I have an idea. In ARC-V there are no signs of a fifth dimension. Basically, I want to toss one in and see how the ripples change the storyline.
Not native English speaker.
Have a test chapter. No Hoshie/Yuuhi descriptions on purpose.
Chapter 1. Glowing gems and doppelgangers.
Hoshie was freezing and starving and thus was hurrying to her quarters to get some hot chocolate. Today's challenger, a cowardly brat who was too foxish for his own good, used very foul tactics: full deck switch, physical and environmental assault. While he was plowing through her Court, he utilized a Beatdown Warrior-based deck, but against her he used a Stall/Burn Ice-themed one built with too many Continuous Traps such as “Hypothermia” and “Freeze Dry”, and a “Frozen Hell” Field Spell. That son of a… No, such thoughts were unbecoming of the Princess of the Battle Castle. Like some nasty surprises could have costed her the title and position, she sneered.
“Yuuhi must be berating himself right now for this development.” She thought. “I should talk to him after I have my victory treat. No, it would be better if he comes to my rooms and we have a chat over a cup of cocoa. It will lift his spirits.”
She quickly nodded to the concierge on the security station and, after a short trip by elevator, entered her penthouse-like den (or, as Yuuhi called it, Princess’ Tower because of its position) and turned the floor and air heaters on. The temperature immediately started to rise.
“Now, a tricky question. Caramel or honey?”
She typed an invitation for Yuuhi on her communicator and sent it, then took off the D-Gauntlet, placing it on the journal table, shed the long red ceremonial cloak, helmet and armor-like plastic torso protection and shoes, then buried her feet in a fuzzy carpet. The clothes she wore helped to fight the cold, but were mostly made to ensure no dangerous blows were landed (those Warriors had clubs and swords) so they weren't enough to keep her warm during the Duel. She wondered if she should change from the padded full body jumpsuit, but decided to keep it on, then headed to the kitchen.
For some reason there was a jeweled bracelet on top of her table. It was somehow familiar to her, consisting of three thin silver bands: the first of which was a very elongated ellipse, bent to form an incomplete circle with the gem held between the endpoints, another was an ellipse, smaller and rounder than the previous, forming a “halo” around the stone, and the third was a forked on both ends thin strip, which curled around the wrist along with the first part, framed the amethyst bead and merged with the second part (she actually wasn't sure if it was really amethyst, but the color fitted).
“Weird. Who could have left it there? Just anyone can not enter these quarters without my permission or triggering the alerts.” she wondered. “Not red-black-white palette, it rules out Regina. Could it be from the High Priest? It was his house before I moved in after all… silver, but purple instead of blues… in cooperation with King, perhaps?”
She picked the item up, viewing it carefully. The feeling of familiarity only grew stronger, and she put it on her right hand. It felt right.
“Were they impressed by my duels enough to cease mutual murder attempts and give me a gift?..” even in her head it sounded wrong. “Nah, those two will either kill each other or transfer their fights into horizontal plane.”
She shrugged (there wasn’t enough information to analyze and get an answer) and turned the coffee machine on. Soon the air was saturated with delicious chocolate aroma and she smiled, picking up and placing the mug on the table before her. The smell was nostalgic: her grandmother always made some for her in winter after she returned home… Granny, though, also had been adding some cream and marshmallows, but Hoshie decided against any more sweeteners.
It was starting to get too hot, so she used her communicator to turn the air heater off.
“It can be Founder, though… he is known for random acts. But why would such an important person drop by?.. Ugh, I really am tired. Weird thoughts are starting to breed inside my head.” she cringed. “Yuuhi must be on his way there, he should have dealt with his appointment already.”
She sipped her drink carefully. The chocolate was delicious, neither too sweet, nor too bitter, with perfect balance of cocoa and milk. She started to make a cup for her precious friend. As she was emptying her cup, she was dipping into honey and eating wheat cookies.
Suddenly, the gem started shining. She only could stare at it for a moment, as a bright flash of light blinded her.
She found herself in some kind of a park. It was unfamiliar, not of ones in Domino City or in Pawn or in Dice, which meant she was somehow transported very far from home. But it wasn't the most weird thing: three Yuuhis were.
“I wished sometimes I had more than one Yuuhi, but still…” her mind screeched to a halt. “What sorcery is this?!”
One in white, riding a motorcycle, another in black tattered clothes, third in green pants and orange top with white jacket, trying to stop the former two from fighting. A truly surreal view.
The bracelet wasn’t glowing anymore, but… She couldn't exactly comprehend what it did, but it (it?) was telling her to stop the fight. Somehow. Now.
