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CHAPTER THREE
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Shadow Warriors;
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A Curious Duel
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With Heck following them, mostly unwanted, the three of them delved further into the city. Chelsea had her camera out, and snapped photos of the landmarks and buildings with giddy interests.
Duels were happening all around them, but no opportunities were opening up yet. They'd just have to wait.
Eventually, they came within sight of a large courtyard in front of a huge building that seemed to be a library of some sort. Two sets of stairs led up to the cathedral-like building, on which was a mural depicting the robed Winged Beast known as Spirit of the Books.
"Hey, I know that building…" said Yumi. "I saw it on tape… It was where my mom dueled Clover."
"Clover?" asked Heck. "Weird name…"
"She was a harlequin who played a Toon Deck," answered Yumi. "She beat mom silly before she could make a comeback."
"It'll make a great photo shoot!" said Chelsea.
They all ran up to the courtyard…
…and they were surprised to see a duel in progress, or rather, one ending. A duelist screamed as a savage creature whom they couldn't identify pounced and tackled him.
He fell to the floor, shivering, as the holograms vanished.
"Meow," said a sultry female voice. "That's what you get for making fun of my outfit, honey."
They paused.
"I should have warned you," said the voice, "corner a cat, get scratched."
They all turned and looked at the victor… And they were surprised.
She was a tall woman with perfect curves, wearing a bodysuit made of black leather, the chest open to reveal a good deal of cleavage. She also wore a black domino mask, and some sort of headpiece with cat-like ears attached. A long, cat-like tail (hopefully part of the costume) grew out of her spine and lurked quietly behind her, and the ensemble was topped with black, fingerless gloves.
Her badge was hooked to her belt, and had just turned to Yellow.
She eyed Yumi and company, and then removed a water bottle from her belt and sipped from it.
"Does Batman know that Catwoman is loose?" asked Yumi.
"Cute," said the strange woman, removing her cards from her Disk and reshuffling.
She grinned.
"I'm Felicia…"
Chelsea rubbed her chin.
"Felicia Summers?" she asked. "Sergeant Felicia Summers?"
"You've heard of me?" asked Felicia with a grin.
"Yeah, Chelsea, you've heard of her?" asked Yumi.
"Uh huh…" said Chelsea. "I saw this on some news magazine show. It's a strange story. About five years ago, the U.S. Army started working on some sort of super soldier project, and she volunteered for a DNA splicing experiment. She had her genes spliced with those of… a mountain lion, I think…"
"It was a lynx, actually," corrected Felicia.
"Yeah…" said Chelsea. "Anyway, it made her stronger and more agile… But the problem was, it messed with her mind. She started to think she was one."
"Oh, please…" laughed Felicia. "You exaggerate…"
Then she started to lick the back of her hand.
The onlookers stepped backwards.
"Guys… she's nuts!" whispered Yumi.
"Say what you will," said Felicia, "but I got a medical discharge with full benefits, and a fortune from the contract I signed when I agreed to be a test subject. And if I was to become a predator…"
She shuffled her deck again and placed it in her Disk.
"…being a duelist helped a good deal. So who wants to be my next prey? Anyone?"
She purred, and her eyes narrowed…
"Don't look at me…" said Heck. "Ah try to stay away from women who're weirder than ah am."
"I gotta duel this one!" shouted Ren.
Everyone looked at Ren.
Felicia looked at him closely.
"You sure?" she said, in a seductive tone. "I warn you, I only play with real men… No children allowed."
"Oh, you've got it…" said Ren, shuffling his deck. "Gimme all you got."
"Purr-fect!" said Felicia with a grin. "Consider Felicia Summers… curious!"
She grinned widely at Ren.
Ren stepped back nervously at that last remark…
She had fangs…
He removed his guitar from around his back.
"Chelsea, why don't you hold on to this for now…" he said, handing it to her.
He knew that carrying the guitar during a duel was a good way to break it, especially if the duel got nasty.
And he had a feeling that this one would.
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The shadowy observer was watching from the shadows with a notebook again.
Hmmm, thought the observer. Ren's father used a deck based on the Dark Scorpions… a truly difficult strategy to master. It will be interesting to see if Ren has adopted the same.
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Ren and Felicia stood apart from each other and eyed each other.
"So…" said Ren, "have you eaten?"
"Are you asking me out?" asked Felicia with a laugh.
