*~ Noumenal ~*


Starring: Sherry L.

Genre: Humor / Romance

Rating: T

Time Setting: Tag Force 5

Directly Linked to: Echo

A Prequel to: Wish

Challenged by: King of Stories

Type: One-shot


"Who cut your hair?"

"My Mistress."

"Who dyed it?"

"The same person."

"Who forced you to do this?"

At that Osamu turned to fix her a glare. "Drop it, Sher. I'm not in the mood."

Sherry smiled, unapologetic, and arched her eyebrows in an exaggerated way to say, 'You're just begging to be teased.'

Osamu was about to mutter something in defense, but he decided against it, perhaps noticing the mischief that sparkled in her eyes. "Just get me what I need, okay?" he finally said with a sigh.

Poor guy. After spending—what, years?—of being clothed in only jeans, plain shirts and jackets, he was finally being dragged away from his comfort zone. Sherry couldn't really sympathize, though, for Osamu was, as far as she knew, a casual dresser who never even considered wearing colors other than red, gray or black. She had never been one for fancy clothes herself, but if she should be honest, even she would give Osamu a C minus for his daily wear. For Ra's sake, she was even sure that he would buy the same model of jacket of the same color if it weren't for his friends' pestering.

Night had fallen, but the downtown was as busy as ever. They walked down the bustling streets; Sherry was practically dragging an unmotivated Osamu in every step they traced. When first asked, she had initially considered to refuse. But after seeing how lost he was in the streets, she'd chosen to lower her ego and change her mind. She owed him some debts anyway—and the last thing she wanted was to feel indebted.

She had opted to match his casual style with a simple jeans-plus-T-shirt outfit for this 'appropriate clothes-hunting' today. It felt threatening to go without her riding outfit at first since she had associated going out with danger. But after strolling down for a while it actually became quite refreshing. It had been ages since she had gone out to simply fetch her needs and satisfy the eyes.

Maybe it was the length of her hair, maybe it was them being an odd pair, but for reasons she couldn't really fathom she found people's eyes trailing their steps as they walked. Osamu seemed oblivious to it all, although he was showing his anxiety by keeping his hands inside his pockets. The absence of his hat proved to be something he had not prepared to endure. He'd told her that his Mistress had forbidden him from wearing it, saying that he should let his face show, which in other words meant that he was made a walking advertisement.

As for her... Well, she would be lying if she wasn't afraid of being spotted by those who wanted her life, but she would be a worse liar if she said that she didn't enjoy the attention. From the males, especially.

Sherry stopped in front of a department store. Mannequins clothed in various outfits stood on display. She observed the male outfits, noting the price as well as the style, then said to Osamu, "Why don't we go in? I think you may find something that suits you here." She was particularly interested in the variety of jackets they were selling. Osamu needed a new one to replace the old one of his.

The sulking young man simply shrugged, the gesture seemed more non-committal than ever. "Lead the way."

She did. They went into the building, going straight into the Men's Clothing section. Sherry started to skim through the collections of T-shirts and jackets currently on sale while pretending not to hear Osamu's low grumbling. The shopping had just started and he already looked bored.

She held out a dark V-neck shirt in front of his face. "What do you think?" she asked.

The frown settled back between his eyebrows, darkening his features. "What I'm thinking, seriously? This is all unnecessary, a waste of money and time—"

Sherry withdrew her hand in a sharp movement. "Stop," she said, closing her eyes. "My mistake for asking your opinion in the first place." She rummaged through the selection of clothes, grabbing four more shirts of different style and color.

Osamu didn't seem to be listening; his eyes were darting from one object to another with obvious distaste. "I don't understand why people bother to buy so many clothes of so many styles."

A fitting thought for someone like him. Sherry had a hard time to hold her laughter nonetheless. "So? You prefer going outside naked?"

He looked more irritated than he was embarrassed. "No, I'm still sane, thank you." He folded his hands over his chest, a sign of discomfort. "It's just I don't get why people have to put on a different look each time they go out."

