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Season 0: Theme Keycard #1 C11: Replaceable

Added 2025-02-10 15:59:25 +0000 UTC

Lenix coughed, spattering a fresh puddle of crimson onto the grimy alley floor. The cold, hard surface bit into his skin as he struggled to pull himself toward the street in hope someone would have the damn decency to call him an ambulance. “Goddamn you, Fushio.“ Damn the both of them. He wouldn't be in this situation if not for them meddling kids!

With a grunt, he pressed his palms against the slick ground and began to crawl, breaths coming in ragged and shallow, accompanied by a chorus of pain that dared him to stop and surrender to unconsciousness.

One moment he was pulling himself past an overturned trash can, the next he was blinking back into awareness inches from a cracked sidewalk.

A blurred figure dashed past the alleyway, a flicker of movement at the very edge of his vision.

Lenix tried to call out, but his voice was but a whisper swallowed by the city’s hum…

Finally, the warm glow of streetlights washed over him, casting an orange halo that comforted his weary mind.

“Oh my God, is that a person?!“

He could hear the distant rhythm of car engines and the low mumbles of weary commuters making their way home. “Oh, crap! Call an ambulance!“

With his last reserves of strength, Lenix rolled onto his back, blearily raising an arm in a futile plea for help.

The sky above spun with his movements, stars dancing in dizzying circles before coalescing into blackness once more.

The sensation of motion jarred him awake to several pairs of hands grabbing and lifting him into a cargo van repurposed.

Voices blurred into a cacophony that he just couldn't quite dissect, but Lenix hadn't missed the worried tone being passed around.

“Patient is experiencing pain and difficulty breathing… Suspected rib fracture.“

“He neds immediate intervention. Possible risk of pneumothorax.“

Realizing he's in safe hand, Lenix finally let go, succumbing to the pull of sweet unconsciousness. When he came to, the world's already bathed in sterile white and the constant beep of machines. Lenix squinted, shielding his eyes against the harsh glare of fluorescent lights as he slowly took in the unfamiliar sights of the hospital room.

His head still throbbed,

His throat raw,

And his body felt like it had been run over by a herd of elephants deep into their rutting season,

But at least, for now, he was safe and, “Alive… I'm alive?“

With a sigh, Lenix sunk back into the pillows, utterly drained.

There was much to process, and even more to plan.

Groaning, Lenix lifted his wrist to check the time, only to discover the device's missing.

"My Duel Disk... Where's my Duel Disk?" He exclaimed, rolling off the bed in a blind panic.

Needless to say, his outburst quickly summoned a nurse to his side. "Sir, sir! Please calm down!"

"My Duel Disk!" It wasn't just his means of getting stronger; his lifeline, but it also housed every card he had, Nephthys and the Hands included.

Losing it was not an option.

Lenix couldn't afford to.

"Where is it?!" He demanded, frantic eyes searching his surroundings.

"You weren't wearing any Duel Disk when you came in, but your belongings should be in that cabinet over there!"

Following her direction, Lenix practically flung himself toward it, but there's nothing inside except for his old, patched-up wallet and the set of bloodied clothes he had worn the night before… 'Is it even the night before?' How long had he been in this stupid gown?

“Sir, is everything alright?“

"No..." Everything was far from alright. He should never have gone with Musashi.

That bastard didn't even glance back to see if he was okay!

Lenix ran his hand down his forearm and paused when he felt the lump beneath his skin. A pulse of light responded, and a hologram flickered to life, displaying all the usual status information.

The device had apparently embedded itself beneath his skin while he was unconscious, manifesting as simplistic lines that stretched from his elbow to his wrist upon sensing his distress.

"Thank God," Lenix muttered, relieved. He couldn't imagine what he'd do without his Duel Disk.

With it gone, he'd have been left with only a few Skills and no Deck to boot. “Status…”

“Sir… Who are you talking to?“

Grimacing, Lenix waved off her concern, trying for a smile.

“Myself. Old habits die hard.“

“Uh-huh… Can I get you anything?“

Judging by her reaction, the nurse clearly hadn't bought his clumsy excuse, but it's of no consequence to Lenix.

His Deck, his Duel Disk; both were safe and that's all that mattered to him really.

