"So let me get this straight. You took on Uria."
"Yup."
"With Starter Deck: Kaiba?"
"Mhm."
"And won?"
"Right."
"He's lying!" Chazz shouted. "If something like that happened, I'd know about it!"
Aster promptly slapped Carly's article down in front of him. "Looks like you're the one slow on the uptake this time, dude. Everyone else already does."
Amongst the chat, everyone shared a laugh at Chazz's expense.
"Well, that just about settles it, doesn't it?" Bastion asked. "Chazz will have to take back what he said about you. If you can take on a monster like that with a Starter Deck, then clearly you have what it takes to survive the Pro Leagues!"
"Bah!" Chazz grunted, waving the words off like a bad memory. "Fine, whatever. It doesn't change anything! You're still a slacker, and I can still beat you with my eyes closed."
"Wanna bet?" Konami asked, setting both hands on the table so he could glare into the facecame. "Maybe I'll mix it up this time. Throw down with a little Starter Deck: Yugi?"
Chazz snorted. "Yeah, whatever you say, Dimitri."
Wincing, Konami slumped back into his chair. "Ow... okay, I walked right into that one."
Aster frowned. "What I wanna know is how some innocent schoolgirl got her hands on Uria in the first place! Aren't the three Sacred Beasts supposed to be, like, sealed back at Duel Academy or something?"
"They are," Bastion confirmed gruffly. "I checked with Chancellor Sheppard when I found out. All three of them are right where they're supposed to be!"
"Not to mention, the Uria I faced had a weaker effect than the original." Konami added. "The school's Uria grew stronger with every Trap in the Graveyard. The one I faced needed Continuous Traps. Vanished once the Duel was over too..."
"So what," Aster asked. "We're dealing with some half-baked copies floating around?"
Konami chuckled and shook his head. "We aren't dealing with anything. I, on the other hand, have two more Sacred Beast copies to hunt down."
"Wha-? You can't honestly be thinking of going after them alone?" Bastion asked. "You'll get yourself beat!"
"Relax," Konami said, assuring his friends with a wave of his hand. "I'm not going alone. I'm bringing Carly along!"
"Who?" Chazz asked.
"The girl who wrote the article," Aster sighed. "That's all well and good dude, but from what you were telling us, it sounded like this girl couldn't Duel for her life! Are you sure that's someone you want watching your back?"
"Eh, she's a work in progress." Konami admitted, "but I'm pretty hopeful! After all, if I have the power to beat a Sacred Beast with Starter Deck: Kaiba, then surely she's got some cool, dark, ability no one's seen yet either... right?"
The thought came to him unbidden, and it brought a few pals with it. In an instant, images and memories of Carly filled Konami's mind, but it wasn't the Carly he knew. It was a goth Carly; one dressed in the black regalia of something evil. Her eyes had also been dyed black, and she gazed upon him with something akin to loathing and pride. How that worked, he didn't know.
"Hey, Konami? Konami!" Bastion's shout brought Konami back to the present, and he shook his head softly in reply.
"Sorry about that," he said. "I had a sudden bout of Vu-Vision. Looks like the Restart came with a few side-effects."
"Right..." Chazz drawled slowly. None of the old academy crew understood Konami when he went off like that. "Are you sure you're feeling alright? You're blabbering on even more than usual."
"Oh Chazz," Konami breathed, clasping his hands together as if he were a lovestruck highschooler. "You really do care!"
Chazz scowled. "Never mind. It's clear you're fine!"
"As fine as fine can be on a warm summer day!" Konami replied. "Seriously, it was nothing. Don't worry about it."
"If you say so," Aster decided. "But don't be afraid to ask for help if you need it dude. You know any of will come running if you just say the word."
'Yeah, all of you will, and that's precisely why I won't.' Konami thought. His eyes trailed away from the computer, and just happened to land on the clock ticking away in the corner of the room.
It was 9:40.
"Oh Slifer," Konami cursed, nearly toppling his chair over in surprise as he caught the time. "I'm late! The plot was supposed to begin fifteen minutes ago!"
"The plot?" Bastion asked wryly.
Konami amended his statement while grabbing his red outer layers. "The card shop tournament! The winner's supposed to receive first row seats to the celebrity viewing of 'Atlas Rising!' There's no way I can pass such a chance up!"
He hopped around the room while saying this, trying to pull on his boots.
"Humph, idiot." Chazz said, smiling despite the chaos ensuing in Konami's room. "You could've just asked me for one."
"Shut up Chazz! I know better than to depend on you for something like this. You'd charge me millions of Depii in interest!" Konami shouted. "And speaking of interest, Jaden ever pay you back?"
"Tch, don't even talk to me about that slacker!" Chazz growled. "Not when he's still in the States doing who knows what with Alexis...!"
