Yu-Gi-Oh!: Evolution of a Duelist

[Mysty]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]Long story short, I felt like I needed to rewrite the first two books so, when I write the third, it will make more sense.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]I thank -Dae- for beta-reading the fic for me. It means a lot having someone able to read this over to check for errors. -Dae-, I hope any fanfics you make go well. You know I'll be here to help you if you need it. Well, at least for now.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]Without further ado, let's get to the main attraction:[/font][center][center][font=comic sans ms,cursive][b][size=7][u]Evolution of a Duelist[/u][/size][/b][/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive][spoiler=Chapter 1][/font]
[font=comic sans ms,cursive]John woke up and looked at the blank white ceiling and blank white walls of his room. He looked at his camouflage calendar: the date was Saturday, August 23, 2031. The date was circled with “Sealed Tournament” written on the square. [i]Right! The monthly sealed tournament is today.[/i] John walked over to his wooden bureau and took a forest camou picture frame off of it. He looked at the picture of two men, backs turned to the photo, one much shorter than the other, with shaved heads and camou clothes looking at the sunset. He put the picture down and looked at his camou clothes. [i]These should be fine.[/i] John opened his drawers; no other clothes were there in the wooden drawers. [i]Mom must have forgotten to wash my other clothes again. Seems like I have no choice but these clothes again.[/i] John opened his plain white door and walked down the narrow white stairway with white stairs. Upon reaching the bottom, John looked around the first floor. [i]Mom isn’t here. She must have had a special job for this early in the morning.[/i] John then thought for a second and looked through a window on the white wall with the white door that leads outside. The sky was bright blue with a bright yellow sun illuminating an area consisting mainly of brown houses made of wood and scrap, as well as several trash piles littering the barely built streets of cracked asphalt. [i]Oh no, I’m going to be late![/i] John ran upstairs. He quickly put on his forest camou jacket and strapped a forest camou box that could hold up to one hundred Yu-Gi-Oh! cards onto his upper thigh via the forest camou strap attached to it. He picked up a forest camou-colored device with two blade-like side panels, one with three blue panels big enough to fit a Yu-Gi-Oh! card either vertically or sideways and three slots on the side that fit cards only vertically, and two of each on the other side as well as a card zone that comes out the side, and strapped it to his left arm. It already had a deck of forty cards in it. [i]Such an old duel disk, but it’s the best I can get out of this scrapheap of a town.[/i] John ran downstairs, put on his high-strung big black boots, tied them up, and tucked his army pants into them. He opened the door, slid a key from under a forest camou-colored mat, and closed the white door of the white house with a white triangle-shaped roof. John jogged down the streets riddled with piles of trash upon piles of trash. John then saw a rather tall boy with big blue hair, a blue aura, green eyes, casual blue t-shirt with no markings, somewhat baggy jeans, blue shoes, and a rather rounded gray duel disk with a blue gem and a blue trim. John ran up to the boy. “Soldier,” John addressed him as he saluted.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“John,” the boy addressed him as he saluted. The two then put their arms down. “Going to the sealed tournament?”[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“You know it, Chris,” responded John. “This deck is fine, but I feel like it doesn’t perform like I want it to.”[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“Dude, this is rural Satellite,” replied Chris. “The card junkyards aren’t going to have any good cards. I suggest sticking to what you have.”[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“Easy for you to say. You were given that deck from your father, right, Anderson?” John asked.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“Well, yeah, but that doesn’t mean it’s better than anyone else’s.”[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“Jesse Anderson was in the pro league and you have his deck now. Obviously, you have a better deck than most everyone, if not everyone, here does. Anyway, I need to get to the sealed tournament now.”[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“I’ll join you,” stated Chris. “Whatever happens, I’ll give you the deck I get and, if I win, I’ll give you the prize. Sound good?”[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“Help is always appreciated.” John and Chris jogged past many streets of the same scenery until they jogged to a big white building with black revolving doors. John entered the building followed by Chris. There was a big, empty white room with only one person in a black suit, a black aura, a black hat, black sunglasses, and black shoes standing there. John jogged over to him and saw two white S’s on his uniform. “Sector Security, what happened to the tournament?”[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“Actually, I’m not really a Sector Security person. I’m actually the person who organizes the tournaments in disguise,” claimed the man. “I need this disguise to make it look like I’m patrolling the place in case Crow shows up. As for the tournament, I heard a rumor that Sector Security will be doing a routine check today, so I had to do it yesterday. I wanted to be sure that some lucky kid would get the cards he deserves in case Security catches onto my ruse. I’m quite sorry. Try again next month. It will most likely be on the penultimate Saturday of the month.”[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“Okay, then,” replied John. “Let’s go, Chris.” John and Chris walked out the revolving door. Soon after, a short little boy in with red hair, green clothes, a big green hat, a green aura, a black belt buckle, and black sparkly shoes ran up to John.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“So, what’s the deal on the tournament?” asked the little boy in a high voice. “Is it going on?”[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“No,” responded John. “I just asked, and it was yesterday.”[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“Oh, man,” responded the boy. “I really wanted to start dueling today, but today just isn’t my day.”[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“What’s your name?”[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“Iris Leprocaun.”[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“Well, Iris, take this.” John took the deck out of the duel disk and handed it to the boy. “It’s not a great deck, but it will probably mean more to you than it does to me.”[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“Wow, thank you, sir!” The boy started jumping around. “It’s like I found a pot of gold!”[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“Well, you aren’t going to use it if you keep jumping up and down in this spot. Go find one of your friends to duel with.”[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“Why, thank you, good sir!” The boy ran down the street.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“Sometimes I think you are way too nice,” stated Chris. “You just gave your deck away.”[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“I didn’t really like it,” replied John. “The card junkyard is close-by. If anything, I’ll just build up another deck. I’m sure whatever I get, I’ll scrounge up something better than what I had before.” John jogged along yet another road of broken asphalt and more piles upon piles of trash.” Chris followed him. John eventually found a giant area full of stacks of cards, surrounded by a gray metal gate. John opened the metal gate and looked through the cards. One of the cards then started glowing. John closed his eyes, shook his head, and opened his eyes again. John scratched his shaved head. [i]Well, this is just weird.[/i] John reached over to the card and picked it up. The brightness disappeared and it revealed itself an orange card with the name Marauding Captain. [i]Interesting. It seems like the card spirits are going to help me build a deck![/i] John ran around the junkyard.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“What are you doing, John?” asked Chris.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“I think the card spirits are helping me build a deck.” John found another glowing card. “See? Come over here and check this out.”[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]Chris walked a few feet over to where John was and looked at a card at which John pointed. “I don’t see it glowing.”[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“You don’t? Don’t you have the power to see duel spirits?”[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“Yeah, I do. Maybe you’re just imagining it.”[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“Maybe I….” John then thought of something. “Wait. Maybe the spirits aren’t trying to have themselves shown. However, I can see these specific ones because they are giving off their aura to help me. That must be it: you can’t see it because you can’t see auras, but I can.” John continued looking around the entire junkyard.[/font]
[font=comic sans ms,cursive]Many hours later, when the sun was down and the white moon and stars shown up in the air, John counted his cards. On the last one, he thought thirty-nine. “Only thirty-nine. I need one more, but I can’t find it anywhere.”[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“Maybe I can help,” stated a mysterious voice. John turned around to see a rather older man with brown hair, brown eyes, a red coat, black shirt, silver pants, and red shoes, and a radiantly dark rainbow aura. “I notice that you just gave away your other cards.”[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“The deck didn’t work like I wanted it to,” stated John. “The boy needed a deck, so I gave him one, even though it wasn’t good.”[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“How good the deck is isn’t about the cards in it; it’s about the user and his or her connection with the cards. However, it seems like those cards already feel a connection to you because they’re going to let you use them. However, it seems you’re one card short. Come back here tomorrow and I’ll give you a powerful card that will maximize the power of your strategy, but you must duel me right after you receive the card.”[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive][i]This man seems so familiar somehow.[/i] “Okay then. I’ll meet you back here, soldier.” John saluted the old man. The old man saluted him back. John picked up another random card, left the junkyard, traveled across more roads of monotonous scenery, until he reached his white house again. He took a rest for a little bit, put the key in the lock, and opened the door. He saw a note on the table.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]Dear Jonathon,[/font]
[font=comic sans ms,cursive]I’m sorry I’m rarely home anymore. It’s been tough since father was killed in the war. I hope I can make up for our lost time with some rather luxurious goods. The black box thing is a shake and/or solar-powered stopwatch. Shake it and/or leave it in the sunlight and it will tell you the time of day. It also stores extra energy so that you can look at the time any time of day.[/font]
[font=comic sans ms,cursive]In addition, I’m having someone put a window in your room. It’s only started, so it’s just a hole in the wall right now, but it lets in the sunlight and it is heavily guarded with large piles of trash.[/font]
[font=comic sans ms,cursive]In addition, I got another key made, so you can keep the key from under the mat.[/font]
[font=comic sans ms,cursive]I know these goods don’t replace having a parent, but I hope they’ll help you forgive me for practically abandoning you at the house, only leaving your essential needs for survival.[/font]
[font=comic sans ms,cursive]Sincerely,[/font]
[font=comic sans ms,cursive]Mom[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]John looked up at the little circular device with a black lanyard attached to it. [i]I guess I’ll attach it to my box.[/i] John took a small piece of metal out of the box, cut a small hole in the box, took the other contents out of the box, put the lanyard into it, letting part of it hang out of the hole created, put the other things in the toolkit on top of the lanyard, and shut the toolkit. The watch part hung out of the box. John put the key into the toolbox. John took his boots off right near the door, then ran upstairs, took off his coat, toolbox, and duel disk, and fell into bed. [i]So tired.[/i] John closed his eyes and went to sleep.[/font]
[font=comic sans ms,cursive]The next day, John woke up and checked the watch. Seven o'clock AM. John checked his bureaus. There was another set of forest camou clothes. John took off his clothes, put them folded in a corner, put on his new clothes, and equipped everything else on for the day. John left his house and jogged down familiar roads of scenery of trash and scrap houses until he went to the junkyard. The sun showed high. The mysterious figure from yesterday appeared with a rounded duel disk very much like Chris’s, but it cad a red trim rather than a blue trim.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“Are you ready?” asked the figure.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]John saluted the man. The man saluted John back. “As a soldier, I’m always ready.”[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“No you aren’t. Remember?” The man tossed John a Reinforcement of the Army card.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive][i]How did he know this card would work for my deck?[/i] John took the random card out of his deck and put the card in it. John activated his duel disk, causing the two sides of the disk to click together and become one large unit and 8000 to be displayed at the top of the duel disk. The man activated his duel disk, causing the part with three card zone pairs to let two more come out of its side and the gem on the duel platform to turn red and 8000 to be displayed in the blue gem.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“Get your game on!” yelled the man.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive][i]That catchphrase… I’m facing Jaden Yuki!?[/i][/spoiler][/font]
[font=comic sans ms,cursive][spoiler=Chapter 2][/font]
[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“I’ll go first,” yelled Jaden, each duelist now with five cards in hand. “I draw!” Jaden drew a card. “I summon Elemental HERO Sparkman.” A man in a skintight blue suit with yellow lines two blue wing-like blades with yellow lines on his back, yellow armor on his chest, shoulders, wrists, ankles, and covering his private area, orange orbs on his sides, arms, and armor, and a helmet with a big blue visor, and bright shining gems on his palms appeared with electricity flying out of his palms in front of him (ATK 1600, Lv4). “Now I’ll throw down a facedown and end my turn.” A facedown card appeared vertically in front of Jaden.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“It’s my turn. I draw!” John drew a card. “I summon Goblin Attack Force.” Three green goblins, each in a brown helmet, brown armor hanging from its shoulders, purple clothes covering much of their body, and blue boots that only stretched to about half their tibias, appeared (ATK 2300, Lv4). “Goblin Attack Force, attack Sparkman.” The Goblin Attack Force swung their gray, metal, spiked clubs against Elemental HERO Sparkman, causing Elemental HERO Sparkman to shatter to pieces (Jaden 8000 -> 7300). “At the end of the Battle Phase during which Goblin Attack Force attacks, it changes to Defense Position and cannot manually change Battle Position until the end of my next turn.” The goblins fell asleep and sat down on the ground, putting their heads together and keeping themselves upright as they slept (ATK 2300 -> DEF 0). “I end my turn.”[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“It’s my turn then. I draw!” Jaden drew a card. “I activate Future Fusion.” The Continuous Spell Future Fusion revealed itself on the field. “Now I reveal a Fusion Monster from my Extra Deck and send its material to the Graveyard and, in two turns, if Future Fusion is still on the field, I summon the aforementioned Fusion Monster. However, the summoned monster will be destroyed if Future Fusion is removed from the field. I reveal Elemental HERO Divine Neos.” A card appeared in his card and he revealed it Elemental HERO Divine Neos. “Its material are five ‘Neos’, ‘Neo-Spacian’, or ‘HERO’ monsters, including at least one of each. I send Elemental HERO Neos, Neo-Spacian Flare Scarab, Evil HERO Malicious Edge, Neos Wiseman, and Elemental HERO Clayman to the Graveyard.” Five cards popped out of Jaden’s deck. Jaden’s eyes briefly changed to yellow, then his right eye changed to orange and his left to green, then they changed back to normal brown. He revealed them as the five cards mentioned and sent them to the Graveyard. The duel disk shuffled the deck.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“I see you’ve fully gained the powers of the Supreme king, being able to use your Evil HEROes with your Neo-Spacians.”[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“Yes, I have fully come to terms with the power of the Supreme King and how to use it. Let me demonstrate further. I activate Dark Calling.” The card appeared and a dark spiral appeared. “I banish Elemental HERO Sparkman and Elemental HERO Clayman from my Graveyard to summon Elemental HERO Lightning Golem.” Elemental HERO Sparkman and a big brown rocklike warrior appeared for a brief second, then got swirled into the dark portal. Out of the portal came a big human with purple clothes with dark blue lines, big purple and blue armor with orange orbs appeared on his chest, privates, arms, and feet, yellow wing-like structures branching off of his arms, and purple spikes sticking straight out of the arms armor (ATK 2400, Lv6). “I activate Lightning Golem’s effect: once per turn, I can destroy a monster on the field.” Evil HERO Lightning Golem opened its fist and used a gem on its hand to charge up some dark electricity, then shot the electricity at Goblin Attack Force. Three goblins fried up and turned to dust. “Next. I summon Elemental HERO Wildheart.” A very big muscled man with black hair, red war paint on his shoulders and chest, white bandages wrapped around his wrists, waist, and legs, holding up his boots and a big loincloth marked with similar red markings to his war paint. He drew his big single-edged rectangular blade with a black handle (ATK 1500, Lv4). “Battle! Evil HERO Lightning Golem and Elemental HERO Wildheart, direct attack!” Evil HERO Lightning Golem launched a big dark blue electric attack at John and Elemental HERO Wildheart charged toward John and slashed at John with his sword (John 8000 -> 5600, 5600 -> 4100). Wildheart jumped back to Jaden’s side. “I end my turn.”[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“It’s my turn. I draw!” John drew a card. “I summon Exiled Force.” A bunch of soldiers, all dressed differently and with different weapons, including one person with a gold helmet, gold shoulderpads, a red shirt, brown pants, a silver belt, two gold holding bags, armor on his left arm and a long gray metal stick as his weapon, appeared (ATK 1000). “I activate Exiled Force’s ability: I can Tribute it to destroy Elemental HERO Lightning Golem.”[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“You can what!?” The small Exiled Force charged at the large Evil HERO Lightning Golem. The soldier threw all their weapons at the golem and the golem released an electric shot. The two attacks hit their targets, shattering both. “That means I can't just destroy your monster every turn.”[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“I activate Double Summon.” The card appeared briefly. “I can Normal Summon or Set another monster. I choose to set a monster.” A facedown sideways card appeared in front of John. “I end my turn.”[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“It’s my turn. I draw!” Jaden drew a card. “One more turn to go for Future Fusion. I summon Card Trooper.” A small machine with a blue base with wheels, a silver spine, so to speak, a red upper body with two circular measuring meters, a glass dome with a gray antenna with a red dot at the end to protect a gray metal head with glowing yellow wyes, and yellow shoulders with gray arms and red blasters for hands appeared (ATK 400, Lv3). “I activate Card Trooper’s effect: I send up to three cards from my deck to my Graveyard and Card Trooper gains 500 for each one. I send three cards to the Graveyard for 1500 ATK boost.” Jaden picked up and sent the top three cards from his deck to the Graveyard and Card Trooper glowed briefly (ATK 400 -> 1900). “Battle! Card Trooper, attack his face-down monster!” Card Trooper released a blast from its blasters. The face-down card revealed itself to be Destiny HERO – Defender, and a big block-like person with gray blocks for body and blue balls for joints appeared (DEF 2700, Lv4). The blasts hit Destiny HERO – Defender’s arm. Destiny HERO – Defender through some of the blast back at Jaden (Jaden 8000 -> 7200). “A Destiny HERO monster... I remember that monster. I end my turn. Card Trooper’s ATK goes back to normal.” Card Trooper glowed again (ATK 1900 -> 400).[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“It’s my turn. I draw!” John drew a card. “I activate Mystical Space Typhoon.” The card appeared briefly and was quickly replaced by a dark tornado with blue electricity flying out of it. “I destroy one Spell or Trap card on the field. I choose Future Fusion.” The tornado moved itself over to the Future Fusion card, destroying it.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“But with my Future Fusion gone, that means -”[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“Elemental HERO Divine Neos won’t be summoned. I summon Ninja Grandmaster Sasuke.” A man with long blue hair, a purplish suit and mask, green coat, red shoes, and two light daggers with brown handles appeared (ATK 1800, Lv4). “Ninja Grandmaster Sasuke, attack Card Trooper.” Ninja Grandmaster Sasuke jumped into the air and lunged down at the Card Trooper with both daggers pointed down at it. The daggers broke through the glass dome and shattered the metal head, shattering the rest of Card Trooper (Jaden 7200 -> 5800). “I end my turn.”[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“Since you destroyed Card Trooper, I draw a card.” Jaden drew a card. “Now it’s my turn. I draw!” Jaden drew a card. “Since you control Destiny HERO – Defender in face-up defense position, I draw another card.” Jaden drew a card. “I activate Fissure, destroying Defender.” The card briefly appeared and the ground cracked. The defender fell into the hole. The hole closed up. “I activate Dark Fusion.” A dark portal appeared. “I fuse Elemental Hero Burstinatrix and Elemental Hero Avian together to create Evil Hero Inferno Wing.” A woman with a golden helmet, long black hair, and skintight red suit, and a man with a pointy green helmet, a green skintight suit with purplish chest armor, big wing tops with red orbs in the middle, big white, feathery wings, dark green feathery decorations around his forearms and left leg, and a red bird claw on his left hand appeared briefly and were swirled into the portal. Out of the portal came a woman with big green hair, red skintight clothes, a red cape, big green claws, green feet with talons, and green wing tops with silver wing structures and dark gray feathers (ATK 2100, Lv6). “Battle! Inferno Wing, attack Ninja Grandmaster Sasuke.” Evil HERO Inferno Wng created a dark fireball on its hands and threw it at Ninja Grandmaster Sasuke, creating a great deal of fire and shattering Sasuke (John 4100 -> 3800). “Next, I activate Inferno Wing’s effect: when it destroys a monster by battle, you take damage equal to the destroyed monster’s ATK or DEF, whichever is higher.” Inferno Wing threw a dark fireball directly at John. Upon impact, it spread throughout John’s body and soon disappeared (John 3800 -> 2000). “Elemental HERO Wildheart, attack directly!” The man charged at and slashed John (John 2000 -> 500). Wildheart jumped back to Jaden’s side. “I end my turn.”[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“It’s my turn. I draw!” John drew a card. [i]Yes! It’s finally here![/i] “I activate Reinforcement of the Army.” The card briefly appeared.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“Th- the card I gave you!”[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“Correct. I can add a Level 4 or lower Warrior-type monster from my deck to my hand. I choose Armed Samurai – Ben Kei.” A card slid partly out of John’s deck. John took it out of the deck and revealed it Armed Samurai – Ben Kei. The duel disk shuffled the deck. “I summon Armed Samurai – Ben Kei.” A well-muscled man wearing a white headdress, a green shirt, white armor, white pants, forearm armor, and many weapons in a sack on his back, and two wooden rods, appeared (ATK 500). “Next, I’ll equip him with two Axes of Despair.” Two axes with wooden bases and small metal black blades appeared, one attached to side of each arm (ATK 500 -> 1500 -> 2500). “Armed Samurai – Ben Kei, attack Elemental HERO Wildheart.” Ben Kei smashed his sticks against Wildheart, shattering Wildheart (Jaden 5800 -> 4800). “Armed Samurai - Ben Kei gets an extra attack for every Equip Card attached to it.”[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“What!?”[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“Armed Samurai - Ben Kei, attack Evil Hero Inferno Wing.” Ben Kei put his rods away and took the Axe of Despair off his left arm. Ben Kei charged forward and sunk the Axe into Evil Hero Inferno Wing’s stomach, shattering Inferno Wing (Jaden 4800 -> 4400). “Armed Samurai – Ben Kei, attack Jaden directly.” Ben Kei put his Axe of Despair back on his left arm and took the one off his right arm. He attempted to sink it into Jaden, but since he was a hologram, the axe passed right through Jaden (Jaden 4400 -> 1900). Ben Kei ran back to John’s side, put the Axe of Despair back on his right arm, and took out his wooden rods again. “I set a card and end my turn.” A facedown card appeared vertical in front of John.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“At the end of your turn, I activate my face-down Dust Tornado to destroy your face-down.” The facedown card in front of Jaden revealed itself Dust Tornado and it was replaced by a gray tornado. The tornado swept away John’s facedown card, a facedown Sakuretsu Armor.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“It’s my turn. I draw!” Jaden drew a card. “I have to admit, you've put me in a tough spot, destroying two of my powerful fusion monsters. However, right now I'll show you an even more powerful fusion monster. I activate another Dark Calling.” A dark portal appeared. “I banish Evil HERO Malicious Edge and Evil HERO Lightning Golem from my Graveyard to summon Evil HERO Malicious Fiend.” Lightning Golem and a purple man with blue armor, a blue helmet, silver claws and spikes, an orange orb, and big, blue, sharp, wing-like blades on his back appeared briefly, then disappeared into the portal. Out of the portal came a purple clothed tan man with blue armor, big claws on his long, blue, fingerless gloves, big black shoulderpads, blue wing tops with dark yellow structure, and a blue helmet with six big gray claws appeared (ATK 3500). “I summon Evil HERO Infernal Gainer.” A man in a red suit with purple skeleton armor all over his body, tail, and metal claws, spikes sticking out of his back, a dark red cape, and a purple helmet with spikes coming out of it appeared (ATK 1600). “Next, I use Infernal Gainer’s effect: I remove it from play to give my Malicious Fiend a second attack each turn.” Infernal Gainer disappeared. “Malicious Fiend, attack John's Armed Samurai!” Malicious Fiend jumped into the air and threw its claws at Armed Samurai - Ben Kei, causing Ben Kei and his axes to shatter (John 500 -> 0). The holograms faded. “And that’s game!” John’s duel disk exploded.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“I knew this thing was a piece of junk. This deck didn't do too well either.”[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“Here. Take this duel disk.” Jaden took the deck out of his duel disk, put it into his pocket, and handed John the Slifer Red Academy duel disk. “I have a few others I can use. It looks like you could use a duel disk that doesn’t break down. As for the deck, for being able to put me in the position I was in, you did very well with it. Your strategy is very powerful. You just need to believe in it and the cards will answer back. I look forward to dueling you again sometime in the future. Jaden walked off. John took off what remained of his old duel disk, took the deck out of it, threw it into the card junkyard, put the deck into the red duel disk, and put the duel disk onto his arm. When Jaden was out of sight, Chris walked up to John.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“Did you duel Jaden and he handed you his duel disk?” asked Chris.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“Indeed, soldier.” Chris and John saluted each other. “The new deck works okay, I suppose. It’s a bit unorganized, but it has potential. Over time, I’ll probably get better cards for it. Right now, it’s like an organized rebel force, but over time it will become a formidable army.”[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“Speaking of which, we should probably make ourselves a duel gang. If you haven’t noticed, very rarely are other people are on the streets. You know why? Because duel gangs rule the streets and will take on anybody. If we have a gang, we have safety in numbers; otherwise, we’re easy targets.”[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“You have a point. However, until duel school tomorrow, we won’t have the manpower.”[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“Heh heh heh. You got that right,” stated a voice. Chris and John looked behind John. A boy with big brown hair in spikes and yellow eyes had the hood of his purple cloak with an eye on the front of the hood and a golden chain near the neck off while every other member had their hoods on, hiding their faces in the shadow. “I’m sure you must remember me, Chris.”[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“Oh. Yeah,” started Chris. “Steve.”[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“You know it. And you two are trespassing on my property.”[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“You don’t own any of this,” shot back Chris.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“Tell that to the rest of my gang,” responded Steve. “How about we duel? I have a special surprise for you this time. Remember the terms? If you win, we leave you alone; if you lose, we take your deck and you leave, and then we’ll go after your friend.”[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“I have an idea, civilian,” John started. “Duel me first.” John saluted Steve.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“Put your arm down,” responded Chris. “Bullies like him don’t deserve that respect.” John put his arm down. “This is my fight, and I’m taking it.” Chris activated his duel disk.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“Very well then.” Steve activated a duel disk that looked identical to John’s old duel disk before it exploded, generally known as a Battle City duel disk. “Let’s duel! And when you lose, you fork over those Crystal Beasts!”[/spoiler][/font]
[font=comic sans ms,cursive][spoiler=Chapter 3][/font]
