Foreword
"With effort comes result; to obtain result, effort of equal value must be used. To obtain a goal, time of devotion must be lost. To work nothing and expect result—is impossible no matter the circumstances. That is the human nature in contrast to the law of equivalent exchange. Life and life's progress relies on this promise."
Chapter 6 – Chronos De Mediz
Normally after Duel Anatomy, Chronos would be enjoying himself in the teacher's lounge. Unfortunately, his head still throbbed from the meeting—strike that, beating—he had with Saphira. He cursed as he rested his eye on a cold damp cloth padded in his hand; both elbows propped on his knees as he sat on a cot in the nurse's office. Something must be done. These poundings have gone long enough—it's ruining my memory of class plans. How can she get away with this! She's off the hook of these because she's married to Kaiba?
As Chronos rambled on his thoughts, a cat slipped in without notice. And as it just rubbed up on Chronos' boot, his thoughts ceased and looked down. He let out a yelp and jumped at least three feet from the cot, landing on his back and staring fearfully at the cat. "DAITOKUJI! Get your mangy cat now!" Chronos commanded.
The named teacher hung his head from outside the doorway, "The least you could do is a 'thank you' for getting you here, Chronos. And I guess Pharaoh wanted the gratitude in person." He smiled and came to pick up the cat. He held it easily despite the thin body frame guise under bagging office-wear. "I take it Saphira left some long-term damage this time around?"
Chronos grumbled and retrieved the cloth he dropped, "Rub it in my face why don't you? If anything she needs to be the one straightened out!"
Daitokuji played along with Chronos, he gave up a while back about warning him of Saphira's instability and lack of rational thought. "By all means, go give Saphira a piece of your mind." Daitokuji casually agreed, "She shouldn't slap you around just because she's married to the Headmaster."
Chronos paused, staring in disbelief at Daitokuji, "Every time you say that, I get mauled by that one-woman army."
"Maybe your approaches to her were wrong." Daitokuji commented, "When I talk to her there are some times…OK more times than others, that I appeared to have upset Saphira. But I've managed to save myself by heavily agreeing with her to what she goes by."
"So you just let her walk all over you!" Chronos accused.
"Well…I wouldn't say that because I have beliefs too, but doing that does save me from getting my glasses punched in and Pharaoh shipped to a violin factory." Daitokuji defended himself. "Really Chronos, you've been the source of Saphira's frustration for possibly since the opening of the academy. Maybe you should stop while you still have a head."
"Don't tell me when to quit!" Chronos barked, "She needs to be broken like a horse and now! Where is she!"
Daitokuji sighed and shoulders slumped. I really don't want to the one be writing his epitaph. "She's teaching her course of self-defense for the girls in the courtyard."
"WHAT! She's teaching her students to be as brutal as her? This is madness! She must be stopped! By the end of the semester she'll have those girls sending high kicks to the other students for no reason!" Chronos rambled angrily and bolted out.
Daitokuji felt invisible for the moment. It is self-defense, not self-offense. He thought and then paced out of the nurse's office. He said as he passed by a receptionist, "Expect a re-visitor before the day is done, just a precaution." He guessed, Pharaoh grumbling in his arms.
The island breeze gave a calming atmosphere to the courtyard cookie-cut out of the building floor plans. Along the green grass was a gathering of students, girls ranging from all three of the classes, although not so obvious when all of them are wearing lightly colored sweat suits with shorts and sneakers. Before the girls was Saphira who wore the normal uniform except her skirt unzipped on both sides to allow leg room and showing a pair of shorts just above her knees.
"Good afternoon girls. I am Saphira, not only the vice principal and disciplinary coordinator, I will be teaching self-defense of the school as well." She instructed, "If there's one thing I've learned is that no one can change a person, no matter how much bodily harm you can threaten him with. So I am going to teach you a rather different tactic. If you catch an incorrect gesture dawned onto you or if you wish to defend someone else, you may proceed to act.