"Uh huh, and this is the part where I stop caring. See ya." Konami said, pulling on his jacket and logging off the chat.
He glanced in the mirror sparingly and took in his appearance.
Average.
"No time to fix it," he muttered. "I've got Duels to win!"
He opened the door and left his room.
Chapter Two - Approaching an Atlas
Konami's hand met the counter with a loud crash.
"Whaddaya mean I can't compete?!" he roared, glaring at the small, chubby man behind the counter. "I ran sixty-nine blocks to get here!"
"W-Well, I'm sorry sir, but the tournament's already started! We can't take any late entrants. Not when we're already in the semi-finals."
"Semi-what now?!" Konami asked. "Darn it! You mean I came all this way for nothing?"
"Well," the man behind the counter said. "If it makes you feel any better, we're giving away free monster cards to those who were less fortunate in the earlier rounds. I really shouldn't, but I suppose I could give you one as well."
Konami glanced around the shop and sighed. "Fine," he decided finally, and he held out his hand expectantly. "If I can't compete, at least I'll get a worthwhile card out of all this. Let's see what you got."
The man behind the counter grinned, and then placed a single card face-down into Konami's waiting hand. Konami turned it over slowly, only to flinch back in disgust upon seeing what it was.
"What the - Thousand-Eyes Idol? Are you Slifer Slackering me?! This thing is useless!"
"H-Hey now!" the man behind the counter roared back. "I'll have you know that every card we give is useful... in showing our customers their flaws and encouraging them to do better next time!"
"Why you... Forget it! Keep your stupid card! I'm outta here!"
Konami kicked the door open as he turned to leave, and then strode outside into the deadly heat.
"Stupid tournament, stupid cashier, stupid idol!" he muttered, kicking his feet against the pavement as he began his long walk back to the apartment. It figures that the one thing he had to do that day would turn out to be a bust. And the worst part of it was, he couldn't even call Carly to go Sacred Beast hunting instead!
The girl was living up her newfound fame at the Daily Duel, and Konami doubted that he'd hear from her again until she was in need of another scoop.
Some friend she was.
"H-Huh?!" someone gasped, colliding with Konami in what could only be surprise. "My apologies. It seems that I've been having trouble paying attention these days - oh! It's you."
Konami blinked, finally deciding to take in the appearance of his accidental assailant. It was a woman of elegance, dressed in an expensive green dress that came down to her heels. She had long dark hair, and light-blue eyes.
Despite all that, it was only the gem on her forehead that caught Konami's attention.
"Misty," he greeted. "Running late to a rehearsal again?"
"If only it were that simple..." the woman replied sadly. "It's my manager. He's sick."
Like Carly, Konami had encountered Misty on his first night in New Domino. He had crossed paths with her in the hallway outside of his apartment, where she had her way with his face in true fortunetelling fashion.
It was kind of creepy, to be honest.
"That's too bad," Konami apologized, smiling wryly at the twist of fate. "I hope you didn't need him for anything important."
"He's my manager," said Misty. "I need him for everything. The timing is rather unfortunate too. He was supposed to assist me in my rehearsal Duel against Jack Atlas today."
"Jack Atlas?" Konami asked. "What's a fortunetelling supermodel doing Dueling against the former King of New Domino City?"
Misty's blinked. "You mean you didn't know? Well, I suppose it has been kept under wraps rather nicely. The truth is... I'm taking on the role of Jack's final obstacle on his road to King. You know, in that new movie of his?"
"New movie? Y-You don't mean... surely not 'Atlas Rising?!'" Konami asked, his eyes widening comically at the thought.
"Yes, that's it!" Misty confirmed. "Of course, with my manager incapacitated I may have to call the whole thing off... It's unfortunate, but I'm sure they'll understand-"
"No!" Konami interrupted, taking Misty's hand before she could finish. "Don't you see? This is your moment! Your chance! You have to take this bull by the horns, and let it take you for a ride!"
"I'm... not sure I understand the analogy," Misty began, "but... it seems like you don't want me to quit?"
"Of course not. 'Atlas Rising' is going to be the greatest Duel movie since 'Kaibaman!' If you have the chance to participate in something like that, you can't pass it up!" Konami repeated. 'Not to mention, if Misty gets the part, she might be willing to part with some tickets to the private-showing!'
"Hmm..." Misty mused. "Well, I suppose this part would look good on my resume. And my manager wouldn't want to be the reason I didn't get a part... Very well. I'll do as you say. But... I'll need your help."
"Anything." Konami said, clenching his fist eagerly.
"As I was saying, my manager was supposed to assist me in a Tag Duel rehearsal against Jack." Misty explained. "It's supposed to be a Tag Duel you see, but since my manager is incapactiated, I was hoping that you..."