[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“I’m going first. I draw!” Steve drew a card, adding it to the five in his hand. “I summon Mindslaver Rat.” A giant brown furry rat with large pink feet with large silver claws and green and blue wires sticking straight up out of its head, creating the shape of a pointy crown, appeared (ATK 1650, Lv3). “I set a card and end my turn.” A facedown card appeared in front of Steve.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“It’s my turn. I draw!” Chris drew a card. “I summon Crystal Beast Topaz Tiger!” A white tiger with black stripes across his body, black ears, big fangs, a silver claw coming out of its head, and silver blades sticking out of the back of its legs appeared (ATK 1600, Lv4).[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“Do you need me to destroy that rat?” asked the Crystal Beast Topaz Tiger hologram.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“Yep. Crystal Beast Topaz Tiger, attack Mindslaver Rat!” The tiger jumped toward the rat.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“I activate Skill Drain!” declared Steve. His facedown card revealed itself Skill Drain. “Monster’s effects are negated. Your tiger won’t gain his ATK boost, so my Rat wins the battle. Mindslaver Rat, strike back!” The rat stood up on its rear feet and slashed with its big claws, shattering the tiger (Chris 8000 -> 7950).[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“I activate my Topaz Tiger’s ability. If it’s destroyed, I can put it into a Spell or Trap card zone as a Continuous Spell rather than send it to the Graveyard.” A yellow crystal started to appear.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“You can try, but since that effect activates on the field as well, Skill Drain negates it.” The yellow crystal shattered. “I’ve shut off your Crystal Beasts’ ability to crystallize themselves upon destruction. What will you do to stop me?”[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“You… you put the Skill Drain trap in that deck specifically to stop me!”[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“Not exactly. My Mindslavers ordinarily require me to ditch cards in my hand in order to attack with them, but with Skill Drain, I can skip that step. The fact that Skill Drain is a perfect counter to your deck and I just happened to use it against you is PURELY coincidental.”[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“Yeah right. I set a card and end my turn.” A facedown card appeared in front of Chris.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“It’s my turn. I draw!” Steve drew a card. “I summon Mindslaver Thunderball.” A giant green and blue ball with spikes all over it appeared (ATK 2250, Lv4). “Skill Drain negates their attacking conditions. I attack directly with Mindslaver Rat and Mindslaver Thunderball.” The rat charged toward and slashed at Chris with its claws (Chris 7950 -> 6300). The giant spiked ball ran through Chris (Chris 6300 -> 4050). “I’ll set a card and end my turn.” A facedown card appeared in front of Steve.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“It’s my turn. I draw!” Chris drew a card. “I activate Crystal Tree.” The continuous spell revealed itself and replaced itself with a small purple tree with seven purple lightbulbs on the branches and a blue sac at the bottom with a purple gem in the middle of it. “When a Crystal Beast is placed into my Spell or Trap card zone, this card gets a Crystal Counter. I can send it to the Graveyard to place as many Crystal Beasts from my deck to the field as Continuous Spells as many Crystal Counters there are on this card. “I’ll set two cards and a monster and end my turn.” Three facedown cards, one of them sideways and in front of the other cards, appeared in front of Chris.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“Can you even crystallize your monsters? Why bother using the tree? I draw!” Steve drew a card. “I activate Double Summon.” The card briefly appeared, than disappeared. “I can Normal Summon or Set twice this turn. I summon Mindslaver Fish and Mindslaver Lizard.” A giant plump blue fish with luminous scales and green and blue wires coming out of its gills (ATK 2050, Lv4) and a big green iguana with a long tail and green and blue wires sticking out of the end of it appeared (ATK 1350, Lv2) appeared. “Next, I activate my set card, Mindslaver Equalizer.” The facedown card revealed itself and turned into a big box with a screen, a cannon, and several groupings of green and blue wires sticking out of the sides. “I set a card.” A facedown card appeared in front of Steve. “I activate Mindslaver Equalizer’s effect: during my Main Phase 1, if the number of ‘Mindslaver’ monsters I control exceeds the total number of cards in all players’ hands, I can activate this effect to send all cards in all players’ hands to the Graveyard to the Graveyard.” The Mindslaver monsters hooked up their wires to the machine. The machine released a blast, wiping out the card in Chris’ hand. “Now, my Thunderball attacks your facedown monster.” Mindslaver Thunderball rolled over the facedown sideways card. It revealed itself a small purple catlike creature with four ears, a red gem on its tail, a red gem on its head, a white underside, and two big red eyes (DEF 300). It shattered.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“I activate Crystal Pair.” The trap card revealed itself, then disappeared. “When a Crystal Beast I control is destroyed and sent to the Graveyard, I can use this trap to place a Crystal Beast into my Spell and Trap card zone as a Continuous Spell. In addition, I take no battle damage this turn. I choose Crystal Beast Amber Mammoth.” A card disappeared from Chris’ deck, which shuffled itself, and an orange crystal with a reflective surface appeared. “Now my Crystal Tree activates, getting a Crystal Counter.” One of its purple lights appeared (CC 0 -> 1).[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“That doesn’t change much. I end my turn. I hope the cards you have will be enough, since that’s all you’ll have during your turn.”[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“Oh yeah? It’s my turn. I draw!” Chris drew a card.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“I activate Drop Off! You must discard that card you drew.”[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“So what you said was true: I would only have access to cards I currently had. Good thing I can win with what I have.” Chris sent the card to the Graveyard. “I activate Crystal Blessing.” A facedown card revealed itself and disappeared quickly. “I can bring back a crystal into my Spell and Trap card zone. I choose Topaz Tiger.” The graveyard zone in Chris’ duel disk glowed and a yellow crystal with a reflective surface appeared. “Crystal Tree gets another Crystal Counter.” Another one of the lightbulbs glowed (CC 1 -> 2). “I activate Crystal Tree’s effect: I send it to the Graveyard and put Crystal Beasts into my Spell and Trap card zones as Continuous Spells. I choose Sapphire Pegasus and Cobalt Eagle.” The tree shattered, leaving only the two glowing bulbs. Two cards in Chris’ deck disappeared and the deck shuffled itself. The two bulbs exploded, leaving behind two blue crystals with reflective surfaces.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“Four crystals!? And you still have a facedown!? Could it be that the first card you set was-”[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“I know your deck and I know it has the ability to destroy an opponent’s hand. I knew the safest place for my Abundance would be on the field. Now is the time to use it. I activate Crystal Abundance!” The last facedown card on Chris’ field revealed itself. “All cards on the field are sent to the Graveyard and I summon as many Crystal Beasts as possible, up to the number of cards sent to the Graveyard from your field.” The ground started shaking, destroying the crystals, the Mindslaver Equalizer, Skill Drain, and all the Mindslaver monsters. On Chris’ field arrived the Crystal Beast Topaz Tiger (ATK 1600, Lv4), a gray mammoth with white hair, an orange gem on its forehead, and four tusks (ATK 1700, Lv4), a white pegasus with yellow wings, a blue horn, a white mane, and blue gems on its wings (ATK 1800, Lv4), a brown-feathered bird with blue gems on its wings, a white head with orange hair-like streams coming from its head, and yellow feet and beak (ATK 1400, Lv4), and a pink cat with yellow decorative blades on the bac of its feet and a big armor with a purple gem on the front of its chest (ATK 1200, Lv3). “When Sapphire Pegasus is summoned, I can bring a Crystal Beast out of my deck, hand, or Graveyard into my Spell or Trap card zone as a Continuous Spell. I choose Emerald Tortoise from my deck.” A card disappeared from his deck, the deck shuffled itself, and a green crystal with a reflective surface appeared. “I attack with all my Crystal Beasts.” The Crystal Beasts charged toward Steve. Amber Mammoth headbutted Steve (8000 -> 6300), Sapphire Pegasus stomped on Steve (6300 -> 4500), Topaz Tiger slashed at Steve with his headblade (Steve 4500 -> 2900), Cobalt Eagle pecked at Steve (Steve 2900 -> 1500), and Amethyst Cat slashed at Steve’s face (Steve 1500 -> 300). “I end my turn.”[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“It’s my turn. I draw!” Steve drew a card. “I end my turn.”[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“I draw!” Chris drew a card. “Amethyst Cat, finish him off.” Crystal Beast Amethyst Cat pounced on Steve (Steve 300 -> 0). The holograms faded. Chris walked over to Steve. “Now get out of here.”[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“Okay, okay, fine, Chris Tall.”[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“That nickname stopped being funny a few years ago. Now get out of here and leave John and I alone.” Steve and his gang ran away. “Yeah, I figured you’d run.” He turned back toward John. “Well, that problem has been taken care of. By the way, when we make a duel gang, I want my codename to be Roy B. Giv.”[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“Don’t get ahead of yourself,” responded John. “We don’t even know if there will be enough decent, willing duelists to join your cause.”[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“We’ll find the duelists. We have to; otherwise duel gangs rule the streets.”[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“Your logic has a flaw; if we rule the streets, then a duel gang still rules the streets.”[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“But it will be our gang, and we won’t abuse our power to pick on duelists, only to punish bullies and gangs.”[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“I guess you’re right, but as I mentioned, we should wait until tomorrow.” John walked into the card junkyard.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“Why are you going back to the card junkyard?”[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“I’m going to look for more cards. Maybe I can put together an Extra Deck to work with my Warrior Tuners.”[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“Okay then. Well, I’ll be heading home. See ya, John.” Chris walked away.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]John continued looking through all the cards when he heard a rustle in the cards. [i]Is someone there?[/i] John looked around and saw nobody around. [i]I have a bad feeling that something sinister is hiding among these cards. Unfortunately, I can’t see it.[/i] John continued looking through the cards. [i]I have everything I need to solve the problem. No matter what, nothing is going to stop me from getting an Extra Deck to power up this warrior deck.[/i][/spoiler][/font]
[font=comic sans ms,cursive][spoiler=Chapter 4][/font]
[font=comic sans ms,cursive]John woke up, equipped for the day as normal with his new Duel Disk, picked up and put on a green camou backpack with green camou straps, and walked to duel school. The school was a relatively large white building with a pointed white roof and many piles of scrap around it. The white sign in front of it had black letters Mi dl Du l Sc ool on it, having the name of the founder and some of the letters of Middle Duel School worn off. John walked inside. He saw a long list of names on a piece of paper. He noticed his and saw “Room 129” next to it. [i]I guess that’s where I’m headed.[/i] John walked down a white hallway with many white doorways to white classrooms. John walked inside the white classroom and saw many students with many different looks and differently colored auras. John noticed Chris sitting at a wooden table with red paint chips on it in the front of the classroom closest to John. The table had another wooden chair behind it. John saluted Chris and Chris saluted John, and John sat in the chair next to Chris and put his backpack next to him. A tall man with gray hair, a big, thick, gray mustache, blue eyes, a white suit with a black shirt and blue tie underneath, black dress pants, black shined shoes, and a completely gray duel disk much like the one that is now John’s (such gray, rounded duel disk is generally referred to as an Old Academy Duel Disk), and several clocks, watches, and other timekeeping devices in several places on his body, including a golden clock hanging from his neck from a black lanyard, walked into the room as a loud bell rang three times.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“I am Dr. Clock. I always walk into this classroom on time, so if you see me in the classroom, it means you’re late,” the man stated. Dr. Clock appeared to be counting the students. “I have been told I have exactly sixteen students, and I count exactly sixteen. However, I will pass around an attendance paper. Please sign it so that I may confirm your names with the classroom list. Upon doing that, I’ll know how many students are extras and how many students are missing. Dr. Clock handed a piece of paper to John. “When you sign your paper, hand it to the person next to you if they haven’t signed it. If they have signed it, then hand it to the person behind you or, if you’re in the back, in front of you or in the other side table. It’s an easy system to follow.” John signed his name on the blank white piece of paper with a black en. He handed the paper to Chris, who wrote on the paper and put it on the wooden desk behind him. The paper went around the room in a slithering pattern, ending in the person on the right of the table that is on the left of John. “Fantastic. You guys did well at that.” He looked at the list of signatures and then at another paper. “Perfect! 100% with no extras! That hasn’t happened on the first day in a while. That actually puts us ahead of time. Anyway, how confident are you students with the rules of the game?”[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“We’re good with the rules,” said most of the people in the crowd of sixteen students, drowning out any other voices.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“Well, good. I usually don’t do this on the first day, but since we’re so ahead of the ball, I can skip to days 2 and 3 of the schedule, meaning we’re starting with a test.”[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“Aww,” most of the students groaned, drowning out any other possible responses.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“This makes up for itself later. If we get everything done early, we can have a party at the end of the year.”[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“I have a better idea,” stated John as he stood up. “I may be dressed like a soldier and very much be one, but I consider myself to be a regular student. We duel, and if I lose, we have a test. If I win, however, we get the rest of the school day free.”[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“Well, we are ahead of schedule and I didn’t feel like giving a test, so I suppose that’s fair, John Legionary,” Dr. Clock stated. John walked to the front of the class and to the opposite side than Dr. Clock. “I’m not sure if you’re just a regular duelist, if Jaden Yuki gave you his duel disk.”[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“How did you guess that?” John asked, surprised.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“I have a great idea for detail, and that Duel Disk is definitely Jaden’s. Anyway, I figure that, since this technically isn’t a test, I can use my real deck as opposed to the generally fun deck I use for this school.”[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“Go ahead.”[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“Excellent.” Dr. Clock took the deck out of his duel disk, put it on the inside of his suit, and took out another deck and put it into his duel disk. His duel disk activated and John’s did as well. “Let’s duel!” Dr. Clock and John drew five cards. “I’ll start things off. I draw!” Dr. Clock drew a card. “I activate D – Spirit.” The card briefly appeared and disappeared. “If I control no ‘Destiny HERO’ monsters. I can Special Summon a Level 4 or lower one from my hand. I Special Summon Destiny HERO – Diamond Dude, in defense mode.” A man in a blue suit with a D on his belt, a green cape, gray hair, a blue visor, and several blue crystals covering his body, mainly around his left arm, right leg, and creating a glove on his right arm, appeared, crouching down his its arms in front of it (DEF 1600, Lv4). “Next, I summon another Destiny HERO – Diamond Dude.” Another Destiny HERO – Diamond Dude appeared, standing up and ready to fight (ATK 1400, Lv4). “I activate my attack mode Diamond Dude’s effect: I reveal the top card of my deck, and if it’s a Normal Spell card, it goes to the Graveyard and I can activate its effect next turn; if it isn’t a Normal Spell, it goes to the bottom of my deck.” Dr. Clock revealed the top card of his deck Destiny Draw. “Destiny Draw is a Normal Spell, so it goes to the graveyard.” He sent it to the graveyard. “Next, I activate the defense mode one’s effect.” He revealed the top card Destiny HERO – Malicious. “That goes to the bottom. Dr. Clock slid it to the bottom of the deck. “I’ll set a card and let you go.” A card appeared in front of Dr. Clock facedown.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“It’s my turn. I draw!” John drew a card. “I summon Command Knight.” A woman in red armor and hat, purple gloves, gold-hilted sword, purple cape, and blond featherlike hair appeared (ATK 1200, Lv4). “Command Knight powers up all my Warriors by 400.” The Command Knight glowed for a short time (ATK 1200 -> 1600). “Command Knight, attack the attack position Destiny HERO – Diamond Dude.” Command Knight charged toward the standing Diamond Dude.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“I activate D – Shield.” The standing Destiny HERO – Diamond Dude crouched down and became surrounded by a purple electric force shield. Command Knight’s sword couldn’t penetrate it and Command Knight jumped back into place. “D – Shield changes my attack position Destiny Hero into defense mode and makes it unable to be destroyed in battle.”[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive][i]So I can’t destroy it by battle anyways, meaning each turn he’ll possibly gain access to at least one spell’s effect per turn until I destroy it by effect.[/i] “I’ll set a card and end my turn.” A facedown card appeared in front of John.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“It’s my turn. I draw!” Dr. Clock drew a card. “I summon Elemental HERO Stratos.” A blue man in blue armor with blue wings with silver bases and blue fans in them and silver pants appeared (ATK 1800, Lv4). “When he is summoned, I can either destroy a number of Spells and Traps equal to the number of other ‘HERO’ monsters I control or add a HERO from my deck to my hand. I add my last Destiny HERO – Diamond Dude to my hand.” A card popped out of his Deck. He added it to his hand and revealed it Destiny HERO – Diamond Dude. “Once again, I activate the effects of my Diamond Dudes. He revealed the top two cards of his deck Final Countdown and Bonding – H2O. “Both are sent to the Graveyard.” He sent both to the Graveyard. “I use Destiny Draw’s effect.” The card appeared briefly. “I draw two cards.” Dr. Clock drew two cards.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“You don’t need to discard to do that?” asked John.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“Nope. I’m only activating the card’s effect, so I bypass costs, conditions, and effects that negate cards. If you thought this turn was exciting so far, next turn I’ll summon Water Dragon through the effect of Bonding - H2O. Anyway, I still have options left, especially with my two new cards. ElemEntal HERO Stratos, attack Command Knight.” The blue man flew toward the woman.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“I activate Sakuretsu Armor.” A metal coating appeared around the flying Stratos. Stratos fell to the ground, crashing and shattering.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“That’s fine. I activate Clock Tower Prison.” The area in the classroom became a walled-in room with a giant clock tower. “I’ll set a card and end my turn.” A facedown card appeared in front of Dr. Clock.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“It’s my turn. I draw!” John drew a card.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“Clock Tower Prison gets a Clock Counter during every one of your Standby Phases.” The clock’s minute hand revolved three times, causing the hour hand to move from twelve to three (CC 0 -> 1).[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“That’s fine. I activate Reinforcement of the Army.” The card appeared briefly, then disappeared.” I can add a Level 4 or lower Warrior-type monster from my deck to my hand.” A card popped out of the deck. John revealed it Marauding Captain. “I summon Marauding Captain.” A blond-haired man with a sword, blue armor, blue clothes, a silver and red cape, and brown sheathe and extra armor appeared (ATK 1200, Lv3). “When it is Normal Summoned, I summon another Level 4 or lower monster in my hand. I choose Comrade Swordsman of Landstar.” A small peach-colored creature with a short, board sword, purple armor, brown boots, a brown backpack, and a purle shield with his face on it appeared (ATK 500, Lv3). “Comrade Swordsman of Landstar also powers up my Warriors by 400 ATK points.” Marauding Captain glowed for a short time (ATK 1200 -> 2000), Comrade Swordsman of Landstar glowed for a short time (ATK 500 -> 1300), and Command Knight glowed for a short time (ATK 1600 -> 2000). “Marauding Captain, attack his unprotected Diamond Dude.” Marauding Captain charged at and slashed at the Diamond Dude without the force field, shattering it. “I set a card and end my turn.” A facedown card appeared in front of John.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“It’s my turn. I draw!” Dr. Clock drew a card. “I always know what time it is. And now it’s time for your defeat. It’s also time for your guaranteed defeat in twenty turns. I activate the effect of the Final Countdown in my Graveyard.” The card appeared briefly. “If you don’t win in twenty turns, you lose. However, I don’t plan on letting you last that long. I activate the effect of Bonding – H2O in my Graveyard, allowing me to summon my Water Dragon.” A card disappeared from his deck and a giant water serpent with no legs, arms, or even solid form, appeared (ATK 2800, Lv8). “Because Water Dragon is on the field, FIRE and Pyro-type monsters on the field have their ATK reduced to 0.” The Command Knight got much weaker (ATK 2000 -> 0). “Then again, I didn’t really plan on leaving it alive. I activate Tribute to the Doomed.” Dr. Clock discarded the Destiny HERO – Diamond Dude in his hand and the card appeared briefly. “By discarding a card, a monster on the field is destroyed. I destroy Command Knight.” Command Knight was wrapped in bandages and dragged underground. “Your other monsters now lose 400 of their ATK points.” Marauding Captain glowed a bit (ATK 2000 -> 1600) and Comrade Swordsman of Landstar glowed a bit (ATK 1300 -> 900). “Next, I activate my Diamond Dude’s ability.” Dr. Clock revealed the top card of his deck Shield Crush and sent it to the Graveyard. “I switch Diamond Dude to attack mode and summon Destiny HERO – Dread Servant.” The Diamond Dude with the force field stood up and a gray man with a gray staff with a yellow top, big tallow armor on his left arm, lighter gray armor on his body, red armor on his chest, a green cape, a gray helmet, and purple hair, appeared (ATK 400, Lv3). “Next, I use his ability to place a Clock Counter on my Clock Tower Prison, but I’ll also use my face-down Eternal Dread card to place two more.” His facedown card revealed itself and disappeared. The clock’s minute hand revolved around six times, causing the hour hand to move forward from three to nine (CC 1-> 3), and then the minute hand revolved three more time, bringing the hour hand back to twelve (CC 3->4). The bell chimed and the view of Dr. Clock and his hand started to sway and distort. “As long as I control Clock Tower Prison with four Clock Counters, I don’t take Battle Damage.”[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive][i]What!? Then how would I damage him? Is his plan to wait out twenty turns with that Clock Tower making him immune to Battle Damage, or will he actually manage to defeat me before then?[/i][/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“I bet you’re thinking ‘looks like he’ll just wait for this duel to end and let Final Countdown win the duel for him,’ huh? I bet a lot of you students think I’ll do that. Well, guess what: I don’t like waiting to win when I can win now. Water Dragon, attack Marauding Captain.” The Water Dragon released a huge gush of water at Marauding Captain, shattering Marauding Captain (John 8000 -> 6800). “Next, Destiny HERO – Dread Servant, attack Comrade Swordsman of Landstar.” Destiny HERO – Dread Servant charged toward Comrade Swordsman of Landstar. Comrade Swordsman of Landstar slashed at the Dread Servant, shattering it.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“Why would attack something with a higher ATK and not shift the battle in your favor. I know that you won’t take damage, but you’re still losing a monster.”[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“When Dread Servant is destroyed, I can destroy a Spell or Trap card I control. I choose my Clock Tower Prison.” The walls of the prison crumbled and the clock tower started to crumble.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“Why would you wipe out the card that gave you protection? Your strategy isn’t making any sense to me.”[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“It will right now. Clock Tower Prison activates: when it is destroyed with four Clock Counters on it, I can summon Destiny HERO – Dreadmaster from my hand or Deck.” A card in Dr. Clock’s deck disappeared and out of the Clock Tower came a giant muscled man with purple pants with white tying strings on it, red scars all over his body, an orange lock medallion with a black D on it, long, black hair, a locked mask covering his face, showing only his purple glowing eyes, and black chains and armcuffs broken off from shackles appeared (ATK ?, Lv8). “When Dreadmaster is summoned by Clock Tower Prison’s effect, it destroys all non-‘Destiny HERO’ monsters I control and summons two Destiny HEROes from my Graveyard.” Water Dragon shattered and two more Diamond Dudes appeared (each ATK 1400, Lv4). “Destiny HERO – Dreadmaster’s ATK and DEF are each equal to the total original ATK of other ‘Destiny Hero’ monsters I control.” The Dreadmaster glowed purple briefly (ATK ? -> ATK 4200). “Destiny HERO – Dreadmaster, attack Comrade Swordsman of Landstar.” Dreadmaster swung its left arm, aiming the chain at Comrade Swordsman of Landstar.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“I activate Minuteman’s Resistance.” John’s facedown card revealed itself, then disappeared. “Since your monster of higher level attacked my monster of lower Level, I can destroy any number of monsters up to their difference in level. I choose to destroy all four of your Destiny HEROes.” Comrade Swordsman of Landstar released a big light charge from his blade, which separated into four different balls. Each aimed for a different Destiny HERO.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“You used that card a little too late! Since Destiny HERO – Dreadmaster was summoned this turn, Destiny HEROes can’t be destroyed and all Battle Damage to me involving their battles is reduced to zero.” Dreadmaster swung his right arm, using his chain to wipe out the energy balls. “Now the attack commences at normal.” The chain knocked into Comrade Swordsman of Landstar, shattering the little swordsman (John 6800 -> 3500). “My three destiny Heroes will attack you directly now!” The Diamond Dudes ran to John and punched him with their diamond fists (John 3500 -> 2100, 2100 -> 700, 700 -> 0). The holograms faded. “Well, don’t feel bad about yourself. Even if you had Synchro Summoned for a powerful monster, I still had Tribute to the Doomed to get rid of it. At best, you had one turn left and I would have checked the next two cards of my deck for more spells to guarantee your loss with. I was a pro at some point, so it’s only likely you’ll lose against me, especially when I’m using this deck.”[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“That’s not what I concerned about. I’m wondering what’s next for class. After all, you’ll probably give us a test now.”[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“Actually, I’m not even going to bother with the test. As I said earlier, I don’t do tests on the first week. I’m not even going to bother with class today. You guys have a free day on one condition: we first have introductions.”[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“Sounds fair to me,” stated John.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“Sounds fair to us, too,” said many of the students sitting down, drowning out the voices of students with other responses.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“Good, so let’s start with you, John,” stated Dr. Clock. “Let’s go in the order of how you students signed the attendance list. John, you’re up first.”[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“Okay,” started John. “My name is John Legionary. Many of you might know me as the soldier boy. As you all saw, I run a warrior deck. This only recently changed thanks to me making a new deck from cards in the junkyard. If you’re wondering, I got this duel disk from Jaden Yuki after I dueled him with my new deck. Right after the duel, my old duel disk blew up, so he let me have his, which seems a lot more reliable and sturdy duel disk. I don’t really have too much else to say that would interest many of you civilians. My father was a soldier. He fought in all the recent wars and survived all of them but one.”[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“Cool. You can sit down. Chris Anderson, time for you to introduce yourself.” John walked to his seat and sat down while Chris walked to the front of the room.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“I’m Christopher Anderson,” started Chris. “Some of you might know me as Chris-Tall, the Crystal Beast guy.”[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“Oh yeah!” everyone else in the class replied with recognition.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“I have the Crystal Beast deck my father gave me,” continued Chris. “To be completely honest, I don’t really remember too much about him. He gave me the Crystal Beasts when I was very young, but he seems to have disappeared. I don’t even really remember who my mom is or what she looks like. The only thing I really have as a reminder is this deck.”[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“Well, that’s rather sad,” commented Dr. Clock. “Anyway, the next person is….” John tuned out as the rest of the people walked up.[/font]
