Episode 162: For You, My Irreplaceable Friend

In the city, most of the duelists are gone. Yusuke's father and mother pant as the figures surround them. Leon is also struggling to stand as dozens of figures surround him. In the field of battle, Tony is blasted back and falls through a set of doors. Marie is almost ready to collapse as even Tier is panting in exhaustion. Deeper in the city, the waiter is blasted through a set of doors. In Spain and the fields, more duelists are sent flying back through doors, including Leonid. In a void of light, the three Fates view this.

Fate 1: So in the end it would appear the darkness has won out.

Fate 3: Shame. I was amused by their struggling. I had expectations that they would fix the negativity of the world.

Fate 2: Let us not say that yet. After all, their fight is not over quite yet.

Fate 3: Rather upbeat for you. You mean to say they still have a chance to stop Vergil and the Underworld?

Fate 2: No, I cannot say I do. But they have shown us many times that destiny is not completely set in stone.

Fate 1: True enough. That is why we created the Fate Crystals.

Fate 2: It was to see if humans could change the future set in stone for them. Yusuke and his friends have defied destiny many times now. Let us see if he can make a miracle happen again. On that day, the greatest power just might become his.

Opening

In a white room, a slightly younger Vergil pokes the food on his plate and gazes out the window, glaring at the Sun. Someone walks up.

Dante: Hey! That seat taken?

Vergil: Yes, it is.

Dante: Come on man, don?t be a pill. Thought you could use some company. Besides, there's nowhere else to sit.

Vergil: Fine. Just sit down and shut up.

Dante sits next to him and eats. He watches people as he does.

Dante: Funny aren't they? Like ants almost. Completely ignorant of the outside world. They've no idea of the world outside. The darkness and the suffering. They fill themselves with false happiness and remain blind to the true way the world is.

Vergil: Funny. I think the same thing whenever I watch them. Almost makes you want to laugh right?

Dante: Cry is more like it. I wish we could change things...you know? Let the big guys on top for a change?

Vergil: Yes?that would be nice. Nice to meet you. I am Vergilius Publius Maro.

Dante: Dante. Dante Alighieri.

The flashback ends as Dante grins to himself.

Dante: Kind of wish I could get back to those days. Everything was so peaceful back then.

Vergil: Yes, I suppose. But this is the way things are now. I have no choice but to do things as they follow. No hard feelings [Vergil LP = 1500]. [ATK 4000/DEF 3000 LV 12] [ATK 3000/DEF 1000 LV 10].

Dante: Same to you Vergil. But we have to end things here and now. You want to finish your insane plan and I have to stop you. One of us has to go down. [Dante LP = 1000].

Axel: Man this is messed up. Dante caused all of this to happen.

Baron: I had a feeling there was more than what he was telling us, but I never expected this.

Dante: Yeah?but you need to understand. Had you known the truth?you never would have trusted me.

Yusuke: Dante! Don?t assume things. You?ve shown yourself to be trustworthy. Had you only said that from the beginning, we would have been fine with it. After all, friends do that. They forgive each other, no matter what they did.

Dante: Friends? We're...friends?

Vergil: Useless. Friendship has no use in this world. Let me show you that Dante. Yomishin Diablo attacks your monster.

It slashes the monster as the jelly repels the attack.

Vergil: Iblis, finish the job!

It roars and punches the monster, crushing it.

Vergil: Enough of this child?s play. Let?s end this Dante.

Dante: Yeah, I agree. Let?s not beat around the bush anymore. We're enemies now. And that means one of us has to go down. Here I go, draw! I use the Spell card Melting Earth. I remove a Field Spell in my deck from play [Ring of Fire] and draw 2 cards. Then I set a card and end my turn.

Vergil: A set card? You honestly feel such a thing will help you? Fool. I'll teach you that set cards are useless. Have you forgotten Traps and Spells are useless? Draw. I will also set a card. Yomishin Iblis ends this! Crush him and win us this duel!

