Author's Note: Banned cards are highly involved in the plot – whilst elaborate contemplation was given and progressively debated upon, I decided that fluorescent cards are dismissed and we're only limiting to basic fusion cards. As well considerably weak normal monsters.
Aoba Juiken was possibly one of the most degradable children in a highly atrocious school; and while most of the pupil rapt upon a single, diversely similar activity, the characteristic cowardice – Juiken – seldom dissented with these captivations. He was a variant out of many, because this children's card game had gotten through to many, but not him particularly. He was verily scared out of mostly everything, his pattern of living was deranged, his individually systematic and scheduled portfolio showed him the meandering, imaginative documents of his gravitational, dark life. He led no ambitions, no dreams, no complex challenges, no paths to follow. Nothing. He treaded about from school to home, engaged in one of the most decisively dull exercise – doing homework – and slept soundly after. There was no spice to his unchanging routine, nothing bellowed into his everyday morning episode, and quite frequently, he visited one of the many hanging monuments, pioneered upon the southern lands of Koubishika City, and bellied fetchingly above a grassland. Juiken came here very often, because it reminded him of his life, staggering with all the might of lonely survival, and eventually succumbing to it's feel. At least the wind here blew great. Really great. People thought he didn't enjoy interactions in particular, mainly because he was solemn and uninterested. But their assumptions spread like a wildfire,
"He thinks he's too good?!"
They abundantly sunk under these words, and his social status was hugely dying by the minute. Who was he to decline their words and set their words aflame, make them realize the truth behind his heart, and help them accept him? No one. He hadn't done much bark, or bite, since a few years ago. He had nothing to share publicly. Arguably, he lived a quiet life. Something rare around here; because this City had never died. The lights were everlasting, the roads were bountiful with a lot of streaking cars. He was probably the only one around here who actually went to bed, covered himself in a purplish blanket, set the alarm clock to 8:50 AM, and just fell on a temporary coma; at 9:00 PM.
[ 9:32 AM ]
Juiken's pale arm launched out of the covers, trudged across the pillow, and felt his face dawn underneath the thin and comfy paradise. He woke up; and the hour is realized. It's late. Really late. He can't help but wake up and scream aloud. No one is home. His grandmother had used to live here; but she's moved to Tokyo three years ago, his parents went abroad, and he stood alone in a two-story house with mild decorations and a significant amount of money. He couldn't ask for a better situation, really. He shyly placed himself back on the bed and shot himself up. "Tch, I'm late. . .I can't go to school at this rate." He wasn't exactly best known for his continuous presence. He decides to fix his clothes, tear up some casual ins, and walk out of the home with a key at hand and a backpack. On schooldays where he skipped, Juiken mostly spent time strolling. Because he was too scared to stay home alone. And he was also too scared to walk around in such a perilous city, but he preferred the latter. And there, he heard yelps linger from a faraway store. People had rushed into the door and gazed about with such vigor. It was a 'duel'. What is a duel, people asked. A showdown. A challenge. Something not for Juiken to participate in. Through sheer and translucent glass, Juiken perceives a freshly red-haired male, with an ivory coat, goggles, baggy pants and long, fat and golden shoes. He was draped in an enthusiastic, most fairing face, with a coy smirk and diamond eyes. The duel showed great resonance, one monster occupied the ginger's field, whilst one had made their way into the other's.
[ Taku | 1400 Life Points. ]
[ Keiger | 3000 Life Points ]
"Hehe! It's time you suffer a tad, man! I'mma tribute my Fire Kraken [ 1600 / 1500 ] to summon THE ace!"
"Take up to the skies and beat everything down! Tear'em up and win! Blaze on, don't stop, swallow the sun—"
"Twin-Headed Fire Dragon! [ 2200 / 1700 ]" A mighty beast, mutated with a second head that lurches up and down, hanging lowly and slurping disgustingly. With it's descent, some fire strikes upon the ground and threatens to consume the Solid Vision. "Twin-Headed! Take that King of Yamimakai [ 2000 / 1530 ] on!" With jaws that open wide, fire creeps out, dancing around King of Yamimakai and eventually eating him alive in a fiery black hole. The opponent's monster is, in an instant, thrust unto the graveyard. But that wasn't his ace.
Surely, Taku is highly known for his deep relationship, and his perfect synchronization with all monsters occupying his FERVOR and VIGOR deck. Almost everyone in this card shop fears his possession capabilities, and his wisely words of huge and infernal significance. Juiken can't help but continue staring. It's like he's interested, highly. But he could never, and I mean it, never pull such a thing without feeling the stretch of humane anxiety eat his brains.