“A glass of cool water will be nice.“

It took the nurse but a second to bring his order exactly how he wanted it—iced. “Anything else?“

“That's all for now, thank you.“

"Then I'll go tend to the other patients. And please, stop moving. You're in no state to be running about.“

The nurse insisted before turning to the exit.

"Doctor's order?"

"Nurse's orders. Now lie down. You're lucky to be alive, you know? You had a pneumothorax when you came in—" Spotting the puzzled expression on his face, the nurse further elaborated, "One of your lungs collapsed. It took our doctors nearly 12 hours of surgery to fix you up, so unless you fancy another half a day on an operating table, I suggest you rest. Now.“

“Got it.“

Only after she mentioned it did Lenix finally notice the dull ache in his chest that's making even basic human functions—breathing most notably—difficult.

"How long have I been admitted?"

He hoped it hadn't been too long…

Spending the next decade paying off hospital bills wasn't exactly his idea of fun.

“You've been in a coma for the last,” Glancing at his patient board, she answered pointedly. “Five days, sir.“

“Oh, shit… Oh, God! I'm never going to financially recover from this!!!“

“Oops, that's right! I forgot to tell you, your bills are prepaid.“

“By who?“ His first guess were the Fushio siblings, but who knew?

"Sir Pegasus..." The nurse whispered dreamily.

“I'm sorry to break the news to you but I fear he may bat for the other team—yours, in other word.“

"Nonsense! He's just a very sensitive Soul!"

He didn't bother to hide his disgust as he slowly inched away from the daydreaming nurse. 'Pegasus? Ew…'

"Ahem, anyways—” She swirl on her heel, before letting out a high-pitched toot. “Sir Pegasus has graciously agreed to cover all your hospital bills, so don't worry. You can stay as long as it takes for you to get back into tip-top shape."

'Maybe he's not that bad, after all… The resemblances to Isoka asides.' Not even the CIA could have waterboarded the information from Lenix, yet within the confines of his mind, even he had to admit that Maximillion Pegasus had been naught but kind to him. The least he could do was acknowledge the fact and repay the man in the future.

"I'll be back later with your meds and breakfast."

"Anything good?" Lenix asked, trying to muster some enthusiasm despite his tiredness.

"Just some slobs you can sip through a straw," The nurse replied with a sympathetic smile. "You've just come out of a coma, and even though your diagnosis indicates everything's normal, we don't want to shock your system with solid food right away."

“Just my luck.“

Lenix dropped onto the bed with a thud, instantly regretting the decision as a searing shock of pain shot through his nervous system like wildfire. Lenix wasn't sure how long he lay there, trying to wait out the agony while staring blankly at the ceiling, but by the time he came to, a tray of porridge had 'magically' appeared on the table to his right.

Surrounding it were several bowls of… Liquids he could not quite identify, alongside two milk cartons, freshly picked flowers, cards, and well-wishing letters.

"Huh..." He murmured, surprised by the display.

Lenix couldn't fathom how he had overlooked the items earlier, but he chalked it up to the panic of the moment.

The first card was from Jonouchi and Grandpa Mutou.

The second was Akane's and, probably begrudgingly, Musashi Fushio—”Two-faced bastard." Lenix wasn't someone who got angry easily, the occasional bout of road rage or rage-quitting after a ten-loss streak asides.

He'd even go as far to say say his temper wasn't the type to last any longer than days, but that bastard crossed a line when he left Lenix to crawl his way to safety.

From: Akane & Musashi Fushio

I'm sorry. I'm so sorry about everything. You were right.

Snorting to himself, Lenix continued to read what little was left. "She better be.“

He hadn't forgotten how Akane had tried to pressure him, either.

I'd understand if you don't want to talk to us ever again, but please do.

As strange as it sounded, her apology only served to upset him further.

After everything that had transpired, did she honestly believe a hasty apology scrawled inside a $3 get well card would be enough to mend the gaping fucking rift between them? Did she truly think so little of him that a token gesture could equate to the value of his life? Tossing the card into the trash bin, he moved onto the other card.

From: Jonouchi Katsuya and Sugoroku Mutou.

Hey there, pal!

I heard you had some surgery and are catchin' a few extra Z's right now.

Yug's gramp and I are all rootin' for ya, we know you’re gonna come out swingin' like a true Duelist.