"I don't date outside my genus," replied Ren.
They drew five cards from their decks.
"Game on!" they both said at once.
(Ren: 8,000) -------------------- (Felicia: 8,000)
"I like to consider myself a gentleman," said Ren, "so ladies first… Even if the lady in question has claws…"
Felicia grinned, and drew a sixth card.
She looked over her hand.
Looks like he had bad luck when this black cat crossed his path… she thought.
She took a card from her hand.
"I play my Graceful Charity Spell Card," she said, holding it up.
In a flash of light, an angel in a long, white gown appeared over her. Feathers fell from her wings and fell on her deck.
"I'm sure you know how this works…" she continued. "I can draw three cards, so long as I toss two…"
She made three draws, and looked over her hand.
She grinned, and slipped two cards into her discard slot.
"And now…" she exclaimed, "I summon my Panther Warrior in Attack Mode!"
With a roar, a humanoid cat-man in decorated armor holding a shield and a scimitar appeared. It snarled at Ren. (2,000/1,600)
"Lovely…" said Yumi. "My mom used that card. It isn't easy to use. Felicia must be pretty good."
"I'm done for now," said Felicia. "You'd best not waste my time, because like I said, I only play with real men…
"My cats don't like the taste of wimps."
She grinned again, again flashing those white, pointed teeth…
Chelsea grunted a little and crossed her arms.
Ren glared at her as he drew.
Nuts… he thought, looking at his hand. No way I can take that guy down on my first turn. Better defend…
He placed a card on his Disk, and a facedown Monster appeared.
I'm more or less safe for now… he thought. Panther Warrior can't attack unless she sacrifices another Monster, so she can't attack me directly unless she's willing to sacrifice a Monster with more than 1,500 Attack Points.
He waved his arm to signal the end of his turn.
"I know what you're thinking…" said Felicia, drawing a card, "and you're wrong… very wrong…"
She added the card to her hand.
"First, I play my Stray Lambs," she said, playing a Spell Card. "This card lets me conjure up two Lamb Tokens."
With two wisps of light, two smiling, white lambs with small horns appeared next to Panther Warrior. (0/0 x2)
"Next…" she continued, "I'll give my Panther Warrior an Equip Spell… It's called Path to Destiny."
She played the card, and a strange Spell Card appeared behind Panther Warrior. It depicted two Samurai about to ambush each other from behind opposite ends of the corner of a building.
"Now…" she said with a grin, "I'll give up one Lamb Token so my Panther can attack… And thanks to Path to Destiny, he can go right past your Monster and go right for you!"
One of the two lambs vanished.
"Hey, wait a minute…" said Ren.
Panther Warrior roared again, and slashed his scimitar downward, and a blade of energy slammed into Ren. He hollered and fell down on one knee.
(R: 6,000) -------------------- (F: 8,000)
"Ooh…" he moaned.
Felicia purred.
"My cats just love to play…" she said.
She fit another card into her Disk.
"I'll place this facedown, and I'm done for now…"
A facedown card appeared.
"He'd better do something…" said Chelsea, "or she'll just do that again on her next turn."
"Well…" said Heck, "if he were smart, he'd take out that Lamb Token. Without it, Panther Warrior would just be dead weight."
Ren drew a card.
Yeah, that's what I'd do if I were smart… he thought.
He looked at the card.
But it would only be a temporary solution. I can get rid of the big problem right now…
"I switch my facedown Monster to Attack Mode," he shouted. "Reveal… Dark Blade!"
The card flipped up, and a tall, dark Warrior appeared. He was clad from head to toe in black, steel armor that was studded with sharp spikes, and wore a black cape with red lining. He held two razor-sharp scimitars. (1,800/1,500)
"Heh, heh…" chuckled Felicia. "Dramatic, yes… But Panther Warrior has 200 more Attack Points."
"Not for long…" said Ren, taking another card. "Next, I summon… Pitch-Dark Dragon."
He played the card, and a new Monster arose in a dark shadow. It was small (for a Dragon), about ten feet tall, with black scales, wings, and a head that was a cross between a reptile and a wolf. (900/600)
"Big deal," said Felicia. "He's only half as strong as your Warrior."
"It is a big deal," said Ren. "Pitch-Dark Dragon is a very close friend of Dark Blade. You see, this guy is a Union Monster, that can Equip to Dark Blade just like an Equip Spell."