"A good example was not too long ago. Artemis Minh, if you could step forward?" Saphira asked and Artemis showed herself from the crowd. "Artemis is only a freshman but she had demonstrated a basic and correct maneuver of self-defense several days ago when approached by one of our more ruthless students."
Saphira and Artemis turned to face each other. "Remember what you did last time Artemis, I'm coming in on the same move." Saphira warned before quickly swinging into a back kick. Artemis responded and caught Saphira's ankle, at which Saphira called, "Stop!" Teacher and student froze in position for a moment before returning to a stand. "Very good. If that would proceed further you'd use my momentum against me."
A hand raised itself from the crowd, asking for immediate attention. "Why are we doing self-defense when we have PE?"
The instructor answered, "It sharpens your mind. You won't know your attacker, nor will you know the duelist you face often. You have to be ready for anything that can be thrown. My course will teach how to predict an opponent's move, that same method will go for dueling. Often times you can roughly guess what kind of strategy they use, even their key cards."
"Ah, than makes sense." One of the third-year students noted.
Saphira nodded, "Mainly, I'm here to teach you how to sharpen your minds and reflexes to come prepared for anything." Her eyes caught a newcomer approaching. She grumbled lowly, "Like the predictability of Chronos coming back for another meeting."
"You have no room to talk, regardless of your rank." Chronos boasted, making the girls gasp. "That will be the last times my excuse of medical attention is from you!"
"Mind you Chronos, you're the one that start these things…" Saphira mocked back, "You're the one that digs the hole. I've been here since Seto-sama opened the academy—"
"Seniority has no part either! You're the one that keeps sending me back to the nurse's office."
"So it's not enough that I give you bruises and black eyes, I have to…" Saphira caught herself, half of her mind forgot she had an audience. She stepped back from Chronos and turned to the class. "Sometimes the offender doesn't know when to quit, and repeats get dull. If you can't break the offender's arm, then break his spirit." Saphira grinned, "Extra credit on the success if you know the offender's weak point. Chronos, I thank you for being a volunteer."
"Wh-what!" Chronos shrilled, "I did not come to help you teach your class of soon-to-be troublemakers! You're teaching your students how to brute their way to domination! They'll ruin the school reputation!"
Saphira's eye twitched viciously. He's taking advantage of the fact I can't jerk his jaw out of his face right now because of my class. Saphira then threw an open hand in front of Chronos to silence him, and then looked to the class. "A low blow isn't a cheap shot, De Mediz, if you don't think it is one; and I don't think it is a low blow to break your pride at your own game. We'll duel. It'll give the girls a good demonstration as to how one defends herself in a duel."
Chronos snorted, "Fine by me, we get our gear and come back in ten minutes."
"Six more than I'll need." Saphira grumbled and the challenge was set.
There was murmuring among the girls, eager for the challenge at hand. "Who do you think would win?"
"I would say Saphira-san for intimidation but Chronos didn't seem afraid of her at all."
"Chronos has those Ancient Gear creatures, those things would trample Saphira-san's Charmers." One of them sounded fearful.
"Saphira-san wouldn't accept knowing she'd lose. She must have something good going." Artemis mumbled.
Minutes later both Duelists showed up. Saphira with the Duel Disk and shuffled her deck while Chronos stood ready with the large Duel Plate across his chest. "Since I'm the one challenged, I'll go first." Saphira addressed as the Life Points lit up 4000.
Chronos instantly objected, "You're the one that called the duel!"
"And you're the one with the intent to tell me how I can and cannot wound you." Saphira barked back, ending the argument before the first move. Well this is the first time a hand came up no-Charmer… "I'll begin with Familiar-Possessed – Eria in attack mode." Saphira declared as the water Spellcaster stepped up, her water-drop crystal glowing with energy at the top of her staff and backed by her Gagagigo ally. "That will end my opening move." At least Chronos' monsters aren't a real threat until he offers them as tribute.
