Yugioh: The Power of Four

Chapter 1: XYZ

Ruri was tired of running. She had been on the run for nearly an hour, trying to get away from the cloaked stranger that was chasing her. She had been minding her own business, helping the Resistance, when suddenly a cold chill ran down her spine. Ruri instinctively turned around to see a disguised figure. Though she couldn't see his face, she could see his smile... a cold, sadistic smile that told her to get the hell away from him.

Unfortunately, no one else was around when the stranger began pursuing her. Not even her older brother, Shun, and close friend, Yuto, had been there to help her out. She was completely alone. It was as if this person knew when to make his move, when she was at her most vulnerable... when no one could help her.

On and on she ran throughout the night in the ruins of Heartland. But no matter where she turned or how fast she moved, the figure was still not far behind. Desperate, Ruri turned toward a dark alley, hoping to lose him there. To her dismay, it led to a dead end. She was trapped. Ruri turned back around to see the cloaked pursuer standing before her.

"What's the matter? Do you like playing tag? Please don't make trouble." The stranger said playfully. The young girl knew she had one choice left: Fight. When she slipped on her Duel Disk, the stranger seemed amused. "So you wanna duke it out? How unruly. Sure, let's do this. If I win our duel, listen to what I have to say. Alright?"

Ruri stood before that psycho, staring back defiantly at him. She had enough. She was a member of the Resistance; the group of survivors from the Invasion who wanted to survive and fight back against the ones who destroyed their home and so many of their loved ones. If she was going to fall, she would fall while fighting on her feet.

The stranger moved to activate his own Duel Disk. He never got to do so, for at that moment...

"KATTOBINGU!"

"What the...?" The stranger looked up just in time to see something big fall right on top of him. His vision then darkened and began to have trouble breathing. Someone had jumped on him and used his own cloak to disorient him.

Ruri stood there, stunned and confused. Before her eyes, a young boy was tackling the man trying to capture her. Tried as he might, he couldn't shake the kid off. The boy, on the other hand, seemed to be enjoying himself as he tormented his victim.

"What's the matter, can't breathe under there? Can't see? Good! That's just how I like my bad guys; helpless and totally caught with their pants down!" The boy then tied up the cloak in some complicated looking knots and kicked the figure into a pile of debris. The kid looked really pleased with himself as he turned towards Ruri. "You okay?" Ruri took a moment to regain her composure as she answered.

"Um... yes. I'm fine. Thank you. Who are you?" The boy still smiled brightly.

"My name's Yuma Tsukumo, and I've come to get you out of here... and away from him." Yuma said, pointing with the thumb of his other hand at the guy still trying to get the knotted cloak off him. "So, you ready to run or what, Ruri?" The girl gasped.

"How do you know my name?" She asked, stunned that this Yuma kid knew her name. She was sure she had never met him before. This was the second time a stranger approached her tonight. This time, though, she could tell this kid meant her no harm. He had just risked his life to save hers after all.

"I know a heck of a lot more than that, but we can talk later. You coming or not?" Yuma asked as he held out his hand to her. Ruri looked at his hand, then back at Yuma. Just like her instincts told her to run from the cloaked man, they also told her to go with this strange young boy. Smiling, she nodded as she took Yuma's hand and together, they ran out of the alley.