02x20 - Contact

[bunniefuu]

Master, the message boards
today are full of posts

praising your exploits.

Really?
Show me show me!

[AI]
Okay...

Uh huh...

Cute...

That's umm... unique.

Hey!

You said they were praising me,
not Playmaker!

[Roboppi]
They are. You are in this pic.

[AI]
Where?

[Roboppi]
There.

I need to hire a PR firm!

Or better yet, PR myself!

I can create a post too!

First... okay.

Then the meatbag... good.

[laughing]

Roboppi does not approve
of spamming!

Whaaaaaaaaaa?
It's not spam.

I only put up one post.

Really Master?

Uh... whattaya implyin'?

You put

How'd you know?

So what if I did!

Don't you see?

No one knows I'm the true
hero of LINK VRAINS.

No one.

You can't even spell VRAINS
without an A or an I!

So it's time this guy
gets the credit,

not the useless flesh husk.

[Yusaku]
I don't think I'm that useless.

Oh!

Uh... Yusaku.

Didn't see you there.

Umm uh...

Did you like my Kolter
impersonation?

[laughs]

Cuz he's jealous
of all the love you're getting.

But not me!

Never!

Whoa!

Check out this latest post!

This text!
It's from the Earth Ignis!

♪♪

Let me get this straight.

The Earth Ignis says
he wants to meet Playmaker

on a message forum.

It's such an obvious fake.

I can't believe
you actually fell for it.

When something's
too good to be true,

run the other way.

I know that it could
be a trap Kolter.

But it's our only lead.

We can't just ignore it.

Wrong.

We can.

Would an Ignis that's
been in hiding suddenly come out

on a message board
for everyone to see?

Well... the Earth Ignis is a...
unique fella.

What do you mean by that, AI?

He doesn't believe
in being sneaky,

so if he wants something,
like meeting Playmaker,

he'll just come out and ask.

On a message board.

For everyone to see.

Yup.

Can you write him back for us?

No problemo!

[Zaizen]
Everyone, scour
every corner of the network

for any sign of the Ignis.

[All]
Yes sir!

I have a meeting upstairs.
You are in charge.

Right.

I'll contact you immediately
if I find anything!

[AI]
All done!

Now this may look
like a garbled mess,

but run it thru
an Ignis algorithm

and you can read it
like a manga!

Basically, I'm askin'

the Earth Ignis
where he's hiding.

Nice.

Let's see if we get a nibble.

[AI]
There!

Hmm.

Hmm.

What's it say?

[AI]
He sent us a bunch of numbers.

Oooooh.

They look like coordinates
of some spot inside LINK VRAINS.

That's where he wants us to go.

Or whoever sent
this wants us to go

cuz we don't know
if this message is real.

You remember the last time
we ran without a plan?

We ran straight
into The Shepard's trap

and we almost lost everything.

Aww, why do you gotta
bring up mistakes

just because it's true?

Because it's true.

I fully understand the risks
we'll be taking, Kolter.

But if it can help us
save your brother,

it's a risk I'm willing to take.

Yusaku...

Let's not waste any more time.

If others have
seen this message,

they're already on their way.

Are you sure, buddy?

[Woman]
I found something!

Yes, what is it?

A weird message just popped up
on a Playmaker message board.

Show me what it is.

[Queen]
Zaizen,

I put you in charge
of capturing the Ignis

because I thought you were
the best man for the job.

So I find it disappointing

that we don't yet have
a single one in our possession.

[Zaizen]
If you'll allow me to explain--

[Queen]
I won't.

But that's not why
I called you here.

How's my other pet project
coming along?

The Gore is undergoing
the procedure as you requested.

We should have
the results momentarily.

Very well then.

I hope these results
are far better

than what you've
achieved so far.

I'm a patient person,
but even I have my limits.

Do I make myself clear?

Very clear.

[Queen]
Good.

You're dismissed.

These are the coordinates.

But I don't see
the Earth Ignis anywhere.

Hmm...

Come to think of it,
he did specify the place,

but he never specified the time.

So we could be fashionably late
or disgustingly early.

But I hope he shows up soon

before someone like
SOL Tech sees the message.

[Playmaker]
Let's take a look around.

[Woman]
This message looks
like it's from an Ignis.

Yes it does.

They even nailed the font.

I mean...

[laughs]

What's wrong?

I might not know
a lot about the Ignis,

but I do know that none of them

would post on a public
message board.

This has to be a prank.

Hayami, find anything?

No sir,
nothing except for a troll.

I don't see
anybody else around, AI.

[AI]
Hmm...

But then again,

I'm not 100% certain

what I'm supposed to be
looking for here.

[AI]
Hey I never told you
about each of the Ignis, have I?

The leader of our troop
is the Light Ignis.

I know you won't believe this,

but he may actually
be smarter than me.

Half the things he talked about
were over my head,

and the other half
were way over my head.

