Disclaimer: I own nothing! But I think I'm doing a good job with this challenge. Don'tcha think?
Challenge prompt- Make a YJ/Yugioh crossover with: using specified deck. Superboy is main character. Events happening are after the yugioh Dartz arc but during season one of YJ. Enemy is (not telling) and allies are (again, not telling, lol). Conner has the ability to see Duel Monster spirits. Conner wins prize from Pegasus…
Additionally: Valon/Serenity pairing. Other pairings are…Pft, not telling! You gotta find out! ;)
UPDATE: Fixed it up a bit...and now since I cant find my fifth chapter, have to start all over...all thirty...five...pages...I don't even remember it all! T_T
But I will...I will update this story. I'm sure I have a rough draft around here somewhere...
Chapter Two
The Open Door…
Conner takes big strides to get back to the others. He focuses his hearing to pinpoint the heartbeats of his friends. He had managed to find Robin and the girls grouped together, close by. When he gets there, he almost wishes he hadn't. Megan, who has tears in her eyes, launches herself at him. He takes a step back but she latches on to him and he just stands there. She cries into his chest and just like that his good mood is gone.
The hybrid hadn't realized how much playing Duel Monsters had relieved him of all the tension and stress gathering in his shoulders and his head. When he was in Sam and Erika's company, he didn't feel the pressure to be Superboy or a hero. He didn't feel anything but a normal teenager, having fun, and he had connected with them, in a strange kind of way.
But now that feeling was disappearing rapidly. In its place is an increasingly growing headache. He shifts uncomfortably with Megan still attached to him.
"Uh, Meg?" Robin calls to the telepath, "We were separated for only a few hours. It's not like Conner got hurt."
"I-I know." She says. She steps away, wiping her face. "I was just worried. It's not wrong to worry for your friends, right?"
"Hey guys!" Wally's loud call stops Conner from snapping at the look she gives him.
Instead, he turns away from her and bites his own tongue. It doesn't hide the stiffness in his shoulders. He bites into his tongue, tearing into the tender muscle. Conner doesn't wince at the metallic taste and just swallows. He presses his tongue to the roof of his mouth and clenches his jaw. He keeps his mouth shut and chooses not to say a word. Conner does give the approaching couple a nod of his head before he verbally shuts everyone out.
"Look what we got!" Wally's face is flushed with a jumbo red and yellow bunny rabbit is his arms. Kaldur walks close to the red haired speedster, a smug expression in place, and a muscled arm, wrapped around Wally's slender waist possessively.
"A giant stuffed rabbit." Artemis says with a smirk. "You gonna feed him carrots, too?"
"Don't knock on the bunny!" Wally exclaims, "He's fluffy."
"Totally aster, buddy!" Robin smiles at his friend but glances at Conner behind his shades, mentally, reminding himself to speak with Black Canary about Miss Martin's behavior toward Superboy.
It didn't appear to be doing the teen any good.
"Woah!" Wally's eyes went wide, "Conner buddy, what's in the fancy briefcase? You win a big prize or something?" The dark haired teen simply nodded his head.
"Can we see?" Megan asked, stepping closer to Conner than he felt comfortable with. He hugged the case close to his chest and glared.
"It is Conner's prize." Kaldur intervenes, taking notice of how tense the clone looked. "He does not have to share with us right now. Perhaps at a later time."
"Of course." The martin blushes and looks down.
"It's late." Artemis cuts in. "We should head back."
It's dark when they get back to the base and Conner quickly heads to his room, Wolf hot on his heels. He ignores the others calling for him. Wolf immediately notices something different about his alpha. There were shadows following him but they didn't have a smell. They came from inside the metal box his alpha was carrying and the venom enhanced animal wanted to find out why.
Once the teen had shut the door behind him, he moved his dresser to block the door. Wolf watched the clone and the case the interest. Conner then moved to the bathroom attached to his room and climbed into the bathtub. Carefully, he opened the case and everything inside was as untouched as when Pegasus had given it to him.
With extreme care, he pulled out the cards, placing the case to the side. The cards were sealed with a hard clear casing. Before he could open the wrapping, his new phone went off. Conner pulled out his phone to see a message from Pegasus. The teen opened it to listen to a video recording.
"Hello, Conner-boy." The silver haired billionaire smiled. "By now, you've opened the case and are about to come face to face with your new deck. Allow me to officially, introduce you to the Crystal Beast deck."
"Legend has it that centuries ago, Ceasar had seven rare and powerful gems brought to him from around the world. However, before they could reach him, they were lost at sea." Pegasus reaches over to pick up a glass of expensive wine, he swirls the wine, gently before taking a sip. The smile never leaves his face.
"Until I found them, of course. These cards were made from those jewels. Each has a great power and together they are a force to be reckoned with. Among these cards are two of great importance, not that they're more important than the others. That would be foolish thinking." Again, he sips from his glass and eats a hand sandwich he picks up from a nearby tray.