"...would step in for him?" Konami asked.
Misty blushed. "Well, actually I was going to suggest that you'd find someone else to do so, but if you think you're up for the part-"
Konami grinned and shot Misty a thumbs up. "Of course I am! Don't you know who you're talking to?"
"Uh... you're Konami, aren't you? Oh no, don't tell me I've been talking to a stranger this whole time?" Misty worried.
"No, no... I'm Konami!" he hastily explained, frowning at Misty's supposed naivety. "But more than that, I'm a Duelist, and that means that I never back down from a challenge!"
'Especially when said challenge might land me some tickets!'
Misty gently clasped her hands together and smiled. "Wonderful. In that case, we should get going. The Duel is supposed to be in an hour after all. We won't have any time to waste if we're to arrive on time!"
Konami winced. An hour? It took him two just to walk to the store from his apartment! He wouldn't have time to build a deck worthy of facing the King...
Well, at least he had Misty. Between the two of them, something good was bound to happen, right?
...Right?
When they arrived at the site forty five minutes later, it quickly became clear that that was not the case.
"WHERE ARE MY OPPONENTS?! They should have been here by now!" a blonde figure roared as he stood in the center of the stadium. Beside him, a blue-haired woman treaded lightly.
"Mr. Atlas, please calm down." she said, "I'm certain that they'll be here soon. In the meantime, let us focus on preparing our decks-"
"You think I haven't already done that?" Jack asked curiously. "Just who do you think you're talking to? I'm Jack Atlas, my deck is always ready for a Duel!"
"I didn't mean anything by it," the blue-haired woman replied. "I was just trying to help."
Jack scowled. "In that case, why don't you find out what's taking our opponents so long? It's not like I have much free time! We have a busy schedule to keep, and they're wasting my time!"
"Sorry, sorry!" Misty apologized, approaching the pair alongside Konami. "My manager got sick, so I had to find a replacement."
"Humph, Misty. I should have known it was you." Jack grumbled. "If you're going to run late, at least have the decency to send us a message to let us know!"
"My apologies..."
"Hey, calm down, wouldja? We're here now, aren't we?" Konami asked in her stead, "Stop badgering her and let's get to the point."
If anything, Konami's words only seemed to incense Jack further.
"And just who is he supposed to be?" he asked.
"This is Konami, the Duelist who will be acting as my partner for the day." Misty explained.
The blue-haired woman blinked. "Your partner? Him? But I thought this was supposed to be a manager/actor Duel?"
"It's unfortunate, but my manager came down with an illness." explained Misty. "I was actually on my way to call this rehearsal off when I ran into Konami here. He agreed to stand in for my manager today. It's a shame he can't be here... but I know this is what he would have wanted."
"I see," the blue-haired woman sighed. "Well, as long as he knows how to Duel I suppose it'll be fine..."
"He's right here, you know." Konami grunted. "And for your information, I can Duel. It's not like I spent my three games at Duel Academy learning how to twiddle my thumbs, after all. I'm skilled with a deck. I just hope the same can be said for you."
The blue-haired woman opened her mouth to reply, but Jack cut her off.
"That's enough, Mina! We've wasted enough time as it is. You two, are your decks ready? I don't want any mistakes when we run through this scenario!"
"Don't worry," Misty replied. "We're all skilled Duelists here."
"Erm, actually..." Konami winced, glancing at the cards in his hand.
Misty glanced to him curiously, "Is something the matter?"
There was, actually. Konami knew his deck wasn't up for a Duel against Jack Atlas... but upon looking at it, he'd realized that the situation was far worse than that. 'Darn it,' he thought, 'these cards are the same ones I used to beat Uria! Did I not swap out the Decks like I thought? Oh no, I didn't! I went straight to bed once I got back home last night! I didn't have the chance to! Guh...! Hate to say it, but it looks like Chazz is right. I really am slacking!'
"Konami?" Misty repeated worriedly.
"It's nothing," Konami said, deciding to hide his frustration behind a weary smile. Jack was angry enough as it was. If he told them that he'd accidentally brought the wrong cards... well, any chance of getting tickets to the private show would fly out the window! "I'm ready to throw down! Are you?"
"But of course," Jack grinned, his anger ebbing now that the Duel was about to get underway.
"Then it's settled. Let the filming begin!" Konami shouted, and somewhere, somehow, the cameras started rolling.
"Now," Misty said blandly, as if reading off a script. "Let's try an actual Tag Duel."
"Watch closely viewers," Jack said then with a charming smile. "My assistant Mina and I will show you how it's done!"
Misty smiled, "Let's go, Konami."
"DUEL!"