Then there's the Water Ignis.

She's suuuuuper chill
and suuuuuper nice, but...

and you didn't hear it from me,

she's kind of a pain
cuz she has the ability

to tell if you're lying
or telling the truth.

And that got me into trouble
more than once.

[Playmaker]
Really?

[AI]
Really!

I always told her to give me
more stuff to do

because I don't
work hard enough,

but she knew I was lying
and told me to take a vacation.

In the end,
she saw things my way,

but she never
forgot to thank me.

Uh huh.

[AI]
And you know
the rest of the family.

There's Flame the Lame

and good ol' Windy
to round things out.

And the one we're meeting today,

hopefully, is the Earth Ignis.

He's... umm...

how do you describe him?

Well, he's orange and blocky

and perpendicular.

Knda like this guy!

It's like I'm hugging a boulder.

Ahhh.

Whoa hey! It's you!

That's the Earth Ignis?

[AI]
In the flesh!

Well, not flesh but you get it.

How you been?

Follow... me...

[AI]
Umm... hi to you too?

[AI]
Hey slow down!

We haven't even done
introductions yet!

[Earth]
Introductions?

[AI]
Yeah!
This guy's Playmaker.

And since humans can't
speak our language,

they call me AI.

What should we call you
instead of the Earth Ignis?

Call me...

Earth.

[AI]
Umm,
isn't that a bit on the nose?

But... your name...

is AI.

Because you're...

an AI.

Heh, ironic right?

That... is not...

the definition... of irony.

[AI]
I feel like I'm back in class,
and I didn't even go to school!

Earth, why did you message me?

[AI]
Yeah.

I thought we'd have
to go and find you,

not you find us.

But if I know you
like I know you,

you wouldn't phone
if it wasn't important.

So what do you want?

To challenge you...

to a duel... Playmaker.

[Playmaker]
You're challenging me?

[Earth]
Correct.

What?

After months of radio silence,

the first thing you wanna do
is fight us out of the blue?

Without a single hello
or how do you do?

Oh.

Then... hello...

How do you do.

That's not what I meant!

Apologies.

I am...

socially... awkward.

Ah.

Well, uh...

You can at least tell us why
you wanna duel Playmaker.

Because I...

want to see...

with my own eyes...

what humans...

are truly like.

That's it?
Well, I can tell you.

Unlike squirrels,
who are awesome,

they're nothing special.

Oh...?

Yea!

But...

[Ignis sound]

feels... differently.

You mean the Water Ignis?

Humans can't understand
our language,

so we should call her... Leaky?

Drippy?

Those... are...

horrible.

Oh!

Absolutely terrible.

Well, you got a better name,
Mr. Awkward?

Hmmm.

Awk-ward...

Awk-a...

Yes, Aqua.

The last... time...

I saw...

Aqua...

Do you ever think
about the humans?

Not...

really.

I think you should.

You should observe them
with your own eyes

to see what they're
really like

before you have to decide.

[Earth]
Decide...

what?

Decide which side to join.

The humans or the Ignis.

Because the Cyberse
is splitting in two.

The Cyberse
is splitting into two?

[AI]
Well, I got news for ya buddy.

It didn't just split,
it was completely annihilated!

I thought you'd know
that cuz you were...

you know, there?

It's not meant... literally.

It's...

a metaphor.

Ah!

I don't do grammar!

[Earth]
AI...

why did you join...

the human side?

Ah?

Why did you team...

with Playmaker?

I don't know
if I'd call it a team-up.

More like my Apprentice P here

wanted to learn
from Sensei AI, right?

Don't answer too quick...

or at all.

Maybe there's something
we can learn from you, Earth.

Me?

[Playmaker]
We're searching
for a man named Bohman.

He not only hurt
someone we know,

but he may also be involved

with the destruction
of the Cyberse.

So while you were
floatin' in the network,

have ya seen or heard
or smelled anything

that can help us track him down?

Even the slightest detail could
prove to be a valuable lead.

I...

will tell you...

what I know--

[AI]
Awesome!

If...

you duel me.

Aww, jumped the g*n!

Y' know, it'd be quicker
if you just tell us!

That...

is true.

Oh? Great!

So you'll share what you know?

No.

[sighs]

Very well.

Let's duel.

But how?

An Ignis can't duel
without a partner.

[Playmaker]
A tree?

Earth must have been created

from Spectre
during the Lost Incident.

Are you ready?

Quite...

ready.

Are you...?

Yes.

Well then.

Let's duel!

All right, Earth!

Bring it on!
Show me what you got!

Umm...

Are you not gonna
show me what you got?!?

I'll...

go second.

You...

can go...

first.

Why didn't you just say
that from the start!?

You have...

a problem?

Why'dya narrow
your eyes like that?

Fine then, it's my turn.

I'll start...

by summoning POISONING BLOCKER
in att*ck mode!