Pitch-Dark Dragon crouched down, and Dark Blade leapt up, landing on his back perfectly. The Dragon reared up with his rider and roared.
"Whoo-wee!" shouted Heck. "Never saw anyone do a bareback mount that good!"
"And when riding Pitch-Dark Dragon," continued Ren, "Dark Blade gets a trampling effect. He also gets a little bonus… of 400 points, for both attacking and defending."
(2,200/1,900)
"All right, Dark Blade, take to the air!"
Pitch-Dark Dragon flapped his wings, and soared upwards with his rider.
"Attack Panther Warrior! Dragon dive-bomb!"
The duo swooped into the Beast-Warrior, and an explosion rocked Felicia's side of the field. She shielded herself…
(R: 6,000) -------------------- (F: 7,800)
"So much for him," said Ren, as Dark Blade and his mount alighted back on his side.
"True…" said Felicia, with a smile, "but thanks to my Trap Card, he leaves behind a parting gift…"
Her Trap Card lifted, showing the image of Panther Warrior on his knees, holding a broken sword, and glowing with a soft light.
"It's called Miracle Moment," she said. "I can only activate it when Panther Warrior is destroyed when he's Equipped with Path to Destiny.
"And it lets me summon someone new from my deck…"
She whipped out her deck and shuffled through the cards with the speed of a blackjack dealer…
"Come on out, Bronze Warrior!"
In a flash of light, a tall figure emerged. It looked like a shaman of some sort, with tan skin, a bald head, and blacking under his eyes. He wore a cape and a colorful battle kilt. He held a double-bladed dagger in each hand. He uttered a war cry, and twirled the daggers dramatically. (500/1,800)
"Only 500 Attack Points?" asked Ren. "What's the point?"
"Lots…" said Felicia, placing her deck back. "Is that your turn?"
Ren looked at the other cards in his hand.
"Yeah, I… guess so…" he muttered.
Better watch out… he thought. Low Attack Score usually means powerful effect.
"Then it's my draw!" she exclaimed.
She drew. She looked at the Spell Card.
I'll save this for later… she thought.
"Now, as for the point…" she said, taking her deck. "There are actually two points, each of which happen when Bronze Warrior is in Attack Mode. First, during each Standby Phase, I can take any Beast-Warrior from my deck that I want and add it to my hand…"
She spread her cards out and looked over them before choosing one.
"…like Nekogal #2 here."
She put her deck back.
"And now I'll sacrifice my other Lamb Token to summon her."
The token vanished, and a tall, feline woman with claws, a tail, and whiskers, dressed in a violet bikini appeared. She crouched, as if ready to pounce. (1,900/2,000)
"And then there's the second point," she continued. "So long as he's in Attack Mode, he gives all Beast-Warriors on my side of the field 400 more Attack Points."
Bronze Warrior glowed, and Nekogal rose to (2,300/2,000)
"Not good…" muttered Ren.
"Nekogal…" commanded Felicia, "attack his Dark Blade! Cat scratch!"
Nekogal bore her fangs and pounced! She swiped with her claws, and Dark Blade leapt from Pitch-Dark Dragon…
The Dragon exploded, and Dark Blade rolled out of the way.
(R: 5,900) -------------------- (F: 7,800)
Dark Blade lifted himself up and glared at Nekogal. (1,800/1,500)
"What?" said Felicia. "He survived?"
"Now that there wasn't a bad dismount either," said Heck.
"Don't you know how Union Monsters work?" asked Ren. "If a Monster is attacked while Equipped with one, only one of them bites the dust."
Felicia hissed.
"Fine!" she scowled. "I'll get him next time."
Ren drew a card.
"Not gonna happen…" he said. "I'm going to sacrifice my Dark Blade for someone better… A catty lady of my own…"
Dark Blade vanished in a burst of shadowy energy.
"Come on out, Penumbral Soldier Lady!"
A far more attractive Warrior appeared. It was a lovely, leggy female, dressed in silver armor designed to form a midriff and shorts, gauntlets, boots, and a headband. She held a longsword in her right hand, and a very large shield in her left, on which was painted a crescent moon design. (2,100/1,400)
"Purr…" muttered Felicia. "She can't beat Nekogal…"
"She could if your booster were dead!" laughed Ren. "Penumbral Soldier Lady, attack the Bronze Warrior! Shadow sword!"
