Riding Duel: Acceleration!

((OOC:The other stories are moving slowly, so this is set after the current ones with the assumptoin that Shuho eventually goes to the city, if only for a little while while Zeiya and Kai are out of the Facility. The exact time is about two weeks from the current "Beginning of the Turning Point" Story.))

Neo Domino City.... The streets seemed clean and the people were happy, but not in the area Shuho was in. It seemed closer to Satellite, everyone had markers. This was the only poace he could be at the moment, as he wasn't suppose to be in the city. He rode his Duel Runner through the Afternoon's light, looking around to see if he could get any cards or anything. His deck still felt incomplete. He stopped as he looked down at his Duel Runner, now customized thanks to Kizai's assistance and working better than he ever thought it would.

Zeiya drove around her newly revamped duel runner. She let out a big grin, seeing as how everything was going smoothly. She was about to turn and call it a day when she spies Shuho.~that cant' be...~ She thought as she sped up.

"Shuho, is that you?!" Zeiya shouted as she started to ride along side with him. "How did you get here? Dont tell me you got caught like we did!"

Shuho gave a grin as he rolled up the visor of his black and white helmet. He pointed to his face as he turned to her. There was no Marker anywhere on him. He rolled it back down and said, "Got here the ol' fashion way. I'm not one to get caught by Security like somebody I know!"

"It wasn't my fault! Kai got us caught!" Zeiya said, letting out a pout. "Since when did you get a duel runner? Wait...is Seiki with you?" She was so focused on her questions that when she looked back ahead, she nearly crashed into a building. "ehheheheehe....oopies~"

Shuho gave a grin as he turned slightly, seeing a corner. He'd gotten slightly better thanks to lessons from Kazu. "We probably got a lot to talk about, but first things first!" He was cut off by someone standing in the middle of their path. A pie-faced short man wearing a red jacket who was giving a creepy smirk.

"Whoa!" Zeiya shouted as she smashed the breakes. "Hey, what's the big idea? Are you trying to get run over?!"

The man gaev a light chuckle and said, "Shuho Kazeyama, Zeiya Hisaki.... I've been looking for you for some time now. I am the CHief Second in Command of the Public Security, Lazar."

"Another Security clown?" Shuho said. "Sorry, not interested in goin' to any Facility."

Lazar wagged his finger and said, "Oh no, but that's not why I am here. I want to extend an invitation to you. A Dueling Tournament will soon begin and I've heard of your abilities. My superior would greatly appreciate it if you attended as participants."

"Oh really?" Zeiya said, crossing her arms. She got off her duel runner and look a good look at Lazar. "I wouldn't aggree with some security person...especially a clown with elf ears. "She said as she tugged on one of the ears. "are these even real?"

Lazar snapped his fingers as two invitations came up from his sleeve to his hand. He handed them to the two before he dove into his pocket for a picture. "I'm afraid I can't take no for an answer in this endevor. However, if you still wish to refuse, there's no telling what could happen to these people." In the Picture were Rally and the others, as well as Seiki in a seperate torn photo.

Shuho looked at the pictures and gave a glare. "You dirty... what did you do to them?!"

"Maybe nothing, maybe more," Lazar said with a smirk. "That all depends on whether or not you're willing to cooperate."

"You cheapskate!" Zeiya yelled, her hands balling up into fists. "How could you?! Blackmailing is one thing, but using the safety of our friends?! That's low!"

"I take that as a yes then," Lazar said as he pointed to the invitations. "Inside are Duelist Regestration cards for each of you which will allow you access into the tournament through official means. Until then, you have one week to home your skills and get anything you may need."

Shuho wanted so badly to punch this man in the face, but Seiki and the others could be hurt if he did. He sighed and said, "All we gotta do is compete, right? No problem. We'll take on anyone that comes our way and look for you when we're done."

"I still think there's something fishy about this..." Zeiya muttered, clenching her teeth. "If you do anything to our friends, I'll shave off what little clowny hair you have left!"

The man turned and began to walk away. He waved backwards and said, "I'll see you in one week! Please don't disappoint."

Shuho looked down at his Duel Runner for a moment, then back up to Zeiya and said, "Looks like we don't got a choice. We need to get ready."

"Son of a-" Zeiya shouted as she kicked the side of her duel runner, then held her leg in pain. "I can't believe someone has the nerve to do this!" she shouted. after panting a bit from the yelling, she sighed. "If rally and the others are involved...Yusei might be in the tournament as well..."

"All the more reason to do our best, right?" Shuho said, trying to think positive. "Look, we got some Duelist Regestration cards so that means we're real Pro Duelists now! We can duel to get money and buy some new stuff! All we need is some duels!"

"Yeah...but I don't think people over here appreciate random duels..." Zeiya said, crossing her arms. "I still have a bad feeling...it's like we're trapped." She let out a sigh. "Hopefully we can find Yusei." She got on her Duel RUnner and stareted it back up. "So now what, braniac?"

"Why don't you try dueling me?" a voice said as a brown Duel Runner flew up from behind them, landing right in front of them. A man with a brown, armor-like helmet looked at them with a glare. "I've been looking for someone, and I was told I'd find that person at the Turbo Championship Cup, but I want to be sure I can defeat that person, so one of you... duel me!"

"Eeeek!" Zeiya yelped as she walked away, sidling behiind Shuho. "Hey...that guy gives me the creeps. How about we just go somewhere else...ne?" She said, not wanting to be in his line of vision.

The man gave a glare towards Zeiya and said, "I don't think you heard me. I'm challenging you to a duel, girl! If you're a true duelist, then face me right here!"

Shuho blinked before he turned to Zeiya. "This isn't the kinda guy that'll just leave if we ignore him. Give em what he wants an' make it quick so we can go." He then smiled and said, "Besides, if ya do, you get money thanks to the new card, right?"

Zeiya whimpered a bit as she shrank behind Shuho. "O-Ok...." she muttered as she walked up, pulling out her duel disk. She activated it and drew five cards. "Well...lets go!" she said.

The man revved his Duel Runner once, then looked at the girl, almost disappointed. He climbed off his Duel Runner, removing his Duel Disk from his Runner. He shuffled his deck and drew five cards. He gave a glare and said, "You can take the first move..."

"I draw!" Zeiya said. "I summon a monster in defense and end with two facedowns!"

The man drew a card and said, "I activate the spell, Hand Destruction. We now each discard two cards from our hand to draw two new cards..." He went into his hand, preparing to send two cards to the grave.

"This sucks..."zeiya said as she discarded two cards, then drew two more. "So? What else do you got?"

The man looked at his new cards, picking one up. "From my hand, I summon Dragunity - Legion in attack mode." An armored bird with green wings appeared onto the field. (LV3 Atk:1200) "Dragunity - Legion monster ability. I can play a Dragon-type monster in my graveyard as an equip to this card when it's summoned. I choose Dragunity - Phalanx!" A brown, armored dragon appeared on the field under the bird man. It then left him and came onto the field. "Dragunity - Phalanx monster ability... when equipped to a monster, this card can be Special Summoned." (LV2 Atk:500) "Dragunity Phalanx is also a tuner monster..."