The four Duelists activated their Duel Disks at the same time, and stared at their opponents with remarkable poker faces. The world however, had changed. Once colorful and vibrant, it had become cold and greyscale, an effect of the cameras being used to give off the impression of an age-old documentary.
"You've done well to get this far, Jack Atlas." Misty said in true rival-like fashion. "But your rise to the top ends here. My partner and I will be the ones to take the throne. You have no chance. It's my Turn. Draw!"
TURN ONE - MISTY - SIX CARDS IN HAND - 4000 LP
"I'll begin by activating Terraforming!" Misty said, revealing the green card in her hand before sending it to the Graveyard. "It's ability allows me to add one field Spell from my deck to my hand. In this case, I think I'll go with the spell - A Legendary Ocean!"
"That's a card for WATER monsters," Konami noted aloud. "So you're that kind of Duelist."
Misty ignored him. "Next, I'll activate this field spell to give my monsters a little boost! With it on the field, the Level of all WATER monsters in the hand are reduced by one, and more importantly, they'll gain two hundred Attack and Defense Points! That kind of bonus is just what I needed... in order to feel confident summoning this! Come forth, Granadora!"
Placing the monster card onto her Duel Disk, Misty summoned a large, dark-skinned creature with more teeth than its head could fit. It hissed and growled angrily, and as it did, a strange blue aura overtook Konami and Misty's form.
Granadora - (WATER/Reptile) - LV4 - (2100/900)
"I don't understand," Mina called out. "What's happening?!"
"It's Granadora's effect," Jack explained knowledgably. "When it's summoned, its owner gains an additional thousand Life Points! But... those extra points come at a cost!"
"You're right." Misty replied, surprised Jack knew. "In the event that Granadora is destroyed, my Life Points will take a hit, but I think it's a small price to pay, don't you think?"
No one responded, so Misty decided to continue.
"There's not much else I can do with this being the first Turn... so I'll set one card face-down and leave it to you."
Jack frowned. "Humph. Very well, I'll endeavor to show you just what a real entertainment duel looks like! My Turn, Draw!"
With those powerful words, Jack pulled a card from the top of his deck.
TURN TWO - JACK - SIX CARDS IN HAND - 4000 LP
"Tsk." the sound of his annoyance filled the stadium not seconds later. "It seems that the entertainment will have to wait. I'll place one monster face-down in Defense Position, and set two cards."
"...Jack?" Mina asked in surprise.
The man folded his arms imperiously. "It couldn't be helped. Next time however, I'll show you how a King duels!"
"Yeah, sure." Konami interrupted. "If you get another Turn, that is! In the meantime, it's mine! Draw!"
With a strong yell of his own, Konami mimicked Jack's action, and drew a card from his deck.
TURN THREE - KONAMI - SIX CARDS IN HAND - 5000 LP
"First things first, I think I'll get rid of the ticking time bomb on the field. That is, if you don't mind, Misty." Konami asked. Misty shook her head in reply.
"Not at all," she told him. "For the duration of this Duel, my cards are yours. Use them however you please."
"Sweet, in that case... I'm tributing Granadora to summon... the mighty Judge Man in Attack Position!"
A streak of lightning struck the earth on which the reptile stood, and as Konami replaced its card with his own, a large and hulking figure rose from the debris.
Judge Man - (EARTH/Warrior) - LV6 - (2200/1500)
"What?" Mina asked. "He tributed that monster to bring out one with only a hundred more Attack Points?"
"Smart." Jack admitted. "Since Granadora's effect only activates if he's destroyed, by tributing him he bypassed the penalty for destruction!"
"That's right," Konami grinned. "And now, I'm gonna cause a little destruction of my own. Judge Man, attack Jack's face-down monster!"
Judge Man howled upon receiving the command, and without any hesitation, swung its mighty dual clubs toward Jack's lowered card hologram. The card fizzled and sparked, revealing the dark, spiraling figure of Sinister Sprocket before vanishing entirely. Jack merely grunted at the scene, unsurprised.
"Is that all?" he asked.
"Hardly." Konami replied. "I'll set two cards face-down, and that'll do it for my Turn." he set his gaze on the blue-haired Mina. "That makes it your move, blueberry."
"B-Blueberry?" Mina sputtered.
Konami shrugged. "It was either that or Simmering Simmington, but if I used the latter then you'd ask how I got your last name."
"And just how did you get my last name?" Mina asked.
Konami pointed several lines down. "The plot."
Raising a brow in confusion, Mina quickly decided to ignore him and focus on the Duel. She didn't have time to deal with some nonsensical stand-in. Mr. Atlas was counting on her, after all.
Exhaling softly, Mina Simmington reached for a card... and drew.
"See?" Konami asked, pointing one line up. "It's right there."
