The United Globe of Ishtar (Chapter 2 added)

[NewtonAH]

A "If Yami Marik won" fic

 

Not the most original topic, for sure, but a great fanfic what-if!

 

Comments, grammer, "Stop-now-before-you-embarress-yourself"'s, leave them, please

 

(Not done with the Megaman thing, for those who noticed, just wanted to get this out)

 

I believe the combo was something like this. When Yugi summoned Slifer, Marik played his “Card of Last Will” trap, giving him 5 cards. In the last turn of the duel, Marik used “Premature Burial” (To revive Ra yet again), “Mystic Wok” (Giving up his Reflect Slime for 3000 life points), and “Quick Attack” (Letting Ra attack twice at the cost of half of the user’s points; Marik sent the other 1499 to Ra).

 

The second the duel ended, Marik and Yugi were sucked into the abyss, the “Pharaoh” collapsed, and Marik went wild. He ran to Yugi, took the millennium puzzle, necklace, and both of his God cards. Afterwards, he began kicking Yugi’s body about, taunting it, and finally “dazing” him with the Rod. His friends tried to stop him, of course, but Marik “dazed” them too, and they all fell to the ground. Panicking, Mokuba and I rushed down the elevator (I would have taken Ishizu and Marik’s “bodyguard”, had he not gotten to them first), and jetted the just-arrived emergency copter off the island. Last I remember, living duel monsters began to rise from the sea around Kaiba Corp Island.

 

I sent a command to the duel tower’s system to blow the island to pieces, but nothing happened. I’m guessing one of the monsters got to it first.

 

What happened after that has been labeled the “50 hours of Hell.” Living duel monsters began to storm the world, beginning in the Middle East and ending in Canada and Japan. They just destroyed things and took hostages, there were no deaths. I think they wanted panic more than death. The United Nations could not meet, and the individual militaries of the world were caught off guard against the colorful invasion. It was not a battle; it was a collective slap in mankind’s face. Marik came on television two days (fifty hours) later, announcing that the Egyptian New Kingdom had been reinstated (Under his rule of course). He and the Ghouls spent about the next week haggling with world leaders to make for as smooth and transition of power as possible. Most of the world’s governments are still in tact, but merely as puppets; Marik is king, period.

 

Of course, there was a catch. On a couple of occasions (And I suspect he’ll do it again until every last one of us is dead) the lunatic has ordered monster massacres in third-world countries. Thousands are dead; either from slaughter, like the time he used “Infernal Incinerators” to simply raze a village to the ground, to the grotesque, like the time he used Psychic-type monsters to drive a city into panic, then boxed it up with “labyrinth walls.” It actually made the news the time he used “beast” monsters to drive people up cliffs only to be mowed down by a “Robotic Knight” firing squad. The son of a jabroni.

 

Ironically, some of Yugi’s favorites, like the “Dark Magicians”, magnet warriors, etc. have been spotted ambushing Marik’s monsters, or healing the wounded. The poor man’s last wish, I guess.

 

Kaiba Corp is still in business; although the Ghouls have obviously seen to it that gaming is now only a portion of our revenue (i.e. we’re making other crap here now). But somehow I’m still in control, and I’ll be damned if this duelist is going to sit by and let that power and money go to waste.

 

Yugi’s friends are alive to, by the way. Just “Mind Slaves” now.

 

Marik Ishtar, you’ve had your fun.

 

Now, it’s on.-Seto Kaiba

April 19, 2008 (Battle City ended March 20th)

 

*February 2009*

 

The young man looked through his old cards will his youngest brother, Dewey, waited. The middle brother had also collected cards, making a powerful water deck. But both of them had lost interest in the game; until the youngest brother discovered it. Entertained by nostalgia more than annoyed by his brother, he whipped out his duel disk and “rock” deck. Arriving at their spot, they began their virtual card game.

 

“Just so you know, my cards are old.”

 

“No problem, you haven’t got any new ones; and I have a bunch of oldies too. You first.”