Until then, rest up and know we're thinkin' about ya!

Can't wait to see you back to your sparkly self, 'cause it ain't the same without you loiterin' 'round for the newest Booster Pack.

Catch ya soon.

“Typical.“ Snorting at the card, Lenix flipped it over to discover one from Pegasus himself,

Hello there, Lenix-boy—

"Nope." Lenix was sure there's important information inside, but having just woken up, he just didn't have the strength nor patience to deal with Pegasus' nonsense at the moment. Putting away the card, he soon found another underneath it, featuring a hand-drawn chibi skull winking at him.

Skullie here!

You haven't forgotten about me, have you? I was just passing by and thought I'd give you a visit. Sorry about the blunt-force trauma, by the way—I miscalculated your strength. If you decide to join me, head to the Dock as soon as you wake. Don't bring anyone with you; I'll know, and I'll consider it not just a breach of trust, but action against me. Toodle!

Again and again, Lenix searched the card for abnormalities, but there was nothing of the sort. It was just plain text.

After a minute of thoughts—a minute that felt like an eternity—Lenix rose from the bed, carefully removed the syringes from his wrist, before changing out of the hospital gown.

He could no longer just 'mind his own business.' There were so many questions he wanted–needed to ask; too many to miss such a Godsend.

Catching sight of his nurse in the reception hall, Lenix quickly ducked behind the wall and overheard.

"I think we should check him for a brain injury.“

"His diagnosis was normal, though?" A second nurse responded.

"I don't know, he just seemed off."

'You're off!'

Lenix shouted internally, adjusting his red flat cap and made a beeline for the exit, hoping she'd not spot him.

She, unfortunately, did.

“Hey! What are you doing out of bed?!“

"... I wanna check out?" Lenix said, wishing he could continue his stay and make himself comfortable for a few more days, but this could not wait.

"What do you mean, checking out?!"

The nurse exclaimed, taken aback. “Do you know how close to death you five days ago!“

"I do, trust me, I do."

He could still feel it in his chest—feel the air knocked out of his lungs and the arteries rupturing near his heart.

Even the bruise behind his head from the collision still ached like a bitch. "But this really can't wait.“

“What's so important than your own life?“

“Existence.“

The serious expression he wore deterred her from further protests.

"Well, it's not like we can keep you against your will. Just follow us to complete some documentation, and we can have you released."

The whole process was relatively straightforward. Lenix simply had to sign away his legal right to sue should any harm that might come from his release, and he was set.

The journey took about an hour, and by the time he arrived to the Dock, the Sun was high in the sky.

His stomach rumbled as he snuck into the site, but none of the workers seemed to match the Skull King's description based on their stature.

He thought he only needed to look for someone with the strangest hair color and style, but in an anime world, practically 40% of the population had hair that couldn't naturally result from melanin.

Even Akane was technically a redhead, albeit hers was much darker than her brother's.

"Am I supposed to just wait around?" Pacing back and forth behind a container, Lenix decided to [Equip: Nephthys] while keeping a close watch on every worker. His reasoning? If the Skull King were truly among the sparse few dock workers running about, he'd surely notice the burst of Duel Energy and react.

Yet, even after exhausting his Duel Energy completely, he still couldn't spot Skullie anywhere.

Lenix couldn't tell if he's absent or simply good at covering up his reaction.

What he did know was that he wasn't about to hang around for hours waiting for someone who might not even be there.

Summoning his Duel Disk, he checked all the messages.

There were a few from Jonouchi and Akane, each echoing similar sentiments to the cards they sent.

What caught his attention next was the third message from a number he couldn't recognize.

From: Unknown Number

To: You

Hey! Are you standing me up?

Hello?

I'm still waiting to treat you to that ice cream.

It took Lenix a full minute to remember the girl who had bumped into him twice.

Rubbing his temples, he wondered aloud, "Did I give her my number?"

Absentmindedly typing down an apology, Lenix glanced at the Dock, before heading straight to his usual spot: The Dueling Café.

The brief encounter with the Skull King had highlighted to him just how much he desperately needed to Level Up. He might not have necessarily won, but he could've fared a whole lot better if he hadn't been so terribly underpowered, and the only way to remedy this was by grinding his fucking ass off.