[font=comic sans ms,cursive]When the introductions were done, Dr. Clock stood up. “Well, that took about as long as I expected. The bell shall ring in five seconds from right now.” Five seconds later, the bell rang. “Go to lunch now.”[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]John unzipped his backpack, took out a green camou box, and looked around the classroom. The only other person in the room was Dr. Clock sitting down at his desk filling out paperwork. [i]Wow, they’re fast.[/i] John walked out of the doorway and to the left. He walked down the white hallway until he saw two big white doors. He opened them and saw a big white room with many brown wooden tables and a table with food in a bucket. John walked over to the table where Chris was sitting. John sat down, opened his box, pulled a small container and a small, clear, plastic water bottle out of it. John opened the container, poured a little bit of water into a small walled-off section of the clear, frozen food and put the cover on it.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“What is that?” asked Chris as he took a bite out of his sandwich with round, rainbow-colored bread.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“It’s a self-heating container,” responded John. “I pour some water in the side and the meal heats up.”[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“That has got to be one of the strangest ideas I have ever seen,” replied Chris.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“Look at your sandwich, soldier,” responded John.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“There is nothing wrong with rainbow bread.” Chris took a bite out of his sandwich, chewed a bit, and swallowed. “Anyway, onto business. What do you think about these students?”[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“I didn’t really bother to pay attention. I’ll meet them as I go along.”[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“John, remember we have to pick duelists.”[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“But their introductions weren’t going to tell us their dueling skill. Dueling skill should be the main priority to your group if you want it to take down duel gangs.”[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“Sure, dueling should be the main priority, but that doesn’t mean we should discount other skills. Kikou Cureigo, for example. He would be an excellent help with his computer and hacking skills.”[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“Oh yes. Kikou Cureigo, or Craig Kiko as he is usually known by. Are you sure he’d be willing to join?”[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“Maybe not. He seems a bit stubborn, but I’m sure you could convince him to join.”[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“I’ll take that challenge. Being a computer master means that he could have a machine deck, an all-around profile research deck, or he could change his deck depending on his opponent. That last one would especially be helpful for our team.”[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“Hey, remember, there are fourteen other students in the class; if we split the duels, we each have seven opponents to duel.”[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“Soldier, as far as I’m concerned, this is your project, not mine. I will duel some, but too much dueling in a row makes my mind tired after a while. I’m sure you could take more duels to cover my slack.”[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“You bet I could. However, I feel you should take more duels since I want you to be the leader of the gang. You are the best duelist I currently know after all.”[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“I’ll try to take more duels. I thank you very much for the leader position. Anyway, did you notice any other particular skills that might be helpful?”[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“Well, there’s a cute girl who can see the future. If being cute and seeing the future count as skills, then she’s at least halfway useful.”[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“Destiny Tulevik… I’ll take her on. Her hobby of seeing the future would usually indicate she uses a deck that can see the future. There are a few decks that help in seeing the future, and all of them have very different strategies. It’s safe to say I don’t know what deck type she’s using.”[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“You think way too much about these things. Just duel Craig and Destiny and try to get them to join. It doesn’t really matter if you win or lose the duel; you just need to figure out if they’re good at dueling and if they’d be interested in joining if they are good at dueling.”[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“After I duel those two, I’ll see if I feel like dueling more.”[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“You should be able to. If you only duel those two, I have to duel twelve people today.”[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“We don’t have to duel all of them today. We can just build a small team right now. To be honest, I wouldn’t be 100% sure we could find a team in this group anyway.”[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“I want the team as soon as possible so we can take down the gangs as soon as possible. We need to go through all these students today.”[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“Okay, fine. We have a few hours after lunch, so we have enough time. Now we should probably start eating our food.” John took the lid off his food container. The clear block of frozen food was now a brown soup with noodles, vegetables, beans, and many other ingredients. John drank more than half of it at once, then took a drink of his water. John then gulped down the rest of his soup, drank the rest of the water, walked to a brown barrel in a corner of the room, threw his trash into the black bag on the inside of the barrel, and walked back. “Rainbow bread?”[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“For some reason, I know its recipe. I think my mother might have made it, or maybe my father did. All I know is that I can rather easily grow the ingredients and I can make it, so why not?” Chris finished his sandwich and drank a rainbow-colored drink from a clear, plastic bottle. The bell rang. John put the plastic bottle back into his rainbow-colored lunchbox. John and Chris walked back to the classroom, holding their lunchboxes. They walked into the classroom, put their lunchboxes, and waited for the rest of the students to show up. The student mob burst through the doorway and the bell rang.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“It’s free dueling time, just try to keep it quiet,” stated Dr. Clock, still not looking up from his paperwork.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“It’s go time!” whispered Chris to John. Chris then walked to the other side of the classroom.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]John looked behind him and saw, in the last row, a boy with short dirty blond hair, baggy red shirt and blue jeans, black-framed round thick glasses that reflected glare so well that John couldn’t see his eyes, and a plain gray Battle City duel disk, take out his laptop. He had a gray aura with lines and electricity running through it. [i]That aura…,[/i] John thought. [i]It looks mechanical. What does that mean?[/i] John walked up to the boy. “You’re Kikou Cureigo, correct, civilian?” John asked. John saluted the boy.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“Yep. Call me Craig Kiko. What do you want?” It continued typing on his laptop. John put his arm down.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“I was wondering if you’d be willing to join a duel team,” started John. “The streets are overrun with duel gangs and terrorizing rural Satellite. If we can make a duel team to take down all the duel gangs in rural Satellite, it will become safer.”[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“I have a similar goal, but I don’t take orders well. I’ll join if I become the leader.”[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“You have to prove yourself first before you can become a leader.”[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“Look, I have a very different way of running teams than most people and it has a rather good track record. Let’s do this: if I win, your army becomes mine and I’m the leader; if I lose, I join your army as a regular soldier. My word is as good as anybody’s, and I expect you are more honorable than most. Is this a deal?”[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“You’re on,” John responded as his duel disk activated. “You can go first if you want.”[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“That was a bad decision,” replied Crag. “I already know your deck, so I have an advantage. Going first gives me half a card advantage and a setting up advantage. Together with the matchup of my organized archetype deck against your warrior mishmash, my advantage is almost insurmountable. I calculate your chance of winning to be about 5%. Now let’s duel, and I’ll prove my calculations.”[/spoiler][/font]
[font=comic sans ms,cursive][spoiler=Chapter 5][/font]
[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“I’ll take the first move. I draw!” Craig drew a card. “When I control no monsters, I can Nomal Summon B.E.S. Big Core MK-2.” A big gray spaceship with red trim, blue lasers, two side engines, a main laser blaster with two lasers, and two exposed blue cores appeared (ATK 2400, Lv6). “I’ll set five cards and end my turn.” Five facedown cards appeared in front of Craig.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“It’s my turn. I draw!” John drew a card. [i]That monster has an exposed weak point. I should be able to destroy it no matter how weak an attack I use. In that case….[/i] “I summon Fortress Warrior.” A big gray golem-like stone creature with four arms holding up a heliport appeared (ATK 600, Lv2). “Fortress Warrior can’t be destroyed by battle once per turn and I don’t receive damage from battles with it. Fortress Warrior, attack B.E.S. Big Core MK-2.” The warrior jumped up.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“I activate three of my facedown cards: two Alerts and a Cyber Summon Blaster.” The three cards to John’s right revealed themselves. A silver tank-like machine with a big blaster appeared and the other two traps disappeared. “With those two traps, I can activate my two facedown Continuous Spells, which are both cards named Boss Rush.” The two facedown cards revealed themselves. “Now the battle commences as normal.” B.E.S. Big Core MK-2 blasted its blue lasers at Fortress Warrior, which blocked with its heliport. Fortress Warrior jumped through a core, blowing it up and causing the rest of the ship to blow up as well. Fortress Warrior returned unscathed. “I set two cards and end my turn.” Two facedown cards appeared in front of John.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“And now it’s time for the fun part. My two Boss Rush cards activate: since my B.E.S. monsters were destroyed, I can summon one more for each Boss Rush I have. I summon two more B.E.S. Big Core MK-2s.” Two more of such spaceships appeared (ATKs 2400, Lvs 6). “Since they were Special Summoned, they each get three shields.” Three gray metal shields with red trim blocked each of the blue cores. (C 0->3 each). “Cyber Summon Blaster hits you with 300 points of damage each time a Machine-type monster is summoned. Now, you take twice as much since two were summoned.” Cyber Summon Blaster released two blue electric balls at John (John 8000 -> 7700, 7700 -> 7400). “Now it’s my turn. I draw!” Craig drew a card. “B.E.S. Big Core MK-2s, blast that Fortress Warrior!” The two B.E.S. Big Core MK-2s blasted four laser shots at Fortress Warrior. Fortress Warrior jumped toward the ship and reflected two laser blasts back at the cores of one ships. The shields took the hit and exploded (C 3->2). The other two laser blasts exploded Fortress Warrior. Its pieces split into two groups and each hit a shield blocking the cores (C 3->2). “I set a card and end my turn.” A facedown card appeared in front of Craig.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“Then it’s my turn. I draw!” John drew a card. [i]I can only Normal Summon or Set one monster, yet he has two strong monsters out. If I can’t destroy those things in battle, then I’ll just have to summon a monster that he can’t destroy by battle either. Until then, I’ll need to defend myself.[/i] “I set a monster.” A facedown sideways card appeared in front of John.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“Then I draw!” Craig drew a card. “I’ll attack with my B.E.S. Big Core MK-2s.” One shot its blasts at the facedown card. It revealed itself a man with long brown hair with very receding hairline, purple armor, brown pants (DEF 600, Lv3). The Immortal Bushi threw his swords at the shields before getting broken to pieces (C 2-> 1). The other B.E.S. Big Core blasted at John directly (John 7400 -> 5000). John reflected part of the blast off his duel disk, which blasted back at the B.E.S. Big Core’s shields (C 2->1). “I end my turn.”[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“It’s my turn. I draw!” John drew a card. “Since I control no monsters and none of the monsters in my Graveyard are non-Warrior, I can summon back The Immortal Bushi.” The Immortal Bushi reappeared with his swords crossed in front of his face (DEF 600, Lv3). “Next, I summon Comrade Swordsman of Landstar.” A peach-colored creature with a round face, magenta clothes, a magenta hat with silver antennas and a magenta ball at the end of each, a short, broad sword, and brown boots appeared (ATK 500, Lv3). “I tune Level 3 Comrade Swordsman of Landstar to Level 3 The Immortal Bushi.” Comrade Swordsman of Landstar turned into three white stars, which turned into three green rings. The three rings lined up into a cylinder, The Immortal Bushi, jumped into the cylinder, and it changed into an orange wireframe of itself with three white stars. A pillar of light appeared within the green rings. “[b]Of these two warriors shall emerge a strong, earthly force. Synchro Summon! Ride on, Gaia Knight, the Force of Earth.[/b]” A man in purple armor and yellow armor, a purple helmet with red spikes, two red lances, a pink horse in purple armor appeared out of the light (ATK 2600, Lv6).[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“Synchro Monster! I didn’t expect you to have such a powerful monster since you didn’t use him last duel!”[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“Gaia Knight, attack a B.E.S. Big Core MK-2.” The knight jumped up toward the B.E.S. Big Core MK-2 on the left.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“I activate Shield Transfer.” The facedown card on Craig’s field revealed itself, then disappeared. “I can use it to transfer one shield from one ‘B.E.S.’ monster to another.” The shields on the spaceship on the left disappeared (C 1-> 0) and appeared on the right ship (C 1 -> 2). The Gaia Knight’s lances struck through the left MK-2’s cores, causing it to blow up (Craig 8000 -> 7800). “I end my turn.”[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“My Boss Rush cards summon out two more B.E.S. monsters from my deck. I’ll summon B.E.S. Crystal Core and B.E.S. Covered Core.” A spaceship with two blue red and white laser blasters coming out of a blue crystal body (ATK 2100, Lv5) and a heavily armored green ship (ATK 2500, Lv7) appeared. “And now it’s time for you to take 600 points of damage.” Cyber Summon Blaster released two blasts of electricity at John (John 5000 -> 4700, 4700 -> 4400). “And it’s my turn. I draw!” Craig drew a card. “I activate Crystal Core’s effect: it changes your Gaia Knight from attack position to defense position.” B.E.S. Crystal Core shot a laser blast from its laser shooter at Gaia Knight, the Force of Earth, forcing his horse to kneel down (DEF 800). “I always have a backup plan. Let’s see if you can stop your loss. I attack with Crystal Core.” B.E.S. Crystal Core swung its tentacle-like laser blaster at Gaia Knight.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“I activate my trap card, Waboku.” The card appeared and disappeared. Three women in blue robes and green shirts blocked the attack and blasted it back at the Crystal Core’s blue core, causing it to explode. “Waboku prevents my monster from being destroyed in battle this turn and stops me from taking damage. However, all battles still go through.”[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“That’s fine by me. B.E.S. Big Core MK-2, attack!” B.E.S. Big Core MK-2 blasted a laser blast, which hit the women and reflected right back to one of MK-2’s shields (C 2->1). “I end my turn. That means, since a ‘B.E.S.’ monster was destroyed, and sent to the Graveyard, I can summon two more B.E.S. cards. I choose B.E.S. Tetran and Big Core.” A gray spaceship with a very much exposed blue shining core and several laser blasters on the side of the body (ATK 2300, Lv6) and a brown ship with an exposed blue core and several tentacles appeared (DEF 2300, Lv6). “Take another 600!” The Cyber Summon Blaster blasted another two shots (John 4400 -> 4100, 4100 -> 3800).[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“It’s my turn. I draw!” John drew a card. “I summon Jutte Fighter.” A man with black hair, a red robe, a yellow kimono, black shoes, a red-handled stabbing blade, and a big container with a metal handle appeared (ATK 700, Lv2). “I activate Jutte Fighter’s effect: it changes the Covered Core into defense position.” B.E.S. Covered Core put a covering over its guns, making it a circular shape with the core in the middle (DEF 800). “Jutte Fighter, attack Covered Core.” Jutte Fighter jumped upand threw his stabbing knife at the core. The core exploded and the rest of the ship soon followed. The knife was thrown back at John and stabbed him (John 3800 -> 3700). Jutte Fighter jumped toward John and picked up his knife. “Gaia Knight, attack his Big Core.” Gaia Knight jumped up and pierced the core, causing Big Core to explode (Craig 7800 -> 7500). “During Main Phase Two, I tune Level 2 Jutte Fighter with Level 6 Gaia Knight, the Force of Earth.” Jutte Fighter turned into two white stars, which turned into two green rings. The two green rings formed a green cylinder and Gaia Knight jumped into the cylinder. It turned into an orange wireframe of itself with six white stars. A pillar of light went through the cylinder. “[b]Dead warriors are sent to the underworld for a true challenge. Let the underworld area grace us with its champion. Synchro Summon! Fight forever, Colossal Fighter![/b]” A big white-armored warrior with blue orbs and a green visor appeared (ATK 2800, Lv8). “Colossal Fighter’s ATK increases by 100 for every Warrior-type monster in our Graveyards. So far, I have five Warriors in my Graveyard and you have none, adding 500 to his ATK score.” Colossal Fighter glowed red (ATK 2800 -> 3300). “I set a card and end my turn.” A facedown card appeared in front of John.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“Boss Rush cards let me summon two more B.E.S. monsters. I summon B.E.S. Crystal Core and B.E.S. Covered Core.” Another B.E.S. Crystal Core ATK 2100, Lv5) and another B.E.S. Covered Core (ATK 2500, Lv7) appeared. “And you take another 600 points of damage.” Cyber Summon Blaster sent two more electricity blasts at John (John 3800 -> 3500, 3500 -> 3200). “It’s my turn. I draw!” Craig drew a card. “I activate Limiter Removal.” The Limiter Removal card revealed itself and disappeared. “All my Machine-type monsters double their ATK and are destroyed at the end of the turn.”[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“I activate Threatening Roar.” John’s facedown card revealed itself and disappeared. “You can’t attack this turn.”[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“Grr. I end my turn.” All the B.E.S. spaceships exploded. “Boss Rush lets me summon two more B.E.S. monsters. I’ll summon B.E.S. Tetran and Big Core.” A B.E.S. Tetran (DEF 2300, Lv6) and Big Core (DEF 1100, Lv6) appeared. “You’ll take another 600 points of damage.” Cyber Summon Blaster blasted John again (John 3200 -> 2900, 2900 -> 2600).[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“Let’s see what I can do. I draw!” John drew a card. [i]He should be out of B.E.S. monsters soon. I should probably run him dry as soon as possible.[/i] “I summon Power Breaker.” A purple well-muscled man with blue armor with blue blades on it, a blue fabric tied around his waist to his feet covered in brown shoes with gray horizontal lines surrounding a blue gem, orange hair coming out of a small yellow hair-holder, and big yellow hair on his back covering a large, blue mechanism appeared (ATK 1900, Lv4). “Power Breaker, attack Big Core, and Colossal Fighter, attack B.E.S. Tetran.” Power Breaker ran toward Big Core and threw his fist right into the core, causing the Big Core to explode. Power Breaker took a rest (DEF 0). Colossal Fighter jumped up and slammed his giant fist into Tetran’s core, causing Tetran to explode. “I end my turn.”[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“I summon Covered Core and Crystal Core.” Covered Core (ATK 2500, Lv7) and Crystal Core (DEF 1000, Lv5) appeared. Cyber Summon Blaster blasted John (John 2600 -> 2300, 2300 -> 2000). “It’s my turn, I draw!” Craig drew a card. “I activate Pot of Avarice.” The card appeared briefly, then disappeared. “I shuffle five monsters from my Graveyard back into the deck and then draw two cards. I choose two Covered Core, two Crystal Cores, and a Tetran.” The five cards popped out of Craig’s graveyard. He put them into the deck, which shuffled itself, and drew two cards. “Next, I’ll attack Power Breaker with my Covered Core.” B.E.S. Covered Core blasted Power Breaker. Power Breaker’s arm armor flew toward the Core, causing the Covered Core to blow up. Colossal Fighter grew stronger (ATK 3300 -> 3400). “I’ll set a card and end my turn.” A card appeared facedown in front of Craig. “Boss Rush summons two more monsters. I choose Big Core and Crystal Core.” Big Core (DEF 1100, Lv6) and Crystal Core (DEF 1000, Lv5) appeared. Cyber Summon Blaster blasted John (John 2000 -> 1700, 1700 -> 1400).[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“It’s my turn. I draw!” John drew a card. [i]Come on, where is it?[/i] “I activate Advance Draw!” The card appeared and disappeared. “By tributing a Level 8 or higher monster, I can draw two cards.” Colossal Fighter turned to dust and John drew two cards. [i]Yes![/i] “I activate Mystical Space Typhoon from my hand.” The card appeared and was replaced by a tornado. “I’ll choose to destroy your facedown card.” The tornado hit Craig’s faced-down card, which showed itself Sakuretsu Armor.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“You got rid of your Colossal Fighter to ultimately get rid of a card to get rid of your Colossal Fighter. Way to go.”[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“I’ve got more dangerous tools in this deck than just Colossal Fighter. I summon Armed Samurai – Ben Kei.” A man in white clothes, black armor, two long sticks, a bag of weapons appeared (ATK 500, Lv4). “I equip it with Broken Bamboo Sword.” A bamboo sword, broken off at the middle of its blade appeared on a holder on Ben Kei’s arm. “I activate Golden Bamboo Sword.” The card appeared, then disappeared. “If I control a ‘Bamboo Sword’ Equip Spell, such as Broken Bamboo Sword, I draw two cards.” John drew two cards. [i]Nice![/i] “I equip Armed Samurai with two Axe of Despairs, which each increase his ATK by 1000.” Two Axes with wooden handles and small metal blades appeared on Ben Kei’s arm (ATK 500 -> 2500). “Next, I activate Meteorain.” Two red balls appeared in the air. “My monsters can now all inflict Piercing Damage this turn. If Ben Kei attacks a monster with DEF lower than its ATK, the difference is dealt to you. In addition, thanks to Ben Kei’s effect, it gets one additional attack for every equip card attached to it. Three attacks plus one regular attack means four attacks, and four attacks with 2500 piercing damage each one results in 10,000 battle damage. That should be more than enough. Ben Kei, let’s finish him off.” First, Ben Kei threw his long sticks at the core of the Crystal Core, causing it to explode (Craig 7500 -> 6000), then threw his broken bamboo sword at the core of the Big Core, causing it to blow up (Craig 6000 -> 4600), then ran toward Craig and slashed him twice with his Axes of Despair (Craig 4600 -> 2100, 2100 -> 0). The holograms faded.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“I don’t get it. My calculations were set so that, even with the best logical deduction of how your deck would work, you still only had a 5% chance of winning. That deck is much worse than I had imagined, and you still beat me. The only edge you had were those Synchros.”[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“Sometimes, that’s all you need. Anyway, you have a lot of skill, both in dueling and computers. I’m hoping you’ll join my militia, soldier.”[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“Of course.” Craig walked over to John and they shook hands.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive][i]This is how revolutions start: one handshake at a time.[/i][/spoiler][/font]
[font=comic sans ms,cursive][spoiler=Chapter 6][/font]
[font=comic sans ms,cursive]John looked around the classroom again. He placed himself behind the the table of the left at the back. [i]I need to find Destiny Tulevik. I didn’t really pay attention to what she looks like, but if I remember correctly, she had a light aura.[/i] John looked at the auras of all the female students in his view. The auras were all many different colors, but no white light aura. [i]Where did she-[/i][/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“Hi!” said a rather short girl with bright green eyes, shoulder-length blond hair, a yellow shirt, blue jeans, white shoes, and a gray old academy duel disk, and a small light aura. A brown deckbox-sized case was strapped around her thigh. A shiny silver necklace with a little silver circle decorated with a sun on it hung around her neck. “I saw your duel,” she continued softly. “My name is Destiny Tulevik.”[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“John Legionary,” responded John. “I'm glad you found me. I would like to challenge you to a duel.”[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“I very much appreciate that offer, and I accept your challenge,” Destiny replied.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive][i]She has a light tint. She’s either affiliated with the Light and/or has a pure heart.[/i] Destiny walked over to the side of the table closest to the wall and John to the other side of the table toward the middle column. John saluted her and Destiny saluted him. John activated his duel disk. “I’ll let you choose who goes first, Destiny.”[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“Aww,” replied Destiny, smiling. “That’s sweet of you, but I’ll just choose to have you go first.”[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“Okay,” replied John as he and Destiny drew five cards each. “I’ll go first. I draw!” John drew a card. [i]Not the monster I wanted in my hand, but it will do. After all, if she has a LIGHT deck, her cards might power up this one as well.[/i] “I summon Blade Knight.” A knight in shiny silver armor, a green reflective shield, and a red-hilted silver sword with a green gem on the hilt appeared (ATK 1600, Lv4). I set a card and end my turn.” A face down card appeared in front of John.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“Bad hand? I’d imagine you would have set four cards to decrease the number of cards in your hand to one so that Blade Knight would power up. Don’t go easy on me.”[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“Trust me, I have a strategy.”[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“Good. I was very much hoping you would say that. It’s my turn. I draw!” Destiny drew a card. “I activate Light Barrier.” The area around Destiny and John became a hollow light cylinder. “As long as it’s active, my Arcana Force monsters don’t require coin flips; instead, I just choose whether to apply their Heads or Tails effect. I summon Arcana Force VII – The Chariot.” A black machine-like being with a small top section with many gray hands coming from black arms, and a lower section with a bulge with green eyes on it and three blasters coming from the bottom of it (ATK 1700, Lv4). “Light Barrier lets me choose its effect. I choose heads.” The Arcana Force VII – The Chariot card appeared above The Chariot right-side up. “Arcana Force VII, attack Blade Knight!” The Chariot blasted Blade Knight, causing Blade Knight to break into pieces (John 8000 -> 7900). “I activate Light Barrier’s other effect and Arcana Force VII’s effect. First, since an ‘Arcana Force’ monster destroyed an opponent’s monster in battle, I gain life points equal to the original ATK of the destroyed monster.” A white aura surrounded Destiny for a brief time (Destiny 8000 -> 9600). “Next, Arcana Force VII’s effect lets me bring back the monster it destroyed in battle. I summon Blade Knight.” Blade Knight appeared on Destiny’s side (ATK 1600, Lv4). “Attack, knight in shining armor!” Blade Knight slashed at John (John 7900 -> 6300). “I set a card and end my turn.” A facedown card appeared in front of Destiny.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“I see you’re a fan of knights in shining armor. As for me, I’m more of a fan of lone samurai and warriors. It’s my turn. I draw!” John drew a card. “I summon Mataza the Zapper!” A samurai in blue clothes, green armor, a white headband with green headpieces, and two katanas appeared (ATK 1300, Lv3). “I activate The A. Forces and equip Mataza the Zapper with Axe of Despair.” The continuous spell The A. Forces revealed itself, and Mataza the Zapper’s katana’s were replaced with a brown-handled axe with a small silver blade. “Mataza the Zapper’s ATK increase by 1000 plus 200 times the number of Warriors and Spellcasters I control. Mataza is my only monster, so he gains 1200 ATK.” Mataza swung his axe (ATK 1300 -> 2500). “Mataza the Zapper can attack twice. Mataza the Zapper, attack Blade Knight, and then The Chariot.” Mataza ran toward Blade Knight and swung his Axe of Despair through Blade Knight, shattering Blade Knight (Destiny 9600 -> 8700). Mataza then swung his axe at The Chariot, shattering it (Destiny 8700 -> 7900). “I set a card and end my turn.” A facedown card appeared in front of John.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“It’s my turn. I draw!” Destiny drew a card. “My Light Barrier now has to work its effect.” The card appeared in mid-air and spun from right side-up to upside-down, stopping one fourth of the distance every time. “Just say stop and it will stop spinning. Whether the effect stays or not depends on the result.” The card continued spinning.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“Stop.” The card continued spinning a few more times until it landed right side-up.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“It looks like it landed right side-up, which means the effects continue. I activate Trade-In.” The card appeared briefly, then disappeared. “I discard Arcana Force XXI – The World, in order to draw two cards.” Destiny discarded the card Arcana Force XXI – The World and drew two cards. “I activate Reverse Reborn.” The equip spell appeared. “I bring back an ‘Arcana Force’ monster and have its effect become its Tails effect. I bring back Arcana Force XXI – The World.” A big, gray machine with green lines connecting yellow orbs, a giant orange orb in the front, and big mechanical arms (ATK 3100, Lv8). Its upside-down card appeared above it. However, since he’s much weaker in his upside-down form, I’ll tribute him for Arcana Force XIV – The Temperance.” Arcana Force XXI – The World became a rainbow portal, out of which came a translucent gray, ghostly figure with a big brown and yellow dress, gray claws, yellow bracelets with green orbs, big green eyes, and a purple streak on its gray face (ATK 2400, Lv6). “Temperance will gain its Heads effect.” The card appeared above its head face-up. “Battle Damage I take is reduced to half. I equip Arcana Force XIV with Cestus of Dagla.” Temperance’s hands clasped onto two brown handles attached to two golden blades (ATK 2400 -> 2900). “Arcana Force XIV, attack Mataza!” Temperance punched with its golden blades, shattering Mataza the Zapper (John 6300 -> 5900). “Cestus of Dagla’s effect gives me the life points you lost, and Light Barrier gives me the original ATK of your destroyed monster.” Destiny was surrounded by a light aura (Destiny 7900 -> 8300, 8300 -> 9600). “I end my turn.”[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“Very nice. It’s my turn. I draw!” John drew a card. “I activate Fissure. Your weakest monster ATK-wise is destroyed. In this case, your only monster is the weakest one.” The ground started to crack open. It opened up and Temperance fell into the hole. The ground sealed up. “I summon Ninja Grandmaster Sasuke.” A purple-armored ninja with a green cape, a white mask, blue hair, and two light daggers appeared (ATK 1800, Lv4). The A. Forces powered it up (ATK 1800 -> 2000). “Sasuke, direct attack!” The ninja stabbed Destiny with the light daggers (Destiny 9600 -> 7600). “I end my turn.”[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“It’s my turn. I draw!” Destiny drew a card. “Light Barrier now spins.” The card appeared again and started to spin.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“Stop.” The card landed right side-up again.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“The effects still apply. I summon Arcana Force IV – The Emperor.” A gray and black machine with red orbs all over its body and many gray arms with black hands with a red orb and three claws each (ATK 1400, Lv4). “I choose its heads effect.” The card appeared above The Emperor. “Arcana Force IV’s effect increases the ATK of ‘Arcana Force’ monsters I control by 500 points.” The Emperor glowed (ATK 1400 -> 1900). “I activate Monster Reborn to bring back Arcana Force VII with its heads effect.” The Chariot reappeared with its card above it right side-up (ATK 1700 -> 2200). “Arcana Force VII, attack Sasuke.” The Chariot blasted Sasuke, shattering him (John 5900 -> 5700). “Arcana Force VII brings back your monster and Light Barrier gives me another 1800 Life Points.” Ninja Grandmaster Sasuke appeared on Destiny’s field (ATK 1800, Lv4). Destiny was briefly surrounded by a light aura (Destiny 7600 -> 9400). “Arcana Force IV and Sasuke, direct attack!” Sasuke stabbed John with light daggers (John 5700 -> 3900) and The Emperor smacked John with its many hands (John 3900 -> 2000). “ I end my turn.”[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“It’s my turn. I draw!” John drew a card. [i]This will help![/i] “I activate Swords of Revealing Light.” Many swords made of light appeared in front of Destiny’s side of the field. “As long as those Swords are up, you can’t attack me. They’ll disappear during your third End Phase.” [i]Hopefully I only need three turns to set up.[/i] “I end my turn.”[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“It’s my turn. I draw!” Destiny drew a card. “Light Barrier’s activation time.” The card appeared and rotated.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“Stop.” The card landed upside-down. The light wall disappeared.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“Oh… it’s negated? In that case, I don’t think I want to risk getting a bad effect. I end my turn.” A third of the light swords disappeared.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“It’s my turn. I draw!” John drew a card. [i]Not what I was hoping for right now.[/i] “I end my turn.”[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“It’s my turn. I draw!” Destiny drew a card. “Light Barrier’s effect again.” It started to spin again.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“Stop.” It landed right side-up, causing the light pillar to appear again.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“Now that it’s active again, I summon Arcana Force VI – The Lovers.” A humanshaped machine in a black dress with black arms, big gray hands with black fingertips and four pink orbs, orbs all over the blue parts of the dress, and a gray head with big pink eyes (ATK 1600, Lv4). The card appeared above it heads-up and The Emperor provided an ATK boost (ATK 1600 -> 2100). “I end my turn.” Half of the remaining swords disappeared.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“It’s my turn. I draw!” John drew a card. “I set another card and end my turn.” Another card appeared in front of John, fully loading his Spell/Trap spaces.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“It’s my turn. I draw!” Destiny drew a card. “Light Barrier activates.” The card appeared and spun.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“Stop.” The card stopped upside-down. The pillar of light disappeared.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“It looks like summoning this round is a gamble for me. I send Sasuke and Arcana Forces VI and VII to the Graveyard to summon Arcana Force EX – The Dark Ruler.” The three monsters disappeared and a giant, black machine with red lines, a purple belly, a long tail, and two big dragonheads appeared (ATK 4000, Lv10). “The Emperor powers it up further.” The dragon heads roared (ATK 4000 -> 4500). “But now fate has to choose its effect.” The card appeared above the monster and spun.