Hi. I'm Usyra, and this is my first fanfic. Before you start reading, I want to make something clear. When a duel starts, the lifepoints are displayed like this:
Loki/opponent
Or like this:
Good guy/Bad guy
That's all for now. Enjoy!
000000000
With my deck prepared for the assessment, I was finally ready. For the better part of my life, I lived in a hut on a mountain in Ireland. Selkirk Rex, formerly a world champion before Kaiba defeated him, took me under his wing and taught me Duel Monsters, as well as some swordplay.
By the way, he's not in any way related to Rex Raptor. A Selkirk Rex is a cat.
Well, a man named Marik came along and said he thought my talents could greatly benefit the Ghouls, and wanted me to duel someone to test my skills. And so, gathering my cards and constructing my best deck, I went to find the meeting place.
Before I left, I felt a hand on my shoulder. "Loki…"
"I am Siege now," I corrected.
"You really want to associate yourself with these people? They seem dishonorable."
"I know. But it's the best way to fill up my collection and hone my skills. Besides, I'll probably dump them once my deck is perfect." I turned away, ashamed. "Plus...I want to get back at Seto Kaiba for taking your Blue Eyes White Dragon. I know you said it wasn't important, but it is to me. The shames you carry as Selkirk Rex will be passed to me when I take that title."
"…Very well. I can't stop you. But take this card with you." He took his necklace off and handed it to me. The pendant on the end was shaped like a card.
I opened the pendant, and looked at the card within. "Fusilier Dragon, the Dual-Mode Beast. It's your favorite card! You really want to give this to me?"
He nodded. "Think of it as a promise that you'll return it to me someday."
I closed the pendant and put it on. "Thank you, Sensei. I vow to win every duel I play."
With one final bow, I ran to the meeting point.
00000000
Much has happened over the course of two years. I finally completed my deck, and I became one of Marik's elite. Kaiba was defeated by Yugi Moto, who went on to win the Duelist Kingdom tournament and defeat Pegasus. Later, he also defeated Duke Devlin at his own game. By that time, I was 16 years old.
After Marik received word of the Battle City tournament, he sent us immediately on his private plane. The instructions were simple; acquire the final Egyptian God Card, and defeat Yugi Moto. With his links, he hacked into the database and added the names of his elite, giving us Duel Disks, which Kaiba required us to use. It felt awkward on my left arm, but I eventually got used to the feeling after a few practice duels with some Ghoul thugs.
My current companions were Seeker, Lumis, Umbra, and Marik himself. If you aren't familiar with the Battle City saga, I'll explain who these guys are. Seeker is a duelist who relies on getting all five cards of Exodia the Forbidden One in his hand, which he does quite frequently since he has three copies of each piece in his deck. But he cheats: the pieces are all fakes, and marked with an invisible ink that can only be seen with a contact lens he wears. Lumis and Umbra – the masks of light and dark, respectively – are tag-team duelists. Lumis provides spell and trap support, while Umbra provides monsters. Both of their decks have a mask and doll theme.
As for Marik…well, he's beyond words. He controls a magical object called the Millennium Rod, which lets him control the minds of people. His deck is filled with devastating traps and spells, but only two monsters. The first is the Mystical Beast Serket, and the second is the Winged Dragon of Ra. That's all he needs to completely crush anyone who gets in his way. Hell, if we were battling by the Kaiba Special Rules, he wouldn't even need Serket. That's just how powerful that card is.
Seeker grinned at his deck. "Excellent. Yugi Moto will fall to my ultimate deck."
I smirked. "And Kaiba will fall to me." It was a little known fact in the Ghouls that I had a grudge against Seto Kaiba, not that it mattered if they did know. In all honesty, being a Ghoul simply gave me another excuse to bring Kaiba to his knees.
"Wait a minute!" snapped Lumis. "Who says you get to duel him first?"
"Exactly!" Umbra chimed in. "We're going to take him on first."
"And of course, you'll do it together," I prophesized. "After all, you're helpless when you're separate."
"HEY!"
Seeker smirked. "He's not wrong. You always gang up on people in duels, because your decks depend on each other's support. Mine, on the other hand-"
At that point, we drowned him out, since what would follow is a five-minute rant on why he was so powerful. "Look, there's a perfectly simply way of solving who goes first. Rochambeau!"
We three raised our fists in front of us. And together we said, "Rock, paper, scissors… SHOOT!" I won with scissors.
"Damn!" exclaimed Umbra. "This happens every time!"
"Well, maybe if you chose something other than paper," snapped Lumis.
"Why don't you choose something other than paper?" Umbra shot back.