Dante: I discard Fire Sea- Starfish Shield. Now until the End Phase of this turn, any damage I take from a non- FIRE monster is negated. Monster effects are free game against a Yomishin.

Iblis punches the monster and Dante is pushed back, but he holds his ground.

Vergil: Hmph. You may suck at dueling, but you?ve always been good at holding on by the skin of your teeth. Even so, you won?t intimidate me. I have the strongest monsters on my field and you have nothing. Besides, even if you keep going what will it do as long as I have this?

He reaches into his shirt and takes out a Fate Crystal.

Yusuke: That's?

Alicia: That belongs to Dex you scumbag!

Vergil: It belongs to me now. That fool decided to side with us. That means his life and everything involved with it belongs to me.

Tamika: You son of a...do your friends mean that little to you?!

Vergil: Friends? You seem mistaken. Those peons were not my friends. They were my subjects. If they lost, it is their own fault. Either way, their sacrifice helps our plan get closer to completion.

Dante: Man Vergil...you've really freaking lost it! You never used to be like this! What happened to the friend who used to joke? The friend who was sullen but could at least enjoy life!?

Vergil: That Vergil is dead. He has been dead ever since he set foot in the Sun 13 years ago. Besides, who are you to talk? A few years ago, our situations were switched.

Dante looks down as he remembers. Vergil and Dante sit on the hospital roof at night.

Vergil: I love this time of day. It reminds me of my childhood underground. A world of pure, silent darkness.

Dante: Yeah. You ask me, the Sun should just go out forever. It shines over this world, lying about the way it really is. There?s no happiness or joy. All of it is an illusion.

Vergil: True. But it is not as though we can actually blot out the Sun.

Dante: Maybe we could. I?ve been doing research. Have you heard of the Yomishin? In the Underworld, there exist monsters made of darkness. They give humans the power of darkness. Every heart has darkness inside of it. That much is clear to everyone. If you stack the darkness of everyone?s soul on top of each other, the darkness will build a bridge to the Underworld.

Vergil: Build a bridge? Are you serious? That's nuts.

Dante: Call me nuts if you want. I know for a fact I?m right. There have to be others out there like us. Those who the world has scarred. Let?s go out and find them. Then together we can become friends and create a new world, free of sadness and anger.

Vergil: If that is really what you want?then count me in. Friends do that right?

The flashback ends as Dante looks down.

Dante: I used to be like that, true. But that isn?t who I am anymore. Draw. Spell card, Pot of Greed. This lets me draw 2 cards. When Fire Sea- Swift Minnow is drawn except during my Draw Phase, he Special Summons himself [ATK 0/DEF 0 LV 1].

Vergil: What point is there? Any monster that appears before Diablo is so terrified it loses all power. Summon the weak, summon the strong. Either way there?s no difference.

Dante: I release Minnow and Advance Summon my Fire Sea- Magma Squid [ATK 2200-0/DEF 1400 LV 6]. Continuous Trap, Passion of Heart. Now one monster isn?t designated by effects and gains 1000 attack points [ATK 3200/DEF 1400 LV 6]. No amount of terror in this world will scare me away! Swipe through the terror!

Tentacles lash out and pierce Diablo in many places. It squeaks and its eyes roll over in its head as it blows up. Vergil covers his face from the smoke [Vergil LP = 1300]. Iblis turns to its fallen brother and its eyes shrink, roaring in anger.

Vergil: Now you?ve done it. You dare to sully a god with your filthy hands?

Dante: Sorry Vergil, I don?t believe in gods. I am not scared of something I don?t believe in. I end my turn. Using Passion, my monster changes to defense mode. [ATK 3200/DEF 1400 LV 6]. Turn end.

Vergil: Trying to hide so soon after your initial battle. Sorry to disappoint you. But I will not allow that. Draw. Spell card, Stop Defense. This changes your monster to attack mode [ATK 3200/DEF 1400 LV 6]. Iblis, show him the anger of the Underworld.