 

Standing on the red dirt, he drew. His hand was good.

 

“I set two cards, and set a monster.”

 

“Boring! I summon Giruchin Kuagata (1700/1000)!” The powerful, tiny insect attacked.

 

“My monster is Giant Soldier of Stone (1300/2000)!”

 

“Man!”

 

F 4000/ D 3700

 

“My move, I play my “Wave Motion Cannon” spell! Every turn, this card charges 500 damage. At my standby phase, I can destroy this card to deal the damage I charged! I follow with Pot of Greed, and offer my Stone Soldier to set this card!”

 

“Alright, I set a card, and play my Sonic Duck (1700/700)! I’m done.”

 

“This is about to get painful for you, bro. I draw, and flip my Guardian Sphinx! All your monsters go to your hand! I follow with a continuous trap, “Geothermal Melting Pot”! This lets me offer a “rock” monster on my field to summon a fusion monster of the same level! I choose “Mystical Sand!” The witch in red appeared in place of Sphinx. “Now I play “Monster Reborn”, come back Sphinx! Attack!”

 

“Mirror Force!”

 

“Seven Tools of the Bandit, 1000 points off of me, and your trap is negated. I win.”

 

“What! Do that again!”

 

“Why are you in such as hurry to fail?”

 

The young man was Ferris Culvier, college freshman, minoring in archeology (As most students had, ever since Marik took control). He had just crammed to get out early from the University of Arizona to see his immediate family again; the last thing he expected was to play card games. It was relaxing, though, and relaxation is what he came here for. He drew another hand and turned to his other brother, who had just driven up.

 

“What happened to the “I’m not coming home freshman year?” jazz?” The younger brother got out of his car, a duel disk on his arm.

 

“I went back on it.”

 

“Okay, okay,” The middle brother, Reed, answered. “I was told you were playing card games, so I brought mine!

 

“Duel!” They both laughed. Only Yugi, before he disappeared and the other card playing machines could say that with any seriousness.

 

The youngest brother, with a mix of realization and disappointment, stepped aside.

 

“Draw!” Reed laughed again. “Alrighty, I start with Gagagigo (1850/1000). I set one card, and play “Dragged Down into the Grave”! We each discard one card from our hands, and then draw one. I set and end my turn.”

 

“My move, I set a monster, and two cards.”

 

“Are you using your “rock” deck?” Memories came flooding back to Reed. “This could take a while. Draw! I play “A Legendary Ocean”, boosting WATER monster stats by 200 and cutting their level by 1. I summon my Bugroth MK-34 (1500/1300), who can attack you directly when “Umi” is out! Direct attack!”

 

“Activate “Draining Shield”! I gain life points equal to your monster’s attack, and I count 1700!”

 

“Fine, Gagagigo, got for his set monster!”

 

“Trap number two, “Castle Walls”! I give my “Stone Statue of the Aztecs (300/2000)” 500 more defense points! After his damage-doubling effect activates, you take 900 damage!”

 

A car came up then, driven by a bony man with white hair, at the base of the hill. Ferris knew him from school, and saw that he had a briefcase on him. He got out, and ran up the hill.

 

“Hey, Steven, what brings you here?” Ferris asked.

 

“The study we were doing back at school has taken an interesting turn. You had already told me about this place, so when you weren’t home, I came here.” He looked to “Stone Statue”. “That’s one of my favorite monsters! The business… isn’t urgent, you can finish.”

 

“You worked with Duel Monsters before, right? Anyway, I draw, and play “Chorus of Sanctuary!” giving all defense position monsters 500 more points. I set a second card and end.”

 

F 4000/ R 3100

 

“You’re no fun anymore!” Everyone laughed as he quoted Monty Python. “I play Pot of Greed. Take two, and set. Gagagigo, attack!”

 

“Cyber Jar says hi. Draw 5, summon or set the level 4-.”

 

“Arrrrrrrrrrrrr-I am a pirate-” Reed avoided cursing.

 

“Oh, no your not!” Ferris retorted.