"The Rainbow Dragon is a creature of untold power and it currently slumbers amongst your cards. I don't know if you will be able to summon it just yet. It was rumored to be sealed within a tablet and guarded by a spirituous guardian. The tablet was found encased in raw diamond."
Pegasus stares hard at Conner through the screen. The smile leaves his face and is replaced with a face made of stone.
"Ironically, the diamond yielded another beast. A beast that guards the sleeping dragon and whose innate potential I can only begin to comprehend is now yours to command. This special creature is the Crystal Beast Diamond Wolf, Lobo."
Conner glances at the cards, still unopened, with mixed emotions. On one hand, he's excited to be getting his own set of cards and on the other, he's nervous. Pegasus talked as if the cards were alive. That's not possible…was it? He thought back to the monsters he had seen with the other duelist at the convention. He thought back to the book hovering near Pegasus and wondered if the man knew. Was it really possible…?
"I wish you the best and as I said before. I look forward to seeing what you can do. Squander the prize money on whatever your heart desires. From what I saw today, you should have no problem acquiring more. Ta-ta for now!"
The message ends and Conner is left staring at a blank screen. For a moment, he isn't sure what to do. He isn't sure if he's just opening a new deck or something else. But even so, it's the first real thing that's he's found himself drawn to and that he's good at without worrying about being underneath Superman's shadow.
Conner puts the phone down and with great care, opens the casing. The monster cards the silver haired man was talking about are resting at the very top. He runs over each one with a gentle finger.
The Crystal Beast Amber Mammoth an earth attribute with four stars (Atk: 1700/ Def: 1600), is a grey mammoth with four tusks and an amber gem in its forehead. Crystal Beast Amethyst Cat an earth attribute with three stars (Atk: 1200/ Def: 400), is a pink panther sized feline with gold wings on its paws and a amethyst gem in its chest. Crystal Beast Cobalt Eagle a wind attribute with four stars (Atk: 1400/ Def: 800), is a massive eagle with a cobalt gem in the arch of the wings and in a necklace around its neck. Crystal Beast Emerald Tortoise a water attribute with three stars (Atk: 600/ Def: 2000) is a blue turtle with a giant emerald on its back.
The Crystal Beast Ruby Carbuncle a light attribute with three stars (Atk: 300/ Def: 300), is a navy blue cat with four cat ears, ruby eyes, and a ruby on its tail. Crystal Beast Sapphire Pegasus a wind attributes with four stars (Atk: 1800/ Def: 1200) is an all white Pegasus with wings on its hooves, a blue horn, and a sapphire in the arch of each wing. Crystal Beast Topaz Tiger an earth attribute with four stars (Atk: 1600/ Def: 1000), is a white and black tiger with blades on its paws and one on its head.
Rainbow Dragon a light attribute with ten stars (Atk: 4000/ Def: 0), is a massive white and gold legless, serpent like dragon with three sets of wings. One set was feathery gold, one gigantic white set of wings, and one a leathery set of silver bat wings at the end of its tail. It had all the gems embedded along its neck. It was a beautiful dragon.
The last card took Conner's breath away. It was the same wolf that had lead him to the convention. Crystal Beast Diamond Wolf, Lobo a light attribute with eight stars (Atk: 3000/ Def: 2500) was exactly the same as the wolf he had seen earlier. The massive wolf was standing on all four, tense, hackles raised with his ears perked forward; his tail was ruffled and standing straight from the rest of the body. His head is facing Conner; his eyes have a sharp edge to them, teeth bared in a feral snarl.
It felt like Lobo was looking right at him.
"Conner?" Megan's voice jolts him out of his trance. He gently puts the cards back in the case and closes it.
"Conner can I come in? Are you okay?"
Wolf is staring intently at the door but he isn't growling. The thing without a smell is growling at the green female beyond the door-the same female who wants to be his alpha's mate. But his alpha was a strong male who needed an even stronger mate. The green female was too soft, too open. His alpha needed someone hardier, stronger, one worthy of him. Someone who would defend the pack ruthlessly if need be. The green female was not it and the venom enhanced creature was glad someone-something else-saw that. So Wolf followed his alpha and the shadow, lying down at the foot of his alpha's bedding, growling lowly at the female from the floor.
"I'm fine." Conner calls out. "Just tired. I'm going to sleep."
"I-are you su-"
"Good night!" he cuts her off. He pushes his prize case underneath his bed and flops onto the soft mattress.
"Oh-Okay…"
As Megan's footsteps retreat from his door, Conner finds himself drifting off to sleep. Wolf moves to lie where the case is hidden and turns to the creature as it becomes more defined, more there.