Iblis roars and punches through Squid, making it blow up. Dante cries out as the explosion slams him back. He struggles to stand up as his clothes smoke [Dante LP ? 200]. He vomits more blood.

Vergil: Please?put an end to this Dante. Your body can't stand the stress of the Shadow Game. If you keep going you?ll die for sure. I really want to avoid such a thing Dante.

Dante: I?m not?going to run and hide. If I run now, I?ll never forgive myself. And then I might as well be dead!

Vergil: Such resolve?are you so resolved to settle things like this? Does your guilt run that deep Dante? Guilt over what you?ve done?

Dante: It?s true. There is guilt over what I have done. But it is more than that.

He looks ahead as he remembers again.

Dante: We both fled from the hospital that day, knowing we would never get better. And we both mutually decided if we couldn?t change, we?d change the world.

Dante is surrounded by numerous figures.

Dante: We found others like us. Together, we became the Crossed Brotherhood, allied under one goal. Our sole mission, the mission we all shared together, was to open the gates of the Underworld and change the face of this world. And I was the one who first opened the gate?

Dante walks towards older kids, the same ones who picked on him. They huddle in fear as Dante grins and activates his Duel Disk, darkness pouring from him. They scream as seconds later they are pulled inside a gate. Inside a dark room, Dante and Vergil see a black sphere with three lights around it.

Dante: Just as we thought! The darkness does connect to the Underworld!

Vergil: Just as we hoped. With this, our goals and ambitions begin anew. Let?s see if we can make this real.

The flashback ends as Vergil clenches his fist.

Dante: Here I go, draw. I set a card and end my turn.

Vergil: And again you think that will help. Useless. Draw. I set a card. Iblis, put an end to him!

Dante: Trap card, Back From Burn! One FIRE monster is revived. Until the End Phase of my next turn, that monster cannot be destroyed in battle. During that point, it is removed. I revive Fire Sea- Singing Anemone [ATK 300/DEF 1400 LV 4].

The attack hits and is repelled. Vergil?s eyes narrow and he growls in anger.

Vergil: You are so annoying?are you going to give it your all to stop me? Just like before??

Vergil glares in anger as he remembers. In a dark corridor, Vergil knocks on a door.

Vergil: Dante? Rasputin prepared us a feast. I was hoping we could eat in the Grand Hall. I just came up with a great new attack plan.

He knocks again as the door creaks open. Vergil looks confused and steps inside, seeing no one around. He looks in confusion as he hears crashing. He runs and sees Dante standing near a window wearing a coat.

Vergil: Dante?

Dante: Vergil?sorry. But I can?t be a part of this anymore.

Vergil: A part of this? But why?! Aren?t we comrades fighting for one goal?! You can?t say you?re betraying us after all this!

Dante: I can and will.

Vergil: Dante please! Your place is here with us. Together we can create a new world. That was our promise wasn?t it?

He holds out his hand. Dante looks and turns away.

Dante: I really wish things were different. But they can?t be. Goodbye my friend. Don?t worry, I won?t stop you. But I won?t help you.

He smashes the window and tosses the shards, leaping out the window. Vergil runs over and sees no one there. Vergil falls to his knees and looks down as the other members run over. Rasputin kneels by him as Vergil pushes away, glaring in fury. The flashback ends as everyone looks shocked.

Neo: Whoa?

Sigma: I?ll say.

Vergil: I was crushed that day. And no matter how much I tried to understand, I couldn?t. Why Dante? Why rebel? And why come back now? Did guilt finally crush you?

Dante: Stop saying things you don?t get Vergil. I?ll finish this duel already.

Vergil: Yes, you?re right. Let?s not beat around the bush anymore. I end my turn.

Dante: My turn! Spell card Make Life Equal! Now I draw 2 cards since my life points are lower. Then I summon Fire Sea- Charge Swordfish [ATK 2300/DEF 0 LV 4]. I tune my level 4 Fire Sea- Singing Anemone and level 4 Fire Sea- Charge Swordfish.