“Mimic! Where were you, it's been days!“

“Can you Duel? I ran out of money!“

“What's the point? The odds are always in his favor anyway.“

“A little money is better than no money.“ The gambler shrugged as the crowd cheered his name, quieting down upon seeing the grave expression on his face.

“Alright, who wants to try their luck?“

The crowd stared in confusion.

Lenix's not known to make verbal challenge.

Usually, he'd wait in a corner for an opponent to approach.

"Shit, he's in a bad mood, I think."

Lenix wouldn't necessarily call it a 'bad mood.' More like a pressure that's gnawing at his throat. Even if he couldn't match Skullie's Level, he needed to be able to escape at least.

The problem was finding opponents.

Good ones who'd net him a lot of EXP were rare these days, and he couldn't exactly 'farm' Fushio or Jonouchi like he did with Shou Marufuji in all three installments of Tag Force either. It might be fine the first few times, but they would definitely start to hold a grudge. Since quality's an issue, Lenix had to go with the next best thing: Quantity. “I'm challenging this entire café. Whoever wins can ask any one thing from me.“

"Anything?"

A feminine voice jolted him back to his senses as he looked at the girl.

White hair, amethyst eyes, an angry pout... "You're—"

"Remember me? You stood me up!"

The crowd reacted with teasing 'oohs' and 'aahs,'

"... In my defense, I got in an accident."

"I don't care! I waited for you for two hours straight, and you didn't even text to tell me you weren't coming! I demand satisfaction!"

Tossing her glove near his feet, the girl leaped onto stage and brandished her Duel Disk like a Samurai drawing a sword. “I challenge you to a DUEL!"

"... Alright then. Same rule as always; the winner gets one card from the loser?"

"Whatever! After I've won, I'll make you carry my shoes!"

Scratching his head awkwardly, Lenix raised his thumb. "Good luck then."

"There won't be any luck involved!" Came her confident reply.

"Wait! I think I forgot to ask for your name..."

Once again, the crowd erupted with laughter and disbelief.

Some of the men even shook their heads disapprovingly at his admission. "Dude, not cool.“ Rolling his eyes at their reaction, Lenix crossed his arms and eyed the girl.

"I'm Sachiko Fujita. Remember the name well!"

"If you win, I'll consider it."

"Urgh!" Practically frothing at the mouth from his nonchalance, Fujita yelled, "I'll go first!"

Sachiko Fujita: 4000 LP

Lenix Owens: 4000 LP

"I draw!"

Sachiko declared, staring at her Hand, and began by setting two cards in her Spell/Trap Zone, then confidently announced, "Berserk Gorilla!"

Volcanic fire erupted beneath her feet in a dazzling spectacle as a giant ape landed on the field with a fiery roar.

Berserk Gorilla

EARTH

Level 4

[Beast/Effect]

ATK: 2000

DEF: 1000

“A Beatdown Deck?“ Needless to say, Lenix was disappointed by her showing.

Berserk Gorilla wasn't a bad monster by any mean, but if Tag Force EXP Calculation were anything to go by, she's not going to net him a lot of EXP.

Such a Deck wasn't even fun to go against in his opinions. Half the fun of Duel Monsters was getting one's Ace on the field, but if she were playing a Beatdown, she'd focus more on Effect Monsters, Control and constant presence with on the board.

Heck, Lenix could already vaguely guess what monsters she had in her Deck.

“Well, Goblin (Elite) Attack Force is a given. I'm guessing you also run Slate Warrior and Mirage Dragon?“

Her face paled upon hearing his guess.

"I'll take that as a yes—" Lenix began, but before he could finish the sentence, someone interjected with a deafening boo. "Dude! Don't be so ruthless! She's a girl."

"If you have got a problem with it, feel free to win back her honor afterward. In fact, if you prefer, I can take on both of you at the same time. I'm in a bit of a time crunch, in case you haven't noticed."

Upon hearing that, the Duelist immediately slinked back into the crowd, tail tucked between his legs. Lenix had expected as much, but it was disappointing nevertheless.

Casting a disdainful glance at the audience below, Lenix raised his brows and challenged,

“If anyone thinks I'm being unfair to her, feel free to come on up." Every Duelist he looked at turned away, unwilling to meet his gaze. While most were indeed fearful, there were plenty of aspiring Duelists who wouldn't shy away from such a challenge, but even they did not want to risk losing a 2v1.