Conner dreams of crystals. They glow radiantly all around him. One by one they form, they become clear, solid. The crystal beasts thrum in excitement. They press into him, holding, hugging, and connecting and all along his body, muscles and tendons loosen. He knew they were there for him, to belong to him. They had waited centuries for his arrival. Now that he was here, they had no intention of letting Conner go. Now, that the bond was forming thread by thread, second by second the gashes and lacerations that Superman so carelessly ripped into existence, scabbed over. They didn't heal, not completely, too much time had passed but it was a close thing and Conner could feel himself caring for them, loving them.
The dream shifts, changes, as dreams are wont to do. Something reaches for him. It's dark and not quite nice. Its slithers close to him and extend a dripping claw. The crystal beasts react in an instant, they lung and the world erupts in a rainbow of colors. There is heat and an icy chill. The sound of rumbling earth assaults his ears, overwhelming his other senses. There is the clashing of metal on steel, of flesh being rendered and torn. They gave no quarter. They offer no mercy. Whatever had come for him, they would not let it have him and Conner didn't question them. He didn't wonder why, too, blinded by the euphoria of contentment and belonging.
The crystal beast drove all other things away. Things he couldn't recognize or see and that was fine by him. He was glad for it. It reminded him of that first night, that night when Robin, Kaldur, and Kid Flash brought him to the surface, and defended him, in the face of Superman's rejection and Batman's paranoia. He has not had another encounter like that night, not until now. And Superman wasn't going to give him that so it was time he welcomed those who would. He wasn't going to turn his new friends away. He wouldn't allow them to be hurt like he was.
Conner was tired of hurting.
Conner was tired of the pain that constricted around his heart and how it wove itself along the rest of his body like a spider's web, connecting and spreading.
He tired of how the web sent jarring pain from one end to another.
Conner was tired of being tired.
The beasts crowded around him, leaving no part untouched. Fur and feathers and flesh held him close. Like he was something infinitely fragile and he liked it. Being cared for like this, like he was the most important person to have ever existed…it was a wonderful feeling. For a fleeting moment, Conner wonders how anyone could live without this feeling. Then his thoughts are replaced by warmth, by acceptance, and a sense of rightness.
Over the next few days, Conner manages to keep the team from pressing into the prize case. Barely. He shows them his Crystal Beast Ruby card and tells them it's a rare card. It's not far from the truth. Ruby just isn't alone. When the team gets back to training Lobo and the others watch. Only thing is, only Conner can see them. They're spirits and they are bonded to their duelist. They didn't tell him much more other than how dueling was more than just a game. Lobo urged him to be patient, that knowing came with experience. So Conner doesn't push, getting the idea that words just weren't enough.
He learns a lot in those few days about his crystal beast. Lobo is a very old warrior. Time has no definite meaning to him. But he is always thinking about Conner's safety and his security. During practice he warns Conner whenever he sees a blind spot that would have taken the clone teen down at any other time. He and Wolf get along really well. The other spirits also chat and comment whenever he spars. Mammoth gets huffy and demands that Conner let him stomp Canary or whoever he's training with. He speaks with a thick Russian accent that reminds him of that Terminator character that Wally had the team watch a couple weeks ago.
Cat is right behind him with her own running monologue complete with purrs and growls about eating someone. It's usually Megan or Black Canary. Once, she even tripped the blonde martial arts specialist during a spar and Conner did his absolute best not to laugh at the look of complete surprise on the woman's face. He managed to keep the laughter down to a few chuckles. The next training session was absolutely brutal but Conner figures it was worth it.
Ruby, the kitten, also has a trickster streak in her. She'll move small things in the base and put them elsewhere. She wishes he smiled more. He smiles when she takes things from the kitchen and puts them in the strangest of places…like the infirmary…or the Mission Room main computer. He tells her, so long as she's nice about her pranks, he doesn't mind, and smiles a bit more every day she does something different.
Pegasus sounds like one of those old western cowboys and is the teen's most vocal supporter. He's taken to yelling encouragement no matter how near or far he is from Conner. There was always a charged or ready to give advice. He urged Conner to get up, to keep going, even when he felt so tired and drained that he believed he couldn't go any further. Beside Lobo, the other beast are quick to rally behind him like a general leading his army into combat.
Tiger is similar. Only he doesn't holler from across the room. His voice carries a weight all its own. He presses into Conner the importance of never giving in to an opponent, of standing even when his legs can't support him. Tiger reminds Conner of the significance of courage, even in the face of impossible odds. The teen gets the impression of a Japanese samurai from a bygone era.
Eagle likes to state the obvious. He kind of reminds Conner of Wally, without the flirting. Eagle liked to joke and laugh. He laughed at his own jokes even if no one else was laughing. He was a mediator between the two extremes: the serious fighters and the seemingly harmless pranksters.
Tortoise didn't like fighting at all. In fact, he has a tendency of sticking his head inside his shell when ever Canary lands a blow. He always questioned the idea of letting their Conner get hurt. That had made the teen freeze for a whole thirty seconds, time that was used viciously against him. He hadn't cared. Because Tortoise had voiced the crystal beasts ownership of him. Outloud. Their Conner. Their. As in belonging to them all.
