Episode 4: Get out of the Kitchen (Part 2)
Terra and I walked quietly to my grandfather's shop. Terra's upper arm and wrist were wrapped in bandages from her cuts. She finally broke the growing silence.
"I can't let you do this." she said as she stepped in front of me and blocked my path, "I'll go on the stupid date with him if it means you get to keep your deck."
"This isn't about the date." I said plainly.
"I don't…" she started, "wait what. You mean you're not doing this for me?"
"I'm dueling him because he's a jerk and he tricked you, yeah," I said, "but the main reason I'm doing it is for those cards."
"So this about your brother?" asked Terra.
"No," I said as I placed my hand on her shoulder, "it's about those SilentMagiciansrepresenting the day I made the greatest friend I've ever had. They symbolize everything you and I have been through since the day we met, and I won't let someone like August take any of that away from either of us."
Terra was shocked about how much those cards meant to me.
"Now I'm not saying our entire friendship is based on two cards but they're your cards and I won't have him soiling what they mean." I said.
Terra was quiet for a while but then nodded, "You're right, and if it means that much to you then kick that jerk's butt."
She stepped out of my way and we continued on our way to the shop.
When we arrived my grandpa was working on the underside of a truck.
"Hey Pop." I said as we entered the building.
Pop came out from under the truck and looked up at me.
"Let me finish this truck then I'll drive ya home." he said.
"Actually Pop," I said, "I won't need you to drive me home for a while. You see I challenged a kid to a duel and we agreed to meet here."
Pop rose up, "What have I told you about dueling your friends here?"
"Actually he's not a friend." said Terra who had hidden behind me.
My grandfather was surprised to see Terra at the shop due to the fact that she usually hated getting grease on herself or her clothes.
"Why is she here?" he asked.
"That sounded a little rude, but there are two reasons for her being here." I said, "First she lost a duel to the kid I'm dueling here, you know August, well he tricked her into a bet."
Pop of course did know August since the boy would help him in the shop on occasion.
"The other reason is because I recently found out about the 'family curse' and I wanted to know why Terra got hurt in her duel with August and when I was just watching."
Pop looked at me, then at Terra, and then back at me.
"Does she know?" he asked.
I nodded.
"Were you watching the duel?"
I nodded.
"Did she have her duel spirit on the field?"
I nodded.
"Did August have his?"
I nodded.
"Then the reason is because you were there and haven't outgrown that phase of the power yet." said my Pop.
"So, until I do," I said, "people could get hurt just by my watching?"
My grandfather nodded.
I palmed my face.
Just then, August walked up.
"Hey Chris," he yelled, "you gonna duel or stand there holding your face all day!"
I turned around and activated my duel disk.
"I'm always prepared August." I said.
"Well I hope that includes for losing." said August.
Before we could start the duel, a car drove up and my mother and her boyfriend, Henry Johnson, stepped out.
Henry was a large man who wore a fisherman's hat and a grey sleeveless shirt and a pair of blue jeans.
"Christopher Franklin Duel," said my mother, "what do you think you're doing?!"
"Showing a jerk what happens when you mess with my friends." I said.
"Chris!" said my mother.
"Don't blame him Miss Duel," said Terra, "I lost a duel to August at school and he'd tricked me into making a bet with him and took my SilentMagiciancards. So Chris made a deal that if he won this duel that my bet with August is off, but if he loses he has to give August his deck."
This didn't really calm my mother.
"What did I tell you about the next time you got into fight?" said Henry.
"Henry, I'm really not in the mood to get into another argument with you about my behavior." I said as August activated his duel disk which had a fiery design on it.
"LET'S DUEL!" we both shouted.
Chris: 4000
August: 4000
"You make the first move August." I said as I drew my five cards.
August drew his hand then drew another card.
Pearl chose then to pop up next me and nearly gave me a heart attack.
"You know there's nothing in it for you if you win, right?"
"I'm well aware of that Pearl," I shouted at the spirit, "I'm doing this because it will get my friend's cards back."
"Who are you talking to?" asked August, "It doesn't matter, I summon Volcanic Slicer (1800/1200)." the weird metallic thing appeared on the field, "Now I play Double Summon and play Laval Volcano Handmaiden (100/200), a girl with fiery hair appeared next to the monster, "now I activate the ability of my Slicer and deal you 500 points of damage."
The creature shot a fireball at me.
Chris: 3500
August: 4000
"Now I tune my handmaiden to my Slicer to Synchro Summon Laval Dual Slasher (2400/200)."
The handmaiden turned into one green ring and placed itself around a now see-through Slicer with four stars. There was a bright flash and in the place of the two monsters was a strong looking warrior. The warrior monster was made of red and black stone and he had two stone blades on his arms.
"Looks like the party just got started." said Dual Slasher.