 

“Bleah! I set one monster, and summon (Your) Cure Mermaid!”

 

“I set three monsters.”

 

“I’m done.”

 

“I set two cards, flip my second “Giant Soldier of Stone” and “Alpha the Magnet Warrior” into attack mode, and end.”

 

“Why do I always take the bait? Cure Mermaid gives me 800 life points, I sacrifice her and my “Aqua Madoor” to summon “Gogigagagagigo (2950/2800)”! Bring down the stone soldier!”

 

“Trap, “Staunch Defender!” Your attack changes targets to my set card!” Ferris’ card being a second “Stone Statue of the Aztecs”. “Then I play “Unity”, increasing my Statue’s defense points by the defense points of all other face-up monsters on my field, which totals up to 5700! 5700-2950= 2750, which after being doubled by Statue’s effect, comes out at 5500 damage!”

 

Steven clapped silently as Reed tried to wrap his mind around what had just happened. They all slid down the hill, the brothers’ fun ruined by the man’s appearance. Reed and the Dewey left in his car. Ferris and Steven followed, going farther into town to a McDonald’s.

 

As they placed their orders, Ferris noticed Steven was unusually solemn. This being odd, since the man possessed a great deal more energy than many ten years his junior. He was a teaching assistant, although he had an off-campus job and commuted to class. Outside of his going back to school, however, he was mostly silent about where he came from. Taking their trays to a booth, he placed his briefcase on the table. He looked around quickly, happily finding the restaurant was less than half full, and looked back to Ferris.

 

“I’ll get to the experiment in a second, but I’ve got to ask you something. Important, life or death. You want to know? You can refuse.”

 

“Will I be in the moment you tell me?”

 

“Hmmm… no.” Steven was still serious, it must have been real.

 

“Is it illegal, immoral, or unhealthy?”

 

“Used to be.”

 

“All right.”

 

He opened the briefcase, revealing a black robe, with a millennium eye on the hood. Ferris lost his breath.

 

“Gh-”

 

“Former.” His voice was straining with emphasis. “About two years ago, I was just a small business owner, not too important. Then Marik came to my door and offered me a shift in the Rare Hunters. I refused, and he brainwashed me. The next thing I knew I was at a Ghoul warehouse.”

 

“Wow. How did you get out?” Ferris whispered.

 

He closed the briefcase back up.

 

“The Ghouls extorted money from my business and ran it into the ground. They were kind enough to pay off the debts, and even gave me a secret weapon; three sets of Exodia.”

 

“What does he do again?” Ferris decided he should just let him finish.

 

“If I can get all five of his limb cards in my hand, I win. Then and there. I was assigned to “street duels”, I would draw out Exodia, steal cards, and be gone. This was before we knew where the god cards were.”

 

“Wow, this is so much to take in, coming out of the blue. Former Rare Hunter? No wonder you didn’t bring up your private life.” Ferris began to munch on his burger.

 

“Still interested, or did I just spill my guts?” Steven opened his filet of fish.

 

“I still want to know how you got out.”

 

“Oh, yeah. Well, as you may have heard, the Ghouls were illegally registered in Battle City. Kaiba threw the tournament, with the rare card ante, to attract whoever might have had Slifer or Ra and win it from them. Marik and the Ghouls,” Steven looked around again. “Came to take Obelisk and kill the spirit of Yugi’s millennium puzzle. I dueled him and was defeated. Marik brainwashed me to tell him of his impending doom, then damned my soul to the Shadow Realm.”

 

“I knew about Yugi’s puzzle, how another mind appears when he duels, but why kill him? “Shadow Realm”?”

 

“The spirit of the puzzle was the soul of a pharaoh from 3000 years ago, sealed up to reappear to stop an evil monster of old that had done likewise. The Shadow Realm is his domain. Humans, to my knowledge, can only access it via the Millennium items. It’s horrible; monsters, both physical and spectral, will torment whoever is trapped there indefinitely. They probe your mind, they spit on you in more ways than one, they mock you on things you’ve done, on and on and on!” He sighed. “Hell, in other words. I finally got out when Marik had to use “Souls of the Forgotten” to overpower China when they attempted to storm Egypt during negotiation. I was one of them; I found myself alive in Japan, and used most the money I had saved to fly to America to start over. I chose Arizona just because it was obscure.”