Anemone becomes 4 rings that Swordfish flies, becoming 4 stars [4 + 4 = 8]. Darkness pours from Dante.

Dante: I?ve been holding back my own darkness. Now I release it all! Take a dip in the sea of lava and burn the world in a fiery abyss. Synchro Summon! Fire Sea- Infernal Fireshark [ATK 2800/DEF 500 LV 8].

Vergil: Now you, you uses darkness, criticizes us for using darkness? Not only are you a traitor?you are a hypocrite!

Dante: Vergil?it?s true. I left because I felt guilt. I thought I was doing the right thing, but then I looked around. We wanted to put smiles on people?s faces. To erase all pain and sorrow. But are we were doing was causing more pain and sorrow. I was the cause of it all. So I did leave to erase my guilt. But as time passed, I saw what you guys were doing. And I realized just by running I couldn?t change.

Vergil: But it was our plan! How could you ruin years of work just out of guilt?!

Dante: It wasn?t guilt! I came back for you Vergil! I?never wanted to change the world! Those years on the streets, alone, taught me the world can?t be changed! All I wanted?was a friend. A shoulder to pick me up and a shoulder for me to pick up. I got Yusuke, I controlled my darkness, and I returned to save you from the darkness Vergil. My best, irreplaceable friend Vergil. I equip Skill Transfer. By negating Shark?s power, it gains 1500 points [ATK 4300/DEF 500 LV 8]. Take down Yomishin Diablo!

It flies towards the monster and charges through it. Iblis roars in agony and blows up [Vergil LP = 1000].

Dante: This is a sign to you. I can?t lose this battle. I?ll save you my friend, no matter what! That is why I fight now!

Alicia: Whoa...

Yusuke: Dante...I had no idea.

Vergil: I see?but you will not get away with that. Here I go, I draw. I flip summon Shadow Seeker [ATK 1000/DEF 1300 LV 4]. I remove from play this monster and summon Yomishin Diablo [ATK 3000/DEF 1000 LV 10], who has been removed from play. Trap card, Night Falls. For each turn this card has been set, I can summon a Night Token [ATK 0/DEF 0 LV 1 x 3]. I release all three Tokens to Advance Summon my Yomishin Beelzebub [ATK 3500/DEF 2500 LV 11].

Rika: He summoned two of those things at once!

Dante: Vergil...please...

Vergil: When Yomishin Diablo and Yomishin Beelzebub are both on the field, Yomishin Iblis can be revived [ATK 4000/DEF 3000 LV 12].

Chimera: All three?.

Dante: No...way?.

Vergil: Your friendship did mean a lot to me Dante. But I am too far down this path to stop now. When Diablo is summoned, the attack points of all my opponent?s monsters go down to 0 [ATK 0/DEF 500 LV 8]. Iblis, end this struggle and put an end to all resistances.

It roars and punches through the monster. Shark cries as it dies and the darkness hits Dante. He hits the ground and rolls [Dante LP = 0]. Everyone watches in shock as he holds out a hand. A door opens beneath him and pulls him inside the doors. Dante still holds out his hand in a pleading motion.

Dante: Ver...gil...

The doors slam shut on him. Everyone looks in shock as Yusuke runs forward.

Yusuke: Dante! You...how could you do that?!

Vergil: To become the prophet of the new world, I had to throw away my humanity. His friendship was the final connection. Now the plan may proceed.

The whole ground shakes. Everyone watches as the doors keep getting pounded on and the Inferno glows even brighter.

Vergil: The Inferno is complete.

To be continued

Baron: Today we?ll be going over Shadow Seeker. By removing it from play you can replace it with a monster that has been removed from play.

Dante: It sure can be a great card in the right way!

Baron: Hey, how did you get here? Aren?t you in the Underworld?

Dante: The Yomishin let me out to guest star on your show. It?s a huge hit down there and I said I knew you.

Baron: Well, that makes sense I...wait, there's television in the Underworld?!