Yu-Gi-Oh! Crosspoint
Chapter One
Yuito liked watching the clouds drift by above the skyline of Myoto City. It was one of the few things he could see from the back alley he was currently in, besides brick walls left and right of him and a few windows that have always been shut by blinds as long as he had been here.
It was showcasing that the people living around here were smart. If you left a window open, or able to crack with a rock, you've had a place to live for the longest time, because you'd come back to some unknown person barricading themselves inside your home.
Police rarely showed up around this part of the town, so they'd be fine for as long as someone else did not come and take the place from them again. It was how many people around here made their living, breaking into homes for other people and selling those spaces to them for horrendous prices. Eventually, the new inhabitants would sell anything of value inside of them and keep on going to another one.
It lead to many of those houses just being empty shells. Just a roof and a few rooms and a door or two if you were lucky. If those windows above Yuito were empty shells or were actually inhabited, he didn't know and he didn't care either. There was a time when he had tried to get himself a place with a roof and rooms and a door if he was lucky, but he had given up on that.
Now he was just happy to lie here on his back and watch the clouds drift, even if it was only for a few minutes per day. It wasn't like he had anything else to do, as he had returned from his scavenge hunt early. He and his friend Keiji usually set off by 4 AM to be there first when the restaurants in the more civilised parts of the town started to prepare the meals, so they could get some of the leftovers.
Granted, those places were still shabby, but the police usually didn't allow anybody to enter the protected part of the town, so it was all they had.
Once they were gone there, one would usually return to their place while the other would check the usual dumbsters for anything they could find before they'd return as well.
Today it was Keijis turn and Yuito had already came back to the cardboard mattress, that the both of them slept on each night, one hour ago, so he was know just watching the clouds drift by as he waited for his friend to return.
It was actually quite a nice place they had compared to some of their previous accommodations, they could sleep under an extended roof, so they were safe from the rain for the most time and it was in a back alley, so it was relatively safe from the nightly trouble on the broader streets. Granted, it was a piece of cardboard on the ground, but it was theirs.
It was already late morning when Keiji eventually returned, with a small plastic bag in his hand.
"Wake up sleepyhead," he said, throwing the bag onto the cardboard next to his friend, "the bakery in 18th street threw out their old stuff from yesterday."
"You went all the way to 18th street? So that's why you're so late," Yuito replied, trying to sound indifferent, but Keiji knew him well enough to see that he was almost euphoric that he got them something else to eat than the bag of old fries and overcooked burger patties they got from the restaurant earlier this morning.
The two boys had known each other for about five or six years now, they didn't keep track of the exact date and didn't care about it either. Ever since then, they've been a team in their quest to survive on these streets and became best friends along the way.
They were both about the same age, Yuito being slightly older than Keiji, but they both had about the same height. While Yuito had dark brown hair that sometimes appeared blue in the right light, Keiji had striking blond hair, with a brown streak running zigzag over his head.
They both wore whatever they could find and that wasn't totally torn to shreds, usually jeans along with a sweatshirt that had a silly parole written on it. While Yuito owned some cheap sandals that he once found, Keiji always walked barefooted. He once told Yuito that he never had shoes so he'd feel uncomfortable walking in them and Yuito eventually gave up on trying to get his friend some.
"Yeah, I almost punched another guys teeth out for these two loafs. Fancy yours," Keiji said.
"I will, you can be sure about that. Wanna eat the other stuff first? It'll become depraved if we leave it too long."
While the boys split up the fries and the beef Keiji continued: "By the way, I wasn't all that late because I had to cross 18th street."
"Man, you know I'm not really upset about that?"
"There was one of those talent scouts dueling some kids near 18th street, so I had to take a little detour," Keiji continued, ignored Yuitos comment, "Last thing I wanted to be was getting caught by one of those guys."
Yuito coughed between two bites of meat as he spoke: "Why not? If they recruit you, you can afford a flat in midtown and you'll get famous. A famous Combat Duelist."
"He was as much of a fake as this beef is," Keiji said between two mouthfuls, "besides, why do you care? You think they'd recruit any of us? We cannot afford to use any of their fancy Extra Deck Summons."
"How do you know he was fake?"
"He just fancys beating kids at their favourite game and seeing all of their dreams shatter in his hand."
"I thought you took a detour."
"I did."
"So you don't know that."
"For fucks sake Ito, did you even listen? Even in the rare case that he wasn't fake and that he actually had good intentions, how on earth do you plan to defeat him? And adding to that, how do you plan getting accepted into his agency?"
"If we don't try we'll never find out," Yuito said, while taking the last bite from his part of the bag.
"You don't really wanna go there Ito?"