Chronos drew his sixth card and grinned wickedly, "Well, looks like my hand is nice to me, maybe it was time that you get off your high horse on superiority. I'll begin with Magnet Circle LV2!" Chronos declared as a right of electricity appeared on his field, "This Spell Card allows me to Special Summon one level 2 monster, and it just so happens I have one, Ancient Gear Cannon." Chronos' summon was weak, a mechanism made of gears and other random pieces of metal clashed together to resemble a cannon (500/500).
"What kind of opening move is that?" Jade wondered in the spectator crowd, "I thought Ancient Gears can't be Special Summoned."
"Only the stronger Ancient Gears like the Beast and Golem. But if it's possible to Special Summon a weaker Ancient Gear for tribute fodder, then by all means!" Chronos boasted.
Tribute fodder! Saphira cursed wildly in her head.
"Now for my Cannon's purpose, I'll sacrifice it to Normal Summon my Ancient Gear Beast!" Chronos announced as his Cannon fell apart into pieces, and more rose up to reassemble themselves. In the end there appeared another machine of gears and scatter of armor resembling a large dog (2000/2000).
"Chronos got his monster out, and it's stronger than Saphira's." One of the girls panicked.
"Possibly a slight setback, and it won't cause too much damage." Artemis spoke mostly to herself.
"Ancient Gear Beast! Attack Familiar-Possessed – Eria with Mechanized Bite!" Chronos commanded and the mechanical dog charged straight for Eria. A frail attempt of defense from Eria before the target monster shattered and Saphira's Life Points slid to 3850. "I believe that shall end my turn."
Saphira grumbled, trying greatly to keep her anger to a minimum, but it did no help of relief to her next draw. This is the only trap card I have, and it can't help me now. All I can do is defend myself against that Ancient Gear Beast. "I'll Set another monster, one card facedown, and end my turn." Saphira said when another card lied horizontal before her.
Finally her efforts are desperate. Chronos schemed, "I play the Spell Card Ancient Gear Drill! When activated I can search my deck for a Spell and Set is on the field. It's fortunate for you that this card cannot be activated this turn." He announced and after a random card ejected from his deck slot and placed it on the field. "Then I'll move to my Battle Phase, Ancient Gear Beast attack again!" The mechanical dog charged forward again, fearless of Saphira's facedown.
On contact the card appeared to be another older Spellcaster with a mess of brown hair and glasses. Saphira winced as her Familiar-Possessed – Aussa was destroyed (1850/1500).
Chronos grinned, "Even if it was a Charmer that Flip effect would do you no good at all. I'll end my turn." He said and the machine went idle.
The audience looked questionable, "What is Saphira-san doing? Is this how you predict someone's movement?"
"It's still some setbacks, I know it."
"She's using those monsters to defend herself while working for something big. This is all she can do to protect her Life Points."
As the girls' chattered, Artemis looked on into the duel. Well, there's an advantage to those monsters hitting the Graveyard. If she gets the right cards those can be removed for Special Summons. "Saphira isn't desperate, she's leading Chronos."
Saphira's eyes quickly glanced the audience, It looks like they're studying the duel. That's good. She glanced her hand and at her draw for the turn. The gears began to turn. Just one more card, it better come up before I take some serious damage. If I get it, Chronos will be in for a world of hurt. "I'll Set another monster and end my turn." She said, glaring at several cards in her hand. So many conditions need to be met, but I have to make the right one and make it count. She justified, her eyes looking at her facedown.
"Hm, how sad, looks like you've lost your touch from when you forced Headmaster Kaiba to marriage." Chronos taunted.
"What'u say?" Saphira asked, her anger becoming harder to control. No man talks of me in that manner.
"It's obvious isn't it? You raise a fist to get what you want. It probably took a couple of death threats to get him to marry you." Chronos pressed on.
"Absurd. I would never raise a fist to Seto-sama." Saphira spat back. Except for that incidentfrom when I was beginning to work security. She rested her left hand over her right shoulder for a moment.