TURN FOUR - MINA - SIX CARDS IN HAND - 4000 LP
"I activate... Mystical Space Typhoon!" Mina cried while placing the card on her Duel Disk. "This will allow me to destroy one Spell or Trap card on the field, and I have just the one in mind! Misty, your Legendary Ocean is about to become nothing more than a memory!"
Misty flinched at the words, and steeled herself as a swirling typhoon suddenly erupted all around them. Their many surroundings vanished into the dust, but instead of returning the world to its former, stadium-based appearance, it instead took on the likeness of Heaven, complete with a large, booming hall.
"What?" Misty gasped, glancing around wildly in confusion. "What is this place? I thought Mystical Space Typhoon was supposed to return the field to normal?!"
"It did," Mina explained. "But I just happened to have activated another card as well. My Valhalla, Hall of the Fallen, that is! And it has a very special effect as well. You see, when I don't control any monsters, I can open the doors to the hall and Special Summon one Fairy-type monster from my hand. Since your partner here was nice enough to destroy Jack's Sinister Sprocket... I think I'll use its effect right now, to bring out the beautiful Tethys, Goddess of Light!"
A golden filled burst from the hall at Mina's behest, and a moment later a tall, white-haired angel emerged from its doors. She gazed upon Judge Man with a stern and wary gaze, and the Judge Man stared back, fascinated.
Tethys - (LIGHT/Fairy) - LV5 - (2400/1800)
A moment later, Judge Man had been reduced to ash.
"What the - you already waged an attack?!" Konami asked, surprised at the alarming speed of Mina's moves.
"It was only natural," she replied. "You used that brute that destroy one of Mr. Atlas' monsters! I couldn't just let you get away with that!"
"And yet, you seem to believe I'll let you get away with destroying his?" Misty inquired. "How curious. I'm quite intrigued as to what your fortune decrees of this, but now is not the time. It's my Turn. Draw!"
TURN FIVE - MISTY - FOUR CARDS IN HAND - 4800 LP
"You think you have an edge with the monster you've summoned, but you couldn't be further from the truth." Misty mused. "I summon Gagagigo, the tool that shall herald that angel's end!"
A large green reptile hissed as it materialized in full, and it crouched down as if studying its opponent to decide how best to strike.
Gagagigo - (WATER/Reptile) - LV4 - (1850/1000)
"Gagagigo?" asked Jack. "Are you joking? That monster doesn't even have the same number of Attack Points!"
It was true. Konami himself had realized it when the monster appeared on the field. Unless Misty had some sort of plan, she'd just cost them a few more Life Points. Fortunately, it seemed she did.
"It doesn't need Attack Points for what I have in mind," she explained. "Because I also have this, my Trap - Torrential Tribute!"
The face-down she'd set during her first-turn rose upward at her command, revealing the deadly downpour that hid within. She smiled at the suprise in her opponents' eyes before moving to explain.
"This card can only be activated when a monster is summoned to the field. Other than that, its effect is really quite simple. Every single monster on the field is destroyed. While this does mean that my Gagagigo will be joining Judge Man in the Graveyard, it means that your Tethys will be beaten as well!"
Mina frowned at the explanation. "No way... but I just got that monster onto the field!"
"That's how it goes sometimes," Konami muttered. "If nothing else, remember this - anything can happen in a Duel."
"Finally, something we can agree on!" Jack said, deciding to take back the spotlight at long last. "Anything can happen in a Duel, especially when it's one involving someone like me! It's my Turn, is it not? This time for sure, I'll show you the true power of the Jack Atlas! Draw!"
TURN SIX - JACK - FOUR CARDS IN HAND - 4000 LP
As he added his newest card to his hand, Jack smirked.
It wasn't an expression Konami liked.
"First, I'll be making use of the magic in the Monster Reborn Spell card! However," Jack explained, "it won't be one of our monsters I'll be reviving! Instead, it'll be one of yours! Judge Man!"
The hulking warrior growled as he reappeared on Jack's side of the field, and Konami found himself frowning at the scene.
"Using my own monster against me? That's pretty cold, Atlas! I like it."
"Well then, you're sure to enjoy this!" Jack said, displaying the fact that he was far from done. He reached into his hand and grabbed another card. "I summon the Dark Tinker in Attack Position!"
As Jack pressed the card to his Duel Disk, a small, spider-looking fiend appeared in Judge Man's hair, giggling maniacally and waving its weapons about.
Dark Tinker - (DARK/Fiend) - LV2 - (1000/1300)
"Dark Tinker?" Konami asked. "That's a Tuner monster!"
"Which means that it's now or never!" Misty interrupted. "I'm activating your face-down, Konami! Just Desserts! It inflicts five hundred points of damage for each monster on your side of the field, Jack! And since we both know that you're about to have only one, I'll use its effect now to get the most I can out of it!"
