This story takes place before episode 18 of Yu-Gi-Oh! GX. The story possibly contains spoilers, references etc. All cards in my story are from the Trading Card Game (so you might notice a slight difference from the anime). Also to avoid confusion I will point out that this story is a side story, which means a shorter story not necessarily connected to the main story. I hope you will enjoy the story. Get your game on!
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Necessity is the mother of invention
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It was raining outside Duel Academy this morning. There were no lessons today until later in the afternoon, so most of the students were spending time in their respective dorms playing matches with each other, adjusting their decks or simply just relaxing while the rain drops, with a soft and smooth rhythm, landed on the rooftops.
One of those who did not relax or played matches with friends was Rick Tear. He wandered around outside, not knowing what to do. His deck was incomplete after the incident with the Duel Giant and he couldn't come up with a new strategy. For the last couple of days he had been avoiding other students and even skipped some classes. He spent all his time trying to create a new deck. But it simply seemed impossible. Slowly Rick Tear was realizing that he had counted too much on his old strategy and couldn't play any other. (Am I weak!?)
He never thought of himself as weak before. (I'm not!) He just needed a helping hand; the only problem was that he was too proud to ask anyone for help.
As he walked along the edge of the forest, Rick noticed something move behind a tree and he heard a sniffling sound.
"Who's there?" He said. "Show yourself!"
The weird sniffling sound stopped. The rain made it a bit difficult to see clearly into the forest, but Rick's eye caught something.
"I've seen you." He quickly stepped in between the trees and grabbed…a student. With a raised eyebrow he looked at the student in the yellow coat.
"H…hello." The student said.
"Who are you and what are you doing here?" Rick said irritated. "Are you spying on me or trying to piss me off?"
"N..no nothing like that…I'm Dimitri by the way." The student said with a scared look on his face.
"Hmm, just a wimp…" Rick crossed his arms. "What are you doing out here?"
"You could call it meditating." Dimitri said, still with a scared look. "But what are you doing here?"
"Hey! I'm here because…" Rick raised his eyebrow again. "Never mind, what are you meditating for?"
"I'm working on a new deck…but I need some essential cards." The Ra Yellow student looked down on his shoes.
"Why do you need a new deck?" Rick was kind of interested now. Maybe, just maybe this was the helping hand he needed.
"I am very fascinated with strong duelists, so I learn from them and recreate their strategies." Dimitri said.
"Don't you have one superior strategy?" Rick fell silent.
"Well, I tend to…copy strategies…" Dimitri answered with a troubled look.
"I know who you are: You're the copycat duelist." Rick smiled. "And I think we should have a little chat."
"So I have been trying to copy Dr. Crowler's Ancient Gear strategy. It is pretty powerful." Dimitri said. "But I haven't found the ultimate Ancient Gear card yet…"
"And that is why you need me." Rick said with confidence in his voice. "I have an Ancient Gear Golem to spare."
Dimitri's eyes widened. This was the exciting feeling he always had when a new copied deck was complete. Speechless he held his hand out.
"But remember, you owe a favor." Rick showed the card. "And that is to upgrade my strategy and deck."
"Of..of course." Dimitri took the Ancient Gear Golem.
After putting the card into the copied deck Dimitri took a pile of cards from his drawer.
"Now let's reconstruct your deck." Both looked at the cards and grinned.
Piece by piece (or rather card by card) Rick Tear's new deck came together.
Rick grinned again. With the new deck he would once again become a great duelist. The only question now was: Who should be his first opponent?