"Hard to believe…" Chronos groaned and drew. "Before anything I'll activate my Set facedown, Ancient Gear Castle!" He activated his Set card and around him crept up a large fortress. "While this card is in play, all my Ancient Gears monsters gain 300 attack points." He announced as the Ancient Gear Beast was given some improvement thanks to the castle. "Next, I'll summon the Ancient Gear Soldier in attack mode!" Chronos monster, another Ancient Gear, emerged into play, a more human shape to it (1600/1600). A torch lit up on the castle behind him. "Oh and a detail about the Ancient Gear Castle, whenever any of us Summons or Set a monster, the castle gains a counter…"
"And when you have a monster in your hand that requires a sacrifice, you'll use the castle in place of the tribute." Saphira grumbled deeply, finishing the explanation.
The girls gasped, "He's got two now!"
"It was bound to happen eventually."
"Hope you have something Saphira-san!"
Saphira hid her anxiety, and growing temper. Two monsters now! My defenses will not hold! This is NOT a way to teach a class. She thought as she stared down the two machines.
"I'll begin my Battle Phase now!" Chronos boasted, "Ancient Gear Soldier, attack her facedown monster with Ancient Gear Gunfire!" He commanded his newest creature first. The Ancient Gear Soldier raised its cannon arm and took aim at Saphira's only defense. It fired, and the bullet went through another similar spellcaster with red short hair and a fox familiar.
Saphira winced, "Familiar-Possessed – Hiita (1850/1500)!"
"Ancient Gear Beast attack her Life Points directly with Mechanized Bite!" Chronos commanded his second creature. The beast let out a howl that sounded more like a steam whistle and raged forward. One stride away Chronos' monster lunged with its fangs ready and clamped down on Saphira's right arm. She repressed a scream as her Life Points were drained to 1550.
Chronos deemed himself satisfied, "I'll end my turn there. No way to can pick-up and defeat me, and you'll never raise a fist to me again!" He declared and laughed insanely.
Saphira prayed with everything on her next draw. Her eyes clenched shut. Now would be a good time to hear out from her. I know she can't see cards drawn because it's a symbol of when it happens.
Saphira! Saphira! A second voice rang out to get her attention. Saphira began to notice a blurry vision before her eyes, which looked like an explosion impaled by the elements. I've been assured, in one of these turns I'll send this joker packing.
Saphira's fingers were still pressed on the card she was ready to draw, and after a moment, jerked it from the deck slot. Saphira's eyes slowly came on to it, and when seeing the name of the card there was a flash of victory. This is it!
"Well, going to pass this turn so I can finish you off?" Chronos asked impatiently.
"You wish." Saphira said with a victorious grin, "I activate the Spell Ritual Card Doriado's Blessing!" She declared as the card appeared on the field.
"A Ritual Spell!" Jade acclaimed, "Saphira-san's still in the game!"
"This Ritual Spell costs me an offering that equal's three level stars or more, so I'll discard my Aqua Spirit to Ritual summon Elemental Mistress Doriado!" Saphira declared as briefly her Aqua Spirit emerged on the field, but not before changing form into a sister image of the Lady of Faith with orange hair, blue robes, and a green headdress (1200/1400).
"That's it? An Elemental Mistress Doriado? She could hardly leave a mark on my Life Points." Chronos mocked.
Saphira smirked, "You know Chronos, you should never mock nature, because nature will mock you. Now I activate my facedown card, Fuh-Rin-Ka-Zan!" She raised her facedown trap card.
"But that! That can destroy all my cards on the field!" Chronos was in a panic for a moment, "But why should I worry, you need monsters of each of the four attributes to do it."
"Obviously you need to research your deck anatomy. This is Elemental Mistress Doriado." Saphira explained, "Although she is originally a Light Spellcaster, her attribute also counts for Earth, Wind, Water, and Fire. Which means my Fuh-Rin-Ka-Zan is not a misfire." The girls watched intrigued by the new move. Now that the briefing was over, the Trap Card went to work.