Jack grunted as the great red hand of the Just Desserts Trap lashed out at him, but unlike Alice the night before, he did not break. Konami supposed that it had something to do with the fact that this wasn't a Shadow Game, but hey, you never know.
"It'll take more than some underhanded effect like that to beat me!" Jack declared. "And even if you got to my Life Points, you haven't destroyed either of the monsters I have on my field!"
"Tch." Misty muttered. "No, I haven't."
"And so, I'll tune the Level Six Judge Man occupying my field with the Level Two Dark Tinker I just summoned!" Jack continued. A swirling pillar of light and wind circled around the monsters as he spoke, and they vanished into a strange combination of sigils and stars. Jack gazed upon the structure with a determined gaze, and then, he raised his fist as if to greet the heavens itself.
"The pulse of the King now forms a line here! Witness the power of the rumbling heavens! Synchro Summon! My very soul, Red Dragon Archfiend!"
The structure scattered and burst, and from its remains, a single dragon was borne. Wrapped in the scales of the devil itself, it released a great and powerful roar that shook the very gates of Valhalla.
Red Dragon Archfiend - (DARK/Dragon/Synchro) - LV8 - (3000/2000)
Mina smiled at the sight of it. "The Red Dragon Archfiend! I never thought I'd see it this close..."
"Humph. With this, the path to my victory begins!" Jack roared, and he swung his hand forward toward Misty and Konami. "Red Dragon Archfiend, attack them directly with Crimson Fire!"
The mighty dragon flapped its wings once, and as it did, a burning sphere of hellfire wrapped around its front right claw. It released a devastating roar then, and swooped toward Konami and Misty, intent on blowing them away with all its power.
"Guh...!" Konami hissed, crossing his arms to defend against the incoming assault. Time slowed for the briefest of moments, and in that time, he had a thought.
'This is gonna hurt.'
It did.
KONAMI & MISTY - R.I.P.
"Hold on just a Slifer Slackin' minute!" Konami shouted, emerging from the ensuing debris fully intact. "Don't go writing us off just yet! We just said that this wasn't even a Shadow Game, darn it!"
Though he didn't see it, Misty's brow raised remarkably high at his words.
"Humph. So you managed to endure, did you?" Jack asked. "Good! Our Duel's not finished quite yet, and I'd hate to have to send Mina to find you a replacement!"
"I'm the Player Avatar, I never get replaced!" Konami exclaimed.
Jack grinned confidently. "That's the spirit! Now, stand tall and show me what you've got!"
"Oh I'll show you something alright," Konami promised. "My Turn. Draw!"
He ripped his next card from his Duel Disk, and grinned.
TURN SEVEN - KONAMI - FOUR CARDS IN HAND - 1800 LP
"I summon..." he began, raising his chosen card high above his head before bringing it down upon his Duel Disk. "The Lord of D. in Attack Position!"
A tan-skinned sorcerer garbed in dragonic gear materialized at Konami's behest, and he stared down the Red Dragon Archfiend with a dangerous gaze.
Lord of D. - (DARK/Spellcaster) - LV4 - (1200/1100)
"Now... this is where things get interesting!" Konami continued. He reached into his hand for another card, grinning as his fingers wrapped around the one he needed. Pulling it from the safety of his hand, he slid it into his Duel Disk... and grinned. "Behold," he shouted. "The magic borne from the Flute of Summoning Dragon!" (Lol such BS. I never managed to actually use its effect fully)
A golden flute shaped like a dragon's head appeared in the Lord of D.'s hands at that moment, and without hesitation, the great sorcerer blew into its mouthpiece. A loud and chilling scream echoed throughout the landscape at its use, and seconds later, the most iconic Duel Monster of all time soared overhead.
Jack's eyes went wide. "What the-?" he asked, too surprised to speak.
"Is that?" Mina added, not daring to believe it herself.
Even Misty was astonished.
"Beware," Konami warned, "for the greatest of my monsters has appeared at last! Please, give a warm welcome... to the Blue-Eyes White Dragon!"
The dragon roared loudly, challenging the Archfiend for the mantle of King.
Blue-Eyes White Dragon - (LIGHT/Dragon) - LV8 - (3000/2500)
"Impossible! Where'd you get that card?!" Jack asked. "I thought there were only three in the world!"
"Clearly, you thought wrong." Konami chuckled. "Blue-Eyes, blast that Red Dragon Archfiend to smithereens! White Lightning!"
"But why?!" Jack asked. "Our monsters have the same Attack Points! If you attack with him now, they'll both be destroyed!"