"How long do we know each other now Iji?"
"You're right, stupid me," he said, already about to get up, "now come on, I'm happy to see your dreams get crushed by some fancy dude who just seeks to relieve some pressure."
"You know those guys have girls for that purpose," Yuito replied jokingly.
"Dude, all guys should have girls for that purpose," Keiji retorted laughing, as they hid away the loafs of bread so that nobody else would get them, before setting out to 18th street.
It was still pretty early in the morning, but the streets were already bursting with life, when the boys moved towards the city centre. Myoto City was largely divided into four rings, the outermost one where the boys and all the other unfortunate individuals lived in, the second one, which was also freely accessible to them, but slightly more… classy. If burger joints and cheap bars were anything to go by for that.
That ring was where 18th street was located. The lower the number the closer to the centre you got. Not that anybody who didn't belong to the high class of Myoto City was allowed in a ring nearer to the centre than 15th street, which was why neither Yuito nor Keiji knew how life was in there.
"Did you at least catch a glimpse of what deck he played?" Yuito asked when they had nearly arrived at their destination.
"Getting nervous, aren't we?" Keiji replied, "No an idea. Probably invested a whole life salary into his Extra Deck. Or his daddy is a wealthy shithead."
"Probably," his friend said, "Yeah, I'm a little nervous."
"I said we shouldn't go."
"But I wanted to go. You should try being a more supportive friend."
"I'll be all supportive of you once you've lost. I'll walk past an ice cream vendor with you. Maybe twice if you still feel sad then."
"Tell me, why are we still hanging out together?"
"I love you too, mate."
Once they had arrived at 18th Street, they could already see the crowd of people, mainly dressed similar to them and therefore probably from the less fortunate parts of the city, had gathered around a young man with blonde hair and striking blue eyes, dressed in expensive business attire.
"Now, anyone else?" he yelled, waving a Duel Disk around, "come on, you might be lucky and I'll get you in contact with my agency!"
While the two boys got closer, they could see that most of the people around had already backed off, while a small group that was dressed similar to the man was cheering behind him.
"Now, where did your confidence go?" Keiji asked, as his friend remained silent to the man's challenge.
The man with the Duel Disk, who seemed to have heard that, turned to the pair.
"Now, how about one of you?" he said, "might be a once in a lifetime chance for a… uhm, style change. You're in desperate need of one."
Even though he offered the Duel Disk to Keiji, he stepped aside, so Yuito, who regained a little of his confidence, reached out for it. "I'll try."
"Fine, slum boy," the man said, taking his spot on an imaginary duel field. "You know how Combat Duels work, right? Should I explain it to you?"
"No," Yuito replied, as he started up the Duel Disk the man gave to him. It took him a few tries to hit the right button though, it has been years since he last held a Duel Disk in his hand. Many people around the outer two rings of Myoto could work for decades and only have enough money to afford the cheapest model.
"If a monster is Summoned and the Combat Zone – the middle Monster Card Zone on the Duel Disk - of that player is unoccupied it must be Summoned into the Combat Zone. Monsters in the Combat Zone must attack if possible, must attack first and must be attacked first," Yuito explained what he recalled, "Anything I forgot?"
"Oh look, a smartass slumboy," the man said laughing. "Why don't you take the first turn if you're so well informed?"
When he finished talking, he also started his Duel Disk up, booting up Solid Vision and the duel sequence.
Yuito: 4000 LP
Carter: 4000 LP
"So I'll take the first move," Yuito said, before examining his hand. It was the first time he used this deck against an opponent other than Keiji. Since the boys first met, they used to play to pass their time and also to train. Even though Keiji always said that it was unlikely that they might would get scouted once, the chance was there even though it was minuscule.
"I Normal Summon 'Stone Crypt Shield Sorcerer' into my Combat Zone." The Solid Vision technology built into the Duel Disk started to form an exact figurine of his monster in front of Yuito, a slender, tall man clad in earth-coloured garb wearing a dirty blindfold over his eyes. He waved his hands in front of himself and a shield made of blue energy appeared, that vaguely resembled a diamond.
Stone Crypt Shield Sorcerer: EARTH / Spellcaster-Type / Level 4 / 1700 ATK / 1200 DEF
It was an understatement to say that Yuito was thunderstruck by the image. Sometimes, if he had been lucky enough to catch a glimpse of a television somewhere, he had been able to see some of the professional duelists summoning those Solid Vision monsters, but seeing one himself was impressive.
"Look, he's admiring the fact that he just successfully Normal Summoned a tiny monster!" one of the guys behind the man who appeared to be named Carter laughed.