Doriado clasped her hands together and tilted her head, invoking the forces of the elements she mastered. "Now here's the lowdown on Fuh-Rin-Ka-Zan. By the elements I get four choices on what I'd like to do: I can destroy all your monsters on the field, destroy all your spells and traps on the field, discard two cards from your hand, or draw two cards myself." Saphira explained, "And I'll go with Choice A—destroy every one of those blasted machines!"
At her command, the Elemental Mistress Doriado broke out into a Spell activation. The trap card went wild and the earth beneath both of Chronos' monsters broke open, plunging them both to the grave.
Chronos panicked. How did she land the exact card she needed! This is worse than that Yuki Judai kid!
Saphira looked at Chronos once the dust cleared and he could be seen without the obstruction of monsters. "I don't need to raise a fist to break your ego, and I like to make sure that ego of yours is grounded to dust! Since I didn't Normal Summon before I called forth Doriado I'll summon to the field…Hand of Nephthys!" Saphira's next monster was another Spellcaster. Her layers of orange and gold fabrics rippled in the fiery magic she held (600/600).
Chronos was not relieved. Even though another torch lit up in his Ancient Gear Castle.
"Guess you do know what happens next now, right?" Saphira grinned, "Hand of Nephthys has the special ability, to immediately offer herself and one other monster on my side of the field, to call forth the Sacred Phoenix of Nephthys from my deck!" The Hand of Nephthys joined hands with the Elemental Mistress Doriado and both monsters were swallowed up in flames.
The flames that took the monsters whipped around while shooting into the skies and peeled away from gold scales. Once most of the flames vanished, a new monster descended. Its form began with the head of a phoenix, it's upper body of a woman's and from the waist down appeared to be the rest of the bird, all covered in gold armor designed to form-fit the body and trailing with flames (2400/1600).
"Be honored, De Mediz. No one else has forced my hand and force me to play one of my most powerful monsters, the Sacred Phoenix of Nephthys." Saphira smirked with her new beast boasting more power than Chronos' previous monsters. "I move into my Battle Phase! Sacred Phoenix of Nephthys, attack his Life Points directly with Eternal Flame!" Saphira commanded and the Phoenix pounded her wings to flight then her wing beats exploded with fire and rushed at Chronos. The first hit against him and he came down to 1600 in one attack. "That will end my turn."
Chronos grunted when the fire fizzled out. All he had was one Spell Card in play but nothing favorable in his hand. "This'll defend my Life Points…for the turn." He grumbled, pulling a card from his hand, "I'll Set one monster and end." A third light shined from the castle.
Looks like he's running out of options…time to overtax it. Saphira drew, and picked a different card from her hand to play. "I summon the Raging Flame Sprite!" Saphira declared. A small flick of ember popped next to Nephthys and the flame burnt out to a small fairy with a brown tunic and matching hat wielding a small wand of fire (100/200).
Chronos looked definitely desperate and in his mind praying for mercy. Although his still-standing castle earned itself a fourth torch, he saw hopeless in the remaining turns ahead.
Saphira shook her head in disappointment, and when here eyes realigned, they were in a blue so sharp it could kill. "Fire is the most ruthless of the elements, and it takes a great deal to control its blaze. Sacred Phoenix, attack! Destroy Chronos' facedown with Eternal Flame!" The Phoenix rose into the sky once more and the wings pounded onto the facedown. The card revealed itself as a stubby yellow robot and it began to beep in intervals. The beeping became faster until it finally exploded and the range of impact nailed Saphira.
Chronos grinned, "That was a Mine Golem (1000/1900), it has a nice defense of 1900 but if anyone's foolish enough to destroy it, then their Life Points are deducted by 500." He described when Saphira's Life Points went to 1050.
"Well, not as much hurt as I'll begin on you." Saphira shook it off. "Now Raging Flame Sprite, attack Chronos Life Points directly with scattering embers!" she made her second attack. The sprite bounced around happily while making her way to Chronos and pressing her scepter head into him. It only inflicted Chronos 100, but he was not relieved with his Life Points coming to 1500.