The logic that clothing was only necessary to obscure nudity really suited him, Sherry thought. Osamu was a very practical man, someone who would go camping without an extra amount of clothes than what he thought would be necessary—which was none, save for the ones he had on.

"You can stay in your cave and no one would bother. But now that you finally choose to be a part of modern society... Well, welcome to Neo Domino." Two pairs of jeans were fished out: they were light blue and black. She measured them in both hands. She took the black one.

Grunting loudly, Osamu finally chose to keep his complaints to himself.

She couldn't think of a way to cheer him up, not with her amusement growing like a sunflower welcoming the morning sun. It was heartwarming, really, to see the nature of their relationship being toppled upside down. Usually, she would be the one who was at the peril of his dark humor. So when reality was being generous in reversing their roles, she wouldn't miss a chance to enjoy each ticking second.

"Can I help you with something?"

The cheery voice that came from behind her back gained her attention. She turned to meet a female shopkeeper smiling brightly at them. The nametag on her chest read 'Noriko Ishihara.' "I'm looking for something 'fancy' for this cave dweller here," Sherry said with an inclination of her chin toward Osamu.

The addressed person snorted, and for some reason it only widened the smile plastered on Noriko's face. "My, I'm sure we have 'fancy' collection that would suit him nicely," she quipped. Noriko took the jeans from Sherry and gestured for them to follow her. "Please come with me."

Noriko took them to a section of department with 'SALE!' posters and signs protruding from baskets and display racks. Sherry noticed that some shopkeepers were giving them an amused look and a knowing grin. They probably had laid their eyes on her and Osamu ever since he'd started complaining, the little action of defiance that he was still clinging to like a child whose candy was taken away by a dentist. It was a funny sight to watch, actually, for a grown man to sulk as he shopped. Well, at least it would have been, if it weren't for the fact that she was the one who was doing all the shopping here.

At their third stop for shirts and trousers, Sherry's patience bar was finally depleted.

She shot him a glare over her shoulder. "Will you behave?"

"I wasn't saying anything," he shot back, defensive.

Sherry rolled her eyes. "Your mouth may be tight but your face speaks in languages." Even as she spoke, Osamu was still pouting and scowling. Ignoring Noriko's startled/amused expression, she stopped in her tracks and impatiently jabbed a finger at his chest. "Don't put on that look all the time; you look like a pre-teen being dragged into shopping by his mother. You're twenty. Act like an adult your age."

The finality in her tone must have had hit him, for she swore, if he'd stayed pouty for another second she would have left him without a second thought. Osamu fixed his sour expression, trying to look casual and nonchalant, albeit still maintaining some rigidity in his posture. "Understood," he slowly said.

"Good."

Now that he seemed determined to keep his tongue tied, the dress-up could begin.

A combination of dark trousers and blue shirts didn't sit well with her; blue never seemed to be okay for him. Sherry shook her head at Osamu who just reappeared from the dressing room. No, she wouldn't try blue anymore.

"Try this one."

What about red, then? It took more than ten seconds for her to glance up and down his figure to finally nod her head. Better. The color was more suited on him since it brought out his eyes and hair.

"Now, this one."

Sleeveless shirts immediately received a critical review. Osamu was a tall guy with slender build; the shirt was capable of showing off his lithe frame, but for some reason Sherry felt that he was not the 'I-work-out-frequently' material. It could fit him, though, if he chose to wear a jacket. She gave him a half-hearted nod of approval.

"Next, these."

Jeans versus Khakis. He looked okay in both that it actually didn't matter. Light colors didn't suit him, so Sherry only took the black and dark blue ones. "Okay, now these—"

"Wait, Sher. I don't think I need a new jacket," Osamu interjected as he received a stack of try-ons from Noriko.

Sherry crossed her arms, showing her exasperation blatantly. Someone just never learned. "Say that again and you'll be fired in a week."

With a repressed growl, Osamu began donning the jacket one by one, all the while narrowing his eyes at his own reflection.

