1.
"Junk Warrior, take out his Life Points!"
The hulking scrap-warrior ploughed through Trudge's Goyo Guardian, ending what had been an unexpectedly close duel.
Trudge cursed and booted the ground in frustration.
"You punk," he hissed. "I had you! I had you! But you squirmed away – and won! Again! You punk!"
Yusei smiled through Trudge's curses and Rally's cheers. When the former calmed a little, Yusei said, "You duelled well, Trudge. You're right – you almost had me. But I believed in my deck. I didn't give up."
"Way to go, Yusei!" Rally was punching the air triumphantly. "You showed him!"
Trudge scowled at Rally, gritted his teeth, but said nothing.
"Satellites," he grumbled eventually.
"And proud of it!" said Rally. Yusei smiled and nodded.
"I'll beat you one day, Yusei." Trudge reattached his duel disc to his runner, then turned to glare at the two Satellites. "You can't win forever."
Yusei simply smiled. Lately Trudge had been challenging him to a duel every day, which, considering that Trudge had numerous Sector Security duties to undertake, was a lot. Yusei didn't mind. He quite enjoyed duelling Trudge. And he did draw mild satisfaction from watching the big man's temper slowly get the better of him during each of their duels.
"One of these days I'll –"
"Lose even faster?" suggested Rally.
"Why, you –"
"Don't listen to him, Trudge," said Yusei, grinning. "He's trying to wind you up."
"Well, it's working!"
Unlike Yusei, Trudge didn't enjoy their duels. Or rather, he didn't enjoy losing. Each time he had challenged Yusei, he had expected to win. And each duel had resulted in Trudge's defeat. Nevertheless, he remained convinced that the Satellite's successes were down to luck.
Trudge mounted his runner, scowling. "I'm leaving. Tomorrow you won't be so lucky."
Yusei grinned. "You say that a lot, Trudge."
The big man's eye twitched. "I mean it this time. Luck like yours can't last forever."
"It's skill!" said Rally. "You'll see come tomorrow!"
Trudge harrumphed, kick-started his duel runner, nodded his goodbye, and drove off.
Yusei turned to Rally, smiling. "And that's that," he said.
"Yusei thinks he'll win tomorrow," muttered Trudge to himself as he drove across the bridge linking the Satellite to New Domino City, "but I'll show him a thing or two. Soon I'll be the one who's laughing, you little punk."
But he couldn't deny the facts: he had never beaten Yusei before, and today's positives notwithstanding, it didn't look as though he would any time soon. Trudge wasn't some scruffy, second-rate street duellist. He was a senior officer of Sector Security. And he was being humiliated consistently by a Satellite. Unsurprisingly, it made his blood boil.
"You punk," he hissed. "I'll show you. One day. I'll show you . . ."
He reached the end of the bridge and turned, making for the alley that acted as a shortcut to Sector Security headquarters.
"Huh?" Trudge slammed on his runner's brakes and screeched to a stop. Standing in front of the alley entrance was a man whom he did not know. He wore a long black cloak, and his face was hidden behind a hood. His attire made Trudge suspicious.
"What do you think you're playing at?" barked Trudge. "I was driving! Now get out of the way, citizen! You're delaying Sector Security!"
Silence.
Trudge bristled. "Out of the way!"
The stranger said nothing and walked slowly toward Trudge. The latter dismounted and detached his duel disc. Better safe than sorry, he thought.
The stranger stopped and smiled.
"Evening, Officer," he said. "Is there trouble?" He was pointing at Trudge's duel disc.
"Trouble?" growled Trudge. "I'll say there is. I have to return to headquarters, and you're blocking my path. Now move."
The stranger raised a brow. "I apologise. I don't mean to be a cause of bother."
"You don't mean to be, but you are," said Trudge brusquely. He wasn't in the mood for chit-chat. "Get out of my way, and you won't get hurt."
The stranger sighed. "I'm sorry, Officer, but I can't let you pass. This alley is private property. I'm sure you understand."
"Private property?" repeated Trudge. "Since when?"
"It was purchased two days ago," replied the stranger. "You'll have to take the main road to get to your headquarters."
Trudge snorted. "I don't believe you! No-one buys an entire alleyway!"
"I assure you, Officer, this alley is bought and paid for. I can't let you pass."