In his dream, he knew, he felt it but hearing it, while he was awake was…liberating. He had wanted to laugh. He felt it bubbling up to the surface and had just up and left the training room.
He ignored the stares that followed him.
He just made it to his room before he burst into hysterical laughter…then he fell to his knees and cried.
He hated the crying. Crying for the mentor that wouldn't teach, for the father that he would never have, who would never love him. Lobo wraps around him, nuzzling his neck and face in comfort, licking away some of the tears that fall down his cheek. Conner stayed like that for a few hours before cleaning up and going to sleep.
After the first night, he dreamed more than the crystal beasts. They guarded him while he slept. Against what, he didn't know and frankly, he wasn't worried.
But his new dreams were hard to understand. There was someone with him. Someone important and they were telling him something. What they were telling him made his heart race, made it pound so erratically in his chest that he'd wake up screaming, drenched in sweat, soiled sheets, and a cock so hard that it hurt. It wouldn't take him more than a few strokes to finish himself off and his release after would leave him so exhausted that he'd just clean the mess with the sheet and then toss it to the side, before rolling over to sleep.
In the mornings following these dreams, he'd take a quick shower and head off to join the others like nothing ever happened.
But that was far from the truth.
Beside the knowledge of monster spirits and strange, yet erotic dreams, Conner managed to stay in regular contact with Sam and Ericka from the convention. That contact was limited to the texts and the occasional five minute conversations whenever Conner finds time to hide out in his bathroom.
Conner didn't know what compelled him to keep the girls and the game a secret. Well maybe he had an idea. Everything he's done since breaking away from Cadmus has always been there, known, open for others to interpret and judge. He hated that. He hated how, even if he tries, nothing is really ever private when it comes to him. The League is always watching him, even on missions; his actions are analyzed and questioned.
It was like he had never left the labs.
That thought causes his body to shiver. So, he uses the bathroom for his calls. So far, no one's tried to stop him or confront him. That makes Conner relax just a bit.
He learns that Samantha's father is a Diagnostician kind of doctor and her mother was a professor at a university. Both were open minded individuals who supported whatever Sam wanted to do so long as it wasn't illegal. Sam admitted that kind of mentality is what prompted her to stay on the right side of things. Having people who support her makes it easy for her to be happy and as a result, can't stand being around people who don't want others to be happy, too.
Erika on the other hand, only had one father. Her mother had passed on giving birth to her second child, Erika's younger brother, Daniel. Her father was a successful realtor agent, who was also a traditionalist. It was her father's belief that she marries and produce a child. Erika had already meet several "suitors" and used the duel monster game to try to get enough money to run. Superboy thought that for someone who looked so small and unassuming, with a severe stutter, she was exceptionally brave. Sam seemed to think along the same lines, telling her how brave and strong she must be to do that and even offered her a place to stay.
"My dad hates me."
Conner found himself confessing to them one day. Once the words were said, he felt his lips tremble and his eyes turn glassy. He forced back the tears and choked back his sobs. Letting go of the idea that Superman would one day welcome him with open arms was harder than he had thought, even with the crystal beast. Conner was made from the man and yet...and yet…
"My mother…my mother sold me to the labs…" Cadmus, technically, did conceive and give birth to him. Even if it was for the sole purpose of study and…grooming. "Got out a few months ago and we meet and…and I guess he doesn't want a freak for a son."
At the end, his voice cracks and he glares at the wall across from him. He doesn't cry.
"He's an ass."
"Y-your s-s-staying w-with hi-him?"
"No, a friend of his."
"He's an even bigger ass then and you don't deserve this. He doesn't deserve you. You know that right? If you don't believe me then I'll tell you everyday 'til you believe it. You know I will, too!"
"S-sam's r-ri-right! Y-you're re-really n-nice. W-when I g-go, y-y-you can c-c-c-c-om-mme with."
Conner lets out a harsh sounding laugh.
"There isn't anywhere he can't find me." The tears escape then and he hates them. The teen roughly cleans his face with his hand. "I won't risk you getting in trouble."
"Guys got money then?" Conner doesn't answer. He doesn't know anything about Superman's civilian identity, not even a name.
Sam is furious and hurt. She started crying when Erika opened up but she gets quiet every time her temper flares. So her voice is low but the snuffles at the other end can't be mistaken as anything else. It makes Conner wish he was with them, just so he could hold them. He was okay even if he was hurting, he was an alien clone. He knew he could take more than a few hits before falling only to get back up and keep fighting. The girls didn't have that.
"You're dad's a monster."
"You wouldn't say that if you knew him."
"F-f-fam-mous?" Conner sighs and its answer enough for them.
"Can you two get away for a while?"
"Hell yeah."
"Y-y-yes!"