Penumbral Soldier Lady leapt up, and her sword glowed with shadowy energy. She made a quick slice with her blade. Bronze Warrior howled, and then burst into triangles.
(R: 5,900) -------------------- (F: 6,200)
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Hmm… thought the onlooker, taking down notes.
It seems that Ren has rejected the Dark Scorpions in favor of a broader variety of Warriors of the Dark Attribute. A very unique theme to say the least.
I hope this duel continues for a bit longer… I'm anxious to see what else he has…
I wonder… Is his father's prize card in his possession? It would certainly fit…
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Nekogal returned to her base Attack of 1,900.
"It's your move, Felicia," said Ren.
Felicia drew a card.
"First I'll move Nekogal into Defense Mode…" she said.
Nekogal knelt down and shielded herself.
"Next…" she said, taking a new card, "I play Silent Doom. Now I can choose one Normal Monster from my Graveyard, and Special Summon it in Defense Mode."
"Too bad you don't have any in there," replied Ren. "The only Monsters in your Graveyard are Panther Warrior and Bronze Warrior."
"I played Graceful Charity, remember?" answered Felicia, playing the card. "So I have someone who fits the bill. I summon Nekogal #2's little sister… Nekogal #1."
A new Monster appeared on the field. She looked similar to the first Nekogal, but a little younger, and wearing a green bikini. She shielded herself in defense. (1,100/900)
"Now I'll set another Monster in Defense Mode, and end my turn," she continued.
A facedown Monster appeared.
Ren looked at his hand.
I have Penumbral Soldier Lady on the field, he thought, but nothing else in my hand is a Monster. Still, if I draw one that I can summon, I can take out both Nekogals – that new one has a weak Defense that almost all my Monsters can beat.
He drew a card.
Well, not the best, he thought, but he'll do…
"I summon Chthonian Soldier in Attack Mode," he said.
He played the card, and a new Warrior appeared in a shadowy aura. It was a hulking fighter, dressed in dull, black armor and a helmet, with a fierce scowl on his face and jagged teeth. He held a nasty, serrated sword. (1,200/1,400)
"Well, that sure don't look friendly…" muttered Heck.
"There's a story behind the Chthonian Soldiers…" answered Yumi. "Let's just say, it's complicated…"
"Chthonian Soldier, kill Nekogal #1!" shouted Ren. "Berserker blade!"
The Soldier swung his weapon and Nekogal #1 was blown to pieces.
"Penumbral Soldier Lady, your turn!" he shouted. "Take out Nekogal #2!"
The woman Warrior slashed at Nekogal, and she was smashed to bits.
"That will do it for my turn…" said Ren. "So now what?"
Felicia drew a card.
She smiled at Ren.
"Uh oh…" said Chelsea. "Now she's grinning like a Cheshire Cat!"
"Indeed…" chuckled Felicia. "Let's get busy. I Flip-Summon my facedown Monster. Presenting… Dark Cat With White Tail!"
The card flipped face up, and a small creature leapt up. It was a… dark cat with a white tail. (800/500)
"And it has a potent effect," she continued. "When it's flipped, two of your Monsters and one of mine return to our hands. So I'll take it back, and you'll take back your two Warriors."
Penumbral Soldier Lady and Chthonian Soldier vanished. Then Dark Cat With White Tail vanished. The cards appeared in their hands.
"No…" gasped Chelsea. "He's defenseless…"
"You got it…" purred Felicia. "Next, I'll summon my Rescue Cat…"
She played a new card, and the Monster that appeared hardly looked formidable. It was a white, sweet-looking kitten wearing a hardhat on its head and a whistle around its neck. It meowed softly. (300/100)
Ren gave her the eye.
"You're gonna attack me with THAT?" he asked, almost laughing.
"No, silly," said Felicia, "I'm going to use her effect. Do your thing, sweetie!"
Rescue Cat bore its claws, and burrowed into the ground…
"See, by sending Rescue Cat to the Graveyard, I can Special Summon two Beasts from my deck. They have to be Level Three or less, but that's all I need right now.
"So let's bring out Catnipped Kitty, and another Nekogal #1."
Two new Monsters burst out the pit dug by Rescue Cat. The first was the familiar Nekogal #1. (1,100/900) The second Monster was a kitten that looked even more adorable than Rescue Cat, with purple fur covered with odd symbols. (0/500)
"What good are they?" asked Ren.
