Okay, so this is going to be the first chapter in Riley's POV, sorry for the random inconsistencies, while I was writing the last chapter I accidentally changed it from "she" to "I", and since Riley is my OC, I do like the idea of it being in first person, but there will be some… scenarios when third person is required, marked by a wonderful page split.
I've been busy with school and extracurricular activities, and I've been suffering serious writer's block, so that's why I haven't been updating. But maybe this will help me get back into the swing of the story. Anywho, just those quick announcements.
To iloveyugiohGX93, I posted two chapters in one night because I had that much written (and the third chapter too, but I procrastinated on posting it because I didn't care for the "flow" of it) and just wanted to be caught up online. But now, I am caught up. Heh.
Celestia Gold- The emotion I felt after reading your review was somewhere between squee and guilt (cause I couldn't update between uploading those chapters and when you reviewed). I hope the rest of my story is SWEETNESS as well! ^.^
And thank you to this story's first follower/favouriter (pretty sure that's not a word, but whatever): Redder45! You rock my socks. (That was weird. I'm sorry. I won't say that again…)
Anyway, onto the story! (This duel was loosely based off of the duel I had with Jaden on Spirit Caller. Yay)
Shortly, we arrived back at the Slifer dorm. Not gonna lie, there is a terrible amount of running involved in being friends with Jaden (even though we've been friends for less than a day), but I'm sure I'll have plenty of time to get used to the cardio. As we arrive, the rest of the Slifer students were filing into the "cafeteria", which was considerably worse than any eating facility I had ever been to, or even heard of, before. Jaden, Syrus, and I follow suit, sitting at a table for four with Chumley. The wooden tables are topped by white trays, holding rice, fish, and a small bowl of soup. A worthy welcome feast for those in the bottom of the Dual Academy barrel.
As we wait for the Slifer headmaster, my fingers absentmindedly go to the necklace under my jacket. An image of a golden dragon flashes briefly in my mind, snapping me out of my daze. I look back up, to see the headmaster, a thin man with glasses and a black ponytail standing above Jaden, a cat on the table in the background. I seem to have missed something, as Jaden is already eating his meal, and the headmaster chuckled at him.
"Alright," he said, with a smile, "Let's eat!"
"So," I said, trying to catch up, "what's our dorm head's name?" I looked to Syrus, as Jaden's struggling to swallow his whole plate of food in one mouthful.
"Professor Banner," the blue haired boy said quietly, as the headmaster came over to our table.
"Well," the professor said, with a strong accent that I failed to place, "since some of us can't wait, let's eat!" He began to laugh heartedly, as all the other Slifers began to eat the "feast" Banner had prepared for us.
"Hmm, this is pretty good," I said, eating the rice and fish, trying to not eat as politely as a lady should, given the fact that I still have the appearance of a teenage boy.
"Hey," Jaden said, his mouth still full of fish and rice, "you gonna finish that?" He motions to my soup, and I shake my head.
"No," I replied, "go ahead." I slide my soup across the table, and Jaden smiles at me.
"Hey, Riley, what do you say to dueling right after supper?" Jaden asked, grabbing the small white bowl from the table before scarfing it down.
I rolled my eyes, and said, "If you're that eager to lose, then sure, you're on."
"What makes you think I'll lose?"
"Gut feeling," Jaden just smiled.
"It's not about winning or losing Riley. It's about having fun. And if you enjoy the duel, then you've won, no matter what happens," he cheesed, and I fight the urge to scoff, a fight that I cannot win.
"The way I learned how to duel, winning is everything, sorry Jay." I finished my rice, then stood up. "I'll be in my room." Leaving the cafeteria, I strolled outside, the soft night breeze ruffling my wig and jacket. Right now, I want nothing more than to get rid of my disguise, let my hair down, and just live carefree.
I never really felt… alone. Even when Leon was out on tours and none of my friends wanted to come over and watch him duel on TV. And it wasn't just the card I'd had forever. Sometimes, I would talk to myself, and it seemed like someone was talking back. And after my duel with Leon shortly before coming to Duel Academy, I felt someone else there. Like, an alternate personality sharing my body with me. And it seemed hostile, threatening. And the less I felt like myself, the less it bothered me. Hence the wig and non-gender-revealing clothing.
I sigh, and head up to my room. When I get there, I close and lock the door, taking my wig off, which was falling off anyway. I pulled my hair up into a high ponytail, and carefully put the wig back on, making sure it's securely pinned down. Jaden is sure to play his Avian, and maybe his Wingman as well, and it's surely going to get blustery, especially since I have a Wind-based deck.
After I finish adjusting my wig, I sit on my bed, the bottom bunk. I've never really been a calm sleeper, so I grabbed the bottom for assurance that there will be fewer bumps and bruises due to my tossing and turning, but I digress. I grabbed my Harpy deck from my deck case and began reviewing it, adding and taking out cards to cover obvious weaknesses. I had just returned my deck to my case when I heard knocking on my door.