"Tough break," I said with a shrug. "But, on the slim chance I fail in my battle with Kaiba, you two can take a stab at annoying him to death."
Before more angry words could be exchanged, Marik entered the room, and we ceased bickering immediately. When Marik enters, you show respect. He gave us our assignments, which was basically a hit list with duelists and rare cards. I looked at my assignment and smiled. Rebecca Hawkins, Rex Raptor, and Seto Kaiba; all big names. Also, I was to befriend Yugi and infiltrate his clique, to scout any potential hostages and possessed duelists.
"We land in five minutes, gentlemen," said Marik. "Happy hunting."
As soon as we landed, Seeker got a tip on Joey Wheeler. I wondered if I should follow behind to "rescue" Joey after his defeat, or start gathering rare cards. I dug out a coin and flipped it into the air.
It landed tails, so I decided to gather cards.
I already had plans on who to wipe out and when. I'd take out the Hawkins girl first. Then I'd crush Rex Raptor, and end with Seto Kaiba. Using a tracking system programmed onto my PDA, I located the Duel Disk of Rebecca Hawkins in Domino, where the tournament would be held. I took my issued motorcycle and went to meet her. The streets of Domino were very clear. No surprise, since it would be filled with dueling the day after the next. I stopped about a block from where she was and parked my bike.
A brisk walk later, I found her outside the aquarium. She seemed a little upset about something. "What's the matter?" I asked.
"I heard it closed at 7:00. It's really closed at 4:00. I meant to see it before the tournament, but I didn't plan it well enough."
"That really stinks. You know what I do to relieve stress? A duel."
She turned and raised her eyebrow. It wasn't because of my appearance, obviously. I wore a black sweater vest and pants, and a red shirt; nothing overly abnormal. It was the probably the Duel Disk. "You're a duelist too?"
"In a nutshell. What do you say, Ms. Hawkins? A duel with Battle City rules."
"But that means if I lose, I forfeit my Luster Dragon!"
"True. However, it also means if you win, you get my Injection Fairy Lily."
Rebecca thought about it for a moment. "…Ok, sure! Let's go!" We cut and shuffled our decks. "By the way, I didn't catch your name."
"Siege will do." We launched the holo-projectors and activated our disks. "Duel."
4000/4000
"I'll start, if you don't mind," said Rebecca. "I play Sangan (1000/600) in defense mode, and end my turn!"
"Interesting. Now, I summon Mataza the Zapper (1300/800). Its special ability allows it to attack twice per turn. I attack your monster!"
A second later, her little hairball was in the graveyard. "You triggered his special effect, letting me add a monster with 1500 or less attack points to my hand."
"It can't help you right now, though. I attack you directly!
4000/2700
"Now, I'll place two cards facedown and end my turn."
Rebecca had to think for a second on how to best deal with this situation. Clearly, she never faced a Ghoul before. "I use Graceful Charity, letting me draw three cards at the cost of two. Then, I use Cost Down, letting me sacrifice a card in my hand to reduce the level of all monsters by two for the rest of the turn. And, I play Shadow Ghoul (1600/1300)! It's special effect increases its attack points for every monster in my graveyard."
I smiled. "Interesting. With the monsters in your graveyard, it brings your monster up to…2000?" I operated under the assumption that every card she threw away was a monster.
"You got it! I attack with green vapor shroud!"
"Sorry, but you can't touch me! I reveal my facedown cards; Spirit Barrier and Astral Barrier."
"What?"
"Allow me to explain. Astral Barrier lets me make any of your attacks direct attacks. Spirit Barrier stops any damage to me as long as I have a monster on the field. Together it means you can do no damage to me as long as I have a monster!"
Rebecca growled. "How am I supposed to fight that?"
"With great difficulty. End your turn?" She nodded. "Great. Because I think it's about time I end this duel. I equip my Mataza with the Big Bang Shot, increasing its attack by 400. Then, I summon the Berserk Gorilla (2000/1000). Its special effect requires it to attack whenever it can. So, I use it to destroy your Shadow Ghoul!"
Since their attack strengths were equal, they both ended up in the graveyard. "No, my Shadow Ghoul!"
I shrugged. "Sorry to do this but…Mataza, attack her twice for the win!" Two swipes later, her lifepoints were gone.
4000/0
Rebecca pounded on the pavement. "Drat! I thought I could defeat Kaiba!"
"Pardon? You're after Seto Kaiba?"
"Years ago, my dad gave Solomon Moto a Blue Eyes White Dragon. But I discovered Kaiba tore it in half so he'd own the only ones. I entered the tournament to get revenge."