Trudge narrowed his eyes. Not for one second did he believe the stranger's story. As far as Trudge was concerned, no-one could purchase public property. It wasn't allowed. Perhaps the stranger was hiding something. Perhaps illegal activity was taking place in the alley at that very moment. Both thoughts crossed the big man's mind.
"Do you know what I think?" said Trudge. "I think you're up to no good. I'll give you one last chance. Let me pass, or we duel."
To Trudge's surprise, the stranger smiled.
"I can't let you pass," said the stranger. "A duel, then."
"You asked for it!" snarled Trudge, activating his duel disc.
The stranger seemed to conjure his own duel disc from nowhere.
"I'll go first," he said. "I draw! And I summon Fire Princess to the field in Attack Mode!"
FIRE PRINCESS [PYRO/EFFECT] ATK/1300 DEF/1500
Trudge smirked. "One thousand three hundred Attack Points? Big deal."
The stranger grinned. "You're right. She is a big deal. You'll see why soon enough.
"Next I activate the Spell Card Spell Absorption. With this card in play, each time a Spell Card is activated, I gain five hundred Life Points immediately after it resolves."
"Not a bad effect," conceded Trudge, "but I doubt you'll reap its rewards for long."
The stranger merely smiled. "We'll see. I end my turn with a face-down."
"Is that it?" Trudge drew with a flourish. "I draw! And I'll begin my turn by summoning Assault Dog in Attack Mode!
ASSAULT DOG [BEAST/EFFECT] ATK/1200 DEF/800
"Notice that it only has one thousand two hundred Attack Points? Well, that's about to change! I equip my Assault Dog with the Spell Card Stim-Pack, boosting its Attack Points to a cool one thousand nine hundred!
"Unfortunately, during each of my Standby Phases, Assault Dog now loses two hundred Attack Points. A small price to pay."
The stranger smiled again. "Impressive. Now you can take out my Fire Princess. But remember – due to the effect of Spell Absorption, I gain five hundred Life Points."
Stranger: 4500 LP
Trudge: 4000 LP
"Enjoy it while you can," said Trudge. "Assault Dog, attack his –"
"But there's more," interjected the stranger. "I haven't told you about Fire Princess's effect. Each time I gain Life Points, she slams you with five hundred points of damage!"
"What?!" bellowed Trudge. "Gah!"
Stranger: 4500 LP
Trudge: 3500 LP
"Not bad," growled the big man, "but it'll take more than that to stop Assault Dog. And with your precious princess rotting in your Graveyard, you won't be touching my Life Points. Assault Dog, attack!"
"Oh, my precious princess won't be going anywhere," said the stranger. "I activate my face-down, the Trap Card Threatening Roar, which prevents you from attacking this turn."
Trudge gritted his teeth, dismayed. The stranger smiled at him.
"I'm sorry, Officer," he said, "but I plan to see Fire Princess strip you of your Life Points. It won't do for her to be destroyed."
"I'll be rid of her yet," snarled Trudge. "Just you wait! I end my turn with a face-down of my own."
The stranger showed no sign of fear. "My turn. From my hand I activate Nightmare's Steelcage. While this card is face-up on the field, no monsters can attack. No exceptions, I'm afraid."
Trudge clenched his jaw. What's this punk up to? he thought. Now I can't attack, but neither can he.
"Next I'll throw down two face-downs and end my turn."
Trudge blinked. "That's it? Well, there are other ways to win a duel besides attacking."
"I know," said the stranger, smiling. His smiles were beginning to infuriate Trudge. "I'm counting on them."
"Then you're a fool," said Trudge, drawing, "because I'm going to crush your pathetic spells, your pathetic monster, and then you!
ASSAULT DOG [BEAST/EFFECT] ATK/1700 DEF/800
"I'm playing the Spell Card De-Spell, which allows me to select one Spell Card on the field and destroy it! And I know just the card – say goodbye to Nightmare's Steelcage!"
"A good move." The stranger's tone was matter-of-fact. "But you'll regret it. You should have destroyed Spell Absorption. Because your Spell Card resolved, I gain five hundred Life Points. And I'm sure you remember my monster's effect. You know what to do, Fire Princess."
Trudge grimaced as the stranger's monster dealt him another five hundred points of damage.
Stranger: 5000 LP
Trudge: 3000 LP
"I'll deal with your other cards too, don't you worry," said Trudge. "I release my Assault Dog to summon an even greater monster – Handcuffs Dragon!