“Damn. I don't have my D-Gauntlet with me. I’m weaponless right now.”
The compulsion to run in between Yuuhis was strong, but not enough to make her follow it. Instead she decided to observe them first.
The colorful one was obviously trying to be a peacemaker, but the goth and rider were engaged in an anger-filled Duel. They were shouting something about “It’s you go!” and pawns.
“Maybe they are playing to determine who will leave and who will stay. But why so violent about it?..” she wondered as the one in black took his turn. “Huh. Xyz summon? Never seen one before. I wonder, if I stop the battle, will he agree to show it again…”
“Yuuto! Stop it!” pleaded the colorful to now-identified Yuuto.
“I must card that Pawn of You Go, Yuuya!”
“It’s Yuugo, dammit!”
So, the colored was Yuuya and the white was Yuugo. She felt a theme naming. Were they Yuuhi’s brothers? If so, she might even find his parents…
“I’ll fucking kill you, bastard!”
It was starting to get weird. She didn't like the situation, so she coughed loudly to get their attention. Then again. After it failed, she shouted: “Hey!” Luckily, that managed to make them notice her.
“Yuzu? You’re there?..” and, after a short pause due to a double-take “What are you wearing?!”
“RI-I-I-IN!!!” the one in white happily jumped off his vehicle and… Okay, being glomped wasn't something she expected. (Yuuhi was more into gentle cuddling and being petted.)
“Get away from her, Pawn of Yuugou!” roared the black one and tried to tear Yuugo from her. “I won’t let you snatch her as you did Ruri!”
“Wha-a-at?! It was you who took Rin!” snarled Yuugo. “You want to steal her from me again, don’t you?!”
Fortunately, the duel ended the moment Yuugo abandoned his bike, so they fought with their fists now. While they were rolling on the grass, trying to tear each other’s throats, she sat, dumbfounded. The situation was way too weird for her to think straight.
“Yuzu! Help me to stop their fight!” asked her the colorful, Yuuya. She nodded, and they each grabbed a combatant to hold. She held the arms of the white one in hers and he, when noticed who was stopping him from assaulting his brother, turned a curious shade of red.
“No fighting.” she told him and, as he wanted to say something: “Neither of you is killing another today. Why, tell me, you’re mad at him?”
Yuugo started ranting. About “that bastard” kidnapping her (he must have confused her with that Rin, she thought) and being led to destroyed city and fighting, and now being led there, and finally “finding you, Rin!”...
Yuuto disagreed. Yuuya added something. The three of them started arguing (“Who the hell are you?! Why do you two have my face, dammit?!” “Pawn of Fusion, don't play innocent!”, “Goddamnit, it's Yuugo! Get my name right at once!”, “G-guys, calm down…”) and maiming each other again (well, Yuuya tried to stop them again, but to no avail).
Her eye twitched. Neither of them had Yuuhi’s tranquility and thus started to irritate her by being idiots. She really wished she had her D-Gauntlet on her, if just to materialize some ropes to tie and gag them, or to hit them with something to make them stop. Maybe her fists would do.
There was a girl running towards them. She had pink hair and… something on her hand was glowing?
“Yuuya?!” She came closer and...
Yet another blinding flash. This time she passed out.
Hoshie was nowhere to be seen and it was worrying for the very least. She wasn't in the living room, despite her D-Gauntlet and various armor pieces lying on the carpet, couch and table, wasn't in the kitchen, while her favorite cookies were opened, his cup was cooling in the machine and hers, cracked, was lying on the floor and staining the light-colored wood with liquid chocolate. Not in the bedroom, not in the clothes’ room or storeroom, not in the study, not in one of the bathrooms, not on the balcony… Not even in the chill-out zone on the second floor!
It was suspicious. The air was hot and the windows were all closed from the inside, as well as the doors to the balcony. The elevator ones were open, though, but the concierge would have told him if she wasn't home… And it was against her character to leave a broken mug and puddle of cocoa on the floor, and cookies to dry into rock hardness.
He probably was just being paranoid, but he decided to call their caretaker. She listened; she promised to come immediately and ordered him not to touch anything.
Yuuhi internally cursed. He was exhausted after his field assignment (he even had to miss Hoshie’ Duel) and more than just stressed out. And now he started to expect the worst scenario despite trying to be objective. What if she was kidnapped? Killed? Tortured? Maybe ra… No, such thoughts were counterproductive. Bad Yuuhi, bad brain.
He knew one thing, though. Whoever was guilty in harming Hoshie in any way was going to be crushed.
Item Acquired! Ritual Dimension Bracelet.
A silver bracelet adorned by one purple jewel. It seem to have some mystical abilities. One of Five Dimensional Bracelets.
