"Take a right, Blue Girl!"

A female in a white suit with short blue hair leaned to the right to take her D-Board towards the right. She had long blue socks with blue boots and gloves.

The female was in a maze of underground tunnels, the female was being chased by a group of three figures dressed as ghosts. They were chasing her on D-Board's as well.

"I need to lose them!" Blue Girl replied. "Give me a stealth program or something?!"

"I'm not as skilful as my brother…. I can't do such a thing!" said the male voice.

"What can you do then?!" she replied.

"Hold on tight, I'm going to increase the speed of your D-Board…."

"Onto what?!" Blue Girl felt the D-Board speed up.

"Don't let the brat escape!" said one of the chasers as they followed her.

As the board speeded up, the figures got further and further away as they tried to stay close.

"We can't let her take the data!" said one.

"We won't! She can't log out until she reaches the border!" said another.

"Guess it's time to play rough!" the third one said as bombs materialized in his hand. "Take these!" Small grey spiky bombs were thrown near Blue Girl.

"Time to hit back!" said the male on the other end of Blue Girl's communication. "Use it!"

Blue Girl looked at the bombs and held up her hand. A large blue whip appeared.

"Goodbye fellas!" The figure launched the whip into the bombs, making them explode. The three ghostly figures at the same time were caught in the explosions, making their D-Boards explode. Blue Girl now had a clear path to leave.

"Yes!"

"Okay now just get me out of here and offline." Blue Girl said.

…

A figure slowly materialized back in a living room. The figure was a girl with short brown hair and a black school uniform. She looked at her duel disk on her wrist. It was circular which was blue and had black trims.

"Data – Downloaded"

"The data is here, Jin."

"Right, Aoi." Jin replied as they spoke via the duel disk. "Send it to me and I'll begin to analyse it."

"Right." Aoi hit a button and it begun to transfer. "Just don't ask me to do such a thing again."

"But you got the data?"

"In the deep web! Not the best place to go upon my…. return."

…

"Ok… keep it going…." said a dark figure with purple stripes…

"Oi! We can't build it with you being a cheerleader!" said the brown one with stripes. The dark figure lay on some grass; he was around five other figures who looked like him, bright coloured with bright eyes. They were building a new home with digital blocks being created and being formed together.

"I'm doing my best! It's not easy to keep moving to different small servers!" he hit back.

"Just do it!" yelled a red one.

"Yeesh, you and your temper!"

"I swear you lot never stop arguing!" replied a blue figure with pigtails, it was a female.

"We have to build the barrier otherwise those hunters will come after us again!" said the light figure.

"And I'm trying! If you'd let me!"said the dark one.

"Please let us not shout." added the green. "We will get nowhere with shouting…"

"We're hiding in a well known secure place!" said the dark figure. "Follow me, you'll never go wrong."

"What about the last three servers?" The red said.

"That was pure unlucky luck! This is a deep place within the network! We're safe!"

"I don't think so, you vile Ignis!"

The six looked into the sky and saw a giant green dragon; it was flanked by several other dragons.

"Dragons? Why always dragons?!" said the dark Ignis.

"He found us!" said the green Ignis.

"Yes and you won't escape me again!" There on the green dragon was a figure who wore a mask and white clothes with red hair.

"Activate emergency escape programme!" said the dark Ignis.

"Not happening." The figure took a small bomb from his waist. He threw it on the ground and it exploded. As it blew up, everything slowed down. The bombs effects were coming towards the grass bank and the dark Ignis looked at the closest Ignis to him. It was the female blue; he ran over and pushed her away.

"What?!" said the blue Ignis as she was pushed into the sky.

"What did you do to us?!" said the dark Ignis.

"A simple lag bomb… your speed has been reduced! You could still log out…in about 48 hours! Now you're all mine!"

The blue Ignis looked at her comrades as it took seconds for them to even move a finger.

"Get….out!" the dark Ignis yelled to the Blue.

"What?!" The figure attacker looked up and saw Blue in the sky. "Get that AI!" The numerous dragons went after her.

"I won't let you take us!" Blue said. "Activate mass emergency escape programme…. ! This might separate us all… but we'll meet each other again!"

"Do it! Save yourself!" said the light one.

"Now!" Blue unleashed beams of data as the dragons and the male on the dragon were blinded. "I'll miss you all…"

"Foolish Ai! I'll hunt you down separately!" The whole world went white.

Aoi

Aoi in her black school uniform was in her home which was large house on top of a building. It was filled with quite expensive furniture. Aoi had a brown school bag on her back. As she left for the door, a pink robot with green eyes approached her.