Konami's eyes steeled, and he clenched his fist dramatically. "Some things... just have to be done. Go, Blue-Eyes! Blow them all away!"
The white dragon roared obediently, and it charged toward the Red Dragon, tackling it into the halls of Valhalla itself. Their claws and teeth ripped and lashed at each other violently, and together, they tumbled and tussled throughout the environment, taking down much of scenery as they fought. Before long however, their holograms began to fade, and it was clear something had to give.
Separating as they felt the end approach, the two dragons prepared their strongest attacks. Infernal heat began to gather around Red Dragon Archfiend's famed fist, but the white light circling within Blue-Eyes' jaws would not be denied. They soared toward each other once more, and in that critical moment, they both lashed out.
"Guh...!"
"Augh...!"
"No!"
"Argh!"
The four Duelists beneath them could do nothing but shield their eyes as a great explosion roared overhead. Fire and brimstone rained down on them from above, but even still, the Duel dragged on.
Konami, naturally, was the first to recover.
"Lord of D.!" he shouted immediately, "Don't let Blue-Eyes' sacrifice go to waste! Attack them directly! Ground Pound!"
Jack had only just lowered his defenses with the dragon sorcerer appeared out of the smoke. Before he could even begin to defend himself, the former King found himself punched and bruised, leaving him to stagger backward in what could only have been fake pain.
"Bwuagh...!" he coughed.
"M-Mr. Atlas!" Mina shouted worriedly.
"I'm fine!" he grunted, recovering quickly enough.
"I'll set one card and end my Turn." Konami said finally.
"T-Then... it's my move!" Mina shouted, and she quickly drew her next card.
TURN EIGHT - MINA - FOUR CARDS IN HAND - 1800 LP
"Valhalla's effect activates!" she said first. "Since I control no monsters, I can use its effect to Special Summon Mokey Mokey in Defense Position!"
The small, pillow-shaped fairy whined as it flew through the damaged gate, and it promptly fell flat on its face in front of Mina quietly.
Mokey Mokey - (LIGHT/Fairy) - LV1 - (300/100)
"And now..." Mina glanced at her hand cautiously. "I'll set another monster as well!"
"Going for a strong defense, then?" Konami winced.
'I have to!' Mina thought. 'Mr. Atlas has been carrying us this entire Duel! I have to help him carry this burden. I won't be the reason we lose! There has to be something I can do! Anything - ah!'
"I'll finish things off with a face-down. It's... your move, Misty."
Misty smiled softly at the words. "I see, then I shall endeavor to do my best." her eyes shone with sudden determination, and she quickly pulled her next card from her deck. "Draw!"
TURN NINE - MISTY - FOUR CARDS IN HAND - 1800 LP
"I too, shall summon a monster!" she decided. "I call Razor Lizard to the field in Attack Mode!"
A small, blade-gilled reptillian appeared before her at the decision, and Misty smiled at its presence. It gawked in reply, and with wide, beady eyes, turned to take in the state of its foes.
Razor Lizard - (EARTH/Reptile) - LV3 - (1500/300)
"And now... it's time to attack!" Misty breathed. "First, I'll have my Razor Lizard attack your face-down monster!"
Mina cursed at the words, knowing that her monster was no match for it. Seconds later the fact was made known to all, as a small but fragile Key Mace was suddenly cleaved in half.
"Next, Lord of D.!" Misty continued mercilessly. "Destroy her Mokey Mokey!"
The dragon sorcerer nodded once at the command. Following Razor Lizard's example, it charged across the field and cleaved through the pitiful Fairy with a single overwhelming strike. Mokey Mokey whined a second time as it poofed into oblivion, leaving Mina and Jack defenseless once more.
Except they weren't.
'It's now or never!' Mina thought. "I activate my face-down, Call of the Haunted!"
"What?!" Konami and Misty exclaimed as one, not having expected such a thing.
"With this, I can revive one monster in our Graveyard!" Mina said hastily. "To give Jack this chance... there's only one monster I can choose! Red Dragon Archfiend, become the King's soul once more! Rise up!"
A pillar of flame was Mina's reward, and from its center, the great dragon was reborn.
'Damn it!' Konami thought. 'If it's like this... no! There's still a chance! That face-down card I laid earlier. Two-Pronged Attack! As long as Misty activates it, then we'll make it through this...!'
"I... end my Turn." Misty said softly.
Konami's eyes widened.
"Then it's my move!" Jack roared, drawing one last card.
TURN TEN - JACK - THREE CARDS IN HAND - 1800 LP
"You fought well, but not well enough!" he roared boisterously. "Let it be known that the power of Jack Atlas remains true. Red Dragon Archfiend, destroy their Lord of D.! Crimson Flare!"
The dragon's fist flew, and the Duel came to an end.