"Good. Conner make sure to bring everything with you! We're going to do a bit of shopping and then we're gonna have that duel! Either of you need a ride?"
"I've got a bike so I'm good."
"Y-you d-do-n't m-min-nd?"
"Course not!"
It doesn't take long before Conner, plan in mind, is grabbing his case and heading out to the Cave's garage. Wolf leaves beforehand and goes to make a mess in the kitchen. When the commotion attracted the rest of the team's attention, the teen quickly made his way to Sphere.
"I need you to blend in, okay, girl?"
She shifts, no questions or overly loud noises that signal approval or disappointment and Conner, in a moment of clear impulsiveness, gives the sentient machine a kiss. Her form changes, shrinks, compartmentalizing and prioritizing before settling on a metallic black 2012 Kawasaki Ninja ZX-14R with crimson highlights and purrs at her bonded's show of affection.
No one notices the pair is missing until they are long gone.
Sam is wearing a blue skirt with black knee high leggings and a white tank top with butterfly designs. There are blue heels on her feet and her blonde hair is left in loose curls with a blue butterfly clip. Conner thinks she's pretty but not enough for him to desire her. He likes that her eyes aren't judging or analyzing. She's isn't flirting like Artemis or clingy like Megan. Eirka's red hair is still clipped to the side but she's wearing skinny jeans with a pink ruffled camisole shirt and pink flats. Conner thinks she looks like one of the antique dolls, pale and kind of cute. They both meet the clone outside the mall a way from Happy Harbor. They both admire Sphere's newest disguise before Sam hangs a permit on one of the handle bars and ushers the other two teens inside. They don't ask where she got the permit and just follow her lead.
When the "shopping" part of the day had started, Conner didn't really understand the idea. Wally use to complain about feeling like a dress up doll, pulling and pressing and hours spent looking for clothes. He didn't understand it. Why go through all the trouble when you can just pick whatever fits and go on to more important things. Conner hadn't asked before because Artemis and Wally always started fighting when it came up. His ears always hurt during their fights and he would to grit his teeth and say nothing, torn between not willing to leave the room to be alone and agony grating along his head. He was forever grateful to Kaldur's presence at those times.
Conner took a chance and asked Sam. She didn't laugh or get angry. It was a relief. She was more curious about how his own clothes which didn't change much from his uniform. The S-shield t shirt was inside out and the rest of his clothes were pretty much the same, and always provided for him. A strange look came across Sam's face that Conner couldn't interpret. Then it was gone and Sam was explaining that shopping for clothes was a form of bonding with friends as well as finding the clothes that would represent him, his personality and the impression he wants to give.
"I don't care what people think."
"That's fine. That's great actually." The blonde smiles brightly, "But think of trying on new clothes like trying on a new identity. You learn what part of that identity you like and don't like then you put the pieces together. That's why we're here. So you can find out what you do like."
"L-like d-duel m-m-mons-sters!"
"True! You like the game right! After we go shopping and you put on your duel disk, you'll be seen as a duelist and that's part of your identity."
"I do like the game…so I guess I get it." Conner cocks his head to the side slightly.
"No you don't but that's okay. We'll do a bit today and then have that duel! I can find something based on what you've got on right now. So no worries. I won't let you get anything you don't want. Okay? "
"Okay."
Conner and Erika follow behind the determined blonde teen. They spend some time in various shops and the dark haired teen tries on a few things, most he didn't like. The jeans were too constricting and stiff. The dress pants felt like paper and he worried about tearing them. Eventually Sam found a rather obscure shop that had a number of casual and formal wear. Right away, Sam grabbed from several shelves and hangers and forced Conner into the changing room.
After he emerges from the behind the curtain both girls are amazed. Conner is clothed in white cargo pants, a long white blazer with a black shirt underneath with a pair of black vintage high-leg martin men's boots. The cargo pants gave Conner room to move and had a number of pockets. The shirt was a nice contrast against the white blazer which reached down to his knees and moved with the slightest breeze. The boots reached up mid-calf, were made with patent leather, lined with cotton fabric, and fitted the teen exceptionally well.
"Wow! This is a really good look! Check it out!" She gestures to the mirror nearby. Conner looks himself over and slowly, a smile makes its way across his face.
"I do like it." He shifts his weight and walks toward his reflection, "It's comfortable too."
"W-wait!" Erika runs off and disappears into the rest of the store. Sam circles Conner looking for loose threads in his clothes while complimenting him.
"He-here." Erika returns with a black lace Venetian masquerade mask. "T-try th-this."
"Cool." Sam says with a grin and puts the mask in place. "Why a mask?"
"T-to h-hi-hide, of c-cour-rse."
"What are you-oh!" Sam laughs and gives the red head a bright smile, "You're sneaky! I bet once you leave your dad, it'll be impossible for that man to find you." She turns to Conner.
"It's also a great idea. When you rise into the ranks of duel monsters you get a lot of publicity and if you're dad and his friend are as powerful as I think they are, a mask is a must! Oh! And this, too!"