"Just great," I said, "he pulls that out on the first turn."
"I'll end my turn with one facedown." said August.
I drew a card.
"Are you planning what I think you're planning?" asked Pearl.
"You bet I am. I play two facedowns and end my turn." I said.
"Chris," said Terra, "you're leaving your field wide open."
"Don't worry Terra," said my mom, "he used to do this with Stefan. It's one of his favorite moves."
"Whatever," said August as he drew, "I attack with Dual Slasher."
The blades on the monster's arm began to glow and he ran at me.
"I hope this hurts." said the monster.
"It won't," I said, "I activate the ability of the Battle Fader inmy hand."
The evil clock appeared on the field and unleashed a chiming sound that sent Slasher back to his side.
"Fine," said August, "I end my turn."
I drew.
"Now for my combo," I said, "I first summon Speed Bird (1200/1000)." a pterodactyl appeared on the field, "next I play Harmonic Waves and use it on my Battle Fader to make it a level 4 monster." the clock began to glow, "I now overlay my two monsters to Xyz Summon, Gem-Knight Pearl (2600/1900)."
The duel spirit disappeared from my side and appeared on my field.
"Been a long time since me and yous have stood before each other on the battlefield." said Slasher.
"The correct way is to say 'you and I' magma for brains." said Pearl.
"I now equip him with Lucky Iron Axe." I said as an axe appeared in Pearl's hands (3100/1900).
"Nice move Chris," said Pearl, "now let's wipe the field of that Synchro."
"For once we agree," I said, "Pearl attack Slasher."
Pearl ran at Slasher.
"I activate Waboku." said August.
Pearl's attack continued but it only cracked Slasher's stone-like body.
A few shards flew off and hit August, but he didn't notice.
"I end my turn." I said.
August drew a card.
"I play Mystical Space Typhoon," said August, "and I destroy your axe."
The card shattered and the axe disappeared. I dodged a large shard of the card as it came at me. (Pearl 2600/1900)
"Thanks," I said, "now I can draw a card."
"Whatever. Next I play Blaze Accelerator." said August as a weird gun appeared on the field, "now I discard Volcanic Counter to destroy Gem-Knight Pearl."
A fire ball was shot from the gun and it hit Pearl in the chest.
"Sorry Chris." said Pearl as he shattered.
I blocked my face with my arms as shards rained down on me.
"I end my turn." said August.
I drew a card.
"Now I activate Monster Reborn to bring back Gem-Knight Pearl." I said as the white armored knight reappeared on the field, "And next I'll summon Solar Flare Dragon (1500/1000)." the fiery dragon stood before me, "Finally, I'll equip my Pearl with Shooting Star Bow-Ceal and attack you directly." a bow and arrow appeared in Pearl's hand (1600/1900).
Pearl loaded the arrow and pulled back the bowstring, and then he fired.
The arrow hit August but went straight through him instead of sticking like I'd thought it would have.
Chris: 3500
August: 2400
"Nice shot," said August, "but by banishing Volcanic Counter you take the same amount of damage as I just did."
A fireball launched from his duel disk and it hit me square in the chest where it burned my shirt black.
Chris: 1900
August: 2400
"I end my turn and you take 500 points of damage due to my dragon." I said as I got back on my feet.
My dragon shot a fireball and it knocked the hat right off August's head.
Chris: 1900
August: 1900
"Are you okay Chris?" asked Pearl.
"I just got hit in the chest by a fireball, what do you think?" I said.
"Stop talking to yourself so you can lose this duel." said August as he drew a card, "I'll play a facedown, and attack your dragon with Slasher."
The warrior ran at me with his stone blades.
"I activate my Scrap-Iron Scarecrow." I said as the card flipped face-up.
"And I'll destroy it by activating Burgeoning Whirlflame and discarding my Laval Cannoneer." said August as my card shattered.
Pearl blocked most of the shards from hitting me.
"Then I activate my second scarecrow." I said as the attack was blocked and a few sparks hit my cheek.
"Well I'll end my turn with a facedown then." said August.
I drew.
"I summon Axe Dragonute the overlay him and my dragon to Xyz Summon Number 39: Utopia in defense mode (2500/2000)!"
The gold and white warrior appeared taking a defensive pose.
"You're close to the win Chris," said Utopia, "you just need one more turn."
I didn't understand what he meant. I'd only summoned him so I could stay in the game a little longer.
"I'll also place Pearl in defense mode and end my turn." I said.
Pearl knelt down on one knee.
"Now he can't get to your life points." said Pearl.
"You think your monster being in defense mode is gonna save you?" said August as he drew a card. "As long as there are at least two Laval monsters in my graveyard, when my Slasher destroys a defense position monster he can attack again."
"Ah crud." I said.
