"It's over. You had a good run." A cocky grin emerged from the face of the red-haired man. "PSY-Framelord Omega, finish him off!" They then declared, raising their hands as a silver coloured humanoid cackled and marched forward. Green bolts and sparkles trailed from its method of transportation, some sort of mechanical scooter that was formed by psychic entities. It kept moving forward, aiming for the distraught opponent who turned pale once Omega reached him. The Framelord then exploded in a flash of green light, blinding everyone including the crowd that had been spectating so far.
Turn 3 - Zack (LP - 1600 → 0)
DUEL OVER!
"And that's a wrap!" The bombastic voice of the announcer could be heard in the distance. Despite that, he was still dwarfed by the numerous cheers coming from the crowd that had gathered next to table 32. Whoever the owner of the PSY-Frame was, they seemed to be quite popular. "By swiftly getting rid of Zachary's remaining monster with PSY-Framelord Zeta's effect, he was able to aim for the kill with his signature monster, Omega! A spectacular win from Rose City's top duelist, Daniel Dawson!"
More claps, more cheers. The rest of the speech was fairly standard. The victor was praised endlessly, people discussing their legacy in vivid detail. Daniel himself stood up from the table, a gold medal now wrapped around his neck. It was obvious that he just won a rather important competition.
"So," The announcer coughed a bit. "Mr. Dawson."
"Daniel is fine." Daniel replied, still looking starry-eyed as he kept looking at his precious crowd.
"Oh. Ahem. Mr. Daniel then, you've been dominating the local dueling scene here in Rose City. Numerous sponsors have already been asking for you to join their teams for the upcoming Thorn Tournament. Considering that it's almost a year away, do you have any thoughts on the"- Daniel abruptly snatched the microphone from the announcer's shaky fingers. A bold move that caused the crowd to await with anticipation.
"What? Do you think I intend on hatching eggs in this cozy den? Do you think I don't have dreams? Of course I'm going to participate in the Thorn Tournament! Finding a sponsor that suits me is just a matter of time." He boasted quite proudly. The announcer understood that the victor's interview was over.
"Damn! That was like, so sick Xavier!" A skinny looking kid with blond, dyed hair muttered, still gawking at the table where the duel had occurred. "He drew and then summoned this and activated that and then, boom! Bam! It was over in an instant!" He gestured as he said that.
"It was just a duel like any other, Max. How about you focus on the one you're currently having instead?" Xavier replied. In stark comparison to the boy next to him, this one was slightly older. Around in his mid 20s and wearing smart casual. Despite their age, their strained face and demeanor made them look quite older. Even their brown hair was of a darker shade.
Turn 3 - Max (LP - 2500 / Hand - 3 / Monsters: Impcantation Bookstone, Impcantation Penciplume / Spell & Trap: 1 Set Card)
"Oh. Right." Max muttered, staring at his unimpressive looking board of weak monsters. Something had to change if he wanted to push forward.
"I activate the Ritual Spell Card, Impcantation Celebration. I tribute Impcantation Bookstone and Impcantation Penciplume from my field to summon Impcantation Chalislime (DARK/Aqua/Ritual/Effect/Level 7/ATK 2500/DEF 1800)." He said, sliding the monster cards on his table into the Graveyard before placing a blue card on the field. Chalislime's artwork definitely hid its true nature of a 2500 ATK beater.
"I then activate Chalislime's effect. I discard Impcantation Talismandra from my hand to target a monster on your field and destroy it. I choose, uh..." Max raised his head and looked forward, as if he had never stared at his opponent's field before this turn.
Turn 3 - Xavier (LP - 4000 / Hand - 3 / Monsters: The Weather Painter Aurora, The Weather Painter Thunder / Spell & Trap: The Weather Cloudy Canvas, The Weather Snowy Canvas, 1 Set Card)
"Don't tell me," Xavier scowled at the boy. "you've dozed off again?"
"Uh, nahhh! I target Weather Painter Aurora!" Max declared, tapping the green-haired lady in the card.
"I activate Snowy Canvas' effect. A "The Weather" monster in this card's column and adjacent columns can be banished to add a "The Weather" card from my deck to my hand. I banish Aurora to add The Weather Painter Snow to my hand. Also Chalislime's effect fizzles since he lost his target." Xavier declared, quickly countering Max's play.