 

Steven gave Ferris a second to take it all in. His biggest college resource and one of his best friends at the school was a former Rare Hunter. Part of the organization that now controlled the world. The organization that was slowly sapping away the vote, that just passed a law limiting private bank accounts to 200,000 dollars, that disbanded the world’s militaries, that ruled by fear and “example” using living duel monsters, whose head was a middle eastern, sadistic, pain fetish, demi-god disgrace to humanity with a tongue tic! But Steven was not part of it- he got out. He hates the Ghouls with a special passion; he made that clear at school. Why was he telling him all this now, though?

 

“What are you saying, then?”

 

“I want you to help me overthrow Marik.”

 

“Do what?! Do you know what you’re saying man!”

 

“More than you do.”

 

“This… I’ll do it?”

 

“You sure? Risk your life, your family? Save the lives of so many others?”

 

“Uh… yeah. Let’s do it. I’ve been following the news; he’s merging, or at least choking, private industries, killing Africans and Islanders just to see how much blood he can spill per square mile-” Ferris quieted down for a second to find new fuel for his tirade. “Breaking democracy’s back by tabooing not what is obscene but what the Ghouls don’t like, by leeching into schools, and reduced the United States to a puppet state!”

 

“Alright, here’s my address, you have my cell number, call me sometime this week.” Steven got up to refill his drink.

 

Ferris looked down at the table. His twenty years flashed before his eyes; His childhood discoveries, Dewey’s birth, Duel Monsters, Graduation… feeling like he had a generation to be a part of. He came back to reality and the plastic table came back into view. If he died, he would not be a martyr. His existence would fade out like it never happened.

 

If this failed, nothing but death.

 

If it worked… light at the end of the tunnel, ahoy.

[Wyhe]

quite interesting alternate history tale here...wonder how this goes along in due time

[Aelsthla-Mental]

Gotta love how things change from tiny little details, the butterfly effect is wrong huh?

 

Anyway, it's very interesting. Interesting idea to turn that no-name first rare hunter into a main character. Oh, and was making his name Steven a subtle nod towards yu-gi-oh the abridged series in a mostly dark story?

 

...Honestly I have little to say, it's pretty good, no errors that I can see, but I'm no expert. I wish you luck!

[Wyhe]

Gotta love how things change from tiny little details' date=' the butterfly effect is wrong huh?

 

Anyway, it's very interesting. Interesting idea to turn that no-name first rare hunter into a main character. Oh, and was making his name Steven a subtle nod towards yu-gi-oh the abridged series in a mostly dark story?

 

...Honestly I have little to say, it's pretty good, no errors that I can see, but I'm no expert. I wish you luck!

[/quote']

You know what they say...a little humour always helps one treading along a dark tale

 

I must reiterate that alternate history fics are my new fav...

[NewtonAH]

Thanks :D. Thought this would go by unoticed and then "Aw well".

 

As for Mr. Exodia, while I knew about the "Steve" factor (Tea: That's right, Pharoah, our names have been legally changed! Tee-hee-hee), I did not have that on the brain when I name him.

 

Then again... I did have Yami/Atem's "Put an end to his generic reign of mild terror" line when I did. And I thought, as I'm sure many do "Takahashi... you have five dozen appear-once-and-never-show-up-again-people, stop. You did better with GX but even so!)

 

Okay, polishing the next bit.

[Nexev]

I am pretty impressed, a pretty good fan fic so far. I would request to be able to sample more.

[NewtonAH]

I am pretty impressed' date=' a pretty good fan fic so far. I would request to be able to sample more.

[/quote']

 

Thank you, too.

 

How so (Sampling)? Just post more?

[Nexev]

That would be sufficent.