"They have their uses," said Felicia. "But as a side effect of Rescue Cat, they'd be destroyed when I ended my turn. However, before that happens…"
She took a Spell Card from her hand.
"That's a Ritual Card!" shouted Ren, stepping back.
"If there's one thing ah've learned as a duelist," said Heck, "it's that Ritual Monsters are never good news…"
"That's right!" laughed Felicia. "One that can bring out the King of Beasts. My War Lion Ritual! And it requires seven levels worth of Monsters as sacrifices. So now, I'll sacrifice Nekogal #1, Catnipped Kitty, and Dark Cat With White Tail, to bring forth the mighty Super War Lion!"
Dark Cat appeared on the field, and then a fire consumed all three of the Monsters. The fire started to take shape, turning… catlike…
And then it formed into a large lion, with huge claws and fangs. Saliva dripped from its jaws… (2,300/2,100)
"Attack Ren directly!" shouted Felicia. "Predator pounce!"
Super War Lion roared, and leapt at Ren. Everyone gasped as it tackled him and raked its claws into his chest.
(R: 3,600) -------------------- (F: 6,200)
Ren got up and shook, half from pain and half from fear.
"Honey, give it up," cooed Felicia. "This isn't even my strongest Monster…"
"Fat chance…" said Ren.
He drew a card.
I might have a chance now… he thought.
"I place one card facedown…" he said.
He fit a card into his Disk, and a facedown card appeared.
"Now I play… Magical Mallet. Now I can take any of the cards in my hand, reshuffle them into my deck, and draw the same number. And I'm gonna do that with all six of them."
He placed his hand in his deck, reshuffled, and then drew six new cards.
Much better… he thought, looking at them.
"Time to really take things a step up," he said. "I summon one of my favorites… Meet Getsu Fuhma!"
He threw the card on his Disk, and in a shower of lotus flowers, a lovely female Warrior appeared. She had flowing red hair, and wore a black, Japanese battle dress. She held a glowing blue katana. (1,700/1,200)
"Humph…" said Felicia. "She'll be just more fun to feed to my Lion."
"I don't think so," said Ren. "They say a Warrior is defined by the weapon she carries, so I Equip Getsu Fuhma with this… The Fusion Sword Murasame Blade."
As he played the card, Getsu Fuhma's sword vanished, and was replaced by a much more elaborate sword. (2,500/1,200)
Felicia hissed again…
"Getsu Fuhma, attack her Super War Lion!" shouted Ren. "Blade of Vengeance!"
Getsu Fuhma leapt up, and cleaved the huge Beast down the middle with her sword. The pieces were blasted into pixels.
(R: 3,600) -------------------- (F: 6,000)
Ren stared at Felicia.
"Your move…" he said.
Felicia drew a card.
"I play my Pot of Greed…" she said, playing it. "Now I'll draw two cards…"
She made two draws.
"…both of which I'll use… First, I'll activate Premature Burial. I only have to give up 800 Life Points, and I get to bring back a Monster from my Graveyard.
"And I'll bring back the other one I discarded when I played Graceful Charity. The Trojan Horse."
The ground cracked, and burst open. A large, wooden horse emerged. It neighed, and bucked on its hind legs. (1,600/1,200)
"And now I'll sacrifice it…" she continued. "And in case you didn't know, when it's sacrificed for an Earth Attribute Monster, it counts as two Monsters."
The Trojan Horse vanished.
"So I summon… Nekogal #3."
A new Beast-Warrior appeared. She looked similar to the previous two Nekogals, but her bikini was fiery red, and her claws were sharper. (2,300/2,500)
"Is that all?" asked Ren. "I activate my Trap Card…"
His facedown card lifted. It showed the image of three soldiers hiding below a ledge in the foreground while another fought a dragon in the background.
"It's called Hidden Soldiers, and I can activate it as soon as you Normal Summon a Monster. Now I can Special Summon a low-level Dark Monster from my hand. And I've got one who's so Dark, the word 'Dark' is in his name.
"I summon Zombyra the Dark."
In a flash of energy, a dark vortex appeared, and a costumed superhero with a cape and a skull-like mask flew out. (2,100/500)
Yumi looked surprised. She took her deck, and looked through it until she found her A Hero Emerges card.