Imagine trying to act tough for a girl, only to lose miserably in the end.

Such a blow to their honor and reputation would be a stain that, regardless of any future achievements, could never be washed away. “My Turn, I draw.“

Ring of Destruction, Sangan, Brain Control, Giant Trunade, Pinch Hopper, and Sakuretsu Armor. It wasn't a bad hand he had drawn. "First, I'll summon Sangan in Attack Position," Lenix announced, deciding to mount a full offense instead, yet just as he was about to declare an Attack to activate Sangan's effect, his opponent interrupted. "I'll respond to that by activating Compulsory Evacuation Device!"

Lenix stared at the girl in shock, tilting his head in disbelief. He truly couldn't fathom why anyone'd waste a Trap on Sangan, of all things, unless… “You have Goblin Attack Force in your Hand, don't you?”

"How do you know that?!" Sachiko exclaimed, shielding her cards as though afraid he'd use his 'powers' to see through them.

“Why else would you waste a Trap on Sangan? Since I cannot Set or Normal Summon, I'll Set two cards and end my Turn (2).“

“That's it?“

“That's it.“ Lenix nodded. “Go ahead.“

The girl groaned to herself as she glared first at his Ring of Destruction, then at his Sakuretsu Armor. "Is it Mirror Force?"

"I don't know. It could be," He replied. “But it could also be Torrential Tribute.“

"Urgh..."

After pondering for a solid minute, she finally made her decision.

"No way you would tell me if it were! I'm calling your bluff, Lenix Owens, and Summoning Goblin Attack Force in Attack Position!"

Goblin Attack Force

EARTH

Level 4

[Warrior/Effect]

ATK: 2300

DEF: 0

Confronted with yet another familiar monster, Lenix snorted.

"You know, you would have lasted longer if you hadn't Summoned it… I activate Ring of Destruction! For those unfamiliar with this card, it allows me to target one monster on the field, destroy it and deal damage equal to its ATK to both of us!“

The group of Goblins occupying the Monster Zone jumped in an effort to avoid the destructive Rings, but it was of no use. Collectively, the Rings exploded at the same time, covering the entire stage in a cloud of holographic dust.

Lenix Owens: 1700 LP

Sachiko Fujita: 1700 LP

"Are you stupid? I still have Berserk Gorilla!" The girl shouted through the dust, pointing a finger at Lenix, ready to end the Game right there until she saw how nonchalant he was to her monster.

"Well? I'm waiting."

“… It's Mirror Force, isn't it?!“

“That's up to me to know and you to find out.“

“Urgh… I'll end my Turn (3).” Wilting away, Sachiko reluctantly stayed her Hand, which's just what Lenix needed from her.

"Sorry, but this is it. My Turn (4)!" Lenix didn't even glance at the card he had drawn as he activated, “Giant Trunade!" The storm that raged across the field upon its Activation also forced the Trap card Sachiko had set earlier back to her hand.

"It's not over! I still have my Gorilla!" Sachiko protested.

"Your Gorilla?" Lenix grinned. "I think you meant my Gorilla. From my Hand, I'll activate Brain Control!"

Lenix Owens: 1700 » 900 LP.

"By paying 800 LP, I can borrow one face-up monster you control for a Turn!"

"NOOO!!!" Sachiko screamed dramatically, shielding her face as her Gorilla leaped over to Lenix's side of the field.

"You know what's coming next, right? Berserk Gorilla, Primal Smash!"

Sachiko Fujita: 0 LP

Parting the holographic cloud, Lenix extended his hand to the girl who tearfully looked up and, after a moment, gently took it.

The men muttered curses and shot glares, while the women swooned at the gesture up until Lenix opened his mouth. “The fuck are you doing?"

"Eh?"

"Gimme' your Deck.“

“Wha-Why?!“

“Well, I mean…” Scratching his head with a confused expression, Lenix said loud and clear. “You lost the Duel. According to the rules, I get to pick out one of your cards.“

"S-So, you weren't helping me up?"

"… What gave you that idea?“

Even the crowd was shocked by his audacity.

Searching through the Deck, Lenix hummed as his gaze landed on Pot of Greed and Graceful Charity.