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“Stop.” The card landed upside down.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“Well, neither of his effects are really bad, so I’m not especially disappointed at this result. I end my turn.” The rest of the Swords disappeared. “I was hoping you would have used your turns more effectively than just setting cards.”[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“Trust me, I plan on making it up now. I draw!” John drew a card. [i]Yes![/i] “I activate my three face-down cards: three Good Goblin Housekeeping cards.” The cards revealed themselves as such.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“Why? You should heal yourself.”[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“Because I chain Emergency Provisions, sending all my Spells and Traps to the Graveyard, including my The A. Forces.” The Emergency Provisions revealed itself, made all the other cards disappear, and then disappeared itself. “I gain 1000 Life Points for every card I sent, so I gain 4000 Life Points.” John was briefly surrounded by a light aura (John 2000 -> 4000). “Next, my Good Goblin Housekeeping cards will work: since there are currently three cards named Good Goblin Housekeeping in the Graveyard, each one will have me draw four cards and then put one card to the bottom of the deck, so I do this process three times.” John drew four cards, put one to the bottom of his deck, drew four cards, put one card in his hand to the bottom of the deck, drew four cards, and put one to the bottom of the deck. “Now I have the cards I need to win. I play Offerings to the Doomed.” The card appeared briefly. “I can destroy your Arcana Force EX – The Dark Ruler.”[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“First, I activate Reversal of Fate.” The card appeared briefly. “It changes my monster’s effect from Tails to Heads.” The card above its head rotated. “Now it has his Heads effect, which means its Tails effect won’t activate when it’s destroyed. The rest of the field will be safe.”[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“Yes, but now that my card effect works, The Dark Ruler is not.” The Dark Ruler exploded. “I can’t draw next turn, but I don’t plan on there being a next turn. I summon Armed Samurai – Ben Kei.” The familiar, heavily weaponed warrior appeared yet again (ATK 500, Lv4). “For defense, you currently have 9400 Life Points and a 1900 ATK Emperor, totaling 11300 ATK points needed to wipe you out this turn. Luckily, I have a lot of equip spells and a warrior who knows how to use them. I equip him with Axe of Despair, Lightning Blade, and Sword of Dragon’s Soul.” An Axe of Despair made itself a holder to be held onto Ben Kei’s arm (ATK 500 -> 1500), a sheathe for a silver blade with lightning coming out of it appeared (ATK 1500 -> 2300), and a sheathe for a spiky, yellow blade appeared (ATK 2300 -> 3000). “Ben Kei gets one additional attack for every Equip he has. Ben Kei, attack The Emperor and then attack Destiny three times.” Ben Kei smashed his standard weapon sticks against The Emperor, shattering it (Destiny 9400 -> 8300). Ben Kei took out of Axe of Despair and whacked Destiny with it (Destiny 8300 -> 5300), then slashed at her with Lightning Blade (Destiny 5300 -> 2300), then slashed her with the Sword of Dragon’s Soul (Destiny 2300 -> 0). The holograms faded.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“Oh, so the duel’s over.”[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“You dueled very well, though.” John walked over to Destiny. “In fact, I think you’d be a fine addition to my militia. What do you think? Want to join me, Craig, and Chris?” John held out his hand.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“Yes, indeed I would.” Destiny grabbed John’s hand and shook it. “John, can we talk a bit?”[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“Sure.” Destiny sat down and John sat next to her. “What do you want to talk about?”[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“For some reason, I couldn’t see the future of the duel when I challenged you. Something about you is different.”[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“I don’t know about whether I’m special or not, but if you couldn’t see the future, that means you were using your skills and you nearly defeated me. You’re a pretty good duelist as well as a fortune-teller.”[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“Thank you.” They sat there for a few seconds in silence.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“What’s the sun charm for?” asked John.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“Oh, right,” responded Destiny. She took out a deck out of her pocket. “I duel using my Arcana Force deck, but I do have another deck, which I only use six cards from.” She picked off the top six cards and showed them to John. “These are the six Fortune Fairy cards: Hikari, En, Fu, Sui, An, and Chi. I shuffle these up, draw the top one, and that’s my fortune for the day, and it’s usually accurate. Today’s fortune card was Fortune Fairy Hikari.” She handed John the card.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]John read the card:[/font]
[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“Your fortune the day you draw this card is super happy.[/font]
[font=comic sans ms,cursive]Lucky number, 1.[/font]
[font=comic sans ms,cursive]Lucky color, yellow.[/font]
[font=comic sans ms,cursive]Lucky item, shining charm.[/font]
[font=comic sans ms,cursive]All of your wishes will come true!!”[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“Interesting card,” responded John, handing the card back. “Does that explain the yellow shirt and the sun charm?”[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“Yep. I want to follow the card as much as I can to make the fortune as true as possible,” replied Destiny. “Even for the bad ones. Anyway, if you don’t mind, can we talk for a while more?”[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“I guess. I didn't really feel like dueling anymore today anyway.” John and Destiny sat down for a very long conversation among a variety of topics for a few hours, until a bell rang. Everyone in the classroom except John, Destiny, and Chris left.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“It was very nice talking to you John,” stated Destiny after the conversation. Chris walked over to John. “Hi Chris. When’s our first team meeting?”[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“I see she joined,” responded Chris. “Unlucky for us, I dueled twelve people and none of them wanted to join. I figured the only people you’d duel were Craig and Destiny. Did Craig join?”[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“He did,” responded John.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“Good. Let’s make the first meeting Saturday, at your house, John.”[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“Yeah, that sounds good,” responded John. “Just let Craig in on that tomorrow.” John turned back toward Destiny. “Let’s just meet at the card junkyard and I’ll lead you to my house.”[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“That is much appreciated,” responded Destiny. She hugged John and John hugged back. Destiny blushed a little. “Well, it was nice meeting you today, but I need to get home soon.” Destiny picked up a yellow backpack with blue straps and left.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“I suppose you were talking with her most of the time,” assumed Chris.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“She wanted to talk. She is a really deep thinker,” responded John. “We talked about the Neo-Spacian/Arcana Force war, extraterrestrial life, her future-seeing powers, auras, duel spirits, you name it. She’s a very interesting girl. I also found out she’ll be a great addition to our team.”[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]“Well, I’m glad to hear all of that,” replied Chris. “Be prepared for Saturday, because on Saturday, we’ll start on our mission of clearing away the duel gangs that plague this sector of Satellite.”[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive][i]I have this strange feeling,[/i] thought John. [i]The first rule I learned from my father is that no military operation goes as planned.[/i][/spoiler][/font]
[font=comic sans ms,cursive][spoiler=Chapter 7][/font]
[font=comic sans ms,cursive]After a long first week of school, John woke up on Saturday and prepared for the first meeting of the duel militia Chris had planned. [i]I should probably wait for Destiny at the card junkyard.[/i] John walked to the card junkyard. Soon after, walking to it, Destiny walked out of it with cards in hand, wearing a red shirt and, instead of a sun charm, a thin, red, hair ribbon tying the hair on the back of her head into a ponytail. John saluted Destiny and Destiny saluted back. "I’m guessing your future today is red."[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"Yeah," she said, taking out the Fortune Fairy En card from her deck. Destiny read the card aloud. "Your fortune the day you draw this card is uncertain. Lucky number, 2. Lucky color, red. Lucky item, hair ribbon. Remember that united things are stronger." Destiny put the card back into the deck. "When I read that fortune, I thought of your Warrior deck, and so, I wanted you to have these." Destiny walked over to John and handed them to him. "I noticed you seemed to like Warriors that attack multiple times and cards that increase their power to maximize effectiveness. I figure that these will help."[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]John looked through the cards. Among them were Hayabusa Knight, Solidarity, Twin Swords of Flashing Light – Tryce, Koa’ki Meiru Bergzak, Chain Fighter, Chain Master, six other sword-based equip cards, and an equip spell called Shooting Star Shimmer. "Thank you Destiny. That is very nice of you." Destiny hugged John and John hugged her back. He looked at Destiny as Destiny looked at him back with a smile on her face. "We should get to my house soon. I’m sure the guys are already there."[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"Okay." John and Destiny started walking toward John’s house. Destiny walked a bit slower than John.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]After a little walking, John noticed Destiny behind him and waited until she walked to him. "Is there something on your mind that you want to talk about?"[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"There is always something on my mind," responded Destiny. "And I quite enjoyed talking with you on Monday, so I figure I could talk to you today as well."[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"Certainly. What’s on your mind?"[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"What did you see when you checked my aura?"[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]John was shocked at the question. "How did you know I could see auras?"[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]Destiny thought a bit. "I’m… I’m not sure," responded Destiny. "I feel like it’s another one of my powers. Sometimes, I just learn about another person’s powers, especially if they are used on me."[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"Interesting power," responded John, interested. "How many people have you known for that to happen with?"[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"Counting you…, two," responded Destiny, shyly. "Anyway, I was hoping you’d tell me about my aura."[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"Oh, right. Your aura was a light-tinted aura, a rather rare type of aura."[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"Really? What does it mean?"[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"It means either you have a pure heart and/or you’re affiliated with the Light. Based on the fact that you can see the future and you have other powers you haven’t quite figured out, I’m going to guess that you’re affiliated with the Light."[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"Indeed I am affiliated with the Light. That is what I was hoping to talk about: the Light and the Darkness. What are your thoughts on them?"[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"This somewhat ties back to that Neo-Spacian/Arcana force war discussion from Monday. Personally, I think this goes down to who is using the decks. The reason Neo-Spacians started the war with the Arcana Force was because the Light of Destruction was threatening the Supreme King’s kingdom. The Supreme King had the Neo-Spacians under his control and the Light of Destruction had the Arcana Force in their arsenal. Since the Light of Destruction was pushed from this world, I just think the war doesn’t really need to continue."[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"Your statement was just one side of the argument. The Supreme King was a tyrant who wanted to conquest the world, including the lands of the Light beings. The Light needed to defend itself."[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"And so, I find that maybe the true battle isn’t between Light and Darkness should really be about good and evil. Jaden Yuki, after all, was a dark king who had the power of Neo-Space but he took down Nightshroud, someone who had the power of the darkness in peoples’ hearts. And I’d imagine that there are other variations of light than the Light of Destruction. The light and darkness will always have conflicting traits and ideals, as well as different powers, but that doesn’t mean they can’t work together to take down common enemies."[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"I guess the point of view of someone neutral is always going to be different from someone affiliated. You can’t understand what will happen if Neo-Spacians completely dominate."[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"If I understand you correctly, you’re worried about what will happen if darkness takes over, and I completely agree with you; if the darkness takes over, then the universe will be in great peril. However, I believe that this concept applies if the Light takes over completely as well. Personally, if a Dark duelist challenges you with the intent to conquest, then you should defend yourself. However, I don’t think you should be the one on the conquest for gain. If both sides stop their conquest, then peace can be obtained. For casual duels with a non-Darkness duelist, I would suggest using a neutral deck so you can understand the view of a neutral duelist."[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"You make an interesting point." Destiny took out her Fortune deck. "So I should probably use this deck?"[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"If that deck can be used for more than just fortune telling, I’d suggest trying it out a few times. If you really can't use it, then use your Arcana Force again, but I'm hoping you'll still learn a little more about the neutral point of view."[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"I have always wanted to try out the other thirty-four cards in the deck…. But how will I tell if the duelist I'm facing is a Darkness duelist or not?"[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"If you can't see auras, I'd suggest looking at your Arcana Force deck; maybe your Arcana Force deck will react to it. Otherwise, I'd suggest using your best judgment and using the Arcana Force deck if unsure."[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"Okay. I'll spend the weekend dueling with it and I'll tell you the results on Monday."[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"And I'll try out these new cards you gave me. I'm sure they will be of great help to me." John then noticed they were now at his house. "Anyway, it's time for our first meeting as a duel gang." John opened the door. Craig was sitting on the stairs, his face blocked by his computer screen. Chris was sitting at the white table with two other empty chairs. John saluted Chris, who saluted back, and John and Destiny sat at the other tables. "I see everyone has been gathered. What's the plan, Chris?"[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"First, we all get codenames," responded Chris. "I'm thinking either rainbow or Roy B. Giv."[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"Why Roy B. Giv?" asked Destiny.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"It's the mnemonic for the colors of the rainbow," responded John. "Chris, why would these code names be necessary?"[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"I don't want people to know our real names. It gives a more mystifying feeling to our gang-disbandment army."[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"Fine," responded John, slightly annoyed. "You can be Roy B. Giv if you really want to."[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"Yes!" yelled Chris. "I have nicknames thought out for everyone. John, you can be Chief. Craig, you'll be Qwerty. Destiny, you'll be… umm… well, actually, I didn't think of one for you. Fate?"[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"Qwerty is fine with me," stated Craig, still typing on his computer.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"Fate is a little bland and not really too much a disguise for my name," stated Destiny. "But I'll go with it if you keep it consistent."[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"I'll take the name Chief," stated John. "Now let's get to the real business. What is our business for the day?"[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"We are going to take down all the duel gangs in our sector," responded Chris. "After that, we can think about the other sectors." Chris took out a map, which showed Satellite divided into four sections. The area closest to the only connections to the city (a lone bridge and a trash pipeline) was marked urban Satellite. The next section was suburban Satellite, the next was rural Satellite, and the last, with a big hole in the middle of it, was the B.A.D. Area, the Barbaric Area After Damage. Chris pointed to the rural Satellite. "The sector is quite big, but if we divide it into sections, we can eliminate the duel gangs in a lot less time."[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"This is starting to sound dangerously similar to a plan to take over Satellite," stated John. "Remember all the other attempts that have been done? They all end in Sector Security intervening and putting the leader into the Facility."[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"As I said many times, we are not a duel gang trying to take over," replied Chris, annoyed. "We're just liberating the streets from duel gangs' influence."[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"Okay, fine. What are the assignments for today?"[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"If we have four people, we can divide up the team into two groups of two." Chris drew lines dividing the rural Satellite sector into eight sections. "If we spend a weekend defeating any duel gangs in our designated sections, then we'll be able to defeat the duel gangs within a month. John and Craig, take this section." Chris pointed to the third section down on the right, where John's house was. "Destiny and I will take this section." He pointed to the section to the left of the section with John's house. "Does that sound good?"[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"If that means I can sit here manning the fort and continuing to work on my laptop, then sure," responded Craig.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"Okay. John, it looks like you'll be taking the area around your house yourself," Chris told John.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"That's fine. I'm very familiar with this area."[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"Okay. Destiny, let's go." Chris and Destiny left the house. John sat at the table, with his new cards spread among the table and thought a bit.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]Ten minutes later, John was on the streets with his duel disk already prepared and his deck fixed up. John walked along the streets of the sector. He walked inside an alleyway between two of the biggest buildings with brick walls. [i]I would imagine a duel gang to appear soon.[/i] Much to John's surprise, nobody appeared from around the corner or jumped down from the buildings. John continued walking down the alleyway.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]Click![/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]John looked behind him. Part of the brick wall on the right moved toward John. John jumped away. A section of the wall spun much like a revolving door and made half a complete turn. The wall turned back a bit and out of the crack came a girl a few inches shorter than John with black hair slightly longer than shoulder-length, brown eyes, green T-shirt, blue jeans, green and blue sneakers, and green and blue 5D’s duel disk, and a small, dark-tinted aura. She looked and saw the only other person around was John, standing up and fully conscious.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"Well, that didn't work out as planned," commented the girl. "I just I'll just wait for the next sucker." The girl started to walk through the crack, but John grabbed her arm and pushed the wall more outward.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"Why did you try to hit me with your revolving door wall? What did you try to get from me?" John asked her, angrily.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]The girl turned back toward John, made short eye contact, and looked away. "I… was trying to steal your cards," she started. "The deck I have now hasn't been responding to me like it used to, and ever since my ex took my Mirror Force…," she stopped as a tear rolled down her face. "Sorry. It's a touchy subject for me. I failed at my task, so feel free to walk off now."[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"Let me see your deck, civilian," John commanded the girl.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"No! And it's Kim. Not 'civilian', Kim. And if you're going to ask to see my cards, ask nicely."[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"Okay. May I please see your deck?"[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"I'll hand my deck over only if you hand over your deck."[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"Okay, fine, but we do this my way." John pulled Kim out of the crack in the wall, closed the opening, and pulled her away from the wall, put her up against the other side's wall, and stood between Kim and the other wall. "I need to be sure you aren't going to run off with my cards." John took the deck out of his Duel Disk. Kim took the deck out of hers. Kim and John held out their hands as they switched decks. John looked through Kim's deck as Kim looked through John's. It contained Easter-related cards. [i]This deck is actually really good. I bet the problem is she doesn't know quite how to use it. I'm sure I'd figure it out given a test run.[/i] "Kim, how about this? We duel using each other's decks. If you win, you can keep my deck and I'll keep yours. Otherwise, we get back our decks and you'll have a better understanding of the combos in this deck. Does that sound good?"[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"Sure," responded Kim as she loaded John's deck into her Duel Disk and activated her duel disk.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"Then let's duel," responded John as he put Kim's deck into his duel disk and activated his duel disk. [i]And with my deck on the line, I hope this deck plays as well as it appears to.[/i][/spoiler][/font]
[font=comic sans ms,cursive][spoiler=Chapter 8][/font]
[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"I'll go first," stated John. "I draw!" John drew a card. [i]Excellent! I got it![/i] "I activate Easter EGG Scavenger Hunt!" The scenery around them changed into a forest. A cleared section had two trees with a pink banner tied to the limbs. The sign said, in blue and green alternating letters, Scavenger Hunt. A golden box with ten black spots appeared next to John. "Once per turn, I can activate each of three effects. "First, I use Easter EGG Scavenger Hunt's first effect: I activate an Easter EGG from my hand." John searched the deck, picked one out, then put the deck back, which shuffled itself. "I activate Easter EGG 1." A green and blue striped egg with a big pink 1 appeared. "I use my Easter EGG 1's effect to gain 800 Life Points." A white aura surrounded John as his Life points rose (John 8000 -> 8800). Easter Egg 1 turned gray. "Next, I'll activate the Scavenger Hunt's second effect: I activate an Easter EGG from my deck. I choose Easter Egg 4." A green and blue striped egg with a big pink 4 appeared. "I activate its effect: you discard a card, reveal the top card of your deck, then draw a card." Kim discarded a card, revealed the top of her deck Armed Samurai – Ben Kei, and then drew it. Easter EGG 4 turned gray. "Next, I activate Easter EGG Scavenger Hunt's third ability: Ibanish an Easter EGG I control. I choose Easter EGG 4." Easter EGG 4 disappeared. The fourth spot on the top row glowed with a golden four. [i]I need to banish my Easter EGGs.[/i] "I'll set a card and end my turn." A facedown card appeared in front of John. [i]Unfortunately, I didn't get any monsters, but the spells and traps appear to be important in this deck.[/i][/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"Now it's my turn. I draw!" Kim drew a card. "Your deck is amazing! Good thing it will soon be mine! I summon Marauding Captain!" A blond man with a blue battle scar on his eye, two swords, and blue and purple armor appeared (ATK 1200, Lv3). "When Marauding captain is summoned, I'm allowed to summon another level 4 or lower monster from my hand. I choose Armed Samurai – Ben Kei." A heavily-clothes warrior with a white headdress, white and blue clothes, a sack of weapons, and two long sticks appeared (ATK 500, Lv4). "Next, I equip Ben Kei with two Axes of Despair." Two axes of wooden bodies and small blades strapped themselves to Ben Kei's arms (ATK 500 -> 2500). "Ben Kei can attack one more time for every equip he has. This will probably hurt. Ben Kei, attack John three times." Ben Kei whacked John with the sticks (John 8800 -> 6300), then swung at john with an Axe of Despair (John 6300 -> 3800), then whacked john with the other Axe of Despair (John 3800 -> 1300). "Now, Marauding Captain will attack directly!" Marauding Captain slashed John with his swords (John 1300 -> 100). "It's only the second turn and you're already hanging on by a thread. I'll proceed to my second Main Phase."[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"Actually, you won't immediately. I activate Easter Revenge." The facedown card revealed itself. "I can only activate this card during the end of the Battle Phase, by banishing an Easter EGG I control. For each monster you attacked me directly with, you must discard a card. For each card you discard, I draw a card." Easter EGG 1 disappeared and the first black spot on the first row glowed 1.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"Humph." Kim discarded her last two cards as John drew two cards. "Like that will matter with the situation you're in. I end my turn."[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"Then it's my turn. I draw!" John drew a card. "I activate Easter EGG Emergence." The card showed itself, then disappeared. "By not activating Easter EGG Scavenger Hunt's effect this turn, I can activate two Easter EGGs from my deck, and both are removed from play, and all other Easter EGGs I control are sent to the Graveyard. I activate Easter EGGs 5 and 7." Two more blue and green striped eggs, number with big pink numbers 5 and 7, appeared. "I use Easter EGG 7's effect. I destroy a monster and you draw a card and reveal it. If it's a monster with a lower level than the one destroyed, you can special summon it. I destroy Armed Samurai – Ben Kei." Easter Egg 7 turned gray as it released all its color as an energy blast at Armed Samurai – Ben Kei, shattering Ben Kei and his axes. Kim drew a card and revealed it Hayabusa Knight.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"I'll summon Hayabusa Knight in Defense Position." A purple-feather bird with purple armor appeared holding its sword in front of it (DEF 700, Lv3).[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"I activate Easter EGG 5's effect. I draw two cards and put two on top of my deck." John drew two cards: Miracle Easter Egg and Preparations for Easter. [i]Next turn, I can use Easter EGG Scavenger Hunt's effects. If I use Miracle Easter Egg next turn, at the end of that turn, I should be able to activate three Easter EGGs and banish one, leaving me two, which means I'll be set for Preparation for Easter. Excellent![/i] John put Easter Knight on top of his deck, then Easter EGG 8. [i]At least I have a way to defend myself for this turn.[/i] "I'll set two cards and I'll end my turn." Two facedown cards appeared in front of John. Easter Eggs 5 and 7 disappeared. The fifth spot on the first row of the box glowed five and the second spot in the second row glowed 7. [i]I currently have four Easter EGGs banished. My face-down will hold Kim off, but I'll need a defensive strategy soon.[/i][/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"It's my turn! I draw!" Kim drew a card. "I'm surprised you haven't used any of the life gain cards yet! Are you just asking to lose?"[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"By attacking your resources directly, I gained an advantage stronger than life point advantage. Currently, you only have one card in hand and two weak monsters."[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"That's going to change. First I change Hayabusa Knight to Attack Position." Hayabusa Knight stood up and prepared its sword to strike (ATK 1000). "Next, I activate Solidarity." The continuous spell appeared. "Since all the monsters in my Graveyard are warriors, my Warrior-type monsters gain 800 ATK." Hayabusa Knight (ATK 1000 -> 1800) and Marauding Captain (ATK 1200 -> 2000) glowed briefly and grew a bit. "Now my monsters aren't so weak, are they? Marauding Captain, attack John directly!" Marauding Captain prepared to slash at John.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"I activate EGG Barrier." A green and blue force field appeared. "Egg Barrier gets an Egg Counter for every removed EGG." The wall sprouted four green and blue eggs (EC 4). "By removing a counter, I can negate an attack." One of the eggs exploded, stunning Marauding Captain (EC 4 -> 3).[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"Hayabusa Knight will attack, and it can attack twice." Hayabusa Knight slashed at two eggs as they exploded (EC 3 -> 1). "I end my turn."[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"It's my turn. I draw!" John drew a card. [i]This deck is working out as planned.[/i] "I activate Easter EGG Scavenger Hunt's first and second effects: I activate Easter EGG 8 from my hand and Easter EGG 3 from my deck." Two more green and blue striped eggs, with numbers 3 and 8, appeared. "Now that my deck has been shuffled, I activate Easter EGG 3's effect: I draw a card and discard a card." John drew EGG Master. [i]Yes! This should hold off Kim long enough for my strategy to go off![/i] "I discard Surprise Easter Trap." John discarded a card. Easter EGG 3 turned gray. "Next, I activate Easter EGG 8's effect: I destroy a spell or trap you control and you draw a card and reveal it. If it's a Spell or Trap, you can Set it. I'll destroy Solidarity." Easter EGG 8 turned gray as it released all its color as an energy blast at Solidarity. Solidarity shattered, reducing Hayabusa Knight's (ATK 1800 -> 1000) and Marauding Captain's (ATK 2000 -> 1200) sizes. Kim revealed the top card of her deck The A. Forces as she kept it in her hand. Easter Egg 8 turned gray. "Next, I activate Miracle Easter Egg to activate Easter Egg 10 from the deck. A green and blue striped egg with a pink 10 appeared. "I activate its effect: I special summon a Level 3 or higher monster from my hand and you Special summon a monster that is two levels lower from your deck. I Special Summon EGG Master!" A big, fat, green dragon, walking around in glasses and a blue robe appeared (ATK 2400, Lv6).[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"So I get to summon a Level 4 monster from my deck… I choose Goblin Attack Force!" Three green goblins in purple clothes and poor quality brown armor appeared (ATK 2300, Lv4). Easter EGG 10 turned gray.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive][i]With The A. Forces, she can boost its ATK points higher than EGG Master's. Sadly, since Marauding Captain is on the field, I can't attack other Warriors.[/i] "EGG Master, attack Marauding Captain." EGG Master slashed at Marauding Captain with its pink claws, shattering Marauding Captain (Kim 8000 -> 6800). "I activate Easter EGG Scavenger Hunt's third effect to banish Easter EGG 10." Easter EGG 10 disappeared and the last spot on the second row glowed 10. "I end my turn."[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"It's my turn. I draw!" Kim drew a card. "I activate The A. Forces." The continuous spell revealed itself. "Each Warrior-type monster I control gets 200 ATK for each Warrior-type monster I control." Hayabusa Knight (ATK 1000 -> 1400) and Goblin Attack Force (ATK 2300 -> 2700) each grew bigger. "I'll attack with Goblin Attack Force." The Goblin attack force charged forward.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"I'll remove EGG Barrier's Egg Counter to negate your attack." The last egg exploded, stunning the goblins and shattering the force field, causing the card to destroy itself.