And due to its special ability,

I can switch it from att*ck
to defense mode.

And when I do,

this monster gains 800
att*ck and defense points,

raising it to 2200.

Next, I place two cards facedown
and end my turn.

[AI]
That's a pretty solid
defense to start with.

No matter what Earth plays,
it should keep us protected.

My... turn.

AI, you still...

haven't answered...

my question.

Huh?

Why...

do you side...

with the humans?

Can't it wait
until after the duel?

No.

You're trying...

to avoid
answering again.

You do realize
that humans...

destroyed the Cyberse.

But without 'em,

we'd never have been created
in the first place.

[Earth]
But they think...

we're mistakes.

This Bohman...

and Varis before him...

want to destroy us.

Yeah, but humans aren't all bad.

You can't judge a whole group
cuz of a few bad apples.

I even like the ones
with worms in 'em

cuz they're
like living spaghetti

and that's awesome!

Whether you are right...

or wrong...

is what I'm here...

to determine.

I draw!

Since Earth was created
from Spectre,

does that mean they share
the same dueling style?

Whoa whoa whoa rewind!

Earth and Spectre?!?

I don't see it,

but maybe with a blond wig...

Focus, AI.

What's his dueling style?

[AI]
Yeah, that...

Funny story...

[Playmaker]
You don't know.

It's not that I don't know,

it's that I don't know.

I activate...

the spell card...

COST DOWN...

from my hand.

By discarding...

one card...

to the graveyard...

I can lower...

G GOLEM ROCK HAMMER's Level...

from 6 to 4...

and summon it.

But it's only...

the start.

I...

can tribute...

G GOLEM ROCK HAMMER...

to summon...

three G GOLEM TOKENS...

in defense mode.

He split one monster into three!

He's going to Link Summon.

Correct!

I accrete...

my circuit!

I set...

my three G GOLEM TOKENS

in the Link Arrows!

I Link Summon!

Link 3...

G GOLEM...

INVALID DOLMEN!

[Earth]
I Link Summon!

Link 3...

G GOLEM...

INVALID DOLMEN!

INVALID...

DOLMEN!

Smash...

his POISONING...

BLOCKER!

And even if...

your monster...

is in defense mode...

INVALID DOLMEN...

can still deal you...

damage!

Ahh!

I end...

my turn.

Oh!

Now I remember!

About?

About how Earth duels!

He's amazing at dueling!

Which probably coulda helped ya
if I remembered earlier...

Eek!

My bad!
Don't get mad!

It's my turn!

I draw!

I summon BITRON to the field!

And I'll use it
to create my circuit!

The summoning condition

requires me to use
one Cyberse monster.

So I set BITRON
in the Link Arrow!

I Link Summon!

Link 1 ZOMBIE PROSABER!

PROSABER!

att*ck Earth's G GOLEM
INVALID DOLMEN!

[Earth]
Why...?

Your monster...

is weaker...

than mine.

That doesn't matter

because I have the trap card

LINK RUSH!

My Link Monster
can automatically

destroy your monster
without taking any damage!

Next, ZOMBIE PROSABER's
special ability activates!

Since the monster
that was destroyed

was the one next to its link,

I can resummon that monster

from your graveyard
to my side of the field.

Meaning your monster
will fight for me.

And meaning all the muscle
will be on our side!

I don't...

think so.

You...

are stealing nothing...

from me.

When INVALID DOLMEN
is destroyed...

its special ability...

negates...

all your cards' effects.

Argh!
We were so close!

Not that close.

Well, closer than doing nothing,
so I'm technically correct.

[Playmaker]
But why would you care

if you're technically
correct or not?

[AI]
Because...

I'm socially awkward?

I'm ending my turn, you're up.

Thank...

you.

I activate...

the spell...

I just drew.

GRAVITY BALANCE.

I can summon...

two copies
of an Earth monster...

from my graveyard...

by lowering...

their att*ck
and defense points...

to 0.

Rise...

from the grave...

G GOLEM...

ROCK HAMMERS!

It doesn't matter...

that they have
no att*ck points...

because they won't...

be sticking around...

since I'm using both...

to Link Summon!

Witness...

my new...

Link Monster!

Link 2...

G GOLEM CRYSTAL HEART!

Bring...

life...

to this...

wasteland.

Did I mention
that underneath all that orange

he's got the greenest of thumbs?

Whaa...

[Playmaker]
I've never seen a monster
do this before.

What's going on?

This place looks
just like Aqua's territory

back home in the Cyberse...

and that looks
like Aqua's monster.

Wait a sec...

What is it?

That doesn't just look
like Aqua's monster.

It is Aqua's monster!

So why does Earth have it?

[Earth]
Aqua...

I do not trust these humans.

But I will keep...

my mind open.

As I promised you...

I would...

Because I keep...

my promises...

even if I may never...

see you...

again.