"But you don't have to worry about that this turn," said August, "because have I another plan, I now activate Compulsory Evacuation Device and send Pearl away."
Pearl disappeared and I placed him back in my Extra deck.
"Now I play my Soul of Fire!" said August, "Now you draw one card and I can remove from play a Pyro-Type in my deck to deal you half of its ATK as damage." he continued as a circle of fire formed around my feet, "So I remove Volcanic Rocket (1900/1400) to deal you 950 points of damage."
A column of fire shot up from under feet and I screamed in pain as the fire burned my arms.
Chris: 950
August: 1900
When the column disappeared I was on my knees.
"Too bad I can't attack when I use Soul of Fire, but this duel won't be much longer if my next card is a monster." said August, "but for now I end my turn by summoning Volcanic Shell."
The metal lizard thing appeared before me.
Everyone looked to see what I'd do next.
At first I sat there, but then I slowly stood up.
"I've got one more move." I said as I looked at August and smiled.
"That's it Chris!" said Utopia.
"You probably don't know this but I got a new card this morning." I said still smiling, "I overlay Utopia and his overlay units to cause Chaos Xyz Evolution!"
Utopia went back into his sealed form and entered a vortex. Another egg rose and it unfolded into a black, four armed version of Utopia.
"Rise Number C39: Utopia Ray (2500/2000)!" I shouted, "And now I'll summon Raging Flame Sprite (100/200)!"
A little fairy-like girl appeared on the field.
"Now I play one card facedown and activate the ability of my Utopia Ray by removing one overlay unit."
"Let's see how powerful you are after I cut you down to size." said Utopia an overlay unit entered his sword.
"Now he gains 500 ATK points (3000/2000) while one of your monsters loses 1000. That monster will be your Slasher (1400/200)." I said as Utopia began to turn white, "now Utopia Ray attack with Rising Sun Chaos Slash!"
Utopia Ray drew a huge third sword and slashed Laval Dual Slasher.
"AHHHHH!" shouted Slasher as he shattered.
Chris: 950
August: 300
Pieces of Slasher cut up August's hands and arms.
"Now I use the ability of my sprite to have her attack you directly!" I shouted as my sprite flew towards August, "And now I can activate Ego Boost togive her an additional 1000 points to finish this (1100/200)."
The fairy threw her fire at August.
Chris: 950
August: 0
August was shocked as he fell to his knees.
I walked up to him and looked down at him and held out my hand, "I believe you owe me two stolen Silent Magicians."
August looked up at me and scowled.
"You cheated!" he yelled, "There's no way you could have beat me unless you cheated! So I don't have to give you anything."
I clenched my fist, "You'll give them back because I didn't cheat I'm just the better duelist. Now hand them over!"
August jumped up a grabbed for my deck. I grabbed his wrist then kicked him in the gut. He hit the ground and coughed uncontrollably.
"Try that again and see what happens." I said as I grabbed his deck and looked through it until I found Terra's cards.
I put August's deck back in his duel disk and walked back up to Terra.
"These are yours." I said with a smile.
Terra took the card but looked at me worriedly.
I looked down at myself and looked back up with a smile still plastered on my face.
"I'm fine Terra," I said as I pointed at the scar on my cheek, "wounds caused by cards heal very quickly."
She still looked worried but she was happy.
After that my mom and Henry grilled me for getting into a fight and kicking August in the stomach. After that I went home and went to sleep, after such a long day.
Wednesday
The next day I was headed to the bus stop when Terra walked up.
Today she was wearing a pink tank top and a pair of knee length blue jean shorts.
"Hey Terra." I said with a wave.
"Hi Chris." she said as we both took a seat at the bus stop, "So I realized this morning that I never properly thanked you for getting my cards back."
"You don't have to," I said, "I was glad to get the cards back."
Pearl appeared hovering next to me.
"Maybe you should accept," he said, "the standard thank you for a knight from a lovely lady is a kiss."
I blushed and looked at him angrily, "She's like my sister, dude."
Silent Magician LV4 appeared.
"Please take the gift," she said, "she was up all night planning it."
"To satisfy the duel spirits," I said, "what's this thank you."
She put her hand in her pocket and pulled out an envelope.
I took it and carefully opened it. Inside was a Fortune Lady card, a Fortune Lady Light in fact.
"My sister helped pick it," said Terra, "I thought that, since I have two cards from you that represent our friendship, you should at least have one from me."
I looked at the card and smiled.
"Thanks," I said, "this might be the first card that I hope turns out to be a duel spirit."
Just then the Fortune Lady appeared next to me.
"That's good because I am!" she shouted in a cheerful voice.
I jumped and fell off the bench.
"Chris," said Terra, a little worried, "are you okay?"
"Yeah," I said, "just the normal."
We laughed then waited for the bus.