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"I expected that. However, I didn't have a response to it. First I'll put Hayabusa Knight into defense position." Hayabusa Knight crouched down (DEF 700). "I'll set a card and end my turn." A facedown card appeared in front of Kim.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"During your End Phase, I can activate Preparation for Easter. I remove my last two Easter EGGs to banish up to three more Easter EGGs from my deck. If I banish three, I can add Easter Knight to my hand as well. I remove my Easter EGGs 3 and 8 from my field and 2, 6, and 9 from my deck." Easter EGGs 3 and 8 disappeared and the rest of the numbers on the box glowed. John pulled a card out of the deck, which shuffled itself, and revealed it Easter Knight.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive][i]Hmm… he's holding onto 100 Life Points very well. And he already has all ten Easter Eggs banished. This duel is going to get a lot tougher now.[/i][/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"And it's my turn. I draw!" John drew a card. [i]Now it's time to turn this duel around.[/i] "Since I have all ten Easter Eggs banished, I can activate Trophy EGG." A golden egg held on a pedestal appeared. "When it's activated, the Scavenger Hunt ends, and Easter EGG Scavenger Hunt is destroyed." The area surrounding Kim and John turned back to the alleyway. "Trophy EGG's ability allows me to activate an effect of one of my banished Easter Eggs. I choose Easter EGG 8." Trophy EGG released a green and blue blast, wiping out Kim's facedown card. Kim drew the top card of her deck and revealed it Goblin Elite Attack Force. "Next, since five of my Easter EGGs have been banished, I can Special Summon Easter Knight from my hand." A woman in blue and green armor, long, black hair, and a green bladed sword with a green hilt appeared (ATK 2400, Lv7). "Next, I equip it with Easter EGG Scepter." Easter Knight's sword changed into a blue-handled scepter with a big, green orb at the end. "Easter EGG Scepter increases Easter Knight's ATK by 1000." Easter Knight channeled her power into the scepter (ATK 3400). "Once per turn, I can activate the effect of a banished Easter EGG. I choose Easter Egg 7, and I'll destroy Goblin Attack Force." The scepter's end showed a pink 7 and it released a powerful blue and green blast at the Attack Force, shattering it. Hayabusa Knight became a little smaller, but its DEF remained the same. Kim revealed it Twin Swords of Flashing Light – Tryce with a disappointed look in her face. "EGG Master, destroy Hayabusa Knight." EGG Master slashed at Hayabusa Knight with its pink claws, shattering Hayabusa Knight. "Easter Knight, attack Kim directly." The Easter Knight blasted a powerful blast out of its scepter, realizing its energy at Kim (Kim 6800 -> 3400). "Next, I activate Mystical Space Typhoon, destroying Easter Egg Scepter." A tornado appeared and shattered the scepter. Only the green ball at the end was left. "When Easter Egg Scepter equipped to Easter Knight is sent from the field to the Graveyard, it returns all the Easter Eggs back to my Graveyard and inflicts damage to you equal to the number of Easter eggs returned times 500, meaning 5000 damage." The orb flew toward Kim and exploded as it struck her (Kim 3400 -> 0). The holograms faded. Kim got on her knees as she took the deck out of her duel disk and placed it on the ground. "It was a good duel, Kim. You fought valiantly and wiped out most of my life points with an 8700 damage combo. Had I not gained life with Easter Egg 1, you would have won that."[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"Just take your deck and go away," Kim replied with her head down. "You can even take mine if you want, just go away."[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"No, that wasn't our deal." He knelt down to Kim's right and placed the Easter deck in front of Kim as he put his deck into his Duel Disk. Kim picked up her deck. "Your deck is incredible, but the strategy of it is more complex than it first appears. You have to practice with it for a while, but once you understand the deck, it can do amazing things."[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]Kim looked to her right, looked at John, and smiled. "Thank you. This duel showed me how powerful the deck could be in the right hands. I'll be sure to practice with it and figure out all its strategies." She grabbed John's hand and stood up. John, surprised, stood up as well. Kim let go of John's hand. "By the way, kind soldier, I never got your name."[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]John smiled. "John Legionary."[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"Well, John Legionary, very nice to meet you. I'm Kim Shadow." Kim smiled at John. "You're a really cool person. I hope you'll visit me again sometime."[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"I have a better idea," replied John. "Currently, I'm the leader of a duel militia designed to take down duel gangs. When I dueled you, I saw potential. I would like it very much if you joined my militia."[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"Yes. I shall join your militia." Kim hugged John and looked up into his eyes. "First, if you don't mind, John, I would like to ask for a certain favor."[/spoiler][/font]
[font=comic sans ms,cursive][spoiler=Chapter 9][/font]
[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"What kind of favor?" asked John.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"I need some help moving my cards from my old house to my new hideout," explained Kim. "We'll be able to get some food along the way."[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"Food? Why would you- Is everything you're going to do legal?" asked John.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"You could say that, though if anything goes wrong, legality might be the least of your worries," responded Kim. "Come on, let's go!" Kim and John walk through many similar-looking alleyways that seemed to arrange themselves in a maze-like pattern.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"How do you know which one is your alleyway? All of these look the same."[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"To a person unfamiliar with the area, they look the same. I pretty much spent my life going through these alleyways, so I've learned all the unmovable subtle differences in each." They kept moving through the labyrinth-like paths. Five blocks after reaching the end, they came to a house that was mostly black with a little white at the bottom. Black paint had the appearance of dripping down the house. "Well, that's my old house." Kim snuck around to a back door and checked through a window. John followed behind Kim. [i]Good. He isn't here.[/i] "Got a wire or something?" John opened his camou box, revealing many different metals and metal items. He took out a wire from among them. Kim stuck it into the door's lock and started moving it.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"Wait, you're breaking into the lock? I thought you said this was your house!"[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"And I said you wouldn't need to worry about legality," replied Kim. The lock clicked and Kim opened the door. She took the wire out of the lock and handed it back to John. She and John walked inside, revealing rooms with the same color scheme as the outside of the house, with everything in the rooms with the same color scheme. The first room they walked into had a food-cooling device. Kim whispered to John "Now follow me." Kim quietly walked through an open doorway to a room with a couch and a television and three doors, and then walked to the door on the direct right. "Here are where my cards are." She opened the door slowly. "Walk in there and get my cards." John walked in and saw the room was empty except three medium-sized green and blue-striped boxes on top of a bureau that had the same color scheme as the rest of the house.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive][i]This house's color scheme is really strange.[/i] John picked up the three medium-sized green and blue boxes and walked out of the room and to the kitchen. Kim had a black bag filled with various foods. "Well, I got the food. Let's go!"[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"Not so fast!" responded a tall man with black hair, brown eyes, a black shirt, black pants, and a black Battle City duel disk, in the room with the couch and television. "You aren't taking the food anywhere! Drop the food and leave at once!"[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"Dad!" yelled back Kim. "What are you talking about? You used to let me take food all the time!"[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"You asked me and gave me notice ahead of time for when you were going to take the food, so I figure it would be alright. You didn't do either of those this time."[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"Look, how about I duel you for the food?" asked Kim. "If you win, you keep the food, but if I win, I can take the food with no problems."[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"Dueling you is pointless. You aren't strong enough to defeat me, we both know that."[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"How about I duel you," challenged John. Kim dropped the bag of food and John handed her the Easter-colored boxes.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"Excellent. Maybe you'll provide a new dueling experience." Mr. Shadow's duel disk activated. "First, let's introduce ourselves. My name is Damon Shadow."[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"John Legionary," stated John.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"You can go first if you want, challenger. It doesn't make a difference to me either way."[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"I'll go first." John drew five cards.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]Damon drew five cards. "Now, John, let's see what you got!"[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive][i]Be wary, John,[/i] thought Kim. [i]My dad uses a combo that as dark as his soul.[/i][/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"It's my turn. I draw." John drew a card. [i]This hand wasn't quite the best, but I'm sure it will work out.[/i] "I set a monster and two facedowns and end my turn." Three facedown cards, one of them sideways and in front of the other two, appeared in front of John.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"You shouldn't be too tough to defeat. I draw!" Damon drew a card. "By discarding my Level 5 Dark General Freed, I can Special Summon Dark Grepher." Damon sent Dark General Freed from his hand to the Graveyard and a blue man in demonic overalls with a purple sword and white hair appeared (ATK 1700, Lv4). "I activate Dark Grepher's effect: by discarding Armageddon Knight, I can send a DARK monster from my deck to my Graveyard." Damon discarded Armageddon Knight. A card slid partly out of Damon's deck. Damon pulled it out, revealed it Mystic Tomato, and sent it to the Graveyard. "Next, since I have exactly three DARK monsters in my Graveyard, I can summon Dark Armed Dragon!" A big, dark blue dragon with a tail covered with black armor and its back, wrists, and shoulders covered with black armor with spikes, and two big blades where wings should be, appeared (ATK 2800, Lv7). "I banish Armageddon Knight from my Graveyard to destroy your facedown spell or trap to the right." Armageddon Knight disappeared into a dark void and Dark Armed Dragon breathed fire on John's facedown on the right, shattering it. "Next, I'll banish Dark General Freed to destroy your other facedown." Dark General Freed disappeared into a dark void and Dark Armed Dragon breathed fire on the other facedown, shattering John's remaining facedown card. "I'll banish Mystic Tomato to destroy your facedown monster." Mystic Tomato disappeared into a dark void and Dark armed Dragon breathed fire on john's monster, destroying it.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive][i]Urgh! With that one dragon, he wiped out half of my cards.[/i][/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"Now Dark Armed Dragon and Dark Grepher can attack you directly!" Dark Grepher slashed with his sword (John 8000 -> 5200) and Dark Armed Dragon punched with his claw (John 5200 -> 3500). "I end my turn."[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive][i]He is not an easy opponent. Within one turn, he wiped out half my cards and over half my life points. What should I do in this situation? Maybe I should think about that after I draw.[/i] "It's my turn. I draw." John drew a card. [i]This can help me a bit.[/i] "I activate Double Summon." The card briefly appeared and then disappeared. "I am allowed an extra Normal Summon or Set this turn. I'll set a monster and normal summon Exiled Force." A sideways card and a small army of misfit soldiers appeared (ATK 1000, Lv4). "I can Tribute exiled Force to destroy a monster. I'll destroy Dark Armed Dragon." The Exiled Force jumped toward Dark Armed Dragon. The dragon breathed fire at Exiled Force. A small explosion shattered both Dark Armed Dragon and Exiled Force. "I end my turn."[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"Os that all you can do? You can't stand up to the power of my Dark Deck! I draw!" Damon drew a card. "I activate Burial from the Different Dimension." The card briefly appeared, and then disappeared. "I can put my three banished DARK monsters back into the graveyard." Three cards flew from a dark void into Damon's graveyard. "Since four DARK monsters are in my Graveyard, I'm allowed to summon Darklord Zerato with only one DARK tribute. I tribute Dark Grepher to summon Darklord Zerato." Dark Grepher turned into a rainbow portal. Out of the rainbow portal came a dark fairy with big red wings, a red helmet with purple horns, and a silver-bladed sword (ATK 2800, Lv8). "Darklord Zerato, attack his facedown monster!" Darklord Zerato slashed at the facedown card. It revealed itself Big Shield Gardna (Def 2600, Lv4), and then shattered. "I end my turn."[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive][i]His deck is made to summon powerful monsters fast and very consistently. There must be a counter-strategy.[/i] "It's my turn. I draw!" John drew a card. "I activate The Warrior Returning Alive." The card revealed itself, and disappeared. "I can add a warrior-type monster from my Graveyard to my hand. I choose Exiled Force, and then I'll summon it." John recovered the Exiled Force card from his Graveyard and the Exiled Force appeared once again (ATK 1000, Lv4). "I'll tribute it to destroy Darklord Zerato." The Exiled Force jumped at Darklord Zerato. A soldier threw an explosive Darklord Zerato. When the explosive blew up, both Exiled Force and Darklord Zerato shattered. [i]If I can survive until next turn. I'm sure I'll be able to turn this around.[/i] "I'll end my turn."[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"It's my turn and your demise. I draw!" Damon drew a card. "Since five or more DARK monsters are in my Graveyard while I control no monsters, I'm allowed to summon The Dark Creator!" A big, black titan with orange wings appeared (ATK 2300).[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]" Three big monsters in three turns!?"[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"Actually, four. Once per turn, I can banish a DARK monster from my Graveyard from play so I can summon another DARK monster from my Graveyard. Welcome back Darklord Zerato." Mystic Tomato disappeared into a dark void and Darklord Zerato revisited the field (ATK 2800, Lv8). "Next, I'll attack directly." The Dark Creator blasted a dark energy blast at John (John 3500 -> 700) and Darklord Zerato dealt the finishing slash (John 700 -> 0). The holograms faded. "I win! Now you two leave with just Kim's boxes! Hope this will be a lesson to ask me ahead of time before taking my food." Kim and John left out the back door.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"I'm sorry I didn't win, Kim," John stated, taking the boxes from Kim.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"It's okay. You'll win next time, I'm sure," responded Kim. "But let's talk more when we get to the hideout, you'll soon find out those boxes start to feel heavy after a little while." Kim walked John back to the hideout and opened the revolving wall door. "Come on in, I'll show you where to put the boxes." Kim led John inside the hideout, which seemed to be a floor of an abandoned building with flickering, dim lighting, gray, stone floors and walls, a couch, and a bed decorated with Easter blankets and sheets. "Place them here." Kim led John to a corner. John placed the boxes in the corner. "Sorry my hideout is a little rough. I used to have a TV, but it stopped working, so I put it in a scrap yard."[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"No, this is fine. It's rather dim, though."[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"Yeah, but it's probably the best quality I'd find here in Satellite. At least you can't see the light on the inside from the other side of the secret door, even at night. Anyway," Kim hugged John. "I thought it was really sweet you took on my father."[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"It's no problem."[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"But I feel like I can't let you just do something so selfless and courageous and not give you something in return."[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"Really, I don't need payment."[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"Okay, if that's how you are," responded Kim, slightly disappointed. "So, what do you want to do?"[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"I was thinking we should probably head to my headquarters and get you into the militia."[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"Oh, right!" Kim walked to the wall and opened it. Kim and John walked past the many streets until they arrived at John's house again. John opened the door.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"Soldier," John addressed Craig as John saluted him. "Have you been in here all this time?"[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"Yep," answered Craig, eyes still glued on his laptop screen. "Don't worry, I made sure the perimeter was secure. Nobody else has been in this house since you left."[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive][i]Chris and Destiny haven't returned yet?[/i] "Have you heard back on Chris and Destiny?" John inquired.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"You mean Roy and Fate. Remember, Chief?" Craig reminded John. "And no, I haven't gotten base from them yet either."[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"Roy and Fate?" asked Kim. "What are those nicknames for?"[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"Oh, right," John looked toward Kim. "Kim Shadow," he then looked toward Craig, "That is Craig Kiko. Craig Kiko, this is Kim Shadow."[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"Nice to meet you," Kim greeted Craig.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"'K, thanks," replied Craig. "Let me guess, you're here to join the militia."[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"Good guess," replied Kim.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"I can test the Shadow girl," replied Craig.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"Not necessary, I've already checked out her skills," interjected John. "I'm sure she'll be fine."[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"Okay. Shadow girl sounds like a cool codename for her," figured Craig. "But let's wait for the others to come back to get their input."[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"Right," responded John. [i]Wherever you are, Chris and Destiny, I hope you two are alright.[/i][/spoiler][/font]
[font=comic sans ms,cursive][spoiler=Chapter 10][/font]
[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"These streets seem to be completely clear," stated Chris.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"Quite true," responded Destiny. "I haven't seen anybody through the windows of any of these buildings."[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"Huh? Did someone speak?" asked a young boy's voice. A little boy jumped out of a window of the brick building to Destiny's left. The boy seemed only four feet tall and wore a red shirt and torn jeans. He pushed his brown bangs out of the way of his blue eyes. "I thought it was another duel gang, but it isn't. Who are you two?"[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"I'm Roy," stated Chris. "And this is Fate."[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"Hi," Destiny greeted the boy.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"I'm Dwight," stated the boy. "I'm afraid I'm the only person left here."[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"What happened to the rest?" asked Destiny.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"Many people would say the duel gangs scared them off, but I'm still here offering a different explanation. I'll tell you, but only if I know you're strong enough to hear what I know."[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"Of course I'm strong enough," responded Destiny. "Don't worry about it."[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"I don't know. I want you to prove it to me… with a duel." He walked over to the building, reached inside the window, pulled out a Battle City duel disk, put it on his left arm, and activated it.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"Very well." Destiny looked through the deck in her duel disk. [i]I should probably use this Fortune deck so I can better understand a neutral point of view.[/i] Destiny put the deck back into the duel disk and activated it.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"Let's duel!" yelled Dwight, enthusiastically. "I'll go first! My draw!" Dwight drew a card. "I summon Skull Servant!" A skeleton in a purple robe appeared (ATK 300, Lv1). "I'll place two cards face-down and end my turn!" Two facedown cards appeared in front of Dwight.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"Interesting setup. I draw!" Destiny drew a card. "I summon Fortune Fairy En." A little fairy with red hair, a red shirt, and a golden staff appeared (ATK 0, Lv2). "Next, I activate Unacceptable Results." The card briefly appeared and then disappeared. "I can activate this when I summon a Fortune Fairy, and I can now Special Summon another from my hand. I Special Summon Fortune Fairy Chi." A brown-haired fairy with thick glasses, a brown shirt and golden staff appeared (ATK 0, Lv6). "I now activate Luck Loan." The card appeared and then disappeared. "I can summon a Fortune Fairy from my hand whose Level is lower than that of another I control. I summon Fortune Fairy An." A purple-haired fairy with a purple shirt and golden staff appeared (ATK 0, Lv5). "Next, I activate Miracle Stone." A giant blue, floating, crystallike stone appeared. "All Fortune Fairies I control gain 1000 ATK for each Fortune Fairy I control. I have three, so all my Fortune Fairies gain 3000 ATK." The stone resonated, causing all three fairies to grow (ATKs 0 -> ATKs 3000). "However, the Stone does not allow me to attack with Fortune Fairies on the turn they are summoned. I end my turn."[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"Cool turn! It's my turn now. I draw!" Dwight drew a card. "I summon The Lady in Wight!" A skeleton in a black dress appeared (ATK 0, Lv3). "I activate Next to be Lost." Dwight's facedown card on the left popped up, revealed itself, and disappeared. "I select a monster I control and send a monster from my deck to my Graveyard with the same name. I choose to send a The Lady in Wight to the Graveyard." A card popped out of Dwight's deck. He revealed it The Lady in Wight and put it into his Graveyard. "I shift Skull Servant to defense mode, set a card, and end my turn." The Skull Servant in a purple robe put its arms in front of it (ATK 300 -> DEF 200) and a facedown card appeared behind it.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"It's my turn now. I draw!" Destiny drew a card. "I summon Fortune Fairy Hikari." A fairy with yellow hair, a yellow shirt, and a yellow staff appeared (ATK 0, Lv1). All the Fortune Fairies grew bigger (ATKs 4000). "I'll attack you’re the Lady in Wight with Fortune Fairy En." En flew toward The Lady in Wight.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"I activate Generation Shift." The facedown card on the right revealed itself, and then disappeared. "I destroy The Lady in Wight to add another one from my deck to my hand." The Lady in Wight turned to dust and a card popped out of Dwight's deck. He pulled it out and revealed it The Lady in Wight.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"In which case, I'll redirect the attack to Skull Servant." En smashed the Skull Servant with the staff, shattering Skull Servant. "Now Chi and An will attack you directly." Chi and An smacked Dwight with staffs (Dwight 8000 -> 4000, 4000 -> 0). The holograms faded.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"Well, my deck didn't quite work as well as I hoped," stated Dwight. "Usually I can summon more monsters and put more Wights into the Graveyard."[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"Every deck has its down days," responded Destiny.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"Anyway, I guess I should divulge the information I'm keeping. It's said that many people just left because of the duel gangs, but they all went in one direction instead of scattering. My guess, knowing what I know, would be that they went looking for the Wicked Temple."[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"The Wicked Temple?" asked Destiny.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"Indeed, the Wicked Temple. From what I've heard, it is filled with a wicked power, one that will strengthen anyone who manages to retrieve it. However, nobody has returned, so the road to this mythical temple must be dangerous. All that was left here by those who never came back was an extra map made my one of the citizens. I was testing your dueling abilities to see if you could survive any of the dangers involving duels, and you seem like a good duelist, Fate. If you want, tomorrow, I'll lead you to the place the map says the temple is. However, for your safety, I'd advise not."[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"Thank you for your information, Dwight," responded Destiny.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"Fate, we should probably go," stated Chris. "Dwight said it himself, this section of Satellite is abandoned."[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"You're right, Roy," responded Destiny. "We'll think about your offer, Dwight. If you don't see us, then you know we aren't interested." Destiny and Chris started to walk away.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"Please get here by midday," responded Dwight.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"Okay. See ya, Dwight," responded Destiny. When Dwight was out of sight, Destiny asked Chris "Why were you in such a rush to get out of there?"[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"Something isn't right about how he dueled," responded Chris. "He had a facedown card and two other unknown cards in his hand when he lost. It's like he was just throwing that battle. And I don't understand why he summoned The Lady in Wight when he could have just Set it and saved himself 4000 damage."[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"He looked like he was at most ten years old, maybe only eight. You can't expect him to duel perfectly," responded Destiny. "Anyway, what do you think about this offer?"[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"I think this is all just his imagination. It'll probably be a waste of time," responded Chris.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"Still, even if it is, it'll be nice to make his day a little less lonely," replied Destiny. "And if it is real, then I'm sure we could take down the source of the wicked power together."[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"Oh, yes, the wicked power inside the temple…." Chris thought about it. "You make a good point. Let's go for it, but let's not tell John about this."[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"Why not?" asked Destiny.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"Hanging out with a random kid and/or going to a wicked temple aren't really part of our objective. I'd like John to be thinking we're actually doing something mission-related."[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"Okay, I understand. I won't tell John about this."[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"Thank you." They continued walking until they were in front of John's house. They turned the knob. The door opened, showing Craig still glued to his computer screen, John, and a girl a few inches shorter than John with black hair slightly longer than shoulder-length, brown eyes, green T-shirt, blue jeans, green and blue sneakers, and green and blue 5D’s duel disk. "Hey Chief."[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"Who is that girl?" Destiny asked John, a little flustered.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"This is Kim Shadow, everyone," stated John. "I found her, dueled her, and I think she would be a great addition to the team. Qwerty thinks so too. All we need is a nickname for her."[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"Shadow girl," responded Chris.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]Destiny took out her Arcana Force deck and replaced the Fortune deck with it. She felt a weird pulse from her deck. [i]This deck is giving off some sort of pulse,[/i] Destiny observed. [/i]This must be what happens when it senses a dark duelist. Does that mean Kim is a dark duelist?[/i][/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive][i]Destiny's Light deck is reacting to Kim's dark aura,[/i] John figured. "Destiny, what so you think?"[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"I think Shadow girl would be rather appropriate for her," stated Destiny.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"Then it's settled," stated John. He turned toward Kim. "Kim, you are now inducted into my duel militia," John inaugurated Kim. "Now, we should probably meet up tomorrow, same time, same place."[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"Agreed," stated Chris. "Anyway, were there any problems in taking down the duel gangs?"[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"I didn't find any, Roy," stated John. "What about you guys?"[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"The area we checked was completely abandoned," responded Chris. "It was a ghost town."[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"Well, no people means no duel gangs, I guess," responded John. "Anyway, I suppose we're done for the day."[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"Yep. See you all tomorrow." Everyone but John left the house.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive][i]A light girl and a dark girl on the same team…,[/i] thought John. [i]I can only expect things will get very interesting between Kim and Destiny.[/i][/spoiler][/font]
[font=comic sans ms,cursive][spoiler=Chapter 11][/font]