"Holy shit..." Each card typically went for tens of thousands of dollars, sometimes even more, and they were practically always sold out, and yet here they both were, in the same Deck of a clearly novice Duelist.

It's difficult to decide which was better.

It was difficult to decide which was better. Graceful Charity offered more opportunities, but at its core, it was still a 3-for-3 that better-suited a Deck with plenty of Graveyard effects.

Meanwhile, Pot of Greed provided a pretty straightforward plus one.

Both would be incredibly useful for any Deck.

"But only one can discard and trigger Graveyard effects… Thanks. You were very charitable, Fujita-san."

The girl stared, glared, and then pouted as she stormed off the stage like a petulant child, clutching her Deck tightly as if it would vanish if she loosened her grip even a little.

“Next!“

The announcer elbowed Lenix in the stomach.

"Dude... Standing her up, winning a Duel, and then taking one of her prized cards? That's cold, even by my standards. You trying to get yourself some anti-fans or something?"

Two pairs of eyes—one blue and one steely grey—met as Lenix asked, "Do you wanna Duel?"

"No thanks. I know my limits. Ladies and gents, give it up for our reigning champ!"

"BOOO!"

"Who just booed? Was it you? Get on stage and Duel me!"

"I don't wanna!"

"If you win, you can ask me for anything!"

"NOOO!“

Victory after victory, Lenix secured, but by the fifth, he was nearly spent.

Still, unwilling to give up when he was so close to a Level Up, he pressed on, trying his best to ignore the pounding ache pressing against the back of his skull. "Next up, I will Summon Hand of Nephthys in Attack Position!"

"What can such a useless monster do?" His opponent scoffed.

"Her special ability allows me to Tribute her and Pinch Hopper to Summon the Sacred Phoenix of Nephthys from my Deck! And since Pinch Hopper was sent to the GY, I can Special Summon any one Insect monster from my hand! Come forth, Grasschopper!"

"A 2400 ATK, plus a 2350 ATK monster in one Turn?!"

"Oh, but there's more! By banishing two Insect monsters from my GY, I can Special Summon Doom Dozer as well!"

The pink centipede roared to life, skittering onto the field. "And now, for the finale—" Just as he was about to declare an attack, Lenix felt liquid rush to his nostrils.

Holding his nose to stop the blood from spurting, he hurriedly called the attack, before stumbling his way to the bathroom where he collapsed against the wall. “Lenix? Lenix!”

“Akane?”

“Who's that? It's me, Sachiko…”

“Oh.”

He grunted, then rose unsteadily to his feet, aided by the girl who was a head shorter than him.

“What are you doing in the men's bathroom?“

“You didn't look well, so I thought… Do you need anything?“

“I stood you up, publicly embarrassed you and took the best card from your Deck; why are you helping me?“

It's the strangest thing to Lenix, seeing how… Tentative she was to someone who, for all intents and purposes, was her enemy. He’d be lying if he said it hadn’t endeared her to him, but it also made him more cautious.

No one, man or woman, could simply shrug off the embarrassment he had put her through earlier without holding a grudge. Honestly, if he were in her shoes, he would have taken the chance to kick himself in the shin.

"Is it so weird that I wanna be your friend?" Sachiko asked.

"You don't," He groaned. "I'm a terrible friend."

"I'll be the judge of that. Now, c'mon, let's get you cleaned up."

"Thanks, Fujita-san..." Lenix mumbled sleepily, leaning heavily on her for support, unaware of the black eyes fixed on his back.

Decked out in full camouflage mode with her brother, Akane shot a final glance at his disappearing figure and headed for the exit, fuming.

"So, I'm that replaceable, huh?"

"You have to admit, B-Akane, those two make a better couple than you would have with him!"

Akane tossed a baleful glare at her brother as she angrily shoved her backpack into his arms.

"This is your fault! Why'd you drag him with you and then abandon him in an alley with a psychotic kidnapper?!"

"I panicked! I saw you hurt and—"

"Enough excuses! Just... Just drive me home."

"... Do you want something to eat?"

"No. I'm not hungry."

Musashi glanced at his little sister and sighed before getting into the car.

It seemed he'd have to pay Lenix a visit tonight...

“Don't worry. I'll fix this.“

“Don't. You've done enough, Nii-san.“