Green? His face twisted in disgust before she could even say anything. "I look like some kind of frog mascot." Sherry and Noriko shared a glance, then a shake of head. Dropped.

Brown? Good, but somehow it made him look more like a cowboy rather than a duelist. Dropped.

Black. "Pretty standard and simple, isn't it?" Osamu asked as he adjusted the collar that was layered with fur. Sherry tilted her head in thoughts before finally giving him a slow 'Okay.' It was better than nothing, and it was all the way more worth it if it could finally fit in his ancient wardrobe.

Right, so now was...white. Hell no. A white shirt was okay, but a jacket...? He looked as if he put too much effort in dressing up it actually made him look as if he was mimicking Atlas out of desperation. The color was dropped without too much thought.

What about gray? "Looks nice on you, sir," Noriko commented. The best after dark red and black, Sherry should say. The color matched a dark shirt and his black jeans nicely. If red brought out his coloring, then gray quietly enhanced it. Osamu seemed to like it too—that was if he ever liked anything fashion-related. He didn't scowl when he consulted the mirror, so Sherry took that as a go.

At the seventeenth jacket, she finally motioned for him to stop. "I think this should be enough," she said as she pointed her index finger at the piles of clothes and jackets in Noriko's arms. Osamu let out a relieved sigh and handed out the last jacket he had put on to the poor woman. The brunette would definitely have a hard time making her way to the cashier without stumbling.

Sherry let out a sigh of relief herself. One hour of shopping had felt like an eternity with him. An eternity spent searching for a single needle in a haystack. Never in her life would she think of helping him in this area ever again, no matter how amusing and enjoyable the first ten minutes were. Ten minutes of his suffering—a.k.a her delight—could not be compared to fifty minutes full of complaints and low growls that she had to endure.

She nudged Osamu's arm. "Pay, and this day is over for good."

He nodded and went to the cashier. Sherry quietly fell into step behind him, already thinking of soft pillows and comfortable bed and some booze. Yes, she would definitely not going to go through this kind of ordeal again if possible. Maybe she could refer him to her butler instead if he ever asked for another clothes hunt in the future.

Her mind was still elsewhere when the cashier lady told Osamu that he got a prized coupon that would drop the price of his shopping goods by fifty percent. "How come?" Osamu asked. Bewilderment and hope were vibrant in his voice.

"This was found in your purchased jeans' pocket, Sir," said the lady as she showed them a tiny chip in the color of dark green. "This is a special item that we attach randomly to our collection, and the rule has it: the first person who purchases an item with this chip attached is going to get a 50% discount."

A blink of surprise from Osamu. Then a low whistle. The cashier lady laughed and said, "Actually it is in the brochure. Many of our customers come seeking it."

Hm. So that was why the place was suddenly very busy. Well, they surely hadn't known about it, but Sherry kept silent. What mattered the most now that the hellish shopping hour had ended and—

"Wait!"

—she would finally be able to rest...

...Wouldn't she?

"I have a coupon too! I found it first!"

Apparently not so fast.

Too tired to even sigh, she turned to see who the owner of the voice was and found her immediately. A woman with a pair of thick glasses was walking furiously towards them, a shopkeeper with a mountain of clothes following her from behind in staggering steps.

Osamu's eyes widened as she neared. "You—"he began, but he was cut short by the woman's angry retort.

"Don't 'you' me! I have every right to get a 50% discount too, even more than you do!" she yelled at both Osamu and the cashier lady. She held out a similar green chip in front of the cashier lady's face like a detective in old movies showing his ID card. "I found it in a jacket's inner pocket that I've decided to buy! You!" The woman turned around to glare at the shopkeeper who was still having trouble to stand without flailing. "Tell them I got it first!"