[font=comic sans ms,cursive]The next day at approximately ten, John heard knocks at his door. He opened the door and saw Chris, Destiny, and Craig there. Today, Destiny was wearing a blue shirt and carried a blue umbrella. "I see you're all on time. Shadow girl is late." He noted Destiny's blue shirt and blue umbrella. "What's the fortune today?"[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"Probably bad," responded Destiny.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"Anyway, we're mostly here, so let's get down to business," stated Chris. He takes out his map and puts it on the table. "Since we didn't find any duel gangs yesterday, we should probably check again today. From what I've heard, duel gangs with a small number of members will either take one day off per week or will team up with another small group."[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"I can do that," stated John. "Qwerty, I suppose you're guarding the house again."[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"Yep," responded Craig. "I can guard the fort, don't you worry."[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"Roy, didn't you say the sector you checked was a ghost town?" John asked Chris. "Why will you be checking there again?"[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"Well, I didn't check through all the buildings or anything," Chris thought on his feet. "Nobody jumped out at Fate and I, but that might be because there were two of us who looked well-prepared to duel anyone that came our way. Now we'll actively look through the buildings and see if we can find anything worth taking. After all, there were people there at one point; maybe they left behind good stuff when they left."[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"Very well then. Go forth," John ordered Chris. Just then, Kim stepped into the doorway in a blue shirt, a green miniskirt, and her duel disk, looking rather tired. "You're late, Shadow girl."[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"Yeah, sorry," started Kim. "I woke up a little late. What did I miss?"[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"We just assigned areas to scout," stated John. "We're going to scout the same areas we scouted yesterday. Shadow girl, you're going to help me scout the section of Satellite around my house."[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"That sounds easy; I know the general area very well," responded Kim.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"Very well then," responded John. "Everybody, let's move out." John and Kim walked out the door, and then Chris and Destiny walked out the door and closed the door. John and Kim went off to scout the Satellite.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"Alright, Fate, let's go find Dwight," stated Chris.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"Right," agreed Destiny. Destiny and Chris walked to the house where Dwight was. Dwight jumped out the window with a map and his duel disk. "Okay you two, are you fully prepared?"[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"As prepared as we'll ever be," stated Chris and Destiny.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"Okay then, follow me," Dwight politely commanded Chris and Destiny. He ran between many similarly looking buildings and eventually they reached a small pathway bridge over what seemed like a bottomless pit. The pathway was three path blocks wide, each block as big as a foot but not big enough for two, in all hexagons and octagons and at the end was a small temple. "Watch your step. The hexagon shapes will fall through if you step on them, so step on only the octagons." He threw a nearby rock onto a hexagon panel. The panel broke and the rock and two halves of a hexagon fell until it was out of sight. "See?" Dwight, Destiny, and Chris walked along the pathway, remembering to change the way they walked and on which paths they walked often so that they avoided the hexagons. Eventually, they reached the temple. Dwight pushed the circular door. It backed up a bit and rolled over, opening the pathway inside the temple. When Dwight, Destiny, and Chris walked back in, the door closed again and four metal bars rose up, blocking the door. "Well, that's unfortunate. It appears we'll have to duel something in order to get out of here or something." Dwight continued walking in a straight path and Destiny and Chris continued following, until they reached an ancient box with three doors on the top of it. "Anyway, Chris and Destiny, apparently, this is the wicked power held inside the Temple."[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"This looks just like a t- wait a minute, we never said our names!" responded Destiny with a very suspicious tone. Destiny's Arcana Force deck started pulsing. "Wait, Dwight, are you really a dark being?"[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"Yes, I am. And I know your names because the darkness knows everything!" stated Dwight with a much darker voice. He turned around again, his skin now rotted, his skeleton showing, and his eyes gone, leaving black eye holes. Dwight's duel disk then transformed into a brown staff with a blue gem at the end. A wall behind the tomb disappeared and the floor split into two sections, revealing a crypt. Section with Dwight and the wicked box moved to the other side of the room. A set of tombstones rose from the Graveyard, placed themselves facedown, shuffled themselves around, then sunk into the ground again. Then he held up his staff. "Now I'll sacrifice the souls of the people who once lived in that village." A bunch of gray ghosts came out of the blue end of the staff and flew through the wall of the box into the box. "My offering to the Wicked Gods is almost complete."[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"Why are you doing this?" asked Destiny.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"The Wicked Gods and I have a contract," responded Dwight. "I was terminally ill. Neither my parents nor the doctor could do anything to cure or treat my necrotic disease. A mysterious sage brought me to this temple. The Wicked Gods spoke to me and used dark powers to grant me eternal life as a lich. They said my staff is only a temporary phylactery and will soon break, ending my life at around the same time I would have died anyway. The mission they gave me was to sacrifice all my town's souls, and then bring here and defeat two people, one of which with a light soul and the other with any of a strong heart, a smart mind, or a strong will of conquest. When I saw you two, I knew I saw a light girl and a boy with a strong will of conquest."[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"What do those characteristics have to do with anything?" shot back Destiny.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"Why should I explain all this now? Let's duel, me against you two, but I ask I get every other turn, ten cards in hand, and the first turn, to balance out the advantages of two life totals you have."[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"Those rules are fine by me," responded Chris. "Are you fine with those rules, Destiny?"[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"I guess," responded Destiny.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"Excellent," replied Dwight. Destiny and Chris each drew five cards while ten tombstones rose up facing Dwight. "It's my turn. I draw!" A gravestone rose up facing Dwight. "I summon Skull Servant." The tombstone on the far left turned around. A skeleton in a blue robe rose out of the Graveyard (ATK 300, Lv1). "I place five cards facedown and end my turn." Five tombstones placed themselves facedown.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"Looks like the same deck," stated Destiny.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"May I ask I go first?" asked Chris.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"Do you have a plan? What is it?" asked Destiny.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"I can't tell you," responded Chris. "I don't want to give away our big play. Please just trust me and let me take this first turn.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]Destiny looked at the cards in her hand then back at Chris. "Okay then. I trust you."[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"Thank you, Destiny. It's my turn. I draw!" Chris drew a card. "I summon Crystal Beast Sapphire Pegasus!" A white horse with yellow-feathered wings and blue gems on it appeared (ATK 1800). "When I summon Sapphire Pegasus, I can put a Crystal Beast from my hand, deck, or Graveyard into my Spell and Trap Zone as a Continuous Spell. I place Crystal Beast Amber Mammoth into the Spell and Trap Zone." An orange crystal with a reflective side appeared. "Sapphire Pegasus, attack that Skull Servant!" Crystal Beast Sapphire Pegasus flew toward the Skull Servant.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"I don't think so," responded Dwight. "I activate Attack of the Cornered Rat." The Continuous Trap revealed itself. "By paying Life Points in multiples of 100 up to the ATK of your monster, your monster will lose that many ATK points. I pay the full 1800." A dark aura surrounded Dwight (Dwight 8000 -> 6200) while Crystal Beast Sapphire Pegasus grew much weaker (ATK 1800 -> 0). The Skull Servant punched right through the Pegasus, causing the Pegasus to explode (Chris 8000 -> 7700).[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"Agh!" Chris yelled in pain. [i]The pain from this duel is real. This isn't good.[/i] "My Pegasus may be down, but it's not out, because when a Crystal Beast is destroyed, I can put it into my Spell and Trap Zone as a Continuous Spell." A blue crystal with a reflective surface appeared. "During my Main Phase, I activate Crystal Beacon." The card appeared briefly, then disappeared. "Since I control two or more Crystal Beast continuous spells, I can summon a Crystal Beast from my deck. I summon Crystal Beast Ruby Carbuncle." A small, red cat-like creature with four ears and a red gem on its tail appeared with the end of its tail in front of its face (DEF 300, Lv3). "When I Special Summon Ruby Carbuncle, I can summon the other Crystal Beasts in my Spell and Trap Zone. I summon Crystal Beast Sapphire Pegasus and Crystal Beast Amber Mammoth." The two crystals in the back row shattered into Crystal Beast Sapphire Pegasus (ATK 1800, Lv4) and a big, gray elephant with four tusks, white hair, and an orange gem on its forehead (ATK 1700, Lv4). "When Crystal Beast Sapphire Pegasus is summoned, I can place another Crystal Beast in my Spell and Trap Zone. I choose Crystal Beast Cobalt Eagle." A lighter blue gem with a reflective surface appeared. "I end my turn."[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive][i]Wow! With two cards he was able to summon three monsters and still keep four cards in his hand,[/i] thought Destiny. [i]Amazing![/i][/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"It's my turn again. My draw!" A tombstone rose in front if Dwight. "I activate Generation Shift." The facedown tomb flipped over, then shattered and sunk into the ground. "Skull Servant is destroyed, but now I get another one from my deck." Skull Servant and its tombstone shattered and sunk into the ground. A tombstone rose up, revealed itself a Skull Servant tombstone, and put itself in front of Dwight. "I activate Needlebug Nest to send the top five cards from my deck to my Graveyard." Five tombstones rose up, shattered, and sunk into the ground again. "Next, I activate Foolish Burial." A card in front of Dwight turned around, revealed itself a foolish Burial tombstone, and shattered. "Now a monster in my deck gets sent to the Graveyard. I choose to send Skull Servant to my Graveyard." A skull Servant tomb rose, shattered, and sunk down again." Next, I'll activate Magic Planter." A tombstone in front of Dwight revealed itself a Magic Planter tombstone, then shattered. I send Attack of the Cornered Rat to the Graveyard to draw two cards." The Attack of the Cornered Rat tombstone shattered and two more tombstones rose facing Dwight. "I set a monster and end my turn." A tombstone in front of him moved to in front of the two facedown tombstones and laid itself facedown sideways.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"It's my turn now. I draw!" Destiny drew a card. "I summon Arcana Force IV – The Emperor." A mostly black machine-like creature with red orbs and many gray-armed tentacles with black orbs for hands appeared (ATK 1400). An Arcana Force IV – The Emperor card appeared above Arcana Force IV – The Emperor and rotated. "You must choose when it stops rotating, and its effect is determined by whether it lands rightside-up or upside-down."[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"Stop," commanded Dwight. The card landed rightside-up.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"The card landed rightside-up, which means all Arcana Force monsters I control gain an extra 500 ATK points," stated Destiny. The Emperor started glowing (ATK 1400 -> 1900). "Now is a good time to attack that facedown monster." The Emperor whipped its tentacles at the facedown tombstone. It revealed itself The Lady in Wight and created a skeleton wearing a black dress (DEF 2200, Lv3). The tentacles bounced off the skeleton (Destiny 8000 -> 7700). "It seems I can't destroy it through battle. Luckily, I have a card to change that. I activate Fissure, which destroys the opponent's monster lowest in ATK." The graveyard arena started growing a crack.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"In response, I activate Next to Be Lost." The card revealed itself, then shattered. "A card in my deck with the same name as a monster I control gets sent to the Graveyard." A The Lady in Wight tombstone rose from the ground and shattered. The Lady in Wight tombstone on the field then shattered, as did the skeleton. "I'll place a card facedown and end my turn." A facedown card appeared in front of Destiny.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"It's my turn. I draw!" A tombstone rose up in front of Dwight.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"I activate my trap, Tour of Doom!" Destiny's facedown card revealed itself. A card of Tour of Doom appeared above it. "During your Standby Phase, this card gets spun, and its effect is determined by whether its rightside-up or upside-down."[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"You like leaving yourself to luck?" asked Dwight.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"It's not luck, it’s fate. The decision you make in saying when to stop is just an illusion; which option it lands on is predetermined."[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"Shut your trap! Stop now!" The card landed on upside-down. "Ha! Stick that to your fate!"[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"I'm not allowed to Normal Summon or Flip Summon during my next turn," stated Destiny.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"Why would you activate a card that would do that to yourself?" asked Chris.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"It doesn't affect you," clarified Destiny. "I may not be able to summon monsters during my turn, but I know you'll be able to, and hopefully you'll bring us to victory."[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"Okay. Got it," responded Chris.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"Ha! Like you two can defeat me! I'm already mostly prepared to defeating you two. For now, though, I'll just set a monster and end my turn." One of his tombstones placed itself facedown sideways in front of the other facedown tomb.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"It's my turn again! I draw!" Chris drew a card. "I summon Crystal Beast Emerald Tortoise." A teal turtle with a blue shell with green crystals on its back appeared (ATK 600, Lv3). "I activate Crystal Promise, which allows me to summon a Crystal Beast from my Spell and Trap Zone. I summon Crystal Beast Cobalt Eagle." Out of the lighter blue crystal burst a brown-feathered with a white head, orange hair, and blue crystals on its wings (ATK 1400, Lv4). "I switch Ruby Carbuncle to attack position." The little kitty-like creature puts its tail behind its back (DEF 300 -> ATK 300). "I'll attack with Crystal Beast Ruby Carbuncle!" The cat jumped toward the facedown tombstone.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"Are you crazy?" asked Destiny. "Your Carbuncle only has 300 ATK points!"[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"It sure does, but Skull servant only has 200 DEF," Chris reminded Destiny. "And I'm willing to bet he just set the Skull Servant he added to his hand with Generation Shift." The facedown tombstone revealed itself Skull Servant and shattered. "Now I'll attack directly with Sapphire Pegasus, Emerald Tortoise, and Amber Mammoth." The three monsters charged toward Dwight. Sapphire Pegasus marked hoofprints on Dwight (Dwight 6200 -> 4400), Amber mammoth whacked Dwight with his tusks (Dwight 4400 -> 2700), Cobalt Eagle pecked at Dwight (Dwight 2700 -> 1300), and Emerald Tortoise slowly headbutted Dwight (Dwight 1300 -> 700). "Next, I'll use Emerald Tortoise's effect to shift Amber Mammoth to defense mode." Amber Mammoth put its head down a bit more (ATK 1700 -> DEF 1600). "I end my turn."[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"It's my turn! I draw!" A tombstone rose in front of Dwight.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"Tour of Doom gets a new effect this turn." The card started spinning again.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"Stop!" commanded Dwight. The card landed rightside-up.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"That definitely hurts for you," stated Destiny. "This turn, you aren't allowed to Normal summon or Flip Summon."[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"Good thing I don't need to do either during this turn. I activate One for One." A tombstone in front of Dwight turned around, revealed itself a One for One tombstone, and shattered. "I discard one monster to Special Summon a Level 1 monster from my deck. I discard Wightmare to summon King of the Skull Servant from my deck." A tombstone in front of Dwight shattered and a bigger version of a Skull Servant appeared (ATK ?). "Its original ATK is equal to the number of Skull Servants or Kings of the Skull Servant in my Graveyard x 1000."[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"But you only have three Skull Servants in your Graveyard," Destiny pointed out.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"Not exactly. Remember, that earlier, when I used Needlebug Nest, one of the cards sent was a King of the Skull Servant."[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"So, 4000?" asked Destiny.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"Incorrect. Wightmare and The Lady in Wight both have effects that treat their names as Skull Servants while in my Graveyard. As of current, I have a total of three Skull Servant, two The Lady in Wight, a Wightmare, and a King of the Skull Servant in my Graveyard, for a total of seven monsters to increase my King's ATK." The King glowed as the ghosts of the skeletons appeared by the King of the Skull Servant's side (ATK ? -> 7000). "And I'm not done yet. I activate Double Attack." A tombstone in front of Dwight revealed itself Double Attack and shattered. "By discarding a Level 3 The Lady in Wight, I can allow my lower level King of the Skull Servant to attack twice this turn." A tombstone in front of Dwight shattered. "King of the Servant now gets stronger with one more Skull Servant." The Lady in Wight's ghost appeared next to King of the Skull Servant (ATK 7000 -> 8000).[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"Wait a minute," Chris started calculating on his hands. "It appears he can wipe me out with exact damage with his two attacks. Looks like I'm leaving this battle to you, Destiny."[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"Wrong! I'm defeating you both in one turn!" declared Dwight. "I activate Opti-Camouflage Armor." A card in front of Dwight revealed itself Opti-Camouflage Armor and created a suit of lightbending armor. The King of the Skull Servant put on the armor, making it nearly invisible. "King of the Skull Servant can now attack directly, twice! I'll have each of you take 8000 damage and lose, just like I said you would." The King of the Skull Servant released a spectral blast from each of its invisible hands, each hitting Chris or Destiny (Chris 7700 -> 0, Destiny 8000 -> 0). Chris and Destiny fainted.[/spoiler][/font]
[font=comic sans ms,cursive][spoiler=Chapter 12][/font]
[font=comic sans ms,cursive]Meanwhile….[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"Let's go search the outer ring of this region," stated John.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"Wait, let's just relax a bit," replied Kim. "There aren't too many duel gangs around here."[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"I know at least one," John stated. "Steve and his goons are still around here, I'm sure."[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"Do you really care that much?" asked Kim as she huddled closer to John. "It seems you're doing this just to please Chris."[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"Well, I feel Chris might be taking these measures a little far. I mean, we are all told what happened to Kalin Kessler when he tried to 'liberate Satellite from the duel gangs'."[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"Heh heh, yeah…. But that's my point," continued Kim as she got even closer to John and took John's hand into her own. "Let's just keep ourselves in an obvious location and let them find us. We should enjoy our time in this group and not stress out about that duty you don't exactly believe in."[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]John smiled. "Yeah, maybe you're right. I think we should hang out near the card junkyard down the road. A duel gang I know tends to pick on those who hang out near it."[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"See? Let the duel gangs put in the effort of finding us, as opposed to the other way around," responded Kim. She let go of John's hand as they walked past the many familiar roads to the familiar card junkyard. John felt something strike through his mind. He got down on his knee.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"John, what's wrong?" asked Kim.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"I felt a great disturbance in the aura, as if two voices suddenly cried out in terror and were suddenly silenced. I fear something terrible has happened." John then looked up and sensed an aura nearby. "I sense something. A presence I've not felt since…." John walked into the card junkyard.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"John, we're supposed to wait outside the card junkyard so the gangs will see us."[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"I know there's a presence here. I can feel it."[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"Ha ha ha, you got that right," announced a voice. John and Kim blacked out.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]John woke up chained to a wall in a gray building with many sets of shackles. John looked to the right and saw Kim chained to a wall, unconscious. "What- What is this! I've been captured!"[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"Way to state the obvious," said a voice familiar to John. A green-aura'd white-cloaked figure whose emblem shown of clouds and black letters KR and a gray Battle City duel disk walked up to John. "I see you haven't lost your sense of the obvious." John's shackles loosened a bit. "I guess I should fix that a bit." The figure loosened some of the screws, pushed the shackles back into their nail holes, and secured them loosely to the wall. "Don't worry, old friend," the voice whispered to John. "I loosened the lock. If I know you, you should be strong enough to break the shackles and escape."[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]John remembered whose voice this is. "Walter?" asked John.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"You got it," replied Walter. "Anyway, me and my gang need your help. You'll soon find out from what when you try to escape." Walter left the room through a door-sized hole, his duel disk dropping onto the ground and kicking it back toward John.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive][i]I guess he's preparing me for a duel. Sounds like I'll have to duel if I try to escape. This will be a trap, but it seems I have to trip it in order to help Walter.[/i] John pulled outward from the wall. The shackles around John's arms and legs broke immediately. John picked up the duel disk at his feet. Soon enough, many people in the same design of cloak with Walter, all with different colored auras, rushed into the room, one of which has a golden crown at the top of his hood.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"Well, well, well," said a deep, penetrating voice from the figure with the crown and a baby blue aura. "It appears one of our prisoners is trying to escape. We can't have that, now can we?"[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"Who are you, and why did you capture me?" asked John, demandingly.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"Oh, how silly of me, I forgot to introduce myself. I am King Rogue. We, in my group, believe in holding our dreams high in the clouds and teaching others the same ambition. I'm like a recruiter of a way of mind."[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"Really?" John asked sarcastically. "That's not the kind of idea I got when I saw I was chained up."[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"You will understand my thought process soon enough," explained King Rogue. "I must admit, it's impressive you had the strength to break free from those shackles, but I bet you don't have the strength to hold back all of my members from attempting to enlighten you." King Rogue snapped his fingers and almost all of the members started walking toward John.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"I don't think so!" shouted Walter. "Let John always be exorbitant." Upon hearing the word 'exorbitant', many of the members stopped and then restrained the other half of the gang still walking toward John. "I broke their mind control, John. Now just take down King Rogue!"[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"Ha!" King Rogue. "He doesn't even have a deck!"[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"Oh, I got a deck," responded John. John reached into his coat and pulled out his deck. "Right here." He put on the duel disk and put his deck inside it.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"What? We confiscated your deck box!" yelled King Rogue.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"What you took was my box of scrap metal, but I guess you never looked inside. But I don't need my scrap metal to defeat you, King Rogue, I just need my deck." John activated his duel disk.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"I'll make you eat your words." He pulled the arm sleeve on his left arm up, revealing a small, cloud-shaped duel disk. The cloud duel disk shimmered a bit. "It's time to duel." King Rogue and John each drew five cards. "I am the King, so I'll go first. I draw!" King Rogue drew a card. "I summon Cloudian – Turbulence." A blue tornado-shaped cloud appeared (ATK 800, Lv4). "Since it was Normal Summoned, it gets a Fog Counter for every Cloudian on the field, including itself." A cloud appeared above Cloudian – Turbulence (FC 0 -> 1). Now I play The Sanctuary in the Sky." The area turned into a scene in which clouds are the ground, the sky is blue, and a building appeared the background. "I end my turn."[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"Then it's my turn. I draw!" John drew a card. "I summon Ninja Grandmaster Sasuke." A ninja in purple armor, a green cape, and two daggers with light as their blades appeared (ATK 1800, Lv4). "Ninja Grandmaster Sasuke, attack Cloudian – Turbulence." The ninja slashed at Cloudian – Turbulence, but the daggers just cut through the cloud like mist. King Rogue's life points remained 8000.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"Ha ha ha, I guess you don't know my Cloudians' effects: they can't be destroyed in battle, but they are destroyed if they are face-up defense mode."[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"So why didn't you take Battle Damage?" asked John.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"The Sanctuary in the Sky protects the controller of a Fairy-type monster from taking battle damage from battles involving those Fairy-type monsters. In other words, attacking a Cloudian is pointless."[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"If that's the case, I'll just set a card and end my turn." A facedown card appeared behind Ninja Grandmaster Sasuke.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"Then it's my turn. I draw!" King Rogue drew a card. "I activate Cloudian – Turbulence's effect: by removing a Fog Counter, I can summon Cloudian – Smoke Ball." The cloud above disappeared (FC 1 -> 0) and the tornado released a yellow cloud-baby with a big head and brown eyes (ATK 200, Lv1). "Next, I summon Cirrostratus." A big, puffy white cloud with two whiskers appeared (ATK 900, Lv4). "When it is Normal Summoned, it gets a Fog Counter for each Cloudian, so it gets three Fog Counters." Three small clouds appeared above it (FC 0 -> 3). "Next, by removing two, I can destroy a monster. I'll destroy Ninja Grandmaster Sasuke." Two of the clouds disappeared (FC 3 -> 1) and Cirrostratus released a lightning bolt onto Sasuke, shattering Sasuke. "Next, I'll attack directly with my three Cloudians." Smoke Ball flew toward and bashed into John (John 8000 -> 7800), Turbulence released a small tornado toward John (John 7800 -> 7000) and Cirrostratus shocked John with a lightning bolt (John 8000 -> 6100). "Next, I'll play Cloudian Squall and end my turn." The Continuous Spell revealed itself.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"It's my turn. I draw!" John drew a card. [i]Perfect![/i] "I'll set a monster and a card facedown and end my turn." Two cards appeared facedown, one of them sideways in front of the other.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"Then it's my move. I draw!" King Rogue drew a card. "Cloudian Squall puts a Fog Counter on each face-up monster." A cloud grew over Smoke Ball (FC 0 -> 1), a cloud grew over Turbulence (FC 0 -> 1), and another cloud grew over Cirrostratus (FC 1 -> 2). "I activate Cirrostratus's effect to destroy your monster." Cirrostratus shot a lightning bolt at John's facedown monster, revealing it Destiny Hero - Defender before it shattered. "Next, I'll use Cloudian – Turbulence's effect to summon another Smoke Ball from my deck." The cloud above Turbulence disappeared (FC 1 -> 0) and Turbulance created another Smoke Ball (ATK 200, Lv1). "Next, I'll summon Cloudian – Acid Cloud." A green cloud with arms and a head shaped like a volcano's opening appeared (ATK 500, Lv4). "It gets five Fog Counters." The clouds started to form.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"Before that ability resolves, I activate Zero Gravity." The trap card revealed itself. "It forces all face-up monsters to change Battle Position, shifting all your Cloudians into Defense Mode." All of King Rogue's Cloudian monsters rolled up (Smoke Balls ATKs 200 -> DEF 600, all others ATKs 500, 800, and 900 -> DEF 0). Acid Cloud, Cirrostratus, and Turbulence all disappeared.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"That's fine. I still have a lot in store for you. I change one of my Smoke Balls into Attack Mode." The Smoke Ball with a Cloud over it unrolled again (DEF 600 -> ATK 200). "Next, I'll banish Cloudians Cirrostratus and Acid Cloud from my Graveyard to summon two Storm Dragons." Two dragons made of clouds appeared (each ATK 1000, Lv4). "Now I'll have each of my Storm Dragons put a Fog Counter on each other." The two dragons turned toward each other and released a cloud at each other (each FC 0 -> 1). "I'll attack with my Cloudians." The Smoke Cloud bashed John (John 6100 -> 5900) and the two Storm Dragons blew cloud breath at John (John 5900 -> 4900, 4900 -> 3900). "I'll place a card facedown and end my turn." A card appeared facedown in front of King Rogue.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"It's my turn. I draw!" John drew a card. "I activate Stumbling." The card revealed itself and the ground shook and became a little destroyed. "All monsters from this point on are changed to Defense Mode. I'll set a monster and end my turn." A sideways facedown card appeared in front of John.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"It's my turn. I draw!" King Rogue drew a card. "All face-up monsters get more Fog Counters." A cloud sprouted over the curled-up Smoke Ball (FC 0 -> 1), another one appeared over the battle-ready Smoke Ball (FC 1 -> 2), and another one appeared over each of the Dragons (each FC 1 -> 2). "I tribute my Smoke Balls to summon Cloudian – Eye of the Typhoon." The two Smoke Balls created a rainbow portal. Out of the portal came a giant, blue, friendly-looking cloud with one eye (ATK 3000, Lv8).[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"As cool as that may be for you, Stumbling forces it into Defense Mode." Cloudian – Eye of the Typhoon curled up (ATK 3000 -> DEF 1000) and disappeared. Then it re-combined again.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"I activate Raging Cloudian." The card revealed itself and disappeared. "since my Cloudian was destroyed by its own effect, it comes back with a Fog Counter and being unable to changed to defense position by a card effect." A cloud appeared over Eye of the Typhoon (FC 0 -> 1). "I'll use my dragons to put more Fog Counters on him." Storm Dragons blew two more clouds onto Eye of the Typhoon (FC 1 -> 3). "Next, I'll attack with Eye of the Typhoon." Eye of the Typhoon turned into a windy tornado, revealing Warrior Lady of the Wasteland (DEF 1200, Lv4) before it shattered. "When Warrior Lady of the Wasteland is destroyed in battle and sent to the Graveyard, I'm allowed to summon an EARTH Warrior with 1500 ATK or less from my deck. I choose Obnoxious Celtic Guard." An elf in a brown shirt, tan pants, a purple cloak, green armor, and a big sword appeared (ATK 1400, Lv4). "Stumbling puts him into Defense Mode." He crouched down (ATK 1400 -> DEF 1200).[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"Hmph! It has 1200 DEF points, too many for my Storm Dragons to take down. I end my turn."[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"Then it's my turn. I draw!" John drew a card. "I switch Obnoxious Celtic Guard to Attack Mode." Obnoxious Celtic Guard stood up (DEF 1200 -> ATK 1400). "I end my turn."[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"Pathetic move. My draw!" King Rogue drew a card. More clouds sprouted (EotT FC 3 -> 4, Storm Dragons each FC 2 -> 3). "Eye of the Typhoon, attack that Obnoxious Celtic Guard." The Eye of the Typhoon turned into a tornado. "When Eye of the Typhoon attacks, it switches the battle position of all face-up monsters, except Cloudians." Obnoxious Celtic Guard bent down again (ATK 1400 -> DEF 1200).[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"Just what I was hoping you'd do. I activate Malevolent Catastrophe." John's facedown card revealed itself. "This destroys all Spells and Traps on the field when you declare your attack." The tornado shattered Cloudian Squall, The Sanctuuary in the Sky, and Stumbling.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"The attack still goes through." The tornado collided with Obnoxious Celtic Guard stood put. "What! Why wasn't your monster destroyed?"[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"Obnoxious Celtic Guard can't be destroyed in battle by monsters with 1900 or more ATK."