"School check…..!"

"I have everything!" Aoi said.

"Uniform check…..!"

"Yes!"

"Deck check!"

"Here, right here! Can I go now?!" Aoi yelled.

"Yes, have a good day… Aoi…" The bot let Aoi leave the house.

"Thanks…." Aoi said as she tapped its head.

As Aoi left the building after coming down in an elevator, she had a blank face on as the doors to the building slide open. There on a motorcycle was a woman in leather and had pink hair, she had parked in front of the doors.

"As ever, you're on perfect time!" said the female.

"I'm walking today…. I left you a message, Emma." said Aoi as she just blankly walked past.

"Hey hey hey, you will get there much quicker if you let me take you?" Emma replied.

"I said I'm walking! Thanks for the offer anyway….."

"Looks like someone got out of the bed the wrong way…" Emma replied. Aoi ignored the comment.

Aoi kept walking as Emma followed her slowly by the sidewalk. Aoi stopped.

"What now?" she said with a firm tone.

"I want to know what's up?" Emma said.

"You breathing down my neck is a start." Aoi said.

"Hey, I do this because I want to! I'm doing this for Aki-"

"Don't say his name!" Aoi snapped, she composed herself again.

"Look Aoi, I was there when he was put in a coma, I vowed to look after you!" Emma replied.

"You should've protected him! And I didn't ask for your help….. now please leave."

"Fine, but I will continue to respect your brother's wishes." Emma put the visor down on her helmet and drove off.

School

Aoi reached school and walked along the corridor, no-one spoke to her nor did she speak to anyone else.

Aoi reached a classroom and there on the door it said "Class 6"

Inside Aoi took a seat in a near empty classroom and took out her equipment, as she did, a male with green hair approached. He had an open jacket with blue tie.

"Zaizen! I see you're as early as ever!" he said as he slammed the desk.

"And you're as… loud as ever, Naoki."

"Hey did you hear the rumours about a new hero inside LINK VRAINS?!" he said.

"A new… hero? I have no interest in virtual reality dueling."

"Well I haven't actually seen her yet but there's talk of a new duelist that went into the deep web section of LINK VRAINS and took out some thugs! Not even Playmaker goes that deep!" Naoki said.

"And you believe everything you see online?" Aoi said unimpressed. "At least do research before stating things as fact."

"She's real! Why would people lie about it?!" Naoki said.

"Did you want something?" Aoi said, ignoring his last statement.

"I was wondering if I could borrow a pe-" Before he finished his sentence, Aoi had a pen in her hand and pointed it at Naoki. "Wow you're quick!"

"No you just ask for the same thing every Monday…" Noaki walked off happily while Aoi just sighed.

A while later, Aoi was inside an empty library, reading a book. As she remained alone, she heard some static come from her bag.

Aoi looked down and heard nothing more so returned to her book, the second she did she heard some more.

"What now?" Aoi took the duel disk from her bag and the screen of the duel disk begun to turn purple and flicker. The screen released static once more causing Aoi to drop it. As she dropped it a blue beam shot from it which then shot across the room.

It whizzed past light bulbs which made them explode, it also knocked books off the shelves. Aoi couldn't keep her eyes on it because it moved so fast.

The blue beam shot into a desk in front of Aoi and a bright light blinded Aoi…..

….

"Well this place is messy…" said a female voice. Aoi looked up and right in front of her was the blue Ignis, looking around the room.

"What….who?!" The blue Ignis looked at Aoi.

"You?!" the blue Ignis said.

"Who…. what are you?!"

"Um… I'm not very good with the concept of lies… I'm…. what you humans call a…. chicken." it said.

"You literally just told me you were about to lie…." Aoi replied.

"It seems so…. well… bye!" The blue Ignis turned into a blue beam and shot forward, leaving Aoi.

"Hey, wait!" Aoi said as she chased it.

The blue Ignis tried to leave via door and Aoi had to think quickly as the door was open. She took a book from the shelf and launched it at the door which slammed it shut.

The blue beam turned back to Aoi and zoomed past her once more. Aoi had another idea as she emptied her bag and saw the blue Ignis trying to work a way out. As it looked around, Aoi jumped on it with the bag and captured it as it tried to escape.

Aoi quickly locked her bag and grabbed a big and heavy book, she placed it on top of the bag to stop it from leaving. Aoi sighed.

"What is this evil trap you've put me in?! This is impossible to escape! I underestimated you humans!"

Aoi took out her cell phone and hit a button.

"Jin…. I have a problem." Aoi said.

"Oh no, the robot burnt your house again?"