If Sherry had any energy left to pity the addressed girl, she would have done so. The shopkeeper visibly flinched and swayed at the woman's rising tone, looking all more miserable as she tried to steady herself on her feet, a task nearly impossible with the luggage in her arms. "Y-yes, ma'am," she squeaked weakly, her voice buried in the mountain of clothes. "The lady retrieved said jacket from the very first moment she started shopping. I was there to help her, so I saw it—"

The shopkeeper's sentence was left unfinished, cut by the woman's pointed glare—directed at the cashier lady. "See?! Told you I got it first!"

"But this gentleman came to the cashier first," the cashier lady stated gently. Sherry had to admire her placidity given the circumstances. "The rule states that whoever gets to the cashier first with the coupon is to get the discount."

"What?!" The woman's voice went up another octave. Everyone within range of hearing had all but turned their eyes on them. "What kind of a lame joke is this?! Didn't you hear what this girl say? Igot it first!"

"Hey, I got to the cashier first, okay," said Osamu. He was subconsciously drawing himself to his full height, obviously trying to cool down the atmosphere as well as winning the bet. The notion of being granted a 50% discount was overwhelming, and Sherry was sure he was not going to let it slip away, especially when the clothes on his basket towered into the same height as the woman's. "Why don't you just let it pass, Nagisa?"

Sherry blinked, at Osamu then at the scowling woman. "You know her?" she asked the former.

A movement of his shoulder spoke 'yes' and 'no' at the same time. The one addressed as Nagisa hissed, looking deeply irritated and offended. "I swear it was a misfortune to meet you," she said to Osamu.

"I assure you, the feeling is mutual."

At the boiling anger of Nagisa's, the cashier lady chose the most inappropriate timing to say, "Sorry, Miss, but it's the rule."

Sure enough, she was quickly rewarded with a venomous glare—to which the thickness of her glasses prevented from leaking—but she lowered her gaze all the same. Nagisa crossed her arms defiantly. "I'm not letting this once-in-a-lifetime-chance go," she said.

Osamu assumed a similar gesture. "Neither am I."

Okay, this was going to evolve more than a simple debate. The people had beginning to crowd the two brawlers, whispering and murmuring between themselves. So much for her motto of being a low-profile immigrant. Carefully, she took a step back from the them, trying to distance herself from the two volcanos that looked more than ready to erupt at each other's faces. Right, she could slip away, go home, and enjoy her evening quietly without having to participate in this shameful ruckus.

"What is this?"

Sherry almost lost her balance when she was bumped from behind by a massive shoulder of a striding giant. Stumbling forward, she was once again pushed to Osamu's side.

A man almost twice Osamu's size glared down at shopkeepers around the cashier before his narrowing eyes set themselves on Nagisa and Osamu. He was clothed in a fine suit, his hair combed back and his expression was reminding Sherry of a sulking hippopotamus. "I am the manager of this department store," he bellowed, voice ringing like a thunder in a cloudy sky. "What is the cause of this commotion?"

A shifting gaze and barely two seconds later, Sherry realized that her well-laid plans might as well pack up and take a trip to Tartarus. The gigantic manager was including her in his observation, and it was clear that whatever hypothesis he may have formulated about the mess, she was already branded as a variable.

The cashier lady, who looked as if she'd just been petrified, recovered the quickest. "Our deepest apologies, Mr. Raiden, these two customers here each has the coupon of the day and they are arguing who should be the one to get the discount."

Manager Raiden's thick eyebrows were drawn together they almost formed a single furious 'v' line on his forehead. Osamu's face was impassive, perhaps already calculating the pros and cons of backing up now; but the look on Nagisa's face didn't change a bit. She was still crossing her arms, her whole posture challenging. "Hmm... Who got to the cashier first?" he asked.

"I did," Osamu replied. Jerking his thumb toward Sherry, he added, "She's a witness."

"But I got the coupon first and I have a witness too!" Nagisa yelled as she pulled the shopkeeper who had been accompanying her to her side. Sherry noticed how all the staffs around them flinched. The manager must have never been opposed in such a way. Failing to recognize this, Nagisa spoke again. "The rule is bullshit! The person who gets the coupon first should be the one getting the discount!" Either the glasses blurred her vision or she was born blind...