Well, she thought, I guess now I know who the hero is…
"It doesn't matter…" said Felicia. "Because Nekogal #3 has a special ability. She gains 400 more Attack Points for every Monster in my Graveyard who happens to be named Nekogal. And I have three!"
Nekogal #3 glowed with energy… (3,500/2,500)
"I think this is her strongest Monster…" muttered Chelsea.
"Go!" shouted Felicia. "Devour Getsu Fuhma!"
Nekogal pounced, and made a swipe with her claws. Getsu Fuhma let out a cry, and then shattered.
(R: 2,600) -------------------- (F: 5,200)
Ren paused, and looked at his hand…
The Fiend Megacyber, his second Pitch-Dark Dragon, and his second Dark Blade.
He drew one card.
"I play my Pot of Greed," he said, playing the card. "Now I draw twice…"
He drew twice, and looked at the cards.
He thought for a minute…
He placed a card in his Disk, and a facedown card appeared.
"That's all for my turn…" he said.
"REN!" screamed Chelsea. "You forgot to switch your Monster to Defense Mode!"
"He's crazy!" shouted Heck.
Is he? thought Yumi.
"It's his own fault," said Felicia, drawing a card. "And he's a fool…
"Time for someone new. I summon The All-Seeing White Tiger in Attack Mode."
She played the card, and a large, white, Bengal tiger appeared next to Nekogal. (1,300/500)
"Nekogal, attack Zombyra the Dark!" she cried.
"I activate Rush Recklessly!" shouted Ren, as his facedown card lifted. "It gives Zombyra 700 more Attack Points."
Zombyra rose to an Attack of 2,800.
"But not enough…" said Felicia, with a grin.
Nekogal leapt forward, and with one swipe, blasted Zombyra to shards.
"Tiger… attack him directly!"
The All-Seeing White Tiger let out a roar, and pounced, digging its claws into Ren's chest. He toppled over and fell on his behind.
(R: 600) -------------------- (F: 5,200)
He slowly got up, with sweat pouring down his face.
"Am I fool, Felicia?" he asked. "Notice that I'm still standing…"
There was a long pause.
"Now I get it…" muttered Chelsea. "Zombyra the Dark had only 500 Defense Points. If he hadn't been in Attack Mode with that Rush Recklessly, Felicia would have been able to destroy him with her Tiger, and then attack directly with Nekogal. Ren would have lost the duel."
"Exactly," said Yumi. "Ren is thinking on his feet."
"Yeah, but he's gonna need quite a good draw to get outta this…" replied Heck.
"It's your move, honey," said Felicia. "At least try to go out with some dignity…"
Ren looked at his deck.
Okay… he thought. Come on… Baby needs a new Duel Disk…
He drew a card.
YES!
He flipped open his Field Slot.
"I play… Mystic Plasma Zone!" he shouted, placing a card inside.
With a wave of energy, a shadowy dome of darkness covered the whole field.
"In this aura of absolute darkness," he explained, "all Dark Monsters gain 500 Attack Points, at the cost of 400 Defense Points.
"And now, since you have two Monsters on the field and I have none, I can Special Summon this guy… I call forth my Fiend Megacyber!"
With a roar, a tall, hulking figure in bronze armor wearing a full helmet with blades on his gauntlets rose up, and struck a pose. (2,200/1,200) –) (2,700/800)
"Big deal…" said Felicia. "Even with that bonus, he still falls short of being able to defeat Nekogal…"
"I'm not done," said Ren, holding up three more cards. "Remember when I combined Dark Blade and Pitch-Dark Dragon as a Union? Well, there's another way to combine those two Monsters…
"I'll show you… I use Polymerization, to fuse my second Dark Blade and my second Pitch-Dark Dragon."
The Warrior and the Dragon appeared on the field. The Polymerization card appeared behind them, and they swirled into a dark vortex…
And then, Dark Blade flew out, flying on Pitch-Dark Dragon once again. (2,200/1,500) –) (2,700/1,100)
"Still not enough," said Felicia.
"We'll see about that," said Ren. "Go, Dark Blade the Dragon Knight! Attack The All-Seeing White Tiger with mounted joust!"
Dark Blade flew forward on his steed, and slashed with his sword, blasting the Tiger to bits.
"And now we get to the best part," said Ren. "When Dark Blade the Dragon Knight inflicts damage to your Life Points, I get to remove up to three Monsters in your Graveyard from play. So I'll remove the three Nekogals who are powering up Nekogal #3."