"No! You promised not to mention that again….. school's nearly over… I'll bring it to you….."

"What is it?"

"Some… weird being came out of my duel disk… what do I do?!" Aoi asked.

"School…a concept of learning… you come here to learn." said a muffled voice from within the bag.

"Was that the being?!" Jin said.

"Yeah…." Aoi said.

"Incorrect, my name is an Ignis, not being." said the muffled voice.

"And it won't shut up." Aoi added.

"I am not programmed with a mute option…" As it continued to speak Aoi sat on the bag, crushing it down.

"Lock it in your locker… I'm sure it can be quiet in there." Jin replied.

"Understood." Aoi said. Aoi knelt down to the bag. "You better be quiet… my friend is a hacker… he'll delete you if you won't be quiet."

"I am a high intellect programme, you cannot keep me in here!" it replied.

"Fine, you'll be deleted in a few seconds…."

"Wait! I am aware of the concept of negotiation …. may we do a deal? If I remain quiet…. you shall not delete me…."

"Done deal." Aoi said as she put the bag on her back, the Ignis inside felt the sudden movement as Aoi begun to move.

Apartment

Jin wore black top and pants, they were inside his room and the bag was now on his desk. Jin had to use a wheelchair to get around, he wheeled himself over to the desk with Aoi standing.

"Okay so let's see what we have here…" Jin said as they opened the bag, inside was the blue Ai, sitting and waiting. "Woah!"

"Yeah… this is… whatever it is." Aoi replied.

"If I may…. I am an Ignis…." it said.

"Ignis?" Jin replied.

"When you came to me… it sounded like you knew who I was…." Aoi said.

"I shall lie once more….. no I didn't." Blue replied.

"You did it again." Aoi said as she sighed.

"Oh…. human concepts are weird… very well, I was created via the Hanoi Project."

"Hanoi Project?!" Aoi and Jin said in shock.

"You are Aoi Zaizen, one of six kids from the Hanoi Project." Blue said. "And you are Jin Kusangi, a second child of the same project."

"You came to me on purpose?!" Aoi yelled.

"I guess… I followed a path…."

"You…. why now…..?! What are you?!" Jin said.

"I'm an Ignis, an AI with free-will. I was created from the Hanoi Project; I was created from your dueling data, personality and everything else, Aoi."

"An Ai with free-will?! Amazing." Jin said.

"Jin! The Hanoi Project put you in a wheelchair! Ten years of my life…. I've been trying to get away from those words and now it's all coming back! Delete it now, Jin!"

"What?! We had a deal?!" Blue said.

"Aoi?" Jin said.

"DELETE IT!"

"That's… murder… surely?" Jin said.

"This thing is a remnant of those horrible times, do it!" Aoi demanded.

"Wait! I didn't ask to be created…. I don't even know about those times!"

"The Hanoi Project, we six were kidnapped ten years ago and forced to duel in pain and suffering until we were rescued!" Aoi slammed his fist on the desk."

"My records indicate that you-"

"Enough!" Aoi said. "Jin, please."

"Sorry Aoi, I won't delete it." Jin said.

"Then you can enjoy being stuck with this thing…" Aoi said.

"Wait! My friends were trapped by Knights of Hanoi!" it said.

"Knights of Hanoi?!" Aoi said.

"They came after us a while ago… we had to keep moving and they nearly got us… I had to use a scatter programme to separate us…." Blue said.

"The Knights of Hanoi… we just started to hunt down information regarding them." Jin said.

"You re-entered LINK VRAINS…. recently after a few years." it said.

"How do you know?" Aoi said.

"Your records are well hidden but I still can access them." Blue replied.

"Jin, you said you deleted them!" Aoi said.

"I thought I did!" Jin replied.

"And done." Blue said. "All records have been purged."

"Wait, why?" Jin said.

"I don't wish to be seen as a threat." it replied.

"This data I sent you Jin…. what is it?" Aoi asked.

"It had the locations of known Hanoi associates… I guess those thugs were planning to attack them in revenge or something." Jin replied.

"Fine! I'm going!" Aoi said.

"Why are you attacking the Knights after all these years?" Blue said.

"None of your business." Aoi replied.

"I wish to find my friends!" Blue said. "I am made from you, we're partners!"

"No we're not and I refuse to accept that!" Aoi hit back. "What even is your name anyway?!"

"I don't have one." it said. "Concept of names isn't important where I come from."

"Fine…. you're blue so you can be…. Blue."

"Blue indicates sadness….. are you sad, Aoi?" Blue replied.

"Jin, monitor it." Aoi ignored the question.

