Book One: Someone New (Reginald Kastle)

Chapter Twenty-Four: Countdown

When I awake, Reginald is standing above me. He had been shaking me to wake me.
"Come on." He looks down at me.
"What's going on?" I ask.
"Yuma's in trouble." Those three words are all I needed to hear. I look out the window to see the Duel Tower-which I can see from Reginald's room- and see that it is blowing up.
"No, Yuma!" I yell out, and Reginald grabs my hand and drags me after him.
"I want you to stay with my sister." He says and turns away. I grab his arm.
"And I wanna come with you."
"No. You're going to stay here, where you're safe, d'ya hear me?" He is impatient and worried for his friend.
"I am not staying here." I say, resolute.
"Rose, please, I'm trying to keep you safe."
"But I'm always safe when I'm with you." I argue back and his dark blue eyes widen.
"Please, Reginald. He's my friend too. I want to help." I stand across from Reginald and the buzz of the hospital is all I can hear.
"Fine." He grabs my hand and we start running. His runner is still outside the stadium: we will have to get to Yuma on foot.

We are about halfway there, and neither of us has really spoke. The sphere field Yuma was duelling in has now become a golden ball of energy, aimed right at the peak of Heartland Tower.
"Yuma!" Reginald shouts. I grip his hand tighter as we run. He turns to look at me and smiles.
"He'll be fine, I promise." He reassures me and smiles at me, warmth in his eyes. I smile back, and we continue running. It isn't long before the destroyed Heartland Tower comes into sight.
"This is really bad." I say as we make our way to the bottom of the tower.
"This-" He gestures around us with his free arm, "is exactly why I wanted you to stay at the hospital." Reginald sounds serious but I still laugh lightly.
"Even if you had left me there, I would have followed you here. I wanna keep you safe just as much as you want to keep me safe." He lets go of my hand and turns around to face me.
"How though?" I sigh at his question.
"I don't know." I kiss his lips for a split second. "But I know I would do anything to even try and keep you safe." I profess. Reginald's cheeks are dusted pink.
"Promise me you won't do anything stupid?" He asks, and I laugh.
"Wow. That was really hard for me to say!" I playfully hit him.
"I would do anythin' to keep ya safe as well, alright? It was even more difficult for me to say." His smile is small, kind of embarrassed. I grab his hand.
"Let's go and save Yuma." He runs in front of me. We run down a set of stairs. Reginald is looking absolutely everywhere for our friend. We have no idea where he is, but we stop running when we see Tori and Orbital trying to lift some debris; Kite is underneath it!
"Come on, put your motor into it!" Tori yells at the robot.
"You want me to overheat?" The robot returns. They are clearly struggling. Kite isn't moving, his mouth is slightly open, but his eyes are closed.
"It's not budging at all...!" Tori exclaims. Myself and Reginald have stopped running now.
"Outta the way!" Reginald declares.
"Huh?! Where'd you two come from?" Tori questions.
"Glad to see you as well, Tor." I cross my arms.
"It's you two again." Orbital clearly remembers us from when he tried to steal Yuma's key for Kite. I scowl at him.
"The robot and I can lift that. As soon as we do, pull 'im outta there." Reginald steps forward. Tori's hands stay on the rock.
"Hello? Move!" Reginald says to her.
"Uh, great, okay." She squats down, prepared to get Kite. I stand to the side, unsure of what to do. Reginald and Orbital lift the rock, and Tori pulls Kite out. I immediately help her to sit him up. I tap his shoulders.
"Kite? Kite, can you hear me?"
"M-M-Master K-Kite!" The blonde's breathing is jagged: he is recovering.
"I'm so glad you're okay-kay!" Reginald is stood, hands in his pockets, sporting an aloof demeanour as always.
"Thanks, Shark." Tori says.
"Don't thank me." He is already walking away.
"Just get him outta here, Tori."
"No...I'm not leaving." Kite says, his voice showing the pain he is feeling. I look at him. Reginald has turned to face him. Kite is trying to get up, and I help him up. He is scowling at the purple-haired boy.
"B-B-But Master Kite!"
"The place is coming down, man." Reginald says. His reasoning is stupid: if he stays, he'll get crushed too. There is a resolve in Kite's eyes.
"I'm not leaving without my brother!" Kite declares.
"What?! You mean Hart is here too?!"