"So you're saying that you should be the one who gets the discount?"

"What else am I saying?"

To everyone's surprise, the manager grinned, so broad and mischievous that Sherry hoped she could simply just vanish into thin air. A grin like that could only mean one thing: trouble. And trouble was something she liked to avoid, especially in the face of this many people.

"So this lady is claiming that she got the coupon first and was only a bit late to get to the cashier, eh? Interesting."

Okay, 'interesting' was equal to double trouble now. She could now only pray that none of her pursuers were in the department store.

"All right," the manager boomed with a clap of his hands. "Since both of you have the rights to get the discount, why don't we just decide who's the lucky person today with a little competition?"

"Competition?" Osamu echoed.

"A duel." Manager Raiden swept a hand towards the crowd, his eyes glinting like a predator who'd just found a prey lurking near his lair. "You've gathered spectators this many, isn't it rude to simply shoo them away? I'm sure they're up for some entertainment."

The crowd cheered their yes. Sherry thanked the lady fortune. A duel would present her with a chance to escape. The duelists wouldn't notice her disappearing into the eager crowd since she had no reasons to stay here in the first place anyway.

"So a Tag Duel it is!"

Wait. "What?"

The grin spread even impossibly wider. "You heard me, Miss, a Tag Duel. You're a witness to his case and the persistent lady here also has a witness," he explained, indicating at the miserable shopkeeper beside Nagisa with a sweep of his hand. "So, yes, two versus two. A Tag Duel. And since the discount is the prized bet, this will be a quick, breathless duel with 2000 Life Points." He turned to the shopkeeper whose nametag read 'Nobuko Narita' to say, "You too. Get ready."

The dark haired woman yelped her yes, surprise, horror and fear were etched on her pale face. She received her Duel Disk from her co-worker with trebling hands. People were already forming a circle around them as well as stepping back to give them the space they needed.

Some smart replies and arguments were forming in Sherry's head, but they puffed into the air when Nagisa pointed her index finger at her and Osamu. "I'm going to beat you up and earn the prize! Let's settle this, once and for all!"

"But I'm not—I haven't—"

Osamu nodded sternly, having received a duel disk from a shopkeeper himself, thus ignoring her reluctance. "Ready, Sher?" 'We have to get the discount' was the inaudible statement written all over his face.

"Fine!" She grabbed the duel disk being lent to her with a blossoming rage. Why did things never go as she wanted? What god had she wronged this time that she should suffer such an ignominious fate? "The sooner I can leave, the better. Just get this over with and let me go home!"

"As if you had one," Osamu muttered with a mirthless chuckle. "Last time I checked, you were still prone to borrowing someone's sofa for a nap—"

A stomp on his right foot silenced him.

"Duel!"

(Sherry & Osamu – 2000) vs. (Carly & Nobuko – 2000)

"The discount is mine! Draw!" Carly took her sixth card and spent no time to activate the newly drawn card. "Fortune Fairy must be smiling at me today! My ace monster right at the start! May Fortune bless my move: come to my side, Summoner Monk!"

(Summoner Monk 800 / 1600 / 4) An entity that resembled human in appearance leapt out of the darkness, its purple robe fluttering as it brought its feet into a sitting position in the air. The monk was changed into to defense position automatically upon its summoning, and Sherry could only guess that it was just a small piece of the odd woman's tactics.

"Wohoo, I'm on a roll." Nagisa picked a card from her hand, a Spell, and placed it on her Duel Disk. "Next, I shall activate Future Visions!" The moment of the Field Spell's activation, the area around them shattered, re-materializing, forming a vacant dimension with visions of various places and timeline flowing above their heads. "This card will remove any normal summoned monsters from play and return it to the field the next standby phase," she explained. "Summoner Monks' special effect, activate now! By discarding one Spell Card from my hand, I can special summon a level 4 monster from my deck." Nagisa's deck was shuffled until a card she picked was on top. She drew it with a mischievous grin. "I choose to summon Lady Light from my deck!"