"You will need me!" Blue said. "I can become one with your duel disk."

"Why would I need someone who won't shut up?"

"Aoi…. we need to help her, she can help us." Jin said. Aoi looked at it.

"Fine, but you won't say a word." Aoi replied.

"I agree to those terms." Blue became the blue beam and shot into the duel disk. A blue eyeball looked from it.

"Not creepy at all…." Aoi said with sarcasm.

"I'll send you the co-ordinates." Jin said. "We might be able to find something from these associates if we have a plan."

"I'm going to get it from them." Aoi said firmly.

"Wait what?!" Jin said.

"Into the VRAINS!" Aoi yelled. She begun to fade away.

"Oh boy…." Jin said with concern.

…

A green portal opened above the virtual world of LINK VRAINS. Aoi shot out of it in her Blue Girl outfit, landing on a blue D-Board.

"So this is LINK VRAINS…. it's amaz-."

"Just let me think." Aoi replied.

Down below was a wide open city with duelists battling on D-Boards using a current of digital data. The city had open gardens with standing duels while all the duelists used the latest duel disks which required no blade or real cards.

"Why is your duel disk different? Why do you have real cards?" Blue asked.

"Because reasons." Aoi said.

"I don't quite understand that answer." Blue replied. Aoi ignored it as she saw her target location.

"This is the place." Aoi said as she flew the D-Board to a lower part of the city. She jumped off and the D-Board vanished.

Aoi was outside a bar which was known for its rough crowd.

"Now be quiet." Aoi said to Blue. She opened the door and inside were many avatars which were weird looking. One was a pirate, another was a robot. Others wore capes and another was a fox.

Aoi was greeted by a funny look from all. She continued to walk to the corner where someone who was wearing a long rope was sitting.

"May I take a seat?" Aoi asked.

"No." said the figure. Aoi dragged the seat out and sat anyway. "Didn't you hear me girl?"

"Oh I did… I just chose to ignore it." Aoi replied. "Let's not waste time, Spider. You're a known worker for Hanoi, where can I find them."

"I have no idea what you're talking about." Spider replied.

"Really? This file says otherwise…. it's a hit list from the deep web zone, a bunch of stupid people left it laying around when I took it… they wanted you deleted because you went down there to take something of theirs…" Aoi said.

"Last warning kid. This isn't a game."

"That's funny, isn't Duel Monsters a game… the same game you use to take what you want?" Aoi bravely replied.

"I warned you." The figure quickly lifted the table off the floor and while Aoi looked at it, the figure ripped off the cape and it was a man with robotic spider legs. The rest of the bar all quickly faced Aoi as Spider ran off.

"It appears we're in trouble." Blue said.

"You don't say." Aoi replied.

"I calculate one way for you to escape this situation." Blue replied as Aoi looked at it with no other choice.

"Fine! What is it?"

"Me." Blue became the blue beam once more and zapped across the room, the people in the bar were all distracted as Aoi ran after Spider.

Outside Aoi saw Spider running across the street.

"No you don't!" Within Aoi's hand a blue whip formed. She launched it forward as it caught one of Spider's legs, stopping him from moving.

Inside Blue became her full-self and looked around at all the dizzy figures.

"It appears you're not feeling too good. I recommend a rest." Blue said as shot out and back into Aoi's duel disk.

"What is that?!" Spider said.

"This? You're interested in this?" Aoi asked.

"That's one of those…. Hanoi told me about to look out for… oh I will be in for a big payday once I beat you and delete you! I shall take that thing from you!" Spider said.

"They want you?" Aoi said.

"Yeah like I told you." Blue replied.

"Fine, I shall beat you and take your data memory!" Aoi said.

"Well it seems we've got a showdown! Time we duel!"

"Yes!" Aoi and Spider both leapt into the air. Spider's legs begun to change into a D-Board as Aoi's blue board returned.

"What is this?!" Blue said.

"It's a duel."

"I know that but this type?"

"It's a Speed Duel!" Aoi said.

"Speed… Duel? No way…." Blue replied. "This is-"

"Save it for later." Aoi said.

Both landed on their D-Boards as they looked at each other.

"Speed… Duel!" both yelled.

A/N

So this is just a side project for now, something me and my friend/fellow writerRomadrox8975 (who also has a story in this part) were talking about. Credit goes to him for some great ideas.

This is only a side project and will not be updated as much as the main story, ARC V Alternative Universe.

Aoi will use a different deck as Trickstars are a pain to write for on a regular basis IMO.

There will be OC cards and OC people, that's expected.

Thank you for reading.