"RILEY, LET'S DUEL NOW!" Jaden shouted loud enough to wake up the Obelisk girls. But maybe then Alexis and Bastion would come, and maybe even Chazz. I pulled myself up, fixing my clothes as I slipped on my belt and Duel Disk. I opened the door, and lo and behold, Jaden stood there, accompanied by Syrus, Chumley, Bastion, and Alexis. Sadly, no sign of Princeton. A girl can dream.
"Alright then. Let's duel," I said, shutting off the lights and closing the door. We made our way to the clearing right in front of the dorm, the forest a backdrop to the event. Jaden and I both turned on our Disks as our spectators gathered around the sidelines, Chumley and Syrus behind Jaden, Alexis and Bastion behind me.
"Alright Riley, remember, it's not about winning, but enjoying the game!" Jaden said, as he drew his first five cards.
"Yeah, yeah," I said, drawing my first hand. "I'll enjoy how easy this duel will be. But you can enjoy it first. Be my guest Jay." I motion for him to go first, and he draws a card.
"Alright Riley, let's get this started!"
DEUL
JADEN - 4000
RILEY – 4000
"I'll start off with my favourite feathered friend! Elemental HERO – Avian!" Jaden placed his card on his Duel Disk, then activated the Field Spell slot in his Disk. "And what's a HERO without his city to protect?" Tall buildings rose out of the ground and power radiated around Avian, waiting for a powerful opponent. (3/1000/1000)
"I'll end my turn with two facedown cards," Jaden said, and two facedowns appeared behind Avian.
"Alright," I said while drawing a card, "let's really get this started. I'll start by summoning Harpie Lady in attack mode! Then, I'll activate this: Harpie's Hunting Ground." I placed the Field Spell in the slot, and Jaden's buildings shattered around us. The layout became barren, desert-like, and Harpie Lady took to the skies, swooping around over my side of the field. Lady - (3/1000-1300/1000) Avian – (3/1000-1300/1000)
"Then, I activate the spell card: Elegant Egotist to bring forth Harpie Channeler!" (4/1400-1700/1300)
"He's not summoning another monster is he?" Syrus squeaked from across the field.
"Of course," Bastion responds.
"One thing that really makes Harpie decks formidable is their ability to summon monsters quickly. Especially if your opponent only has one monster, and no Field Spell," I replied.
"And," Bastion added, "The effects of Harpie's Hunting Ground kicks in now."
"What are the effects?" Jaden asked.
"I can destroy one spell or trap card whenever a Harpie is Summoned. And I think I'll pick that one," I said, pointing to the facedown on the right. "Emergency Provisions, I should have known." The card shatters, and Harpie Channeler looks back to me.
"Are you going to activate Channeler's ability now?" Syrus asked, and I nod.
"Of course. By discarding one Harpie monster, like this Harpie Girl here, I can summon one Harpie from my hand or deck in defense mode. So I choose Harpie's Pet Dragon." A large red dragon appeared from the hologram on the field, its slender neck accessorized by iron chains, and Harpie Channeler flies up to his side, grabbing hold of the chain. (7/2000-2900/2500-3100)
"Um, don't mind me askin," Jaden said, as his other facedown card, HERO Signal, is destroyed. "But why is he getting bigger?"
"Because," Alexis answered for me, "Harpie's Pet Dragon gains 300 ATK points for every Harpie Lady on the field."
"And, he also gains from Harpie Lady's special effect," Bastion adds on. "Every WIND attribute monster gains 300 ATK points."
"Sweet! So Avian gets that bonus too!" Jaden said, smiling widely.
"I wouldn't celebrate yet Jay," Syrus said.
"Yeah. His Channeler's still got more ATK points," Chumley chimed in, and I smile.
"And of course I can't use my Dragon yet, but I can still knock you down a couple thousand Life Points Jay," I said as Channeler prepared her staff. "Harpie Channeler, destroy Elemental HERO – Avian!"
Harpie Channeler raised her staff high above her head, her red hair whipping about in the wind as red light arced from the staff, shattering Avian into tiny pixels. The light hit Jaden as well, and his life points were reduced.
Jaden – 4000 – 3600
Riley – 4000
"Now, Airo, attack Jaden as well! Scratch Attack!"
The pink haired Harpie swooped down from the sky, her talons glinting in the fabricated desert sun. She scratched Jaden across the chest, who then winced as his Life Points went down.
Jaden – 3600 – 2300
Riley – 4000
"I end my turn with a facedown," I finished, placing a card into my Spell/Trap zone.
"Alright," Jaden said. "My draw!" Jaden drew a card, and looked over the cards in his hand.