(Fortune Lady Light ? / ? / 1) A petite spell caster jumped happily to her side of the field. Sherry had to blink thrice to ensure that she didn't miss what she'd just seen. "An unknown ATK and DEF?" she mused aloud. "What kind of monster is that?"

"A monster specialized in bringing bad luck," came the flat-toned reply from Osamu.

Nagisa heard it and her devious grin only grew. "Yes. To you." The Field Spell's effect quickly enshrouded Fortune Lady Light in darkness, taking it to the underworld for one phase. "Lady Light's special effect will enable me to special summon one Fortune Lady Monster from my deck. Go, go, go, Lady Earth!"

(Fortune Lady Earth ? / ? / 6) This time, a slightly larger fortune lady in brown appeared. Again Sherry noticed that the ATK and DEF of the monster were unknown. What kind of deck is she operating...?

To her annoyance, the answer came just a second after the monster made its stand. "Lady Earth's ATK and DEF, if you're wondering, are specified by its level. For each star level, she gains 400 points for both. So now she has..." The woman truly did pause a moment to count with her fingers. "2400 points of attack and defense!"

(Fortune Lady Earth 2400 / 2400 / 6) A purplish aura enveloped Lady Earth, and she absorbed it with a pleasant smile blooming on her face, revealing sharp, jagged teeth that didn't match its otherwise clumsy appearance. Beside her, Sherry could hear Osamu snorting in disbelief after noting how the people cheered at Nagisa's move. Even she had to admit that it was some clever trick.

"I set up one card and end the turn."

Turn 2 (Sherry & Osamu – 2000) vs. (Carly & Nobuko – 2000)

"My turn," Sherry announced as she drew a card. After briefly scanning her cards, she immediately went for a Spell Card. "First thing first, I'll crush your Field Spell with Mystical Space Typhoon!"

"What? No!" Nagisa screamed.

A strong wind blew the arena, sweeping away the crumbling dimension with little difficulty. Right, now that the troublesome card was destroyed, she picked out a monster and summoned it without so much as a breath. "I summon the Horse of the Floral Knights to my side."

(Horse of the Floral Knights 400 / 800 / 3) An armored horse landed on the field, its heavy gear making a clattering sound as it shrieked and hissed. "You're not the only one with Special Effect Monsters here. My monster's effect lets me add a Polymerization from my deck," Sherry informed. She drew the newly shuffled card and activated it. "I fuse my Horse with Sacred Knight's Spearholder from my hand to call upon Centaur Mina!"

On cue, the horse and the card from her hand were swallowed by a swirling energy which took them beyond the netherworld, a move that enraged Nagisa and earned a low whistle from the bulky manager.

(Centaur Mina 2200 / 1600 / 6) A female centaur in white and golden armor leapt from the dimensional rift, brandishing its long lance and letting out a battle cry, its long red hair a fiery sight. The Manager and the people seemed to realize that Mina's ATK value is lower than Lady Earth's as they began to narrow their eyes and murmur in bewilderment. Sherry smiled and revealed another card from her hand. "Honest. This fairy shall boost Mina's ATK during the Damage Step, so you can stop worrying," she told Nagisa.

"Hey, that's unfair!"

"Says the one in minority," said Osamu. "End this quick, Sher."

"I plan to." Yes, this duel didn't need to last for long. It was always better to get things over with and be done with anything that might attract suspicion and unwanted attention. She'd had enough already. "Commence, Battle Phase! Slice through the odds, Mina! Attack Lady Earth!"

Hones began to glow in her hand, lending its effect to the galloping centaur to increase its Attack Power, which Mina received as she shouted.

"T-trap Card, activate now!" The centaur's lance was only an inch from the cowering Lady Earth when the attack target was warped out of the field, sending Mina almost off balance when her lance struck empty air. "Slip of Fortune," declared Nagisa with a shuddering breath. "This card will let me negate Mina's attack by removing Lady Earth from play until the next Standby Phase."