The blonde reaches over to a nearby shelf, eyes glittering, and picks up a hat. It's a classic white fedora with a single black strip.
"Like topping an ice cream with whip cream. Ooohhh! We should get ice cream later, too!"
Conner looks over at his reflection and smiles. "Yeah, sure. After we duel."
"Deal!"
"S-soun-nds good-d."
Conner pays for his clothes and leaves wearing the outfit at Sam's insistence. They make their way to the roof for their duel. They are fortunate it's unlocked and open the door to a sunny afternoon. The duelists take out their duel disk and go over the manual together. Erika and Sam have had more time and help Conner grasp the basics. After about ten to fifteen minutes Conner and Sam take places across from each other. With the disks in place, both teens activate them and they watch in awe as the blade slides into place along their forearms.
"Let's duel!" Sam squeals in excitement as their life points are shown on the life point counter screen. Conner gasp as a form takes shape at Sam's side and right away he knows it's a spirit monster. It's a woman wearing a white robe with white and gold armor. There a pair of large white wings on her back.
[Conner Lp: 4000/ Sam Lp: 4000]
"That is Tethys, Goddess of Light. She is not to be underestimated." Conner turns slightly to the side to see Lobo eyeing the winged woman with an intense look on his face.
"I'm gonna go first okay?" She draws a card, "I'm going to summon one Fairy Archer (Fairy: Atk/Def-1400/600) in attack mode."
She places the monster card on a monster card zone and the area lights up. The teens gasp when, in a flash of light, a woman with red hair and large red and yellow fairy wings emerges on Sam's side of the field hovering over a card. She's wearing a blue suit with a leaf skirt and an ornate bow in hand.
"Wow! So cool! Okay. Onward! I activate my fairy's special ability." The fairy notes an arrow where the tip glows. "Once per turn I can attack your life points directly! Say goodbye to four hundred of your life points."
The fairy releases the arrow and strikes Conner right in the chest. The teen grunts at the impact and feels his eyes widen in shock at how much it hurts.
"Wh-what?"
"Y-y-ou a-acua-ally f-feel th-the at-atacks. Th-that's n-norm-mal." Erika continues to flip through the manual from the sidelines.
"She's right." Lobo says. "The duels are more than just pretty images. Some battles will push you beyond your limits. You have an advantage over other duelists because you're not entirely human but you lack experience and those with a greater will can crush you if you are not careful." Conner nods his head, understanding that Lobo was warning him to take future battling more seriously.
[Conner Lp: 3600/ Sam: 4000]
"You okay Con?"
"Yeah."
"Good. Then I end my turn."
"I draw." Conner adds a new card to his hand. "Then I play two magic cards face down." Two cards appear on the field and Conner grins in excitement. "Then I summon Crystal Beast Sapphire Pegasus (Beast: Atk/Def-1800/1200) in attack mode."
Like with the previous monster, a card shows up on the field and over that card a massive sapphire forms then cracks. Pegasus erupts from the crystal with a cry, wings flared.
"Ready and rearing to go!" He stomps his golden hooves.
"When my Pegasus is summoned to the field, its special ability activates, allowing me to summon one crystal beast face up on the field as a spell card."
As he says this, he pulls a card from his deck, places it in the spell slot. Then he shuffles his deck and places it back in the deck slot. An amber stone forms right in front of Conner.
"Now, Pegasus, attack her fairy!" He orders and Pegasus throws his head back and beats his wings.
"Chaaaarrrgggeee!" Pegasus yells as the winged horse leaps into the air, his massive wings lifting him higher before diving at his opponent. The fairy raises her bow to defend herself to no avail. Pegasus slams his front hooves down onto the fairy.
[Conner Lp: 3600/ Sam Lp: 3600]
"I end my turn."
"Adding one card to my hand aaannnddd…" she pauses, "then I summon Mudora (Fairy: Atk/Def-1500/1800) in defense mode."
A man appears on the field garbed in an Egyptian wrap skirt. His face is concealed in an Egyptian gold armor. He kneels on one knee with his arms crossed and a ceremonial dagger in one hand.
"Then I place one card face down and end my turn. Your move Prince Charming!"
"I don't want to know why you just called me that, do I, Yosei?" He laughs, unaware of how his eye light up. He draws a card and Sam just smiles.
"Everyone loves a Prince. If nothing else, you're a prince to us and we think your amazing. So, you're a prince from now on."
"I...", Conner winces and falls over his words. "I think I'd settle for being a knight. I'm...I'd rather not be a prince...its too, too.."
He fails to right words but Sam, bright and brilliant, understands, "Okay. You'll be our White Knight from now on. Well then? Show me what you're next move is Sir Knight!"
Conner gives her a grateful smile, "I summon Crystal Beast Amethyst Cat (Beast: Atk/Def: 1200/400) in attack mode."