"Aw damn." Max muttered, seeming annoyed at his opponent's play. "Well, then I-"
"Not yet. Since Aurora was banished, I can now activate the Trap Card, Zero Force. When one of my monsters is banished, the attack of all face-up monsters on the field becomes 0." Xavier flipped his set card open before putting it in the Graveyard. "Therefore, Chalislime's attack is now zero."
"Oof. Well, I end my turn then." Max replied, scratching his blond hair as he wondered what his opponent would do next. "That was a pretty good counter, man. You ever thought about going pro?"
Turn 4 - Xavier (LP - 4000 / Hand - 4 + 1 / Monsters: The Weather Painter Thunder / Spell & Trap: The Weather Cloudy Canvas, The Weather Snowy Canvas)
"I draw," Xavier said before scoffing at Max's question. "you've asked me that plenty of times. You should know the answer by now. Anyways, it is now my Standby Phase: Weather Painter Aurora returns to the field due to her effect. I place her above Snowy Canvas. I then summon The Weather Painter Snow (EARTH/Fairy/Effect/Level 3/ATK 0/DEF 2200) and activate her effect: Her Normal Summon lets me place a "The Weather" Spell or Trap from my deck to my field. The card I choose is also placed face-up. I select The Weather Rainbowy Canvas." He explained, taking a purple card out of his deck and putting it underneath Snow.
"Snow gains Rainbowy Canvas' effect. I banish her in order to Special Summon a "The Weather" monster from my deck. I summon The Weather Painter Sun (FIRE/Fairy/Effect/Level 3/ATK 1600/DEF 400)." He said, taking out yet another card from his deck and placing it above Cloudy Canvas.
"Huh, so you got three monsters." Max commented on Xavier's plays. "Oh man, I'm done for! If you attack me with all three monsters, it's game over!" He pointed out with a look of surprise.
"I Link Summon by using Aurora, Thunder and Sun as material." Xavier abruptly declared, sliding his monsters away as he grabbed a monster from his Extra Deck instead. "I summon The Weather Painter Rainbow (LIGHT/Fairy/Link/Effect/LINK-3/ATK 2400)."
"Huh? A Link Summon? Well, not sure if that was worth it. I'll still have 100 Life Points left after this." Max muttered, smirking a bit.
"You're a terrible actor." Xavier replied, giving his opponent a stern look. "I activate The Weather Painter Sun's effect from the Graveyard: By sending a Continuous Spell or Trap I control to the Graveyard, I can Special Summon in Defense Position. I send The Weather Cloudy Canvas to the Graveyard and Special Summon Sun from there." He declared, shoving Cloudy Canvas in the discard pile while picking back Sun.
"Actor? What do you- Wait, what are you trying to do? Sun can't really attack in that position." Max asked.
"Sun's effect activates, letting me place a "The Weather" Spell or Trap card from my hand on the field when he's summoned this way. I place The Weather Sunny Canvas, under Sun of course." Xavier said.
"I mean, you could have just activated that without Sun's effect. Are you trying to show off?" Max wondered.
"No, I just formed the path to beat you." Xavier said cryptically. "From my hand, I activate the Continuous Spell Card, Dragonoid Generator. I pay 1000 Life Points in order to use its effects."
Xavier (LP - 4000 → 3000)
"Dragonoid Generator's effect can be used twice by turn. It allows me to Special Summon a Dragonoid Token to my field in Attack Position. Therefore, I summon two tokens to my field. However, the turn I use this effect, I cannot Special Summon from the Extra Deck for the rest of the turn."
"So you're summoning tokens now? Does that card even work with your deck?" Max asked, scratching his head as he tried to figure out a use for the tokens.
"You'll get the point soon enough. I now activate The Weather Sunny Canvas' effect: The Weather Painter Sun can now banish himself and tribute a monster I control to Special Summon a "The Weather" monster from the hand or Graveyard. I tribute a Dragonoid Token to Special Summon The Weather Painter Thunder on the zone above Sunny Canvas." Xavier said, sending Sun to the Graveyard, but he did not pick Thunder back on the way there.