"Hart? As in the kid Yuma was tellin' me all about?" I ask. Tori nods.
"He's your little brother?" I ask a painstricken Kite.
"Yeah." Reginald is now regarding Kite with a sort of sympathy: he knows the feeling of caring about what happens to an endangered sibling.
"Do you have any idea where he is?" Tori asks. Kite looks quite confused that Tori cares.
"I-It's really r-rather c-complicated actually." Orbital admits.
"That's enough." Kite silences his robot. Tori puts her arms on Orbital's...shoulders I guess they are?
"Where is he?" She asks.
"Uhhh..." Tori starts to shake Orbital.
"Tell me where he is you bucket of bolts!" She demands. I chuckle at her insult.
"Tori, stop shaking him!" I say.
"Hart is being used by Doctor Faker to power the Sphere Field C- Cannon." Kite's eyes are closed in pain and frustration, Reginald is now alert and I am worried.
"What is a Sphere Field Cannon?" Tori and I ask.
"I-It is the ultimate weapon created to destroy Astral World! In order for Doctor Faker to complete it, he made Master Kite assemble the Number Cards to g-g-gather their energy in one place to create a d-devastating blast!" Orbital explains.
"That means Yuma and Hart are in big trouble." I conclude.
"Alright, it's bad news! We got it! So where is this thing and how do we get to it?!" Reginald inquires. He's angry.
"This doesn't concern you or your girlfriend." Kite says as he walks away. "Let's go, Orbital." He orders. Reginald clenches his fists. My deck box glows and Mizen appears once again. She looks happy, but then notices the devastating debris around her.
"Rah?!"
"Where do you think you're goin'?" Reginald asks the Hunter.
"I don't have time to settle a score if that's what you want." Kite turns to face the sea blue eyed boy.
"It's not...ugh...all I wanna do is save Yuma.." Reginald unwillingly reveals. Tori is shocked.
"If he's still in the Sphere Field, and they're using it as a weapon...things aren't going to end well." His eyes are squinted shut. He really does care about what happens to Yuma.
"What can we do?" Tori sounds hurt. Kite is acknowledging Reginald with a wary expression.
"I-I dunno." Reginald says. "All I know is that I can't do nothin' when my friend is in trouble!" There it is, the declaration of his gratitude and acceptance of Yuma's friendship!
"Now talk you lousy vacuum cleaner! The Sphere Field Cannon. How do we get to it?" Reginald urges, looking straight at Orbital. Mizen now looks quite confused.
"I-I a-am not a vacuum c-cleaner! I am a highly sophisticated intelligence unit! Hmph." Orbital says.
"Nobody cares what you are!" I state.
"Every second we wait here is another second that Yuma, Hart and Astral are in danger." I say quietly. Reginald looks at me, a frown on his face.
"Kite, please. I wanna help save Yuma too." Kite looks unsure of what to do.
"We have to work together. Yuma was always worried about Hart, you know that right?" Tori asks. "Please Kite. Let's all work together and save the people we care about."
"Come on Orbital, let's go." Kite turns his head indignantly: his mind is made up.
"U-Understood!" Orbital seems more than happy to get out of here.
"But, Kite!" Myself and Tori try to argue.
"We're done talking about this. We need to get to the garbage treatment facility." Kite walks away.
"Was that his way of saying 'follow me'?" Reginald asks.
"I...guess so?" Tori offers. I am already walking ahead. Mizen is floating besides Reginald.
"Are you comin' or what? We have a goofball to save as well as a kid and otherworldly being. Time is not on our side." Reginald is regarding me with a smirk of impression. We follow Kite and Orbital, but we are only lead to a blocked passage.
"This is the underground entrance t-t-tunnel, but it-it's completely blocked."
"There has to be another way!" Reginald remarks.
"Scan the building schematics." Kite orders.
"I would except that-that the a-access point that would enable me to tap in-into the b-building e-engineering system has been destroyed by d-debris. I ca-can't access-"
"Step making excuses you worthless scrap pile!" Reginald cuts him off.
"I-I don't see you doing anything to help you hairless ape!" Orbital retorts. I raise an eyebrow at his insult.
"If it weren't fo-for r-robots-!"
"Hey, wait a sec, maybe Kari can help!" Tori is already calling her.
"You really think Yuma's older sister is gunna react well to this?" I ask sceptically. She shrugs at me as Kari answers. It isn't long before Kari has found a solution to our problem: a stairwell to the west of where we are.