In a hurry, Yuito resumed his turn: "I set one card and will then end my turn."
"Pathetic first turn," his opponent said, "I draw!"
"First up, I set the Pendulum Scale with my 'Luster Pendulum, the Dracoslayer' and my 'Master Pendulum, the Dracoslayer'." As he placed the two cards on the edges of his Duel Disk, it shortly flashed with light before spelling out the words 'Pendulum'. Two pillars of light then arose, one numbered with three and the other one with five, in which two similar looking humanoid dragons appeared, clad in armour with long blonde hair.
Luster Pendulum, the Dracoslayer: Scale 5
Master Pendulum, the Dracoslayer: Scale 3
"I next use Luster Pendulums effect," he continued, "I can destroy the card in my other Pendulum Zone to search for one with the same name from my deck." One of the two dragons leaped out of his pillar to strike down the other one. "So, one Master goes face-up to the Extra Deck and I get another one from my deck, which I immediately Set back into the Pendulum Scale."
Master Pendulum, the Dracoslayer: Scale 3
"Using my Pendulum Scale I can Pendulum Summon Level 4 Monsters! And as many as I want!" as he spoke, a Pendulum started to swing above him and a portal opened up in the sky between the two pillars. "Come out, my dragon knights! From my hand, one Luster Pendulum into my Combat Zone and then two Master Pendulums, one from the Extra Deck and one from the hand!"
Three beams of light emerged from the portal, forming three more copies of the two monsters that were hovering above as Pendulum Scales.
Luster Pendulum, the Dragoslayer: LIGHT / Dragon-Type / Pendulum / Tuner / Level 4 / 1850 ATK / 0 DEF
Master Pendulum, the Dragoslayer: LIGHT / Dragon-Type / Pendulum / Level 4 / 1950 ATK / 0 DEF
Master Pendulum, the Dragoslayer: LIGHT / Dragon-Type / Pendulum / Level 4 / 1950 ATK / 0 DEF
"You know what comes next, right?" Carter said, playfully opening up the slot to his Extra Deck, taking the fifteen cards out of there and looking through them.
Yuito could see that some of the bystanders just stared at him in envy. Fifteen cards in his Extra Deck must've been expensive as hell. So he either had a real well paying job, or his father had.
"Show him a Fusion Summon!"
"No, Synchro Summon first, we wanna see your white cards!"
The people who were with Carter were all screaming over each other trying to give him advice on how he should beat Yuito, and eventually, he seemed to have settled with a way how to.
"I tune my Level 4 Luster Pendulum with my Level 4 Master Pendulum!" he yelled, "Synchro Summon! Dragon warrior of the fiery heat, appear in my Combat Zone! Level 8, Ignister Prominence, the Blasting Dracoslayer!" One of his two dragons turned into stars that then became four green rings, which encircled the other one, before that one also turned transparent and showed four stars inside of it also. Shortly after the stars had aligned, there was a flash of light and a new monster had appeared. It resembled its two materials greatly, however, it donned a large red armour with a huge sword and shield.
Ignister Prominence, the Blasting Dragoslayer: FIRE / Dragon-Type / Synchro / Level 8 / 2850 ATK / 0 DEF
"I use Ignisters effect! Once per turn, I can Summon another Dracoslayer from my Deck, but it cannot be used as a Synchro Material! I Summon another Luster Pendulum."
Luster Pendulum, the Dragoslayer: LIGHT / Dragon-Type / Pendulum / Tuner / Level 4 / 1850 ATK / 0 DEF
"I will now overlay my Luster Pendulum and another of my Master Pendulums!" he continued, as his two monsters turned yellow and spiralled upwards into a galaxy-shaped portal, "Xyz Summon! Mounted dragon warrior that comes with the wind! Rank 4, 'Majester Paladin, the Ascending Dracoslayer'!" The portal exploded and one of Carters dragon knights emerged from it, riding on a white pegasus.
Majester Paladin, the Ascending Dragoslayer: WIND / Dragon-Type / Xyz / Rank 4 / 1850 ATK / 2000 DEF / 2 Xyz Materials
"During the End Phase of the turn it is Xyz Summoned, Majester Paladin allows me to add any Pendulum Monster from my deck to my hand. Not that I'll get the chance to do, because I'll now use its second effect: I detach a Xyz Material from it to Special Summon a Dracoslayer that is face-up in my Extra Deck. I choose to re-Summon one of my Master Pendulums."
Master Pendulum, the Dragoslayer: LIGHT / Dragon-Type / Pendulum / Level 4 / 1950 ATK / 0 DEF
"My next card will be a Spell Card: 'Step Down'. It Summons a Pendulum Monster from my Scale to my side of the field, but I cannot Special Summon Monsters from the hand or Graveyard until the End Phase, a neglectable restriction. I choose Luster Pendulum."