"Then I banish Thunder to activate Sunny Canvas' effect again. I tribute another Dragonoid Token to summon The Weather Painter Aurora from my Graveyard to a zone The Weather Painter Rainbow points to." He declared, pushing Thunder from the Graveyard to the banished zone and picking back Aurora. He placed the monster underneath Rainbow as he now stared back at Max's field.
"It's pretty clear that you plan to use that set card against me," Xavier pointed out. "so I came prepared. Battle Phase. The Weather Painter Aurora (2200 ATK) attacks Impcantation Chalislime (0 ATK)." He said, sliding his blue card over the other blue card.
"You want to see my set card? Well here you go! I activate the Trap Card, Mirror Force." Max replied. "When you declare an attack, all of your monsters in Attack Position are destroyed. Boom!" He delivered a finger gun at Xavier, who simply replied with a sigh.
"The Weather Painter Rainbow's effect: The monsters she points at can banish themselves to negate the activation of a card or effect and destroy it. I banish The Weather Painter Aurora to negate Mirror Force and destroy it." Xavier explained. "You've got nothing to protect you now. I attack Chalislime (0 ATK) with The Weather Painter Rainbow (2400 ATK)."
Max (LP - 2500 → 100)
"Oof. Well, at least I still have a sliver of Life Points left I guess." Max said while biting his lip. It was clear that the game was over as he tossed Chalislime and Mirror Force into the Graveyard.
"I end my turn. Next time, be more subtle. Since it's now the End Phase, Dragonoid Generator's effect activates: A number of Dragonoid Tokens are summoned to your field in Attack Position, equal to the amount of times I used Generator's effect. I used it twice, therefore you get two tokens." Xavier said.
Turn 5 - Max (LP - 100 / Hand - 0 + 1 / Monsters: None / Spell & Trap: None)
"Well, don't think these tokens will help much honestly. Hmm, what to do..." Max murmured, looking at the only card that formed his hand while noticing that Xavier was getting ready to pack. The victor had already been decided.
"Since it's the Standby Phase, my painters return to the field. I place three of them under Rainbow's zones and one of them above Snowy Canvas. Up to you to break this board now" Xavier gave a slight smirk as he continued packing.
"Yeah yeah, I get it. Hmph," Max lowered his head in defeat, leaning back on the chair and crossing his arms. "you know, it's pretty surprising that the competitive dueling scene has started scouting our locals. They are searching for pro candidates in a place filled with amateurs. I mean, look at the Dawson guy from a few minutes ago. You think that guy is pro material? Nah...Yet he has a chance to actually make it. You know what that means?" He asked.
"That they could probably pick you instead?"
"That they could pick you." Max stood up, pointing at Xavier. "You're a better duelist than you give yourself credit for. You kick my ass all the time with a common archetype and you even figure out uses for really niche cards!" He stated, snatching Dragonoid Generator off the table and staring at it.
"Anyone else, me included, would have considered this card unplayable garbage. You, however, managed to make the best of it. That's the sort of skill that a pro duelist has. You belong up there, Xavier!" Max bubbled, getting closer to Xavier and staring at him with admiration.
The man in front of him replied with a scowl, as if he couldn't comprehend what Max was saying at all. Or perhaps he did, but his words still felt unpleasant somehow. "Enough jokes," Xavier spat. "the only reason you think of me as a strong duelist is due to your own incompetence. You constantly doze off during duels and fail to learn even after constant weeks of play. I wonder why you even come to the locals anymore."
"Why do you come then? You come here daily and duel for at least a few hours a day. All for what? Do you get off to beating those weaker than you or something?" Max asked, his head leaning in forward.
"It's just a hobby for me. How about you mind your own business? I'm not going to explain my motives to someone who hasn't even finished high school. Stop pursuing a pipe dream, Max. That's all I can tell you." Xavier chided, storming off for the exit and leaving Max behind. The latter turned around and gave Xavier a solemn glare.
"...I still don't get him." Max muttered before starting to pack up as well.
"Oh, Mr. Isaias. Funny of you to call me right now. I just came back from my locals. I won, obviously." Daniel said, heading for the parking lot where his car was. "Thorn Tournament? Yes, I'm still interested in it. How could I not be after all you've done for me? Hmm? Two more wins? That's easy, no worries. I'll get those in a flash and be ready for the tournament pronto. Adios." He boasted, smirking to himself as he ended the call and started whistling.
"Okay, where did I park my baby. Oh. There we go."