[NewtonAH]

[/b]Saving the World Over Burgers

 

Ferris drove alongside the rocky overpass. Reed, who had joined him, quickly shoved his deck back into his duel disk, and checked his watch. The street was silent- this house was not in one of the usual suburbs; in fact it was the borderline of the middle of nowhere. Ferris was torn as to enjoy the solitude or become suspicious of “Steven” all over again. Elsie’s car came slowly up the drive and parked behind his.

 

“Hi,” Ferris waved. Elsie was only an acquaintance at school- he did not know how else to greet her.

 

“Hey. I knew Steven was hiding something, I never liked the look of him.” Elsie’s fiery tongue got straight to the point. “You, at least, have your head on straight.”

 

“Why is she here?” Reed muttered.

 

“She helped a little on that school project- did you-”

 

“I kid, I kid.” Still haughty, Elsie walked past the brothers.

 

“Bring… your stuff. I give up.”

 

Ferris ran past her and beat her to the door. The house was glass, like a giant window, with what looked to be “emergency walls” hanging, barely visible, from just under the roof. After knocking, Ferris opened the newly-painted door and walked in slowly. He saw Steven, duel disk on arm, in a lounge chair motioning for them. Ferris noticed surround sound, a cabinet large enough for a bulky HDTV, some kind of flashy fake carpeting, and a two-floor restaurant-style kitchen to his right. The Rare Hunter job had paid much better than mere card piracy should, it seemed.

 

“Thank you, seriously.” The whirling chair turned to show Steven’s face. “My two friends are downstairs, but I’d rather get my duel over with.”

 

“As do I.” Ferris drew out a hand and turned on his duel disk. He walked to the other side of the living room. “I’ll start, and set a monster and two spell/traps.”

 

Reed and Elsie readjusted two of the chairs near the TV on Steven’s side to watch.

 

“All right, I summon “Toxic DissolveRock”! This card remake let’s me substitute him as both “Polymerization” and a fusion material! I give up both my Rock and my “Three-Headed Geedo” to summon “Three-Headed Sorcerer (1400/1800)!”

 

A larger, crusty-and-sickly-looking “Three-Headed Geedo” emerged. Ferris noticed his attack points dropped by 700, but he assumed that was Rock’s cost.

 

“Activate “United We Stand,” Geedo’s Attack points are up by 800 per monster on my field. Geedo Sorcerer has 3 abilities to make up for his lackluster points! I can chuck a card from my hand,” Steven discarded two. “To attack again, destroy a monster I battle at the end of the damage step, or to reduce battle damage from him to zero! I destroy your monster, and attack again!”

 

He had flipped “Stone Statue of the Aztecs”, causing 1000 damage to himself. The Statue burst into pixels anyway. Geedo attacked again and dealt 1500 damage to Ferris.

 

Reed and Elsie chatted, not responding to the game.

 

“Okay, I summon “Giant Soldier of Stone”. I reveal “Michizure”, late to the party, to destroy 1 monster when one of mine is!” Geedo burst into pixels. “Direct attack!”

 

F 2500/ Se 1700

 

“This duel needs to be comprehensive of your play style! Not over in three turns!” Steven drew and smirked. “This will do nicely with that. I play “Swords of Revealing Light”, and set a monster.”

 

“I see what you did there. Draw, I offer Stone Soldier for this card.”

 

“Pot of Greed, draw two. I offer my set card for “Beast of Talwar” (2450/2150)! Destroy!”

 

“Trap card, “A Feint Plan”, you cannot attack a face-down monster this turn. I draw, summon “Grave Ohja”, and flip my “Guardian Sphinx”. Your monster is returned to your hand by Sphinx’s effect, and you take 300 damage each time I flip summon thanks to Ohja’s effect. I flip Sphinx face-down again and end.”

 

“I’ve always hated that card. I place a face-down card, and play “Cost Down”, tossing 1 card to cut the monsters in my hand’s level by two, to summon Talwar one more time. Then I use “H- Heated Heart”, giving the selected monster 500 attack points and trample. End the Sphinx!”