"Alright, follow me!" She begins to run and we all follow, but I am surprised when Reginald grabs my hand and pulls me with him.
"You know I can run just as fast as you right?" I remark.
"Eh." He says, but doesn't let go of my hand. We find the stairwell easily.
"These stairs are not go-good for my shocks."
"Which way tin-can?!" Reginald nags.
"We're here! M-Master Hart is just up ahead!" Orbital declares.
"Brilliant!" I reply. We run and as soon as the door in front of us slides open, we are greeted by no other but Mr Heartland himself. My grip on Reginald's hand tightens. Tori notices.
"Hahahahahaha. I'm so glad you could find it in you to join us." He greets.
"Unfortunately, if you're looking for Hart, I'm afraid he's abit indisposed at the moment." Kite steps forward.
"Where is he?!" The blonde demands.
"Right here!" Heartland announces and gestures up to where we can all see the Sphere Field. It is a golden ball f energy, attached to it's hold by blue electrical surges. Kite's eyes have widened: he is in a state of shock and horror. We can see a child I presume is Hart who is groaning in pain. We run to him.
"Hart! Can you hear me?!" Kite asks his little brother. We are all completely shocked: this scene is inhumane.
"Guys look! Yuma's up there too." Tori points out. I see someone, on his hands and knees. What on earth? Then I think. Astral. Yuma and Astral's features have combined. Have they become one?
"It was nice of you all to drop by, but I'm afraid I have to ask you to leave now." Heartland's tone is mocking, like the tone of which you would use with a small child.
"We have a world to destroy." As he speaks, the wall opens up to reveal an uncountable number of Litterbots.
"Litterbots, it's time to take out the trash." He declares. I let go of Reginald's hand. The litterbots transform into bigger versions of themselves, all armed with sharp objects. I scream. Kite, however, is unfazed.
"Orbital, get to it!" He instructs his robot who is more than happy to oblige. He transforms into the same dangerous weapon he did when he faced myself and Reginald. When he is like this, it is easy to fear him. His red drill is ready to go.
"Here I gooooooooooo!!" He yells, without a stutter.
-"Sorry about that!"
-"My apologies!"
Before I know it, a robot is coming straight for me. Without thinking, I kick it harshly. One tries to attack Reginald but he quickly somersaults out of the way and kicks it, with more power than I had.
"Impressive!" I shout to him as I grab a broken part from the Litterbot I destroyed and swing at another one.
"You too!" He replies. We continue to destroy the monstrosities, one after the other. Kite and Shark are amazing at this. I look to see Tori hit a robot over the head and it is destroyed.
"E-Efficient demolition skills!" Orbital compliments.
"I'll demolish you next of you don't keep fighting!"
"U-U-Understood ma'am." He is clearly terrified of the emerald haired girl. As I am distracted one swings for me, but I narrowly avoid it. It manages to cut through my jeans and a deep cut is visible on my leg.
"Man, there's no end to them!" Reginald states. He is backing up. Kite is doing the same.
"I've got to get Hart down from there." He looks up at his little brother. I remember back to when I was first at the duel coasters and I had noted that there was something different about the blonde haired boy, and now I know that it is because, all along, he was fighting for his little brother.
"Hart's not going anywhere. Besides, I'm sure he's happy where he is." Heartland proclaims.
"Yeah right!"
"He's making his father proud. Every boy wants to make his father proud. You, on the other hand, are turning out to be quite the disappointment." We are all staring daggers at him.
"You played your part for a while. We certainly appreciate you gathering Number Cards, but now you seem to have lost your way. Your father hopes you'll come around, but I know better. You've always been ungrateful and arrogant and it's time for you to vanish with all your little friends including Yuma!"
"That's not gunna happen." I stand forward, my weapon in hand and my teeth grit.
"And now, it's time for me to say goodbye!" The end of Heartland's staff begins to glow, and the ground begins to shake.
"Reginald, what's happening?!"
"I don't know!" He yells trying to keep his balance. I fall and headbutt myself off of his shoulder.
"Ow." I groan.
"Are you okay?" He asks. Before I can answer, I fall over again. The wound on my leg is hurting me immensely. The ground is opening up! Broken Litterbots fall through the floor, and I am quite close to the edge. I scramble away, and Reginald helps me up.