I found it strange, our similarities. We were two young duelists with a grudge against Seto Kaiba. "How despicable of him. As it turns out, I'm looking for Kaiba as well. When I see him in the tournament, I'll give him your regards…after I mop the floor with him."
She searched her deck for a second and handed me her Luster Dragon. "Here's the card you won, Siege."
"Thanks," I said as I put it in my deck. "Good luck with the rest of your ventures."
Once she walked away, I looked at my PDA and noticed that Seeker located Joey Wheeler. After watching for a few minutes, Wheeler's blip on the screen stayed where it was, while Seeker's walked away. I groaned in disgust. He always insisted on smacking down his opponents before taking their cards. It gave us reputations of being mere thugs. Obviously, we weren't, since Marik planned to rule the world with the God Cards and the Pharaoh's power; being one of the closest Ghouls to him, I knew his plan exactly. In fact, I was the one who stole Slifer the Sky Dragon from its hiding place.
But I digress. Once I saw Joey lost, I decided to go to his rescue. But as I took a few steps, a woman blocked my path. I recognized her immediately from Marik's description, and the Millennium Necklace. "Ishizu Ishtar."
"Stray from this path you're following," she warned. "Marik's actions will bring the end of the world."
"In spite of what you think, I'm pretty sure the future isn't etched in stone. Now, be a good girl and tell me where Obelisk the Tormentor is."
"What good could come from telling you? You could never hope to defeat an Egyptian God Card, anyway."
"Oh, well. I just thought I'd ask. It doesn't matter; someone in Battle City will play the card, and we'll know when it was played and by whom within seconds. It's a matter of time; you're simply stalling." I calmly walked past her and said, "Good evening."
00000000
I made no effort to hurry to Joey's location. Actually, I rode as slowly as possible. Knowing Rare Hunter, Joey wasn't going anywhere. When I found him, it was early the next morning. He was just staggering to his feet.
I ran over to him and asked, "Are you alright?"
"Ugh…no, I'm not. Some freaks in black hoods dueled me and took my Red Eyes Black Dragon."
"That really sucks."
"That's not even da worst part!"
"No, it…" Then I frowned. "It's not?"
"No! I promised I'd visit my sister in the hospital! Today's the day of the surgery that might save her eyesight, and I'm not there for her!"
I suddenly felt several pangs of guilt. Had I been the one to duel him, and known about this, I certainly would've let him slide a little. "This is terrible! Of course I'll help you get to the hospital." I was glad none of the other Ghouls were around, because I never would've heard the end of it.
I supported him as best we could as I helped him to my bike. Just as we reached it, another biker appeared. "Joey? Where have you been?" he demanded.
"It's a long story, Tristan."
I nodded. "And if what he tells me is true, we're very short on time."
"We are," replied Tristan. "The hospital called, and said Shizuka refuses to do the operation until Joey arrives!"
"Then let's stop chin-wagging and get a move on!" I snapped. "The name's Siege, by the way." I helped Joey onto the back of Tristan's bike, and they took off once he was secure. I hopped on my bike and followed.
About halfway to the hospital, I heard Tristan yell out to a few people on the sidewalk. When I looked over, I saw Yugi Moto and one of his friends. A part of me was tempted to stop and duel him, but I was worried about Joey's sister, though I never met her. Besides, Yugi wasn't on my hit list, and Seeker would duel him anyway.
Once we arrived, I reached over to help Joey, but somehow he got his strength back and started running to the hospital. I guessed it was something about a sibling bond that gave him his newfound strength. Either way, Tristan and I ran after him.
When I arrived, I saw Joey talking to his sister through the door. "Please, open the door so we can talk!"
"No! You said you'd be here, Joey! I was so worried!"
"I'm sorry. I know I let you down. I was cornered by some jerks in hoods, who forced me to duel. And then I lost my best card before I even started in the Battle City tournament." He leaned on the door, tears in his eyes. "I can't do anything right! I must be the worst brother in the whole world! But I promise, I'd never do anything to hurt you. You're my friend, Shizuka. Nothing can break the bond between us."
He got off the door and asked, "Will you please come out and give your big brother a hug?"
The door opened, and my breath escaped. Shizuka Wheeler was absolutely gorgeous! I so desperately wanted to introduce myself, but would've felt the fool to break up such a touching scene.
They embraced, tears welling up in her eyes. After that, the doctors led her into the surgery room, and we took a seat outside.
"Hey, Siege."
I turned to Joey. "Yeah, what's up?"
"Thanks. Without your help, we might've been too late."
"No thanks necessary, Joey. After all, it was Tristan who brought you to the hospital. Incidentally, maybe we should get you some pain killers. You don't look so good."
"I've been through worse; I'll survive. Huh?"