Another giant crystal, this time an amethyst appears on the field and like Pegasus, Cat breaks free. She lands beside Pegasus, purring.
"What's for lunch?" She curls her tail sensually and eyes Sam.
"I activate her special ability. She can attack your life points directly at half her attack points."
With a roar, Cat ran forward, leapt over Sam's monster and attacked her with claws unsheathed. Sam lets out a high pitched shriek and falls on the ground. Cat jumps back to her place on the other side of the field.
[Conner Lp: 3600/ Sam Lp: 3000]
"Ow!" Sam rubbed her face before getting back onto her feet. "That hurt a lot more than I expected. But I'm not quitting over a little scratch!"
She draws.
"I summon Dunames Dark Witch (Fairy: Atk/Def-1800/1050) in attack mode to take down your Cat!"
A woman with intricate and futuristic armor appears in a large flash of light. She had a pair of matching sheen and sleek wings on her back. She floats over the ground and then raises one hand to the sky. The air becomes charged and electricity forms in her open palm. Then with the witch throws her attack. Conner reacts.
"Draining Shield!" One of his face down cards raises up, revealing a trap card. A shield forms before Cat and when the witch's attack collides with it, a massive barrier forms, absorbing the electricity and then dissipated.
"What the-?"
"My trap card, Draining Shield, negates your attack and increases my life points by the amount of your monster's attack points."
[Conner Lp: 5400/ Sam: 3000]
"Damn!" Sam frowns and crosses her arms. "Come on, then, Sir Knight!"
"My turn, then," Conner draws, "I summon Crystal Beast Cobalt Eagle (Winged Beast: Atk/Def-1400/800) face up in defense mode."
A cobalt jewel takes form and like the other crystal beast, burst forth with a cry. He settles on his card with his wings crossed over.
"Holy Toledo! Full throttle out the gate, huh Conner."
"You need to be fast to catch your prey. And I'm still hungry." Cat rumbles. Pegasus gives a very horse like laugh.
"Just stick together, y'all!"
"Then I play the field spell card, Ancient City-Rainbow Ruins." The mall roof disappears and in its place a massive ruined coliseum reminiscent of the Roman Empire takes shape around them. Four pillars stand at a corner each, and a rainbow paints the sky above them.
"I'll let my cat have another round at your life points before I end my turn." Cat again crouches and then vanishes from sight, only to reappear right in front of Sam, claws at the ready. Sam was ready and only takes a step back instead of falling to the ground.
[Conner Lp: 5400/ Sam Lp: 2400]
"Okay. Another round!" She draws a card. "I sacrifice my Witch to summon Tethys, Goddess of Light (Fairy: Atk/Def-2400/1800) in attack mode!"
The winged woman who had remained unseen by Sam's side dissolves. The sky above the duelists are pierced by a bright illuminating light before a streak of it touches the ground. The streak starts wide then slims down and from the light, the form of Tethys emerges. She arches her wings as her body shimmer with white light.
"I switch my Mudora into attack mode and he gets two hundred attack points for every fairy type monster in my graveyard, raising his attack to nineteen hundred. And I'll have him bring down your Pegasus!"
The masked man charges the winged horse. Pegasus rears up as it raises his dagger to finish the crystal beast off. Pegasus shatters only to reform into a sapphire crystal in Conner's spell zone.
"Wait, what?"
"Whenever a crystal beast is destroyed while it's in the monster zone, it moves to my spell zone instead of my graveyard. What else you've got?"
Conner felt a smile make its way across his face. He was having fun, true and unbelievable fun. He didn't want this feeling, this lightness to fade. Every part of him was relaxed and comfortable. The wind ruffled his hair, his clothes, his cheek. This must be what it feels like to float, he thinks.
"Tethys! Take out his cat!"
The angelic fairy cups her hands to her chest and light starts gathering there, grows painfully bright, before flinging her arms out and a rush of light energy charges straight for Cat. Conner calls out quickly.
"Rainbow Ruin!"
The field around them hums and the ground around Conner start to glow. The attack hits Cat and she turns into a jewel in his spell card zone.
[Conner Lp: 4800/ Sam Lp: 2400]
"Huh? What did you do now?"
"My field card has several special effects that I can use depending on the number of crystal beast in my spell card zone and as long as I have two crystal beasts I can halve any damage I take."
"Crude." The blonde pouts. "You're not going to let me win that easy huh?"
"Nope" Conner laughs. It sounds from his stomach and sends tingles of something good to the rest of his body.
So busy with their duel, they completely missed the attention they were gathering or how several people had made their way to the roof and were now watch the two duel. Several teens had pulled out their cell phones and posting parts of the duel online. Erika looked around nervously but was relieved that no one was paying her any mind. A few of the mall's security was there, regulating the steadily growing crowd. They were ordered not to interrupt the duel for publicity sake.
"My turn, Sammy." He draws and glances to his side, "Ready Lobo?"
