Heroes No More

Waging War

Yumi dodges another attack, taking refuge behind Lady Panther and her golden shield. "I told them this wasn't going to end well!"

"Their strategy was admirable yet flawed," she remarks. "Now squad two!"

Six more cards jump to her hands and burst to life. The Duel Monsters of choice join the fray of chaos and distraction, wasting no time in aiding the battle.

All twelve are out. She can't risk pushing herself harder or else risk giving away too much.

"Is that really the best you can do?"

Yumi's breath hitches when the voice rings out among the whirlwind. Another agent races by her, taking out one of the teens and adults fighting for the Copycat. A light shines from on top of the rubble of the once standing mansion, the Copycat's suit reflecting in the sunlight. Go figure.

Her body instinctively takes a step back from him. Lady Panther jumps in front of her, shield and spear at the ready to defend or attack.

The Copycat smirks and waves his hand. Grainy, polluted, mustard yellow light shines around him. That same light ignites in a circle on the ground between them. Then, in a flash, a darkened form of Lady Panther takes form. She doesn't look as vibrant, giving the feel of a lower quality...copy...

Lady Panther growls at the imposter as Yumi's eyes widen. "Y-You can still copy my powers?"

"Oh yes, I can copy my last victim and yet...not quite," He replies as he struts his way down the debris pile. "As you can see, my copies are merely that, and flawed at best. But what they lack in quality they more than make up for in lack of personality. My copies do my bidding without question. My copies will decimate the originals so that only I possess the ability to create an unstoppable army. I will be the only one who can bring a world to their knees with all powerful monsters! And thanks to you I now have more monsters at my finger tips than ever!"

Yumi stares at him with confusion until the realization hits her. She's steals a wide eyed peek down at the half dozen card holders attached to her belt. Pegasus insisted she take more so she'd be more flexible with spirit choices...

Her hand instinctively moves to cover one of the card holders. "Are you saying..."

Her belt and all its contents began to glow that sickening shade of yellow.

"I can now summon all of the monsters you have in your possession! I will be unstoppable!" The sky darkens and the wind gusts as muddy golden light fills the air. Seeping from the ground, masses begin to take form. Fights come to a screeching halt. Everyone is in awe. Then they form. At least fifty if not more Duel Monster copies take shape all around the battle field.

Yumi swallows. This is bad. But it could be worse. There are only fifty or so. At least he didn't or couldn't summon all two hundred-ish monsters she has on her. Still, the ones he did choose are all formidable; some of the strongest cards in her decks.

"Can you counter this Champion? Can you rise to the occasion or will the Queen of Games lose her throne?" The Copycat taunts.

"Alright."  Yumi puts her cards back in her belt pouch. Lady Panther eyes her with worry, but she has to try. She can't hold back out of fear any longer. "Let's Duel!"

A column of brilliant light engulfs her and shoots up into the air. It pulses out, filling the air and blinding all. It's gone as soon as it appears, but it leaves behind the true Duel Monsters of those previously summoned.

She immediately jumps into action. "Take an enemy, but not your copy. Go!"

Those who can hear her jump into action and pass on the message to those further in the battlefield. Monsters battle monsters and humans alike in a furious fight of the ages.

Suddenly, her comm screeches to life with demands from the Director to know what the hell is going on. Since when could so many monsters be summoned at once?

She clutches the communicator, reminding herself to breathe. "I may or may not have been holding out on you Director. I couldn't trust you with the truth on just how strong I am. I'm sorry."

There's a pause on the other end. "We will discuss this later. All teams aid the monsters and take down those fakes! We are not letting them escape out to the public. Understood?"

Several voices ring out from the communicator, but they're not her focus at this point. Gold light jumps from a belt pouch and a spear forms in her hand.

"You want to take my title, you Copycat?" She challenges. "Then come and pry it away from me."

His copy powers kick in and a spear forms in his hands as well. He pulls it back and takes aim, but Yumi is two moves ahead of him. In a poof the magical hats take form and Yumi disappears within.

"Destroy them all!" He shouts.

Gravekeeper's Spy materializes from the ground below Yumi's feet and offers out his hand. She quickly takes it and disappears into the earth below mere seconds before the hat she is hiding in is destroyed.

Thanks to the Gravekeeper's Spy Yumi leaps out from the Debris pile and tackles the Copycat to the ground. The fighting still fills the air, so surprising him won't cause him to shake his grip. Not good. He tries to attack her, but she's already rolling away from him.

One by one flashes of muddy golden light dance with the few flashes of blazing gold. Yumi gestures the battlefield around her. Time to try and talk him out of this. "Give it up Copycat. Your human troops are all but captured and your fakes are being creamed by both sets of my friends. You can't win. I won't let you. Give up now while you still have a chance."

"No!" Copycat gapes in horror as more flashes fill the air. If his powers are anything like Yumi's he can feel when each one is defeated. He knows how many he's already lost. "No! I can't lose after all of this planning! After finally finding the perfect source of power!"

His whole body engulfs in light as he becomes engulfed in his rage. His monsters are called back to him, causing cheering to erupt from around the battlefield. They think he's retreating; Yumi can tell this is far from over.

The sky tears open with a large blue intricate star-like symbol in the sky and a large creature as old as ancient Egypt itself bursts from the tear in the atmosphere above. His massive golden hands come through first with their large chains filling the air with their rattling. Then his head and torso comes through, his whole aura is over flowing with power that rolls out in droves.

The battlefield has fallen silent. No one dares move while under the gaze of the god-like creature above.

Yumi can't believe he actually did it. He actually summoned... "Exodia."