"T. .Tch! You're doing good but you've seen nothing! I'll draw!" Keiger draws his card. Now that Juiken thinks about it, Keiger seemed like the ideal counterpart to a situational antagonist incapable of doing things to prove that his rightfully belonging to this world. Like that one character who thrives for impossible perfection, and the delusion is neverending, with flowery hair and purple clothes, along with excessively huge spectacles, Keiger, despite having his own twisted dreams, had some cool resemblance.
"I'm activating Monster Reborn! Come back here, King of Yamimakai! But it's not over yet, because I'll tribute my King of Yamimakai to summon my REAL ACE!" he holds a card up. Now that's interesting.
"Smother the mists of livelihood with your darkness, darken the path of light and slice upon the world's entirety! Kill,"
"Beast of Talwar [ 2400 / 2150 ]!" The fear is real. Really real. Beast of Talwar was anything but a humid character, because of how bulked it's muscles were, they strung upon the devil wings that mounted it's greenish back, and it's elevated head, now with two curved swords leisure on it's hold. With but a mere gesture from Keiger, the Beast who is said to wield the legendary Talwar makes it's graceful yet rigorous leap, tearing apart Taku's ace in one slice.
[ Taku | 1200 Life Points. ]
[ Keiger | 2800 Life Points. ]
Honestly, a comeback was impossible. It'd be a relief if Taku had surrendered at this point, though, his incompetence is abundantly compensated with a dangerous unyielding individuality. He cast his ruby eyes upon his side of the field; absolutely nothing. On the other hand, he wield three cards on his fingers. Great Angus, Flame Manipulator and Volcanic Rat. He thought. None of those could actually work against Beast of Talwar; and the next card to actually rest upon his grip was the last. At this point, Juiken had showed some signs of disarray, as when he comes to meet his man purse, he holds out a bottle of water and gazes upon attentively. He'd, by now, realized that Taku will lose this duel. It's fated. The next turn, Keiger is capable of producing something relentless and violent enough to put an end to this. People about often felt compelled to whisper regarding DARK monsters and their ruffian strength. Possibly one of the best. FIRE didn't have that much to say about this, because they boast unnerving power when it came to their level 3s, 4s and more frequently than not, their level 5s too.
Taku's specialty was making cool and risky comebacks, though. So people had been talking about that a lot too. They had so much to say about his previous duel, and the one before, and the one before. "I wonder when this kid started dueling. I mean, he obviously doesn't go to school. . .". Juiken thinks. Possibly out loud but the audience is going wild so it's unheard of. Taku's turn finally starts, and everyone backs away with a meager 'ooo' shuffling through the air into endless reverberation. Most of them reeked because of the awful amount of unease overtaking their bodies and thus making them sweat to all hell.
Taku's first card to be played is Great Angus [ 1800 / 600 ], which was absolutely nothing to bat an eyelash to. Great Angus was a beast of absolutely no mercy; it's eyes were bulging, it's head was wrongly hoisted, it's muscles were extended, and it's nails elongated from upon their hold and lashed at the surface. Smoke had consumed it's other biological features, but the contents that wrapped it's scarred hands were fiery and always seething. "Great Angus's time to blaze on! You're about to feel some warmth, Keiger! Eat this! Salamandra!" You couldn't believe the entertained faces people had just wore. They started cheering out of nowhere; and Juiken didn't know what Salamandra actually did at this point. Abruptly, Great Angus's ATK went up a 700 points. This was something akin to a miracle, really. It's hands were permeated with more flames, and a product lingers down his palm. A dragonic, semi-ethereal sword bellowed under it's grip. Like a dress of true and actual fire. [ 2500 / 600 ] Then, with a crimson, heaved slash, an arc danced towards Beast of Talwar, and in a futile attempt, the latter tries to defensively block the attack. "ANGUS RAGE!" Taku yelled savagely, and in tandem, the crescent tore through. Rest in peace, Beast of Talwar.
[ Taku | 1200 Life Points. ]
[ Keiger | 2700 Life Points. ]
Nicely done. Juiken found himself clapping subconsciously, and screaming cheers for Taku. The duel goes on with a draw from Keiger. He silently sets a monster face-down. There're no comments, and when Taku's turn starts, he attacks that monster without sharing a brief gaze at the card he drew. Quickly, Great Angus dispatches the face-down; a Spear Cretin. Flipped face-up and simultaneously sent to the graveyard. "Spear Cretin's effect activates! We both target a monster in our graveyard and Special Summon it in either attack mode or defense mode!"
