that, let me introduce the challenger!” [i]…I can’t afford to hold anything back. I must show that I…[/i] “You’ve seen him Duel here time after time…” [i]…am undeniably, undoubtedly, undefeatable….[/i] “…and he seems to be the next-best Duelist we have here….” [i]I…am…the best[/i], he thought as he put his helmet on. “Welcome, Nicholas, ‘the Dragster’, O’Neil!” Valin started his runner the second he knew O’Neil would be shooting out onto the track from his own airlock. He gave the crowd time to calm down, then he revved the engine as loud as he could without damaging it, slipping Volspire Dragon from the sleeve around his neck with a fluid motion. “Shhh…” the MC said. “Do you hear that? I believe that’s the sound of the [i]Maelstrom Rider[/i]! And if it is, you know what’s bound—” Valin didn’t give him time to finish. He swiftly placed Volspire Dragon in the middle card slot of his Duel Disk. A huge hologram of the intimidating dragon burst from the dark airlock where Valin sat. It made a quick circuit around the dome before perching atop the central tower. As it roared, signifying that Valin had won before the Duel began, Valin slipped it from his Duel Disk back into the sleeve. The MC, as usual, made a big deal about everything and gave the crowd a pep talk about the appearance of New Domino’s King, the Master of Faster, the Flamboyant Firestorm… “Valiiiiiiinnnnn Rooooootoooorrrrrrrrrr!!!!!!!!!” the MC screamed, and Valin stomped the accelerator on his Runner, and it rocketed up and off the airlock ramp. Valin soared into the air, given extra aerodynamics by the wings on his Runner. He felt as if he were twenty…thirty…fourty…fifty feet in the air. He yanked his Runner into a backflip, performing a number of other crowd-pleasing tricks as the vehicle soared down to the starting position. “New Domino City!” Valin shouted through his helmet’s microphone. “Are you ready to see Volspire Dragon and his King conquer another Duelist today?” The crowd erupted in applause, and Valin heard Nicholas speak up. “You sure are cocky, aren’t you?” “I have a right to be. I didn’t earn this title for nothing, did I?” “Duelists! Start your engines!” the MC roared. Valin rebooted his runner, as he had turned it off to hear Nicholas. “Now, activate ‘Speed World 3’!” Valin hit the button on the runner, and the cool feminine voice spoke into his earpiece, “‘Speed World 3’ activated. Duel Mode engaged. Autopilot standing by. Awaiting countdown. 10…9…8…7…6…5…4…3…2…1…” A high-pitched ding! filled the dome as the holographic light before Valin and Nicholas turned from red to green. Valin once again smashed down the accelerator, rocketing out ahead of Nicholas. Nicholas was not completely unprepared, though. He had a faster-than-average Runner himself, but he wasn’t as fast as Valin. Valin flew around the first turn a full second ahead of Nicholas, violently pulling his first card out of his Deck with pronounced vigor. “It looks like I’ve got the first move. No surprise, there,” Valin said. He glanced at his hand and smiled. This Duel would be quick and simple, and he had the cards to win right here in his hand. “Right, then!” Valin declared. “I Summon ‘Wyvern Fury’ to my field in Attack Position!” As he spoke the words, a blue portal opened to his right, and the wyvern displayed in the card’s image was projected into the arena as a hologram, flying beside Valin at high speed. “Now because of my monster’s ability,” Valin stated, “I am allowed to attack you directly. And yes,” he said, noting the look of shock on Nick’s face, “this means even on the first turn of the Duel. Go, ‘Wyvern Fury’, and take him down to size!” The wyvern changed its course, flying directly for O’Neil, now a full five seconds behind Valin, and lashed out with its spear-pointed tail, reducing O’Neil’s Life Points to 2500 before returning to Valin’s side. “Now, I shall Set one card and end my turn,” Valin concluded, and “Wyvern Fury” vanished from Valin’s field. “That means it’s my turn. Wait!” Nicholas exclaimed. “What happened to your ‘Wyvern’?” “Regrettably, he is banished during the End Phase of a turn during which I activate his ability. Then he returns to my field just in time to be dangerous again.” “Fine by me. I’ll still dish out what I can. I Summon ‘Alpha Dasher’ in Attack Mode! Then I’ll promptly have him attack you for 1600 points of damage!” “Maybe so,” Valin said as the rollerblading monster began dashing toward him, “but your Life Points are about to feel the same as mine. I reveal my Trap: ‘Reflection of Sword’!” As the attack collided with Valin, a mirror appeared between the two duelists, and a doppelganger of “Alpha Dasher” emerged from it, striking Nicholas with the same amount of damage, leaving Valin with 2400 Life Points, and Nicholas with only 900. Both players’ Speed counters drop back to 0 after the attack. “I’m not done, yet, Valin!” Nicholas said. “I’ll place one card face-down before my turn is over, but don’t