He left in his humble sports car, roaming the roads as he waved past the slower vehicles and cackled. "Looks like things are finally hitting my stride." He thought to himself, gently steering the wheel as he took a more panoramic route home. A nice looking road that gave him a full view of the seaside in the distance. He was tempted to stop too. A nice post-victory swim could always do good. "Haaah. Rose City. You're beautiful as always."
Rose City was undergoing quite the boom in the dueling and technological department. Starting off as humble and rather unknown place, the city suddenly gained a lot of prestige when Sunflower Corporation decided to establish its corporate headquarters there. This was quite the odd event, but the citizens didn't mind. After all, Sunflower was one of the lead developers and producers of Solid Vision. Duel Disks were produced and exported en masse. A Rose City citizen could also get them at a far cheaper price than in any other city. This caused the dueling industry to become much more vibrant, to the point that construction started for a new dueling arena. Sunflower even assisted in the development of the building along with the production of new, unique dueling devices that would be tested in Rose City first before being exported elsewhere. A much more compact and lightweight version of a Duel Disk was being created: A Duel Watch. Details on the new device were unknown, but Sunflower's rather large fan base was already awaiting with anticipation.
"Turn left."
"Uh?" Daniel muttered, having heard a voice muddled in the air. He stayed quiet for a bit, wondering what it was before shrugging and getting back on track. He kept driving, thinking of it as a figment of his imagination before something tapped the back of his seat.
"I said turn left. Please don't make me repeat myself." The voice spat once again, the tapping on the seat now being more pronounced.
"Huh? Who are you,"
"I'm pointing a gun at you, by the way. I'm pretty sure that your seat won't save you." They replied along with another tap. "Turn left, right now."
"..." Daniel could not help but remain silent. A single drop of sweat slid off the side of his head as he reluctantly turned left. He kept driving for a few more minutes, staring at his car's rear view in the meanwhile. He saw them: A hooded figure who kept tapping their seat, presumably hiding their face to avoid leaking their identity.
"Alright, stop here." The assailant said, making the two stop in the midst of a deserted road that was surrounded by thick grass. They were in literal nowhere: The perfect place to hide something.
"Look, man. If you want money, you can take my wallet and stuff. Hell, you can even have the car. Just let me-"
SMACK
All it took was a pistol whip to the head to knock Daniel unconscious. The mysterious assailant then shoved them a bit further to the right before starting to inspect their belongings. The deck box was the first thing they took out.
Daniel then woke up a few minutes later. He reported the incident to the police immediately before checking around the vehicle to see what he had lost. His wallet and deck box were gone.
Xavier left for the nearest bus station upon leaving his locals. His lingering scowl was enough to cause people nearby to avoid eye contact with him. "Going pro. Bah." He kept thinking, fidgeting with his deck box before his bus finally arrived. Number 31, the one that lead back home. He waved his hand, waited for the driver to stop and then got on.
The bus interior felt rather spacious. Perhaps it was due to only two other passengers getting on or perhaps the mayor had actually spent the city budget on something that wasn't dueling for once. Xavier felt fully refreshed as he took a seat at the very end of the bus and stared at the scenery from the window. That moment of bliss swiftly vanished once his phone started ringing. He sighed, toying with his deck box a bit longer before reluctantly answering. "Hello?"
"Yo, Xav. You left your Dragonoid Generator thingy here." It was Max, his voice a bit garbled due to poor connection.
"Oh. Great." Xavier felt like slapping himself. He had left in such a hurry that he had forgotten about his own card. "Well, I'm on the bus right now and it already left. Could you just hold on to it for now and give it to me tomorrow?"
"Yeah, sure thing. Just wanted to tell you before you pulled your hair out, heh." The boy giggled. "I think I'm going to try out some new techs in our next duel. I think Impcantations could do with a bit more-"
Xavier yawned as Max droned on and on. He was fine with discussing upcoming techs and strategies, but Xav himself was more of a hands-on person. He wouldn't bother talking about dueling unless he was actually in the middle of a duel. He was about to come up with a plausible excuse before one of the passengers suddenly left their seat and inched closer. They were, to be honest, quite trashy: Ripped jeans, a biker jacket and a dyed, purple mohawk. Coupled with black lipstick and leather boots and you get a poster boy for a rebellious gang member who never grew up. They seemed to be in their early 20s as they rudely sat next to Xavier, almost pushing them towards the window.