"Beast of Talwar!"
"Alright! Twin-Headed Fire Dragon!"
Keiger draws a card. "My Dark Grepher's effect activates! I can Special Summon him from my hand by discarding one level 5 DARK monster! Curse of Dragon is sent to the graveyard! Appear, Dark Grepher!" A warrior clad in a tank shirt with golden edges and outfitted with a massively straight and laced sword appears. "I'll tribute my Beast of Talwar and Dark Grepher!" the trump card was about to appear. Everyone had seen this coming at some point. Keiger was more popular than Taku, which seems all the more hazardous now that this has been realized. "DESTROY!" a brief silence. "ZOAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!" a devilish imp with a blue complexion and some intricate weavings of metal jumps forth with a roar. It's face was long. Scarily long, and it's ears were even longer. [ 2600 / 1900 ] Zoa, with telepathic commands, runs about and eventually deepens it's legs onto the Angus' packs. Before long, it's sent shuffling through the ground and bursts into little chips.
[ Taku | 1100 Life Points. ]
[ Keiger | 2700 Life Points. ]
Another comeback to a comeback. This duel had people rolling. Literally. Everyone was vastly impressed by the trade of blows, but eventually, they knew that one is to become a glorious victor. Who understood that card shops became a center of supreme dueling? No one, until today, that is. Taku never pondered, he only believed, unlike Keiger, who showed some skill with strategy and comprehension. Taku drew his card and almost instantly traced a new one unto the field. "I'll normal summon Flame Manipulator [ 900 / 1000 ]!" A meek, wrinkled human appears in a magical burst of fire. He falls on his shaky legs and holds out a threatening candle of flames with his left index finger. "Have you started playing defensively?! I thought you never backed down, Taku! What happened?!" Taku started laughing. Why? No one knew. He begun chuckling and then it matured into a laugh. After, with a teethy grin of his own, he plays a magic card. "I'll equip my Twin-Headed Fire Dragon with BURNING SOUL SWORD! My very soul is now on the field, Keiger! You can't beat it! Because it burns with hope!" An edged, sharp aureate blade comes into Twin-Headed Fire Dragon's hold. He lets it carve into the air, but before long, he stops. Burning Soul Sword's effect activates. "EFFECT: ACTIVATE! Once per turn, I can tribute one monster on my side of the field to have the equipped monster gain ATK equal to the tributed monster's original ATK, until the End Phase! I tribute Flame Manipulator to have Twin-Headed Fire Dragon | my ace | gain 900 ATK! BURNING SOUL OVERTAKE!" [ 3100 / 1700 ]. It was fearsome and powerful. Everyone had their eyes on Twin-Headed Fire Dragon now, because in any second, passing or not, the latter will pull off something marvelous and hotly catastrophic. With but a sign, Twin-Headed Fire Dragon rips the blade and sends a levelled napalm of clear ember at Zoa. "BURNING SOUL SLAAAASH!" After, the flames grow desolate, and Zoa is dead.
[ Taku | 1100 Life Points. ]
[ Keiger | 2200 Life Points. ]
Keiger's turn is skipped mindlessly because there is nothing he can do. Taku draws into Darkfire Soldier #1, and subsequently summons it. [ 1700 / 1150 ] "BURNING SOUL OVERTAKE!" Twin-Headed Fire Dragon pulsates with power. [ 3900 / 1700 ] It's muscles bulge even more, and it's heads roughen themselves. It gains a fiery aura about itself, and in one bellow, a flame streaks from upon, eating Keiger's field and leaving him on the ground, duel disk deactivated, cards rest on the surface innocently. "BURNING SOUL SLASH!"
And just like that, the duel is finished. Remarkable and splendid; fast yet relaxed. Fully processional and even moreso agreeable. The methodic and highly complex way of battle had Juiken wide-eyed. His mouth agape, his lips watery, his eyes drooped and solemn. The glint that exalted his eyes had caught Taku, and the ginger had immediately sought for introduction. After stringing his duel disk components back unto their primarily mechanical state, Taku waves Keiger good bye, but not before he receives the ante at which they dueled. Shadow Specter. Surely was one of the most worthless Level 1 cards out there, but it had it's own value. Taku had, soon after, forged a crevice from the crowd, walking through swiftly and with no possible obstacle. Everyone was inaudible, with due respect to the coated opaque of mystery. He walked over to Juiken, only seconds after the latter had decided to take a step back, turn around, and parade away. But Taku hastily addressed him, holding Juiken by the shoulderblade.