Luster Pendulum, the Dragoslayer: LIGHT / Dragon-Type / Pendulum / Tuner / Level 4 / 1850 ATK / 0 DEF
"You know what's missing on my field, smartass? A nice, beefy Fusion Monster! I fuse my Master Pendulum with my Luster Pendulum!" his two monsters started to spiral together behind Carter, "Fusion Summon! Heavy armoured dragon warrior that carries the will of he sea! Level 8, Dinoster Power, the Mighty Dracoslayer!" The newly Summoned monster resembled another one of Carters dragons, but it was clad in thick, blue metal armour.
Dinoster Power, the Mighty Dracoslayer: WATER / Dragon-Type / Fusion / Level 8 / 2000 ATK / 2950 DEF
All of the spectators as well as Yuito fell silent as they watched the current state of the field. A fact that Carter seemed to saviour: "Yeah, that's right, stare at my three monsters. This is the power that brought me to Rank #8746 of the Combat Duelist Ranking. I can use all specialized summoning mechanics!"
"You mean almost," Yuito replied.
"Ugh," Carter said, "I mean, sure, I do own a Bloom Monster, but why Summon it, when Summoning something else instead is so much easier?"
"No, I mean a Ritual Monster."
This reply from Yuito made his opponent and his company burst into laughter: "Ritual Monster? Oh, yeah, sure. Also, I don't know if you heard of it, but Axe of Despair is the best Spell Card ever! Oh god, you're hilarious."
"I'm serious."
"Oh look, the slumboy is really meaning it. Bet he plays Rituals by himself, poor kid. I'm gonna end this right away."
"You're not," Yuito retorted, "You're not winning this turn."
"Oh, come on. You think I don't read cards and just charge in blindly? I am aware, that your puny monster can negate attacks that target it. I'm not gonna attack it," he said, as he raised his hand and pointed to his Synchro Monster, "Ignister allows me to destroy a Pendulum Monster on the field before shuffling a card you control into the deck. Come on, 'Pendulum Blaze Gun'!" The monster readied its sword, which started to be enveloped in fire.
"I activate my Set card," Yuito said as all eyes turned to him, admittedly surprised that he didn't just let his loss happen. "'Eroding Scribestone'! It activates when you use the effect of a monster from the Extra Deck. It moves my Shield Sorcerer to the Spell/Trap Card Zone and permanently seals off your monsters effects!" As he spoke, chains of indecipherable letters came out of the Traps image, wrapping around Ignisters weapon and extinguishing the fire that formed around it, while also binding Stone Crypt Shield Sorcerer and dragging it backwards.
"Uhm," Carter said, "well, jokes on you because your monster is gone. I can attack directly now."
Behind him, his three monsters readied their blades, preparing to strike: "Ignister, Majester, Dinoster, attack him directly! 'Three Elements Strike'!" The three dragons didn't hesitate a second, before unleashing sword strikes of fire, wind and water towards Yuito, who was knocked off his feet.
Yuito: 4000 LP → 2575 LP → 1700 LP → 700 LP
"Err. What?" Carter exclaimed with visible surprise.
"You say you do read cards but you didn't read 'Eroding Scribestone'. It has a second effect that halves any kind of Damage I take until the End Phase."
"Well, one way to prolong your defeat. Well, I end my turn and therefore use Majesters effect to add a 'Lector Pendulum, the Dracoverlord' from my deck to my hand. That's it from me for now."
"My turn then. I draw," Yuito said, "And then I activate the Ritual Spell Card 'Rosette Scribestone'."
The card that materialized on the boys field once again made Carter burst with laughter: "Oh shit, the kid is really playing Rituals. Holy moly, did you find those at the bottom of the scrap heap?"
"These are my dads cards," Yuito retorted, visibly hurt by his opponents ridicule.
"If I was your dad I'd also throw them into the trash. Or throw them at you, seems like that's synonymous."
"My Ritual Spell allows me to Ritual Summon a Runecross Ritual Monster from my hand. And due to the effect of Eroding Scribestone, my Shield Sorcerer can be used as a substitute for the entire Level requirement." As he spoke, a large stele appeared behind Yuito, with lines of strange letters written on it. As Shield Sorcerer dispensed and was absorbed into the stele, it started to glow.