The wolf spirit growls, fangs bared.
"Since I have more than three crystal beast in my spell card zone I can summon Crystal Beast Diamond Wolf, Lobo(Beast: Atk/Def-3000/ 2500) from my hand in attack mode."
Sam swears loudly as a large perfectly shaped diamond forms on the field and Lobo appears in similar fashion to the other crystal beasts.
"Then I activate my trap card, Crystal Raigeki. I sacrifice one crystal beast from my spell zone so I can destroy one card on your side of the field. So I send my Cat to the graveyard to target your Tethys."
The Amethyst crystal glows an eerie blue, energy and electricity form around it before it shatters and the remaining power hurls itself toward Sam's monster. It strikes and the angel-like fairy dissolves, heading to the graveyard.
"That just leaves my Mudora. I'm not out just yet, White Knight!"
"I'm not done but this duel sure is. Your Tethys may give your monster another boost but he's not the only one. For every crystal beast in my spell zone my Lobo gets an additional three hundred attack points and two hundred defense points for every crystal beast in my monster zone."
The crystals glow but don't shatter. Colorful energy pours into the crystal wolf. Lobo throws his head back and howls as his markings glow. He crouches with his head lowered, snarling at the masked man opposite him.
[Crystal Beast Diamond, Lobo: Atk/Def-3600/2700]
"Oh, man." Sam whines and sticks out her tongue at Conner.
"Yup." The teen doesn't lose his grin. "I switch my Eagle to attack mode and I attack with Lobo!"
Eagle opens his wings and with a powerful, single flap is in the air, hovering, claws sharp and ready. Lobo's eyes glow as he surges forward. Mudora raises his weapon to defend but it's useless. Lobo is quick and bigger than his opponent. He slams Mudora to the ground; massive jaws break through the mask and tear into vulnerable flesh. Sam's monster screams before it's destroyed.
[Conner Lp: 4800/ Sam Lp: 900]
"My turn! My turn! Let's win it!" Eagle shrieks
"And that leaves Eagle. Sorry Sam." The girl laughs, a smile on her face.
"Are you kidding? I haven't had so much fun! But we're still getting ice cream after this. I think I'm getting sore."
Conner give Eagle a nod of his head and the beast heaves himself higher into the air. He circles once then descends, wings folded, and at the last second he opens his wings, angling for a full body tackle. The attack knocks Sam back on her back and her lifepoints hits zero. Eagle swoops back around and lands on his side of the field.
"Winner-Conner!" Eagle crows, "Want me to do a victory dance?" He lifts his wings high in the air as if to he were a human going to raise and shake his arms.
"You can dance later." Lobo rumbles. "It's time to go."
The duel ends and the field clears, the ruins erase themselves and reveals a rooftop audience. The crowd cheers and roars. The applause doesn't hurt his ears and it makes something inside of him pool together and melt. Or at least something that's like melting. It was just a really, really good feeling. He wanted more of it.
Conner went over to help Sam off the floor.
It was as if some switch had been flipped. The crowd gets louder. He couldn't comprehend why. He wasn't really thinking of anything, however. There was a rush coursing inside of him. It filled his head, made everything blur slightly. It poured into his hands and feet, made him breathless. Sam laughed loudly and leaned against him, trying to regain her balance. But the sound was muted. All noise was somewhat muted.
"I feel like I'm high or something! I get why people love this stuff so much!" Sam laughs deliriously. "My legs feel like j-ello! Oh! Oh! We said we'd get ice cream, too! Come on, come on before my legs turn to mush."
She starts to walk away, her legs shaking slightly. Erika is there waiting for them.
"Come on Sir Knight!" the blonde throws her arms around Erika's shoulders, leaning on her for support as she makes her way to the exit. Several bystanders, congratulate her and throw questions at her. Conner forces himself to follow. There are a group of girls, standing by the doorway.
They call him "Sir Knight", like Sam. They smile and giggle at him.
He doesn't try to correct them. Some of them run their hands over his arms but he just marches on after his friends. Today's been an amazing day, Conner thinks, too high to think of anything else.
Unaware, the "White Knight" becomes a hit online. Clips appear all over the web, showing the crystal beasts in their glory. Comments follow how handsome and mysterious Sir Knight is and how gorgeous "Yosei" is. In under an hour, the Duel Monsters card game becomes a popular game sensation. For numerous teens and young adults, it becomes their newest interest, even obsession. But for some, all it is…is a game, not to be taken seriously. They will find, through painful experience, that it can become very dangerous, very quickly.
Yosei- Nickname for Sam, also Japanese for "fairy"
White Knight- wanted to change it up a bit. Can you imagine: a knight, a fairy, and a fiend walk into a bar...lol
Holy Toledo! This chapter is long as hell! I have no idea what I was thinking...but I'm happy with how it turned out.
Reviews are lovely, like flowers on mother's day... ;)