"Where're you going?!"
"H. . Huh. . .Home?"
"Aren't you here to duel?"
"N. .No. . I. .I just thought about v. . .visiting."
"Why would you visit a card shop?!"
"N. . No, I was just. . uh. . .p. . p. . ."
"Punting people at duels?"
"No! P. . passing by."
"You don't pass by card shops like it's a casual happening. Unless you have a reason, the card shop won't see you. You won't see it either. It's the reason Duel Monsters is most wonderful! Most ravishing! We all love Duel Monsters!" Taku silenced himself. After a gulp, he exasperated, and went on yet another volley of words. Seemed shorter this time; Juiken remarks. "Do you love Duel Monsters, stranger?!" An anxious grip tore down Juiken's shoulder for however weak he was, and pushed him back a foot. Juiken inched backwards, clumsily shook on his lean, and fell on his butt. Taku lowered his coarse fingers and curled his arms quietly. A very straight question. Unfortunately, Juiken doesn't know anything other than Twin-Headed Fire Dragon when it came to Duel Monsters. The latter's case being awfully related to that circumstance there.
"Ye. . .Yes. . " Juiken doesn't understand what might happen now that he'd curtly agreed, though he actually gave conceptual theorization and regard to what turbines of hell might've ensued had he denied. Taku smiles, creeping the streaks of his digits upon his slightly torn leather pocket, and settled his flat palm upon his strong waistline, then he bent a tad to the side, making it seem awfully womanly of Taku to stand prone like that.
"Great then! We'll go in and duel! We need to!" Juiken honestly didn't acknowledge any rationality behind Taku suddenly approaching him, but it was a feeling. A certain curb of warmth ate at his stomach when their eyes met; not out of love or anything, but certainly out of reliance. Juiken needed someone to stick to; and this divined aura was seeable. Because Juiken had shook whenever he felt cornered, whenever he felt timid. But his thoughts were unaligned; they were often offensive and hateful. He wore a second face. In his mind, at least.
"N. .No. . I. . I don't have a deck. . ." He exclaimed, falling on his knees and forcibly coming to a stand. Taku almost laughed, but bore it when he held Juiken by the eastern side of his chest and tucked him into the climatic card shop. Juiken's glasses; and now that we're in this topic; had dangled unto the bridge of his nose. His hair was scantly brown, faintly bound to a yellow at the bottom and spiked at the center but honorably lowered so that it may not bang his olive complexion. He was lean, slender and nerdy, mainly because he was too scared of athletics, and that people gave him a bad name. Generally. Regardless, he situates himself close to a table. Surely, it was one of the busiest places in this city, filled with cackling boys and girls alike, honing their skills, enjoying Duel Monsters. "None of these are bad people," Taku felt compelled to proclaim, because he saw how fidgety and volatile Juiken seemed. "Unless you get on their names. Then they'll beat you up," Juiken instantly choked on his dry throat and backed away a feet or two. "In Duel Monsters!" the ginger added happily. That was certainly a relief to hear. He'd made it to the end of the shop, and made dimly ecstatic acquaintances with the girly shop owner. She was probably on a similar age range, but had no school to actually go to. She had known Taku for years now, Juiken must've thought eventually. Because they both seemed quite polar to one another's preferences, so they'd argue at almost any given time. "Mirai, we're trying to get this guy into Duel Monsters. He said he liked, but he doesn't have an actual deck. Care to give him a few booster packs on the house?" It was like Taku asked for it, because in the second after, Mirai had forced Taku into the ground with a real beatdown. "Do you seriously think I could just pull booster packs without my father's consent and money?! Sorry, we're friendly, but not that friendly!" She highlighted the word 'that' with her own mouth. She felt quite obliged to diss on Taku. "U. . Uh, this is really unneeded." Taku quickly moved up, but really didn't have much of a chance, since he spoke to Mirai soon after. Juiken was slowly moving backwards, and eventually, he ran out of the shop hurriedly. Not in tears, but with a reddish, troubled face. Taku had called for him, but was definitely unheard. Swiftly, he placed the blame on Mirai and begun yet another argument. The morning had ended as this, and Juiken had gone back for some much needed rest.
[ 10:12 AM ]