"Uh oh. This doesn't seem good." He realises.
"Below us is a portal to Astral World!" Heartland declares. A robot comes at me whilst I am distracted but Reginald slices right through it.
"Everybody get away from the edge and run toward the wall!" He shouts.
"Hart, you gotta fight it!" Kite yells. The young boy is glowing blue.
"Hart!!" Kite yells before destroying another bot.
"Litterbots, toss all of this trash into the vortex!" More litterbots appear: they're never ending! I slice through two at the same time, but one catches me offguard.
"Rose, move out of the way!" Reginald shoves me to the floor, and takes a scythe to the side. He squints his eyes and grits his teeth in pain.
"Reginald!" He holds his side in pain.
"These guys are never-ending! Hey, toaster oven! Can't you do anything about this?" Reginald asks.
"I-I am not a t-toaster oven! I am a sophisticated artificial intelligence unit!"
"Come on! Keep it together you two! These pesky Litterbots have to be getting their orders from somewhere, right?" Tori yells.
"If we can find the source of their signal, and destroy it...!" I conclude.
"An e-excellent idea!" Orbital compliments.
"I shall investigate immediately." Orbital scans the area around us and soon finds a signal. He provides an explanation about how to destroy it, which makes Reginald impatient.
"Again with the explanations! Just make it happen!" He yells.
"H-How dare y-you speak to m-me that way?! I am not your minion! I a-am Master Kite's-"
"Just do it Orbital!" Kite shouts.
"Uh, y-yes Master Kite!" Orbital runs through the robots.
"You'll need a boost! Up, up and away!" I laugh as I throw Orbital at the signal transmitter. Blue streams of electricity hit Orbital. He is electrocuted.
"Orbital!!" I scream.
"Oh no, Orbital!" The robot falls to the ground. The Litterbots stop their onslaught.
"Looks like the hunk of junk did it!" The strange platform Heartland is stood on begins malfunctioning. He yells in confusion.
"Wait a second! No! This isn't supposed to happen! Nooooo!" Heartland screeches. Tori goes to our robot friend on the floor.
"Orbital..." He mutters a lot of junk.
"You saved us...all of us." My caramel eyed friend is crying.
"I know, Tor." I say putting a hand on her shoulder. As we stand there, the Sphere Field starts glowing blue.
"Oh now, what now?" I ask. Without warning, Yuma- and Yuma alone- comes falling out of the Sphere. He lands on the ground with a thump.
"Yuma's back!"
"He's free!"
"Yuma, are you alright?" I inquire. Yuma grunts. Kite has said nothing, he is just looking at him.
"Did you really think I would spend so long putting my plans into motion, and not have a backup system in place?! Once it comes online, the cannon will repower itself and Astral World will cease to exist! You will soon be finished along with Astral World! It's over! Doctor Faker: One, Yuma: Zero!" Out of the wall, comes another strange platform. On this platform, Doctor Faker is sat.
"It's not over yet Faker!" Yuma goes to clench his fist, but realises he has two cards in his hand. He looks down at them, as if suddenly remembering something.
"Ohh...Hope and the Future. I get it." He picks one of the cards and holds it out to Kite.
"Hey Shark..and Kite! You guys ready to rumble? As long as my friends and I are still here, we're gonna keep fighting!" Yuma states confidently.
"Do you really think we can stop 'im?" Reginald asks, warily looks at the Number that Yuma is holding out to him.
"You can do this Reginald. I believe in you." I smile and hug him. He returns the gesture, to Yuma and Tori's surprise. Kite is coolly watching us.
"Now go get 'im!" I assure my confidence in him.
"We have to try, Shark." Yuma says. Reginald accepts his former Number, and Kite pulls a card from his deck.
"Come on, Kite. Whaddya say?" Yuma wants Kite's help. He wants them to forget all of their past tension. The blonde steps forward. The trio hold their cards aloft.
"We can do this! Together! This is it! There's no looking back!" Yuma announces. Reginald has a smile on his face. That alone makes me smile. I know that the power all three of them share is enough to win any battle.
"If it's a duel you want, it's a duel you'll get! I'll demolish you and be rid of the lot of you once and for all! Your days of meddling in my affairs will come crashing to an end! And after that...this world is mine for the taking!" I scowl at the founder of my hometown. This duel has everything on the line.
Yuma, Reginald and Kite are our only hope.