Upbeat Revolution

Author's Note: Inspired by Rua and Ruka's theme music from Duel Links. I recommend listening to it while reading. Enjoy the story and R&R.

Disclaimer: I do not own anything related to or of the Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's series.

Pairing: Background Rua x Rally.

Summary:

How much third-wheeling can Rua take until his Duel hits the skids?

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Rua was getting in some Duel Boarding on his off-day. Apart from the hippies always seen driving around Neo Domino City, the highway lanes were relatively clear before midmorning traffic set in. There wasn't an actual Duel in progress, so he didn't need to take the elevated roads reserved for that specific purpose.

A rig tailgated perilously close as he exited a tunnel.

"Pull up next to him," he heard a voice say.

The shadow belonging to one of the passengers patted the front headrest. When the door was carelessly flung open, Rua realized it was Rally Dawson pestering Taka at the wheel.

"Ra-Rally? Wh-wha –?"

"Can I get a ride?"

"You nuts? No!"

Despite his objections, Rally jumped from the moving truck onto Rua's Duel Board.

The not-yet-teen flailed, barely re-establishing his feet in the bindings.

"Yeesh! What do they teach you in Satellite?"

"Heh heh, all kinds of stuff!"

Ruka skated ahead and overhanded Rally a spare helmet. "Here! Don't forget this or you'll break your neck! Let's Duel, Rua!"

Speed World 2's pulse radiated.

"A Duel is starting! A Duel is starting! Pedestrian vehicles on the route, disperse at once!" Central's recording blared.

Dividers sprung up along the freeway, and Rua banked into the diverted circuit. Taka, Blitz, and Nerve continued on the main track.

"Augh, I think you gave me whiplash! Ruka, how'd you do that? You almost smooshed me!"

"Authorization from the Public Security Maintenance Bureau. Duh."

"My twin is trying to make herself sole ben-a-flabber in the family will!"

"Sole benefactor?"

"Whatever!"

His sister and boyfriend both laughed not so reassuringly.

"Come on, Rua. Chill out," she teased in her sibling's usual tone. "You can have the first turn."

He hooked up the Momentum motor running his Duel Board to the portable holoprojector around his wrist, then drew six cards.

Attack Nullification, Speed Spell – Summon Speeder, Speed Spell – Overboost, and Deformers Radicassen, Mobaphon, and Magnen U. Not a bad opening hand!

Wind cut like a jet stream up the inside of Rally's dress. He was better positioned behind Rua, who'd have been hit by the dress' billowing flounce.

"We summon Deformer Mobaphon!" Rally slammed the card down for him.

"Wait! It's my move!"

"Mobaphon's effect! We flip over cards equal to the number Mobaphon's dial lands on, and Special Summon a Level 4 or lower Deformer among them! DI-A-L ON!"

Per Rally's explanation, the keypad blazoning the transforming robot's chest lit up and rapidly flickered between the integers 1 through 6.

"3! That means we scoop three cards and summon a monster! Scramble, Deformer Chakkan!"

The new ignito-tron disassembled itself from its lighter disguise.

"Last, we set one card! Turn end!"

On the double, Ruka took her turn.

"I summon Rose Bird! And while a Field Magic is in play, I'm able to Special Summon Bat, the Forest Ninja! I tune my Level 3 Forest Ninja to my Level 4 Rose Bird!"

Ruka's birthmark throbbed crimson.

"Sacred light of protection, cross now and become eternal life! Synchro Summon! Be born, Ancient Fairy Dragon!"

Ancient Fairy Dragon, the Strongest Guardian and ruler of the Spirit World, flew in on butterfly wings and glinting pollen.

"Battle! Ancient Fairy Dragon attacks Deformer Mobaphon! Eternal Sunshine!"

In the non-Duel lane, the Yusei Go and Wheel of Fortune revved by the truck housing the Satellite gang.

"2100 versus Mobaphon's 100. If this attack connects, Rua will lose half his Life Points!" Jack calculated.

"If it connects," Yusei emphasized.

Rua tripped his Trap. "Reverse card, Attack Nullification! This negates your attack and ends the Battle Phase!"

A whorling vortex rushing out the card's Solid Vision representation cancelled Ancient Fairy Dragon's blinding screech.

"Dodged it, hm? I set two face-downs and end my turn."

Though he lacked experience, Rally stuck to Rua's general strategy. Two monsters and a Trap Card for cover. There were worse uses of autopilot.

If he could just draw a Tuner…

Please be Remocon!

The card he drew was indeed a Tuner, but not the Tuner he was expecting.

One-Shot Rocket? What's this doing in my Deck?

"All right! Mobaphon, do your thing! DI-A-L ON!" Rally intercepted him again.

This time, it came up 2.

"Tuner Monster, Deformer Lighton! We Normal Summon the Level 2 One-Shot Rocket, tuning it to Level 1 Deformer Mobaphon! Synchro Summon! One-Shot Cannon!"

"One-Shot Cannon? I was going for Power Tool Dragon! Why are your cards in my Deck?"

"Snuck 'em in so I'd be with you whenever you duel."

His game plan proceeded unchanged.

"Speed Spell – Summon Speeder! With this, I'm allowed to Special Summon Magnen U from my hand! I tune my Level 1 Lighton with Level 3 Chakkan and Magnen U! Docking courage and strength to protect world peace! Synchro Summon! Envoy of Love and Justice, Power Tool Dragon!"

Now, their aces fought shoulder to shoulder.

"Power Tool Dragon, Crafty Br –!"

"Power Tool is my dragon, Rally! Quit backseat duelling! You're such a drag!"

Crash and burn. Rally socked his fists into Rua's back to influence him toward his sister, where he stepped over onto Ruka's Duel Board and dealt Rua his comeuppance.

"I activate One-Shot Cannon's special ability to destroy a monster and inflict half that monster's ATK as damage to its controller! The monster I choose…is Power Tool Dragon!"

"WHAAAAAAT?"

"FINAL SHOT!"

The self-inflicted explosion did not claim his Life Points, but it was obvious Rua was in no shape to keep duelling. The kapow knocked him from his shred stick, the custom model grinding to a halt a fair ways out.

"Wh-why?" Rua wheezed, eyes swirly yet body intact thanks to his padding.

Ruka pitied him but agreed he deserved it. Rally hopped off and paced, looking nettled.

"May have overreacted there, Rally." Yusei dismounted his bike.

"Humph! We've been over this! I'm in drag, not a drag! Spot the difference!"