"What?"
"You have a Duel Disk," Tristan said. "You're a Battle City duelist too?"
"Yeah. My rating is five, and my rarest card is Injection Fairy Lily. You said earlier that a bunch of thugs took your Red Eyes Black Dragon?"
"Yeah," said Joey. "They called themselves the Ghouls. The one who beat me had three sets of Exodia."
"The Ghouls," I blankly repeated.
"You know them?"
"They're an organization of duelists devoted to finding rare cards. I've been following them for quite a while, but they never stay in one place for too long."
"So, they got you too? What'd they take from you?"
"I lost a dragon of my own: Chaos Emperor Dragon." Technically that was true. After I won it, I was required to put it in the extensive card library of the Ghouls. "Such a card would give even Seto Kaiba a run for his money."
"Those damn Ghouls! I'm gonna hunt down that one who took my Red Eyes Black Dragon! Just you wait."
I grinned. "I don't think waiting is an issue. With a tournament filled with hundreds of duelists anteing rare cards, you're sure to find your man." I stood up. "See you at the tournament." Before I left, I added, "By the way, I know which one you're talking about. I think he's known as Seeker. Give your sister my regards." With that, I walked away.
I knew I was betraying the Ghoul's code by revealing one of their names. If Marik found out, he'd be furious. But I wasn't concerned; firstly, he had no way to know, since I was the only Ghoul around to hear. Secondly, Seeker had it coming. I never liked him or his strategy. I had a feeling Joey would find him and, knowing Seeker's strategy, defeat him. I'd actually root for Joey's win if I were there. But, I decided to move down the list and go after Rex Raptor.
I yawned, realizing I hadn't been to sleep yet. I thus decided that so I didn't pull any more all-nighters, I'd wait until the tournament began before dueling again. I checked myself into a hotel and collapsed on the bed.
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As I slept, I dreamt about Sensei and his teachings. He hired an arena for the afternoon to test my skills. I was on my way to losing my third time.
1000/3500
"Come on," said Rex. "Surely your deck is useful for something. I built the deck myself."
"Don't you worry, Sensei," I shot back. "I'll clobber you as soon as I draw the right card."
"Rather than wait for the right card, you should try to make full use of the cards you have. After all, you've yet to master the art of Destiny Draw."
"What is that?"
"I taught you the origin of duel monsters, and of the nameless pharaoh. All of his descendants were taught about the heart of the cards. With faith in their cards and something to fight for, they can gain the ability to draw any card in their deck when they're in danger. Such a draw is known as Destiny Draw. Now, concentrate! My next move will finish you. Have faith in the heart of the cards, and draw what you need. Visualize it!"
I squeezed my eyes tight. "Come on, deck. Show me your stuff!" And I drew. As I did, I felt as if some of my body heat was transferred to the card I held. I was afraid to open my eyes for a second, but I finally looked.
Rex smiled. "I sense you've performed the Destiny Draw! Now, show me what you've drawn!"
"Right. I activate Dark Hole, destroying all monsters on the field!" Within seconds, the field was clear, and Rex was open for a direct attack. I sighed and leant on the platform, yawning loudly.
"That's Destiny Draw for you," said Rex. "It takes quite a bit of willpower to pull it off, but the rewards are excellent. With a bit more practice, you'll be able to pull it off with less energy. But for now, continue your turn."
"Right. I summon Battle Ox (1700/1000), and attack you directly!"
1000/1800
"Well done, Loki. Anything else you'd care to do?"
"No, I end my turn."
"Very well." Rex shrugged and said, "Sorry to belittle your accomplishment, but I'm afraid I'll have to put you at another disadvantage. I activate Megamorph, and equip it to your monster!"
"Huh? But won't that double my monster's strength?"
"No. You see, my Megamorph would only double your monster's attack points if my lifepoints were lower. But since they're higher, they're cut in half instead. Then, I summon La Jinn of the lamp (1800/1000), and attack your monster!"
50/1800
I groaned. "Dang! How can I have faith in the cards when you're handing my butt to me?"
"Don't give up. Focus, and attempt another Destiny Draw. I end my turn."
"Alright." I reached for the top card of my deck and closed my eyes. "Heart of the cards, don't let me down!"
I never saw what I drew, because the amount of energy I spent drained my consciousness away from me. Over time, my deck became better, and I needed to use Destiny Draw less. I still don't know whether or not my Destiny Draw worked. I didn't ask, and Rex didn't tell. It's a mystery that I just don't feel like pursuing.
End Chapter
I hope you enjoyed the first chapter. There'll be a lot more dueling action in the following chapters, so stay tuned. And in the meantime, please read and review.