[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"Urgh! And it's DEF score of 1200 makes it so I can't destroy it with my Storm Dragons either!"[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"Yep. Your Eye of the Typhoon has to switch the position of my monsters, meaning, when it attacks, all my Attack Position monsters will go into Defense position when it attacks, ensuring I'm safe from your attacks."[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"I wouldn't go that far. During my Main Phase 2, I'll use the effects of Storm dragons to put two more Fog Counters onto my Eye of the Typhoon." Two more clouds grew over Eye of the Typhoon (FC 4 -> 6). "Next, I'll tribute one of my Storm Dragons to summon Cloudian – Nimbusman." One of the Storm Dragons turned into a rainbow portal. Out of the portal came a big, fluffy-looking, white cloud-man (ATK 1000, Lv5). "Since I tributed a WATER monster for him, he gets a Fog Counter." A cloud grew over him (FC 0 -> 1). "He gains 500 ATK for every Fog Counter on the field. Currently I count ten, so that's an extra 5000 ATK points." The Nimbusman grew much bigger (ATK 1000 -> 6000). "Now victory doesn't look so easy, does it? Let's see if you can do anything against this ultimate monster. I'll set one more card and end my turn." A facedown card appeared in front of him. [i]Even if he tries to attack through my Storm Dragon, I'll use my facedown Spirit Barrier to prevent any Battle Damage done to me while I control a monster.[/i][/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"I can do a lot. Just you watch. It's my turn. I draw!" John drew a card. [i]Excellent![/i] "I activate Lightning Vortex." The card appeared as John discarded a card, then it disappeared. "With one discard, I can destroy all your face-up monsters."[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"Wait, you can what![/i] A lightning bolt struck each of King Rogue's Cloudians, shattering them all. [i]But with no monsters, my Spirit Barrier is useless![/i][/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"Now the stage is set. I summon Marauding Captain." A blond man with two swords, purple clothes, and light-blue armor appeared (ATK 1200, Lv3). "When he is Normal Summoned, I can Special Summoned Armed Samurai – Ben Kei from my hand." A man in white clothes and headdress, green armor, and many weapons appeared (ATK 500, Lv4). "I equip Armed Samurai – Ben Kei with United We Stand." A golden chain bond connected the Warriors, increasing Ben Kei's conviction (ATK 500 -> 2900). "Ben Kei can attack as many times as he has equipment plus his regular attack, meaning, this time, he can attack twice. All my Warriors, direct attack. Ben Kei, direct attack a second time as well." Marauding Captain slashed at King Rogue (KR 8000 -> 6800, 6800 -> 5400, 5400 -> 2500, 2500 -> 0). The holograms faded.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"Argg!" shouted King Rogue. "How! My defense was perfect! I had my Spirit Barrier to prevent any Battle Damage when you tried to attack, as well as not one, but two big monsters to beat you down with!"[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"You waited a bit too long to attack," stated John. "All your Level 4 and lower Cloudians are cool, but then all have low ATK, making their direct attacks rather weak. Rather than attacking me more aggressively and limit the number of turns I have left, you had decided to defend and give me more turns to draw into the proper answer to your removal."[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"Don't tell me how to play my deck!" yelled the boy. "SEIZE HIM!" Nobody moved. Nobody even twitched. "What!? What are you guys doing!"[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"Your mind control over us shattered when you lost," said one of his gang. "You're not exactly the great leader you made us think you were. We like Walter better." Many of his members took King Rogue's crown off, put it on Walter, and then picked up King Rogue.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"What-What are you doing with me!" shouted King Rogue. Part of the floor in the corner opened up. The gang members threw King Rogue into the hole. He screamed until his voice could be heard no more, then the door closed.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"Thank you," Walter thanked John. "You've gotten rid of the King Rogue and now it seems everyone wants me to be the leader."[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"You seem right for the part, from what I remember," John stated as he remembered how he used to be Walter's right-hand man among Walter's circle of friends. "Just don't broadcast yourself as a duel gang, or else my friend Chris will probably try to take you guys down when he finds out about you."[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"Don't worry about it," stated Walter. "We're here to support the duelists who come here for cards and help, not to duel everyone in our way. Anyway, it seems you got yourself a girl."[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"I just met her yesterday," stated John. "We hardly know each other; we're just on the same duel militia."[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"Okay, if you insist," replied Walter. "Anyway, we should probably unchain her, huh? Or maybe you should go unchain her, and get more up close and personal?"[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"Stop that!" John raised his voice a little annoyed.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"A little touchy on the subject, are we?" stated Walter. "You know I'm just teasing you, right? It's not every day a guy and a girl gets brought in together as prisoners, after all. Anyway, I'm sure you have plans, so I won't keep you waiting. Let's get your friend off the wall." A bunch of the gang walked over to Kim's shackles and opened them. Kim's body fell, but the gang caught her. "Do you need us to bring her outside or anywhere, or do you think you can handle it?"[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"I think I'll take it from here, you guys have done so much already. Just please hand her off to me and I'll carry her."[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"If you say that's enough, then okay." The gang members put Kim on the ground standing up and John hugged Kim's body. "Oh yes, I almost forgot," continued Walter. "I have your duel disk, your scrap metal box, and Kim's deck and duel disk." Walter left the room, then came back a few seconds later. He fastened the deck box to John's leg, took his duel disk off John's arm, put the Red duel disk back onto John's arm, put John's deck into the duel disk, and fastened Kim's duel disk with deck in it onto Kim's arm. "And here's a card that might help you." Walter handed John a few Warrior-type Synchro monsters, one of which was called Lightning Warrior.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"Wow, these are quite nice. Certainly going into my Extra Deck for sure. Thank you."[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"No problem. Just go down the hallway and go up the stairs at the end and you'll reach a door. Just open the door and push your way through all the cards and you'll be back in the card junkyard. Feel free to visit anytime."[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"Got it," responded John. John walked through the door hole, walked through the plain, gray hallway. After a few seconds, he reached a brown, wooden door. John opened the door. A flat surface of cards made a ceiling to the upward-sloped floor. [i]I just have to push myself through the cards.[/i] John walked up the slope. He felt something clear pushing against his body. [i]I guess this barrier is how the cards don't fall into this sloped area.[/i] John pushed through the barrier and the cards. He appeared behind a large stack of cards right next to two wire fences that surround the card junkyard. [i]I'll be safe here….[/i] John put Kim's body down and pushed the hair out of her face.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]Kim's eye twitched, then Kim opened her eyes. "Huh… where am I? What happened?"[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"You're in the junkyard," John told Kim. "We were captured by a duel gang, but with the help of my old friends, I was able to escape with you."[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"That's great," Kim stated, tired. "So we found one duel gang so far?"[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"Yep, and I know there is another around here."[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"Just lie down next to me." John lied down next to Kim and looked at Kim. Kim met John's gaze. "Just relax for a bit."[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"I don't ever like to be too relaxed," replied John. "Danger could be around any corner."[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"Don't worry about it," replied Kim, taking John's hand. John looked quite surprised. "I'm sure we can take down any danger in our way."[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"Maybe in the dangers in rural Satellite." John and Kim laid there for five minutes or so. "Well, we should probably look for Steve and his gang to take them down."[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"Or maybe we'll just look for you," stated Steve, who just walked into the card junkyard. Accompanying him was another teenage boy of about the same age and a green mohawk. John and Kim got up and walked over to them. Steve walked behind John, so John turned around and stood back to back to Kim. "And were gonna do this the right way," stated Steve. He and the mohawked boy took out two gray devices each and each threw one to Kim or John's duel disks, whoever they were across from. Steve's device landed on the top of John's red duel disk. A red light on it appeared and it dug some claws into the top of the duel disk. Steve and the mohawked boy then put their devices on their duel disks. All four duel disks activated.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"What did you guys do?" asked john.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"We put electrostatic pulse devices onto the duel disks," stated Steve. "The losers' duel disks will self-destruct. And since we've been taking duel disks for a while, there are very few, if any, left for grabs, so if you guys lose, your lives as duelists will probably be over."[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"That just goes too far!" yelled Kim. "Dueling is supposed to be fun for everyone. You can't just take that away from the less skilled duelists!"[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"Well, in any case, we're about to take dueling from you," continued Steve. "We'll have a tag duel, each with separate life totals and separate turns. Nobody attacks the first round. Sound good?"[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"Yep," stated John.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"I'll take the first move," stated Steve.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"Actually, can I have the first move?" asked the mohawked boy.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"Are you sure about that, Ian?" asked Steve.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"Sure," stated Ian. "I have a cool game plan set up and I feel I should set it up as soon as possible."[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"Very well then," responded Steve. "You'll take the first turn. Now let's duel!"[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive][i]So, our first militia task is right in front of me,[/i] thought John. [i]And if Kim and I can't find a team harmony and strategy, it might be our last.[/i][/spoiler][/font]
[font=comic sans ms,cursive][spoiler=Chapter 13][/font]
[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"It's my- wait a minute, what life points do we start at?" asked Ian. "I know we usually have our team duels at 4000 each, but we didn't ask the other two about it."[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"4000 each is what I vote for," stated Steve.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"I'm not sure about four thou-" started John.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"I'll agree to 4000 each," interrupted Kim.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"Okay then. 4000 each it is," responded John. Everyone set his or her Life Total to 4000.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"I draw!" Ian drew a card, putting a sixth card into his five-card hand. "I activate Side Attack!" The Continuous Spell revealed itself. "Now I choose an opponent and the battle basically gets paired off. The chosen opponent and I can only attack the other, and the other two can only attack each other. When one player is eliminated, this card is destroyed."[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"So you're cutting off the teamwork aspect of the game?" asked Kim. "Why didn't you guys just challenge us separately then?"[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"You'll see," stated Ian. "Aside from the lower Life Totals we have to deal with, we have another strategy. Anyway, who do you want me to choose, boss?"[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"How about you choose to battle Kim," responded Steve. "I want to settle something with Chris' friend here."[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"Exactly what I was going to say as well, since we're already arranged ourselves to be paired off that way," replied Ian. "Now to continue my move. I summon Beast King Barbaros." A well-muscled lion-headed man with a black lion on the lower half of his body appeared (ATK 3000 -> 1900, Lv8). "I can Normal Summon him for no Tribute just as long as his original ATK becomes 1900. Nobody can attack on the first round of this Tag Duel. I'll just place two cards facedown and end my turn." Two facedown cards appeared in front of Ian.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"I'll take the next move," stated Kim. "I draw!" Kim drew a card. "I summon Easter EGG Scout." A man in a green shirt, blue pants, an egg-shaped bald head and a pink headband appeared (ATK 1600). "Next, I activate his effect."[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"Hold that thought," Ian interrupted. "I activate Skill Drain." Ian's life points decreased (Ian 4000 -> 3000) as his facedown card on the right popped up and revealed itself. "For a cost of 1000 Life Points, I can activate this Continuous Trap. While it's face-up, all effects of effect monsters are negated, which also means Beast King Barbaros gains his ATK points back." Beast King Barbaros roared (ATK 1900 -> 3000).[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"So that means my Scout doesn't dig up anything," replied Kim. "However, now I exposed your strategy. I activate the effect of Dragon of the Many Eggs: by discarding it, I can add Easter EGG Scavenger Hunt from my deck to my hand." Kim discarded a card and a card popped out of her deck. She took it out and revealed it Easter EGG Scavenger Hunt. "Next, I'll activate my Easter EGG Scavenger Hunt." The card junkyard scenery changed to a grassy patch with two trees with a pink banner that spelled in green and blue letters Scavenger Hunt. "Next, I'll activate Easter EGG Scavenger Hunt's first and second effects to activate Easter EGG 8 from my deck and 9 from my hand." Two green and blue striped eggs, one numbered with a pink 8 and the other a pink 9, appeared. "I'll activate Easter EGG 8's effect, targeting that Skill Drain." Easter EGG 8's pink 8 started to glow.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"I activate my other facedown, Law of the Continuous," Ian interrupted once more. Ian's facedown Continuous Trap revealed itself. "I can only use it in response to a Spell or Trap effect attempting to destroy my Spell or Trap, and negate the effect." Easter Egg 8 stopped glowing and turned gray. "But as long as Law of the continuous is on the field, each player's Continuous Spells and Traps can't be removed from the field by opponent's effects."[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"In that case, I'll just hit you with Easter EGG 9's effect: you take 500 damage and I'll gain it," responded Kim. Easter EGG 9 glowed. A dark aura surrounded Ian (Ian 3000 -> 2500) and Kim became surrounded by a light aura (Kim 4000 -> 4500). The auras disappeared and Easter EGG 9 turned gray. "I'll set a card and end my turn." A facedown card appeared in front of Kim. [i]My deck is based on Spells, Traps, and Easter Knight, so I can manage this duel fine. I'm worried about John, though. His deck is based around his monster effects and equip spells. Skill Drain removes half that strategy.[/i] [/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive][i]This is not good,[/i] thought John. [i]Both Ian's and Steve's decks seem to be based on big monsters with negative effects that Skill Drain will negate. It's a power strategy combination. And with Kim and I separated from each other with that Side Attack card, they'll get to both of Life Points rather quickly. Luckily, I still have my equip spells to power up my monsters and Kim still has her continuous spells for her effects. We're not out of this game at all.[/i][/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"It's my turn," Steve declared. "I draw!" Steve drew a card. "I activate Armory Lockout!" The continuous spell revealed itself. "Any equip spells attached to monsters my monsters battle are instantly destroyed!"[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive][i]What![/i] thought John. [i]That means that my equip spells are sealed off as well. It looks like I'll just be forced into defense and hope Kim can defeat Ian.[/i][/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"Let's see you fight back now. I summon Mindslaver Thunderball!" A green and blue ball with spikes, blue and green wires, and spikes appeared (ATK 2250, Lv4). "I end my turn."[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"It's my turn. I draw." John drew a card. "I'll set a monster and two cards facedown." Three facedown cards, one of them sideways in front of the other two, appeared. "I end my turn."[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"Kinda weak," responded Ian. "Then again, you're facing two power decks, so it's obvious you can't mount any attacks against either of us. It's my move. I draw!" Ian drew a card. "I summon Fusilier Dragon, the Duel-Mode Beast!" A red tank with a red tail, a tan neck, and a dragonish head with laser cannons for eyes appeared (ATK 2800, Lv7). "This monster can be Normal Summoned without sacrifice, but its original stats are halved. However, with Skill Drain out, my machine stays at full power! Now to put its ATK points to good use! Fusilier Dragon, attack her Easter Egg Scout!" Fusilier Dragon blasted its cannons at Easter Egg Scout, shattering him (Kim 4500 -> 3300). "Next, Beast King Barbaros, swing at Kim directly and wipe out most of her Life Points!" Beast King Barbaros charged at Kim.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"I activate Sakuretsu Armor," responded John as his vertical facedown card on the right popped up and revealed itself. "While we may be in separate battles, Ian, you're still technically my opponent, so I can use my trap to protect Kim." Beast King Barbaros split into many pieces and shattered.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"Thank you, John," stated Kim. "It means a lot."[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"I know I'll need you in this duel," responded John. "If I can help you defeat Ian, then I'll help you do so, since we'll need to take down Steve together."[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"Right," responded Kim. Kim turned back toward Ian. "At the end of your Battle Phase, I'll activate Preparations for Easter." Km's facedown card revealed itself. "I banish my two Easter EGGs and three more from my deck, and then I can add Easter Knight to my hand. However, I can't activate other Spells or Traps during this turn. I banish the two Easter EGGs 8 and 9 on my field and Easter EGGs 3, 4, and 10 from my deck." The two EGGs on her field and three cards from Kim's deck vanished. The numbers 3, 4, 8, 9, and 10 started glowing on the golden box next to Kim. A card popped out of Kim's deck. She took it out of the deck and revealed it Easter Knight.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"I'll set a card and end my turn," responded Ian as a facedown card appeared in front of him.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"It's my turn," stated Kim. I draw!" Kim drew a card. "Since five of my Easter Eggs are banished, I can Special Summon Easter Knight from my hand." A woman knight in blue and green armor with a blue hilted sword with a green blade appeared (ATK 2400, Lv7). "Next, I'll equip her with Easter EGG Scepter, which raises Easter Knight's ATK by 1000" Easter Knight's sword turned into a blue-handled scepter with a green orb at the top (ATK 2400 -> 3400). "But that's not all; Easter EGG Scepter's effect also lets me activate the effect of a different banished Easter EGG once per turn. This turn, I'll choose Easter EGG 10." The green orb showed a pink 10. "Now I can Special Summon a Level 3 or higher monster from my hand, such that an opponent can summon one from his deck of two levels lower. I'm summoning Easter Bunny!" A small, pink rabbit appeared (ATK 500, Lv3).[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"Well, I don't have any Level 1 monsters in my deck," responded Ian.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"However, I do," responded Steve. "I summon Mindslaver Bird." A small, brown bird with green and blue wires sticking out of its head appeared (ATK 500, Lv1).[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"Next, I'll summon Easter EGG Protector," continued Kim. A big, flat, wingless, green and blue dragon with pink claws appeared (ATK 800, Lv2). "Next, I'll tune my Level 2 Easter EGG Protector with my Level 3 Easter Bunny!" The Easter Bunny jumped into the air. Easter EGG Protector turned into two white stars, which each turned into a green circle each. The green circles created a tube surrounding the Easter Bunny. The Easter Bunny turned into an orange wire frame with three white stars, which lined themselves up. A pillar of light goes through the center of the cylinder created by the circles. "[b]Easter Eggs linger all over the forest, waiting to be found. May you see that they aren't broken to pieces! Synchro Summon! Show yourself, Guardian of the Easter EGGs![/b]" A floating green and blue dragon spirit with pink claws and a ghostly tail for legs appeared (ATK 2400, Lv5). "Easter Knight, let's attack that Fusilier Dragon! Easter Blast!" The scepter blasted a green and blue beam at Fusilier Dragon, causing Fusilier Dragon to explode (Ian 2500 -> 1500). "And now I can strike directly with my Guardian of the Easter EGGs." The spirit dragon flew toward Ian.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"Not if I activate Defense Draw," he stated. "The trap card revealed itself. "I take no damage and draw a card. The spirit dragon passed through him and he drew a card.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"In that case, I'll activate Easter EGG Emergence." The card appeared briefly, and then disappeared. "I activate two Easter EGGs from my deck and banish hem at the end of the turn, on the condition that I can't use Easter EGG Scavenger Hunt's effects this turn. I activate Easter EGGs 1 and 2." Two green and blue striped eggs, one with a pink 1 and the other with a pink 2, appeared. "I'll activate both their effects: I gain 800 Life points, and Steve takes 800 damage." Steve became briefly surrounded by a dark aura (Steve 4000 -> 3200) and Kim became surrounded by a white aura (Kim 3300 -> 4100). The two Easter EGGs turned gray.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"Thank you, Kim," replied John.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"Well, you helped me," replied Kim. "Ian is almost finished, so I should work on Steve as much as I can. Anyway, now my Easter EGGs are banished and I end my turn." The two Easter EGGs vanished, causing the numbers 1 and 2 to start to glow on Kim's box.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"Now it's my turn, and I draw!" Steve drew a card. "You're in a tight spot, aren't you? Well, it's not going to get easier. I summon Mindslaver Fish!" A giant brown, floating fish with green and blue wires coming out of its head appeared (ATK 2050). "Next, I'll activate Stop Defense!" The card appeared briefly and disappeared. "You must switch your monster into Attack Mode." The facedown card flipped over and the monster revealed itself a samurai with purple armor, many arrows piercing it (ATK 1200, Lv3). "Oh, I see. You were going to use The Immortal Bushi as a once-per-turn wall. However, now that isn't to turn out anything like you planned. Mindslaver Thunderball, run over his Immortal Bushi." Mindslaver Thunderball ran over The Immortal Bushi, shattering the Bushi (John 4000 -> 2950). "Mindslavers Fish and Bird, attack directly!" The fish whacked John with its tail (John 2950 -> 900) and the Bird pecked at John (ATK 900 -> 400). "Next, I use the card Mind Drainage." The card appeared briefly and disappeared. "I banish a monster from a graveyard and a Level of one of my Tuner monsters increases by the Level of the banished monster. So I'll banish your Warrior to increase my Tuner monster's level by 3." A dark void sucked The Immortal Bushi into a different dimension and Mindslaver Bird chirped (Lv1 -> 4). "Now I'll tune my three monsters together." The bird split into four green rings. The two other monsters aligned themselves inside the rings and turned into orange wire frames, each with four stars. The eight white stars and a pillar of light engulfed the stars. "[b]Current thoughts cause chaos in the world. Drain all thoughts and create thoughts of peace. Synchro Summon! Show yourself, Mindslaver Dragon![/b]" Out of the pillar came a gigantic brown dragon with green and blue wires sticking out on all sides of it and its claws (ATK 4750, Lv12). "I'll end my turn. Let's see if you can stand up to my ultimate dragon!"[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"Let's see about that. It's my turn. I draw!" John drew a card. [i]Ugh, another Equip Spell. Just what I needed. Well, at least I can bluff Steve into thinking I have something good.[/i] "I'll place four cards facedown and end my turn." John flooded his backfield with facedown cards.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"It's my move. I draw!" Ian drew a card. "I banish Fusilier Dragon and Beast King Barbaros to summon Beast Machine King Barbaros Ür." The two monsters in the Graveyard vanished into a dark void and a more mechanized beast with lion lower half, and two big lances held by and covering its hands, appeared (ATK 3800, Lv8). "Next, I'll equip it with Axe of Fools, which will raise its ATK by 1000!" The lances became replaced with a big, silver axe with a yellow face with its eyes in different direction and a grin with many missing teeth on it (ATK 3800 -> 4800). "Next, I'll equip Easter Knight with Pestilence." Easter Knight became dramatically weakened as a dark aura surrounded it (ATK 3400 -> 0). "Now it's time to eliminate you from the duel, Kim. Beast Machine King, attack Kim." The Beast Machine King lunged at Easter Knight.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"I activate Call of the Earthbound," John responded as the card revealed itself. A bunch of orange hands rose from the ground and turned Beast Machine King toward Guardian of the Easter EGGs. "Thanks to my trap card, I choose the target of your attack, so I'll direct your attack at Guardian of the Easter EGGs." Beast Machine King slashed at Guardian of the Easter EGGs, causing the Guardian to vanish into thin air (Kim 4100 -> 1700).[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"Fine. I'll end my turn," Ian stated, slightly bitter.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"Kim, how are you holding up?" asked John.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"I'm fine," responded Kim. "I got this, don't worry. My Scepter is still in play. Thank you again for saving me at the cost of your own defense."[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"As I said before, I need you," responded John. "I can't defeat Steve without you."[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"And you won't," responded Kim. "Once I defeat Ian, we'll take down Steve together."[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"I hope so," replied John. [i]Because I don't have any more defensive maneuvers left. If Kim can't defeat Ian this turn, then I'm likely a goner.[/i][/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"It's my turn. I draw!" Kim drew a card. "I'll activate the effect of Easter EGG Scavenger Hunt, allowing me to activate Easter EGG 7 from my deck." A blue and green striped egg with a pink 7 on it appeared. "Next, I'll activate its special ability: I destroy a monster on the field and its controller draws a card and reveals it. If it's a monster with a lower level, he can summon it." [i]Now let's see how this works out.[/i] The Easter EGG 7 blasted a ball of green and blue energy at the Beast Machine King, causing it and the axe to shatter. Easter EGG 7 turned gray. Ian drew and revealed a Trade-In. "Too bad, that's a Spell. Now I'll summon my Easter EGG Collector." A small green-bodied dragon with blue wings and big pink claws appeared (ATK 1500, Lv3). "It's time to finish you off, Ian! Easter EGG Collector, attack directly with Collection Swipe Slash!" The smaller dragon jumped toward Ian and slashed his face. All of Ian's holograms vanished, including the Pestilence, the Skill Drain, Law of the Continuous, and Side Attack, causing Easter Knight's ATK to rise again (ATK 0 -> 3400). "Now I can attack Steve. Easter Knight, attack Mindslaver Dragon!" The Easter Knight charged up a magical blast.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"I think you forgot something," remarked Steve. "When you attack my monster, all equips attached to your monster are destroyed!" The Easter EGG Scepter shattered, leaving only the orb intact.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"Actually, that's what I was counting on," replied Kim. "When Easter EGG Scepter equipped to Easter Knight is destroyed and sent to the Graveyard, all my banished Easter EGGs are sent back as well, and the Scepter inflicts 500 points of damage for each EGG." The orb exploded into a big mass of green and blue energy, which hit Steve (Steve 3200 -> 0). All the holograms disappeared and Steve and Ian's duel disks exploded.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"Well, there goes our last Skill Drain play-set," stated Ian. "We failed, boss."[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"No kidding," replied Steve, angry. "Why didn't you hold down your side of the game? I had John defeated, but you had to let Kim slip through."[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"Well, Kim's strategy wasn't fazed by ours," pointed out Ian. "It seemed only one of her monsters had a relevant effect and all her other effects were from Spells."[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"Whatever. We should have had this game won," stated Steve.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"It's because we had more heart that gave us the advantage to win," responded Kim.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"It's true," agreed John. "We had very different reasons for wanting to win, which affected our morale drastically. Kim and I wanted to win so we could keep dueling. You two, on the other hand, were dueling just to eliminate two duelists. You both probably thought in the back of your heads, 'what will eliminating these two duelists really do? That's just two out of all of Satellite, where many duelists aspire to be great.' Just trying to eliminate the weak duelists is a long, tedious process. In the end, would it really be worth it to eliminate so many duelists such that the only duelists that are left are stronger than you?"[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]Steve thought about this for a while. "Maybe you're right," thought Steve. "Maybe using the electrostatic devices goes a bit too far for our original ideas."[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"And a word of advice," continued John. "Chris is around here trying to wipe out duel gangs. For your safety, you might just want to disperse and save you and Chris the trouble."[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"Yeah, I'll think about it," responded Steve, insincerely. "Let's go back to the secret lair, Ian." Steve and Ian walked off.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"Well, I have to thank you, Kim," John told Kim. "If you didn't defeat Ian and Steve that turn, Steve would have wiped me out.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"You mean none of your facedown cards were cards you could have used to defend yourself?"[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"No; the rest of my facedown cards were equip cards that I was trying to use to bluff."[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"Well, I feel like I owe you the victory; if you didn't protect me, I wouldn't have been able to defeat Ian."[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"It's a fair trade-off. We really needed each other to win this duel."[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"Yeah, as seems such the nature of the Tag Duel. Anyway, I still owe you for rescuing me." Kim hugged John.[/font]