"Uh, Max? Something popped up. Will call you later, bye." Xavier said, hanging up as he suddenly hid his deck box in his pocket. He didn't want to get mugged by a stranger after all.
"Max, huh?" The passenger cracked a smile. "Good name. Plain and simple. I like it." He added, revealing a thick, Italian accent.
"Mmm, sure. His name is fine, but he's an annoyance." Xavier replied, albeit with a visible frown on his face. It was clear he was only trying to be courteous and that he didn't really want to interact with the punk next to him.
"I can imagine. Either way," The passenger rested their head on their seat.
"It's still a better name than Xavier."
Xavier's heart skipped. He turned pale for a bit before slowly turning around and facing the stranger next to him. "Do I know you?" He asked.
"Nope. Not really. However, I do know you." The passenger said, still relaxed. "Xavier Fowler. Owns a private medical practice. Often frequents the dueling store known as "Garden of Eden" for recreational dueling games and tournaments. Oh, sorry. I should probably introduce myself before being a nosy shit." He said, turning to Xavier.
"The name's Francesco. Francesco Pacella. My first name is Francesco, by the way, so call me that or Francè. The accent might be a bit hard to pronounce, however." Francesco said in a mocking tone.
"...I don't care for your name. Who are you really and what do you want from me?" Xavier replied, staring right through Francesco's soul.
"Ooooh, scary. Well, just for your information," Francesco put a hand in his pocket and took out a wallet. He then opened it and revealed a badge inside. "I'm a police officer. In disguise, obviously. My boss would fire me the moment he saw me in this getup."
"I see." Xavier nodded, finding the answer credible for now. A tinge of uneasiness still filled the air, however. "How can I help you, officer?"
It was then that Francesco abruptly got up and inched dangerously close to Xavier's face.
"Daniel Dawson was mugged today after winning a competitive tournament at the Garden of Eden. You might not know him, but he's a rather famous duelist in that store who was looking to be placed in a professional dueling team by the end of this year. Of course, his guaranteed placement might get cancelled now since the thief stole his deck and wallet." Francesco explained. "I'm looking for potential eye witnesses who could possibly reveal the identity of said thief. The leading theory right now is that it was a member of the dueling store, which means that anyone who dueled there is a potential suspect."
Francesco then pointed a finger right at Xavier's forehead.
"This, of course, includes you. So tell me, Mr. Fowler. Did you notice anyone suspicious sneaking around today while you left? Perhaps someone lurking in the parking lot?"
Xavier stared back at the officer with an equal amount of intensity. He sighed and shook his head. "No. Unfortunately, I did not see anyone suspicious today, officer. Not even as I left."
Francesco narrowed his eyes a bit at the response, but then he stepped back. "Well, that's fine. That's the only thing I needed to ask, really." He said, turning around and heading towards the bus' exit.
"Sorry for bothering you, Mr. Fowler, but I hope you understand. Do call the police if you remember anything regarding this case, however." He waved goodbye as he stepped out of the bus once it stopped at a station. The other remaining passenger also left as well.
"Phew." Xavier sighed with relief. "That was strange. Oh well, it happens." He thought, once again staring at the beautiful scenery outside while he tried to fidget with his deck box. He then realized that it wasn't in his hand anymore.
"Oh, that's right," He thought. "I put it in my pocket because I thought that he was thief. Funny how he turned out to be the complete opposite..."
Xavier put his hand in, about to take out the deck box before realizing that something else was there. Something metallic and round.
"What? What is this?" He whispered, taking out what appeared to be an orange colored watch with a digital clock in the middle that showed the time in yellow numbers. "A watch? Since when did I have one?"
Before he could answer that, he then realized something else. "Wait, the scenery here is different. I've never been in this place before. The bus is going in the wrong direction?" He stood up, deciding to ask the driver about the route they were taking. "Maybe the road is closed and I didn't notice. They might be taking an alternate path."
A chill went down Xavier's spine once he gave a peek at the inside of the bus cabin. It was empty.
"There's no driver?!" He exclaimed out loud. "But the steering wheel is still moving," He noticed. "the bus is driving on its own?"