"Time for another change of scenery! I activate Fusion Gate!" Jaden placed the card into the Field Spell zone, and the Desert wasteland disappeared, much to my Harpie's dismay. The ground became lined with yellow-green boxes, and the sky grew a purplish shade of grey, swirling with clouds.
"And using Fusion Gate, I fuse the Sparkman and Clayman in my hand to summon: the Elemental HERO – Thunder Giant!" My eyes snap up as the clouds swirl faster. Lightning strikes the field and a huge yellow-and-blue man descends, an orb of lightning shining in his chest. "And Thunder Giant has a special ability too. By discarding one card from my hand, I can destroy one face up monster whose original ATK points are less than Thunder Giant's! So say goodbye to Harpie's Pet Dragon!" Thunder Giant raises a hand, and sparks shoot from his palm, catching hold of my Dragon and destroying him, sending Channeler back to the ground. Thunder Giant – 6/2400/1500
"Now, Thunder Giant! Attack Harpie Lady!" The Giant collected electricity between his hands, and fired them at my Harpie. She shrieked as she shattered into pixels, and I got the leftover electricity. I felt the pins coming up a bit in my hair from the sheer force of the attack, and I cannot let Jaden hit me again, or else my wig may come off.
Jaden – 2300
Riley – 4000 – 2900
"I'll end my turn with a facedown," Jaden stated, as a card appeared behind the Elemental HERO.
I clenched my jaw as I drew my card. And just my luck, it's THAT dragon. Still, I happen to have a few good cards left in my hand. "Alright, I'll start by activating this card: Hysteric Sign. This allows me to add an Elegant Egotist to my hand from my graveyard or deck." I take the Elegant Egotist I used to summon Channeler and return it to my hand.
"Then, I'll activate two Elegant Egotist cards and summon the Harpie Lady Sisters and the Harpie Queen!" The Harpie trio swoops down from seemingly nowhere, and the green-haired Harpie royalty joins the three on the field. Sisters- 6/1950/2100 Queen- 4/1900/1200
"I may as well make it more difficult for you to fuse as well, even though it's almost over. So, Jay, I activate Harpie Queen's special ability! By discarding her, I can pull one Harpie's Hunting Ground from my deck," I inform him as I discard my favourite Harpie and grab a Harpie's Hunting Ground before activating it. The scenery once again becomes a desert, and my Harpies glare at Thunder Giant.
"Finally, I'll activate my pièce de résistance: Triangle Ecstasy Spark! This special little spell makes all my Harpie's ATK points 2700. And you can't activate any trap cards," I revealed my face-down, and all my Harpies began to sharpen their talons, which seemed to grow in length and become sharper before our very eyes. Sisters- 6/1950 - 2700/2100 Channeler 4/1400 - 2700/1300
"Good move," Bastion said, his arms crossed.
"Now all his monsters are stronger than Jay's," Syrus added, and Alexis nodded.
"Now," I say, "Harpie Lady Sisters: show that Thunder Giant not to mess with your friends! Triple Talon Terror!" The three sisters flew high in the air, disappearing in the harsh sun. Then, they raced back down, hitting the HERO in order. The Giant roared as he disappeared in a burst, and Jaden remained defenseless.
Jaden – 2300 - 2000
Riley – 2900
"Now, Harpie Channeler, finish this! Harpie Staff Spark!" Harpie Channeler's staff glowed with red electricity, and she flapped her powerful wings, propelling herself towards Jaden. She raised her staff, striking him in the chest, causing him to lose the rest of his Life Points.
Jaden – 2000 – 0 LOSE
Riley – 2900 WIN
"Wow, Riley, sweet duel! You really know how to use your deck!" Jaden smiled, and I rolled my eyes sarcastically.
"Of course I know how to use my deck. Or else I wouldn't use it," I said, walking over to the brunette. Alexis and Bastion joined us, and we all stood around for a bit, talking about the duel and how we would have handled certain situations. I look down at Millennium Lock Dragon, and apparently space out, because next thing I know, Alexis and Bastion are leaving to go back to their dorms and Syrus is trying to get me to snap out of my daze.
"What were ya thinking about Riles," Jaden asked, giving me a brand spanking new nickname.
"n-nothing," I stutter, as I can't really remember what caused me to blank out. I slip the card into my jacket pocket, and stuff my hands in my jeans pockets as well. "But our first day's tomorrow, and we should really get some sleep." I began to walk up to my room, and as I opened the door, I heard Jaden shout "GOOD NIGHT RILES! SWEET DUEL!" before I entered my dorm room. I slip out of my jacket and jeans, changing into some sweat pants, but leaving my black tank top on. I took off my wig and contacts, putting them by the sink, and slid into the bed. I snuggled up in the not-so soft sheets on the not-so soft mattress.
In my dream, two people kept talking to me. I remember Harpie Queen but the other person – or thing for that matter – stayed elusive when I woke. Yet I could remember a brief metallic roar right before I woke up.