[font=comic sans ms,cursive]"Don't worry about it. We're teammates, that's what we do for each other."[/spoiler][/font][/center][/center]

[Haou Devil 12]

Mystery, I'm really sorry. I just thought of how cool it feel if we had a cross-fic in your second book. I didn't say you had to write it. I just wanted to see how your characters and mine work together. You could've kept on to your original plot. I won't ask for another cross-fic ever again. Neither will Frog if he ever looks at this. I promise.

[Mysty]

[quote name='Haou Devil 12' timestamp='1297742958' post='5009818']
Mystery, I'm really sorry. I just thought of how cool it feel if we had a cross-fic in your second book. I didn't say you had to write it. I just wanted to see how your characters and mine work together. You could've kept on to your original plot. I won't ask for another cross-fic ever again. Neither will Frog if he ever looks at this. I promise.
[/quote]

It wasn't the cross-fics; it was just that, when I realized what I wanted to do in the third book wouldn't be possible because I didn't include certain information in the first book, I figured I had to start over. As I said, this fanfic will have some changes in it, and it will be these changes that will allow for this fanfic to be even better than it was before as well as let me make my third fic as planned.

The second fanfic wasn't the problem, although I will re-write it as well to make it better and make it fit better to the slightly different personality I have planned for Kim.

[Haou Devil 12]

So when you rewrite your second book, you're gonna make it so the cross-fic never happened.

[Mysty]

[quote name='Haou Devil 12' timestamp='1297808998' post='5011022']
So when you rewrite your second book, you're gonna make it so the cross-fic never happened.
[/quote]

Well, I will need to cut your fanfic. It took up too much fanfic room to really be a filler. I will, however, replace it with another really spacey idea and they'll be a quirk that will explain why my characters have their likenesses in other dimensions when they aren't "really" there.

It isn't a storyline thing so much as it looks bizarre having a filler arc that up almost half the fic while the main arcs only took a few chapters each. Nothing personal or anything of that sort.

[Mysty]

Chapter 2 posted. It shouldn't glitch or anything, but everyone knows the drill: tell me if it does.

[-Lightray Daedalus-]

Giving you a hand to keep this alive...My comment on regard the fic will have to wait till I read more in deep...

XD

[legolover09]

I read your original. Well actually, I was the guy who read 49 chapters in one night before you had the last chapter up. Which will probably never happen again. 49 chapters in one night. I was very bored that day.

Chapter one was okay, but chapter two's duel was very cheesy and it would seem that the plot is very random. I mean just out of the blue-lets form a duel gang. Also, the dialogue could be improved.

[Mysty]

[quote name='legolover09' timestamp='1298057081' post='5016700']
I read your original. Well actually, I was the guy who read 49 chapters in one night before you had the last chapter up. Which will probably never happen again. 49 chapters in one night. I was very bored that day.

Chapter one was okay, but chapter two's duel was very cheesy and it would seem that the plot is very random. I mean just out of the blue-lets form a duel gang. Also, the dialogue could be improved.
[/quote]

Glad to see more people reading the fic again. Hopefully the chapter updates will be faster this time around but not so fast that you'll need to read many chapters at one time to keep up.

Everything will clear up as more exposition is formed. I've seen movies and read stories that were rather bad with organizing its exposition yet turned out to be good as everything cleared up. I can hope that everything will run smoothly once all the main characters are introduced and the real plot gets rolling.

[Mysty]

Chapter 3 up.

[Haou Devil 12]

So you changed their names from Mind-Eaters to Mindslavers? What about just "Mindslave" without the "r". Anyways, nice to see an old Mystery classic. Nice duel.

[Mysty]

[quote name='Haou Devil 12' timestamp='1298501884' post='5029902']
So you changed their names from Mind-Eaters to Mindslavers? What about just "Mindslave" without the "r". Anyways, nice to see an old Mystery classic. Nice duel.
[/quote]

I felt Mindslaver fit the theme.
The user is basically the mindslave, feeding the monsters his thoughts (cards in hand) to let the monsters with inflated ATK attack.
Also, the user is Steve, so being a mindslave should be natural to him.

Chapter 4 shall be up soon.

[spoiler=Spoiler/Teaser]
John and Chris go to school and are in Dr. Clock's class and Dr. Clock is dishing out his tests ahead of time. Will John keep up or will he fall behind? And will Duel School provide the soldiers Chris wants? All that will be answered within the next few chapters of Evolution of a Duelist.
[/spoiler]

[Haou Devil 12]

Still waiting on Chapter 4.

[Mysty]

[quote name='Haou Devil 12' timestamp='1299123553' post='5047456']
Still waiting on Chapter 4.
[/quote]

Thank you. I forgot to post the following:
Chapter 4 has been sent for beta-reading.

I forgot to post that about 3 days ago, I think.

[Mysty]

Bump, Chapter 4 is up.

[Haou Devil 12]

Is Chapter 5 coming soon? BTW, I'm sorry I forgot about your birthday.

[Mysty]

[quote name='Haou Devil 12' timestamp='1299801705' post='5065327']
Is Chapter 5 coming soon? BTW, I'm sorry I forgot about your birthday.
[/quote]

To be honest, I'm actually re-writing the duel completely, so I don't know. I'll try to write it completely soon, but I want to make it really good. Sorry for the delay. I'll definitely try to have it sent for beta-reading tonight.

[Mysty]

Bump, Chapter 5 sent for beta-reading. The duel took longer than I thought.

EDIT: Chapter 5 up. I'm currently working on Chapter 6.

[Mysty]

Just figured I'd bump this, since I didn't yet officially post that chapter 5 is up.

Chapter 6 will likely be put off a few days since I'm soon discussing one of the major changes from the previous writing and how to best write it in. It won't really have too much to do with Chapter 6, but since the discussion will be taking place during time I would ordinarily be writing the chapter, it's only natural the chapter will get put off.

[Mysty]

Bump, Chapter 6 sent for beta-reading. It'll hopefully be up in a day or two.

[Mysty]

Chapter 6 is up.

[Haou Devil 12]

Sorry I haven't commented in while. Nice Chapter 6. Waiting on Ch.7.

[Mysty]

[quote name='Haou Devil 12' timestamp='1302227951' post='5121967']
Sorry I haven't commented in while. Nice Chapter 6. Waiting on Ch.7.
[/quote]

Sorry I haven't updated in a while. It appears that, the less and less I'm involved in yugioh, the harder and harder it gets to write the fic. Since I basically quit the card game, I didn't bother to get WC11, and I'm probably not going to bother with watching ZeXal, writing the fic will be really tough. I am certainly trying my best to get back into the groove of writing and I'll try to have the Chapter sent for beta-reading soon.

[Mysty]

Chapter 7 sent for beta-reading.

[Haou Devil 12]

Hey, Mystery. If you want to rewrite the whole story, why not just copy and paste from old story and add in some descriptive changes? I know you might not find it in the first 5 or 6 pages in the Fan Fic section, but it couldn't hurt to keep looking. Just look for the title that I think was "My First Yugioh Fan Fic: Evolution of a Duelist".