JACK AND MINA - 1800 LP
MISTY AND KONAMI - 0 LP
Konami did nothing. What was there to say? He'd lost, plain and simple. His partner had failed him at the critical moment, and because of it... his record was now unclean.
"Humph, is that it then?" Jack asked, and Konami was ready to fight until he realized it wasn't to him Jack spoke. No, it was the director - a rich-looking young man with dark, normal-looking hair.
Konami didn't like him already.
"Yep, that's everything!" the director said with a grin. "Thanks for all the help today Jack, it was an amazing Duel!"
"Of course." Jack said, "Entertainment is always necessary when Dueling with Jack Atlas! Mina, your help was appreciated too."
"Y-Yes, of course Mr. Atlas. I was happy to be here..."
"W-What...?" Konami breathed. Was this what it felt like, being on the losing side for once?
Damn, he didn't know if he could get used to it.
"Hey," Misty's voice called to him from the brink. "Are you feeling alright?"
"Am I feeling alright? What kind of question is that...?" Konami muttered. "We just got beat by a british villain and his insecure secretary sidekick!"
Misty couldn't help it; she laughed. The sound seemed scornful to Konami somehow, and he turned to glare at the woman angrily.
"What's the big idea, laughing like that?" he asked. "It's your fault, you know! If you'd just activated that face-down I'd placed-"
"Oh, Konami... I couldn't activate it, don't you see?" she asked in reply.
No, Konami thought. He couldn't, because it was stupid, and she totally could have-
"This Duel was a rehearsal, remember?" Misty asked, interrupting his thoughts. "It's supposed to be a part of the movie! They had cameras rolling and everything."
"Yeah, and?" asked Konami, not seeing where she was going with this.
"The movie is 'Atlas Rising', silly." Misty said. "And if there's one thing about Jack Atlas' rise that everyone knows, it's that he didn't suffer a single defeat on his way to the top."
And suddenly, he understood. The lame set-up, the half-baked Turns...
"Wait a minute, you're saying... we were supposed to lose?!" Konami gawked. Misty nodded, laughing at the extraordinary look Konami was no doubt giving her at that moment. "Then that means, this whole time... I was the only one Dueling seriously! Are you frickin' kidding me right now?!"
"Not at all. I'll admit it was rather amusing, watching you get so worked up and all. But it's not like I could have told you. The cameras were rolling, after all." Misty explained.
"Guh... great. Now I just feel bad."
"Don't. You fought well." Misty said softly. "And... I'm sure that you felt it, did you not? The bond we created with this Duel... it seems that it has the power to stand up to even Atlas himself."
Konami sighed. "I don't know about that. It's true that if you'd used my face-down his Red Dragon Archfiend would've been toast... but the duel could've gone either way after that. Still, something about this just feels wrong to me. Throwing a Duel on purpose like that... it really eats me up inside, you know?"
Misty frowned. "I'm sorry if I offended you."
"Nah, don't worry about it." Konami said, waving her off. "I'm still a little salty, is all. It'll pass. That being said, if you're really sorry, there is one thing I can think of to make me forgive you..."
Misty tilted her head curiously at his words. She seemed ready for any request, and there was no way Konami was gonna pass it up. One way or another, he was getting those tickets.
And so, as he opened his mouth to speak, the event came to an end.
THE KING STANDS TALL: JACK ATLAS DEFEATS KAIBA IN SHOCKING REHEARSAL
"And so the plot thickens," Sayer drawled. "I'd never had thought the boy commanded the might of the Blue-Eyes White Dragon."
He was alone in his office, for once. Akiza was off gathering reconnaissance on her target, and the other sheeplings of the Arcadia Movement were busy running whatever errands she had given them. In other words, it was the perfect opportunity to check on his latest project.
Reaching beneath his office desk, Sayer hit the secret switch hidden against its side. There was a soft beep, and seconds later, a secret door in the room slid open, revealing the large, human-sized test tube within.
Sayer strode to it with all the confidence of a madman.
"How much longer will it be until you wake, I wonder?" he asked quietly, placing a hand against the tube gently. "Already I can feel myself fading. My wings have treaded too close to the sun, and now..." Sayer trailed off.
"The project proceeds smoothly. The Sacred Beasts are stronger than ever. It is only a matter of time until we run their next test. Who should we use?" Sayer asked. "The hateful Security who chases the King? The ignorant twin who fought as a girl? Or perhaps... you would rather I offer myself to Beasts' tender mercies? In the end, it matters not. So long as our dream is made reality, no price is too high."
He wiped a hand across the test tube's glass, and smirked at his growing clone body within.
"We will become gods, you and I. And then... the city of New Domino will be ours. So sayeth Sayer. So sayeth... Divine."