Not native English speaker.
Have a test chapter. No Hoshie/Yuuhi descriptions on purpose.
Chapter 1. Glowing gems and doppelgangers.
Hoshie was freezing and starving and thus was hurrying to her quarters to get some hot chocolate. Today's challenger, a cowardly brat who was too foxish for his own good, used very foul tactics: full deck switch, physical and environmental assault. While he was plowing through her Court, he utilized a Beatdown Warrior-based deck, but against her he used a Stall/Burn Ice-themed one built with too many Continuous Traps such as “Hypothermia” and “Freeze Dry”, and a “Frozen Hell” Field Spell. That son of a… No, such thoughts were unbecoming of the Princess of the Battle Castle. Like some nasty surprises could have costed her the title and position, she sneered.
“Yuuhi must be berating himself right now for this development.” She thought. “I should talk to him after I have my victory treat. No, it would be better if he comes to my rooms and we have a chat over a cup of cocoa. It will lift his spirits.”
She quickly nodded to the concierge on the security station and, after a short trip by elevator, entered her penthouse-like den (or, as Yuuhi called it, Princess’ Tower because of its position) and turned the floor and air heaters on. The temperature immediately started to rise.
“Now, a tricky question. Caramel or honey?”
She typed an invitation for Yuuhi on her communicator and sent it, then took off the D-Gauntlet, placing it on the journal table, shed the long red ceremonial cloak, helmet and armor-like plastic torso protection and shoes, then buried her feet in a fuzzy carpet. The clothes she wore helped to fight the cold, but were mostly made to ensure no dangerous blows were landed (those Warriors had clubs and swords) so they weren't enough to keep her warm during the Duel. She wondered if she should change from the padded full body jumpsuit, but decided to keep it on, then headed to the kitchen.
For some reason there was a jeweled bracelet on top of her table. It was somehow familiar to her, consisting of three thin silver bands: the first of which was a very elongated ellipse, bent to form an incomplete circle with the gem held between the endpoints, another was an ellipse, smaller and rounder than the previous, forming a “halo” around the stone, and the third was a forked on both ends thin strip, which curled around the wrist along with the first part, framed the amethyst bead and merged with the second part (she actually wasn't sure if it was really amethyst, but the color fitted).
“Weird. Who could have left it there? Just anyone can not enter these quarters without my permission or triggering the alerts.” she wondered. “Not red-black-white palette, it rules out Regina. Could it be from the High Priest? It was his house before I moved in after all… silver, but purple instead of blues… in cooperation with King, perhaps?”
She picked the item up, viewing it carefully. The feeling of familiarity only grew stronger, and she put it on her right hand. It felt right.
“Were they impressed by my duels enough to cease mutual murder attempts and give me a gift?..” even in her head it sounded wrong. “Nah, those two will either kill each other or transfer their fights into horizontal plane.”
She shrugged (there wasn’t enough information to analyze and get an answer) and turned the coffee machine on. Soon the air was saturated with delicious chocolate aroma and she smiled, picking up and placing the mug on the table before her. The smell was nostalgic: her grandmother always made some for her in winter after she returned home… Granny, though, also had been adding some cream and marshmallows, but Hoshie decided against any more sweeteners.
It was starting to get too hot, so she used her communicator to turn the air heater off.
“It can be Founder, though… he is known for random acts. But why would such an important person drop by?.. Ugh, I really am tired. Weird thoughts are starting to breed inside my head.” she cringed. “Yuuhi must be on his way there, he should have dealt with his appointment already.”
She sipped her drink carefully. The chocolate was delicious, neither too sweet, nor too bitter, with perfect balance of cocoa and milk. She started to make a cup for her precious friend. As she was emptying her cup, she was dipping into honey and eating wheat cookies.
Suddenly, the gem started shining. She only could stare at it for a moment, as a bright flash of light blinded her.
She found herself in some kind of a park. It was unfamiliar, not of ones in Domino City or in Pawn or in Dice, which meant she was somehow transported very far from home. But it wasn't the most weird thing: three Yuuhis were.
“I wished sometimes I had more than one Yuuhi, but still…” her mind screeched to a halt. “What sorcery is this?!”
One in white, riding a motorcycle, another in black tattered clothes, third in green pants and orange top with white jacket, trying to stop the former two from fighting. A truly surreal view.
The bracelet wasn’t glowing anymore, but… She couldn't exactly comprehend what it did, but it (it?) was telling her to stop the fight. Somehow. Now.
“Damn. I don't have my D-Gauntlet with me. I’m weaponless right now.”