think this means you win!” “But I do win, Nick,” Valin said as he drew his next card and added it to his hand without looking at it. He didn’t even say anything as “Wyvern Fury” leaped back into existence on his field. “Let me show you how,” Valin continued. “First, I activate my ‘Broken Engine’ Speed Spell! This prevents your face-down card from being activated when I remove the Speed Counter I just gained! Then I Summon ‘Blue-Flame Phoenix’, and when my monsters’ ATK equal 3000, like they do now, you know what will follow. “The victory, all too simply, is mine, Nicholas!” Valin exclaimed. “Now, behold as my monsters unite, combining their strength to Ignis Summon forth a formidably powerful beast! ‘VOLSPIRE DRAGON’!” Valin was almost unaware of the shouting and applause from the crowd around him as he shouted the final command of the Duel. The immense dragon flapping its wings above him released a triumphant roar as Valin bellowed, “‘Volspire Dragon’! Attack with [i]MAELSTROM FLARE![/i]” [center]- - -  - - -[/center] [center][b]*Sector Security HQ, Sergeant Lydia Madison’s Office*[/b][/center] A knock sounded on Madison’s office door as the conclusion of Valin Rotor’s most recent duel played out on her holoscreen. “Come in!” she called, lowering the volume of the duel and spinning her chair back around so it faced the door. Director Blade Takashi strode into the room, and Madison’s face grew grim. When Blade was giving her orders directly rather than Chief Felvrin, there was something wrong. Madison gestured to the chair in front of her desk. “Please, sir, make yourself comfortable.” “Thank you, Madison, but I won’t be here long. You remember how when you took this job I told you that if our guards down in Rat’s Nest failed at protecting Valin’s old friends, that you would be the first to go down there?” “Yes, sir.” “Well, both of those guards were found unconscious by one of our patrols going through the area. There has also been a report of a kidnapping.” “A kidnapping? Who?” “A youth by the name of Ned, Ms. Madison.” Blade slipped a small photo from the inside of his suit jacket and slid it across the desk. “We believe this is the work of the gang called Los Demonios Conquistadores. What’s worse is you could probably arrest them all for not having their green cards.” Blade smirked at his own remark. Madison feigned a grin. “Got it. I’ll get him back before the sun sets, sir.” “I knew I could count on you, Sergeant.” Madison nodded and got to her feet, reaching out her hand to shake Blade’s before he left the room. [center]- - -  - - -[/center] [center][b]*Kaiba Dome Lobby*[/b][/center] Valin had somehow been pressed into another autograph signing. He forced himself to smile through the growing cramp in his fingers after signing his 136th autograph. As he signed the 137th and had his picture taken with some teen girl who was obsessing over him, he found an excuse to break away, noticing the face of his predecessor, Blade Takashi. “Thank goodness,” Valin said so that only Blade could hear him. “Can you help me out here? This is killing me.” “There’s something more important than your signing going on, Valin. I’ve heard recently that one of your old friends, Ned, from the slums has been kidnapped.” “So? I have no ties to them anymore. Why should I care?” “Well, helping us find this missing youth could get you out of this signing.” “Not a chance! Going back to that pathetic place is worse than this, Blade! You wouldn’t be helping me; you’d be punishing me!” “Then I can’t let you leave your signing, Valin. I came here to enlist your help, and if you refuse to give it, then I must leave you here and return to my business.” “Are you kidding, Blade?” “When have you known me to joke?” Valin sighed. “Fine, I’ll see what I can do about this kid. But you’d better keep the press off of this. I can’t be seen going in there.” “You have my word.” Valin and Blade returned to the table Valin had been sitting at, and Blade announced that Valin would not be signing any more for the day, much to the disappointment of the crowd. Moaning their complaints, the people swarming in the lobby slowly disbanded, and Valin and Blade went their separate ways. As he found his Duel Runner, Valin was once again encountered by Nicholas. “Listen here, King,” Nick spat, scowling. “I’ll earn that spot one of these days, as soon as this setup thing stops.” “Setup? Nick, do you even know what you’re talking about?” “Of course I do! Why else could you summon Volspire Dragon every time you Dueled?” “Because, Nick. I have the skill and the cards to crush simple Duelists like you. Do you really think that if you shuffled my cards, that I would be any worse off? It wouldn’t happen, Nick. Now quit wasting my time before I get Security.” “Someone will put you in your place one of these days, Valin.” “And I bet you think that’s going to be you. Not a chance,” Valin finished as he started up his Runner and rode away from the Dome.