"Every time that little firefly attacks…its attack power increases by 1000." Chronos shivered.
"Congratulations, you can do math." Saphira mocked, "I'll end my turn after I set one card." A facedown card hovered behind Saphira. This will protect my Raging Flame Sprite if Chronos manages something unorthodox.
Chronos made his draw…and his unimpressive cackling pierced the ears. "Well, it's a pity that Fuh-Rin-Ka-Zan could only do one of four effects, because soon you'll be wishing that you'd destroy my Ancient Gear Castle."
Artemis perked up. He got a tribute monster to beat Nephthys? The other girls seemed worried as well.
Chronos pulled the card into his hand, "Now I'll offer my Ancient Gear Castle to Summon the Ancient Gear Golem!" Around him the castle began to crumble, and rising from the rubble was a mechanical giant (3000/3000).
"That's strong enough to beat the Sacred Phoenix of Nepthys and the Raging Flame Sprite!" Jade panicked.
Saphira took a glance to the girls, then at the Ancient Gear Golem. "You know…I'd be impressed…if it wasn't that I'd rather gag on a dagger whole than submit to the most obvious stunt you could pull. Open facedown! Nightmare Wheel!" Saphira's trap shot off in response to the summons. The Ancient Gear Golem was soon bound tightly to a large fiendish torture wheel. "When the Nightmare Wheel holds a monster captive, that monster is helpless to attack or defend. On top of that, during my Standby Phase, the monster's controller takes 500 points of damage while the monster is restrained."
Chronos was biting down hard on a handkerchief he kept in his pocket, freaking out by another turn of events.
"I'm assuming you're done? Not much you can do now." Saphira looked bored and waited a solid minute before beginning her turn, "My Standby Phase is now." She announced and the Nightmare Wheel tried to turn. There was a resistance of crippling metal met with the skull's teeth on the peak of the wheel. Chronos winced as his Life Points went to 1000.
"My-my-my Ancient Gear Golem!" Chronos cried over dramatically.
"I told you I don't need to raise a fist to break you, but unfortunately it's my Sprite that has to raise a fist. Finish him off with Kindling!" Saphira decided to end the game. The Raging Flame Sprite zipped off in zigzags, first popping up in front of the Ancient Gear Golem's head and through its small, single eye the sprite taunted it by tugging on her own eyelid and sticking her tongue out.
The Golem acted out in frustration and one of its arms was freed from the Nightmare Wheel. It tried to swipe the sprite but missed as the flaming fairy charged for Chronos. The Flame Sprite swung her scepter and a larger wave of flames overthrew Chronos. He tried to keep on his feet as his Life Points hit 0 and the holograms vanished.
Chronos dramatically collapsed to his knees, in shock of his defeat. "How…how…"
"How?" Saphira side commented before turning to the girls, "That was today's first lesson, I realize that it wasn't much of anticipation to your opponent but that's what trap cards are for." She began to lecture as if Chronos wasn't there, the girls looking interested.
Just as Saphira got deep into the lesson, Daitokuji had approached the shocked De Mediz with Pharaoh hanging in his arms. "I take it your approach was wrong again?"
"Not…another…word…Daitokuji." Chronos stated coldly, although his dignity has all but vanished.
Daitokuji shrugged and looked up to Saphira, swallowing a dry one before calling to her. "Saphira-san?"
Saphira stopped midway in her lesson and turned to the Slifer dorm supervisor with a dark glare. "Yes?"
"Headmaster Kaiba is calling an emergency staff meeting, the entire staff needs to come to the conference room immediately." Daitokuji informed. Saphira's gaze lessened up and dismissed the class. Her vile temperament vanished as she came up to Daitokuji.
"An emergency staff meeting? Of what?" Saphira asked as she accompanied Daitokuji into the main building, Chronos slugging behind them and leave the girls to a free period.