 

Ferris’ card burst into pixels.

 

F 2050/ Se 1700

 

“If you want skills, I’ll give you them!” Ferris drew, then stopped himself. “Since when have I gotten so worked up over this game?”

 

He looked at his card, then at his duel disk.

 

“Dude, you’re not ten, snap out of it!” He thought. “This is practically unlearning! “My move! Draw! DIRECT ATTACK!” …What am I doing? Only Duel Monsters bigwigs can do that without lampooning themselves!”

 

“Ferris, Rare Hunters play this game for a living, and we survive. Don’t go into a pre-mid-life crisis on me.” Steven folded his arms. “Your face was panicked, you gave yourself away.”

 

Reed and Elsie’s eyes were on Ferris.

 

“Okay, I’m back. I switch Ohja to defense mode, and place a face-down card.”

 

“Too easy. I play “Raging Flame Sprite”, who can attack you directly, and gains 1000 attack points when she does so! Go for it!” Sprite attacked Ferris with a spark. “Talwar, strike down Ohja!”

 

“Draining Shield, reveal your predictable fury; spare Ohja and give me 2450 life points!” Ferris laughed.

 

F 3500/ Se 1700

 

“My hand’s full of random cards. I set a monster.”

 

“Raging Flame Sprite, direct attack! Talwar kill Ohja! I play “Tremendous Fire”, dealing 1000 to you and 500 to me, and use “Serial Spell” to chuck my hand to re-create “Tremendous Fire”! Last turn, dude.”

 

F 1300/ Se 700

 

“I set this card. Go.”

 

“I draw, and command-“

 

“Ring of Destruction.”

 

Talwar burst violently into pixels. Both players’ points dropped to zero. Steven walked up to Ferris, shook his hand, and took him to the kitchen.

 

“Ladies, one of you are up.”

 

Ferris noticed two female Rare Hunters, with their hoods down, at the table, out of view. One of them turned on their duel disk, and walked out to the other room to be challenged by Elsie.

 

“They’re your insiders?”

 

“Yes, known each other way back. They won’t rat; Marik’s abuse has drained their will to live. Mind Control and servitude, I mean, not the other kind.”

 

“Yeah.”

 

“I have burgers, you want to grill? I can call the dueling outside.”

 

Ferris agreed, Steven called everyone outside and started up the grill. The woman with dyed-green hair and round face began dueling Elsie. She had never been much for finesse- her hair was matted, her figure toned; albeit she was a gym regular. She looked carefully through her cards, trying to remember her combos of yesteryear. The Rare Hunter cracked a smile.

 

“I’ll go first. Draw, and I summon “Saber Saurus (1900/500)” to play.”

 

“Why are you smiling?” Elsie drew.

 

“I’m glad whenever I can get away from the racket. I was forced into the Ghouls, never liked it, and still don’t. It’s why I’m taking the risk here. I’m dead if I’m discovered.”

 

“I don’t know why you want college students who used to play the game, but if you want a loss, you’ve come to the right place. I set a face-down card and a monster.”

 

“I play the spell card “Two-man Cell Battle”, letting both of us summon level 4 normal monsters at our end phases. I reveal my favorite trap card, “Skill Drain”! I pay 1000 life points, and all effect monsters have their effects negated!”

 

“Shi- I play my opening trap, “Backfire”, every time you kill a FIRE monster you take 500 damage!”

 

“I summon “Gemini Elf” to the field. Attack her set card!”

 

“UFO Turtle” burst into pixels, Elsie was not prompted to activate it’s effect.

 

“Saber, if you please.” She ended, and summoned “Giant Soldier of Stone” in defense mode.

 

RH 2500/ El 2100

 

“Two can play at that. I used “Two-man Cell Battle” to summon “Darkfire Soldier #2 (1700/1100)” in attack mode! I play the field spell “Molten Destruction”, giving all FIRE monsters 500 more attack and 400 less defense.”