HANDCUFFS DRAGON [DRAGON/EFFECT] ATK/1800 DEF/1800
"And now, seeing as I can attack without you getting in my way, my dragon will sharpen its claws on Fire Princess. Take her down, Handcuffs Dragon!"
"I don't think so," said the stranger calmly as he activated a face-down. "My Sakuretsu Armor will put a stop to your idiotic beast. When your monster declares an attack, this trap targets the attacking monster and destroys it."
"Don't count on it! Here's my face-down." Trudge grinned triumphantly. "Wiretap! It negates the activation of your Trap Card and returns it to your deck, which is then shuffled. So it looks as though my dragon will be attacking after all."
Trudge's dragon buried its teeth into Fire Princess's torso, shattering the latter into fragments. The stranger grunted.
Stranger: 4500 LP
Trudge: 3000 LP
"Hah!" crowed Trudge. "Take that!"
"Well played. Now it's my turn." The stranger was impassive. "I draw. And I summon Nimble Momonga to the field in Attack Mode.
NIMBLE MOMONGA [BEAST/EFFECT] ATK/1000 DEF/100
"And without any further ado, I'll have it attack your Handcuffs Dragon."
Trudge shook with laugher. "Did your princess's destruction leave you brain-damaged?" he sneered. "That monkey has one thousand Attack Points. It's no match for my dragon!"
The stranger shrugged. "For everything there is a price.
Stranger: 3700 LP
Trudge: 3000 LP
"Now for some fun. When my Momonga is destroyed by battle and sent to the Graveyard, I gain one thousand Life Points."
Stranger: 4700 LP
Trudge: 3000 LP
"You – what?!"
"And there's more." The stranger chuckled. "I can Special Summon any number of Nimble Momongas from my deck in Defence Position. So say hello to two more Nimble Momongas!"
NIMBLE MOMONGA x2 [BEAST/EFFECT] ATK/1000 DEF/100
Trudge ground his teeth together. He was getting sick of the stranger and his strange tactics. To him this duel was fast becoming as frustrating as his duels with Yusei. He wanted to end it quickly. Unbeknown to him, the stranger wished the same.
"Unfortunately, that is all I can do for now," the stranger said. "However, if you destroy either of my Momongas next round, I'll be gaining Life Points rather than losing them. Your turn, Officer."
"Very well," said Trudge. "I draw! And I summon Flamvell Dragon to the field in Defence Mode!"
FLAMVELL DRAGON [DRAGON/TUNER] ATK/100 DEF/2000
"So you're playing defensively all of a sudden?"
"Defensively? You wish!" Trudge pointed at his newly-summoned dragon. "Flamvell Dragon happens to be a Tuner monster! And he's going to join forces with Handcuffs Dragon! Prepare yourself! Go, Goyo Guardian!"
GOYO GUARDIAN [WARRIOR/SYNCHRO/EFFECT] ATK/2800 DEF/2000
"A Synchro Summon? Well played, Officer."
"Thanks," snarled Trudge. "I know you won't take any damage for this, but it doesn't matter. Goyo Guardian, exterminate his Momonga!"
If I can clear his field of monsters, my Guardian can attack him directly, thought Trudge. He grimaced. But he'll gain a thousand Life Points for each Momonga I destroy. Damn it! What am I supposed to do?
"On the contrary, it does matter. Not only will I not take any damage," said the stranger, "I'll gain one thousand Life Points. Thank you, Officer."
Stranger: 5700 LP
Trudge: 3000 LP
"Don't thank me yet," growled Trudge. "Goyo Guardian's special ability activates now that it has destroyed a monster of yours in battle. I can Special Summon the monster it destroyed to my side of the field in Defence Mode."
NIMBLE MOMONGA [BEAST/EFFECT] ATK/1000 DEF/100
The stranger cleared his throat. "Then I think it's time I revealed my face-down. Just Desserts inflicts five hundred points of damage to you for each monster on your side of the field. And two monsters means one thousand damage."
"You can't!" shouted Trudge.
Stranger: 5700 LP
Trudge: 2000 LP
"I can," replied the stranger, "and I did. This duel will be over soon.
"It's my turn. I draw! And from my hand I activate Pot of Greed. This spell allows me to draw two more cards. And of course, due to Spell Absorption, my Life Points increase by five hundred.