Nekogal #3 glowed with a dark aura, and was reduced to her base Attack of 2,300.
"Still my turn…" said Ren. "Fiend Megacyber, attack Nekogal #3! Mega-blades!"
The Fiend Megacyber held his gauntlets forward, and they flashed with light. He rushed forward and slashed at Nekogal with his blades. The Beast-Warrior screeched and shattered into bits.
(R: 600) -------------------- (F: 3,400)
"Whoa…" said Chelsea.
"Well, it ain't over till it's over…" said Yumi.
"Your move…" said Ren.
Felicia paused. She slowly drew a card.
She placed it on her Disk, and a facedown Monster appeared.
"Not much else to do, huh?" asked Ren.
He drew a card.
"I play The Warrior Returning Alive," he said, holding up the card. "Now I get to take one Warrior from my Graveyard, and add it to my hand.
"And I choose Zombyra the Dark, who I'm summoning now."
In a dark vortex, Zombyra reappeared, more determined than ever. (2,100/500) –) (2,600/100)
"Zombyra…" ordered Ren, "attack with super-powered punch!"
The dark hero flew forward. Panther Warrior appeared on the card; Zombyra socked it, and it shattered into shards.
Zombyra's Attack fell to 2,400, but he barely seemed to care.
"NOW it's over…" said Yumi.
Felicia bowed her head…
"And now…" continued Ren. "Dark Blade the Dragon Knight, Fiend Megacyber, attack directly!"
The two Monsters rushed at Felicia, and she screamed as she was stabbed by two blades.
She fell on her back.
"Guess they don't always land on their feet…" said Ren with a smile.
(R: 600) -------------------- (F: 0)
His three Monsters vanished, and the uncanny darkness faded away.
He looked at his badge. It slowly changed hue, to Yellow.
Felicia slowly got up.
"Need a hand?" asked Ren.
"Meow," said Felicia, as he helped her up.
She looked at her own badge.
"Looks like I'm back where I started… But no biggie… I have eight lives left, and maybe we'll meet again…
"Think I'll go take a little catnap before I hit the streets again.
"And Ren… You're pretty good. Trust me… We're gonna duel again…"
And then she sped off with a series of mighty leaps.
"And he'll beat you again!" shouted Chelsea, after her.
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Interesting… thought the observer.
Ren's deck is well designed, and handles his odd strategy as best as it can. I think he is one whom we can expect a lot from.
Our only variable left to study is Chelsea. I have to wonder how the daughter of Peter Ramset has developed her own strategy. It should be interesting to say the least…
The figure faded into the shadows…
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The group was taking it easy on a park bench. Ren was sipping orange juice he had gotten from a vendor.
He took out his deck.
"Maybe now I can tell you that story behind the Chthonian Soldiers that Yumi mentioned…" he said.
"Forget them!" laughed Heck. "Ah wanna hear about that cool superhero you've got!"
"Zombyra the Dark?" asked Ren, looking through his deck.
He found the card.
"Actually, his story and that of the Chthonians is linked.
"See, a long time ago, a demon lord named Dark Master Zorc decided to extend his influence in the realm of mortals. He decided he needed an army.
"He told his fiendish sorcerers to start creating demonic warriors, ones that were relentless, merciless, and durable.
"The sorcerers created the Chthonians as grunts – foot soldiers who were loyal and disposable… Not very smart.
"They also created a squad of elite fighters. Ones who were stronger and smarter. Zombyra was one of them.
"But the sorcerer who created him did something different. He cast a hex on the newly created warrior that gave Zombyra emotions.
"Why did he do it? Well… He was kind of… funny that way.
"Zombyra served Zorc loyally for a long time, drawing on his master's energy to fuel his dark power. But there was something different. You see, having emotions is a dangerous thing for someone in Zombyra's line of work. He started to have a conscience. He started to have feelings. He began to be able to tell right from wrong. What Zorc was making him do, it was very wrong.
"Finally, one day, Zombyra killed an innocent man at Zorc's order. He felt remorse… and anger… He deserted his master forever, swearing that he'd only use his abilities for good from that point on.
"The story doesn't say what happened to that funny sorcerer.
"Anyway, without Zorc's dark power, Zombyra would get weaker. This is illustrated by the fact that he loses 200 Attack Points after each attack he makes. Also, for his betrayal, Zorc cursed him so that he could never strike his true enemy. This is illustrated by the fact that he can't make direct attacks.