 

“It powers up my Saber Saurus, though.”

 

“Dang it, forgot about that. Doesn’t matter, I set a monster, and command DarkFire Soldier to attack Gemini Elf!”

 

RH 2200 El 2100

 

“I offer my Stone Soldier and Saber Saurus for “Cosmo Queen”!” The Rare Hunter remarked as her strongest monster appeared. “Attack the Soldier!”

 

The burning skull samurai burst into pixels.

 

“So what exactly are we doing? How can so few people, even assuming there are more I haven’t met, overpower Marik’s bureaucracy without getting caught?” Ferris asked.

 

“The Millennium Items; Marik gave three of the seven to underlings, whom we can force into a “shadow duel”. If we can beat them, the item will acknowledge a change of hands. Possession of a Millennium Item will leave three of us, assuming we can get all three, immune to the Millennium Rod- which will hopefully let us force Marik into a game, since he cannot simply take over our minds and make us jump off a cliff, or something. How we’ll threaten him I haven’t come up with yet.”

 

“The items can’t just be stolen?”

 

“Nope, they were rigged. They were originally forged for Egyptian Royalty. To take an item and use it, the current owner must be usurped in a legitimate contest- a battle of monsters, a duel of swords, a game of cards approved by the gods, *cough* Duel Monsters *cough*, stuff like that. You cannot just steal them.”

 

“What about our numbers again?”

 

“Wow, I only answer half your questions.” Steven quickly removed the burgers from the grill onto a plate. “You’ll meet them later. But- young adults like yourselves would be the most mentally and physically adept, not to mention more willing, to meet a task like this. As to why I asked you and Elsie specifically- I need the right… “characters”.”

 

“Like personality?”

 

“Anyone can learn to play Duel Monsters. Not everyone has the guts to stand up to a guy who will threaten their families and play mind games with them. That’s why I chose you two; you are self-conscious, but suppress it- Marik could not break you by taunting you with your weaknesses. Elsie is fairly irreverent; which makes her annoying normally, but a fighter. She won’t break since she won’t let anyone “in” the start with.”

 

“Ahh, true, true- but how are you sure I won’t break?”

 

“I’m not- Burgers’re done! –I’m taking a calculated risk.”

 

RH 1500/ El 500

 

The Rare Hunter still had her Cosmo Queen on the field, as well as the Ritual Monster “Lycanthrope (2400/1600)”, whose attack points were now 2800 attack points also, thanks to its effect. “Skill Drain” had been destroyed. Elsie had nothing.

 

“Just a sec!” Elsie drew. “Yes! I’ve been waiting for this! I play “Monster Reborn” to revive “Solar Flare Dragon (1500/1000)”! I normal summon a second “Solar Flare Dragon”! As long as there is another pyro monster on my field, this monster can’t be attacked; meaning you can’t touch either of them! They also deal 500 damage at my turn’s end!”

 

RH 400 El 500

 

“My draw- I think you have me here. No, wait, I play “Raigeki”! All of your monsters are gone!”

 

“Your point? I play the “Zero Gravity” trap! All monsters on the field change positions!”

 

“Go.”

 

“I bring out my “Darkfire Soldier #1,” Unlike the second soldier; the first was a muscular man with Thor-like blonde hair. “I play the equip spell “Salamandra”, to give him 700 more Attack points. Destroy “Lycanthrope.”

 

The wolf burst into pixels.

 

“I end- oh, and destroy my “DarkFire Soldier” in a suicide attack and you lose.”

 

“I’ll keep it in mind. I play “Poison of the Old Man”- I choose to gain 1200 life points. I summon “Giant Soldier of Stone” in attack mode. Cosmo Queen, battle with “DarkFire”, and Stone Soldier, attack directly.”

 

Elsie fell over as force of the golem’s blow came at her.

 

“Dang it! Dang it dang it dang dang it! I had you!!!”

 

“If I hadn’t drawn “Poison”, then you would have. You played very well considering your cards were collecting dust.”

 

“It all came back, I guess.”