Stranger: 6200 LP
Trudge: 2000 LP
"Now I play the Spell Card Monster Reborn. Welcome back, Fire Princess! Please allow me to reacquaint you with her effect. You see, Spell Absorption causes me to gain another five hundred Life Points, and with Fire Princess back on my field, my gain is your loss!"
Stranger: 6700 LP
Trudge: 1500 LP
Trudge gasped.
"And that's not all! I release my remaining Momonga to Advance Summon Marie the Fallen One!
MARIE THE FALLEN ONE [FIEND/EFFECT] ATK/1700 DEF/1200
"Now, Marie, attack Goyo Guardian."
"Dumb fool!" yelled Trudge. "My Guardian is far more powerful!"
"Do you really think I don't know that?" asked the stranger.
Trudge opened his mouth but said nothing. What's he doing? he thought.
Stranger: 5600 LP
Trudge: 1500 LP
"You'll see," said the stranger. It was as if he had read Trudge's thoughts. "I'll end my turn by playing Swords of Revealing Light. While this card is face-up on the field, none of your monsters can attack! And I get another dose of Life Points. I need hardly add what happens to yours. It's your turn, Officer."
Stranger: 6100 LP
Trudge: 1000 LP
Trudge's palms were sweating. He was trembling slightly as he drew. Never before had he felt as shaken as he did now. The stranger had played his cards incredibly, and Trudge knew it. But why had he sacrificed his monster? Why had he attacked Goyo Guardian? These were the questions Trudge kept asking himself. He licked his lips nervously.
"I summon . . ." Trudge's eyes widened in shock. He had no monsters in his hand. All he had left were Spell Cards. And he didn't want to risk playing any of them, because his Life Points were too low. Trudge's stomach squirmed. His monsters couldn't attack due to the stranger's Swords of Revealing Light, and unless he wanted to lose five hundred Life Points or more, he couldn't play any spells.
"Stuck, aren't you?" said the stranger amusedly.
"I end my turn," croaked Trudge.
"I thought you would," said the stranger. "My turn. I draw."
Stranger: 6300 LP
Trudge: 500 LP
There was a pause, then the stranger burst out laughing. "The perfect card!" he said. "I activate Goblin Thief.
"This card deals you five hundred points of damage while increasing my own Life Points by the same amount!"
Trudge's shoulders sagged.
Stranger: 6800 LP
Trudge: 0 LP
The stranger laughed again. "The duel's over, Officer. Let me tell you why. You see, a Spell Card just resolved. Therefore, Spell Absorption gifts me five hundred Life Points, and Fire Princess dishes out another five hundred points of damage! Such a shame you've no Life Points left to burn."
Trudge fell to his knees.
Stranger: 7300 LP
Trudge: 0 LP
"You'll notice that my Life Points appear to be greater than they should be. I forgot to mention Marie's special effect. As long as she sits in my Graveyard, I gain two hundred Life Points during each of my Standby Phases. But it appears her sacrifice wasn't necessary, for Goblin Thief combined with Spell Absorption and Fire Princess would have been enough to finish you off. Need I say any more?"
Trudge opened and closed his mouth as if he was imitating a goldfish that had been pulled from its bowl. The stranger walked up to Trudge's duel runner and patted the handlebars.
"I think it's time you left, Officer. You're in shock, of course. I understand. Here. Let me help you up."
The stranger pulled Trudge to his feet and made a show of dusting down the big man's uniform. "As I said before our little duel, this alley is off limits to Sector Security. Goodbye, Officer. I sincerely hope we do not meet again."
Trudge simply gaped. Slowly he mounted his runner. A minute later he had started the engine and driven off.
The stranger smiled to himself.
"Alex wins again," he whispered.
It was quarter past midnight when Officer Trudge finally arrived at Sector Security headquarters. It was half past one when he came to his senses and reported the mysterious stranger with whom he had duelled. By half past three, a patrol had been sent to search for the stranger. They had driven to the alley where the duel had taken place. Only they had found no trace of him. Come ten to four, Director-General Lazar had telephoned Sector Security headquarters and ordered that the patrol was to be recalled immediately. Mystified, the Chief of Police had contacted the patrol sergeant and passed on the Director-General's order. At five o'clock the patrol returned, many of its members grumbling about inadequate wages while rubbing their eyes. Throughout this commotion, the stranger, Alex, had slept soundly, dreaming of the day in which the signers and their friends would meet their match at last.
That day was nearing. Fast.