"Still, he's a welcome addition to my deck of Dark Warriors."
"Well, I hope I get to duel soon," said Chelsea.
"You get the next one, Chelsea, we promise," said Yumi. "We want to see all the improvements you've made to your deck anyway."
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"So do we!" laughed someone, who was watching with binoculars.
From a safe distance, the two punks who Ren had seen on the boat were watching. The older one (the one with the rainbow-colored Mohawk) was keeping an eye on the group, while the younger one (the one who had won the duel with the Blowback Dragon) was nearby. Another member was with their group – a girl who seemed about the same age as the second boy, dressed in similar punk attire.
"So what now, boss?" asked the younger teenager, in an accent that was clearly Australian.
"Well," said the older punk, "the best bet is to try to get her away from the bigger group. But with all those Centurions snooping around, simply grabbing her is a big no-no."
He handed him a small slip of paper.
"Use this," he said. "It will make a good chip for a wager. Once you outduel her, I'll take it from there."
"It's as good as done, mate…" said the boy. "She won't know what hit her…"
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The strange fortuneteller sat at her table, pondering.
"Clearly, Yumi does not face the upcoming battle alone," she said. "But what are the roles of her two companions?
"What of Ren?"
She lifted the top card off her deck and turned it over.
The image was that of a young man in colorful clothes, wandering towards the edge of a ravine under a starry sky. A small dog was at his feet, and he held an oaken quarterstaff over his shoulder.
"The Fool…" she muttered. "The sign of a true maverick, a wanderer and a thrill seeker with an eccentric lust for life.
"Ren is the energetic part of the team… Likely, he will be the part that will find light in the gloom. And his role in the conflict to come might well be that of one to provide morale…"
With his first victory, Ren advances to Yellow Status. And it seems a challenge is waiting for Chelsea too. It soon may be three for three, and it isn't even time for lunch yet!
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NEKOGAL #3 (Monster Card)
Card Specs
Type: Beast-Warrior/Effect
Attribute: Earth
Level: 7
ATK: 2,300
DEF: 2,500
Card Description: This card gains 400 ATK for every Monster in your Graveyard with the word "Nekogal" in its name.
Note: "Nekogal #3" was created by King Dragun for his "Sister of Anansi" fic. Creative credit goes to him.
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BRONZE WARRIOR (Monster Card)
Card Specs
Type: Warrior/Effect
Attribute: Earth
Level: 4
ATK: 500
DEF: 1,800
Card Description: During your Standby Phase that this card is on your side of the field in Attack Position, you may search your deck for one Beast-Warrior-Type Monster and add it to your hand. If this card is on the field in Attack Position, increase the ATK of all Beast-Warrior-Type Monsters on your side of the field by 400.
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PATH TO DESTINY (Spell Card)
Equip Spell
Image: Two Samurai about to ambush each other from behind the corners of a building.
Card Description: This card can be Equipped to a Beast-Warrior-Type Monster. The Equipped Monster may attack your opponent directly.
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MIRACLE MOMENT (Trap Card)
Normal Trap
Image: Panther Warrior on his knees holding a broken sword, glowing with soft light.
Card Description: You can activate this card when a "Panther Warrior" on your side of the field that is Equipped with "Path to Destiny" is destroyed as a result of battle and sent to the Graveyard. Special Summon one "Bronze Warrior" from your hand or deck.
Note: "Bronze Warrior", "Path to Destiny", and "Miracle Moment" were first used by Atticus in the "Yu-Gi-Oh GX" episode "Pop Goes the Duel". Creative credit goes to the writers of that episode.
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SILENT DOOM (Spell Card)
Normal Spell
Image: A hand with a glowing orb in the palm.
Card Description: Select one Normal Monster in your Graveyard and Special Summon it in face-up Defense Position. The battle position of this Monster cannot be switched, except with a card effect.
Note: "Silent Doom" is a Japanese card that has not yet been released in the United States.
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Chelsea: I smell something, guys… Something like a pretty foul body odor…
Ren: Hey, I showered good this morning!
Chelsea: It isn't you, Ren. I think I recognize this stench. I have a feeling this nice morning might turn unpleasant.
Yumi: Maybe, maybe not. Coming up next, "The Dark Lady; Supernatural Deck".
As the legacy of Peter Ramset is unleashed.