 

Eating on the side of the deck, Steven continued to talk about their operation. Reed nervously nodded, Elsie wholeheartedly. The two Rare Hunters remained silent. Reed asked more questions, Steven gave more answers.

 

“So; you’re are going to help us force Marik’s underlings into a duel for their Millennium Items, so we can in turn somehow force Marik into a duel for the Millennium Puzzle, and therefore his dark magical powers.” Reed reviewed.

 

“Yes.”

 

“Alright, two things; One, how will we get past Marik’s army of monsters?”

 

“We were looking into something that could answer that question back at school, leave it to us.” Ferris answered.

 

“Okay… Second, how exactly will we get Marik to duel?”

 

“We’ll have to cross that bridge when we come to it, I don’t know where we’ll actually duel him.” Steven answered disconcertingly.

 

“It’s a hole that’s may get us killed… but I’m in. It’s summer vacation, so no legal obligations.” Reed put out his hand.

 

“Agree with Reed.” Elsie put her hand out.

 

“Eagle Claws.” Ferris placed his hand on top of his friend and brother’s.

 

“See me in a week; we’re going to fly to Japan to see Pegasus- print you some cards. You can tell all concerned it’s for Ferris’ school project, and we’ll only be at Industrial Illusions.” Steven smiled. “He already knows about you, and he’s known about the operation for months. If you have any card designs, make them now, he can make them, and anything else he’s published, for you after hours.”

 

“Oh wow- I can do all of that. Anything else?” Ferris asked.

 

“Only young people have free enough schedules to pull something like this, hmm.” Steven mumbled. “No- you’ll get the specifics when you meet the others. Oh, and another thing-”

 

Steven pulled out a pistol and smirked.

 

“Not above using a gun. I suspect that’s how we’ll get the lackeys to duel.”

 

“Saw that coming from sooo far off.” Elsie taunted. “Well, I’m done here. See ya, Kulvioids.”

 

The fiery black-haired girl left.

 

Ferris and Reed walked out to the car. Reed called home quickly, and the two brothers drove home. Both were silent; they had a lot to decide. Reed popped out his deck and began to look through it. The day was still beautiful. One of them had to talk eventually; and Ferris obliged.

 

“Our lives and immortal souls are on the line dude. Let’s do it.”

 

“That’s awfully fatalistic.” Reed responded, still not looking up from his cards.

 

“I call it… acknowledging risk.”

 

“Yeah, yeah. I’m going to think of some cards, how broken do you think Pegasus would allow?”

 

“Anything aside from “Give a monster 10000 attack points” or “instant win” is probably good.” Ferris looked quickly from the wheel to his brother. “You sure you’re okay with this?”

 

“As long as Steven tells the family if we die trying, yes. It’s worth the risk- Marik is a murderer, a command economist, unpredictable and random… I mean he hasn’t nationalized everything yet,” They both laughed. “But do we really need to debate the reasoning here?”

 

“My thoughts to a t. Let’s make some cards for Dewey while we’re at it.”

 

When the brothers returned home, they both went immediacy for their computers to type out cards and e-mail Pegasus. Fortunately, Dewey nor their mother asked.

 

Dear Mr. Pegasus,

 

Thank you so much for supporting our effort.

 

I have not played Duel Monsters for a few years, but I enjoy “Rock” type monsters. I always like the “Stone Dragon” and “Sand Stone” monsters, although neither are horribly good. Enclosed, I have some card requests.

 

Thank you again,

 

Ferris Culvier

 

Ferris copied and pasted his card effects past the end of the document.

 

Pegasus replied within the hour.

 

Dear Ferris(Boy),

 

^ I call everyone under the age of thirty that, so you know. 

 

Yes, yes, I’m fully aware of what I am doing… I came to the idea for the game from the Shadow Games.

 

As for your cards, I like them. I’ll get to the card art tomorrow.

 

M. Pegasus

 

PS: Does your youngest brother like the number 1700? ;)

[NewtonAH]

Chapter Added.