Just when he realized that, the bus accelerated. He fell on the floor due to the abrupt shift in speed as the vehicle headed out of town. Once they were outside, they suddenly went off the normal route and decided to visit the Rose City mountainside instead.
"Where are you taking me?" Xavier screamed, wondering if someone was controlling the bus from within or afar. He tried to break the glass and jump off, but to no avail. The glass felt much thicker and more durable than the average bus. The door to the driver's seat was also locked, meaning that he couldn't touch the steering wheel. He was trapped.
But then the bus finally stopped.
"Ugh." Xavier grunted, being thrown off yet again by an awkward break. As he regained his bearings and slowly stood back up, he realized that the bus had stopped right next to a cliff. A fall from that height was definitely lethal. Such a convenient place to park.
"Wakey wakey, liar." A familiar voice rang in Xavier's ears as he turned towards its source. It came from the back of the bus.
He shook, wondering what awaited him at the end of the bus' corridor. Xavier then bit his lip and slowly braved the path, passing through the multitude of seats before reaching the end and staring at the bus' behind through the back window. His eyes widened.
"Hi." Francesco waved with a snide grin on his face. He was standing right outside the bus, having presumably caused this entire situation. "Enjoying the detour? It's not every day that someone gives you a free ride to the countryside."
"What is the meaning of this? What are you doing?" Xavier growled, slamming his fist on the bus' window as he demanded answers.
"Woah now, calm down. You see, I'm merely here to collect something that I'm owed. Once I do that, I'll leave. Of course, this doesn't necessarily mean that you're safe after that." Francesco cackled.
"Collect? Owe? Are you really a cop?" Xavier asked.
"Of course not, idiot! That was merely a disguise. But enough about me, let's talk about you: Take it out. You know what I'm talking about." Francesco asked. "Dawson's deck. You stole it, didn't you?"
"Me? Why would I? I told you already that I didn't-"
"Nuh-uh. You'd best not lie." Francesco taunted, taking out a remote from his pocket and pressing it. A loud beeping filled the inside of the bus as the man smirked. "Still wanna tell me that you're innocent?"
Xavier sweated, biting his lip as he reluctantly took out his deck box...Filled with Dawson's cards. One of them in particular was the source of the beeping noise. PSY-Framelord Omega, the previous owner's ace monster.
"See? It's always good to be honest. Well, now I know for sure that this tracking device works."
"...Who are you, really?" Xavier asked, staring Francesco down in an attempt to intimidate him. Of course, that only worked when he was the person in control, which wasn't really the case here.
"Names are for friends, so I don't need one. For now, just think of me as 'Francesco'." Francesco replied. "If you meant my job or who I work for, then that's classified I'm afraid."
"Okay. Well, how about a deal? I give you back Dawson's deck and you let me go." Xavier proposed an alternative.
"Nope. I'm afraid my boss wants me to get rid of any witnesses or evidence. That means that you go take a nice fall down there." Francesco pointed at the cliff. "It's fine though. That card I want? Probably a thousand times sturdier than whatever this bus is made of. So enjoy the view down below. It will be the last you'll see." He said, turning around and waving goodbye.
Xavier stared at him with disbelief. "No. No..." He kept muttering. "My death is already decided? Just like this? What the hell..." His head started spinning from the absurdity of the situation. "I won't tell anyone!" He banged at the back. "Let me go, I-"
"God, stop being so pathetic." Francesco turned back, a disappointed look on him as he shrugged. "I thought you'd have more spine than this. Anyways, getting rid of you is what my boss wants. However..."
He then took out a metallic object from his pocket, a watch draped in white and red as he placed it on his wrist. The watch latched on to him like a pair of cuffs, the clock glowing white before displaying the number 4000. Blinding light then emitted from the watch, Xavier covering his eyes to even bear looking at it. Once he could see clearly, he could hardly believe what was in front of him: A holographic disk in a white and red pattern had formed from the watch. He wasn't an expert on the matter, but it looked as if it were made from Solid Vision.
"I'm more fond of testing the strength of others before deciding whether or not they need to be culled. Are you another weak ant destined to be stomped, Mr. Fowler? Or are you perhaps a lion who will climb out of their tomb?" Francesco asked, grinning as he scratched his mohawk. "Put that watch on! Duel for your destiny!"