The compulsion to run in between Yuuhis was strong, but not enough to make her follow it. Instead she decided to observe them first.
The colorful one was obviously trying to be a peacemaker, but the goth and rider were engaged in an anger-filled Duel. They were shouting something about “It’s you go!” and pawns.
“Maybe they are playing to determine who will leave and who will stay. But why so violent about it?..” she wondered as the one in black took his turn. “Huh. Xyz summon? Never seen one before. I wonder, if I stop the battle, will he agree to show it again…”
“Yuuto! Stop it!” pleaded the colorful to now-identified Yuuto.
“I must card that Pawn of You Go, Yuuya!”
“It’s Yuugo, dammit!”
So, the colored was Yuuya and the white was Yuugo. She felt a theme naming. Were they Yuuhi’s brothers? If so, she might even find his parents…
“I’ll fucking kill you, bastard!”
It was starting to get weird. She didn't like the situation, so she coughed loudly to get their attention. Then again. After it failed, she shouted: “Hey!” Luckily, that managed to make them notice her.
“Yuzu? You’re there?..” and, after a short pause due to a double-take “What are you wearing?!”
“RI-I-I-IN!!!” the one in white happily jumped off his vehicle and… Okay, being glomped wasn't something she expected. (Yuuhi was more into gentle cuddling and being petted.)
“Get away from her, Pawn of Yuugou!” roared the black one and tried to tear Yuugo from her. “I won’t let you snatch her as you did Ruri!”
“Wha-a-at?! It was you who took Rin!” snarled Yuugo. “You want to steal her from me again, don’t you?!”
Fortunately, the duel ended the moment Yuugo abandoned his bike, so they fought with their fists now. While they were rolling on the grass, trying to tear each other’s throats, she sat, dumbfounded. The situation was way too weird for her to think straight.
“Yuzu! Help me to stop their fight!” asked her the colorful, Yuuya. She nodded, and they each grabbed a combatant to hold. She held the arms of the white one in hers and he, when noticed who was stopping him from assaulting his brother, turned a curious shade of red.
“No fighting.” she told him and, as he wanted to say something: “Neither of you is killing another today. Why, tell me, you’re mad at him?”
Yuugo started ranting. About “that bastard” kidnapping her (he must have confused her with that Rin, she thought) and being led to destroyed city and fighting, and now being led there, and finally “finding you, Rin!”...
Yuuto disagreed. Yuuya added something. The three of them started arguing (“Who the hell are you?! Why do you two have my face, dammit?!” “Pawn of Fusion, don't play innocent!”, “Goddamnit, it's Yuugo! Get my name right at once!”, “G-guys, calm down…”) and maiming each other again (well, Yuuya tried to stop them again, but to no avail).
Her eye twitched. Neither of them had Yuuhi’s tranquility and thus started to irritate her by being idiots. She really wished she had her D-Gauntlet on her, if just to materialize some ropes to tie and gag them, or to hit them with something to make them stop. Maybe her fists would do.
There was a girl running towards them. She had pink hair and… something on her hand was glowing?
“Yuuya?!” She came closer and...
Yet another blinding flash. This time she passed out.
>ARC-5<
Hoshie was nowhere to be seen and it was worrying for the very least. She wasn't in the living room, despite her D-Gauntlet and various armor pieces lying on the carpet, couch and table, wasn't in the kitchen, while her favorite cookies were opened, his cup was cooling in the machine and hers, cracked, was lying on the floor and staining the light-colored wood with liquid chocolate. Not in the bedroom, not in the clothes’ room or storeroom, not in the study, not in one of the bathrooms, not on the balcony… Not even in the chill-out zone on the second floor!
It was suspicious. The air was hot and the windows were all closed from the inside, as well as the doors to the balcony. The elevator ones were open, though, but the concierge would have told him if she wasn't home… And it was against her character to leave a broken mug and puddle of cocoa on the floor, and cookies to dry into rock hardness.
He probably was just being paranoid, but he decided to call their caretaker. She listened; she promised to come immediately and ordered him not to touch anything.
Yuuhi internally cursed. He was exhausted after his field assignment (he even had to miss Hoshie’ Duel) and more than just stressed out. And now he started to expect the worst scenario despite trying to be objective. What if she was kidnapped? Killed? Tortured? Maybe ra… No, such thoughts were counterproductive. Bad Yuuhi, bad brain.
He knew one thing, though. Whoever was guilty in harming Hoshie in any way was going to be crushed.
>ARC-5<
Item Acquired! Ritual Dimension Bracelet.
A silver bracelet adorned by one purple jewel. It seem to have some mystical abilities. One of Five Dimensional Bracelets.