"This is such a—" Sherry swallowed a long list of curses borne from her already broken patience bar. She shook her head furiously and tried, in vain, to repress her rage. "You'd better do something against her tricky deck," she told Osamu, setting up one card on her Trap Zone before ending her turn.

From the angry scowl on his face, he too seemed to be in a trial of endurance himself. "I'll see what I can do."

Turn 3 (Sherry & Osamu – 2000) vs. (Carly & Nobuko – 2000)

"Umm... It's... my turn, I guess." Nobuko drew her sixth card, obvious uncertainty coloring her face like a single dark cloud hanging on a blue sky. The glaring competition Nagisa and Sherry were having could melt the ice berg that Titanic had crashed into, and Osamu wasn't helping her to steady herself by narrowing his eyes dangerously, perhaps already wishing for her to faint from her low self-confidence so that the duel could be won without delay. For once, Sherry shared his dark thought.

"I—I activate a Spell from my hand," she said weakly, somewhat managing to swallow and breathe under the intense mental assault Osamu and Sherry were unleashing upon her. "Graceful
Charity." An angel with two pairs of white wings jumped into existence besider her and selected two cards from her hand to be exchanged to the three cards she had drawn from her deck. After she took it, she held out one monster card and placed it on her Disk. "Um, I summon Granola to my side of the field."

(Flam ell Grunika 1700 / 200 / 4) A blazing demon with bat wings materialized from a small tornado of flames. Sherry was beginning to think just how absurd this whole event was; please, a girl who couldn't even stand right on her feet was playing an aggressive pyro deck... What more could she possibly ask from the senseless gods above? This world was going mad, and the snickering manager was going to agree with her, she was sure.

Oblivious to the thoughts running in Sherry's mind, Nobuko activated a monster's effect from her hand. "Flamvell Commando can be special summoned by tributing a Flamvell monster, you see..." Oh, hell. "So, please come to the field."

(Flamvell Commando 2200 / 200 / 6) Grunika was swallowed by a darker flame when from the same Hell Gate appeared a big, armored warrior who announced its presence with a berserker's roar, sending the crowd into an abrupt silence. Okay, now absurdity had just reached a whole new level, and Carly, the only person who was delighted by it, jumped as she threw her fist in glee. "Whoo, girl! You're awesome!" she cried. "That was one hell of a move!"

Nobuko had the intelligence not to blush or smile under Sherry's vicious stare. "Um, thanks. Well, if I may continue... Battle Phase, please. Lady Earth, you may attack the centaur if you wish..."

With a snarl, Sherry shot her Trap Card into activation. A silver rose bloomed in front of Mina, shielding her from harm as it grew in size and cushioned Lady Earth's attack. "Floral Shield. It negates an attack and lets me draw one card as an addition." She drew the bonus card before letting Nobuko to proceed—all the while maintaining her eyes fixed on the woman's. Plan failed, she didn't pass out.

"I set up a face-down card. End Turn."

Turn 4 (Sherry & Osamu – 2000) vs. (Carly & Nobuko – 2000)

Osamu drew his card, muttering, "This duel better be worth it."

"I should be the one saying so," Sherry said dryly.

He gave her a look that was nearly apologetic and sympathetic at the same time. He knew how she hated unnecessary troubles and if he still had his sanity left, he would be wishing that she was generous enough of letting this all go after the duel. She was, after all, not known for her patience and forgiving nature. "I'll... make up for this," he finally said.

"How?"

"A treat."

"I'm hard to please," she warned with a half-smile that was meant to be both threatening and uncompromising. "And I am certainly not going to be bribed with cheap meals and drinks."

A bitter smile touched his lips. "I know." The smile turned into a sly one. "Or maybe I can give something that cannot be measured with coins."

Sherry let her heeled boot to stomp on his foot again, harder and harsher than ever.