"Ritual Summon!" Yuito yelled, "To unravel humanities last mysteries, use your magic and cast a light upon the darkness. Level 7, 'Runecross Wizard'!" The monster that calmly stepped out of the stele was a human sorcerer dressed in dark blue garb, with brown letters and golden ornaments running all over it. It wore a hood shrouding all of his face other than its eyes, which were showing flashes of the same letters than it donned on its cloth. In one of his hands it held a wand that was as big as itself, with a simple, grey stone put on top of it.
Runecross Wizard: EARTH / Spellcaster-Type / Ritual / Level 7 / 2500 ATK / 2000 DEF
"What, that's it? It only has 2500 ATK," Carter said, "based on your attitude, I would've expected something that can actually hurt me."
"It can hurt you in many ways," Yuito said, "if my Wizard attacks a Monster that was Special Summoned from the Extra Deck, it will not only negate that monsters effects, but also gain 700 ATK until the end of the Battle Phase."
"Yeah, that doesn't really sound that impressive, you know."
"Wait and see. I'll attack Ignister Prominence with Runecross Wizard. 'Runemagic Blast'!" The boulder on top of the staff started to glow, before it unleashed a wave of circulating letters towards the red armoured dragon and annihilated it.
Runecross Wizard: 2500 ATK → 3200 ATK
Carter: 4000 LP → 3650 LP
"So what?" Yuitos opponent said, "you put a dent in my Life Points, what are you gonna do now?"
"I'll attack again. A Ritual Monster that tributed Stone Crypt Shield Sorcerer can attack all Special Summoned monsters on the field once each."
Carter fell silent, as his head was processing the calculations, but Yuito just went on.
"Attack Dinoster next! 'Runemagic Blast'!" The Wizard obligated, annihilating the blue armoured dragon in the same way as the red one.
Runecross Wizard: 3200 ATK → 3900 ATK
Carter: 3650 LP → 1750 LP
"And now for the last one," he continued, "attack Majester! 'Runemagic Blast'!" The Wizard once more fired a wave of pulsating letters towards Carters field, destroying the last monster standing there, the impact of the attack being strong enough to knock Carter off his feet.
Runecross Wizard: 3900 ATK → 4600 ATK
Carter: 1750 LP → 0 LP
"Well, you did it," Keiji exclaimed over the gasping of Carters company, "you actually beat him."
"You're gonna pay for that!" Carter screamed in the meantime, One day I'll make you pay for that!"
As he said that, he and his company quickly departed the scene, followed by the cheers and the ridicule of the other spectators, most of whom Carter seemed to have defeated previously.
"So," Keiji said, once the crowd had disappeared, "when do you think you can sign the contract, huh?"
Yuito, however, hasn't paid any attention to his snaky remark, but he rather had his eyes fixed on his arm. It took a while for Keiji to notice what it was that he was seeing there, but he eventually figured out: "That guy forgot to take the Duel Disk?"
"Yeah, he forgot to take it," Yuito answered, still a little speechless.
"Now, that's a change for sure. With a Duel Disk you might be able to apply at an agency. And really become a Combat Duelist."
"Why me? I mean, I could also give it to you. You're just as good as I am."
"Because you won it today, dumbass," Keiji said, "I won't take it from you. It's yours now."
"Okay," Yuito replied, "I'll keep it."
Author-made cards:
Stone Crypt Shield Sorcerer / EARTH / Spellcaster-Type / Level 4 / 1700 ATK / 1200 DEF
Once per turn, if this card is targeted for an attack: You can negate that attack. If this card is the only monster you control, this effect can be used up to thrice per turn instead. A Ritual Monster that was Ritual Summoned using this card as tribute gains the following effect: ● This card can attack all Special Summoned monsters your opponent controls once each.
Runecross Wizard / EARTH / Spellcaster-Type / Ritual / Level 7 / 2500 ATK / 2000 DEF
You can Ritual Summon this card with any "Scribestone" Ritual Spell Card. If this card battles a face-up monster that was Special Summoned from the Extra Deck: Negate that monsters effects, if any, also, this card gains 700 ATK until the end of the Battle Phase.
Step Down / Quick-Play Spell Card
Target 1 Pendulum Monster in your Pendulum Zone: Special Summon it. You cannot Special Summon monsters from the hand or the Graveyard for the rest of the turn.
Eroding Scribestone / Counter Trap Card
If your opponent activates the effect of a monster that was Special Summoned from the Extra Deck: You can target 1 face-up "Stone Crypt" Monster you control; Negate that monsters effect as long as it is face-up on the field, also, place the target in your Spell/Trap Card Zone as a Continuous Spell Card with the following effect, and if you do half any Damage (Battle or Effect Damage) you take until the End Phase: ● If you would Ritual Summon (exactly) 1 Ritual Monster with a card effect that requires use of monsters, you can tribute this card as the entire requirement.